Thanks They may be right, m not in the best position to know what's best. But it seems to me they had the ability to hire the right coaches.
From the few D League games I've watched, I believe the Blazers are probably right. D League is worse than summer league. Glorified rat ball. All Leonard would learn there long term is how to be lazy on defense and hog the ball every chance he gets.
Well sure they could've chosen coaches but its economics. They can pay assistants for the Blazers $700k but its a waste to have 5 guys earning that much in the DLeague. Top level coaches aren't going to want to spend their career in the DLeague where 95% of their players have zero chance of making the NBA.
You know what NBA teams should really do; buy international teams. If they had an affiliate in the Spanish ACB league it would be the highest professional ball outside of the NBA. Young players could go on a badass work vacation for a month.
His size, in terms of standing reach and wing-span, is really more along the lines of a PF. He has good athletisism, but being a good defender is more about position, timing and awareness. We've had some very good defensive centers, like Ratliff, Camby and Pryzbilla, and they were all pretty average in the size/athletisism department.
I think after rewatching him play against the Hawks, he did show some improvement but unless he really brings it with TRob out, it's becoming glaringly apparent why we brought Kaman here in the meantime. He's worth the 14th spot on the roster at this point. A young project big. He's better than Crabbe
These measurements are taken at a combine, with a standard format of how to measure, it's not like they let some guys stand on their tip toes and others stand flat footed. 7'3 is an average wingspan for a player his height, but his standing reach is more in the realm of a 6'9 PF. The big centers will have a reach around 9'5.
No, you said his wingspan was about right for a PF. I don't buy it. LMA has a 7'5" wingspan, but Kevin Love and Blake Griffin are both under 7' in wingspan.
Actually, players are coached prior to measurements on how to "cheat" on measurements. Does anybody really believe that Kevin Love has a true 35" vertical?
How could he cheat on his measurement? With anti-gravity shoes? Do you think the people observing the test are so oblivious that they wouldn't be able to tell if a player is standing flat footed? His wingspan is average for 7 footer, his standing reach is below average. He's a decent sized center, but it's not as though his size alone would set him apart.
Well, I think Meyers has one more year and if he doesn't show any growth by next summer, that's it. I don't think I've ever seen someone regress like this.
Leonard is not just worse than every player he goes up against, he gets soundly beaten by his man in every summer league game - this year and last year.
What happened to this guy? [video=youtube;NfcPpHa3EOE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfcPpHa3EOE[/video]
His confidence is shot. Once that goes, it's practically impossible to get back. See Anderson, Nick and Biedrins (thanks for reminding me Darkwebs), Andris. Just set him loose, please. It was always a mistake to take him, let's not compound it any fucking longer.
The talent is there. We've seen very rare glimpses of it. I just see a guy who is completely out of his element. He lacks instincts. Thomas Robinson is all instincts, while Leonard has zero instincts.
