I read the game thread today, and must have been watching a different game. Meyers boxed out very well, had multiple good stops on defense, and didn't get credited for 3 rebounds in the first quarter. A small vocal minority of the Blazer fanbase criticizes him constantly I don't understand how it can be said that he doesn't have any pressure on him, especially by the very people who seems to thrive by bashing him.
I know you like to defend him, but there has been a clear difference between how our summer league plays with Thomas Robinson, and how they played with Meyers Leonard.
Yeah no pressure. As long as he does not read any message boards, listen to sports talk radio, or goes to the grocery store. I am sure he is feeling zero pressure. I don't want to make excuses for this guy, but come on.........there is pressure when you constantly hear/read how "fucking awful" you are. It gets in your head. Again, not making excuses for the guy, but yeah there is pressure.
I don't know the answer to that. Probably not. But the wrath of the fans is much harder to handle for a young player. They don't know any better.
So do you guys think it's the fans who have destroyed his confidence? I don't see it. I see a player who has put his focus on shooting outside shots.
I didn't say that. I simply disagree with your statement that "There has been zero pressure on him". Fan pressure is still pressure.
Then there is something wrong if he's not receiving some pressure from the team. They should be wanting him to improve. If not, send him packing.
I'm sure they want him to improve, but I haven't gotten the impression that they have put a ton of pressure on him to perform right away.
Wow if fans have that much influence on the kid, then why even bother keeping him? That is a sign of a mental midget. If you can't take pressure like that, then you have no business being in the NBA.
TO be fair, maybe that's smart for him to do, for HIMSELF. Not for the Trail Blazers. But for himself, maybe he realizes he doesn't have the intensity and drive to mix it up really, isn't the most physical guy, and likely won't develop a post game. BUt he can watch guys like Channing, Ryan Anderson, Hawes all get 5-10 million a year and realize ok, I can do that, find a niche, and contribute, somewhere. Now, I don't care for that, personally, but I also hated the pick at the time. Not to say that's at all what he is doing, by any means.
If he can shoot, he should shoot from outside. Big men with range are great for spacing. To me, the problem is not where he puts his focus. His problem is that he hasn't proven to be good at anything yet.
He has so many things going against him in his development. *Two years of HS ball. *Two years at Ill where the coaching staff was in "turmoil" his entire time there according to the Sun Times. Bigs take longer to develop as it is. He's a project who's a year or two away still. But I think it's clear that he's a PF and not a C. I see his future role as a P&P/P&R guy. He'll never be a guy that you ISO.
It's a cliche, but the NBA game is too fast for him. He's shown poor timing or rebounding and blocks, and looks lost often in transition. He's had enough run at this point.
Bruce Weber's always been a shitty coach. But, I'm just not sure on Leonard. He has things that you can't teach (size, athleticism, build, soft touch), but he doesn't have some things that you can't teach (instincts, feel for the game, desire???).... I've always been a fan of the pick. I'm not ready to give up on him, yet. A year from now and he still looks like dog shit then I will write him off. He was a gamble, oh well, it happens. If he doesn't pan out he will just be another in a long line of big men drafted for potential that didn't pan out. Remember Patrick O'Bryant, Olowakandi, Rafael Araujo, Cole Aldrich, Robert Swift, Thabeet, Epke Udoh.....etc. GM's want to find the next gem of a big man. Sometimes you got to swing for the fences. Sometimes it doesn't pan out. Oh well.
