From his NBAdraft.net profile: I wonder what the deal is. Obviously he hasn't lived up to his potential, but maybe there's something there to gain by giving him a good, hard look?
That's kind of my thought. Isn't it kind of worthless to be starting Joel? We know who he is. However, Thabeet has still never gotten any meaningful run in any game this season, for Houston or Portland. Isn't this the ideal time to at least see if he's worth a bench spot next year? I get that he's supposed to be lazy or whatever people say about him, but I'm still curious. 7'3 and athletic is extemely rare. He has to be at least as good as Chris Johnson, right?
Find out whether the anonymous Grizzlies asst. coach was right. Tell the big man to do something in the weight room, leave, then ask guys in there whether he sluffed off when the coaches weren't looking.
Speaking of lazy centers, Joel came out of his unforced vacation/retirement playing with his kids and picked the system he already knew over elite contenders in Miami and Chicago.
Meh, we don't have his rights. If he looks even remotely adequate, somebody else will snag him in the summer, since even remotely adequate guys with his size get paid. If he doesn't look adequate, it was a waste of minutes. Joel may be a known entity, but Babbit isn't (much to my own surprise). Joel can set screens for Babbit, giving Babbit the kind of opportunities to demonstrate more of his potential. And that's just Joel/Babbit. All of our younger players have more chance to show potential by playing more minutes with guys who are actually at least mediocre. Besides, in the unlikely event Thabeet looks decent in practice, our management are the only ones who know it. So it'll make him that much cheaper to re-sign.
I agree with the "it can't hurt" crowd. But don't put him in with all young players, play him with the Vets.
Next year, he has a "team option" right? And it's 6.5 mil. He'd have to look VERY good for Portland to match that. And since we're not even looking, I'd say he's a goner. I wonder why they gave up on Chris Johnson though....they should have cut Craig Smith or Kurt Thomas.
The league has seen enough of him. He's likely on his way to an underwhelming European career. His ceiling is being cut late during NBA training camps and maybe getting some garbage minutes at Fan Fest. Been nice knowing him.
If the work ethic is really as bad as rumored then you are probably right. But it only takes one person to turn him around. He has the size, and the athleticism, nice soft touch from 15 feet out (based only on the two free throws I saw him easily make ) and was the two time big East defensive player of the year........You think with a little work he could improve enough to make a rotation. Very Puzzling. Isn't connecting with young players Canales' fortei? He has a month.
You can't tell me you don't think if he hit the gym and worked hard he wouldn't be at the very least as good as Pryzbilla. He's 7'3, he'll at least be an asset on defensive... oh look at that he blocked paul's shot just now, mathews fouled though
it surprised me how well he moved & overall decent he looked tonight. He was getting called for nonsense left and right, especially his 3rd and 4th fouls, but color me intrigued STOMP
I think he had 2 fouls in 2 minutes, went out, then had 2 fouls in 2 minutes, went out, then later in the game had 0 fouls in 4 minutes. I say play him all the minutes we can.
