Has LMA reached his ceiling?

[Fez Hammersticks]

07/08 - 17.8 PPG | 7.6 RPG | 1.2 BPG | 1.6 APG | 48 FG% | 35 MPG | 18.5 PER

08/09 - 18.1 PPG | 7.5 RPG | 1.0 BPG | 1.9 APG | 48 FG% | 37 MPG | 19.1 PER

09/10 - 17.9 PPG | 8.0 RPG | 0.6 BPG | 2.1 APG | 49 FG% | 37 MPG | 18.2 PER

Quite possibly the fastest plateau for a top-3 pick in NBA history. His DRtg% has not improved, either -- 107/108/107.

 

[Minstrel]

07/08 - 17.8 PPG | 7.6 RPG | 1.2 BPG | 1.6 APG | 48 FG% | 35 MPG | 18.5 PER

08/09 - 18.1 PPG | 7.5 RPG | 1.0 BPG | 1.9 APG | 48 FG% | 37 MPG | 19.1 PER

09/10 - 17.9 PPG | 8.0 RPG | 0.6 BPG | 2.1 APG | 49 FG% | 37 MPG | 18.2 PER

Quite possibly the fastest plateau for a top-3 pick in NBA history.

I'm sure there have been many that plateaued faster, and probably lower. At least Aldridge seems to have plateaued at a fairly high level, just a slight cut below All-Star caliber.

I think he still has a chance to break out to a higher level, but it's becoming progressively less likely.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I'd say it's probably 90% likely that this is the LMA we can expect moving forward, with modest improvements and it would take a real personality and/or skillset change for that to change drastically -- he'd have to develop a face up game with an ability to take people off the dribble or he'd have to become much more aggressive in his pursuit of the ball and his effort on defense.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

His shot blocking is truly pathetic for a player his size.

Nearly 7'0" with a 7'5" wingspan, athletic, he has the tools to be a force on the defensive end. He just doesn't focus enough or just lacks heart.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Of course he hasn't.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

I'm okay with LMA hovering around 18 or 19 PER and playing the way he is for the foreseeable future. Here's why: we had six players with 500 minutes or more and PER over 17:

Oden (23.1)
Roy (21.3)
LMA (18.2)
Miller (18.1)
Nic (17.3)
Camby (17.0)

But when you look at the playoffs, the top two players were missing, and the bottom two were hurt, leaving only the middle two, and leaving us essentially at 33% strength. So LMA being 3rd out of 6 good-to-great players on the team isn't bad at all. It's just getting all six on the court in the same game (though not the same play... unless it's against the Celtics).

 

[BrianFromWA]

I think they regulated against the 6-man Play Nate came up with.

As for LMA...I'd rather we NOT feed him in the middle post to start our offense in the 1st and 3rd quarter. If you want to run a few pick-and-rolls (yes, I mean the ROLL, not the pop) that's cool. I'd rather him lose a couple of PER points but get back to the "Defensive Player of hte Year (Big 12 version)" LMA than the "I shoot jumpers" LMA.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Hell no.

Forget his stats. His overall game will improve. I think he has the ability to make his teammates better, and this will be more apparent when his teammates mature too.

 

[oldmangrouch]

I think they regulated against the 6-man Play Nate came up with.

As for LMA...I'd rather we NOT feed him in the middle post to start our offense in the 1st and 3rd quarter. If you want to run a few pick-and-rolls (yes, I mean the ROLL, not the pop) that's cool. I'd rather him lose a couple of PER points but get back to the "Defensive Player of hte Year (Big 12 version)" LMA than the "I shoot jumpers" LMA.

That ship sailed when they inked him to his new contract.

 

[hasoos]

I'm okay with LMA hovering around 18 or 19 PER and playing the way he is for the foreseeable future. Here's why: we had six players with 500 minutes or more and PER over 17:

Oden (23.1)
Roy (21.3)
LMA (18.2)
Miller (18.1)
Nic (17.3)
Camby (17.0)

But when you look at the playoffs, the top two players were missing, and the bottom two were hurt, leaving only the middle two, and leaving us essentially at 33% strength. So LMA being 3rd out of 6 good-to-great players on the team isn't bad at all. It's just getting all six on the court in the same game (though not the same play... unless it's against the Celtics).

While that is nice and all, it is what I call an "excuse". An excuse for not getting it done. Anbyody who watched the games knows he needs to do more on the boards and more on the defensive end. We are not paying him to be a role player. We are paying him to be the guy that when the going gets tough, the tough get going.

I believe that Lamarcus has plateu'd because he has ceased expanding his game. It is a choice, not a matter of talent.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Look how much better he looked when he played more with Miller. Look how many easy buckets he got from alley oops. Just think if he had Nash working the pick and roll with him. He would be an all star.

 

[julius]

07/08 - 17.8 PPG | 7.6 RPG | 1.2 BPG | 1.6 APG | 48 FG% | 35 MPG | 18.5 PER

08/09 - 18.1 PPG | 7.5 RPG | 1.0 BPG | 1.9 APG | 48 FG% | 37 MPG | 19.1 PER

09/10 - 17.9 PPG | 8.0 RPG | 0.6 BPG | 2.1 APG | 49 FG% | 37 MPG | 18.2 PER

Quite possibly the fastest plateau for a top-3 pick in NBA history. His DRtg% has not improved, either -- 107/108/107.

Nope, check out Sidney Wicks stats.

 

[RoyToy]

His ceiling is an AS caliber player, so no. At just 24, he's not even in his prime yet.

Glad to have him.

 

[hasoos]

Look how much better he looked when he played more with Miller. Look how many easy buckets he got from alley oops. Just think if he had Nash working the pick and roll with him. He would be an all star.

No it wouldn't. There are a ton of player who catch a lot of alley-oops. It doesn't make them an instant all star. What makes players all stars is if they put up big numbers on teams that win a lot. Nash wouldn't help him rebound. Nash wouldn't help him play defense. Nash can't make him move closer to the basket to receive a pass.

 

[LameR]

If Oden can get healthy, he'll be a lot better as a result of playing with him.

 

[Tince]

I would be shocked if LMA doesn't get better.

 

[MrSelfDestruct]

I would be ok with this as a plateau if he played his Post-ASB game all season.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I would be shocked if LMA doesn't get better.

He probably will, but I'm curious....wouldn't you have said this after the 2007-08 season? And yet, 2 years later, there hasn't been much improvement?

 

[BBert]

LaMarshmallow would have to try harder to actually reach his ceiling.

Now that that's out of the way -- I think he can be better and I hold out hope he will be. With a couple of other quality players around him, such as an improved Batum and Oden, a healthy Roy, and a newer Point Guard, I don't know that his stats will show it, though. I hope with Oden taking up space and boxing out, LaMarcus might snag a few more rebounds too. I certainly hope he's not resting on his new contract, because it felt like that to me at times at the beginning of the season.

 

[MARIS61]

No.

 

[Pinwheel1]

If Miller helped him get closer to the basket by being on the end of alley oops, then you don't think Nash would help him even more? Is David West an All Star without Chris Paul? Is Boozer an allstar without Williams. Nash would get LMA 2-3 extra baskets a game. He already averages 18. 22-23 pts a game on the blazers is allstar worthy

 

[KingSpeed]

When judging LMA, compare him to all the second options in the league. You'll find he ranks quite high.

 

[blazerboy30]

When judging LMA, compare him to all the second options in the league. You'll find he ranks quite high.

Link?

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

He has reached his ceiling in Nate's system. If Oden ever shows the promise that everyone hopes for, look for his numbers to decrease. They are not bad numbers, just not All-Star stats.

 

[BrianFromWA]

When judging LMA, compare him to all the second options in the league. You'll find he ranks quite high.

Let's just look in the division first, shall we?
Would you take LMA over:
Billups (unless you think 'Melo is a #2 option)?
Boozer (or Williams)?
Westbrook/Green?
Even Kevin Love in Minny is a better fit for us than LMA.

Outside the division, but in our conference:
Duncan or Ginobili or Parker?
Amare or Nash?
Gasol/Bynum?
Terry/Kidd? (I'll give you that one)
So out of the 7 other playoff teams, LMA is the 6th-best 2nd option, by that reckoning.
WC Non-Playoff Teams
Rockets: If you count Yao as #1, then that leaves Scola, Martin, etc.
Hornets: West and Okafor
MEM: Zbo or Mayo or Mark Gasol?
Kings: Sure, LMA wins.
GSW: If Ellis is #1, Curry's 2. Or Vice Versa.
LAC: Not counting Griffin? Boom-Dizzle or Kaman?

So, he's a better 2nd option than 2 of the other 14 teams. Do I need to look East to prove this point?

 

[Pinwheel1]

I would take him over Boozer (Don't let this run fool you-he is not a team guy- he will bolt Utah in July) Billups/on the down side, Green/very good player but too much of a tweener, and Love.

 

[BrianFromWA]

I somewhat disagree, but even granting your 4...that leaves LMA in the bottom half of the WC in terms of "2nd fiddles". Which is what I was bringing up against KS's point.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I somewhat disagree, but even granting your 4...that leaves LMA in the bottom half of the WC in terms of "2nd fiddles". Which is what I was bringing up against KS's point.

I was just looking at our division. I would take him over all 6 of the non playoff off team's second fiddle as well.

 

[HailBlazers]

LMA is a team player. This year our team was not complete. Has he reached is ceiling? No, he needs a full roster to shine. He's young and still has allot of potential left to fulfill... IMO

 

[Tince]

He probably will, but I'm curious....wouldn't you have said this after the 2007-08 season? And yet, 2 years later, there hasn't been much improvement?

Fair point, and yes I would have said he would improve. Most might disagree, but I think LMA has improved over the past three years, just not as much as people would like. He'll never be the shot blocker people want him to be, but I think he has to ability to be a solid defender and improved inside post player.