How to right the Meyers ship?

[riverman]

Lock him in a gym with Dennis Rodman

 

[Natebishop3]

Lock him in a gym with Dennis Rodman

Are you trying to get him roofied?

 

[riverman]

Are you trying to get him roofied?

I was thinking of red and black pinwheel hair makeover and throwing baseball passes the length of the court.

 

[jlprk]

Who's are big man coach? Do we even have someone on staff to teach these things to Leonard? I'm reading about all these camps the Blazers have been going to to improve their game. Has Meyer's went anywhere? I'd think the Pete Newell big man camp would be a requirement for him during the off season.

Kim Hughes has the job because he is Olshey's Clipper buddy. The Newell camp wouldn't accept Leonard. Seriously. You have to bring a history of effort and Pudding doesn't have it.

See Joel Przybilla, Tiago Splitter, Marcin Gortat, Omar Asik . . . .

Almost every white center in the league has taken 3-5 years just to START getting productive. Most of those players were traded away by their original teams because they got tired of waiting. Meyers was a 4-5 year project with limited basketball experience. We are starting year 3. Why is everyone surprised at this point. By the time we are done with Kaman, Meyers should start producing more.

Even RoLo wasn't producing meaningful numbers until he hit 24. Meyers is 22.

Bullshit. Those guys improved only because they got experience learning several systems. The original team babies an awful player, and he needs more than one change of scenery, where they will yell at him. Should you have stayed forever at your first job?

 

[Reep]

Bullshit. Those guys improved only because they got experience learning several systems. The original team babies an awful player, and he needs more than one change of scenery, where they will yell at him. Should you have stayed forever at your first job?

Yeah, because Tiago Splitter started with the Spurs and then when he was 27 he played for the . . . Spurs. And even though all of the center mentioned struggled until they were 24+, it had nothing to do with age and maturity, but only to do with the systems they were in? Ok.

 

[jlprk]

Kim Hughes is our big man coach. People speak very highly of him.

I've never seen anything. Link?

What I don't understand is that the guy looked decent in his first summer league game. He has progressively gotten worse and worse every year.

He actually tried then. When regular season came, the effort was gone and Kim Hughes was busy saying that someday, somehow Leonard will be good.

Not sure what that has to do with anything. Batum looked horrible in his first summer league, then ended up starting in the regular season.

Not sure what that has to do with anything. Batum improved, Leonard regressed. Simple and obvious to anyone who watches.

 

[jlprk]

I take back every word on this post. Leonard just played a better defensive game than I even hoped. I actually believe he may finally "get it".

You think because he didn't score he had a bad game?! That's actually the first time I saw him not look just to score, the first time I saw him at least try to play team defense.
Leonard can score, he had that dunk and if I'm not mistaken a 3. He's a very talented scorer, that's not the issue. What will determine if he gets minutes is his defense and today I think he had the best game of his career on that side of the floor.

This is a joke, right? Everyone in the game thread except you thought he sucked. He did nothing different from usual. He avoided all action. He was 15 feet away from every single rebound opportunity, defense or offense. He was a passive spectator.

Next game, count how many times he scratches his shoulder and face because he's bored while on the court. Count that for his teammates. I did. It was about 10 for him and zero for them.

 

[HailBlazers]

Not sure what that has to do with anything. Batum improved, Leonard regressed. Simple and obvious to anyone who watches.

My point is that you can't use a single summer league game as a basis for where a player is at.

 

[Natebishop3]

My point is that you can't use a single summer league game as a basis for where a player is at.

It isn't a single summer league game. It's literally every game we've seen from him since his rookie season. He spends too much time on the perimeter.

 

[jlprk]

Yeah, because Tiago Splitter started with the Spurs and then when he was 27 he played for the . . . Spurs. And even though all of the center mentioned struggled until they were 24+, it had nothing to do with age and maturity, but only to do with the systems they were in? Ok.

You pick Popovich's coaching as typical coaching. If he were our coach, I'd wait an extra year. (But Leonard would still have to show constant improvement, like Splitter did, to keep his job. At this late date, Popovich would cut the regressing Leonard, as we should.)

My point is that you can't use a single summer league game as a basis for where a player is at.

Not usually, but Nate was just illustrating the regression.

 

[BlayZa]

how to right it?

put it right to the bottom of the ocean. it's going nowhere cept backwards n down.

 

[Hobbesarable]

See Joel Przybilla, Tiago Splitter, Marcin Gortat, Omar Asik . . . .

Almost every white center in the league has taken 3-5 years just to START getting productive. Most of those players were traded away by their original teams because they got tired of waiting. Meyers was a 4-5 year project with limited basketball experience. We are starting year 3. Why is everyone surprised at this point. By the time we are done with Kaman, Meyers should start producing more.

Even RoLo wasn't producing meaningful numbers until he hit 24. Meyers is 22.

Keep saying that while he looks like Alice after falling down the rabbit hole.

Our team will be past its championship window by the time he's ready.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Meyers is probably a super nice guy, but I just don't see a basketball player when I watch him. He's a really tall guy with big biceps and decent athleticism and no idea what to do with any of it.

Maybe if he had another 5-6 years, but I sort of doubt it ever comes together in time for it mean shit for the Blazers.

 

[riverman]

Meyers is probably a super nice guy, but I just don't see a basketball player when I watch him. He's a really tall guy with big biceps and decent athleticism and no idea what to do with any of it.

Maybe if he had another 5-6 years, but I sort of doubt it ever comes together in time for it mean shit for the Blazers.

I agree. Meyers will make a great action figure but he should concentrate on getting a role in Stallone's next Expendables 3 movie

 

[santeesioux]

I suspect the Meyers ship will sail to China soon.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Play him at his natural position: PF

Develop him the way PHX used Frye -- P&P from three.

 

[jlprk]

I've been thinking a bit lately about how much of a flop Meyers has been, and how baffling that is. The stuff in his favor is pretty substantial, he is legit 7' tall and very athletic for a big, likely top 10 in athleticism for a center in the NBA. And he can shoot. His unrushed shots are money from around the basket all the way out past 15'. and his free throws are pretty decent too, for a center. And he has decent hands, good lateral movement, and a decent wingspan.

You add up all those positives, and we should have a solid back up, if not a starter, but alas, we have a bonehead instead.

He has the physical tools, but not the mental ones. He gets confused at game speed, loses his man halfway down the court, gets suckered into every fake, gets lost on switches and rotates the wrong way almost every time.

My guess is that some players are on meds and it's kept confidential. But college coaches would tell pro scouts. Even if they didn't, teams have heavily researched prospects since Len Bias almost 30 years ago, so they know at draft time.

 

[Draco]

Ship has sailed and is lost at sea.

Time to look for another ride.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

His natural position is right side hitter (volleyball).

Play him at his natural position: PF

Develop him the way PHX used Frye -- P&P from three.

 

[Draco]

Meyers height is misleading; he has an identical standing reach to former #2 pick Derrick Williams or Oregon's own Kyle Singler neither of whom are legitimately big enough to be PF. Yes Meyers head is up high at 7'1" but his arms don't go as high as normally expected from a PF. And people think he is the size of a center?

 

[NewsSource]

Meyers height is misleading; he has an identical standing reach to former #2 pick Derrick Williams or Oregon's own Kyle Singler neither of whom are legitimately big enough to be PF. Yes Meyers head is up high at 7'1" but his arms don't go as high as normally expected from a PF. And people think he is the size of a center?

He has a 7'3" wingspan. It's not like he has stubby arms. Standing reach is more about teaching somebody how to stand on their tip toes.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Meyers-Leonard-5756/

 

[Draco]

Play him at his natural position: PF

Develop him the way PHX used Frye -- P&P from three.

Yes he's most definitely not a center. I agree teams should try to give him a role that maximizes his strengths and minimizes his weaknesses. Just because we hoped we'd get a center with a #11 lottery pick doesn't mean that's the best role for him. With the right team Meyers could carve out a good niche role like Matt Bonner. I think it would be best for both sides if Meyers went to another team, another fanbase, a new set of coaches, and zero expectations.

It reminds me of the last year of Greg Oden being here. There were still some fans hoping he'd finally get healthy and finally live up to some of the expectations. It's just not meant to be. Better to face reality and move on. We hit home runs in the draft with Lillard; Barton looks like a great 2nd round pick and CJ has been very promising. The draft is an inexact science and in Meyers case it didn't work out.

 

[Draco]

Steven Adams is a center that is only 20 years old but showed the foundation of playing the center position. Adams makes a lot of mistakes, he can refine aspects of his game. But he knows how to bang and how to get in position defensively. He is in the right spot the majority of the time, or at least close to it. Sometimes he is a split second late. He knows what the role of a big man is on the court. Yes players make improvements as they get older but they don't completely change the essence of what they are on the court. A 20 year old needs to have a baseline in order to one day make the next step up to a productive rotational NBA player. Meyers lacks that baseline.

 

[Further]

I'm rewatching the atl game now, I think he just needs time and coaching, more time and more coaching. He played 2 years of hs ball at a shitty program, one year at college and now he's in the nba. He is just too inexperienced mixed with being being a bit immature.

Send him to the developmental league, not for a game or two, but for an extended period. Bring him back for a few games every month or so, to gauge his improvement. But let him play in the d-league, getting 24+ minutes a game. The Blazers bought their own d team for a reason, same coaching scheme, and total control. Time to put that to real use.

 

[HailBlazers]

I'm rewatching the atl game now, I think he just needs time and coaching, more time and more coaching. He played 2 years of hs ball at a shitty program, one year at college and now he's in the nba. He is just too inexperienced

Just heard tone say that. Pretty crazy, totally explains the Leonard enigma. Most players start playing organized ball in elementary school.

 

[Further]

Just heard tone say that. Pretty crazy, totally explains the Leonard enigma. Most players start playing organized ball in elementary school.

Yep, surprised me. It totally explains a lot, and gives me hope that more time will produce better results.

 

[Draco]

The Blazers bought their own d team for a reason, same coaching scheme, and total control. Time to put that to real use.

The Blazers sold it; they have no input on the Stampede anymore.

 

[Draco]

Just heard tone say that. Pretty crazy, totally explains the Leonard enigma. Most players start playing organized ball in elementary school.

Maybe he can follow the Olowakandi career path?

At least we took him with the 1 1 pick instead of the 1 pick.

 

[Further]

The Blazers sold it; they have no input on the Stampede anymore.

Damn, when did that happen?

 

[Draco]

Damn, when did that happen?

During last season; I believe shortly after McCollum used the Stampede for his 2 game rehab. The Blazers have decided players get more development at practice in Portland and with Portland coaches than actual DLeague game time. Over there the competition is worse and they don't have the best coaches.