Leonard admits he's pressing

[Strenuus]

We can't bring him up without cutting somebody, but we should be sending our youth down there more often. A year ago they changed the system so that the coaches in our dleague team use the exact same plays, so it would be more beneficial to blazers sent down, but they still hardly ever use it. I think it's considered a demotion and is embarrassing to the blazers sent down, but it should be looked at as a chance to earn playing time once you return.

So they are just up here to satiate egos and let them say "we MADE it to the NBA"? Lame. If they really want to play, D-league is going to be their only choice right now. Sometimes I wish it was like Baseball where you almost had to start at least in Double A. Damn the egos!

 

[MARIS61]

D League is useless. Scrubs and crappy coaches.

Anyone not seeing massive potential in Leonard needs a brain scan. 3rd best passing big man we've ever had. Easily the fastest big man we've had. Excellent shooter. Strong blocker. Still growing and eager to learn.

 

[StumptownHoliday]

I don't think he's as much of an athletic freak as you do, or at least not in a way that will make him succeed in the NBA. He doesn't jump abnormally high, he's not a quick jumper at all, and he isn't very strong either. He's pretty darn fast running down the court, but he can't do anything good on either side, so what's the point?

Oh and he just looks awkward when he runs and jumps. Freakishly athletic people shouldn't look awkward. He really does move like a big white stiff.

Respectfully disagree. Meyers Leonard is a true 7-footer, 250 pounds of what is basically pure muscle, with a max vert of 33 inches. He might look awkward running to you, but he's one of the few truly big men in the world with a high level of coordination. He has soft hands, a fantastic touch, great court vision, shoots a high percentage consistently, and actually rebounds quite well. He needs to work on two things: verticality (verticalityverticalityveritcalityMEYERSVERTICALITYFFS) and to play like he owns the court. Joel Freeland is a 26 year old guy who played pro ball in Europe for more than half a decade before going to the NBA and he just now figured out what he can and can't do. Stotts's system is designed to help players find their roles. I truly believe a smart, 20 year old kid like Leonard can find his place, and at the very least, become a bigger, faster, and more offensively potent version of the role Freeland is giving us now. That's not a bad thing for an already competitive team like Portland.

 

[Reep]

How would you feel about a 7'1" mid/late lottery pick with these stats:

Year 1: 0.8 ppg; 2.2 rpg
Year 2: 2.7 ppg; 4.0 rpg
Year 3: 1.2 ppg; 4.5 rpg

Would you cut him?

Yes, it was Joel P. I was super disappointed with Leonard's minutes too. I hoped he would come in strong and show what he has been working on. He is a project and we should not expect much for another couple of years at least. Now that we have Robin we have that luxury. In 4-5 years Meyers might actually be a very good center.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Let him practice with the best pf in the game and 2 crafty centers in Lopez and Freeland. Chemistry is good I'm sure the big guys are helping coach the young guys.

 

[BBert]

God I can't wait till he's traded or cut. He's the new Nolan Smith.

Translation... Garbage

Christ.

Nolan Smith is 25 years old. He played guard four years at Duke. He started on his national championship team, and was ACC player of the year. He came into the league experienced, and as good as he was ever going to get. The Blazers had to rely on him as a primary backup.

Meyers Leonard is 21 years old, and extremely inexperienced at the center position. He plays a position that 99 times out of 100 takes years to learn in the NBA. A position, C/F, that is in much greater demand than the guard position, and is worth the risk, time and effort to develop big, athletic talent. The Blazers don't rely on him for anything. He's a project.

They are nothing alike.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Remember what McMillan told Joel to do and it really helped him to break out?

Dunk everything, don't even think of jacking up a soft shot.

 

[bodyman5000 and 1]

He's a kid. Almost a foot taller than me and 20 years younger and I would beat the hell out of him. He's like a big dog afraid of a Chihuahua. And he is a late bloomer. When he becomes a man people better watch out for him. Right now be is one of those guys you wish you could trade bodies with. I'd tell guys to try and block my dunks but be prepared for a broken arm.

If he wants to play video games someone needs to tell him to lay off them and work and he will earn enough in the next 20 years that he can play for the rest of his life without working.

 

[BBert]

I agree he's a big kid and a late bloomer. He won't be a grown man for five more years. The good news is he won't cost us much in the meantime. Or he might turn out to be a decent trade chip in the meantime.

Luckily we aren't dependent on him for anything. I don't see what's to be gained by dumping him, or by repeating ad nauseam that he's not a good NBA basketball player.

I'm surprised the Freeland example isn't instructive where Meyers is concerned.

Meyers could use our support. Maybe it's just me, but I kind of like rooting for underdogs.

 

[BIG Q]

How would you feel about a 7'1" mid/late lottery pick with these stats:

Year 1: 0.8 ppg; 2.2 rpg
Year 2: 2.7 ppg; 4.0 rpg
Year 3: 1.2 ppg; 4.5 rpg

Would you cut him?

Yes, it was Joel P. I was super disappointed with Leonard's minutes too. I hoped he would come in strong and show what he has been working on. He is a project and we should not expect much for another couple of years at least. Now that we have Robin we have that luxury. In 4-5 years Meyers might actually be a very good center.

This, and to add to it, I have lived in Tempe, Az. for the past 10 years. The Suns drafted Robin Lopez after a couple of years at Stanford. You guys don't think he lit it up here do you? If I remember right, the Suns let him walk for nothing. He never did anything down here. Leonard has tons more raw skills than Lopez. Lopez finally got it after riding the pine for so long. I would expect Leonard to be serviceable at some point, but admit Portland may not be willing to wait for it to happen. They need someone to contribute now.

 

[jlprk]

The only thing he's pressing is his eyes closed when a player comes near him.

When in danger of experiencing a bump, he crouches as if to protect his groin and shuts his eyes hard as if to protect his contact lenses. He did it again last night about 3 times. I first noticed it in Summer League, so it's a long-term phenomenon, not a result of playing few games this season.

He's scared of messing up, not getting hurt

He plays more cowardly than anyone I've ever seen in the NBA. He takes the phrase "afraid of contact" to a new level. He needs to be out of here by the trade deadline. This is a Webster/Outlaw type who will keep us waiting 5 years with his physical potential before we give up on his mental hangups.

 

[ripcityboy]

He was a long shot when we drafted him. Everything is on potential. Center is a hard position and he hasn't discovered the fundamentals yet. Gosh. He was having problems at Illinois as a freshman. The only problem I have with him is he seems totally lost there on the floor sometimes. Tends to go a point on the floor and try to get out of everyone's way. The Blazers may not be developing him well. If the Blazers lose faith in him, the D league he will go. Meyers isn't Luke Babbitt yet.