Q&A: Meyers Leonard On Portland’s Future And The Center Curse

[SlyPokerDog]

Dime: How much contact have you had with Portland thus far?
Meyers Leonard: I’ve been out there a couple times. I mean I was out there for minicamp, before Summer League, and then all throughout Summer League, so it’s been good.

Dime: How do you think you played in Summer League?
ML: I thought I did fairly well. I averaged almost a double-double (10.5 points, 8.3 rebounds), but most importantly our team played well. Went out there and competed, especially Damian (Lillard) and I and Will (Barton). Three of the main rookies coming in, I feel like we have a good relationship starting to form.

Dime: Portland’s had a lot of trouble with drafting centers over the years. Are nervous at all about having to be the savior from all that injury trouble?
ML: Well the history doesn’t affect me at all. It is what it is. Whatever happens happens. But I’m just going to come every day and learn as much as I can and work as hard as I can.

Dime: Was there anywhere you hoping to get drafted, or were you just trying to go as high as possible?
ML: I’m just happy to be in the NBA.

Dime: What’s the first thing you bought with NBA money?
ML: I already got a Porsche Panamera. Otherwise I’m gonna save and invest my money.

Dime: How do you think Portland is going to do next season?
ML: I think we’re still in somewhat of a rebuilding mode, but even that, they took Damian, who is a very very good player, with the sixth pick, and myself with the 11th. Obviously we have an All-Star in LaMarcus Aldridge, Wes Matthews is a very good player, and the rest of the guys around them, I think we have some very good pieces to be able to put together some wins.

http://dimemag.com/2012/08/dime-qa-meyers-leonard-on-portlands-future-and-the-center-curse/

 

[THE HCP]

Wasn't happy with this pick, but I'm hoping he becomes a more athletic Joel out there. I'll take that 10 pts/8 rebs every night this season!!!!

 

[Eastoff]

Wasn't happy with this pick, but I'm hoping he becomes a more athletic Joel out there. I'll take that 10 pts/8 rebs every night this season!!!!

I think he'll be closer to 7pts/12rbs

 

[porkchopexpress]

I think he'll be closer to 7pts/12rbs

Given LMA's numbers on the boards, I'd take this over 10 and 8.

 

[julius]

I'll take him playing this year and not needing 12 microfractures

 

[THE HCP]

^Ding Ding Ding!

 

[Boob-No-More]

Leonard's raw stats will be highly dependent on his minutes. How much center will Aldridge play? If Stotts' goal is to win games, I see Aldridge and Hickson, the two proven big men on our roster, getting the bulk of the minutes at the 4 and 5. If Stotts is set on developing the youngsters, he should start Leonard and Aldridge and let Hickson and Freeland back up both spots. I want to see Leonard developed, not coddled, as I think he may be our long term answer at center. He has the size, athleticism and basic tools. He just needs to develop and gain experience against NBS caliber big men.

Rather than ppg and rpg, since I don't know how much he'll play, I'd look more at his advanced stats. I'd like to see a PER in the 15 range, a TRB% of at least 18, but 19 or greater would be better if he's playing beside Aldridge. I'd like to see his TS% in the .600 range and WS/48 > .100. Those numbers are very close to Joel's first year in Portland. If Leonard can put up something close to those advanced stats, I'll be very happy with his rookie performance.

BNM

 

[BBert]

I'm guessing 8 points, 7 rebounds, 1 block and 5 fouls per game for Mr. Leonard. Good thing we have two rookie post players to share the minutes.

 

[mook]

An estimated 17% of all American men 7 feet or taller have played in the NBA. (By comparison, the chances of an American between 6'6" and 6'8" being an NBA player today stands at a mere 0.07%)

Of the few in that rarefied air, how many also have the terms "great motor" and "good athlete" associated with them? It's a pretty short list. Most 7 footers on the list can stand under a hoop, do one or two things, take up some space, and retire with a fat paycheck ("fat" in comparison to non-NBA salaries). Being so tall is such a rare commodity that you don't have to do much more to cash in.

The more I learn about Leonard, the happier I am with this pick. He doesn't have elite 7 footer talent (or else he'd have been a top 3 pick). But for a #11 pick I'll settle for motor and athleticism in my 7 footer.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Interesting. Did that article mention how many 7 foot or taller American men played in college?

 

[mook]

Nope. Here's the paragraph I was pulling from. It's really a pretty interesting read.

An actual accounting of 7-footers, domestic or global, does not exist in any reliable form. National surveys by the Center for Disease Control list no head count or percentile at that height. (Only 5% of adult American males are 6'3" or taller.) "In terms of the growth spectrum, 7 feet is simply extreme," explains endocrinologist Shlomo Melmed, dean of the medical faculty at L.A.'s Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The term 7-footer is itself a kind of outer limit, a far-off threshold beyond which precise measurement seems superfluous. A 6'4" guard isn't a 6-footer, after all. The curve shaped by the CDC's available statistics, however, does allow one to estimate the number of American men between the ages of 20 and 40 who are 7 feet or taller: fewer than 70 in all. Which indicates, by further extrapolation, that while the probability of, say, an American between 6'6" and 6'8" being an NBA player today stands at a mere 0.07%, it's a staggering 17% for someone 7 feet or taller.

So there are about 70 seven foot Americans right now. Of that number, I wonder how many can do a cart wheel.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think he'll be closer to 7pts/12rbs

Snagging that many boards would be minor miracle as a rookie, given that he wasn't a dominant rebounder in college and he probably will be lucky to play a full 30 minutes a night.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Wasn't happy with this pick, but I'm hoping he becomes a more athletic Joel out there. I'll take that 10 pts/8 rebs every night this season!!!!

HCP, why weren't you happy with this pick? Who else did you want at 11?

 

[Mediocre Man]

HCP, why weren't you happy with this pick? Who else did you want at 11?

I am guessing a non white American born center?


Besides Mrs HCP, The HCP and I also share our disdain for white non Euro white players in the NBA. Hopefully Leonard is the man

 

[Eastoff]

Snagging that many boards would be minor miracle as a rookie, given that he wasn't a dominant rebounder in college and he probably will be lucky to play a full 30 minutes a night.

well then label me ignorant, and a day-dreaming!

 

[Mediocre Man]

well then label me ignorant, and a day-dreaming!

Will do once again.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I imagine Leonard's rookie contributions are going to be very similar to those of the following centers taken at a comparable spot in the draft:

Andrew Bynum (#10, 2005)
7 mpg, 40% shooting, 1.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Patrick O'Bryant (#9, 2006)
7.1 mpg, 31% shooting, 1.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg

Saer Sene (#10, 2006)
8.7 mpg, 100% shooting (in 3 games total!), 2.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg

Hilton Armstrong (#12, 2006)
11.3 mpg, 54%, 3.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg

Spencer Hawes (#10, 2007)
13.1 mpg, 46%, 4.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg

If we're INCREDIBLY LUCKY, he'll turn out like Joakim Noah (#9 in 2007) or Brook Lopez (#10 in 2008). Best case scenario as far as I can see is:

Roy Hibbert (#17 in 2008)
11.3 mpg, 54%, 3.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg

So, long story short, y'alls are going to be disappointed.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Funny that he didn't mention Batum alongside Aldridge and Matthews.

 

[THE HCP]

HCP, why weren't you happy with this pick? Who else did you want at 11?

I actually wanted either Jeremy Lamb or Terrance Jones......... I hate big white players, you know that.

 

[Mediocre Man]

I imagine Leonard's rookie contributions are going to be very similar to those of the following centers taken at a comparable spot in the draft:

Andrew Bynum (#10, 2005)
7 mpg, 40% shooting, 1.6 ppg, 1.7 rpg

Patrick O'Bryant (#9, 2006)
7.1 mpg, 31% shooting, 1.9 ppg, 1.3 rpg

Saer Sene (#10, 2006)
8.7 mpg, 100% shooting (in 3 games total!), 2.0 ppg, 0.7 rpg

Hilton Armstrong (#12, 2006)
11.3 mpg, 54%, 3.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg

Spencer Hawes (#10, 2007)
13.1 mpg, 46%, 4.7 ppg, 3.2 rpg

If we're INCREDIBLY LUCKY, he'll turn out like Joakim Noah (#9 in 2007) or Brook Lopez (#10 in 2008). Best case scenario as far as I can see is:

Roy Hibbert (#17 in 2008)
11.3 mpg, 54%, 3.1 ppg, 2.7 rpg

So, long story short, y'alls are going to be disappointed.

Perspective is a bitch. LOL

I think those numbers are going to be a bit lower than Leonard's because of two things.

1. Aldridge is a poor rebounder
2. We don't have a vet taking any minutes at center.


Well, looking again, maybe Spencer Hawes or Hilton Armstrong numbers will be close I say between 4-5 rpg

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I actually wanted either Jeremy Lamb or Terrance Jones......... I hate big white players, you know that.

Considering our needs at center were dire I had no problem with this pick.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Considering our needs at center were dire I had no problem with this pick.

BPA >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Need...Even if it's dire

 

[Boob-No-More]

I hate big white players, you know that.

You hate Joel???? Sabas????

BNM

 

[Mediocre Man]

You hate Joel???? Sabas????

BNM

Sabas is Euro, so he doesn't count.

Joel has career averages of 4 ppg, 6 rpg. 1.4 bpg.

Kill me if that is what Leonard will average for his career

 

[THE HCP]

Sabas wasn't white....... and Joel won me over with his toughness! He did the dirty things and I became a huge fan of his!

 

[julius]

Sabas wasn't white....... and Joel won me over with his toughness! He did the dirty things and I became a huge fan of his!

Well, there is a Eastern vs Western European issue. It's why Germans, Norwegians and others were considered white (an earlier "wave" of immigrants) well before others were accepted as "white" (Ukraine, Yugo/Czch, etc).

But in todays world, being a Lithuanian, he would be considered "white" (as a blanket statement).

Much in the same way you're considered a dipshit (as a blanket statement in which I'm obviously joking because i don't think you're a dipshit. I know you are. Ha~)

 

[Boob-No-More]

Sabas is Euro, so he doesn't count.

Read the quote I responded to. He said he hates big white players. Sabas is big and white, he's just not American. The post I quoted didn't mention nationality, only size and race.

BNM

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Sabas wasn't white....... and Joel won me over with his toughness! He did the dirty things and I became a huge fan of his!

HCP loves people who do the dirty thing.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Sabas wasn't white.......

Yes, he was, still is and always will be. In fact, in terms of race, he's Caucasian. The term Caucasian comes from the Causcasus Mountains of Russia and Soviet Georgia - much closer to Sabas' place of birth than Meyers Leonard's.

BNM

 

[jlprk]

Sabonis had Spanish blood because he played there. His wife preferred to live there. HCP knows that she liked Mexican but is protecting her.