Quick: A new Meyers Leonard

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New season. Fresh start. I'm putting the past 5 years behind.

As far as I'm concerned, I'm going in with the belief that Meyers is our backup center and will fill that role competently in 2017-18 until/unless he shows otherwise.
 
I was booming at your point and not in Scalma's face. Although that does sound fun.

I figured as much, but just wanted to clarify before someone else does or gets offended. Time are tough - people uber-sensi these days so fine print is required.

That being said, I bet Scalma lets you boom in his face.
 
The first part of the story, where Leonard has to watch a video to remind himself that he isn't really trying to get rebounds, reminds me of how messed up this guy is. The rest of the story, about how this Hanlen guy has restored his game and confidence, makes me really wonder why, when a team has $41 million invested; why wouldn't they keep a guy like Hanlen around. Leonard will definitely not maintain his confidence without Hanlen. With him, he has a chance. Why wouldn't the Blazers spend a little and take that chance?
 
Finally, Hanlen developed what he calls a “plan” for Leonard in how to thrive within the Blazers’ system.

“He has to be able to play within that system, but before he would set a screen and then float around the perimeter,’’ Hanlen said. “He didn’t have a purpose.’’

So they worked on a series of options – pick-and-pop … a dive to the basket where he worked on finishing with both hands … a short roll to the basket … a one-dribble and attack the basket.

How in the hell does he not know to do this already? It boggles my mind that he thought after setting a pick the only thing he could do is float mindlessly on the perimeter. I'm not sure if I should be more disgusted by him or the Blazers coaching staff. Would be great for him to finally show improvement but I won't hold my breath. Good luck, Meyers.
 
"He has to be able to play within that system, but before he would set a screen and then float around the perimeter,’’ Hanlen said. “He didn’t have a purpose.’’


Unbelievable. It took his new trainer to figure out that after he sets a screen, he shouldn't just float around the perimeter?

This statement really pisses me off since I have been bitching about it for 2 years and Stotts to my knowledge has never seemed to yell at him for doing it. So it took his new trainer to convince him to play with a purpose? No one else told him this? Or better yet demand that he did? That better not be true.

I do expect Leonard to improve this year. How much I do not know. But he was healthy this summer for the first time in a while. So it seems logical he will be better at something.
 
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"He has to be able to play within that system, but before he would set a screen and then float around the perimeter,’’ Hanlen said. “He didn’t have a purpose.’’


Unbelievable. It took his new trainer to figure out that after he sets a screen, he shouldn't just float around the perimeter?

This statement really pisse me off since I have been bitching about it for 2 years and Stotts to my knowledge has never seemed to yell at him for doing it. So it took his new trainer to convince him to play with a purpose? No one else told him this? Or better yet demand that de didn't? That better not be true.

I do expect Leonard to improve this year. How much I do not know. But he was healthy this summer for the first time in a while. So it seems logical he will be better at something.
Tater totts :dunno:
 
Hanlen -- whose resume includes training NBA players Bradley Beal, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Clarkson, Joel Embiid and Dwight Howard

Best news of Leonard's career thus far. Finally done and got a proper coach, a big man one at that. Say what you want bout Meyers, he'll have a long tenure when it's all said and done.

The first part of the story, where Leonard has to watch a video to remind himself that he isn't really trying to get rebounds, reminds me of how messed up this guy is. The rest of the story, about how this Hanlen guy has restored his game and confidence, makes me really wonder why, when a team has $41 million invested; why wouldn't they keep a guy like Hanlen around. Leonard will definitely not maintain his confidence without Hanlen. With him, he has a chance. Why wouldn't the Blazers spend a little and take that chance?

As Portland knows all too well you can't attract someone who doesn't want to be here. I'm sure Hanlen makes plenty of skrill living where he wants without being bound to the rigors of the NBA. Hell he's probably on retainer with guys who call him for advice.
 
If only this was switched around and titled:
Meyers Leonard: A new Quick.

Then we might have reason to cheer.
 
I'd be more encouraged with this news if it read he worked all summer on requisite big man skills. How he doubled his lower body strength, increased his vertical 5 inches, worked on holding the ball high at all times (especially off rebounds), doubled his footwork dexterity, and played in competitive pick up games everyday for all day and all night. The least of his problems is his shooting stroke and touch. Sure, it's a problem, but it's the least of his problems and the article suggests it was the emphasis of his workouts. Along with running sprints and losing those make or break 10 lbs.

Meyers biggest issue is his lack of basketball instincts that only comes with lots and lots of playing. The better players in the league put in their "10,000" hours a long time ago, relative to Meyers career length. From what I understand, Meyers started playing later in his teens and he left college pretty early. Shooting 500 shots a day ironing out mechanical glitches and running lanes isn't going to help his instincts much. I hope the article left out a lot of what he actually did. I'm not 80 confident it did though. Shooting and body training are pretty much the only positive things he's known for, so it wouldn't surprise me if that where the bulk of his work was put in.

Actually, that article was replete with loads of frighteningly revealing information and implications about Stotts, the team, and the NBA. None of it surprising, though.
 
OK, let's say for the benefit of arguing that Meyers has changed/improved. Let's even go so far as to say he's a beast!! My question is this: why should I not think that at a particular moment of adversity he doesn't shrink back to last year's Meyers?

And... such moments of adversity could even be as small as one of the rookies playing well.
 
Negative comment after negative comment. Just curious. Isn't this exactly what just about every Blazer fan wanted Meyers to do?
We all wanted Meyers to get a healthy summer of hard work in. We all wanted him to show what it means to him by hiring his own personal trainer to improve. Spend some of that $40 million to get better. We all wanted him to work on confidence levels. We all wanted him to do the power basketball moves to the rim. We all wanted him to work on dominating when faced with a smaller player in front of him.
This is exactly what every Negative Nancy on this forum wanted from Meyers Leonard. But he still gets very little respect. Weird?
 
The first part of the story, where Leonard has to watch a video to remind himself that he isn't really trying to get rebounds, reminds me of how messed up this guy is. The rest of the story, about how this Hanlen guy has restored his game and confidence, makes me really wonder why, when a team has $41 million invested; why wouldn't they keep a guy like Hanlen around. Leonard will definitely not maintain his confidence without Hanlen. With him, he has a chance. Why wouldn't the Blazers spend a little and take that chance?
yeah, and this guy has worked with several players and we have a lot of young guys who could benefit - with all the money invested in this roster it seems like a no brainer to pay a guy like this a good chunk of change
 
Negative comment after negative comment. Just curious. Isn't this exactly what just about every Blazer fan wanted Meyers to do?
We all wanted Meyers to get a healthy summer of hard work in. We all wanted him to show what it means to him by hiring his own personal trainer to improve. Spend some of that $40 million to get better. We all wanted him to work on confidence levels. We all wanted him to do the power basketball moves to the rim. We all wanted him to work on dominating when faced with a smaller player in front of him.
This is exactly what every Negative Nancy on this forum wanted from Meyers Leonard. But he still gets very little respect. Weird?
You are exactly correct. What is reported is what everyone wanted from him. The comments are based on the doubt that what is reported will actually translate into something worthwhile on the court. The article itself said as much: the hard part is proving it. I think it's going to take a full season of solid play to wash the taste of 5 years of MyLe disappointment out of the mouths of most.

I'm looking forward to pre-season though. I'd be stoked to see a focused, confident Meyers.
 
He need to show in training camp and the preseason games. I wish him luck due that if he improve like they said he did it makes us stronger as a team. Every training camp has a chance to prove himself that include Leonard.
 
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