Quick: A new Meyers Leonard

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SlyPokerDog said:
I don't believe in the easter bunny and if he does exist I want him killed.
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WHAT!!!???

How can you not believe?

Funny%20Easter%20Bunny%20Cartoon%20(09).jpg


Seems perfectly plausible to me.
 
I hope Meyers turns a corner, but if he's got a large role on this team, then something has gone terribly wrong with Nurkic. The best I hope for at this point is that he becomes a serviceable backup big that doesn't terrify you when he's on the court for more than 5 minutes, and/or he increases his trade value enough that he can be part of a deal that is more than just a salary dump.

So excite.
 
Nikolokolus said:
I hope Meyers turns a corner, but if he's got a large role on this team, then something has gone terribly wrong with Nurkic. The best I hope for at this point is that he becomes a serviceable backup big that doesn't terrify you when he's on the court for more than 5 minutes, and/or he increases his trade value enough that he can be part of a deal that is more than just a salary dump.

So excite.
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Well there's still a backup center job up for grabs that would come with 15-20 minutes a night. As the roster currently stands that should be a competition between Davis, Leonard, and Collins with the possibility that Swanigan gets a look there as well. If you take the best of all those players, Leonard would seem like the favorite. He's the only one with a combination of proper size and spacing ability.
 
The starting power forward job is open. If Meyers can earn then great. Should be an interesting training camp.
 
of course everybody should want that players on his team improve and succeed, but Meyers Leonard is five years here without any worth mentioning improvement and after five years were not sure if hes good enough backup player, but I am "clueless bitter little sports fan", cause I dont want to watch that guy here for the 6th year

whats written in this artictle might be true, but after five years of nothing, I dont believe it, some of you do, some of you are willing to give him 6th chance, well Im not, Im more than willing to give the 1st chance to Collins and even if he fails badly, Id rather se rookie do that, than Meyers Leonard with his 5 years experience in the NBA

Ive had enough of him, but if he gets his 6th chance and make it work, than Id gladly eat my words, cause it would mean something good for my team

you call me "clueless bitter little sports fan", but I just want the best for this team, while you seem like a person who like mediocrity, and Meyers so far isnt even that... why did POR fans loved Plumlee so much is beyond me, hes not good, backup C at best and yet he was so overrated by POR fans

I like how our fans are passionate and supportive of our players, but boy, they do like mediocricity, cause I dont want to say and dont want to believe that they dont know shit about basketball
 
I've said it before and I will say it again. I have no problem rooting for and even hoping that Meyers steps up and turns the corner if you will. If he does the impact on the team would be tremendous whether we kept him or not after that. The difference this year seems to be that we are in a position to not have to rely on that to happen, it would just be an added bonus. Rooting for him to fail at this point is pointless. Might as well support him till he proves otherwise and if he doesn't, then to the end of the bench he goes.
 
Nikolokolus said:
I hope Meyers turns a corner, but if he's got a large role on this team, then something has gone terribly wrong with Nurkic. The best I hope for at this point is that he becomes a serviceable backup big that doesn't terrify you when he's on the court for more than 5 minutes, and/or he increases his trade value enough that he can be part of a deal that is more than just a salary dump.

So excite.
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Geez! You sound like Debbie.
 
Good job Quick! Finally a local media member takes one for the team!

New Meyers to NYK as part of the package that lands the Blazers Carmelo Anthony.

BNM
 
Boob-No-More said:
Good job Quick! Finally a local media member takes one for the team!

New Meyers to NYK as part of the package that lands the Blazers Carmelo Anthony.

BNM
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I had the same thought earlier. Get a well respected trainer to sing his praises, then trade him, quick LOL ;)
 
The thing is, talk is cheap. And when someone has to tell you they weren't confident before, but now they are, are they really?

Still: I hope Meyers is the Blazers MIP. There is a possible cookbook coupon or something in it for me if he is ;)

:cheers:
 
I think Leonard will be better on offense that what he did in the off season was basically work on his offense game. Now the side that he hasn't been good at is his defense side of the ball. If that doesn't improve than he know use to us at all. You know why other players on the other team praise how good he was doing because they want him to play because they know there free path to the hoop. But hopefully he has improve that part but I got my doubts.
 
i hate on meyers as hard as anyone but if he can ACTUALLY see why he's so shit and playing so poorly COMBINED with someone that can fix it AKA

“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.’’ - my man.

then i think he could be useful. he has the size and potential athleticism to cause problems for people, but im over the problems being in our lap, not the oppositions.

but, please for the love of god, no Rise Up pt2 - just stfu, stop being so emo, learn get out there and prove people like me wrong. which im happy to be. once bitten 907th time sigh
 
Portland has a ton of options at the 4 now. The days of gifting Vonleh the starting job for a season are over (thank heavens). Vonleh reminds me a lot of Martel Webster and Travis Outlaw--two other highly-rated youngsters handed prominent positions on the team not because they earned it, but for lack of any other options. Webster had nice shooting form and Outlaw insane leaping ability, whereas Vonleh has good advanced metrics in rebounding and better-than-Meyers defense. But once guys like Batum and Wes Matthews came along we never looked back. And we won't with Vonleh either.

"Vonleh looked pretty good next to Nurkic," I keep hearing. Guess what? So would a lot of people. Marginal players tend to look a lot better when vastly superior teammates draw all the attention. Outlaw and Webster looked almost serviceable next to Roy and Aldridge.

Personally, I think we've yet to see our Batum/Wes-type replacement guy at PF. With those two you had players that were no-doubt going to start and play key roles on the team pretty much from day one.

Either Aminu or Davis could turn a corner, but they have been around here a while and I just don't see the revolution happening there. I'd be happy to be wrong, but if that's our long-term solution it's basically living with a better Noah Vonleh.

Leonard could be that guy. What the hell, crazier things have happened in this league. Color me all kinds of skeptical though.

I really like what Swanigan and Collins have shown so far. My money is on Collins winning out in the long run, but I'm just happy to see a real competition for the spot.
 
Scalma said:
http://www.csnnw.com/portland-trail...-could-be-better-you-think-new-meyers-leonard

One of the first things Meyers Leonard did this summer with Drew Hanlen, his new trainer, was watch the Trail Blazers’ final regular season game against New Orleans.

Leonard started that game and played 36 minutes, finishing 3-for-11 from the field and with seven points and nine rebounds.

“It was hard for me to sit there and watch it,’’ Leonard said.

He couldn’t score in the post against guards. He noticed he wasn’t attacking rebounds. And the form of his shot was disjointed and his attempts off the mark.

“It was eye opening,’’ the 7-foot-1 Leonard remembered. “I was making it so difficult on myself.’’

The regular-season finale was a microcosm of his frustrating fifth season in Portland, when he averaged 5.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and shot 38.5 percent from the field.

After the film session, Hanlen -- whose resume includes training NBA players Bradley Beal, Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Clarkson, Joel Embiid and Dwight Howard to name a few -- developed a plan.

“It was a plan to prepare him for this kind of ‘New Meyers,’’’ Hanlen said.

The major bullet points of the rebuild were to tighten Leonard’s shooting mechanics; get him to play lower and less upright; and to develop a plan on how to approach various scenarios, such as when defenders rush at him at the three-point line.

“But the first area we had to attack was the cloud that was holding him back – his confidence,’’ Hanlen said. “When he first arrived in the summer I asked him ‘From 1-to-100, how confident are you in your game?’

“He said, ‘If I’m being honest, probably around 30,’’’ Hanlen said.

Fast forward four months to today, less than a week away from the start of training camp.

Leonard says his confidence level is “in the 80s” and Hanlen says in all his years of working with NBA players, Leonard’s progress is remarkable.

“From a confidence level, it’s one of the biggest jumps I’ve seen a player make in a summer,’’ Hanlen said. “And from a skill level standpoint, Meyers elevated himself multiple levels.’’

Apparently, Leonard and Hanlen aren’t the only ones noticing.

Leonard this summer took part in the renowned NBA pickup games at UCLA two or three times a week, and Hanlen said several of his clients approached him about the 7-footer from Portland.

“I was getting compliments from NBA players like ‘Meyers is a beast … I don’t know why Portland is not using him,’’ Hanlen said. “Other players, they were bragging to me about him.’’

Leonard said those games included players such as LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, DeMar DeRozan, and one week the entire Oklahoma City team played.

“I was out there as confident as I’ve ever been – hitting shots … down in the post … and having a plan of what I wanted to do,’’ he said. “I had a couple different people tell me they heard things, stuff like ‘If Meyers plays like this he will be just fine … it will be eye opening … ‘’

Leonard stopped short and retreated. He is wary of what he says these days, knowing all too well how much of a divisive force he is among the Blazers’ fan base, and how many “remakes” he has supposedly undergone during his five seasons in Portland.

Both he and Hanlen agree that the proof will be in his performance this season.

“I will say this: This is the most laser-focused I have been in my life. For sure,’’ Leonard said. “I no longer have thoughts in head of ‘Do I really belong?’ – I no longer have that and never will again. I’ve proven that to myself.’’

That confidence was born out of 6:15 a.m. wakeup calls for daily workouts with Hanlen in Los Angeles.

The biggest changes: Hanlen has changed Leonard’s shooting mechanics, most of which deals with balance. He found that Leonard would often lean back on his shots and/or have his feet to close together. So now, Leonard focuses on his shoulders being forward and establishing a wide base with his feet.

Also, he has trained Leonard to play lower, which allows him to move better, both offensively and defensively.

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.

“That way he can keep defenses off balance and open more space for Damian and CJ while becoming more of a threat himself, instead of just drifting around the perimeter,’’ Hanlen said.

To accentuate Leonard’s new skills, Hanlen wanted Leonard to lose weight.

“Today in the NBA, thin is in,’’ Hanlen said. “You not only move better, you recover quicker.’’

Leonard played between 262 and 265 pounds last season and initially thought he wanted to bulk to 270 pounds this season. But with the urging of Hanlen to lose weight to become more mobile, Leonard says he is at 257.5 pounds as he enters training camp.

“I feel great,’’ Leonard said. “This is the healthiest I’ve been since I’ve been in Portland.’’

Now comes the hard part: proving it.

The Blazers’ have a stable of big men with Jusuf Nurkic, Ed Davis, Noah Vonleh, Al-Farouq Aminu and a burgeoning rookie in Caleb Swanigan. In order to break into the roation, Leonard will have to earn it and he knows it will take time.

“It’s going to be a day-by-day thing,’’ Leonard said. “A lot of people know in the back of their mind that I can play. Did I show that last year? Occasionally, but not really. So gaining the players’ trust to throw me the ball, gaining Coach Stotts’ trust to put me in to help the team win … I’m going to have to keep chipping at that. And I’m sure there will be bumps in the road.

“In the meantime, I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself,’’ Leonard said. “It was a good summer. I’m in a really good place. And I just want to continue to do the right things.’’
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I very much agree on confidence being the key with him. I remember a few games towards the end of the season prior to last when he played with a lot of confidence and was a real beast. The other issue with him is understanding the big man role in team defense.
Meyers has talent. He can shoot, he's strong, he's athletic. When he's confident he plays more inside which makes him and also his outside shooting more effective. I think his mental frailty is the biggest problem with him, he needs to man-up and believe in himself
 
mook said:
Either Aminu or Davis could turn a corner, but they have been around here a while and I just don't see the revolution happening there. I'd be happy to be wrong, but if that's our long-term solution it's basically living with a better Noah Vonleh.

Leonard could be that guy. What the hell, crazier things have happened in this league. Color me all kinds of skeptical though.

I really like what Swanigan and Collins have shown so far. My money is on Collins winning out in the long run, but I'm just happy to see a real competition for the spot.
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Aminu and Davis are what they are - there is no untapped potential in either player.
Meyers is solely a C - playing him any minutes at PF is pure folly. Hopefully this is the season Tater Totts finally figures this out.
Our only hope at PF is Collins/Swanigan/Vonleh. I don't think it's Vonleh - he's good defensively, but offensively he just doesn't have it.
 
Well, Leonard's trainer is supposedly pretty good. However, he should have had some videos similar to "License to Lillard". We're tired of being told about his improvement, SHOW us.

I've got a great name for the series: "Can Barely Bieb"
 
Looked through teams today to find some potential new homes for Meyers and Indiana stands out to me. Really the only trade partner with a bad team+lack of bigman depth+piece we'd want combo.

Leonard+Aminu+2nd for Thad Young seems like an obvious trade deadline move possibility.
 
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