So WTF is going on with Leonard?

[Pinwheel1]

I don't want him back. Dude is gonna get maxed.

I don't either....for that reason. But my point is he was so bad last year for a couple of months that he was a huge liability because he
lost all confidence in his shot, And now he is going to get maxed out?

Confidence is a tricky thing in sports. IMO Meyers will never be a star, but he will get his shot back and will be a solid role player off the bench, for someone.

 

[illmatic99]

Using one example out of 29 teams does not make a strong argument. There are always going to be teams that don't match up well. But Meyers is far more able to guard Cs than PFs. We have tangible evidence of this.
If you can play a guy in a position where he's going to be bad, or another position where he's going to be terrible, wouldn't you at least play him where he's going to be bad rather than terrible?

It's not just 1 out of 29 teams, though.

Look at the last 5 games we've played, and the centers we faced.

Horford? Maybe in the post, but Horford can dribble around him.
Whiteside? Not in the P&R.
Vucevic? Nah
Steven Adams? Sure.
Davis? No.

So he could possibly guard 1 out of 5 guys on D. As I said earlier, there aren't that many Cs that he COULD guard even if he played there.

 

[BonesJones]

He tried to speed up his jumper, that's why he's shooting so poorly. He lost the rythym in his jumper.

 

[BBert]

He tried to speed up his jumper, that's why he's shooting so poorly. He lost the rythym in his jumper.

It sure seems that way. Meyers seems to be both forcing and overthinking his shot. That spells disaster. Shooters need confidence and rhythm. Right now Meyers has neither. But it's clear he is in fact a good shooter, from pretty much anywhere on the court. He's just chumping it in games right now. Except when he gets a mid-range catch and shoot, when he catches in rhythm and doesn't have time to think about it. He's smooth and money for a big guy.

 

[illmatic99]

seems to be both forcing and overthinking his shot. That spells disaster. Shooters need confidence and rhythm.

But it's clear he is in fact a good shooter, from pretty much anywhere on the court. He's just chumping it in games right now.

He's smooth and money ...

Sounds like Marty to me.

 

[oldmangrouch]

Perfect opportunity this year. Had essentially 0 competition. I would be okay if he tried to at least play harder and go all out even with the missed shots, but he brings NOTHING else.

Look at what Dame did when he had his bad shooting games. Usually put up huge assist or rebounding numbers to compensate. None of that from Meyers.

A long time ago there was a debate on here: who should be playing - Leonard or TRob? For all his mental errors, I was firmly in the TRob camp. No matter what, TRob played hard. Neither he nor Leonard really knew how to play basketball, but when you hustle, good things happen.

To put it another way, Leonard doesn't have the skills to have an average motor.

 

[BlazerWookee]

I'm wondering if he's on some sort of pain meds for his shoulder? Or if he was on them for a while, and now he's off them? Not suggesting he's snorting oxy or anything, but any type of medication beyond simple NSAIDs not only impact the level of pain, they impact the flow of all feed back to the brain in one way or another...

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Why do some of you guys say Meyers is better at center? His interior defense? His ability to score in the paint?

I just think it's worth a try to see if he can reinvent himself again. I have seen some nice little hook shots in there sometimes. And his defense is really bad on the perimeter, seems he might be better where he doesn't have to move as much.

 

[Haakzilla]

...he is who we thought he is!

 

[RipCityWarrior]

Slow feet and slow shot hurt his effectiveness. Combine that with what's happening between the ears equals lots of bench time. If he would focus on rebounds and defensive spacing the offense would come from extra effort. I hope he gets it together so we can root for him but I fear he is playing himself into another jersey by the deadline.

 

[BlazerWookee]

Say what you like about Meyers, he's not only played in more than twice as many games as Greg Oden, he has performed more dental work than Greg Oden, too...

http://deadspin.com/dennis-schroder-gets-tooth-knocked-out-puts-it-in-his-1749305227

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

Say what you like about Meyers, he's not only played in more than twice as many games as Greg Oden, he has performed more dental work than Greg Oden, too...

At least Oden had an impact when he played. Unfortunately, often the impact was on himself causing him to not be able to play again.

Gramps...

 

[handiman]

He's destined to be the most frustrating, under-achieving player since Batum.

 

[Orion Bailey]

He's destined to be the most frustrating, under-achieving player since Batum.

Man that isnt sifting through much history....

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

He's destined to be the most frustrating, under-achieving player since Batum.

Nah, Batum's underachievement was generally adequate for many players with occasional flashes of what could be. Leonard's underachievement is D-League level underachievement with occasional flashes of adequacy.

At this point I'm thinking "failed experiment - let's see Cliffy v2". At least he is an undrafted rookie and not the #11 pick.

Gramps...

 

[Schilly]

My take on Meyers is he needs to be in the post more. He has good touch in the paint and the 3 pointer while a weapon is more of a novelty.

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

My take on Meyers is he needs to be in the post more. He has good touch in the paint and the 3 pointer while a weapon is more of a novelty.

True, at 17% from the 3 as he has been lately, the 3 truly is a novelty.

The question is can/will he post. Sheed could post but preferred not to do so. Leonard may be able to post and I'm not seeing signs he wants to either.

Gramps...

 

[blue9]

... 3 pointer while a weapon is more of a novelty.

Yes - Stotts' offense is a novelty.

 

[Pinwheel1]

My take on Meyers is he needs to be in the post more. He has good touch in the paint and the 3 pointer while a weapon is more of a novelty.

I agree, he actually has some good post moves. We just rarely see it. He also is very good sound the FT line. Right now the defenses can plan on how to defend him by putting smaller players on him to guard his perimeter shot. Because that's all he is doing, spreading the floor.

Move him in and force them to defend him with a big. Then he can drift out....

 

[BlazerWookee]

Nah, Batum's underachievement was generally adequate for many players with occasional flashes of what could be. Leonard's underachievement is D-League level underachievement with occasional flashes of adequacy.

At this point I'm thinking "failed experiment - let's see Cliffy v2". At least he is an undrafted rookie and not the #11 pick.

Gramps...

"Batum's underachievement," lol...

 

[Orion Bailey]

I agree, he actually has some good post moves. We just rarely see it. He also is very good sound the FT line. Right now the defenses can plan on how to defend him by putting smaller players on him to guard his perimeter shot. Because that's all he is doing, spreading the floor.

Move him in and force them to defend him with a big. Then he can drift out....

Im on board with that. Im not sure I have seen these slick post up moves that some say he can do though. Ive seen the soft hook type shot but thats about it. Half the time he lobs it up when he could have dunked it.

 

[Sinobas]

I don't see how Meyers is going to get any minutes now that we have Brook Lopez.

 

[BBert]

My take on Meyers is he needs to be in the post more. He has good touch in the paint and the 3 pointer while a weapon is more of a novelty.

Me too. I was hoping for more LaimBeibs. Over the summer I commented I hoped he was working on a couple of go-to shots around the basket. He should be able to score with ease. Then take the occasional three when the defense is distracted, like Laimbeer used to do. Instead, Stotts has him setting picks at the three point line and popping out for the three. Seemingly exclusively. That's on his coach, not Meyers.

 

[BBert]

"Batum's underachievement," lol...

But he should have been in the hall of fame by now. Such a slacker.

 

[handiman]

Leonard's underachievement is D-League level underachievement with occasional flashes of adequacy.

He was a historically good shooter in limited minutes last year, and looked like an all-star against Memphis. This season has been a disappointment, for sure, but his occasional flashes have been much more than just adequacy.

 

[BlayZa]

I'd say the injury + horrible form + turning down extension to "bet on himself" is probably fucking with him something amazing.

Worst bet he's probably ever made.

Still, shows us what we could have locked up long term tho, missed a huge bullet imo - thank fuck he rates himself so highly.

 

[Haakzilla]

...if only he could emulate Bill Laimbeer -- instead we have a Byron Mullens clone to cheer for

 

[blue9]

Instead, Stotts has him setting picks at the three point line and popping out for the three. Seemingly exclusively. That's on his coach, not Meyers.

+ ∞

 

[Pinwheel1]

Im on board with that. Im not sure I have seen these slick post up moves that some say he can do though. Ive seen the soft hook type shot but thats about it. Half the time he lobs it up when he could have dunked it.

True. There is not that much more. But that is still more than most centers in the league have these days. If he gets the ball down low, what else do you need? He just needs to keep working on it but you can't block it. Add that to a nice mid range jumper and a decent 3 point shot when he is wide open (Which is the only time he should be shooting them) and he is better than most centers in this league offensively.

Defensively he is not very good. 7 footers can't cover smaller players on the perimeter. So he needs to play back up center IMO.
Sure he struggles there too against good offensive centers. but so do most centers.

 

[SpamKing]

Like everybody, I've wanted to root for him for his whole career. Instead, I yell vile, homophobic shit at the TV during road games, and just have to sit there and shut up at home games lest my old lady gets uptight at me . . . The hell of it is we all just know he's gonna go Jermaine on us as soon as we dump him . . .