TRob: What's your theory?

[jlprk]

A BIG man who can space the floor. Apparently because of what is written below this post, Meyers might be better at that than Robinson.

Yes, I was going to go to the trouble to type that when Stotts said Leonard would provide spacing, he was criticizing Robinson's spacing. But you said it, so I don't have to.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

There is always an ulterior motive, or conspiracy. Nothing is ever taken at face value around here. We're in the twilight zone! doo doo, doo doo, doo doo, doo doo.

 

[jlprk]

There is always an ulterior motive, or conspiracy. Nothing is ever taken at face value around here. We're in the twilight zone! doo doo, doo doo, doo doo, doo doo.

You think that Robinson not playing was just an accidental oversight by Stotts? Not a conscious decision with a reason?

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

T-Rob has played well at times and he plays with a lot of hustle. I suspect Leonard has earned some playing time and Stotts decided to reward him. Also, our bench has had some iffy games of late. It never hurts to see what different combinations bring.

 

[GriLtCheeZ]

You think that Robinson not playing was just an accidental oversight by Stotts? Not a conscious decision with a reason?

Accidental oversight? No. Someone had to lose minutes in order to give another player a chance, and TRob was the most logical choice for Myers to take minutes from. Stotts wanted spacing, simple as. TRob is lost on offense, and Myers is lost on defense. Pick your poison.

 

[jlprk]

Okay, I see.

 

[TBpup]

NateBishop3 wrote:

We have been discussing him as a possible asset that could be moved, but it was all conjecture on our part.

His minutes have been so sporadic lately though.

5 against Houston.

19 against Philly.

5 against Detroit.

11 against Houston.

4 against Minnesota.

0 tonight against New Orleans.

If you take out the NOP game he didn't play and the Phoenix game where everyone played (the high and the low) he was averaging just a shade over 6 mpg. In those 4 games: 4-16 FG (.250), 2.5 pts and 2.5 rebs. That really isn't enough minutes to show what you can do but there has to be some positives to keep those minutes and there weren't many.

Despite Meyers' deficiencies, he does space the floor better and can rotate with Freeland as to who is playing C/PF. Hopefully he can do a little more with his minutes than T-Rob did with his. I like Robinson's energy but it seems somewhat unproductive at this time.

 

[Blazinaway]

Leonar_ was a big pile of shit out there. Can't rebound, can't play defense. Those two things are WAY more valuable than whatever BS 3 pointers he is going to jack up

I lost a lot of faith in the coaching staff tonight

I actually some some small improvement, he did pick up a man coming inside (not his) several times and altered the shot but no on else stepped up to get the rebound - not his fault on that.

 

[TBpup]

I actually some some small improvement, he did pick up a man coming inside (not his) several times and altered the shot but no on else stepped up to get the rebound - not his fault on that.

Good point. If he is going to challenge shots, his teammates need to recover behind him to grab rebounds since he likely isn't in great position after attempting the block. Aldridge has done a better job of that his year with RoLo. Now Freeland and Wright need to do the same behind Meyers. He certainly has a long way to go but hopefully we see improvements here and there.

 

[BBert]

Meyers does have a long way to go. In the post-game interview he pointed out pretty much all of his mistakes, and talked about the stuff the coaches are working on with him, so at least he is aware of the things he needs to do to get better. He has the physical tools and the desire and motivation to be an NBA basketball player. It's just going to take a couple of years. And it starts now.

 

[handiman]

I get that he is a better jump shooter, but TRob is a much better rebounder.....With McCollum coming back, I would rather have a rebounder. Leonard is clumsy, and I don't believe you can fix clumsy. I hope I'm wrong.

Brad Miller couldn't stay on his feet early in his career. He turned out okay.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Why didn't he play last night? Anyone know?

 

[BigGameDamian]

This has a LOT of responses, some are serious. And to those calling shenanigans on spacing, Leonard is a better shooter than T-Reb. It's not even close. He passed up an open jumper that he'll need to take (link). He has the opposite problem that Barton does, worried that he'll get in trouble for not making the extra pass rather than taking the shot. It will only improve if he's put in these kind of "real game" situations. Meyer's admitted after the game to blowing some box outs, but all the more reason it's important to put him in situations when his play matters. Invaluable experience for the big guy and I hope he can clean that up and get his hands on more boards moving forward.

Hell , I'd rather have Batum play PF for 10 minutes, play small ball if you just need someone to spread the floor at the PF position. Batum can defend bigger players.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

He shoots too much, takes too many bad shots. 90% of the time when he gets the ball, he's gonna take a shot.

 

[julius]

He shoots too much, takes too many bad shots. 90% of the time when he gets the ball, he's gonna take a shot.

So is Mo Williams gonna take a seat behind Earl Watson now?

 

[Sinobas]

Notice that they're playing Leonard at POWER FORWARD, something I've been suggesting since last year. He's a shooting PF.

So far the only thing Thomas Robinson has shown is that he's good at getting put backs, and has a decent shot but he's not the rebounder people here are claiming.

Our bench as a whole is just atrocious at rebounding, we're constantly giving up ORs when they're in.

 

[Draco]

TRob has the third highest usage rate on the team behind Aldridge and Lillard. For a team priding themselves on unselfish ball movement and player movement that isn't what you want out of a player deep in the rotation.

 

[magnifier661]

Hell , I'd rather have Batum play PF for 10 minutes, play small ball if you just need someone to spread the floor at the PF position. Batum can defend bigger players.

That may not be a bad idea

 

[dviss1]

Notice that they're playing Leonard at POWER FORWARD, something I've been suggesting since last year. He's a shooting PF.

So far the only thing Thomas Robinson has shown is that he's good at getting put backs, and has a decent shot but he's not the rebounder people here are claiming.

Our bench as a whole is just atrocious at rebounding, we're constantly giving up ORs when they're in.

He absolutely did not play PF. He played center. Mike and Mike even said that "it allows Joel to move to his natural position" when they were talking about Beiber being in the game. I also call bullshit on all this stretch 4 talk. It's like MFs don't know basketball when they suggest this. It is NOT what we drafted him for, and we also knew he was a project coming in. He's still a kid and this whole "he is what he is" bull crap is exactly that.

 

[Darkwebs]

Notice that they're playing Leonard at POWER FORWARD, something I've been suggesting since last year. He's a shooting PF.

So far the only thing Thomas Robinson has shown is that he's good at getting put backs, and has a decent shot but he's not the rebounder people here are claiming.

Our bench as a whole is just atrocious at rebounding, we're constantly giving up ORs when they're in.

Going by Rebound Rate, Robinson is our best rebounder at 17.4.

 

[Natebishop3]

Robinson and Leonard are both projects. They provide different strengths, but very similar weaknesses. They're raw, they sometimes play out of control, and neither of them are very good defenders. The problem is that they both need playing time or they will never develop. I look at Robinson as having a better chance at being an impactful NBA player. He has a better motor, he is extremely athletic, and I think he's driven to be a good player in the NBA. I'm not so sure about Meyers.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

He absolutely did not play PF. He played center. Mike and Mike even said that "it allows Joel to move to his natural position" when they were talking about Beiber being in the game. I also call bullshit on all this stretch 4 talk. It's like MFs don't know basketball when they suggest this. It is NOT what we drafted him for, and we also knew he was a project coming in. He's still a kid and this whole "he is what he is" bull crap is exactly that.

If they're both in the game, Meyers is the PF and Joel is the C. I don't care what Mike and Mike, Stotts, or anyone else calls them. Freeland is MUCH more of a center than Leonard.

 

[Sinobas]

He absolutely did not play PF. He played center. Mike and Mike even said that "it allows Joel to move to his natural position" when they were talking about Beiber being in the game. I also call bullshit on all this stretch 4 talk. It's like MFs don't know basketball when they suggest this. It is NOT what we drafted him for, and we also knew he was a project coming in. He's still a kid and this whole "he is what he is" bull crap is exactly that.

Oooh...we got a bitter McTightpanties here.

Joel was playing center, he was playing the interior on both offense and defense. Why would Stotts move Joel out of the position he's been playing well at? Meyers replaced Robinson in the rotation, our backup PF.

Also, the rest of your post is moronic. If you draft a guy and realize he's good at one thing and bad at another, why would you continue to try and force him to do what he's bad at? "What you drafted him for" is not relevant. Your logic there is like a poster for stupid.

 

[Draco]

Meyers played PF last night but him and Freeland have more freedom to switch the man they are guarding.

Freeland is the anchor of our defense when he comes in for Lopez, regardless of who is playing alongside him.

 

[PapaG]

Granted, the minutes are extremely limited, but Leonard has a PER of 15.8 with a USG rate of only 10.2. WS/48 or .232, Ortg of 151, Drtg of 105, Reb% of 16.4, and per/36 of 11/11/1.5 blocks.

Anybody saying he flat-out sucks as an NBA player comes across as having an agenda more than actually studying the player.

You want to know who sucks? Kelly Olynyk and his 9.7 PER on 21 USG, and he's a years older than Leonard and was supposedly "polished" after playing at Gonzaga.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Jeremy Lin or Kirk Hinrich is who Olshey should target.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Granted, the minutes are extremely limited, but Leonard has a PER of 15.8 with a USG rate of only 10.2. WS/48 or .232, Ortg of 151, Drtg of 105, Reb% of 16.4, and per/36 of 11/11/1.5 blocks.

... Way too small of a sample size for any of those stats to mean anything.

 

[PapaG]

... Way too small of a sample size for any of those stats to mean anything.

12.1 PER on 13.7 USG last year in over 1200 minutes. Not great, but decent for a 20 year-old NBA center.

per 36 of 11/8/1 bpg

Why people kill the guy is something I just don't understand. People were wetting their pants over Alex Len, and he can't even get on the floor for an average PHX team.

Anyhow, the template is set for Leonard in a few very vocal posters' minds, so anything he does is going to be ripped and mocked, because darn it, a person just can't be wrong on the internets! It took me over a year to appreciate Dre Miller, though, so that's an example of coming to terms with a players' weaknesses, while applauding his strengths.

 

[PapaG]

It should also be pointed out that Leonard is an elite FT shooter for a big, and shot 55% from the field last season. I hope he gets more minutes during games when the floor needs to be spaced. Robinson is good at getting energy going, but he reminds me of a more clumsy and less-talented version of Ruben Patterson.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Watch him play. He sucks. Its not an agenda, its watching him play