Seraphin signs QO

[Dat2U]

Does this fall under the usual training camp story, ie. put on 10 lbs of muscle, worked with shooting coach and can't miss, etc.?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/wi ... story.html

Wiz need to do a better job of getting their young players on a smart eating plan in their first year - rather than their 4th year. I know Kev, PIF and others are not fans of keeping him at his price, but I think it was a good move. There's talent there, and a quicker Seraphin has value. He gives the Wiz deep depth.

Yeah there's raw physical ability there but personally I don't the light is bright enough upstairs to ever become a useful player.

I found it funny though that were keeping him because of his ability to score in the post when in fact he's a complete train wreck offensively. The ability to score (to be specific the ability to get up a high volume of shots & misses in close proximity) doesn't offset the inability to recognize when not to shoot.

[Nivek]

Wait, Seraphin is starting this season in the best shape of his life? That's a story I've never heard before.

Obviously, if it was his conditioning that held him back in three of his four NBA seasons, then it's great he's in shape now. I mean, it's good, period, that he's in shape. To the extent that being in shape improves his rebounding, defense, shot selection and turnovers then it'll put him that much closer to being a contributor.

I wasn't doing similarity scores back in 2012, but...looking back, that was his best season. The players he most closely resembled statistically: Darko, Spencer Hawes, someone named Sam Williams who I don't really remember but was with Golden State in 82-83, Brandon Bass, Taj Gibson, Donald Hodge, Blatche, Mel Turpin, Carlos Rogers and Chris Mihm. Some guys on that list who were decent.

His similars from last season aren't nearly so good: Lonny Baxter, Loren Meyer, Medvedenko, Alarie, Wallace Bryant, Jaren Jackson, Dave Feitl, Jason Collier, and (no, I'm not making this up) Hutch Jones.

But hey, he's in shape. Hopefully that will actually mean something on the floor.

[Ruzious]

I liked that he got his FT% up to 87% - granted, he didn't get to the line enough - but at least that showed he worked successfully on a skill. If he can do the same with rebounding this season, he's a useful player.

[nate33]

He needs to rebound A LOT better. If he doesn't, he's just not good enough in other aspects of the game to belong on the floor. I've never seen a 5th year player make a huge jump in rebound rate, so I'm not holding my breath.

[Ruzious]

Brendan Haywood was as bad a rebounder in his 2nd year as Seraphin is. It took him 5 seasons to become a good rebounder in the NBA. I think part of that was not going after blocked shots as much.

[closg00]

Interesting nugget from the Post article:

Realizing the test ahead, a bloated Seraphin wasn’t permitted to play for France in the FIBA World Cup and began his preparation for the NBA season at the beginning of August.

Not permitted by whom, the Wizards or the French national team?

[closg00]

Anyone else not seeing the Post image of Kevin? I've tried three browsers.

[Nivek]

Seraphin has been bad at just about everything the past couple seasons. He was bad during his rookie season, as well. During his 2nd season, he had a 6-week stretch where he played well. That's it.

Two seasons ago, he was the league's least productive center. Last season, he was the 2nd least productive center. He needs to do just about everything better. A lot better.

[tontoz]

Yeah we went through this last year. Conditioning hasn't been his problem. His problem is playing basketball.

When he starts rebounding/taking it to the basket then get back to me. Until then.....

[Ruzious]

Seraphin has been bad at just about everything the past couple seasons. He was bad during his rookie season, as well. During his 2nd season, he had a 6-week stretch where he played well. That's it.

Two seasons ago, he was the league's least productive center. Last season, he was the 2nd least productive center. He needs to do just about everything better. A lot better.

I'm sure you've mentioned it before, but what stat/stats do you use to determine that? Looking at PER and eFG and TS%, his stats were at least as good or better than each of the OKC trio of Adams, Collison, and Perkins - as well as Jason Thompson and Pero Antic.

[Nivek]

Seraphin has been bad at just about everything the past couple seasons. He was bad during his rookie season, as well. During his 2nd season, he had a 6-week stretch where he played well. That's it.

Two seasons ago, he was the league's least productive center. Last season, he was the 2nd least productive center. He needs to do just about everything better. A lot better.

I'm sure you've mentioned it before, but what stat/stats do you use to determine that? Looking at PER and eFG and TS%, his stats were at least as good or better than each of the OKC trio of Adams, Collison, and Perkins - as well as Jason Thompson and Pero Antic.

I'm using my metric, PPA.

eFG and TS% are good stats, but they're only about shooting. Seraphin turns the ball over a lot, which hurts his overall offensive efficiency.

It's an interesting group of blech you've chosen. Perkins won "least productive center" last season. Collison, Thompson and Adams were in an effective tie in PPA -- 67, 67, 64 (where 100 = average and higher is better).

Keep in mind that with 578 minutes and one start, Seraphin was playing just about the easiest minutes possible in the NBA -- mostly against reserves, and a fair chunk in garbage time. As a low-minute starter, Perkins played tougher minutes (as did Thompson) -- facing mostly starters when while in the game.

Collison is 33 years old and is in decline. He's the only guy from this group to do less rebounding than Seraphin last season. But, Collison is extremely efficient offensively on low usage -- he makes his shots and doesn't turn it over much. His defensive impact looks to be down a bunch too. In my stuff, Collison peaked at a little above average in 2008-09.

Seraphin and Perkins are effectively tied for most turnovers. In a foul-prone group of players, Seraphin is the worst offender with a pace-adjusted 7.8 fouls per 40 minutes.

Seraphin is sorta Eddy Curry lite. The ball goes in around league average clip when he shoots, but...if he can't get a shot, he's likely to turn it over.

At least so far in his career. Past performance is usually predictive of future performance, but there's always the possibility of improvement. That continues to be true of Seraphin, who's still young and reasonably athletic. It could still happen for him. Doesn't seem likely, but it's possible.

[closg00]

Thing is, how will Kevin be able to crack the rotation this-year? I'm not sure he gets any minutes unless two guys go down.


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[Ruzious]

Collison is 33 years old and is in decline. He's the only guy from this group to do less rebounding than Seraphin last season. But, Collison is extremely efficient offensively on low usage -- he makes his shots and doesn't turn it over much. His defensive impact looks to be down a bunch too. In my stuff, Collison peaked at a little above average in 2008-09.

You're making me feel old... or older. I remember Collison and Drew Gooden playing Maryland in the NCAA tournament in MD's championship season. With those 3 OKC bigs, it makes one appreciate how good Ibaka is in balancing them out. Hey, I could have mentioned Epke Udoh and a few other "nonstarters". Wasn't it John Lennon who first said "All we are saying is give Seraphin a chance." So what if it's the 3rd straight year that he's supposedly in shape for the first time.