Defensive Reasons - The PJ Hairston Thread

Snidely FC · Post #901 » by **Snidely FC** » Tue Jan 20, 2015 3:46 am

I just want to go on record as saying I think PJ Hairston will have a better pro career than Jeremy Lamb!

They are both 22 years old.
Like Pj right now, Lamb shot 30% from 3 as a rookie.
In his 3rd yr, often a breakout year for pro players, Lamb is shooting 32% from 3.
People expect Lamb to be a good defender because he has insanely long arms. But PJ is bigger and stronger. Lamb is only 185#! PJ outweighs him by 40#, added strength that give him the long term advantage driving to the basket and defending.
PJ has a better motor and is more aggressive, resulting in some shot selection errors, but this team needs an aggressive shooter. I believe aggressiveness is one of PJ's better talents.
Lamb''s game is not predicated on motor the way, say, Reddick and Korver's is. He hangs on the wings or runs on transition, but he's not a curl off screen, run nonstop guy.
Fans of Lamb say he's just been blocked behind Durant and Westbrook. But those guys were hurt and the SG position was Lamb's to secure. Instead he has lost his playing time to Anthony Morrow - a 40% 3 pt shooter btw. I think because of his weak frame and lazy motor, Lamb will continue to underperform expectations.

PJ is a rookie. In year 3 if PJ is shooting 32% from 3 I will give up on him. But I would not trade PJ Hairston for Jeremy Lamb, and I believe that PJ is going to have a long and highly successful career.

Post #902 » by **JDR720** » Sat Feb 7, 2015 5:44 pm

http://www.nba.com/hornets/video/teams/ ... ov-3512103

Post #903 » by **yosemiteben** » Tue Mar 3, 2015 10:49 pm

[tweet]https://twitter.com/rick_bonnell/status/572887519416737792[/tweet]

Message being sent.

Elden Payton · Post #904 » by **Elden Payton** » Tue Mar 3, 2015 10:53 pm

Considering that Taylor and Daniels aren't even in the rotation it's a very clear message.

PJ will be traded this offseason imo.

HornetJail · Post #905 » by **HornetJail** » Tue Mar 3, 2015 10:56 pm

I'm more disappointed that Daniels isn't in the rotation than PJ. I feel like he can be a difference-maker right now.

Post #906 » by **yosemiteben** » Tue Mar 3, 2015 11:08 pm

Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford said before Tuesday’s home game against the Los Angeles Lakers that rookie P.J. Hairston would again be inactive.

Hairston was deactivated for Sunday’s road game against the Orlando Magic. Two sources confirmed that Hairston missed a weight-training session Sunday before that game.

Clifford said Hairston, a first-round pick and former North Carolina star, has fallen behind both Jeff Taylor and Troy Daniels in the rotation among shooting guards and small forwards. Clifford said that could easily change over the remaindr of the season, but that would involve Hairston applying himself better as an NBA player.

“P.J., to me, has the chance to be a very good player,” Clifford said. “His approach has to be where he is constantly learning what the NBA game is about. He’s hasn’t done that well.

“He hasn’t been terrible, nor has he done as well as I would like.”

Hairston was in the playing rotation for about 25 games earlier this season but has made one game appearance in the past 11 games. Clifford said he met with Hairston Tuesday morning to address expectations.

“Potentially he could be a starter. He can shoot with range and rebounds for his position,” Clifford said. “But he hasn’t developed any way to play to make his teammates better.”

Clifford said Hairston has gotten this far on talent and competitiveness and now “if you want to be a good player, you’ve got to learn this league.”

Clifford reiterated he feels no special obligation to play Hairston or fellow rookie Noah Vonleh because they were first-round picks: “Throwing people in to play minutes they haven’t earned is not a good thing.”

Source

Elden Payton · Post #907 » by **Elden Payton** » Tue Mar 3, 2015 11:13 pm

BizGilwalker wrote:I'm more disappointed that Daniels isn't in the rotation than PJ. I feel like he can be a difference-maker right now.

Daniels is exactly what we need right now, if only we had a player like him...

MasterIchiro · Post #908 » by **MasterIchiro** » Tue Mar 3, 2015 11:46 pm

PJ sucks balls.

Braggins · Post #909 » by **Braggins** » Tue Mar 3, 2015 11:57 pm

Sik Infant wrote:
BizGilwalker wrote:I'm more disappointed that Daniels isn't in the rotation than PJ. I feel like he can be a difference-maker right now.

Daniels is exactly what we need right now, if only we had a player like him...

I've been dying to see Daniels. I can't imagine any lineup that includes Brian Roberts not being better with an actual shooter instead of Roberts. Its like Clifford still hasn't figured out Roberts brings literally nothing as a ballhandler.

TheKingofSting · Post #910 » by **TheKingofSting** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 2:48 am

Maybe that is another strike against Cliff by benching MJ's boy.

DY_nasty · Post #911 » by **DY_nasty** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 8:22 am

TheKingofSting wrote:Maybe that is another strike against Cliff by benching MJ's boy.

PJ can make his teammates better by not being a one trick pony like Brian Roberts, not being a net negative like Gary Neal, hitting a shot unlike Lance

cliff is trippin unless PJ has actually hit his dog

Post #912 » by **Diop** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 9:41 am

DY_nasty wrote:
TheKingofSting wrote:Maybe that is another strike against Cliff by benching MJ's boy.

PJ can make his teammates better by not being a one trick pony like Brian Roberts, not being a net negative like Gary Neal, hitting a shot unlike Lance

cliff is trippin unless PJ has actually hit his dog

you don't want to put the effort in to train then you can sit on the bench. nothing unreasonable about that.

[insert Iverson training clip]

Elden Payton · Post #913 » by **Elden Payton** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 12:40 pm

Dude, where's my jacket?-The PJ Hairston thread.

tondi123 · Post #914 » by **tondi123** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 12:42 pm

Dude, where's the weight room?

Elden Payton · Post #915 » by **Elden Payton** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 12:51 pm

Dude, where's my pipe?-The PJ Hairston thread.

Elden Payton · Post #916 » by **Elden Payton** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 12:53 pm

Dude, trade me to Denver-The PJ Hairston thread.

Hornet Mania · Post #917 » by **Hornet Mania** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 3:15 pm

Just sounds like more tough-love bull to me. "Throwing people into minutes they haven't earned is not a good thing." Is a worthless hot-take, not a legitimate point.

What other decent team would tell a top-10 pick like Vonleh, "Yeah, you've been a net positive every time you've stepped on the floor, we are desperate for big bodies, but look, you haven't earned your minutes. So right now it's best for the team to get killed by larger and more athletic lineups with Jason Maxiell on the floor. You see, son, he's learned this league, unlike you." Which is essentially what happened prior to Biz returning. Maybe PJ has been a lazy bum, but until I hear something legit besides missing one weight-training session I'm not inclined to believe it's any more than a typical Cliff motivational ploy. And a mostly pointless one at that, like all of the others. Because I'm sure Lance is busting his ass each and every day following all instructions. Yeah, sure he is.

I'm not one of the fire Clifford crowd, but damn, he makes it hard sometimes. It's not just about PJ, this is a larger issue in my eyes. Clifford has "earn your minutes" as some impenetrable mantra he uses against young guys and totally ignores with worthless vets like Neal and Lance. Either be consistent or stfu and play your talent.

Post #918 » by **yosemiteben** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 3:26 pm

Hornet Mania wrote:What other decent team would tell a top-10 pick like Vonleh, "Yeah, you've been a net positive every time you've stepped on the floor..."

Our offense is a net -10 when he's been on the floor, not sure why you think he's a net positive.

PJ was lazy at UNC. I'm not at all surprised to hear this from Clifford. I think this is exactly what PJ needs.

Hornet Mania · Post #919 » by **Hornet Mania** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 3:46 pm

yosemiteben wrote:
Hornet Mania wrote:What other decent team would tell a top-10 pick like Vonleh, "Yeah, you've been a net positive every time you've stepped on the floor..."

Our offense is a net -10 when he's been on the floor, not sure why you think he's a net positive.

PJ was lazy at UNC. I'm not at all surprised to hear this from Clifford. I think this is exactly what PJ needs.

In the only meaningful minutes Vonleh has gotten he played well, I wonder how much his garbage time stints skew that stat since those are the majority of this minutes. I'm not Byron Scott, but I also don't defer totally to advanced stats in basketball. Too flawed at this point, it's not an MLB situation where the results are conclusive. Vonleh plays almost exclusively in lineups with other scrubs, if the team as a whole didn't experience a net negative effect during those minutes I'd be shocked.

PJ may be lazy, I don't know, but I doubt he's worse than Lance and we feed that bum minutes every night. I'm just tired of reading Cliff ragging on young guys for "effort" or "wanting minutes they haven't earned" and then turning around and letting Gary Neal chuck us to oblivion while Lance merrily bounces balls off of his foot before complaining to the ref about a phantom call. His message is getting old, and it does not appear consistent imo. He never, not once that I can recall, has used that rhetoric against a vet. If he did, I'd be less critical.

(And I'm actually not that down on Max, even though he was used in one of my examples. I just think we need Vonleh in lineups where the backup front line is clearly bigger and more athletic. With Biz back this is much less of a problem, thankfully)

Post #920 » by **yosemiteben** » Wed Mar 4, 2015 4:00 pm

I get your point about Vonleh, just pointing out that your argument that he's been a net positive is unsubstantiated.

Not a fully fleshed out thought, but Cliff reminds me of Coach K in a lot of ways. Emphasizes specific identifiable skill sets and tries to craft an offense around those skills, at times to the point of unnecessary rigidity, and much more willing to give time to players that have been around longer and have more quantifiable production, even if their ceiling is lower.