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Instead of all these damn threads about how Rodney Stuckey is the next great Piston guard let's look at the guy who is quietly becoming a monster. He's catching shots now instead of blocking them. He's using very subtle moves to free himself for layups and his box out on the Pacers so that Hayes could dunk is actually a veteran move rather than a rookie move. He's doing so many things right.

I'm seeing a mini Marcus Camby in the making with better offence. He might end Maxiell's career in Detroit.

Amir has done alot of tiny things right for awhile now, but he doesn't get the offensive touches and/or his guy will score a couple times and he'll get yanked immediately. But he sets good screens, he's always rotating nicely. And he might block alot of shots, but he doesn't really gamble much.

If it weren't for not getting enough touches on the offensive end and getting fouls called on him (even ones that should belong to teammates), he would earn 20 mpg easily. The Jeff Foster shove out of bounds that was called an Amir foul was a perfect example.

Hopefully, Rodney and Amir (and Afflalo) will be Pistons for a very long time.

The best part: He is 20!

He has sooo much time to develop his game. He could be a monster by 23/24

Amir reminds me more of Amare right when he came into the league. We can only hope he grows into half the player Amare is today.

**** Guys we've already got a thread to praise him endlessly in.

Did we forget he's Blossoming?????

I said years ago when he was in the D-League that he was going to be something special.

nasty daddy wrote:I said years ago when he was in the D-League that he was going to be something special.

Was that back in the days (pre time machine) of walking up hill both ways to and from the telegraph machine to get that magical Piston's fix?

r0cd0gg wrote:-= original quote snipped =-


Was that back in the days (pre time machine) of walking up hill both ways to and from the telegraph machine to get that magical Piston's fix?

Actually i think it was.

Actually the player he reminds me of is a taller Shawn Marion. He's even got that same ugly, yet effective jumper.

I hate to be a downer, and a realist, but besides having pretty good instincts on shot-blocking, and a nose for the ball on rebounding, there isnt much there.

He has horrid, I mean HORRID form on his shot, and if history tells us anything about NBA players, it will be the same his entire career. He is never going to be a jump-shooter of any worth. So what you say? Well, anyone watching the game can see just how weak Amir is in positioning, and body strength in general. The kid absolutly has to bulk up, or learn how to fight for position better. He rebounds just on instinct alone. If he could beef up, and introduce some strength training into his regimine, it would work wonders.

I dont care if the kid is only 20. Habits are set early. He is weak as hell, is timid 90% of the time, and has zero chance of a jumper, and has some wierdo post-game werein is only shot is a corkscrew jump hook that looks absurd.

I like Amir, and this is the first time we have seen him play for extended periods of time, but I just dont like what I am seeing in terms of getting excited about "the Pistons new, and upcoming bigman of the future".

He just seems to get the fight knocked out of him way to quickly. Hell, Stuckey stands up for himself better then Amir.

Zeeb, no need to apologize for being a realist. You're innocent of that charge.

Your biggest criticism is that his shot isn't pretty looking. Your second biggest is that he's timid, even though you admit he's a good rebounder and shotblocker (go figure that one out). Your third is that he's not strong enough, while ignoring that he's 20 playing against guys years older.

Not exactly the soul of realism there. Maybe you're just wary of the kid being overhyped, which is understandable. But don't be hating now.

LanierFan wrote:Zeeb, no need to apologize for being a realist. You're innocent of that charge.

Your biggest criticism is that his shot isn't pretty looking. Your second biggest is that he's timid, even though you admit he's a good rebounder and shotblocker (go figure that one out). Your third is that he's not strong enough, while ignoring that he's 20 playing against guys years older.

Not exactly the soul of realism there. Maybe you're just wary of the kid being overhyped, which is understandable. But don't be hating now.

Couldn't have said it better.

I am a huge Amir fan, and I think he's going to be a very good player for us now and in the future. But I still don't understand why the Pistons didn't breakdown his jumpshot from day 1. When it was obvious he wasn't going to play for 2 years+. Why not get him shooting above his head like Sheed (and even Max)? IMO, his ceiling is much much lower because of it. It's very difficult for a player to have any kind of post up game if they aren't overpowering guys or hitting jumpers out of the post.

Hunter wrote:Actually the player he reminds me of is a taller Shawn Marion. He's even got that same ugly, yet effective jumper.

I think I said that too.

Right now Amir might be the best defensive rebounder on the Pistons. He doesnt really have any post moves, but plays with endless energy.

I still am quite shocked that he never changed his shot. I remember the coaches talking about trying to get him to have the same high release sheed has. He should have practiced hard while he was in dleague to get that shot down; he would be one offensively dominate mofo by 25 years of age.

BDM22 wrote:I am a huge Amir fan, and I think he's going to be a very good player for us now and in the future. But I still don't understand why the Pistons didn't breakdown his jumpshot from day 1. When it was obvious he wasn't going to play for 2 years+. Why not get him shooting above his head like Sheed (and even Max)? IMO, his ceiling is much much lower because of it. It's very difficult for a player to have any kind of post up game if they aren't overpowering guys or hitting jumpers out of the post.

He does shoot the hook over his head. That is the extent of his post game, however.

That's why I compare him to Marcus Camby rather than Shawn Marion. To be reminiscent of Shawn Marion you have to have the man defence and the ability to guard more than one position. Amir doesn't have that.

What he has, like Camby, is the ability to soar and block shots on the weak side. Like Camby he has a terrible-looking jumper that repetition has made semi-effective. Also like Camby he has no real post game or go to move. He's an effective energy guy who will get knocked around a lot but do some dazzling things while he is on the court on the defensive side.

man i wish we had marcus camby this season.

I'm just saying.

Also lets not forget that Johnson was drafted as a 6'9'' Small Forward, last year he even stated that he was modeling his game after Tayshaun Prince. Its going to take some time for him to get into the mindset that he is now a PF/C so I think the post moves are things that will come to him with time. There really is no better teacher than Rasheed and according to Detroit beat writers Sheed is really mentoring Amir Johnson right now and taking pride in him.

Also, I dont see a significant problem with his jumper. I mean how many has he taken? I dont recall seeing many at all. So im gonna go ahead and say that its too soon to tell. Stuckey has a terrible looking jumpshot as well, he shotputs that thing but its still pretty effective for him. Johnson could be a similiar case. Tayshaun has an ugly looking jumper as well.

As for him being to small; he is 20 years old. He is still growing and has already bulked up considerably and Im sure he can continue to add some weight. He and Samb need to hit that weight room together.

As for Stuckey holding his own against players as oppsoed to Amir. Stuckey is a big guard, he is 6'5'' with a lot of muscle. Ofcourse he will be able to post up the smaller skinier guards. Johnson is a skinny 6'10 going up against guys much bigger than him; these are all things that come with time.

^^^^^^


Great Post

Johnson actually reminds me somewhat of the rookie version of Josh Smith.

Smith came in and got to develop on a bad team. He started out as a very athletic 6'9" SF who basically got 10 PPG, 6 RPG, and 2 BPG in just 28 MPG.

Smith would be one of the best in blocks per minute, based largely on getting some pertty spectacular blocks with his pure athleticism. He also had some highlight reel dunks.

But basically he was living on his athleticism. Dunks, Blocks, and Rebounds.

He's now beefed up a little bit, moved to PF and his quickness against opposing PF's is a huge advantage.