RealGM

JCF: Well just from watching you play in these scrimmages, you’re clearly having a great time out here, too. With the start of training camp just a month away, what are your expectations for the 2010-11 season?

Personally, I’m just going to work hard and do what I’ve always done: do what the coaches tell me to do, play to my strengths and when I get wide-open shots, knock them down because I’ve been working on them. I have confidence that I can be on that opening right roster and I think I will. If I have to go 100 miles per hour in practice to get Kyle ready for Chris Paul, then that’s what I’m going to do. I’ll always do my best to get those guys ready and whenever I get an opportunity, I’m going to do whatever I can to make the best of it.

JCF: So let’s talk about what you think this roster can accomplish defensively as a team. There was some slippage last year for obvious reasons and it’s been a point of emphasis all offseason talking about how important it is for you guys to get back to being a top-10 defensive team. What do you think this club is capable of on that end of the floor?

Chuck Hayes: I think we can be a top-5 defensive team easily.

JCF: What are those big plans?

Jermaine Taylor: I want to be one of the best players in the league. I want to be mentioned with LeBron and Dwyane Wade. I know it’s going to take time and a lot of hard work but I’m dedicated and it’s something I really want. I’m just going to try to get there. I don’t have a set goal in terms of when, but I just want to get there before my time is done in this league.

JCF: What are your goals for this season?

PP: This season I want to make it to the Rookie-Sophomore Game. I want to make it to the playoffs and make it to the championship. For myself, at some point I want to start a game. Whether it’s just one game or more, I do want to start at some point. But that’s only going to come with hard work and just proving to the coaches that I’m ready to play and that they can rely on me.

JCF: Do you have any goals or statistical benchmarks that you’ve set for yourself this season?

KM: Nope. Even the past two years I never did (set specific goals). It was always just: stay healthy and the rest will take care of itself because, if you’ve watched my career, you know that it’s true. If I’m healthy, I’m one of the top-5 shooting guards in the league. So it’s just all about being healthy.

JCF: There’s been a lot of focus on improving the defense this year. Everybody knows you and Kevin will be incredibly explosive offensively, but can you guys get the job as a defensive pair as well? And if so, how?

AB: We’ve got to use our quickness. Last year with all the injuries and changes it was tough and a learning experience for all of us. Defensively I wasn’t able to do what I wanted to do or and I didn’t do what I was supposed to do – either way you want to put it. But this year I want to pick up guys full-court because the more time you can spend in the opposing team’s backcourt, it’s harder for a team to score. Plus I need to deny a little more because it’s a lot harder for your guy to score if he doesn’t have the ball. We have to use our quickness to our advantage. And it wouldn’t be the first time someone said I couldn’t do something and I proved them wrong. Hopefully that’s what will happen this year.

JCF: This is the real question, though: who’s faster?

IS: (laughs) Aaron, probably.

JCF: Really? You’re willing to admit that?

IS: Yeah, he’s so fast and he has a low center of gravity. He does all those things, weaving in and out of traffic and different things like that. Plus he’s the vet, so I’m going to give it to him.

Aaron Brooks wrote:Has anyone else been keeping up with these?

Ishmael Smith

Chuck Hayes

JCF: So let’s talk about what you think this roster can accomplish defensively as a team. There was some slippage last year for obvious reasons and it’s been a point of emphasis all offseason talking about how important it is for you guys to get back to being a top-10 defensive team. What do you think this club is capable of on that end of the floor?

Chuck Hayes: I think we can be a top-5 defensive team easily.

Man, how can you hate JT except for the fact that he plays NBA Live

JCF: Well I don’t really know how to top that. So let’s get back to basketball for a bit. You’ve had a chance to do a lot of scrimmaging at Toyota Center the last few weeks, how do you feel that you’re fitting in and who has really stood out and impressed you?

PP: I definitely feel like I’m fitting in. I’m just trying to get used to the guys, get a feel for them, how they play, how they like to attack and how they like to move away from the ball. I feel like I’m doing pretty good. Hopefully I’m making an impression on them and letting them know that I can play, that I can hang with them and that I can contribute to the team.

One of the guys who has surprised me the most would have to be Chuck Hayes. He’s obviously known for his spectacular defense. He’s a big body and he’s hard to get around. So everyone knows about his defense. But watching games, it doesn’t seem like he does much on offense – every now and then he’ll make an offensive move and he’s the king of finishing on the other side of the rim.

So a lot of people see that, but not many see him actually getting the ball and scoring the ball 8 straight times in a row from the post making moves, the way I’ve seen it this summer. I didn’t know he had that type of offensive game, that type of repertoire down low on the post. So that’s something that definitely shocked me, his overall ability to score all over the court. He was even shootings 3s and he hit a game-winning 3 over me, so his ability to score has really caught my eye.