Mfiondu Kabengele and his potential?

[TheNewEra]

Should be first big man into the 10 man rotation if injuries hit

[TheNewEra]

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Seems like Kab did some warm up runs with Lin. Looks more toned muscular imo

[TheNewEra]

Wonder if they try Fi and Ibaka combo in the preseason to see how it works

[Young Sterling]

I hope they try Ibaka at PF playing next to: Oturu, Fi, and lastly Zubac (more interested in the spacing bigs, that's how you try to counter the AD and Jokic rebounding at the rim problem). I also hope Zubac starts spacing the floor and evolving his game like a poor man's Marc Gasol. Why not?

[TheNewEra]

I hope they try Ibaka at PF playing next to: Oturu, Fi, and lastly Zubac (more interested in the spacing bigs, that's how you try to counter the AD and Jokic rebounding at the rim problem). I also hope Zubac starts spacing the floor and evolving his game like a poor man's Marc Gasol. Why not?

Agreed and I think they will

[Clemenza]

I'm seeing some good things out here for our guy in the first half fellas

[madmaxmedia]

I guess it will be interesting to see Kabengele and Oturu come up in the organization together and see if either sticks around. Same height and wingspan, both with potential as stretch bigs but not identical skill sets. Oturu is 2 years younger than Kabengele (a year younger when drafted), but had a much bigger role in his sophomore season than Kabengele.

[Clemenza]

Wow.. I thought the team was seeing something in him. This has to mean they like Oturu better.

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[TheNewEra]

Wow.. I thought the team was seeing something in him. This has to mean they like Oturu better.

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This makes no sense at all. Fi can play the 4 and if you don’t want him then add him as filler to a trade deal as a team controlled prospect.

Team has a horrible track record with development as it’s going now.

[ejftw]

Very, very weird. Unless they hope to sign him to a cost controlled four year deal at like 4/20 or something, this absolutely makes no sense. It has to be due to loving Oturu

[TheNewEra]

Very, very weird. Unless they hope to sign him to a cost controlled four year deal at like 4/20 or something, this absolutely makes no sense. It has to be due to loving Oturu

You can play both and the backup PF spot is still wide open. He’s looking rushed now and you can tell the news is in his head but he’s trying to keep his energy up. Signing for less that the 2 mil rookie deal wouldn’t be beneficial for him

[ejftw]

Very, very weird. Unless they hope to sign him to a cost controlled four year deal at like 4/20 or something, this absolutely makes no sense. It has to be due to loving Oturu

You can play both and the backup PF spot is still wide open. He’s looking rushed now and you can tell the news is in his head but he’s trying to keep his energy up. Signing for less that the 2 mil rookie deal wouldn’t be beneficial for him

4/20 would give him more per year, but that would be assuming he doesn't want to bet on himself and think he can get a bigger deal after signing for the min this summer and getting more playing time.

With how high I personally am on Fondue, I'd give him 4/26 with year 4 being unguaranteed

[TrueLAfan]

I have to disagree about Kabengele. I wish he was improving--but what he really looks like is a big guy with some interesting skills that has no "feel" for the game. Last night (the Minny game) made me cringe: he did everything wrong. He put up ill advised shots. He overreacted and hacked on D. I get that he just heard his contract wasn't picked up[ and probably felt like he had and has to "prove" himself--but that's his problem in a nutshell. He doesn't let the game come to him; he tries to force his imperfect skills and mediocre instincts onto the game, and the results are (a lot) more often poor than good. This is one of those things when you say "maybe that will get better!" But, as others have noted, he's 23, and the percentage of players that have gone from his level to have decent NBA careers is, to be nice about it, not high.

Oturu, at least now, looks a lot more promising. In the Minny game, he got himself into the game flow. He had positive results. But that makes sense; Oturu has had a team built around him in the past. He looks like a guy that has played a lot of team basketball. It just looks like he understands the game better. I mean, the sample size is (very, very) small right now—this is just a “sense” of what I get from watching him now and his college games. But it seems like, although they have somewhat similar physical size and individual and skills, Oturu has (much) better basketball skills. He looks like a guy that his been playing basketball all of his life and understands the game better—and, more importantly, how to improve to make his game better.

And, for our other young-ish player … Mann MIGHT me be an NBA player. I really like him, but I also he think he may be at the top what he can be—he’s 24. And he does a number of things pretty well. But he doesn’t do anything of them enough or well enough to account for a lack of scoring. If he can shoot 41%/32% from the field and three—both of which are pretty lousy in the current NBA—and average a point every three and a half minutes—again, not very good--he has a chance of being a low level rotation player because he plays D, can pass enough, and is tough. But even though that’s a low bar, he’s still pretty far from it.

That seems harsh, especially for Mann and (really) Fi. But, look, I’m being realistic. There’s a guy named Noah Vonleh that I’ve said (repeatedly) would have been a good pickup for us. He’s 6’9.5” 250 and has a great wingspan (7’4.25”). He can and does play both PF and C. He shoots over 50% from two and, while he’s no Sabonis, hits 31% plus from behind the line. He’s an okay shot blocker/rim defender—not great, but not bad—and a well above average rebounder. He doesn’t foul too often, which is the real problem for a lot of young frontcourt players, so he can stay on the court.

I’m using Vonleh to put this in perspective. You think Fi is worth anything over the minimum? Vonleh is a free agent right now. He’s almost exactly 2 years older than Fi. In 2018-19, Vonleh—at Fi’s age right now—played over 1700 minutes, started 55 games and averaged 8.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and had 1.9 assists and a block and a steal a game. Granted, it was on a terrible team—but in the two years before that, he’d averaged almost 5 and 6 in 17 minutes a game for very good Portland teams. In other words, when he was 21 and 22—like Fondue in his last college season and rookie season with us—Noah Vonleh averaged 4.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in 16.7 minutes in 128 games. For God’s sake, he started 57 games in those two seasons, and the teams went 32-25.

I thought Noah Vonleh would have been (and would be now) a good pickup for $1.5-2 million a year—less than what Fi will make this year and next. Look at what he’s done in the NBA already. He is a proven rotation level player. He is the same size on Fi. He’s only two years older—but look at how much more he’s done given that age difference. The reason the Clippers didn’t pick up Fi’s third year is that, sadly, he may not be worth the $2 million. The truth is he’s a long way away.

[madmaxmedia]

This makes no sense at all. Fi can play the 4 and if you don’t want him then add him as filler to a trade deal as a team controlled prospect.

Team has a horrible track record with development as it’s going now.

Can he though, really? He's too raw to warrant any significant minutes yet anywhere it seems.

[madmaxmedia]

I have to disagree about Kabengele. I wish he was improving--but what he really looks like is a big guy with some interesting skills that has no "feel" for the game. Last night (the Minny game) made me cringe: he did everything wrong. He put up ill advised shots. He overreacted and hacked on D. I get that he just heard his contract wasn't picked up[ and probably felt like he had and has to "prove" himself--but that's his problem in a nutshell. He doesn't let the game come to him; he tries to force his imperfect skills and mediocre instincts onto the game, and the results are (a lot) more often poor than good. This is one of those things when you say "maybe that will get better!" But, as others have noted, he's 23, and the percentage of players that have gone from his level to have decent NBA careers is, to be nice about it, not high.

Oturu, at least now, looks a lot more promising. In the Minny game, he got himself into the game flow. He had positive results. But that makes sense; Oturu has had a team built around him in the past. He looks like a guy that has played a lot of team basketball. It just looks like he understands the game better. I mean, the sample size is (very, very) small right now—this is just a “sense” of what I get from watching him now and his college games. But it seems like, although they have somewhat similar physical size and individual and skills, Oturu has (much) better basketball skills. He looks like a guy that his been playing basketball all of his life and understands the game better—and, more importantly, how to improve to make his game better.

And, for our other young-ish player … Mann MIGHT me be an NBA player. I really like him, but I also he think he may be at the top what he can be—he’s 24. And he does a number of things pretty well. But he doesn’t do anything of them enough or well enough to account for a lack of scoring. If he can shoot 41%/32% from the field and three—both of which are pretty lousy in the current NBA—and average a point every three and a half minutes—again, not very good--he has a chance of being a low level rotation player because he plays D, can pass enough, and is tough. But even though that’s a low bar, he’s still pretty far from it.

That seems harsh, especially for Mann and (really) Fi. But, look, I’m being realistic. There’s a guy named Noah Vonleh that I’ve said (repeatedly) would have been a good pickup for us. He’s 6’9.5” 250 and has a great wingspan (7’4.25”). He can and does play both PF and C. He shoots over 50% from two and, while he’s no Sabonis, hits 31% plus from behind the line. He’s an okay shot blocker/rim defender—not great, but not bad—and a well above average rebounder. He doesn’t foul too often, which is the real problem for a lot of young frontcourt players, so he can stay on the court.

I’m using Vonleh to put this in perspective. You think Fi is worth anything over the minimum? Vonleh is a free agent right now. He’s almost exactly 2 years older than Fi. In 2018-19, Vonleh—at Fi’s age right now—played over 1700 minutes, started 55 games and averaged 8.4 points, 7.9 rebounds, and had 1.9 assists and a block and a steal a game. Granted, it was on a terrible team—but in the two years before that, he’d averaged almost 5 and 6 in 17 minutes a game for very good Portland teams. In other words, when he was 21 and 22—like Fondue in his last college season and rookie season with us—Noah Vonleh averaged 4.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in 16.7 minutes in 128 games. For God’s sake, he started 57 games in those two seasons, and the teams went 32-25.

I thought Noah Vonleh would have been (and would be now) a good pickup for $1.5-2 million a year—less than what Fi will make this year and next. Look at what he’s done in the NBA already. He is a proven rotation level player. He is the same size on Fi. He’s only two years older—but look at how much more he’s done given that age difference. The reason the Clippers didn’t pick up Fi’s third year is that, sadly, he may not be worth the $2 million. The truth is he’s a long way away.

Yeah it's not looking great for Fi or Mann right now, I'm especially disappointed about Mann but that's just because I got over-excited about his summer league PG play.

Oturu is not as rangy as Fi but seems to have a significantly better skillset within that range. 10 years ago he would have been drafted higher because traditional big men had more value. But his floor is higher for sure. He did shoot the 3 as good as Fi in college, which at least might partially counteract his low ceiling, and he was able to face the basket (at close range) and score in college.

It's possible none of them pan out, which is really not unexpected for a late first and 2 2nd round picks to be honest.

In retrospect the only significant mistake of the bunch might be giving up a future higher 1st for Fi.

[Captain Ballmer]

Very, very weird. Unless they hope to sign him to a cost controlled four year deal at like 4/20 or something, this absolutely makes no sense. It has to be due to loving Oturu

This move tells me that Kawhi resigning in 2021 summer is imminent(Yaay) and would put us way over the luxury tax. Front office just wanted to be flexible and cut the guaranteed money from a player who might not within the teams plan from any minute now. Fi becomes an expiring contract with this move and would be in a possible trade package with Lou as 2 expiring contracts.

[Clemenza]

You guys down on Mann? Yes he's still somewhat of a fringe player but he played good against Minny. His defense is stellar and of course he needs work on his jumper. I'd scrap the point guard experiment with him and just have be a wing which is what he is anyways. Lets see how he plays tonight

[donemilio21]

Didn't we trade a future pick to select him? another wasted pick by FO.
Since Blake Griffin pick which was very obvious one for anyone, is there a pick we nailed besides SGA? Talent evaluation and player development has such a bad track record.

[SnoopDub]

Didn't we trade a future pick to select him? another wasted pick by FO.
Since Blake Griffin pick which was very obvious one for anyone, is there a pick we nailed besides SGA? Talent evaluation and player development has such a bad track record.

I was pissed of the didnt draft Porter Jr. They couldve draft him after SGA. It was worth the risk. Now he is on our rival team and playing well. Clips needs to find a better scout. Sad tho, we traded our freaking first picks and can only draft 2nd round picks.

[esqtvd]

Didn't we trade a future pick to select him? another wasted pick by FO.
Since Blake Griffin pick which was very obvious one for anyone, is there a pick we nailed besides SGA? Talent evaluation and player development has such a bad track record.

I was pissed of the didnt draft Porter Jr. They couldve draft him after SGA. It was worth the risk. Now he is on our rival team and playing well. Clips needs to find a better scout. Sad tho, we traded our freaking first picks and can only draft 2nd round picks.

Jerome just had his 3rd year option declined by the Wizards after scoring 2 points in 27 minutes so far this season. That is some major bigtime suckage. The draft is a crapshoot but that's no excuse for ALWAYS coming up with crap that can't shoot.