Claud wrote:Watched every SL game and here are some thoughts:
Allen: Looked stronger/bigger compared to last season and still has another couple of months to continue to hit the weights.
Dominated the paint + looked more comfortable overall as a player. He has a good looking J but so far hasn't made enough 3s considering how good the jumper looks. I would say I am satisfied with the Fro's performance in SL. It's going to be interesting to see who becomes our starting center next season.
Kurucs: Similar to Allen he looked bigger/stronger than last season + played with his usual edge. Last night's game was his worst performance but the entire team was awful to be fair. Rodi looked more comfortable handling the rock and made some nice moves/passes but also had some wild attempts that ended up as a bad shot or turnover. He needs to minimize those brain fart moments.
The jumper looks good but still not where he needs to be efficiency wise. We need him to be a 35% plus 3pt shooter for us. Still very raw as a player.
Musa: Musa plays with a lot of swagger and kid can definitely score the ball. At 6'9 + wide frame + good instincts + being just 20 year old(youngest Net) we should definitely remain patient because the kid has a lot of talent. With that said, I'm not sure he's ready to be a regular rotation player with the main squad yet. As much as he would not like to hear it, i think another year in the G league might be at hand. He has to tighten up his handles/decision making, must show consistent effort playing defense in PnR situations, must get stronger when finishing in the paint and just continue to grind. Doesn't help he is competing against LeVert, Dinwiddie, Harris, Prince, Kyrie, Chandler, Kurucs and Temple.
Pinson: Great teammate and brings a lot of energy off and on the court. I'm not sure he will be a success story like Dinwiddie has been due to the fact Dinwiddie had little competition and got tons of regular season minutes to improve his game, besides that I don't see Theo's ceiling as high as Spencer's. Theo has a good NBA body, plays hard, solid defense, solid playmaker, average 3pt shooter.
I think he gets left in the dust per say but still is a great glue guy to have on our bench during a very long and grueling NBA season.. that's where his value lies.
Claxton: Had some very intriguing flashes during SL. Did not play the last couple of games but showed enough to get excited.
The kid is taller than Jarret Allen, has very solid handles for a big, super athletic, high motor and his jumper isn't broken(Boshesque looking J). I think his has potential to be a VERY good NBA defender. He might be able to guard 1-5 in a few years.
Definitely must get stronger(Weights the same as kurucs), must work on his J and continue to learn the system. Would not shock me to see him get some real playing time with the main squad since our PF rotation is up for discussion still. Solid pick by Marks and crew.
Jaylen Hands: There's definitely talent here but he seems the most likely to get cut. Best case scenario he spends all of next season in long Island working on his game. He's got NBA level athletic ability + can score + solid playmaker + good vision. Extremely raw but I think given the opportunity he could surprise.
Cordinier: I would say he was the biggest surprise for me. He just looked like belongs in the NBA. Can shoot it from deep, runs the team well, super athlete, plays with high energy, doesn't force it, good IQ, and not bad defensively. I would love for Marks and crew to bring him over as 2 way player to further develop his game. Sneaky pickup in the Lin trade.
From the rest of the roster, i liked Brimah, Gray and Ahmed Hill. They also had strong showings and would not shock me to see them make some other team or be in the G-league next season.
great write up Claud! Thanks for sharing.
Maybe Pinson stays on with the team this year as third string ball handler, and on the nights that Irving is resting or other guys like Levert or Spencer are out then he soaks up their minutes.
I'd love to see Musa get another year and maybe Corinier can be the new Theo Pinson. I only saw a little of Cordinier, but that dunk he threw down a few games back got me super interested. Plus it was the end of the Detroit game where he hit a few 3's in a row and really caught my attention.
I kind of hope Claxon gets big time with the GL but who knows, I can see that going either way. He seems like another Jarrett Allen "diamond in the rough / sneaky late pickup" and I just don't want him wasting away behind Rodi, Prince, Chandler, Allen, and Jordan.
Honestly I didn't notice Hands out there in the few games I watched. Which is ok for now, but I'm hoping he pans out for us!
