OT: Official KP Thread

[nedleeds]

You presented plus / minus? Possibly one of the junkiest stats ever, if me and you play with Scottie Pippen, Mike and Hakeem we'd have decent +/-.

I presented the exact % that NBA players shoot when KP is defending in the paint. Full stop. He's the 3rd best. When he leaves the game (early in the first). Luka plays the rest of the first. The on off numbers likely reflect the normal beating Luka puts on second units. Dallas also has a decent bench with some actual NBA guards in Brunson and Wright.

Porzingis is absolutely tradeable. If he was dangled for matching expiring salary he'd be gone in an hour.

I don't see how your % numbers of KP "defending the paint" are different that the +/- numbers. Exact same criticism applies. I any case, we already have one game in which KP didn't play and the Mavs were better. I suspect we'll have many more.

Nobody would trade an expiring for KP at this point.

Are you referring to the game against MEM?

I gave up arguing. His argument is Dallas blew out Memphis without Ja Morant so *no* team in the league would trade expiring salary for KP. My EFG% numbers are different because they are literally KP himself defending a shot. He's top 3 in the league. The stat is a human being trying to shoot against him and only him, not his teammates, not Luka's mom, not Timmy. It's him being a disruptive defensive force. +/- is a total mess, it's just the score when 9 other people are on the court as you.

The Hawks
Blazers
Miami
Houston
Charlotte
OKC
Cleveland
New York Knicks

if they could cobble matching expiring would all trade for him and his albatross max in under 5 minutes.

[KnicksGod]

I'm not really buying the injury theory. He looks more spry a little bit than he did at his worst with the Knicks. Winning may have something to do with that. If he was healthier, he'd be able to back people down? I don't see it.

[OpiumDose]

Are you really so desperate to pick apart game (and stats) of a player that hadn't played in almost 2 years and is in completely new system, with new teammates, new coach and a different role? I guess you want to make yourself feel better about that awful trade and the dumpster fire that is Knicks FO. But come on. Have some decency to wait at least until All-Star break.

Right now KP is playing the best defense he has arguably ever played, he is getting more boards than ever, he is still shot blocking machine - the effort is clearly there. The problem is the offense where he is a net negative currently. But at this stage in his return it's not a concern. Not only he is still finding his place in a new system, with new teammates and new coach, but he is also in a shooting slump right now. I know he has never been an efficient shooter, but shooting under 40% is not where he should be. He also lacks aggression, but I'm sure that will come with time - probably has some mental block still because of the injury.

But at the end of the day the team is winning. Luka has taken all the spot-light so KP can recover at his own pace. As for the Knicks - not much to say - I'm sure KP is happy to have gotten away from here as there's really still no light at the end of this tunnel.

[nedleeds]

I'm not really buying the injury theory. He looks more spry a little bit than he did at his worst with the Knicks. Winning may have something to do with that. If he was healthier, he'd be able to back people down? I don't see it.

I agree. It's a skill. If he was heavier it would certainly help, but there have been skinny tall dudes who had no issues crushing mismatches.

Garnett comes to mind, he didn't need to back all the way down. He would get to a spot 8-10 and had that high release turn around.

Younger Dirk who wasn't quite as strong as Heat-crusher Dirk was content to take a dribble or two but he was fine crushing mismatches at the free throw line.

When he was here I thought in large part KP was officiated unfairly by letter of the rule. Switches and smalls all pushed with extended arm and almost always pushed his hip on the shot. Like 75% of the time the small was pushing his hip as he shot it. Which makes sense since nobody is going to block KP on a full jump shot after a switch. He hasn't gotten great at the bull foul game which Dirk was a god damn jedi at. Embiid is also mastering total phantom bull fouls on his jumper.

[duetta]

Nobody has done it since Kareem but if I were KP, I would learn the Sky Hook.

He needs a couple of finesse-based low post moves. He has the size and agility. He just needs to focus on his skill development.

[Fat Kat]

Read on Twitter

$0.50 on the dollar. I think Doncic will help KP but I don't think that's where they should have spent their money offensively. Get him some finishing bigs at the rim better no? And save the money for a true 2nd scorer. KP is at best 3rd IMO. Though if Doncic goes nuts then maybe it doesn't matter.

They might’ve overestimated his value

[Clyde_Style]

So according to 5/38, this next off-season when Dallas is trying to unload KP, the most common response Cuban will get on the other end of the line is:

Oh snap!

My prophecy shall be fulfilled

Hi Fat Kat

[Fat Kat]

Are you really so desperate to pick apart game (and stats) of a player that hadn't played in almost 2 years and is in completely new system, with new teammates, new coach and a different role? I guess you want to make yourself feel better about that awful trade and the dumpster fire that is Knicks FO. But come on. Have some decency to wait at least until All-Star break.

Right now KP is playing the best defense he has arguably ever played, he is getting more boards than ever, he is still shot blocking machine - the effort is clearly there. The problem is the offense where he is a net negative currently. But at this stage in his return it's not a concern. Not only he is still finding his place in a new system, with new teammates and new coach, but he is also in a shooting slump right now. I know he has never been an efficient shooter, but shooting under 40% is not where he should be. He also lacks aggression, but I'm sure that will come with time - probably has some mental block still because of the injury.

But at the end of the day the team is winning. Luka has taken all the spot-light so KP can recover at his own pace. As for the Knicks - not much to say - I'm sure KP is happy to have gotten away from here as there's really still no light at the end of this tunnel.

Read on Twitter

[Montmorencie]

I wish him nothing but the worst(no injuries of course), but boy, these projections are flat out idiotic. I am even scared to look for models, metrics, data they used, tests etc. Sometimes when I read about NBA analytics and some other advance shet I'm like damn, do they hire only the most desperate long-term unemployed fools?

[HarthorneWingo]

I just noticed this thread and it’s already 42 pages. Lmao

[HarthorneWingo]

Nobody has done it since Kareem but if I were KP, I would learn the Sky Hook.

He needs a couple of finesse-based low post moves. He has the size and agility. He just needs to focus on his skill development.

I said that back when he was in NY. I have seen him shoot the jump hook in the lane and that looked nice. I don’t know if he has the hand size to control the ball in his hand like Kareem did.

[HarthorneWingo]

I'm not really buying the injury theory. He looks more spry a little bit than he did at his worst with the Knicks. Winning may have something to do with that. If he was healthier, he'd be able to back people down? I don't see it.

KP doesn’t have to be able to back people down but he needs to get position where he’s comfortable shooting over people, which he can do easily.

[Billy Goat]

The Knicks trading KP was a good move- an inefficient injury prone player with an unearned sense of ability.

The Knicks also have built a roster centered around the same types of players. So its kind of a wash. Until the roster is built with players who take good shots the Knicks will continue to be stuck in this perpetual 20-35 win mode.

next up- RJ Barrett