Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:hands11 wrote:Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:Memphis missed Speights. They needed a taller, big body in the lineup to take some of the weight off Randolph.
Memphis got outplayed by a superior team. Hollins could not have prevented it but I think he was badly out coached. He stuck with Prince too much when scoring was needed, instead of playing Pondexter more. He never gave Leuer a chance with the starters when ZBo was struggling. Hollins had Austin Daye stuck to the bench. A guy that tall who hits threes should have played at least a little. The worst thing Hollins did was stick with Randolph too long when Randolph was very ineffective at both ends. Likewise, Hollins ignored the fact that Prince was killing the team offensively, Hollins did what older coaches tend to do. He played veterans.
(Expect the same issue to crop up with the Wizards this coming season under Wittman. Rookies are not really wanted unless they arrive playing like good NBA veterans.)
I think that shove he gave Bayless was indicative of why the Grizzlies can hire Joerger and never look back.
CCJ
You like to, as well as several others on the board, take shots at the player development and/or Randy for playing vets.
I propose a different picture. Not to excuse everything that has happened here, but food for thought.
What were the more important things for the Wizards last year ?
Getting Wall and Beal on a roll while turning the team culture around and installing a top 10 defense, or getting Ves and Singleton more minutes. Kevin got plenty. Hell, Temple was a DL call up and he got minutes.
I propose that developing players properly happens a whole lot easier when you have productive vets on your team like Okafor, Webster, Trevor A and Nene and a system, then when you have a team of project kids.
Singleton got his minutes last year because they had no one to play there. I always thought he was a role playing 3&D, not a starter. Ves got his minutes last year. So did Kevin. It was on Ves to add a jumper and FT shooter so he could stay on the floor. It was on Kevin to get is big butt in the paint and rebound. And it was on Singleton to improve his shooting. Those players got what they needed. A dose of reality. It you want to make it in this league, don't take anything for granted. Put in the work. Do what your coach asks of you and more or sit your ass on the bench until you do. If you still don't, you get traded or not resigned eventually.
This is no kiddy day care.
Beal developed just fine and that was more important. Wall finally turned the corner. That was also more important. The team developed a D identity and vastly improved 3 ball shooting.
Well now there should be no confusion for Kevin, Singleton and Ves. Get it going and there always the next up. Maybe it works out for them some place else. Nothing wrong with that. We got players from other places. Every team has players from other places.
But now with a legit style of play defined, with expectations set, a tight locker lockroom, and roles, I expect both picking the right players to add and getting them up to speed will happen faster with less misses.
I propose you are looking backward over more land to support your view. I'm looking forward with less turf and some hope that what I am projecting has chanced will continue to bare fruit. Beal was the first. Lets see how this years rookies do.
I don't thinks it very hard to project that anyone coming to the team this year is coming into a far better situation then last year, the year before, and the year before that. Actually, I would go as far as to say this would be the be situation in 10-15 years for a new player to come into.
I know you're commenting on my remarks in another thread. What l think hands is there is a difference in what you call plenty minutes and what I call plenty. Booker was injured and Seraphin with Vesely started 15 straight games to end one season. Chris Singleton played minutes at SF.
The next season with Okafor, Ariza, and Webster added, and with Booker back; suddenly Vesely was behind Singleton the stretch PF, and Seraphin rushed shots all season. All three regressed. Young players are now the bane of the coaching staff. That's not good player development.
It's not kiddy care but Okafor and Ariza make $21M and either could opt out. What must happen is resigning them or trades or letting them walk. Vesely, Simgleton, and Seraphin have no hope of even playing minutes as significant as two years ago. None of them are great players but two seasons ago they at least had hope.
I like the culture change and think this season they can really make a push forward. Their young players might get some second round picks in trade. They will be better elsewhere.
I dont see where we are disagreeing then. Yeah, some will have to go elsewhere, but I don't think thats a bad thing. Wall and Beal were what was most important. Kevin got minutes and he didn't regress in all areas. I saw progress late in the year with his ability to pass out of the double team. That's important progress. I also saw late in the year his finally playing toward the basket more. I think he learned a lot this year. Not least of which was he better get serious over the summer because minutes are no longer handed out to younger players unless they earn them. I thought last year was the year for him to break out. I may have been a year early. But if he doesn't go 100% this year grabbing rebound and being more powerful, bring in the next player.
Singleton Im not to worried about. He was never more then a bench player 3 and D prospect.
Ves is the one that got hurt the most in the process. But a lot of that was on him. Clearly he isn't as mentally tough as what was needed. I mean come on. Scared to shoot a FT? Can he recover from that and grow still ? We will see. Its really up to him to get his head on straight and improve his skills if he wants to play NBA ball. I just have my doubts that his heart is really in it. I don't know whats in his head. Im sure he liked the money but I think he likes the overseas game better. And whats it to him. He is getting paid. Grab another 3.5 million next year. 3 years, what.. like 10M dollar. Then go back home and playball there. He would have no complaints. Not bad to be 24 and with that kind of cash.
But next year, there will be no more excuses for Ves. He will have been here two years already going into his 3rd. He should have a good sense of whats what and what he needs to do.
Hey, sometimes you have to crack a few eggs to back a cake.
