Z-Rex: The Cody Zeller Thread

[HornetJail]

At least people are realizing now that the team reached by taking him 4th. He's 7'0 tall and shooting 35% from the field. He doesn't have a premium NBA skill to his name.

The Bobcats drafted him to be a stretch 4 because he made unguarded 3-point shots in a workout. It dosen't get much worse.

Funny part is Zeller hasn't attempted a 3-point shot this season.

Ditto. But now that he's here now. We have no choice but to hope he develop somehow into a good player. I don't think just throwing him out on the floor is going to help tho. A good stint in the D-league or maybe less minutes to come along slow will.

I agree. He has to bulk up and he will not be NBA ready till he is. Will that take away from his ability to run the floor? Yeah. but as it is, he can run the floor all he wants he can't do jack **** once he's there

[Eoghan]

The only thing he needs to bulk up is his legs. He's so mentally weak that bulking up to WWF levels wouldn't do anything.

He needs to develop skills. If he just bulks up to be a banger he'll just be Amundson 2.0.

[lmcguir5]

I would rather him work on his shot right now so that he can hit the 15 footer with regularity. He will become an immediate asset to the team and it will open up the lane for him to drive. Adding bulk later is the better option

[Marvel]

Never take a white American that early in the draft. Only half-joking.

I usually quarter-joke about this.

100% fact if they're white Euro players.

[thruthefire]

Never take a white American that early in the draft. Only half-joking.

I usually quarter-joke about this.

100% fact if they're white Euro players.

There are far more successful white Euros in the NBA right now than white Americans.

[fatlever]

the current white american all-star team

g: kirk hinrich/steve blake/
g: gordon hayward/jj redick
f: chandler parsons/kyle korver
f: kevin love/ryan/anderson/josh mcroberts
c: david lee/spencer hawyes/miles plumlee

team is a little thin on guards and defenders. shooting is fantastic.

the current white euro all-star team

g: tony parker/ricky rubio/jose calderon
g: goran dragic/marco belinelli
f: andrei kirilenko/mirza teletovic
f: dirk nowitzki/pao gasol/ersan ilyasova
c: marc gasol/nikola pekovic/nikola vucevic

the euro team is much deeper, especially at pg and pf/c (lots of good bigs that didnt make the list)

[HornetJail]

Current Jason Kidd, yes retired Jason Kidd, would start at PG for that team.

[Marvel]

I usually quarter-joke about this.

100% fact if they're white Euro players.

There are far more successful white Euros in the NBA right now than white Americans.

True, but I was specifically referring to white Euro players drafted out of the Euro league/overseas. No doubt there are successful white Euro players and they would give the white american team a smackdown if they played against each other.

[HornetJail]

When you say that Cody was a horrendous pick, take a look at who most of you wanted to pick- Ben McLemore and Anthony Bennett. Bennett has a PER of 2. McLemore has a PER of 7. Cody's PER is nearly the sum of those two put together. Not good, but if we had drafted Bennett, you guys would already be torching Rich Cho's house.

Bennett might be the worst lottery pick in the last 15 years. I can't think of anyone as bad as him. Then there's the fact that Cleveland picked him 1st.

[catch20two]

I think people are more disappointed in Zeller's play and outlook than the fact that he's a top-5 pick. We were expecting a totally different player based on Cho's comparisons and praise but ended up with the same player us fans feared from drafting. He's a very likeable guy though so I doubt that anybody is rooting against him.

[BeesWax]

I definitely want the kid to succeed. I just looked at i t by the number prior to the draft and doubted it. Then Cho says he can do things he never showed he could do and he can't. Cho kind of set him up for failure by telling the fans he was going to come in and be something he is not currently capable of. I hope he develops a jump shot and improves perimeter defense then we will have at least a serviceable stretch 4.

[Stun704]

the current white american all-star team

g: kirk hinrich/steve blake/
g: gordon hayward/jj redick
f: chandler parsons/kyle korver
f: kevin love/ryan/anderson/josh mcroberts
c: david lee/spencer hawyes/miles plumlee

team is a little thin on guards and defenders. shooting is fantastic.

the current white euro all-star team

g: tony parker/ricky rubio/jose calderon
g: goran dragic/marco belinelli
f: andrei kirilenko/mirza teletovic
f: dirk nowitzki/pao gasol/ersan ilyasova
c: marc gasol/nikola pekovic/nikola vucevic

the euro team is much deeper, especially at pg and pf/c (lots of good bigs that didnt make the list)

Lol Tony Parker isn't white

[Eoghan]

When you say that Cody was a horrendous pick, take a look at who most of you wanted to pick- Ben McLemore and Anthony Bennett. Bennett has a PER of 2. McLemore has a PER of 7. Cody's PER is nearly the sum of those two put together. Not good, but if we had drafted Bennett, you guys would already be torching Rich Cho's house.

Bennett might be the worst lottery pick in the last 15 years. I can't think of anyone as bad as him. Then there's the fact that Cleveland picked him 1st.

Only the Cavs were dumb enough to draft Bennett first overall, he's not a good fit, he was injured, and his cardio is wrecked from asthma and sleep apnea. The Cavs are a train wreck of an organization.

The Kings are also a terribly ran organization. McLemore doesn't have the skills to stand out in an unstructured offense (MCW and Oladipo are probably the only two rooks that would look decent on the Kings). If Zeller played for the Kings or Cavs he'd probably be sent down to the D-league.

[catch20two]

at the thought of Zeller on the Kings with Cousins.

[Amateur Wannabe]

I still think Cody will be fine. No major flaws, he's got basics pretty much in every part of the game. Not yet a decent shooter, but not a genuine brick thrower either, not good in physical game right now, but with solid athletic potential, can't defend tougher and more xp players well, but has sometimes shown much brains in D, as well as will to defend and rebound, has trouble at finishing at the rim, but showed glimpses of some nice post moves... His biggest problem IMHO is NBA readiness, but that's easier to overcome than to teach MKG to shoot, or Big Al to move much quicker on defense, due to his body limitations... Although Cody hasn't really shown much contribution to team's results this season, I don't see any real limitation that would make him one-dimensional player. If he continues to develop, in a few years I wouldn't be surpsised for him to become a very good starting PF even with a solid 3pt shot. His shot mechanics looks better than McBobs somehow, so it should be just work. But, as I already said earlier on this topic - not this season.

[BeesWax]

I still think Cody will be fine. No major flaws, he's got basics pretty much in every part of the game. Not yet a decent shooter, but not a genuine brick thrower either, not good in physical game right now, but with solid athletic potential, can't defend tougher and more xp players well, but has sometimes shown much brains in D, as well as will to defend and rebound, has trouble at finishing at the rim, but showed glimpses of some nice post moves... His biggest problem IMHO is NBA readiness, but that's easier to overcome than to teach MKG to shoot, or Big Al to move much quicker on defense, due to his body limitations... Although Cody hasn't really shown much contribution to team's results this season, I don't see any real limitation that would make him one-dimensional player. If he continues to develop, in a few years I wouldn't be surpsised for him to become a very good starting PF even with a solid 3pt shot. His shot mechanics looks better than McBobs somehow, so it should be just work. But, as I already said earlier on this topic - not this season.

So you just said you would prefer a player who needs to improve everything about his game to be a decent player (Cody) over a player who already excels at defense and can do everything else decently but shoot (MKG)?

I don't get that. I would take the guy with some marketable skills that is younger over the older guy with no currently marketable skills, but that may just be me.

[catch20two]

MKG has been one of our better midrange shooters before his injury so I don't know why people still constantly nag on the issue as if he's a inefficient scorer. MKG's mechanics will always be funny looking but he's made strides in making the shot. He just need to learn to be more aggressive offensively and then add 3 point range.

[Amateur Wannabe]

I didn't say I'd prefer Cody over MKG. My point is that Cody can develop his game probably to a greater extent than anybody could suppose given his current game, because he has shown some potential in many aspects. It's just that it will take a season or two to see him being a valuable player. Like Biz is growing into a valuable rotation player right now, and it's his 3rd season

[BeesWax]

I didn't say I'd prefer Cody over MKG. My point is that Cody can develop his game probably to a greater extent than anybody could suppose given his current game, because he has shown some potential in many aspects. It's just that it will take a season or two to see him being a valuable player. Like Biz is growing into a valuable rotation player right now, and it's his 3rd season

Right but Biz is only 3 months younger than Cody and has way less basketball experience and is further along. I think that is where the issue is coming from here. I am glad you see potential though because one of the reasons I am so mad at the pick is I see none. He looks like a guy who is meant for the post and sized for the perimeter. I thought coming in he would be at least a good bench big and really he belongs in the D-league right now.

[JDR720]

Well Biz has been in the NBA 3 seasons already, Cody is a rookie, Biz should be farther along than a rookie who is learning a new position