What is KAT's ceiling?

[ardee]

He's gonna turn 27 this coming year. I think it's safe to say the next 5 years will be his prime.

He reached a level in 2020 (though that season was injury filled) that he hasn't replicated since. Do you think he can top that going forward?

[The-Power]

All I know is that the perception of KAT could quickly turn around if he starts winning now. Right now, he's widely considered a losing player and his flaws are augmented in discussions as a result. But KAT, for all his defensive flaws, is still one of the best offensive bigs ever. Certainly one of the most talented. Once he starts to win, he'll be viewed in a much more favorable light by a lot of people even if he doesn't improve at the individual level.

[jasonxxx102]

You’ve seen his statistical peak already.

I think he’s just going to jack a ton of 3s this season.

[Ginoboleee]

All I know is that the perception of KAT could quickly turn around if he starts winning now. Right now, he's widely considered a losing player and his flaws are augmented in discussions as a result. But KAT, for all his defensive flaws, is still one of the best offensive bigs ever. Certainly one of the most talented. Once he starts to win, he'll be viewed in a much more favorable light by a lot of people even if he doesn't improve at the individual level.

Well said - sounds right.

I don't like the Gobert trade, but mainly for the absurd price. In terms of team roles, not sure it will work out with KAT, but it is a fascinating experiment, and a total Zag against the League, so worth trying. Should be great on offense, especially for KAT. (But on defense, when others go small against the Minnesota Twin Towers, yeah, hard to picture that working out.)

KAT can flourish in a supplementary role behind Ant-man.

But all of this is moot without a point guard.

[GSP]

On paper just looking at his skill set I dunno why he cant reach a lower level prime Dirk season...........

[Colbinii]

His ceiling is slightly improving his shot selection on a consistent basis and being the best shooting big ever. He already has multiple seasons where he finished at or near the top of TS Add.

[cupcakesnake]

The more I watch Kat the more I think his value is the passive/latent kind. He's a massive threat to defenses through versatile shooting, ability to attack the paint very quickly, and also is a mismatch problem that causes defenses to overreact. Just by walking on to the floor, he's going to boost offenses a ton with such a rare skillset.

He is not a good decision-maker so far in his career. He's not someone you want to throw the ball to and let him pick apart defenses. If anything, he's gotten worse as a decision-maker. I think the years of him getting called soft and having his ego/pride/masculinity challenged constantly made him play in an insecure way like he has to prove he's a certain kind of player.

I thought about this a lot after watching Kat's worst game ever (the play-in against the Clippers). Not only did the Clips have a great Kat-stopper in Nic Batum (an extremely underrated defender who owned him all season), but Ty Lue went with the strategy of "stop Kat at all cost". Kat didn't react well to this at all, he kept trying to force buckets. But it basically ruined the Clippers defense overall and allowed us to sneak that play-in victory. Ant and D'Lo got to do whatever they wanted all game and it didn't matter much that Kat wasn't producing any useful possessions.

Kat's a rare game breaking talent whenever he walks out on the floor. If he can add some more active decision making to that, he becomes an entirely different player. I'm not really waiting on that or expecting it though. It's hard to predict how players will mature. Kat has not had the easiest NBA experience.

[ShotCreator]

The more I watch Kat the more I think his value is the passive/latent kind. He's a massive threat to defenses through versatile shooting, ability to attack the paint very quickly, and also is a mismatch problem that causes defenses to overreact. Just by walking on to the floor, he's going to boost offenses a ton with such a rare skillset.

He is not a good decision-maker so far in his career. He's not someone you want to throw the ball to and let him pick apart defenses. If anything, he's gotten worse as a decision-maker. I think the years of him getting called soft and having his ego/pride/masculinity challenged constantly made him play in an insecure way like he has to prove he's a certain kind of player.

I thought about this a lot after watching Kat's worst game ever (the play-in against the Clippers). Not only did the Clips have a great Kat-stopper in Nic Batum (an extremely underrated defender who owned him all season), but Ty Lue went with the strategy of "stop Kat at all cost". Kat didn't react well to this at all, he kept trying to force buckets. But it basically ruined the Clippers defense overall and allowed us to sneak that play-in victory. Ant and D'Lo got to do whatever they wanted all game and it didn't matter much that Kat wasn't producing any useful possessions.

Kat's a rare game breaking talent whenever he walks out on the floor. If he can add some more active decision making to that, he becomes an entirely different player. I'm not really waiting on that or expecting it though. It's hard to predict how players will mature. Kat has not had the easiest NBA experience.

I’ve always felt this about him. His absolute ceiling is Warriors Durant.

A massive physical mismatch with elite skill. In a scheme where you can’t use the Ty Lue stop at all cost approach(Next to Curry, Luka, Harden, LeBron etc level offensive talent), he will resiliently kill teams every playoff series.

As the man? It’s up and down. So far usually down.

[zionland]

Tbh I think we have already seen his ceiling

[JordansBulls]

Dirk as a max.

[Ginoboleee]

Now that Dwight has faded, and JaVale has gotten decent, we have a new starting Center on the All-Knucklehead Team, and his name is KAT.

So no, I don't expect him to regularly approach anything in the way of NBA greatness, having everything to do with vague reservations about his attitude/personality/intensity/competitiveness/resilience. Total knucklehead.

But his peak as a physical comedian?
Mocking Westbrook's airballs?
That meme is seriously one of my all-time favorite clips.

I wish I knew how to insert it here.

Perhaps a kind soul would insert it, but I'm going to pretend he is reacting to this thread, not Russ.

[henshao]

Now that Dwight has faded, and JaVale has gotten decent, we have a new starting Center on the All-Knucklehead Team, and his name is KAT.

So no, I don't expect him to regularly approach anything in the way of NBA greatness, having everything to do with vague reservations about his attitude/personality/intensity/competitiveness/resilience. Total knucklehead.

But his peak as a physical comedian?
Mocking Westbrook's airballs?
That meme is seriously one of my all-time favorite clips.

I wish I knew how to insert it here.

Perhaps a kind soul would insert it, but I'm going to pretend he is reacting to this thread, not Russ.

Watch on YouTube

"cloudMechanisms
3 months ago
can't call him Westbrick if he shoots airballs. smart. "

[Ginoboleee]

Thanks.
Yeah the 1-2 of KAT and PatBev ducking with the Ref.
Truly classic.

[JordansBulls]

If a player I could compare him to I’d say something like Tom Chambers

[Cavsfansince84]

I think the more you see of a player the clearer the picture becomes. At some point you have to adjust the ceiling accordingly. So having said that, I think its safe to he is close to his ceiling right now. Something like a top 10-12 player if he can keep himself engaged for an entire season.