ESPN: All Sleeper Team

[KG1585]

Kris Humphries, Raptors
One wonders how long Andrea Bargnani will be allowed to stink it up before Humphries takes over the gig. While he doesn't fit in with Toronto's space-the-floor-with-shooters concept, Humphries is the team's lone dose of physicality and rebounding muscle.

Additionally, he's the same age as Bargnani, so it's not like they're mortgaging the future with such a move. Unlike his teammate, Humphries has taken another big step forward this season, registering 16.9 points and 11.5 boards per 40 minutes and making Bryan Colangelo's decision to sign him to a low-cost extension before the season look like a master stroke.

Or rather, a second master stroke. The original master stroke was trading for him in the first place, in return for epic lottery bust Rafael Araujo (Toronto Star writer Doug Smith since has dubbed Humphries "Not-Hoffa-Bad").

Sure, Humphries has his weaknesses: He's still way too shot-happy, he fouls a lot and his D can be sloppy at times. But if my alternatives are Bargnani and Rasho Nesterovic, this guy is the clear winner. That's why I suspect that by playoff time he'll have a much bigger role than his current 14.6 minutes per game.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=Sleepers-080129&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dhollinger_john%26page%3dSleepers-080129

Even though it is an insider article, it is free right now on espn.com

[The_Hater]

I've pretty much felt the same way this year. While Rasho, Bargs and Hump bring varying skill sets with them, it's been pretty clear in my eyes that Hump has been the best player of the 3 so far this season.

All those crying to 'release Bargs' should actually be making that argument for Hump instead. He's the one that Sam has given the short end of the stick.

[omeloon]

I love Humphries, has has been pretty consistent for us and has even won us a couple of games (pretty much our only big contributor in win against Dallas). We got him for nothing, his contract is real affordable, and he's still real young. If given starter minutes at the PF position, he could probably average a double double (or at least pretty close to it)... trouble is that Bosh starting at center would be a big mistake.

I'd like to see Bargnani and Humphries get more playing time TOGETHER... I think they could be an interesting duo. Seem to compliment each other pretty well

[Pchu]

I sometimes wonder why Mitchell didn't play him on situations where we are getting killed on the boards.

He's clearly the team's best rebounder.

[DonkeyPunch]

Hump is an energy guy. But he has issues.

No 1. HE HAS TO LOOK AT THE BALL WHEN HE DRIBBLES! I stopped doing that in grade 5, and hes in the NBA?

No 2. Thinks doing his best MJ impression will impress the coaching staff.

No 3. B-a-l-l H-o-g-g

No 4. Makes just as many glaring defensive mistakes as Bargs, and unlike Bargs, hes not learning.

[RapsVC15]

Kris Humphries, Raptors
One wonders how long Andrea Bargnani will be allowed to stink it up before Humphries takes over the gig. While he doesn't fit in with Toronto's space-the-floor-with-shooters concept, Humphries is the team's lone dose of physicality and rebounding muscle.

Additionally, he's the same age as Bargnani, so it's not like they're mortgaging the future with such a move. Unlike his teammate, Humphries has taken another big step forward this season, registering 16.9 points and 11.5 boards per 40 minutes and making Bryan Colangelo's decision to sign him to a low-cost extension before the season look like a master stroke.

Or rather, a second master stroke. The original master stroke was trading for him in the first place, in return for epic lottery bust Rafael Araujo (Toronto Star writer Doug Smith since has dubbed Humphries "Not-Hoffa-Bad").

Sure, Humphries has his weaknesses: He's still way too shot-happy, he fouls a lot and his D can be sloppy at times. But if my alternatives are Bargnani and Rasho Nesterovic, this guy is the clear winner. That's why I suspect that by playoff time he'll have a much bigger role than his current 14.6 minutes per game.

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=hollinger_john&page=Sleepers-080129&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2finsider%2fcolumns%2fstory%3fcolumnist%3dhollinger_john%26page%3dSleepers-080129

Even though it is an insider article, it is free right now on espn.com

Funny, Humphries has been stinking it up pretty hard lately as well.

He is what he is, outside that decent stretch of games in December, he's an energy guy off the bench that'll rebound.

[user name]

He is not an NBA starter-- he is an energy bench guy and that is how he will make himself a career in the NBA.

[TorontoBaller]

Great thread@!!!

I've never seen this conversation on here and for it to start from a legit source is awesome.

SO.

If rebounding is our #1 deficiency...
and if Hump can pull down the boards...
Why isn't he playing more?

Everyone else is focused on.

I love it !!!! Bargs vs. Humps 2008
HUMPNANI!!!!

[raptorsfan13]

and explain to me how rasho (every team he has played on has made the playoffs) is worse then hump???

[dagger]

Sad list of "sleepers". Well-established starters, rookies and bench players. The rookies are not going to be traded any time soon, and the role players won't help us. I was hoping to discover a real hidden gem with starter potential, somebody in a secondary role ready to step up to the next level. Seriously, Devin Harris is not a sleeper. Childress is the closest to a sleeper.

[raptorsfan13]

come to think of it....this article is more frustrating then anything

humphries is a black hole. every time he gets the ball he tries to do more then he should. if he is in for rebounding and defense why is it that every time he gets the ball he tries to score?

and how can anyone have the nerve to say he is better then rasho who imo has proven to be the best center we've had over the past year and a half. he rebounds and is our best communicator on defense and very rarely puts up a low percentage shot.

[Schad]

Hump is very useful, but only in the right match-ups; when teams play small ball with a front court athletic enough to contest the glass, he can be at times hopeless. Still, I share the assessment...he should be getting more minutes.

And I disagree that he has been bad this past month; he simply is not seeing the floor as often, which is puzzling.

In January (11 games), he's averaging:

4 pts, 3.1 rebs, 0.82 fouls, .452 from the field, and 2.4 free throws in 10.1 mpg. Translates to roughly 16/12, 3.3 fouls, and a ridiculous 9.6 free throws per 40.

Save for the spike in his free throw attempts (likely a statistical anomaly owing to his low minutes), that's very close to his seasonal averages.

[bankwalker]

Great thread@!!!

I've never seen this conversation on here and for it to start from a legit source is awesome.

SO.

If rebounding is our #1 deficiency...
and if Hump can pull down the boards...
Why isn't he playing more?

Everyone else is focused on.

I love it !!!! Bargs vs. Humps 2008

1. He doesn't accept his role

2. He often forces the issue when he gets the ball in his hands

3. He is more inconsistent than anyone on the team

4. He has only played roughly four good games this entire season

5. Bargnani remains the best center on our team based on the best raptors five man unit so far this season.

6. Raptor fans seem to see a player on another team have one big night and want to trade for him and also seem to see a raptor player have 3-4 good games out of 82 and ask he be injected into the starting lineup and become our future.

Y'all are crazy

[omeloon]

Sad list of "sleepers". Rookies and bench players. The rookies are not going to be traded any time soon, and the role players won't help us. I was hoping to discover a real hidden gem with starter potential.

I think Bryan and his staff are better at picking them out than ESPN anyways. He has done a great job at finding talent so far. Him and his staff have been right about Parker, Garbo, Moon, Delfino, Hump, Boris Diaw, and Salmons (even though we didn't get him). All these guys were free agents or hidden deep on the bench. Even Kapono has been shooting great %'s this year - with slump and all.

[LittleOzzy]

At this point I think it would take a lot for Bargnani to lose his spot in the starting line up. He is clearly going to be part of the Raptors future so they are going to invest as many minutes he needs to develope his game.

No way they just decide out of the blue to change to Humphries no matter how well he has been playing as of late.

[DonkeyPunch]

[quote="bankwalker"][/quote]

FTW

[Kosta]

Additionally, he's the same age as Bargnani, so it's not like they're mortgaging the future with such a move.

Only for the fact that we'd be playing him and developing him over our #1 pick.

[Air Canada]

Nice to see Hump getting some recognition

[SpaceJam]

Just STOP shooting the ball!!!

[JD225]

Hump has improved his game over last year that's for sure. He belongs with the second unit at best though.

His shot selection (like Moon) drives me a bit crazy, but when he's hustling and just hitting the boards looking for easy dunks he is a good asset.