Questions on Al Jefferson

[76ciology]

How's Al J's health? Would it be fair to expect him to bounce back (regain athleticism, 20ppg 10rpg and 1.7bpg form and play 82 games)?

How is his interior defense? Is it really that bad?

Thanks!

[Wolves Rube]

Athleticism?? Was he ever considered athletic?

Al will be able to put up 20 and 10 numbers again - In the right system.

Regarding his defense, I question how bad it really is. In my opinion, the Wolves suffer from poor team defense. Al plays out of position at center and doesn't do a great job at it defensivly. I bet if he were with the Celtics, or another team that values defense, he'd be much better.

[76ciology]

Athleticism?? Was he ever considered athletic?

Al will be able to put up 20 and 10 numbers again - In the right system.

Regarding his defense, I question how bad it really is. In my opinion, the Wolves suffer from poor team defense. Al plays out of position at center and doesn't do a great job at it defensivly. I bet if he were with the Celtics, or another team that values defense, he'd be much better.

Now, I might be wrong with this because I honestly am not familiar with Al J. But I think the reason why he was viewed as a bad defender is because he's being place out of his natural position (C position). IMO, he'd be fine at the PF position with his 6'10" height and having the same 9'2" standing reach.

[76ciology]

Athleticism?? Was he ever considered athletic?

Al will be able to put up 20 and 10 numbers again - In the right system.

Regarding his defense, I question how bad it really is. In my opinion, the Wolves suffer from poor team defense. Al plays out of position at center and doesn't do a great job at it defensivly. I bet if he were with the Celtics, or another team that values defense, he'd be much better.

What happened to Al J last season? Is he still suffering from his injury?

[Krapinsky]

At the end of the year he simply wasn't all the way back yet. He returned before he was full strength rehabilitated and he couldn't get rehabilitated during the season. He needed another off season. Last season his defense suffered because he basically had Elton Brand's upper body and Chaning Frye's legs. Once he gets his legs stronger his defense will be fine. He'll never be an ideal defensive center/forward, but he's no worse than a player like Carlos Boozer is for what he brings in scoring and rebounding.

[Vega06]

He wasn't suffering, but his knee wasn't 100% yet. Added to the fact that he played in a new offense that he doesn't fit in, and with the worst perimeter rotation in the league, it caused him to have a down year. I have no doubt in my mind that he'll be back to putting up 22 and 11 next season.

[The J Rocka]

Athleticism?? Was he ever considered athletic?

Al will be able to put up 20 and 10 numbers again - In the right system.

Regarding his defense, I question how bad it really is. In my opinion, the Wolves suffer from poor team defense. Al plays out of position at center and doesn't do a great job at it defensivly. I bet if he were with the Celtics, or another team that values defense, he'd be much better.

What happened to Al J last season? Is he still suffering from his injury?

Last season (09/10) was his recovery season. He came back from his knee injury way earlier than expected. Just by watching him you could tell he wasn't back to full 100, but was progressing towards the end. As of now he should be 100 and ready to go. He still did play pretty damn good for coming back early on a knee injury.

[C.lupus]

fwiw he averaged 19ppg/10rpg/1.9bpg/54%fg in 12 games in March. He showed flashes during the season of being himself and was better toward the end. I see no reason why he wouldn't be 100% next year (barring any setback of course). And his defense is seriously underrated. He's no Duncan or Olajuwon on defense but he is average. It seems to be more effort than anything, imo. He just thinks offense.

[Mattya]

As it has been said before Al Jefferson came back very early from his injury. In terms of value it has definately hurt him, but for me personally it gave me a lot of confidence in him coming back to be Big Al again. While most players are working to get better during the off season he was working on getting his knee strong enough to play again. I think a full summer of getting his body in shape and working on his game will make a big difference. Thats why it would be a big mistake to trade him now. I think he comes back better than ever next season. With Wes Johnson and Martell Webster starting, barring any free agents, floor spacing will be a lot better for him. Not to mention how his passing will look a lot better with some legit shooters on the team. Maybe his defense will look better too if Wes and Martell can keep people out of the paint.

[Calinks]

What a lot of people take for granted is that generally, in the NBA when you suffer a MAJOR injury it takes all the time you missed and almost all of that time again once you are back to fully recover. When you don't play at a high level for many months you lose some of the intricacies of the game, especially timing. It take double the time to get all of that. This season is the one where Al should really be back and I highly doubt he will have any serious issues in regards to his knee.

He will fit into just about any system, even in ours he could be okay but this is the worst case scenario for him it seems. Put him on any team that likes to grind games out and battle and he will be fine. I think his defense will be okay as well if he was on a good defensive teams like the Spurs or the Celtics.

[moss_is_1]

Last season he missed alot of close baskets that he usually makes. I think it was mostly the injury and being used to drive off that knee, and then he was rusty after not playing basketball for so long. Also I think that another reason for his defense being so bad is that he is such an important part of our team(our was), that he didn't try as hard on defense for fear of getting into foul trouble and then we'd be left with very little offense.

When he's healthy he is a very good offensive player, great footwork, quick in the post, uses up fakes very well both in the post and in his mid-range game. He isn't a great passer but he is better then what he gets credit for, he's just unwilling alot of the time. Last year when Darko came over he showed a more willingness to pass.

[shangrila]

His advanced statistics are miserable and have been in his entire career, so I can see why Kahn is looking to trade him. But even at Boston he never had a strong team around him and I'd like to see what he can do with a defensive big next to him and a whole lot of shooters on the wings.

[JMillott]

The last time that Al Jefferson spent major minutes healthy at his natural PF spot was in Boston when he had a +8.8 in PER DIFF with his PER at PF being 21.8 and his opponent PF's putting up a PER of 13.1 and even then the Celtics often screwed him by playing not just more often at C but by playing him with Gomes or Scales when they did.

I don't see why its fair that he receives so much flak defensively for what has largely been him being used improperly for most of his career next to teams full of bad defenders. Obvouisly he isn't Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, etc on defense but you know who caught similar crap for this type of thing? Pau Gasol.

I'd just plain kill to see him get a chance to play a season here in a starting lineup of Flynn, Webster, Johnson, Jefferson and Millic at his natural PF spot and then see how people feel about him. I can't believe i'm begging to see him get to play with Flynn, Webster and Darko but the truth is that it'll be his first time not being held back by a Telfair or Gomes or playing out of position or all of the above.

I just want him to get a fair shake, just as I did with Pierce who proved me right after all those years.

[Krapinsky]

The last time that Al Jefferson spent major minutes healthy at his natural PF spot was in Boston when he had a +8.8 in PER DIFF with his PER at PF being 21.8 and his opponent PF's putting up a PER of 13.1 and even then the Celtics often screwed him by playing not just more often at C but by playing him with Gomes or Scales when they did.

I don't see why its fair that he receives so much flak defensively for what has largely been him being used improperly for most of his career next to teams full of bad defenders. Obvouisly he isn't Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard, etc on defense but you know who caught similar crap for this type of thing? Pau Gasol.

I'd just plain kill to see him get a chance to play a season here in a starting lineup of Flynn, Webster, Johnson, Jefferson and Millic at his natural PF spot and then see how people feel about him. I can't believe i'm begging to see him get to play with Flynn, Webster and Darko but the truth is that it'll be his first time not being held back by a Telfair or Gomes or playing out of position or all of the above.

I just want him to get a fair shake, just as I did with Pierce who proved me right after all those years.

Where are you finding those numbers?

[JMillott]

06/07 on the Celtics at 82games.com. He was utterly fantastic at PF next to Perk but with all our injuries and tanking injuries the team couldn't score with Delonte, Rondo, Perk and Gomes next to Big Al so we went small too often.

[horaceworthy]

He was more efficient on offense as well, in the 37 games or so Pierce was healthy. I crunched the numbers awhile back for the trade board, it was something like 18/10 with a TS% of 58.5% and a couple blocks.

Defensively I think a big part of it is that he's been beaten down by all the losing he's had to endure. He seemed to pick it up on that end in games they were in at the end. No proof whatsoever, just a hunch, but I think he'd be a better, more consistent defender on a team with a realistic chance of winning when they step on the floor.

[moss_is_1]

Well yeah he's not very efficient as a #1 guy who is getting doubled and tripled on a terrible team, but 1 on 1 matchups as a #2 scorer he would be awesome.

[JMillott]

20% of his defensive issues are a result of playing on teams not playing for anything but ping pong balls.

45% of his defensive issues are a result of his playing most of his career out of position at center.

20% of his defensive issues are a result of his playing on bad defensive teams where he was far from the only or biggest problem.

15% of his defensive issues are a result of his not being a terrific defensive player and a little un-athletic certainly not as weak a defensive PF as a Boozer, Bosh or Amare in my eyes but to be fair he isn't on their level offensively either.

[M4P]

Why is Al on the block by the way? Curious Rockets fan here.

[Saltine]

He's not suitable for a running team...