i feel bad for Powell & Teague

[KJizzle]

Powell chould hae gone any where but he picked us
and how he's wasting on the bench

i wonder what he did

and Teague if we aren't going to play him why didn't we trade him top sac i still have hope fr him

[ATL DirtyBird]

They arent very good....

[dms269]

The people above him on the DC are better, that is usually how the nba works...you play your better players.

[evildallas]

There are exceptions. Dahntay Jones didn't log a minute until Jim O'Brien got fired this season and since he's played okay.

Powell played a lot early in the season and something happened that landed him in the dog house (and suspended for 1 game). I don't know the details of it, just that he's logged few minutes since then.

Larry Drew has had a short leash on Teague in respect to defensive mistakes and I suspect that Teague's gotten more blame for the start of 4th quarter woes than was his do (but he was part of it). It's hard for Teague to get minutes because he has two vets ahead of him in Bibby and Crawford and the rest of the 2nd unit is so offensively challenged that it puts a microscope on Teague when he's out there. Ironically, Powell was showing some offensive punch early in the year but he's out of the rotation now. When the 2nd unit is Teague, Jamal, Mo, Marvin, and Zaza (or Damien in place of Marvin) it's little surprise that we struggle to score.

[parson]

They arent very good....

Now, I disagree with that. You could say that about any player, even Horford or Joe or Smoove, and have a chance of looking right sometime down the road. One of them could get injured or the coach could stop playing him or the team scheme could be wrong for him and ... poof! ... he looks like a failure.

But looking at their talent, Powell is remarkably gifted: legitimate size at 6'9.5" with a 7' 1" wingspan, an 8' 11.5" standing reach, a 38.5 vertical and a max vertical reach of 12' 2", those are all interesting #s. He is a true prospect. And Teague is equally talented as a PG: great (terrific, really) speed and quickness, good height, a wonderful 6'7" wingspan and good leaping ability.

Thing is, Drew seems unwilling to DEVELOP either player (and I won't bother anyone by complaining about that for too long), so maybe we shoulda signed 2 other players - maybe vets - that would fit in better.

[ATL DirtyBird]

They arent very good....

Now, I disagree with that. You could say that about any player, even Horford or Joe or Smoove, and have a chance of looking right sometime down the road. One of them could get injured or the coach could stop playing him or the team scheme could be wrong for him and ... poof! ... he looks like a failure.

But looking at their talent, Powell is remarkably gifted: legitimate size at 6'9.5" with a 7' 1" wingspan, an 8' 11.5" standing reach, a 38.5 vertical and a max vertical reach of 12' 2", those are all interesting #s. He is a true prospect. And Teague is equally talented as a PG: great (terrific, really) speed and quickness, good height, a wonderful 6'7" wingspan and good leaping ability.

Thing is, Drew seems unwilling to DEVELOP either player (and I won't bother anyone by complaining about that for too long), so maybe we shoulda signed 2 other players - maybe vets - that would fit in better.

You do realize we arent talking about them as prospects? We are talking about them as players, as they are right now. And both of them bring very little to the table when given the opportunity. I could care less about what they could develop into because the odds of both reaching their potential is so tiny.

And I vehemently disagree with you about Powell being remarkably gifted.

[parson]

You do realize we arent talking about them as prospects? We are talking about them as players, as they are right now.

I musta missed the memo on that.

[ATL DirtyBird]

You do realize we arent talking about them as prospects? We are talking about them as players, as they are right now.

I musta missed the memo on that.

Of course any player can be a good prospect but we arent trying to see what they project to be. I believe we are looking at what these players are as of right now, and neither of these players are very good, regardless of the talent/potential they have.

Josh Powell has, I think, one of the worst +/- in the league. He cant a garbage can. All he does is shoot jumpers, a la Joe Smith.

Jeff Teague is fast as a mother, but is to tentative. Not aggressive at all. Broken jump shot. Fouls to often. Teague could become a good player, for sure, but isnt even close yet.

[parson]

If Drew continues to dismiss his bench prospects, pretty soon, his JOB PROSPECTS will be dismissed, as well.

Win-now basketball only works if you can win a championship. Otherwise, you're just wasting good players. Ever wonder why no one is rushing to hire Woody? If he could have developed ONE PG, he'd still have a job. Drew has, apparently, decided to go with Jamal Crawford as our PG. If it works, Drew's golden. If not, he's toast because this team will flounder without a PG.

50 win seasons with 2 different coaches prove the talent level on this team, not the coaching. Woodson was fired because the owners felt the talent won for us, not the coach.

Now, unless Drew can develop ONE PG - Jamal or Teague or another from a trade ...
Personally, for $2 million, I'd be working hard on all 3 fronts at the same time.

[SAUCERY_SWEET]

I agree with Dirtybird...there's a reason he's not playing these guys. The negative outweighs the positive with these gentlemen. Maybe down the road they will pay dividends, who knows.

[parson]

I hear what you're saying but a coach can't just play the players who are already finished products. He has to develop talent. Only a few special players can just walk onto the court and perform as rookies. The rest have to be coached up. I'm not talking about starter's minutes but he could at least have a recognizable program for Teague. Remember the Celtics game? Teague sparkled and then Drew rewarded him with bench splinters. If Bibby were playing well, I'd keep quiet but Mike Bibby is aging before our eyes. I think the 4th qtr crashes are due, to a major degree, to Bibby's slowing foot speed and decreasing endurance. Right now, Bibby needs to be our 15-20 minute PG. Let him come in at the end, when everyone else is tired, and lead our offense. He's still the best playmaker we have -- when he is able.

My point is that you can ruin a young talent by misuse ... and I think Drew is guilty of that ... and I'm not the only one saying that.

Also, I could present a pretty good argument that Bibby is finished as a starter and Teague is out-performing him (as of late). However, I'd basically be saying that as poor as Teague's produced, Bibby's been worse.

[crimsonkb24]

I liked Powell as a Laker. he leaves and gets less minutes now ? how funny : )

[azuresou1]

Did someone seriously just call 28 year old Josh Powell a prospect?

Teague needs serious burn, but Powell is hot trash.

[MaceCase]

Did someone seriously just call 28 year old Josh Powell a prospect?

Teague needs serious burn, but Powell is hot trash.

Powell was a pitcher in the Yankee farm system for many years before going to school and declaring for the draft.