Leap Year - The Kemba Walker Thread III

[catch20two]

Honestly how good do you think Kemba is?

He's more on tier with those players than any PG of note.

I think he's currently middle of the pack PG that's improving. Better than Lowry at this point in his career and comparable to Conley so I'm expecting him to groom into their territory in a few years which will make for a decent contract. I honestly don't see nothing wrong with his contract now since we gotta pay somebody unless you wanna throw Marv and Hendo a few extra mil.

Kemba isn't on no Lin/Collison tier. Compare them and you'd look just as silly as these arguments you keep making. Silly, silly, silly.

Kemba is nowhere near Lowry's level and Lowry has been playing crap since all-star.

Conley is so far better than Kemba you'd have to be joking surely?

WOW.

You didn't read sh*t I wrote. Lol

[MasterIchiro]

Kemba is ranked 23rd in the league for PG's in FG%. Right below him is Michael Carter freaking Williams.

Its an issue folks. Its an issue.

His bad shot selection is a problem but operating in the tiniest amount of space in the NBA doesn't resolve it and won't until there is a fundamental change. He's a prolific dribbler but damn. His air supply is choked off like no other PG. Even if he had better shot selection, his good looks would be few and far between.

[Braggins]

I still think he should be running like a Tony Parker or Jeff Teague instead of relying on his on shot most of the time... He takes care of the ball and already splits traps at an exceptional level. He really just needs a system to take advantage of that. His strengths aren't what he thinks they are.

I 100% agree with this. I've thought for a while he should model his game after Parker. I think Kemba can be the primary ball handler on a good team, but not the primary scorer. I don't think he has to be a poor mans Iverson, but he does need to be the primary ball handler at this point in his career. He has elite quickness and dribbling moves and cannot be stopped from getting into the lane. He needs to work on knowing how to use that to make defenses scramble like Parker does. He needs to be in a system where he pushes the pace and puts pressure on the defense to open up space for other players. We have seen flashes of it. Earlier in the season we started to see him getting good at the Tony Parker "dribble the ball in circles around the lane and make the defense chase you" thing. He hasn't been doing that since returning from injury. He hasn't done much well since returning.

I think people are being a little harsh bashing him considering this is the first time he has had to re-integrate himself into a team after returning from an injury and our entire team is playing like garbage. He has had consistency issues before, so I'm not sure why people are surprised that he isn't playing very well right now. He has also been playing most of his minutes in Marv/Al lineups since his return, which is generally terrible for our ball handlers. Mo has been the only guard who has been able to do much playing with Marv/Al as the pnr screeners because he is good at pullup 3's, and even he has struggled mightily since Cody has gone down. I think the connection between Zeller and Biz being on the floor and our guards playing well, or the opposite of that, has been pretty obvious this season.

[Liver_Pooty]

Kemba is ranked 23rd in the league for PG's in FG%. Right below him is Michael Carter freaking Williams.

Its an issue folks. Its an issue.

His bad shot selection is a problem but operating in the tiniest amount of space in the NBA doesn't resolve it and won't until there is a fundamental change. He's a prolific dribbler but damn. His air supply is choked off like no other PG. Even if he had better shot selection, his good looks would be few and far between.

He has great looks half the time. Great form, great stroke, and it doesn't freaking go down. Mark Price couldn't do anything with Walker. There is nothing to do. His fundamentals are almost perfect. Shoots a fade away when he doesn't need to, but Walker knows that. His shot just doesn't go down no matter how good it looks. Kind of like Hairston.

[Diop]

If the team did decide to go another direction who do we get to replace him?

Well that depends a lot on if they decide to keep trying to foolishly build around Jefferson. To be clear, I would much prefer they built around Kemba and MKG, until a better option comes along in the draft or free-agency. Considering Kemba's new deal, I don't see him as being a guy we can trade at least for another 1-2 years, which the new salary cap hits. Even then, I think it will be really hard to find a team that would give up good value for Kemba. There's just too many good PGs out there right now.

I would not be opposed to drafting a PG in the 1st round this year and grooming that player to be Kemba's backup for a couple of years. But that player better have some damn size and preferably a 3pt shot.

You have summed up how I feel better than I could.

Let Al go and keep building around Kemba and MKG. Not because I'm a huge fan but I don't think we really have a choice. The only question I see coming up is what do we do with Al.

I'm still worried that we get stuck with him for a while.

[Elden Payton]

Sik, I think you are giving our front office too much credit if you think they built this team around Kemba. I don't think we have ever had a plan other than Cho trying to acquire what he felt were assets, that he would figure out later. The problem was that we never expected to land Jefferson and everything changed when we did sign him, except we all all these "assets" that made no sense together.

Kemba has been the face of this franchise since we hired Dunlap.

[JDR720]

I would try and let Kemba be the 6th man before i dump him, we can build the 2nd unit around him and Im 99% sure he would be one of the best in the NBA.

of course we would need another starting PG, i could go for a 3&D player like George Hill or Beverley, Kemba would still play more maybe 30 for Kemba and 25 for the other

elite 6th man Kemba >>> average starting PG Kemba


3&D/Kemba
Good Lance/Hezonja(maybe)
MKG/PJ
Zeller or Vonleh/Zeller or Vonleh
All-around C/Bizmack

fill out the bench with 2 guards, 1 SF and 2 bigs that have different skill sets.

[Elden Payton]

I think he's currently middle of the pack PG that's improving. Better than Lowry at this point in his career and comparable to Conley so I'm expecting him to groom into their territory in a few years which will make for a decent contract. I honestly don't see nothing wrong with his contract now since we gotta pay somebody unless you wanna throw Marv and Hendo a few extra mil.

Kemba isn't on no Lin/Collison tier. Compare them and you'd look just as silly as these arguments you keep making. Silly, silly, silly.

Kemba is nowhere near Lowry's level and Lowry has been playing crap since all-star.

Conley is so far better than Kemba you'd have to be joking surely?

WOW.

You didn't read sh*t I wrote. Lol

Better than Lowry at this point in his career and comparable to Conley.

Yeah must have missed that part.

Silly, silly, silly.

both are far superior than Kemba.

[fatlever]

Obviously Mo Williams.

But I guess Darren Collison, Jeremy Lin, or one of them will do.

Honestly how good do you think Kemba is?

He's more on tier with those players than any PG of note.

I think he's currently middle of the pack PG that's improving. Better than Lowry at this point in his career and comparable to Conley so I'm expecting him to groom into their territory in a few years which will make for a decent contract. I honestly don't see nothing wrong with his contract now since we gotta pay somebody unless you wanna throw Marv and Hendo a few extra mil.

Kemba isn't on no Lin/Collison tier. Compare them and you'd look just as silly as these arguments you keep making. Silly, silly, silly.

OK, but its not really a competition about ranking point guards vs other point guards, right? I mean, most of us agree that Kemba is somewhere in that 15 range when ranking vs his peers, give or take 5 spots for the fan club vs the haters.

For us specifically the discussion should be about fit and style. Since it is unlikely we are trading kemba in the next few years, then how can we improve the fit and style. Whether people like it or not, Kemba is our guy for the next few years.

There might be worse point guards that are better fits for our team and would improve our win total, just like there might be better point guards who are worse fits and would decrease our win total.

Example, Rondo is better than Jameer Nelson, but he was a bad fit for Dallas. Lin was a worse point guard than a lot of dudes, but under DAntoni he worked (for a while) because of fit. Ish Smith seems to be a better fit for Philly, but most wouldnt say he is better than MCW (although we all agree MCW is crazy overrated, right?)

[Braggins]

I can't believe it is even questionable that the team is built around Al...

[Liver_Pooty]

I would try and let Kemba be the 6th man before i dump him, we can build the 2nd unit around him and Im 99% sure he would be one of the best in the NBA.

of course we would need another starting PG, i could go for a 3&D player like George Hill or Beverley, Kemba would still play more maybe 30 for Kemba and 25 for the other

elite 6th man Kemba >>> average starting PG Kemba


3&D/Kemba
Good Lance/Hezonja(maybe)
MKG/PJ
Zeller or Vonleh/Zeller or Vonleh
All-around C/Bizmack

fill out the bench with 2 guards, 1 SF and 2 bigs that have different skill sets.

The thought of a 6th man making 12 million a year makes me sick.

[fatlever]

Did you guys just see what Curry did to CP3? Damn!!!!

[catch20two]

Sik, I think you are giving our front office too much credit if you think they built this team around Kemba. I don't think we have ever had a plan other than Cho trying to acquire what he felt were assets, that he would figure out later. The problem was that we never expected to land Jefferson and everything changed when we did sign him, except we all all these "assets" that made no sense together.

Kemba has been the face of this franchise since we hired Dunlap.

That's by default since Cho has failed to bring in somebody that'll obviously trump Kemba's little face. I also would say that Al was the face by the end of last year until he really stunk it up this year after Cho went out of his way to bring in players like Marv and Roberts that should fit with Alfense.

[MasterIchiro]

Kemba has been the face of the franchise because he's the most talented player on the roster. A more talented player would in theory become the face by his own merit. It's not like they're shoving Kemba commercials down our throats like Papa Johns. He's the best player = face.

[Liver_Pooty]

Honestly how good do you think Kemba is?

He's more on tier with those players than any PG of note.

I think he's currently middle of the pack PG that's improving. Better than Lowry at this point in his career and comparable to Conley so I'm expecting him to groom into their territory in a few years which will make for a decent contract. I honestly don't see nothing wrong with his contract now since we gotta pay somebody unless you wanna throw Marv and Hendo a few extra mil.

Kemba isn't on no Lin/Collison tier. Compare them and you'd look just as silly as these arguments you keep making. Silly, silly, silly.

OK, but its not really a competition about ranking point guards vs other point guards, right? I mean, most of us agree that Kemba is somewhere in that 15 range when ranking vs his peers, give or take 5 spots for the fan club vs the haters.

For us specifically the discussion should be about fit and style. Since it is unlikely we are trading kemba in the next few years, then how can we improve the fit and style. Whether people like it or not, Kemba is our guy for the next few years.

There might be worse point guards that are better fits for our team and would improve our win total, just like there might be better point guards who are worse fits and would decrease our win total.

Example, Rondo is better than Jameer Nelson, but he was a bad fit for Dallas. Lin was a worse point guard than a lot of dudes, but under DAntoni he worked (for a while) because of fit. Ish Smith seems to be a better fit for Philly, but most wouldnt say he is better than MCW (although we all agree MCW is crazy overrated, right?)

Your Rondo/Nelson comparison was spot on.

[JDR720]

I would try and let Kemba be the 6th man before i dump him, we can build the 2nd unit around him and Im 99% sure he would be one of the best in the NBA.

of course we would need another starting PG, i could go for a 3&D player like George Hill or Beverley, Kemba would still play more maybe 30 for Kemba and 25 for the other

elite 6th man Kemba >>> average starting PG Kemba


3&D/Kemba
Good Lance/Hezonja(maybe)
MKG/PJ
Zeller or Vonleh/Zeller or Vonleh
All-around C/Bizmack

fill out the bench with 2 guards, 1 SF and 2 bigs that have different skill sets.

The thought of a 6th man making 12 million a year makes me sick.

it wont be that bad when the cap goes up and max contracts are like 30 million, every team will have several 10 million+ players.

[fatlever]

Sik, I think you are giving our front office too much credit if you think they built this team around Kemba. I don't think we have ever had a plan other than Cho trying to acquire what he felt were assets, that he would figure out later. The problem was that we never expected to land Jefferson and everything changed when we did sign him, except we all all these "assets" that made no sense together.

Kemba has been the face of this franchise since we hired Dunlap.

Thats not really saying much. He was the face by default. That doesnt mean they really tried to build around him.

[Elden Payton]

I would try and let Kemba be the 6th man before i dump him, we can build the 2nd unit around him and Im 99% sure he would be one of the best in the NBA.

of course we would need another starting PG, i could go for a 3&D player like George Hill or Beverley, Kemba would still play more maybe 30 for Kemba and 25 for the other

elite 6th man Kemba >>> average starting PG Kemba


3&D/Kemba
Good Lance/Hezonja(maybe)
MKG/PJ
Zeller or Vonleh/Zeller or Vonleh
All-around C/Bizmack

fill out the bench with 2 guards, 1 SF and 2 bigs that have different skill sets.

The thought of a 6th man making 12 million a year makes me sick.

We can't pay a sixth man 12m.

It would doom us to the basement.

[Liver_Pooty]

If Walker is going, and he will be, our starting PG we have to have a pure shooter at the SG position. Danny Green. I want you.

[Elden Payton]

Sik, I think you are giving our front office too much credit if you think they built this team around Kemba. I don't think we have ever had a plan other than Cho trying to acquire what he felt were assets, that he would figure out later. The problem was that we never expected to land Jefferson and everything changed when we did sign him, except we all all these "assets" that made no sense together.

Kemba has been the face of this franchise since we hired Dunlap.

Thats not really saying much. He was the face by default. That doesnt mean they really tried to build around him.

We hired a coach to maximise Kemba's game, drafted a bunch of players to cover his defensive ineptitude and provided him with the FA he requested...

we've done what we can for kemba and he's still mediocre.