Kings vs Mavs - summer league
- Thread starter Glenn
- Start date
McCallum was VERY impressive. his ball handling is great, he passes the ball very well, his athleticism is insane. as of right now, i dont think Jimmer is going to play anymore minutes on this team.
its obviously too early to tell, but i wouldnt be surprised if McCallum even challenges Isaiah for his spot
its obviously too early to tell, but i wouldnt be surprised if McCallum even challenges Isaiah for his spot
Not sure anyone is worried about him. His current skill set, even on a bad shooting night, looks like the player we thought he'd be at this point. The concerns are more about team makeup as we potentially sacrificed a unique number two offensive talent in part due to drafting a guy that's more of a #3 offensive talent unless you develop an offense around him (a la Reggie miller).
With that being said, he can still be a potent offensive player and he's young enough to develop more skills. I just think he would have been better served with a Reke type player rather than Vasquez.
With that being said, he can still be a potent offensive player and he's young enough to develop more skills. I just think he would have been better served with a Reke type player rather than Vasquez.
The offense should be different this year. It has to be different because the skill set of the players are considerably different. Both McLemore and Luc can be good players off the ball. I would expect a lot more motion to the offense, much better screening, back door cuts. Should be a lot more entertaining basketball.
In his rookie year I would expect McLemore to have a very conservative game moving without the ball, hitting the open shot, playing some D, getting some rebounds. He's just going to have to add a little each year to his game in terms of dribbling the ball to become a well rounded player. This coaching staff seems pretty good and I'm sure they'll start immediately giving him the baby steps to improving his game.
In his rookie year I would expect McLemore to have a very conservative game moving without the ball, hitting the open shot, playing some D, getting some rebounds. He's just going to have to add a little each year to his game in terms of dribbling the ball to become a well rounded player. This coaching staff seems pretty good and I'm sure they'll start immediately giving him the baby steps to improving his game.
Yeah he looked in control for his first game, best PG prospect we have drafted in a long time. I think once the game slows down for him and he can start knocking down that midrange jumper, he could really become a nice player, great intangibles with high bball iq, seems like a natural leader, could develop into a good defender too.
No he couldn't, Westbrook is 10x better at seeing the floor and adjusting to defensive schemes thrown at him. Westbrook isn't your typical PG but he does have the PG qualities which matter most, something that Evans doesn't have.
Now given time and proper coaching? I doubt it. I feel you're either born with it or not born with it. Evans in four years has never really shown on a consistent basis that he can run an NBA offense and make adjustments on the fly. Not saying he's one dimensional, because he can play PG in spurts and he can do a LOT for us had he been given the chance, but not full time PG unless there is another go-to ball handler/distributor on the floor with him.. Once Iggy signed with GS I didn't want any part of Evans at PG (being the only ball handler/distributor).
Give GV a chance. I think he will impress you all.
Now given time and proper coaching? I doubt it. I feel you're either born with it or not born with it. Evans in four years has never really shown on a consistent basis that he can run an NBA offense and make adjustments on the fly. Not saying he's one dimensional, because he can play PG in spurts and he can do a LOT for us had he been given the chance, but not full time PG unless there is another go-to ball handler/distributor on the floor with him.. Once Iggy signed with GS I didn't want any part of Evans at PG (being the only ball handler/distributor).
Give GV a chance. I think he will impress you all.
Westbrook also developed a solid midrange game to go with his already elite speed and athletic ability. Also, although i find Westbrook annoying, i have to admit the guy plays with that fire/swagger that the best players in the league have, he certainly doesn't lack confidence. Tyreke is/was just too passive and not vocal, which are bad traits for a lead guard.
Hahaha!!! Yeah, you think Jimmer will get ONE SECOND of PT after this guy is in town? McCallum is FAR BETTER than I ever expected. Kid is a leader, athletic as hell, can dish, can shoot and has a high hoops IQ. I originally thought he'd be spending a majority of his rookie season in D league, after just one game tonight, I don't see that being the case.
I feel we watch a different NBA. I saw Westbrook struggle navigating a pick and roll his first 2 seasons in the league and now just started leading players on passes. It was a process. He learned to be a PG in the NBA.
I've seen enough of GV. We won't win much if he's our ball dominant guard. People look at his stats more than they watched him play. We're gonna get run out of the building if he has to guard the other teams point guard. Cousins will foul out in the 2nd quarter stepping up trying to stop penetration.
I've seen enough of GV. We won't win much if he's our ball dominant guard. People look at his stats more than they watched him play. We're gonna get run out of the building if he has to guard the other teams point guard. Cousins will foul out in the 2nd quarter stepping up trying to stop penetration.
Last edited:
Highly doubtful.
Not really exaggerating there either. That's fairly notorious -- you normally only make marginal improvements in ballhandling later in life. You can up your shooting considerably, but ballhandling is like passing insticnts, its a feel as much as anything else. You have it or you don't.
That said a player of McLemore's ilk can get better at using screens, and devlop limited set moves to free himself up. Learn a step back, a two dribble rive to space and on balance pullup (you knw the garbage shts OUtlaw and Salmons are always putting up). But if he can't already do it he'll probably never be squaring people up and taking them off the dribble without screen help or a switch though.
Not really exaggerating there either. That's fairly notorious -- you normally only make marginal improvements in ballhandling later in life. You can up your shooting considerably, but ballhandling is like passing insticnts, its a feel as much as anything else. You have it or you don't.
That said a player of McLemore's ilk can get better at using screens, and devlop limited set moves to free himself up. Learn a step back, a two dribble rive to space and on balance pullup (you knw the garbage shts OUtlaw and Salmons are always putting up). But if he can't already do it he'll probably never be squaring people up and taking them off the dribble without screen help or a switch though.
Last edited:
Ben's shot is amazing. Nice rise, quick release, and good form. You can tell he was trying to be aggressive and put up shots but he forced too many with the step backs. I wished he would have taken more midrange jumpers, coming off screens.
Best to practice creating his shot in summer league anyway.
McCallum has a nice overall game. He should be good.
Best to practice creating his shot in summer league anyway.
McCallum has a nice overall game. He should be good.
What game were you watching? McCallum completely blew my expectations out of the water. Frontside quickness may not be at Derrick Rose levels but he seemed to have little trouble with lateral speed in staying in front of his man and seems to have enough skill to get around a lot of NBA level defenders on the other end of the court. Of course, this is just the first game of summer league so any speed problems may definitely become more pronounced as time passes. While his jumper looks streaky at best, with a guy like Jent as his coach he should hopefully be able to develop that shot enough to have his man play him honest. What impressed me the most about McCallum were his "intangibles". He was poised, calm, and just had a knack for doing the right thing for the situation. Is he ever going to be Chris Paul? Probably not. But if things progress correctly with him, he could (operative word being could) be an Andre Miller-type player for us, which certainly isn't a bad thing and would be an incredible feat for a second round pick.
Hence the reason Westbrook got 50 assists a game his first year at point. /sarc
Tyrekes trouble wasn't seeing the floor it was making the correct decision. Decision making can be improved with better coaching teaching and habit forming. You would regularly see him taking too much time to start the offense almost like he was waiting for someone to call a play or move without the ball. Or he would take an extra step on a drive because he wasn't sure when to pass then throw up a shot or pass and an offensive foul but he would also decide before driving sometimes that he would pass and he would be ready to make great passes. That is just better system so he knows where guys will be and better tutoring and sideline prompting so he is prepared to make better decisions.
I saw it as fixable. More easily fixed the earlier in a career you are but still fixable now. Every play we run now will require picks and lots of movement. Reke could break the defense without a pick if needed and that would have opened up more plays that could potentially be created for our offense. Its ok I like picks and movement but I also like the ability to break defense without those and I really really like an offense structure maybe we will finally see one. And hopefully a defensive one?
Tyrekes trouble wasn't seeing the floor it was making the correct decision. Decision making can be improved with better coaching teaching and habit forming. You would regularly see him taking too much time to start the offense almost like he was waiting for someone to call a play or move without the ball. Or he would take an extra step on a drive because he wasn't sure when to pass then throw up a shot or pass and an offensive foul but he would also decide before driving sometimes that he would pass and he would be ready to make great passes. That is just better system so he knows where guys will be and better tutoring and sideline prompting so he is prepared to make better decisions.
I saw it as fixable. More easily fixed the earlier in a career you are but still fixable now. Every play we run now will require picks and lots of movement. Reke could break the defense without a pick if needed and that would have opened up more plays that could potentially be created for our offense. Its ok I like picks and movement but I also like the ability to break defense without those and I really really like an offense structure maybe we will finally see one. And hopefully a defensive one?
McCallum showed why some people are high on him. Ben M will fine. Check out his level of play in about 10 games. Everything was short. Maybe he is not in NBA shape yet. Some other guys looked pretty good. Givens for example. Except for Ray M they all looked like journeyman role players.
They are still kids and will take some time. It should be interesting to watch Ben M and his progress. By the start of the season, the Kings are going to be radically different which is a good thing. I listened to the commentary regarding Cousins with interest and agreement.
They are still kids and will take some time. It should be interesting to watch Ben M and his progress. By the start of the season, the Kings are going to be radically different which is a good thing. I listened to the commentary regarding Cousins with interest and agreement.
"I thought they were all good shots ..." 
Probably the majority of them were good shots, including some wide-open shots that he's got to take. He's got to hit them at a higher rate than yesterday, but he has to take them. Then again, there were a good number of forces out there, maybe 5 or 6 (I wasn't counting) where there just wasn't anything there and he created a tough shot anyway.
