Kawhi Leonard

[RookieOfTheDay]

I don't know much about this guy other than he averaged about 15 and 10 in college and he plays the position the Kings need to address most, SF. He's had two years in college too so that would probaly be a plus development wise. I don't see many people talking about him, though. Projections are he'll be there at number 7. What are your thoughts/opinions on him?

 

[rainmaker]

Should I just repost what we've been talking about in another thread? We have been discussing our opinions.

Leonard is my guy. If we don't trade the pick. Strong, athletic, very good defensive player, improving jumper, and really the type of sf we're looking for, but hasn't developed yet. I do think he'd contribute right away, and might even start at sf if we didn't bring in another one(vet). He's drawn comparisons to G Wallace, Artest, and Marion on the defensive side of the ball, and has more upside offensively than any of the 3. There are a few scouts who think he has all star potential. Take it as you want to.
<-----I Love This Guy


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Today 08:18 PM #47 MassachusettsKingsFan
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Posts:4,745 Originally Posted by rainmaker
Leonard is my guy. If we don't trade the pick. Strong, athletic, very good defensive player, improving jumper, and really the type of sf we're looking for, but hasn't developed yet. I do think he'd contribute right away, and might even start at sf if we didn't bring in another one(vet). He's drawn comparisons to G Wallace, Artest, and Marion on the defensive side of the ball, and has more upside offensively than any of the 3. There are a few scouts who think he has all star potential. Take it as you want to.
Im starting to feel the same way. Jordan Hamilton may be better right now, but Leonard would be the better fit. He doesnt have the Jumper Hamilton has, but he is a player who wont need the ball all the time .. he'll bring toughness, he'll defend .. he'll do anything you ask of him. And if he developes the outside shot Chad Ford keeps talking about, he could be very good.

Biyumbo should also get a look if we lose out on Dalembert... and after that, drafting a guy and keeping him in europe for a few years may just be the best way to go.

Thats all if we keep the pick of course. Trading it would be my first choice.
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Today 08:31 PM #48 sdballer
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Posts:383I'm really not a Leonard fan. At least not in the top 10. I've watched him all year and he simply doesn't strike me as that all-star potential kind of player. He's very much a role player and even then at times struck me as trying to play like a star when he doesn't really have those offensive abilities. Not that there are a bunch of sure bets left around number 7 but I would be more surprised if leonard ended up a wallace/ Marion/artest than a useful hustle glue guy. Which we need but I think would be a waste at 7. Reply Reply With Quote Blog this Post .
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Today 09:18 PM #49 hammystyle
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Posts:1,008 Originally Posted by rainmaker
Leonard is my guy. If we don't trade the pick. Strong, athletic, very good defensive player, improving jumper, and really the type of sf we're looking for, but hasn't developed yet. I do think he'd contribute right away, and might even start at sf if we didn't bring in another one(vet). He's drawn comparisons to G Wallace, Artest, and Marion on the defensive side of the ball, and has more upside offensively than any of the 3. There are a few scouts who think he has all star potential. Take it as you want to.
I agree, not sure that he actually has more offensive upside than those guys, but he will be a solid 2-way 3 in the league.

I wouldn't be surprised if we take a look at Chris Singleton or Kenneth Faried as well. People may look at them as "reaches", but these are players with elite NBA skills, have more experience than most prospects in this draft, and don't need the ball. Of the trio of Leonard, Singleton and Faried, I think Leonard has the best combo of those attributes and some upside.

If Knight falls he's the best pick though. Reply Reply With Quote Blog this Post .
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Today 11:04 PM #50 bajaden
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Posts:9,073 Originally Posted by sdballer
I'm really not a Leonard fan. At least not in the top 10. I've watched him all year and he simply doesn't strike me as that all-star potential kind of player. He's very much a role player and even then at times struck me as trying to play like a star when he doesn't really have those offensive abilities. Not that there are a bunch of sure bets left around number 7 but I would be more surprised if leonard ended up a wallace/ Marion/artest than a useful hustle glue guy. Which we need but I think would be a waste at 7.
I probably saw Leonard play as much as any other player in the draft, except maybe the Kentucky and Texas players. And Fredette, now that I think about it. I never once thought that he was trying to be a star. The truth is, San Diego St. wouldn't have even made the NCAA tourney without him. He was to SDSU what Jimmer Fredette was to BYU. Different kind of players of course, but no less important. From all accounts, as seen in the posted video in the prospect thread, he's made huge strides with his jumpshot, and with his ballhandling. Those being his two biggest weaknesses. He's an above average athlete, with a great motor, and is a terrific defender.

I'm by no means saying we should draft him. I'am saying he needs to be on our short list. Its also highly possible that he'll be gone by number 7.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

 

[rainmaker]

Also a post from another thread:

1. Kawhi Leonard is a big-time prospect



The San Diego State forward remains a bit of an enigma to NBA scouts. He ranked as just the 56th-best high school prospect in the class of 2009 by ESPNU and didn't really come on until his senior year in high school.



As a freshman he drew raves for his athletic ability, motor and rebounding, but scouts struggled to see exactly how he fit at the next level. Last season he helped lead the Aztecs to one of the best records in college basketball and drew serious attention from scouts. But after the season, the NBA was still largely split on what his pro potential was.



While we had Leonard in the top 14 of our Big Board most of the year, a number of NBA executives were much more pessimistic about his future. They pointed to his "tweener" status and subpar perimeter shooting as concerns. A few weeks ago, one GM told me he thought Leonard was, at best, a role player at the next level.



I respectfully disagree, as do a handful of NBA execs and scouts. I was blown away by Leonard at the workouts. Not only is his physical profile impressive (huge hands, long wing span, NBA body), but also he's much more skilled than your typical high-energy forward.

Leonard has been working on his jump shot since the season ended and was stroking it from NBA 3-point range the two days I was in the gym. And he demonstrated excellent ball-handling skills for a player his size -- both are prerequisites for an NBA small forward. He also has the ability to guard the 2, 3 and 4 at the next level.



Leonard proved to be a real gym rat as well. He was the first guy in the gym and the last one to leave both days I was there. On Tuesday I arrived at 9 a.m. and left at 5:30 -- Leonard was there the whole time working on various things; he must have shot 1,000 jumpers.



I've been trying to find a good NBA comp for him all year, and I think the best may be the Blazers' Gerald Wallace. Leonard has the same type of motor and toughness and is more skilled than you think. If he keeps shooting the ball like he did Tuesday and Wednesday, I believe he could end up being a top-5 pick in the draft. We've moved him up to No. 5 on our Big Board after seeing what he brings to the table.



He may not be a superstar at the next level, but it's hard to figure how he misses as a 10-year NBA player with that work ethic, physical profile and motor.

 

[KingsCitizen]

If we can resign Thornton, Leonard will be a good choice at #7. I could see him contribute to this team the way, Prince made an impact to Detroit in his rookie season, a solid blue collar rookie that you throw to defend the Lebrons in the wings.

We all have fascinated to bring in Battier, Prince, Kirilenko. This guy may turn out going the paths those guys have in probably a year or 2.

 

[rainmaker]

If we can resign Thornton, Leonard will be a good choice at #7. I could see him contribute to this team the way, Prince made an impact to Detroit in his rookie season, a solid blue collar rookie that you throw to defend the Lebrons in the wings.

We all have fascinated to bring in Battier, Prince, Kirilenko. This guy may turn out going the paths those guys have in probably a year or 2.

Exactly. He's the type of sf we want to add, but hasn't developed offensively yet. But defense and athleticism are his strengths, and he doesn't require shots yet.I think he'll be real good down the road. His style fits our needs. I love the fact he appears to be a gym rat, and his jumper is improving by the week. We unfortunately don't have many gym rats on our team. With where his defense is now, and his physicality, if he could hit the open jumper, he'd probably be starting ahead of Omri and Donte in no time. Already better deffensively, and at handling the ball than Omri, and by training camp could be a better shooter and ballhandler than Donte. Here's the latest from Givony on him. What makes me nervous is I just read a tweet on hoopshype saying Cle might take him with their 4th pick. They're that high on him.




One of the most highly touted prospects here training at Joe Abunassar's Impact Basketball, Kawhi Leonard was amongst the most impressive players we had the opportunity to see on a number of levels. Working on his shooting mechanics, ball handling, and overall perimeter skills, Leonard also impressed with his physical tools and stoic demeanor.

Leonard's workouts are geared towards his development as a full-time wing player. He sees himself as a long-term shooting guard/small forward with the ability to defend multiple positions, and seems to have a very good understanding of what he needs to work on. Since the day he arrived in Las Vegas, Leonard has been looking to add polish to his perimeter arsenal, especially his jump shot. We saw some promising strides in his skill level as we watched him go through extensive shoot-arounds, participate in two skill development sessions under the tutelage of Chauncey Billups, and play a few games of three-on-three.

One of the more positive signs we saw from Leonard came in the simple shooting sessions he went through on both days we watched him. Spotting up and knocking down shots from the midrange and beyond the NBA 3-point line, Leonard's shooting mechanics look significantly more consistent than they did during his days at San Diego State. His release point looked the same on almost every shot he attempted, and his footwork appeared to get better as he got more shots up.

In the skill development sessions, we got to see Leonard, along with Alec Burks and Malcolm Lee, work on a number of different spin dribble, step-back, and aggressive scoring moves. With Chauncey Billups taking time to teach each player the nuances of each of the things they were working on, Leonard looked exceptionally crisp putting the ball on the floor. Unlike Lee and Burks, Leonard has quite a bit of power to his game—something that should ease the transition he needs to make from the NCAA to the NBA.

Leonard was able to showcase that more easily than his jump shot in three-on-three competition. The rules of the game limited each team to one shot and out, meaning there were no second chance opportunities from offensive rebounds. Under those restrictions, each team was trying to get high-percentage shots on every possession.

Over the course of the games we watched, Leonard looked comfortable handling the ball in traffic and finding teammates moving without the ball. With his biggest strength, rebounding, removed from the equation here, he still made his presence felt on offense with a few midrange shots and finishes around the bucket, but did most of his damage defensively. As you'll see in our workout video, he was extremely aggressive when defending the perimeter and made some impressive plays rotating back to his man on the pick and roll. Leonard did nothing to dispel sentiments that he's one of the top defenders in this class.

Amongst all the prospects we saw here, Leonard may be the biggest beneficiary of Impact's on-court training. He's a ridiculous physical specimen with no body fat, long arms, and giant hands, but has room to improve skill-wise. He's been able to take advantage of his time here to the fullest since he loves being in the gym. With his defensive ability and workman-like interior game, Leonard's ability to showcase what he's been working on at Impact at the combine and in private workouts is worth keeping an eye on as he looks to climb up draft boards.


From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kawhi-Leonard-5821/#ixzz1MgZgvDtu
http://www.draftexpress.com

 

[swisshh]

One thing that I'll say for Leonard is that he's much better at handling the ball at this stage of his career than Wallace was. He moves well with the dribble and passes well on the high/low post screens. His shot, though not known for it, doesn't look ugly.

 

[rainmaker]

Interesting. Jason Jones has the Kings picking Leonard in his Mock Draft.

 

[=LarryLegend=]

I am fine with Leonard, he seems to have good size and I do like the idea of drafting a
Defender.

 

[mr. moustache]

He's drawn comparisons to G Wallace, Artest, and Marion on the defensive side of the ball, and has more upside offensively than any of the 3.

Those 3 guys have averaged 20ppg for entire NBA seasons. You really think he's got more offensive upside than any of them?

 

[CruzDude]

Having watched Kawhi at several SDSU games and a number of times on local TV, he was then the real thing. He had a poor couple of games in the NCAA's that lowered his draft status but his workouts since have sent him to the top 10 area. His pluses are: quick, long arms and big hands, agressive, good motor, gym rat, really good near basket, lock down type defender but moderate jump shooting 15-22 ft. With Thornton, Evans and Cousins each capable of 20 pts any/every night, Leonard could just be the Marion/Wallace type the Kings need.

 

[ElRey]

the chicago nba draft combine starts today, so we'll get to see all the measurements, etc. It'll be interesting to see just how athletic Leonard is.

 

[Kingster]

Exactly. He's the type of sf we want to add, but hasn't developed offensively yet. But defense and athleticism are his strengths, and he doesn't require shots yet.I think he'll be real good down the road. His style fits our needs. I love the fact he appears to be a gym rat, and his jumper is improving by the week. We unfortunately don't have many gym rats on our team. With where his defense is now, and his physicality, if he could hit the open jumper, he'd probably be starting ahead of Omri and Donte in no time. Already better deffensively, and at handling the ball than Omri, and by training camp could be a better shooter and ballhandler than Donte. Here's the latest from Givony on him. What makes me nervous is I just read a tweet on hoopshype saying Cle might take him with their 4th pick. They're that high on him.




One of the most highly touted prospects here training at Joe Abunassar's Impact Basketball, Kawhi Leonard was amongst the most impressive players we had the opportunity to see on a number of levels. Working on his shooting mechanics, ball handling, and overall perimeter skills, Leonard also impressed with his physical tools and stoic demeanor.

Leonard's workouts are geared towards his development as a full-time wing player. He sees himself as a long-term shooting guard/small forward with the ability to defend multiple positions, and seems to have a very good understanding of what he needs to work on. Since the day he arrived in Las Vegas, Leonard has been looking to add polish to his perimeter arsenal, especially his jump shot. We saw some promising strides in his skill level as we watched him go through extensive shoot-arounds, participate in two skill development sessions under the tutelage of Chauncey Billups, and play a few games of three-on-three.

One of the more positive signs we saw from Leonard came in the simple shooting sessions he went through on both days we watched him. Spotting up and knocking down shots from the midrange and beyond the NBA 3-point line, Leonard's shooting mechanics look significantly more consistent than they did during his days at San Diego State. His release point looked the same on almost every shot he attempted, and his footwork appeared to get better as he got more shots up.

In the skill development sessions, we got to see Leonard, along with Alec Burks and Malcolm Lee, work on a number of different spin dribble, step-back, and aggressive scoring moves. With Chauncey Billups taking time to teach each player the nuances of each of the things they were working on, Leonard looked exceptionally crisp putting the ball on the floor. Unlike Lee and Burks, Leonard has quite a bit of power to his game—something that should ease the transition he needs to make from the NCAA to the NBA.

Leonard was able to showcase that more easily than his jump shot in three-on-three competition. The rules of the game limited each team to one shot and out, meaning there were no second chance opportunities from offensive rebounds. Under those restrictions, each team was trying to get high-percentage shots on every possession.

Over the course of the games we watched, Leonard looked comfortable handling the ball in traffic and finding teammates moving without the ball. With his biggest strength, rebounding, removed from the equation here, he still made his presence felt on offense with a few midrange shots and finishes around the bucket, but did most of his damage defensively. As you'll see in our workout video, he was extremely aggressive when defending the perimeter and made some impressive plays rotating back to his man on the pick and roll. Leonard did nothing to dispel sentiments that he's one of the top defenders in this class.

Amongst all the prospects we saw here, Leonard may be the biggest beneficiary of Impact's on-court training. He's a ridiculous physical specimen with no body fat, long arms, and giant hands, but has room to improve skill-wise. He's been able to take advantage of his time here to the fullest since he loves being in the gym. With his defensive ability and workman-like interior game, Leonard's ability to showcase what he's been working on at Impact at the combine and in private workouts is worth keeping an eye on as he looks to climb up draft boards.


From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Kawhi-Leonard-5821/#ixzz1MgZgvDtu
http://www.draftexpress.com

Rainmaker,

What is the range on his shot currently? Pretty good form? Please don't tell me that he high-kicks when he shoots the ball...

Also, what kind of instincts does he have for the game? How are his passing skills?

 

[Hallama]

What intrigues me most about Leonard is his ability to hit the offensive boards from the SF position...something he will have a great chance of doing with Tyreke, Thorton, and Cousins taking most (all) of the shots. And then if he can guard wing players on defense, he's a great fit with this team.

I still think the Kings go after Granger or Iggy via trade, or AK, Chandler, or Battier thru free agency so I doubt the Kings will be drafting for need. Hopefully if they picked Leonard, they think he is the best player on the board.

 

[Glenn]

This draft has sure shifted the conversation and in some ways I am content with #7. There is no secret I wanted Kanter but just the same, what we need is a bench player assuming the normal things most of us assume will happen over the summer. No player we picked whether it be #1 or #20 would be a starter.

We also don't NEED a shooter although a fireplug shooter off the bench has its appeal to me. Anyway fireplug would be great. The only name I know is Fredette who is a scorer so I'll leave it at that. Now here is Leonard, if he really is a Wallace type player - his words - that's the perfect player for this team. IMO of course. Energy, athleticism, strength, and desire to improve. Just from that video (do they ever miss in videos? ) he seems to be the kind of guy who could come off the bench and get the crowd excited. Just adding this note to say the world hasn't come to an end and we just might come out of this in great shape.

I know most people want the best player and that is perfectly understandable. Unfortunately or fortunately, you can't have the 5 best players and automatically have a well functioning team. Sometimes if not all the time a guy willing to do the scrapping and fighting who can block a few shots, has a high motor, and can slam a few dunks down is what can turn the attitude of a team and a crowd around. Don't anyone dare to say that I am saying a great dunker is a great player because that isn't the point. People still talk off Ronnie Price's great dunk as if that defined his career (maybe it did) but the point of that dunk is it got everyone off their feet. Same with Tyreke's last year.

Off the bench, you hope you can get an energizer bunny.

I'm going to jam everything into one note as I find this sometimes to be a morbid day to be posting. Sigh! We have been lucky to get what might have been the 2nd best two years ago and the best a year ago. We are lucky to have gotten Thornton. The trade for Dalembert was a big one in my eyes for how it changed the team and helped Cousins. In some ways, our record should have been far better than it turned out to be but the big pieces that changed this team, Dalembert, Thornton, and Cousins either weren't with the team all year or had a lot of sorting out to do or both. We are not 5th from the bottom right now. So we get the 7th pick. Heck, we are better than 7th from the bottom right now.

This may be all a huge rationalization to stave off disappointment but unlike some rationalizations, it may very well be true.

In any case, Leoneard could be a very fine pick coming off the bench behind that vet SF.

I am happy we have Petrie as this team came together from some astute picks and a trade. Now one more time Mr. Petrie. One more for us. Whoever we get, I think he will fit and we didn't NEED a blockbuster. In fact I have worried what we would do with an Irving and a little about Kanter as pretty soon we would have a log jam.

Let's let this team stay together awhile. Let them mature together. No more big changes, please. Players need to learn each others needs and skills. That takes time. We have a team that needs no big changes so let's not do it just for changes sake. In California the grass is not only not greener on the other side of the fence, it is sometimes brown. What we have is a very good start. Not only talent-wise but chemistry-wise. Leave it alone. It will begin to function better.

As it will be, we will need to trade one or two SFs and what that will bring will be interesting.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

This draft has sure shifted the conversation and in some ways I am content with #7. There is no secret I wanted Kanter but just the same, what we need is a bench player assuming the normal things most of us assume will happen over the summer. No player we picked whether it be #1 or #20 would be a starter.

You don't think Leonard could start at SF?

 

[bajaden]

Those 3 guys have averaged 20ppg for entire NBA seasons. You really think he's got more offensive upside than any of them?

I don't know if you saw Artest play in college or not, but he wasn't known for his offensive abilities. Marion has one of the ugliest shots in the NBA. Gerald had no jumpshot at all upon entering the NBA having played Center in college. All three of these guys are perfect examples of how you can make a silk purse out of a sows ear. There's no reason to believe that Kawhi can't do the same. In some area's he's ahead of all three of these guys.

 

[bajaden]

the chicago nba draft combine starts today, so we'll get to see all the measurements, etc. It'll be interesting to see just how athletic Leonard is.

Having watched him play close to 20 times, I can assure that he's an above average athlete. He's blessed with excellent lateral quickness. He's also an excellent shotblocker, and not just as a weakside helper, but Manu E' Manu straight up.

 

[bajaden]

Rainmaker,

What is the range on his shot currently? Pretty good form? Please don't tell me that he high-kicks when he shoots the ball...

Also, what kind of instincts does he have for the game? How are his passing skills?

His shot, while a work in progress, looks remarkedly improved. Kawhi has very good basketball IQ, and is a good and underrated passer. At SDSU he did most of his scoring close to the basket, and was particularly deadly when in the key at about 6 or 7 feet from the basket. He handles the ball fairly well, another area that could use some improvement, but right now is as good or better than either Casspi's or Greene's. He has a great motor, and plays with intensity.

As I've said before, I think Hamilton is the better all around player right now, but Leonard has more size, and upside, and is probably a slightly better athlete. I think Hamilton has the ability to be a good defender, while I think Leonard has the ability to be a lockdown defender.

 

[Big Cuz 15]

if he can play some lock down d, grab boards and take those spot up shots, he'd be perfect compliment to our team.

 

[Vlade4GM]

I would not be against picking Leonard at all, under the right circumstances of course.

 

[bajaden]

I know most people want the best player and that is perfectly understandable. Unfortunately or fortunately, you can't have the 5 best players and automatically have a well functioning team.

As your speaking in generalizations, I'll be specific. I'd certainly like to have the best player in the draft, but barring that, what I want is the best player available when we pick. Of course who that is, is up for debate. As far as having the 5 best players, and being disfunctional. If thats the case then you don't have the 5 best players for your team. What your speaking about of course is chemistry. And there's no doubt thats an illusive commodity. As Petrie once said, You know it when you have it, and you have no idea how to get it when you don't. So there's a lot of luck involved there.

In another area of your post, you stated that we basicly needed someone at the SF position that would do the dirty work. Defense, rebounding etc. And that we didn't need another scorer. While that may true, whomever we put out on the floor at the SF position has to be able to hit a shot in order to keep the defense honest. Its hard to spread the floor on offense when the other team can cheat off of one of your players. There's a reason Donte's open a lot on the perimiter.

 

[RookieOfTheDay]

I would not be against picking Leonard at all, under the right circumstances of course.

As far as I can tell, the right circumstances are if he's still available at 7.

 

[Vlade4GM]

As far as I can tell, the right circumstances are if he's still available at 7.

Well, there are players I'd take before him that could always be there as well.

 

[Glenn]

As your speaking in generalizations, I'll be specific. I'd certainly like to have the best player in the draft, but barring that, what I want is the best player available when we pick. Of course who that is, is up for debate. As far as having the 5 best players, and being disfunctional. If thats the case then you don't have the 5 best players for your team. What your speaking about of course is chemistry. And there's no doubt thats an illusive commodity. As Petrie once said, You know it when you have it, and you have no idea how to get it when you don't. So there's a lot of luck involved there.

In another area of your post, you stated that we basicly needed someone at the SF position that would do the dirty work. Defense, rebounding etc. And that we didn't need another scorer. While that may true, whomever we put out on the floor at the SF position has to be able to hit a shot in order to keep the defense honest. Its hard to spread the floor on offense when the other team can cheat off of one of your players. There's a reason Donte's open a lot on the perimiter.

Is there a three point shooting SF in the draft that logically could be picked at #7? I was assuming there wasn't as I haven't either heard of such a player or I missed it. The guy to spread the floor is the starting SF who I assume will come via trade or free agency. In no way am I saying that Leonard would be a starter but I already wrote that.

 

[Larry David]

Think of young Ron/Ron ... make him not crazy, make him a much better rebounder, longer and leaner, Webber sized hands, but not as good of an on ball defender as Ron was.

The only down side is - for a team looking to add shooting - he's not a great shooter. But he's a great rebounder - which unlike other skills transfers to the NBA. He's tough and plays the game the right way. You won't hit a homerun with this guy, but he's probably BPA and fills a need. I would do it. Despite playing like Oakley, he's a true 3 ... not an undersized 4 trying to move outside. That's a big difference.

Best case, Deng but with the banging style of Oakley. Worst case, Joey Graham.

 

[Larry David]

Webber hands

 

[Glenn]

Webber hands

Yikes! Many years ago the Bee had an outline of JWill's hands. I am a few inches shorter then he but his fingers were two inches longer than mine. Incredible.

 

[Kingster]

Think of young Ron/Ron ... make him not crazy, make him a much better rebounder, longer and leaner, Webber sized hands, but not as good of an on ball defender as Ron was.

The only down side is - for a team looking to add shooting - he's not a great shooter. But he's a great rebounder - which unlike other skills transfers to the NBA. He's tough and plays the game the right way. You won't hit a homerun with this guy, but he's probably BPA and fills a need. I would do it. Despite playing like Oakley, he's a true 3 ... not an undersized 4 trying to move outside. That's a big difference.

Best case, Deng but with the banging style of Oakley. Worst case, Joey Graham.

The only thing is, the need for this team is for a three that consistently hits a three, or at least be consistent with a 20 ft jump shot. It's never easy with the Kings, is it?

 

[rainmaker]

Rainmaker,

What is the range on his shot currently? Pretty good form? Please don't tell me that he high-kicks when he shoots the ball...

Also, what kind of instincts does he have for the game? How are his passing skills?

Well his shooting form this season, and his shooting form now are two different things. I'm not trying to be a smart *** by saying that, but reports are that he's improved his form, it's much more fluid out to the NBA 3pt line, he's making more of them, and spending hours every day working on his jumper. He's a gym rat.

He didn't shoot many jumpers in the games I saw this year, and his form looked decent, but a little slow of a release. At SDS he really attacked the paint a lot more. He has a decent handle on the ball, and that's the other thing he's working on, off the dribble moves. Was working on that with Billups last week. I think he has the potential to be able to score off the dribble in this league, and take his man one on one, but not right away. I do think he'd be able to do that before Omri, and am not confident Omri will ever develop that part of his game. Omri is just horrible at handling the ball.

So recent reports suggest his shot has already improved considerably since the season. I think he'll be a decent enough spot up shooter that he could hit the open jumper, and you would have to respect him out there. He's also extremely active, crashes the off boards, and I think will be a good off the ball slasher, unlike our current sf's. From what I've seen, and the reports from last week I've read regarding recent workout, he has a better all around game than Omri or Donte right now.

Better defender, better ballhandler, I would sya a better passer because Omri/Donte are terrible, at least as good of a spot up shooter than either, a better midrange game than either (8-12ft), much better rebounder. Really it's the defense, rebounding, and endless motor he has which would fit perfectly with our team. Any offense would be a bonus, and I think next year he'll be able to hit the open shot at a decent rate, but be pretty active slashing off the ball and crashing the off boards. I only see his offensive game improving though, and don't see much of a limit on that part of his game.