Casspi plans on being the starter: Sam Amick

[bajaden]

Article by Sam Amick, who seems to write more articles about the Kings than anyone in the Bee right now.

http://nba.fanhouse.com/2010/09/09/omri-casspi-responds-to-swastika-graffiti-on-kings-mural/

 

[Bricklayer]

Got no problem with that at all, just so long as he has the maturity that if it DOESN'T happen, he can deal.

If he loses the starting spot to Antoine Wright though he can feel free to complain as loudly as he likes -- I will be joining him.

 

[Tetsujin]

Got no problem with that at all, just so long as he has the maturity that if it DOESN'T happen, he can deal.

My feelings exactly. I have no problem with him aiming for the starting pace but if he doesn't get it, I don 't want him to have an attitude detrimental to the team.

 

[bajaden]

Got no problem with that at all, just so long as he has the maturity that if it DOESN'T happen, he can deal.

If he loses the starting spot to Antoine Wright though he can feel free to complain as loudly as he likes -- I will be joining him.

Ugh! I think I just tasted vomit in my mouth....

 

[Entity]

That all sounds good and I like the attitude and all. BUT what kind of attitude will he have If Donte beats him out? I mean Donte is working hard to. I am sure Donte would have a good attitude if he is not the starter. I am not sure I can say the same thing about Omri. Can you?

 

[kingsboi]

He can plan it all he wants, but him and Donte have to battle it out first. Who ever can show more consistency on both sides of the ball should get the nod and hopefully for the ENTIRE season, preferrably. I don't even want to think of Antoine starting, that would be a disaster, unless he plays only couple minutes as starter then heads to the bench.

 

[rhythmless]

If he doesn't get starter, he should ask himself hwat else he needs. That's all I ask. Constant improvement.

Good to hear about the muscle though, he was a bit on the thin side coming in.

I'm not sure if I prefer Casspi or Donte starting. Donte has more versatility, Casspi more traditional at the 3. Seems like Casspi is quicker to score when he gets in the game, which would benefit a sub.

Either way, I look for both of them to log heavy minutes at the 3 and spot minutes at 2 and 4.

 

[The Hammer]

Looks like we've got a battle heating up!

 

[VF21]

That all sounds good and I like the attitude and all. BUT what kind of attitude will he have If Donte beats him out? I mean Donte is working hard to. I am sure Donte would have a good attitude if he is not the starter. I am not sure I can say the same thing about Omri. Can you?

I'm curious. Why can't you say the same thing about Omri? I thing Casspi is the ultimate team player; he's hungry and eager to earn a spot on the starting roster but he's not going to cry about it if he is outplayed for the position.

I think our team chemistry right now is better than it's been in a very long time. If anything, the competition between guys for minutes is going to push them to get better. And from everything I've seen about Casspi, he's a tough competitor. If it makes both he and Donte work hard, all the better.

Personally, I think the whole "starter" thing is over-rated, which I've said before. The Spurs have done pretty well with a system that allows for flexibility in some starting positions to take advantage of matchups, etc. I could easily see Westphal utilizing that kind of system to good advantage, especially with the young talent he has available.

 

[King Baller]

If Omri plays like his early last season self, hitting his 3's, grabbing the boards and being a wild man on D he will get his minutes. Ideally if Omri and Donte can both play great we could see a two headed monster at the small forward position. The minutes could be split evenly with Westphal letting the hot hand play when the games on the line.

Now this would take tremendous self sacrifice from both Greene and Casspi. Both men would need to display a "Team First" attitude not often seen in the competitive NBA arena.

KB

 

[mac]

I'm curious. Why can't you say the same thing about Omri? I thing Casspi is the ultimate team player; he's hungry and eager to earn a spot on the starting roster but he's not going to cry about it if he is outplayed for the position.

I think our team chemistry right now is better than it's been in a very long time. If anything, the competition between guys for minutes is going to push them to get better. And from everything I've seen about Casspi, he's a tough competitor. If it makes both he and Donte work hard, all the better.

Personally, I think the whole "starter" thing is over-rated, which I've said before. The Spurs have done pretty well with a system that allows for flexibility in some starting positions to take advantage of matchups, etc. I could easily see Westphal utilizing that kind of system to good advantage, especially with the young talent he has available.

Whoa VF ... Surely you were watching the whole of last season and the recent summer league?? I'll say this, Omri will sacrifice his body and work really hard to make himself and the team better. His passion and determination is unquestionable. But objectively speaking you must have seen that he can be a little selfish on offense, sometimes forcing things a little. Not saying that he IS selfish and isn't a team player or anything, but I think calling him the ultimate team player may be going a little too far.

 

[Entity]

I'm curious. Why can't you say the same thing about Omri? I thing Casspi is the ultimate team player; he's hungry and eager to earn a spot on the starting roster but he's not going to cry about it if he is outplayed for the position.

I think our team chemistry right now is better than it's been in a very long time. If anything, the competition between guys for minutes is going to push them to get better. And from everything I've seen about Casspi, he's a tough competitor. If it makes both he and Donte work hard, all the better.

Personally, I think the whole "starter" thing is over-rated, which I've said before. The Spurs have done pretty well with a system that allows for flexibility in some starting positions to take advantage of matchups, etc. I could easily see Westphal utilizing that kind of system to good advantage, especially with the young talent he has available.

Are you kidding? You don't remember when he was upset with his playing time last year. He thinks he is a #1 option and needs to be on a bigger team. We had a few threads on this back when he had the interview. Now if a rookie is upset with playing time how do you think he would feel if he doesn't get the starting position in his second year?

 

[Bricklayer]

Whoa VF ... Surely you were watching the whole of last season and the recent summer league?? I'll say this, Omri will sacrifice his body and work really hard to make himself and the team better. His passion and determination is unquestionable. But objectively speaking you must have seen that he can be a little selfish on offense, sometimes forcing things a little. Not saying that he IS selfish and isn't a team player or anything, but I think calling him the ultimate team player may be going a little too far.

I would further note that there have been repeated rumblings from him about role/shots. I really can see a potential problem there one day if things don't work out the way he wants. Its certainly nothing to worry about yet, and maybe things do work out just the way he wants, but guys like Rudy Fernandez show just how wrong the national hero vibe can spin wrong sometimes. I don't get that vibe from Donte, and in fact until his surprising dedication last season the concern was whether Donte was driven enough, not too driven. From a team chemsitry standpoint I can easily see Omri starting Donte off the bench as the best option. But that may not be the best option for team balance, especially if Reke/Cousins and Landry all end up starting. Only so many shots, and Omri seemed surprisingly uncomfortable as a 3rd or 4th option given that I think that is all he was as a young player in Israel. We'll just have to see. Hopefully as long as he gets good minutes and is involved in the core of things that will be enough, starting or not.

 

[Entity]

just a reminder http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/sports/nba-casspi-unhappy-over-reduced-role-1.261617

Frustrated over a lack of playing time and a limited number of offensive opportunities, Sacramento Kings rookie forward Omri Casspi confronted his head coach, Paul Westphal......


read the article and honestly tell me that Casspi is the ultimate team player and would be fine if Donte wins the spot. Whom actually I think should.

 

[kingsboi]

Omri is definently a hard head at times, but let's hope he matures as seasons progress. He just needs to keep working to improve his game in all areas on both sides of the ball and learn to become a better team player. During last season, you could see his body language and his frustration on his face at times and that's not the kind of attitude you want to spread throughout the team & locker room.

 

[Bricklayer]

Omri is definently a hard head at times, but let's hope he matures as seasons progress. He just needs to keep working to improve his game in all areas on both sides of the ball and learn to become a better team player. During last season, you could see his body language and his frustration on his face at times and that's not the kind of attitude you want to spread throughout the team & locker room.

There is also the old winning cures everything mantra to fall back on. Always harder for guys to get bent out of shape over minutes/shots if what the team is doing is working. If we are able to push up around .500, maybe even talk about the playoffs for a while, and the barn is filling back up, and Omri is a significant part of that, there's a good chance that will be enough.

 

[The Hammer]

I'm curious. Why can't you say the same thing about Omri? I thing Casspi is the ultimate team player; he's hungry and eager to earn a spot on the starting roster but he's not going to cry about it if he is outplayed for the position.

I think our team chemistry right now is better than it's been in a very long time. If anything, the competition between guys for minutes is going to push them to get better. And from everything I've seen about Casspi, he's a tough competitor. If it makes both he and Donte work hard, all the better.

Personally, I think the whole "starter" thing is over-rated, which I've said before. The Spurs have done pretty well with a system that allows for flexibility in some starting positions to take advantage of matchups, etc. I could easily see Westphal utilizing that kind of system to good advantage, especially with the young talent he has available.

You may think it's over rated, but from the player's perspective, financially speaking, it's not. It means more minutes (in general, Ginobli is a rare case), more exposure, more endorsement contracts, a bigger contract down the road. From the player's perspective, it's huge. One of them will eventually win and settle into that starter spot, and the other may become discontent at being 6th or 7th man. However, if they are still playing a prominent role, and we are making deep playoff / championship runs, they may not pout, but as soon as we start losing or slipping, you can bet they'll want out, they may not say so, but they will, and with good reason, too, I believe.

You simply can't just ask these guys to give up trying to get a major contract for the sake of the 'team', but you can provide a winning environment that would make them rather play on a winner, for possibly less money, for possibly a lesser role than they'd play on a losing team, if.... we are close to winning a ring. That really would be the only thing that would make it worth it, for them, for their careers, their families etc. And I believe rightly so.

You can't always put the "malcontent" label on the player. For example, I don't think any of us really blames Noc for wanting out. We didn't LIKE his attitude, but I think we could all understand.

 

[SuperPowerMultiPly]

To everyone who keep quoting that article, go back to that thread and read it again, the final conclusion from that thread was: "Reporters are bad, Casspi is good".
It's frustrating that this thing is popping up again, the bottom line is, Casspi didn't say those things, the reporter tried to get ratings for his article and totally screwed up casspi's words to get a provocative headline, really, please read that thread again.


Regarding the what if he won't get the starting spot scenario, i think you are creating a problem when there is none, if and when he'll (really) say something bad then debate about it, in the meanwhile you just creating a bad stigma for a player out of nothing.

 

[Entity]

its not what the reporter said. Its the FACT that he had a confrontation with Westphal about his role and playing time. That is the red flag here not the reporteres opinion. I would assume upon hearing of the confrontation that most people would form the same opinion.

 

[bajaden]

Whoa VF ... Surely you were watching the whole of last season and the recent summer league?? I'll say this, Omri will sacrifice his body and work really hard to make himself and the team better. His passion and determination is unquestionable. But objectively speaking you must have seen that he can be a little selfish on offense, sometimes forcing things a little. Not saying that he IS selfish and isn't a team player or anything, but I think calling him the ultimate team player may be going a little too far.

I can't go back and relive the past season, but having been at summer league, I can attest that, number one, both Donte and Omri were told to be more aggressive with the ball. I think it was fairly apparent to those that watched the games, that Greene had obviously worked on his ballhandling, which was one of his weaknesses. By the same token, Omri tried to penetrate and take the ball to the basket. Sometimes sucessfully, and sometimes not. But overall, both were doing what they were asked to do.

I stated some time ago that I thought Omri was the better player in summer league. Greene has the edge defensively, but its not that big an edge. Omri is by far the better rebounder, which continues to befuddle me. I simply don't understand how a player like Greene, who is close to 7 feet tall, can only pull down one or two rebounds a game at times. Bottome line is that both guys are young and talented, and personally I don't care who starts. My guess is Casspi, who I think is a mentally tougher player. But who knows? We'll see!!

 

[SuperPowerMultiPly]

its not what the reporter said. Its the FACT that he had a confrontation with Westphal about his role and playing time. That is the red flag here not the reporteres opinion. I would assume upon hearing of the confrontation that most people would form the same opinion.

If this is the case then why did you gave the article as the example? anyway, like i said, i think you are creating a big issue from something very small, at the bottom line Omri isn't a troublemaker and Westphal himself said that "confrontation" was nothing.

I think Casspi eventually, sooner or later will be the starting SF, i can talk about game aspects, but it's not needed, the fact you are talking about how Omri will react if he won't get the spot and not how Greene will kind of sums it up, it seems Omri just wants it more.

 

[Entity]

if that is the sum you come up with. Your math needs work. One is about himself one is about the team as it appears. I gave that article as the example because the confrontation was stated in the article. Around here you don't just say something without having proof to back you up.

 

[SuperPowerMultiPly]

I'm sorry to tell you, but the NBA in general isn't exactly a "team first" kind of league, more of a "contract first".
and please, like you say, back up your "One is about himself one is about the team" statement, if that article or confrontation is your basis, then like i said it worth nothing.
by the way, even if we'll assume you are right(really just assume), it doesn't contradict what i wrote, eventually, Casspi will be the starting SF, regardless of what he plays for.

 

[The Hammer]

I'm sorry to tell you, but the NBA in general isn't exactly a "team first" kind of league, more of a "contract first".
and please, like you say, back up your "One is about himself one is about the team" statement, if that article or confrontation is your basis, then like i said it worth nothing.
by the way, even if we'll assume you are right(really just assume), it doesn't contradict what i wrote, eventually, Casspi will be the starting SF, regardless of what he plays for.

I hate to break it to you, but in any definition of valid logic, you can't cite things that haven't happened yet as a reason to refute the other side of a debate that is currently underway. If there was a failblog for forum posting, I would put this post on there: LOGIC FAIL.

 

[Casspi]

lol guys wassup
never heard of a very competitive passionate player
that wanted to play but was sent to the bench and wasent happy
dosent sound new to me
i really dont know who should start
omri may be the spark from the bench but may be happier playing
as a starter and donte i think can play both hthe same way
so probbly casspi should start on most of the games but donte should start
if match up fits on him better

 

[The Hammer]

I'm sorry to tell you, but the NBA in general isn't exactly a "team first" kind of league, more of a "contract first".
and please, like you say, back up your "One is about himself one is about the team" statement, if that article or confrontation is your basis, then like i said it worth nothing.
by the way, even if we'll assume you are right(really just assume), it doesn't contradict what i wrote, eventually, Casspi will be the starting SF, regardless of what he plays for.

In other news, I actually do agree with you about that article. I do think players have a right to discuss playing time and their role on the team. Of course. Now, some jerk off reporter might choose to use a word like "confrontation" rather than "private, civilized, reasonable conversation between adults". Who wants to read about the latter, right?

What I think is kind of happening is that the Israeli press is building a false persona around Casspi and his mission in the NBA, that probably bears little resemblance to the real Casspi. Along with this persona, and this mission, there needs to be the requisite power struggles, and of course the ensuing blame or glory that will be dealt out at some point as the story unfolds. It's all the product of the pressure placed on what is essentially a nation's "first born NBA son". You have the collective unconscious expressing itself in all kinds of strange ways, including through crazy media stories.

All that said however, I do think Casspi himself IS a highly, highly driven and determined individual. There is a kind of air about him of an inevitability of success. I just hope that drive doesn't go sour and end up viewing his own success as being at odds with whatever team's success he might be on at any given point in his career.

 

[SuperPowerMultiPly]

I hate to break it to you, but in any definition of valid logic, you can't cite things that haven't happened yet as a reason to refute the other side of a debate that is currently underway. If there was a failblog for forum posting, I would put this post on there: LOGIC FAIL.

you heavn't understood what i wrote, IN MY OPPINION that's what going to happen EVENTUALLY, ok? if you read my post he was commenting on you would get it by reading the words "i think".

but also, just to note your logic quest, i don't think that's logical either to put a selfish "me first" troublemaker stigma on a player because you think he would react in a certain way to not getting the starting SF position, and that's what i'm trying to explain.

 

[The Hammer]

you heavn't understood what i wrote, IN MY OPPINION that's what going to happen EVENTUALLY, ok? if you read my post he was commenting on you would get it by reading the words "i think".

but also, just to note your logic quest, i don't think that's logical either to put a selfish "me first" troublemaker stigma on a player because you think he would react in a certain way to not getting the starting SF position, and that's what i'm trying to explain.

Ok, fair enough on the first point. But..

Please cite where I stated that Casspi is a " 'me first' troublemaker" and I will happily oblige the second point. I'm actually defending your side a little bit in my explanation of the Israli media, etc.

I think those of us who are suspicious of it happening have seen this play out before i.e. Rudy Fernandez, etc. We see the pressure Casspi is under. But hey, if Casspi wins it out, I'm sure it will be because he deserves it. I think the Donte/Casspi thing is a great problem to have. It's just kinda hard, me being a Kings fan first, that you wish you could accommodate both players growing into all-stars on your team, because I think they both have that potential. Who knows, maybe we will be able to... that would be awesome, but one would have to likely be an all-star sixth man. Hey maybe one will win sixth man of the year award next year even!

Damn you and I both need this season to start! GRRRR!!!! I can't wait!

 

[SuperPowerMultiPly]

Ok, fair enough on the first point. But..

Please cite where I stated that Casspi is a " 'me first' troublemaker" and I will happily oblige the second point. I'm actually defending your side a little bit in my explanation of the Israli media, etc.

Damn you and I both need this season to start! GRRRR!!!! I can't wait!

No no, sorry again, the word "you" in this sentence is meant to be an hypothetical person, i haven't meant YOU specifically, but i can see why you thought that, sorry, if i was somehow going to refer to someone it's Entity.

I think those of us who are suspicious of it happening have seen this play out before i.e. Rudy Fernandez, etc. We see the pressure Casspi is under.

i think Casspi and Fernandez are in totally different places, Spain is a huge country compared to Israel, Fernandez is a huge star in spain regardless of his NBA career, Casspi isn't even considered as the best Israeli player, meaning Casspi still got much to prove in the professional level.
In Israel Casspi now got the pressure to show results with his team, not personal stats, if Casspi will score 20 points per game but his team will keep loosing, he will get criticized for the losses, that already happened last season.
he knows he won't win games with his mouth, so his goal now is to become a leading player in a winning team, and his team is Sacramento, so i think he will work hard for it like in the past and won't complain much since that won't get him any closer to his goals and he knows it.

 

[kingsboi]

There is also the old winning cures everything mantra to fall back on. Always harder for guys to get bent out of shape over minutes/shots if what the team is doing is working. If we are able to push up around .500, maybe even talk about the playoffs for a while, and the barn is filling back up, and Omri is a significant part of that, there's a good chance that will be enough.

Yes that's something we can fall back on for sure, but we have to first get there & play together as a unit and know how it feels to win a couple of games in a row. I don't know what our biggest win streak this year is going to be, but I'm sure hoping the team sticks together because there are going to be plenty of downfalls. As for Omri, I am sure he will play just fine, he just needs to play in the flow of the game and let the game come to him.