Draft talk?

[Bricklayer]

Peja and Jwill are lottery picks, but Hedo wasn't and has been good. Wallace isn't a stud, but he's a good role player like some of the players I listed. Out of all the Kings picks, it seems Peja is the only player to really improve from his rookie year. Wallace, Jwill and Hedo all ended up being less and less a part of the team from year one. Meanwhile, players like Parker and Ginobli have grown each year and have turned into starters.

Yes, Nellie and Pop draft their own guys, but it isn't like there's a wide gap between Petrie's brain and Adleman's. Petrie drafts guys that fit Adleman's offensive system. The only guy drafted outside of that system is Wallace, but to think that Nellie or Pop haven't gone outside their system in drafting is a bit foolish. Parker isn't the prototypical Popovich guy, he wasn't a tough defensive minded player coming into the league. The Spurs offense was set up on passing it into the post and getting open jumpers from double teams. Parker and Ginobli are slashers, Parker's shot is inconsistent. The Spurs drafted players to extend their system and Popovich figured out how to use them to benefit the team. They are not just a halfcourt team now. If Petrie gives Adleman a player not fit for his game of HORSE then that player loses out. Adleman doesn't expand or intergrate new players with different qualities for the benefit of the team.

And Mark Cuban made sure the Mavs were loaded with talent each year and they still managed to develop young players.

JWill and Hedo didn't get much better when they left either. Now you can try to say that rick somehow permanently stunted them, but that's a real stretch. Far more likely is that they were NEVER destined to be that good, and weren't going to be for anybody. We, being fans fo the team, got too high on them. But they've been through some great coaches and basketball minds since they left, and they just haven't gotten much better. That's nto Adelman. That's players having already tapped out their potential. Common theme top all those guys, and even Peja too -- mental weakness. Odd trait to be drafting for if you're Geoff, but if you had to draw one common line through all those players, it would be that what has always held them back is the orb perched upon their shoulders.

 

[swisshh]

Well I wouldn't say Adleman permanently damaged those guys mentally, but his handling of them must have been bad for their psyche. That's not what I disagree with though, I think those players have gotten better. The fact JWill became one of the top Assist to turnover ratio guys in the league is a huge improvement. He is also a leader on his team now and cut out his technicals. So I don't think you can say he's mentally weak anymore. Meanwhile, Hedo is having a much better year and started putting up nice numbers once he got the start in Orlando. The problem there is that the GM and coach can't make up their mind with what they are doing. One minute they love Francis, the next they hate him. One minute they're opening up the team for Hedo and the next its their rookie. They wanted to improve their defense by getting Christie, but they hardly play him. Doug's older but still probably better than anyone else they have on the defensive end. BUT otherwise, I think Hedo looks confident in his game again and produces when starting.

 

[Bricklayer]

Well I wouldn't say Adleman permanently damaged those guys mentally, but his handling of them must have been bad for their psyche. That's not what I disagree with though, I think those players have gotten better. The fact JWill became one of the top Assist to turnover ratio guys in the league is a huge improvement. He is also a leader on his team now and cut out his technicals. So I don't think you can say he's mentally weak anymore. Meanwhile, Hedo is having a much better year and started putting up nice numbers once he got the start in Orlando. The problem there is that the GM and coach can't make up their mind with what they are doing. One minute they love Francis, the next they hate him. One minute they're opening up the team for Hedo and the next its their rookie. They wanted to improve their defense by getting Christie, but they hardly play him. Doug's older but still probably better than anyone else they have on the defensive end. BUT otherwise, I think Hedo looks confident in his game again and produces when starting.

Both guys are OLDER. They haven't gotten much better, just more mature. Happens. But their talent was pretty much tapped out when they left here.

 

[Gary]

I really like Nick Fazekas out of Reno.. Tall, can rebound, and shoot!