Hope for Outlaw?
- Thread starter pshn80
- Start date
If Outlaw can play inspired basketball as a role player and focus in defense, then he will be okay. He had shown occasionally in the past he can do it. I actually don't want him involving himself that much in offense by chucking those threes. Just defend his man well, block shots, and I'll say he's done a very good job. The offense should be delegated more on Evans, Cousins, and Thornton.
And no PF minutes for him please.
And no PF minutes for him please.
K
Kingsguy881
Guest
As long as he doesn't settle for jumpers and gets aggressive to the hole, yeah there is hope for an outlaw.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Interesting subject. I can remember years ago when many on this fourm wanted the Kings to trade for Outlaw. Truth is, that except for the last two years, he's had a pretty good career. There was a four year period where he shot the ball very well from the 3pt line.
Portland, 2007/08: 3pt shooting percentage, 39.6%
Portland, 2008/09: 3pt shooting percentage, 37.7%
Portland, 2009/10: 3pt shooting percentage, 38.7%
L.A. Clippers: 2010/11: 3pt shooting percentage, 37.8%
Anything over 36% and up to 40% is respectable to pretty good. Anything over 40% is considered excellent. So in that four year span, he proved he can shoot a respectable percentage from beyond the 3pt line. His problem is that his overall shooting percentage leaves something to be desired. In the 2007/08 season when he shot basicly 40% from the three, his overall shooting percentage was 43.3%. So what happened there? Well if you go to 82 games, it shows that he shot a very nice 56.5% at the rim. No problem there! From 3 to 9 feet, he shot only 43.0%. Not so good. And from 10 to 15 feet, it got worse. He shot only 38.7%, which is less than he shot from beyond the arc.
So why the difference? Well, when he was shooting most of his 3pt shots, he was spotting up with his feet set ready to shoot the ball. From 16 feet to the 3pt line, he shot a very similar number and for the most part, was again spotting up. But from 15 feet in, he was shooting while on the move, and he's just not very good at it. In other words, he's not someone you want coming off a screen, or doing pullups in the key. You don't want him taking his man off the dribble unless he's going all the way to the basket, because he's a pretty good finisher.
So throwing last season out, because he susposedly had some sort of wrist injury that affected his shooting, he's proven he can be effective from beyond the arc. He's also proven that he's a decent defender. So to sum it up, if he can be disciplined in his shot selection, I think he can be an effective player at the SF position. I can easily see James Johnson starting with Outlaw backing him up. Of course some of this depends on mystery man Tyler Honeycutt. I'm sure he'll get his chance to compete in training camp. So who knows the outcome? They say competition breeds excellence, so let the competition begin.
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King Baller
All-Star
The internet news stories report that Outlaw broke his right hand. It was described as a "boxing training injury". Then there are reports of wrist surgery. Nets GM Billy King was quoted "Travis Outlaw has broken shooting hand".
Click to read one new report: http://www.netsdaily.com/2011/12/5/2613594/travis-outlaw-has-an-injured-hand
This happened during the lockout and when play resumed Outlaw was promptly amnestied.
I am keeping my thinking on the positive side. Outlaw HAS to shoot the ball better this coming season than last. He was recovering from a broken shooting hand.
KB
Click to read one new report: http://www.netsdaily.com/2011/12/5/2613594/travis-outlaw-has-an-injured-hand
This happened during the lockout and when play resumed Outlaw was promptly amnestied.
I am keeping my thinking on the positive side. Outlaw HAS to shoot the ball better this coming season than last. He was recovering from a broken shooting hand.
KB
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Well, he did shoot the ball well the last few games. So well in fact, that many were ready to forget the games that had preceeded those games. I think he deserves a shot at the starting job. Throw all of them into the fire, and let the best man win.
CruzDude
Senior Member sharing a brew with bajaden
He has shown "flashes" he can be an NBA starter at the 3 on the Kings. Each previous team was a somewhat different scenario good, bad and indifferent.
When his hand got well near the end of the season he showed some hops and the ability to put 20 on the board when he wants to. Key now is how much he "wants" to play at that level in the coming year.
Best I hope is Honeycutt can finally begin to push on him for some legit SF time plus having Johnson as a legit SF defender. Lets see where he can get himself in training camp.
When his hand got well near the end of the season he showed some hops and the ability to put 20 on the board when he wants to. Key now is how much he "wants" to play at that level in the coming year.
Best I hope is Honeycutt can finally begin to push on him for some legit SF time plus having Johnson as a legit SF defender. Lets see where he can get himself in training camp.
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kingjatt
Starter
as long as he doesnt go into tunnel mode every single time he is passed the ball he will be fine, i dont think the broken hand was the sole reason for his amnesty, his play has slipped since he got his contract, i would say that he is just another case of a young relaxing after getting paid but according to his instagram he seems to be working hard and looks to be in great shape, i think he will play much better this year, he wont be a full time 3 in smarts offense he's a stretch 4 off the bench.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
He's played as a stretch four before, but I just don't see him in that role with the Kings. I think J. Johnson will be used in that regard before Outlaw. Johnson played PF most of his career through highschool and college. Hopefully, neither will be used in that capacity. My hope is that the Kings will add one more big man prior to the start of the season. I'm tired of filling in spots with average to below average players. Its one thing to have a very talented player that can play both positions. Its an entirely different situation to have someone thats a SF, play PF strictly out of necessity.
kingjatt
Starter
I wish that would be the case but I'm afraid we will see both used at that position in some instances. Watching some old blazer highlights it shows how much physical talent Outlaw really has, he's tall and quick enough to challenge guys like Durant, strong enough to back down and shoot over 2 guards like Kobe and just be a handful overall for defenders.
He has all of the talent we need from an SF, He is a veteran, has shown in the past that he can hit a spot up three, showed at the end of last year that he can play solid lengthy defense for an already height deprived team, he just hates playing on the defense on the block against big 4's which is exactly his weakness and that's exactly where Smart insisted on playing him a lot last year(stretch 4) to me its not a matter of ability with Outlaw, if he can just whole-heartidly accept the role-player sit in the corner defensive SF he can easily start on this team. To me Outlaw at his best is still better than James Johnson, Hey maybe seeing the kings add JJ will light a fire under his butt and get him to play as a roleplayer rather than trying to be the man.
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bajaden
Hall of Famer
I think we agree that Outlaw's best position is at SF. Whether he's better than Johnson is still to be decided. Outlaw's been in the league longer, and has more experience, and that certainly helps him. But who knows, down the road, Johnson may be the better player. Hey, if both players make a case for the starting job, thats a good thing. Lets not forget about Honeycutt in this equation. He hasn't had much of a chance so far, so we don't have any idea how he fits into the whole scenario. Should be interesting to watch in training camp and during the exhibition season.
As for how Smart used Outlaw last season. I'm still waiting for someone to give me a reasonable explaination of who else he had to throw out there. Once Hickson was gone, his first big off the bench was Hayes, who was having a terrible year. JT and Cuz can't play the entire game, especially with Cousins tendecy toward foul trouble. Smart had to put someone out there at the PF positon when Hayes was in the game, and all he really had for options after Hickson's departure, was Donte and Outlaw. After that, you were into nothing but 6'6" players and under.
This year we have Thomas Robinson, whom I assume will get his share of minutes. But if someone else is needed, I think the first call will go to J. Johnson. He's a more physical player than Outlaw, and has far more experience at the PF position. My hope is that with Robinson on the team, we won't need that option.
kingjatt
Starter
I think with having 3 starters already who are in the developmental phase of their career it might not be a good idea to throw a 4th one into the fire in JJ. If, and thats a big IF, Outlaw looks soild in preseason I could see Smart starting him over JJ, Smart, for some reason, really likes what Outlaw can bring if he's willing to do the secondary type things we need him to do as he showed by playing him a lot more towards the end of last year.
As far as Honeycutt I dont think he will be even close to ready, missing summer league really hurt him, he simply needs more floor time to shake off the jitters, the skill and physical tools are their, its just a matter of adapting to the pro games speed and adjusting his decision making accordingly.
You make a good point as to Smart not having other options, but lets be honest, at the point Outlaw began seeing significant time at the 4 we were out of it, at the time we still had Whiteside who could have used some floor time but Smart insisted on smallball with outlaw and reke playing out of their natural positions, I dont think think it was the fact that Smart didnt have any other options but more so the fact that he insists on smallball.
That is the big unknown for next year, will smarts continue to play smalball when he doesnt have too? I think he will because thats all he has been tought to run in terms of offense, he a terrible half-court playset type of coach and with this team that has a very talented halfcourt big man, a half-court game is very important. It will be interesting to say the least to see what type of structure Smart brings to this team next season.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
Well, were just going to disagree on Smarts options. I don't think he had many, and Whiteside wasn't one of them. He proved in summer league that about the only thing he knows how to do with a basketball is put air into it. He was absolutely horrible, and I wasn't surprised when they cut him. To my mind, Smart had only two options at PF after Hickson was gone, and that was Greene and Outlaw. And in general, Outlaw outplayed Greene, at least as for as consistency went.
So we'll see. This year he has T. Robb, and J. Johnson that he can throw in there. At least as it stands now. Its possible they'll add another big before the start of the season. Perhaps Darnell Jackson? Bottom line, he has no excuse for playing small ball this coming season. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt untill he proves one way or the other which direction he wants to take the team.
bajaden
Hall of Famer
There's some air in there, along with a few patches.....
