K
I usually agree with you but this is nothing I can get behind. Casspi IS a role player, he is not a star, he is not a superstar. So what exactly is your point? That Casspi is not willing to accept his role? Thats bad news for this Kings team if true. I see Greene accepting his role. I see Casspi trying to push the boundaries of his. NOTHING good can come of that. Absolutely nothing.
I read all of the comments ralated to Casspi's lack of will to pass/taking every shot he has etc.. but I watched the open practice and his passing/shooting decisions were like other players in the team, he wasn't the most selfish or something near that, just watch the game again and see for yourself, he's a shooter, maybe you expect him to shoot in a higher percentage but more than that I can't say anything about his game, he was just okay, not amazing, he was okay... he didn't force the game more than others, almost everybody tried to penetrate and lots of times other players lost the ball in a poor shot under the basket. I guess if you are a fan of Donte you gonna see the flaws in Omri's game and vice versa...
I don't disagree with much of what you said. I do think there's a big difference between making some bad decisions in a practice Scrimmage and being a selfish player. And thats the analogy I object to. Now if he continues to make bad decisions during the exhibition season or even into the regular season, the I may change my opinion. I just think its a little kneejerk to pass judgement on a practice scrimmage. Thats all!. I know for a fact that the Kings wanted him to attack the basket more during summer league, and possibly he's suspossed to still be working on that part of his game. That is part of what training camp is for. I have no doubt that they were also trying to be entertaining.
My bad, I should have more clear. I was talking about mental toughness, not physical toughness. But while were discussing physcial toughness, I'd like to know why Donte can't grab more rebounds than he does. I'm not trying to attack him here! I'm just confused how a 6'11", 250 pound player thats very athletic can't average more than 2 boards a game. If he could get his average up to 5 or 6 boards a game I'd lean pretty hard in his direction as a starter.
I'm sorry, but any young talented player who is in his entering his 2nd season and is NOT trying to push his boundries should be cut immediately. To pigeon hole a 2nd year player as a role player (who has shown much more talent than that) would be not only stupid, but would likely stunt any potential growth in that player.
When I watch Summer League or a scrimmage, I mainly want to see improvement in a players and see them play hard. To read too much into what they do on the floor can be misleading. These are the times when coaches ask their players to do certain things or work on certain parts of their game. Without knowing what those are, you could find yourselve critizing a player for doing exactly what the caoches asked them to do.
As for the battle of Greene and Casspi, I personally would like to see Greene start this season. I think he fits in better with the starting unit. However, I think that Casspi is the better player at the moment and like his scoring ability off the bench. I could still easily see Casspi starting before long if he continues to improve. The biggest problem I have with Greene is that he tends to play a little too passively at times.
When I watch Summer League or a scrimmage, I mainly want to see improvement in a players and see them play hard. To read too much into what they do on the floor can be misleading. These are the times when coaches ask their players to do certain things or work on certain parts of their game. Without knowing what those are, you could find yourselve critizing a player for doing exactly what the caoches asked them to do.
As for the battle of Greene and Casspi, I personally would like to see Greene start this season. I think he fits in better with the starting unit. However, I think that Casspi is the better player at the moment and like his scoring ability off the bench. I could still easily see Casspi starting before long if he continues to improve. The biggest problem I have with Greene is that he tends to play a little too passively at times.
I will agree that Casspi tends to have tunnel vision when driving to the basket much of the time. But I think that having a "plan B" is something that often comes with experience. I would point out that Greene had a tendency to drive to the basket (with no other ideas) a lot during his first season, and showed no signs of improving it during last season's summer league and training camp. It wasn't until about a month into last season that things starting to click for him on both ends of the court.
Well, I never said he was a star, or a superstar. But you confirm my opinon that you think he's a role player. And your entitled to your opinion. But your opinion doesn't make it a fact. But the originial discussion was about his being selfish, and all I was trying to do is make the point that whose declared selfish or unselfish sometimes doesn't depend on what the player does, but who the player is. I remember that last year there were some that implied that Tyreke was selfish. Now, not too many people feel that way.
We don't know what Casspi or Greene are being asked to work on during training camp. In fact we really don't have much of a clue about anything, other than what we seee with our own eyes, and even then we don't have the whole story. I, nor you, have any idea whats going on inside Casspi's mind. Neither of us has heard any rumblings from anyone, including fellow players, or coaches, being upset with Casspi's attitude. There's a reason I watched Kentucky play 24 times last year. Baylor 13 times, etc. So I'm not just basing my opinion on one game. Because that game could be that players worse game of the year, or, it could be his best game of the year. But after watching a player for 10 games or more, you get a fairly good picture of who that player is, and what he's capable of. So deciding a player is selfish based on one preseason scrimmage is probably not a good idea.
You may be right in your assessment of Casspi as a role player. But the jury is still out on just how good he will be. Not all players become stars right from the get go. sometimes it takes them two or three years. I would apply this same scenario to Greene. Jury is still out. Anyway, we can agree to disagree.
We don't know what Casspi or Greene are being asked to work on during training camp. In fact we really don't have much of a clue about anything, other than what we seee with our own eyes, and even then we don't have the whole story. I, nor you, have any idea whats going on inside Casspi's mind. Neither of us has heard any rumblings from anyone, including fellow players, or coaches, being upset with Casspi's attitude. There's a reason I watched Kentucky play 24 times last year. Baylor 13 times, etc. So I'm not just basing my opinion on one game. Because that game could be that players worse game of the year, or, it could be his best game of the year. But after watching a player for 10 games or more, you get a fairly good picture of who that player is, and what he's capable of. So deciding a player is selfish based on one preseason scrimmage is probably not a good idea.
You may be right in your assessment of Casspi as a role player. But the jury is still out on just how good he will be. Not all players become stars right from the get go. sometimes it takes them two or three years. I would apply this same scenario to Greene. Jury is still out. Anyway, we can agree to disagree.
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I thought you might mean that Green's rebounding might mean that he's not tough. I considered that as well. But like I said, I've seen him be extremely tough guarding people, so it's hard for me to believe that he doesn't want to rebound because he's trying to protect his body. I really think it has to do more with focus. He just doesn't have it foremost in his mind, like he should. Far be it from me to make excuses for a player (I don't exactly think I'm known for that on this board
), but at least part his lack of performance has got to do with being played at two-guard for much of the time last year. Westphal put a raw player into a situation where he has multiple roles. That's asking a lot. A two-guard often has more of responsibility to protect the basket, or to fly to the basket, not to offensive or defensive rebound, in comparison to a 3, and certainly more than a 4.
I'm hoping that Westphal just puts the guy at the 3. Period. Then Westphal should continually harp on the rebounding with him. Then let's see what Greene does. (Personally, I think if Westphal told Greene that he'll win the starting 3 job if he averages more rebs per minute than Casspi, you'd see him clobber people out there in order to get those rebs) He's had a steep learning curve so far on many things. Let's add rebounding to the mix.
), but at least part his lack of performance has got to do with being played at two-guard for much of the time last year. Westphal put a raw player into a situation where he has multiple roles. That's asking a lot. A two-guard often has more of responsibility to protect the basket, or to fly to the basket, not to offensive or defensive rebound, in comparison to a 3, and certainly more than a 4. I'm hoping that Westphal just puts the guy at the 3. Period. Then Westphal should continually harp on the rebounding with him. Then let's see what Greene does. (Personally, I think if Westphal told Greene that he'll win the starting 3 job if he averages more rebs per minute than Casspi, you'd see him clobber people out there in order to get those rebs
) He's had a steep learning curve so far on many things. Let's add rebounding to the mix.
So:
-- Casspi looked strong, but rarely matched against Greene head to head. While I have long been concerend with the flashes of selfishness he seems to suffer from, not at all concerend about anything I saw in this, an intrasquad scrimmage to cap the first week of camp.
-- DeMarcus did most of his damage against Darnell Jackson, so not truly a one on one with Dalembert.
-- Reke was pressing and sloppy early
-- JT was missing everything early, but the shots/selection looked very solid and not spastic. Was drawing fouls again later with the activity.
-- Cousins court vision remains fantastic for a big
-- Sloan actually had a couple of nice scores in the first half. In fact might have looked better here than in any of the Summer League games. Not enough to save him however.
-- J.R. couldn't contend with either Reke or Casspi on defense, and hence the release probably. Also couldn't finish anything inside. Looks like it might be time to queue up Springsteen's "Glory Days" for him. He seems to have peaked in high school.
-- Marcus Landry will have to make it as a wide SF, classic tweener and not able to handle JT in the post as a PF. Knocked down his shots though.
-- When they were matched Cousins and Daly were having a pretty good physical battle with some talking, Cousins could not take Daly in the post, but stepped out and got him with several jumpers
-- Reke's ability to pull up and hit the jumper vastly improved. In fact given the early pressing, may have been the best thing he was doing and ironically, and promisingly, he almost used the fear of his jumper to set up his later drives this time. On the flip side late in the game he had so much confidence in it that he chucked up two ill advised jumpers without looking to do much else -- I would rather his arm snap off at the wrist then he ever become a player for whom the jumper is his first option.
-- DeMarcus still looks like more Mikki than Daly as an interior defender -- his primary help defense is trying to take the charge
-- Darnell Jackson, per his rep, was aggressive offensively both inside and showing no hesitation in knocking down jumpers. As mentioned above, Jackson could not guard Cousins at all.
-- Pooh's game has nothing to do with Bobby Jackson, come on guys. But he did look like he more than belonged out there, and might have as much to do with Sloan's release as anything. Very much knew what he was doing and capable of the highlight pass.
-- Antoine Wright couldn't stay in front of Reke either, and that's his speciality, but he did show an understanding of how to be an offensive asset as a roleplayer by cutting to the hoop repeatedly.
-- Carl was not so much awful as just invisible
-- Not sure how I felt about the extra weight Donte is carrying. First I would never have guessed he was up at 250. Secondly thre was no obvious sluggishness. But third he never quite got by people and wasn't quite dynamic out there, leading to middling results. Nothing you could really put your finger on, and could very well just be early training camp stuff. That's all I would have chalked it up to if I had not heard about the weight. But still... Did do a nice job staying in front of Reke on one of this drives though.
-- Head was too often being used as a PG, and too often chucking up wild threes that did not even draw iron.
-- Dalembert looked a little soft physcially to me. Moved decently though, and still has an almost comically long reach when he sticks his arms up.
-- Cisco scored in a variety of ways and looked good. Also defended Reke decently early. If there was a critique it would be that it was largely just scoring, making the choice between he and Beno more stark as far as skillsets.
-- Beno didn't do much, but did hit the tough sealing layup for his team in the final 30 seconds.
-- Casspi looked strong, but rarely matched against Greene head to head. While I have long been concerend with the flashes of selfishness he seems to suffer from, not at all concerend about anything I saw in this, an intrasquad scrimmage to cap the first week of camp.
-- DeMarcus did most of his damage against Darnell Jackson, so not truly a one on one with Dalembert.
-- Reke was pressing and sloppy early
-- JT was missing everything early, but the shots/selection looked very solid and not spastic. Was drawing fouls again later with the activity.
-- Cousins court vision remains fantastic for a big
-- Sloan actually had a couple of nice scores in the first half. In fact might have looked better here than in any of the Summer League games. Not enough to save him however.
-- J.R. couldn't contend with either Reke or Casspi on defense, and hence the release probably. Also couldn't finish anything inside. Looks like it might be time to queue up Springsteen's "Glory Days" for him. He seems to have peaked in high school.
-- Marcus Landry will have to make it as a wide SF, classic tweener and not able to handle JT in the post as a PF. Knocked down his shots though.
-- When they were matched Cousins and Daly were having a pretty good physical battle with some talking, Cousins could not take Daly in the post, but stepped out and got him with several jumpers
-- Reke's ability to pull up and hit the jumper vastly improved. In fact given the early pressing, may have been the best thing he was doing and ironically, and promisingly, he almost used the fear of his jumper to set up his later drives this time. On the flip side late in the game he had so much confidence in it that he chucked up two ill advised jumpers without looking to do much else -- I would rather his arm snap off at the wrist then he ever become a player for whom the jumper is his first option.
-- DeMarcus still looks like more Mikki than Daly as an interior defender -- his primary help defense is trying to take the charge
-- Darnell Jackson, per his rep, was aggressive offensively both inside and showing no hesitation in knocking down jumpers. As mentioned above, Jackson could not guard Cousins at all.
-- Pooh's game has nothing to do with Bobby Jackson, come on guys. But he did look like he more than belonged out there, and might have as much to do with Sloan's release as anything. Very much knew what he was doing and capable of the highlight pass.
-- Antoine Wright couldn't stay in front of Reke either, and that's his speciality, but he did show an understanding of how to be an offensive asset as a roleplayer by cutting to the hoop repeatedly.
-- Carl was not so much awful as just invisible
-- Not sure how I felt about the extra weight Donte is carrying. First I would never have guessed he was up at 250. Secondly thre was no obvious sluggishness. But third he never quite got by people and wasn't quite dynamic out there, leading to middling results. Nothing you could really put your finger on, and could very well just be early training camp stuff. That's all I would have chalked it up to if I had not heard about the weight. But still... Did do a nice job staying in front of Reke on one of this drives though.
-- Head was too often being used as a PG, and too often chucking up wild threes that did not even draw iron.
-- Dalembert looked a little soft physcially to me. Moved decently though, and still has an almost comically long reach when he sticks his arms up.
-- Cisco scored in a variety of ways and looked good. Also defended Reke decently early. If there was a critique it would be that it was largely just scoring, making the choice between he and Beno more stark as far as skillsets.
-- Beno didn't do much, but did hit the tough sealing layup for his team in the final 30 seconds.
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K
I don't think the BJax comparison is being thrown out there as far as playing-stylewise. I think people (myself included) are seeing how he can be a great change of pace super sub guard off the bench, like BJax was. No, they play nothing alike. Yes, they both can come off the bench and change the flow of the game and be effective. Kinda like that.
Here's another opinon about how things went at the scrimmage..
http://hardcourtmayhem.com/kings/?p=493
http://hardcourtmayhem.com/kings/?p=493
I agree with this, though I'll say that Casspi is a bit of a shothog in fast break as well. I'd say the same about Evans, but he finishes so well I can forgive him. If people haven't noticed Omri's selfish tendancies; I'm astonished. I still prefer him over Greene because of the rebounding, but his selfishness is something I notice and don't particularly like. Frankly, if Greene had 80% of Omri's passion; he'd be the better player, but he doesn't, so he isn't.
Just to be clear; I was basing my comments about Omri's selfishness about last season. I didn't watch the "practice" and his summer league play seemed similar to last year's season play. I assumed people taking exception to his selfish play during the "practice" noticed the same thing during actual games. Again; I'm thrilled to have Omri on the team. He's possibly my favorite player on the team. Maybe it's more diplomatic to say he looks to shoot, or he looks to pass, but he isn't capable of changing his mind quickly.
Kings trim training camp roster, cut 2 players: J.R.Giddens and Donald Sloan (according to Scott Levin of Examiner.com)
http://www.examiner.com/sacramento-...cut-two-players-prepare-for-exhibition-opener
http://www.examiner.com/sacramento-...cut-two-players-prepare-for-exhibition-opener
Point taken. I think its fair to say that passing the ball isn't Omri's best suit. I also think its a matter of perception. I watch a lot of basketball, both at the college level and pro level. And so far, Omri being a ball hog has never leaped out at me. Not like a Steve Francis or a Corey Maggette. Possibly because he simply doesn't touch the ball as much as those guys did. Lets face it. Casspi is a scorer. Thats what his main function is. He's not a playmaker. For all we know, he may be doing us a favor by not trying to pass the ball while driving to the basket.
One thing I will give him credit for. He's much more decisive when he gets the ball than Greene is. When Casspi gets the ball he quickly does something with it. Drive to the basket. Shoot it from the perimiter etc. When Green gets the ball he tends to dribble it too much. And many times is guilty of doing the same thing Casspi does. Forcing it when its not there. Casspi simply does it quicker. However you don't get bonus points for doing it quicker. Both players are talented, and both have flaws in their game. All correctable with hard work. Right now I still give a slight edge to Casspi. But 3 or 4 months from now, who knows?
One thing I will give him credit for. He's much more decisive when he gets the ball than Greene is. When Casspi gets the ball he quickly does something with it. Drive to the basket. Shoot it from the perimiter etc. When Green gets the ball he tends to dribble it too much. And many times is guilty of doing the same thing Casspi does. Forcing it when its not there. Casspi simply does it quicker. However you don't get bonus points for doing it quicker. Both players are talented, and both have flaws in their game. All correctable with hard work. Right now I still give a slight edge to Casspi. But 3 or 4 months from now, who knows?
