Spencer Hawes
- Thread starter DirtyAcres
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Exactly.
It's real easy to dump on Hawes and call for his immediate banishment to ... well, anywhere not here ... but realistically what can they do at this point in time?
Sean Mays is totally inept and he's the closest thing to a backup center on our roster.
What we need is another center. Until we get one, we're gonna have to just live with Hawes and hope/pray he finds a way to contribute.
It's real easy to dump on Hawes and call for his immediate banishment to ... well, anywhere not here ... but realistically what can they do at this point in time?
Sean Mays is totally inept and he's the closest thing to a backup center on our roster.
What we need is another center. Until we get one, we're gonna have to just live with Hawes and hope/pray he finds a way to contribute.
I've said it a couple times tonight I think in different threads.
I feel like Spence feels "entitled" here. He feels entitled to start I think. He couldn't bench Miller last season (I'm not even sure it was the coaches fault) with his own play. It took until Miller got traded, and sure he played pretty decent last year. Then the summer league thing came and many of us wondered then if he felt like he was too good to play there (but you see the rest of the team did play, and it's payed dividends). And now Spence is forced into starting roll due to our lack of 7 footers and it seems like he's regressed.
Personally, I think this kid has potential but potential doesn't get you very far in this league. I'm not sure if it's just this system or the new personel but I don't think I feel like waiting until he's 23 to see if he'll ever be what we hope. That being said I'm all for saying adios to Spence for the right players coming back in.
I feel like Spence feels "entitled" here. He feels entitled to start I think. He couldn't bench Miller last season (I'm not even sure it was the coaches fault) with his own play. It took until Miller got traded, and sure he played pretty decent last year. Then the summer league thing came and many of us wondered then if he felt like he was too good to play there (but you see the rest of the team did play, and it's payed dividends). And now Spence is forced into starting roll due to our lack of 7 footers and it seems like he's regressed.
Personally, I think this kid has potential but potential doesn't get you very far in this league. I'm not sure if it's just this system or the new personel but I don't think I feel like waiting until he's 23 to see if he'll ever be what we hope. That being said I'm all for saying adios to Spence for the right players coming back in.
It's not a matter of Hawes feeling entitled. Who else do we have that can play center? Let's be realistic...if we bench him, we probably have to shift JT and that's not gonna be good for him in the long run. He's NOT a center by any remote stretch of the imagination.
Petrie needs to find a way to bring another big to town...either that or we suffer through this season and take our chances in the draft, in trades and via free agency.
Petrie needs to find a way to bring another big to town...either that or we suffer through this season and take our chances in the draft, in trades and via free agency.
I can understand the softness because he was always soft. I can understand the inability to score in the post because he's always been unable to score in the post. I can understand the bad pick and roll and bad post defense because he's always been bad at that. What I don't understand is how he bricks every single jumpshot nowadays. That used to be his one forte other than complaining about calls. What happened?
I loved Spencer in high school and college. I was really high on him when he was drafted, but he hasn't made any progression defensively and offensively he has regressed. One of the worse pick and roll defenders in the league. Every night teams run the pick and roll with his man because he has no idea what he's doing. I watched him turn his back on the ball while trying to defend the pick and roll tonight, pathetic. His defense inside is not much better. Offensively he has zero confidence in his outside shot and isn't willing to take it inside strong. Worse of all it looks like he is sulking out there, or maybe he is just apathetic to his terrible play. If he wants to play NBA ball he better get with it because this team is moving up and he is going to be left behind.
That's pretty easy to answer: His confidence is in the toilet right now. It's a snowball thing. He's had some bad games, and then he reads what is being written about him (including here. You can bet he reads every word written about him in these forums), and this makes him think too much about every shot he is taking. And that is never a good thing.
I've said this several times before and I'll say it again. Paul Westphal knows exactly what he's doing. He has been starting Noc despite his shooting slump because he didn't want to crush his confidence and lose him for the rest of the season. He is doing the same with Hawes for that reason, and also because he doesn't really have anyone to replace him. Granted, Spencer's game has been bad lately, but while we all know that he will not become an allstar this season, he will also not be as bad as he has been for the rest of the season. He will gradually bounce back, as long as Westphal continues to work with him and show him that he has faith in him despite this slump. When he's back in decent form, that's going to be another big step in the Kings becoming a real force in the NBA.
I've said this several times before and I'll say it again. Paul Westphal knows exactly what he's doing. He has been starting Noc despite his shooting slump because he didn't want to crush his confidence and lose him for the rest of the season. He is doing the same with Hawes for that reason, and also because he doesn't really have anyone to replace him. Granted, Spencer's game has been bad lately, but while we all know that he will not become an allstar this season, he will also not be as bad as he has been for the rest of the season. He will gradually bounce back, as long as Westphal continues to work with him and show him that he has faith in him despite this slump. When he's back in decent form, that's going to be another big step in the Kings becoming a real force in the NBA.
And we almost forget that May beat out Hawes in training camp to be starting center for first few games of this season. All that experiment soon told Westphal was that May was definitely, 100% certain not the answer. Well, now Spencer may not be the answer either but that's not 100% conclusion at only 21. Problem is after May, after Spencer, there's clearly no easy answer, unless you want to stick JT in the 5 spot as discussed earlier in this thread.
If Spencer can't take the criticism after playing poorly then he has chosen the wrong career. Sacramento fans and media are kinder then most. I don't know if you are trying to use it as a excuse for his poor play or simply floating a theory. If its a excuse its a bad one, and if its true then Spencer is in serious trouble.
I think Westphal tried to light a fire under Spencer by benching him to start the season. It clearly didn't work and now his only option with this roster is to play him and hope for the best.
I think Westphal tried to light a fire under Spencer by benching him to start the season. It clearly didn't work and now his only option with this roster is to play him and hope for the best.
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