Wetsphal Says Nocioni will come off the bench.

[Kingsguy881]

but when i suggest that greene should play in the nbdl this season i get attacked.... i honestly think that greene, casspi and possibly brockman should be playing in the nbdl this season to make sure that they get playing time to develop their games. with may, mason and ely on the team we can afford to let the younger players take their time even if its only for this season. it will help in the long run.

Brockman is ready for the NBA. You didn't go to the practice and watch that guy play. Dude is ready to contribute right off the bat. I personally wouldn't hesitate to have him play defense on Shaq or Howard, he is so strong and solid his height doesn't matter. He can push back with the best of them, I really don't see that guy giving ground to anyone. He is like a truck with "Mack" written on the front.

 

[AriesMar27]

Brockman is ready for the NBA. You didn't go to the practice and watch that guy play. Dude is ready to contribute right off the bat. I personally wouldn't hesitate to have him play defense on Shaq or Howard, he is so strong and solid his height doesn't matter. He can push back with the best of them, I really don't see that guy giving ground to anyone. He is like a truck with "Mack" written on the front.

thats why i said possibly... he's the type of player that wouldnt really need the nbdl but you never know... they can do both, the lakers had farmar playing in the nbdl and then would still play him during the regular season. the same thing could be done with greene, casspi and brockman.

 

[OptimusRhyme]

Judging from the open practice, a lot. He looked completely lost. I like Donte. He's funny and seems like a genuinely nice guy. But he should not look so confused out there anymore.

he didnt look THAT confused.. gotta give the guy a break a bit.. one year of college (being forced to be the scorer/chucker) and a year of sitting on the bench in the NBA is not going to help his game.

what we really need to do with Donte is send him to the D-League for awhile and let him gain some experience and learn the game a little better. I think that would really benefit him. I meen we traded Artest for this guy we cant just let him rot on the bench. Omri looks more ready for spot minutes then Donte right now. So send Donte down and worry about improving Omri on the NBA level right now.

 

[Kingsguy881]

thats why i said possibly... he's the type of player that wouldnt really need the nbdl but you never know... they can do both, the lakers had farmar playing in the nbdl and then would still play him during the regular season. the same thing could be done with greene, casspi and brockman.

Nah, Pootie Tang, he doesn't need it. He needs to save those lumps and bruises for somebody special....like Bynum. And Artest. I can't wait to see Brockman turn somebody to broccoli.

 

[kingsnation]

I like this move alot. However, I'd rather see Greene or Casspi starting than Cisco.

 

[kennadog]

I like this move alot. However, I'd rather see Greene or Casspi starting than Cisco.

Maybe my comments about Donte above were a little too harsh, but he is definitley not a starter. And Westphal has already told Donte that the way for him to get minutes is going to be by improving his defense, not through his offense. Too many better options on offense.

 

[Kingster]

Maybe my comments about Donte above were a little too harsh, but he is definitley not a starter. And Westphal has already told Donte that the way for him to get minutes is going to be by improving his defense, not through his offense. Too many better options on offense.

And Westphal's comment is identical to what we heard last year - Greene will get minutes by his defense. I subscribe to the nbdl theme, but I posted that last year as well. Does anyone know what Greene was doing in the off-season to improve his game?

 

[kingsnation]

Maybe my comments about Donte above were a little too harsh, but he is definitley not a starter. And Westphal has already told Donte that the way for him to get minutes is going to be by improving his defense, not through his offense. Too many better options on offense.

Oh, lol. I posted without even reading your comment.

I do happen to agree with you though. Donte DOES look lost, but I think one main reason for it is in fact that he has become the entertainer of the franchise instead of a budding young SF with potential.

The blame falls on him and the FO. Neither have taken his role with the team seriously yet.

I think plugging him into the starting 5 would show a commitment to developing him in the very least. And you never know, he could build a nice rapport with Tyreke from day 1.

And just because you give Donte the starting nod, doesn't mean he has to get starters minutes either.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

And Westphal's comment is identical to what we heard last year - Greene will get minutes by his defense. I subscribe to the nbdl theme, but I posted that last year as well. Does anyone know what Greene was doing in the off-season to improve his game?

I read he stayed in Sac ALOT .. worked with Dave Shapiro ( Kings strength and conditioning coach ) .. said he gained 8 pounds of muscle and his body fat is at around 8% .. worked on getting to the rim and agility stuff. Wants be known as a better all around player than just a shooter. ( got most of this from media day / twitter )

Whats sad is it sounds like he did all the right things, but it isnt paying off thus far. Nothing is worse than the feeling of failure when you know you've worked hard. Im really rooting for this guy, I hope he can get 'it'.

 

[HighTopKicks]

I read he stayed in Sac ALOT .. worked with Dave Shapiro ( Kings strength and conditioning coach ) .. said he gained 8 pounds of muscle and his body fat is at around 8% .. worked on getting to the rim and agility stuff. Wants be known as a better all around player than just a shooter. ( got most of this from media day / twitter )

Whats sad is it sounds like he did all the right things, but it isnt paying off thus far. Nothing is worse than the feeling of failure when you know you've worked hard. Im really rooting for this guy, I hope he can get 'it'.

Your correct, he worked with SAR also, on his agility, ballhandling and footwork.

What everyone seems to be overlooking is experience. Brockman played 4 years of organized college ball. Omri was in a professional league for 3 years. Donte played 1 year of college, and was tutored by the likes of Theus & Natt of 1 year. He's been in PW system for 1 week plus whatever experience he picked up in VSL.

I think I'll reserve my final opinion at least until the end of pre-season and not by one night of scrimmage.

 

[Telemachus]

I read he stayed in Sac ALOT .. worked with Dave Shapiro ( Kings strength and conditioning coach ) .. said he gained 8 pounds of muscle and his body fat is at around 8% .. worked on getting to the rim and agility stuff. Wants be known as a better all around player than just a shooter. ( got most of this from media day / twitter )

Whats sad is it sounds like he did all the right things, but it isnt paying off thus far. Nothing is worse than the feeling of failure when you know you've worked hard. Im really rooting for this guy, I hope he can get 'it'.

It is obvious that all the talent and physical ability is there for Donte to be a very good basketball player. I think it is just going to take time for his brain to catch up to his talent. If you are "thinking" your way through the game, it is hard to be successful in any sport. He needs to reach the point where he is just reacting and not thinking. The development league is probably the best way for him to accomplish that.

 

[bloom]

I know a lot of people think the D-League might be the best way for Donte to get himself together but I kinda disagree. I think the kid just needs some consistent playing time (off the bench) but it just seems so hard for him to see the floor this year with Cisco, Noc, Mason, Casspi and then him at the end.

I really want to ship of Noc (whether he’s starting or coming off the bench)…I’m not sure I want to see Cisco starting, I love the guys game and energy and I love the bash duo him and Kevin make, but Cisco’s game is better for a 6th man role. I wish we could see the pre-season games cause I want to see how Mason plays.

 

[Oprostaj]

It is obvious that all the talent and physical ability is there for Donte to be a very good basketball player. I think it is just going to take time for his brain to catch up to his talent. If you are "thinking" your way through the game, it is hard to be successful in any sport. He needs to reach the point where he is just reacting and not thinking. The development league is probably the best way for him to accomplish that.

At this point it's too late to be "thinking" your way though games. You should have played a million basketball games if you're entering multiple seasons in the NBA, whether it be College, HS, pee wee, scrimmage with friends, whatever. I can see him being confused because of lack of playing time, harmony with teammates, not knowing plays... but when you doubt YOURSELF, you have no place on a team. DLeauge will not change that.

 

[bajaden]

but when i suggest that greene should play in the nbdl this season i get attacked.... i honestly think that greene, casspi and possibly brockman should be playing in the nbdl this season to make sure that they get playing time to develop their games. with may, mason and ely on the team we can afford to let the younger players take their time even if its only for this season. it will help in the long run.

Well, they have to have at least 12 on the active roster so that makes it a little difficult to send all three. I made the statement about Greene, because I've had a chance to see him play last year and so far, from what I've seen this year, which isn't much, he doesn't look much improved. Thus I have no problem sending him to the developmental league. I think Brockman has, at least so far, shown he can play with the big boys. The jury is still out on Casspi, but I willing to give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being and see how fast he comes up to speed.

Right now I'd give the edge to Casspi over Greene just on effort alone. Casspi is like the energizer bunny. He never stops moving on offense or defense. He may not always make the right moves, but at least he's trying to make something happen. I can't say the same thing for Greene, who I still have high hopes for. He just needs the light to on in his head.

 

[bajaden]

I know a lot of people think the D-League might be the best way for Donte to get himself together but I kinda disagree. I think the kid just needs some consistent playing time (off the bench) but it just seems so hard for him to see the floor this year with Cisco, Noc, Mason, Casspi and then him at the end.

I really want to ship of Noc (whether he’s starting or coming off the bench)…I’m not sure I want to see Cisco starting, I love the guys game and energy and I love the bash duo him and Kevin make, but Cisco’s game is better for a 6th man role. I wish we could see the pre-season games cause I want to see how Mason plays.

Well if you've watched Mason over the years, then you know how he's going to play. He'll only shoot a three pointer when someone twists his arm and will occasionly shoot a midrange jumper, which isn't much better than his three point shot. However he's terrific at going to the basket and finishing. He's good at moving without the ball, and he loves to post people up. He's also a very good defender and I don't think he gets enough credit for it.

 

[Telemachus]

At this point it's too late to be "thinking" your way though games. You should have played a million basketball games if you're entering multiple seasons in the NBA, whether it be College, HS, pee wee, scrimmage with friends, whatever. I can see him being confused because of lack of playing time, harmony with teammates, not knowing plays... but when you doubt YOURSELF, you have no place on a team. DLeauge will not change that.

This is what I think of when I talk about "thinking" your way through a game. Self-doubt is a completely different thing IMO. Donte's problem is not that he is doubting himself, but his overall understanding of the flow of the game and what the offensive and defensive schemes the team is playing. He is out there trying to figure out what is going on instead of just playing the game. The best way to overcome that is to play more. However, you can't have a player out there on the floor that is hurting the team in order for him to learn how to play better. That is why you send him to the development league.

 

[HighTopKicks]

This is what I think of when I talk about "thinking" your way through a game. Self-doubt is a completely different thing IMO. Donte's problem is not that he is doubting himself, but his overall understanding of the flow of the game and what the offensive and defensive schemes the team is playing. He is out there trying to figure out what is going on instead of just playing the game. The best way to overcome that is to play more. However, you can't have a player out there on the floor that is hurting the team in order for him to learn how to play better. That is why you send him to the development league.

And, if the DL team plays a different offensive scheme, how does that help him when he gets back. He's still not going to know what the KIngs are trying to do, or what his place in our offense is.

He's better off working with the them at practice, and doing the best he can with the minutes he gets. It PW's job to find a way to work him into the offense, and if Donte can't do it, let him go. There are alway going to be Wallace's and Douby's.

 

[HighTopKicks]

Well if you've watched Mason over the years, then you know how he's going to play. He'll only shoot a three pointer when someone twists his arm and will occasionly shoot a midrange jumper, which isn't much better than his three point shot. However he's terrific at going to the basket and finishing. He's good at moving without the ball, and he loves to post people up. He's also a very good defender and I don't think he gets enough credit for it.

You know that sounds alot like Ron-Ron. Or, at least what Ron-Ron would have been like if we could have gotten him to stop taking all of those 3pt shots.

 

[bajaden]

You know that sounds alot like Ron-Ron. Or, at least what Ron-Ron would have been like if we could have gotten him to stop taking all of those 3pt shots.

Yeah, not a bad analogy. I'm not going to say that he's as good a defender as Ron, but that part of their games are similar. Mason is quicker and probably a little more athletic than Ron, but Ron is stronger, and certainly has a much bigger ego.

 

[Bricklayer]

Ok , these elegies to Mason have really got to stop. Mason is the gum on Ron Artest's shoe. He never was remotely in the same class, and the last few years he hasn't even been in the same class as the younger Mason who wasn't remotely in the same class. There was a reason nobody signed him this summer. As a non-passing, non-rebounding, non-shooting swingman, once the knee issues robbed him of what he used to be good at -- slashing and decent man defense -- his use was about at an end. If his knees are feeling better, maybe he can be back to being a useful player, but its unrealistic to expect him to ever be what he was. And what he was was jsut a 6th man/roelplaying starter type. No better than Cisco or Noc are today. The career averages of 12.2ppg and 45% shooting in 30min really do tell the story in this case, and are about the absolute best you could hope for at this point. Last year you are talking about a guy that was down to a 7.5ppg on .435 shooting in 28min a night, and just right on the fringes of being out of the league.

 

[bloom]

Well if you've watched Mason over the years, then you know how he's going to play. He'll only shoot a three pointer when someone twists his arm and will occasionly shoot a midrange jumper, which isn't much better than his three point shot. However he's terrific at going to the basket and finishing. He's good at moving without the ball, and he loves to post people up. He's also a very good defender and I don't think he gets enough credit for it.

I was actually referring to him playing with these group of guys but thanks for the info, it's great to hear a player that knows how to play within himself and not push too much.