Spencer just highlights an enormous problem with this organization. We are absolutely terrible at developing young players. Terrible. Can't think of many we've actually developed.
JWill did much better after moving on.
GWallace did much better after moving on.
Cisco never really developed. Never became consistent or added anything to his game.
KMart seemed to make a huge jump of the course of 2-3 years, and then flatlined, and never developed any other part of his game aside from pure scoring.
Douby? Lol.
JT has gotten better, but a large part of that happened this season after Clifford Ray was brought on board.
Reke's lack development is partly his fault, mostly his jumper, but constant switching positions and roles has been asinine.
Donte? Aside from Reke, maybe the most jerked around youngster we have had recently. Although JT at SF was pretty bad.
Hassan hasn't really shown much, and at this point we're all hoping he can do something next year.
Jimmer? Why the hell make him handle the ball so much and play point when at this point his handle simply isn't good enough, and he struggles just to get across half court or set up the offense. I like him, but should have been played much more off the ball until his handle improves.
Peja was the bright spot.
Just as bad as our organization though are many fans. How much BS did we sit here and listen to about Spencer? How many called him soggy waffles? How many here just flat out can't identify talent and want to give up on 21 and 22 yr olds while ignoring just how poor our organization is at developing young players and hiring a coach CAPABLE of developing them? Too often I just heard Spencer sucks, get this guy off our team. Well, look at what a real coach can do with him. And Collins isn't even one of the best coaches in the league. He's not elite. He's good.
We see this crap now as well with Reke. Some just don't recognize talent, don't recognize the situation once again, don't recognize just how poor our coaching has been and the negative effect its had, and want him shipped out. How many posts did we have in game threads this year where the tone was the same as with Spencer? Reke's garbage, trade him. Reke can't pass, trade him.
No matter how many times it's brought up these guys should still be in college(Spencer at the time), no matter how many times it's pointed out players aren't being used correctly, no matter how many times their roles/positions change, no matter how many times example are brought forth of a Nash or Billups or Dirk or Stockton, among others who struggled early on, or were glued to the bench and later improved, a portion of the base just has this all or nothing, black or white philosophy.
Some really need to stop giving up on our young players so early into their careers, and start looking at the FO to bring in vets to assist in their development and teach them how to approach the game(most of the great players regularly talk about how important a mentor was early on for them), look at our dismal coaching, look at the negative atmosphere surrounding such a young club, look at how in summers prior to the lockout there was no communication between the coaching staff and players(Donte coming in heavier because he said he was told to gain weight, then was benched for just that
), and really how our system and environment is not suited to help, develop, mentor, or bring along young players.
Some of the same people who wanted to give up on Spencer, wanted to give up on JT until all of a few months ago, want to give up on Reke, want to give up Jimmer, and gave up on Donte a while ago. Patience....and a freakin coach.
