Buck Harvey: Your NBA executive of the year: Popo-ford

[Spurs Brazil]

The NBA’s best rookie will be in San Antonio tonight.

So will the second best.

That’s how far Kawhi Leonard has risen. He might not have the stats of others in his draft class, but he’s a starter on a contender, and seemingly every night he’s efficient and consequential.

Keep reading: http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2012/04/22/buck-harvey-your-nba-executive-of-the-year-popo-ford/

[100%duncan]

Leonard>Irving.

[100%duncan]

Great article btw.

[admiralsnackbar]

Buck with the goods.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Kawhi is a monster. My opinion went from good kid/dreaded college tweener forward who could take years to develop to My God, he could develop into an All Star some day in the span of about 15-20 games.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

What a hit or miss award "rookie of the year"



Mike Miller
Paul Gasol
Amare Stoudemire
Emeka Okafur
Brandon Roy
Kevin Durant
Derrick Rose
Tyreke Evans
Blake Griffin

Look at the Guards on that list.



Wtf is happening to Tyreke Evens?

Seems like he thought his development was complete, maybe got a bit full of himself. He's also not a PG, He's better playing off the ball. I think there are also a lot of petty jealousies on the Kings, almost like a Mavs 3Js thing from back in the day.

[Leetonidas]

He's playing SF in Sacramento for some reason

[Wild Cobra Kai]

He's playing SF in Sacramento for some reason

Well, he's not a PG. As much as he dominated the ball as a rookie, to average only 5 dimes is very telling. This isn't a Parker situation where he averages 5 when he's young because the Spurs run a motion offense. Tyreke HAD the ball ALL THE TIME. Ball dominant PGs should average upwards of 8 dimes.

[timvp]

Great article by Buck.

Now I wanna know who the Elite 8 were, tbh.

[Wild Cobra Kai]

Evan's ultimate position will likely be SG. He's got tunnel vision and can only see maybe the roll or pop man on the P'n"r play, certainly no one beyond that. He's not suited for the PG role.

[Manufan909]

Great article by Buck.

Now I wanna know who the Elite 8 were, tbh.

Seconded.

[El_Mago]

Great article by Buck.

Now I wanna know who the Elite 8 were, tbh.


Irving
Williams
Kanter
Valanciunas
Veseley
Klay Thompson
Leonard
Shumpert

[jjktkk]

My favorite sportswriter.

[ajh18]

Evan's ultimate position will likely be SG. He's got tunnel vision and can only see maybe the roll or pop man on the P'n"r play, certainly no one beyond that. He's not suited for the PG role.

He seems to be one of those players who puts up great stats as the ball-dominant guy on a team, but isn't particularly efficient or good at making his teammates better. Nocioni made the same observation: the Kings are actually a better team when Evans ISN'T putting up huge stats and dominating the ball. Thomas is a better PG, even if he's not anywhere near as talented.

I think his ultimate ideal role is as a ball-dominant 6th man, where he can completely destroy another team's second unit and control the ball. I think he could be a 20 ppg 6th man. Question is whether his ego would ever let him do that.

[smaka]

Great article.

Btw El Mago, is this list 100% sure, or are you just guessing?

[timvp]

Irving
Williams
Kanter
Valanciunas
Veseley
Klay Thompson
Leonard
Shumpert

Hopefully not Vesely or Shumpert, tbh.

[Solid D]

If the information is accurate, that is excellent insight...the type of insight we used to get several years ago from Mr. Ludden.

[Bill_Brasky]

Damn...it's crazy to think about the fact that we have the second best rookie in the league on our team.....

[El_Mago]

Hopefully not Vesely or Shumpert, tbh.

Sorry not, Veseley, but Mirotic.

Apologies.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Irving
Williams
Kanter
Valanciunas
Veseley
Klay Thompson
Leonard
Shumpert

Sold on all of those except Veseley, I would go Burks.

[ffadicted]

Give the CotY to pop and Executive to Bufford... clean uuuuuuuuup

[smaka]

Damn...it's crazy to think about the fact that we have the second best rookie in the league on our team.....

And even crazier to know that we often have those "draft-steals" when we get players that are better that picks before him. Just take a look at Manu for example. I still can't believe player like him could almost be undrafted. Spurs are damn good.:flag: And so is Leonard.

[therealtruth]

KL provides a perfect fit of what the Spurs need at the SF but it would be a stretch to say he's the second best rookie. While his defense is very good his offensive skills are still pretty raw.

[therealtruth]

Irving
Williams
Kanter
Valanciunas
Veseley
Klay Thompson
Leonard
Shumpert

Why are people forgetting Rubio?

[tp2021]

Kawhi is a monster. My opinion went from good kid/dreaded college tweener forward who could take years to develop to My God, he could develop into an All Star some day in the span of about 15-20 games.


Damn...it's crazy to think about the fact that we have the second best rookie in the league on our team.....

Another article on Spurs Nation, this one by Old McDonald, has some good Kawhi quotes of its own. They concern Kawhi's defense on one Kobe Bryant:


He did as good as anybody can do


I wasn’t really a Lakers fan, but they were on all the time...I’m in the NBA now, this is my job. I wasn’t starstruck. Or amused.

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSrmdctpGH3cixR3IpO9xdWvKktoFBgH DtmrTeOC7xfp07ljYNk

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2012/04/22/spurs-young-starters-must-stay-sharp/

[ajh18]

Why are people forgetting Rubio?

He wasn't drafted last summer.

[Mel_13]

Popoford?

Bufovich?

Has Buck Harvey been trolling SpursTalk all these years while posting as fabbs?

[Spurs Brazil]

Popovich: Leonard 'More Gifted' Than Bowen
Apr 22, 2012 2:04 PM EDT

Gregg Popovich initially underestimated Kawhi Leonard’s offensive versatility.

"His offense is better than I thought it was. I short-changed him in my mind to start and in my head I was going to try to turn him into Bruce Bowen," Popovich said. "That was his role and it still is."

Leonard has the potential to make a similar defensive impact. But unlike Bowen, Leonard also has the ability to put the ball on the floor and finish in the paint.

"Kawhi guards the toughest perimeter player on the other team. He's got great length. A great body. Has an inclination to do it. He enjoys the role. He's more gifted than Bruce, skillwise," Popovich said. "Once we figured that out we opened up for him and he worked very hard on his shot, especially his three-point shot. (Assistant coach) Chip England has spent a lot of time with him on that so he's got confidence. He lets it fly. He's not Chris Mullin yet but we don't mind when he takes his open threes."

Leonard is shooting 49 percent on corner three-pointers.
Via USA TODAY

Read more: http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/220632/Popovich_Leonard_More_Gifted_Than_Bowen#ixzz1soOhF tKM

[lurker23]

I'm really curious who "The Eight" were, as well. One thing that really piques my interest is whether Klay Thompson was one of those eight. There were rampant rumors before the draft that the Spurs were interested in him, but, as I said at the time, it absolutely felt like a smokescreen. I was beyond relieved when the Spurs got Kawhi instead of Klay (who had already been picked at #11).

The revealing of this short list of worthy players makes more sense than comments after the draft, when the Spurs say they "got their guy." Granted, there's a chance that Kawhi was near the top of the list, and perhaps at the very top of the realistic list. However, it sounds like if Kawhi had been taken sooner, but a different one of the eight still remained, they would have pulled the trigger on the George Hill trade.

[Mr. Body]

As much as he trumps on the Leonard drafting, the Jefferson for Jackson trade was really incredible.

[lurker23]

My best guess at "The Eight":

Kyrie Irving
Derrick Williams
Enes Kanter
Tristan Thompson
Jonas Valančiūnas
Kawhi Leonard

And two of the following:

Bismack Biyombo
Klay Thompson
Alec Burks

After re-browsing the names from the draft, it's probably a pretty decent chance that Klay Thompson was on their radar. Not sure what they would have thought of Biyombo's rawness. I doubt they were all that interested in Brandon Knight, Kemba Walker, Jimmer, or the Morris twins.

[2centsworth]

Kawhi has the potential to be the best player drafted.

[Buddy Holly]

Why are people forgetting Rubio?

Because he was drafted in 2009.

[Paranoid Pop]

It's weird because other articles said that they wanted him in particular all along.

Anyway the Jefferson trade looked so good because they gave him such an horrible contract.

It's TP who recruited Diaw for the minimum and Ferry who convinced them to give Green another shot.

They also drafted Joseph in the first round who got completely outplayed but the 60th pick who plays the same position.


.

[Halberto]

You guys need to wipe your glasses clean. He's not the second best, but he is undoubtedly in the top 5 rookies. Williams has looked great this year and so has Thomas. Shumpert is also a great perimeter defender too. Kenneth Faried anyone?

For what he means for his team he could be second best rookie, but others have some more talent and potential this season. I love K2 and plan on buying his jersey soon (last one I bought was Parker's back in 2005), but come on now.