After witnessing Dejuan Blair's downward spiral over the latter half of the season... precipitated by and large from an unnecessary demotion (despite playing really well with the starters)... And watching several teams expose his physical shortcomings on the second team (where he was paired mostly with Bonner)... We all saw it (except maybe Pop)... a move that in hindsight contributed to the derailment of the Spurs' momentum post All-Star break...
All that said... I'm not willing to give up on him yet.
Blair would benefit greatly by studying Zach Randolph's game... his positioning, his series of post moves, his patience on the block, etc... and obviously He needs to double (even triple) his effort to develop a more consistent jumper during the course of the off-season (Tiago too, for that matter)...
If Blair had a jumper that was half-way as decent as Z-Bo's he would be equally dangerous down low... perhaps moreso, given his advantage athletically...
During the off-season Blair needs to:
1) Trim down while keeping his overall weight. Afterall, much like Z-Bo, Blair should be able to push people off the block with his low center of gravity and his hindquarters.
2) Spend 3 to 4 hours a day working on his jumpshot. Baseline jumpers, elbow jumpers; basically the range that McDyess possessed (and the range that players like Darrell Arthur used to kill our season).
3) 1 hour a day continuing to develop his free-throw technique (muscle memory is the name of the game). You can't play in the fourth quarter if your FT% is less than desirable.
3) Spend 2 hours a day developing a dependable go-to move down low. No fadeaways (at least not yet... that comes with further seasoning). Edit: and no more tear drops... that shot does not belong in the repertoire of a "Power" player... That's not to say that Blair should abandon the finesse elements of his game, he simply needs to be more patient with his moves... unlike TP's teardrops it almost seems as if Blair rushes his shot to attempt his.
4) Spend some time with Timmy developing a bank shot. Corporate knowledge transfer from the best.
5) Spend 5-6 hrs per week watching game tape of players like Zach Randolph, Carl Landry, Kurt Thomas, Chuck Hayes, Charles Barkley, etc...
6) And finally, spend less time at Whataburger.
If Blair uses the anger and frustration from a disappointing 2010-2011 campaign to fuel his development, I'm positive he can eventually become an All-Star caliber player. The potential is there even if the physical tools aren't.
Last edited by Phenomanul; 05-10-2011 at 03:27 PM.
Blair sucked ass on defense from the very start. He made Bonner look like ALL NBA Defensive First Team by missing rotation after rotation after rotation.
He was at best inconsistent rebounding and no way in you can count on him to create offense.
He put on weight and by midseason just looked terrible.
Blair needs to step up his game. We need him.
15.6 per 48 good for 7th overall this season.
5 rebounds in 13 minutes, the one and only playoff game Lord Poppy gave him any amount of burn. Jefferson 4 rebounds in 34 minutes. Bonbon did manage a career high 4 rebounds in 20 minutes this game....
16.4 per 48 good for 5th overall his rookie season.
Pop spends way too much time and energy searching for the perfect storm in an attempt to address specific personal desires or better yet forcing talented players to abandon their strengths to address one of pops quirky tangents. He should concentrate more on the strengths of his player rather than attempt to avoid being exploited in menial areas.
Blair being a prime example of this. Bonner as well but with the opposite effect.
If only it were that simple. Just study Z-Bo, lose some weight, and work on your shot. At some point, natural ability comes into the equation. Randolph, while being lazy in the past, has an incredible amount of talent that Blair just doesn't.Blair would benefit greatly by studying Zach Randolph's game... his positioning, his series of post moves, his patience on the block, etc... and obviously He needs to double (even triple) his effort to develop a more consistent jumper during the course of the off-season (Tiago too, for that matter)...
If Blair had a jumper that was half-way as decent as Z-Bo's he would be equally dangerous down low... perhaps moreso, given his advantage athletically...
During the off-season Blair needs to:
1) Trim down while keeping his overall weight. Afterall, much like Z-Bo, Blair should be able to push people off the block with his low center of gravity and his hindquarters.
2) Spend 3 to 4 hours a day working on his jumpshot. Baseline jumpers, elbow jumpers; basically the range that McDyess possessed (and the range that players like Darrell Arthur used to kill our season).
3) 1 hour a day continuing to develop his free-throw technique (muscle memory is the name of the game). You can't play in the fourth quarter if your FT% is less than desirable.
3) Spend 2 hours a day developing a dependable go-to move down low. No fadeaways (at least not yet... that comes with further seasoning). Edit: and no more tear drops... that shot does not belong in the repertoire of a "Power" player... That's not to say that Blair should abandon the finesse elements of his game, he simply needs to be more patient with his moves... unlike TP's teardrops it almost seems as if Blair rushes his shot to attempt his.
4) Spend some time with Timmy developing a bank shot. Corporate knowledge transfer from the best.
5) Spend 5-6 hrs per week watching game tape of players like Zach Randolph, Carl Landry, Kurt Thomas, Chuck Hayes, Charles Barkley, etc...
6) And finally, spend less time at Whataburger.
If Blair uses the anger and frustration from a disappointing 2010-2011 campaign to fuel his development, I'm positive he can eventually become an All-Star caliber player. The potential is there even if the physical tools aren't.
Blair can't become a good NBA defender, his height makes it impossible to guard decent bigs. I wouldn't be sad if he was used as a sweetner in some kind of trade.
You can't teach him height. He can't help in the playoff. Trade him now while he's still has some value.
7) Trade Bonner.
It may seem unrelated but I do think that Spurs trading Bonner will greatly help Blair. While they are complete different players, they fit the same role of backup PF. Both aren't good enough to be starters and both aren't good enough defenders to play center. Without Bonner, Blair will play his role and it will help him a lot.
If Pop isn't ready to trade his lovely Matty, then Blair should be traded. Spurs bigmen rotation next year should be:
PF: Splitter/Blair
C: Duncan/defensive minded center
Zach Randolph is an average defender at best, that hasn't hurt Memphis' chances all that much in this playoff run (Also, if you noticed, most of the people I listed in the OP are also considered 'short' by PF standards -- and don't forget, Blair has a long wingspan)...
Also, Blair is still at an age where he can learn good 'position defense,' if not for the fact that his mental effort on that front is shattered by the confidence-breaking lack of playing time... I agree with Bruno in that trading Bonner can only benefit Dejuan's and Tiago's development because it should give them more continuity and playing time.
I guess a key I was hinting at is that Blair is not as "bad" of a player as the Spurs' Bonner-including, playoff rotations have made him out to be...
This is a guy that put up a 20-20 game on OKC during his rookie season... you don't give up on that... you hone his talent, skill, and focus while building his confidence...
Last edited by Phenomanul; 05-10-2011 at 06:01 PM.
I agree. One needs to go, because neither is good enough to start and obviously they're a massive liability defensively together.
The only way I could see them trading Bonner (unless it's in a no brainer type trade), is if they get back another big who can stretch the floor. Enter Okur, who's probably the most realistic, quality big they can acquire. I think Bonner and McDyess would get it done.
Here's why: The Jazz now have Jefferson, Millsap and Favors, to build around inside. Okur is now in his thirties, coming off a major injury and going into a contract year. Since they have the aforementioned three and are in the midst of re-tooling, he probably won't be re-signed anyway. So if they can get financial relief (which the Jazz are seemingly always seeking) and a competent, affordable fourth big to fill the same role on offense, I've got to think they'd do it.
Okur would give the Spurs the same thing as Bonner offensively (and unlike Bonner, his three-point percentage doesn't plummet in the playoffs), but defensively he'd give them a much bigger body, at 6-11, 265 and theoretically would be a nice fit next to Blair.
The one reason I could see the Spurs not doing this (besides not being confident in Okur being fully healthy and returning to pre-injury form), would be the fact that they like to play Duncan next to a stretch four. Okur, like Duncan at this point, is more of a five. So when they play teams that aren't overly big inside and have more of a mobile, face up four, they'd be hard pressed to play them together.
.2) Spend 3 to 4 hours a day working on his jumpshot. Baseline jumpers, elbow jumpers; basically the range that McDyess possessed (and the range that players like Darrell Arthur used to kill our season)
He worked on his jumpshot last summer but he didn't hire a shooting coach. He needs a shooting coach ASAP.
No need to hire a shooting coach, we already have one of the best in Chip England, he needs to break him down and build him up like he did for Parker.
Tiago needs even more work, he has a hard time drawing iron on a FT.
A lot of effort wasted on a player who doesn't belong in the league. It's cute that for his size he rebounds well on occasion, but this rather minor attribute is the sole extent of his value. He can't defend, shoot or do anything else.
Pop's investment in Blair is emblematic of a big Spurs problem: hubris. The Spurs have fallen in love with their own press clippings about finding diamonds in the garbage dump, and with a basketball philosophy that ignores common sense fundamentals.
Blair is good and is active on D
Dont you people remember how many entry passes he deflects to the player he is defending?
He has probably the best hustle out of all the bigs except Tim. You cant teach hustle.
And is rebounding is a unique talent that also cant be taught.
Blair is not good defensively. He has quick and active hands and sometimes his gambles work for us.
But he is usually lost in the rotations. Even Bonner makes a better job in the rotations.
Blair could easily be a double double guy, even coming off the bench. He has to work hard to develop a jump-shot and he has to improve his FT shooting.
He is really talented. He just has to work hard this off-season. I still believe in his potential to be a our "Millsap". As long as we dont play Blair with Bonner, he is going to be fine.
Bonner should play at most 10 min. Give him 3-4 open shots. If he makes them, fine, It he does not, keep his ass in the bench. We are not going anywhere with Bonner playing 25 minutes/game
+1 If it wasn't apparent enough before the debacle that was the grizzly series it should be crystal clear now. One of Bonner or Blair (or both) needs to go. And if I had to pick one I'd defenitely take Blair. I think the spurs have enough shooting/scoring from the perimeter and this whole concept of spreading the floor is overrated, esp now that teams are not even bothering to use a big to cover Bonner out on the perimeter. And Bonner is no Dirk Nowitski who would make a small defender pay the price by either shooting over him or taking him into the post. Mugsy Bogues could probably check Bonner.
I think this trend will continue hence making Bonner's value as a basketball player go down even more. Spurs need to really try to ship him out next year if they can.
He does have above average hands. I remember him ripping Kobe twice in the first matchup of the season. He and Hill both had some good D on Kobe that game.
I agree he gets his ass handed too him when he tries to have a post game, but if Big Baby can be effective, so can Blair. He NEEDS a solid jumper, bottom line. If he comes back next year and doesnt show improvement right away, get rid of his ass, definitely.
That's precisely wrong. Hustle and rebounding are commitments that can and are taught by coaches around the world at every level. You absolutely can coach and train players to expend more effort. Have you ever played organized basketball?
You can't however, coach size and talent, which is what Blair lacks.
I don't get all the ing trade talk. Do you guys suppose other teams don't get that Blair cannot defend bigs so they will just snatch him up like he's gold? no. If Blair is cheap, no need to trade him. He's fine as a rotational player as long as someone else is on the floor to assist. His game has been slow to develop, but I think much of that is because he's a raw talent. In his rookie season, he did what he has learned on his own to do with his talents, and the Spurs just watched him do it. By his 2nd season, coaches had already infiltrated his brain with "I can shoot" when he cannot shoot. They inserted "where are my feet" instead of what he was used to doing under the rim to get rebounds. They have him taking charges instead of getting blocked shots.
It might eventually make him more polished, like boot camp makes a Marine more polished, but those first few weeks are awkward as when the old is out but the new hasn't settled.
Give it time.
.............looks at Jefferson and Bonner
Okur would be a lateral move at best... same weaknesses as Bonner, and potentially a worse shooter. As Bruno indicated, if you're moving Bonner you need a center that can defend. It's clear that Blair's defense is entirely based on hoping the other team misses so he can grab the rebound, so you really need to have another weak side big to help when they go at him.
I'm fed up with 'bigs' that strictly sit on the 3 point line on offense. I can't think of one team that made the playoffs this season that has such a guy on a prominent role (Dirk would be the exception, but he can score from anywhere). Horry retired. He's not walking through that door. He was a special talent. Time to move on.
I'll add that one aspect that doesn't go well with Blair are his 'going solo' attempts on offense here and there, when he simply doesn't have a good offensive game (ugly floater anyone?), and it's especially a problem in the playoffs where execution is (or should be) king. It's on him to work on that aspect so the coach can feel confident on calling a play or two for him and he can get more touches offensively.
Blair needs minutes alongside a 7 footer, a jumper, and more patience.
He's a solid rebounder/energy player however his defense mostly comes from his hands but then again he is quick (and short) for his position.
Bigger opponents that know how to use their size advantage will always be a problem for Blair unless he gets even stronger and physical enough to push players out of their sweet spots like Chuck Hayes....or he could go the way of Big Baby/Splitter and take charges. Blair's got the tools and potential to be a Beast of a pest.
Last edited by Cane; 05-11-2011 at 01:44 AM.
Like I said he was inconsistent on the boards. He would disappear at times especially in the second half where we could not get a rebound to save our lives.
Blair took a step back this past season.
how many of his offensive rebs come from his weak ass put backs or his shots?
Blair has shown serious problems in his defensive lateral moves.
That could be in part due to his size (incidentally he was overweight and should definitely lose 10 pounds), but in part this is the consequence of lacking ACLs.
You can make up for that with strong muscle stabilizing the knee, but you are still limited in the quick twists and adjustments required to adjust to the moves of the opponent.
There is nothing you can do about that.
He has very good hands and a natural predisposition for rebounding (by the way, that is NOT taught, it is in part due to eye anticipation of where the shot is falling).
On offense he showed no improvement on his jumper, still non existent.
Unless he acquires one, his minutes in a good team will be limited, at best.
However, he has a very good contract: Spurs will keep him.
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