What does Leonard need to work on this summer?

[DJR210]

The Spurs actually went to Leonard at a decent rate on post mismatches against both the Lakers and Warriors in the playoffs, tbh..

I'm not sure what happened against Miami..it could have bee Parker being in disarray from Lebron's pressure, maybe Pop didn't trust Leonard in the Finals, who knows, tbh..

It was definitely that. Parker was completely neutralized by James' determination to win the series.

[SnakeBoy]

give his knee rest, let the tendonitis totally heal and change whatever he needs to change to prevent it.

I heard an interview with a Spurs trainer. He has Jumpers Knee, it's never going to fully heal as long as he is a professional basketball player. He's been dealing with it since college. That's the bad news, the good news he said was as long as Kawhi is serious about doing therapy excercises and doesn't spend all his time attacking the basket it can be managed and should not hamper his career.

[TheGreatYacht]

I heard an interview with a Spurs trainer. He has Jumpers Knee, it's never going to fully heal as long as he is a professional basketball player. He's been dealing with it since college. That's the bad news, the good news he said was as long as Kawhi is serious about doing therapy excercises and doesn't spend all his time attacking the basket it can be managed and should not hamper his career.

If all this is true then wow, this sucks balls. There goes my aspirations of seeing Kawhi turn into a Scottie Pippen one day. I hope Kawhi can have a long career then. IDK what else to say.

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercis...rs_knee?page=1

[SanDiegoSpursFan]

Not stopping when passing, keeping his head up more when dribbling.

[jesterbobman]

Seeing as the thread has moved to "what do Kawhi and Green need to work on this summer"

For Green, he just needs a counter to a 3 point shot, so that if he is run off the line, he can counter with a dribble in, and pull up from mid range. That shot isn't the goal of the offense, and you shouldn't take it if there's enough time to reset and try and get a better shot. But with 5 left on the clock, a shot-fake to pull up is as good as you're going to get. Bit more on dribbling for that, but he doesn't need Crawford handles.

For Kawhi, continue work on his already very good post game. If teams put a wing on TP, you move Duncan and Splitter/Diaw/Other Big(#millsapprayer) to mid range, and let him go to town on the PG/combo guard sacrifices thrown his way. Also, practicing shooting above the break/non-corner 3's( He was a good 3pt shooter from the corners, but converting wing 3's a bit better would help), and the ball handling and passing that has been mentioned.

Both will be a gradual process, they'll get better both in the offseason and during the regular season.

[racm]

Wing 3s, post-ups, and drawing fouls.

Especially the last; sure, he's averaging a good amount but 2.3 FTAs a game is simply mediocre for a top 3 scorer.

[exstatic]

That's nice to know. I meant in PPG. Obviously that will only increase as Pop gives him the green light.

after two seasons

Pippen 11 ppg
Leonard 10 ppg

[racm]

after two seasons

Pippen 11 ppg
Leonard 10 ppg

Gee, imagine if we replaced Pop with Phil, traded Parker for Hill, and had Kawhi run the triangle as a point forward.

[therealtruth]

No lie, I broke a glass I was drinking on after a play when I saw chalmers covering Leonard and Parker tried to go one on one against LeBron. Mark Jackson literally cooked Parker with mismatches during the GS series. I have no idea why Pop doesn't like to do that

I never understood attacking matchups that don't work in your favor over easier ones. I think Lebron defending Parker was huge in the Heat winning the final 2. It killed all our ball movement.

[racm]

I never understood attacking matchups that don't work in your favor over easier ones. I think Lebron defending Parker was huge in the Heat winning the final 2. It killed all our ball movement.

Easier for him to defend Parker when:

Starting Ginobili meant that while Manu played more off ball, it was harder to find a set where either of them could initiate the offense
Parker was hurt
the Spurs standard sets were working less because the Heat had found adjustments to them
the problem was getting a consistent offensive flow, exacerbated by turnovers
the defense was fine philosophy-wise, but not so results-wise (letting LeBron shoot jumpers worked in Games 1-3, was pointless in Game 7 because LeBron could make even halfcourt shots - and Chalmers made a halfcourt heave)

[Raven]

ball handling and ft shooting.

[Namundy]

The way I see it, Dwyane Wade provided the blueprint for the kind of success Kawhi can have.

[exstatic]

The way I see it, Dwyane Wade provided the blueprint for the kind of success Kawhi can have.

He's taller, and a WAY better shooter already than Wade. He just needs to work on his handles and moves off the dribble.

[coachmac87]

FT shooting and he needs to master the mid range game..using floaters or a pull up. Becoming deadly in the mid range area will make him tough to defend and honestly could complete his game.

This kid potential is higher than Parker's when he was 21 tbh...

[Captivus]

Try to have a reliable pull up jumper and a little handling.

[milkyway21]

free throw ?

[apalisoc_9]

Of course the team needs Green to have more responsibility on offense. He needs to be able to get his own shot, or at least able to counter getting run off the three-point line. It would be nice to see him more-successfully run a pick-and-roll (he actually wasn't terrible at it, but only because Duncan would always pop out). The more responsibility Green can handle on offense, the better for everyone, provided he doesn't become a ball-stopper.

I don't think improving on those aspect of his game necessarily means increased offesnvie role. Sure he needs to learn how to fake and maybe dribble a couple of times for mid-range, maybe a floater too...

All in all add in more dimension to his game to make it a little bit more difficult to plan against him. But there's hardly enough touches to move around to warrant an increased offensive role.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

If he bulks up a bit and learns how to create his own shot, he'll be near unstoppable. Crazy to think that he'll come into training camp a much better player than what we just witnessed in the finals.

[stomp]

handles and mid range off dribble

[Kobulingam]

NO.

The team doesn't need for Green to have more responsibility in the offensive end.

Green needs to work on his handling too though

So he needs to be a better ball handler on the defensive end?

[ThaBigFundamental21]

Ball handling, obviously. He doesn't dribble too well. That, and his shot. He doesn't have a killer shot. He is money within 5 feet of the rim. He has no mid range game. He is solid from 3 land, but even his 3's can improve. I expect big things from Leonard the 13-14 season.

Part of Leonard's development will be Pop running plays for him and letting him do more. Pop needs to let him spread his wings and grow. No more babying him.

[ThaBigFundamental21]

He's taller, and a WAY better shooter already than Wade. He just needs to work on his handles and moves off the dribble.

Not sure exactly what you mean by Leonard being a better shooter than Wade. Leonard has no mid range at all. Leonard is good from 3, and within 5 feet of the basket. Wade is better Offensively.

[apalisoc_9]

So he needs to be a better ball handler on the defensive end?

Like I've said adding a few things in his game doesn't mean an increased role. He needs to add a few things in his game, but that's basically just to counter any strategy or plan to kill his 3 point attempts.

[Spur|n|Austin]

This is very important as well. Fu*k Team USA and Coach K. Kawhi needs to rest those knees.

You do know the Olympics are not this summer right?

[024]

Leonard needs to refine his ball handling and he should be able to take over as the #3 option. He has shown he could score in quite a few ways: 3's, pull up jumper, post ups, and drives/cuts to the basket. Once he stops depending on screens and cuts to get an open shot, he can attack his defender 1v1 off the dribble, which should open up more shots for everyone.

But Leonard should still make defense his #1 priority. His defensive ceiling is higher than his offensive ceiling. While he may have borderline all-star potential on offense, he has all NBA potential on defense.