Last edited by k_nguyen93; 06-24-2011 at 05:57 PM.
Kwahi is EXACTLY the type of player the Spurs needed. The last time the Spurs had a SF score more than 15 pts a game was Sean E (98-99). Since then, it's been defensive minded, rebounding hustle players like Bowen, Stephen Jackson and Glenn Robinson. RJ was an attempt to add a 4th scoring option but failed - can't blame the FO for trying.
Kwahi says he PRIDES himself on defense. Given TP, Anderson, Splitter and perhaps Ryan Richards or Bertans play well together for the next 3-5 years, then I'm cool w/ that.
im still confidente that they will still try to move rj. im seeing the spurs being a missing piece in a 3 or 4 team trade.
Dude has some hands.
RJ isn't going anywhere. Pre-draft, the Spurs tried to trade RJ as part of a package w/ TP - as you can see, neither moved anywhere. The only reason they were trying to trade TP was to get rid of RJ...the FO never really wanted to trade TP.
James Anderson or DeSean Butler should start at SG next year (if DB heals) as both won't be required to do much but shoot and play defense. TP can lead the team and Timmy can get Splitter, Blair and whomever else ends up playing the 4 or 5 on track.
The KEY position for the Spurs is the 3. Someone who can guard other prominent SFs (Wilson Chandler, Rudy Gay, Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Lebron, Melo, etc.) w/ some degree of succes AND who can muscle up to PFs like Zack Randolph, Lamar Odom, Blake Griffin, LeMarcus Aldridge, Kenyon Marti, etc. whenever the Spurs go small AND get rebounds, hustle buckets and overall just play hard.
Leonard is the ONE guy in the draft that is supposed to embrace that type of play. He did it at SD State and is now going to a contending team which should motivate him even more.
There's a reason he was targeted by the FO. Buford and Pop didn't really want to trade GHill either - but a potential starting 3 (that possessed all the right features needed) was to much to pass up. If Hill is sacrificed, then sobeit.
Last edited by Tyrone Jenkins; 06-25-2011 at 07:34 AM.
spurs San Antonio Spurs
Watch the full Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph introductory press conference here - http://j.mp/jCLxaf
JoeAlexander210 Joe Alexander
New Spurs Kawhi Leonard and Cory Joseph with their jerseys. http://twitpic.com/5gr10q
spurs San Antonio Spurs
Kawhi Leonard tells us what to expect from him in a Spurs uniform. Watch here - http://youtu.be/ZQqjsVuv7fg #GoSpursGo
Last edited by ace3g; 06-25-2011 at 01:28 PM.
That is all.
Yeah, he's not a shooter all right...he's not horrible but he's no Dirk or Ray Allen.
But, that's certainly not what he was drafted for.
Kawhi sees rebounding, defensive role model in Rodman
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...of-work-ethic/
DX had a finding a niche for Kawhi Leonard piece(http://www.draftexpress.com/article/...-Leonard-3695/), with a ~7 minute video showing strengths and weaknesses, which is a good summary. The other thing I found interesting in their scouting when I re-read it is...
Given we have good depth at guard, and they can shoot well and Manu, TP and Neal can create their own shots, that seems like a close fit.The ideal setting for Leonard as a rookie would likely be one next to a slew of shooters who can push tempo and score one-on-one. Though he may not have the tools to be an high-level option from day one on the NBA-level, his ability to get up the floor, crash the glass, and do a little bit of everything would fit well on a team with a defined offensive hierarchy in their backcourt. He has the tools to excel in a fast break oriented system that would allow him to get out and run,
Leonard’s long road reaches S.A.
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...d-reaches-s-a/
It's weird, the talk about his game and skills has been all over the map.
for instance, to talk down his defense, I've heard critics say that he got killed by Jimmer in 2 of the 3 games they played. And I've heard pro-Leonard people talk about how in the 1 game SDSU won it was due to Leonard on Jimmer. And I've heard Jimmer defenders pump Jimmer up by talking about how he killed such a great defender in Leonard in 2 games.
And for all the talk about him being a tweener at PF and SF . . . how many PFs are put on guys like Jimmer and come away ahead even one out of three? Yes he rebounds like a PF, and has some postgame, and didn't shoot well from distance in college . . . but on defense for him to be trusted to defend the top scorer in college is noteworthy.
If he can run around with Jimmer, even if he was outmatched, that speaks for how well he should be able to transition to guarding NBA SFs and a lot of SGs for that matter.
I think the rebounding and the fact that he's long gives the impression he can guard SOME 4's. You wouldn't put him on a Randolph, who'd just muscle him on the post, but on perimeter fours(Jamison/Ryan Anderson types) he could do a good job, and we wouldn't be as weak rebounding wise as when we played Jefferson there as a response.
Really, he should be guarding 3's most of the time, though I could see him switching onto some other perimeter guys to bother them, depending on the team, and whether the benefit of switching Kawhi down is greater than what we lose with a SG switching to the SF.
Nice quote - however, I don't think Leonard will be asked to guard the likes of Kobe, Jimmer, etc. Having the SF defend the SG would mean the SG would have to defend the SF of the other team. Anderson does a decent job of defense so I'd leave it up to him to defend SGs.
Leonard is a SF - not doubt about it. His game dictates it. His willingness to defend multiple positions and do the dirty work is completely small forward like. If he can improve his ball handling, he'd be a good point-forward option in a few years but don't think his decision making will ever get that elite.
Between the RJ hate and the fascination with the shiny, new player we're bound to see calls for moving Leonard into the starting line-up, but it's not going to happen. Not because Pop won't play rookies, but because 20 year old players rarely start on playoff teams.
Just look at the 16 playoff teams from last season and find all the starters younger than 22. There were just two, and they were on the two playoff teams that failed to achieve a winning record.
Patience.
Yeah. Both Tim and David have absolute meat hooks, and they both have soft accurate jumpers out to 20 feet.
lol going to be a coach and still believing bull like "big hands = bad jumpshot."
Congrats...you just said some of the dumbest ever.
Fellas, fellas...
Regardless of hand size, finger length, shoe size, size...none of that matters. Shooters are shooters because of 2 things - hand eye coordination and techique. Some peoples are better than others - plain and simple. Leonard's isn't horrible but it isn't great either. Otherwise, we'd see more evidence.
Why you'll are debating that, I have no idea...
, could not have said any better myself TJ..Nice
Oh, and they don't measure the palm, they measure the span from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinkie, extended. No way to tell if someone just has "long fingers" from that measurement.
Don't bother man. Half of his posts are just he throws at the wall hoping it will stick.
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