DDR was smart enough and athletic enough to be a good defender
He just did not try
Defense was beneath him
demar would coach him up on offense...where to be ..how to space the floor...etc...its pretty obvious to everyone demar wasn't some defensive stalwart just assumed everyone agreed
DDR was smart enough and athletic enough to be a good defender
He just did not try
Defense was beneath him
He’s not good enough to hamper cap space next summer. He’s not going to reach starter criteria (42 games or 2,000 minutes? Think I saw that in Bagley news) and they can always pull the QO if they need to use cap space.
If no better use of the cap space, they can always work out a deal with him, match an offer, or S&T him if keeping bird rights.
It may seem like an odd take, but I think that unique hair style he had when he joined the team hurt his development. It made him too easy to spot on the court so the opposition could key on the highly touted (at the time) rookie player. DJM cut his hair off and he not as easy to pick out now as he was as a rookie. Derrick White is easy to spot. As fast as the NBA game moves, if you can identify an opposing player out of the corner of your eye by some highly obvious physical characteristic, it gives an advantage to the opposition player responsible for picking that player up to defend. It’s easy to pick Shaquille O’Neil out of a crowd, but the current NBA team with a bunch of 6’5 - 6’9” skinny black swing men running down the court at breakneck speed, anything that is an obvious visual clue makes the defense players jobs easier.
He still won't attack the basket.
He can jump about as high into the atmosphere as Jeff Bezos got in his airplane and yet he has 0 dunks in traffic in his 3-year career.
He's screwing himself with his fear of contact and general lack of aggression. He won't even be Jonathon Simmons if he doesn't stop being so scary.
He also can't rebound. *shrugs*
I believe he was mishandled from the start he has never been treated as the player with the highest ceiling of the young guys. I can almost guarantee he will be a better player under a different coach. Pop overcoaching made him timid, instead of incouraging his unique style he killed it, like he tried to do with Manu. As good as Manu was, he could have been more if Pop hadn't overcoached him.
You had me until Manu. Manu coming off the bench was a genius move, the beat didn’t stop with the subs, while the other team pulled their starters, and helped the Spurs a championship team for years. So that part I don’t agree with you. But yes, it’s arguable that overcoaching got Lonnie overthinking out there, too scared to ball and make mistakes. But he has the season to prove himself. With what I know about Coach Pop, he played the Vets to earn their next contracts. Lonnie is a good kid, I don’t think he’s lazy and a good person in the community. I’m sure Pop would give him chance to earn hus next contract. I suspect he would explode this year with AT&T fans cheering him on.
Other than Keldon, there is no one that deserves an extension on this team.
What has Keldon done? So far his skills aren't near superstar level. His high energy drive his his biggest asset thus far. Primo, IMO is our best chance to find a legit go to guy, the rest are all tradable for the right pieces.
Clearly the FO didn't think Walker had shown enough to get an extension, whether at all or the level Walker and his agent were looking for. Glad he has a chance to prove what he's worth this season, put up or shut up time.
the coach IS the GM. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise
I just got a good feeling about Walker. I wouldn't give up on him. You've got to realize he spend his whole career playing behind Defrozen and on top of that, he's now playing for a coach with dementia who probably doesn't even remember he's on the bench after taking him out the game.
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