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Loved all the experimentation with lineups… a lot to learn from this…
i still think lonnie doesnt fit…
Preseason u know better than that.
Loved all the experimentation with lineups… a lot to learn from this…
i still think lonnie doesnt fit…
You hit it right in the button
Luka had 3 baskets and looked ok but one can’t really tell much from less than 5 minutes against Uber scrubs, end of the bench players and guys trying to make a roster… I’d suggest to Pop that if he really wants to see if he can hold up against better compe ion he needs longer minutes against starters. I think his spot is in peril but not decided. Maybe he was okay enough for a longer look?
Hmm explain yourself.
So do you extend Lonnie? Cut Luka?
I'm kinda disappointed in the development even of Devin and KJ. KJ looks to have the same game he had by the end of his rookie season. You know we lost a lot of coaches and trainers since the glory years, maybe the Spurs simply don't develop players as well as they used to.
Remember the videos of him practicing defense?
I don’t know what happened to that but he was not the only one poor on D tonight.
you could blame pop or you could blame the players weak mentality… for example if bryn had an inkling of lonnies talent, whether that be athleticism or physical attributes, hed be an all star… i dont believe in coddling players who the bed… lonnie needs to toughen up and stop giving a … go do you. go be you and if you did your best and it wasnt good enough then keep grinding but this head case is old… hes too talented.
Drew and Thad with that minus 24!!! I knew I didn’t like that pairing but damn. They can’t play together, It isn’t going to work?
"Coaching" doesn't mean benching the leading scorer of the starting unit. Regardless of if Walker is a bad player for being inconsistent or whatever, coaching isn't supposed to be pushing the same buttons with every player. It's been clear that Pop has never known which of Walker's buttons to push. Sometimes he accidentally gets a good game out of him, and that reinforces the "tough love" approach Pop's chosen to take. But maybe when Lonnie's coming off a pretty good half you don't bench him for whatever random lapse he had. If you want to try a new look, just let Walker sit the rest of the game and bring in Primo. That way Josh gets good minutes and Walker can get a good game under his belt.
Ultimately, the Spurs are bigger than Walker, and they'll still be around even when Lonnie's on another team. But Pop has to approach this era of the Spurs differently than before. He isn't looking for role-players to fill gaps anymore. He isn't looking for "Spurs guys" or whatever. He's going to actually develop players, and that means he'll have to move outside his comfort zone when talent is there. Lonnie doesn't really matter to that end. There are plenty of other prospects on the roster now. But he's going to have to be willing to play ball with all sort of temperaments now, because he doesn't have a core of talent the fall back on. Even if Walker's problems are Walker's fault, Pop's inability to do anything with them doesn't speak well to his fitness to coach this next stretch of the team.
Thats fine . My point is the old man and everyone else knows what Bryn going to give. Theres absolutely no need for him to be getting substantially mins ahead of the younger guys during pre season. Make no sense when its not about winning.
lonnie theoretically fits with DeJounte because he can space the floor and has a quick release. but if his defense is going to be no better than Forbes, it's hard to keep rolling with that
glad pop is using preseason games to give guys like Luka and Primo a lot of exposure
Yeah. Young and Poeltl played way better together, surprisingly. They were plus-six together to start the second. To be fair, though, I also think Eubanks and Young would do well to have a PG and McDermott with them rather than guys like Vassell who doesn't have the experience to be a lead guard.
This preseason is about who is going to make the team and not lineups/pairings. Too many players and not enough time.
Maybe not about winning but an undrafted vet from a championship team who has basically no talent, athleticism, or physical attributes is out playing him cause he doesn't give a and he has heart. Bryn, and I'd hate for him to start as a compe ive team but it is a great example like it or not to those behind him. He works hard and in a bench role, he is a knockdown shooter. Those are very rare. He's a one trick pony but it's an elite trick in a league that mostly lives and dies by that trick.
Don't get me wrong, it's fvck, for me like most everyone else it's just not fair anymore... He's a good kid who plays hard and makes the most of everything he has... If that rubbed off on Lonnie he'd have all star as a ceiling. As it stands he's a sort of head case... He just needs to let go. Pop, everyone else, it if I miss or mess up. I mean that Kawhi moment with Pop in Miami needs to happen. That moment when Ginobilli told Pop, that's just who I am needs to happen. He's one of those players. He could be great even.. He just needs to stop trying to please everyone and do what he needs to do. It's hurting the team and himself. Sometimes you need to be selfish to help the team and sometimes you need to sacrifice to help the team..
I don't think it's insignificant if a fringe guy like Drew can't play with the main bench player.
Well there is a good chance one or both won’t be on the final roster.
Part of it was Lyles and Olynik lit them up too, but Drew had a poor game. Thad didn’t get involved either he mostly stood in a corner. His value isn’t going to rise playing like that. It’s just one game but it wasn’t good. Is Tre Jones still injured?
Also a comment on Vassell - he hardly passes. His summer league was all looking Kobe like without the HOF shot making. Having him run an offense is not good, not saying he can’t make plays with the ball, but he needs a PG to manage the game.
Ok for starters.
DWhite maybe expendable in my eyes... For his wage to production, I just don't know how he fits. We know KJ is long term, DJ is up there, Primo seems to be. Other then that it's open season. You have to think about things holistically, long term and short term. A point guard that can play pick and roll are a dime a dozen. I think Tre for example could do an admirable job at a fraction of the cost. I value Murray more cause he got that dog in him, and he's good for taking a game over when ever he gets that "chip" on his shoulder. It happens anytime. He also has that heart you want when you are competing at high levels and his leadership is good for the team. He holds everyone accountable even himself.
DW is a great company guy, but to me the wage doesn't justify the production and I feel he would be more valuable to another team then us. Philly actually makes perfect sense in that regard... and not to stir the pot... but it is what it is.
As for that initial lineup. Yes, theoretically, that lineup should work but there were no players who get their own shot and that's where we missed DJ. Even though his shot creation is rugged to put it nicely he can still create a shot. Yes DW can orchestrate better but TP9 proved that in this system you don't have to be a Chris Paul. TP was notoriously bad at that but he was sufficient. You just have to make the right reads and passes. The rest of the lineup was fine as well. McD has great value in this league. He's one of the best players with his skill set in the association. I really love that pickup. KJ needs to develop a post game. He's too big and too strong to rely on bully drives. Get your ass in the post and work on a fade and hook, basic post moves and work from there. No telling where he could be in 5 years. When the game slows down we need something other then pick and roll to draw attention and he is big and strong enough to dominate mismatches at the very least. Another thing is to me Poetl ain't the direction I'd go with a center... I think if you could find a 3&D big that would be ideal... and I know they don't grow on trees but I just feel his skill set is probably the easiest to find and cheap at that. His skillset is just not dynamic enough for this offense and team. He really doesn't offer anything offensively and that just hurts...
Thad, definitely doesn't fit this team but I though Aminu definitely does. I personally liked what I saw. He still looked mobile enough for his age, he's versatile and he can still hit the corner three.
Luka seems to always show just enough to not be discarded imo. I think it's gonna be tough cause Luka's at ude I have no doubt irks Pop. He's kind of an en led brat in that regard. He definitely should of played summer league and I think by him not, it hurt his stock with Pop... He's just that kid who probably will be really good no matter what, it's just he's not likely to do it the "right" way. And that's why I think they let him go and sucky as that sounds. But high character players have had great yields for us and low character players have seemingly always flamed out... (Rodman, Jackson, etc)
But that's about what I took from it. Didn't care about the loss. Pop was obviously pushing buttons and seeing what he has so to speak and a lot of the lineups were pretty experimental.
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Vassell’s increased strength was notable at times on both sides of the floor.
Forbes is an unbelievable shooter. He actually has a variety of different launch points, moves to get to his release now. He really has improved in that area.
McDermott may not be a good or even solid defender, but he competes. His movement off ball is beautiful to watch.
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Lonnie and KJ seemed to trade brains at halftime. CoJo absolutely destroyed Lonnie on Offense.
Poeltl masks a lot of this team’s defensive lapses and the overall perimeter D seems inconsistent.
Too many scrubs on this team, trade them all for Simmons.
What a way to reward Josh with his efforts in his first game ever with 7 minutes the next game lmao. I am sick and tired of Pops CIA mind games
If Young's value is a second or two, it's fine if they don't trade him. I think Young did some good things on the court but clearly lacks chemistry with anyone. It's one of the reasons to not get cute with his status. Young's a very good player, but he's going to take some time to figure out how he fits, and wasting some of the "free" time holding him out for a trade doesn't help. Drew's a good player but didn't seem into it mentally tonight. He has a few more chances. But Landale looked better almost by default tonight.
Vassell is really selfish with the ball. Like Keldon, Devin has to learn when he's supposed to attack. Hopefully that comes with time, because he's not very enjoyable to watch right now. I really don't like him playing PF. He's not a tiny guy, but he's definitely more of a wing than a forward. It's my actual preference that the second two-way spot be used on a PG prospect, since they definitely lack play-making from the rest of their guards. Primo has potential there but isn't ready to be a PG if two of White, Murray or Jones are hurt or in foul trouble.
With all my Lonnie critiques, I ain't ready to give up on him yet... He needs that moment though, that tipping point. He has too much talent and he is too dam bright to not figure it out.
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