Pop calling him out shows he sees the potential. Man did he love yelling at Danny Green.
You know I’m fed up with the old man, but let’s stop pretending anything is owed to Lonnie. I mean, I wish Fathead would’ve gotten this kind of tough love.
Pop calling him out shows he sees the potential. Man did he love yelling at Danny Green.
The only thing that does feel harsh is that Pop called him out publicly and explicitly. A lot can be said to him privately and I hope it was said. But calling it out publicly when he's basically a rook is rough. In the past, he would be asked about youngings who had barely played and Pop would dismiss or deflect the question saying: "he's played a minute and half, give him more time and I can tell you what I think of him" or he'd say he's earning his time, or going through the process or something. Pop was really upset with Walker, which does say he expects more out of him, and also makes me wonder if Walker will be in the team for the long haul. His contract is very early, but I think there's perhaps a sign that he needs to turn things around in order to play or will find himself like Nando de Colo.
ja ja, that avatar is smoking for the trolling brigade.
Queue the "SHUT THE F UP" from Pop to Danny in the brooklyn game.
Um, yeah. He's still too raw and unaware of his reads/assignments to see court time. Those guys had holes in their game but provide more (on either end) than Lonnie can currently. His time will come and I'm hoping it clicks at some point this season.
The Spurs need an extra injection of youth and athleticism that Walker IV could proved.
Well, hopefully not playing tonight will have given Walker time to reflect and get over himself, tbh.
Do you need someone to buy you a tinfoil hat or do you have one at home already?
You claim to not want to see it as a motivational tactic then proceed to psychoanalyze the inner workings of the team.....
Maybe, like Doc Rivers and Jerome Robinson, he doesn't think Walker IV is ready and is trying to push so he can be? If Marco's ty play continues the team will need him very, very soon....
And with Murray sitting Carrol is seeing meaningful minutes tonight, so there is that......
Pop, when he decides to give Lonnie some time:
"Better awareness" thats all you need to know. Pop is right, Lonnie doesn't know what team bball is, on both ends especially defense. Pop probably doesn't like him at all defensively.
That's fine. Trade him then tbh.
So instead of earning it, just give him away? For what? Hey you want out 12-14th guy who I just called out? Obviously they are a bigger plan for him and trying to light the fire. There is a reason he is not on the court contrary to all the NBA coaches in here's wishes
To say that Lonnie Walker lacks killer instinct would be an understatement.
That's what Pop is looking for and he's not seeing it.
And for the millionth time, Walker bounds around the court aimlessly like an exuberant puppy.
Pop is trying to figure out whether Walker just lacks basketball sense (somewhat fixable) or whether he lacks heart and/or guts (that would be terminal).
Good at ude and body language from Lonnie on the bench during the Warriors game. He had two minutes on the hardwood and he did everything well.
I bet Walker will be given the chance of playing Lebron James on Sunday. Same situation: "Go out there and show what you got defending an MVP caliber player." That would complete the lesson so him and Popovich can move on.
That's just classic Pop. Young guys can get minutes if they hang their hat on defense. Offensive potential doesn't play a role. I think that's to prevent players from just competing on offensive posessions and becoming a black hole on defense. You know like Spurs fans most hated Milinelli. Pop obviously sees that Walker has the potential to be an elite defender, so until he proves that on the court he won't get playing time. What we are all waiting on is Walker showing what he can do on offense.
One didn't have to do with the other.
Who cares what he thinks? He might still lord over this cocoon he's cultivated, but in the grand scheme of things, he doesn't matter. The best players run this league and though Walker is far from one and could easily never become one, it's at least conceivable he could. Given what just happened and all the other factors working against them to retain/acquire them, they can't afford to exacerbate it by pretending this is the good old days.
I have no problem with him having a one-on-one conversation and telling him that, but to do it publicly is completely tone deaf to this generation.
Has Walker done any interviews since Pop's comment?
The thing is, you don’t know that didn’t happen already. The whole thing with him not playing the first three games could be tied into this. He may be dogging it in practice.
I’m also tired of hearing about “this generation”, as if it were the one that invented self centered ness. That happened in 1985, with the drafting of MJ. The Spurs are well acquainted the selfish, immature players, and they don’t draft them, or acquire them. Every draftee and potential draftee takes a psychological battery before they’re even interviewed.
Last edited by exstatic; 11-02-2019 at 07:32 PM.
Screw this generation bull . If Walker is such a delicate flower if panties get in a wad when he gets called out publicly for playing ty he’s not going to make it in the NBA. Maybe it’ll make him actually sack up and cover his man.
The thing is, I clearly meant only in private.
Malone called out the Nuggets the other day (Jokic was clearly the prime target), then today said Jokic needs to take 15+ shots. The response? 8 minutes in vs the Magic, 1 foul is the only stat he's registered in the box score and they're down 9.
It sucks, but the reality is, the days of old school tactics flying are over and thinking they're going to luck into the next Duncan is a pipedream. If they have any interest in having superstars/stars here in the future, they need to get with the times.
That sounds nice, but talking tough doesn't change the reality of the situation.
The reality is that if Pop doesn’t hold him accountable for playing ty lackadaisical defense he’ll spend an entire career playing that way. Lord knows there’s enough of those players in the league. Pretty sure Pop has brought this up to Walker several times before. Now he’s trying a different tack trying to see if the guy can take it seriously.
TD 21 The King of the Wristcutters
exactly
Lonnie and I are left asking the same question however. What's Marco doing out there? Surely setting by example is the best way.
Would pop even remember there's a double standard going on.
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