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Too early to tell
Total bust, pick wasted
I am not impressed
Too early to tell
I like what I've seen tbh
Kid has some major upside
Today is the 8 Month Anniversary of the 2011 NBA Draft, and in the San Antonio sports world one thing is certain: Kawhi Leonard can play. Despite an obviously undeveloped NBA offensive game, the 20 year old rookie has been averaging 7 points and 5 boards in 24 minutes a night while shooting 46% from the field, 35% from three, swiping 1.3 steals a game, and doing an excellent job keeping his turnovers (0.7 per) and fouls (1.3) to a minimum. Leonard has played all 33 games this year, starting 16 of them, and shown the length and flashes of lockdown defense Spurs Nation has been clamoring for, while also displaying plus ballhandling abilities and the maturity to play within himself and within the team game. Taken with the 15th overall pick in a weak draft, its already easy to claim that Kawhi was unquestionably, at the least, "a good pick."
He wasn't our only first round choice, though. With the 29th pick in last years weak draft, the Spurs selected another 20 year old; UT freshman PG Cory Joseph. I go to UT (well at this point I am taking one of two final classes needed while working full time as a preschool teacher, but last year I was a full time student at UT), and had the opportunity to watch a lot of Longhorn basketball when Cory was on the squad, and when he declared for the draft I unequivocally believed he was making the wrong decision (to a lesser degree I felt the same about Tristan Thompson, though when he went #4 overall I was pleasantly surprised to have his decision steadfastly validated). Cory was solid and unselfish at Texas, but wasn't really spectacular at anything in particular. His development was no doubt hindered by the fact that we were a guard heavy team, and, more often than not, he was forced to share the court with at least one other PG, be it then sophmore J'Covan Brown, or then senior Dougus Balbay, both very good college players who also deserved the PT. Often, the three would even all be on the court together. Naturally, this led the natural PG Joseph to play a lot of minutes either off the ball, sharing the PG responsibilities, or simply playing a combo guard position. Ultimately, Joseph played a lot of minutes in his one college season (32 MPG while starting every game), putting up decent numbers; 10.4 ppg, 3.0 assists, 3.6 rebounds. His high point outing was 21, against UNC no less in a game in which he also hit the game winning jumper, but overall led Texas in scoring only 4 out of 36 games. He could hit the college three (41%) but overall his shooting numbers didn't really impress (42%). When it was all said and done, Joseph was a solid college starter as a freshman, who was rarely, if ever, a true force in a game, but just as rarely a liability or a problem. TIMVP has stated that a Spurs scout told him the FO was enamored mostly with his leadership abilities and mental make-up: this is definitely the area of his game that stood out most. Joseph was always an above average floor general from Day 1, and never seemed comfortable outside of the role of a true PG, always preferring to set up plays and run the offense rather than look for his. That said, he had a lot of work to do in order to become the sort of player that stood out to an NBA franchise, and with a year or two or three more almost certainly would have become a very, very good all around college player. This seasoning was not in the cards though, and with fellow Canadian PG and highly recruited freshman Myck Kabongo coming in, CJ bolted for the big leagues.
When the Spurs picked Joseph at number 29, two things were clear: our PG depth had just taken a hit with George Hill's departure in the trade for the 15th pick (I'll even point out that Chris Quinn went to Russia, why not?), and, secondly, that Joseph was a project, a player drafted on potential, not on his ability to step in right away and produce (evidence of which can possibly be found in SA picking him over available junior PG Shelvin Mack of Butler, who had the experience of two straight NCAA tourney runs to the National Championship game and ended up going 34th). Both these reasons were futher reinforced when the Spurs wisely signed veteran and fellow Longhorn TJ Ford as the primary back up PG. Ford was really starting to play great for the Spurs (back to back games off the bench with 7 and 8 assists IIRC) before tearing his hammy and swapping his silver and black duds for a suit. This development forced CJ into a much larger role, up from, basically, no role at all after having just been sent to the Toros a week earlier. Clearly, it seems, the rookie wasn't ready to be the 2nd of two true point guards on an NBA team, and while, to my eyes, he hasn't been entirely awful, he certainly hasn't given Spurs Nation much reason to rejoice, either. The defense, of course, is that Cory was never meant to be in this role this early, and that, with time, he still could develop into a solid back up PG.
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With so many on this board trashing Cory Joseph, and so many trashing him with the same tired knocks over and over again, one question has emerged: Was Joseph a bad pick for the Spurs? And, if so: Who would you have taken at #29?
A couple things must be kept in mind: With the TJ Ford signing, it is clear that the FO never intended on this season being much more than a developmental one for Joseph. Secondly, the kid is the same age as your average year-and-a-half removed from high school college sop re, and, logically, should have a ton more room to grow and improve.
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So far this season, only a few players taken after Joseph have undeniably had better rookie outings than he has. Here they are, in the general order of how they have performed this season (if I have left any out, please add):
CHANDLER PARSONS SF
#38 pick Houston Rockets
Sr. Florida
Kudos to Chandler Parsons, your typical 4 year college player 2nd round pick who really isn't going to stick anywhere, except that he has, and has in a big way for Houston. Chandler has come out of nowhere to steal the starting SF spot (27 starts in 33 games) in H-Town while averaging 25.9 mpg, 7.7 ppg, and 4.8 rpg. Can't really fault the Spurs here: they had already used the 15th on a SF, Leonard, and were clearly courting a veteran to fill in for an amnestied RJ, before being forced to settle on keeping the eternal disappointment.
ISAIAH THOMAS PG
#60 pick Sacramento Kings
Jr. Washington
Ok, maybe we should've taken this guy. With the second to last pick of the 2011 NBA draft the Spurs took Euro stash prospect Adam Hanga, who, personally, I kinda like. With the absolute last pick the Kings took Thomas. The Kings suck, but Thomas has been pretty decent. Recently installed as the starting point guard, the 5'9'' Thomas has impressed in the four games since the switch, averaging 19.5 points, 6.5 assists, 4.25 boards in 34.5 minutes on 51% shooting and 45% from three.
JON LEUER PF
#40 pick Milwaukee Bucks
Sr. Wisconsin
SHELVIN MACK PG
#34 pick Washington Wizards
Jr. Butler
JIMMY BUTLER SF
#30 pick Chicago Bulls
Sr. Marquette
JOSH HARRELLSON C
#45 pick now with NY Knicks
Sr. Kentucky
Gotta get back to work: nap time is over and the little devils are awake. I will try to flesh this out later and check for typos, until then: your thoughts?
Too early to tell
Any smart fan would realize it's too early to tell.
At the same time, someone can still be unimpressed with what they have already seen.
too many options.
should have went with 1. you like the pick 2. you dont like the pick.
The kid wasn't picked to help now. He's barely 20 years old and the end result is still very far away.
Give this kid some time. He should be a sop re in college.
Too early to tell
In His defense, he was on the Toros where he belongs. It's way too early to tell. I cringe anytime the guy shoots the ball. Once TJ get's back, he'll get the proper development he needs.
Yet he is.
Back to the question at hand and strictly using what he has shown on the court I haven't really been impressed. It also looks like no one else has either, he's 0-9-11. Even people who think it's too early to tell don't think he has major upside which would be a great reason to draft someone for what they can offer you in the future.
his as fkn raw as RR the other draft bust stash in europe
No summer league.
Missed most of training camp.
Team has had maybe 2-3 practices all season.
Yeah, it's too early to tell.
Way too early to tell, at least the Spurs got Ford who looked great in his small showing.
What do you expect from the 29th pick in a weak draft?
Someone not worse than Chris Quinn...?
I don't think he's that bad. Doesn't seem to be intimidated by the moment. Doesn't seem to be dominated like a guy that's not capable of being an NBA player. That said, I don't understand why the Spurs bothered to pick someone so young at a position of immediate need simply because Pop will let Duncan bring up the ball before he lets Joseph get consistent minutes.
Voted too early to tell but I really havent been impressed. Im not worried about it at this point as long TJ comes back healthy and is able to get into the groove he was in before the injury. Hopefully a full normal offseason will develop him but he just really hasnt looked good at all this year with the exception of about 8 total minutes of gameplay.
My only issue is potential........I would have no problems drafting him if he excelled at something....super fast, outside shoot, great defense, 7'0 foot wing span, PG skill e.tc.. I just haven't seen anything that he can build on there just isn't a foundation. But on the other hand he should not be wearing a Spurs jersey he is not ready and having him sit the bench is not going to make him a better player. That is not his fault that is Pop and RC who must be hitting the wine bottle a little hard...
The Spurs should have kept him in the D-League from the beginning and brought up a more experience PG from the D-League when Ford was hurt. I do wish him and Richards, and Bertrans the best and hope the can make the team and contribute. But you know if you wants it enough and he bust his ass this summer who knows.....but it ain't going to come to him on a silver platter...
I know it is early and it does not mean much but Draft Express has us taking the following player in the first round:
Tony Wroten PG/SG
Height (with shoes): 6-5
Weight: 204.5
Wingspan: 6-8
From DraftExpress.com http://www.draftexpress.com#ixzz1nG5roS5A
http://www.draftexpress.com
bust, he won't amount to anything.
To play better than the 60th pick.
Needs to learn to stop bending over when he dribbles. Obvious a bad habit developed to improve dribble speed, but it keeps him from seeing the floor.
He's a good kid and seems to work hard. I thought he would go undrafted even in the weak draft. Remember the rooks didn't have an offseason.
It seems like a waste of pick right now.
Jon Leuer would help us much more. Seems a good shot blocker.
It seems like a waste of pick right now.
Jon Leuer would help us much more. Seems a good shot blocker.
Yea this. Especially for the PG position.
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