Official “The Athletic” thread

[Anerdyblackguy]

Part two

Spoiler

So I’m checking my bag in, and my phone is on one percent. I’m thinking I’ll just charge it when I get back to Atlanta, which is where I’m working out for pre-draft. My phone is about to die, and I get a call from a random number. And I’m like I can’t answer this, my phone is about to die. But I think maybe it’s something important, so I decided to answer it.

“And it’s the NBA, and they ask ‘Where are you?’ And I’m like ‘I’m about to get on the plane to head back.’ They said that they needed me back here right now, ‘You’ve got an invite.’ Nobody told me anything. And as soon as I hit end, my phone died. So it was a blessing. Then I had to take an Uber all the way back through the same traffic. But it’s all worth it.”

Mann ended up being, unquestionably, a worthy invite. His game is a quiet, but effective one. You’re not going to see him can five 3s in a game right now, or throw down the thunderous dunk. But he’s effective all over the floor because of his feel for the game. The kind of guy where you’ll look up, and he’ll have nine points, six rebounds, and five assists and two steals in 20 minutes without noticing him doing a damn thing.

At the combine, Kris Wilkes started out hot during the first game and scored eight quick points. Mann came in the game and shut that down real quick during the next stretch. He keeps the ball moving on the floor and makes the right decision constantly. NBA teams have also come away very impressed with him during interviews, as he’s an intelligent kid who is involved with the community off the floor. There are a lot of similarities here in his pre-draft profile to Davon Reed out of Miami (Fla.) in 2017 who ended up being a somewhat surprising No. 32 overall pick in large part due to his potential translatability and character. I wouldn’t bet on Mann going that high, but don’t be surprised if he ends up being something of a shock top-40 pick for a team looking for trustworthy guys who make an impact all over the floor.

Terence Davis, Mississippi: For reasons surpassing comprehension, Davis was not originally invited to the G League Elite Camp after a standout performance at Portsmouth and strong pre-draft workouts for NBA teams. Given that I had Davis ranked at No. 64 heading into the combine and thus thought he probably should have been invited to the main event, it was a bizarre decision. No matter, Davis ended up making it to Chicago after Bennie Boatwright pulled out, and in that time he was terrific. He dropped 22 points in the second game of the G League Elite Camp to secure his place at the NBA Combine. Then, he combined for 30 points and eight rebounds in the two NBA scrimmages, using his athleticism to impose his will on the floor.

Davis also measured exceedingly well at the combine, coming in at over 6-foot-4 with a near-6-9 wingspan and an 8-5 standing reach, well in the range for a true 2 guard. One wild measurement, though, came in the form of his hand size. In the hand width measurement, Davis came in at 10.75, which tied for the second-biggest hands at the combine. To put that into perspective, Kawhi Leonard’s hands only came in half an inch bigger than that. Hand width has only been measured since the 2010 combine, and Sylven Landesberg is the only player to ever hit that mark as a guard. Following his high-level performances at all of Portsmouth, the G League Elite Camp, and the NBA Draft Combine, I think Davis’ name is probably going to be in the mix starting as high as No. 40.
Tacko Fall, UCF: I’ll be honest, I wrote off Fall as a potential draft pick a couple of years ago. I didn’t think there was ever any way that a guy who struggles that much with general coordination would be able to play in the modern NBA. But at the end of the day, I was wrong. Fall is kind of a real NBA Draft prospect.

He just warps the game to such a ridiculous extent. Think about this: in terms of height, the difference between Fall and someone like Steven Adams, a legitimate 7-footer, is equivalent to the height difference between Adams and a true guard at 6-foot-5 like James Harden. Then, throw in the fact that Fall has an absolutely preposterous 8-foot-2.5 wingspan — about four inches longer than that of Mohamed Bamba, and it’s easy to understand why Fall is just a genuinely unique player who is unlike anything else in basketball right now.

But the big movement here for Fall that has made him go from non-prospect to prospect is his frame. He’s gone from being a non-athlete to merely a below-average one, and that might be enough given his unbelievable size. His mobility has increased dramatically over his four years. While he won’t be anything resembling a switch guy on the perimeter, he’s not going to get flat out embarrassed. But on the inside, it’s hard to imagine many guys scoring easily against him. After all, he doesn’t even need to leap to be able to get his hands over the rim, as his 10-foot-2 standing reach gives him a few inches of coverage over the basket against drivers. That was on display in the G League Elite Camp, where he was a legitimately dominant force on the interior, and earned his way into the NBA Draft Combine. Then, in the combine’s first game, Fall made potential first-round pick Neemias Queta look small and dominated around the basket as a rim protector. In the second game, he was a bit less productive, but still useful on defense.

Look, I’m not saying Fall is an answer to a team’s prayers at center. At the end of the day, he’s probably a 10-minute per game guy given his propensity for fouling and his complete and utter inability to make foul shots. But as a weird situational player to throw out there, I can see why a team would be intrigued. If he got picked in the last 10 picks of the draft, I don’t think I’d be particularly surprised. He’ll enter my top-100 board, which is something I never anticipated saying.

Other standouts
• Tulsa wing DaQuan Jeffries was one of the more intriguing seniors to attend both the G League Elite Camp and the combine. He stood out as one of the best players at the first camp, earning his invite to the second camp because of his stout 6-foot-5 frame paired with his 7-foot wingspan. He’s good on defense due to his positional versatility, and he knows down shots with a clean stroke from the outside. I think he’ll get looks starting in the 40s as an interesting potential role player. I’m a fan.

• Washington guard Jaylen Nowell was quite good as a scoring guard this week, essentially continuing along the same trajectory he did with the Huskies. I don’t know that he necessarily did anything different, but he looked a bit more athletic and explosive than we got to see at Washington. I had him ranked right around 60 coming into the combine, and he’ll move up into the 50 range, meaning he’ll be in play for teams sometime earlier than that.

• Tennessee guard Jordan Bone dominated the athletic testing portion of the combine, something that tracks well with his terrific ability to get separation on the floor as a lead guard. He was the first guard in over a decade to post a sub-10-second lane agility drill, and his 43-inch vertical leap led the combine. So why can’t he be considered a full-stop standout deserving of his own section? Well, Bone struggled in the five-on-five. He wasn’t particularly efficient as a scorer, and he only facilitated well in one of the two games. Basically, Bone’s issue continues to be a lack of polish as a ball-handler, scorer, and decision-maker. There’s a real chance he ends up sticking in the NBA at some point because he’s, simply put, an utterly elite athlete. But it’s going to take some time in the G League. I wouldn’t blame a team for drafting him in the second half of the second round, but he strikes me as more of a two-way guy.

• On the other side of that spectrum, LSU guard Tremont Waters doesn’t have the measurables at just 5-10 in shoes. His agility times were fine, not elite. But that dude just has such an innate feel for the game that it’s hard not to believe in him. He commanded the show, knocking down 3-pointers off the bounce and distributing at a high level. He generally was the best point guard on the floor in games where his primary matchups were Shamorie Ponds and Bone. There’s a real chance Waters ends up turning into a very interesting backup point guard. I’d select him over Bone, and think he’s a reasonable second round pick for a team.

-Former Syracuse commit and current New Balance employee Darius Bazley was solid in his combine appearance. The key for guys like him is not looking out place, given that he’s only 18. He was particularly solid in the second game of the combine, where he looked much more poised than the other non-college, non-pro player in attendance, Jalen Lecque. He came in at a solid 6-9 with an 8-11 standing reach, great size for the 4 position. He also looked to have put on about 15 to 20 pounds from his high school playing days. I don’t think it’s likely Bazley gets picked in the first round, but I’d expect someone to take a chance in the second round on developing him long-term.

• UCLA wing Kris Wilkes has long struggled with a skinny frame. But throughout the last year being out here in Los Angeles, I’ve gotten a chance to see him grow and get a lot stronger. While he only came in three pounds heavier this year at the combine than last year, the difference in muscle mass and bulk is substantial. He’s much broader across his chest now, and stronger through his legs. The result of that is increased ability to actually play through contact, something he showed at the combine. He’s still going to have to prove himself in the G League and likely be something of a two-way contract candidate, but he’s now a project that I think is certainly worth undertaking for a team given that he’s a 6-8 wing with legitimate shooting potential and ball skills.

• A pair of other seniors who played well in the five-on-five: Mississippi State wing Quinndary Weatherspoon and Nevada wing Cody Martin. Weatherspoon’s shooting ability shone through, and Martin’s all-around decision-making and defensive prowess looked terrific in this setting. Both of these guys are more likely to be two-way contract candidates, but they wouldn’t look out of place hearing their name called on draft night.

• Finally, former Miami (Fla.) big man Dewan Hernandez had an absolutely awesome week in Chicago. He started at the G League combine, where I spoke with one executive who believed he wouldn’t have Hernandez in his top 150 prospects off of the top of his head. But throughout the first half of the week, Hernandez turned heads with his terrific hands, ability to run the floor, touch around the basket, and burgeoning ability as a stretch big man. That earned him an NBA Draft Combine invite. Then in the two combine games, Hernandez combined to score 32 points and grab 15 rebounds, including a fantastic double-double performance in the Friday scrimmage. I still don’t think Hernandez ends up getting drafted, but I bet his performance here gets him a two-way contract. He’ll also enter my top-100 board, as it’s clear he’s taken his year off and gotten much, much better.

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

Part three

Spoiler

Other Notes
The Nassir Little Media Session Narrative

One strange takeaway out of the NBA Draft Combine seemed to be that, during his media session, former North Carolina forward Nassir Little blamed his inconsistency this season on the coaching staff. I’m not sure if that happened because the media sessions for this NBA Draft Combine lacked the exciting storylines of years past and people were looking for a quick story or what, but the narrative that Little blames Roy Williams and the Tar Heel coaching staff for his struggles is wrong.

Little simply was acknowledging the fact that hesitancy in himself and in his own game caused issues. He wasn’t sure what exactly he was supposed to do on the court. “Just kind of being unsure, playing out of position, created some confusion on the court which caused me to be hesitant,” Little said.

When he says playing out of position, he doesn’t mean that he thought the coaches were doing something wrong for what the team needed. He was saying that it was just something he hadn’t done before. You had to be there to understand what his tone and voice were. He wasn’t trying to pass the buck or anything; he was actually trying to acknowledge his own role while noting that his fit in the scheme wasn’t necessarily seamless, something I’ve written about multiple times at length. That doesn’t mean he’s calling out the coaching. Rather, he’s just calling out the challenges of adjusting to something new in his freshman season.

The fact of the matter is, according to sources close to him, Little loved his time at North Carolina even in spite of the struggles. And it’s not just a fake thing where he’s trying to put on a positive attitude for the draft process. He looks at it as a positive experience even if the basketball side didn’t go according to plan.

“It was a struggle statistically, I’m talking about, but on the court I developed, my body developed and became more mature in the weight room there, learning about the game, playing against actual defense – in high school there is no help, you beat your guy you’re going to get a dunk. Going to college exposes you to what’s helpful for the NBA,” Little said.

Here’s the thing: as media members, we want athletes to be intelligent and introspective. We want them to look at situations with maturity, then give us honest answers on what they’re feeling and seeing out on the floor. Little is the epitome of those characteristics. He’s thoughtful and smart beyond his years for a kid that just turned 19 years old in February. It’s unfair to players — and the readership at large — to misconstrue what guys say when they’re trying to give interesting answers to complicated questions.

Because at the end of the day, all that matters realistically is how Little answers these questions for NBA teams. And during his 13 interviews at the combine, Little came off impressively, according to sources who spoke with The Athletic. Teams appreciated, specifically, that he took responsibility with them for not playing up to what he considered his standard, and they also liked his answers on how he responded to the adversity of coming off the bench for the first time. I’m comfortable saying that Little is likely to go somewhere in the top-15, with the top-10 remaining a distinct possibility.

Bol Bol stock all over the board
I went to Chicago hoping to gain more clarity on Bol’s draft situation. I can’t say that ended up happening, although there is certainly something of a direction to it. Bol’s measurements were absolutely terrific as he came in at nearly 7-foot-1 without shoes, a 7-7 wingspan, and a 9-foot-7 standing reach. Those are Rudy Gobert-ish numbers. However, he only weighed in at 208 pounds, a much lower number than the 235 pounds he was listed at when he played for Oregon earlier this year. So either Oregon was wrong about what he weighed, or he’s lost nearly 30 pounds while injured from not working out. Either answer is not a particularly encouraging sign.

Evaluators are still remarkably mixed on Bol. The weight is a legitimate issue. He can’t play in the NBA with his high center of gravity at 210 pounds. He’ll get pushed around all over the place. Teams also just will pull him away from the basket constantly and force him to guard on the perimeter, something he was not particularly interested in doing or was incapable of accomplishing in his short stint this season. But at 7-foot-2 with that length, Bol is also a genuine floor spacer who can hit 3s at a near-40-percent clip from Day One. That’s a legitimately fascinating package of skills, especially when paired with the fact that he can handle the ball a little bit out in space. But the injury is a serious issue for teams as well, as big men tend to have recurring foot problems.

It’s all going to come down to what kind of reports doctors get back on the foot, and what kind of intel evaluators get back on Bol’s work ethic and background. His motor on the floor is not particularly strong, and he has a reputation for not working as hard as possible off the court. Is it possible that it’s just teenage immaturity, and something that a team can work with? Or is it just never going to come, especially once a team gives him millions of dollars? That’s the conundrum facing every NBA team. Are they willing to take the risk/reward plunge with Bol? Genuinely his draft night will be among the most interesting storylines in the entire event.

Bol will be in consideration for teams starting around No. 10 or so. But I also can’t guarantee you that he ends up going in the first round right now, given how risk-averse decision-makers tend to be. That’s how in flux this situation is. That’s how wide Bol’s draft range is. Ultimately, for Bol to be picked anywhere, it’s going to take something of a leap of faith by a lead decision maker. He’s going to have to, on some level, overlook the many questions that surround Bol as a player at the next level and just decide to say “Screw it, I’m taking a chance.” When does the risk outweigh the reward? For me personally, probably not until around the second round starts. But there are certainly evaluators who think otherwise and rate him much more highly.

Brian Bowen shows up with confidence to NBA Draft Combine

Last year, Bowen showed up to the Combine after a long season. He was supposed to play for Louisville. The FBI investigation into college basketball prevented that. Then, he went and practiced with South Carolina, hoping to get eligible at some point. That never happened. So at that point, Bowen hadn’t played competitive game time in about a year. It’s easy to see why there was some rust on his game. Bowen has always belonged on the court with the best of them, from the time he was a five-star prospect in high school, but imagine taking basically a year off. Of course his athleticism waned a bit, and the speed of the game caught up to him. It would for anyone.

But here’s the other thing: Bowen was also known as something of a shy kid coming up throughout his career. People close to him say that if you got to know him, he was a genuinely funny kid who would make you laugh as hard as you’ve ever laughed in your life. But he just wasn’t quite as open to allowing anyone into his life at that stage, and he could occasionally question himself. He went off to Australia, where I talked to him within a month of his arrival as he was getting settled.

It’s clear that a season in Australia, out of his former comfort zone, has done wonders for getting Bowen out of his shell. Bowen showed up to Chicago with all sorts of confidence, looking as comfortable in his own skin as anyone who has known him for a long time can remember. He didn’t make a ton of shots during his five-on-five games, but he looked confident taking them after a year of playing against full-grown men in the NBL. Then in the media session, Bowen was laid back and comfortable answering anything and everything that was volleyed his way. That’s where the moment that exemplified Bowen’s growth and maturity came out the most. A writer from Yahoo! Sports asked Bowen a question about struggling last year at the NBA Draft Combine. He asked Bowen if he felt like he “belonged” at the combine this year more than he did last year. Bowen responded with a quick smile and laugh, then a volley of his own.

“I remember last year, I remember your article saying I didn’t belong out there,” Bowen said. “That was on my wall in Australia. I put that up there. I put that quote. ‘He doesn’t belong out there.’ A lot of people out there I want to prove wrong, and you’re just one of those guys I wanted to prove wrong. So I feel a lot better about myself.”

When I relayed that story later that night to someone who knows Bowen, their immediate reaction was “No way, he didn’t do that.” There was a genuine surprise that he had the confidence to go on the offensive in a setting that is, by nature, awkward owing to the cameras and recorders in the athlete’s face. But that’s what happens when you’re thrown into an incredibly tough situation for two years: you grow up, and you start to figure out just exactly who you are. Given how much people have talked about him over the last two years, it’s hard to remember sometimes that he’s still only 20 years old.

The feedback on Bowen is that he should expect to hear his name called on draft night sometime in the second round. It’s hard to find guys who are 6-7 with athleticism and shooting ability. Where he ends up and when? We’ll see. But I’d bet on Bowen figuring things out. He’s finally come through the other side of a trying two years, and he hasn’t crumbled in the face of adversity. In fact, he’s grown stronger.

Will They Stay or Will They Go?

Jordan Nwora, Louisville: So this is a fascinating situation. For a multitude of reasons, Nwora ended up not participating in a ton of NBA team workouts in the lead-up to the NBA Draft Combine. However, prior to the event, he ended up spraining a calf muscle and had to pull out of the five-on-five. That means, largely, Nwora hasn’t performed in front of a ton of high-level evaluators and decision-makers yet with just seven days to go before he has to make his final decision on if he’ll go pro or return to Louisville. Around the combine, it was believed that Nwora would prefer to go pro as long as he gets a guaranteed contract. However, those same people believed he likely would end up returning to Louisville unless he could get back on the floor at a high level in front of some of those important people.

This choice is certainly not made yet, and it’ll go down to the wire. Nwora is signed with agent Bill Duffy, and the agency has its pro day out in Los Angeles on May 28, the day before a final decision has to be made. Right now, I think it would be a fairly large risk for Nwora to declare even if his only goal is to get a guaranteed contract. Right now, depending on other decisions for players in his range, he’s in the No. 40-ish range on my big board, which is right where things start to get iffy in regards to guaranteed money. Personally, I think that given his situation and given that he can’t go back in time and do some workouts before the combine, it probably behooves him to return to school, be the best player on a top-10 team, and try his luck again next year at the first round. In regard to what actually happens, I’d probably ballpark odds at around 55/45 on return to school versus turn pro.

Neemias Queta, Utah State: Queta had a strong measurements portion of the combine, but struggled when it came to playing. In the first game, the aforementioned Fall really gave Queta fits. He struggled significantly dealing with not just Fall, but some of the quicker guards in attendance. He was better in the second game as a rim protector, but wasn’t necessarily a standout.

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

Part four

Spoiler

The word from sources around the combine on Friday (following his struggles on Thursday) was that Queta was likely to return to Utah State. The 7-foot big man is unlikely to hear his name called in the first round, and would be risking a tougher road to reach the NBA if he was to end up going through the process. Queta will likely fall somewhere in the No. 43 to 48 range on my board, depending on who else decides to go through with the process. That’s a really iffy range in regard to ending up with guaranteed money. Still, Queta said on Thursday that no decisions have been made, and that the feedback he gets will determine whether or not he stays in. He played somewhat coy about the feedback he’s gotten when he spoke with The Athletic during his media session.

“I like it,” Queta said about the feedback he’s gotten so far with a huge smile on his face. Then after a follow-up question, he again reiterated only that “I like it.”

With that mixed set of information, it’s hard to say with any sort of confidence what Queta’s call will be. I’ll go out on a limb and believe those who said he’s likely to return, even with the huge caveat of Queta projecting strength in his position.

Jalen Lecque, Brewster Academy: Another player who had a fascinating combine. Lecque ended up with some of the best athletic testing numbers of any player in attendance, something that does not come as a surprise to anyone who has scouted him previously. And in Thursday’s five-on-five game, the 6-foot-4 guard certainly did not look out of place on the floor at all. He dished out some terrific, creative assists, showcasing more of a facilitating mentality than he’s previously shown in the past. Also in that game, he only scored once in the half-court and turned it over five times in 16 minutes. On some level, I think the expectations were somewhat lowered for Lecque due to the raw nature of his game and the competition level that he’d previously been faced off against. By showcasing high-level flashes mixed with really bad moments, he ended up winning.

After that performance, Lecque decided that he’d shown enough and decided to sit out the second day of the combine. That decision was a weird one to me. But typically, guys don’t do that unless they’re comfortable with where they think they’re going to be picked. This one comes with no inside information attached, but I’d bet that Lecque ends up staying in the draft as opposed to heading to NC State in the fall. He had to have gotten some sort of information that led to him making this call. If that ends up being the case, my guess is that a team takes a flier on him in the last 15 picks of the draft.

Isaiah Roby, Nebraska: Roby had a mixed first day at the combine, but his second day was terrific. He showcased off the grab-and-go ability and athleticism that has made him a fascinating prospect for a while. Additionally, his switchability on defense stood out, as his 6-foot-8 frame and 7-foot-1 wingspan mixed with high level explosiveness and fluidity makes him extremely intriguing prospect on that end. He can handle the ball, and shoot it, and defend multiple positions. That’s the prototype role player for today’s NBA. The key will be adding strength to his 217-pound frame, as even college players occasionally pushed him around. Additionally, his confidence sometimes wavers, and players at the next level can smell that from a mile away. He needs to understand how talented he is, and have confidence in himself.

Sources around Nebraska would obviously be thrilled to see Roby return, but they’re not anticipating it actually happening. Roby will almost certainly be drafted and given some guaranteed money. For his part, Roby said it’s still all up in the air and that it’ll go down to the wire on his decision.

“Mainly, it’ll be the feedback I get from these teams. Which teams, and in which range, are excited and looking forward to getting a chance to draft me,” Roby said about what he’s looking for in regard to his decision. “(Coach) Fred’s (Hoiberg) been helpful. He’s on board with what my plan was. We talked, and both came to the conclusion that if I had a good chance to get drafted and secure an NBA contract, he said he’ll be the first to congratulate me.

“At the same time, he wants me back on his team, and said if it doesn’t work out he’ll be happy to have me back and that he’s had a lot of success with guys like me in his system. When they hired him, that’s something I knew right away. He’s gotten multiple guys to the NBA from my position, and that was huge for me.”

This seems to be a greater lean toward him going pro as opposed to returning to school, but obviously as Roby said, no decision has been made.

Oshae Brissett, Syracuse: Unlike Roby, Brissett’s final call has been made. On Tuesday, he announced that he’s going to stay in the NBA Draft. Brissett had a strong week after playing in the G League Elite Camp. He was one of the unmitigated standouts there, earning his way into the NBA Draft Combine after getting to show off more things offensively than he gets to at Syracuse. Instead of being forced to create everything for himself, he was able to get opportunities direct off the catch, or get back cuts going toward the basket. The increased space also helped him, and he looked every bit of the intriguing prospect scouts thought he was as a freshman.

At the NBA Draft Combine, his play was a bit more mixed. He obviously measured well at 6-8 in shoes with a 7-foot wingspan, and then additionally showcased a bit more explosiveness and bounce than he’s gotten a chance to show at Syracuse by pulling off a 37.5-inch vertical leap. But his performance in the five-on-five against ostensibly better competition was much more average.

That’s totally fine, though. Basically, Brissett moved himself from being something of a borderline top-100 prospect for teams into putting himself well into the mix for the second round. Maybe he gets drafted, maybe not. For some players, that might not be enough to stick in the draft. Here’s why though, in Brissett’s case, I think it’s a reasonable call. At Syracuse, he’s just not going to get the chance to showcase the things executives are looking for. The floor is always condensed at Syracuse offensively because few teams respect their shooters from deep. On defense, he’s going to be stuck playing in a zone and not getting a chance to prove himself in man-to-man defense.

This isn’t to say Jim Boeheim is a bad coach or anything; he’s not. Rather, their goals are misaligned here. Brissett needs to show that he can hit catch-and-shoot 3s, defend in man-to-man, and attack closeouts. But that’s not what he’ll be asked to do at Syracuse, who will likely ask him to create off the bounce, and try to make plays on his own — something that he’s just not quite good enough at because his handle isn’t great and his first step isn’t all that strong. Those aren’t necessarily skills Brissett will need at the next level. Even Brissett ends up going undrafted, it’s probably better for Brissett to develop in the G League for his pro career.

Ignas Brazdeikis, Michigan: Brazdeikis also decided to turn pro on Tuesday, thus ending his collegiate career. From the time Brazdeikis declared, it always seemed like this would be the most likely outcome, even if the feedback hasn’t exactly been as strong as what he seems to be hoping for. Indeed, there seems to be a bit of a disconnect on where Brazdeikis publicly is saying he’s likely to be selected versus the feedback I’ve heard from NBA teams.

In interviews following a workout with the Pistons on Monday, Brazdeikis said he believes his current draft range is something like No. 20 to 40. I’ve yet to hear from a team interested in selecting Brazdeikis with a late first-round pick. There might be executives doing due diligence on him in that range, but it’s hard for me to envision him rising to the level that he’s their top choice at that spot. I’d more peg his range in the 35 to 60 area following a below-average NBA Draft Combine performance. He wasn’t particularly good on defense, and scored 18 points on 18 shots in the five-on-five. He measured under 6-6 in shoes with a 6-9 wingspan. His 8-6 standing reach will likely resign him to the wing given his athletic constraints. He tested as an average athlete, which was probably a bit better than expectations. Overall, it just wasn’t a terrific outing for him.

It’s not that Brazdeikis is making a bad decision. His coach left, and he’d be looking at starting new under someone else. Who’s to say if that coach will accentuate his skills or not? If it ends up being Juwan Howard, we don’t really have a track record as to whether or not it would have fit. Overall, I get what Brazdeikis decided to do, but I’m just not sure I see his draft range as particularly high.

Quentin Grimes, Kansas: Grimes is in a weird spot, obviously. Even he acknowledged that this season was something of a roller coaster for him. That continued at the combine. His athletic testing was pretty average, and his performance in the five-on-five games was mixed. He was solid in the first game, flashing some ability to facilitate and play efficiently. In the second game, he really struggled with his shot and didn’t do much to impress going 1-9 from the field. The good news is that he got a chance to play on the ball a bit more often, which showcased some of the passing and facilitating that scouts liked coming into his freshman season.

It wasn’t enough of a standout performance to push Grimes back into first-round discussion, but was it enough for a team to potentially buy into him as a project? That’s possible. The feeling around the combine was that Grimes is in between a rock and a hard place. If Devon Dotson was to return, Grimes wouldn’t get an opportunity to play on ball much next season, and thus wouldn’t get to showcase some of the interesting aspects of his game. For that reason, sources speculated on a potential transfer if he does decide to return to school. Obviously, that’s not ideal as it would resign him to spending two more years as an amateur. In that vein, the other option here could simply be to turn pro, get into the G League, and decide to build his career that way. The extra driving lanes could help his game a bit, as could getting more experience as a lead. For his part, Grimes hasn’t made a decision.

“Right now, I’m keeping everything open,” Grimes said. “My parents have been talking to the coaches at Kansas, trying to get as much information. My agents have been in contact with a lot of teams. I have a couple of workouts after the combine. I’m trying to wait until that late May deadline to make a decision, but so far it’s been going good feedback so far.”

Devon Dotson, Kansas: Dotson was much more impressive at the combine, which shouldn’t be a surprise given his terrific freshman season. In his second combine game, he had one of the better overall performances by scoring 10 points, dishing out nine assists, and grabbing six rebounds. Still, the feel around the NBA is that teams would prefer he go back to school for a couple of reasons. First, his jump shot just isn’t quite the threat it needs to be from distance to consistent space the floor. Second, he came in a bit smaller in terms of measurements than expected, and they wonder if his body is ready for the rigor of the NBA. Given that teams see him as more of a backup guard now, they’d prefer to get value from him early, and there is some real doubt about if he can provide that now.

Given that I don’t think Dotson helped himself enough to push up into the first round, I think he would do well by returning to Kansas for another season. There is legitimate room for growth in his stock if he can become more comfortable in traffic and more comfortable shooting from distance. He’d be a likely preseason All-American because of his talent, playing in a high-profile situation at Kansas for a good team next to Udoka Azubuike. That’s a good spot to be in.

Charles Bassey, Western Kentucky: Bassey did not cover himself in glory at the combine. Simply put, it’s very difficult to see where his fit is in the modern NBA. He’s not a good enough shooter at this stage, he’s not mobile enough to defend on the perimeter as he’s put on some weight over the last three years, and he just generally doesn’t have much in the way of ball skill right now. It also doesn’t help that he doesn’t put pressure on the rim vertically because he doesn’t roll hard to the basket.

While Bassey has long been seen as a one-and-done, sources speculated to The Athletic that there is a real chance Bassey returns to Western Kentucky for his sophomore year. Right now, I’d venture he’s somewhere in the 45 to undrafted range. There’s just not a lot of interest there right now from NBA teams. Given that he’s just turned 19, I think it would behoove him to return, try to work on his frame a bit, try to recover some of the fluidity he has lost athletically over the last couple of years, and try his luck again next year.

Reggie Perry, Mississippi State: Perry had a standout G League Elite Camp last week, putting up big numbers in terms of points and rebounding. The NBA Draft Combine did not go as well, though. He seemed to struggle with the increased size and length of some of the players he was up against, playing much less efficiently than he did at the prior event.

“I just have to see what the NBA says, the feedback they give me,” Perry said. “See where my draft pick is.”

Given that bigs are quite easy to find nowadays, I’d imagine Perry would be in a similar boat to Bassey, somewhere in the 50 to undrafted range.

Killian Tillie, Gonzaga: Tillie ended up having to withdraw from the combine. He suffered a sprained ankle at a workout with the Hawks prior to the combine. The feeling around the league is that, after a season where few evaluators got a chance to see him after he suffered multiple injuries, Tillie would do well to return to school unless he can get in front of executives to do more workouts prior to the May 29 deadline. Some teams are big fans of Tillie long-term, but he needs to find a way to stay healthy after such a tough year

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

Part five

Spoiler

Final Takeaways
NBA agents and executives have mixed feelings on whether or not playing in the combine helps. On the one hand, playing in a disorganized, messy pick-up game could end up hindering players’ stock as much as it could help it. Because at the end of the day, this is a single data point that often ends up having more outsized meaning than it should because seemingly every executive in the NBA is in attendance, and it’s something that seems like it should matter. But why would prospects — who in many cases have stellar long-term college careers — want to take the risk of having a single bad game on Thursday and it having an outsized effect on their future?

Well, because the reward often ends up being worth it. Look at the players who ended up rising in the draft process last season. Kevin Huerter, Josh Okogie, and Donte DiVincenzo all solidified their stock to the point of being able to stay in the draft and becoming first rounders. Jacob Evans played and proved himself as a first-round pick. Melvin Frazier and Gary Trent helped themselves and moved up teams’ boards on their way to guaranteed deals. In 2017, Kyle Kuzma is a perfect example of how balling out in the five-on-five can lead to a jump. And then look at a few of the guys who skipped out on the five-on-five after being asked to play last year: Brandon McCoy, Malik Newman, and Trevon Duval. All three went undrafted, with Newman and McCoy ending up in the G League Elite Camp this year after tough seasons in the G League.

There is no right or wrong answer, here. Teams and the league certainly would prefer that players play at the event, as it showcases their competitiveness and gives them another chance to see them. More than that, they would strongly prefer that every prospect at least attends the event.

In the most recent collective bargaining agreement, there is language stating that the Player’s Association and the league itself “shall work together to identify ways to secure full player participation in each year’s Draft Combine for all invited players; and, in connection with this effort, improve the overall player experience at the Combine. As part of this undertaking, the Players Association will strongly encourage invited players to attend each year’s Draft Combine.”

Teams want players there because it gives them a great chance to interview players and get to know them personally, as well as give them access to players’ medical records. On the other side, the Players’ Association obviously has an aversion to players being forced to hand over information to teams that could potentially hinder their futures as opposed to making teams do their own homework.

The NBA certainly wants the combine to be an event on par with that of the NFL’s version, because it creates an entry-way into marketing their best prospects. But until these conflicting ideals are worked out, it’s difficult for me to foresee a circumstance where that happens. There are just too many loopholes and reasons for players and their representatives to avoid the event, thus making it less relevant.

 

[DonKnock]

I’m a subscriber to the Athletic and they have some great articles.


I don’t mind sharing them with you guys for free. Just tag me the article and I’ll post it for you. Just like the ESPN + thread.

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

Spoiler

The Ikosystem: Rockets aggressive in trade talks; Nick Nurse forever a Viper

Isaiah Hartenstein and Michael Frazier had a 9:30 workout at Toyota Center on Wednesday morning, as they’ve had every day for more than a week now.

At some point during a break, Hartenstein checked his phone and muttered “Damn” after reading the Adrian Wojnarowski tweet that the Rockets were making all players and picks available in trade talks.

Another young player, Vince Edwards, was in Ohio when he heard the news.

Both figured everything could be on the table after the way the season ended for the Rockets this year, another excruciating playoff ouster by the Golden State Warriors, but seeing it spelled out for all to see was still shocking.

Houston owner Tilman Fertitta had warned of as much minutes after the disappointing Game 6 loss at home to the undermanned Warriors, saying, “They kicked our ass on our home court. They beat us by 10 points in the fourth quarter. It’s unacceptable, OK? We just have to be better. I know that we’re going to rise to the occasion and our time is going to come.

“James (Harden) is 30 years old (in August). … Hakeem (Olajuwon) didn’t win his first championship until (31). I can promise you, we’re going to win some championships with James Harden, because we are not going to sit here. We will go to battle every year. We’re going to have a strong offseason, and we’re going to do whatever we need to do to be a better team. We are not going to sit on our hands, I can promise you that.”

In the two and a half weeks since that night, four high-profile exits have hit the coaching staff — top defensive assistant Jeff Bzdelik, assistant coaches Roy Rogers and Mitch Vanya and player development assistant Irv Roland. Head coach Mike D’Antoni has said he wants to come back, and the team stated during the season that it intends to extend his contract this offseason. Negotiations are believed to be ongoing. But how much more will D’Antoni’s team have changed if he indeed returns?

Of the players who could bring a significant return in a trade, one is center Clint Capela, who came up small in the series against the Warriors and seems to be a poor match against them in playoff settings. The 25-year-old big man is in the first year of a five-year, $80 million guaranteed deal. That’s an extremely team-friendly contract, making him a movable piece.

Capela has improved in every season he’s been a part of the organization and is the prototypical rim-running big man so many teams are dying for these days. Phoenix and Sacramento were high on him a year ago, only to see their lottery luck pan out differently.

Then there’s the case of Chris Paul, to whom the Rockets owe $124 million over the next three years. As The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported earlier this month, Paul had tense moments with Harden throughout the Game 6 loss to the Warriors, culminating in a verbal back-and-forth after the game that went into the locker room. Sources said the verbal exchange was regarding the ball distribution throughout Game 6. By the time the remainder of the locker room was ready to talk, Paul and Harden had gone their separate ways, with Paul swiftly making his way to the postgame podium. The Rockets dispensed with exit interviews this year, so the media haven’t been able to ask Paul or Harden about the disappointment.

With the way Houston’s offense is now set up, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where they could get drastically better by moving Paul, who is 34. If D’Antoni returns and sticks with his staggering scheme, how would the Rockets improve without the All-Star guard’s services? He’s still one of the game’s best floor generals and defenders, even at his age. His scoring might not be what it once was, but it’s hard to pin the Rockets’ lack of a Western Conference finals berth on him.

One league source said that Houston “would move heaven and earth” if it could acquire someone like Kawhi Leonard, who has shown he can lead a team to the NBA Finals — first with San Antonio and now with Toronto. Every other big-name free agent will be on Houston’s radar, too, as GM Daryl Morey looks for an avenue to climb into that elusive championship tier.

As for the coaching changes, perhaps the most surprising was the decision to move on from Roland. Some within the organization believe D’Antoni could have tried to prevent Roland’s firing but contend that he didn’t stand in the way.

The remaining assistants — Jon Lucas, Matt Brase and Brett Gunning — could be safe for now, but there’s a strong sense of uneasiness. Some are looking over their shoulder, unsure of their job security amid the upheaval. Specifically, the contracts of Gunning and Brase are likely not to be renewed after they expire in 2020.

All of it has the potential to affect the high level of morale and camaraderie the Rockets have enjoyed for so long. You have D’Antoni, insistent on an extension and obsessed with getting over the hump. He was not comfortable without the assurance of long-term security and wants to put pen to paper. There’s Morey, the wheeler and dealer whose feelings on a three-year extension are unclear at this point. There’s even one school of thought that the recent moves were done to discourage D’Antoni from wanting to extend his time in Houston.

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

Part two

Spoiler

The Athletic reported Tuesday that ex-Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue is on Houston’s radar as a top assistant. One school of thought, according to a league source, is whoever steps into the role will be groomed and eventually replace D’Antoni. As early as the Monday following Houston’s playoff exit, several coaches had expressed varying levels of interest in joining the organization, a source said.

Three other names of interest are Nick Van Exel, Kenny Ellis and Zico Coronel. Van Exel is an assistant coach in Memphis, but it’s expected that some members of that staff will be let go as the team searches for a new head coach. Coronel is one of the top offensive minds in New Zealand’s NBL and spent some time in Houston this season shadowing D’Antoni, whom he considers his biggest inspiration. His team, the Taylor Hawks, is second in the league standings and ranks first in most offensive categories.

Ellis works in player development and already has ties to Houston, primarily for his work with Danuel House. Houston’s front office has been impressed with the job he’s done, allowing House to go from league unknown to rotation mainstay. Privately, Ellis believes he can fix Capela’s free throw form and P.J. Tucker’s consistency from 3-point range and his dribbling.

“There is definitely interest from myself for the position,” Ellis told The Athletic. “I would love to be a part of the new change. I’m no stranger to fixing flaws in players’ skills at a rapid pace. Moving forward, the top priority is the development of players.”

Other names, such as Chris Finch and Stephen Silas, float around in league circles as Houston seeks to solidify its staff.

Houston’s list of qualified coaching candidates runs deep. The Rockets are looking for smart minds, people who can come in and contribute as a whole and who believe in their philosophy. They’re driven by overcoming the Warriors and realized yet again this postseason how painful it is to keep falling short.

Before he defeated the Greek Freak and the mighty Bucks, before he took the Raptors to their first-ever NBA Finals, Toronto head coach Nick Nurse was a key member of the Rockets organization, coach of their G-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

He was a beloved figure there, leading the Vipers to a championship in 2013 over the Santa Cruz Warriors. Gersson Rosas, the newly appointed President of Basketball Operations of the Timberwolves, worked closely with Nurse while the two were in Rio Grande Valley and spoke to The Athletic recently about their relationship, their success and Nurse’s terrible suits.

When did you know there was something special about Nurse, as opposed to the NBA coaches you’ve been around?

You know for me, as we evaluated Nick as a head coach for the Vipers, he was a guy who had had a lot of success independently (with the G-League team in) Iowa. We had played against them in the Finals before, so I knew firsthand his ability to coach, his passion, his creativity and his open-mindedness to how the game was at that level. It really impressed me. I identified him as a candidate and interviewed him for our head coaching position. I really got the sense of a coach who had a creative mindset, and who looked at things differently than most coaches and a lot of that had to do with his background. He’s a guy that had coached overseas and had different experiences than most, and had started a program at Iowa and found success. He was passionate about the sport in a way that most coaches aren’t.

How did you know that his ability would translate to the NBA, going from Rio Grande Valley to an assistant coaching job and then eventually a full-time gig?

The combination of general intelligence, curiosity and a passion to maximize his players’ and team’s abilities. I think that translates at any level. Anywhere that you coach, if you’re willing to have those three things with a good work ethic and strong attention to detail, it gives you a platform for success. He had a chip on his shoulder and wanted to prove himself as a coach and have success. Those are pretty good driving forces that indicate future success at a high level.

What does that say about the Rio Grande Valley and Rockets system — both in terms of cultivating the talent of the players and coaches — with the Houston overhead. How does that all work together to put a product on the table?

Well to be fair to Nick, he had already had success. He had already won a G-League championship at the time, but I think the time with the Vipers really changed his perspective. He finally had the support of an organization. He had the opportunity to be with an NBA staff — Kevin McHale, Chris Finch and the rest of the staff in Houston really supported his growth as a coach. We had him around Houston a lot, and I think he grew from that. He and I had a great relationship. We both grew, both challenged each other, but became better basketball men as a result of that relationship.

Have you kept in close contact with him since then? With him getting to the NBA Finals, have you guys talked, texted, anything of that nature?

Yeah! We’ve got a great relationship. I have a good relationship with most of the coaches I’ve worked with, but the success he had this year (with Toronto) was so fun to watch. I kid him all the time about his suits on the sidelines, especially earlier in the year. I complimented him recently on the success his team is having, and any time you live with somebody and are married to someone in that role, you want to see them be successful and I’m very proud of him.

We’ve had the opportunity to stay in touch during the year. Even as I was still with Houston and both of us were starting the playoffs, it was a goal to meet in the Finals. To see that they’ve reached that objective is very special, knowing where he’s come from and the opportunity for him as a first-time coach in the NBA. It speaks a lot to him and Masai [Ujiri, the GM], and the entire Raptors organization.

 

[MVike28]

Five observations from the Warriors' Game 1 NBA Finals loss...

Thanks in advance breh

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

Five observations from the Warriors' Game 1 NBA Finals loss...

Thanks in advance breh

Spoiler

TORONTO — Here are five observations from the Warriors’ 118-109 loss in Thursday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals to the Raptors, only their second Game 1 loss of the Steve Kerr era.

1. Elevated competition
Four days before the Raptors popped them by nine in the Finals opener, a prominent member of the Warriors posed a question: “Why the fukk are we such big favorites?”

Vegas had opened with a series line that confused him. You’d have to bet $275 on the Warriors to win $100.

“Did they watch the Blazers series?” he asked.

The Warriors trailed for more time than they led against Portland. They fell down 17, 18 and 17 at separate times in the final three games of that misleading sweep. Thursday’s opener was the fourth straight game they’ve trailed by double-digits.

The Blazers — tired, banged up, newbies to the stage, appearing content to call it a season — bumbled away all three games to a shorthanded but hardened Warriors team prepared to pounce, if the path was laid. Portland laid it. But the Raptors aren’t the Blazers. They’re much better. Vegas, like the Warriors, must now adjust.

Toronto’s defensive talent, smarts and focus are the most glaring differences. Remember Game 1 against the Blazers, four days removed from that six-game Rockets war? After getting muscled around by P.J. Tucker and Houston’s thick, powerful switch scheme for two weeks, the Warriors moved around shockingly unbothered against the Blazers.

Steph Curry walked into nine easy 3-pointers in the opener. Klay Thompson cut into swaths of open space. Draymond Green galloped free on the fastbreak. No one deterred them at the rim.

That’s no longer the case. Toronto’s built for this time of year. The Raptors have a 102.9 defensive rating in these playoffs. No one out West, not even the Warriors, is under 107.9.

The Raptors’ roster construction makes sense, defensively, in this matchup. They have Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet tag-teaming against Curry. That’s two bigger, physical guards glad to take the occasional fouls if they can be handsy all game.

Curry got 14 free throws in Game 1, his most in these playoffs. But he was 8 of 18 shooting and had to work harrrrrd for his 34 points. The physicality bothered him. He went into a few timeouts getting on the referees. You rarely see him that bothered.

Then the Raptors have length on the wing: Danny Green, Pascal Siakam, Kawhi Leonard, an ideal trio to chase around Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala and even Kevin Durant, when and if he eventually returns.

Anchoring the back line is Marc Gasol, a slower-footed but wily big whom the Warriors tried to play off the floor in the opener. That’s why Steve Kerr started Jordan Bell, in hopes of jolting Gasol with a smaller, speed attack. The Warriors had killed Ivica Zubac and Enes Kanter in previous rounds, while also minimizing Clint Capela.

But Gasol’s going to prove much harder to exploit. The Raptors were a +8 in his 30 minutes. He dropped two early 3s and never looked out of place defensively.

Here’s a third-quarter play that would’ve led to two points in a previous series. When the Warriors are at their best ball-moving selves, slashing and passing and forcing extra rotations, the puncturing typically leads to easy buckets.

This clip opens with the ball in Draymond’s hands at the top of the key. Iguodala screens for Curry on the right wing, drawing the double. Curry makes the quick catch and redirects to a cutting Iguodala, who draws Gasol’s help and pitches it to Bell.


The Warriors did this so many times to the Clippers, Blazers and even Rockets. That final pass was nearly always a defensive backbreaker. But against these Raptors, dudes such as Leonard are more capable of getting back in time. He helps the helper, forcing Bell to go under the hoop for a harder reverse. Gasol is there to force the miss.
The team defense is better than what the Warriors’ faced. So is the individual talent. Draymond continuously burned the Blazers by pushing the ball, forcing the action, revving his way into layups.

He tried that against the Raptors a few times on Thursday. Here’s a fourth-quarter, early-clock drive, swatted away pretty easily by Siakam. I don’t think Mo Harkless or Al-Farouq Aminu was batting anything off the backboard like this.

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

Part two

Spoiler

2. The transition defense
Kerr’s most notable postgame quote: “Our transition defense was just awful. That’s the No. 1 priority when you play Toronto, you have to take care of their transition. We gave up 24 fastbreak points, we turned it over 17 times. So that’s the game, really.”

Siakam made 14 of his 17 shots. Nine of those makes were in the restricted area. Four of those came in some form of transition — either a turnover jailbreak, a push off a miss or a hit-ahead after a rebound.

Here are all four.

Both publicly and privately, the Warriors exuded confidence postgame. “Now we’ve seen them, now we have a feel for them,” one player said. Each matchup is different. This cross-conference battle, with a ton of new pieces, is particularly new to them.

The Warriors have never faced Siakam on a playoff stage. They didn’t see a transition slasher quite like him the past few rounds. Eric Gordon burned them with early-clock attacks and long 3s in the second round, but did it differently. Siakam’s unique. They should theoretically be more conscious about getting back and picking him up in Game 2.

“Well, you know, I mean, really the only time I ever really played him was last year,” Draymond said. “I played him the second time we played this year, but I think I probably played 16 minutes or something like that. I was just coming back from injury.

“He’s become a guy. He put a lot of work in to get there and I respect that, but like I said, I got to take him out of the series and that’s on me.”

3. Andre Iguodala’s status
The Warriors don’t win that season-defining Game 6 in Houston if Iguodala doesn’t calmly sink five of the biggest 3s of his career. It was the first time since 2013 he’d made that many 3s in a game.

He hasn’t made one since. Iguodala missed all seven of his 3s in the Blazers series and clanged all four in Game 1 against the Raptors. Eleven straight misses, which is often a sign that his legs aren’t at their freshest.

The Warriors pushed Iguodala hard against Houston. They played him 34, 32, 41, 29, 33 and 38 minutes — hard minutes — to narrowly secure that series. They seemed to pay the price against Portland. He appeared fatigued, was pretty ineffective and then, in the middle of Game 3, left with calf tightness that knocked him out of Game 4.

The nine-day break did him some good. Iguodala was out there for the opener. But he looked pretty stiff, missed those four pretty big 3s and then, with just under two minutes to go, came up hobbling on that left leg

Asked postgame, Iguodala promised: “I’ll be fine.” The Warriors will provide a firmer update on Friday. There’s a decent chance he’ll be out there for Game 2. But it’s looking increasingly like the Warriors spent the best of Iguodala’s fuel getting past the Rockets and might have to survive against the Raptors with a more diminished version.

4. All those open Raptors 3s
Leonard’s quiet scoring line: 23 points on 5 of 14 shooting. Those five makes were his fewest since the third game of the first round against the Magic, nearly two months ago.

So the Warriors kept him pretty well in check. But in throwing so much attention his way, it opened up avenues elsewhere, beyond just Siakam’s career night. There are shots from the others the Warriors will have to continue to allow, regardless of success rate.

But there were also a batch of other can’t-happen breakdowns throughout the night, starting early. Gasol was left wide open twice for 3s in the opening minutes.

“A couple of dare shots,” Kerr called them.

“Like, there was no rotation,” Draymond said. “So you give guys those type of shots they get comfortable and it’s a different beast.”

There’s a difference between sagging a bit off Gasol and giving him an ocean of space without even a half-hearted closeout.

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

Part three

Spoiler

Danny Green made only four 3s in the entire Eastern Conference finals. He made three in Game 1. That’s partially bad luck for the Warriors. Green is so hit or miss and, in the opener, he struck gold.

But the Warriors also helped him into that breakout. Here’s another example of their rough night in transition. Watch all five of the Warriors kind of jog back and overload the right side of the floor, unaware that Siakam is driving it down their throat.

That leaves Draymond by himself to stop the Siakam drive, which leaves Danny Green by himself in the corner for a huge fourth-quarter 3.

5. DeMarcus Cousins returns
DeMarcus Cousins was active, but Kerr deployed him selectively and carefully. Cousins was used as part of the start of the second- and fourth-quarter unit. He played four minutes in each half. The Warriors were +2 in his first stint, -3 in his second.

Cousins missed both of his jumpers, scored his only two points off free throws and didn’t look physically able to impose his offensive skill, power package on the game. But that was to be expected getting dropped on this stage after two months rehabbing a torn quad.

The overall results were on the slightly positive side. He had two assists, including a slick pass to a cutting Thompson, helping out a unit starved for playmaking. He had a tip steal that led to a Quinn Cook transition and-1. Plus, most importantly, he wasn’t targeted and exploited defensively.

“I thought his minutes were good, but it’s a huge adjustment to play after a six-week, seven-week absence,” Kerr said. “Especially at this level in the NBA Finals against a team that is pretty fast already.”

(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

 

[MVike28]

Repped!!

Part three

Spoiler

Danny Green made only four 3s in the entire Eastern Conference finals. He made three in Game 1. That’s partially bad luck for the Warriors. Green is so hit or miss and, in the opener, he struck gold.

But the Warriors also helped him into that breakout. Here’s another example of their rough night in transition. Watch all five of the Warriors kind of jog back and overload the right side of the floor, unaware that Siakam is driving it down their throat.

That leaves Draymond by himself to stop the Siakam drive, which leaves Danny Green by himself in the corner for a huge fourth-quarter 3.

5. DeMarcus Cousins returns
DeMarcus Cousins was active, but Kerr deployed him selectively and carefully. Cousins was used as part of the start of the second- and fourth-quarter unit. He played four minutes in each half. The Warriors were +2 in his first stint, -3 in his second.

Cousins missed both of his jumpers, scored his only two points off free throws and didn’t look physically able to impose his offensive skill, power package on the game. But that was to be expected getting dropped on this stage after two months rehabbing a torn quad.

The overall results were on the slightly positive side. He had two assists, including a slick pass to a cutting Thompson, helping out a unit starved for playmaking. He had a tip steal that led to a Quinn Cook transition and-1. Plus, most importantly, he wasn’t targeted and exploited defensively.

“I thought his minutes were good, but it’s a huge adjustment to play after a six-week, seven-week absence,” Kerr said. “Especially at this level in the NBA Finals against a team that is pretty fast already.”

(Photo: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

 

[holidayinn21]

I subscribed the other day. It's definitely worth it

 

[MVike28]

'The board man gets paid': An oral history of Kawhi...

 

[Anerdyblackguy]

'The board man gets paid': An oral history of Kawhi...

Spoiler

This is my new favorite quote: “The board man gets paid.”

According to former teammates, coaches and managers, Kawhi Leonard didn’t say much during his two seasons (2009-11) at San Diego State. But he did say that, all the time, and it is wonderful: “The board man gets paid.” It says so much about who Leonard was and still is, and it absolutely belongs on a T-shirt.

This is the story about his two years at San Diego State, during which the Aztecs went 59-12 and made the NCAA Tournament both seasons under coach Steve Fisher.

Tim Shelton, forward: He was probably one of the hardest recruits that you’d ever deal with who was that talented. (California’s Mr. Basketball in 2009.) He wasn’t going to text you, he wasn’t going to pick up the phone and talk to you. He just wouldn’t do it.

Justin Hutson, assistant coach: I wouldn’t say hard. I would say different. You couldn’t get him on the phone. Once a week, I’d just have to go up there to his high school (100 miles away in Riverside, Calif.), and I’d make sure he was there first.

Shelton: And it’s part of why the Pac-12 teams didn’t put in extra effort. They were like, “He’s kind of a four-man, and, shoot, we can’t call him and talk to him. He must not want to talk to us.”

DJ Gay, guard: I took Kawhi on his official visit. Honestly, the only thing he wanted to do was get in the gym. We were like, “Kawhi, what do you want to do?” And he was like, “Let’s go work out. Let’s go get some shots up. Let’s play.”

Shelton: We had open gym and were playing. We stopped in between games and introduced ourselves as a team and just chopped it up a little bit more with his mom than him. He introduced himself, “I’m Kawhi. Hey, what’s up.” But if you tried to talk to him, he was like, “It’s cool, everything’s cool, so far it’s cool, it’s nice.” But then he just grabbed the ball and went to shoot. Even during his visit, I’m telling you.

Gay: I think we started up our day playing two-on-two and finished our day getting shots up. That’s just what he wanted to do. He wanted to work. I honestly had no idea what to expect when he left. He didn’t say much. He just wanted to hoop. I had no idea if we were getting him or not. I told coach Fisher: “I’m sorry, I don’t know what to tell you. He didn’t say much.”

Dave Velasquez, assistant coach: My favorite story about Kawhi is when he got to San Diego State his freshman year. He had a math class at 8 a.m. and a writing class at 10 a.m. It was Monday through Thursday, and it was really tough. Our job was to make sure the freshmen were up for that 8 a.m. class. So we were always knocking on their dorm room at 7:30. When we had to find Kawhi for his 8 a.m. class, he was rebounding by himself.

Gay: By far the hardest worker I’ve ever come across, I’ve ever known.

Alex Jamerson, manager: I’ve never seen anyone, ever, work harder in my whole life.

Jamerson: I would show up early to our arena to get things set up for practice. I’m thinking, “Oh, I’m going to be the first guy in the arena just to get things set up,” and I walk out to bring the balls out and he’s already got one or two with him shooting in the dark in the arena. All by himself.

John Van Houten, manager: We used to have to break into the volleyball gym.

Shelton: This was before they had all these swipe cards. We had just one key that we would share to get into that gym. When you didn’t have the key available, you could put the finger under the door at Peterson Gym, and if you knew how to wiggle it right, you could push the latch up and unlock the door.

Van Houten: At first, you could get in and you had access to the lights, you had access to the hoops and everything was good. And then they started cracking down, so we started breaking in, but the lightbox would be locked.

Shelton: So Kawhi had a lamp, and on different occasions, Kawhi would be in there late and the lightbox would be locked, so he’d bring a lamp in there. He’d put his finger under the door and unlatch it and he’d go in there and shoot with just his lamp.

Van Houten: And that’s when they got a new locking mechanism on the doors. And that’s when I got a key to an LDS church, a Mormon church, and they had a full court. … He was gonna find a way to work.

Jason Deutchman, guard: We lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament my senior year on a Thursday. I took the rest of the weekend off and then I was like, “I’m going to go start training on that Monday.” I remember going in that very first night, three days after we had lost — and he was already there.

Coach Velasquez: We had Saturday morning conditioning, so not only would he be running hard and be in the front, but everybody else would go home after. He would go to the gym.

Gay: There were several times I tried beating him in the gym, but no matter how early I got there, he was already there. Or I tried to stay late, but it got to the point that I just couldn’t do it anymore.

Coach Hutson: Knowing Kawhi, he probably just stayed until somebody left. I’m serious.

Gay: The most he talked was on the hard court, and Kawhi was not afraid to let you know that you weren’t going to score on him, that you couldn’t get past him or that he would score on you. Every time the ball went through the net, he just said, “Bucket. Bucket.” That was it.

Tyrone Shelley, guard: Most people say it like, “Oh, I’m about to get buckets on you.” He was just like, “Buckets. Layup.” Just one word.

Shelton: He’d be like, “You’re not scoring. You’re not doing anything.” Or he’d be like, “No, no, no.” He’d just move his feet and say, “No.”

Gay: You couldn’t score on him, so that’s what he would say: “Nope, nope, nope.” And when he would score on you: “Bucket. Bucket.”

LaBradford Franklin, guard: If he was grabbing a rebound, he’d say, “Give me that” or “Board man” or “Board man gets paid.”

Coach Hutson: If I heard it once, I heard it 50 times. “Board man. I’m a board man.” That’s what he said. Absolutely. “I’m a board man. Yeah, I’m a board man. Board man gets paid.” He spoke in phrases like that.

Shelley: Instead of saying, “We need to walk to the store” or “Let’s go to the store,” he’d just say, “I’m up.” When he leaves, he just says, “I’m up.”

Shelton: If he joked, it would be like one or two comments, and he’d go like, “Yeeee.” He’d make more sounds than he actually talked.

Franklin: What stood out to me about Kawhi was everyone else wanted to score or shoot threes, but he wanted to get every rebound. And one of the quotes he always said was, “Board man gets paid.” The rebounder man, he gets paid. And it’s true. He would say that every day. He would take pride in that. If you think about it, defense and rebounding, those are the two things you might not want to do. That’s not the pretty stuff. But he took pride in that. He cared. (And led the Mountain West Conference in rebounding two years in a row.)

Shelton: Guys coming from high school have trouble with help-side defense. Kawhi made a comment to coach Hutson, who was the defensive coach at the time, and he was like, “I don’t get it, coach. Why can’t they just stay in front of their man like I do? Like, why do I have to play help side?” That was his only comment I ever heard him make about defense: “They should just be able to stay in front of their man like I do.”

Coach Hutson: We would talk about rotations and how to help. I would get him on it about. He was respectful, but he would be very frustrated and say, “Why can’t everybody just guard their own man?” Those were exactly his words. “Why can’t everybody just guard their own man?”

Kelvin Davis, guard: In his mind, everyone should be doing what he was doing. But he didn’t realize everybody couldn’t do what he did. He was a walking nightmare.

Gay: In practice, he would tell us, “Don’t help, I don’t need help, I got it, I don’t need help.” That’s just how he was. That was his mentality. “I don’t need help; why do you need help?” But then it made us better because it challenged us: If Kawhi doesn’t need help, I don’t need help, either. And we turned out to be one of the best defensive teams in all of America that year.

Shelton: He didn’t say much. But he would tell you if you were fouling him in practice. He’d be like, “They fouling me, coach.”

Coach Velasquez: There’s one thing we always laugh about as a staff, and it would always happen at practice. He would drive in there, and he’s big and people would be hitting him all the time. At practice, you don’t really call that. I can’t tell you how many times he would look over and go, “But they fouling me. But they fouling me.”

“Kawhi, you’ve got to kick that.”

“But they fouling me.” It was over and over. In games, he wouldn’t really have a lot of dialogue with refs, but you’d definitely hear, “but they fouling me,” two or three times a game.

Shelley: There was no backtalk. Unless he was getting fouled.

Coach Hutson: There was a certain time I wanted everybody to lock and trail in practice. I was very clear that there are times you don’t have to trail on the baseline; there are times you can cheat the screen and shortcut and get there. But right now we’re going to work on lock and trailing. I was very clear that this was the way we were going to do it. And I remember Kawhi just takes his own route. I made everybody run, and he was upset about it. He was definitely pissed about it. A man of few words, but every once in a while he said something.