Not to get too technical... but watch his shooting stroke. His guide hand is high, and he tucks the elbow the same way each and everytime on his shooting hand. That is a very good sign for the next level. He has a consistent and easily replicated shooting motion. There is THERE...there. I am really interested in watching him in S-League. On this tape alone, he easily makes the training camp roster. Plenty of athleticism.
When he was healthy this year the Wizards were not a terrible team at all. If he stays healthy next year along with Beal and Otto the Wizards have a really young, exciting team that is making the playoffs. Its nice because these guys should be coming into their own right after the Heat are ready for a downswing (hopefully).
Hope so believe it or not, add in the East should be weaker overall and there is no reason for them not to make the playoffs. Danger for them is, as happened in Milwaukee and Atlanta, they also have to continually get better and not plateau at "pretty good".
Yep and past history has not been kind to the Wizards. They showed signs with the Webber/Howard team of taking the next step, never did they just got worse. The Arenas/Jamison/Butler lineup looked poised to be a good team just never got past being 1st round cannon fodder, so we will see. I think the Wizards have done the best they can with the picks they've had so they honestly just have to add pieces, keep their cap situation clean and hope to maybe add some talent, and hope that the Heat either get old or the team breaks down over the next few years. Might now happen but at least the Wizards are worth buying a ticket and watching now. Beal and Wall might be a top 1-3 backcourt next year.
The east is going to be very top heavy. Miami, New York, Chicago, Indy, Nets are legit playoff teams. The last 3 spots could be teams like the Cavs, Raptors, maybe the Wizards; young up and coming teams. Overall there will be fewer quality teams but the teams at the top will be better.
As a Hornets (Bobcats) fan, Zeller pick didn't bother me. Like last year after Davis had around 7 guys that could make go in various order. Also, predict if Bennett was at #4, Cho would have still taken Zeller IMO. Cho's big on athleticism, MKG last year. Think NN and McLemore at positions couple guys on the team don't think Hornets haven't given up on...whether its a dumb or not we'll see (its the Hornets so probably dumb), Biyombo (get another big with limited/devolping offensive game, one stronger physical now but doesn't match NN better upside if gets stronger and recovers from injury). RFA Henderson ( McL better offensive game prospect IMO even if disappeared in tourney, but compared the difference of McL and GH is a lot less than Zeller and any PF on roster). 76ers trade was a surprise and a big gamble for Wiggins with (depending on any action taken in free agency). You give up an young allstar AND #42 for NN prospect and a top 5 PROTECTED pick next year. If Pelicans are worse than the #6 pick this year next season, I will be surprised. At least close what the 76ers did this past season in 34 wins and the #11 pick. Tanking and getting Wiggins plus NN, NO 6+ pick for Holliday & #42 doesn't look as bad. But if you have the Hornets draft luck or don't tank enough as other teams...
Cavs and Wizards are likely playoff teams, not because they are very good, but because they are two of the only teams 6-15 in the East that will actually be trying to get into the playoffs. Pretty much everybody else is in various stages of suckiness or blatant tanking. A 35 win team could sneak in as the 8th seed
Yes, nice pick up. Although technically it's not a signing. He just agreed to play for our team in summer league. Somebody else could paoch him at any time. But I imagine if he shows well then we'll give his some guaranteed coin to secure him for training camp.
the great thing is that we control him for the duration of Summer League, and we can extend a training camp invitation and control him further. He is ours if we want him.
Here's him coming out of high school: [video=youtube;SqDpDYv7v54]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SqDpDYv7v54[/video] Here's what he looked like in college at Texas: [video=youtube;Jid2uC461ec]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jid2uC461ec[/video] Only played 11 games this year but had a big impact. Team was 10-13 without him but 6-5 with him. Interesting note. The 23 games that Kabongo missed were a suspension because Kabongo had his plane ticket paid for him when he was considering going to the NBA and went to a work out with Lebron James' trainer. Anyone think King James pulled some strings to get this kid in summer league?
Here's a video excerpt from Texas-Michigan State where Jay Bilas rips the NCAA a new one for their handling of Myck Kabongo's suspension. I guess it all came about because he tweeted that he was working out in LA. He was making a play on words because he was actually in Lower Akron, not Los Angeles, but the Texas compliance people saw it and immediately thought he's in Los Angeles and that means he must be out with an agent. So they came at him asking him about it and his initial response was to just deny everything. Jay Bilas had a great point. These kids have no legal counsel, every reason to mistrust the NCAA, every reason to mistrust their own school's compliance department, meanwhile the compliance and NCAA are all lawyered up and coming after them, and the net effect is they're punishing kids for actually making a good decision and coming back to school. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YsS7iW_pLMQ
Myck Kabongo certainyl potentially fills a need as the lack of a 3rd PG was a sore spot at times this year. And with this team you always have to be looking down the road at future money. I love Rio, but can we afford him after next year? Can we get by with Cole/Kabongo or some other low cost option?
I just really like the kid's ball handling and passing skills. He may be a point guard like Chalmers and Cole but he seems like he facilitates better.
Well he's not a shooter right now, which is required to play on this team, but that can be developed.
3 notes I found on rotoworld.... - as expected oj mayo opted out of his 4m option for a longer deal. - 76ers offered evan turner for a late 1st and no one bit. - dirk officially reached out to d12. Its a good fit for howard because he wont have to be the predominant post guy late in games but hes too egotistical to realize it and I bet he goes to Houston or somewhere unexpected.
Im not. Say what you will about Doug Collins but apparently hes very respected as a coach who can teach and Turners spat with him coupled with his failure to improve defensively and as a jump shooter, the areas Collins was trying to help him with, sent some negative vibes. There are situations where I can see him fitting such as NYK if we lose JR and miss out on Tyreke...teams that need a bench guard. I was never a big fan and felt 2 was too early.
So to re-cap. Ray Allen rejects a 2 year 12 million dollar contract from Boston and instead signs with Miami for half of that (if not less, don't remember his salary figure for this season), gets crusified in Boston, saves the season for Miami making arguably the clutchest shot in Finals history, wins a championship and decides to stay for another season for only $3.2 mil. Meanwhile Boston lost in first round and blew their team up this offseason. DISCOUNTED
Cryptic tweet from JR Smith...say sign and trade. Its coming. @ TheRealJRSmith It was fun while it lasted... He backtracked and said its in relation to his cab ride today....I smell BS.
Also, I hope I'm wrong but based on everything i've read - I think Cavs are getting Oden, not us. They can, and will, pay him more than we will. He would have to take wayy less money to plays for us, especially year 1. Plus...I think Dan will go out of his way (throw money at him) to make sure to get him, to "stick it" to us, as he will see it. What we do have...we have The Godfather. Let's hope he will make him an offer....an offer that Greg Oden won't be able to refuse.
Play in Miami for less money but you have all the time you need to recover and have a shot at multiple championship rings. Or you can go to Cleveland and....be in Cleveland.
Oden is an either/or with Jarvis Varnado, I would imagine. Birdman's place is secure, and The Warden is proven in this defensive scheme. Oden would be the third center, if only because of his knees.