For those that know his game what is the one aspect of it that you consider his calling card
I'll be honest, I don't know his game super well but I've seen a little bit, and read a lot, and noticed a pattern that can help answer your question. One "calling card", or distinction about his game, is his ability to get to the rim at will. He's got a very different physical makeup with a 6'2 1/2 w/o shoes, and 6'4 w/shoes, and 7 ft plus arms body.
He's strong as he_l and likes contact. He ain't afraid to mix it up when he drives. He's got a really unique game and the word is starting to grow that he's got a place in the rotation at this rate, and in these unique circumstances starting the RS early.
To have a smart coach like Vogel, be a Klutch client, and mentored by LeBron & AD, can only help accelerate his development.
THT does not strike me as he does any one particular thing very well that he would get minutes on a NBA championship level team. This is not a development team, this is a team that needs niche role players.
To really get consistent minutes, he needs to be either a stand out shooter, defender, shot creator, passer/PG. He is none of those things, at first glance. Unless he has made radical improvements in his game since the bubble, I do not see how one can justify playing him regular rotation minutes.
Just look at our needs, and then tell me how it would make sense on playing THT over Kieff, Kuz or Caruso. Because one of those guys would need be sitting for THT to get minutes with a Trez/Schroder 2nd unit.
Not counting the kid out, but I saw him play just 2-3 months ago, and unless he has made some big improvements in one of the areas I mentioned above, I do not see the justification for him being a regular rotation guy over players that earned their spot last year. I don't mind him having the role Quinn Cook had last year (not the same position but those sort of minutes) but to be a consistent top 9 guy on a ring level team, I just don't see why so many people are high on him. Kieff is a better shooter, Kuz is a better scorer and has more size and Alex is our secret weapon. Trez/Schroder are new additions of two elite bench players in the league. Unless there are injuries or rest or changes in the regular rotation, at first glance I don't see how one can argue that THT deserves consistent minutes game in, game out.
THT does not strike me as he does any one particular thing very well that he would get minutes on a NBA championship level team. This is not a development team, this is a team that needs niche role players.
To really get consistent minutes, he needs to be either a stand out shooter, defender, shot creator, passer/PG. He is none of those things, at first glance. Unless he has made radical improvements in his game since the bubble, I do not see how one can justify playing him regular rotation minutes.
Just look at our needs, and then tell me how it would make sense on playing THT over Kieff, Kuz or Caruso. Because one of those guys would need be sitting for THT to get minutes with a Trez/Schroder 2nd unit.
Not counting the kid out, but I saw him play just 2-3 months ago, and unless he has made some big improvements in one of the areas I mentioned above, I do not see the justification for him being a regular rotation guy over players that earned their spot last year. I don't mind him having the role Quinn Cook had last year (not the same position but those sort of minutes) but to be a consistent top 9 guy on a ring level team, I just don't see why so many people are high on him. Kieff is a better shooter, Kuz is a better scorer and has more size and Alex is our secret weapon. Trez/Schroder are new additions of two elite bench players in the league. Unless there are injuries or rest or changes in the regular rotation, at first glance I don't see how one can argue that THT deserves consistent minutes game in, game out.
He's nowhere near having "deserved" any minutes, or anything for that matter. Unless we have a 19 year old Magic type player on our hands, and we don't, there's a huge gap between the first 8 or 9 players in our rotation and THT.
I'll always reflect upon Phil Jackson's words when it comes to winning: "you win with men". Every player you've named, and I could easily add a couple more, is a "man" in the sense PJ meant it. THT, otoh, still's got a ways to go because it's a process that doesn't allowing the cutting of corners, neither can it be rushed.
Joined: 10 Apr 2001 Posts: 65135 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2020 9:19 am Post subject:
Quote:
THT does not strike me as he does any one particular thing very well that he would get minutes on a NBA championship level team. This is not a development team, this is a team that needs niche role players.
He's a jack of all trades without specialization, but if there' above average ball handling, offensive awareness/playmaking, and the guy is happy doing spot ups and attacking closeouts, I don't see where the problem is for THT getting minutes on a championship squad. _________________ Resident Car Nut.
Just look at our needs, and then tell me how it would make sense on playing THT over Kieff, Kuz or Caruso. Because one of those guys would need be sitting for THT to get minutes with a Trez/Schroder 2nd unit.
This has an underlying assumption that there are no injuries to the team. When there are injuries, the coach needs to go farther down the bench. I think most of both THT's and Kieff's minutes will come as a result of filling in for injured players.
His strength is his handles. His reach is deceptive, ie why he got so many quick steals in limited minutes in NBA action. He can get hot from 3 and hit many in a row. Hard worker from Chicago. You don’t don’t make Playoff minutes at 19 just cause coach likes you. It’s laughable that his talent is dismissed by some of you when he has yet to really play. He fell in the draft due to a hairline foot fracture similar to what Trevor Ariza had that made him miss the 2008 NBA finals, missed Summer League, finally got his legs in the G league in December and January and was putting up 30+ in a lot of games. He was just hitting his stride when the league shut down all games. Rather than sit on his ass, he lost a ton of weight and got into great shape, eventually earning some run with the real team when play resumed in the bubble. I believe you all are going to be in for a pleasant surprise with him.
THT will get his fair share of minutes this season. I believe he's an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and the Lakers need to figure out what they have with him. _________________ It was reminiscent of one of those Most Interesting Man in the World advertisements: "I don't always shoot 6-for-28 from the field, but when I do, I become the youngest player in league history to score 28,000 career points."
THT will get his fair share of minutes this season. I believe he's an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and the Lakers need to figure out what they have with him.
Give him at least 10 minutes and play him more when some our guys are out. I believed he’s a keeper just like Caruso is. We need to give him his chance at some point in the regular season.
THT will get his fair share of minutes this season. I believe he's an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and the Lakers need to figure out what they have with him.
THT will get his fair share of minutes this season. I believe he's an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and the Lakers need to figure out what they have with him.
THT will get his fair share of minutes this season. I believe he's an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season and the Lakers need to figure out what they have with him.
Just look at our needs, and then tell me how it would make sense on playing THT over Kieff, Kuz or Caruso. Because one of those guys would need be sitting for THT to get minutes with a Trez/Schroder 2nd unit.
This has an underlying assumption that there are no injuries to the team. When there are injuries, the coach needs to go farther down the bench. I think most of both THT's and Kieff's minutes will come as a result of filling in for injured players.
I made it clear on a regular basis. If there’s injuries/rest he can get Cook like minutes, which is fine with me.
The issue I had was the article alluded to him playing on the 2nd unit ahead of Kieff or Caruso. No way, based on what I saw in the bubble and before. He has some good size, and perhaps he can be a very effective defender in Vogel’s system, but outside of that I really didn’t see anything he did particularly well that will get him significant minutes on a championship level squad.
Heck, I am not sure even Kuzma deserves regular rotation minutes ... and he’s way more talented than THT. This is a very deep roster, but of course rest and injuries can change all of that. Just saying if I ranked the top 11 players on the Lakers, THT is 11th. How someone thinks this automatically qualifies as him as a regular rotation guy that makes the top 9 each game IDK.
THT if he has progressed could be our backup 2 this year. Morris is probably going to be our 3rd string Power Forward behind Davis and Kuzma. _________________ How NBA 2K18 failed the All-Time Lakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMBYm3wwxk
THT if he has progressed could be our backup 2 this year. Morris is probably going to be our 3rd string Power Forward behind Davis and Kuzma.
IMO Kuzma is our backup SF, Kieff is backup PF. THT is our 3rd string backup guard behind KCP and Matthews. _________________ “God knew they couldn’t be on this Earth without each other. He had to bring them home to have them together.” – Vanessa Bryant
THT if he has progressed could be our backup 2 this year. Morris is probably going to be our 3rd string Power Forward behind Davis and Kuzma.
IMO Kuzma is our backup SF, Kieff is backup PF. THT is our 3rd string backup guard behind KCP and Matthews.
if THT is our backup 2 the bench lineup is
Alex Caruso
THT
Wes Matthews or KCP (whichever one that doesn't start)
Kyle Kuzma
Montrezl Harrell
With a lineup like that we really don't need Kieff as 2nd string, particularly asthe starting lineup would be
Dennis Shroeder
KCP or Wes Matthews(whichever one that doesn't start)
LeBron James
Anthony Davis
Marc Gasol
I'd say both of those would work essentially.
THT's handle, defensive length, finishing ability and upside would keep him from being third string this year if he's continued to progress. Only thing he's missing is a consistent three point shot. _________________ How NBA 2K18 failed the All-Time Lakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMBYm3wwxk
Just look at our needs, and then tell me how it would make sense on playing THT over Kieff, Kuz or Caruso. Because one of those guys would need be sitting for THT to get minutes with a Trez/Schroder 2nd unit.
This has an underlying assumption that there are no injuries to the team. When there are injuries, the coach needs to go farther down the bench. I think most of both THT's and Kieff's minutes will come as a result of filling in for injured players.
I made it clear on a regular basis. If there’s injuries/rest he can get Cook like minutes, which is fine with me.
The issue I had was the article alluded to him playing on the 2nd unit ahead of Kieff or Caruso. No way, based on what I saw in the bubble and before. He has some good size, and perhaps he can be a very effective defender in Vogel’s system, but outside of that I really didn’t see anything he did particularly well that will get him significant minutes on a championship level squad.
Heck, I am not sure even Kuzma deserves regular rotation minutes ... and he’s way more talented than THT. This is a very deep roster, but of course rest and injuries can change all of that. Just saying if I ranked the top 11 players on the Lakers, THT is 11th. How someone thinks this automatically qualifies as him as a regular rotation guy that makes the top 9 each game IDK.
In a typical season, I think you would be right in that the regular rotation would not extend down to the 10th and 11th persons on the roster. This season, due to its more compressed nature--which could lead to more games missed due to injuries--and a larger concern that players will need to "load manage", I expect the regular rotation to extend to the 10th and 11th players. It will certainly be interesting to see how much this season differs from a typical season due to injuries, load managing, etc.
Last edited by Annihilator on Sun Nov 29, 2020 3:56 am; edited 1 time in total
If the Lakers sign Glenn Robinson III, there won’t be enough minutes for THT to develop at the 2. It may unfortunately lead to Kuzma, KCP, and THT being packaged in a deal at some point in the season. Team has too much damn talent 😀.
If the Lakers sign Glenn Robinson III, there won’t be enough minutes for THT to develop at the 2. It may unfortunately lead to Kuzma, KCP, and THT being packaged in a deal at some point in the season. Team has too much damn talent 😀.
KCP was one of our top 4 guys in the playoffs last year, not only shutting down guys but shooting great from 3. If you're sending away KCP, Kuz, and THT, we'd better be getting a star back
If the Lakers sign Glenn Robinson III, there won’t be enough minutes for THT to develop at the 2. It may unfortunately lead to Kuzma, KCP, and THT being packaged in a deal at some point in the season. Team has too much damn talent 😀.
If we signed Glenn Robinson III he'd likely be our backup 3, which would be him going after either Wesley Matthews minutes or KCP's.
Either way, if we locked him up it'd mean watching KCP, or Kuzma at the Deadline. Mainly because of KCP's contract means he can finally be traded, and also because Kuzma is looking for an extension. It'd be a very interesting set of circumstances.
For Glenn however it comes down to these choices.
1) Bet on himself and go for the ring(Lakers)
2) Get a long term contract and a bigger role elsewhere (Nets, Kings, Jazz)
As the Clippers just signed Batum, it may have put them out of the Robinson sweepstakes. _________________ How NBA 2K18 failed the All-Time Lakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMBYm3wwxk
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