I think someone already clarified that the leading scorer on their championship team averaged 11 points a game (I totally did not double check, because I really don't care) Pops is not a scoring machine. He runs around without the ball and shoots the three. Basically a European league 3 &D guy. He apparently shows up in big moments and has an incredible basketball IQ. Is he worth 8 mil? Probably not, but I don't find it so fat fetch for the guy to carve himself up a role on this team. Plus who did you want them to get?
I'm not sure. I'm not trying to act as though i have all the answers. to answer your question: i would have been happier if we went after some verteran guys like richard jefferson or jameer nelson, like dallas did. they also signed that nigeran sf whos name is slipping my mind right now. he was on new orleans last year
I don't either. I'd rather have a young guy and potential trade bait than a veteran. I might've been okay with using it on Marion or Allen, but I don't know that they were available (and it sounds like Allen is completely noncommittal, in which case I'm fine with Morey pulling the trigger on someone else).
I don't think the fact that they were a championship team should sway your thinking. it sounds good to read, or say, but these teams are playing in a league where the talent level is soooooo much lower its not even funny. The guy wasn't even the best player on his own team. you couldn't say that about scola
that's a fair point. I have just seen too many of these signings and i always think they are severely overblown. you could say Beverly, and ill give you that. but then ill say montejunas, who coulnt even get of the bench in the playoffs last year, and we all remember the great david andersen, who was also heralded as a "championship european player". and the worst of all expecting joey dorsey to back up dwight this year! i think that is really where my distaste is coming from.
Or you could temper the negativity. Let's wait and watch the kid play a few times before pulling the chicken little card.
Am i not allowed to express that i don't like the current direction of this team? and i dont know what the chicken little card is, but i am basing my opinion on stats, and the success rate of morey's past moves concerning european signings. are you going to wait on joey dorsey too? smh
I totally walked right into that one lol I don't have crazy expectations for pops. He will become a fan favorite, because he fits the system.
In all fairness...the 8.7 ppg was in 2012 . Think of it this way, if he's a total bust then we will get a better 1st round pick next year. Win/win situation!!! Oh wait a minute, I forgot that we gave it away to the Lakers for nothing in return
no worries. lol look im not here to bash bev. i love bev. if this guy turns in to another bev, ill be the first to say i was wrong.
You're still wrong if he doesn't. Your opinion is based on nothing. You don't sound like you've watched a single minute of Euroleague basketball or have the slightest clue about the skill discrepancies or play style over there. Beverly was the Eurocup MVP but the Eurocup is about as close to the Euroleague as the D-League is to the NBA. Pap has been a way more valuable player than Beverley for ages in European basketball. I'm not saying he's NBA-ready or that he's gonna be great or whatever, but you really are way off-base with your interpretation of stats.
You don't like that the Rockets signed two superstars in the last three years? I understand having doubts about euro players, but you should give the guy a chance. You said you hated Dmo, and backed off of it after you found out the report was wrong. Sometimes it's better not to jump to conclusions.
In all fairness, 2012 was an incredible year for Pap and his entire team (assuming you mean 2011-2012, 2012-2013 was incredible too, but it's a different story when you're a defending champ). How would you feel if the 76ers landed 1 borderline-max player to lead their rag-tag group of youngsters and rejects, stumbled their way to Christmas, then turned it around and went on to win the title? Cause that's what they did. 8.7 ppg is as good as 100 ppg if either come while playing within a system that works for a team that's winning. No, he's not the European Lebron, because there is no such thing. You know they put Kirilenko on him that year in the final and he shot 100%? For the record, Kirilenko was one of the top-5 Lebron-stoppers in the NBA the very next season according to bballbreakdown, but it's different when teams play team ball 100% of the time. Just give the guy a chance, he might surprise you.
You know what Akkuron, you gave a thoughtful and reasonable argument. I'll give Kostas a chance....maybe he'll be another Morey surprise.
I'm not too hyped up on him either, but I think it's a pretty solid use of the MLE, even if his real value is less. When looking at his stats you also have to keep his minutes in mind and how they distribute minutes in Europe. The 8.7 ppg game year he played 23 minutes per game -- good for second on the team. On Barcelona last year he played 23 minutes per game -- and led the team in minutes.
