[Spanish Radio] Sergio Llull close to deciding to join the Rockets?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/LNx0mj7x4zg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

He was outstanding today. One of those days where you realize that european basketball has become too small for him...

I think it was interesting the standing ovation when he was subbed and how he replied to the stands this time... There was a certain feeling of farewell...

 

Best footage I've seen. I wonder what the NBA refs will take away from him when he adorns a Rockets jersey. I don't see any type of shuffling before the shot or clearing out space with an elbow or off hand when he's slicing through defenses to make a play. I like I like..

 

RACIST!

 

Prior to his injury Kpap was doing a great job of being a playmaker with the second unit. Even when his shot wasn't falling he did a good job of finding the open man and breaking down the defense. When he returned he never seemed to be quite the same player, although he never really got the chance to get his legs or rhythm back following the injury.

 

Sorry, I don't agree. When it comes to the NBA there are preconceived notions probably based in 'comparisons'. For example, who was the last African-American likened to Bird? Caucasian-American to MJ or Magic? American to Dirk?

People who have never seen Llull play are projecting him and just against other Int'ls? C'mon, it's easy to get frustrated at the type-casting.

V-Span could have succeeded, Rodriguez as well. Or Rolls Royce White. Or 100s of other talented and disappointing college players.

Check players' wiring, like JRSmith. Who wants him even with that talent level? Lance Stephenson? Great talent, yet the Charlotte Jordanaires veritably gave him away.

 

We need this guy to come over!!!

 

To add to your points, he also lost his role as the primary playmaker off the bench and backup SF once Morey worked his magic.

There simply wasn't and isn't a spot for him (if we re-sign Brewer) on this team. That doesn't mean that he isn't talented and didn't have a positive impact on this team. If we trade him, he very well may find success elsewhere.

 

Spanish Curry.

 

He can be an ideal 6th man, with his scoring and passing. We will have to see, if he changes his mind about
not coming over to the NBA.

 

I was with you until the whole "if he were black" commentary. It's stupid & irrelevant. Him being black wouldn't guarantee him anything. There are 450 NBA spots & millions of blacks who don't have the talent to play their way into one. Sergio is talented & will make a ton of money to play in the NBA or overseas. No tears or excuses required.

 

That Harden stepback on the last triple, though! Lethal!

 

I've been reading the thread and there are a few things I would like to comment:

I too think Rodríguez is better than Llull in Europe (Llull's game translates clearly better to the NBA, though). Those reasons you provide aren't good enough. We're talking about European basketball here. Theo Papaloukas was named MVP of the Euroleague in 2007 coming off the bench all year long and enjoying significantly less playing time than starting PG J.R.Holden (Theo 24 mpg and Holden 30 mpg). And no, Messina didn't think Holden was better than Papaloukas.

The thing is Sergio Rodríguez was himself named Euroleague MVP in 2014. Llull was once named to the all-Euroleague second team back in 2011. Also, Rodríguez has been included in the all-Spanish ACB League team in the past two seasons, and Llull just once in 2012.

So I would say there's a pretty wide consensus about Rodríguez being a better player in Europe right now.

I don't agree. Rodríguez significantly lost confidence during his NBA stint, and mightly struggled during his first two seasons back in Spain. He was clearly a worse player than the one that had left four years earlier. Real Madrid was pretty much showing him the door by the end of the 2011/12 campaing, they had already signed his replacement, but Rodríguez suddenly started knocking down his shots during the 2012 playoffs, and everything fell into place from that point on.

That's his major improvement: he has become a reliable shooter, which might make things work for him this time around, despite his glaring NBA flaws (defense and lack of explossiveness).

Navarro had to pay a massive buyout to stay in the NBA, one million euros per season (I don't remember for how long, but it was at least 5+ years), and that was back when the euro was skyrocketing. Even if he wanted to stay in the NBA, which I don't know if he did, I don't think he would've got the kind of deal he needed to make it work (something like the full MLE, I would say).

But yes, during that season he proved to be able to fill a usefull role in the NBA.

 

Is the euro league ball smaller than the nba ball?

 

It is about the same size

http://www.livestrong.com/article/84284-basketball-official-size-weight/

 

Think you missed my point, there were no excuses or tears. Just saying that there's a bias against players out of Europe and they get a "not good enough" label from people that have never watched them.

A US player, especially of color, would be looked at way differently based on the performances Llull put up. The guy has great athleticism and a great skillset for the NBA, yet so many people see a Spanish guy that played in Europe and immediately label him a future bust or barely a rotation player.

 

His shot looks pure

 

isnt the euro 3pt line about 1 ft shorter than the nba 3pt line?

 

It's 6.75m in Europe, NBA is 7.24m.

 

23 ft 9 inches NBA from the arc of the circle.
22.1 ft FIBA from the arc of the circle.

For comparison, the NCAA 3 point line is 20 ft 9 inches from the arc of the circle.

 

Llull, Llull, Llull!!! Rockets need this guy!