Jalen Green is only 8 years old (younger than 12 year old @Jontro ) We can’t judge him for another 15 years. @Bobbythegreat
if Jalen was just bad in a game or 2, I could’ve easily let this one slide but this man was absolute trash in 6 out of the 7 games
Stone is right. Athletes can struggle in big moments. It happens. Magic Johnson, one of the greatest players of all time laid an egg against the under .500 Houston Rockets and got his coach fired in 1981. There are many examples of Hall of Fame NBA players stinking up the joint in the playoffs. Also, Stone *should* defend Green. It is in everyone's best interest. Your job as GM is not to be candid with the press, or the fans. Your job is to increase and maximize your chances to win a championship. Building Green's confidence would be great. Building *another* team's confidence in him would be great, as well. The team is unlikely to give up on Green right now because his trade value is low. I also think that a player with Green's physical gifts that can score 38 against a team like the Warriors in the playoffs is not the lost cause so many of the fanbase thinks he is. Maybe the Rockets believe in this, maybe they don't. They are not going to say otherwise to the public, nor should they.
They keep talking about the Warriors amazing defense on Green as if they were throwing the kitchen sink at him. This was some very basic focus every top scorer gets in the playoffs and he was completely shut down by it. Just don't allow him to drive straight line to the rim and he's done, that all you have to do. Even defensive monster Steph Curry had no trouble staying in front. Stone knows he screwed up, you don't pay out that kind of money for a non top scorer who doesn't really do anything else well.
Its not about Jalen struggling because of his youth. That was never the problem. The problem is that he didn't even try to win us these games. He packed his bags before this series and was just out there going through the motions. I would rather have Jalen take 25 shots and lose us the game in desperation, rather than watch him do nothing all series. He was absolute garbage in 6 out of 7 games and our team was winning DESPITE of his performance. Everyone around me during game 7 was screaming for Jalen to attack Buddy Hield or Brandon Podz so that he could make plays on offense. Jalen dribbled out the shot clock and gave it to Sengun or Fred with 4 seconds left to chuck a bad shot. He doesn't have that killer and he will never have it. Compare to Amen for example. When I was at game 7 the whole crowd lit up when Amen was driving to the basket on every play in the second quarter to try to bring us back. We were down 10+ and could have easily been down 20 but Amen gave everything he had on offense and defense to try to will us back into the game. The crowd groaned when Jalen got touched the ball and stagnated our offense completely. Its a whole different atmosphere around real championship players.
So...yeah they are right. If Jalen had consistently dominated for the whole season I think most here would have been more willing to forgive a bad series. It's just a bad look. Of course he can make up for it for the rest of his career but I think of it this way... If you were a fan of any other team how would you look at Green as a player? We're all hopeful and wanting him to turn it around and get it but like at some point you do have to wonder if he will get it. With Sengun at least bro was trying and fighting, even Draymond respected that, Green just went out sad. I don't mind giving him another year but its really dependent on what is out there to be had for him. If not much is out there then yeah, you'll be better hoping it turns around then trade him for some 30 year old journeyman SG.
They're gonna defend Jalen in public because they should. But if (1) it took you four years to get to the playoffs (2) and you sucked in said playoffs, it's hard for me to have any said confidence in you getting better going forward. The greats and franchise-level players have the ability to overcome adverse circumstances and get appreciably better every year and they show it early. We don't talk about Magic's 1981 playoffs because the prior playoffs and succeeding playoffs are proof that that year was an aberration and he stepped up in the highest pressure moments. I haven't seen Jalen do well enough in high-pressure moments to have faith in him for the future. He may need a change of scenery.
People want to compare Jalen's struggles to young Kobe airballing in the playoffs. Kobe was 18 and still took 20+ shots even though he was airballing. Kobe wasn't scared of anyone and he was a student of the game. He spent the whole offseason working on shooting from longer range and learning from Lakers greats like Magic. Jalen has had 4 years here and is the same player he has been since he got drafted. His defense improved under Udoka but his inconsistency continues to be a huge problem. I don't want to assume but I highly doubt Jalen has the mentality or drive to work on his game like Kobe, Michael or even Amen. He seems satisfied messing around with older women and enjoying the nba life - which is fine when he is on the Hornets. But this organization and the fans aren't going to suffer through another James Harden era. Anyone who is defending Jalen Green needs to be drug tested ASAP.
Amen went 16/7/3 on 49/25/69 shooting split. After a regular season which he had a 14/8/4 on 56/27/68 shooting split. Jalen went 13/5/3 on 37/30/67 shooting split. After a regular season which he had 21/5/3 on 42/37/81 shooting split. Amen had a +5 net rating. Jalen had -9 net rating. All this while Amen had much tougher assignments on defense. And he's only been in the NBA for 2 years instead of Jalen's 4. One player didn't need excuses. He showed up. Played hard. Showed signs of greatness. And made no excuses. That's the person I'm betting to be our franchise future.
the lights were too bright for Jalen. With that being said if he starts next year still the same player being inconsistent then he has to go.
I mean...its more than just one playoff series. I'm still rooting for Green though...maybe he should stop painting his nails and start initiating contact in the paint next season.
