Durant is from Dc metro, Amd Cam is from Baltimore County. It’s might seem close in proximity on a map but in reality they’re worlds apart really. And two dynamically different cultures. DC and Baltimore guys don’t get along.
Sounds like Cam would rather be featured on a crap team than be a role player on a contender. That would indicate a lack of maturity and dedication to winning.
For the last couple of seasons, we had Jeff on the bench acting as the team's "mediator." How’s that been for Cam? Honestly, even with limited minutes, he’s pretty much the same player after two years. Cam’s got room to grow, no doubt, but most of us have noticed some real gaps in his game and attitude that he doesn’t seem to recognize or care to fix. He has to be self aware or nobody can help him.
KD is a career superstar who plays defense and isn't obsessed with holding the ball forever. I can't imagine he'll have sympathy for a young player who thinks he's above playing defense and sharing the ball. Nor has KD ever been that type of mentor. KD is just going to do his job and raise the standards at practice by displaying elite commitment and professionalism. That will make the guys who don't work hard look worse in comparison without having to say a single word. If Whitmore wants to stay, there's no negotiation required. He just has to admit he had it all wrong and that he's going to focus on becoming an unselfish team player on both sides of the court, and on the bench, even in garbage time. This team is uniquely full of hard workers with great attitudes. It's hard to discover that your talent alone is not enough anymore but that's not a problem it's an opportunity.
We're talking about a 20yr old, who is far from home and not getting the PT he expects. Basically, he's feeling like an outsider at this point. Obviously nobody else on the team has been able to reach him mentally, maybe KD can work with him, like he did with Jalen, Jabari and many others before. In addition, Ime is a KD guy, so maybe there can possibly be a connector piece between the three of them. I think what so many are missing is that these guys are 18, 19 and 20 when they are drafted and they are looked at as stars. Then they go to a team with grown men, they dont know anybody, they're far from home and then they are getting NO PT. Thats hard when you've been THE ****, your whole life......Just look at Jarvis Crittenton. Remember, we didnt started hearing about ATTITUDE problems until this yr! When he was getting PT, he was fine.
What is it, about and hour and a half? There were guys in college that were from different parts of Florida and Georgia that connected. I think its more about the region.
This...Cam has all the talent in the world. Better shooter than Jalen with the same ups. 6-7. I want the guy to succeed but he has to be a lock down defender because of his athletic gifts and he has to be able to be an effective ball handler and support the team concept. If this guy developed those skills NOW, he might have the ability to be an all-star eventually. He is so young if he could just get his head out of his azz he could set himself up for life and no one would want him off this team. Bball IQ and attitude sometimes are far more valuable than anyone realizes.
Ime lacks patience with young players. He’s mentioned many times that he’s not used to losing. If he had it his way, he’d blow the entire core up for a 30 year olds. Hopefully Rafael doesn’t buy into that and shorten our window.
Yeah, Cam is turning 21 in 4 days. Dude is young and immature but I do believe he will turn it around. Hopefully.
No, because it is ****ing stupid, and short sighted. There are always 2 people in any disagreement, and many different personality types, the coaches that are MY WAY or the HIGHWAY are never champions. You have to be able to reach and motivate all types to get the most out of your team - Ime needs to find whatever it is that makes Cam tick and coach him up, that is LITERALLY HIS ****ING JOB !!!!! If we are shedding talent because Ime can't do that, then he is the wrong coach.......now....that being said, if Cam turns into Vernon Maxwell in the playoffs then you have to jettison him, but all reports are he is just frustrated with a lack of playing time - not that he is a disruption....people are reading way into something that just isn't there. You guys need to take a deeper look, this isn't Junior High, these are grown men, and in some cases, men who are still young and immature, but have massive talent, you find a way to reach those men - that is the job, today, tomorrow and every day. DD
I never had any expectations the he'd be a good defender or have a handle like Jalen. I just want effort and commitment. I don't need him to be a good defender, I just need him to try his hardest. There are lots of people who are not very good defenders but try hard. That makes a massive difference. He'll never be a good defender, he's stocky, stiff and has an underwhelming wingspan. Honestly he'll never have Jalen's handle. He's a shooter and transition scorer. Will be 5+ years before he can go iso. I would be ecstatic with just trying his hardest on defense even in garbage time and sharing the ball more often. I'm sure Udoka would give him more minutes if he did that.
Too bad Silas couldn’t find a way to reach KPJ as he was driving away from the arena to abandon his team at HALFTIME of an actual game. All these young men need is a little pat on the head. Let ‘em know you care. Maybe do that little “Here comes the airplane!” thing so they’ll eat their vegetables.
