So just so we're clear: you prefer him to say that he wants to become a rotation player instead of saying he wants to become an all-star?
I said times...TIMES....that it happens, and if you read my report from last nights game I said he was much better..... It only happened once that I can recall and he got lucky and found a guy open after he was stopped. In game 1, he was reckless, most of his misses were because he had his head down. You can not win NBA basketball, nor many games with single minded players, guys who can think and play are way more valuable. JT has made strides, but when the coaches say you have to look for teamates and work on that, which they have....he has to do that. Once he realizes the only way he gets on the NBA floor barring injury is to be a better TEAM player he will play...until then, he is Von Wafer part 2. DD
JT does remind me of Dwade when he is attacking the rim. And I like JT's tenaciousness and intensity. He reminds me a little of MadMax in that regard. He seems to have that killer instinct.
I rather have Von, he has proven that he can compete at the highest level. JT will get his chance, just not this year.
I think Taylor is an all-around player. From these SL games, we can see that his score ability is impressive. In fact, he is a good defender too. Do you guys remember how he defended Kobe last season?! He has the physical tool. I also think he has passing skills, although he hasn't shown a lot in the first two SL games. Be patient!
I'm excited for this guy, he seems like a really hard worker and if he can develop exponentially like he did in college, he will be a beast. BTW I think passing is highly overrated on this board. People seem to think everyone on the team has to be some passing marksman. Why? His role is a scorer off the bench. He can score on his man, and it's his job to do so. Making sick passes to Chuck Hayes won't make that much of a difference rather than him scoring himself.
I do like Von, and I like JT.....but I like them as role players...sparks off the bench etc. Bit players......I think overall, both are not full time players.....Von because I think he is just not that bright, and JT has made significant strides, so I will hold off on that judgement for him. The world is loaded with guys who can score the ball and are very athletic, it is the ones that can THINK the game that have the most success when combined with that athleticisim and scoring ability. The jury is out on that with JT, I think the verdict on Von was already in...... And yes, I like Von, but only to fill a certain role which we no longer need.... I move on.....unlike a lot of folks on this board. DD
DD, save us the crap. We remember how highly you thought of Von -- you said the Rockets would 100% regret not bringing him back because he had a lot of untapped potential we were just starting to see. Keep in mind, he did get kicked off the bench for arguing with Adelman in a playoff game.. yet you defended him, simply writing it off as youth and his overwhelming desire to play and help the team. Then you told us you wouldn't touch Cousins because of similar attitude problems? I would "move on" quickly too if I was constantly wrong. Flash forward to this off-season, all we've heard from you is how endless Budinger's potential is and how there's no way you would trade him for anything outside of the Top 3 picks because it was "too risky". You've gone so far as to sheepishly compare his stats to Kobe's rookie stats, trying to imply that he could follow down the same path. Now how's Bud doing when the Rockets ask him to create off the dribble and be a playmaker? There's talk of Jermaine Friggin' Taylor TAKING Bud's minutes -- the same Budinger you thought would play his way into our starting five this year. I offered to bet you on Bud starting this year, but you (smartly) ignored that post. I'm okay with you going out on a limb -- but take your lumps for it, don't try to downplay your past love affairs. The only reason people bring them up is credibility -- why should I believe in a guy's observations who told me Dan Langhi was the next great thing, that Spanoulis would be a great PG, that the Rockets would be terrible if they lost Von's scoring punch, and that Budinger was worth more than the #4 pick in a very deep draft class? Of course you move on -- I'd hate to be the guy who predicted all those things too.
LTF, The problem is that most folks can't understand context and how teams change and thus needs change. You are falling into the same trap, I said sign Von because he was a proven NBA player and we could pick him up cheaply. Once we got Cbud and JT, we no longer needed Von on the team....... Do I think Von is an NBA player....Sure....he is a very capable scoring SG, a guy who needs to attack the basket and play in an uptempo system...he would thrive in Phoenix.... That being said, we don't need him anymore.... This is why people call me a flip flopper, because they don't understand that I change my mind based upon the teams needs....and folks don't get that my love is based upon the team needing them, not some infatuation. Same with any player I like....and the condition of the team...it is what it is. Oh, one last thing - Langhi was me being facitious and over the top for fun....VSpan was only about giving him a chance to see if he could develop because Rafer sucked.....see how things get blown out of proportion by people without a contextual understanding. By the way, if Lowry left, I would be all over bringing VSpan back......in that role. DD
I don't think I'm falling into any trap, I just think you shift your argument once it becomes convenient. You've thrown out the word proven a lot this summer and then just now called Von Wafer a proven NBA player. Does one good year, off the bench, make someone a proven player now days? By your standards of being proven (above), you would have refused to deal Von Wafer for the "unproven" Aaron Brooks and Chase Budinger, as you knew what Von could do but what these eventual rookies would do is a mystery. Do you see the problem in that logic? It's not that you flip-flop.. it's just that you take a hard stance, then when there's a better option you completely ditch the past campaign you brought on in support of that player. Of course we don't need Von anymore; I wasn't saying that you still wanted him. I was more focused on your strong intent that we couldn't replace him because guys with that athleticism and that can score like that are not readily available -- and now we have two, less than a few years later. You get tunnel vision sometimes when discussing your favorite players. I don't recall you ever giving anyone the impression you were kidding about Langhi -- I think most of us believed you 100% thought he would be a star. It's easy to look back at something and say "oh well I wasn't serious then.." -- but if you gave no indication or context at the time, you lose that luxury as far as credibility goes. I think your videos are an asset to the community, despite me admittedly mocking them at times -- but you're too one sided/bias for me to take them all seriously. As suggested before, you would really benefit from someone who can reign you in, as you clearly tend to go off into the deep end when discussing players/deals at times.
So far JT has been doing well in SL. He does need to get better on the defensive end of the floor. He has lots of upside and will continue to improve, it will hard to get more pt with what the team has currently unless a trade opens up pt for him. Yes, he should be scorer off the bench.
A lot of time me going off the deep end is me having fun......context....context. The videos are meant to give a bit more insight....and context. Wafer fits with Yao though, not sure about JT yet, can he get to the rim and finish as fast as Von did? I think Von may actually fit better, but because we have JT there is no room for him, if JT was traded I would welcome him back. DD
Thats when the 2nd squad comes in, the goon squad don't expect him to be a near allstar player in his second year! Coaches didn't say look for teammates in the summerleague!!! His role is to gun for points and Buds is another so him and Bud combined would be a borderline allstar
I think Longterm Fan is right. You liked Wafer too much. All he has proven himself is he was looking for a contract. He delivered but only by scoring, he did nothing else, except one or two flashy blocks. No teamplay, bad work ethic and attitude towards Adelman. Jermaine at least is more likable.
Not sure where people get off saying that Taylor couldn't/wouldn't defend last year. Later on in the season when he started getting playing time, he showed himself to be a very physical, in-you-face defender. I think the coaching staff challenged him to bring some intensity/aggressiveness to the defensive end if he wanted to get some playing time. He looked like a mini-Artest when he was battling Kobe. Hard to tell how good his understanding of team defense is, but he's definitely shown himself to be a feisty, scrappy defender. I personally think JT will play himself onto the second unit this year, and it's going to be a nightmare on the other team when Lowry, JT, and Battier come into the game.
Next time you talk about context pls don't waste your volume postings or additional bandwidth on marginal bench players who are only on the Rockets for half a season or less :grin:
