The NBA is full of one dimensional players.........what you need to do, and this is something that Adelman is known for.....is to put players in positions which maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Remember Peja? He was HORRIBLE on defense but Adelman found a way to use him and make him an all star player. He still sucks on D, but at least now he can play a little of it....maybe Novak is no Peja, but there is still hope and you don't toss a player with a shot like that away. There is always a place on the roster for a guy who can shoot like that.....ALWAYS. DD
And DD, your second video of Novak was shot during a home game against the SEATLE SONICS! I bet even I can get a basket or two against that team. Just like Francis (he's not coming back), Novak is a lost cause. To me, Novak is as useful to the Rockets as VSpan is right now (I apologize if that reference brings tears to your eyes).
novak will be better next year. you guys are comparing a guy in sasha who plays a totally different position and has been in the year for what 4 years now? i live out in LA and every year up to this year every laker fan i know wanted him shipped out along with smush parker. the guy was that bad, to his credit he has improved immensely this year and has been a huge factor in helping the lakers advance as far as they have. he still shoots the ball like crazy, on or off. he plays aggressive defense but gets away with a lot on the perimeter because he plays that way all the time. novak is totally different starting with size he has to contest with taller players down low, he has to improve his strength. IMO he has a much better shot than sasha does. and he does shoot the ball off of screens but adeleman has mainly played him in situations where he is a set shooter. His defense has grown tremendously since his rookie year but there is a lot to be desired of course. Another thing that I personally think matters is that he hardly played his rookie year under JVG and then to go to a whole new offensive scheme his second year with adeleman isnt easy. His PT did increase and even outside of the sacramento game there has been games where he has made a positive impact for the team. He is crucial when Yao is the game to help space the floor because of his size the other teams PF/SF has to stay at home and not double yao and if they do he has an open shot. You dont find pure shooters too often that have the size of Novak. I expect more out of Novak next season and I do believe he will be a more consistent contributer next season. He is always working hard. I do hope he does take advantage and will play in the summer league this year (i think its the last year he is eligible to do so). I think his significant (and yes it was over his rookie year) improvement this season gives adeleman and his staff more confidence to design schemes to utilize his strengths and running certain types of offenses when he is in the game with yao and tracy. Remember tracy himself said Novak was one of the best shooters he has ever seen and the best shooter he has had as a teammate. Thats saying something considering that tracy has played in the league the same time miller, kerr, peja, allen have and has had teammates like john barry, mike miller, rafer alston (okay maybe not him ) Patience with our role guys like novak, brooks, landry. you can get stars through trades, FAs, or getting lucky in the draft but from what I have seen the contributers of your bench are usually the guys you draft and develop.
That is not the point Lovemachine, Novak has a place in the NBA, watch how he finds open spaces and moves without the ball.....pay attention to the details of how he gets open and you will come to appreciate his potential on offense. Defense...admittadly needs a LOT of work. THANK YOU !!! It is amazing how quickly people give up on players, you have to give some of them 3 or 4 years to get it......... DD
How dare you compare Novak to Peja! Peja to me is like VSpan to you. I've always had a soft spot for that scruffy man with pale skin. Jokes aside, Peja have always had the ability to make cuts, make himself open, finish around the basket when open, make good passes, and even handle the ball; Novak has none of these abilities. Novak is always so lost on the court! (unless he's playing against the Sonics) However much talent Novak has on the shooting side, I just don't think he will make it. We can only agree to disagree. But don't grieve too much when your dreams of Novak turn out to be empty.
Yes, Vujacic is MUCH better than Novak. the real question you should be asking is "Is Vujacic much better than Head?" since you can actually compare the two. that answer is also yes. both were taken at the end of the first round, and both play the same position and offer the same things. however Vujacic is 6'7 who can handle the ball, has capable speed, and is an annoying defender. he's also got the Rafer mentality where he doesn't care how much he misses. i thought Sasha was a scrub before, but he's really improved as a player. i now put him up there with Kyle Korver, except maybe a little better.
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_A3o2Mzm8qU&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_A3o2Mzm8qU&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> Novak moves great without the ball, he can play, he just needs experience...and a coach that can utililize him correctly.....we have the coach, now just get some experience. And he can dunk <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VTbm4VhO8L4&hl=en"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VTbm4VhO8L4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object> DD
You have to ask? Vujavic gets extended minutes on a Championship calibur Lakers team while Novak gets bench minutes on a playoff bound Rockets team. The minutes on the court speaks for itself.
This is so wrong on so many levels, a lot of times it is about opportunity and who else is on the team. I mean look at Dale Ellis, he got traded and exploded.....Drazen Petrovic the same thing, Clyde even talks about it, as sometimes the players in front of you are more experienced, or the coach is more comfortable with them.... And you are NOT going to play Novak over Tmac and Battier, it is just NOT going to happen. Sasha has earned his minutes, he deserves them, let's see if Novak can do the same. DD
DD... not to hijack the thread or your post, because I too think Novak has a place and will improve more this year. BUT... could you change the spelling of Kelenna Azubuike's name in your sig. it ends in buike. Also you if you want to see what a good guy he is (not that I am hijacking the thread or anything) go to the Warrior's website and check out his blog about his trip to Africa. http://www.nba.com/warriors/news/Kelenna_Tanzania.html Proceed with the rest of the thread!
I've been comparing Novak to Vujacic for several months now. Sasha was garbage his first two years. He was a joke of an NBA player. A year ago he began to show signs that he might belong in the league. This year he's playing better on both ends of the floor than anyone could have imagined. If Novak doesn't show significant improvement next season from the start, he should be trade bait. At the moment, he isn't worth anything and there is no harm in giving him 1 of 15 roster spots going into the season. But if he hasn't developed more of a feel for the NBA game, he never will. If he can't figure out how to get open on the break and in the 1/2 court, cut him. If he can't learn to hit more than just uncontested set shots, cut him. With a few people here, Novak is starting to get the Stromile Swift, V-Span treatment. I guess every team has a guy that "just needs playing time" to get better, even though they aren't good enough to get it.
vujacic is over rated as a player. his % has gone down every series and he has a good game every 8 games. he flops everytime down the floor I really hate this dude. how do you call a man who averages 8 points a game the machine. He is the paris hilton of the NBA, goes out and promotes herself as this great NBA player and aint ****.
Novek is a hard worker, very professional. The average defense is more about efforts and experiences than talents, both Novak has. With his impressive offensive talents, Novak will make it. I will not trade Novak right now. He has so much upside.
Novak is does not get as much PT as Sasha. I think Novak need to get more PT and gain more experience before we could decide whether heis as good as Sasha.
This is terrible... Vujacic is a good shooter...Novak is a great shooter Vujacic is a great passer who used to play PG he can penetrate very well he can defend 3 positions he has great handles he can play 3 positions he is athletic Novak is a great shooter Novak is a great shooter Novak is a great shooter Dang its still not adding up...
