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Seeing AL Objectively - SLCdunk article

If Big Al will improve somehow his game here in Utah - it is because of this forum too and all the constructive criticism of his game that were discussed here.

He will have a chance, that's for sure.
 
Damn!!

Why do you guys have to break it down like that?

All you have to do is watch the games. You can WITNESS it for yourself. Al isn't clutch. I have seen him miss big shots plenty of times. He is definitely not coming through for us in the clutch at a better than 50 clip.

It's something I pay attention to. Its one of the biggest reasons I don't like him. He can get rolling sometimes, buy I am cringing every time he takes a shot late.

Having said all that I do think there is a small possibility that he could get better in that area. With age and more experience. He doesn't seem to be scared to take that shot and he is delusional enough to think he is the guy. Who knows, maybe he is on his way.

Nah

Trade him.
 
I do think that people's perceptions of Kanter are skewed by hope and optimism. Everyone seems to compare the player Kanter could potentially become against the player AL is today. Al is not a good pick and role defender. Kanter is just flat out not a good defender. Did you watch the games he was in last year? He couldn't miss his rotations because he was so far out of position he wasn't there to miss them. He has a lot to learn before I am ready to throw him in the starting lineup to replace AL. Kanter is slow reading the system, misses assignments, and just flat out does not know where to be half the time. That does not mean that is the player he is always going to be, but until he shows he has the IQ to play defense I'm not ready to kick AL away for nothing.

Now, just because he is on the floor does not mean that we need to run every prime time play his way. I think AL is a great 2nd / 3rd option. If Favors could develop into a legit first option and Milsap were content to come off the bech then we would have a heck of a team.
 
phippsj said:
I do think that people's perceptions of Kanter are skewed by hope and optimism. Everyone seems to compare the player Kanter could potentially become against the player AL is today. Al is not a good pick and role defender. Kanter is just flat out not a good defender. Did you watch the games he was in last year? He couldn't miss his rotations because he was so far out of position he wasn't there to miss them. He has a lot to learn before I am ready to throw him in the starting lineup to replace AL. Kanter is slow reading the system, misses assignments, and just flat out does not know where to be half the time. That does not mean that is the player he is always going to be, but until he shows he has the IQ to play defense I'm not ready to kick AL away for nothing.
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have i mentioned kanter's name in this discussion even once?

i think paul is a better all-around player than al, and frankly i don't even think it's close. i think favors could be, but won't develop there until he gets out from under al's shadow. i don't think kanter is close to being ready, and i think now we're seeing that his "worst-case scenario" might be worse than originaly forecast, so i'm not saying any of this because i think kanter can play 30 mpg this season. i'm saying it because al eats up more minutes and possessions than anybody on this team despite the fact that he doesn't make the team better.

honestly, i would rather suck for a year while favors and kanter attend the school of hard knocks than keep delaying their growth while we wait for big al to be something he's not.

Now, just because he is on the floor does not mean that we need to run every prime time play his way. I think AL is a great 2nd / 3rd option. If Favors could develop into a legit first option and Milsap were content to come off the bech then we would have a heck of a team.
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unfortunately, al's skill set doesn't really allow for him to do anything other than a) occupy the post and demand the ball, or b) watch the possession. he's not somebody who can be effective playing off the ball, he's not a good screener, he doesn't have the lateral or north-south speed to cut, he doesn't have the length or athleticism to play backdoor... pretty much he can either operate out of the low post or he can ball-watch.
 
Hack said:
All you have to do is watch the games. You can WITNESS it for yourself. Al isn't clutch. I have seen him miss big shots plenty of times.
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You must really hate Millsap for missing a layup at the buzzer that would have won the game. Twice.

Oh, wait, it's okay, 'Nerd puts those games in the "winnable losses" category, they are Al's fault.
 
Mantis said:
You must really hate Millsap for missing a layup at the buzzer that would have won the game. Twice.

Oh, wait, it's okay, 'Nerd puts those games in the "winnable losses" category, they are Al's fault.
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you don't think al has done that?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6QCbiDwCUo
 
If an Al fan came name me one NBA big on a championship team who was a worse defender than Jefferson, I'll stop my tirades against the clown. The problem is, you can't. And please spare me the Bulls' bigs...Longley, Wennington, all those guys, were way better than Al. Anyway, my point is, we can't win a ring with a sieve like that on the team so why bother even keeping him? I mean, we do want a ring, right?
 
For a few days now, Ive been converted to the "Trade Al" bandwagon. Mostly out of the need for our youth to grow, and we are obviously building on that youth. Al commands too many possesions for this to happen, whether or not he does well even. He stunts the Jazz from becomming what the FO seem to be suggesting the team can be. On a side note, so does Sap, if he wont relegate himself to a bench role and less money that he seems to be wanting, IMO, but this is blasphemy around here I realise.
Kudos to Nerd for at least being 'objective' as in the thread title and posting rational points for his reasoning, not just the usual "He sucks, I dont like him, I win" that is thrown out by most. Im sold.
 
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