Comments on: Lawrence Frank on Andre Drummond: ‘We’re privy to things that maybe the general public isn’t’ http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/ Your Go-To Source For Pistons Coverage Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:22:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Corey http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105517 Corey Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:46:53 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105517 He wouldn't have been there at pick #9 unless there were vast doubts about him going into the draft. The teams drafting 2-8 all thought Drummond was a project who wouldn't be worth significant rotation minutes this year, and had high bust potential. How do I know that? Because they didn't draft him. Everyone said that last year's draft only had one real star player - Anthony Davis. You're right, Drummond's combine numbers were incredible. That means that all those teams that passed on him had serious doubts about other aspects of him as a player, beyond the physical. That said, of course I am speculating about the reasons they aren't playing him more. I never said I KNOW it. Hence the "Perhaps" to start the statement about his conditioning. I will add, however, that basketball is a very hard game to play at full intensity for long minutes. That's why players with a "high motor" are valuable - even amongst the best pros, it's hard to give maximum effort for 35+ minutes a night. He wouldn’t have been there at pick #9 unless there were vast doubts about him going into the draft. The teams drafting 2-8 all thought Drummond was a project who wouldn’t be worth significant rotation minutes this year, and had high bust potential. How do I know that? Because they didn’t draft him. Everyone said that last year’s draft only had one real star player – Anthony Davis. You’re right, Drummond’s combine numbers were incredible. That means that all those teams that passed on him had serious doubts about other aspects of him as a player, beyond the physical.

That said, of course I am speculating about the reasons they aren’t playing him more. I never said I KNOW it. Hence the “Perhaps” to start the statement about his conditioning. I will add, however, that basketball is a very hard game to play at full intensity for long minutes. That’s why players with a “high motor” are valuable – even amongst the best pros, it’s hard to give maximum effort for 35+ minutes a night.

]]> By: I HATE FRANK http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105498 I HATE FRANK Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:34:37 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105498 "Early on, nobody thought he’d contribute this year. He was a “project big man”. Years away" Correction ... MANY FANS and EXPERTS said he'd be a nice compliment to Monroe, so that Monroe can Move to PF. Frank and dumars played down his talent, because they didnt want a high expectation Darko Situation... Drummond was the MOST ATHLETIC PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF THE COMBINE Weight over 250. "Project Big man" had more to do with his scoring! than his defense and rebounding. I expect Drummond to start from day one, he had a nice summer league and a even better pre-season, and he has only gotten better. Crafty vet with an arsenal of offensive moves get the better of him, but the more he plays the more he has a chance to adjust “Early on, nobody thought he’d contribute this year. He was a “project big man”. Years away”

Correction … MANY FANS and EXPERTS said he’d be a nice compliment to Monroe, so that Monroe can Move to PF.

Frank and dumars played down his talent, because they didnt want a high expectation Darko Situation…

Drummond was the MOST ATHLETIC PLAYER IN THE HISTORY OF THE COMBINE Weight over 250.

“Project Big man” had more to do with his scoring! than his defense and rebounding.

I expect Drummond to start from day one, he had a nice summer league and a even better pre-season, and he has only gotten better.

Crafty vet with an arsenal of offensive moves get the better of him, but the more he plays the more he has a chance to adjust

]]> By: Ryank http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105485 Ryank Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:00:26 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105485 I'm guessing the info we are not privy to is Joe told Frank to bring Drummond along slowly for the first half of the season.  I’m guessing the info we are not privy to is Joe told Frank to bring Drummond along slowly for the first half of the season. 

]]> By: Kelley Pearson http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105477 Kelley Pearson Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:47:55 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105477 It's amazing to me that so many of you have coached or GM'd in the NBA and have the perfect plan to fix the team.  There is a reason that being an NBA coach or GM is a job tha very few people will ever hold. I don't always agree with Frank or Joe but I realise that they have both had success in the NBA.  I have no problem with how Drumond is being brought along.  Two separate tales of talent and how they were developed.  Chauncey Billups was tossed into the fireas a rookie and was labled a bust for years before he landed with Minn. and wan't considered a star until he won a finals MVP.  Jermaine O'neal was brought along slowly because he was not ready at 19 and he blossomed into a star until injuries derailed his career.  There is no right or wrong way to do so but you have to be careful because teams have ruined players giving them too much before they were ready for it.  My guess what Frank meant by what he said is that they see his strengths and weakesses that we may not see such as how he deals with adversity and his understanding of the playbooks. It’s amazing to me that so many of you have coached or GM’d in the NBA and have the perfect plan to fix the team.  There is a reason that being an NBA coach or GM is a job tha very few people will ever hold. I don’t always agree with Frank or Joe but I realise that they have both had success in the NBA.  I have no problem with how Drumond is being brought along.  Two separate tales of talent and how they were developed.  Chauncey Billups was tossed into the fireas a rookie and was labled a bust for years before he landed with Minn. and wan’t considered a star until he won a finals MVP.  Jermaine O’neal was brought along slowly because he was not ready at 19 and he blossomed into a star until injuries derailed his career.  There is no right or wrong way to do so but you have to be careful because teams have ruined players giving them too much before they were ready for it.  My guess what Frank meant by what he said is that they see his strengths and weakesses that we may not see such as how he deals with adversity and his understanding of the playbooks.

]]> By: T Casey http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105450 T Casey Fri, 21 Dec 2012 11:53:00 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105450 "Perhaps, since his rap coming out of college was that he lacked focus and motor,<strong> they are trying to teach him to play hard ALL THE TIME he’s out there. He can’t do that if he’s playing 35 minutes a night,</strong> and he doesn’t yet know when to go hard and when to coast a little, like a 10 year veteran." Well now that's a bold and unbacked statement. There's no mandate saying that he can't play hard/learn to play hard all the time if he's getting big minutes. And besides, those 10 year veterans you're talking about are often guys on the far end of their prime years and have to conserve energy because they don't have as much in the tank as they used to in order to just play all out for 35 minutes every game. A 19 year old player should be able to play 30-35 minutes of hard ball every night with very few, if any problems “Perhaps, since his rap coming out of college was that he lacked focus and motor, they are trying to teach him to play hard ALL THE TIME he’s out there. He can’t do that if he’s playing 35 minutes a night, and he doesn’t yet know when to go hard and when to coast a little, like a 10 year veteran.”

Well now that’s a bold and unbacked statement. There’s no mandate saying that he can’t play hard/learn to play hard all the time if he’s getting big minutes. And besides, those 10 year veterans you’re talking about are often guys on the far end of their prime years and have to conserve energy because they don’t have as much in the tank as they used to in order to just play all out for 35 minutes every game. A 19 year old player should be able to play 30-35 minutes of hard ball every night with very few, if any problems

]]> By: Tom Y. http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105247 Tom Y. Fri, 21 Dec 2012 05:31:52 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105247 Well, in New Orleans it seems like it may have been the cause of injuries. Davis has been injured what, twice already? He's played just 12 games. Or maybe he's injury prone because of being so skinny in a big men's league. Well, in New Orleans it seems like it may have been the cause of injuries. Davis has been injured what, twice already? He’s played just 12 games. Or maybe he’s injury prone because of being so skinny in a big men’s league.

]]> By: Bugsygod http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105150 Bugsygod Fri, 21 Dec 2012 01:12:21 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105150 Would be nice to see in Real games if he could or not, instead of just not trying it at all.  Push his minutes then determine where his wall is.  He may not be able to go 35, but maybe 28? 30? 25?  Gotta be more than 18.   Would be nice to see in Real games if he could or not, instead of just not trying it at all.  Push his minutes then determine where his wall is.  He may not be able to go 35, but maybe 28? 30? 25?  Gotta be more than 18.  

]]> By: Corey http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105067 Corey Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:31:49 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105067 One "other thing" the public isn't privy to could be trade strategy. They might feel, for example, that keeping Maxiel the starter through the trade deadline will improve his marketability. They might feel putting CV or Daye on the floor to prove they're not dead benefits the team's trade possibilities. The other most likely issue, for Drummond specifically, is conditioning - or just the rookie wall. Last year in college, he only played 20something minutes per game in a 30 game season. He's already player about 75% of what he did in his entire college season this year, and it's only 1/3 of the way through the season.  I'm starting to actually believe something I write fairly tongue-in-cheek a while back: Drummond is playing great for a rookie that no one had any expectations of this season, right? And now he's doing it for 20 minutes per game. Maybe that means... they are handling him correctly!  Early on, nobody thought he'd contribute this year. He was a "project big man". Years away. Now he's a valuable rotation player, with the second highest PER in amongst rookies in the league this year. They're doing something right with him. Would he maintain that level of  play at 35 minutes per night? I doubt it. Perhaps, since his rap coming out of college was that he lacked focus and motor, they are trying to teach him to play hard ALL THE TIME he's out there. He can't do that if he's playing 35 minutes a night, and he doesn't yet know when to go hard and when to coast a little, like a 10 year veteran.  One “other thing” the public isn’t privy to could be trade strategy. They might feel, for example, that keeping Maxiel the starter through the trade deadline will improve his marketability. They might feel putting CV or Daye on the floor to prove they’re not dead benefits the team’s trade possibilities.

The other most likely issue, for Drummond specifically, is conditioning – or just the rookie wall. Last year in college, he only played 20something minutes per game in a 30 game season. He’s already player about 75% of what he did in his entire college season this year, and it’s only 1/3 of the way through the season. 

I’m starting to actually believe something I write fairly tongue-in-cheek a while back:

Drummond is playing great for a rookie that no one had any expectations of this season, right? And now he’s doing it for 20 minutes per game. Maybe that means… they are handling him correctly!  Early on, nobody thought he’d contribute this year. He was a “project big man”. Years away. Now he’s a valuable rotation player, with the second highest PER in amongst rookies in the league this year. They’re doing something right with him.

Would he maintain that level of  play at 35 minutes per night? I doubt it. Perhaps, since his rap coming out of college was that he lacked focus and motor, they are trying to teach him to play hard ALL THE TIME he’s out there. He can’t do that if he’s playing 35 minutes a night, and he doesn’t yet know when to go hard and when to coast a little, like a 10 year veteran. 

]]> By: Scott Free http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105065 Scott Free Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:31:20 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105065 Okay, fine Lawrence, Drummond isn't what you need on the starting lineup.  Do you mind letting the fans know what IS?  Clearly what you're doing isn't working -- and marginal moves like reinserting A Daye isn't gonna cut it.  This team is losing more than last year, with a better squad!  How does that happen?   Okay, fine Lawrence, Drummond isn’t what you need on the starting lineup.  Do you mind letting the fans know what IS?  Clearly what you’re doing isn’t working — and marginal moves like reinserting A Daye isn’t gonna cut it.  This team is losing more than last year, with a better squad!  How does that happen?  

]]> By: Scott Free http://www.pistonpowered.com/2012/12/lawrence-frank-on-andre-drummond-were-privy-to-things-that-maybe-the-general-public-isnt/comment-page-1/#comment-105064 Scott Free Thu, 20 Dec 2012 22:29:30 +0000 http://www.pistonpowered.com/?p=12175#comment-105064 Thats what they said about last year. Thats what they said about last year.

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