Maybe the question isn't "Who" but "How Many?"
We've seen pictures of Marc Gasol and Lowry looking slimmed down and chiseled. We've heard from different players like Davis, Fred, and Serge about how EVERYONE looks to be in great shape, obviously not having wasted the past four months. And we have also heard that different players have been watching the video of last season's games, looking to identify areas for personal improvements. We have also heard that Nurse and the assistant coaches have been scrutinizing game tape with a view towards tweaking various sets and plays. In other words, there seems to have been little slack time for anyone on the team.
In addition, we know from past seasons that the team is stocked with guys who have made a habit of making significant improvements in the offseason. Kyle, Fred, Pascal, Norm, Boucher, OG, and Serge jump to mind. I don't think anyone believes winning a championship will cause any one of those guys to sit back and put their feet up.
We also know that there is a strong cultural expectation in the organization of putting in work to ensure personal improvement. I can only expect that that culture has impacted Terrance Davis, Thomas, Boucher, Hernandez, Brisset, Rondae, and the rest.
How many players can we expect to make a measurable improvement? How much do those individual improvements contribute to ream improvements? Who shows the most improvement.
I think Gasol, rested and trimmed down, could be in the top four by virtue of better conditioning and fewer injuries through the bubble battles. I can see him playing more minutes at a higher pace and also a slight uptick in 3 pt shooting because he will have his legs under him.
I think Siakim improves again because I'd be a fool to think he doesn't after watching his progression over the last three seasons. I think his midrange game takes a step up and his assist numbers go up. It would be hard for him to watch much game tape without seeing missed opportunities for earlier passes out of traffic.
I think TD will have identified his rookie mistakes with four months of time to rewatch his gameplay. Not making those mistakes or significantly cutting them down will force Nick to play him more, cut down on his poor shot selections and turnovers and leave him with improved scoring and assist numbers. I expect him to get to the rim under better control.
I am tempted to say Norm may be in the top four in improvement, just by virtue of continuing his strong play from earlier in the season, but getting through without injury. That may be more of a hope than an actual expectation.
Continued career-best level numbers from Serge and Fred, and incremental improvements from the rest, or at least continued strong play up to the level of the early part of the season, are my expectations.
TD is my choice for biggest jump. But a quicker, better conditioned Gasol operating as a passing big, with improved teammates might surprise us all.
We've seen pictures of Marc Gasol and Lowry looking slimmed down and chiseled. We've heard from different players like Davis, Fred, and Serge about how EVERYONE looks to be in great shape, obviously not having wasted the past four months. And we have also heard that different players have been watching the video of last season's games, looking to identify areas for personal improvements. We have also heard that Nurse and the assistant coaches have been scrutinizing game tape with a view towards tweaking various sets and plays. In other words, there seems to have been little slack time for anyone on the team.
In addition, we know from past seasons that the team is stocked with guys who have made a habit of making significant improvements in the offseason. Kyle, Fred, Pascal, Norm, Boucher, OG, and Serge jump to mind. I don't think anyone believes winning a championship will cause any one of those guys to sit back and put their feet up.
We also know that there is a strong cultural expectation in the organization of putting in work to ensure personal improvement. I can only expect that that culture has impacted Terrance Davis, Thomas, Boucher, Hernandez, Brisset, Rondae, and the rest.
How many players can we expect to make a measurable improvement? How much do those individual improvements contribute to ream improvements? Who shows the most improvement.
I think Gasol, rested and trimmed down, could be in the top four by virtue of better conditioning and fewer injuries through the bubble battles. I can see him playing more minutes at a higher pace and also a slight uptick in 3 pt shooting because he will have his legs under him.
I think Siakim improves again because I'd be a fool to think he doesn't after watching his progression over the last three seasons. I think his midrange game takes a step up and his assist numbers go up. It would be hard for him to watch much game tape without seeing missed opportunities for earlier passes out of traffic.
I think TD will have identified his rookie mistakes with four months of time to rewatch his gameplay. Not making those mistakes or significantly cutting them down will force Nick to play him more, cut down on his poor shot selections and turnovers and leave him with improved scoring and assist numbers. I expect him to get to the rim under better control.
I am tempted to say Norm may be in the top four in improvement, just by virtue of continuing his strong play from earlier in the season, but getting through without injury. That may be more of a hope than an actual expectation.
Continued career-best level numbers from Serge and Fred, and incremental improvements from the rest, or at least continued strong play up to the level of the early part of the season, are my expectations.
TD is my choice for biggest jump. But a quicker, better conditioned Gasol operating as a passing big, with improved teammates might surprise us all.
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