Kleiza update

[NoPropsneeded]

He went to Missouri - don't meant to be a d*ck about it though, just clarifying.

I think your assessment at the end there is spot on but you left out NBA back up. I think Kleiza would most definitely excel against the majority of back up 3/4's in the league.

This was sort of what I was trying to talk about in post #7. The Raps have really good back ups - some of the best back ups in the league in my opinion. What they lack are legit starters because these really good back ups are starting. Hopefully through another draft pick or two and maturation/development of what they already have, this can be remedied.

I agree with that, the raptors always seem to have an amazing bench but we just cant get enough good starters. I think we're getting closer though, with all the great picks we have had these past few drafts. Now if we can just get that one all star SF we're all set.

[stretch]

He went to Missouri - don't meant to be a d*ck about it though, just clarifying.

Darn, I knew it started with a M..... thanks.

I hope Kleiza has a full recovery. The Raptors 3 point shooting was the worst in years last season and LK was not his usual dead eye self.

[mcHAPPY]

Kleiza was damaged goods last season coming off the World Championships in Turkey where he was a star. His injury really affected his shooting and his overall performance. My feeling is that ultimately Kleiza's game is more suited to the Euroleague than the NBA where he is a tweener, not athletic enough for the 3 position and not big enough for the 4, which he played so well at Maryland.

He went to Missouri - don't meant to be a d*ck about it though, just clarifying.

I think your assessment at the end there is spot on but you left out NBA back up. I think Kleiza would most definitely excel against the majority of back up 3/4's in the league.

This was sort of what I was trying to talk about in post #7. The Raps have really good back ups - some of the best back ups in the league in my opinion. What they lack are legit starters because these really good back ups are starting. Hopefully through another draft pick or two and maturation/development of what they already have, this can be remedied.

[stretch]

Kleiza was damaged goods last season coming off the World Championships in Turkey where he was a star. His injury really affected his shooting and his overall performance. My feeling is that ultimately Kleiza's game is more suited to the Euroleague than the NBA where he is a tweener, not athletic enough for the 3 position and not big enough for the 4, which he played so well at Maryland.

[mcHAPPY]

I've never envisioned Kleiza as a long term starter for Toronto. He certainly is not being paid as such. It is too bad last season played out like it did and this coming season is questionable.

The Raps have three good front court back ups on the roster: Amir, Kleiza, and JJ. If Raps fans are lucky we might have a fourth in Alabi (fingers crossed).

Are ED and JV going to be future above average starters? If they can become that, Toronto has a deep front court in my opinion*.

Depth has not been a concern in recent years; it has been the lack of legit starters at the top of the depth charts.


*a star wing is still needed at SF.

[Ambidextrious]

Finally some sort of news!
I had some high expectations coming into last season about the Raps getting Linas. To be fair I would have to assume that his injury really messed up his game, and we never really got to see a healthy Kleiza for more than a month. Good to hear everything is on track.

[RAPresenting]

Kleiza was a disappointment last season. I hope that most of it was his knee because the guy who led his team at the world championships last year would be great to have in a raptors uniform.

Agreed he definitely wasn't the same player. He took some heat from the fan base after not playing well but I think he can still be a productive piece just needs to get healthy.

Does anyone know roughly if there was a season when he would be back?

[albertan_10]

Kleiza was a disappointment last season. I hope that most of it was his knee because the guy who led his team at the world championships last year would be great to have in a raptors uniform.

[SitnonDfence]

Good news. I would love to see Linas come back healthy and productive. I can live with a small forward combo of him and James Johnson for a season.

Agreed. Just hopefully they dont both do their respective dissapearing acts on the same night...

[WJF]

Good news. I would love to see Linas come back healthy and productive. I can live with a small forward combo of him and James Johnson for a season.

[mcHAPPY]

Via HoopsHype.com:

Erildas Budraitis: Linas Kleiza is back in the U.S. for the final tests before starting working out normally (via Robertas Petrauskas) #Raptors #NBA Twitter

Semi-confirmed through Doug Smith's blog a couple of days ago:

Oh, some Raptors stuff?

I’m hearing through spies in Lithuania that Linas Kleiza’s on schedule in his rehab from knee surgery. He’s been doing some broadcasting over at the European championships and is due back in North America later this month to be seen by the doctors who did the surgery out in Colorado.

He’s still looking at a couple of months before he can get back on the court but things are coming along as well as can be expected.

http://thestar.blogs.com/raptors/201...-football.html