Have you given up on Fab?

[CFAN38]

I never had super high hopes for Fab and was disapointed Danny passed on Ezeli. However I haven't given up hope on Melo, bigs take longer to develop and I believe that playing in a zone in college puts Fab behind the 8 ball this past year. 2013 Season will be a big year for Fab to show if he belongs in the NBA.

[aingeforthree]

Those who gave up on Perkins his first 3 years in the league are the same ones giving up on Fab at the moment. 

Not true. Count me among the people who was Perk fan but who is not a Melo fan.

There are two big differences between Perk and Fab:

1. Fab is 23 now. By the time Perk was 23 he was the starting center on a championship team, with four years of regular NBA play under his belt. Fab hasn't played a single productive minute of NBA basketball. And yeah I've heard the "he didn't start playing until late" line, but that is getting a little old at this point.

2. Perkins was as dedicated as any player I've ever seen in terms of conditioning and re-shaping his body to meet the demands of NBA play. I've seen no evidence that Melo shares that commitment.

So you discount the main difference between the two to prove what ?

Perk had far more bball experience and still took 5 years to develop.  Melo just started playing the game.  HUGE difference between the players.

[Boris Badenov]

guy hasnt even had a chance to prove himself.  He tore up the D league and Doc benches him.  So no, I think Fab should get a good look this year then go from there.

You have a peculiar definition of "tore up." Melo was the 92nd-best player in the D-league by NBA.com's efficiency rankings, below such luminaries as Dar Tucker, Sean Evans, Tyler Wilkerson.

He was 96th in rebounds per minute (averaging fewer rebounds per minute than many guards). Luke Harangody averaged twice as many rebounds per game as Melo did.

He did block a lot of shots (4th per minute), rounding out the top 5 with the likes of Hassan Whiteside, Scott VanDerMeer, Will Foster and Travis Hyman. So, there's that.

[Atzar]

We knew ahead of time that Melo would be a multi-year project.  I'm not even sure he'll start being useful this year.  But give him time.  You can't teach his natural tools.

[Boris Badenov]

Those who gave up on Perkins his first 3 years in the league are the same ones giving up on Fab at the moment. 

Not true. Count me among the people who was Perk fan but who is not a Melo fan.

There are two big differences between Perk and Fab:

1. Fab is 23 now. By the time Perk was 23 he was the starting center on a championship team, with four years of regular NBA play under his belt. Fab hasn't played a single productive minute of NBA basketball. And yeah I've heard the "he didn't start playing until late" line, but that is getting a little old at this point.

2. Perkins was as dedicated as any player I've ever seen in terms of conditioning and re-shaping his body to meet the demands of NBA play. I've seen no evidence that Melo shares that commitment.

So you discount the main difference between the two to prove what ?

Perk had far more bball experience and still took 5 years to develop.  Melo just started playing the game.  HUGE difference between the players.

I don't think that's the main difference between the two, actually.

But anyway it is a difference, I agree. But don't you think over time it becomes less relevant? Melo started playing when he was 14. He played two years of top-level D-I ball and has now been in the NBA for a full year. He's 23 so physically he should be pretty mature. At what point does he stop getting a pass because he's only played since age 14? When he's 25? 30?

Just to be clear we are not looking at a minor difference in performance. We are looking at the difference, at age 23, between a guy who played quality minutes on the best team in the league, and a guy who could not find garbage minutes on a mediocre team desperate for big men.

I'd be happy if Fab improves, don't get me wrong. But given what I'm saying here and my second point above about his effort level, I think it's fair to be pessimistic about his future prospects.

[vjcsmoke]

Very curious to know what you guys think about this polarizing player - Fab Melo

There seems to be two camps regarding the Brazilian big man.

Camp 1 - They are already proclaiming him a bust.  That camp emphatically stating that he should be traded or dropped, like yesterday.  He’s broken a chair and he ran into a door frame.  If he’s not good now, he never will be.

Camp 2 - They  hold out hope for him.  He’s a former Big East Defensive Player of the Year.  He’s a legit 7 footer and he has had a couple of monster games in the D League.  It’s too early to bury him, he’s still learning the game.

I am in Camp 2.  I think he will be good, eventually.

What camp are you in?

99% given up.  Then again Perkins showed nothing for a while too.  So you never know.  Until Danny cuts him, Melo is still part of the team.  His basketball IQ appears terrible though.  Hoping he pans out but NOT counting on it.

[erisred]

What camp are you in?

The give him some time camp. I think he'll end up being pretty good, but it could 2 years from now before we really see it. Can/will Danny hold on to him that long? That's my question.

[rondoallaturca]

For those who think Fab has a shot at developing into a solid player, what exactly are your expectations?

I mean, in the BEST BEST BEST case scenario, I see him being who Deandre Jordan is right now. Low basketball IQ who relies on sheer athletic and physical dominance to get 8/8 with a couple blocks throw in.

[erisred]

Then again no one though Roy Hibbert would do as well as he is now.

No, I thought Hibbert was going to be just this good, even better. Hibbert had all the physical tools, a good work ethic, and was smart. He just needed time to develop.

I think it *always* takes big men longer to develop than small men. That's why I still hold out hope for Melo.

In Melo's case, he has most of the physical tools (I worry about his hands) and I think he has a good work ethic, not so sure about the smart part, though. He needs time, but I'm unsure whether he will turn out really good or just okay.

[Sizzlack]

This reminds me of all the Avery Bradley talk after his first two years.

People were ready to put the nail in the coffin there as well. Just relax, it takes more than one year to develop a project player like Fab Melo. Wait till at least year 3 before we make any sweeping declarations.

[LooseCannon]

For those who think Fab has a shot at developing into a solid player, what exactly are your expectations?

I mean, in the BEST BEST BEST case scenario, I see him being who Deandre Jordan is right now. Low basketball IQ who relies on sheer athletic and physical dominance to get 8/8 with a couple blocks throw in.

Best case scenario is probably something like Brendan Heywood with worse rebounding.  I expect his peak to be a level of production more like prime DeSagana Diop, though.

[aingeforthree]

For those who think Fab has a shot at developing into a solid player, what exactly are your expectations?

I mean, in the BEST BEST BEST case scenario, I see him being who Deandre Jordan is right now. Low basketball IQ who relies on sheer athletic and physical dominance to get 8/8 with a couple blocks throw in.

I only expect the minimum based on his draft position.

Backup center, getting 10-15 minutes, big body, shot blocker, intimidate the opponent inside, commit 5 fouls, & rebound.

The biggest trait he needs to work on is Rebounding (finding a body, & boxing out the opponent).  If he gets that, he'll meet my expectation and then some.  I already know he can change shots, although his positioning is way out of place (Rotations, etc.).  Work on those 2 aspects in the next 2 years in the D-league partnered with some call ups here and there & I think he'll be fine.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Perhaps he masters the key elementary moves needed to defend the low post, rebound, and play a really rudimentary but effective pick and roll game on both sides of the ball. That plus an Ok hook shot and...say 1 or 2 blocks a game.

[WeMadeIt17]

Yes.

[KG_ended_Bias]

This is why I haven't given up on Melo!

He can help our team out tremendously by starting 60-70 games & helping us secure bottom 3 teams status in next year loaded draft! And the good thing about it all is that Danny can mask it & justify him being in the lineup by saying he was our 1st round draft pick & was always expected to start in 2013-2014 being he dominated D-League games last year. A Lose-Win situation!