How good will Sully and Olynyk be at their prime?

[kozlodoev]

As for Sully, I am really saddened to see how fat he still is. Thinner, stronger and meaner should be his game yet he has come back slower, fatter and shooting more three pointers like some stretch 5. That's not his game. I think he could be very good, long term but he needs to lose that weight and get his game together.

You do realize he is coming off back surgery right? He spent most of the off season off of his feet and unable to workout. Given that fact and the fact that he is a big framed guy, of coarse he gained weight.

Gronk had 5 surgeries and looks like he didn't gain a pound.

A useful comparison, because ... they are so very much alike ...   

I'm not quite sure how they're different. They are, in fact, similar size and weight (Sullinger is 1.5 inches taller). Except one emerged from recovery in passable shape, the other like looking like an oaf. Sorry, but you can't convince me that Sullinger was maintaining a proper regimen during recovery.

[LarBrd33]

It is probably a stretch with the EB comparison, but IF he reaches his full potential and is in the right situation, then I could see him as a pre-injury EB type of player. Of course, I can see him becoming Big Baby 2.0 too.

Elton Brand was a #1 pick.  He was a rookie of the year.  Dude was always a major contributor.  Sully was drafted #21 for valid reasons.   He could end up a starter, but I don't see any star potential in him.

[sofutomygaha]

I'm interested to see how Sullinger reacts if he continues to get his ass handed to him while he's out of shape.

He's had his conditioning criticized many many times before, and he's had a very even-keeled reaction that boiled down to: "people always tell me I'm not athletic enough, but I always get the job done." I remember seeing this come up in interviews before the draft in particular. Sullinger is strong minded in the sense that he thinks he is good at basketball, and anyone who says he's not athletic enough is wrong.

So what will he do if, for the first time, he is wrong in his self-assuredness? Will he turn into a conditioning freak, or will he get depressed and wash out?

Glen Davis keeps getting brought up, but for what it's worth he actually reacted to the same situation by getting himself into some serious fighting shape. The problem in Davis' case was that he genuinely wasn't that good a player. Sullinger's superior passing, his footwork, his soft touch, and his rebounding skill are what really undermine all the Glen Davis comparisons.

If Sullinger works as hard on his conditioning as Glen Davis does, I think he will be an excellent, Boozer-esque player.

[Snakehead]

I think people think Glen Davis is better than he was if they don't think Sullinger can be better.  He just is a more skilled player and better rebounder (who actually wants to be a rebounder, in addition).

To me the question is will his back hold up (and I hope it does).  Sure he looks a little out of shape but this has happens with a lot of players.  He will get in shape.  He is not the player to be critical of on this team right now, I don't think.

[D.o.s.]

As for Sully, I am really saddened to see how fat he still is. Thinner, stronger and meaner should be his game yet he has come back slower, fatter and shooting more three pointers like some stretch 5. That's not his game. I think he could be very good, long term but he needs to lose that weight and get his game together.

You do realize he is coming off back surgery right? He spent most of the off season off of his feet and unable to workout. Given that fact and the fact that he is a big framed guy, of coarse he gained weight.

Gronk had 5 surgeries and looks like he didn't gain a pound.

A useful comparison, because ... they are so very much alike ...   

Yeha I don't get the comparison either

Also reports said that gronk lost a bunch of weight because he couldnt work out and bulk up which is funny

From the horse's mouth:

“I don’t really lose weight,” Gronkowski said. “I can look skinny and still be the same amount of weight. It goes by skinny or looking jacked. So I was skinny back a few months.”

http://nesn.com/2013/09/rob-gronkowski-says-he-does-not-lose-weight-goes-by-skinny-or-looking-jacked/

[GreenEnvy]

We got the second coming of Barkley and Nowitzki.

[mmmmm]

As for Sully, I am really saddened to see how fat he still is. Thinner, stronger and meaner should be his game yet he has come back slower, fatter and shooting more three pointers like some stretch 5. That's not his game. I think he could be very good, long term but he needs to lose that weight and get his game together.

You do realize he is coming off back surgery right? He spent most of the off season off of his feet and unable to workout. Given that fact and the fact that he is a big framed guy, of coarse he gained weight.

Gronk had 5 surgeries and looks like he didn't gain a pound.

A useful comparison, because ... they are so very much alike ...   

I'm not quite sure how they're different. They are, in fact, similar size and weight (Sullinger is 1.5 inches taller). Except one emerged from recovery in passable shape, the other like looking like an oaf. Sorry, but you can't convince me that Sullinger was maintaining a proper regimen during recovery.

Well, if the nearly irrelevant fact that they are of similar height and weight leaves you 'not quite sure how they are different', I'm certainly not going to try to convince you of anything in regards to whether or not Sullinger was maintaining a proper regimen during recovery.  I don't, in fact, claim to know if he did or did not.

But the idea that Gronk represents a comparable body type?

I do know that it is a pretty firmly established fact that different body types respond very differently to even identical training and nutrition regimens.

[guava_wrench]

As for Sully, I am really saddened to see how fat he still is. Thinner, stronger and meaner should be his game yet he has come back slower, fatter and shooting more three pointers like some stretch 5. That's not his game. I think he could be very good, long term but he needs to lose that weight and get his game together.

You do realize he is coming off back surgery right? He spent most of the off season off of his feet and unable to workout. Given that fact and the fact that he is a big framed guy, of coarse he gained weight.

Gronk had 5 surgeries and looks like he didn't gain a pound.

Everyone has a different metabolism and food interests.

[hpantazo]

As for Sully, I am really saddened to see how fat he still is. Thinner, stronger and meaner should be his game yet he has come back slower, fatter and shooting more three pointers like some stretch 5. That's not his game. I think he could be very good, long term but he needs to lose that weight and get his game together.

You do realize he is coming off back surgery right? He spent most of the off season off of his feet and unable to workout. Given that fact and the fact that he is a big framed guy, of coarse he gained weight.

Gronk had 5 surgeries and looks like he didn't gain a pound.

Everyone has a different metabolism and food interests.

also, Gronk's recent surgeries on his arm didn't prevent him from doing any cardio

[Fan from VT]

The comparison was that as professional athletes with access to dieticians and trainers, in this day and age recovering form back surgery is not an excuse to put on fat mass.

[BballTim]

It is probably a stretch with the EB comparison, but IF he reaches his full potential and is in the right situation, then I could see him as a pre-injury EB type of player. Of course, I can see him becoming Big Baby 2.0 too.

Elton Brand was a #1 pick.  He was a rookie of the year.  Dude was always a major contributor.  Sully was drafted #21 for valid reasons.   He could end up a starter, but I don't see any star potential in him.

  He was #21 mainly because of his back. If he gets back to the level he was playing at when he went out last year he could start for a fair amount of teams.

[BballTim]

The comparison was that as professional athletes with access to dieticians and trainers, in this day and age recovering form back surgery is not an excuse to put on fat mass.

  I'd give him a healthy summer working with a program from the training staff before I got too worried about his weight. Look at the bodies Perk and Jefferson had early on in their careers.

[D.o.s.]

It is probably a stretch with the EB comparison, but IF he reaches his full potential and is in the right situation, then I could see him as a pre-injury EB type of player. Of course, I can see him becoming Big Baby 2.0 too.

Elton Brand was a #1 pick.  He was a rookie of the year.  Dude was always a major contributor.  Sully was drafted #21 for valid reasons.   He could end up a starter, but I don't see any star potential in him.

  He was #21 mainly because of his back. If he gets back to the level he was playing at when he went out last year he could start for a fair amount of teams.

I still would hesitate to compare him to Elton Brand. I think I'll stick with a better passing Glen Davis.

[indeedproceed]

Sullinger in his prime? Meh. Who knows. I always really hoped he'd be a combination between Carlos Boozer and David West. But I'm way more skeptical now. Ideally, he'll figure out a way to score around the basket and develop a 50% 15-17 footer, while rebounding and defending at an average or slightly above average level.

Olynyk is a complete unknown still. His shooting will be the defining thing that'll decide whether he's a legit NBA player or..not.

[guava_wrench]

Sullinger in his prime? Meh. Who knows. I always really hoped he'd be a combination between Carlos Boozer and David West. But I'm way more skeptical now. Ideally, he'll figure out a way to score around the basket and develop a 50% 15-17 footer, while rebounding and defending at an average or slightly above average level.

Olynyk is a complete unknown still. His shooting will be the defining thing that'll decide whether he's a legit NBA player or..not.

Sully is just 21. There will be a lot of improvement in the next 4 years, assuming he stays healthy. But, yeah, who knows if he would ever develop the touch of those guys.