Can Sully and KO get better?

[piercetruth34]

Not against the hawks but the game before I started seeing Sully do a lot of little things you'd hope you'd see from a star player.  He was starting to look more like kevin Love with defense than  a poor man's one without the intangibles that don't show up on the stat sheet.  Unfortunately it was a 1 game thing.  Tommy is always harping on these things trying to get players to learn and improve vs the constant twittering and trade stuff that goes on.

It's always more rewarding imo when you see that guy you drafted improve and become a star before your eyes imo.  Just much more heart goes into something like that, then what we see a lot of time today where  players can just collect a paycheck on their talent and end up being shipped in some deal somewhere else.

[Tr1boy]

Not against the hawks but the game before I started seeing Sully do a lot of little things you'd hope you'd see from a star player.  He was starting to look more like kevin Love with defense than  a poor man's one without the intangibles that don't show up on the stat sheet.  Unfortunately it was a 1 game thing.  Tommy is always harping on these things trying to get players to learn and improve vs the constant twittering and trade stuff that goes on.

It's always more rewarding imo when you see that guy you drafted improve and become a star before your eyes imo.  Just much more heart goes into something like that, then what we see a lot of time today where  players can just collect a paycheck on their talent and end up being shipped in some deal somewhere else.

If ko can get stronger and sully loses 10-15 pounds yes. Big year for both next season. 

[piercetruth34]

I think Tommy is right that KO needs to become more comfortable shooting the ball inside and when to take jumpshots and  utilize his height.  Sully is a guy who can pass the  ball and do the dirty work inside takign charges. Both can.  KO needs to become much better defensively with his hands and how to position himself.  Scal and all these commentators have basically touched on these things.

I'd rather have homegrown talent and players that play well together and do the little things and play  unselfishly than a bunch of overpaid statstuffers anyways.  A  real team in other words.

Kevin L ove is a good player and better than KO and Sully right now but he's also not really improving himself.  A lot of players are like that.  We trade for kevin Love he's kevin love.  I'd rather Sully and KO improve and get better.  Do the little things and play better as a team.

[HomerSapien]

Yes, they both absolutely can get better. 

Of the two, I think Sully is the most likely to be a good to very good NBA player. I've liked what I've seen out of him of late.  I was impressed with the way he battled through his shooting slump, and I thought his defensive effort and execution has shown a bit of an improvement of late.  Additionally, he is developing a pretty reliable fadeaway jumper in the post, and if he can come up with a counterpunch to it he'll have two post moves he can go to against almost anyone down low.  The biggest improvement he needs to make is with his body.  He needs to lose 10 - 20 lbs. to improve his quickness and mobility.  I feel like he should watch a lot of Paul Millsap highlights (young and old) as Paul is a very successful undersized PF that I think Sully could model a lot of his play after.

KO for me is all mental.  If he can play like the aggressive player we've seen 5 - 10 times this year he can be a real impact player for the Celtics.  He's more athletic than I think he gets credit for and he is very skilled, but he is tentative and passive too often.  I feel like he's going through a bit of a slump like Sully did earlier in the year, so it will be interesting to see how well he battles through it and continues to improve.

[celtics2030]

I mean it depends on what you want

If you want Sully to play 30-37 minutes a game, then your team more than likely sucks...

so no

Sully cannot get better because he is not that great enough. Maybe If he loses some weight.

[Beat LA]

Can dat billy goat just get rid of his hair and that dumb goatee (no pun intended, lol) already?  Irrespective of what you want him to become, though, I think it's important to point out that billy goats aren't 'rim protectors,' lol.  

[2short]

sure
kelly needs to have the confidence / arrogance in his own offensive game while continuing to work on rebounding (good) and defense (improved) and strength/conditioning

sully better low post offense and more effort on defense, foot speed

both guys will have good nba careers, will either be an all star? probably not, kelly has the offense and could make one, sully i see as a guy who can start or come off bench depending on how good your team is
  one should be traded in a package to improve a position, sadly ANY position on the team

[Tr1boy]

The issue with KO

- Guarding smaller players like he is a smaller player.  Just needs to do what he can as a big man, and if you get beat, you get beat

- jumping/ moving fwd vs raising arms straight

On the offensive end

- like tommy was saying, he had enough chances to just shoot over smaller players or stop and shoot the mid range jump shot (this part CBS is partly to blame, telling his guys threes, or drive in)

- passing the ball too much. Getting too cute, instead of being aggressive and scoring


He has to get back to play the way he did vs 76ers (scoring 30)  and the three games after that


Bottom line

-  raise arms straight up. on the defensive end
- don't pass the ball unless you are stuck or nearly double team

[Chris22]

KO needs to develop a hook shot with either hand in close.

It's not hard. I learned to do it just a few years ago.

[SHAQATTACK]

With a good point guard and seriously good center like Cousins .

[Jailan34]

I think at this point while they will continue to improve in some parts of their game, it will be consistency that determines if they become "star" players or not. As the ability to do your job well say in and out consistently is often what separates the good from great. Also, staying healthy will help, as I believe games played is one of the most underrated stats on today's analytics.

[LilRip]

They'll both get better but neither will sniff an all-star game and neither will be a rim protector anytime soon. I'd like to see Sully eventually traded. I think KO's biggest point of improvement needs to be his mindset. He has a nice touch and he needs to have more of a scoring mentality.

[jmen788]

This is obviously a subjective opinion-- but I think KO can definitely get better, but I have my doubts about Sullinger. I like Sullinger, but he's inconsistent, and kind of like the Jeff Green of big men. Olynyck will not magically learn athleticism but he can score (although it's ugly sometimes), and I envision us getting defense/rebounding from a true center in a year or two (If not Okafor, Towns or Turner, PLEASE get Deandre, even if it's for the max!)

[slamtheking]

simple answer: yes they can.

Sully - needs to become consistant.  hate him out at the 3 point line on offense but that's Stevens' strategy-->once in a while to keep the D honest I can live with.  3-4 of those a game is too many.  needs better understanding of rotations on D.

KO - same thing except he's more acceptable out at the 3.  needs to be much more aggressive in looking for his shot.  unselfishness is swell but he takes it to the extreme which is a detriment.

[Depalma2002]

This is obviously a subjective opinion-- but I think KO can definitely get better, but I have my doubts about Sullinger. I like Sullinger, but he's inconsistent, and kind of like the Jeff Green of big men. Olynyck will not magically learn athleticism but he can score (although it's ugly sometimes), and I envision us getting defense/rebounding from a true center in a year or two (If not Okafor, Towns or Turner, PLEASE get Deandre, even if it's for the max!)

I don't see any way Jordan is leaving LA. Prime market, a coach who brought him to the next level, good team on which he plays a vital part. Situation and market wise, you really can't get better.

It would have to come strictly down to money and the Clippers can offer more money and years. Is he a max player? Probably not, but close enough. However, even if you are willing to overpay him and pay him the max, you don't think the Clippers will match or top that? Ballmer just overpaid for the team to ensure that he got it. After $2B for the team, I don't think he's going to be scared off by the luxury tax.

I could be wrong, of course, but I would be shocked if he's not a Clipper next season.