2021-2022 ROSTER TALK: [ARCHIVED]

[KillerLeft]

First, I must apologize for my tone in what I wrote. When I reread it in your quote, that was not my intent. I will say, I mostly reply to you around here cause you have the most patience with my way of getting a thought out and I appreciate that a lot. I'm sure it grinds on you though and again, I apologize.

I've been meaning to ask you what you (or Dan for that matter) specifically think he does that can't be taught to another willing and hard working player that has foot speed as a C (thinking about Holmes mostly, cause I think Turner does enough on defense, while having foot speed, that even if he didn't do all the things Powell does, those other things still make him better). I mean to ask this on offense and defense. 

My thoughts about what Powell brings that is not teachable is really his foot speed. I think all the other things he does can be taught to a willing and hard working player. I'm willing to concede his IQ being off the charts unteachable, but would need a bit of a large nudge to know specifically how that relates to an on-court advantage over a player with a bit lower IQ, but is a hard and willing worker in your mind.

I'm willing to start giving up on some of my preconceived notions about who Powell is, but I just have a hard time thinking that who he is is a hard worker that is willing to do anything for the team that has really good foot speed and catches on pretty fast because of his IQ. I think everything else can be taught. I also believe some levels of those abilities can be decreased and we still get an upgrade to who Powell is by getting another player (hopefully IN ADDITION to him) that has more pure basketball talent to utilize.

Most people with a problem with Powell only notice him when he ends up guarding someone with the ball, too deep in the paint. Those possessions often don't go well, but they're also not supposed to happen in the first place, and are almost always the fault of someone else (prior to the part that gets noticed). I have no idea if you're in this category of viewer or not, but wanted to set the table with this idea. 

99% of the time, when someone writes what I'm about to write next, it's taken as an insult. Tone can be really difficult here, but I'm going to take a risk and write this anyway. I'm not meaning to suggest that anyone is "dumb" or "not watching" or "doesn't get it." I promise. Here goes:

If you want to see some of what I see about Powell's defense, whether you will ultimately agree with my assessment or not, I recommend spending about five straight games watching ONLY him on defense, regardless of where the BALL is. You will doubtlessly see what I have seen: that he does 2-5 things on each possession that take options away from the opposing offense - the options they want. Sometimes, these possessions are still successful, and sometimes he's the one who ends catching the ball as it drops through the net, even, but that doesn't always mean he's the guy who didn't hold his end of the bargain up. 

This is a really difficult thing to do as a viewer. Much easier said than done. Like I said, I'm not meaning to suggest that you've never done this or thought of it, but I do think there are people around here who haven't. 

I think guys like Powell fly under the radar a bit at times specially because they're at times such effective deterrents on defense that the plan they're foiling never becomes a shot attempt. Many people only seem to notice who's guarding the guy who gets the shot up. If it goes in they say "bad defense." If it bricks they say "nice job there." The truth is that success or failure comes way before the shot attempt in many cases, and often has nothing to do with the guy who ends up on ball.

EDIT: and dude, you didn't offend me earlier, don't worry.