04-30-2021, 01:14 PM
(04-30-2021, 10:55 AM)dirkfansince1998 Wrote: Soft is probably the wrong word but compared to Dirk he clearly lacks some strength. Dirk obviously wasn´t a shot blocker but he had the lower body strength to hold his position in the post and boxout legit 7ft 260+ guys. On offense he could create a lot of space with his bumps. KP is getting bullied in the paint and cannot backdown guards. Best example. First quarter yesterday. 6´8 I.Stewart was pushing him around in the paint and he couldn´t do anything about it.
He is not soft. He´s not lacking strength. He´s just too tall to play basketball in the NBA (especially the new NBA) for an extended period of time > 8 years / +500 games.
I have been telling Rockets fans this 15 years ago about Yao Ming´s load management. He was playing for the Chinese national team every summer, so he was literally playing 100 professional games every year. Yao was probably less injury prone, more skllled and playing at a slower pace. He lasted three full schedule, then the cracks appeared and by season 7 he was finished.
That was always the huge risk, when making this trade. All the statistical evidence was there, but for what we had to give up, it was still a reasonable decision to make the trade.
The extension though was HORRIBLE. Look at all the injury clauses the Sixers negotiated with Embiid. Here is what Embiid´s contract breaks down:
Full contract: 147/5 (basically like Porzingis)
If he gets hurt badly in....
Year 1: 84/5 (guaranteed)
Year 2: 98/5 (guaranteed)
Year 3: 113/5 (guaranteed)
Year 4: 129/5 (guaranteed)