George W
Well-Known Member
This... as impressive as the offense has been I just thought he was a Bogey like sieve on D. Very much the opposite. Doesn't block a ton of shots but moves his feet and gets in the play. The way he competes for boards has been wildly impressive to me. He always gets back in the play and competes on the glass... so if he doesn't get it someone else can swoop in and nab it.
Overall the kid looks like he has matured and is like a perfect market fit (not the white guy thing per se.. the fact he has a young family is serious and looking for his opportunity to take more of the spotlight... the cold mountainous climate may not bother him either).
Just an FYI he is not extension eligible and wouldn't sign one if he was. He will likely double his salary when his current 3 year deal is over. The cap will have gone up by like 50% in addition to his improvement. I can see him being very interested in staying here though as it seems to be a great fit.
LM is a great example of the importance of letting athletes compete for their countries in the offseason. Dude played for god-awful NBA coaches who parked him in the corners -- the Finnish team unlocked his potential and built his confidence through the summer, and he massacred his opponents in the process.
Hardy should get credit for continuing his momentum and giving him opportunities to succeed, but the lion's share of credit goes to Lauri and the Finnish coaching staff