Walker Kessler - Just not the same guy as last season

[mdalby]

I just don't see the defensive presence that he was at the rim last season. He seems to have had an attitude change. Like, "oh well.." He needs some Dawg in him. Rudy gave a damn, every single attempt at the rim, he took personally.

Kessler needs to get rid of that "good ole boy" attitude. He is a heck of a guy and fun but if he wants to be a momma's boy and be with media and conduct post game interviews, that is a future for him. But we need more dogs.

 

[Saint Cy of JFC]

Kessler has absolutely terrible vertical athleticism in tight spaces. Just like Rudy, but he doesnt have Rudy's insane reach to make up for it.

If you dont have an optimally spaced floor for Walker, he's a below average offensive center and someone who is going to hurt your ability to play offense.

I think he's the same player as last year, the context around him is just much worse and he doesnt make players better offensively because his rim gravity just isn't at that elite level.

But above all else I just can't stand how Charmin soft he is. Dude is either terrified to get fouled or just has no offensive feel to draw contact. Everything he does he tries to finesse.

 

[gomretat]

The context is definitely a problem this year - very poorly constituted roster - and Walker is having understandable growing pains. I think Kessler will still be a solid and serviceable big. That being said, he was certainly overhyped last year. The comments evaluating him versus Rudy last year were premature and often off base.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

The context is definitely a problem this year - very poorly constituted roster - and Walker is having understandable growing pains. I think Kessler will still be a solid and serviceable big. That being said, he was certainly overhyped last year. The comments evaluating him versus Rudy last year were premature and often off based.

He's still protecting the paint well... he just isn't being setup by a dude like Mike Conley or playing against the soft end of season teams right now. I'm still a big believer. I think he is like a top 10-15 center with maybe a smidge of upward mobility if he gets a little stronger. I think the idea of this team's identity on defense is still the ivory towers in the paint in Walker and Lauri. The mess we have going with our core pieces on offense is a problem.

 

[Tremendous Upside]

Dude is either terrified to get fouled or just has no offensive feel to draw contact. Everything he does he tries to finesse.

I've never seen a 7 footer try so many unnecessary reverse layups. And every time Boler gushes over that stuff... "He's using the rim to protect the ball!" FFS, you do that if you're 6'2''!

Kessler's inability to go up strong is infuriating.

His rim protection hasn't slipped in itself but his overall defensive impact has. Teams have figured him out and are exploiting his inability / unwillingness to defend in space.

 

[SD Jazz]

Walker will be top 10 center in 3 years and Jazz will hold him tight. Now I think he is still in time restrictions, was 25min, now maybe 27min and soon he will be in starting line up .

 

[sip]

Hardy needs to stop ****ing around and give him a consistent 30 minutes a game as a starter to snap out of his funk and build some confidence. Unfortunately Hardy is a mediocre coach so I don't see that happening until the front office demands it. The shine is firmly off Hardy as this great young coach and now management is starting to wonder what he is good at because it doesn't seem to be player development.