Tag: NBA

Lorbek reportedly wants to join Spurs

Back on draft night, the average Spurs fan rode a roller coaster of emotions. They grieved for the trading of George Hill to Indiana, wondered about the untapped potential of Kawhi Leonard and even giggled when somebody saddled the newly acquired Davis Bertans with the too-comical nickname “The Latvian Durant.”

Few gave much thought to the third player to hit the Spurs’ coffers in the deal. What happened on draft night 2011, however, apparently meant a lot to Erazem Lorbek.

According to a Spanish website, having his rights transferred from Indiana to San Antonio has caused

“With this change, it’s much more interesting to me,” Lorbek, who is currently employed by FC Barcelona, told Mundo Deportivo (). “My hope is to cross the Atlantic to play in the strongest league in the world.”

Lorbek, 27, is a 6-foot-10 forward drafted 46th overall  by the Pacers in 2005.  By this point, his internal clock is ticking. If he’s going to join the NBA, time is running short. Lorbek has an opt-out in his contract in Spain which would pave the way for him to make a move.

Apparently, Lorbek is serious about this. According to the report above, he has already informed the Slovenian national team he has no intention of playing in this year’s Eurobasket tournament, angering the Slovenian coach.

Of course, Lorbek’s timing couldn’t be worse. The NBA, as you might have heard, is embroiled in a bitter labor dispute that could threaten some or all of the 2011-12 season. In a reversal of the traditional talent pipeline, some NBA players — notably New Jersey All-Star Deron Williams — are contemplating playing overseas for as long as America’s top professional basketball league remains shuttered.

Until the lockout is resolved and the NBA resumes business as usual, it will be difficult to handicap Lorbek’s chances of joining the Spurs next season.  It is safe to say, however, that the Spurs traded for Lorbek for a reason and, at age 27, time is running out on his opportunity to make an NBA impact.

It seems like he would at least be in the conversation for the Spurs’ roster at some point in the near term.

Poll: Will an NBA lockout affect your feelings as a fan?

The NBA lockout is expected to go into effect at 11:01 a.m. Friday.

On the heels of the highest-rated NBA Finals in a decade, the league’s owners and players have reached an impasse in areas involving basketball related income, cap exceptions and a hard cap, and revenue sharing.

Rookies are missing summer league play and they won’t be working out with their teams. Free agents and undrafted players are in limbo … although some may head overseas to play for pay.

How will fans react? Lockouts or strikes in other sports, notably in Major League Baseball,  have resulted in a drop in fanbase.

Kawhi and his tweaked mechanics should result in a more accurate shot

Kawhi Leonard entered the NBA Draft with some of the most freakish athletic attributes of any of the potential draftees.

Leonard is a physical marvel whose wingspan of 87 ¾ inches is larger than Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum, who is more than five inches taller than the Spurs No. 1 draft pick. And Leonard’s hands are 11 ½ inches wide, which is the size of Shaquille O’Neal’s hand.

But Leonard has gone to the laboratory for ESPN’s Sports Science to by tweaking his trajectory with a change he hopes will result in a better shooting percentage once he starts playing with the Spurs.

The Sports Science crew details how he is diligently working on keeping his shooting elbow high with a straight elbow to the rim as a way to improve his shooting consistency.

That’s a change from college, when Leonard’s elbow tended to flare out. But his work since declaring for the NBA Draft has improved his release angle in a way which should result in a bigger target for his shooting attempts.

It’s a high-tech way to improve his shooting mechanics, which was considered his major weakness coming into the draft.

Leonard’s diligent work in trying to improve is another sign the Spurs might have gotten a steal with the 15th pick of the draft. But he’ll have to remain patient this summer as he awaits his first NBA training camp and his opportunity to work with the Spurs staff.