# Opinions on Diop



## -33- (Aug 6, 2002)

What do you Cavs fans think about Diop and his immediate impact and his future impact? I've seen some glipses of talent in him during some of the cavs games I've caught, but sometimes he just looks lost....what do ya'll think about him?


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## Nevus (Jun 3, 2003)

I'm not confident that he will ever develop into a player that can keep himself on the floor for starter's minutes. He might be able to, but he was really not a good draft pick.

He needs to get in shape, for one... he doesn't have a chance to make himself into a player if he's not even in shape. Then he's got to learn not to commit bad fouls.

If he can get do all that, he has the potential to be a great defensive presence in the middle. He's a pretty good rebounder too; he's not one of those big men who can't grab boards.

He's still clearly a project.


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

To Diop's credit, he knows he needs a lot of work and along with Boozer and Ollie (later Wagner will join the group), Diop is in Cleveland right now working with Silas. 

As long as Diop can improve his defense and become more than an occasional shot-blocker, continue to hit the occasional open-jumper and perhaps get a right hook, he won't be a total waste.


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## mavsman (Jun 11, 2003)

Cleveland seems to like Josh Howard quite a bit and who wouldn't
he was the absolute steal of last years draft. The Mavs probably
would not do it but I was thinking maybe:

Josh Howard for Diop

Why does a 7-ft center shoot 38% from the floor? Anyway that
is my biggest concern about him. He should be able to at least
finish around the basket.

The Mavs would want him to rebound and defend but he would
need to at least be able to finish off shots around the hoop.


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## The OUTLAW (Jun 13, 2002)

He has pretty poor hands so, it seems that while most centers get alot of layups and dunks Diop really does not. If there were two things that I could make him do, it'd be working on footwork and catching the ball.


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## osballa50 (Jun 28, 2004)

Diop is a bust .. a waste of the 8th pick in the draft... just embarrassing when he is on the court.. shooting jumpers from ontop the key and just missing horribly... clogging up the middle with his fattness is the only thing he is good for...


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## Mongolmike (Jun 11, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>osballa50</b>!
> Diop is a bust .. a waste of the 8th pick in the draft... just embarrassing when he is on the court.. shooting jumpers from ontop the key and just missing horribly... clogging up the middle with his fattness is the only thing he is good for...


Welcome newguy... but why don't you tell us how you REALLY feel about Diop. Let it all out.... we're there for you.:heart:


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## Spudd (Jun 20, 2004)

diop has been a bust so far, but he has the talent to be a decent player and i think he can do well behind big Z. I think most people have to realise that the cavs are such a young team and that these players need time to develop. The cavs arent a title team next year but if they stick with their core of talent they can be in the not to distant future.

I would like to ask ppl the same question but about Kedrick...


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## Guest (Jun 30, 2004)

Intersting username you got there...


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## Cavs Central (Jun 15, 2004)

> Originally posted by <b>Spudd</b>!
> diop has been a bust so far


That's wrong to say fella, Diop was drafted as a project player, and what do you do with project players, you look at their progress.

Diop's first season was terrible, he was in terrible shape, had no type of shot, and just showed no signs of helping this team out while on the floor.

Last season, he actually beat out Ilgauskas to close games for us becuase of his defense. There were moments where he would block several shots in a row, and yes, even helped us win a few games because his hand was in someone face or changed their shot.

Diop also hit his mid range set jump shot with good consistency, thing is, he does not have many other moves in his arsenal yet to go to, which explains the bad fg% because he was forcing it a lot.

I'm happy with his progress so far, anyone that can show up big in 4th quarters I'll take.


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## KokoTheMonkey (Aug 4, 2003)

Well, for one, I'm not sure why Diop is obsessed with shooting jumpers, especially when he doesn't make them. Diop isn't a guy who should be shooting any kind of jumpers, because he should be in the paint battling for rebounds and setting screens. 


I can see Diop being like an Adonal Foyle or Kelvin Cato, which really isn't saying much.


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## Mongolmike (Jun 11, 2002)

Diop is still a work in progress... and that is ok. This season, we still have Z... it's for the following season that he has to be ready incase Z doesn't resign.

By the way, for all the people writing him off, Diop is still younger than our newest draft choice Luke Jackson. For that matter, so is Wagner and of course LeBron. Diop still has time to learn the game better.

(For those who might question why I don't feel the same about Wagner, for this thread, I say Diop has not reached his peak and can still improve. I think Wagner has reached his potential and won't get much better. Wags is and will be a short shooting guard. Diop is a legite 7', and his body doesn't look like it has physically matured yet, and the progress he has made over the last few years has been noticable.)


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

Diop needs to watch his diet. I hope he avoids eating troubles that plagued certain players and nearly ruined their careers (Oliver Miller). And I love Diop working in Cleveland. With Big Boozer, King James and Little Juanny pumping all that iron, if I were Silas, I'd get Diop in there too. I liked the leaner Diop we saw this season. Now he needs to get more muscle. 

As far as players reaching their potential, that's really subjective. It's easier to say if a player has covered less ground, "he has a far way to go." Perhaps that is true. But perhaps the guy went as far as he can already. And a player with some spark may have maxed out or maybe he still has some tricks up his sleeve. I understand people use "mental projections" but that's a very spacey way of judging things (almost like using the stars to judge people, it's not so objective, eh).

I say Diop can get better because of his poor diet and not lifting weights. Those 2 things alone will improve him as a player. And as far as skills go, Diop can get better too. In fact, the whole Cleveland team can improve their shooting, so I'm looking for the entire team to get better realy.


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## Mongolmike (Jun 11, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>remy23</b>!
> Diop needs to watch his diet. I hope he avoids eating troubles that plagued certain players and nearly ruined their careers (Oliver Miller). And I love Diop working in Cleveland. With Big Boozer, King James and Little Juanny pumping all that iron, if I were Silas, I'd get Diop in there too. I liked the leaner Diop we saw this season. Now he needs to get more muscle.


I think Diop lives in Clev too.. so he's probably also working out with Silas... in fact, I think him and DaJaun are room-mates. Diop's brother lived with him his first season, to help him adjust and to watch over him. Then, the next season, I remember reading that him and Wagner were roomies, and that they had hired a personal chef to fix all their meals... resulting in Diop's weight loss prior to the start of last season.


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## The OUTLAW (Jun 13, 2002)

I think that Diop is more reliable on that short 10-12 foot jump shot than he's been when he gets the ball in the paint. I'm not kidding, he really needs to work on his hand strength and ability to catch the ball. Half the time he gets fed in the paint he fumbles the ball and by the time he recovers he's being guarded. If he could just catch the ball and go straight up his offense would be immensely better. IMO


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## Mongolmike (Jun 11, 2002)

Maybe that is why he isn't aggressive around the rim... can he palm the ball? Maybe he's got small hands and can't get a solid "palm"?


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

If Diop cannot palm the ball, I would be shocked. Steve Francis is about 6'3 and he says his hands are small for a man at 6'3, which explains why he cannot palm a ball very well. But if Diop, who is much bigger than Francis cannot palm a ball, then Diop doesn't have small hands for his size. He'd have *incredibly* small hands for his size.


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## The OUTLAW (Jun 13, 2002)

It's not just the size of your hands, it's also the strength of your hands that helps you to palm the ball.


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

I figure if you're a 7-footer, your hands should be so big, palming a ball should not strain you. I doubt strength would come into play, unless your hands are undersized and you're trying to palm a ball.

I knew a few dudes around 5'8 who used strength to palm a ball. They had big hands for their size and used strength to get over the hump. But I'd be shocked if a 7-footer would need to use grip machines and practice palming objects around the house, to build up his strength to palm a ball. If that's the case, his hands couldn't have been big to begin with.


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## Mongolmike (Jun 11, 2002)

Ya know, I don't KNOW that he has small hands and has trouble palming... I'm just speculating along the thread line of why he does take more jumpers than being aggressive. Hand strength may be a factor in his mind... taking the ball inside means everyone is taking a whack at the ball, your hands, your forearms, etc.... and if he doesn't have good hand strength he may be afraid of being stripped.


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## Kezersoze (Mar 3, 2004)

Diop has been a project for the past 3 years and still looks really lost on court. I mean how long are the Cavs willing to wait for this guy? does he need 2 or 3 more years before he is finally a good roleplayer?


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