For some reason, I don't think I've ever watched Larry Sanders play, and I watch a ton of games. He's always hurt, suspended, awol, whatever lol. But in highlight reels he looks like Bill Russell. He has an uncanny knack for blocking shots and keeping the ball in play. I'd love to have a guy like him if he can stay on the court. Not aware what his contract looks like tho.
Sanders is dirt cheap this season, the last year of his old deal at just 3M.
He is due to make 11M per season from next year through 2017-18.
That may sound like a lot, and certainly if the Bucks pick Embiid, that may make him too expensive for them to keep.
But it isn't at all too expensive for a top veteran starting center in the NBA.
The other veteran center often cited as an alternative would be Asik, who's cap number the next two seasons would be just 8M. He's got very similar player value to Sanders (elite defense, mediocre to negligible offense). The thing is, to maintain control past his contract, he'll likely cost 11-13M once his current deal is up.
So, in reality, having a player like Sanders cost-controlled at 11M for 4 years, which are going to be his peak age 26-30 years, is actually pretty attractive.
The real cost issue with Sanders (or Asik) isn't their contracts. The issue is just what do you have to give up in players & picks to get one of them.
A lot will be determined by the draft order and how the picks finally ring out. If the Bucks don't pick Embiid, then it is doubtful Sanders is going to be moved any time soon.
What we need, long term, of course, is for Doc to sabotage the Clippers so they get us the first pick in the 2015 draft so we can take Jahlil Okafor ...
Agreed with most of your points!
I just think nowadays the biggest thing we've lacked is a defensive presence. I believe the Bucks will pick up Embiid. Maybe we can do trade for Green/Bradley for someone else and Sanders with maybe a pick/76ers conditional pick?
The Celtics are in the bottom five of allowing points in the paint.
The truth is we just aren't scary. Players are driving left and right inside without any fear of getting blocked, and Sanders is the best young player at altering said shots.
Yes he is injury prone, but I believe with the right coaching, and a strong medical staff we can get him on the right track.
With Rondo giving him easy lobs, and passes inside, Sanders wingspan, and mobility should get him up and down the court for easy shots.
Sanders is a walking double double who hasn't played over 30 minutes, but he doesn't need to if we can get another superstar next to him.
I'm thinking Love/Sanders is a great duo to have in terms of making up for defense.
I don't know if Bradley is in our plans, but I would love to see Hayward in the future if we can ever grab him in the off-season by clearing some cap space.
Hayward would help stretch the floor, and Love/Sanders can work inside.
Can Larry sanders really anchor the center position?
Sure he gets a lot of blocks, but he also commits a lot of fouls. He also has a thin body for a center.
Has anyone seen him play outstanding basketball against guys like Dwight, Marc Gasol, Pau Gasol, Cousins, Drummond, Noah, Duncan, hibbert, or Bogut?
I haven't actually seen much of Sanders outside of highlights.
His success this season is more than just the gaudy block totals. A recent study presented at last weekend's MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference by Kirk Goldsberry and Eric Weiss found Sanders to be one of the most effective defenders in the league in reducing opponents' efficiency when he's within 5 feet of the basket. Based on spatial analysis data, which they admit is still in its early stages of development, opponents shoot 38.4 percent against Sanders at close range, which ranks him second to only Roy Hibbert, by two-tenths of a point.
In Layman's: According to their findings, the Bucks center is one of the best interior defenders in the NBA.
"When I first started playing basketball, the first thing I did was play defense," Sanders says. "I've kind of always hung my hat on my defensive abilities. I didn't think they would take me to this point, though."
I do remember one game where Cousins and Drummond were being guarded by Sanders, and he made it extremely hard for them to try to get around him despite Sanders being pretty light. 235 for 6'11 is pretty skinny, but Sanders seems to throw his body around, and take the blows, and anticipates when their going to go for their shot.
I think despite what people say about Sanders, his knowledge of basketball is pretty strong. Like he seems to know when to cut to the basketball from a pick and roll, and averaged 51th in offensive possessions when cutting to the basket. His 61% FT is bad, but its steadily improving every year. He went from below 46 the first two years to having 51.9% a respectable number given half of his possessions usually result in a foul.
I think once he is able to develop a stronger mid range, and can stretch the defense by running inside due to his speed and agile mobility, that he can be able to open the space when he bulks up maybe 5-10 more pounds.
Age at signing Length Total value
DeAndre Jordan 23 4 years $43 million
JaVale McGee 24 4 years $44 million
Larry Sanders 24 4 years $44 million
Serge Ibaka 23 4 years $48 million
Tyson Chandler 29 4 years $57 million
Joakim Noah 25 5 years $60 million
Nikola Pekovic 27 5 years $60 million
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Also everyone forgets Bill Russell wasn't a great defender at C.
His ability to block shots, and help on team defense is what made him extraordinary. I think what Sanders has over Russell except weaker passing ability, and lessened basketball IQ when compared to Russell is his long arms, and being 2 inches taller, or possibly 3. Russell was measured at 6'9, but who knows if he was really 6'8. At VCU Sanders was always measured at 6'10, but reportedly grew half an inch after his junior year.
If Sanders can make it harder for everyone to score, and still put enough pressure on someone like Cousins then I can see him succeeding.
Sullinger isn't a C... At all... We need to stop trying to injure him and making it harder for him to perform well, and possibly get injured playing against the stronger big men of the NBA.
Topic: Still think we should try to trade for Larry Sanders... (Read 13549 times)