Hendrix has developed into a very efficient defensive C, although his original position is PF. Thus, Maccabi is having contract extension talks with him now.
If Blatt goes out, he'll do it by his own choice. The management won't touch him in any case. They won't get a better coach. Obradovic is earning some kind of money in Athens, Maccabi would never pay for a coach. So, he is out. Piangiani is surely not a better master for defense than Blatt, Blatt is more successful and Siena is jacking up way too many threes (thus constantly losing to Maccabi vis-a-vis).
The Adriatic league was just another experiment, which is totally okay except for the fact that Maccabi didn't stock up its roster to 15 players as it was expected.
Still, as Maccabi is playing in three leagues, it needs a wider roster. James is doing very well in Israel and in Adria, Scheyer is a big disappointment. Imho he has the tools, even after his eye injury, but Maccabi was a step too high for him at the very beginning of his professional basketball career. He is degraded to a pure shooter now, who doesn't get any shots. At Duke he has been a creator for the whole team and did it well. Burstein was signed for three years a year ago, so what does it have to do with the market last summer? Papaloukas disappointed but at the same time Ohayon flourished. So, one gave you less than expected, the other gave you more. Mallet was a good choice late in the season. Farmar was a great choice for the regular season and a great investment into the future.
What you totally neglect in the issue with the PGs is the fact that Pargo signed a contract, which he neglected to fulfill. Maccabi had three PGs for three leagues before the season: Pargo, Farmar (at least temporarily) and Ohayon. With the NBA season being highly in doubt (you see, it started in the very last moment, another week and the season would have been cancelled), it was a great offensive PG lineup with no teams being at the same level with Maccabi there. Pargo jumped off and as long as the issue with hi wasn't settled, Maccabi couldn't really go after another PG with the risk of losing money, Pargo would have to pay them for breaking his contract. There were absolutely no premier PG free agents Maccabi could have signed to heave them on another level. They signed Papaloukas as a substitute, hoping for his experience and leadership, his contact to Sofo, his name for selling tickets. Papaloukas played great basketbal in the first two weeks but then Blatt decided that he doesn't shoot, is too slow and doesn't play the kind of defense Blatt likes. So Blatt went for a more aggressive basketball with more fast breaks, putting Ohayon in front of him. Ohayon proved the coach right. Papaloukas isn't bad. He was just not good enough to play in front of Farmar and not the right kind of PG to play the fast paced basketball. Imho, Blatt knew his play inside out and signing Papaloukas was a mistake. But, again, there were no PGs available at the market and instead of signing some inexperienced D-Leaguer, Maccabi went for a tall and experienced EL PG instead.
If one looks at the core of the signings for the EL, Maccabi lost Eidson and Perkins and got Farmar, Ohayon and Smith in exchange. This tradeoff is pretty much okay. But then Pargo bolted and the team was left with a hole. Papaloukas, Langford and subsequently Mallet were signed. This tradeoff is also okay. I can neglect losing Macvan as he was hardly of use. I don't even mention signings of James and Scheyer, who were supposed to perform better, probably even in the EL.
Currently, Maccabi is in the same situation as last year. But last year, Maccabi had a clear identity. This year, it is neither a top team on offense, neither on defense but the results so far are quite close to those of last year. Even the same situation in the Top 16, with Barca in the same group and PAO in the parallel one.
If Blatt goes out, he'll do it by his own choice. The management won't touch him in any case. They won't get a better coach. Obradovic is earning some kind of money in Athens, Maccabi would never pay for a coach. So, he is out. Piangiani is surely not a better master for defense than Blatt, Blatt is more successful and Siena is jacking up way too many threes (thus constantly losing to Maccabi vis-a-vis).
The Adriatic league was just another experiment, which is totally okay except for the fact that Maccabi didn't stock up its roster to 15 players as it was expected.
Still, as Maccabi is playing in three leagues, it needs a wider roster. James is doing very well in Israel and in Adria, Scheyer is a big disappointment. Imho he has the tools, even after his eye injury, but Maccabi was a step too high for him at the very beginning of his professional basketball career. He is degraded to a pure shooter now, who doesn't get any shots. At Duke he has been a creator for the whole team and did it well. Burstein was signed for three years a year ago, so what does it have to do with the market last summer? Papaloukas disappointed but at the same time Ohayon flourished. So, one gave you less than expected, the other gave you more. Mallet was a good choice late in the season. Farmar was a great choice for the regular season and a great investment into the future.
What you totally neglect in the issue with the PGs is the fact that Pargo signed a contract, which he neglected to fulfill. Maccabi had three PGs for three leagues before the season: Pargo, Farmar (at least temporarily) and Ohayon. With the NBA season being highly in doubt (you see, it started in the very last moment, another week and the season would have been cancelled), it was a great offensive PG lineup with no teams being at the same level with Maccabi there. Pargo jumped off and as long as the issue with hi wasn't settled, Maccabi couldn't really go after another PG with the risk of losing money, Pargo would have to pay them for breaking his contract. There were absolutely no premier PG free agents Maccabi could have signed to heave them on another level. They signed Papaloukas as a substitute, hoping for his experience and leadership, his contact to Sofo, his name for selling tickets. Papaloukas played great basketbal in the first two weeks but then Blatt decided that he doesn't shoot, is too slow and doesn't play the kind of defense Blatt likes. So Blatt went for a more aggressive basketball with more fast breaks, putting Ohayon in front of him. Ohayon proved the coach right. Papaloukas isn't bad. He was just not good enough to play in front of Farmar and not the right kind of PG to play the fast paced basketball. Imho, Blatt knew his play inside out and signing Papaloukas was a mistake. But, again, there were no PGs available at the market and instead of signing some inexperienced D-Leaguer, Maccabi went for a tall and experienced EL PG instead.
If one looks at the core of the signings for the EL, Maccabi lost Eidson and Perkins and got Farmar, Ohayon and Smith in exchange. This tradeoff is pretty much okay. But then Pargo bolted and the team was left with a hole. Papaloukas, Langford and subsequently Mallet were signed. This tradeoff is also okay. I can neglect losing Macvan as he was hardly of use. I don't even mention signings of James and Scheyer, who were supposed to perform better, probably even in the EL.
Currently, Maccabi is in the same situation as last year. But last year, Maccabi had a clear identity. This year, it is neither a top team on offense, neither on defense but the results so far are quite close to those of last year. Even the same situation in the Top 16, with Barca in the same group and PAO in the parallel one.
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