Vilnius Rytas Thread

[Straight forward]

Watched Rytas- Siauliai. Have to say new signing really doesn't make sense. Manny Harris seems to be out of shape, not mentioning that he instantly takes tons of crappy jumpers right away disrupting any flow of offence. Why Rytas needed two similar SGs in Harris and Seeley? Only Kleiza could explain this.

Sirvydis is really good. He's clearly the best prospect of Lithuania right now and I believe the best wing since Siskauskas. I hate his defence at the moment and I don't believe he will ever be good defender, but he's just too good offensively not to be optimistic and enthusiastic about him. It's just that feeling that he has an elite quality in him. Assuming he's able to play SG, at offence there's no question, he's a pretty good slasher, pretty good ballhandler, very good passer and a great shooter, I think we finally have an elite peace at wing. He just looks transcendent for 18yo and I believe he is capable of averaging +10 even for this Rytas team at LKL if they will play him a lot as they did today. Can't remember when we had a 18yo SG/SF who could do that. He has a lot of issues at D, but with time he should be at least decent defender in terms of being a system defender because he has a good IQ. I really hope we can use this stud at 2 in the future and no-one will bulk him up for a fat ass pure forward.

[Straight forward]

Rytas is pretty talented team this year, but I have to say they build a low IQ team again. Girdziunas is mediocre IQ guard, Seeley despite being a good shooter is mediocre IQ guard, Sutton is slightly above average IQ SF/PF, Ehodas is mediocre IQ C, Butkevicius is below average IQ SF, Kairys is below average IQ C, Bendzius is slightly above average IQ PF. There's only 2 players with high bball IQ in the team - Kramer and Sirvydis and these are only good passers in the entire team (also maybe Margiris is solid who is injured now...). I'm pretty sure Kleiza has lot to do with that. He's just building a team with his own "philosophy". He never was a high IQ player, no matter how extremely gifted offensively he was. And he's looking for rather similar players. I can say a good word on grabbing Sutton, he's a beast and he give a lot to Rytas, but Kleiza again gathered low IQ team and the signing of Harris was just horrific.

[Mindozas]

Indeed, management work is below average. But it's no wonder, been sayin' this ever since new one was established... Kleiza, Guoga, ffs even mediocre Purlys looked like a mastermind among them. They badly needs someone who understands the game and has some management skills. Kleiza can be the face of the team, who could attract new players, but that's all. Only good thing for now there is Sirvydis. For him this might be a great chance to prove himself on this level. I hope Kleiza has enough brains not to sign another SG/SF instead of Harris

[Straight forward]

Indeed, management work is below average. But it's no wonder, been sayin' this ever since new one was established... Kleiza, Guoga, ffs even mediocre Purlys looked like a mastermind among them. They badly needs someone who understands the game and has some management skills. Kleiza can be the face of the team, who could attract new players, but that's all. Only good thing for now there is Sirvydis. For him this might be a great chance to prove himself on this level. I hope Kleiza has enough brains not to sign another SG/SF instead of Harris

It's mistery how they couldn't hire a solid GM for about more than 10 years now probably. Insane. As for Sirvydis, I think it's not a fluke, he's really talented and would prevail under any smart coach. Off course, Saras would bench him for defensive mistakes more frequently, but that's about it, he's a young stud. I also still like Ehodas, he's abit shaky this year, but played well last night. Rytas fucked up allowing Giedraitis to go. They would have three talented Liths to build around and all of them are not selfish players. Giedraitis and Sirvydis would shoot the lights out in some Eurocup games. Again, brainless Rytas' staff. At least they already sees the benefits of emphasizing youth development.

[Mindozas]

It's mistery how they couldn't hire a solid GM for about more than 10 years now probably. Insane. As for Sirvydis, I think it's not a fluke, he's really talented and would prevail under any smart coach. Off course, Saras would bench him for defensive mistakes more frequently, but that's about it, he's a young stud. I also still like Ehodas, he's abit shaky this year, but played well last night. Rytas fucked up allowing Giedraitis to go. They would have three talented Liths to build around and all of them are not selfish players. Giedraitis and Sirvydis would shoot the lights out in some Eurocup games. Again, brainless Rytas' staff. At least they already sees the benefits of emphasizing youth development.

Giedraitis chose to leave on his own, Rytas could do nothing about it. There was such clause in his deal. Guy wanted to change smth I guess and I believe Alba is definitely the better place for him to develop. Good organization, great coach, better league than LKL (even tho some might disagree here), higher salary. Seems like a perfect place to be for him. It's a small step forward IMO.
Talking about Sirvydis, he is not a fluke. I rarely get hyped about youngsters, but I liked him ever since I saw him for the first time, it was in EL next generation tournament, guy had skills and what I liked even more - guts. That's what lot of our talents are missing. Now he brought it to senior bball, that's very important - he is not afraid to shoot and to miss or make mistake. Shot selection is still a bit wrong of course, but it's fixable with time and experience.

[Straight forward]

Talking about Sirvydis, he is not a fluke. I rarely get hyped about youngsters, but I liked him ever since I saw him for the first time, it was in EL next generation tournament, guy had skills and what I liked even more - guts. That's what lot of our talents are missing. Now he brought it to senior bball, that's very important - he is not afraid to shoot and to miss or make mistake. Shot selection is still a bit wrong of course, but it's fixable with time and experience.

And the great thing about him - he just comes out as 18yo and looks good, he's playing well already. Sure there's plenty of things to develop, but he's playing well and you don't have to wait years to see what happens to him, you can enjoy his game already. Sure, next season will be very important because now he's playing without any pressure, he knows he can make mistakes, second season at the high level usually is more complicated, but I believe he will cope with that.

I only afraid that NBA team will draft him, will take him oversees instantly and will try to make a true forward out of him because most likely he wouldn't be able to guard SGs in NBA. So they would try to make him tougher, bigger and to use him as SF. At this point, I would wish he would follow Siskauskas' steps and would remain in Europe as an elite player and would remain as a light and agile wing, because we badly need studs at the backourt

[Straight forward]

Rytas is plain idiots team, shallow losers. Literally nothing chanced since Kleiza and Co. took over. Even more mess inside, more horrid roster with individual idiots, weak coach, horrid GM. The crisis continues...

[Hepcat]

And now here today Rytas lost to Lietkabelis 94-83. And it wasn't that the four players who were with Team Lietuva over the weekend were tired or their timing was off somehow. The players who had particularly lousy games were Dominique Sutton, Rok Stipcevic and Evaldas Kairys.

I don't know what's wrong with Rytas this year. Maybe it's just that Lietkabelis was particularly good today.

[Straight forward]

It's easy. Horribly constructed roster and mediocre coach. It is what it is. I mean the team is based on unpredictable power player Suton, individual chucker Seeley, low IQ combo Girdziunas, low IQ dirty worker Butkevicius and when they needed PG they got another combo, shoot first PG Stipcevic...idiots Rytas is one of the lowest IQ teams in LKL. Look at assists numbers, they are 7th from 10 teams. There's basically no players who knows what it means to pass, let alone to play top notch system basketball...

It will be a candy for Zalgiris this year, unless they will cut half of their players...

[Hepcat]

...low IQ dirty worker Butkevicius....

Arnas Butkevičius has actually been one of Rytas' few bright spots in the past month.

Coach Adomaitis evidently had a few choice words for his team's play against Lietkabelis:

https://www.facebook.com/Gidranity/videos/369192173832625/

[Straight forward]

Butkevicius is good, but it's not the player that you would want to play for thirty minutes. At O he is limited, he won't create, won't facilitate, he's merely an energy and defensive player. Seems like do or brake game for Sutton tomorrow against Zalgiris. If he will suck Rytas will probably part ways. If that happens, they just need to tank this season, let Sirvydis and other youngsters play. Include Giedraitis, Vilys from NKL. Look for solid Lithuanians for the next season (Jogela, Varnas, Sabeckis). But Kleiza is too dump to do that.

[Hepcat]

Butkevicius is good, but it's not the player that you would want to play for thirty minutes. At O he is limited, he won't create, won't facilitate, he's merely an energy and defensive player.

What I'm thinking though is that a high energy defensive player willing to do the dirty work would be a valuable tool off the bench for a national team coach. Every team needs at least one player fitting that description.

[LuDux]

Butkevicius is good, but it's not the player that you would want to play for thirty minutes. At O he is limited, he won't create, won't facilitate, he's merely an energy and defensive player. Seems like do or brake game for Sutton tomorrow against Zalgiris. If he will suck Rytas will probably part ways. If that happens, they just need to tank this season, let Sirvydis and other youngsters play. Include Giedraitis, Vilys from NKL. Look for solid Lithuanians for the next season (Jogela, Varnas, Sabeckis). But Kleiza is too dump to do that.

I doubt Kleiza has power to decide to tank or not

[LuDux]

Butkevicius is good, but it's not the player that you would want to play for thirty minutes. At O he is limited, he won't create, won't facilitate, he's merely an energy and defensive player.

Any examples of creating and facilitating small forwards?

[Straight forward]

Any examples of creating and facilitating small forwards?

Marius Grigonis, even if he's a wing. Maciulis is a good facilitator from the high post or at perimeter, but he's not a ball handler. Even Ulanovas is pretty good facilitator, fundamentally sound small forward. Off course, from Liths the example par exellence is Mr. Siskauskas. You won't get better example than that.