Empty the Bench

By Brian Spencer

If C+C Music Factory were to redo “Things That Make You Go Hmmmm” for the purposes of this piece, they might title it “Players That Make You Go Arrrrrrgh.” Ahem. These guys routinely toy with your fandom, tantalizing with their potential and commanding adulation after a monster performance, only to promptly punch you in the gut with strings of maddeningly poor showings. They can do it all, and sometimes they do, but unfortunately they often don’t do anything.

Andray Blatche, FC, Washington Wizards

If Blatche ever gets his head screwed on straight and gets serious about fully exploiting his freakish natural talents, the sky’s the limit. I really believe he has All-Star-ish talent, but at the same time won’t pretend that he’ll ever make it that far. It kills me to see players like Blatche, brimming with upside and capable of doing things on a basketball court few can, let it all go to waste because of a lack of a focus. Because of that label that’s dogged so many guys over the years: headcase. That’s Blatche in a nutshell.

Like Villanueva, below, the 6-11 Blatche enjoys spells of semi-dominance that leave you thinking that maybe, just maybe, he’s finally straightened his shit out and is ready for a breakthrough. He handles the ball surprisingly well and is a remarkably gifted passer, can be an above-average shot-blocker and rebounder, and at times scores in bunches like it’s a trifling afterthought. God knows the Wizards can use that side of Blatche’s split personality, but unfortunately they’re usually stuck with the other one: a run-of-the-mill big man who tunes the game out and hurts his team more than helps it.

Now in his fifth season, but still only 23 years old, Blatche has 2 years and $5.5 million left on his contract after this year. It’ll be interesting to see where he’s at by the time that’s up: will he be averaging 15 points, 10 boards, and 2.5 blocks as a reliable starter for the Wiz? Could be. Will he have burned his bridges in Washington, been traded, and burned another bridge somewhere else? Not that unlikely. Your guess as to which scenario ultimately plays out is as good as mine.

Charlie Villanueva, F, Detroit Pistons

When he’s on, Charlie V can be one of the most explosive scorers in the league. He’s that rare 6-11 big man who’s just as comfortable dazzling with fluid turnarounds and baby hooks in the post as he is popping outside and draining high-difficulty threes. Therein lies part of the problem: he’s often far too content to drift around the perimeter and launch bombs bricks. Through 44 games Villanueva has attempted a career-high 3.9 three-point attempts per, and is hitting them at a near-career low 31%.

Like most of the guys on this list, a lack of consistency has bedeviled Villanueva since he was drafted seventh overall by the Toronto Raptors in 2005. One night he’ll go for 24 and 15 with ease, the next he’ll struggle his way to 9 and 8; this actually happened last season, when he was with the Bucks, on March 3 and 4. Villanueva endures long, listless stretches of little production that can sometimes last for a half, for an entire game, or even for a week or two. You just never know which player is going to show up: the remarkable offensive threat or the indifferent, ineffective, passive pattycake.

Al Thornton, F, Los Angeles Clippers

Disappointing to see Thornton, the 14th overall pick in the 2007 draft, regress this season. The one positive I see unfolding in the enigmatic forward’s third season is better restraint on three-point shots: he’s gone from averaging about 1.5 attempts per in his first two seasons to just 0.3 this year, which has helped inch his field-goal percentage up to a respectable 48%. That might be the only worthwhile takeaway so far though; Rasual Butler is a fine player, but Thornton should not be struggling to battle him off for a spot in the starting lineup.

With the arrival of Blake Griffin and the return of a healthy Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby, we knew Thornton wouldn’t play anything close to the 38 minutes per he logged last season, but even with Griffin shelved until next year Thornton has been unable to take advantage of the opportunity for more looks. After averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and nearly 1 steal and block per last year, the 6-8 swingman has been extremely average so far, and those flashes of elite talent are happening with less frequency.

In other words, he’s a perfect fit for the Clippers.

More of the NBA’s hardest players to figure out after the break…

Tyrus Thomas, F, Chicago Bulls

There are times when I want to reach into the TV and shake Thomas out of that hazy malaise that overtakes him and transforms him from the potentially elite across-the-board statstuffer that he can be into a bird-brained momentum killer who sulks his way back to the bench. He’s been the subject of trade rumors for the past few seasons, and becomes a restricted free agent this summer: good luck to the Bulls figuring out what to do if they don’t trade him by then.

Besides shooting three-pointers, there’s nothing the 6-10 Thomas can’t do on a basketball court. If he put his mind to it, there’s no question he could be more valuable and productive than Portland’s LaMarcus Aldridge, whom the Blazers traded Thomas for on draft day in ‘06. Thomas is a better defender, a better rebounder, and sometimes looks like a better scorer in the post; the problem is that he’s not nearly as polished a scorer as the more even-keeled, more reliable Aldridge is.

Thomas probably has the most upside of anybody named here, but he also might be the biggest knucklehead too. Now in his fourth NBA season, he’s still only 23 years old; there’s still time. I can’t help but think, though, that he needs a fresh start on a different team.

Nate Robinson, G, New York Knicks

As his focus goes, so do his minutes. When he’s sharing the ball, and taking good shots, making at least a half-hearted effort on defense, and keeping his boundless immaturity in check, Robinson stays in Mike D’Antoni’s good graces, i.e. the rotation, and can light it up in a hurry. He made certain nobody forgot that fact back on January 1, when after a month’s worth of DNP – CDs he returned to action and went nutso on the Hawks, scoring 41 points on 18-24 shooting along with 8 assists, 6 rebounds, and a steal. The next night against the Indiana Pacers, one of the league’s worst defensive teams? 2-11 FG, 6 points, 6 rebounds, 2 turnovers. That’s just who he is.

Robinson will likely never be a permanent starter in this league because of his size, but he should be a perennial candidate for Sixth Man of the Year honors for years to come; keyword “should.” With his unrestricted free agency looming this summer, it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up and how much he’s compensated. Put him on the right team and surround him by the right people, Robinson could end up as one of the biggest bargain signs of the summer; if he lands somewhere dysfunctional, it could get ugly.

Jason Maxiell, F, Detroit Pistons

Maxiell is not long-term starter material. We thought we knew it before, but it was difficult to get a clear read on this while Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess were around. The hope in Detroit was that once those minutes were freed up, the 6-7 Maxiell would fully unleash his inner baby-eater, limit the bouts of inconsistency that have plagued his 4 1/2 NBA seasons, and comfortably slide into the starting lineup a la Paul Millsap in Utah. It hasn’t happened; in fact, as Patrick Hayes recently discussed on Full-Court Press, Maxiell’s production has actually decreased when his minutes have increased:

John Kuester has started him 15 times. The results? In those starts, he’s averaged 6.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game on 43 percent shooting (he’s a 52 percent shooter for his career).

This season, he’s seemed to play worse when he gets extended minutes. He’s played 24 minutes or more (at least half the game) seven times. In those games, his scoring and rebounding go up only slightly (8.0 points/6.3 rebounds vs. his averages of 5.4 points/3.9 rebounds in 17 minutes a game) while he shoots worse (44 percent in extended minutes vs. 46 percent on the season).

As a reserve, he’s averaging 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game in five fewer minutes per night than he averages as a starter. He shoots much better as a reserve– 49 percent –and turns it over less.

Not exactly what GM Joe Dumars envisioned when he inked Maxiell to a modest 4-year, $20 million extension in ‘08. Piston fans do take occasional consolation, however, in plays like this, this, and this:

Donte Greene, GF, Sacramento Kings

It’s maybe a bit unfair to have Greene here. He’s playing in just his second NBA season, and after sporadic minutes as a rookie this is the first shot he’s had at cementing a spot in Paul Westphal’s regular rotation. It’s a season of adjustment for the 6-11 leaper out of Syracuse, a season which has seen him go in and out of the starting lineup and his minutes increase on average by over 7 a night.

If anything, perhaps his high points are prematurely raising expectations. Maybe these hot-and-cold spells are just a part of the process. I hope so, because this kid can do it all with serious panache… again, like most on this list. See November 25 against the Knicks, when he went 9-13 for 24 points, 4 boards, 5 assists, 6 blocks, and a steal. Of course, over his next four games combined he totaled just 16 points, 6 boards, 6 assists, and 3 blocks while shooting 35%. In terms of fantasy hoops, he’s an absolute headache to own and it’s pointless to try and predict when he’ll go off and when he’ll lay an egg.

Intriguing talent… let’s hope this season is the learning curve, not the advent of what will be a maddeningly inconsistent career.

“Honorable” Mentions:

- Corey Brewer, F, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Ryan Gomes, F, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Mike Conley, PG, Memphis Grizzlies
- Rasheed Wallace, FC, Boston Celtics
- Delonte West, G, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Josh Howard, F, Dallas Mavericks
- JR Smith, G, Denver Nuggets
- Michael Beasley, F, Miami Heat
- Courtney Lee, G, New Jersey Nets
- Jason Thompson, F, Sacramento Kings
- Martell Webster, GF, Portland Trail Blazers*
- Jordan Farmar, G, Los Angeles Lakers*
- Lamar Kardashian Odom, F, Los Angeles Lakers*
- Larry Hughes, GF, New York Knicks*

* Reader Picks