How Much More Irrelevent Can Adam Morrison Get?

At the very beginning of the season, I trashed Adam Morrison, pointed out that Gerald Wallace was a non-expendable stud, and promptly felt the wrath of some pissy Morrison supporters. Strangely, the outcry wasn't nearly as loud when I made light of his problems with hecklers.

Maybe this will do it: Gerald Wallace has won Player of the Week twice this season and if he stays in Charlotte, is a no-brainer starter. So maybe he's not a pure scorer, or anything like a threat from outside.

Enter Walter Herrmann, the Argentinian who has basically taken over Morrison's role on the Cats. Over the last month, the rookie has averaged nearly 18 and 6, and last night, scored 30 against the Bucks--including 6 three-pointers. He's long, fearless, creative, and can keep up with the NBA game. All in all, he's pretty much what the Bobcats thought they'd get with Morrison. In fact, he's even taken Mr. Mustache's last gasp of starting line-up karma.

So maybe 2006 was an extraordinarily weak draft class. Still, the Bobcats selected Morrison third overall. You're telling me that, at the time, they couldn't have just as legtimately picked Tyrus Thomas, Brandon Roy, Randy Foye or Rudy Gay? All of these prospects were just as well-liked as Morrison, and all of them were arguably safer bets for NBA success. Charlotte had no idea at the time what they'd be getting with Herrmann, but his emergence only underscores what a waste that pick was.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

4-15-2007 @ 2:40PM

ray said...

morrison was one of the top scorers in college hoops during his final year and was the best player on a very good team. While he has turned out to be a crappy pro (SO FAR) it's hard to fault the Bobcats for liking what they saw when they drafted him.

4-15-2007 @ 2:46PM

mutoni said...

i still have some faith in morrison. as for hermann, i'm just glad that the nba finally has a dude who could pass for a pro wrestler.

4-15-2007 @ 3:10PM

G said...

If Charlotte "had no idea what it was getting with Herrmann",how does that make picking Morrison a waste?Personally,I love watching G-Wall,but they don't call him "Crash" without reason.He's an accident waiting to happen every game.It is proven that Wallace will miss 30-40 games every year due to injury.That does'nt exactly scream stability in your lineup.Morrison is just a rookie, and will only get better.He's a pure shooter and a good passer. Why the Morrison bashing?

4-15-2007 @ 3:33PM

Stringer Bell said...

Walt H. is a beast I saw him live a few times this year and the way he palms the ball is amazing. I love living here in Northeast GA I can get to Hawks and Bobcats games and the tickets are cheap and easy to get when the big boys come to town.

4-15-2007 @ 3:53PM

shoals said...

because it was a bad pick to begin with, and it's an even worse pick now that they've found someone to do exactly the same thing. i.e. he can't do anything worthwhile, so replacing him in the starting line-up leaves him no purpose on that team. any number of other players could have valuable roles off the bench, or place a different emphasis on their games.

4-15-2007 @ 4:08PM

Keith said...

You're crazy. Adam Morrison is going to be a very good NBA player. Thankfully for the Bobcats you don't have any authority on player personel, you are just a basher. A silly drunken basher.

Have another one, you blabbering fool.

What an idiot!

4-15-2007 @ 4:56PM

Todd L. Smith said...

Let me start off by saying you guys have no clue what you are talking about. The first couple months of the season, Ammo averaged 15 points per game. Then, naturally, he got fatigued and his performance got progressively worse. He needs to adjust to the grind of an 82 game season. He aslo needs to get a little stronger. He has the drive and work ethic to do all this. So stop bashing him just because he had a rough rookie season. Once he adjusts, which may take another year, he will be an assassin, just like in college. Just give the boy some time. He will be an All-Star. Oh yeah, and Walter Herrmann can kiss my ass.

4-15-2007 @ 4:57PM

noj snave said...

My understanding is that Adam Morrison has worked less on his basketball game this season and has concentrated more on giving free moustache rides, thus explaning his difficulties.

4-15-2007 @ 5:51PM

ziggy said...

Gentlemen,

Lets not forget he was a rookie that had the pleasure of having to deal with the toughest defender each night on a team with few other scoring options... Not to mention a crappy coach with a suspect rotation and questionable X & O skills.

If he puts up similar numbers next year, then bash away... But for now its way too early.

4-15-2007 @ 5:53PM

ziggy, you're talking about herrmann, right?

4-15-2007 @ 5:56PM

Mortimer said...

What?! Drafting a hyper un-athletic white scorer from a non-major conference with a one dimensional game as a top 3 pick didn't work out?!?!?! SURELY YOU JEST SIR.

And I keep reading that he is 6'8"... he looks barely over 6'5". So in addition to being slower and less mobile than his competition at SF/SG, he is undersized. And he can't shoot free throws well. Oh, but he has the worst mustache in sports and is white, so I can see why people like his game.

Seriously, I was soooo glad my Blazers didn't draft him. The local idiots rooting for them to draft him annoyed me more than... something extremely annoying. It infuriated me that people obssessed over Ammo, and I think it's pretty obvious why. Now _I_ am obssessing over him with strong dis-like, and I got exactly what I wanted! No Morrison on my team! I should be extremely happy, and I am, but I can't resist resticking it in my craw and getting annoyed all over again with Ammo-Love...

He will never even be as good as say, Jamal Crawford. Name your favorite much reviled one-dimensional black scorer who does nothing else and shoots too much; that player is better than Adam Morrison ever will be.

There is one Jordan. There is one Bird. As silly as it is to compare any new-jack black scorer with Jordan, it's ultra extra silly dilly to compare every white guy to average 20+ in college to Bird. Lightning might strike twice, but Bird won't!

As a mid-sized SCORER in the NBA, you need athletic ability. The Bobcats (Jordan) made a bad choice. Wallace might not be the star scorer they need, but he is a great all-round player. To supplant him with over-hyped nothingness is craw-sticking worthy.

Don't know why his diabetic play annoys me so much, but it do. I'm over it now, until I see him defended again.

Mortimer

4-15-2007 @ 6:09PM

mongothebest said...

Herrmann, on the other hand, was a great signing by the Bobcats. They might not have known exactly what they were getting (and they played him, or not played him, like that) and only signed him cause he was good on the team that won the world championship, but it's still a great signing.

If he keeps it up, obviously. I wouldn't be surprised for him to have a relative sophmore slump, since he's playing SO well.

Or, his play will faltar once the inevitable controversy about his forefathers erupts. How else does a tall blondy named Herrmann end up in Argentina? I'm guessing his gramps ended up over there around 1945 or so... just for a change of scenery... no other reason!

Thank you Shoals, for not liking Morrison. I always appreciate your writings on the subject, and many other subjects. It validates my dislike on this issue.

Roy for Portland faced the same top defenders, but he handled them very well for a rookie. Facing the top defender happens to every top scorer on a team; it can't be an excuse for why someone doesn't do well. EVERYONE faces the same defenders!

(note: Z-Bo gets the best post defender, so even though he is ipso facto our best scorer, Roy draws the Bowens and Battiers).

Mortimer

4-15-2007 @ 6:12PM

Jw said...

Your just a jackass.....wtf does argentina and blondes have to do with it? Jesus dude can ya be a more racist NBA wannabe?.........

4-15-2007 @ 6:23PM

What are you some fantasy league GM?.....Who the hell cares who guards the Battiers of the league ......get real.......And what the hell is the blondes.......argentina...forefathers crap?......what the hell does that matter......Most of the nba don't even know who their damn father is.........

4-15-2007 @ 7:29PM

I'm not sure whom JW is responding to, so I'll just assume it's about what I wrote...

With Morrison, it's not about his race except for that being the main reason _I FEEL_ he is so popular with a certain segment of the fan base. Also, it's not about his race except for the fact that unathletic white guys who aren't 7 feet tall like Dirk haven't done too well in the NBA. They can PLAY, but as a #3 star pick? Nooo...

Best case, Ammo becomes Wally World. I could be wrong. Wally is more athletic when not injured, so it might be reaching too high. Maybe Matt Carroll?

Nash or Dirk for MVP is perfect to me. Who else could it be, seriously? Their teams dominated, and so did they as players.

In closing: Not all white players suck. That's silly. Just UNATHLETIC white guys who don't have the size to compensate for their lack of speed and agility and have games suited to inferior college competition. Danny Ferry, Laettner, Reddick, Ammo...

It don't matter, too soon to tell with any rookie. I could be wrong. I ain't, however.

Mortimer

4-15-2007 @ 7:38PM

Andy Riordan said...

It's the same every year. Teams equate their college game to their potential in the Pro's. The same happens with college quartebacks. 70% are made millionaires and never produce. It will happen again this year. The sad thing is, this year there are dozens more players coming out that there is space for. they quit college and where are they go to play? Too bad.

4-15-2007 @ 7:44PM

It's race.....simple as that...Dont disguise it.......