misterearl wrote:mreinman - why the obsession with semantics over Landry Fields? Role player, schmole player. How many other first rounders stepped in and made a significant contribution from opening night?

While you are picking boogers over Fields' perceived shooting deficiencies, he is grabbing yet another rebound. While you are kveching over him not playing like a rock star, he just had a blast at the NBA Sophomore - Rookie Game, playing on the winning team I might add. Silly? Of COURSE it is silly. Just as silly as Donnie Walsh to mention Landry Fields in the same sentence as John Havlicek. But guess what? The old man saw something that everyone else slept in June.

You, my good man, are sleeping through the most fun rookie season any Knicks player has had since Mark Jackson. Go ahead, watch the Modell's clip again. I DARE you not to smile.

Rather than confine Fields to your narrow box of what he don't do to your lofty standard of perfection, why not look into The Answer Man's always dependable Crystal Basketball and check out the veteran Landry Fields strutting his stuff (and 39" vertical jump) at 26 years old in 2015.

Man-crush? You damn skippy it's a man crush. He can even marry my daughter.

I never kvetched, and love Fields more than anyone. I have watched him play every game this season includin Summer League and pre-season. I am just calling a spade a spade. Fields is a great role player who on a great team can help them win a championship with what he brings ala Robert Horry and D Fisher. Are they great players? No. But great role players. Put Fields of Fisher on a bad team they cannot create their own shot and lose most of their value. However, on a great team like the Lakers or SA, they shine.

This is no way disrespects Fields and I think he was a crazy good find. All championship teams need great role players to win. John Paxson, Robert Horry, Derrick Fisher, even Glenn Davis. But he is far from a goto guy and who knows if he will ever be. So what! He still is significant value added to this team.

Can he learn to create his own shot? Many good guards who come out of college can already do this. He can hit open set jumpers and is pretty clutch but can they run a curl for him ala John Starks? Can he develop a jump shot with a quicker release that is less flat? I hope he can but it is a big if. If a defender face guarded him ala Ray Allen could he score. No. That is what he would need to get to the next level. I am just not sure if the ceiling is that much higher for him. He might just be, for the most part, what he is now. It is just my opinion and I hope I am wrong and becomes a star but would not bet on it. Also, his defense is good but not great. I saw some people try to compare him to Shane Battier but he is nowhere close a defender to Battier (better offensive player though). I do think that his defense can improve and will. For now, he gets beat off the dribble a bit too much since he does not have great lateral quickness.

I am happy that they kept him over Gallo and Chandler because he is a better fit with what we need. We have stars. Now we need complimentry players - which is what he is. I never and will never complain about him, I am just stating my opinion.