The 2018 NBA Manifesto
Cody Zeller
C - 7’0, 240lbs - 25 years old - 5 years of experience
When he plays, Zeller is good. He runs, he dunks, he boards, and he has some ball skill to go with it. Showing signs of finally ending his career-long inability to hit shots outside of the paint (going 8-21 from between 16 feet and the three-point line, and 2-3 from beyond it, and yes these are small sample sizes), Zeller is active, athletic, wild in a good way, stronger than he used to be, always barrelling his way in, getting to the line, and, this year at least, was a decent rebounder.
That is only however true when he plays. And of late, Zeller has not been playing much. Knee problems have cost him 69 games over the last two seasons, and knee problems are particularly bad news when talking about a player whose main plus-value on the court is his ability to run the thing.
Particularly troubling is what that now means for Zeller and his value overall. With Howard going, Zeller may move into the starting line-up and have a chance to start and rebuild his value, yet with Hernangomez here, he would only be expected to do so as a placeholder. Zeller and Hernangomez figure not to pair well, and as the one who plays merely half the season without the benefits of youth and upside, Zeller is not the desired youngster any longer, either.
This then makes for an awkward reconciliation. Rest assured, though, that whatever the outcome of this situation, Zeller is a better player than it is normally assumed that he is.
Player Plan: Three years and a guaranteed $43,415,730 remaining. His value to the team depends on his health and Hernangomez, both of which are priorities and uncertain as of now. Both should be better known in a year so it seems likely and perhaps correct to keep Zeller until then.
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C - 7’0, 240lbs - 25 years old - 5 years of experience
When he plays, Zeller is good. He runs, he dunks, he boards, and he has some ball skill to go with it. Showing signs of finally ending his career-long inability to hit shots outside of the paint (going 8-21 from between 16 feet and the three-point line, and 2-3 from beyond it, and yes these are small sample sizes), Zeller is active, athletic, wild in a good way, stronger than he used to be, always barrelling his way in, getting to the line, and, this year at least, was a decent rebounder.
That is only however true when he plays. And of late, Zeller has not been playing much. Knee problems have cost him 69 games over the last two seasons, and knee problems are particularly bad news when talking about a player whose main plus-value on the court is his ability to run the thing.
Particularly troubling is what that now means for Zeller and his value overall. With Howard going, Zeller may move into the starting line-up and have a chance to start and rebuild his value, yet with Hernangomez here, he would only be expected to do so as a placeholder. Zeller and Hernangomez figure not to pair well, and as the one who plays merely half the season without the benefits of youth and upside, Zeller is not the desired youngster any longer, either.
This then makes for an awkward reconciliation. Rest assured, though, that whatever the outcome of this situation, Zeller is a better player than it is normally assumed that he is.
Player Plan: Three years and a guaranteed $43,415,730 remaining. His value to the team depends on his health and Hernangomez, both of which are priorities and uncertain as of now. Both should be better known in a year so it seems likely and perhaps correct to keep Zeller until then.
