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- Thread starter OilerBuck
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southcampus
Go Bucks
Not sure he is what LA needs, but who knows what Doc Rivers is trying to do there.
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Buckskin86
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[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdwRYEZ2pmw"]Clippers Add Mullens - YouTube[/ame]
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Buckskin86
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Thoughts on Byron Mullens
29 Jul 2013
Byron Mullens, Free Agency
by Andrew Han
When Byron Mullens to the Clippers was first announced, the reaction of the expectant fanbase was mixed, to say the least. To be fair, Mullens has underwhelmed throughout his career. Breaking down his shot by location last season, for all qualified centers:
Mullens is about league average inside of ten feet and serviceable from long-two and three-point range (long-two point shots not being optimal in terms of efficiency anyways). Not eye-popping numbers by any means, but as the Clippers? fourth big man? Simply being within the threshold of normal as a backup makes a player valuable.
Mullens? defensive numbers as compared to qualified centers:
Again, Mullens is essentially average in most ways as an NBA center. He is weaker on the offensive glass, but Doc Rivers has historically shown a penchant for withdrawing players to set up a proper defense rather than gambling on a second chance opportunity.
All of these numbers are compounded by the fact that Byron Mullens has been on one of the worst teams in the league throughout his playing NBA career, first riding the bench for Scott Brooks in Oklahoma City, then going to Charlotte and playing for Paul Silas and finally Mike Dunlap, a first time NBA coach.
And I can go on and on in constructing a narrative about Mullens? situation and assessing a player within the context of his situation, but here is the gist of the message: Byron Mullens has already proven himself to at least be an average to slightly below average center. If a team can march out merely average players as a part of their bench, that is a boon in terms of maintaining momentum during games.
Additionally, Mullens? deal is for two-years at the league minimum. This is an ideal low-risk/high-reward situation for a contending team that needs to be smart with roster spots and available cap space. If Mullens displays nothing more than what was shown in Charlotte? The Clippers have a reasonable backup big man at the minimum that can spell DeAndre Jordan or Blake Griffin for 8-to-12 minutes a night. But if Mullens can tap into any kind of reservoir of potential? Then the Clippers massively upgrade their bench without exposing themselves deep luxury tax concerns or long term commitments.
Separate the reputation from the transaction and this is easily a smart maneuver from a front office making a habit of intelligent decisions.
http://clipperblog.com/2013/07/29/brief-thoughts-on-byron-mullens/
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Buckskin86
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MULLENS LOOKING TO 'PROVE PEOPLE WRONG'
Eric Patten, Clippers.com
8/28/13
Byron Mullens is looking for a chance to prove himself.
After his team lost more than 80 percent of its games over the past two seasons, after being jammed on the end of the bench in Oklahoma City as a youngster on a contender, and after a trying free agency period, the Clippers’ new reserve big man is ready to show why he was once considered among the nation’s best amateur players and a top 25 selection in the 2009 Draft.
“There are still a lot of doubters and a lot of people kind of saying, ‘Why did the Clippers do this?’ but I hope to prove people wrong. I’m not going to let anybody down on the team,” Mullens said. “I have a lot of stuff to do this year and I’m going to have a lot better shot selection this year, playing a better role on a better team.”
One of the primary things Mullens, 24, will be asked to do for the Clippers is space the floor from the center and power forward position. He made 66 3-pointers last season after attempting just 51 in his first three seasons combined.
“[Head Coach Doc Rivers] just said, ‘We want you to come in and spread the floor,’” Mullens said. “But there’s also going to be some other things that I’m going to have to do like rebounding, and stuff like that, of course.”
And that’s likely one of the areas Mullens was referring to when he mentioned doubters. He’s not known as a defensive player, but is eager to prove he can provide ample help on that end of the floor. He’s not often thought of as a rebounder, but averaged 6.4 per game in 2012-13 in 26.9 minutes in a Bobcats lineup where he was often roaming the perimeter.
After two seasons in Charlotte he entered free agency for the first time in July. The experience was more “stressful” than anything. “It sucked at first,” he said. “I just really didn’t have a winning history behind me. I think that raised a few red flags and stuff like that, but I’m in a real good situation now and I’m not mad about anything.”
cont..
http://www.nba.com/clippers/news/mullens-looking-prove-people-wrong
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Buckskin86
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DO YOU KNOW BYRON MULLENS?
Eric Patten, Clippers.com
10/14/13
Follow Eric Patten
Here are five things you may not have known about Clippers big man Byron Mullens:
1. As a senior at Canal Winchester High in Ohio, Mullens was the No. 1 ranked recruit in the nation, according to Rivals.com. Scout.com slated him at No. 3 behind Brandon Jennings (Oak Hill Academy) and former Clippers Summer League player Samardo Samuels (St. Benedict Prep). He once scored 62 points in a game in high school and was selected for both the McDonald’s All-America game as well as the Jordan Brand Classic before attending Ohio State for one season.
2. Mullens posted a picture of his son, Baron, wearing an oversized No. 0 Clippers jersey on Twitter (@byron22mullens). The picture and jersey were also used for Baron’s first birthday party, which Mullens said was entitled “Baron’s Rookie Year.” Invitations were made to look like tickets to the basketball-themed party.
3. Although he was born in Ohio, Mullens planned to represent Great Britain in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. His mother is from Middlesex, making him potentially eligible as either a naturalized or non-naturalized British citizen. However, a ruling about his eligibility was never determined after Mullens was forced to pull out of the games due to a toe injury.
4. Mullens is an avid billiards player and is adept at trick shots. Clippers teammate Ryan Hollins posted a video of Mullens sinking four pool balls in one shot on Instagram during the offseason. Mullens lined the balls up side-by-side next to the left middle pocket and sunk all of them by striking the cue ball into the middle of the line.
5. During his high school days at Canal Winchester, Mullens and a friend taught basketball clinics and talked to troubled kids in youth detention centers. After his first season with the Thunder in 2009, he returned to Ross Correctional Institution in Chillicothe, Ohio to play pickup games with inmates and help make a difference in people’s lives.
http://www.nba.com/clippers/do-you-know-byron-mullens
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