Kleiza vs Sonny

What is up with Kleiza?! comes back from an injury, loses the starting job to Sonny and now plays really bad uninspired ball. I was expecting alot more from him when Colangelo signed him. Seems like another Jarret Jack situation where the other team refused to match Toronto higher bid offer because they knew he wasn't worthy of it, and now that player is lost in the shuffle.

And Sonny hasn't been so good latley either, very lazy drives and passing that created plenty of turnovers in the past couple of games.

The SF position is getting a bit murky.

What up guys,

So I was watching the game today and was trying to figure out Kleiza's identity on the team and I feel like he is the only player that really just has no idea what he's doing on the floor. I mean when I watch him it looks like he does not want to be there at all. He shows no emotion, makes terrible decisions and looks like he's always rushing things and has no patience when he plays.

Also, I was looking at his stats and it seems that he does better when the Raptors lose and looking at his game logs, almost all his big games have been in Raptors losses and I can't remember a time where he made a big play to help the Raptors win.

When you look at each player on the team, they all have designated roles which they perform pretty well imo. But I feel like Kleiza doesn't really have that, and is trying to post up here and there, taking bad jumpers out of the flow of the game, turning the ball over a lot. I think he regrets his decision coming back to the NBA, really.

What do you guys think? Just a fan's opinion here.

Sonny was awful defensively as well. He was in charge of defending Fields and he messed up bad. Sonny had 3 rebs and Demar had zero, Fields had 10 by himself.

In all fairness to kleiza, once he got back from his injury he hasn't really had a clearly defined role. Is he supposed to be the spark off the bench (BARBOSA). The defensive stopper. The offensive sharpshooter. The post player off the bench? I think because nothing is defined for him we see him force his game to get something to work out. Untill something happens with Kleiza to give him a certain aspect to focus on we'll see him keep being a Kleneex instead of the weapon that he is.

Please refer all coments to Kleiza vs Sonny thread one link below. Same discussion going on. Thanks

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Jordan-Drexler wrote:

In all fairness to kleiza, once he got back from his injury he hasn't really had a clearly defined role.

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More like clearly defined style suited for his strength. Most of the team is now run & gun style of playing (Derozan,Weems,Amir,Barbosa and Bayless) which has hurted Kleiza, a player that doesn't run and doesn't have a very good consistent jump shot. The only thing he does well on occassions is take advantage of smaller players/less athletic players that guard him where he can post them up.

As a result of that I don't believe he can be a full time starter in this league. Kleiza is more suited to a slow paced half court game and I am sure he would thrive in these situations more.

I feel that Kleiza should really be starting. I understand that after the injury, he would take time to get back but to lose the starting gig? In the absence of Evans, it is more important that Kleiza be reinserted back to the starting line-up for much needed rebounding and shooting. For the life of me cannot understand why everyone is so obsessed with a jump shooting 3 with an average jumpshot (especially from the 3pt line). Kleiza's percentage in the three is much better and a better overall player. Yes, he's not as fast as Sonny but the other aspects of the game is compromised with Weems starting. I'd rather have players that can defend and shoot rather than leading the league in fast break points. PUT HIM BACK IN THE BENCH WHERE HE BELONGS. Kleiza was signed for big money but the guy earning 800K is getting the minutes. Sonny is just given an option to pad his stats for a big payday while the guy they signed (a rhythm shooter goes cold on the bench for the next 4 years). I also feel that there's duplication in Demar and Sonny's game for the starting 5 to be effective.

The summer signing was hailed as a coup by most observers. What happened to that now? In order for the Raps to succeed, they need and inside outside option. We've all seen his post up moves and they're much better than Weems (which doesn't exist in his game). Also, I find the redundancy of Weems to be hurting Demar's game in the long run.

Why not play Julian Wright more? Neither Weems nor Kleiza are playing consistently enough to keep him benched.

Kleiza has been playing poorly since returning from injury and I think losing his starting position to Weems has a lot to do with it. I don't blame him for being upset and I think he needs to be put back in the starting lineup because as bad as he's been playing, Weems has been playing worse. Kleiza is the better, more experienced player in my opinion.

I think Klieza may be angry with the way he is being used and has become unmotivated. You have to think that he came in this season expecting not only to be a starter, but one of our main scorers. Now he is in the same situation he was in in Denver, except instead of playing behind an all-star in Carmelo he is playing behind a guy he is more skilled than in Sonny Weems. If that's not a massive letdown, I don't know what is.

A bigger letdown would be for Peja to steal his minutes. Peja can't do much except be Toronto's new Mo' Peterson 3 point man which he is still capable of doing.

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pdm wrote:

Why not play Julian Wright more? Neither Weems nor Kleiza are playing consistently enough to keep him benched.

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Because Wright gets the Reggie Evans treatment on offense - his man sags and clogs the key.

The good thing is now that threads are being started calling the guy out and talking trades, he will surely make everyone eat their words within 2-3 games :D

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Matt52 wrote:

The good thing is now that threads are being started calling the guy out and talking trades, he will surely make everyone eat their words within 2-3 games :D

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Hedo Turkoglu has something to say about that.

i think Linas is playing like someone who is not happy with his role.... if u ask me id say hes wishing he stayed in europe.....O wait thats what i was wishing LOL

Sonny has been slightly better, but neither guy has really made a strong case to be the defacto starter. Surprising, since you would think that they both have something to prove.

If anything, you go small and start Barbosa.

Turk was much worse, at least our expectations of Kleiza were lower, but his crap play at the end of the 3rd cost us the game for sure.

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Matt52 wrote:

Because Wright gets the Reggie Evans treatment on offense - his man sags and clogs the key.

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Julian ain't THAT bad, at least he knows how to get layups and can dunk.

Kleiza has been terrible, he very much looks out of rythm every time he checks in. IMO, sonny has way more potential than Kleiza, he just needs to stop forcing shit. I agree with Leo for once, i hate when he drives the lanes and throws up a 'push shot'. It's ugly as hell and will never be effective fading away or to the side of the basket.

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Hotshot wrote:

A bigger letdown would be for Peja to steal his minutes. Peja can't do much except be Toronto's new Mo' Peterson 3 point man which he is still capable of doing.

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Except Mo had some defensive chops. He is more like the Raps new Kapono except older and that unlike Kapono he actually attempts 3 points shots and not one dribble inside the line long 2s.