STrib: Amir Coffey: Decision to leave Gophers early for NBA was 'easy'

BleedGopher

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per Marcus:

When Amir Coffey takes the floor Saturday donning his Los Angeles Clippers No. 42 jersey at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, it’ll finally sink in that his pro basketball journey is beginning.

“It’ll be cool,” said Coffey, who led the Gophers in scoring and assists last season as a junior. “It’ll be a fun experience out there playing and competing with the other guys.”

Even after going undrafted last month, Coffey has a chance to pursue his NBA dreams. In a telephone interview Wednesday, he said he has no regrets about forgoing his senior season. It wasn’t a hard decision, he said, even though he would have been the face of the Gophers program next season.

“I felt like it was an easy one,” Coffey said from Los Angeles. “After all the work I put in, and how much better I got after the season going through all those workouts, I felt confident in what I was doing. I felt confident in my game and I was getting good feedback from a lot of teams. I talked to my [family] and agent and felt it was a good time to stay in.”

http://www.startribune.com/amir-coffey-decision-to-leave-gophers-early-for-nba-was-easy/512193232/

Go Gophers!!
 

More Gophers in the NBA is good for the program. We need to get over being upset when a player leaves early.
 

Why wait until the last minute to announce he was not coming back.
 

Why wait until the last minute to announce he was not coming back.

He doesn't owe us anything. He does owe the program something, I think. I'm guessing Pitino knew early that he wasn't coming back. This kind of thing is the future of college basketball. We better get used to it. Amir will likely make a good living in international basketball somewhere. If that's what he wants, so be it. It's no longer about being drafted high enough for a guaranteed NBA contract. At some point, I hope the pros to come up with a system that is less disruptive to college programs, but that's a long way off.
 

I do sincerely wish him well, but not too sure there was anything else he could say. Certainly not, "It didn't happen like I thought; maybe I should have come back for my senior year."
 


I just get the sense that he didn't want to be in college anymore. We can speculate "why" all day - Pitino, homework, etc. but IMHO, Coffey was gone no matter what happened. he was not coming back.

So, as a fan, you can talk about what might have been, or focus on what will happen. at the very least, it will be interesting to see how Pitino puts the pieces together.
 

IMHO, in his mind he thinks he's ready and staying in and risking injury might derail his chances. Although people are absolutely right he'd have been the face of Gopher Basketball next season.

He's got a career window in the NBA to make it.
 

Pay check before injury. No brainer. He'll improve his skills more this year than he would have with the Gophers. We'll be better a point this year than we were last year.
 

Last night didn't do Amir any favors - the Clippers just added 2 stars who play roughly the same position and role as Amir.
 



Last night didn't do Amir any favors - the Clippers just added 2 stars who play roughly the same position and role as Amir.

What do you mean by “stars”?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Paul George and Kawhi Leonard are stars in the NBA, that's who they just signed and both play the 2/3 roles on the floor. Amir not looking to get a lot of time this year anyway, but injuries happen and depth is always needed so he may still get some clock even with the reshaped roster.
 

Last night didn't do Amir any favors - the Clippers just added 2 stars who play roughly the same position and role as Amir.

yeah can't see any way Amir gets NBA time now with those 2 coming on board, and the future gets real bleak for him if they sign long term deals as the Clippers will be in win-now mode rather than seeing what they get from some younger guys. May lead to them moving him at some point, but that's the joy of his basketball playing days now being driven by business
 

I just get the sense that he didn't want to be in college anymore. We can speculate "why" all day - Pitino, homework, etc. but IMHO, Coffey was gone no matter what happened. he was not coming back.

Honestly, why would you come back and risk your pro career to injury for anything less than a highly likely sweet sixteen team?

They had a nice run last year. And this year's team, even with him, wasn't necessarily shaping up to be as good or better.
 



Last night didn't do Amir any favors - the Clippers just added 2 stars who play roughly the same position and role as Amir.

Think it’s the opposite. They are going to need roster fillers on cheap deals. They’ve already used a lot of their cap space. Good chance for Amir to sneak onto the back of their bench.
 

Think it’s the opposite. They are going to need roster fillers on cheap deals. They’ve already used a lot of their cap space. Good chance for Amir to sneak onto the back of their bench.

Exactly. It's ludicrous to think Amir is competing with Leonard and George for playing time, let alone a roster spot.
 

Exactly. It's ludicrous to think Amir is competing with Leonard and George for playing time, let alone a roster spot.

I think what people are saying is that their roster is almost full and you're going to want to sign a guy that can contribute as opposed to burning a roster spot on a project who won't contribute meaningfully this year (since he plays that position and your minutes will be filled by them) as opposed to a team where you're young and won't make the playoffs so you call up your G league guys to see what they can give you throughout the year
 

Honestly, why would you come back and risk your pro career to injury for anything less than a highly likely sweet sixteen team?

They had a nice run last year. And this year's team, even with him, wasn't necessarily shaping up to be as good or better.

Amir wouldn't be risking millions, he be risking a g-league or overseas contract, something he could likely get even if he did get injured his senior year. That money will likely always be there for him. And next year's team if you add Amir is likely a top 25 team. And you can possibly improve your draft stock.
 

It is more complicated than that and he simplified it but choosing what he wanted to do. He did not want to play college basketball anymore. He put in the work all these years, has limited time to make it professionally and now has his chance.
 

Amir wouldn't be risking millions, he be risking a g-league or overseas contract, something he could likely get even if he did get injured his senior year. That money will likely always be there for him. And next year's team if you add Amir is likely a top 25 team. And you can possibly improve your draft stock.

But he isn't getting it now. Getting paid next year has value and next year's draft is much better than this year's. Add to the fact that it is now really rare for someone to improve their stock as a senior (because of age), his move makes sense for him.

Amir might have 12 years of making money playing basketball in his system, if he isn't (or doesn't think he will) improve his stock, why wouldn't he want to monetize all 12 of those years rather than 11?
 

But he isn't getting it now. Getting paid next year has value and next year's draft is much better than this year's. Add to the fact that it is now really rare for someone to improve their stock as a senior (because of age), his move makes sense for him.

Amir might have 12 years of making money playing basketball in his system, if he isn't (or doesn't think he will) improve his stock, why wouldn't he want to monetize all 12 of those years rather than 11?

Yes.
 

Exactly. It's ludicrous to think Amir is competing with Leonard and George for playing time, let alone a roster spot.

He isn’t competing with those guys for PT. That’s my point. He may well have gotten a chance to compete with the other guys at his spot(s) before but he ain’t getting much run with those guys on the wing.
 

They traded their starting SF, Gallinari, for Paul George so that is a wash. Plus they traded what? 5 future first round picks so they'll need cheap young players.
 

He’s looking great so far
 

Amir wouldn't be risking millions, he be risking a g-league or overseas contract, something he could likely get even if he did get injured his senior year. That money will likely always be there for him. And next year's team if you add Amir is likely a top 25 team. And you can possibly improve your draft stock.

Amir made the right decision. Every year that goes by at his age is an eternity.. the league wants YOUNG players to develop. Seniors rarely get drafted anymore. He would be competing with even more players for a 2 way contract.

Plus hes doing great in Summer league for the Clippers. Read some positive stuff on him from a Clippers journal.. they like him. Actually, with the Clippers forming their own superteam, it helps Amir as the Clips needs lots of young and cheap talent.
 

He isn’t competing with those guys for PT. That’s my point. He may well have gotten a chance to compete with the other guys at his spot(s) before but he ain’t getting much run with those guys on the wing.

I'd guess that most of the Clippers minutes will be without a true PF/C.

Montrezl Harrell
Leonard
George

That'll be their most common front court.

I think Amir will be competing with Landry Shamet, Rodney McGruder, and James Robinson for PT.
 

It is more complicated than that and he simplified it but choosing what he wanted to do. He did not want to play college basketball anymore. He put in the work all these years, has limited time to make it professionally and now has his chance.

Agreed, I selfishly wanted him back, but wish him well

I think he can carve out a bench role in the NBA, but he'll need to get better at hitting 3's to do so.
 

Why wait until the last minute to announce he was not coming back.

Why make a decision before one has to? Best to get all the information available, he was working out for teams the day of the deadline.
 

Why make a decision before one has to? Best to get all the information available, he was working out for teams the day of the deadline.

Exactly. It costs him nothing to wait.

Well maybe a few pissed off internet people. Whoopty doo.
 

Honestly, why would you come back and risk your pro career to injury for anything less than a highly likely sweet sixteen team?

They had a nice run last year. And this year's team, even with him, wasn't necessarily shaping up to be as good or better.

Maybe some guys just really like college, the atmosphere, their teammates. There's a lot of reasons someone may stay.
 





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