For Lee, Harris is the Model
by Net Income on Jul 12, 2009 1:18 PM EDT
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On Draft Night in 2008, the Nets already felt blessed by the time the 21st pick was called. They had taken Brook Lopez with the 10th pick, believing him to be, correctly, the steal of the Draft.
Now, they had a choice. The four players they liked were all still on the board. Ryan Anderson was one, Chris Douglas-Roberts another and Courtney Lee was also in the mix. The Nets have never said who the fourth was...although Nicolas Batum has been rumored. In any case, the choice ultimately came down to Anderson and Lee. Kiki Vandeweghe admits the oldest bias in basketball, height, was a big factor. Well, that and the Nets had an All-Star at the shooting guard and someone they thought, again correctly, could be All-Star at the point. And they didn't have much depth upfront. So they took Anderson and got lucky again at #40 when CDR was still available. They closed out the night happy.
Then, exactly a year later, they had the same choice, just different circumstances. The Magic, having been rebuffed by Hedo Turkoglu the weekend before the draft, called the Nets about the last of the "Big Three", Vince Carter. They offered the expiring contracts of Rafer Alston and Tony Battie along with J.J. Redick, a legendary Duke sharpshooter who had never made the grade in Orlando.
The Nets wanted Lee, not Redick. Without him, the deal was a no-go. The Magic relented but said if the Nets wanted Lee, they wanted Anderson. So the Nets again had the choice between Anderson and Lee. This time, they took Lee. Realistically, the Nets made two trades that day: one a salary dump of Alston and Battie for Carter, the other a trade of two solid young players: Lee for Anderson. (Plus the Nets got those two trade exceptions, worth $3.76 million and $1.2 million.)
Nets’ brass won’t say so directly but they think they have traded for another Devin Harris, an underrated but highly athletic, motivated and reliable young player who’s moving from fourth or fifth option on an NBA Finalist to the second or third option on a rebuilding club.
There are indeed similarities. Both were 23 when they reached the Finals. They played well and looked like long term pieces for their franchises.
Their numbers were similar as well. Now, what the Nets have to hope is that Lee, with his 8.6 ppg scoring average, takes off like Harris did. Harris arrived in New Jersey with a career average that was only slightly higher, at 9.4 ppg. Both had career game highs of 24 before joining the Nets.
No one is expecting Lee to have games of 47, 42, 41, 39, and 38 twice next season as Harris did. Of course, no one expected Harris to put up those numbers either, but he did. What the Nets do expect is a player who can make up some of Carter’s lost scoring, play great defense—and inspire Harris to do the same; fill in at the point and small forward in some sets and of course make them look good by winning.
Courtney Lee does win. At Pike High School in Indianapolis, Lee led his team to the state championship in 2003, going 29-0. They were ranked second in the nation behind LeBron James' St. Vincent-St. Mary team. He had academic problems though and was lightly recruited by top college teams. Only Georgetown and Purdue among the big programs pursued him. He chose Western Kentucky, where he won again. His teams averaged 24 wins a year over four years and took the mid-major to the Sweet Sixteen his senior year before losing to UCLA, a team that featured Kevin Love, Richard Mbah a Moute and Darren Collison. And of course this season, his team got to the NBA Finals.
There were signature moments in each of those quests where Lee had the opportunity to step up and did. He played tough as well. He played with a broken hand in the Sunbelt Conference finals his junior year and with a broken sinus bone in the Eastern Conference and NBA Finals, his face guarded by a Rip Hamilton-like mask.
That toughness extends to his defense, in which he takes a great deal of pride. He did help hold Ray Allen to 13 ppg on 34 per cent shooting. "Coach emphasizes defense so I knew coming in that it would be that way," said Lee of Stan Van Gundy. "If you don’t help out and make the right rotations, you’re not gonna play. But I was OK; since I was always a good defensive player, I had quick feet and good instincts."
We’re sure his new coach appreciates hearing that as well.
The newest Net also has a reservoir of mental toughness and maturity. One telling story concerns his early days at WKU. He was homesick and wanted to leave, calling his mother back in Indianapolis daily until she stopped taking the calls.
Danny Rumph, then a junior on the Hilltopper squad, befriended him. Rumph’s transition had been similar and he came from farther away, in Philadelphia. They shared their feelings and became close friends and roommates. They were inseparable. Rumph went to Indianapolis with Lee during breaks.
"If it weren't him, no, I don't think I would have lasted,'' Lee has said. "I probably would have transferred back home, but I was lucky. Danny was the first person I latched onto.''
Then, in May, a mutual friend called Lee at home to ask if the news about Rumph was true. Lee didn’t know what his friend was talking about. Rumph, in fact, had died that day playing a game of pick up in Philly. The autopsy showed an enlarged heart.
After a summer of depression and confusion, Lee decided to dedicate the rest of his career to Rumph’s memory and getting a tattoo he would look at after every basket.
Although he didn’t show it at his Nets' press conference, Lee also has a lot of confidence. He recently told Khalid Salaam of SLAM, "I’m prepared for all situations, whether offense or defense. I watch a lot of film so I can get more in tune with the other team’s personnel, but what I’ve really learned from the Playoffs is that I can play with anybody, I can be a dominant scorer and be one of the go-to guys on this team."
By "this team", of course, he meant the Magic. Now, "this team" will have to become "his team", the Nets. He certainly has the tools. He is athletic, can take his opponent off the dribble and finish, using his lithe frame to "carve out space" as one writer put it. He also has a quick release on his jumper and can hit the three with great regularity, making 40.4% of his attempts in the NBA after making 40.1% at WKU. During February and March, he was hitting nearly 45%.
And remember, this is a guy who was last shooting guard on the Magic depth chart last October, behind Mickael Pietrus, Keith Bogans, and Redick. He didn’t score 10 points in a game til December and had five DNP’s in the Magic’s first 12 games. By the end of the season, Lee had played in 98 games, between regular season and playoffs. That's more than any other rookie.
What are his weaknesses? Just like Harris is not Jason Kidd, Lee is not Vince Carter. He's a bit undersized, with some even questioning his listed height of 6’5" and his listed weight of 200 pounds. His handle could use some work, too. Will pairing him and Harris, two quick but admittedly light guards, make sense, particularly when faced with bigger, stronger backcourts?
Thorn thinks they’ll be fine. "We have some great athletes and we think that's the way the league's going...We've got guys that know how to play. We've got guys who can pass the ball. Those are players I like, that can do that. We think we're going to be exciting, going to play together, play hard every night. We've got guys with tremendous growth potential."
The Nets have always liked Lee’s game. In March 2008, the Nets chief scout Gregg Polinsky traveled to the Sunbelt Conference tournament in Mobile, AL, to scout him. He liked what he saw. At Lee’s workout with the Nets three months later, Polinsky talked about just what he liked.
"Always knew he was a good defender and a good athlete but today you saw more from him in terms of a middle game and being able to create space off the dribble," said Polinsky after the workout. "He did a real nice job of that. Then when you sit down with him you realize all the good things you heard about him are actualized because he is such a first class kid."
A lot has been made of his shock and dismay at being traded from Orlando to New Jersey. Dwight Howard, his best friend on the Magic, says he's "still hurting". Lee tried to explain his feelings at his Nets press conference.
"Going all the way to the Finals on a good team, just expecting to regroup for next year and make it back to the playoffs again, and to get the news that you’ve been traded—it definitely was a shock but it’s one I have to live with," said Lee.
Since then, three of the game’s great players have predicted stardom for him in his new digs. Howard said in a farewell on his blog: "He’s going to be a great player in this league and it’s hard for me to think about him playing somewhere else. But in Jersey, he’ll have a bigger role now and get more shots."
Shaquille O’Neal said he was "shocked" at the trade. "The only move that really, really shocked me was when Orlando got rid of Courtney Lee. That dude is going to be a star, I’m telling you right now… They’ve done in an excellent job building that team but Courtney Lee, that’s a star, brother. Star, star, star."
"Courtney, he’s unbelievable. I like him. He’s a high-energy, athletic guy," said Carter.
It might not be a bad thing for Lee to move on. He will forever be remembered in Orlando for what he didn’t do--make that layup at the end of Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
What he’s remembered for in New Jersey is up to him. He, like Harris last year, is going to get a green light for the first time. No longer the fourth—more like the fifth option—on a team of All-Stars, Lee is likely to become second or third on the Nets. Actually, that’s more his game.
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Nice article. I have been following Lee since his freshman year at Western Kentucky University…
It was hard to find out that he got traded after such a great rookie season, but not many players get a chance to play in the finals (let alone in their first season). I hope he can continue his solid play in New Jersey and that he continues to build his confidence. With more confidence and a scoring mentality, I think he could make big contributions to the Nets.
by Simon on Jul 12, 2009 6:32 PM EDT reply actions
Actually, most true Magic fans will not remember Lee for missing the difficult acrobatic layup attempt in game 2 of the Finals. We’ll miss him as a player: defense, hustle, basketball IQ, confidence, team-oriented, athletic. In the draft, the Nets needed a big. In this trade, Orlando did.
Sad to see him go, but he leaves with a positive reputation among the Orlando fan base. If you’re hearing otherwise, it is sour grapes from people who only jumped on the bandwagon to follow the team some time around game 6 of the conference finals.
by magicfaninTN on Jul 13, 2009 3:44 PM EDT reply actions
Oh, and why does Shaq have such a fascination with the Magic still? For such a “tough guy,” he’s still pretty sensitive to how Orlando’s organization and fans feel about him.
He’s just trying to play mind games with remarks like this about Lee.
I hope Lee will be sought to return to the Magic when Carter’s contract expires—especially if all the projections about his star status come true. As you say, a lot of that is “up to him.”
by magicfaninTN on Jul 13, 2009 3:48 PM EDT reply actions
nice write-up but one thing i should add…magic fans most definitely do NOT remember Clee for that missed layup. we remember him for being, in all seriousness, the best draft pick the magic have ever made. obviously dwight and shaq are no-brainers but they went #1. he is a truly amazing player with tons of heart. nets fans are going to fall in love with this guy.
by snyde on Jul 13, 2009 4:00 PM EDT reply actions
if he turns out to be another harris, then i think this team will defnitely be in good shape for the future.
by The Black Prince on Jul 13, 2009 4:18 PM EDT reply actions
Just wanted to echo the sentiment the other Magic fans, that Courtney Lee will not be remembered for that missed alley-oop lay-up. He quickly became a fan favorite and I can assure you, that one play was the last thing people talked about on Orlando Sentinel blogs when news of the trade broke (most posts were something like: “NOT COURTNEY LEE!!!”). We wish him luck and I can’t wait to see him be a star.
by OrlandoFan on Jul 13, 2009 4:42 PM EDT reply actions
Lee is a great basketball player and will surely be missed by the Magic. I am sure he will do a lot better in his new team.
by Magic man on Jul 13, 2009 5:12 PM EDT reply actions
Im a Magic fan and although im excited of having vince carter….everytime i read an article about lee i get a bit down cuz i am gonna miss him. He definitely is a fan favorite and NJ will fall in love with him. He has the makings of a star, yes. I wish hime the best….ALthough it was just one year he will alwayass be remebred here…hopefully he comes back to us in the future. :-)
by Augusto on Jul 13, 2009 5:58 PM EDT reply actions
Let’s get it correct… Most Magic fans (at least the real ones) could care less that Lee missed that shot. It’s the press that wont let it rest. Lee brought back excitement like the days of Penny and Shaq.. (I was calling lee 11 cents btw..) I felt like Otis made the biggest mistake in trading him.. He should have traded Reddick a year ago!
Well, I hope he becomes an all star and sticks it to Otis.. I’ll still root for him also… Looks like I’ll be going to a few Nets home games and get a Lee jersey!
by REP96ST on Jul 13, 2009 6:14 PM EDT reply actions
lee was my favorite player on this magic team with boundless promise and i always thought him and dwight together would make a great tandem for years to come but alas we are not going to have the oppotunity to witness that. and i guarantee u lee will have a better season than vince carter next season. the nets will now have a great 1-2 combo with devin harris and courtney lee and a good big man in brook lopez. best of luck to lee. since in orlando d12 and lewis would be the first and the second option on offense, this was maybe better for him since it will give him a better chance to grow and get more shots and show the world wat hes made of.
and to all that think clee blew the game for us in the finals, stop blaming courtney lee for the loss, hedo’s pass was good, not even close to great, if it was great, clee wouldve dunked that! Do me a favor: Go to a playground with a buddy, bring a 7-foot guy with you, stand at midcourt, then sprint toward the basket, have a buddy throw a lob pass that you’ll catch as you’re passing under the backboard, then have the 7-foot guy jump at you and grab the rim for good measure. Try this 100 times and see how many you make. Put it this way: If lee made that shot, it’s one of the great plays in the history of the Finals. So you can’t give him a crap. You just can’t. that pass was out in front and courtney tried to do the best he could with it. so get off his back, and don’t forget he was a rookie playing in the nba finals.. cut him some slack!
and don’t forget this is the guy who scored 18 and 24 points respectively in the first 2 playoff games of his career in the series against philadelphia before he got injured..
and with that a tribute to clee for his short but great stint with the orlando magic..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9s6b3V9nxs0
by Zeyn Kermani on Jul 13, 2009 6:23 PM EDT reply actions
New Jersey got a good one! As you can see, he was and will have a special place in the Magic Family. You will hear nothing but cheering and clapping when he comes to play in Orlando.
by John (Magic Fan) on Jul 13, 2009 7:28 PM EDT reply actions
My favorite memories of Lee from his one season with the Magic would be the awesome dunks he had on King James in the eastern conference finals!!
by Majikman on Jul 13, 2009 11:32 PM EDT reply actions
Watching the Nets in the following years will be fun for any basketball fan. Devin Harris was the best point guard in the Eastern Conference last year and Brooke Lopez is the arguably the best young center in the game right now. Adding Terrence Williams, a glue-guy type player who does absolutletly everything on a basketball court will compliment a backcourt ran by Harris, mainly because Harris has no problem scoring so Williams will do all the dirty work of rebounding, passing and defending.
The lineups in the backcourt will also be fun to watch. Harris and Lee can both play either the point or the 2, and Williams can play the 1, 2, or 3, meaning that the Nets could go small or big at any given time while never sacrifing scoring potential or defense.
I live in Louisville and attend UofL, so I’ve seen every game Terrence Williams has played there in his four year college career, and he is an incredibly fun player to watch. Also, living in Kentucky has allowed me to follow Courtney Lee back when he was lighting it up at WKU, and I believe everything that Shaq and others had said about him in this article. The two things that I admire most about both players is their versatility. Williams was hands-down the single most complete player in college basketball last year, and Lee has proved that he is a player that has the athleticism to take someone off the dribble and finish above the rim, the skill to shoot 40+ percent from three, and the competitiveness to never take take possessions off on the defensive end.
Sorry I’ve been rambling, I’m just so exciting to see this team grow up over the next couple of years. If they can keep the Harris/Lopez/Williams/Lee dynamic intact, they will become the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference.
by Allan from Louisville on Jul 14, 2009 12:18 AM EDT reply actions
yeah..i was one of those who posted “NOOO!!! NOT COURTNEY LEE!!!!” the day he was traded..it’s real sad, but hopefully courtney will take advantage of this situation, improve his game, and be a star..i’d really want to see him again in a magic uniform someday…
by Arie on Jul 14, 2009 2:24 AM EDT reply actions
Nice article… but in my opinion you’re absolutely wrong in the pen-ultimate paragraph. Lee is not going to be forever remembered by that missed layup…. for one it was a ridiculously tough layup, and the Lakers won the series because they were the more talented team, not because of luck. If that was game 7 then yea, but they got killed so bad in the last couple games that the layup hardly mattered anymore.
by bt on Jul 14, 2009 4:45 AM EDT reply actions
Courtney will be missed! New Jersey got a good one. Of course you would not take Reddick For Vince. I am just glad NJ is not in the Magic’s division. The last thing we need is a guy as talented as Lee playing with a chip on his shoulder 4 times a year!!! The dunk over Lebron in the conference finals will be the lasting memory for me.
by Macgic Chick on Jul 14, 2009 9:56 AM EDT reply actions
Wish the best for him and I agree with bt, lakers had the better team plain and simple, it wasnt the missed layup, I don’t think he will be a “star” because he was a 4 yr college player and seems the have limited potential but he will get better and the Nets will love him, Magic fans will cheer him when the Nets visit Orlando
by Mike on Jul 14, 2009 10:16 AM EDT reply actions
I was one that also screamed "NOOOO!! Not Courtney Lee!! Man that kid has some serious potential. I was hoping he would be the next star in Orlando, but it was not in the cards. 11 cents was exciting to watch, he can score at any time and is an above average defender. He did well against the best in the league during the playoffs. Some question his defending against Kobe in the finals, but hardly anyone can defend KB, so give him a break. The press will forever remember his Magic playing days as the missed layup, but not the real Magic fans. We will miss one of the best draft picks the Magic had ever made. Yes we have VC, but how long will he play motivated and how long before another lengthy injury breakdown? Lee is a young rising star, and the Magic front office should’ve kept him. I truly wish Lee the best with his new opportunity to shine.
by MagicFanESR on Jul 14, 2009 12:57 PM EDT reply actions
I’ve been a Magic and a Nets fan for years (From New Jersey, and migrated to Orlando when I was young). It’s bitter sweet for me because CLee is hands down the best draft pick Orlando has ever picked outside of the #1 spot, and we have to see him go. I’m happy cause he not only goes to a team I like, but he will be paired with Devin Harris to form a FORMIDABLE backcourt, he will get shots and get to display his massive athleticism. Bandwagoners ruined an amazing season for him with that lay-up miss, it would have been hard for anyone to catch that lob pass and finish, now you have crappy beat writers and fans that started watching during Game 2 of the finals tarnishing the man’s abilities. Real Magic fans will remember the incredible D he put up every night and my best memory will be 18pt (season) and 24pt(playoffs) games he dropped on the Sixers, both at crucial moments when someone needed to step up. I’m just hoping that when his rookie contract is up, he comes back to the boys in blue to team up with D12 again. Courtney Lee will be missed SEVERELY miss in O-town. CLEE MIP 2010!!!!
by KC on Jul 14, 2009 6:48 PM EDT reply actions
Hey, Zeyn Kermani: (July 13th, 2009 at 6:23 pm),
Your 2nd paragraph in your comment about Lee’s missed layup is a word for word ripoff from Bill Simmons’ article on ESPN.COM.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/090608&sportCat=nba
Nice job of cutting and pasting…come up with your own material.
by Kirk Matthew on Jul 17, 2009 2:39 PM EDT reply actions
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