Ed Stefanski Teleconference - 7/7/2010

Q: Through three games, what are your impressions of Jrue Holiday? He seems even more comfortable having that first year under his belt.
A: No question, he is night and day from last year’s summer league and now. I don’t know if I can say he’s been the talk of this summer league, but people are raving about him and he deserves it. He’s played extremely well. Last year, he struggled to get by people. Here, they can’t keep him out of the lane and he’s taking the ball anywhere he wants to. He’s played real well for us down here.

Q: How about Evan Turner? He showed flashes yesterday, but then today he was a little frustrated in the first half.
A: I think frustration is the right word. He’s trying to learn the pace of the NBA game with the officials. Frustration set in a couple times. He has shown flashes or glimpses of why he was such a high pick, because he’s such a smart player. But he’s just learning the ropes right now. What I like about it, the speed of the game is bothering him a little bit, but he’s now putting his nose in there and rebounding the ball every game. The thing I was questioning from watching him so much was how he was going to defend, and I think he’s done a nice job defensively out there. It’s just a matter of time before he gets the game down. The other issue has been that he hasn’t really played basketball five on five since March when he was playing with Ohio State. So, he hasn’t really had game experience. He’s not in game shape, and I still don’t think he is, and I think that’s hurt him. And that’s not something that he didn’t do, he worked out, but just like all these picks they protect them so they don’t get hurt before they get drafted.

Q: In the game yesterday, Cedric Simmons really gave you a boost in the first half. What have you seen from him? I know he’s a big body, he was a high pick, and he hasn’t really worked out well. Would there be a chance for him to possibly get an invite to camp?
A: What I liked about Cedric Simmons, especially in game two, was his energy level. That’s something he has to bring all the time, because the spot were looking for with him is a big that can block a shot, and he can do that. But he’s got to have that energy level and he showed that in game two, but he didn’t bring that in game one or three. That’s something he has to work on, the consistency of that energy. But he helped us win that question yesterday no question about it.

Q: Can you talk about Marreese Speights? Looking at him, I know his body’s better, but it looks like his footwork is off.
A: In the three games here, I think he’s shown signs of real good footwork. And then other times, you’re right, he looked off-balance. I think it’s that we’re running different things for him than he’s used to in some respect. He’s in much better shape, which we had to get him in better shape. Today, he scored points, but I thought game two, yesterday, was his where he really played within the structure of the team. I think when he loses his footwork is when he forces the action. That’s my call on that.

Q: Speights is a guy that forces a lot of debate as to what best serves him. Center or power forward. Inside or outside. What’s the sense you’re getting from Doug [Collins] as to what Marreese’s role?
A: Doug has a high energy level as we all know, and he’s done a real good job with Marreese in getting him excited about what he’s going to do. He’s worked on his defense, and in the three games so far, Speights’ defense has been much better than it was last year. Is it where it has to be? No, it needs to get better, but it has definitely improved, so that’s a plus. I think what Doug wants is what he did more of in game two, which is play within the system. When you’re in a two man game and you give the ball back, you’ll get it back, and those are the type of things Doug has been talking about. Doug is throwing a lot at these guys early, and a lot of them are thinking out there. Marreese has done a good job, especially on the defensive end of the court, better than he’s showed. Then like today, I think he got 20 points, 9 rebounds, and he has rebounded the ball in all the games. So, it’s going to be a process, it’s not going to be over night, but we have a good ninety plus days before we get it going.

Q: In terms of Turner is what you’re seeing him go through now similar to what you saw from Holiday last year?
A: It’s a rerun. It’s like déjà vu there’s no question he reminds me of watching Jrue last year. Jrue was getting frustrated because of the pace of the game, the referees and how they make calls, and [Turner] is going through the same thing. What Evan is doing is he’s defending. Coming into this I was questioning what kind of defender he’ll be and he’s been fine on the defensive end and he rebounds the ball. The pace of the game, offensively, is what he’s going to have to learn just like Jrue Holiday learned it; I don’t think he’s [Turner] in the greatest of basketball shape. You can workout all you want, but one-on-none is not going to get you in basketball shape and that is definitely affecting his game right now. Jrue Holiday has been here for a year and he’s a totally different player. You can’t keep him from getting into the lane and he’s the talk of a lot of people down here, how good he’s been through these first three games.

Q: Is Jodie Meeks crowding the backcourt?
A: Jodie has been terrific down here [Summer League]. He’s been very solid all three games, he plays at the pace that the coach wants, he comes off screens really hard; Fast break wise, if you’ve been watching him on TV, he gets out on the break and he’s a very good shooter. At the end of the game the other team was just shadowing Jodie because they don’t want him to get the ball for a 3-point shot, or any shot. He has worked extremely hard and has had a really good Summer League.

Q: Do you feel like you’re having a minute-crunch now with Jodie in your backcourt?
A: I think there’s a minute-crunch throughout the whole team. There’s no question that he we have depth so there could be a minute-crunch at other spots, not just the backcourt. The coach [Doug Collins] wanted competition and it looks like that is what he’s going to get.

Q: Is there any thought about Jason Smith playing because of how he is coming back from an injury?
A: The doctors thought it was good that Jason just stayed off his leg and do individual stuff; the beginning of August is when they want him to start up. He got through the year fine and stayed off this leg and the doctors think he’ll be great to start things up in August.

Q: Has the team been working out before the games while they are in Orlando for Summer League?
A: Yes. The first two days they had shootarounds and worked out for an hour before the games in the morning. Today, because we played at 3 o’clock, we didn’t have any workouts in the morning.

Q: What spots are you looking to fill on the team besides a shot-blocking big man?
A: We have thirteen players under contract, who knows what will happen throughout the offseason before we start. I don’t know what’s going to happen but right now if we’re looking to add someone a big would probably be the guy. We have a lot of competition and a lot of spots, but if we’re pressed to add a player I would say it’d be in the frontcourt.

Q: Is Coach Collins running the game day workouts?
A: Oh yeah, Coach Collins runs all the practices, and we’ve got Aaron McKie who’s coached the first three games.