Van Leer hasn't exactly been benched

Posted on: February 3, 2017 at 14:52:32 CT

He's just not starting. That said, I didn't understand Van Leer's constant presence on the court earlier in the season but I can understand why KA likes him out there as he is probably the best defensive player on the team, he just wasn't offering much on the offensive side of things. He seems to have gotten his shot back now. I'd rather start Phillips and Van Leer and see Geist come off the bench. While Geist has been offering more on the offensive side and is a much better ball handler, he's a rather poor defender and takes a lot of unnecessary risks with possessions. Plus, when Geist comes in as a sub, his hustle is like a shot of adrenaline. I'm certainly not as down though on Van Leer as I was might have been earlier in the season.