Is Sam Cassell the most underrated role player in league history?

[Nowitness]

Sam I Am is basically Robert Horry with actual All-Star potential.

Almost every team he went to succeeded. It's no secret teams who achieved little (Houston, Bucks, Minnesota and Clippers) all went far with him at the helm, putting up steady production (17/8).

[Clifton]

Good topic.

The ultimate "numbers don't tell the story" guy.

I watch film of those title Rockets teams sometimes to pass the time. I love them because they're so perfect. They had Cassell AND Horry, and even as young players you could totally see they both had something that most guys don't. A sense of the moment + testicular fortitude.

I wonder if playing with each other + with Hakeem + winning a ring as young players had something to do with it. Maybe if they get swallowed up by MJ like everyone else it doesn't turn out the same? Maybe with Horry-- with Cassell I doubt it though.

Don't forget that his year in Minnesota was the year KG's Timberwolves were dangerous. And if I remember right, the Lakers lucked out because Cassell got injured. That team could have made the Finals. With no other all-stars IIRC. (Spree was a very good player then but I don't remember him being all star caliber)

[Baller234]

He wasn't a role player though.

[3ba11]

Sam I Am is basically Robert Horry with actual All-Star potential.

Almost every team he went to succeeded. It's no secret teams who achieved little (Houston, Bucks, Minnesota and Clippers) all went far with him at the helm, putting up steady production (17/8).


Cassell was the Rockets' secret weapon - a 24-year old rookie bench player that was actually their 2nd best player and closer in the clutch - he did this for his entire career, while being regarded as among the best post up point guards in history.. I wouldn't call him a role player at all - definitely one of the team's leaders

[1987_Lakers]

Doug Christie

I never see this dude mentioned despite being one of the best perimeter defenders of his day, underrated passer too.

[3ba11]

Doug Christie

I never see this dude mentioned despite being one of the best perimeter defenders of his day, underrated passer too.


Unlike Cassell, Christie choked so many times in the clutch and therefore lost big series like the 02' WCF where his misses were some of the most critical down the stretch.. Cassell was the opposite, so he won against Finals teams instead of having a bad record against Finals teams like choke-artists do

[1987_Lakers]

Unlike Cassell, Christie choked so many times in the clutch and therefore lost big series like the 02' WCF where his misses were some of the most critical down the stretch.. Cassell was the opposite, so he won against Finals teams instead of having a bad record against Finals teams like choke-artists do

I wouldn't even consider Cassell a role player, only if you include his Houston years, but even then he wasn't exactly lighting it up in the playoffs. 9 ppg on 39 fg% in the '94 postseason, 11 ppg on 44 fg% in the '95 postseason, not exactly lighting it up, although he was pretty good in the '95 Finals after having a shitty WCF.

[1987_Lakers]

Someone like Ainge who was a legit role player in '86 averaged 16|4|5 in the playoffs. Michael Cooper is another role player who had better postseason runs than Houston Cassell.

[3ba11]

I wouldn't even consider Cassell a role player, only if you include his Houston years, but even then he wasn't exactly lighting it up in the playoffs. 9 ppg on 39 fg% in the '94 postseason, 11 ppg on 44 fg% in the '95 postseason, not exactly lighting it up, although he was pretty good in the '95 Finals after having a shitty WCF.


Your stats for Cassell are basically his clutch stats - he played limited minutes as a young player and was mostly used in the clutch or when someone else was wetting the bed and they really needed buckets

so his minutes weren't the same as your typical starter - Cassell had to heat up quick and he had good efficiency on the big shots that he was asked to hit.. On many big possessions, a 39% post-up from Sam Cassell was BY FAR the best option and superior to anything the opponent could muster at that time as well..

Cassell is an attrition guy - you want him in your foxhole in the 12th round when everyone is on their last legs and can't hit shit.. He's still sitting there grinning and busting your ass

[3ba11]

Someone like Ainge who was a legit role player in '86 averaged 16|4|5 in the playoffs. Michael Cooper is another role player who had better postseason runs than Houston Cassell.


Ainge was real nice and his best was comparable to Cassell but Cassell was more of a "star player" or leading guy at his peak than Ainge - both guys give you a clutch 20 or more at any time - Cassell could go off for more

[L.Kizzle]

What defines a roll player. Is Sam Cassell a role player, is Manu a role players. Is Jamal Crawford a role player. Is Ben Wallace a roll player?

[tontoz]

Cassell was pretty good at self promotion. I wouldn't call him underrated. He wasn't shy about telling everyone how good he was.

[Phoenix]

He was more at the level between a role player and a star.

[Im Still Ballin]

Sam Cassell is the most underrated player of all time. (http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/showthread.php?486982-Sam-Cassell-is-the-most-underrated-player-of-all-time)

[ralph_i_el]

I love how he used the turnaround jumper. It's a super-star shot, not a lot of role players get the green light to shoot shots like that. His "role" was tough bucket getter (from the old games I went back and watched).

[Im Still Ballin]

He had a couple of 40-point playoff games for Minnesota in 2004. An All-Star and All-NBA 2nd Team player that season.

[Clifton]

His "role" was tough bucket getter (from the old games I went back and watched).
There we go.

[ralph_i_el]

What defines a roll player. Is Sam Cassell a role player, is Manu a role players. Is Jamal Crawford a role player. Is Ben Wallace a roll player?

There are some roles that are usually filled by superstar players. Sometimes there are guys that can fill in the superstar role without having an all-around superstar game/impact.

[Jasper]

He wasn't a role player though.

thank you.

/

[jayfan]

Possibly the most underrated rookie postseason run ever.


.

[Clifton]

There are some roles that are usually filled by superstar players. Sometimes there are guys that can fill in the superstar role without having an all-around superstar game/impact.
Perfect pairing for KG, too, because KG was a superstar-impact player (universally regarded as top 4 in his prime) but didn't want the role of tough shot-taker.