If we don't get Greg Oden or Kevin Durant

[heelfan]

If we are screwed in the 2007 draft and wind up out of the hunt for Greg Oden or Kevin Durant, which of these players do you think could help the Bobcats the most and why.

I'll give my answer. Hasheem Tabheet because you can't teach 7'3", 265 pounds of shot blocking with athleticism. Plus Jim Calhoun and UConn produce solid pros.

Who would you knuckleheads choose? :biggrin:

[dvdbumpus]

I'd consider the best SG available if THabeet was not available or we traded down.

That would consist of:

Daequan Cook - Ohio State: Freshman - http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/daequancook.html

Marcus Williams - Arizona: Sophmore - http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/marcuswilliamsaz.html

Chad Budinger - Arizona: Freshman - http://nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/chasebudinger.html

I'd personally take Budinger. I watched him play and he just dominated EVERYONE. He alley ooped a pass from half court by Williams and practically jumped over a guy that was 6'11". He's a BEAST.

If not him, I'd consider cook largely because of his aggressiveness on defense. I live 5 miles away from OSU and I've seen him play live, and he played so well it didn't even look like he was having to try. Once he gets some more seasoning he'll be as good of a defender as a guard as his nba comparison, Larry Hughes. Likely better - His intensity on defense actually is Wallace-esque.

[Dead_Real]

Marcus Williams or Brandon Wright both of them are going to be studs in the NBA.

[buckethead]

I'm going out in left field and saying Yi Jianlian. You can always find a way to use a 7 foot freakish athlete with a smooth perimeter game. I'd play him at small forward and cause the opposition all sorts of matchup problems.

[dvdbumpus]

I'm going out in left field and saying Yi Jianlian. You can always find a way to use a 7 foot freakish athlete with a smooth perimeter game. I'd play him at small forward and cause the opposition all sorts of matchup problems.




This brings up a predicament. Would you rather have a potentially good player in about 3-4 years(estimated) or have a potentially good player now? It all gets brought back to how the organization wants to play it, and how impatient we are. It's also the risk/reward factor, and what their ceilings are.

[ziggy]

I'm choosing Thabeet. I think that he can be a Dikembe Mutombo as a worst case scenario, and thats good enough for me.
Tthe other night he set the UConn record with 10 blocked shots in a game.
I realize that game wasn't top shelf competition that he was doing this against, but even if it was against the "blind crippled and crazy sisters of the poor wheelchair team" its still pretty impressive.

[dvdbumpus]

I'm choosing Thabeet. I think that he can be a Dikembe Mutombo as a worst case scenario, and thats good enough for me.
Tthe other night he set the UConn record with 10 blocked shots in a game.
I realize that game wasn't top shelf competition that he was doing this against, but even if it was against the "blind crippled and crazy sisters of the poor wheelchair team" its still pretty impressive.



Yeah and if Okafor or Voshkuhl never got 10 blocks on the same crap competition, that's saying something. Besides, we like winning programs, and we love Uconn products, as do i :biggrin:

[tamburello]

I don't know all the players well, but I know whom I won't pick up. It's Marco Belinelli. Although I'd be happy to see more European players in the roster, he's not the plarer we've been looking for. He's very very explosive, when his day comes nobody can stop him. But he's sooo inconsistent just like other "Bobcat"s. His percentages are so low. But of course he has a great potential. You may want to see his stats (http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?clubcode=for&pcode=BCN)

I'd probably pick up Yi Jianlian. Look at Andrea Bargnani. Jianlian would be better than him. And of course our boss Bob Johnson would be soo pleased to sell some jerseys to China.

[ziggy]

I'd probably pick up Yi Jianlian. Look at Andrea Bargnani. Jianlian would be better than him. And of course our boss Bob Johnson would be soo pleased to sell some jerseys to China.
I didn't think about that, but its an excellent point... Bob Johnson loves making money, selling those Yi Jianlian jerseys in China and giving the Bobcats more global exposure would put more money in Big Money Bob's pocket.

[dvdbumpus]

I'd probably pick up Yi Jianlian. Look at Andrea Bargnani. Jianlian would be better than him. And of course our boss Bob Johnson would be soo pleased to sell some jerseys to China.
I didn't think about that, but its an excellent point... Bob Johnson loves making money, selling those Yi Jianlian jerseys in China and giving the Bobcats more global exposure would put more money in Big Money Bob's pocket.


Selling the jerseys right back to the people that made them...how sad :P

[ziggy]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Joakim Noah. Lots of people were fiending for him last year.

[Dead_Real]

^^^^
I don't think he's an upgrade over May or Meka but that's just me and he's really undersized for a PF.

[dvdbumpus]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned Joakim Noah. Lots of people were fiending for him last year.


Bust waiting to happen, IMO. He'll be decent - above average at best.

[Dead_Real]

Also what's up with Thad Young? he had a lot of hype before this season but I've heard he's really raw. Dude looks to be a stud though.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8rkIBw-jTl4
http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=1138467

[ziggy]

Also what's up with Thad Young? he had a lot of hype before this season but I've heard he's really raw. Dude looks to be a stud though.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8rkIBw-jTl4
http://scout.scout.com/a.z?s=75&p=8&c=1&nid=1138467


You're right, I remember his name came up quite a bit as a player to look out for this season.
One more name to throw on the pile of possibilities is Roy Hibbert. Hes a center, 7-2, 278 blocking 3 shots per game and he has the Georgetown pedigree.

[Dead_Real]

Roy Hibbert looks like a beast I've seen him ball 7-2 272 pounds he's a freak.

[ziggy]

Below is some Youtube footage of Yi Jianlian for those of you that haven't seen him.
I must warn you ahead of time though that I would recommend that you mute your spekers during playback. The person that made the video used potentially the gayest music soundtrack in the history of Youtube. ::)

<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/A6plJTvMW04"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/A6plJTvMW04" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object>

[Keetch]

Well maybe I'm wrong, but right now I'd take Noah in a heartbeat. After that Julian Wright. I haven't seen Thabeet or Ji play though.

[ziggy]

Noah is productive on the college level, but his frame concerns me at the NBA level. He needs to put on 25 - 30 pounds of solid muscle if hes going to hold up in the paint at the pro level.

I love his hustle though.

[dvdbumpus]

Noah is a bust waiting to happen.

[Slam]

I agree with Bumpus: Noah is Bogut without the physicality. He is Primoz with better passing and the occasional blocked shot.

I'm not into him at all.

I'm with Dead_real (partially). Marcus Williams has NBA stud written all over him to me and would suit our current roster to perfection.

If we were out of the Durant/Oden race - notice I put Durant 1st :wink: - then I would try and trade down to get Williams.

[ziggy]

Added Marcus Williams to the poll for the Williams fans out there. :biggrin:

I haven't seen him play yet, but his numbers look nice. 54% from the field and 7.2 RPG.
The only negatives that concern me were the 51% from the free throw line and the 1:2 assist:turnover ratio. 1.4APG:2.8TOpg

[dvdbumpus]

Give me Marcus Williams or his teammate, Chad Budinger. Complete beasts. That team is loaded.

[Slam]

Added Marcus Williams to the poll for the Williams fans out there. :biggrin:



You're a good man ziggy. Guess where my vote went?!?!

:wink:

The free throw thing is a weird one. He shot 73% from the line last year and was a good free throw shooter in high school too hitting around 80% from the line. I don't think it's a concern just yet, knowing that he is a good ft shooter and might just be going through a slump right now.

It's not like he is like Jason Richardson who was a 55% ft shooter in high school and continues to be a poor ft shooter in the NBA.

[Wallace15]

I wouldn't mind getting Horford. I saw him play against Ohio State and he looks like he's gonna be pretty good.

[Slam]

I agree Wallace15 - I like Horford a lot too, I just think that he is a tweener.

He doesn't have the skill set to play the 3 in the NBA and is too short to play the 4 and especially the 5 in the NBA.

He's like PJ Tucker. I LOVE his game too, but he just doesn't have the build to be a starter at the next level, more an impact player.

They are both "go after it and go get it" sorts of guy's which I love - no muss no fuss - and there is always a role for guy's like that, I just wouldn't use a lotto pick on one unless they were something really special.

AND

Before someone brings up Barkley - there is always an exception to every rule plus Barkley actually had pretty good handles and was much more athletic.

[Slam]

Kevin Durants numbers from yesterday against Colorado:

37 pts (13-23 from the field including 5-7 from down town and 6-6 from the line)
16 rebounds (including 7 offensive)
2 assists
1 steal
1 block
35 mins

Tasty!!

[ziggy]

Kevin Durants numbers from yesterday against Colorado:

37 pts (13-23 from the field including 5-7 from down town and 6-6 from the line)
16 rebounds (including 7 offensive)
2 assists
1 steal
1 block
35 mins

Tasty!!


Thats gaudy!!!
Very Garnett/McGrady-ish

[dvdbumpus]

niiiiiice!


So....is Durant changing anyone's minds about who might be number 1?

[Slam]

My mind didn't need changing.

[ziggy]

My mind didn't need changing.

As impressive as Durant is, I still have to go for the franchise center.

[Slam]

My mind didn't need changing.

As impressive as Durant is, I still have to go for the franchise center.



We already have one of those!!

:wink:

[TurkeySUCKZ]

No we are so bad we will get one of the two I'd definately take the bet we get one of them before anyone else.

[dav7z]

Where do you guys see Beandon Wright going. . After watching him again in Florida st game. It all seems to come so easy. I Think hes a top 5 stud to watch for.SOME WHERE bwtween 3 and 5

[buckethead]

My mind didn't need changing.

As impressive as Durant is, I still have to go for the franchise center.



We already have one of those!!

:wink:

Mek is a NBA PF that can play center well. If he played it full time I think that he could be one of the top 6 or 7 centers in the league, but hes a natural PF.
But (just dreaming now) if you put Oden at center and Mek at PF, Defensively the lane is shut down. The opposing team will be forced to make a living off of jump shots.

[Slam]

....and because we have next to no perimeter D at all we would get smoked every game (just like we do now)

[buckethead]

The problems with perimeter D are mostly guys getting around Adam or Matt or DA and getting to the basket. If that were to happen with Emeka and Oden in the paint, their shot would get erased.

[Slam]

The problems with perimeter D are mostly guys getting around Adam or Matt or DA and getting to the basket. If that were to happen with Emeka and Oden in the paint, their shot would get erased.



They wouldn't have to come into the paint. They would just score from mid-long range.

Felts is a pretty solid man on man defender but other than him we blow.

Crash is an outstanding help defender but a horrible man defender.

That's why I think Durant would be better for us than Oden. Oden duplicates what we aleady have to a point with EO50.

Durant brings so much more on so many other levels.

[buckethead]

All good points Slam. IF we wind up with Durant, I won't shed any tears by any stretch of the imagination.
I'll drag this back on topic. If you're sitting at the #3 spot in the draft, you would take Marcus Williams as high as #3?

[dvdbumpus]

If Durant and Oden are taken, I'd consider Williams at 3, but I'd look for a big man like Thabeet and see how he has progressed. Other than that possibility, I'd take Williams 3. His game is slick.


But can you imagine Oden, Okafor, Wallace and May in there? That'd be sick.

[ziggy]

But can you imagine Oden, Okafor, Wallace and May in there? That'd be sick.

In Oden's rookie year, Bernie would make him come off of the bench behind Primoz and Jake anyway :wink:

[dav7z]

Seems like ever one is over looking Brandon Wriught . This dude has a 7.5 wing span . Has a consitant hook with either hand and is a beast on the boards. He reminds me of a young Garnett. With all thease players comeing out this year it might be a bad thing to get the no.1 pick . Because odds are some one picked in the next ten is going to make the no.1 look like a bust....

[Slam]

All good points Slam. IF we wind up with Durant, I won't shed any tears by any stretch of the imagination.
I'll drag this back on topic. If you're sitting at the #3 spot in the draft, you would take Marcus Williams as high as #3?




It's a little too early in the season to tell. Ask me again after March.

At this stage I would say that Williams has the best chance to rocket up the draft board between now and then.

Jianlan might be an interesting prospect - as is Splitter.

Wright might be ok - but I've watched him a few times and nothing really jumps out at me about him. Don't like the fact that he shuns contact. That's the last thing we need.

At this stage of the game I would say if we did land at #3 there would be at least 1 team who would want the spot to get Noah or Wright and if that was the case, I'd take the pick - so long as we would be in a position to draft Williams

[dvdbumpus]

Seems like ever one is over looking Brandon Wriught . This dude has a 7.5 wing span . Has a consitant hook with either hand and is a beast on the boards. He reminds me of a young Garnett. With all thease players comeing out this year it might be a bad thing to get the no.1 pick . Because odds are some one picked in the next ten is going to make the no.1 look like a bust....


My opinion to that is to take a look at the 2003 draft. There were 5 players that are franchise players in the first 10, and Josh Howard comes in at 24. So while your opinion may be true, I believe this draft is too strong and will end up similar to the 2003.

2003:
Lebron
D-wade
Chris Bosh
Josh Howard
Carmelo
Kirk Hinrich
T.J. Ford
David West
Boris Diaw
Leandrinho Barbosa
Mo Williams


All these players are either studs, very good players, or important role players. Regardless of where we end up, I'd be happy if we drafted nearly any of those players. Give me D-wade and Mo Williams for my first and 2nd rounders :biggrin:

[dav7z]

Bumpus that what i was trying to say. This draft might be stronger than the 2003 draft. To me it looks like if you have a loto pick you get that solid player you need. I could never see Morrison going 3rd in this draft.

[CaptainCrunch]

I saw we take Greg Oden this year with the number one pick because we are going to win the lottery. Kevn Durant is going to stay in college until next year and then we will get him in the next draft.

[dougcoats]

those two players are certainly holding their own as college freshman, but you musn't overlook the stellar play of one Engin Atsur. Once fully healthy, his stock in the draft will jump almost as high as chase budinger on an alley-oop.

[CaptainCrunch]

You are retarded man. I can't believe you just said that. He would suck if he ever made it on a roster but you don't have to worry about that cause he never will.

[123together]

ENGIN ATSUR SUCKS. UNC has 8 players better than him including the ultimate white trash player wes miller. hopefully the bobcats can get oden or durant in the draft and hopefully richard roby from colorado in the 2nd round. the kid can straight stroke it

[ziggy]

ENGIN ATSUR SUCKS. UNC has 8 players better than him including the ultimate white trash player wes miller. hopefully the bobcats can get oden or durant in the draft and hopefully richard roby from colorado in the 2nd round. the kid can straight stroke it


those two players are certainly holding their own as college freshman, but you musn't overlook the stellar play of one Engin Atsur. Once fully healthy, his stock in the draft will jump almost as high as chase budinger on an alley-oop.


Welcome to BobcatsPlanet 123together and Jam Master D !!!

[Dead_Real]

I would consider taking Thaddeus Young he looks like a beast and he's averaging 14 a game not to bad. Here's some highlights I found on youtube from him.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=8rkIBw-jTl4

[tamburello]

ENGIN ATSUR SUCKS. UNC has 8 players better than him including the ultimate white trash player wes miller.
I watched his all matches at World Championships, and I believe he has enough quality to make a roster in NBA. He might be a good back-up PG for any team. I'm not saying these because of he being Turkish. :) I think he'll be selected in 2nd round.

[Slam]

I would consider taking Thaddeus Young he looks like a beast and he's averaging 14 a game not to bad. Here's some highlights I found on youtube from him.


http://youtube.com/watch?v=8rkIBw-jTl4


He's under achieving and has a busted knee.

He has really poor handles and can't impose himself on a game.

He's a role player at best - but he does have a nice J