The DeAndre Jordan Thread

[Slam]

If you go back about a year I was talking up Jordan back then and billing him as the "next big thing". I've been really dissapointed in him. I was hard on Oden last year, but seeing Jodan this year just shows how good Oden really was (or how bad Jordan is?). You can't deny his size. He's tall, long and looks like he can add weight pretty easily. He gets up and down the court really well. His shot blocking is pretty good - although he gets most of them because of his length and not because of his positioning. He has a lot of the tools it takes and he certainly passes the eye test, but he's so raw that you'd need to invest years and years into him to get any pay off, and even then it's a risk he might never pan out.

Comparisons: Bynum (dunking) meets O'Bryant (clueless!!)

Best teams: Wolves, Raps, Suns

[ohara831]

I see Kwame written all over this guy. He could develope, but it would be risky. In the Lottery, if a Big is needed, Brook Lopez is the only viable pick. Otherwise, take the BPA in the Lottery and go with a Big in late 1st or early 2nd.

[ohara831]

As we continue to slide back in the Draft, we may fall to the 9th pick by passing Chicago. We have equal records right now.

With Blake Griffin off the table, absent some Draft day trades, I am not so sure that I dont take a shot at Jordan if we are at #9. Assuming Beasley, Rose, Lopez, Mayo and Randlolph are all gone, I think I may take a shot at him over Bayless, Gordon or Augustin.

I'm not saying this for a fact. I am just saying that as we slide back, he may be worth the shot. Look at the stats:

Played 20 min/game
8 pts 6 reb 1.3 blks
Kid is very athletic, fast, great hops, and a solid Center build at 7-0 and 255 lbs. Will likely add another 10-15 lbs. Nice numbers. Should have a lot to build upon, even though the NBA is tougher. There is much promise.

Falling back like we are, he may be worth trying at #9. If he does become what everyone first thought, then we have our Center to counter Dwight Howard for the next 12-15 yrs. If he fails to come through for us, well, I'd rather not think about it. But if we pass on him and he blossoms, then we'll be kicking ourselves in the ass for years to come.

[Slam]

Guys that I would draft before Jordan:

Beasley
Rose
Mayo
Lopez
Randolph
Westbrook
Love
DJ
Hibbert
Speights
Thabeet

So if all of those guys are off the board when it comes to our pick and Jordan is there, I would look at him.

[ohara831]

Guys that I would draft before Jordan:

Beasley
Rose
Mayo
Lopez
Randolph
Westbrook
Love
DJ
Hibbert
Speights
Thabeet

So if all of those guys are off the board when it comes to our pick and Jordan is there, I would look at him.

________________________________________________

Mostly agree with you. But I'd put him ahead of Hibbert, Speights or Thabeet. He has so much more athletic potential, I am betting that he will be far better than those 3, even if he does not reach his full potential. I was also thinking mostly Bigs, with the exception of Rose and Mayo.

That all said, Slam, I know I'd have egg on my face if he turns into a Kwame Brown clone. And so would MJ, which makes me think MJ will take the BPA if our Big is not present and Rose and Mayo are off the Board.

*Another option to consider. After the ping pong balls drop, if we are at #8, we may be able to swap with the team slated to take Mayo ahead of us b/t #5-#7 by simply trading our pick and also throwing them May, Ammo or Carroll and then also get back their 2nd rounder. If it's a team picking in the top 7 of the 2nd round, it would be a pretty solid player with this deep draft. Just an idea.

[Slam]

But I'd put him ahead of Hibbert, Speights or Thabeet. He has so much more athletic potential.

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No doubt, and I agree with you. The problem is that I have doubts he'll ever reach that potential. With his package, even as raw as it is, he should have had an impact at the college level - and he didn't.

I just figure that rather then burning a top 10 draft pick on him, why not just pick up POB in FA and use our top 10 on someone else? POB and Jordan are on a par IMO.

I also think you bring up a really good point on MJ and him staying away from Jordan. That whole "once bitten" thing. I wouldn't be suprised if the Kwame experience scared MJ away from Jordan.

[Chef]

it shouldn't be the kwame experience, but the k. love experience. love (touted as not athletic enough, too fat, not a pro type) completely destroyed DJ. he made him look like he was still a high school sophomore. not only did he physically whip him, DJ went AWOL to greater extreme than Mek does, wasn't he on the bench at the end of the game when they were trying to upset a #1 seed? i wouldn't take DJ until the late first round at best.

[ohara831]

ESPN Lottery Machine has us taking Jordan at #8 now. Interesting if we do that. It is a risk that can pay off big time, or prove a bust. Also, him at Center means we either play Okafor at PF, do a S&T with Okafor for a PF, or just plan to let Okafor go after next season. I know it is a lot of ifs, but interesting if we actually took Jordan.

[Slam]

If we (or any team) drafted Jordan he wont have an impact for the 1st 2 or 3 years any way so he wouldn't cause any disruption to any starting line up.

Unless we are talking about D League starting line ups.

[TheLegend]

I would love to have him on our team. His best comparison is to Dwight Howard and I'm excited to hear that, but I wouldn't mind having B-Eazy on our team too.

EDIT: http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=8590