Who'll Be Available When The Pistons Draft?
by Quick Darshan on Mar 18, 2010 3:45 PM EDT
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PrintObviously, you can't do an accurate Mock Draft (oxymoron?) until after the Draft Lottery, but I thought I'd take a look at the teams most likely to pick ahead of the Pistons and see what their needs are:
NETS: With Robin Lopez, they are unlikely to take DeMarcus Cousins. I'm not sure what they think about Devin Harris. If they could see him moving to SG, then John Wall could be a possibility. Or they could take Evan Turner and have a pair of versatile combo guards. Derrick Favors is also a strong possibility and could make for a dynamic front court partner for Lopez.
TIMBERWOLVES: They drafted two PGs last year and have two PFs in Al Jefferson and Kevin Love. Evan Turner would be a great fit. I don't really see Cousins as a good fit alongside Jefferson.
WARRIORS: They've always struck me as a wing heavy team, so I see them going with a big man. They have Biedrins signed to a sensible long term contract so that might nudge them more towards Favors over Cousins. But, in general, I see them going big.
WIZARDS: They've blown things up, but what do they think of their young players. Is JaVale McGee their C of the future? What about Blatche?
Currently, those are the teams ahead of the Pistons. But, the 76ers are in the mix as well. Thoughts? Concerns?
FanPosts are user-created posts from the Detroit Bad Boys community and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of all fans or the staff at DBB. The DBB staff reserves the right at any time to edit the contents of FanPosts as they reasonably see fit.
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watch it man
Quick Darshan is DBB royalty, and besides— it’s an honest, tiny mistake.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
I don’t care who it is. If the first thing I read is that (although, the difference between the two brothers has shrunken immensely in recent weeks), I’m not going to care to read anymore.
That being said, he also missed the Pacers as having a worst record than us and New York also is “in the mix.” Not to mention that Minnesota is actively shopping (or was before the deadline) Jefferson, and most admit that he is not a part of their future and that they will stick with Love and possibly Hollins (who looks to be a decent starter or a good career backup). Warriors won’t draft a big man if Nelson is still there, which could end soon, but who knows.
To me, this feels like nothing more than someone thinking up bad teams off the top of their head and picking out the big men on those teams and seeing whether they would draft Cousins before us. What if we land the top pick (which is completely possible)? Does anyone here honestly think we would take someone other than Wall or Turner (if we get the second pick)? Wall and, possibly Turner, are the only almost-guaranteed stars in the draft. Dumars would be digging his own grave by picking anyone other than those two if they are available.
Also, in my opinion, Cousins is the third best player in this draft and every single team in the top 7 or 8 would draft him at that position, besides Nelson.
by Apocalyptic0n3 on Mar 18, 2010 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions
so you said you "stopped reading"
but you really read the whole thing? douchey. new content is good content, and I salute QD for taking time to put together this fan post.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
Yeah, I kinda half assed it...
Was watching a couple overtime games as I was typing.
As for the Pacers, Hibbert had a good year. I could see Favors next to him. Maybe Farouq-Aminu (sp?). Granger obviously is a lock at SF. I’m not crazy about their guards although Rush is solid.
by Quick Darshan on Mar 18, 2010 10:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Ryan Hollins
will not be a decent starter. This coming from someone advocating for the Pistons drafting him in the 2nd round the year he came out.
by Quick Darshan on Mar 18, 2010 10:50 PM EDT up reply actions
As as soon as I read your griping and complaining
I stopped reading. Seriously. Not worth reading your negativity, man.
I think we pick 5th or 6th
and wind up with Cole Aldrich. I’m not excited about Aldrich, but don’t mind the idea of a serviceable, defensive, shot blocking 5 with a big body. I just won’t be nearly as excited as I would if we wind up with a higher lottery pick and can take Summers (even though Joe will pass and take Aminu because he’s long and seems more prospecty, you crafty bastard).
Of course, if we get Aldrich, this would suggest we’d need to make a trade for a big-time scoring 4, which won’t be easy. Minny might move Jefferson after the draft, but would they do so for Prince if they draft Turner and still have Brewer? I assume they’d want to start both of those guys along with Johnny Flynn. If they do draft Turner, their need will remain to be a real center… like Aldrich. But without a guy like Aldrich, Jefferson just doesn’t work, so it wouldn’t make sense to make an Aldrich/Prince – Jefferson trade. I think they can get a lot more on the trade market than an expiring Prince if they were to move Jefferson. So I think we’re pretty much out of that discussion if they take Turner. If they end up taking Aldrich, they will move either Jefferson or Love, and they would need a wing, so it might be time to talk that old Jefferson/Sessions for Prince/Stuckey trade this guy brought up a few months back.
I’ve hated the name Aminu for a while, only because we just drafted like 8 combo forwards and Joe loves dudes who are long and, as said above, prospecty. But if dude could really be the potential Josh Smith / Thaddeus Young player DraftExpress has him pinned as, I wouldn’t freak out as much as I think I would. I think Daye has higher potential than Jerebko (ducks the shoe thrown by Kriz), and I fear that Jonas may not outlive the current sensationalism about him. If Daye can be an NBA SF next year, without a doubt, then I don’t think we should worry about the 3 position, but Aminu may be too anemic to play the 4. Aminu anemic.
To sum, I’ll be content if we take Aldrich, but not excited. If we wind up with a top three lottery pick, I will splooge on my TV if we take Summers and call all of my exes to tell them how much they still suck. If Joe takes Aminu, we may go down as a team built with 15 combo forwards who may blow away in a heavy breeze.
My main preference remains— that Joe completely removes the word “prospect” from his vocabulary, that he drafts an immediate contributor, and that he doesn’t try to outsmart anyone. Just pick the right fucking dude, Dumars. This isn’t rocket science, and you’ve got a reputation to rebuild, not just a shitty team to do the same.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
ahh fucksticks
yeah, cousins. maybe i’m projecting on the wrong dajuan.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
im all for cousins, i want some inside scoring, but he doesnt really solve the interior defense concerns. is the thinking that we would draft cousins and then play another pf who is a shotblocker and rebounder next to him? or would cousins play center? the only bigs we have next year are max and wilcox so i cant really imagine that working out.
I think Cousins would play at the 4 next to a defensive 5. Getting the latter isn’t easy, but it’s a lot easier than finding a dominant player like Cousins. It might take another draft to make that happen, more likely than a trade, but I see Cousins as a 4 next to a big body who doesn’t need the ball to get some baskets and stop the other teams guards.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
I prefer Cousins at the 5
He’s huge, much bigger than even many NBA centers; just having him stand there will help clog the lane. Which brings about my main point, you need someone to stretch the floor, and Cousins’ jumpshot will always be a last option. He’s not athletic, so he is at his best 5 feet away from the rim, which he can establish routinely.
I’d much rather get a very mobile shot blocking 4 than play Cousins there, especially for defensive reasons. Ironically enough, Sheed of all people would be the perfect compliment to him. Do you honestly think Cousins could stay in front of guys like Lewis or Amare? I’d feel much more comfortable with him going up against guys like Perkins.
by bearded thundar on Mar 19, 2010 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions
i'll defer to you BT
you know this stuff much better than I, as evidenced by your awesome prospect review fan posts. I’m sold on Cousins as a 5.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
Hey, this might be blasphemous, but how does Cousins compare to a young Kwame? He was REALLY hyped back before anyone knew he didn’t have a heart (and Jordan crushed his confidence).
by garrettelliott on Mar 21, 2010 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Cousins has been tested, Kwame has not.
Kwame never played in college, so we have 30 games out of Cousins at the next level to compare him against the rest of the NCAA. Naturally, it’s a lot easier to project NBA-level performance with college-level statistics, so plenty can be discerned about his game with a lesser margin of error.
The hype behind Cousins is based entirely upon the stunning production he has been putting up in Kentucky. While I don’t pretend to know what the source of the Kwame hype was, I think it’s safe to assume that Cousins’ hype is based on produced data, while Kwame’s hype was based on untested potential.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
IIRC people weren't as high on Cousins before the season started,
Favors was the clear cut favorite big. In fact some had Wall and Favors as a lock at 1 and 2 pick respectively.
Where in the world is Cheikh Samb?
Even if we end up with the 5th pick ( most likely as high as we’ll get) I don’t think Cousins will even be there or Favors for that matter so how about thinking about worst case. Expect the worst and hope for the best. Like Aldrich or even Whiteside. They might not even end up with a big at all with Joe D. making the pick. He might even pick that one guy Darko 2.0. I for get his name but I’m sure you guys can figure it out.
Joe is smarter than that
Unless if John Wall or Evan Turner on the board, there is just no way Dumars doesn’t draft a big. And I’m willing to bet Favors will be on the board at 5, he’s had a pretty disappointing freshman campaign. I don’t give a shit about his athleticism if he can’t manage to rebound at a high clip in college, that points to either fundamental problems or laziness. And from what I’ve heard and read, it’s a combination of both.
Like Kriz said, he was supposed to be a lock at 2, and Cousins was around 15 at the start of the season. Whiteside is looking like a solid defensive center, but I wouldn’t take him at 5. Right now we’re projected to fall between 4-8, if there’s an obvious winner on the board, then the choice is clear. Otherwise I say take Aldrich, he’s the only guy that projects to have an immediate impact on both ends of the floor.
by bearded thundar on Mar 21, 2010 10:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I'd rather get Aldridge than Whiteside.
Something about a player previously unheard of that makes his way to the lottery towards the end of the season does not bode well with me.
Where in the world is Cheikh Samb?
there is just no way Dumars doesn’t draft a big
Sadly, Joe’s draft history proves only that he does the opposite of what is expected, and often needed. I’d love to think Joe will just do what the fuck he should do this draft, but I remain pessimistic.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
It's true.
I’m a bit optimistic, just because we’ve been at the top, and are now very much near the bottom. Dumars has to read the writing on the wall.
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
Well, if we hear any rumors before draft day that Joe has guaranteed a player that he will be drafted than it’s probably true.
Let’s hope one of those names isn’t Donatas Motiejunas.
i fear that too
those pre-draft rumors have almost always come through— so Matt Watson better be careful with what he posts! Matt, if you hear ANY rumor this Spring/Summer, please just post “Joe Dumars Made A Guarantee To DeMarcus Cousins”— even if it was Motiejunas or anyone else. That way, we’ll get Cousins no matter what. :)
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
wait, what?
last year we heard “Pistons promise BJ Mullens,” then he was available at 15 and we went with Daye
Darko, Stuckey, DJ White, etc. Last year maybe the exception but the whole guarantee to draft a rookie rumor has been pretty accurate.
that's fair
but i thought we didn’t pick DJ White for ourselves. OKC told us to pick him when they let us trade down for sleepy mcsleeperson
I wouldnt Trust Joe D
Hes been AWEFUL the last few yrs at draft and trades.hes made 2-3 good moves in 7 yrs and 15-20 real bad ones.Not resigning M.Okur,trading C.Billups(who still has 5-6 GOOD yrs left),drafting Darko(over Bosh,Mello,Wade-3 of the top 8 players in the game) signing 2 NON startes (C.Vill-Ben Gordon—to HUGE contracts) Joe D is a JOKE its time for him to GO..
Aweful would be like both awesome and awful
Sounds about right
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
somebody seems to have discovered the shift key
by bearded thundar on Mar 30, 2010 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions
tears of joy
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/news_impact/2009/01/large_01inauguration21.jpg
Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun.
Wilcox still plays for us? I haven’t heard that name in ages, he needs to stop hanging out with Dontrelle Willis.
He's dominating for me right now...
In NBA 2K10. and then I traded him away for the vanilla gorilla.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
If Jerebko just keeps playing hard
The sensational aspect will always be there. (McDyess) I would never underestimate the positivity that a real hustler with work ethic can bring to a franchise. Too often our guys just phone it in. I have never seen that in Jerebko’s debut season.
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
No disrespect to Jerebko
I love, love what dude has brought to this franchise. He and Ben Wallace have been the only solid stories this season has had, and I never hope to downplay that. Part of me, however, is concerned that Jonas is an above average player on a below average team. He’s got plenty of room to grow and develop, and with a work ethic like he has I doubt he’ll ever underperform. Still, a part of me is scared that when (if) we get our pieces in order, will he be the right starting PF or starting SF on a contending team, or a 6th man?
He’s brilliant, a top rookie who performs by sheer will, determination and energy. Yet if we can work out a solid PG option, a big upgrade at the 5 and a true scorer at the 4, where will Jonas end up? Is he really an SF even though he’s not much of a shooter? Is he a 4 even though he has trouble defending at that position? I love Jonas, dude is true motherfucking blue, but when I begin to think about piecing this team together as a future winner, I’m confused as to where to put dude in our lineup.
QD put forth a fan post a few weeks back about where Jonas should play, and I made my points then. He can’t play the wing in a natural way because he’s not an efficient outside shooter yet. I love his rebounding and hustle at the 4, but he’s had problems on defense in that position. He’s got an amazing future ahead of him and its possible he’ll carve himself a nasty niche, but for now I’m kind of confused within. Do we draft a PF if we have Jonas, and do we draft an SF if we have Jonas, either or both, and if we draft one or the other where the hell do we put him?
I don’t mean any of this as a knock on the guy, but what the shit man. How do we include his talent in our starting lineup— and when we do, how do we build around him?
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
and I'll note that
when we had Tayshaun as a sophomore, it was clear where he should be. He was a small forward, a wing player with great defense, through and through. He could shoot effectively from the wing, drive to the basket or shoot his baby hook, and defend on the other side of the ball. He clearly didn’t have the muscle to manage the 4, but where he was he played brilliantly.
In short, it’s Jonas’s lack of a clear role and lack of obvious numbers that make me scratch my head. Is he a good spark plug in a bad engine, and can his style of play fit into the, fuck, electric vehicle of the future? Yeah, I’m pissed at myself for that terrible analogy.
All that aside, I love Jonas, but I felt it necessary to explain my confusion— I hope beyond hope my confusion is just that, my confusion.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
i think jonas will develop into a birdman kinda player. he will find a niche, like rebounding/energy guy and will be used to switch it up when the team is lagging. i personally hope that he develops a consistent outside shot, sweet post moves and some awesome handles to become the swedish lebron but as long as he is a fun player to watch and contributes to the teams success i will be a big fan of his.
Once Jod trades Tay
(which will absolutely happen), I’m perfectly content to let Jerebko and Daye battle in out for the starting SF spot. They could make a hell of a combo there since they are very different players.
Who we get for bigs, i.e. defense or scoring, would dictate what we need at SF. If we get decent scoring from the bigs, Jerebko makes a lot of sense at SF because he is a more than capable defender at that position and can help with rebounding. Frankly, I think Jerebko IS a SF. He just needs to work on his shooting, which has already shown some improvement.
If we have a defensive/rebounding oriented frontcourt, you start Daye for his ability to score. That said, Daye may take another year or two to really become a good option as a starter. He could be a very effective 6th man though, with his impressive knack for scoring.
I like our future at SF. I just pray to Jod that we can piece together something that even remotely resembles a decent frontline for next season.
A few things that point to great things from Jerebko regardless of the team or position
1) Work Ethic
2) Consistency LATE in his rookie season – it helps that he’s been playing longer seasons in Europe but even Jennings who played in Europe last year seems to be hitting a wall. Doesn’t seem to be much wall for Jerebko
3) Arnie Kander stamp of approval – The guy is apparently the highest rated physical specimen on the Arnie Kander scale since Grant Hill. Believe in the magic of Arnie guys
4) The aspects of Jerebko’s game that need work are all fixable. You can’t teach effort, or hustle, or scrappiness, but you can improve on FT%, 3P%, and interior post game. Jerebko has shown flashes in all of these areas although to a lesser extent with his post game.
5) An ability to recognize the weakness in the defense – with Stuckey, Rip, and Tay on the floor, Jerebko is our 4th option in most cases. Yet as the season has progressed, JJ has been able to recognize weaker/slower defenders and take advantage of that by pulling them out to beyond the arc.
6) Defense – I’m honestly interested to see how he’d do guarding a guy like Lebron. I don’t think he’d necessarily be fast enough to stay with him for more than a few minutes at a time, but what has impressed me the most about JJ’s man to man d is his ability to keep his body squarely in front of his defender and cut off the angle to the basket.
7) Humble Pie – JJ could end up being a kind of Dirk/Birdman combo smashing together with the power of the Swedish flugelhorn the stunning 3P shooting and ball handling of Dirk with the high-intensity crazy ass White American defense. Not only does this combination work on the court, but it also works geographically/geneologically with Jerebko’s Dad being American and his mother being European
Having said all that, he does need to work on his game this off-season. But lord knows he will. Combining his work ethic with the culinary genius of the Swedish Chef, JJ is sure to please us even more next year.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
by The Boourns on Mar 19, 2010 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions
But to your point MP
Regardless of everything he can do/improve upon, where he fits on a team will always be the biggest question mark for him. If JJ thinks he can become a star that commands the contract that goes with it, then he needs to decide what position he fits into and stick with it. If he doesn’t think thats possible, then being a flexible 3/4 option would make him the ultimate MLE player.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
by The Boourns on Mar 19, 2010 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Whiteside!!!!!!!!!!
If we end up getting 7th or 8th I like Whiteside for our future Center. This kid is sick as hell and much higher ceiling than Aldrige.
Wish List
I’m torn on Cousins v. Favors. Cousins is an NBA ready Center. Favors has star potential with that kind of athletic ability.
After that, I like Aldrich. I like Patrick Patterson (see him as a Mareese Speights kind of player). If Rip or BG is moved, I love Evan Turner.
Not crazy about Ed Davis. Haven’t seen Aminu play. Epke Udoh impressed me with his ability to put it on the floor and pass on the move, but he seems passive on defense. Same with Monroe.
I watched Aldrich last night and really paid attention to him for the first time last night. I would be excited if we pick him, should we land out of the Top 5. And frankly, even within the top 5, I think he’s a solid pick. He’s probably never going to be dramatically different than he is now, but I could see him being an 8, 10, and 2 block guy consistently in a couple years, and I think that’s pretty effective play from your C.
That said, with all the spin coming from Pistons brass about how the “game has changed… yada yada yada,” I have doubts that we’ll end up with a guy like him. More likely, we’ll end up with some athletic big with a “high ceiling…”
If we land in the top five at say the third or fourth pick, then Cousins becomes a real possibility. If somehow we luck out and get 2, I say pick Turner.
I agree. He plays hard. He’s definitely a Piston DraftExpress says that his best case is “a rich man’s Joel Pryzbilla” and his worst case is “Josh Boone.”
by Quick Darshan on Mar 19, 2010 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions
Josh Boone?
Man, if we draft Josh Boone, shit will look bleak
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
I want Cousins or Aldrich.
No inbetween. No Favors. No Aminu. Does anyone even watch Kansas? Aldrich is the real deal. He’s about the most guaranteed big man in the draft, and that’s what’s going to cause him to slip— someone’s going to bank another guy’s potential, while a ready-to-go shot-blocking, rebounding, post-scoring NBA center is just waiting to be had. I am 100% shooting for an Aldrich draft (assuming we don’t luck into a top 3 pick).
And please, no on Favors, Davis, Aminu, and the Georgetown kid. We don’t need any more 6’9" guys on this team. I want a big, tough, defensive-minded center. NOT a power forward, a fucking center. Aldrich is the guy if we can’t get Cousins.
by The Joel on Mar 19, 2010 12:51 PM EDT reply actions 4 recs
lotta mercy...rec'd
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
Greg Ostertag was in shape, could run the floor, and had multiple triple-doubles with blocks in college?
Aldrich is WAAAY more athletic than the “he’s big and white so he sucks” crowd wants to give him credit for. Check out his alley-oop from yesterday’s game. Or better yet, watch any game he’s ever played in. He runs the floor. He’s BEYOND active on defense— a lot for defensive player of the year in college ball for the second year in a row. He literally shuts down the paint all by himself. And his offensive game is better than most people think— KU just has a much better offensive team this year so he doesn’t have to shoulder so much of the load.
If you’re in the camp that thinks the Pistons’ biggest flaw is that “defensive-minded, rebounding, shot-blocking C,” then you’re by default, whether you want to be or not, also in the “draft Cole Aldrich now” camp. Really.
Have you seen Favors jump?
The guy has pre-knee surgery Amare athletic ability. Not saying he’s a lock, but I wouldn’t worry about the 6’9" thing.
by Quick Darshan on Mar 19, 2010 4:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Have you seen Walter Sharpe shoot?
I hear he can really stroke it. Long and smooth.
by Birdman84 on Mar 19, 2010 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
My favorite Walter Sharpe joke
For some reason or another patthepat (on dbb.com) and I decided that the reason why Walter Sharpe never played was because Sharpe is a 4 point play specialist and as this specialty is rarely necessary, he simply rode the pine.
Anytime the pistons would be down 3 or 4 in the waning moments of the game, we’d call to put in sharpe for his 4 point play specialty.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
sad to know that we couldve had deandre jordon
if we didnt trade our pick in 08. but instead we got walter sharpe, a guy thats already gone. thats a smack joed in the back of the head moment
I was never impressed with Amir Johnson's "athleticism"
He’s a fairly quick leaper, but not an explosive one and has little lateral quickness. Favors is more in the “freak” category when it comes to athleticism.
by Quick Darshan on Mar 19, 2010 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Yay on Center
MFnay on MPPF
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
I agree that it's
Aldrich or Cousins. Early up is Cousins “Late” pick is Aldrich. Even if they won’t pan out I’ll be happy that Joe Dumars drafted for our needs and not potential.
although
I would actually prefer Aldrich. He’s very solid and consistent. I don’t know what we would get with Cousins.
by Taiwanese Tora on Mar 20, 2010 7:29 PM EDT up reply actions
It really all depends on how you like to build your team.
I look at it kinda like Al Jefferson vs Joakim Noah. Sure Jefferson is the better scorer, but he warrants a much larger contract, is immobile (even before the knee injuries he was considered a mediocre athlete at best), is an average rebounder and plays zero defense. Aldrich is a very good player, best suited at PF along side an athletic center that can consistently get deep position in the paint, that will always be undervalued (contract wise) because he doesn’t have a sexy game, despite being very effective.
So in other words, if you’ve got the money, then go with Cousins, because you’ll need to get another high profile big at PF to stretch the floor and provide shotblocking + defensive rebounding (he’s looked somewhat lazy on that end). However, you are essentially guaranteed an inside presence that can score against anyone at all (minus Dwight Howard and Perkins). In the end, his conditioning will be the biggest factor on whether he becomes a dominant player that can lead his team or a guy that contributes with some scoring. That’s what truly separates him from Shaq, who was a freakish athlete coming out of college.
Also keep in mind that Aldrich will be a much better player than Noah. He’s bigger, stronger, not quite as a athletic, but makes up with it by having much better timing (so he gets more blocks) and also is a much more talented scorer. Noah puts an awkward spin on his jumpshot, where as Aldrich’s shot is smooth (albeit his release is long) and was very consistent last year when he was expected to lead the team in scoring; not to mention, he has fairly good footwork to go with an array of post moves (ie hooks, fadeaway jumpers and spinoff-floaters) – I should note that he is extremely right hand dominant, which makes him somewhat predictable.
by bearded thundar on Mar 21, 2010 5:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Also keep in mind that Aldrich will be a much better player than Noah. He’s bigger, stronger, not quite as a athletic, but makes up with it by having much better timing (so he gets more blocks) and also is a much more talented scorer.
So please explain to me why you keep saying he’s a PF that needs to be paired with an athletic C? 1) There is exactly ONE “athletic C” in the entire league, and his name is Dwight Howard. 2) Please explain how a 7’ guy who rebounds and blocks shots at a high level and can score in the post is NOT a C?
Everything you post here is usually A+ brainiac material, but I just can’t wrap my head around why you think a 7’ guy who does all the things traditional centers do is NOT a center. Enlighten moi?
BOOM. ROASTED.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
by The Boourns on Mar 22, 2010 12:26 PM EDT up reply actions
What an intelligent remark
Please enlighten me, great Boourns, as I clearly cannot handle your rhetoric
by bearded thundar on Mar 22, 2010 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions
meh...just quoting the office
I just side with The Joel that Aldrich is definitely not a PF. Of all the bigs in this year’s draft I’d argue that he is the most like a “stereotypical” (I use stereotypical because we all have this mindset of what the stereotypical center is in the NBA…7 footer, strong, thick, good d…but there really aren’t as many as we’d assume there are) NBA center.
Outside of that, I’ve pretty much agreed with the vast majority of your prospect analysis to date.
One love, BT, one love.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
If he
is comparing him to Noah I’m betting he sees him as a C?
I don’t have a clue what your talking about besides the post above though.
by Taiwanese Tora on Mar 22, 2010 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Sheed
I’ll admit, my vision of a PF is very much skewed, that’s purely because of growing up watching Sheed alongside Big Ben. Aldrich looks like a poor man’s Sheed, which is why I like him so much at PF. He could play center, I just think he would have more value at PF along side a much more athletic center. Sadly, it is no longer the 80s, so you’re correct, Dwight Howard is about the only uber athletic center these days.
by bearded thundar on Mar 22, 2010 3:09 PM EDT up reply actions
But Sheed’s never been a good rebounder (not once averaging 10 in a season even at 7’), never ran the floor, and has always refused to play in the paint, even back when physically he should’ve been dominant. Aldrich reminds me of the Lopez twins, Noah, Bynum, you know, pretty standard current NBA centers. I mean it’s not like he’s out shooting 18 footers— this guy’s going to stay glued to the paint on both offense and defense, and on defense especially he has a change to be ELITE. He’s already a shoo-in for defensive player of the year again. It’s not like he’s going to forgot how to defend the rim when he goes pro. And at 7’, doesn’t that make him exactly what we’ve been clamoring for at center for the past, I dunno, four years?
Actually he does have a very solid 15 footer, not true range, but his jumper isn’t broken either. IMO it’s just a matter of personal taste, I think he could play either position very well.
by bearded thundar on Mar 22, 2010 7:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Why do you say that?
He’s likely the best player that fits our needs where we pick. Unless if you want to draft another small forward, that is.
by bearded thundar on Mar 23, 2010 6:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Aldrich will be solid, at worst
He’s going to be a good pro, and yes, he fits the bill in terms of what Piston fans have been asking for.
Unfortunately, we probably won’t draft him — at least if Langlois is any indiciation (and in the past, he has been).
Marcos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil): If the Pistons wind up picking between 5 and 10, do you expect the player drafted to be a starter next year? Second, if Cole Aldrich, Ed Davis, Hassan Whiteside and Greg Monroe are all available, who would you pick?
Langlois: I don’t know about starting or not – it all depends on what the rest of the roster looks like. But at 5, 6 or 7, I think the Pistons definitely would come away with a player good enough to crack the rotation. At 8 or beyond, it’s a little less certain. My choice would come down to Davis or Monroe, and it would depend on what I saw in individual workouts. I’d try to get them both in town on the same day to go against each other. An oversimplified evaluation is that Davis is more athletic, Monroe more skilled.
I don’t know how much Keith actually knows, and I don’t know how much Joe uses Keith as a mouthpiece. But I suspect Keith knows at least a little, and Joe uses Keith at least a little. So I’m inclined to think that Aldrich isn’t on the Pistons radar — which is a shame.
Who's to say, really.
I don’t think Dumars would tip his draft hand through Langlois. Draft speculation is fun, but I wouldn’t scratch Aldrich from the future Piston roster yet. When he says “My choice would come down to Davis or Monroe”, it’s likely Keith talking, I think.
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
I would hope so
Davis is another Kwame waiting to happen. He just doesn’t do anything, he seems to stand around all day long waiting for something to happen.
Aldrich is a better player than Monroe, but if it came down to him vs Davis, I’d take Monroe every time. He’s supposed to be a very good passer, which means high understanding of the game.
by bearded thundar on Mar 23, 2010 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Dammit I hate you, Keith Langlois
I hate you because the ridiculous garbage you spout about what Joe will likely do usually comes true.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
Omar Samhan wants to be a Piston
…based on his stats and one highlight I saw of him blocking a shot down the stretch.
I love the "(blank) wants to be a Piston" game.
The rule is to look for players that are tough, have a commitment to playing defense and don’t suck.
It won't matter who's available
Whoever the Rodney White, Mateen Cleaves, or Darko Milicic is, that’s Joe’s choice. Because you know that’s going to happen.
Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun.
These is Dire Straits we in
I certainly hope Joe can recognize that a couple more bad drafts, and he’s sharkfood
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
Couple more bad drafts?
We drafted three players last year, including two second rounders. All three look to be legitimate NBA players or better. For all of Joe’s high profile busts, drafting is not really his problem.
uh, what?
For all of Joe’s high profile busts, drafting is not really his problem.
Joe is a terrible draft GM. I don’t even know how you can begin to make the case that he’s even serviceable. Jonas Jerebko is the only good thing Joe has done in the draft in years. Before that, his 2007 draft resulted in failure because he overestimated his 15th pick and undervalued his 27th pick to the damning detriment of the team.
Explain Walter Sharpe. How could anyone in their right minds draft that dude? It’s like some sort of a cosmic joke. I don’t know how anyone would value Walter Sharpe higher than DeAndre Jordan.
All three look to be legitimate NBA players or better.
As for Austin Daye, I’m already beginning to mouth the letter “b” in “bust”. So this 15th pick SF can’t crack the rotation on one of the worst teams in the league, not even after they lose their starting SF for 35 games, and the 39th pick beats him to the minutes? We’re in garbage time right now, and Daye is glued to the bench.
I don’t mean to get all WTF on you, but Joe routinely wastes high picks and low picks on prospects that never pan out when real contributors remain on the board. It’s not a case of hindsight, as everyone from sportswriters to commenters here had better draft vision than Joe Dumars has in many years. I do not, by any means at all, trust Joe Dumars to make our draft decisions.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
I think we need a legit point guard, and a center.
I’d like a return to defense. More work ethic, and a more well-thought out roster in the future. Nobody takes Detroit seriously anymore. Nobody.
I want him to draft them, trade for them, sign them, or draft guys he can then trade for them.
Do this, then draft project players based on potential you see in them.
He is not a particularly savvy guy on draft night, strike Jerebko of course. Of course.
I’ve said dozens of times I still think he can be the figurehead of another Piston dynasty. Never once have I said he should step down.
I’d be naive to think that his job is 100% secure though, I said dude will be sharkbait in a couple years if shit doesn’t look up- and I’m right.
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
by Skylar on Mar 24, 2010 11:20 PM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
those are the two hardest positions to fill
and we traded one away for allen iverson.
Good. Bad. I'm the guy with the gun.
Yes, he has made mistakes, but I stand by what I said.
Before that, his 2007 draft resulted in failure because he overestimated his 15th pick and undervalued his 27th pick to the damning detriment of the team./blockquote>
Yes, he overestimated Stuckey and undervalued Afflalo. Totally agreed. But he was absolutely right to draft them in the first place. His problem was not in the draft, it’s what he did with his players after he drafted them.
As for Austin Daye, I’m already beginning to mouth the letter "b" in "bust". So this 15th pick SF can’t crack the rotation on one of the worst teams in the league, not even after they lose their starting SF for 35 games, and the 39th pick beats him to the minutes? /blockquote>
Why so harsh on Austin? When he has gotten his minutes, he has generally looked pretty good. Yes, he hasn’t gotten many minutes, but is that his fault or Kuester’s? If the coach was smart, we’d be in full tank mode and playing Daye. But our coach is still trying to win which means Daye is no better than our third string SF. Up until about a week ago, everyone assumed Summmers was a total bust simply because he couldn’t get any playing time. After we saw him getting some burn we are seeing he can actually play. A few (foolish?) people have gone as far as saying he might be the right Dejuan.
Yes, Joe has made mistakes in the draft. But no GM gets them all right. Joe is not terrible, he is remarkably average in the draft.
I see what you did there...
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
Summers will still be a bust. He had one game where he scored some points. Whoopi dee doo. He still can’t rebound. He still can’t create a shot for himself. He still wanders around aimlessly.
It’s just easy to ignore that when he’s the only guy on the court who makes an open jumpshot.
hard to label any second round pick a bust
he’s doing exactly what’s expected of a second round pick. not playing. more like a few other second rounders are overachieving (JJ/other dajaun)
Too little playing time to rule yet.
He’s played like 7 game minutes total this season… give the kid a chance, I say (all the time).
Some dudes look bad their first year and noticeably improve as their career progresses. We’ll revisit this next season, I’ll be happy to eat my words if need be.
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
Yes, Joe has made mistakes in the draft. But no GM gets them all right. Joe is not terrible, he is remarkably average in the draft.
When you fail more often than not, “average” is not a proper adjective. Joe doesn’t win-some-lose-some, he generally botches drafts with a rare win here and there.
Why so harsh on Austin?
I just explained my reasoning man. A 15th pick in a stacked draft ended up buried on the bench— even when our 82-game streak holder goes down with an injury for 35 games. That is a COLOSSAL sign that something is wrong. Add to this that his only competition for minutes are two OTHER rookies— another colossal sign that shit ain’t right. Now, we’re in tank mode, and still no minutes?
You can’t blame Kuester for this. Daye was put in a dream situation for a rookie— injured starter, competition only from other rookies. Yet he’s failed to secure his spot. You can bet that coach-trigger-happy Dumars would have put his foot down by now unless Kuester’s rotations are justified.
I’m harsh on Austin because he has been given a golden ticket to a starting job that most beyond-lottery rookies would kill for. A few decent plays doesn’t mean shit when you can’t earn minutes in these glaring conditions.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
Maybe Daye will be good, but maybe JJ is just a whole lot better right now?
by garrettelliott on Mar 25, 2010 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions
revisionist history to call this a stacked draft
they called it a weak draft before it happened.
fuck that
“they” may have called it a weak draft. DBB, however, did not. Get your school books out, son.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
yeah, but
most of the voices here were calling for terrance williams and earl clark. and neither of those guys did shit this year either. Not saying that we shouldn’t have drafted lawson or maynor, but I don’t think dbb had it right, either.
I wanted Terrence Williams.
I think going to the Nets fucked dude up, that’s a horrible place to be right now.
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
There was a lot of TW hype on here. I thought he sounded like a decent player, from what I had read. He hasn’t been doing much in NJ except those weird one-handed dunks. He must have Webber hands!
by garrettelliott on Mar 26, 2010 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions
I wanted Williams, too. I thought he might have trouble finding a role, but a good team would be able to get some use out of him. So, maybe it was good that the Pistons didn’t draft him.
T-Will is on my fantasy team...
And has been tearing it up for an end-of-season waiver wire pickup. Over the last couple weeks he’s consistently put up 15/6/6 on decent percentages and even fucked around and almost got a triple-double in three quarters the other day before tweaking an ankle. He > Austin Daye.
Perhaps now
But I’ve been saying for quite a while that if ’Bron ’Bron decides to leave his slappy Mo (who seems to be always getting the same haircut), he will not go to the Knicks. The Nets will have new management, the most cap space in the NBA (though NY may have gotten more after getting rid of Jefferies) AND a very good team to build around.
The Knicks will have all of 0 decent players in order to clear all that cap room. The Nets on the other hand, will have Harris, CDR and Lopez. Add Bron to that, you have a 50 win team, and they’ll still have room for one more nice player (and keep in mind, most people will give up a few bucks to play next to LeBron and win a title).
by bearded thundar on Mar 26, 2010 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions
most of the voices here were calling for terrance williams and earl clark.
There were a lot of us against Terrence Williams, this guy included. I wanted Lawson and Blair, either one at 15, but I think people are probably quite sick of me saying that.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
When you're right
you’re right
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
I say I say...you're crapping before you've eaten
I don’t really know what that means but I rant out of witty headlines a long time ago.
Daye is in a dream situation you say but what did Tayshaun do in his first season for the Pistons? He was on an above average team that over-achieved and his main competition was…MICHAEL FUCKING CURRY. Tayshaun didn’t play much his first season on the Pistons because Carlisle under-valued him and assumed his body wouldn’t be able to withstand the banging that is required in the NBA. It wasn’t until the playoffs that he finally gave him a shot.
It’s crystal clear that Daye’s body is NOT NBA ready even if Tay’s was by playoffs. Daye could just as easily put on 10-15 lbs of muscle to build up that stick figure frame and come out next year firing on all cylinders.
While I agree that Daye had way more opportunity for success and the fact that he didn’t succeed against two NBA ready bodies is concerning for his long-term potential/development, I think it’s still too early to start thinking “bust”. His lack of an NBA ready body is just as much a contribution (emo) to his lack of playing time as anything else…
The one thing about Daye that REALLY concerns me is his foot speed. At 6’11" he can play off most SFs because he can cover on the jumper with his length and height. But his foot speed is not fast enough to keep up with even the above average SFs in this league. Given this glaring weakness, I feel that he is a more likely candidate (assuming he can pack on pounds) to move to PF than JJ is.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
Yeah man, honestly, Daye is in a dream situation for a non-lottery pick. The guy had gold brick laid down ahead of him, basically handed the keys to a starting role by circumstance— and he couldn’t execute.
I’m mouthing the letter “b” in “bust” because I feel the evidence supports my opinion. I’m not calling dude a “bust”, but the evidence from this season confirms the notion that he is most certainly heading in that direction— a lot more so than the opposite.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
i don’t know, it’s a dream situation for anyone who wants to show they’re ready to play. bear in mind, my analysis is mostly based on what “they” were saying about Daye before the draft. namely, that he should have stayed in college another year, and it would be a year before he’s ready to contribute.
if that’s true, then being thrown into the fire a year before you’re ready might not be a dream situation.
I got a self-imposed moratorium on slapping the bust label on rookies
I wouldn’t do it. To me, this fucked up ass season is reason enough in and of itself to give a pass to #35 and #5, let alone the fact that they’re rookies.
They get the first year to let the transition to the NBA sink in, and then I look at ‘em a little closer. Shit we got enough bums on this roster that been in the league for years, I’m not looking at these kids like they gotta be immediate contributors, you need to let ’em marinate. Speaking of marination, I need to get back to the rest of this alcohol.
"Take it off the rack, if it's wack, put it back. I like the Whopper, fuck the Big Mac." - Rob Base, It Takes Two, 1988
Re: Daye
I agree with MFMP. It’s not that he’s a bust now, per se; rather, it’s that everything he’s done thus far (and not done) suggest that he will be, more likely than not.
Honestly, if he can’t add 20 lbs. of muscle and a LOT of strength, he won’t make it in the NBA. In Arnie we trust, but adding that type of strength to that frame won’t be easy.
The thing that worries me about Daye is that it seems like if you’re going to be a good player in the NBA, it’s never a surprise. Or, at least, it’s rarely a surprise. Guys who can play usually come into the league swinging, and they find ways to make an impact. So far, Daye hasn’t done that at all. Not even a little tiny bit. He can definitely get better (there’s not really any where to go but up) but right now things aren’t looking too good.
by garrettelliott on Apr 1, 2010 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions 3 recs
it seems like if you’re going to be a good player in the NBA, it’s never a surprise. Or, at least, it’s rarely a surprise. Guys who can play usually come into the league swinging, and they find ways to make an impact.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
i don't want to put a damper on the whole "cousins or aldrich or no one" debate
but the thought has occured to me that it might not be wise to get completely stuck on drafting a position. especially considering people tend to overrate size.
i mean… oden over durant. darko over melo. both consensus opinions by gms, all of whom consider a franchise C better than a franchise SF… also, both the wrong choice (20-20 hindsight). Jordan Hill/Tyler Hansbrough last year. if it comes to the 5th pick and we end up with Wes Johnson over Aldrich, i’ll probably scream my head off at my TV at the time about already have 4 SF’s and no centers, but i’ll still have to reserve judgment until i’ve seen what they can do in the pros. sometimes taking size just isn’t the right choice.
especially considering how easily impressed fans are (varnado is ben wallace?).. and I know I get caught up in it too. but even then, we aren’t the best judges of talent. not to say the scouts always get it right, they definitely don’t. but there’s usually a reason a guy gets passed over. everyone was surprised darell arthur got passed by 26 teams, but he does nothing for Memphis… so. lets not get overexcited.
ehh
There are two guys in this draft you take regardless of position: John Wall and Evan Turner. And still, I’m not convinced Wall is nearly as good as he’s hyped to be. I’ll gladly take CP3, D-Will or even Rondo over him. All 3 of those guys know how to run the offense extremely well, and Rondo is an excellent defender on top of good rebounder. I’ve watched Kentucky a lot this year, and his point guard skills leave a lot left to be desired. He’ll be an incredible scorer that will hit many game winners, but I would not place him anywhere close to Isiah in terms of point guard ability. Almost all of his assists have come from having essentially a college team of all NBA players (potential stars, mind you).Rose, who I believed was a tad overrated and there’s a fanshot that confirmed a bit of my thoughts, at least has a knack for creating easy looks and has nice passing ability, as seen by him winning the skills challenge as a rookie.
The only real differences I’ve seen between Wall and Stuckey is that Wall has a better 3 point shot and is more athletic. You guys can’t stand Stuckey’s Ima-run-into-this-here-brick-wall-of-bigs drives, well get ready to see a lot of it from Wall. The key difference is that Wall is a freak athlete, which allows him to hang in the air longer than everyone else and finish the drive more often than not. However that advantage will be much smaller in the NBA.
Turner seems to be legit. He’s got a lot of what makes LeBron special incorporated into his game: he does everything for Ohio State. The guy plays point guard, rebounding specialist, scorer, you name it. He’s reportedly about as athletic as Roy, so if Roy can score ~23 a game, Turner can probably give you about 25 as he projects to be a better player.
Personally, I think that unless if you’ve got a guy of Melo, LeBron or Durants ability, small forward is tied with SG as the last position to build around. Aminu is a good rebounder, but I doubt he’ll be able to keep that up in the NBA when he’s no longer as tall as the opposing team’s center and is dealing with similarly athletic forwards. The main thing I don’t like about him is FG%. For a player of his athleticism, he shoots a low percentage on 2s, and can’t hit 3s period. You look at all the “star” small forwards in the NBA, they are all very good shooters (minus LeBron, but he’s improved drastically since coming into the league) and all of them finish at a high clip around the rim.
by bearded thundar on Mar 24, 2010 9:22 PM EDT up reply actions
i agree about wall/turner
my point is about the people who think any pick we make has to be a big. well those are the people most liable to get pissed off if we swing and miss on a big and somebody comes off the board 5 picks later and winds up looks like the next brandon roy. (i didn’t realize roy was chosen after Ty Thomas.) but that’s exactly the scenario we’ll probably be facing. Super athletic big, or a more talented SG/SF?
by the89oracle on Mar 24, 2010 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Definitely CP3/Williams/Rondo over John Wall, because they are proven at the highest level.
Draftwise, I have no clue who we’ll be taking. No idea who will be left, no idea what Dumars considers our greatest need.
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
I think our greatest need right now is probably beautiful, flowing golden locks.
by garrettelliott on Mar 24, 2010 11:40 PM EDT up reply actions
Being one of 12 people worldwide with a Walter Herrmann jersey
I can only imagine how amazing the JJ to Fabio connection would be. Those guys would be throwing each other back door lay-up alley-oops ALL DAY.
Jonas Jerebko once killed a charging female rhinoceros in heat protecting its young with nothing more than a hook shot.
by The Boourns on Mar 31, 2010 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Turner, Cousins, Aldrich. All of those guys are sure to be starters in the NBA at worst. One of those guys is a realistic possibility.
Beyond that, it get shaky … maybe guys will pan out, maybe they won’t.
I agree with what the89oracle is saying, I think. Depending on where we fall in the draft, a quality big might not happen for us. If not, then we gotta get the best guy on the board and go from there.
That would be tragic, but it’s possible that it could be the best move on draft night. We’ll see.
I doubt we miss out on a big
This draft is extremely deep in bigs. At the worst, we pick up a guy like Monroe or Whiteside. But that’s if we seriously slide down to 10, which I highly doubt happens. As it stands right now, we have to hope the Wizards get on a winning streak. I believe we’re only 2 losses away from the 4th best shot of winning the lottery, and have a legitimate shot of getting the 3rd overall pick even as is.
And even if those guys are off the board, I’m willing to bet both my aglets that Favors will be on the board when we pick. He’s had a quite the disappointing season so far, he was projected to be a lock at 2, and now is only in the lottery because of his athleticism. However, with Big Ben as a mentor, I think he can become a rebounding machine and a force in the paint. People seem to forget that Big Ben himself was undersized and uber athletic. I’m not saying Favors will ever play center in the NBA, but I wouldn’t take it out as a possibility.
by bearded thundar on Mar 25, 2010 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
But Big Ben
was never criticized for being lazy. I hope he could teach Favors a good work ethic, but there’s only so much God-given talent can do for you. Perfect example: Charlie V
by handsomerob1 on Mar 25, 2010 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions
I'm not disagreeing in any way
I think Favors is somewhat lazy, I’ve repeatedly said that he should be posting far better rebound numbers for his size and athleticism. However, I have heard that he is very coachable and is learning quickly. Look at his performances, he started extremely inconsistent, but from Feb 16 never failed to score in double digits. Big Ben could be the perfect mentor to teach him about how the type of mindset that he’ll need to become an NBA star.
Regardless, he’s too much of a talent to pass up if Aldrich is gone (which assumes that Cousins, etc will be gone too). If he and Aldrich are both on the board, that will make for an interesting discussion. Favors has quite the higher ceiling, but Aldrich is just about guaranteed to be a solid rotation player on a contender.
by bearded thundar on Mar 25, 2010 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions
No projects. I know you watch way more college ball than I do, but from everything I see and hear about Favors, he’s a project.
I would rather have a quality rotation player at wing position (or a good PG) than a project big man. Just epinion, though.
I've never seen Favors play
I’m going purely off radio and draftexpress
by bearded thundar on Mar 25, 2010 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed: NO PROJECTS
I’m beginning to think it’s just illogical to try and build from within the franchise in the NBA. For every 1 player that spent 2-3 years trying to improve in practice and garbage time, that actually make it with their drafted team, there are 10 more that either didn’t make it or made it after they were traded/let go.
That being said, we’ll see how much of a project Favors actually is in workouts. I’d rather have Cousins, but I wouldn’t fret over Favors if he proves ready to go from the beginning.
by Roll The Dyess on Mar 29, 2010 4:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Alexy Shved
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Alexey-Shved-1097/
Intruiging prospect for the second round. If I’m Joe and I got a dominant big in the lottery, I’d give this guy a long thought, especially if Varnado and Parahkouski are off the board (which to be honest, I think they will, I don’t know why they are rated out of the first round)
by bearded thundar on Mar 25, 2010 11:09 AM EDT reply actions
Favors
I think his rebounding totals are affected by playing with Gani Lawal.
I would take Favors in a second. He’s considered a very good defender. He’ll provide the shot blocking needed to make everyone else a more effective defensive player.
icanhasMP?
I didn’t know you were quite the player Mike, those are some nice shooting numbers
by bearded thundar on Mar 25, 2010 6:54 PM EDT reply actions
best case: Piston Pete Maravich on a Good Day
worst case: Bill Laimbeer on an Angry Day
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
I vote we draft this guy
He sounds quite good. And just for fun, we’ll have him play back up center so that his butt can keep the bench nice and warm for the coach
by bearded thundar on Mar 25, 2010 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions
do I get to drink
on the court?
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
Piston Pete Maravich
goosebumps.. #44, resquiat in pace, you woulda killed the world as a Piston
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
EZIO FOR GM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jonas Jerebko : Pistons :: Skippin' Bail, Dippin' Jail, Whippin' Tail and Sippin' Ale : MF Doom
A team entirely comprised of Spaniards, fleet of foot
and adept at negotiations with the fairer sex
team colors now dyed to reflect assassins’ white/burnt ochre
"I didn’t even know Elvis was from Memphis, I thought he was from Tennessee." — Drew Gooden.
Another possible solid second round big
Charles Garcia, draft express seems to like him a lot as second rounder
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Charles-Garcia-5800/
The guy has good size, fairly explosive, and looks like a very good project, as he is very talented, but is very inexperienced. There’s no record of him playing previous college ball that I could find (he’s a junior), so it’s very understandable that he’s turnover prone and is only fairly efficient from the field
by bearded thundar on Mar 28, 2010 6:19 PM EDT reply actions
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