not sure if it's just two. Wood for example had major trouble against Nurkic and Valanciunas. And it's also not just about defending the low post, Wood was getting shoved around like a child on rebounds against bulkier players.
All those guys outside of Dirk who did have very good all around teammates and coaching, had LeBron/Wade or Curry/Klay/KD or Pierce/Allen/Rondo or Kawhi or Kobe. The best of them couldn't do anything without all time great perimeter stars to catapult them into star status. Outside of Dirk, all of the best of those guys left their teams to join up with the perimeter players. We're just going to be the Pelicans or the TWolves struggling to make the playoffs or get out of the 1st round until Mobley inevitably goes to join a perimeter star if we can't bring him one here. I get the perimeter star first every time. Tank for the unicorn next year.
We will see. Again, every player will have a transition period, NBA is different. But Mobley's defense is not based on power, it is based on technique, length and timing. His skillset will allow him to translate production the soonest. His father taught him well. The fact that Mobley plays really low and is still laterally elite on defense is proof that he understands areas of weakness and uses technique and discipline to mitigate effectively.
Partially agree, there's no way in hell Mobley's quick or agile enough to guard a starting NBA PG. He may get there in future but I'd say he'd be able to guard 3-4 comfortably, the non star 2's and everything else I'd be very surprised right out of the gate. Guarding 5 positions in college and the NBA are massively different.
The accepted truth that bigs take time to develop would seem to make it make sense to get the big first so that year one of his development helps to get a good pick for his perimeter running mate. Speaking of, there are lots of 3s mocked next year that could provide a lot of the scoring punch the Rocket's would be forgoing by choosing Mobley over Green. So long as they get a top 10 pick they should have a shot at one of them (or could move up for someone like Jaden Hardy). Getting a big comparable to Mobley (Chet or Banchero) is going to require a top 3 pick. Just sayin'.
If we keep the pick its Mobley or Cade for me. Green looks to be a shoot first guard with not great handles. If Cade is gone, I hope we seriously consider a trade down for a haul, especially to Cleveland.
I'm not worried about Mobley's size in the rebounding department. Jaxson Hayes is a recent comparison in terms of height/weight and his per 36 rebounding numbers aren't bad. If Mobley can add 9-10 rpg to whatever offense he gives us that's a great place to start.
Even if he only gives us 7-8 first couple seasons, that's better than anything we've gotten from the 4 spot in decades. Wood is a 20/10 machine already.
I think it's a matter of semantics, like most arguments are. Mobley should be able to switch 1-5 in a lot of matchups comfortably. I don't think you would want him intentionally matching up to guard 1s and 2s though. Scottie Barnes should be able to legit guard 1-5 as well as the switch-ability. Kind of like a bunch of prospects being called unicorns when a lot of people define what a unicorn is differently (obviously Mobley is a unicorn because he ***** rainbows).
the worry is that they will be "not bad" as opposed to great. Jaxson's per 100 possession board #s are in line with someone like JJJ, but a good 33% or more below the likes of Ayton, Embiid, Capela, etc.
I don’t think we can go wrong with any but I would rank them the same order Cade and green would put more people in seats
I think most of us have been conditioned into thinking that by drafting a 4/5 in the first round (or top 3) that he's going to be in the mold of AD, KAT, Embiid, etc where you need that big body to patrol the lanes. Don't get me wrong; I still think those archetypal big men are difference makers in the NBA. But with Mobley, I'm drafting him based on what he can do--he can defend the perimeter, he can defend the passing lanes, handle the ball as a big, make the right passes to cutting teammates, etc. Stone can always acquire a bruiser 5 that can clean up the glass and clog up the paint to pair with Mobley. I still have hope that if Mobley gets drafted, we sign a big like Noel and have a hugeass experimental frontcourt of Noel, Wood and Mobley that basically eliminates all traffic going into the lane.
Or trade up to 13 and take Kai Jones or Jalen Johnson. BLOCK PARTY LOB CITY PHI SLAMA JAMA Every single minute on the court. Porter would have so many toys.
Let’s also look who wins the nba title Because of whack coaching we had PJ Tucker on Anthony Davis and in some bizarre world if MD was our coach we’d have him guard Giannis or Ayton
