I'd like the Mehmet Okur type over the shelden williams type. Okur isn't a great defender, but he's as mobile as Williams while being able to shoot and score. Oh and he can rebound too. Too bad PF's like that don't grow on trees. Williams is okay, but giving Yao space takes priority.
I wouldn't mind picking up Shelden, he is the bruiser we've been wanting to put next to Yao for the past 4 seasons. However, a bruiser type PF may not be what Yao needs anymore. Yao showed a lot of toughness in the 2nd half of last season, he was a rebounding machine. Right now, I think the best type of PF we could use is one that can stretch the defense. There will be so much focus on Yao that a PF that can shoot the ball could have a field day. Guys like Troy Murphy and Okur would be perfect fits, but like mrbuttocks posted, they don't grow on trees.
LOL, you know you can pick the next ridiculous NBAdraft.net write-up every single time. Every player is the next badass (this particular NBA comparison is: Antonio Davis) but..... his shooting is a concern! I swear they musht have a computer generate this stuff. Fortunately SHelden Williams doesn't have dreads tied back in a pony tail or else he'd be the next Brian Grant according to NBadraft.net
I have no problem with Shelden, but the thing is, Swift still has so much potential and can be everything Shelden is.
I am pretty sure we have one dude- called Lampe who is supposed to have a 3 point range. Strange JVG did not even bother giving him even garbage minutes. And we let Padgett go ( which JVG admitted was a mistake)- I dont mind the emphasis on defense but we should not focus so much on it that there is hardly any offense other than Mac N Ming. And BTW Lampe was touted on the same levels as Bargnani before he stumbled- it is funny how this changes in 2 years! Or for that matter how Wang Zhi Zhi was let go because he fell in love with the long range shooting! So are you guys telling me Zhi ZHi is now a hot commodity?
If it was MERE athleticism Swift would tower over Shelden- but the dude has no passion and let us say cerebrally challenged.
It may well be that they have standard write ups- but if you watched Shelden play- you will agree that the descripition is on the money. It is really strange to me that he is projected so low down in the order- to me Tyrus Thomas must be the most overated player to make it to the TOP 10 - JMHO
I agree... Tyrus Thomas = Stromile Swift II, and Stromile was overhyped too. Since we've had a firsthand look at the original, why would we even want to consider the imitation?
Well I agree with you- but you can forget him getting 30 minutes if JHO is still around! JVG - with due respect- does some patently debatable stuff. IF we draft Shelden- the assumption would be the Swift would be gone- I would be shocked if he is on the roster next year. Juwan howard- did someone check if we had a morality clause in his contract!!! Unless Isiah comes up with something- JhO will be our problem ( a la Mo Taylor) IF we can sucker NOK to take Swift for one of their First round picks that would be sweet! But Byron Scott is no dumbass!
I'm not sure why JVG didn't give Lampe garbage minutes, but it just maybe that he isn't a very good basketball player. I don't really consider Lampe to actually be on the team for some reason. It just shows the how risky picking these Euro big-men can be. Grant it he was only a 2nd Rounder, but guys like Milicic, Tskitischvili, Biedrins were all suppose to be the next Dirk or Gasol. Bostjan was suppose to be the next Peja! The payoff can be huge but Gasol, Peja, and Dirk have been the only ones to actually panned out, just imagine how many guys have been drafted because of them. I'd be very cautious if I were Toronto or Chicago.
I think it would at least be interesting to buck the current trends and put together the most physical front line in the NBA. It wouldn't just be the most physical in the NBA by a little bit either, there would be a huge mismatch at the 4/5 in every game. Although it certainly has quite a bit to do with it, I don't think the perimeter play has as much to do with rule changes as most people think. There is just no one in the league with a dominating and physical 4/5 combo. Shaq and Yao are still getting their points and Shaq is still impacting the playoffs, so I don't think anyone knows what would really happen if someone put that together. I'm a little disgusted at the complete absence of center play in the western conference finals. Is this basketball? Isn't the NBA supposed to be the best league in the world? How can you have the highest level of basketball without centers? Do we compete with Dallas and Phoenix on their terms or ours?
I don't think you can. I think the Western Conference champ gets taken apart by Shaq and Co. Cuban doesn't know what he's asking for.
But sure Okur is not a great defender and we don't want Yao guarding the best inside player of the other team all the time and picking up fouls. Maybe we can take an Okur type with pick n°32 (Pittsnogle, Novak, Davis) and then sign a free agent like Tim Thomas who fits the good shooting PF mold JVG is seeking while being an acceptable defender and athlete. If we show all the league that we are serious about winning the championships starting next year(with a good draft pick and some good acquisitions coupled with Yao's development), we will be very attractive to some top flight FAs. The Suns and the Mavs prooved that the gap with the Spurs WAS NOT that hard to fill and we took the Mavs to game 7 last year so we do have some credibility anyway. And concerning T Thomas he will be assured of the starter position with us while Stoudamire will be back with the Suns next year, cuting down his minutes.
Generalizations are silly. It depends on what these guys were asked to do. Darko was never given a shot by larry brown- for whatever the reasons were. If you seen him play in Orlando- I would not think he would say this guy does not have skills. your Confidence takes a beating and Darko will get back. Skita will get his chance- D'Antoni knows him well from his days in Europe- and I am sure he will show up ( right now they just do not have minutes) In general- Europena players handle the ball better and can shoot. There is absolutely no doubt about that. They take a beating on the physical part of the game. Dirk, Peja and Gasol are ALL star calibre player- about 3 years ago no one would have even wanted to acknowledge that. And What more should I say about those who thought Yao was a bust? For each euro who was hyped and failed I can give you enough US born and Bred Players who screwed up. A lot depends on the team that picks them and the Coach who uses their skills ( or for that matter does not use them) Talent should not have borders- after all this all for the love of the game not for Nationalistic Chest pounding!
