I'm not sure who we should take with our first pick or what we should do with it, but I think if the Raps manage to sneak into the post season, we should use the pick we get from them on Melvin Ely. Curtis Borchardt and Chris Marcus don't seem like the kind of guys that will really make a significant impact. The name Serge Zwikker comes to mind when I think about what these two will do. Ely on the other hand is an exciting player who averages like 3 blocks a game. He is what we had all hoped Cato would have been. There are no super centers in this draft and who knows when there will ever be one again, so our first pick should be used on getting the most talented player we can get so he could come in and help or be trade bait for hooking that fast breaking, sharp shooting, and hard nose defending SF we dream about.
Ely's a great athlete, but lacks a post up game. Borchardt has one... I'd take Borchardt with the Craptors pick.
kidrock8 I might be the 3rd or 4th or 10th person to ask you this, but do you actually watch these people play before you comment on them??? Fresno's entire offense RAN through Ely's post up game. He doesn't have a jumper and he doesn't have a face-up game, but the ONE THING he does do well on offense is catch the ball on the block and go to work. He makes quick decisive moves in the post, and if he can get a little better touch on a jump hook, he should be able to contribute immediately. He's also a very good shotblocker, and he's pretty physical, too. My only concern about him is that he's kind of had a history of attitude problems, but with Rudy, I don't think it would be a concern. If Toronto makes the playoffs, I would definitely hope for him to be there with that pick.
Borchardt is just as polished but a better athlete than Chris Mihm or the Collins twins from last year, and though none of them are "special" any of them would help our team. The concerns about Borchardt are with his injury history, I guess true for Marcus as well. But comparing either to Serge is ludicres. If we could get Borchardt or Ely especially, but maybe even Marcus, with the second of our hopeful 1st round picks I would be very pleased with the pick-up. Prempeh, no comments in the Dixon threads, I like to hear your takes on him.
I saw Ely play in person once, probably something you haven't done. I saw him play last season against Rice when they came to Autry Court. What he did in that game was basically beat his man downcourt for dunks and layups. Great athlete. Maybe he has added a better low post game in the last year or so. I am just making comments on what I have seen of him. I guess that isn't good enough for you?
Fair enough But I think he really has added a lot to his game since you saw him, at least from what I have seen of him this year.
Premp-I admit that I haven't seen Ely play much this year, his stats look impressive. However, I would assume that if Ely had a good to great post-up game, that he would then be at least a Top 5 pick.
I think Ely would be a terrific pick if we get the Toronto pick. He would instantly solve our backup center problems. (BTW, I'd take Borchardt over him, but unless something weird occurs, Borchardt will likely be taken closer to the area of our own pick). Ely allows you to trade the pick for a real SF, or draft one (Dunleavy, Butler, maybe Woods).
