[David Aldridge] Grizzlies Open to Dealing Thabeet

This guy was such an obvious bust, why the hell did they draft him?

 

Jerry West told them to.

 

Dawson is still around and helping our big men with their low post moves. Most recently, he's worked with Jordan Hill on the low post hook he's been displaying now.

As far as Thabeet's work ethic, it was listed as one of his 'strengths' coming out of college. I also found this:

I don't think it's fair to assume he doesn't want to get better or won't have the drive that Yao or Dream had -- though it is more than fair to say he'll never be as overall talented as them. I know Thabeet will never be as good as Hakeem or Yao potentially could have been -- but it doesn't mean that he can't be developed and made into a big contributor. The guy is 7'3" shotblocker -- he would do wonders for our defense if he could put it all together for us.

He's far from a sure thing, but I think he's definitely worth a look considering the price tag would not be that high.

 

Thabeet isn't necessarily a bust, like Jordan Hill he picked up b-ball late in life and unlike hill he got drafted by Memphis, who probably don't have any developmental coach like CD who could actually work on Thabeet during the summer. Toss in the lack of playing time and there's no wonder Thabeet hasn't improved.

I'd get him, since we need a shotblocking/paint clogging C really bad right now. $$$+2nd rounder+JT should be enough for him, since he makes 4M a year.

 

I'd do it in a heartbeat, but Memphis is likely looking to SHED salary, not a take on an extra 10M a year lol.

Martin is stricly speaking the better player but Mayo is the better defender, passer and rebounder, and my guess is being out of Memphis will cause his productivity to rise dramatically (see Raymon Felton). Anyway DD is spot on this one (DD you're on a roll lately), this is a classic low-risk high reward deal DM should be jumping over. C'mon DM! Get R done! Especially before OKC get's it done

 

How does this make sense?

 

yeah i guess that's another way to look at it. i do agree that hill and miller work well together.

we have a logjam at the 4/5.

miller, hill, scola, ppat, hayes, yao , and then maybe thabeet. someone has to go imo.

 

We don't need Hill if we were to get him. I would start him with Scola, have Miller and Pat come off the bench with Hayes as a plug-in guy when needed.

 

If we are going to be on rebuilding mode + Scola. Then i would surely give some expirings and a pick for Thabeet.

You can´t teach 7 foot 3.

We have another 20 millons in expirings anyways.

 

Thabeet would do a WHOLE lot for our defense. Look at the Pacers for instance. Hibbert was raw when he came into the lg. Roy's defense, shot blocking wasn't near the same level of Thabeet coming into the NBA. It took him a some time to develop but now that he's coming into his own, he's a one of the top centers now, and his team has improved a lot on defense.

The Pacers are top 10 in D efficiency and 2nd in opponent FG%. Big reason for that is cause they are a 7'2 center guarding the rim.

 

Flip Jeffries and a pick for this guy. Get under the tax line this year and develop this kid as your backup center for the next ten years. He isn't great but we seem to be one the only franchises left that is willing to develop someone.

 

If Thabeet is still working hard since being drafted, the guy is hopeless. My (unclear) point was that he isn't hungry anymore. In his mind, he crossed to the other side after getting the guaranteed money and is happy with that. His freezer will never be empty again. I don't believe for one minute this guy has been working hard since joining the NBA. Do you honestly believe that?

The bolded part above is a pipe-dream. if If IF IF IF. It's more likely he'll be out of the NBA in 2 years.

H2kF, why compare Thabeet to Hibbert? At least Hibbert showed some game in college. At least Hibbert has shown some serious dedication by remaking his body over the summer. What in the world did Thabeet do this summer to get better? Why would you compare a guy who has shown marked improvement to a guy that has flatlined so far? The only thing they have in common is being 7-foot Cs. Their backgrounds are totally different.

 

Those are all your opinions and assumptions you're making based on his lack of playing time and stats -- neither are facts. I don't think 100% he will fulfill his potential, but I think it's certainly worth a low-cost move to find out. You don't. Everyone's entitled to their opinion -- we'll agree to disagree.

 

Sometimes guys just need an opportunity to play, look at Jordan Hill last year with the Knicks...

The Grizz have a good player in Gasol, just gave out 2 huge contracts and will have to give a 3rd to Gasol.....so they have no room for a $5 million a year backup.

We have TONS of room for that !

DD

 

We do? Seems like we have quite a few of those.

 

I'm a grizz fan and I have been saying that a Thabeet + Mayo for Martin makes a lot of sense. We aren't, however, going to be giving you a first round pick as a sweetener.

As it concerns Thabeet, one of the problems is Hollins is an old school hardass and once you get in his doghouse, you don't come back. Hollins doesn't even try to help thabeet learn the game, he just puts him in the game for a minute and when thabeet does something stupid hollins sends him to the bench and doesn't even look into his direction.

 

Here we have a chance to acquire Mayo. He is the player you want to build around him. Memphis is running well with playmaker Conley who fits Gay and Randolph very well. They are wasting the talent of Mayo. Give them AB and JHill will be a fair trade.

 

Hollins is ruining my fantasy team by the way he's utilizing Mayo. Trade Mayo, they're not using him right there.

 

What? No he's not.

 

Thabeet isn't getting the chance like Hibbert cause they have their center for the future in M. Gasol. It was stupid for Memphis to even draft him when they had Gasol. In hindsight, they should've gotten Stef Curry.

I compared Hibbert and Thabeet for the defensive side and of course their similar size. Hibbert was the more offensively polished player coming into the lg but Thabeet is the much more defensively polished player when he came into the lg. Even though Hibbert was the better offensive player he still had to remake his whole game in the summer to be where he's at now.

Thabeet may never be much of an offensive player but it way his defense and his potential on that side for him being the 2nd pick overall pick to begin with. His block% last year at 7.7% which was one of the top IF not the top in the lg. Roy's rookie year his block% was at 5.6%, 2nd season 4.6% and this season he's at 4.7%. Not one year was he ever close to Thabeet in the shot blocking department. Thabeet has what it takes to possibly lead the whole lg in blocks for many year if he every got the time or chance. He has that potential to be a player like Mutombo.