If you want to see 7' quick with rocket boots pick up some of Dirk's Euro play at 19 - 20 years old. I watched a whole 35 minute clip of a game with my jaw dropped. That quick.
This video makes me all the more excited to see D-Mo coming over. He is fast, a good passer, tall, good shooter and soft around the rim. Very excited. Trade Scola or Patterson so this guy gets mins.
I think he will do well setting picks. He has both range on his shot can get to the hoop quickly. So the NBA pick and pop/roll should be a natural for him. And he obviously has great ambition and work ethic. Time will tell, but I hope he is with the Rockets team on July 1.
His speed is exceptional for a big man, and he is left handed a huge advantage. I wonder if he were in this years draft if he would be a top 5ish pick? DD
I think that is a great question. I have wondered the same on several occasions. I have watched quite a bit of college and Euro ball over the last 4 months. I believe he would be in the discussion certainly. Making the top 5 would require a personnel fit with a team and their players. IMHO he fits somewhere between Robinson and the rest of the PF's. Davis of course is in a league of his own. But the college and Euro games are so different I have a difficult time projecting Motiejunas's game into the NBA. Then again I thought all the time he spent camped on the 3 point line in the Euro game did him no favors.
Quick, legit 7 footer, left handed big man? Who can hit from range while also operating in the paint? In the top 5? Homer!! But in all seriousness, top 10 for sure. I could easily see top 5.
I think it's quite possible. Donuts has it all, IMO. He's very young, 7 feet tall, quick, an excellent rebounder, can block shots, has developed his offensive skills a great deal, has a lot of room to improve his defense, but has the tools to be an excellent defender. The cat has loads of the "P" word. Potential. So sure, why the hell not? And as you and others have pointed out, he's left handed. Can you imagine fellow lefty Dragic workin' it with this guy? I sure can, and I'm drooling at the prospect. Another thing I like about Donuts from the clips I've seen is that he can play with passion. Don't know if that's consistent, but I like what I saw. And late in the video in this thread, he uncorks a beautiful spin move. I see several sessions with Hakeem in his future.
I actually agree with DD on this one. A left handed 7 foot PF with great speed, agility, and a polished (pun intended) post game would be a good get in this draft. He looks freaking awesome in transition and also seems to be able to move towards the basket when he faces up defenders, as opposed to settling for fade aways. Dragic and D-mo together could turn out to be a dangerous combo.
And really good foot work too. If that human centipede has a medium to high motor then we might be on to something.
I think if he really was in this draft, he'd have his flaws picked over even more. You have to imagine he'd be on the tier with Sully, PJIII, Terrence Jones, Henson and Zeller; probably a range of 7-14 depending on whether you want scoring, shot-blocking, ball-handling, etc. From everything we've been hearing about him, he definitely doesn't have the upside of someone like Drummond, but also doesn't have the floor of someone like Kidd-Gilchrist or Robinson, so I find it tough to put him in the top 5. I think he's a half tier up from Moultrie/Leonard/Melo.
Sorry I just don't see many weaknesses in his game. Hops - very good. Quickness - excellent. Height - optimal. Work ethic - check. Ambition - check. A frame that went from 215 a year ago to close to 240 now. He has range and form on his jumper and the consistency will come. Very fluid in the low post. On any steal he is a threat to take it coast to coast. Blocks shots, is learning how to close on the open man. He does have parts of his game that need work of course. To even group him with someone like Sully seems ludicrous. The only thing that Sully has that D-Mo doesn't is power and butt. And I imagine that the power will come to D-Mo in time. Don't think he will ever have that butt though. Did anyone else get the impression that the Polish championships were going 7 no matter what?
No way, in my opinion. Definitely top ten. Top five can be argued, of course, but not top ten. At least I don't think so. And this year Donuts would be a Euro that could come over immediately and contribute, possibly contribute a lot. He isn't someone with the contract albatross hanging around his neck that the other cat I'd like to see come over, Sergio Llull, is frustrating the Rockets with. We'll just have to agree to disagree, I guess.
Agreed. You know how i feel about Sully but D-Mo is clearly a much better prospect. I don't really see all the flaws either. He can't be any worse defensively than Scola.
D-Mos physical gifts make his defensive upside very large. Scola would be a different defender if he were 7', with serious hops and that quickness.
