I would only do #2 for Cousins if the Kings would take back Nick Young and didn't require us to send any additional assets.
To me, you take the center first. Fast forward a bit to free agency and if then making the Cousins trade gets a really good UFA to sign then you consider it. I'm still on the fence about the move in general, but if the guy you want comes with the move then maybe. Sounds like you'd only really be adding 5mil if Young goes out anyway. That leaves a max slot now and a max slot later when Kobe retires.
How about a taller, weaker, GSW Tim Hardaway for a Russell comparison?
If we get Russell then I wonder how he and Clarkson will work together. If Clarkson is more like Roy then maybe he plays the 2, even though Russell is slightly taller.
The thing about Russell that eliminates a ton of comparisons for him is his b-ball IQ. He is brilliant. Like Magic, Bird, Kidd, LeBron kind of brilliant.
This is the feeling I get as well. The guy is smart as hell. And not Harvard Smart like Lin, but basketball Smart. And I am sorry to say it, but sometimes Okafor looks confused and lost, as Javale McGee often does.
I liked your argument until you compared Okafor to McGee.
How about a taller, weaker, GSW Tim Hardaway for a Russell comparison?
If we get Russell then I wonder how he and Clarkson will work together. If Clarkson is more like Roy then maybe he plays the 2, even though Russell is slightly taller.
The thing about Russell that eliminates a ton of comparisons for him is his b-ball IQ. He is brilliant. Like Magic, Bird, Kidd, LeBron kind of brilliant.
Then you draft him and don't look back. Right now I have 1. Okafor 2. Russell 3. Towns. But if this guy has that level BBIQ to go with his impressive skill set (natural scorer, good shooter, great vision and passing skill), then he's a virtual lock to be a superstar in today's NBA. We can acquire a defensive big man at some point down the line.
It's true that we'll look like idiots if we pass up the next Harden/Curry for Al Horford. All we can do is hope whoever we pick ends up closer to their ceilings rather than their floors...
That's the trouble with falling into the "when in doubt, go big" mentality. I don't want us to be that team that passes on the superstar guard to draft the solid, make a couple All Star teams big man. I think Okafor will be a superstar, so I'd be fine with his selection. However, I think the chances of Towns becoming a superstar are slim. He's not a dominant offensive player, and he's not a transcendent defensive talent either imo. WCS for example is a much better defender. Towns is a good prospect, but I think he's most likely to be the dud of the top 3 prospects. And by dud, I don't mean he'll suck, but I see him as a good/very good player while the other guys are superstars.
See the thing is we never really got to see Towns as the alpha dog because Kentucky had so many good players. Somebody could make the argument that if Towns was the lone star at a Kansas or Duke that he may show transcendent defensive ability and offensive genius, because he did show flashes at Kentucky. That's why workouts are so important.
How about a taller, weaker, GSW Tim Hardaway for a Russell comparison?
If we get Russell then I wonder how he and Clarkson will work together. If Clarkson is more like Roy then maybe he plays the 2, even though Russell is slightly taller.
The thing about Russell that eliminates a ton of comparisons for him is his b-ball IQ. He is brilliant. Like Magic, Bird, Kidd, LeBron kind of brilliant.
Then you draft him and don't look back. Right now I have 1. Okafor 2. Russell 3. Towns. But if this guy has that level BBIQ to go with his impressive skill set (natural scorer, good shooter, great vision and passing skill), then he's a virtual lock to be a superstar in today's NBA. We can acquire a defensive big man at some point down the line.
It's true that we'll look like idiots if we pass up the next Harden/Curry for Al Horford. All we can do is hope whoever we pick ends up closer to their ceilings rather than their floors...
That's the trouble with falling into the "when in doubt, go big" mentality. I don't want us to be that team that passes on the superstar guard to draft the solid, make a couple All Star teams big man. I think Okafor will be a superstar, so I'd be fine with his selection. However, I think the chances of Towns becoming a superstar are slim. He's not a dominant offensive player, and he's not a transcendent defensive talent either imo. WCS for example is a much better defender. Towns is a good prospect, but I think he's most likely to be the dud of the top 3 prospects. And by dud, I don't mean he'll suck, but I see him as a good/very good player while the other guys are superstars.
See the thing is we never really got to see Towns as the alpha dog because Kentucky had so many good players. Somebody could make the argument that if Towns was the lone star at a Kansas or Duke that he may show transcendent defensive ability and offensive genius, because he did show flashes at Kentucky. That's why workouts are so important.
I am fine with drafting Towns, think he is raw still. I think he would of shown "flashes" either way though imo. Okafor's offense is not a flash, it is just who he is. It is just my opinion though, and you could very well be right?
Doesn't look like towns/Okafor are locks at #2. Mitch recently said that there are between 4 and 8 players in consideration for that pick. Also, Byron Scott also mentioned that drafting a big isn't set in stone while also praising russell.
Phil Jackson was fined for his comments on russell after scouting him earlier this season.
How about a taller, weaker, GSW Tim Hardaway for a Russell comparison?
If we get Russell then I wonder how he and Clarkson will work together. If Clarkson is more like Roy then maybe he plays the 2, even though Russell is slightly taller.
The thing about Russell that eliminates a ton of comparisons for him is his b-ball IQ. He is brilliant. Like Magic, Bird, Kidd, LeBron kind of brilliant.
This is the feeling I get as well. The guy is smart as hell. And not Harvard Smart like Lin, but basketball Smart. And I am sorry to say it, but sometimes Okafor looks confused and lost, as Javale McGee often does.
That's a stretch to compare anyone to McGee but speaking of McGee, he is available and IMO has DJ level ability... he just needs a coach/team structure to rein him in. If you feel like Russell is that superstar guy you go get him and sign a defensive C, ideally Jordan/Gasol. But if not, go sign Chandler a d MCGee to hold down the fort.
For me:
#1 Okafor
#2 Russell
#3 Towns
Okafor and DL0, to me, are the superstars of this draft followed by all stars in Henzoja, and Towns.
If Okafor is gone, I hope we get Russell. I won't be upset because I understand the intrigue in Towns but I like Russell and Okafor a whole lot better.
@GT, do you remember our discussion of "the lone fool problem". Hopefully that doesn't happen here: The Lakers passing on the guy the guy they really think is the better choice because they don't want to go against the collective wisdom, leaving them open to ostracization if it doesn't work out well.
Watch between 6:15-7:00 on this video. People get caught up in "go to guy", "1st option", and stuff like that, but this sort of thing wins games. Give me a guy with a 7'3.5" that can hedge the PnR, slide his feet, & show/recover any day of the week. This is the sort of stuff that wins games. And he's a very good offensive player on top of that. The "raw" or "mechanical" labels just aren't true.
@GT, do you remember our discussion of "the lone fool problem". Hopefully that doesn't happen here: The Lakers passing on the guy the guy they really think is the better choice because they don't want to go against the collective wisdom, leaving them open to ostracization if it doesn't work out well.
Yes, I do. You guys know how I feel about Russell, but I think I'll have a hard time being upset with whomever we pick amongst Russell/Towns/Okafor. It's not just because I'm happy about the #2 pick, but because of how highly I think of these guys as prospects. My #3 guy is the best offensive big in ages, for chrissakes. I think you can make an argument for any of the 3 on their merit, rather than being afraid of bucking conventional wisdom.
That said, I think Russell and Towns are close, and there's a bit of a gap between them and Okafor.
Was reading the Knicks board over on realgm and they really think they could get the 2nd pick in exchange for Melo lol.
Remember how bad people wanted him last year?
what a difference a year makes. And thank goodness he chose ny.
funny thing is, if he chose chicago, we might have had a chance at jimmy butler this year
How about a taller, weaker, GSW Tim Hardaway for a Russell comparison?
If we get Russell then I wonder how he and Clarkson will work together. If Clarkson is more like Roy then maybe he plays the 2, even though Russell is slightly taller.
The thing about Russell that eliminates a ton of comparisons for him is his b-ball IQ. He is brilliant. Like Magic, Bird, Kidd, LeBron kind of brilliant.
This is the feeling I get as well. The guy is smart as hell. And not Harvard Smart like Lin, but basketball Smart. And I am sorry to say it, but sometimes Okafor looks confused and lost, as Javale McGee often does.
That's a stretch to compare anyone to McGee but speaking of McGee, he is available and IMO has DJ level ability... he just needs a coach/team structure to rein him in. If you feel like Russell is that superstar guy you go get him and sign a defensive C, ideally Jordan/Gasol. But if not, go sign Chandler a d MCGee to hold down the fort.
For me:
#1 Okafor
#2 Russell
#3 Towns
Okafor and DL0, to me, are the superstars of this draft followed by all stars in Henzoja, and Towns.
If Okafor is gone, I hope we get Russell. I won't be upset because I understand the intrigue in Towns but I like Russell and Okafor a whole lot better.
I agree it was a Bikram Yoga stretch, as Kobe would call it. A deep stretch, but not anatomically impossible.
Thats the thing with Russel, its not I (or others) necessarily think that he is that superstar player, just that he might be able to get to that all-star level, and be a great facilitator, giving us more production from anyone else we sign. So it makes it a hard choice. Halfway glad I am not the one who has to make it. Its hard to go against the collective wisdom behind the bigs.
Was reading the Knicks board over on realgm and they really think they could get the 2nd pick in exchange for Melo lol.
Remember how bad people wanted him last year?
what a difference a year makes. And thank goodness he chose ny.
funny thing is, if he chose chicago, we might have had a chance at jimmy butler this year
I did not want Melo at all last year. I remember getting into arguments with people on this board about it. Kind of like the Love debates that are going on now.
Joined: 25 Apr 2015 Posts: 31789 Location: Anaheim, CA
Posted: Tue May 26, 2015 9:51 pm Post subject:
fansincemagic wrote:
LakerBaker wrote:
I would only do #2 for Cousins if the Kings would take back Nick Young and didn't require us to send any additional assets.
To me, you take the center first. Fast forward a bit to free agency and if then making the Cousins trade gets a really good UFA to sign then you consider it. I'm still on the fence about the move in general, but if the guy you want comes with the move then maybe. Sounds like you'd only really be adding 5mil if Young goes out anyway. That leaves a max slot now and a max slot later when Kobe retires.
It doesn't quite get to leaving a max slot, not unless you mean a max slot for a RFA like Harris or Middleton or Butler. But it's very unlikely we get a RFA anyway. We wouldn't be able to create $19MM in space to get an UFA max (Jordan, Gasol, Aldridge, Love, Dragic) if we did a hypothetical Cousins trade.
I didn't want Melo because I knew it was a trap all along. Phil told him to stall the Lakers and make them feel like they're in it, thus tying up up their time and resources and ultimately return to the Knicks in the last minute. It was so obvious, you could smell it from the start. Oh well, Phil can enjoy his overpriced scorer and new point guard who will be marginalized by said overpriced scorer.
There is nearly a full minute of just passes from Russel in this clip at 3:50. He is just a different type of guy. (And on his shot, his release really reminds me like Harden. I wonder if he will be able to learn to get the whistle).
I didn't want Melo because I knew it was a trap all along. Phil told him to stall the Lakers and make them feel like they're in it, thus tying up up their time and resources and ultimately returning to the Knicks in the last minute. It was so obvious, you could smell it from the start. Oh well, Phil can enjoy his overpriced scorer and new point guard who will be marginalized by said overpriced scorer.
I can't wait to see Carmelo Anthony and Emmanuel Mudiay running Phil Jackson's Triangle Offense. Oh, the schadenfreude I'll have!
Was reading the Knicks board over on realgm and they really think they could get the 2nd pick in exchange for Melo lol.
Yeah it's not even on realgm only. They are really being delusional all over the place about it.
I'll take Melo ... plus the #4 and next year's #1 pick from the Knicks for the #2 pick and Nick Young and Ryan Kelly. Thanks. _________________ #11/08/16 America became GREAT again
#Avatar-gate
Towns averaged more rebounds and blocks than WCS, and he did it while playing 5 fewer minutes per game. That seems pretty impressive, maybe he does project as a DPOY type player. He's got to do a much better job avoiding fouls though.
If he can be a DPOY type defender and at the same time extend his range to the 3pt line, now we're talking. This is tough man. The top 3 players in this draft are genuinely a toss up. We can't go wrong with any 3 of these guys. And when there's a tie, you do have to draft the big man. So it will be Towns or Okafor. I love Russell, but these bigs are a little too good to pass up on.
Towns averaged more rebounds and blocks than WCS, and he did it while playing 5 fewer minutes per game. That seems pretty impressive, maybe he does project as a DPOY type player. He's got to do a much better job avoiding fouls though.
If he can be a DPOY type defender and at the same time extend his range to the 3pt line, now we're talking. This is tough man. The top 3 players in this draft are genuinely a toss up. We can't go wrong with any 3 of these guys. And when there's a tie, you do have to draft the big man. So it will be Towns or Okafor. I love Russell, but these bigs are a little too good to pass up on.m
How legit is Towns jumper
WCS blocks were lower than ever this year bcuz he was guarding the
perimeter a lot.
Towns jumper is legit tho. That was about a good third of his game in high school. Step backs in the midrange. Even 3pt range
Last edited by KeepItRealOrElse on Tue May 26, 2015 10:06 pm; edited 1 time in total
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