Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 90299 Location: Formerly Known As 24
Posted: Sat Oct 28, 2017 7:53 pm Post subject:
It's funny that not drafting this guy is what basically started the dlo hate. _________________ “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
It's funny that not drafting this guy is what basically started the dlo hate.
Wonder what Plashke has to say about his Okafor homerism now.
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Of course, last year was, um, a layup. The Minnesota Timberwolves would take Karl-Anthony Towns with the first pick and the Lakers would take Jahlil Okafor with the second pick and . . . oops. The Lakers defied common sense and took Russell, and while it's too early to label the kid a bust, Towns won rookie of the year, Okafor finished fifth in the voting, and Russell finished ninth
In their best no-look pass since Magic, the Lakers snubbed Duke center Jahlil Okafor for Ohio State point guard D'Angelo Russell on Thursday with a pick that was about far more than Okafor or Russell.
The Lakers committed the unthinkable act of ignoring an impact big man for a streaky shooter because they are convinced they can acquire a certain big man in free agency, which begins next week. That man is Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge, whose skills are similar to Okafor's, meaning Aldridge's presence would make the Duke star redundant while making the Ohio State star shine
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Depending on his development, there could be lots of D'Angelo Russells out there. But, already without question, there's barely a handful of Okafors.
Okafor probably just needs a change of venue and be on a team that works with him rather than worrying about their injured bigs (Embrid & Simmons).. _________________ “Always remember... Rumors are carried by haters, spread by fools, and accepted by idiots.”
Joined: 02 May 2005 Posts: 90299 Location: Formerly Known As 24
Posted: Sun Oct 29, 2017 10:55 am Post subject:
unleasHell wrote:
Okafor probably just needs a change of venue and be on a team that works with him rather than worrying about their injured bigs (Embrid & Simmons)..
Unfortunately, that team also needs to schedule their games in the mid nineties. _________________ “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” ― Elie Wiesel
Okafor's defense is why he's considered a 'dinosaur'. If he was a good defender, his post game and ability to hit the mid range would be all the offensive game he really needed in today's NBA. _________________ How NBA 2K18 failed the All-Time Lakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMBYm3wwxk
Okafor's defense is why he's considered a 'dinosaur'. If he was a good defender, his post game and ability to hit the mid range would be all the offensive game he really needed in today's NBA.
Yup. His defense is some of the worst I’ve ever seen in person. _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
Okafor's defense is why he's considered a 'dinosaur'. If he was a good defender, his post game and ability to hit the mid range would be all the offensive game he really needed in today's NBA.
He'd be an all-star. In an alternate universe where he was also a even a decent rim protector he wouldn't need a time machine to get back to the 1990s.
Okafor's defense is why he's considered a 'dinosaur'. If he was a good defender, his post game and ability to hit the mid range would be all the offensive game he really needed in today's NBA.
He'd be an all-star. In an alternate universe where he was also a even a decent rim protector he wouldn't need a time machine to get back to the 1990s.
Essentially Okafor just needs defense and rim protection. Even a schooling on defensive angles, taking them away and verticality and he'd be fine. Stuff if the 76ers cared about his development would be working with him on now.
That's it.
Defense and rim protection because his offensive game, a strong post game and ability to hit from mid and handle it from the three point line is all the offensive ability he truly needs to succeed in the NBA as a big man.
It's his terrible defense that holds him back.
His "offensive game" isn't the problem. It's his lack of a defensive one. If he was taught angles, switches, and ran defensive drills and verticality to the point where he could do those things at even an average level he'd be considered a star.
It's the fact he's not being worked on with any of those things AND the 76ers aren't even investing in him one bit that is halting any kind of progression in those directions. But yeah his offensive game, especially at his age is fine, beyond fine even. Mid range, post game, has a solid handle and can bring the ball from the top of the key and get to the basket(the kind of stuff Cousins does now) is stuff Okafor came into the league with.
But his defense is what holds him back. So he doesn't need a time machine, he just needs actual player development in his defense, when it comes to angles, timing, and verticality. He gets those things, and you'll see his career going in a different direction. _________________ How NBA 2K18 failed the All-Time Lakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMBYm3wwxk
Okafor's defense is why he's considered a 'dinosaur'. If he was a good defender, his post game and ability to hit the mid range would be all the offensive game he really needed in today's NBA.
Yup. His defense is some of the worst I’ve ever seen in person.
His defense sucks but he's also not a good offensive player. Individual talent, maybe, but (adjusted) plus/minus stats don't lie. The Sixers are way better off without him on the floor.
Makes sense when you consider he's not a floor spacer, gets a lot of turnovers, and is generally a black hole.
+/- isn't really a factor. And it's hard to call him a black hole when he's usually the only guy in the lineup when they'd play him that could score, so it was obviously going his way.
underrated passer too
All the pieces are there for him. Just needs someone to actually invest in him enough to work on his defense. If he got a season of training on angles and verticality it'd be a huge step for him.
His current value is at an all time low from Philly at the moment. We could probably get him for a 2nd rounder + Ennis if we really wanted to tbh. Word around the league is the Sixers will get zilch for him.
As a backup 5 I don't mind it, 2nd unit could use scoring, if Luke ever decides to start Randle and move Nance to the backup 4 again. _________________ How NBA 2K18 failed the All-Time Lakers:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxMBYm3wwxk
+/- isn't really a factor. And it's hard to call him a black hole when he's usually the only guy in the lineup when they'd play him that could score, so it was obviously going his way.
+/- is a factor. When it boils down to it, all that matters is how much you help your team score / not get scored on.
The best approximation we have are RPM and RAPM. Neither is a perfect stat, but when it says Okafor is literally the worst offensive player (or bottom-5) despite putting up his pretty stats, it's a damning indictment on how bad he is offensively. Putting up good individual stats doesn't matter.
Okafor might've been a good passer in college but he's horrendous in the NBA.
Joined: 10 Apr 2001 Posts: 65135 Location: Orange County, CA
Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 7:48 am Post subject:
Outside of defense, I think it's motor related, especially with transition play.
Despite a drop in minutes, in a short sample size, Okafor REALLY bumped up his rebounding and swat rate.
Dude already turned vegan a lost quite a bit of weight, but I haven't seen it directly translate into energy/running the floor/better awareness. _________________ Resident Car Nut.
Joined: 14 Apr 2001 Posts: 144432 Location: The Gold Coast
Posted: Tue Oct 31, 2017 9:53 am Post subject:
Am I the only one who thinks that Okafor would be a Laker if he were available at #2 this past draft? _________________ RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.
Pretty amazing the 76ers completely whiffed on Oak and still have a core of Embiid/Simmons, and Fultz (assuming that whack stuff is all worked out). _________________ From 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals
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