<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Janny Hu, Chronicle Staff Writer While his team goes about its postseason push, Warriors vice-president Chris Mullin is going global. Mullin left town on an international scouting trip to China over the weekend, and is expected in the coming weeks to travel to Europe to check up on Kosta Perovic, last year's second-round draft pick. Perovic, a 22-year-old center from Serbia, is currently putting up impressive numbers for BC Partizan Belgrade in the Euroleague playoffs, which is entering its sixth and final week of Top 16 play. The 7-foot-2, 240-pounder is averaging 11.2 points and 6.3 rebounds in 28 minutes per game after posting similar numbers for his club team in the Adriatic League. Perovic's standout performance came two weeks ago when he posted 19 points and 11 rebounds in a loss to Greek powerhouse Olympiacos. He spent part of the game matched up against Sofoklis Schortsanitis, the Clippers' second-round pick from 2003, and helped hold him to five points and one rebound in 16 minutes. Schortsanitis, better known as "Baby Shaq," led Greece past the United States in last summer's World Championships. Perovic's agent, Rade Filipovich, compares his client's game to that of Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Mullin agreed with the assessment because of their similar high-post abilities. Perovic also carries a reputation for having soft hands and an effective mid-range jump shot. Filipovich said the center's mobility and conditioning have improved after Perovic spent the past two summers training at the Athletes Performance Center in southern California and continued the program on his own this season. "The main thing about him is he's a much quicker player," Filipovich said. "He's a high-post guy who can play, pass and shoot from outside and run the pick and roll." Perovic has two years remaining on his contract with Partizan. Since NBA teams are allowed to pay only $500,000 for an international player's buyout, the rest would come from the deal he negotiates with the Warriors. Filipovich believes Perovic, with his shooting range, can complement center Andris Biedrins and would be "surprised" if Perovic is not in training camp with the Warriors this fall. "It doesn't matter what position a player is drafted, it only matters if he can play," he said. "You can see with Monta Ellis." On his current trip, according to league sources, Mullin is expected to scout draft prospect Yi Jianlian, the 7-foot star of the Guangdong Tigers. The Chinese Basketball Association finals began Sunday. Getting the point: Speaking of Ellis, he's started the third quarter in place of Baron Davis the past three games. Coach Don Nelson says the rotation allows him to have Davis fresh for crunch time while still keeping his minutes down. The move, coupled with Davis and Jason Richardson's return from injuries, also appears to have helped Ellis regain his defensive form from last season. The second-year guard helped offset eight turnovers against Seattle with a career-high six steals. Davis, who is averaging about 25 minutes a night since his March 5 return, said he welcomes the relief. Briefly: The Warriors were fined $15,000 by the NBA last week for remarks by Nelson regarding college basketball stars Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. Nelson was asked during pre-game interviews in New York on March 2 about his draft philosophy on big men and superstar players, but the league does not allow teams to comment on those who have not declared for the draft.</div> Source I forgot we had this guy. He sounds like a PERFECT fit for Nellie's system. Hmm...
I am ready to see what last year's draft is all about this summer. Patrick O'Bryant and Kosta Perovic seem like they are making good progress. It seems as if these two centers can develop into that type of center similar to Divac, Sabonis, Illgauskis type of centers. Both seem capable of passing the ball, tall and long enough to grab boards and play in the high post. I don't know how good Kosta is at shot blocking but POB has been a monster in the D-League at blocking shots. This should be interesting how that whole draft comes out. Now add two more draft picks with last years rookies, and I guess we might have to say goodbye to Matt Barnes and maybe either Pietrus or Azubuike... BTW I have been waiting for that "Baby Shaq" from Greece to come to the NBA. What's the deal? He can't be so much of a baby anymore, can he? haha.
Good news about Perovic, but I'm more interested in what Mully was doing in China. Having a little look at Yi Jianlian perhaps? Unfortunately, I think he'll be gone by the time the Warriors draft pick comes around, but you never know. That guy definitely looks perfect for Nellie's system.
We could always trade something and move up, perhaps? That's if Yi Lianjian is worth the hype. I think he'll measure up to it somewhat, but he won't be a star until he gets stronger, more polished, and more assertive. In the nba, he may take a backseat at first, until he's comfortable trying to be one of the go to guys in the low post. Then again, I felt that same way about Biedrins and for a while he was doing well against guys too slow or too weak for him. This Perovic guy also sounds very nice. Maybe we should look to getting guys who are ready right now if we feel we have too many projects to develop. Yi might be a project and Biedrins + POB + Perovic + Powell might be enough to hold the line in the paint. If we get a Joe Johnson, a Brandon Roy, a Mike Miller or somebody ready to play the guard or the wing, that would be great. The reason I want a small forward/shooting guard is because it could possibly replace Harrington or Sjax somewhere down the line. We keep our guards, we develop our bigs, and then we just throw in a glue small forward that can shoot, defend, and dribble with quickness. We have to have more guys that can create their own offense or for others. That's what we tried to do with Dunleavy, but it failed because his body and shot ability did not live up to nba starting player standards. He just couldn't do what he did in college because the nba is not college. But you know, guys who are decently quick against other swingman starters and who could shoot off the dribble or from a set position and take it inside and finish or shoot the foul shot are great. If they can defend, rebound, pass it like a point, even better. But then the other part of me says, if there's a power forward that really looks good, take him. Beans, POB, and Perovic are definitely not really power forwards.
The thing with Perovic is that to me, he sounds like a DREAM for Nellie -- a 7 footer that has a soft touch, can run the high pick-n roll, and shoot, and can pass from the high post. He may not be the ideal big man for a team that needs toughness and rebounding inside, but as long as Nellie's here, this guy sounds like the prototpye. Plus, with Powell and Beans developing, I'm starting to become happier and happier about our frontcourt. If POB can be a serviceable back-up next year, this team may actually be in the driver's seat when it comes to needs. Yi Lian looks like he'll be off the board by the time GS picks. But who knows.
From what I've seen of Yi Jianlian, he seems a lot like Andris Biedrins: good hands and footwork and a springy body. Can you imagine trying to deal with TWO Andris Biedrins at the same time? Damn, that's a scary thought.
<div class="quote_poster">HiRez Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">From what I've seen of Yi Jianlian, he seems a lot like Andris Biedrins: good hands and footwork and a springy body. Can you imagine trying to deal with TWO Andris Biedrins at the same time? Damn, that's a scary thought.</div> This may sound premature... but to me, there's only ONE Andris Biedrins!!!!! edit: But yeah, I hear what you're saying. I think Beans is ripe for a co-captain down in the paint. Will it be Powell? POB? Perovic? A pick? Once he gets complimented by another TRUE post player, Beans will be that much more tough to deal with because he won't have to help EVERYBODY all the time like he does right now.
<div class="quote_poster">AlleyOop Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">This may sound premature... but to me, there's only ONE Andris Biedrins!!!!! edit: But yeah, I hear what you're saying. I think Beans is ripe for a co-captain down in the paint. Will it be Powell? POB? Perovic? A pick? Once he gets complimented by another TRUE post player, Beans will be that much more tough to deal with because he won't have to help EVERYBODY all the time like he does right now.</div> Well unless if something drastic happens over the offseason I think the Warriors and Don Nelson are gonna keep up the current lineup with Al as PF. Then if needed Powell, POB, Perovic, Foyle, (and I wish Taft) could come in and spell minutes for Biedrins. Hopefully these players will make the fall off in the front court a smaller drop off when Biedrins gets into foul trouble. Also they should be able to help out when the team plays against big teams like the Jazz with Okur and Boozer or the Clippers with Kaman and Brand. This may be a little premature for me to make huge claims about POB and Perovic since they aren't playing in the best of leagues, but at least they are signs of progress and that is always good, especially with young bigs.
<div class="quote_poster">HiRez Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">From what I've seen of Yi Jianlian, he seems a lot like Andris Biedrins: good hands and footwork and a springy body. Can you imagine trying to deal with TWO Andris Biedrins at the same time? Damn, that's a scary thought.</div> Yeah, he does sound like Beans in a way. Very Pau Gasol like in terms of quickness and length.
