I disagree. Aldridge, Camby, and Okafor would be arguably the best front line rotation in the NBA, and a back court of Roy and Paul is just plain sick. If Batum could be kept, a starting line-up of: PG - Paul SG - Roy SF - Batum PF - Aldridge/Okafor C- Camby/Okafor is incredible. The lowest PER in that group is Okafor's 16.5, which was low for him in terms of his career.
On the hoopsworld piece i think they bring up valid points but the truth is everything can change in s moment's notice and i believe this situation is so fluid and ever changing. I think the biggest issue will be the ownership group and getting them to realize trading Paul is the way to go. As much as i want Paul i think in the End the Hornets will sit on him until the trade deadline then be more open but right now i think the chances Paul is even traded is under 25%. I hope i am wrong but that is just my gut feeling as of now but i am still holding out hope.
Sure I agree with that hence why I'm willing to trade him for Paul as the centerpiece with filler. Fez has a LOOOONG history of undervaluing Oden and saying he's basically a bust.
I don't hate Oden, I just think that after his injuries he's nowhere near the prospect he once was. His lateral movement is horrible and this was before the patella fracture. If you think he's the prospect we drafted out of Ohio State you're out of your freaking mind.
I don't think he's undervalued at all. I think your perception of his value around the league is a bit inflated.
So are we on for that bet then? He can't dominate without lateral movement etc. so it should be a slam dunk for you with virtually no risk. If he's traded you're off the hook, if he's injured you're off the hook, if he puts up mediocore numbers you're off the hook. Do you believe what you say on here all day and night about him being an above average center at best or not?
How did his lateral movement look in the games before he went down last year? He was just getting back into prime shape after the surgery he had rookie year which takes on average two years to get back from. The kneecap exploding was a freak accident that will heal 100% fine and have no lasting side effects from it save the knee bone getting stronger. So I for one, think he is still has it in him to be the same prospect he once was.
It doesn't mean he sucks. It just means he's too small to give us a chance against a big team like the Lakers.
Why? We have plenty of length in that lineup. Aldridge/Camby and Okafor. Okafor, as undersized as he is, is still a double/double threat. Plus, I highly doubt one player is going to be the reason we can't beat the Lakers.
Well I disagree with you. It's obvious to me that the Lakers have won the last 2 championships because of their great size. A 6-10 (maybe) center won't cut it against their two 7 footers. We HAVE to have a healthy Oden. We'll also need him to have a shot against Miami.
You're setting yourself up for dissapointment. FWIW, Bynum was terrible in the post season two years ago, and not much better last season.
Bynum was as good as he needed to be obviously. The Lakers win because they dominate the boards and make it very difficult for teams to score inside against them.
