DC is aging he wont be affective as he was last year. Plus LB will probably want to save him for the playoffs and not burn him out in the regular season. I'm telling you the pistons have no nedd for okur he's expendable.
Well considering you have likely only seen okur 7-10 times..and i have seen him over 100 times..i think i know a good player when i see one...and how important he is to our rotation...i'm not the coach....larry brown is...so it will be up to him....but okur should play good minutes....joe D and LB have said how good he has been and how glad to have him....
ive seen okur live, hes scared all the time and doesent like to take shots. he sure is on the wrong end of alot of posters though.
Scared? get real..no NBA player gets scared..he takes shots when he needs too..he doesn't force it like some people.....
in game 1 of the playoffs he had several open 3s but he drove to the basket instaed. and ALOT of nba players get scared and nervous. They even admit it.
There's nothing wrong with taking the ball to the rack just because you have an open look at a '3'. Personally, I'd be pleased if Okur hoisted a few less treys and banged the ball to the hoop a little more often. Okur is a talented player who has the ability to be a top-notch post threat on offensive. His defense isn't bad, but he was definitely on the soft side, letting guys go around him, or over him when a more physical player would knock the guy down, or at least try to take a charge. However, this is common among European bigs during their first year and his game will be better this year just because he's more used to playing our brand of basketball and is a bit more acclimated to the country. Its easy to call Okur 'garbage' as a player because he's not a smooth player, but he will flip-flop with Darko as a starter/first big man-off-the-bench. Also he makes a lineup of Darko, Memo, Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince (with whoever tossed in at PG) possible, meaning the Pistons can really go big on people occasionally as Darko, Memo and Tayshaun command respect inside and outside and it will be impossible to double-team anyone (usually Ben's guy could leave him but Memo, Darko and Prince are all exceptional passers, or sub Clff Robinson/Corliss Williamson for Ben). Very few teams in the East can match-up with that kind of size and remain athletic enough to run the floor. Dallas can do it, Sacremento can do it, Indiana can do it (if Jermaine O'neal stays) and nobody else (as the rosters CURRENTLY STAND. Unless I'm forgetting someone, which is totally possible).
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "Rocko220":</div><div class="quote_post"> Okur is a talented player who has the ability to be a top-notch post threat on offensive. His defense isn't bad, but he was definitely on the soft side, letting guys go around him, or over him when a more physical player would knock the guy down, or at least try to take a charge.</div> sounds like kwame brown
on okur: yea, he's kinda soft. give him a little more time. okur causes matchup problems the same way Kukoc and Nowitzki do. not too many PF's/C's wanna leave the paint to defend him outside. once they do leave and the paint is open, okur could just pass it to whoever's on weakside. that's what makes him valuable.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Okur is a talented player who has the ability to be a top-notch post threat on offensive. His defense isn't bad, but he was definitely on the soft side, letting guys go around him, or over him when a more physical player would knock the guy down, or at least try to take a charge. However, this is common among European bigs during their first year and his game will be better this year just because he's more used to playing our brand of basketball and is a bit more acclimated to the country. </div> He doesn't have the ability to be a top-notch post threat. Amare has that ability, Yao has that ability, Drew Gooden has that ability. Okur does not. He isn't the type of player who will be top-notch at anything besides being a role player. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Also he makes a lineup of Darko, Memo, Ben Wallace, Tayshaun Prince (with whoever tossed in at PG) possible, meaning the Pistons can really go big on people occasionally as Darko, Memo and Tayshaun command respect inside and outside and it will be impossible to double-team anyone (usually Ben's guy could leave him but Memo, Darko and Prince are all exceptional passers, or sub Clff Robinson/Corliss Williamson for Ben). </div> You think that lineup will be affective? The only player that other teams would worry about is Ben, and that's only on defense. That lineup may be big, but with the exception of Ben (and possibly Darko, but he is probably more than likely to get pushed around in the paint his first year), but isn't exactly a lineup that will give the Pistons an advantage because there are smaller players on all teams that are as talented or more talented than Prince and Okur so they will be able to keep up with that lineup.
Truemaster- I think Pepe Sanchez has the ability to be the next John Crotty. Whether that's good or bad is in the eye of the beholder, for a guy like Pepe I think its good. allnet- thanks for the love man. We pistons fans have to stick together! Sunsfan- I never claimed that Memo has Yao or Amare's ability, but he does have the talent to be a legitimate post-threat and will command double-teams. Just because he doesn't have All-NBA potential does not mean that he won't become an offensive force in the post. Also, I know that line-up would be effective. I didn't mean to say it was the best line-up the Pistons could field, but in certain situations it would be deadly effective. Darko and Tayshaun can both easily post-up smaller players, and take bigger players outside and shoot or penetrate. Their passing ability makes them that much more effective. Memo can score from the 3pt line and in the low-post. Factor in Chauncey Billups at the point and every player on the court can get good shots from multiple spots on the floor. No team in the East has the size and talent to defend that group. While a more athletic team could hassle them into making mistakes, I really believe that this lineup will be extremely effective and incredibly tough to defend against. Remember, I don't mean to say that this unit should be out on the court most of the time, but that it could cause all kinds of matchup problems against most teams- and when you create defensive matchup issues for the opposing team, you've given yourself a chance to put some serious points on the board. I think everyone will be surprised when they see Darko play- Regardless of how much he gets pushed around, he'll do just as much pushing around in return....Arnie Kander swears he'll have Darko up to at least 260 by the time the season starts (he stands at 7-1, 250-something right now). By comparison Tim Duncan stands at 7' 260 and Dirk Diggler Nowitzki is listed at 7' 240. Neither of them are easy to push around in the post and Darko has a far surperior perimeter game to Duncan as well as a more natural stroke to his shot. He is also leagues ahead Dirk in terms of toughness.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">I never claimed that Memo has Yao or Amare's ability, but he does have the talent to be a legitimate post-threat and will command double-teams. Just because he doesn't have All-NBA potential does not mean that he won't become an offensive force in the post. </div> and I never mistaken your post as saying he did have their ability, however, I was just stating that Memet does not have the ability to be a top-notch post threat like you claimed. Those players do have that ability, he doesn't. He won't really command any double teams, maybe a couple, but nothing to really feel the effect of his post game. Also, I think there are teams in the East that can put up lineups against the one you are suggesting and won't struggle against it. Prince and Okur are sub-par players at best, teams really wouldn't have to worry about Ben when the Pistons have the ball, Darko will be going through a learning process and might not make that big of an effect; though I do think he will make some effect. That is a real solid lineup, but nothing that will give the Pistons too much of an advantage. Also, from what I've seen I really like Darko's game and I want him to do well. I know about how physical he is willing to be down low. I see him in his rookie year being like Troy Murphy was in his rookie year. In fact their games are really similar, it's just that the athletic advantage that Darko has over Murphy gives him a great edge of Murphy. They aren't afraid to get in anyone's face, they can score from the outside, they have the desire to want to get the rebound every single time the ball bounces off the rim. The games really are similar, but like I said Darko is just much more gifted athletically and his game is much smoother so that sets him apart from Murph in a big way.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting "Rocko220":</div><div class="quote_post">Shapecity- To me, Nene never really showed that he had any post-moves worth mentioning and he certainly lacks the go-to move that is almost prerequisite for becoming a consistent post-threat. And picking up weak-side dunks because your team has a good PG hardly makes anyone a force in the post. Plus you're obviously jumping the gun a bit. The Nuggets haven't signed a quality '1' yet so I think you're being presumptuous in saying that a new PG will affect Nene's offensive game in a positive way. Especially considering we don't who it will be or how his game will mesh with Nene's. Saying Tayshaun needs to hit the wieghts is simply stating the obvious, and unimportant. If it were all that hard for skinny guys to make it in the NBA than Kevin Garnett and Tracy Mcgrady would've never turned into stars and Keon Clark never would've been allowed in the L. Richard Jefferson certainly outplayed Tayshaun in the playoffs, but remember it was Jefferson's 2nd playoff run and never, ever discount experience in the playoffs. The fact remains that Prince played better basketball than any late first-rounder in decent memory. If they did the '02 draft over again he would be a top-ten pick.</div> KG also had no post moves or go-to move until last season. He relied on his athletic ability and quickness to get off his shots. I see those same type of qualities in Nene, and eventually he will polish his game, just like KG has done. Yes I am being presumptious the Nuggets will sign a PG to mesh with Nene. However the Nuggets have plenty of money and the free agent talent is deep at the 1 spot, and anyone will be an upgrade over last year's pg. Cleaning up the weakside does make you an inside presence. A lot of players have made a career out of it, AC Green, PJ Brown, Horace Grant, and many others. It's an important part of any team, and also by inside presence I meant on the defensive end as well. There is difference between being skinny and being strong. KG is skinny, but he is very strong, I also found out he's a Yoga junkie. Tayshaun played well in the playoffs, but that doesn't always translate into playing well in the regular season and vice versa, ie Mike Bibby. I don't think Tayshaun has the body type to get much bigger, he's gonna be like Reggie Miller. He shutdown T-Mac and T-Mac has more playoff experience than Jefferson. It was the size and the video tape on Tayshaun that gave R-Jeff the edge. Tayshaun is a smooth player, but I don't see him blossoming next year. I also don't think he would be a top 10 pick if the draft was re-done. He would be top 15 at best. Ahead of him would be: Yao Amare Butler Nene Boozer Skeeta Dunleavy Jay Will Gooden Wagner
Dunleavy and skeeta would likely not be top 10 picks if the draft was re-done..but in a way it is unfair to say this after one season....Dunleavy didn't add much and skeeta is a euro who needs time to produce...he will do in the end...but it might not be in Denver
gooden will be 17 and 11 next year. i don't think okur will be that great. he will remain solid, but he won't turn into the next best thing. same with tayshaun.
ok replace those two with ely wilcox and haislap. i still think dunleavy and skeeta would be choosen ahead of prince if they re-did the draft. size and "upside" potential usually take precedence when a team selects. skeeta has both size (7footer) & upside because he can shoot and dribble well for a big man. wilcox & ely are going to be very good players as well, and i really like haislaps style, too. the 2002 draft had too much talent for tayshaun to go top 10, there is no way any of those teams would use that high a pick for a role player.
