In today's NBA I think you need one of your bigs to have more skills than either of those guys have. One of them would have to be able to play away from the basket on offense if they are on the court at the same time, and on D one would have to guard the new breed of PF's who can spread the floor. I am not sure what Sac will do with that pick.
I don't know if Drummond has the ability to play away from the basket but DC has demonstrated that he has a solid, developing mid-range game.
I really don't see Drummond and Cousins as very similar. Cousins is oozing with talent but is petulant as hell. Drummond can't play but is a happy guy.
lol... Lillard and Leonard would be an epic fail of a draft by POR IMO.... wow...that is horrible....
I will be highly disappointed with that draft. There is no way that is the direction we go so hopefully it is just smoke to try and make other teams interested in those players while we are really looking at someone else. Please.
It's odd, looking at the teams listed, to think of him having a promise. Says he has a workout scheduled with Houston, PHX, us, N.O., Toronto. That's the back half of the lotto, minus Detroit, who seems to be going big, and Milwaukee, who he I believe said Falk is not going to have him work out for. I suppose if you were PHX or Houston or whoever, you would still bring him in for a workout, even if you promised him, just for appearances.
Haven't seen enough of him to know exactly why you have this opinion, but is there something specific about Leonard that you don't like?
IMO Leonard is a bust...Not the next coming of Tiago Splitter\Robin Lopez (those are his ceilings BTW) 6 fouls and a screen....that is all he will be able to provide.....You could bring back Ha-Seung Jin to provide that Just b\c a guy LOOKS the part doesn't mean he can play it in the NBA..... Here are a couple of high...err...low lights that anyone ought to check into before advocating POR waste a pick on him..... lacks confidence mechanical moves lacks great footwork goes over top of defenders in college (good luck with that in the NBA) No real post game (1 move) no real mid range game (1att/game - shaky release) mental lapses on defense, gives up post position to easy, struggles bodying up and holding ground, not a real banger 3 PF\game in college... He'll be lucky to stay in the game for extended time in the NBA struggling post defender in strength and fundamentals turns ball over a lot for a post defender Ugh...Why waste a lottery pick on a guy like that when you could get a guy like O'Quinn in the late 1st or Melo, or Sims\Sacre\Watt in the 2nd...any of whom may be able to provide you as much or more than he can.... BAD pick...This is the type of pick that screams Buchanan....that guy sucks at evaluating talent....safe\need pick over player in that range with far bigger upsides\potential.... Where is HCP to chime in when you actually NEED him?
He filled in nicely for IND in the playoffs....Yeah he is more of a scoring guard, but when you have players around him *LA, Batum) who are apt to pass the ball instead of shoot it when you want them to, it is not a bad thing to have a scoring PG next to them.....and least with HIll, we KNOW that he is capable of doing that...and I don't think they will be able to reatin both Hibbert AND Hill, they have basically eluded to the fact that they will not...
He just measured in at a **** hair under 7' barefoot, over 7'1 in shoes, 250 lbs. He's 20 years old and a hell of a physical specimen. He produced at least as well as all of those guys even though they're a few years older. Leonard barely played his freshman season but made huge strides his sophomore year. I think from a physical stand point you can't deny that he has more potential than those other guys, but looking at his age, his production, and his improvement why wouldn't you think he's going to keep getting better? None of those guys are going to get drafted on the basis of being a guy you dump the ball into on the block and expect them to score. These days NBA centers are largely the anchors of a defense. If you're talking about guys you project as that type of impact player on defense, the only other guy I would think has a chance of being that kind of player is Melo. But Leonard's chances of becoming that kind of a C are much better IMO. He could be a Tyson Chandler kind of player on defense. Of course, any team who drafts him would be wise to protect their investment by making sure he gets a lot of coaching. Hes a long ways off but if a team likes his work ethic, believes they have a coaching staff who can bring him along, and is patient with him they could be getting a really high level C.
Did they say what the reason was? If he thinks he will go higher and doesn't want to waste his time then I have to question him and his agent but I am OK with it. But if he doesn't want to play in Portland, then I have a problem with it. Did they give a reason?
They said they wanted to focus on the teams in the top of the draft. Which is apparently only top 5, and not 6. I don't think him not coming here, though, eliminates the chances of us drafting him if he falls to us, so I am not too concerned.
