I like the idea of getting both guys, but where does that leave Nurk? Would we be letting him walk? I would rather use the full TPE on a forward than use part of it on Bamba though. Nurk would be the best big Orlando has if he went there, wonder if he would consider signing there. I have no idea if picks get involved, but even with no picks in return, I like Bamba as a cheaper potential fit than Nurk for the long term, then sign Johnson with the MLE. Johnson and Bamba are a good C rotation with room to grow. You can either draft a third string C like Koloko or Robinson, or develop Brown into a small ball C.
People still trying to get rid of Nurk for bums like Mo Bamba Lolol this board is dead. Of course Bamba is cheaper. Know why? Because he’s nowhere near as good.
Who said "for Bamba"? There is plenty of room for both + Jalen Smith. It's not like Nurk or Bamba play big minutes for a full season. Between the two of them, they are about 1 full time center. There are plenty of minutes at PF for Smith. We have Nurk up front and basically nothing else. FINALLY adding a couple players over 6'7" doesn't mean we have to get rid of the one single solidary big we have.
Meh on either Bamba or Jalen. Bamba has never looked good defensively as the lone big and he doesn't offer much offensively. He can shoot a little but teams don't guard him really. Jalen is a little more interesting offensively. Similar shooter to Bamba, but can also attack a little off the dribble and he has some nice mid range touch. But he's another big who can't function defensively as a 5. Their both long shots, but I'd look at Hartenstein and Boucher in FA or draft Duren.
Both of those guys would also work as backup bigs, but I’d question your basketball knowledge for knocking Bamba’s defense and then mentioning Boucher lmao. If you could get Hartenstein for cheap, I like him as a third string guy. No to drafting Duren unless you’re trading down into the mid or late teens. Unless Duren comes out blazing, it will be a mistake. 2018: Ayton #1 Bagley #2 Bamba #6 2019: Hayes #8 2020: Wiseman #2 Okungwu #6 Outside of JJJ and Mobley, there are a bunch of C’s whose teams regret picking them that high. You do realize that Duren offers even less than Bamba at this point right? And because Bamba’s been in the NBA four years, it’s not even a guarantee Duren will be better on defense than Bamba right now. I’d rather offer Bamba a contract, and if he doesn’t work out and I still like Duren, I’ll go to the sucker who picked Duren too early and trade for him/wait until he’s a FA.
I guess I should have clarified on Boucher and Bamba. I think both are good defenders, but only in certain contexts and wouldn't trust either as a lone big defensively. Just think Boucher is a little more versatile on both ends and more of a playoff player because of it. Hartenstein was one of the best back-up centers in the league last year so I definitely view him higher than a 3rd stringer. He's got his flaws but I like his motor, mobility and passing which again gives me more hope for him being a rotation player on a contending team. Don't see Bamba as a quick enough mover or processor on D at the highest level vs the best teams. As far as the Bamba vs Duren debate, yeah who knows. Duren's physical tools besides the length are at another level compared to Bamba though. Way stronger, better hands, quicker off the floor and covering ground. Think he offers way more of what is ultimately valuable for a 5 offensively as well as a dual threat finisher and passer in pick and roll.
I think the ONLY reason Boucher is more of a playoff player is because…Toronto actually makes the playoffs. I think if Bamba was on Toronto, he’d be much better as a player, similar to how Gary and Norman switched teams and seemingly switched reputations really quick. Bamba is much more physically gifted, and the only edge Boucher has is the benefit of playing for the superior franchise. If Bamba was the starting C on in Toronto, he’d be like Myles Turner the player, but without “elite stretch rim protecting big” label attached to his name. That would actually probably be the right assessment for him, seeing that Turner is kind of overrated. With Bamba vs Duren, I’m not arguing Duren isn’t more athletic. But it usually takes athleticism PLUS skill to make a C worth it high in the draft like Embiid, KAT, Mobley. Even guys like Jokic and Gobert fell through the cracks. Mark Williams. Christian Koloko. Orlando Robinson. William Kessler. Nzosa Yannick. There will be other intriguing C’s that fall to #36.
Mark is looking like a top 15 pick and I'm low on all those other guys (haven't seen Nosa yet). Koloko is a 22 year old who got pushed around in college and was pretty awful offensively before this year. Orlando is super skilled but the tools are concerning to me and I don't know if he'll be efficient. I could buy Kessler to a certain extent but I have my concerns with him too movement and feel wise. I also like the forwards a lot more than the centers in that range. Pretty big fan of Jake LaRavia, Jabari Walker and Leonard Miller. He's a wild watch but he at least has the outlining of somebody that may be interesting.
