Len Elmore said that Horford was the backbone of the Florida team, not Noah. I agree with Elmore. I like Horford much better than Noah; he's better offensively, he's a better rebounder (17 against UCLA), and he's very good defensively. Unlike Noah, he has a body (6'10', 245) that can get position underneath the basket in the NBA. If the Kings picked this guy, I would be a happy camper.
Horford & Noah
- Thread starter Kingster
- Start date
Bravo!
I totally agree. If we don't get a big out of this year's draft, and go instead for the best player regardless of position, we're going to be looking at another year of disappointment and frustration. Talented bigs aren't out there growing on trees and teams who have them aren't willing to part with them.
We have to grab someone decent from the draft and then build accordingly. He doesn't have to be the next Amare or the next LeBron, but he has to be better than what we have right now...
I totally agree. If we don't get a big out of this year's draft, and go instead for the best player regardless of position, we're going to be looking at another year of disappointment and frustration. Talented bigs aren't out there growing on trees and teams who have them aren't willing to part with them.
We have to grab someone decent from the draft and then build accordingly. He doesn't have to be the next Amare or the next LeBron, but he has to be better than what we have right now...
Not trying to harp on this (see my post in the Collison thread), but I just can't disagree more. I'd much rather get the BPA than reach for a big man just because we need one. Yes, it will be another year or two of frustration. But really, this team has a severe lack of young, elite talent. 2-3 years in the lottery would do us very well in restocking the coffers. If we got someone like Jeff Green this year, and then a big man next year (Kevin Love?) after another horrible season, we would be set for the next decade.
If we take someone like Tiago Splitter, who to me has bust written all over him, this season was an entire waste, and it would set the franchise back at least 5 years as we try and recover from that mistake, while Jeff Green becomes an all-star somewhere else.
Edit: Just let me add, obviously if there is a top-flight big man available, take him! I LOVE Roy Hibbert and Al Horford. Outside of Oden/Durant, those guys are at the top of my list. We have to hope they slip to us, though. If they don't, we need to just get the most talented guy we can. If we get Green we could throw him into the fire and deal Artest if we wanted to. Same with Brewer. If we got Collison/Conley Jr./Acie Law IV/whoever, we could deal Bibby...maybe get a couple draft picks.
So, yeah...if there's a big man you can really build around...GET HIM. Otherwise, don't reach and get someone who is going to be a marginal player just because you lack a quality big man.
If we take someone like Tiago Splitter, who to me has bust written all over him, this season was an entire waste, and it would set the franchise back at least 5 years as we try and recover from that mistake, while Jeff Green becomes an all-star somewhere else.
Edit: Just let me add, obviously if there is a top-flight big man available, take him! I LOVE Roy Hibbert and Al Horford. Outside of Oden/Durant, those guys are at the top of my list. We have to hope they slip to us, though. If they don't, we need to just get the most talented guy we can. If we get Green we could throw him into the fire and deal Artest if we wanted to. Same with Brewer. If we got Collison/Conley Jr./Acie Law IV/whoever, we could deal Bibby...maybe get a couple draft picks.
So, yeah...if there's a big man you can really build around...GET HIM. Otherwise, don't reach and get someone who is going to be a marginal player just because you lack a quality big man.
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Why can't we just win the lottery and make the decision just so much easier? 
Do you take Oden or Durant? I honestly think Oden might not be all that and a bag of chips. I haven't been that impressed during the post-season. I'm concerned there's a legitimate chance he could end up being good but not GREAT...
He certainly isn't a LeBron and I don't think he's even an Amare. But time will tell, I suppose. I do know I'm getting very anxious for tonight's tipoff.
GO GATORS!!!!!
Ah, but there's still a fly in the ointment.
Do you take Oden or Durant? I honestly think Oden might not be all that and a bag of chips. I haven't been that impressed during the post-season. I'm concerned there's a legitimate chance he could end up being good but not GREAT...
He certainly isn't a LeBron and I don't think he's even an Amare. But time will tell, I suppose. I do know I'm getting very anxious for tonight's tipoff.
GO GATORS!!!!!
Do you take Oden or Durant? I honestly think Oden might not be all that and a bag of chips. I haven't been that impressed during the post-season. I'm concerned there's a legitimate chance he could end up being good but not GREAT...
He certainly isn't a LeBron and I don't think he's even an Amare. But time will tell, I suppose. I do know I'm getting very anxious for tonight's tipoff.
GO GATORS!!!!!
Ah, but there's still a fly in the ointment.
Do you take Oden or Durant? I honestly think Oden might not be all that and a bag of chips. I haven't been that impressed during the post-season. I'm concerned there's a legitimate chance he could end up being good but not GREAT...
He certainly isn't a LeBron and I don't think he's even an Amare. But time will tell, I suppose. I do know I'm getting very anxious for tonight's tipoff.
GO GATORS!!!!!
Do you take Oden or Durant? I honestly think Oden might not be all that and a bag of chips. I haven't been that impressed during the post-season. I'm concerned there's a legitimate chance he could end up being good but not GREAT...
He certainly isn't a LeBron and I don't think he's even an Amare. But time will tell, I suppose. I do know I'm getting very anxious for tonight's tipoff.
GO GATORS!!!!!
On the current team, if you want a title contending team, I think Oden is definitely the way to go although we still need more pieces in place for a formal title run. I love Durant a lot more though when it comes to watching him.
Ah, but there's still a fly in the ointment.
Do you take Oden or Durant? I honestly think Oden might not be all that and a bag of chips. I haven't been that impressed during the post-season. I'm concerned there's a legitimate chance he could end up being good but not GREAT...
He certainly isn't a LeBron and I don't think he's even an Amare. But time will tell, I suppose. I do know I'm getting very anxious for tonight's tipoff.
GO GATORS!!!!!
Do you take Oden or Durant? I honestly think Oden might not be all that and a bag of chips. I haven't been that impressed during the post-season. I'm concerned there's a legitimate chance he could end up being good but not GREAT...
He certainly isn't a LeBron and I don't think he's even an Amare. But time will tell, I suppose. I do know I'm getting very anxious for tonight's tipoff.
GO GATORS!!!!!
oden's problem is that he gets himself into foul trouble too often. when he's on the court, though...he is indeed all that and a bag of potato chips. he's a freshman in college. the dude's younger than i am. he'll have to learn to control himself on the court so as to stay out of foul trouble, but he's got enough defensive talent and offensive upside to make him a superstar in the nba.
We'll have to see, won't we? I'm just not sold. I could easily be wrong (it certainly wouldn't be the first time) but I just don't see the superstar that is being touted in all the media. Good, probably. Great? I just don't see it ... yet. And I'm still more than partially convinced he's really more like 25 than your age, Padrino.
I think you're reading way too much into my comments. I've said that I have a hunch about Joakim Noah; there's just something there I can't quite name that gives me the feeling he may end up being a lot more than most people are currently projecting.
We're not gonna get Greg Oden. If, however, Noah is still around when we do make our pick, I wouldn't mind hearing David Stern announce "And with the ___ pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Joakim Noah."
That's all I'm saying. If I had to pick the one person in the draft I would like the most, it would actually be Durant.
We're not gonna get Greg Oden. If, however, Noah is still around when we do make our pick, I wouldn't mind hearing David Stern announce "And with the ___ pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Joakim Noah."
That's all I'm saying. If I had to pick the one person in the draft I would like the most, it would actually be Durant.
We'll have to see, won't we? I'm just not sold. I could easily be wrong (it certainly wouldn't be the first time) but I just don't see the superstar that is being touted in all the media. Good, probably. Great? I just don't see it ... yet. And I'm still more than partially convinced he's really more like 25 than your age, Padrino.
of course, this is all moot...because the kings are just not lucky enough to win the lottery, and therefore have no shot at either greg oden or kevin durant.
Couldn't agree more! And yes, I'd even take a SWING MAN if he was the best player in this year's draft at whatever slot we pick at. Brewer could be seen as a swing man, and I wouldn't be crying if we picked him. You absolutely don't pick for position in the NBA draft unless it's a coin flip and the talent of one equates to the talent of another. The time to go for position is in FA or in a trade. People talk about Diop. Heck, Diop was left for dead 4 years after he was a high #1 and an early bust. Fortunately, Petrie goes for the best player most of the time. The exception was the year he picked Jason Williams, but maybe that cemented for him to never go against his "best player available" rule from that mistake.
All excellent points, and in any other year I'd be a champion for your cause. But I think you're looking at the draft too one-dimensionally.
By no means am I advocating reaching for Chris Daniels with a high pick if he ends up being the only 7 footer left on the board. What I mean is if, following this draft, we enter next season without a huge upgrade at the 4 or 5, I will be supremely disappointed.
Now that means if one of the supposed big men locks i.e. Horford, Hibbert or Noah are available, take him and call it a draft.
If not, then dangle some of our "movable pieces" to move up in the draft, or package the pick for a talented big man already in the league.
This is the best draft in years for an invaluable NBA commodity. No team has won a championship without a force at the 4 or 5 since Jordan's Bulls (and you could make a small case for Rodman and Grant fitting that bill).
If after 3 years of doing nothing to improve the front court we miss out again during a veritable Gold Rush on the position, I will be, pardon my french, "tres pisse'"
Ah, but there's still a fly in the ointment.
Do you take Oden or Durant? I honestly think Oden might not be all that and a bag of chips. I haven't been that impressed during the post-season. I'm concerned there's a legitimate chance he could end up being good but not GREAT...
He certainly isn't a LeBron and I don't think he's even an Amare. But time will tell, I suppose. I do know I'm getting very anxious for tonight's tipoff.
GO GATORS!!!!!
Do you take Oden or Durant? I honestly think Oden might not be all that and a bag of chips. I haven't been that impressed during the post-season. I'm concerned there's a legitimate chance he could end up being good but not GREAT...
He certainly isn't a LeBron and I don't think he's even an Amare. But time will tell, I suppose. I do know I'm getting very anxious for tonight's tipoff.
GO GATORS!!!!!
His size and athleticism comes around once every 10-20 years. I think he'd be one of the best post defenders in the nba already. He's got decent moves already and is only going to get better, he has great work ethic. Can use both hands equally. He obviously can use some polish, but the dude is going to be awesome. Compare his freshman year to other center greats like olajuwon, ewing, shaq, and robinson and he's just as good if not better and with one hand. I think he's already as good as mutumbo was defensively and he has so much offensive potential. Think Patrick Ewing part two.
The chance of Durant busting is much greater than Oden. Will Durant put on the strength he needs? Will he learn to create better off the dribble? Will he develop a post game? Will he decide to play defense?
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he said size and athleticism. that wouldn't be how i'd describe yao ming. alonzo mourning and shaq were, in their younger years, mildly athletic, but oden has incredible quickness to go along with supreme upper body strength. no disrespect to the aforementioned, but i wouldn't bother with those three names. only one of them is going to be relevant for the next 10+ years. bosh, howard, and stoudemire are oden's company.
People use these blanket statements like we haven't see a player like this in a long time when it definitely isn't true. You know what's true, we are getting NBA quality players in the College game for 1 year, something that hasn't been true for the most part of the last 10 years. Now their coming and now they've dominated. I think we would have had similar awesome performances by guys like Kobe, KG, etc. if they had gone to school for 1 year.
I also forgot a guy by the name of TD. Once in 10 years things is very untrue.
I also forgot a guy by the name of TD. Once in 10 years things is very untrue.
He's more atheltic than Duncan by a lot.
Probably Ewing too, although Ewing moved a lot better when he was younger. Might be the closest comparison.
Robinson and Hakeem were both more athletic and skilled, but Hakeem was much smaller, mayeb 6'10" 250, and Robinson was a finese player.
The mere fact that those are the names being thrown out there in comparson says a ton. When those guys come around, they often tear up the league. Bodies that big just aren't supposed to be able to move like that.
Probably Ewing too, although Ewing moved a lot better when he was younger. Might be the closest comparison.
Robinson and Hakeem were both more athletic and skilled, but Hakeem was much smaller, mayeb 6'10" 250, and Robinson was a finese player.
The mere fact that those are the names being thrown out there in comparson says a ton. When those guys come around, they often tear up the league. Bodies that big just aren't supposed to be able to move like that.