Kings 2009-2010 NBA Draft:

[Kingster]

Wait a sec? I watch a ton of Kansas games and since when is Aldrich a bad player? This team could use his defense, rebounding, shotblocking, and length. Not to mention everyone says he's a crappy athlete who can't dunk and even though he's not a great athlete that's not really true either.

I just don't think he's that good. What kind of impact does he have on the game? He can get you a blocked shot every once in a while, but he's not dominating in that area. He's pretty good at rebounds, but he's not great there either. His offense is very questionable to me. He's ok. He's more of a complementary kind of garbage player that you typically get after #10.

While I'm on the subject of who I don't like for the top 5, I don't think Cousins is all that great either. His feet aren't that quick, he's not a high jumper, he's not a quick jumper, he's not very fast, he's just not very athletic, which is pretty important in the NBA. I really think Hawes is more athletic than Cousins. I know Hawes is faster. He probably can jump higher, may not be as quick of a jumper, and probably is equivalent in quickness. So, with Cousins you're getting a guy who is 6'11" who is very strong, does have a pretty good drop step, but I don't see a high celing for him that you would with more athletic players. Also, I don't like his immature vibe. I wouldn't pick him in the top 5.

Lastly, I'm wondering if this is a weak draft. I haven't watched nearly the number of games as I did last year, but some of the guys who supposedly are thought to be very good, I just don't think are all that great. Maybe it is the year to trade down. If Petrie could trade down and get two #1s he could be a lot better off taking fliers on Pittman/Alabi/Udoh/Whiteside. They may have flaws and risks, but I like the idea of getting two of those guys instead of the one guy in Cousins.

 

[ElRey]

What's our projected draft # now?

 

[Kingster]

Well, Kingster. I tried to get a rise out of you by saying that Udoh shut down Pittman, but you didn't bite. Actually I think Pittman only played 12 or 13 minutes in the whole game. And it wasn't because of foul trouble. The pace of the game was too fast for him and he just wasn't effective out there. If you want to get Pittman out of the game, just push the ball everytime down the floor. Udoh did have a nice game. He also plays withing the system of Baylor. But if you watch him play a lot, you'll see flashes of what he's capable of. He's a good passer and handles the ball pretty darn good for a big. He has a decent post game and a very good jumpshot from 15 feet. He's very unselfish. I think he could easily score 20 plus points a game if he decided to do so. He's a good, but not great rebounder. However, I think some added muscle would help in this area. Defensively he's good, but could be great. He's already a good shotblocker, and once again, with some added muscle could be a very good man defender.

He would be considered a reach in the top ten. But with our needs I would make that reach if we had to over drafting Aminu or even Monroe. Monroe is a more skilled player right now. But I think Udoh will be a superior defensiver player in time, and hold his own on offense. Once again, I want to see the results from the combine. I do think Udoh's position in the NBA is PF.

I'll take your word on it about Pittman and the game. With Pittman, it's going to come down to his offensive ability under the basket. Then he controls the pace, not the other team. That, of course, means that his team has the ability to get him the ball under the basket. I really haven't seen that with the Texas games I've watched. He gets zippo space under the basket. We saw the same thing with Hawes in the OKC game. Unless the center can do damage offensively in the post to that kind of run and gun team, then you might as well go with a more athletic guy who's not as big, but can run and gun.

I'll take your word on Udoh. Haven't seen him. I don't think Cousins is great. See above.

 

[Uncia03]

For some reason I've caught more Baylor games than any other besides Kansas and Kentucky this year.

After having seen Udoh quite a bit, including the game last night, he's a player I wouldn't mind having on our team. I'd go with him over Monroe as his style of play appears to be more in line with what the Kings need.
Last night was interesting because Acy was having a highlight game, and Udoh was quietly facilitating Acy's game while being a major cog on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

Also, Baylor has such good size, so it's encouraging to see him play well in that sort of situation.

The only problem I have with Udoh is his draft ranking.
I have Cousins, Favors, and Aldrich ahead of him. I haven't seen Whiteside (unfortunately). So that's at least three, and possibly four bigs ahead of him. So it seems to me that he's more of a 10-15 pick, and would therefore be a reach if we selected him. Of course we know that Pietre has no problems reaching, so I guess we'll see how it plays out.

------
I've seen Texas play a few times, and this was the most invisible I've seen Pittman. He had zero impact on the game, and I was really looking forward to seeing him and Udoh go at it.
I've seen Pittman have some good games, but this isn't the first time I've seen him disappear in a game.
He absolutely cannot survive on a run-n-game/fast break team, and he can't be on the court when playing against those types of teams. For those reasons I wouldn't be surprised if he slips to the second round.

-----

I also finally caught Miss State for the first time to watch Varnado play. Unfortunately, Miss State was so bad, and Tennessee was so dominant that I can't come away from the game with solid impressions on Varnado. He was completely underwhelming in my opinion, and so I know I shouldn't let this game form my impression, and I hope I have an other opportunity to watch him play.

 

[cstorm]

What's our projected draft # now?

http://espn.go.com/nba/lottery2010/mockdraft

 

[Uncia03]

While I'm on the subject of who I don't like for the top 5, I don't think Cousins is all that great either. His feet aren't that quick, he's not a high jumper, he's not a quick jumper, he's not very fast, he's just not very athletic, which is pretty important in the NBA. I really think Hawes is more athletic than Cousins. I know Hawes is faster. He probably can jump higher, may not be as quick of a jumper, and probably is equivalent in quickness. So, with Cousins you're getting a guy who is 6'11" who is very strong, does have a pretty good drop step, but I don't see a high celing for him that you would with more athletic players. Also, I don't like his immature vibe. I wouldn't pick him in the top 5.

Hawes has shown to have a fiery side, and in some games you'll just see that he wants to impose his will against his opponent. But he showed a lot more of that last year than he has this year while struggling. The thing about Cousins is that he's looking to impose his will against the opponent every time out. I don't see that stopping at the NBA level.
Sure he'll be going out against bigger, stronger, faster players, but he just looks to be a guy who wants to go out and dominate his competition.
Yes, this will get him in trouble from time to time as he has games where he fails and he lets his emotions get the better of him. But I'd rather have a big man who looks to intimidate the other team and have an impact, then a big man who is passive.
Also, Cousins seems to really have an impact on the game and I think that is something which will also translate to the next level.
If we end up with Cousins from this draft I'll be estatic.

 

[roasthawg]

Hawes has shown to have a fiery side, and in some games you'll just see that he wants to impose his will against his opponent. But he showed a lot more of that last year than he has this year while struggling. The thing about Cousins is that he's looking to impose his will against the opponent every time out. I don't see that stopping at the NBA level.
Sure he'll be going out against bigger, stronger, faster players, but he just looks to be a guy who wants to go out and dominate his competition.
Yes, this will get him in trouble from time to time as he has games where he fails and he lets his emotions get the better of him. But I'd rather have a big man who looks to intimidate the other team and have an impact, then a big man who is passive.
Also, Cousins seems to really have an impact on the game and I think that is something which will also translate to the next level.
If we end up with Cousins from this draft I'll be estatic.

Me too... people will always argue bpa but bpa doesn't hold true when you already have a superstar in place. You have to look at teams that have won with a player similar to Reke... none of them have had another "star" in the backcourt. Kobe and Wade both won with Shaq in the middle though and Cousins is the closest thing to a "Shaq with the Heat" type of player that we will be able to find in this draft.

Turner might be a good fit too in a Lamar Odom/Scottie Pippen/Antoine Walker type of way.

Favors would be a decent fit too... Wall is the only one of the "big four" I don't want. I'd rank them Turner, Cousins, Favors right now... if we get a shot at Wall trade out or pass on him for one of the others. I know that will freak some people out but that's just my take on things from looking at how some other championship teams were put together.

 

[Kingster]

For some reason I've caught more Baylor games than any other besides Kansas and Kentucky this year.

After having seen Udoh quite a bit, including the game last night, he's a player I wouldn't mind having on our team. I'd go with him over Monroe as his style of play appears to be more in line with what the Kings need.
Last night was interesting because Acy was having a highlight game, and Udoh was quietly facilitating Acy's game while being a major cog on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

Also, Baylor has such good size, so it's encouraging to see him play well in that sort of situation.

The only problem I have with Udoh is his draft ranking.
I have Cousins, Favors, and Aldrich ahead of him. I haven't seen Whiteside (unfortunately). So that's at least three, and possibly four bigs ahead of him. So it seems to me that he's more of a 10-15 pick, and would therefore be a reach if we selected him. Of course we know that Pietre has no problems reaching, so I guess we'll see how it plays out.

------
I've seen Texas play a few times, and this was the most invisible I've seen Pittman. He had zero impact on the game, and I was really looking forward to seeing him and Udoh go at it.
I've seen Pittman have some good games, but this isn't the first time I've seen him disappear in a game.
He absolutely cannot survive on a run-n-game/fast break team, and he can't be on the court when playing against those types of teams. For those reasons I wouldn't be surprised if he slips to the second round.

-----

I also finally caught Miss State for the first time to watch Varnado play. Unfortunately, Miss State was so bad, and Tennessee was so dominant that I can't come away from the game with solid impressions on Varnado. He was completely underwhelming in my opinion, and so I know I shouldn't let this game form my impression, and I hope I have an other opportunity to watch him play.

We agree on Varnado. Great minds...

Regarding Udoh and his ranking, it doesn't matter. If you think he's going to be a good NBA player, then regardless of the consensus, you should pick him. You may want to trade down, but when you're trading down for one particular player, as opposed to maybe a group of players, you're in a risky business..

 

[ElRey]

http://espn.go.com/nba/lottery2010/mockdraft

Thanks bro. sounds like we need to get into the top 3 in order to get a chance at Cousins.

 

[cstorm]

Thanks bro. sounds like we need to get into the top 3 in order to get a chance at Cousins.

We're now in a 3 way tie for 5th. I think this team wants to win too bad to tank, so I imagine getting a top three will require a little divine intervention.

 

[bajaden]

I just don't think he's that good. What kind of impact does he have on the game? He can get you a blocked shot every once in a while, but he's not dominating in that area. He's pretty good at rebounds, but he's not great there either. His offense is very questionable to me. He's ok. He's more of a complementary kind of garbage player that you typically get after #10.

While I'm on the subject of who I don't like for the top 5, I don't think Cousins is all that great either. His feet aren't that quick, he's not a high jumper, he's not a quick jumper, he's not very fast, he's just not very athletic, which is pretty important in the NBA. I really think Hawes is more athletic than Cousins. I know Hawes is faster. He probably can jump higher, may not be as quick of a jumper, and probably is equivalent in quickness. So, with Cousins you're getting a guy who is 6'11" who is very strong, does have a pretty good drop step, but I don't see a high celing for him that you would with more athletic players. Also, I don't like his immature vibe. I wouldn't pick him in the top 5.

Lastly, I'm wondering if this is a weak draft. I haven't watched nearly the number of games as I did last year, but some of the guys who supposedly are thought to be very good, I just don't think are all that great. Maybe it is the year to trade down. If Petrie could trade down and get two #1s he could be a lot better off taking fliers on Pittman/Alabi/Udoh/Whiteside. They may have flaws and risks, but I like the idea of getting two of those guys instead of the one guy in Cousins.

I'am going to respectfully disagree. I've seen Kentucky play more than any other team. Probably 20 times this year. I heard this same stuff being said about Griffin last year. Not by you per say, but by many. They said he couldn't jump. That he wasn't athletic. That he wasn't that fast. And I respectfully disagreed with them. And, I might add that I was right which was proved by the combine.

Cousins is a good athlete. The first couple of times I saw him I commented that I thought his lateral movement was suspect. However now that I've been able to watch him play more, I've discovered that his lateral movement is much better than I thought. He's another of those athlete's like Griffin, and Harden, that does just whats needed to get the job done. So at first glance they might appear to be unathletic. But if you continue to watch them again and again you'll see what their capable of.

If he lacks at anything it might be his jumping ability, and well see at the combine. But tell me. How high does a 6'11" player with a 7'6" wingspan need to jump. Hawes had a 26" standing vertical. I would bet you a dollar to a doughnut that Cousins will beat that measurement. Cousins is a center. You tel me how many centers are known for their leaping ability. Marc Gasol doesn't look like he's on a pogo stick to me.

Oden is probably the best leaping big man since Shaq came into the league. Shaq had a max vertical of 35 inches. The same as Oden, and Shaq was bigger. Look at LaMarcus Aldrich. His standing vertical is only 26" and it doesn't appear to affect his game. Brook Lopez standing vertical was 27". People get too caught up in this athleticism thing.

Who would you say offhand is the better athlete. Kevin Love or Donte Greene? I think most King fans would automaticly say Greene. (excluding Gary of course) Well Greene had a standing vertical of 27.5" and Love had a standing vertical of 29". Greene and Love were almost dead even in the end to end court sprint and Love had the edge in the lateral movement drill. So on paper Love is the better athlete. But does it really matter?

If you want to argue that Cousins is a risk because of his immaturity and temper, thats a legit argument. But as a basketball player he's the best center in this draft. And I think you'll be surprised by his athleticism results at the combine.

 

[bajaden]

For some reason I've caught more Baylor games than any other besides Kansas and Kentucky this year.

After having seen Udoh quite a bit, including the game last night, he's a player I wouldn't mind having on our team. I'd go with him over Monroe as his style of play appears to be more in line with what the Kings need.
Last night was interesting because Acy was having a highlight game, and Udoh was quietly facilitating Acy's game while being a major cog on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball.

Also, Baylor has such good size, so it's encouraging to see him play well in that sort of situation.

The only problem I have with Udoh is his draft ranking.
I have Cousins, Favors, and Aldrich ahead of him. I haven't seen Whiteside (unfortunately). So that's at least three, and possibly four bigs ahead of him. So it seems to me that he's more of a 10-15 pick, and would therefore be a reach if we selected him. Of course we know that Pietre has no problems reaching, so I guess we'll see how it plays out.

------
I've seen Texas play a few times, and this was the most invisible I've seen Pittman. He had zero impact on the game, and I was really looking forward to seeing him and Udoh go at it.
I've seen Pittman have some good games, but this isn't the first time I've seen him disappear in a game.
He absolutely cannot survive on a run-n-game/fast break team, and he can't be on the court when playing against those types of teams. For those reasons I wouldn't be surprised if he slips to the second round.

-----

I also finally caught Miss State for the first time to watch Varnado play. Unfortunately, Miss State was so bad, and Tennessee was so dominant that I can't come away from the game with solid impressions on Varnado. He was completely underwhelming in my opinion, and so I know I shouldn't let this game form my impression, and I hope I have an other opportunity to watch him play.

Were in complete agreement on Udoh. This last game was one you had to see in order to really appreciate how he impacted the game. Just looking at the stats would be very decieving. He was involved in just about every aspect of the game. And you right about Acy. It was almost as if Udoh was enjoying helping Acy have such a big game. Very unselfish player, and a lot more skilled than I orginally thought.

I also agree on Cousins. Cousins has a little mean streak in him, and won't be intimated by anyone. It gets him into trouble at times, but by and large it seems to give him an edge. He's just a terrific rebounder. He reminds of Griffin at times where he'll pull down a one handed rebound completely off balance. Your right, I would be estactic to get him.

Varnado didn't have a very good game. As a matter of fact the entire Mississippi St. team had a bad game. Tennessee has been on a roll lately knocking off all the big teams. This was a big game for Mississippi St. It was probably their last chance to make the tourney. I doubt they'll get in now.

 

[Kingster]

I'am going to respectfully disagree. I've seen Kentucky play more than any other team. Probably 20 times this year. I heard this same stuff being said about Griffin last year. Not by you per say, but by many. They said he couldn't jump. That he wasn't athletic. That he wasn't that fast. And I respectfully disagreed with them. And, I might add that I was right which was proved by the combine.

Cousins is a good athlete. The first couple of times I saw him I commented that I thought his lateral movement was suspect. However now that I've been able to watch him play more, I've discovered that his lateral movement is much better than I thought. He's another of those athlete's like Griffin, and Harden, that does just whats needed to get the job done. So at first glance they might appear to be unathletic. But if you continue to watch them again and again you'll see what their capable of.

If he lacks at anything it might be his jumping ability, and well see at the combine. But tell me. How high does a 6'11" player with a 7'6" wingspan need to jump. Hawes had a 26" standing vertical. I would bet you a dollar to a doughnut that Cousins will beat that measurement. Cousins is a center. You tel me how many centers are known for their leaping ability. Marc Gasol doesn't look like he's on a pogo stick to me.

Oden is probably the best leaping big man since Shaq came into the league. Shaq had a max vertical of 35 inches. The same as Oden, and Shaq was bigger. Look at LaMarcus Aldrich. His standing vertical is only 26" and it doesn't appear to affect his game. Brook Lopez standing vertical was 27". People get too caught up in this athleticism thing.

Who would you say offhand is the better athlete. Kevin Love or Donte Greene? I think most King fans would automaticly say Greene. (excluding Gary of course) Well Greene had a standing vertical of 27.5" and Love had a standing vertical of 29". Greene and Love were almost dead even in the end to end court sprint and Love had the edge in the lateral movement drill. So on paper Love is the better athlete. But does it really matter?

If you want to argue that Cousins is a risk because of his immaturity and temper, thats a legit argument. But as a basketball player he's the best center in this draft. And I think you'll be surprised by his athleticism results at the combine.

I don't need to see the combine results. I just look at the action on the floor. He doesn't have the quickness for a top 5 pick, or at least what a top 5 guy typically is. Guys slash in front of him to get rebounds. They get rebounds behind him. He doesn't react very quickly to block shots. He'll help some team, but if the Kings get a top 5 pick I hope they pick somebody with major quicks because this team is starved for quickness, not brute strength. A close inspection of the OKC games shows that. Those guys aren't taller than the Kings, or stronger, but they sure as heck are quicker, and that's why they end up getting so many more possessions. The Kings need a major infusion of quickness.

 

[bajaden]

I don't need to see the combine results. I just look at the action on the floor. He doesn't have the quickness for a top 5 pick. Guys slash in front of him to get rebounds. They get rebounds behind him. He doesn't react very quickly to block shots. He'll help some team, but if the Kings get a top 5 pick I hope they pick somebody with major quicks because this team is starved for quickness, not brute strength.

He leads his conference in rebounding. I have no idea what your watching, but I simply don't see what your seeing. Who is it in the NBA thats known for lightning speed and plays center? I guarantee you he's quicker than Chris Kaman. He's as quick or quicker than Marc Gasol. He's quicker than Bogut. He's just as quick as Bynum. Where are all the quick centers he has to match up with. Our problem is that we don't have anyone strong enough to match up with the guys I just mentioned. I'm sorry, I just have to disagree. I'll tell you right now. In a straight matchup between him and Pittman, he would eat Pittman alive. Nothing against Pittman, but I've probably seen Texas play almost as many times as Kentucky. I still have high hopes for Pittman, but he just disappears at times. He needs to lose another 20 pounds if he wants to play in the NBA. I have never seen Cousins disappear in any of the games I've watched.

 

[Amory]

I'am going to respectfully disagree. I've seen Kentucky play more than any other team. Probably 20 times this year. I heard this same stuff being said about Griffin last year. Not by you per say, but by many. They said he couldn't jump. That he wasn't athletic. That he wasn't that fast. And I respectfully disagreed with them. And, I might add that I was right which was proved by the combine.

Cousins is a good athlete. The first couple of times I saw him I commented that I thought his lateral movement was suspect. However now that I've been able to watch him play more, I've discovered that his lateral movement is much better than I thought. He's another of those athlete's like Griffin, and Harden, that does just whats needed to get the job done. So at first glance they might appear to be unathletic. But if you continue to watch them again and again you'll see what their capable of.

If he lacks at anything it might be his jumping ability, and well see at the combine. But tell me. How high does a 6'11" player with a 7'6" wingspan need to jump. Hawes had a 26" standing vertical. I would bet you a dollar to a doughnut that Cousins will beat that measurement. Cousins is a center. You tel me how many centers are known for their leaping ability. Marc Gasol doesn't look like he's on a pogo stick to me.

Oden is probably the best leaping big man since Shaq came into the league. Shaq had a max vertical of 35 inches. The same as Oden, and Shaq was bigger. Look at LaMarcus Aldrich. His standing vertical is only 26" and it doesn't appear to affect his game. Brook Lopez standing vertical was 27". People get too caught up in this athleticism thing.

Who would you say offhand is the better athlete. Kevin Love or Donte Greene? I think most King fans would automaticly say Greene. (excluding Gary of course) Well Greene had a standing vertical of 27.5" and Love had a standing vertical of 29". Greene and Love were almost dead even in the end to end court sprint and Love had the edge in the lateral movement drill. So on paper Love is the better athlete. But does it really matter?

If you want to argue that Cousins is a risk because of his immaturity and temper, thats a legit argument. But as a basketball player he's the best center in this draft. And I think you'll be surprised by his athleticism results at the combine.

Great post!

 

[hammystyle]

I don't need to see the combine results. I just look at the action on the floor. He doesn't have the quickness for a top 5 pick, or at least what a top 5 guy typically is. Guys slash in front of him to get rebounds. They get rebounds behind him. He doesn't react very quickly to block shots. He'll help some team, but if the Kings get a top 5 pick I hope they pick somebody with major quicks because this team is starved for quickness, not brute strength. A close inspection of the OKC games shows that. Those guys aren't taller than the Kings, or stronger, but they sure as heck are quicker, and that's why they end up getting so many more possessions. The Kings need a major infusion of quickness.

Sorry, but I just I think this is all wrong. He's plenty quick for his size. In the same way that Tim Duncan is quick for his size. And in terms of rebounding....whatever questions you may have about him, there are no questions about his rebounding aptitude. He's leading the NCAA in rebounds per minute as a freshman. He's perhaps the best rebounding prospect since Dwight Howard.

 

[Dime Dropper]

Just checking in on the Cousins discussion. Maybe the only thing I worry about with him is his mental state. If he keeps his emotions in check and matures, there is no risk as far as I'm concerned. I've seen alot of Kentucky games so I think I've got a good feel for him.

He is a terrific rebounder and he possesses brute strength, especially for someone that isn't particularly ripped. He is just bulky and naturally strong. He isn't a freak athlete but he's no slouch. He has great length and uses it very well. He has a variety of nifty moves around the basket that he will be able to use at the next level. He's not a very good outside shooter but that isn't a weakness for a true center. He's good in the post. A part of his game that I really like is that he's a very capable passer. Watch him when he get's doubled. He gets the ball out quick to the open man. Has good vision and should get about 3+ apg in the NBA when he gets the minutes.

He is a solid post defender with the potential to be a good one. He'll also get you a couple blocks a game just by anticipating so well and using his length.

I really like Cousins. I think he'll be an excellent C in the NBA and would fit well with the Kings. He's not absolutely perfect but having a legit center with size on this team would give the Kings at least 7 more wins. He is the real deal. I think he can be one of the best centers in the league in a few years. Just needs to get his head right. That's the only thing I worry about. Really is an elite rebounder and would go a long way towards solving our woes in that area.

 

[roasthawg]

I'am going to respectfully disagree. I've seen Kentucky play more than any other team. Probably 20 times this year. I heard this same stuff being said about Griffin last year. Not by you per say, but by many. They said he couldn't jump. That he wasn't athletic. That he wasn't that fast. And I respectfully disagreed with them. And, I might add that I was right which was proved by the combine.

Cousins is a good athlete. The first couple of times I saw him I commented that I thought his lateral movement was suspect. However now that I've been able to watch him play more, I've discovered that his lateral movement is much better than I thought. He's another of those athlete's like Griffin, and Harden, that does just whats needed to get the job done. So at first glance they might appear to be unathletic. But if you continue to watch them again and again you'll see what their capable of.

If he lacks at anything it might be his jumping ability, and well see at the combine. But tell me. How high does a 6'11" player with a 7'6" wingspan need to jump. Hawes had a 26" standing vertical. I would bet you a dollar to a doughnut that Cousins will beat that measurement. Cousins is a center. You tel me how many centers are known for their leaping ability. Marc Gasol doesn't look like he's on a pogo stick to me.

Oden is probably the best leaping big man since Shaq came into the league. Shaq had a max vertical of 35 inches. The same as Oden, and Shaq was bigger. Look at LaMarcus Aldrich. His standing vertical is only 26" and it doesn't appear to affect his game. Brook Lopez standing vertical was 27". People get too caught up in this athleticism thing.

Who would you say offhand is the better athlete. Kevin Love or Donte Greene? I think most King fans would automaticly say Greene. (excluding Gary of course) Well Greene had a standing vertical of 27.5" and Love had a standing vertical of 29". Greene and Love were almost dead even in the end to end court sprint and Love had the edge in the lateral movement drill. So on paper Love is the better athlete. But does it really matter?

If you want to argue that Cousins is a risk because of his immaturity and temper, thats a legit argument. But as a basketball player he's the best center in this draft. And I think you'll be surprised by his athleticism results at the combine.

Awesome post, I really enjoyed reading this one!

 

[bajaden]

Just checking in on the Cousins discussion. Maybe the only thing I worry about with him is his mental state. If he keeps his emotions in check and matures, there is no risk as far as I'm concerned. I've seen alot of Kentucky games so I think I've got a good feel for him.

He is a terrific rebounder and he possesses brute strength, especially for someone that isn't particularly ripped. He is just bulky and naturally strong. He isn't a freak athlete but he's no slouch. He has great length and uses it very well. He has a variety of nifty moves around the basket that he will be able to use at the next level. He's not a very good outside shooter but that isn't a weakness for a true center. He's good in the post. A part of his game that I really like is that he's a very capable passer. Watch him when he get's doubled. He gets the ball out quick to the open man. Has good vision and should get about 3+ apg in the NBA when he gets the minutes.

He is a solid post defender with the potential to be a good one. He'll also get you a couple blocks a game just by anticipating so well and using his length.

I really like Cousins. I think he'll be an excellent C in the NBA and would fit well with the Kings. He's not absolutely perfect but having a legit center with size on this team would give the Kings at least 7 more wins. He is the real deal. I think he can be one of the best centers in the league in a few years. Just needs to get his head right. That's the only thing I worry about. Really is an elite rebounder and would go a long way towards solving our woes in that area.

Two years ago I said that Brook Lopez was the best center in the draft. Now that wasn't rocket science since there wasn't much competition at that position. But I was told that he us too unathletic. Too slow. That he would be a bad defender at the NBA level. The same type of nonsense I'm hearing about Cousins. I think Brook has proven to be very good. I would bet if Miami had it to do over right now they would take Brook over Beasley at number two. Or the Knicks would rather have Lopez at number five instead of Gallinari.

This isn't about me being always right, because I'm not. But there are some players that I'm convinced about and some that I'm not. I'm not sure just how good Alabi will be at the next level. He's been very inconsistant. But at times he shows flashes of what could be. I have no doubt that Aldrich will be at worse, a decent rebounder and defender at the next level. But I don't know that he'll be a star. And, I don't know that he won't. Look how long it took Kaman to reach his current level. I've seen Varnado be absolutely spectacular in some games, and then disappear in some others.

But Cousins has been consistant in just about every game I've seen. Same with Turner and Wall. No so with Favors, but I give him a break because of the team he's playing on and the poor guard play. Johnson has had a couple of less than stellar games, but only less than stellar when you compare them against his other games. I have no doubts about any of these guys being good players in the NBA. Some will be stars in the NBA and some will be superstars. They all play in top conferences and they all play against top competition.

By the way, for those betting on the NCAA tournament. Always pick teams with good guard play. Preferably, teams that have a good inside and outside game. But if you have to choose one over the other, always go with the team that has the best guard play. And by that, I mean not only being able to distribute the ball, but being able to shoot from the outside. Thats the one area where I think Kentucky is vunerable. They're a bad outside shooting team and I think it will jump up and bite them in the butt in the tournament. A team to watch out for in the tourney is Baylor. They have a good combination of both inside and outside play. Their weakness is depth, but if they can stay out of foul trouble they can beat just about anyone.

 

[dbfish]

I think Cousins will be a good center for the simple reason that rebounders are born, not made. Moses Malone, Buck Williams, Charles Oakley,Tim Duncan. These are all great rebounders who weren't great leapers. They have a knack for being in the right position to rebound the ball and by knowing how to block out. I see some of that potential in Cousins. Leapers is leapers but rebounders is rebounders.
A 6'11" center with a 7'6" wingspan that weighs around 270' is going to be more valuable than a 7' center that sits on the perimiter and makes a couple of nice passes a game. IMHO of course.

 

[bajaden]

I think Cousins will be a good center for the simple reason that rebounders are born, not made. Moses Malone, Buck Williams, Charles Oakley,Tim Duncan. These are all great rebounders who weren't great leapers. They have a knack for being in the right position to rebound the ball and by knowing how to block out. I see some of that potential in Cousins. Leapers is leapers but rebounders is rebounders.
A 6'11" center with a 7'6" wingspan that weighs around 270' is going to be more valuable than a 7' center that sits on the perimiter and makes a couple of nice passes a game. IMHO of course.

No argument from me.. You put Cousins on the floor at the same time with either Thompson or Landry and I don't think we have a problem rebounding the ball.

 

[MassachusettsKingsFan]

No argument from me.. You put Cousins on the floor at the same time with either Thompson or Landry and I don't think we have a problem rebounding the ball.

But you will struggle on D. Im not trying to put words in your mouth ( I know you didnt say they would be good defenders ) but im just making another point. While I think cousins can be a decent defender, pairing him up with a foul prone Thompson or undersized Landry wouldnt be Ideal.

Before this college season even started I was somewhat down on Aldrich. I didnt see the defense I wanted to see, but this year he has impressed me with his ability to keep guys out of the paint. The blocks are there, im not sure just how the blocks will translate, but Im almost positive he'll be a plus defender for a big. Hes a big guy who likes to be big. Good rebounder, good positional defender and putting him next to Landry would be perfect.

I think from a best fit standpoint, Aldrich fits best. His all around D is better than any big in the draft, and his offense is something thats better suited for the pro's. Especially when you have Xavier Henry and Sharon Collins on your college team. Those guys are going to get and take a ton of shots. If his comparison is a better offensive Joel Pryzbilla you have a rock at Center for years.

Now, If I had to choose, I still probly take Cousins, but unless were lucky, he'll be gone before we pick. And I wont be upset by Aldrich. Not at all.

 

[hammystyle]

Favors

Through his last five games he's averaging 16.4 ppg 9.6 rpg 1.8 apg 2.4 bpg and 64.1 FG%. Its cherry-picking a little bit, but I think its a good sign that a very young prospect in a bad situation is starting to figure it out and dominate.

 

[TTown Kings]

^^^good to hear, I'm extremely intrigued by Favors. I can picture myself ecstatically jumping up and down from Evans to Favors Alley-Oops game after game all season long

 

[bajaden]

But you will struggle on D. Im not trying to put words in your mouth ( I know you didnt say they would be good defenders ) but im just making another point. While I think cousins can be a decent defender, pairing him up with a foul prone Thompson or undersized Landry wouldnt be Ideal.

Before this college season even started I was somewhat down on Aldrich. I didnt see the defense I wanted to see, but this year he has impressed me with his ability to keep guys out of the paint. The blocks are there, im not sure just how the blocks will translate, but Im almost positive he'll be a plus defender for a big. Hes a big guy who likes to be big. Good rebounder, good positional defender and putting him next to Landry would be perfect.

I think from a best fit standpoint, Aldrich fits best. His all around D is better than any big in the draft, and his offense is something thats better suited for the pro's. Especially when you have Xavier Henry and Sharon Collins on your college team. Those guys are going to get and take a ton of shots. If his comparison is a better offensive Joel Pryzbilla you have a rock at Center for years.

Now, If I had to choose, I still probly take Cousins, but unless were lucky, he'll be gone before we pick. And I wont be upset by Aldrich. Not at all.

Well we at least agree that Aldrich is the second choice of the two. To my mind Cousins is the best combination of size, strength and all around skill at the center position. While I like Aldrich, I think Cousins will end up being the better player down the road. I think we sometimes forget that were talking about a kid that will be one year removed from highschool. And while he may have some flaws. Especially on the defensive side of the ball, they're not glaring flaws.

As far as who would be the best fit with who we have. I still go with the best player of the two. I still think Thompson can become a good player. He's just in his second year. And while I had hoped for a little more improvement this year,he has cut down on his fouls in the second half of the season. There are no guarantee's on Thompson of course. What you see may be what you get. But I doubt it. He works hard so I would expect improvment. Which ever way he turns out, you deal with it at the appropiate time.

All this speculation is like shooting arrows in the air right now. Until we know where were picking all we can do is hope. I think Cousins is a top 4 pick. But that opinion may not be shared by some of the teams picking. That and along with what each teams needs are, Cousins could drop down into the second five of the top ten. I wouldn't count on that, but its possible. Its possible that a team picking fourth, that has the choice between Aldrich and Cousins might decide to go with the safer pick in Aldrich. At any rate all we can do is hope for the best. I wouldn't be totally disappointed in Udoh. I know the boards don't have him that high, but I don't put much stock in the draft boards this time of the year. It gives us something to look forward to.

 

[cstorm]

I don't see any love for Patrick Patterson and he isn't on anyone's top 15 lists (that I saw). Have I just missed the roasting in previous posts or is he just not that special?

If we win enough to pick around 10 and Cole and Whiteside are gone I thought he would be a nice addition to our superstars. One we have and one waiting in the wings.

 

[KingGiant49erFan]

I'm just wondering if a dominant post player is the right fit next to the drive dominant Evans?

 

[Kings4life23]

Hassan Whiteside has to be who we target Big shot blocker with great upside on offense. He rebounds good especially on the Offensive side. I have a feeling looking back a few years from now Whiteside, Wall, and Turner will be the stars of this draft. Whiteside being the most realistic for us to draft.

 

[roasthawg]

I'm just wondering if a dominant post player is the right fit next to the drive dominant Evans?

Wade won with Shaq.

 

[bajaden]

I don't see any love for Patrick Patterson and he isn't on anyone's top 15 lists (that I saw). Have I just missed the roasting in previous posts or is he just not that special?

If we win enough to pick around 10 and Cole and Whiteside are gone I thought he would be a nice addition to our superstars. One we have and one waiting in the wings.

Well I think the conversation has been about the top end of the draft so far. While I like Patterson, he's not a top ten pick. I do think he can play in the NBA, and who knows, he may end up being better than people think. AKA Landry! But at this point he's another undersized PF without a real good post game. He relies on his athleticism and quickness to score and rebound. He does have a decent midrange game, and this year he's added a three point shot. Strangely enough he's one of the better three point shooters on the Kentucky team. I think thats all you need to say about Kentucky's three point game.

I think he'll get picked somewhere between the 20th and 30th picks in the first round.