ESPN: Ranking Young Cores

[Jameerthefear]

How is that anymore of a sure thing than our core? A slightly undersized low post big that isn't the best defensively paired with an offensively inept 4 has shown you what exactly that makes you "know can win"?

[KingRobb02]

How is that anymore of a sure thing than our core? A slightly undersized low post big that isn't the best defensively paired with an offensively inept 4 has shown you what exactly that makes you "know can win"?

I'm assuming you're calling 6'10" 275 undersized, and calling Noel inept? You are kind of killing your own credibility.

[G-Heel]

People are underrating 6ers' young talents. Wolves at #15 is dumb, they should be more mad than us. We should have ranked better than 9th though, we have a decent young core.

[Jameerthefear]

How is that anymore of a sure thing than our core? A slightly undersized low post big that isn't the best defensively paired with an offensively inept 4 has shown you what exactly that makes you "know can win"?

I'm assuming you're calling 6'10" 275 undersized, and calling Noel inept? You are kind of killing your own credibility.

Noel shot 28% from 3-10ft, 30% from 10-16, and 27% from 16 on. He shot 46% overall. He's basically strictly an at the rim player, which isn't an issue until you consider Okafor is the same way. It's not a stretch to call him offensively inept. I've heard people say the same of Deandre Jordan and he shoots nearly 70% from the field.
Maybe "undersized" was the wrong word for Okafor, but I read a stat recently that over 25% of his shots were blocked in the SL. He's not a guy that gets up very high so it wouldn't hurt for him to be an extra inch or two taller.

[CraZyPraiZ]

I think they do this to stir us up on this board. Philly, really. Lost me right there.

[NBlue]

I'd rather have those two than any of our guys.

So you'd rather have Noel and Okafor than Gordon, Harris, Vucevic, Oladipo, Hezonja, and Payton?

Yes. Noel is a defensive monster and Okafor will be demanding double teams by January. That's a combo I know can win in the NBA in a few years.

I like Noel a lot. I don't think you'll find any GMs that would value Noel above Dipo, Harris or Gordon. So while you can certainly have your opinion on that its certainly within a small minority.

As to Okafor -- can we wait until he plays a single NBA game before we evaluate him in this. I also like him a lot and I had him rated the #1 player in the draft but until we actually see him against real NBA competition I think any such analysis is way premature.

[yoyojw17]

I'd rather have those two than any of our guys.

So you'd rather have Noel and Okafor than Gordon, Harris, Vucevic, Oladipo, Hezonja, and Payton?

Yes. Noel is a defensive monster and Okafor will be demanding double teams by January. That's a combo I know can win in the NBA in a few years.

Definitely a great 1-2 combo. They make up for one anothers "deficiencies".... but i can easily see both of them improving to atleast average in their shortcomings as their careers go on.

Would freaking take noel to stick next to vooch in a heartbeat.

[purpleswordfish]

Everyone here is down on the 76ers, but they have nice players. Sure, the Embiid pick is looking bad right now, but they have some other nice pieces. I like Okafor a lot, Noel was way better than I thought he'd be and they do have Saric coming over in a year. Don't get me wrong, it's embarrassing how blatant they are with the tanking, but they have some really nice young pieces.

[Duradero]

It's an opinion piece, how much stock do you put in ESPN's opinions?

[UCFJayBird]

Everyone here is down on the 76ers, but they have nice players. Sure, the Embiid pick is looking bad right now, but they have some other nice pieces. I like Okafor a lot, Noel was way better than I thought he'd be and they do have Saric coming over in a year. Don't get me wrong, it's embarrassing how blatant they are with the tanking, but they have some really nice young pieces.

I think Okafor and Noel look like great pieces, but who do they have outside of those two? Saric is a wildcard, no one knows how good he'll be when he comes over. Embiid hasn't seen official game action in a year and might not for another year. Heck, at this rate he may never step foot in the court. I hope I'm wrong for his sake, but they just keep stockpiling big men. I'll also give them a nod for Covington, because he was certainly a nice surprise and find for them, though i'm not sure how high he'll rise.

Outside of that though, i'm not sure what else they have besides Wroten, who is terrible.

[eyriq]

It's an opinion piece, how much stock do you put in ESPN's opinions?

I don't understand the bad rap ESPN gets. They are the most powerful sports news and analysis business in the world and have the best information, the best tools, the best access, and the best talent. so I personally put a lot of stock into this but I understand what WARP does and doesn't so the value it adds and the remaining perspective missing.

[Orlwillbeback]

Noel isnt really a good defender though...

[OrlDave]

I like that people like KRob and Purple hate our rebuild because tanking and how many losses, but love Philly's apparently despite the tanking and losses. Ah I love this board sometimes. I would suggest those guys who think Philly's team is amazing with their 4 bigs (3 of whom haven't played a minute in the NBA) find a new home a few boards over.

[fklt]

I like that people like KRob and Purple hate our rebuild because tanking and how many losses, but love Philly's apparently despite the tanking and losses. Ah I love this board sometimes. I would suggest those guys who think Philly's team is amazing with their 4 bigs (3 of whom haven't played a minute in the NBA) find a new home a few boards over.

yeah, when you think about it they just have noel. all others are unknowns. I like saric but anyway, point stands.

oo, and that pick that they extorted from us

[MagicFan101]

1. Milwaukee Bucks
Key young players: John Henson, Greg Monroe, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Michael Carter-Williams, Jabari Parker

Ok... I get this one. I am not overwhelmed with Giannis like many seem to be but obviously he is intriguing. Parker has super star potential. MCW is another guy I'm not overly high on but he is a proven NBA quality guard. Monroe is great at what he is. If Parker is what he is expected to be, they are set.


2. New Orleans Pelicans
Key young players: Anthony Davis, Jrue Holiday

I would trade any combination of players from our team for Anthony Davis. So yeah, this makes sense as well.

3. Utah Jazz
Key young players: Rudy Gobert, Derrick Favors, Trey Burke, Rodney Hood, Alec Burks, Dante Exum, Trey Lyles

Unlike the previous two, I don't see any shot at a super star emerging from this but it is a quality list of proven NBA youth. I think we can catch this group but for now it makes sense to place them here.

4. Boston Celtics
Key young players: Jared Sullinger, Kelly Olynyk, R.J. Hunter, Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder, Terry Rozier

This is where I say, wtf!? Really?


5. Philadelphia 76ers
Key young players: Robert Covington, Nerlens Noel, Richaun Holmes, Isaiah Canaan, Tony Wroten, Jahlil Okafor

Okafor and Noel should be a fantastic tandem. Tony Wroten is underrated. They have picks and overseas talent waiting. They should be above Boston.


6. Portland Trail Blazers
Key young players: Damian Lillard, Al-Farouq Aminu, Meyers Leonard, Noah Vonleh, Maurice Harkless, C.J. McCollum

Lillard is a star but not a super star. Vonleh has potential but hasn't shown much yet. We have seen enough of the rest to know what they are. Unlikely Anthony Davis, I don't know if the presence of Lilliard alone is enough to put them ahead of others.

7. Charlotte Hornets
Key young players: Kemba Walker, Frank Kaminsky, Jeremy Lamb, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Troy Daniels, Cody Zeller

I think they are deadlocked in mediocrity. This is a Purpleswordfish kind of team. Worry about today, forget about tomorrow and never achieve anything of note.

8. Toronto Raptors
Key young players: Jonas Valanciunas, Delon Wright, Bismack Biyombo, Cory Joseph, Terrence Ross, Bruno Caboclo

This isn't a better young core than Orlando. True, Toronto has some great vets to give them a better team today but their young guys are not better than ours.

[MagicFan101]

I would probably put Orlando at #6 on this list behind Milwaukee, New Orleans, Utah, Philly and Minny.

Seriously, how is Minny not on this list!?

[purpleswordfish]

I like that people like KRob and Purple hate our rebuild because tanking and how many losses, but love Philly's apparently despite the tanking and losses. Ah I love this board sometimes. I would suggest those guys who think Philly's team is amazing with their 4 bigs (3 of whom haven't played a minute in the NBA) find a new home a few boards over.

I said in my response that it was embarrassing how blatant they are with the tanking. You're cherry picking now. As I said in another thread, I'm not going anywhere unless I get banned.

[J-Ville Smoke]

I don't like how this article is titled "ranking young cores". "Core" to me implies at least three players to build on. Anthony Davis isn't a young "core", he's a damn superstar in the making and absolutely a foundation-type player. Maybe I'm just arguing semantics but I think they felt the same way which is why they threw in Jrue Holiday to make it look like they actually have more than one young stud. But they don't because Holiday is mediocre.

[tooler]

I don't like how this article is titled "ranking young cores". "Core" to me implies at least three players to build on. Anthony Davis isn't a young "core", he's a damn superstar in the making and absolutely a foundation-type player. Maybe I'm just arguing semantics but I think they felt the same way which is why they threw in Jrue Holiday to make it look like they actually have more than one young stud. But they don't because Holiday is mediocre.

Yeah it's a weird system for the article. People know what a young core is when they see it. Every GB thread understands who the up-and-coming teams are.

[NBAchamps2017]

I like that people like KRob and Purple hate our rebuild because tanking and how many losses, but love Philly's apparently despite the tanking and losses. Ah I love this board sometimes. I would suggest those guys who think Philly's team is amazing with their 4 bigs (3 of whom haven't played a minute in the NBA) find a new home a few boards over.

I said in my response that it was embarrassing how blatant they are with the tanking. You're cherry picking now. As I said in another thread, I'm not going anywhere unless I get banned.

You are not going anywhere man, you might me in the minority here who is a realist; but your opinion stands. Most often times homerism here defies logic