Wendell Carter Jr - The Block Panther Edition

[Ctownbulls]

I was high on Bamba but always liked Carter having watched many games and highlights of him .So I´m very happy with that pick.But I don´t believe that it will translate in a playoff caliber team ,we´ll likely end with 25-30 wins again even without tanking and will be back in the lottery with another rules but it´s our reality now and we have to live with it.

I don't think that was ever in question...although I'd put the win range at 25-35.

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[Hangtime84]

The only reason I question the pick is that I felt Lauri would have been better suited at the 5 in the new NBA. We will have to see if Carter and Lauri will be able to make it work in the new, faster paced NBA.

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Skilled two way players are important. Lauri doesn't get abused on switches at that much. Few point guards have been able to exploit him. Kyle Lowry only player I've seen do it with consistency.

I watched about 60 bulls games last year. So this narrative going around Lauri is weak on switches is a bad one.

[Ctownbulls]

The only reason I question the pick is that I felt Lauri would have been better suited at the 5 in the new NBA. We will have to see if Carter and Lauri will be able to make it work in the new, faster paced NBA.

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Skilled two way players are important. Lauri doesn't get abused on switches at that much. Few point guards have been able to exploit him. Kyle Lowry only player I've seen do it with consistency.

I watched about 60 bulls games last year. So this narrative going around Lauri is weak on switches is a bad one.

Where did I say he was bad on switches.

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[Lauri_Legend]

Not sure if someone already posted this or not...but Gary Trent Jr., who played alongside of Carter Jr. in college, is very high on the kid.

``Wendell is a really talented player,’’ Trent Jr. said. ``If Marvin (Bagley III) wasn’t at Duke, Wendell would be in the conversation to be the No. 1 pick. He’s just that talented. He can finish with his left or right hand, he can bring you out to the mid-range and face you up or shoot the three. On the defensive end, he’s exceptional, as well. He’s a great talent and I think more and more teams will see that as he works out with them.’’

https://www.nba.com/magic/wendell-carter-jr-one-drafts-most-intriguing-big-men-20180524

[Indomitable]

I don't think Gasol has either a 7'4" wingspan or a 39" vertical. Carter is a much more fluid athlete.

Gasol was once pretty great athlete. Still can't believe Bulls didnt get flak for drafting Tyson over Pau. But we get flak drafting Tyrus over Aldridge.

Gasol wingspan is 7'5'

[Lauri_Legend]

As much as I love WCJ, and I really do, sometimes I watch his highlights and see a bigger Taj Gibson. That's not a bad thing, it's just an observation that I had. At age 19, he reminds me of a polished Taj Gibson when he was 29. (Btw, Gibson is 33 now!!! wow)

Watch on YouTube

[Axolotl]

I can certainly live with drafting a guy whose floor is polished Taj Gibson.

[sco]

I think the Taj comments are true offensively, but Taj was an elite defender coming in. For most of his career he was a top 3 defensive PF in the NBA. A Taj-rant for a moment. Taj's career was so negatively hurt by Boozer's signing and Noah's similar defensive skillset. Taj should have been a starter for most of his career with us.

I surely want WCJ to be that, but nothing I've read has said that. The quotes are more along the lines of a great all-around player and not as bad as folks may think defensively, but that's a far cry from elite.

But the Taj comparison does worry me from the stand point of someone his size struggling to play the C position. I know Taj did that for us for stretches due to injury, but I think he got beaten up doing so.

[Red Larrivee]

Taj and Carter both will have played for the Chicago Bulls.

And that's the end of the comparison.

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[VolumePoster]

The only reason I question the pick is that I felt Lauri would have been better suited at the 5 in the new NBA. We will have to see if Carter and Lauri will be able to make it work in the new, faster paced NBA.

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That's the million dollar question, Ctown. In the end I believe teams are overcommitting to this "new, faster paced" play and a team with bigs is just going to dominate.

Golden State isn't Golden State because they are "new, faster." They're Golden State because they have two MVPs, four allstars, an excellent bench, and a superb coach. Their championships don't validate a style; they validate the acquisition of the best available talent.

I believe WCJ was exactly that. But as you say, we'll see!

[bennjuiced34]

When Duke played with pace, Carter looked really **** good. He can run, make quick decisions and has the athleticism to thrive. I thought he looked less comfortable in a slow down, half court offense, which is good news for the Bulls.

He'll beat bigs down the floor consistently if his guards will look for him.

[musiqsoulchild]

The problem with all this talk that this frontcourt can be "good enough" defensively is already a bad sign if your goal is to actually win titles.

You straight up do not win titles without at least one excellent defending big man playing major minutes.

You can take this to the bank.

Unless LeBron joins the Bulls, the Bulls are not winning a title for the next 8 years.

Golden State is going to keep on winning. Or the Rockets. Or the Lakers. Or, the Celtics. Or, the Sixers (if they get LeBron).

So, its a lot more important to build a deep, dependable roster that keeps making the playoffs for many years at a stretch. Basically, building a good team.

[JimmyJammer]

As much as I love WCJ, and I really do, sometimes I watch his highlights and see a bigger Taj Gibson. That's not a bad thing, it's just an observation that I had. At age 19, he reminds me of a polished Taj Gibson when he was 29. (Btw, Gibson is 33 now!!! wow)

Watch on YouTube

If Taj Gibson was offensively gifted like Carter and had a jumpshot, we would have beaten the Heat in the 2011 playoffs. The Heat made a habit of doubling off Taj the whole series but he could never do anything about it. Our 4th quarter line-up was Rose, Korver, Noah, Deng and Taj. They could never double off Noah because they were afraid of his ability on the offensive board. I am still pissed for that.

[Lauri_Legend]

As much as I love WCJ, and I really do, sometimes I watch his highlights and see a bigger Taj Gibson. That's not a bad thing, it's just an observation that I had. At age 19, he reminds me of a polished Taj Gibson when he was 29. (Btw, Gibson is 33 now!!! wow)

Watch on YouTube

If Taj Gibson was offensively gifted like Carter and had a jumpshot, we would have beaten the Heat in the 2011 playoffs. The Heat made a habit of doubling off Taj the whole series but he could never do anything about it. Our 4th quarter line-up was Rose, Korver, Noah, Deng and Taj. They could never double off Noah because they were afraid of his ability on the offensive board. I am still pissed for that.

Well, like I said, Gibson at age 29. Which was 2014-2015 season...not 2011. Gibson was a late bloomer..but also his growth was stunted with the back-to-back additions of Boozer and Gasol

[Proven_Winner]

As much as I love WCJ, and I really do, sometimes I watch his highlights and see a bigger Taj Gibson. That's not a bad thing, it's just an observation that I had. At age 19, he reminds me of a polished Taj Gibson when he was 29. (Btw, Gibson is 33 now!!! wow)

Watch on YouTube

If Taj Gibson was offensively gifted like Carter and had a jumpshot, we would have beaten the Heat in the 2011 playoffs. The Heat made a habit of doubling off Taj the whole series but he could never do anything about it. Our 4th quarter line-up was Rose, Korver, Noah, Deng and Taj. They could never double off Noah because they were afraid of his ability on the offensive board. I am still pissed for that.

Well, like I said, Gibson at age 29. Which was 2014-2015 season...not 2011. Gibson was a late bloomer..but also his growth was stunted with the back-to-back additions of Boozer and Gasol

But if you believe that about carter shouldn’t you be happy. The kid is 19 yet could already be as polished as Taj at his peak. I don’t think Wendell gets a lot of mention of his upside but he’s even younger than Lauri so he has time to grow.

[Truebiscuit]

Taj Gibson had a 25.5" standing vertical and a 30" max vertical. These comps are... terrible.

[League Circles]

Taj Gibson had a 25.5" standing vertical and a 30" max vertical. These comps are... terrible.

What are WCJ's numbers on those? I can't find them.

I tend to agree though, I don't see a meaningful comparison.

[Truebiscuit]

Taj Gibson had a 25.5" standing vertical and a 30" max vertical. These comps are... terrible.

What are WCJ's numbers on those? I can't find them.

I tend to agree though, I don't see a meaningful comparison.

39" max vertical from his Duke days... he didn't participate in these tests at the combine.

[nitetrain8603]

I rather have gone with Mitchell Robinson.

The guy who went in the middle of the second round? You'd prefer him over WCJ?

Yes I do because he has the lateral quickness. Draymond Green went 2nd round, did you laugh at GS?

[nitetrain8603]

I'm so confused as to why you think Carter is some plodding center who can't defend. His biggest value came from the defensive end.

The worst part of the narrative that Carter can't stay on the floor is who we're comparing him against. People are talking as if Draymond Green is now the norm, not the outlier he is. He is what he is because he's unique. The league isn't filled with many mobile centers who can stay on the floor who team's downsize. So unless every team benches their big, it's not an issue.

What modern bigs need to have, at a minimum, is a jump shot and a multi-faceted ability on offense. Carter does all of this. And yes, his defense in space is a question, but that is so for virtually every big in the league.

Basically, I see this as people complaining about a problem without offering a solution. And when they do provide a solution, that one is equally as flawed, perhaps even more so.

I don't know how I've all of a sudden become a Bulls apologist, but I'm very happy with this pick and think people are following the 'small ball' narrative a little too far.

The solution was to trade up for JJJ, who absolutely could stay on the floor with Lauri when other teams go small, because JJJ has unicorn like ability to defend on the perimeter for a big.

And of course the FO defenders can always shoot down any proposed trade idea by saying that “there’s no evidence” that the proposed trade would have worked. Of course there isn’t, because we aren’t in the trade negotiations.

But we do know that MEM wanted to dump Parsons’ contract, that they liked WCJ, and that we had the cap space to make a trade happen. We also know that the Bulls tend to overvalue their own assets (eg Portis) and that they inexplicably gave a promise at 22 which took that pick off the table as a trade asset.

And of course we know that Cuban found a way to trade up for Doncic.

So forgive me, but I do think that there was a better option - an incredibly great option actually - and I do fault the Bulls FO for not getting it done.


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And sure enough, it came out that the Bulls didn't want to give up a future first, nor did they want to take on salary. They wanted to get a deal done with hopes and dreams.