RealGM Article: Myles vs. Okafor

[Scoot McGroot]

Jahlil Okafor, Myles Turner And The Futility Of The Process
BY JONATHAN TJARKS

http://basketball.realgm.com/analysis/240955/Jahlil-Okafor-Myles-Turner-And-The-Futility-Of-The-Process

Nine months after the draft, does it really matter whether Okafor went at No. 3 and Turner went at No. 11? The 76ers spent all season tanking in order to get a high draft pick while the Pacers made a doomed effort to fight for the No. 8 seed. And yet somehow the Pacers were the ones who ended up with the better prospect! This is not the first time this has happened for Indiana and Philadelphia either, as the Pacers drafted Paul George at No. 9 the same year that the 76ers drafted Evan Turner at No. 2.

That’s the difference between those two franchises. Philadelphia is trying to maximize their draft position in order to increase their odds of finding a superstar. Indiana is letting the chips fall where they may and taking the best player that’s available to them. The numbers would say that you aren’t likely to find a great player in the back half of the lottery, yet the Pacers unearthed Paul George and Myles Turner in that range. Those are two guys who could be the best two players on a championship contender and Indiana didn’t have to do anything too crazy to acquire them. They just had to scout well.

Near the end, and to me, the most interesting point of the article. Well worth a read, though.

Maybe it's worth making those runs and seeing what you have? Maybe it's not always worth just outright tanking?

[8305]

Comparing Philly and Indiana they have more un-cashed assets than us but is the young core currently playing on their team that much better than Myles Turner, Joe Young and GRIII? At least we can put all three on the floor at the same time.

[Scoot McGroot]

Comparing Philly and Indiana they have more un-cashed assets than us but is the young core currently playing on their team that much better than Myles Turner, Joe Young and GRIII? At least we can put all three on the floor at the same time.

I think that Joe Young can't hold a candle to Ish Smith, at least, just yet. And GR3 ain't no Robert Covington yet, either. So, I think Philly's young core is better than ours. But, I think it's very possible that Turner is the best overall young piece on either roster. I'd love to somehow get Noel next to Turner, too, but alas, we just don't have the value.

[pacers33granger]

Comparing Philly and Indiana they have more un-cashed assets than us but is the young core currently playing on their team that much better than Myles Turner, Joe Young and GRIII? At least we can put all three on the floor at the same time.

I think that Joe Young can't hold a candle to Ish Smith, at least, just yet. And GR3 ain't no Robert Covington yet, either. So, I think Philly's young core is better than ours. But, I think it's very possible that Turner is the best overall young piece on either roster. I'd love to somehow get Noel next to Turner, too, but alas, we just don't have the value.

Philly still has a "better" young core right now. Though I wouldn't count Smith in there, he's more of just a stopgap guy. GRIII and Young are at least better than Stauskas.

[Miller4ever]

That reminds me... where has GRIII been recently? He's been barely better than Solo and Chase according to PER and TS%, as well as the eye test, but has much more upside. I can see us going with Solo for defense, but why is Chase taking the CJ Miles minutes?

[boomershadow]

I always thought we were a great example against the entire tanking idea. Doesn't mention that we turned Roy Hibbert into a two time All Star from #17.

[Scoot McGroot]

That reminds me... where has GRIII been recently? He's been barely better than Solo and Chase according to PER and TS%, as well as the eye test, but has much more upside. I can see us going with Solo for defense, but why is Chase taking the CJ Miles minutes?

I would imagine that GR3 will be brought along much like Lance Stephenson was. GR3 signed a 3 year deal, non-guaranteed each summer, and will probably be developed slowly. Much as we all thought that Lance's potential was being "wasted" on the bench, it might be the same for Glenn so that he develops into the system slowly, but more fully.