The #2 Pick

[One Love]

Lets just ENJOY the moment BABY... Getting the 2nd PICK is HUGE... My vote is Russell as I think the game has changed & GUARD play is a priority & Russell & Clarkson would compliment each other well as both are combo guards... In terms of Randle, he has dropped 12 pounds & is working on being a stretch 4 with a post up game & shooting 500 3's a day... It is ALL GOOD right now... 24 hours ago we didn't have a pick... We basically have two Top 5 picks next season with Randle & 2nd... Future is bright BABY...

Lakeshow Baby...

[SDChargers#1]

Lets just ENJOY the moment BABY... Getting the 2nd PICK is HUGE... My vote is Russell as I think the game has changed & GUARD play is a priority & Russell & Clarkson would compliment each other well as both are combo guards... In terms of Randle, he has dropped 12 pounds & is working on being a stretch 4 with a post up game & shooting 500 3's a day... It is ALL GOOD right now... 24 hours ago we didn't have a pick... We basically have two Top 5 picks next season with Randle & 2nd... Future is bright BABY...

Lakeshow Baby...

I disagree, I still feel like offensive savvy big men are too rare to pass up for PGs that come along every year.

[Ericb5]

I'm a Sixers fan that voted for Okafor for you, but not because I want Russell to fall to us. That makes no sense for a simple poll.

I just think that if I were a Lakers fan that I would much rather have Okafor than Russell. It was a completely intellectually honest vote.

For the Sixers, we have a conflict with Okafor simply because he, Embiid, and Noel are all probably natural centers. Noel has the foot speed to defend 4's so he fits with Embiid better than you would think. On top of that, we have Dario Saric coming over next year that is probably a natural 4 so that would be another layer of conflict. I am a firm believer in drafting the best player available unless the player that fits better is in the same tier talent wise.

I believe that Okafor is a tier above Russell and Mudiay talent wise so if he were to fall to 3 I would want the Sixers to take him. However, he DOES conflict with our bigs more than a Towns would, so Russell falling to us saves us from the turmoil of having to accommodate a player that really doesn't fit, even though I would say that we would have to draft him if he fell.

If there are no major conflicts on a roster then Okafor is CLEARLY the better player to build a team around than Russell. I'm not sure how anyone could really argue differently. If Russell had Rose's or Wall's athleticism then maybe there would be a case, but even then I would prefer to build around the dominant big man. Stated another way, if you had two expansion teams that had nobody on their rosters, then Okafor is a better starting point than Russell.

You can run an entire half court offense through Okafor. He will have no problem establishing position, and punishing defenses unless they double him, and he is a smart and creative passer out of double teams. He isn't an ideal fit next to Randle, but they DO play different positions, and Okafor is a much better prospect.

So imo, even though it would be better for the Sixers that Russell is available for us at 3, I also think that it is a no brainer for the Twolves and the Lakers to take the bigs.

[bah humbug]

Basketball is still a big mans game. Don't be fooled by steph curry taking advantage of Kevin durants absence this yr. and who's to say lebron (effectively a big himself) won't win this yr? Okafor has the best low post game of any college freshman ever. I hate when people say he has limited upside it just makes no sense. I get that people are worried about fit w randle, but these cats are young, defense can be taught if you have the physical tools (see Bynum), offense is much harder. Also what about Russell's fit w clarkson? Ppl on this board severely underrate clarksons potential. He has future all star written all over him, but he is ball dominant and that won't mesh w Russell. If Ur gonna hate on Okafor as a bad fit w randle, it cuts both ways w Russell/clarkson. Give me too really talented post scores over two talented ball dominant wings pls. Don't overthink yourself out of this Mitch. Go w the big. Only edge Russell has is that he is 0% chance to bust whereas Okafor has 5-10% chance of being a good, not great player.

But at the end of the day I'd rather take a shot where a guy has 50% chance to be Tim Duncan/25% chance to be 2011 Bynum/25% chance to be al jeff than a guy who has 90% chance to be Damian lillard/10% chance to be steph curry

I don't disagree with your post, but Russell can easily play off the ball. He's a great shooter and I see him being more in the Brandon Roy/Harden mold versus Westbrook/Tyreke Evans

Ya Brandon Roy is more accurate. Didn't say Westbrook tyreek tho. My comparison was to lillard

[ennui]

holy ****! second pick... ahh man feels good

i say pick the best player - **** positional context

i dont follow college ball enough to offer anything else of relevance

[Rafer24]

I´m not sold on Okafor 100%. Would prefer Towns, but Okafor would be a very good consolation prize.

[SDChargers#1]

I´m not sold on Okafor 100%. Would prefer Towns, but Okafor would be a very good consolation prize.

May I ask why? A polished post game is nothing to sniff at, Okafor is twice the offensive player that Towns is at this point.

[Wavy Q]

I´m not sold on Okafor 100%. Would prefer Towns, but Okafor would be a very good consolation prize.

May I ask why? A polished post game is nothing to sniff at, Okafor is twice the offensive player that Towns is at this point.

Right now the game is being played around the perimeter and having a potential top 3 defensive center is huge. The top teams in the west right now have defensive centered bigs.

[EArl]

I´m not sold on Okafor 100%. Would prefer Towns, but Okafor would be a very good consolation prize.

May I ask why? A polished post game is nothing to sniff at, Okafor is twice the offensive player that Towns is at this point.

Right now the game is being played around the perimeter and having a potential top 3 defensive center is huge. The top teams in the west right now have defensive centered bigs.

Lakers have never been a team to follow suit with the current trend of the league for better or worse.
I do agree that Towns defense is intriguing, but Okafors post game at that age man.

[TdotRap4Lyfe]

I think you guys should pick either Towns or Okafor, whichever is available. A good center is hard to come by,and this one will be waiting on a silver plater, with the 2nd pick.

[Wavy Q]

That's great and all, but the game is clearly changing and not adapting is pure willful ignorance.

[Karmaloop]

I think you have to ignore positions, and evaluate all of them before you can come up with who you want.

[TyCobb]

Okafor easily for me. Dominant big men can win in any era of basketball.

[SDChargers#1]

That's great and all, but the game is clearly changing and not adapting is pure willful ignorance.

Let's put it this way. Of the 4 teams in the Conference finals. Only one (GS) has a PG (Curry) who is their teams best player. Rockets are surviving with Beverly out, Atlanta does have Teague, but they are all about balance. Cleveland has Lebron pulling an injured Kyrie.

Go through all the recent champs and not a single one has a dominant PG. Spurs were all about Leonard and Duncan, Heat was Lebron/Wade, Lakers were Kobe/Gasol, Dallas was Dirk and cast, Celtics were KG/Pierce, Heat was Wade/Shaq, etc, etc.

The idea that the game is changing so go away from Big Men is clearly WRONG. Big men still win, period. Point Guards not so much (though Curry may change that this year).

[Karmaloop]

To me, there's essentially two ways to build a team. You either need to have an elite TEAM or multiple stars. Personally, I prefer the multiple stars route so take whoever is going to be the best player.

[Michael Lucky]

That's great and all, but the game is clearly changing and not adapting is pure willful ignorance.

Let's put it this way. Of the 4 teams in the Conference finals. Only one (GS) has a PG (Curry) who is their teams best player. Rockets are surviving with Beverly out, Atlanta does have Teague, but they are all about balance. Cleveland has Lebron pulling an injured Kyrie.

Go through all the recent champs and not a single one has a dominant PG. Spurs were all about Leonard and Duncan, Heat was Lebron/Wade, Lakers were Kobe/Gasol, Dallas was Dirk and cast, Celtics were KG/Pierce, Heat was Wade/Shaq, etc, etc.

The idea that the game is changing so go away from Big Men is clearly WRONG. Big men still win, period. Point Guards not so much (though Curry may change that this year).

except Lebron and Harden are basically playing point for the team. Besides Harden is a combo guard like Russell.

[Wavy Q]

That's great and all, but the game is clearly changing and not adapting is pure willful ignorance.

Let's put it this way. Of the 4 teams in the Conference finals. Only one (GS) has a PG (Curry) who is their teams best player. Rockets are surviving with Beverly out, Atlanta does have Teague, but they are all about balance. Cleveland has Lebron pulling an injured Kyrie.

Go through all the recent champs and not a single one has a dominant PG. Spurs were all about Leonard and Duncan, Heat was Lebron/Wade, Lakers were Kobe/Gasol, Dallas was Dirk and cast, Celtics were KG/Pierce, Heat was Wade/Shaq, etc, etc.

The idea that the game is changing so go away from Big Men is clearly WRONG. Big men still win, period. Point Guards not so much (though Curry may change that this year).

I didn't say point guard, i said perimeter, every team you named doesn't/didn't play around a post dominant big man.

[SDChargers#1]

That's great and all, but the game is clearly changing and not adapting is pure willful ignorance.

Let's put it this way. Of the 4 teams in the Conference finals. Only one (GS) has a PG (Curry) who is their teams best player. Rockets are surviving with Beverly out, Atlanta does have Teague, but they are all about balance. Cleveland has Lebron pulling an injured Kyrie.

Go through all the recent champs and not a single one has a dominant PG. Spurs were all about Leonard and Duncan, Heat was Lebron/Wade, Lakers were Kobe/Gasol, Dallas was Dirk and cast, Celtics were KG/Pierce, Heat was Wade/Shaq, etc, etc.

The idea that the game is changing so go away from Big Men is clearly WRONG. Big men still win, period. Point Guards not so much (though Curry may change that this year).

I didn't say point guard, i said perimeter, every team you named doesn't/didn't play around a post dominant big man.

Duncan, Shaq, KG, Pau, Dirk. I would disagree with your assessment. Unless we are drafting a Lebron, big man is the way to go.

[Wavy Q]

Spurs didn't play around Duncan on offense and Shaq was 10 years ago. KG Pau and Dirk were all players that could face up and hit jumpers or play the pick and pop. I'm not saying Okafor can't develop that but his range leaves something to be desired.

I guess i'm the only one here that wants Towns

[SDChargers#1]

Spurs didn't play around Duncan on offense and Shaq was 10 years ago. KG Pau and Dirk were all players that faced up towards the basket and hit jumpshots as well. I'm not saying Okafor can't develop that but his range leaves something to be desired.

I guess i'm the only one here that wants Towns

I would not be against Towns if T-Wolves go with Okafor. I am more arguing against Russell (not that he is a bad player or anything). I just feel there is a CLEAR separation between Towns & Okafor and Russell and Mudiay.