The #2 Pick

[moonpie]

Could it be that CAA workout that Towns/WCS/Russell did together? Or did Flip meet him individually?

[oldschooled]

I've been watching DX videos the past few days. I just notice this on KAT. Should we be worried that he may fall in love w/ shooting 3 pointers? I dont want my center shooting 3 pointers.

[Teen Girl Squad]

I've been watching DX videos the past few days. I just notice this on KAT. Should we be worried that he may fall in love w/ shooting 3 pointers? I dont want my center shooting 3 pointers.

I wouldn't sweat it. I doubt he goes full Okur and just hangs out behind the arc on O. His jumper is potentially great for spacing though, which is part of the reason he's probably going number 1 overall. He stretches the defends, opens up the paint and gives space for other players (ala a Randle) down low from time to time (Not that KAT will never be down in the paint).

[Lakernut4ever]

Okafor looks more polished than Towns...has better franchise big potential. If you shave off his hair...you could even mistake him for Tim Duncan with post moves to boot...

[Dr Aki]

Okafor looks more polished than Towns...has better franchise big potential. If you shave off his hair...you could even mistake him for Tim Duncan with post moves to boot...

except timmy had a jumper and could play DPOY defense

[Jody Smokz]

I watch plenty of basketball and have league pass. I guarantee you haven't watched the Pistons outside of a box score. Drummond isn't anchoring ANYTHING. Detroit was 19th in defense at that. His offense at this point is putrid. He's a slightly more active version than Deandre Jordan thats about it. 3 years in and still hasn't developed any level of offense to speak about.

You want to trade the #2 overall pick for a guy that doesn't even have franchise level talent. Good thing you aren't Mitch Kupchak.

Andre Drummond? Seriously? You got it man...

He's not a center by what means? Because he gets minutes there every game. As does Boogie, who one can argue is a better fit as a 4. Right now I would take Andre Drummond over Jahlil Okafor and it's really not close, if we are talking about where Okafor fairs against the younger cats in the league in terms of ceiling and development. Okafor has a LONG ways to go, and that's assuming many of the young centers tail off their development that are already in the league. When you have NBA execs coming out and saying the dude couldn't guard an ashtray two weeks before the draft, that's saying something.

You must not watch much basketball. A 21 year old center who can guard 1-5, anchor a defense, who's one of the league's best rebounders, and finished 11th in WARP despite the holes he currently has offensively don't grow on trees.

His biggest knocks are his conditioning, under-developed offensive game and to the nitpickers, his concussion history. Stan Van Gundy is their coach, the same guy who developed the same type of center as Drummond while he coached Orlando.

[Mirjalovic]

Drummond is not that good defensively.

he has potential but that's it, i still chose Okafor and Town over him

[LApwnd]

I've been watching DX videos the past few days. I just notice this on KAT. Should we be worried that he may fall in love w/ shooting 3 pointers? I dont want my center shooting 3 pointers.

I wouldn't sweat it. I doubt he goes full Okur and just hangs out behind the arc on O. His jumper is potentially great for spacing though, which is part of the reason he's probably going number 1 overall. He stretches the defends, opens up the paint and gives space for other players (ala a Randle) down low from time to time (Not that KAT will never be down in the paint).

I think he will in the beginning, with bigger/stronger nba bigs pushing him out of the paint he'll have to settle for perimeter shots, probably end up just like Aldridge as some have that as a comparison.

[LApwnd]

He ain't trying to be a laker ... 3 dog race as we were the other guys first workout

It's not him kblo, it's his agent/Adidas...trying to protect whatever value they envisioned.

I dont typically follow the draft process this closely and Ive said this before, but it would seem like Karl Towns not working out for anyone is a knock on Minny. For some reason it would bother me more if we had the first pick. Do you guys think it means anything that Okafor worked out for us first?

so did Russell and Mudiay right? Think lot of these guys have trainers in LA, don't read to much into it.

[ak7]

I watch plenty of basketball and have league pass. I guarantee you haven't watched the Pistons outside of a box score. Drummond isn't anchoring ANYTHING. Detroit was 19th in defense at that. His offense at this point is putrid. He's a slightly more active version than Deandre Jordan thats about it. 3 years in and still hasn't developed any level of offense to speak about.

You want to trade the #2 overall pick for a guy that doesn't even have franchise level talent. Good thing you aren't Mitch Kupchak.

Andre Drummond? Seriously? You got it man...

You must not watch much basketball. A 21 year old center who can guard 1-5, anchor a defense, who's one of the league's best rebounders, and finished 11th in WARP despite the holes he currently has offensively don't grow on trees.

His biggest knocks are his conditioning, under-developed offensive game and to the nitpickers, his concussion history. Stan Van Gundy is their coach, the same guy who developed the same type of center as Drummond while he coached Orlando.

This is silly. The Clippers ranked 15th overall in Defense Efficiency, 12th in PPG, 11th in FG%, and 13th in Points Per Shot and featured two All-Defensive First teamers. You are really going to cite TEAM stats as to why an individual player is not good defensively? Bless your heart.

And for someone who's offense is "putrid," he still finished 11th (overall) in WARP this past season - guess it can't be that bad, that or he really is anchoring a team's defense. You can make the call for it to try and fit your agenda. The statistics do not lie, no matter how you try to slice it.

I don't feel Okafor is nearly the player some of these guys are making him out to be and don't think his offense will carry what he doesn't bring defensively to warrant betting your franchise's future on going forward. If he was, we wouldn't be looking at guards with the second pick. The same can be said for Towns.

[Kilroy]

First... Not trading for Drummond... Stop it.

Second... I still don't see a lot of Duncan's game in Okafor's game... Maybe Duncan as a Rookie, but I can't really remember that far back... But Duncan has elite mid range touch... Okafor can hit the mid range, but his touch isn't in Duncan's league yet...

Right now, I still say, like Doc, that Okafor's game reminds me a lot of Hakeem's. The post moves, handles, and explosion are almost there... He's just not quite as athletic... But he's young.

[Jody Smokz]

All defensive team is just a BS popularity contest. Not all selections are good. Jordan is not even better than a handful of the guys voted under him at his position. Andre Drummond wasn't even in the same league as a prospect as Dwight Howard. I dont care if Stan is there, there is no comparison.

You just come off as one of those uber skeptical of rookie/prospect guys who can't seem to think that players evolve down the line. You don't see past what you see today. Once upon a time Kobe wasn't all that great either and no one believed he would be a 5 time champ. Okafor is one of the most highly rated prospects at his position in years. I'd lean on that.

I watch plenty of basketball and have league pass. I guarantee you haven't watched the Pistons outside of a box score. Drummond isn't anchoring ANYTHING. Detroit was 19th in defense at that. His offense at this point is putrid. He's a slightly more active version than Deandre Jordan thats about it. 3 years in and still hasn't developed any level of offense to speak about.

You want to trade the #2 overall pick for a guy that doesn't even have franchise level talent. Good thing you aren't Mitch Kupchak.

You must not watch much basketball. A 21 year old center who can guard 1-5, anchor a defense, who's one of the league's best rebounders, and finished 11th in WARP despite the holes he currently has offensively don't grow on trees.

His biggest knocks are his conditioning, under-developed offensive game and to the nitpickers, his concussion history. Stan Van Gundy is their coach, the same guy who developed the same type of center as Drummond while he coached Orlando.

This is silly. The Clippers ranked 15th overall in Defense Efficiency, 12th in PPG, 11th in FG%, and 13th in Points Per Shot and featured two All-Defensive First teamers. You are really going to cite TEAM stats as to why an individual player is not good defensively? Bless your heart.

And for someone who's offense is "putrid," he still finished 11th (overall) in WARP this past season - guess it can't be that bad, that or he really is anchoring a team's defense. You can make the call for it to try and fit your agenda. The statistics do not lie, no matter how you try to slice it.

I don't feel Okafor is nearly the player some of these guys are making him out to be and don't think his offense will carry what he doesn't bring defensively to warrant betting your franchise's future on going forward. If he was, we wouldn't be looking at guards with the second pick. The same can be said for Towns.

[ak7]

First... Not trading for Drummond... Stop it.

Second... I still don't see a lot of Duncan's game in Okafor's game... Maybe Duncan as a Rookie, but I can't really remember that far back... But Duncan has elite mid range touch... Okafor can hit the mid range, but his touch isn't in Duncan's league yet...

Right now, I still say, like Doc, that Okafor's game reminds me a lot of Hakeem's. The post moves, handles, and explosion are almost there... He's just not quite as athletic... But he's young.

Hope he can learn how to play defense like Hakeem. He's not a good defensive rebounder either. Hakeem, at his peak, was elite defensively and also very good as a young player as well. He will need to be paired with someone who can stretch the floor, play D and rebound on that end as well. Someone in the mold like Ibaka. Don't know if Randle can fit that bill as we know he is working on his outside game, but how far that develops remains to be seen.

[Worst_to_First]

Of course it's TMZ but take it for what it's worth.

JAHLIL OKAFOR
CRUSHES LAKERS PRIVATE WORKOUT
'He Could Be One Of The Best'

The crush between Jahlil Okafor and Los Angeles is a full on love affair now ... 'cause sources within the Lakers organization tell TMZ Sports Jahlil MURDERED his private workout with the team today.
We spoke with a high ranking source in the Lakers organization who tells us the team put Jahlil through an up close and personal workout this morning -- just like they did with Kobe back in '96 -- and the 19-year-old was nothing short of spectacular.
"Just off what we saw out of today’s workouts, Jahlil has the potential to not just be one of the best big men in the league but one of the best to put on a Lakers jersey."
In fact ... we're told that the team is so enamored with Okafor that they plan to have reps spend the entire day with him ... culminating with a wine and dine sesh at a fancy L.A. restaurant later tonight.
That number 2 pick is looking like a wide open slam dunk ... unless of course you're Marreese Speights

http://www.tmz.com/2015/06/10/jahlil-okafor/

[DEEP3CL]

Of course it's TMZ but take it for what it's worth.

JAHLIL OKAFOR
CRUSHES LAKERS PRIVATE WORKOUT
'He Could Be One Of The Best'

The crush between Jahlil Okafor and Los Angeles is a full on love affair now ... 'cause sources within the Lakers organization tell TMZ Sports Jahlil MURDERED his private workout with the team today.
We spoke with a high ranking source in the Lakers organization who tells us the team put Jahlil through an up close and personal workout this morning -- just like they did with Kobe back in '96 -- and the 19-year-old was nothing short of spectacular.
"Just off what we saw out of today’s workouts, Jahlil has the potential to not just be one of the best big men in the league but one of the best to put on a Lakers jersey."
In fact ... we're told that the team is so enamored with Okafor that they plan to have reps spend the entire day with him ... culminating with a wine and dine sesh at a fancy L.A. restaurant later tonight.
That number 2 pick is looking like a wide open slam dunk ... unless of course you're Marreese Speights

http://www.tmz.com/2015/06/10/jahlil-okafor/

TMZ was on the late bus on this, secondly most of us here already seen and heard the video on Lakers.com. TMZ needs to just stay away from sports reporting, they're clueless. Everything they've reported we already knew about. Okafor wasn't the only one who got the dinner treatment, Mudiay and Russell got it also....and those were the only 3 that did in the 2 weeks the Lakers have been working dudes out.

[moonpie]

The wording of that article makes it sound like one of those trash gossip pieces years ago that said that Kim Kardashian was interested in Jeremy Lin (when he was with the Knicks) and that they they were going on a double date with Melo and Lala

[oldschooled]

First... Not trading for Drummond... Stop it.

Second... I still don't see a lot of Duncan's game in Okafor's game... Maybe Duncan as a Rookie, but I can't really remember that far back... But Duncan has elite mid range touch... Okafor can hit the mid range, but his touch isn't in Duncan's league yet...

Right now, I still say, like Doc, that Okafor's game reminds me a lot of Hakeem's. The post moves, handles, and explosion are almost there... He's just not quite as athletic... But he's young.

Holy ****. I'm very excited for draft day. If this is what they see in Okafor, I would gladly take the Hakeem comparison over Duncan all day.

[DadoTheRabbet]

Towns v. Okafor. Two different skill sets that with a combination of the right coaching and the right players around them could lead to the current debate continuing on through two very illustrious careers and well past their playing days.

But then, I don't see Minne surrounding their acquisition with the caliber of pieces that the Lakers can....

Still, this has the makings of one of those truly epic NBA rivalries.

[debussie]

Of course it's TMZ but take it for what it's worth.

JAHLIL OKAFOR
CRUSHES LAKERS PRIVATE WORKOUT
'He Could Be One Of The Best'

The crush between Jahlil Okafor and Los Angeles is a full on love affair now ... 'cause sources within the Lakers organization tell TMZ Sports Jahlil MURDERED his private workout with the team today.
We spoke with a high ranking source in the Lakers organization who tells us the team put Jahlil through an up close and personal workout this morning -- just like they did with Kobe back in '96 -- and the 19-year-old was nothing short of spectacular.
"Just off what we saw out of today’s workouts, Jahlil has the potential to not just be one of the best big men in the league but one of the best to put on a Lakers jersey."
In fact ... we're told that the team is so enamored with Okafor that they plan to have reps spend the entire day with him ... culminating with a wine and dine sesh at a fancy L.A. restaurant later tonight.
That number 2 pick is looking like a wide open slam dunk ... unless of course you're Marreese Speights

http://www.tmz.com/2015/06/10/jahlil-okafor/

Just thought I should share that I chucked when I read that they'd "wine and dine him" knowing that he's not yet 21. Okay, not that funny. Carry on.

[Tehtre]

First... Not trading for Drummond... Stop it.

Second... I still don't see a lot of Duncan's game in Okafor's game... Maybe Duncan as a Rookie, but I can't really remember that far back... But Duncan has elite mid range touch... Okafor can hit the mid range, but his touch isn't in Duncan's league yet...

Right now, I still say, like Doc, that Okafor's game reminds me a lot of Hakeem's. The post moves, handles, and explosion are almost there... He's just not quite as athletic... But he's young.

Drummond is not good defensively. I'd much rather have Gobert. Would i trade second pick for Gobert? NO.

One thing I want to throw out there.

Look at the finals right now. Warriors Offense is getting shutted down because it is too one dimensional, too focus around the three point shots. Post (Lebron is doing every position) Offense is very important when the game is slowed down in the playoff.

P.S With young Tim Duncan's Offensive ability, you dont have to have young Tim Duncan's Defense to be a Franchise Player.