Regular Season Game 57: Orlando Magic (24-32) at Brooklyn Nets (26-29) - 7:30pm ET

[Last Guardian]

5 blocks in 14 minutes...Bamba will easily be best shotblocker in a long time in this league. This is from a guy who "lacks energy".

Chuma will be a good backup. We should be after MPjr for starting SF.

When will the Isaac at C talk stop? He's tall enough sure but C's are pretty massive. He's significantly lighter than even someone like Javale McGee. If we are talking in spurts thats fine but he cannot be full time C at his size.

[tiderulz]

here are many other SF's at or near 230 lbs

Kawhi - 230
PG13 - 222
Jimmy Butler - 230
Derozan - 220
Middleton - 225
Tobias - 226
TJ - 220
Bojan Bogs - 230
Harrison Barnes - 225
Miles Bridges - 225
Crowder - 235
Gay - 250

And Okeke hasnt even really started working with an NBA strength and conditioning team yet. I'm not worried about him at 230 right now

Every single one of those guys on that list outside of maybe 1-2 of them are much more natural and fluid ball handlers than Okeke appeared to be in college.

Also a few of the guys you listed have played primarily PF minutes this year, including Gay (98% of minutes), George (66% of minutes), Harris (74% of minutes) and Barnes (54% of minutes).

But beyond all of that, it's not just "oh he can't dribble well" or "oh he's 230 pounds" -- it's a combination of all of the factors.

Okeke was a below average ball handler in college. Combine that with the fact he has a bigger body and doesn't have overly quick feet and you have the recipe for a power forward.

Doesn't mean he can't be a really good PF. Hell it doesn't even mean he can't play SF if he absolutely had to because Gordon and Isaac have both been forced to play SF the last two years due to roster construction.

But just based on what he showed in college and his size and athletic ability, it doesn't appear to me that he would be maximized as a wing player.

fluid ball handlers depends on your role. As i said before, you dont need to be one to be a 3&D guy. and he can work on his handles

[j-ragg]

here are many other SF's at or near 230 lbs

Kawhi - 230
PG13 - 222
Jimmy Butler - 230
Derozan - 220
Middleton - 225
Tobias - 226
TJ - 220
Bojan Bogs - 230
Harrison Barnes - 225
Miles Bridges - 225
Crowder - 235
Gay - 250

And Okeke hasnt even really started working with an NBA strength and conditioning team yet. I'm not worried about him at 230 right now

Every single one of those guys on that list outside of maybe 1-2 of them are much more natural and fluid ball handlers than Okeke appeared to be in college.

Also a few of the guys you listed have played primarily PF minutes this year, including Gay (98% of minutes), George (66% of minutes), Harris (74% of minutes) and Barnes (54% of minutes).

But beyond all of that, it's not just "oh he can't dribble well" or "oh he's 230 pounds" -- it's a combination of all of the factors.

Okeke was a below average ball handler in college. Combine that with the fact he has a bigger body and doesn't have overly quick feet and you have the recipe for a power forward.

Doesn't mean he can't be a really good PF. Hell it doesn't even mean he can't play SF if he absolutely had to because Gordon and Isaac have both been forced to play SF the last two years due to roster construction.

But just based on what he showed in college and his size and athletic ability, it doesn't appear to me that he would be maximized as a wing player.

fluid ball handlers depends on your role. As i said before, you dont need to be one to be a 3&D guy. and he can work on his handles

No one "needs" to be a fluid ball handler to be useful. but on this team if you aren't, it'll make you look that much worse on offense. And he'll definitely work on it but he'll be 22 when his rookie year starts, just something to take into consideration.

[Knightro]

fluid ball handlers depends on your role. As i said before, you dont need to be one to be a 3&D guy. and he can work on his handles

I just don't think asking him to guard wings is the best use of his skill set either.

He's got a power forward skill set on both ends of the floor and I think he has the chance to be a very good one.

But expecting him to be an NBA SF feels way too optimistic based on what he showed in college and his physical attributes (size/speed).

[tiderulz]

fluid ball handlers depends on your role. As i said before, you dont need to be one to be a 3&D guy. and he can work on his handles

I just don't think asking him to guard wings is the best use of his skill set either.

He's got a power forward skill set on both ends of the floor and I think he has the chance to be a very good one.

But expecting him to be an NBA SF feels way too optimistic based on what he showed in college and his physical attributes (size/speed).

well, asking him to be a PF, he will be undersized from the get go. those physical attributes wont translate into too many advantages

[zaymon]

fluid ball handlers depends on your role. As i said before, you dont need to be one to be a 3&D guy. and he can work on his handles

I just don't think asking him to guard wings is the best use of his skill set either.

He's got a power forward skill set on both ends of the floor and I think he has the chance to be a very good one.

But expecting him to be an NBA SF feels way too optimistic based on what he showed in college and his physical attributes (size/speed).

well, asking him to be a PF, he will be undersized from the get go. those physical attributes wont translate into too many advantages

We are going to switch a lot with him. He is suppose to guard 2 - 4. On offense his main role will be shooting 3s, i dont think it matters if it will be as a 3 or as a 4. Its very hard to predict if his pull up game will develop, but even without it his shot is the most important thing. Aaron Gordon was playing 3 for us, and if Chuma skill set is of a 4 than AG is of a 5.

[tiderulz]

I just don't think asking him to guard wings is the best use of his skill set either.

He's got a power forward skill set on both ends of the floor and I think he has the chance to be a very good one.

But expecting him to be an NBA SF feels way too optimistic based on what he showed in college and his physical attributes (size/speed).

well, asking him to be a PF, he will be undersized from the get go. those physical attributes wont translate into too many advantages

We are going to switch a lot with him. He is suppose to guard 2 - 4. On offense his main role will be shooting 3s, i dont think it matters if it will be as a 3 or as a 4. Its very hard to predict if his pull up game will develop, but even without it his shot is the most important thing. Aaron Gordon was playing 3 for us, and if Chuma skill set is of a 4 than AG is of a 5.

so 1 of you thinks he shouldnt be guarding wings, the other thinks he should.

[drsd]

Bamba will easily be best shotblocker in a long time in this league.

WHAT ???!!!???!!!???, said Isaac

[Skybox]

Bamba will easily be best shotblocker in a long time in this league.

WHAT ???!!!???!!!???, said Isaac

1. If Bamba's not one of the best shot blockers in the league soon, he's probably out of the league soon.
2. I'd love to have 2 of the best side by side in ORL

[basketballRob]

Bamba will easily be best shotblocker in a long time in this league.

WHAT ???!!!???!!!???, said Isaac

1. If Bamba's not one of the best shot blockers in the league soon, he's probably out of the league soon.
2. I'd love to have 2 of the best side by side in ORL

He also might be one of the better 3 pt shooting centers in the league. Not to mention one of the top defensive rates for a center.

Sent from my SM-G950U using RealGM mobile app

[zaymon]

Bamba role is specified from the beginning which should be beneficial to him (becouse he is such a slow learner). Protect the rim, rebound, catch the ball, shoot 3s. I wonder how many years he needs to learn it.

[Knightro]

well, asking him to be a PF, he will be undersized from the get go. those physical attributes wont translate into too many advantages

We are going to switch a lot with him. He is suppose to guard 2 - 4. On offense his main role will be shooting 3s, i dont think it matters if it will be as a 3 or as a 4. Its very hard to predict if his pull up game will develop, but even without it his shot is the most important thing. Aaron Gordon was playing 3 for us, and if Chuma skill set is of a 4 than AG is of a 5.

so 1 of you thinks he shouldnt be guarding wings, the other thinks he should.

I'm a very big fan of Okeke, but I also like to think I have a pretty good understanding of what he is and what he isn't based on what he showed in college.

I absolutely do not believe Okeke should be tasked with guarding 2's and most 3's full time. He's just going to be at a nightly quickness disadvantage if they ask him to do that and that's without even know how well he's recovering from a blown knee. I'm not saying he can't do it at all and won't be asked to do it in limited doses, but it's just not the best use of his physical attributes IMO.

He's a lot like Isaac without the elite level shotblocking IMO. I don't see Okeke as a dominant 1 on 1 defender (although he should be above average and will be capable of holding up on switches) without getting quicker, but a super high end off-ball and help defender with a great combination of long arms, a strong body, and intelligence/defensive awareness.

I also think Okeke is willing to be physical against bigger guys, especially on the defensive glass, which should earn him favor with Clifford quickly.

[zaymon]

We are going to switch a lot with him. He is suppose to guard 2 - 4. On offense his main role will be shooting 3s, i dont think it matters if it will be as a 3 or as a 4. Its very hard to predict if his pull up game will develop, but even without it his shot is the most important thing. Aaron Gordon was playing 3 for us, and if Chuma skill set is of a 4 than AG is of a 5.

so 1 of you thinks he shouldnt be guarding wings, the other thinks he should.

I'm a very big fan of Okeke, but I also like to think I have a pretty good understanding of what he is and what he isn't based on what he showed in college.

I absolutely do not believe Okeke should be tasked with guarding 2's and most 3's full time. He's just going to be at a nightly quickness disadvantage if they ask him to do that and that's without even know how well he's recovering from a blown knee. I'm not saying he can't do it at all and won't be asked to do it in limited doses, but it's just not the best use of his physical attributes IMO.

He's a lot like Isaac without the elite level shotblocking IMO. I don't see Okeke as a dominant 1 on 1 defender (although he should be above average and will be capable of holding up on switches) without getting quicker, but a super high end off-ball and help defender with a great combination of long arms, a strong body, and intelligence/defensive awareness.

I also think Okeke is willing to be physical against bigger guys, especially on the defensive glass, which should earn him favor with Clifford quickly.

Bucks small forward is Middleton, who was not half of the defender as a junior that Okeke was a sophomore. I really cant see a reason why he cant defend the 3. Guarding the 2 can be a different animal, but the 3 ? He is smart enough with his positioning, and remember we have Isaac who is not exactly friendly for opponents near the rim.