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Walter Tavares

Posted: Sun Feb 2, 2014 1:39 pm
by sergiio_88
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM0bRMlZKSE

He is a 7'3'' center and plays for Herbalife Gran Canaria in the ACB League (Spanish League)
He started to play basketball 4 years ago.

STATS:
http://www.acb.com/stspartidojug.php?co ... edicion=58


I think he could be a lottery pick.


What do you think about this player?

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Wed Feb 5, 2014 1:28 pm
by sisibilio
sergiio_88 wrote:What do you think about this player?

He's what Thabeet was suposed to be.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Thu Feb 6, 2014 2:09 am
by Novocaine
I've written a couple of posts about him in this board.

Agreed with the "what's Thabeet was supposed to be" (or what many said he was as a prospect) comparison.

Impacien wrote:[biggest sleeper is] Walter Tavares. Starting to look like a lottery pick at this point. Fantastic evolution.



Impacien wrote:Walter Tavares. 7'2'' with a 7'8'' wingspan. Gigantic hands. Put on sport shoes for the first time in his life in the Summer of 2009. Has been playing basketball for 4 years but spent a large part of his first two years sidelined due to injuries as his body wasn't used to physical exercise. Runs well, very coordinated, fast changing ends, quick jumping off the floor, good hands. .74 FT% and improving. Solid frame. Very good at rolling to the basket and catching on the move. Easy target on cuts. Doesn't try to do too much. Has been hitting some really good passes recently. Showing better and better instincts every game. Passing well off the low post. His improvement in the last year has been astounding. Still plays soft at times, still needs to bulk up, especially on the lower body, brings the ball down too often, doesn't screen as low and wide as he could, still tends to bite on fakes, his only semi-reliable offensive move is a right hook, still has some stamina issues. But he's impacting games on both ends in the 2nd best league in the world after basically 3 years of playing basketball.

Draft sites are sleeping on this one. I'm not sure what's holding him back in terms of mock draft positioning. Maybe the fact he's from 1992?

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Thu Feb 6, 2014 3:25 am
by yesno
Haven't see this guy before, looks like a real player. What are his warts?

Obviously he isn't a big time offensive guy, but he doesn't have to be to justify a lottery selection. Appears to be in a similar mold to WCS.

Stats indicate he's a strong rebounder and shotblocker, has a very small offensive role but 77% on fts is reason for optimism (Altho it is a very small sample).

Definitely one to look out for.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Thu Feb 6, 2014 7:03 am
by Gilles
He actually looks like Thabeet right now: doesn't always move to the right place, a bit slow and has little touch around the basket. Still in the last game his team was scored on for 8 straight possessions after Tavares sat down. He ended up with usual 9reb+4bl, plus 4-4 from FT line to take his FT% for the season to 77,8%, so maybe he can develop a jumper. Don't think he can be NBA contributor for another year or two, but if he continues to work on his body, defensive awareness and shot, Tavares could be a high impact player. Wonder, what's the buyout situation, desire to play in the NBA or level of interest from elite European teams. Might be a prime candidate for #1 pick in the second round in draft and stash scenario.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Thu Feb 6, 2014 8:42 pm
by No-Man
He had a monster game today against Madrid.
If he keeps this up, will be a 1st round pick with the lack of Centers.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Thu Feb 6, 2014 8:47 pm
by sergiio_88
Fischella wrote:He had a monster game today against Madrid.
If he keeps this up, will be a 1st round pick with the lack of Centers.


16 points, 12 rebounds, 4 blocks.

http://www.acb.com/fichas/CREY78001.php

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Thu Feb 6, 2014 9:55 pm
by Gilles
His team still lost badly, but 6-6 from FT line is making it more and more interesting.
Thing is with his current development late first all but guarantees he will never play in the NBA. If he doesn't come over this summer, he has to be a second rounder like Pekovic.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Fri Feb 7, 2014 1:57 am
by TheSuzerain
So did he never play sports until recently, or just didn't play basketball?

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Fri Feb 7, 2014 4:13 pm
by sisibilio
Gilles wrote:He actually looks like Thabeet right now: doesn't always move to the right place, a bit slow and has little touch around the basket.

He has much better coordination and court awareness IMO, and better hands as well.



TheSuzerain wrote:So did he never play sports until recently, or just didn't play basketball?

Not sure but i guess he didn't play any "organized" sport at least.

BTW, his teammates call him Eddy.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Fri Feb 7, 2014 7:59 pm
by Novocaine
TheSuzerain wrote:So did he never play sports until recently, or just didn't play basketball?


I guess he played soccer on the beach and the street like most kids in Cape Verde, but never played competitively.

A little more than four years ago, he didn't even possess closed shoes. The guys from his current club who travelled to try him out had to order sport shoes from out of the country due to his foot size.

Gilles wrote:His team still lost badly, but 6-6 from FT line is making it more and more interesting.
Thing is with his current development late first all but guarantees he will never play in the NBA. If he doesn't come over this summer, he has to be a second rounder like Pekovic.


His team losing badly is immaterial. It was expected considering who they were facing.

He'll never play in the NBA like Splitter? If a player isn't signed 3 years after the draft, the team can sign him to a different contract amount using a different exception or available cap space.

Still I don't see this as a problem. I have a hard time believing he'll sign with another European club instead of moving as soon as possible to the NBA. Either next season or once his contract with GranCan is up. He's said in interviews his idols in basketball are Dwight Howard and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and he'll count as foreigner in most of the richest European teams.

sisibilio wrote: He has much better coordination and court awareness IMO, and better hands as well.


Agreed. Much quicker jumper too, especially on consecutive efforts.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Fri May 30, 2014 10:53 pm
by roy_jones_calderon
This is the guy I want the Raps to draft at #20. Appreciate any other details you can provide, Impacien. Spanish guy posted under his DX video profile that he's actually 7'3" without shoes.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Sat May 31, 2014 6:51 am
by Onus
I don't understand how he's not being talked about as a lottery pick. This dude looks like a monster


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Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Mon Jun 2, 2014 5:51 pm
by Marcus
Onus wrote:I don't understand how he's not being talked about as a lottery pick. This dude looks like a monster


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No touch around the cup which is odd considering he shoots fairly well from the stripe. Low IQ definitely a project if you wanna put the time in to develop him. even then though def not lottery talent IMO.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Mon Jun 2, 2014 6:15 pm
by Onus
Marcus wrote:
Onus wrote:I don't understand how he's not being talked about as a lottery pick. This dude looks like a monster


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No touch around the cup which is odd considering he shoots fairly well from the stripe. Low IQ definitely a project if you wanna put the time in to develop him. even then though def not lottery talent IMO.


Really you wouldn't take him over the likes of James Young or Gary Harris? I mean he's only played basketball for 4 years ... You can't teach 7'3'' with his wingspan, reach, and lateral mobility. Lateral mobility being huge for someone his size.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Mon Jun 2, 2014 6:29 pm
by Marcus
Onus wrote:
Marcus wrote:
Onus wrote:I don't understand how he's not being talked about as a lottery pick. This dude looks like a monster


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums


No touch around the cup which is odd considering he shoots fairly well from the stripe. Low IQ definitely a project if you wanna put the time in to develop him. even then though def not lottery talent IMO.


Really you wouldn't take him over the likes of James Young or Gary Harris? I mean he's only played basketball for 4 years ... You can't teach 7'3'' with his wingspan, reach, and lateral mobility. Lateral mobility being huge for someone his size.


depending on what i had at those positions and if I needed a bigman.

But just off comparable skillsets to the guys you mentioned? no i wouldn't.

I'm not saying somebody with the assets and time as far as having existing talent at that position so that they could develop Tavares further shouldn't consider drafting him at all. But typically lottery picks are considered guys that can play now and be effective now. I think Tavares will take some time to develop.

Ask this question in perhaps a different draft and you'd more than likely get a different answer. But in this draft no chance.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Mon Jun 2, 2014 7:15 pm
by Onus
Marcus wrote:
Onus wrote:
Marcus wrote:
No touch around the cup which is odd considering he shoots fairly well from the stripe. Low IQ definitely a project if you wanna put the time in to develop him. even then though def not lottery talent IMO.


Really you wouldn't take him over the likes of James Young or Gary Harris? I mean he's only played basketball for 4 years ... You can't teach 7'3'' with his wingspan, reach, and lateral mobility. Lateral mobility being huge for someone his size.


depending on what i had at those positions and if I needed a bigman.

But just off comparable skillsets to the guys you mentioned? no i wouldn't.

I'm not saying somebody with the assets and time as far as having existing talent at that position so that they could develop Tavares further shouldn't consider drafting him at all. But typically lottery picks are considered guys that can play now and be effective now. I think Tavares will take some time to develop.

Ask this question in perhaps a different draft and you'd more than likely get a different answer. But in this draft no chance.


I guess we just are rating these prospects differently. I can only envision Gary harris and James young's ceilings as potential role players. I dont project them to be fringe all-star type players.

But I agree Tavares will probably need an adjustment period and some development time. Whoever is able to provide those could end up with a real game changer down the line. I rather select someone with the potential to be a real game changer/impact player than the potential to be a role player.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Mon Jun 2, 2014 7:31 pm
by Marcus
Onus wrote:I guess we just are rating these prospects differently. I can only envision Gary harris and James young's ceilings as potential role players. I dont project them to be fringe all-star type players.

But I agree Tavares will probably need an adjustment period and some development time. Whoever is able to provide those could end up with a real game changer down the line. I rather select someone with the potential to be a real game changer/impact player than the potential to be a role player.


Just how high of a ceiling do you project for Tavares?

I don't think any of the 3 players mentioned will be all-star caliber players. Just guys that play their part and do what they can to help their team win. I see that more out of Harris from day one than I do out of Young whom I think will have to settle into that acceptance in the league.

But what do you see Tavares turning into coming into the league at 22 and hardly any basketball experience playing on the highest level in the world? How much time do you give him with the crop of bigs coming in the next few years that already have a wider skillset and better understanding of the game?

Not to say I don't see the potential in a guy that size with the mobility he has but as i mentioned before unless a team has that spot filled and dont need Tavares to produce for a while I don't see the point in taking that lottery reach in this draft. First rounder? sure. Why not? you don't really need him and if you can turn him into a legit ball player then you've won. If not what have you really lost? But lottery is reaching a bit I think if you need a big right now.

I'm not super high on Young or Harris btw. My stance on Tavares not being a lottery has more to do with the depth in this draft as opposed to them being outrageously better prospects than he is.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Mon Jun 2, 2014 7:44 pm
by Ruzious
I think he goes around 20, because someone's going to think they can get a diamond in the rough with him (see Javale McGee). I haven't seen much of him, but my gut feeling from what I have seen is that I wouldn't draft him because of his lack of feel for the game.

Re: Walter Tavares

Posted: Mon Jun 2, 2014 9:04 pm
by coutournant
He is very comparable to Rudy Gobert, drafted last year by the Utah Jazz.
He's even bigger than Gobert, but less explosiveness/motor.

I think he's physically ready to produce good stats in short playing time in NBA, as Gobert did this year with the Jazz.