Chad Ford's ranking of centres in the upcoming draft

[supersub15]

Right now, we're picking 17th. So, here goes Chad Ford's list of the top 15 centres and their projected draft position. Who do you like?

Code: Select all

      Name       Height-Weight-Age Projected draft position
1  DeAndre Jordan    7-0   240   20  Top 10
2  Brook Lopez       7-0   245   19  Lottery
3  John Riek         7-2   230   18  Lottery
4  Kosta Koufos      7-1   250   18  Lottery
5  Marreese Speights 6-10  250   19  Lottery
6  Kevin Love        6-9   255   19  Lottery to mid 1st
7  DeVon Hardin      6-11  235   21  Lottery to mid 1st
8  Roy Hibbert       7-2   265   21  Lottery to mid 1st
9  Trent Plaisted    6-11  245   21  Mid to late 1st
10 Ante Tomic        7-2   237   20  Mid to late 1st
11 JaVale McGee      7-0   237   20  Late 1st to early 2nd
12 Hasheem Thabeet   7-3   265   20  Late 1st to early 2nd
13 Andrew Ogilvy     6-10  250   19  Late 1st to early 2nd
14 Nikola Pekovic    6-11  245   21  Late 1st to early 2nd
15 Nathan Jawai      6-10  270   21  Late 1st to early 2nd


I don't follow college bball much, but can somebody explain why Hibbert and Thabeet are ranked that low?

[AfricanSensation]

I want the 7'7 guy I saw play against North Carolina yesterday

[Fairview4Life]

I haven't been able to see much college ball this year, but I liked Koufas a lot when I saw him. If Hibbert and Thabeet are going that low they'd be worth a look, but I'm still on the Brandon Rush bandwagon. It's been going strong for 2 years now.

Kevin Love looks like a really smart player who'd fit pretty well on the Raps, he'd be worth a look too.

[The Letter V]

You really don't like Bargs eh?

[supersub15]

You really don't like Bargs eh?

I wonder if we can play a 3-tower lineup of Thabeet, Bosh, and Bargnani.

[The_Hater]

Hasheem Thabeet has no offensive game but could be a shotblocker, rebounding machine in the Dalembert mold. He's going to be a better NBA player than 2/3's of the names Ford has listed ahead of him.

[Fairview4Life]

Hasheem Thabeet has no offensive game but could be a shotblocker, rebounding machine in the Dalembert mold. He's going to be a better NBA player than 2/3's of the names Ford has listed ahead of him.

I'm pretty wary of his head though, which is probably why he'd drop a bit. I can't see him going as low as Ford thinks though.

[JN]

I don't follow college bball much, but can somebody explain why Hibbert and Thabeet are ranked that low?

Lack of athleticism. Hibbert was exposed a bit against Memphis, althought that style is not necessarily reflective of NBA Ball.

Hibbert may be a bit like Curry. Solid scorer, below average rebounder and defender.

[Luv 4 da game]

I don't follow college bball much, but can somebody explain why Hibbert Thabeet are ranked that low?

Fixed.

[Toxicity]

This list sucks... Pekovic is Top 5 material (if not Top 3)... he's destroying the Euroleague and he's the toughest euro big man in a while.

[Kurtz]

How does he project only one top 10 C, yet 5-8 lottery C's? That's not even possible...

Anyway, Hibbert will probably go top 10. If he falls to us, I'd take him. Otherwise, I'd look for a guard.

[Raptorsrock]

I'm a big Kosta Koufos from what I've seen of him so far.

I'm also with Hater on Thabeet. I think a team getting him in the mid to late 1st round(if Ford is correct in hsi rankings) would be a great risk/reward pick

[Fairview4Life]

How does he project only one top 10 C, yet 5-8 lottery C's? That's not even possible...

Anyway, Hibbert will probably go top 10. If he falls to us, I'd take him. Otherwise, I'd look for a guard.

He's projecting ranges where players should go.

[pspot]

DeVon Hardin sounds like the most realistic and maybe best fit

Defensive minded
Aggressive
Mature
Leader and good character

[supersub15]

DeVon Hardin sounds like the most realistic and maybe best fit

Defensive minded
Aggressive
Mature
Leader and good character

235 lbs though. Not enough for the NBA.

[S.W.A.N]

I am a big man fan, and would love to see the raps do something like draft a big true post center like hibbert or Thabeet and then be able to play a triple towers line up. Bargs and Bosh are both athletic enough to play some wing in a zone (not man to man)

You would have to have a really really good shot blocker in the middle for that kind of line up though. If you play with big wings in a zone they have to be able to go out to the tree point line knowing that if they get beat on a pumpfake or a move that its not the end of the world. A guy like Rasho doesn't make teams fear going to the hoop.

Even if that line up wouldn't work it might not be a bad year to spend a mid round pick on a big man especially if we make a trade for a swing man and have roko coming over as a 1-2 next year...

[Darrick Martin]

So are you guys basically looking past Bargs now?

[yt_boi]

-= original quote snipped =-



235 lbs though. Not enough for the NBA.

He's up to 250 now

So far, Hardin looks a better prospect than the one we evaluated last season. He

[Teabag]

I'm a big Kosta Koufos from what I've seen of him so far.

I'm also with Hater on Thabeet. I think a team getting him in the mid to late 1st round(if Ford is correct in hsi rankings) would be a great risk/reward pick

To me Koufos is what we don't need because of the style of game that Bosh and Bargnani play cause he's has similar skill sets to them in terms of being better away from the basket rather than under it

I'm not on board with Thabeet ... I want to be wrong about him but I see a Momadu Ndaye(sp) type that will get exposed by much better players and be in hoffa foul trouble all the time ... when he's on he's a beast on the boards and blocking shots but when he's off he doesn't have enough skills to make him effective when 1 aspect isn't working ... IMO avoid at all costs

as for the 5's ...

unrealistic and the 5 I want = DeAndre Jordan

possible but unrealistic but still want = Brook Lopez and Roy Hibbert

possible but don't want = hasheem Thabeet, Andrew Ogilivy

4's posing as 5's but will be 4's on NBA level so we don't need = Kevin Love, Mareese Speights, Josh Heytvelt

most probable and intreaguing = Devon Hardin

[hksazn]

I think drafting a center late in the first round is bad news, especially where the raps are sitting in their development. If we are to keep that pick a 2 guard or 3 sf would be more ideal to make a more immediate impact or make a deal that moves us up in the pecking order to get a more refined player that knows the position better. There's no doubt that 5 is hardest to learn so even dealing our pick for a veteran center would probably be better for our team since were trying to contend at this point.

Picking a center late in the first round is clearly another project and we will have to wait even longer until he develops. Unless BC's plan is to develop bargs another 5 years then I can see the probability that it makes more sense.

But will Bosh be so happy taking steps backwards?