ESPN's Top 10 Players Under the Age of 23

Voodoo · Post #1 » by **Voodoo** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 2:51 am

http://proxy.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=Under23-Intro

What a joke they put Greg Oden, Durant, and Bynum ahead of Roy! Not that I have much of a problem with Oden being ahead of him as that will probably come true, but he hasn't even played yet. But Bynum and Durant? Thats a joke.

Klinky · Post #2 » by **Klinky** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 3:29 am

ESPN is a joke. Does anyone really take them seriously?

PDXKnight · Post #3 » by **PDXKnight** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 4:05 am

Klinky wrote:ESPN is a joke. Does anyone really take them seriously?

Exactly. This isn't shocking from ESPN and most NBA fans see ESPN analysts as a joke. This is just another stupid article written by yet another douche that probably doesn't know the NBA as much as the average fan. I take this article with a grain of salt (and any ESPN story).

Post #4 » by **mojomarc** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 4:06 am

What I don't get is that Joakim Noah gets a vote, but Lamarcus doesn't. That doesn't even make sense. I don't mind putting Oden or Durant ahead of Roy as much as I mind them putting Durant ahead of Oden.

Voodoo · Post #5 » by **Voodoo** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 4:10 am

mojomarc wrote:What I don't get is that Joakim Noah gets a vote, but Lamarcus doesn't. That doesn't even make sense. I don't mind putting Oden or Durant ahead of Roy as much as I mind them putting Durant ahead of Oden.

Good point, I hadn't even considered that as I was still shocked to see Oden even on the thing.

Norm2953 · Post #6 » by **Norm2953** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 5:23 am

This is off topic from this thread but consider how strong Texas
would be if they were able to field a team this season with
three players under 23 with LA playing center, Durant at SF
and Augustin at PG.

swede · Post #7 » by **swede** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 7:04 am

Jesus I never thought of that...

DJ Augustine / Abrams / Kevin Durant / LaMarcus Aldridge/ Several Ring Fingers

b_roy7 · Post #8 » by **b_roy7** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 3:37 pm

swede wrote:Jesus I never thought of that...

DJ Augustine / Abrams / Kevin Durant / LaMarcus Aldridge/ Several Ring Fingers

Don't forget Boobie Gibson.

Red Robot · Post #9 » by **Red Robot** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 3:56 pm

I actually don't really have a problem with that list, if the question is "who would you build a franchise around?" Roy, Oden, and Bynum basically tied for #7, so it's hard to get bent out of shape over that. The individual lists can be pretty terrible, though. Noah and Rondo each got picked over about 25 more worthy players.

JD45 · Post #10 » by **JD45** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 4:02 pm

I think it is a good list.

Maybe they titled it wrong, but I doubt any GM building a team would take Roy over Oden, Durant or Bynum.

If the Blazers were offered Durant for Roy, I think they would take the deal.

Khazim · Post #11 » by **Khazim** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 4:17 pm

JD45 wrote:If the Blazers were offered Durant for Roy, I think they would take the deal.

I seriously doubt that.

Dutchv · Post #12 » by **Dutchv** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 4:22 pm

JD45 wrote:I think it is a good list.

Maybe they titled it wrong, but I doubt any GM building a team would take Roy over Oden, Durant or Bynum.

If the Blazers were offered Durant for Roy, I think they would take the deal.

i almost went into a rage.... but calmed and re-typed.

Sir I disagree....STRONGLY.

(see swede, I'm working on my "rude and _____" responses)

candy for lunch · Post #13 » by **candy for lunch** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 5:10 pm

JD45 wrote:If the Blazers were offered Durant for Roy, I think they would take the deal.

haha no they wouldn't

Post #14 » by **mojomarc** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 5:29 pm

I don't know--I could see a Durant/Roy deal being made, depending on how you value the relative players. Durant will probably be a 30 ppg scorer at some point and should be a decent rebounder (6 or 7 per game) later in his career as well. Roy won't be a 30ppg scorer, particularly on Portland, but he is a 5rpg and 6apg player as well. On paper, this isn't bad.

The problem is that games aren't played on paper, so how much better you make your teammates and how much heart you have count. For those reasons, I wouldn't trade Roy for Durant, but that doesn't mean it would be a horrible trade along the lines of something Isiah would do.

Klinky · Post #15 » by **Klinky** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 5:55 pm

Roy is a leader & creator for his teammates & has a wider range of play. Do we not forget Roy is a proven All-Star?

I would say Durant appears to be a one-dimensional score with some other minor facets to his game. But no where in the league of Roy.

I'll much rather take a really great player now instead of investing in someone who ~might~ be great.

Post #16 » by **Mr Odd** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 6:06 pm

ESPN has been a joke for like 8 years now.

Voodoo · Post #17 » by **Voodoo** » Wed Apr 2, 2008 8:06 pm

mojomarc wrote:I don't know--I could see a Durant/Roy deal being made, depending on how you value the relative players. Durant will probably be a 30 ppg scorer at some point and should be a decent rebounder (6 or 7 per game) later in his career as well. Roy won't be a 30ppg scorer, particularly on Portland, but he is a 5rpg and 6apg player as well. On paper, this isn't bad.

The problem is that games aren't played on paper, so how much better you make your teammates and how much heart you have count. For those reasons, I wouldn't trade Roy for Durant, but that doesn't mean it would be a horrible trade along the lines of something Isiah would do.

+1

I obviously would not do that trade, but I can see where you are coming from. Personally I would still rate Brandon higher then Durant this point in his career, as well as rating him higher then Bynum or Oden. Why? Because hes better, obviously those three all have higher ceilings then I think Brandon has, but as of right now the superior player that is proven is Roy.

Pattycakes · Post #18 » by **Pattycakes** » Thu Apr 3, 2008 2:37 am

I totally mimic Mojo, it's completely irrelevant of Durant's future, this is the same dispute that came up when the Kobe for Roy rumors just surfaced then died, Durant is at this point foreshadowing what Kobe has been up to this season when he's added a whole arsenal of team play to his game. It doesn't matter who the superior scorer is, the star, the guy to take every big shot, it is an issue of WHO IS MORE IMPORTANT TO THE TEAM? And to the trailblazers, that would be Brandon without even the slightest doubt.