With the 11th pick... Blair or Clark?

[Preludepunk27]

Granted I have wishful thinking, but I think the front court of Clark, Yi, Lopez (or Clark, Anderson, Lopez) is absolutely LETHAL if everyone keeps progressing (or Yi takes a breath and relaxes). Having a huge athletic guy like Clark is gonna cause mismatches galore with him at the 3 so teams will likely have to play a PF on him, which gives Yi the SF on the floor to defend him. As long as Yi keeps the ball high he should be able to take the guy guarding him at will or be able to shoot over them on the perimeter. Same goes for Anderson though.

Better yet, if the defense keeps a SF on Clark he'll basically be able to get to the basket at will or shoot over him/kick it to Brook/Yi for a baseline jumper when the help comes.

In theory, Clark would make offense seem to easy lol. Again...wishful thinking but I can dream.

[S.I.C. GM]

For some reason I see Eddie Griffin when I see Clark. Talent wise.

<Knocks on wood. Hoping the same fate doesnt happen to Clark.>

SF/PF that might become a big star.

I maybe completely wrong.

[Preludepunk27]

For some reason I see Eddie Griffin when I see Clark. Talent wise.

<Knocks on wood. Hoping the same fate doesnt happen to Clark.>

SF/PF that might become a big star.

I maybe completely wrong.

No you're right they're similar. I think he's closer to Griffin than the Odom comparisons (finally starting to come around to this comparison even though I still don't fully agree). I'm fine with the Griffin comparison. Honestly, Griffin could ball. He was a COMPLETE wackjob, but when he wasn't drinking, doing drugs or in depression, the guy was able to put stats on the board. He just let his demons get the best of him unfortunately.

RIP Eddie.

[vincecarter4pres]

Prelude, this is for you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf5ye0Fc ... rofilepage

[Preludepunk27]

Prelude, this is for you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf5ye0Fc ... rofilepage

can we call him "The MANequin" like they call Yi "The Chairman"

Harden is gonna own at life in the NBA.

[vincecarter4pres]

Prelude, this is for you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gf5ye0Fc ... rofilepage

can we call him "The MANequin" like they call Yi "The Chairman"

Harden is gonna own at life in the NBA.

If there is any chance to trade up and nab him and it we don't, I swear to god I'm kicking walkers out from under the grips of senior citizens.

[jzmagik]

Please let us land Earl Clark. I'm really worried he's going to be picked up before we get to him.

[BasketBrain]

I would love Jordan Hill if he fell down, but realistically speaking we definitely need a power forward, a moose as Thorn would say. I would probably select Tyler over Blair, only because Blair's knee issues scare me and Tyler has been impressing as of late.

I just absoultely hated the fact that we didn't have that hard nose rebounder, hustle guy that would be a perfect compliment to Brook last season. So my top three are:

1. Jordan Hill
2. Tyler Hansbrough
3. Dejuan Blair.

Ear Clark I feel wouldn't fit in with us well because we need some muscle upfront and a more natural power forward where as Earl is a tweener, which we already have enough of(Yi and Ryan)

[NetsForce]

If I drafted Clark I think I'd try to convert him into a full-time small forward in the Shawn Marion type of mold...

[ecuhus1981]

If I drafted Clark I think I'd try to convert him into a full-time small forward in the Shawn Marion type of mold...

Yep. His rebounding and weakside defense props up Yi's deficiencies there, while Yi's 3-point shooting would do the opposite for Earl. I hate ot say it, but I am just not ready to give up on Yi as our franchise PF. I think that giving him a partner at SF would help ease him into the role.

A lineup of

Harris-Carter-Clark-Jianlian-Lopez

would be long, skilled, versatile and a ton of fun to watch!

[BasketBrain]

If I drafted Clark I think I'd try to convert him into a full-time small forward in the Shawn Marion type of mold...

Yep. His rebounding and weakside defense props up Yi's deficiencies there, while Yi's 3-point shooting would do the opposite for Earl. I hate ot say it, but I am just not ready to give up on Yi as our franchise PF. I think that giving him a partner at SF would help ease him into the role.

A lineup of

Harris-Carter-Clark-Jianlian-Lopez

would be long, skilled, versatile and a ton of fun to watch!

Yi is and always will be a defensive liabilty. If we were to select Clark and keep him at the three, then Yi needs to be traded for a hard nose player like a Ronny Turiaf for example.

[call.me.dude]

Blazer fan here. Btw, we would love to get Blair as a backup 4. But he has way better potential IMO, so it would be a shame if he had to play limited minutes with us.

I'm not really sure who you guys should pick between Clark and Blair. Clark is probably the better player and since you don't have a quality starter at the 3 (I love Hayes as a backup though), he would make sense.

On the other hand, the idea of a Lopez/Anderson/Blair + Boone rotation is very intriguing to me since it creates a lot of options.
Both Anderson and Blair could play alongside Lopez and match him pretty well. Anderson adds outside shooting to the rotation and Blair adds rebounding, hustle and physicality. And you could also play Anderson and Blair together in stretches (maybe with a quicker and smaller lineup), as Blair's strength enables him to defend some centers. I'm pretty confident Anderson will develop into a Troy Murphy-clone (probably with slightly lower rebounding numbers but overall pretty similar), so Blair as a bruising PF should complement his game pretty well.

I'd probably still go with Clark here but IMO Blair is also a very nice option for you guys.

[SpeedyG]

I've never been a fan of Blair, but there's something recently that makes me, for whatever reason, start being drawn to him. I don't know, perhaps I have a soft spot for undersized PFs who works hard (LJ, Gomes, Milsap, and now Blair).

[Preludepunk27]

I do like the fact he lost 35lbs since Pitt's season ended. He has a really high IQ. I am just still concerned at 11. If we traded down with Chicago or Minny, I'd accept the pick, but I'm hesitant at 11.

[vincecarter4pres]

Blazer fan here. Btw, we would love to get Blair as a backup 4. But he has way better potential IMO, so it would be a shame if he had to play limited minutes with us.

I'm not really sure who you guys should pick between Clark and Blair. Clark is probably the better player and since you don't have a quality starter at the 3 (I love Hayes as a backup though), he would make sense.

On the other hand, the idea of a Lopez/Anderson/Blair + Boone rotation is very intriguing to me since it creates a lot of options.
Both Anderson and Blair could play alongside Lopez and match him pretty well. Anderson adds outside shooting to the rotation and Blair adds rebounding, hustle and physicality. And you could also play Anderson and Blair together in stretches (maybe with a quicker and smaller lineup), as Blair's strength enables him to defend some centers. I'm pretty confident Anderson will develop into a Troy Murphy-clone (probably with slightly lower rebounding numbers but overall pretty similar), so Blair as a bruising PF should complement his game pretty well.

I'd probably still go with Clark here but IMO Blair is also a very nice option for you guys.

This is a really solid post. I've been thinking about that future lineup lately myself.
Brook at center, Blair at the 4, Mr. Anderson at the 3. I like it a lot(said in, Jim Carrey Dumb and Dumber voice ).

I've never been a fan of Blair, but there's something recently that makes me, for whatever reason, start being drawn to him. I don't know, perhaps I have a soft spot for undersized PFs who works hard (LJ, Gomes, Milsap, and now Blair).

This, and...

I do like the fact he lost 35lbs since Pitt's season ended. He has a really high IQ. I am just still concerned at 11. If we traded down with Chicago or Minny, I'd accept the pick, but I'm hesitant at 11.

This.
I would like to change my vote. The last week I have gave it some thought, I definitely like Blair over Clark now and I will not change my opinion on this one again, I'm certain.

[lurkingobeiscity]

I like Clark over Blair for potential. Blair may be a double double guy (15 ppg absolute max) in the league but I can't see him ever becoming a good defender or a focal point of an offense. I could also see him being an awful defender and unable to contribute offensively outside of rebound/putbacks.

Clark may bust out but I think he could at least become an excellent all around SF capable of defending his position and certain PFs. He would be nice in terms of both talent and roster versatility.

[vincecarter4pres]

I like Clark over Blair for potential. Blair may be a double double guy (15 ppg absolute max) in the league but I can't see him ever becoming a good defender or a focal point of an offense. I could also see him being an awful defender and unable to contribute offensively outside of rebound/putbacks.

Clark may bust out but I think he could at least become an excellent all around SF capable of defending his position and certain PFs. He would be nice in terms of both talent and roster versatility.

I don't know. I'm seeing more and more shades of Tim Thomas in Clark and more of Big Ben with an average offensive game and much less shot blocking in Blair.
I don't see Blair as a bad defender, he's actually pretty solid, especially man to man and is pretty elite stealing the ball as big men go. Now that he's in really good shape he should be even better. I mean he was pretty solid showing on the pick and rolls and screens already, along with man to man and was an average shotblocker, now he is much quicker and can jump higher and quicker, especially on 2nd jumps, yet he is still strong with a low center of gravity.
He is very short, but also very long.
Not saying he will be an elite defender, but he should be very solid.

I am not really concerned about his knees anymore either. Yes he had surgery on both ACL's, but they haven't bothered him and GMs are only worried because they are trying to predict an injury that may never occur. Also, we're talking about the 11th pick here. Although I try not to be superstitious, nor rely on a situational stat, the 11th pick hasn't exactly been star studded, ever, and has about a 50/50 ratio of role players to busts, so I would rather take risk on a guy like Blair then Clark. Blair is a high character guy that does all the intangibles and brings us mental toughness and great rebounding. His passiing ability is very overlooked as well. Clark is just another tweener that absolutley needs the ball in his hands on offense to be effective, really seems to lack passion and heart and doesn't really have a killer instinct, plus he seems dumb as a rock.

I have switched my vote, Blair all day.