Cole Aldrich

[slick_watts]

Aldrich has been sent back down to the D-League. With Nick Collison nursing an ankle sprain, I think this should give everyone a clear understanding of where the team feels Aldrich is with his development.

Aldrich has played 141 minutes this season, which is 46th among the 64 rookies that got into an NBA game this season. Zabian Dowdell, Lazar Hayward, Luke Harangody, and Gary Forbes are some rookies who have played more than Aldrich this season.

His performance in the D-League hasn't really distinguished itself, either.

This has been a great season for the Thunder, but I think Aldrich has been a major disappointment, considering the price that was paid to acquire him.

[fallacy]

meh. We traded Brackins and Pondexter for Aldrich and Mo Pete. I guess Pondexter might have a little value for us as a backup to KD, but both of them have produced nothing and Brackins has already been traded again.

Even if Aldrich does nothing this year or next we really don't need him to and the players we gave up won't be any better than him

[fallacy]

knowing what we know now about our roster I kind of wish we would have drafted Patrick Patterson as a backup to KD. He's not that great of a player but good enough as a 10-15 minute a night backup

[slick_watts]

We took on Morris Peterson's contract into cap space to acquire Aldrich (~$6M). Pretty hefty price tag, although that is perhaps mitigated by the use of that contract in subsequent dealings.

[fallacy]

We took on Morris Peterson's contract into cap space to acquire Aldrich (~$6M). Pretty hefty price tag, although that is perhaps mitigated by the use of that contract in subsequent dealings.

yeah, but we weren't realistically going to sign anyone with that 6 million dollars. Also, as you said, Mo Pete basically turned into Nazr so I can't complain too much about that

[collin_k41]

I didn't expect Cole's career path thus far to go the way it has. I thought he'd be a border-line starter on a good team but at least a really nice big to have coming off the bench. Haven't paid much attention to him since being drafted other than the D-league stints but do you guys think he has any chance of improving to the point of being a serviceable big?

[slick_watts]

I didn't expect Cole's career path thus far to go the way it has. I thought he'd be a border-line starter on a good team but at least a really nice big to have coming off the bench. Haven't paid much attention to him since being drafted other than the D-league stints but do you guys think he has any chance of improving to the point of being a serviceable big?

He really has to put on mass and develop strength. He's just too slow laterally. If he puts on weight and works on his timing, economy of movement, etc. he can be a good rotation player, maybe average starter at center. But right now he gets pushed around too much, which, combined with his lead feet and slow reaction time, makes it hard for him to make a difference.

I think he'll get there and will at least be a rotation player, but he has work to do...

[bbms]

He looks like early carreer Perkins.

He should be traded.

[Geaux_Hawks]

He looks like early carreer Perkins.

He should be traded.

Zaza Pachulia + '14 first for Cole Aldrich + Mullens

[wiff]

And along comes Tibor......

[Thunder4]

Cole is progressing like all other big men. It takes big guys more time than guards unless you are as gifted athletically like blake. I think that the thunder can mold cole to eventually be perkins backup in a year or 2 when Nazr moves on. But right now the thunder are taking turns with mullens and cole , which is fine because they get a chance to play in d-league . The thunder are a playoff team now and they have experience inside now because that is what it is going to take to contend for a championship.

[cajun joe]

pleiss has some serious upside. the ensuing back up center battle is going to be interesting. aldrich has shown flashes (more than mullens who appears to be on his way out). I don't think aldrich has good enough feet or athleticism to ever start in the league. looks like he could develop into a solid back up center. but could pleiss beat him out down the road?

[dream_catcher_9]

Cole will be fine. I do question his work ethic and desire though. I just dunno if he wants to be great.

[Effigy]

It's pretty hard to find a quality starting center in the middle of the draft. This isn't a surprise.

[sonictecture]

I think you have to categorize Aldrich's rookie season as a failure for Presti. I believe Presti when he stated that he loved Jeff Green before trading him and that Aldrich represented Presti's last desperate attempt to get a center to minimize Green's deficiencies at power forward. Aldrich's inability to perform forced Presti to trade Green once a suitable center became available.

If Aldrich ends up nothing more than the reason that Jeff Green was traded for Perkins then I think you have to admit that drafting of Aldrich was a huge success for the organization overall.

What we know of Presti up to this point is that he is incredibly patient with player development. Aldrich is going to get more time to grow. He'll be eligible for another year in the NBDL next year and will likely be given some opportunities to claim a rotation spot.

The question for me is, Aldrich the player you want backing up Perkins?

[Devilanche]

I don't think he has been a bust on presti thus far. Heck even monroe had some doubts on him but he had the benefit of playing time to improve.There wasn't any better center drafted after him. I'm not saying that aldrich will even be close to monroe, BUT at the position we drafted, there probably wasn't any better center, we will never know whether presti had the opportunity to trade up to trade monroe.

He didn't have summer league with us, he already project to be a roleplayer at best, give him another season or 2, kind of hard to get into a team with a winning record. Krstic for all his faults were already a better center than aldrich.

I do think Aldrich backing up perkins is ok, they will perform much the same role, taking up space, setting picks and defence. I rather target some offence from the PF slot which i personally believe there's more of such players.

[bashbros]

Noah also had a rough rookie year, not as bad as Cole, but i think Cole has a great shot at being serviceable center in the NBA like Gortat

[sonictecture]

I don't think he has been a bust on presti thus far. Heck even monroe had some doubts on him but he had the benefit of playing time to improve.There wasn't any better center drafted after him. I'm not saying that aldrich will even be close to monroe, BUT at the position we drafted, there probably wasn't any better center, we will never know whether presti had the opportunity to trade up to trade monroe.

He didn't have summer league with us, he already project to be a roleplayer at best, give him another season or 2, kind of hard to get into a team with a winning record. Krstic for all his faults were already a better center than aldrich.

I do think Aldrich backing up perkins is ok, they will perform much the same role, taking up space, setting picks and defence. I rather target some offence from the PF slot which i personally believe there's more of such players.

Last years draft wasn't an exercise for Presti to see if they could move up in the draft to pick a center without another team picking a better one after Aldrich. Presti targeted Aldrich and moved up to get him. This indicates that Presti viewed Aldrich as a player that could help the team. Since Aldrich failed to help the team in year one, that seems like a clear failure against Presti.

Will Aldrich be given more time? I think so and stated as much in my original post.

If Presti didn't believe that Aldrich was better than Krstic, then perhaps he shouldn't have drafted him?

[Devilanche]

Last years draft wasn't an exercise for Presti to see if they could move up in the draft to pick a center without another team picking a better one after Aldrich. Presti targeted Aldrich and moved up to get him. This indicates that Presti viewed Aldrich as a player that could help the team. Since Aldrich failed to help the team in year one, that seems like a clear failure against Presti.

Will Aldrich be given more time? I think so and stated as much in my original post.

If Presti didn't believe that Aldrich was better than Krstic, then perhaps he shouldn't have drafted him?

Granted, it wasn't an exercise vs other teams. But we can't be entirely sure that Presti thinks he'll help out in year one, he could have thought he'll help eventually. He probably known how far apart Aldrich and Krstic were and he's probably willing to wait, ( He got too much goodwill to be rushed) if he went via the draft, last season and this season, Aldrich was probably the best he could target given what he given up (cap space + another pick). Maybe in a season or two he'll be a bust, but kind of hard to pick a good center when there wasn't much to begin with.

Though at the very least he went via the draft so any mistake will be cheap in terms of salary versus signing a free agent. We could have had a more productive draftee but we'll never know what other players he was targetting.

[evilempire]

Drafting centers is always a crapshoot, especially in the teens. The percentage of stiffs is just way too high. I bet he never makes it out of the D-League - but no one's going to feel too bad for it since you now have the position filled with Perk.