Official 2013 Draft Thread - Part VI

[Dat2U]

I still don't understand how a 6-7 PF can have such a high ceiling or superstar potential.

Who's the last great 6-7 PF??? Charles Barkley???

Even Larry Johnson, the guy he doesn't quite measure up to, had a NBA career that was solid, but unremarkable.

I've seen nothing to disuade me from my original projection for Bennett... Rodney Rogers.

[truwizfan4evr]

I still don't understand how a 6-7 PF can have such a high ceiling or superstar potential.

Who's the last great 6-7 PF??? Charles Barkley???

Even Larry Johnson, the guy he doesn't quite measure up to, had a NBA career that was solid, but unremarkable.

I've seen nothing to disuade me from my original projection for Bennett... Rodney Rogers.

I agree.

[tontoz]

I feel like saying Bennett won't be a bust offensively is just wishful thinking without merit. He doesn't even have a post game as a PF. He can shoot jumpers and attack the basket. That's it. .

Amare made 1st team All-NBA at center doing exactly that. He has no back to the basket game at all.

Horford's post game sucks. Watching him try to play with his back to the basket was painful at times. He scores on jumpers, fast breaks, follow-ups and cuts to the basket. He has made the All-Star team twice.

[truwizfan4evr]

I feel like saying Bennett won't be a bust offensively is just wishful thinking without merit. He doesn't even have a post game as a PF. He can shoot jumpers and attack the basket. That's it. .

Amare made 1st team All-NBA at center doing exactly that. He has no back to the basket game at all.

Horford's post game sucks. Watching him try to play with his back to the basket was painful at times. He scores on jumpers, fast breaks, follow-ups and cuts to the basket. He has made the All-Star team twice.

But Bennett is shorter then both.

[AFM]

Dat, does Carmelo Anthony at PF count?

[GhostsOfGil]

I think its silly to make arguments for Bennett that revolve around his size until the official measurements come out.

[tontoz]

I feel like saying Bennett won't be a bust offensively is just wishful thinking without merit. He doesn't even have a post game as a PF. He can shoot jumpers and attack the basket. That's it. .

Amare made 1st team All-NBA at center doing exactly that. He has no back to the basket game at all.

Horford's post game sucks. Watching him try to play with his back to the basket was painful at times. He scores on jumpers, fast breaks, follow-ups and cuts to the basket. He has made the All-Star team twice.

But Bennett is shorter then both.

And he won't be playing center. Horford and Amare were both undersized at center.

[Dark Faze]

I feel like saying Bennett won't be a bust offensively is just wishful thinking without merit. He doesn't even have a post game as a PF. He can shoot jumpers and attack the basket. That's it. .

Amare made 1st team All-NBA at center doing exactly that. He has no back to the basket game at all.

Horford's post game sucks. Watching him try to play with his back to the basket was painful at times. He scores on jumpers, fast breaks, follow-ups and cuts to the basket. He has made the All-Star team twice.

huh

Amare was 6'11 with a near 40 inch vertical and one of the most explosive pf's in history prior to his surgery. He also played center the vast majority of his hey day in an age where teams rarely went small and usually had big, plodding c's and bigger PF's covering him.

[manifested]

I'll admit to not having watched much of Bennett. I see a 6-7 guy who's strong, wide body, can finish, can shoot with range. I think of Carmelo when I see those attributes. And I believe Carmelo played PF his year at Syracuse. Bennett seems to be a little more explosive off the floor while Carmelo is probably more agile.

The defensive issues and injury problems are scary. But I want to understand the ceiling people see on on the offensive end. To those who are touting him, do you think his offensive talent approaches someone like Carmelo?


*edit: I see AFM beat me to it.

[stevemcqueen1]

math issue :

2 guys, one in either corner - 3 ball threats

1guy - Wall - out front

2 guys - high-low in the middle

unless they change the rules to allow > 5, there's no way you add another player
at the FT extended.

we've got guys that are at least potentially capable of being efficient
scoring or orchestrating in the case of Wall, for each of those positions.

If you put perimeter players in the corner and leave two guys in the post, who is your other wing in the back court? Four guys in the front court would lead to spacing issues. Beal is good playing from both wings and isn't best stashed away in a corner IMO. He can create offense off the dribble in a variety of ways from the traditional SG spot on the wing.

If you're putting a second guy in the other corner, it needs to be the PF spot moving away from the block to the perimeter.

[tontoz]

I feel like saying Bennett won't be a bust offensively is just wishful thinking without merit. He doesn't even have a post game as a PF. He can shoot jumpers and attack the basket. That's it. .

Amare made 1st team All-NBA at center doing exactly that. He has no back to the basket game at all.

Horford's post game sucks. Watching him try to play with his back to the basket was painful at times. He scores on jumpers, fast breaks, follow-ups and cuts to the basket. He has made the All-Star team twice.

huh

Amare was 6'11 with a near 40 inch vertical and one of the most explosive pf's in history prior to his surgery. He also played center the vast majority of his hey day in an age where teams rarely went small and usually had big, plodding c's and bigger PF's covering him.

First of all are you trying to deny that Amare doesn't have a post game?

Secondly Amare is 6'8.5" w/o shoes with a 35.5" vertical. His standing reach of 9'1/2" is definitely on the short side for centers.

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-pre-dra ... os=0&sort=

[manifested]

Amare was 6'11 with a near 40 inch vertical and one of the most explosive pf's in history prior to his surgery. He also played center the vast majority of his hey day in an age where teams rarely went small and usually had big, plodding c's and bigger PF's covering him.

I agree that Amare is not a good example. He was primarily a pick and roll finisher until he'd been in the league a couple years and got consistent with the jumpshot.

Somewhat related to this point. 3/4 of the conference finalists started traditional big lineups (West is undersized but he's a "true" PF). A lot of press has gone to LBJ and Carmelo making the move to PF but it seems to me like too much is being made out of the small lineups. Unless you have Lebron or Carmelo, I'm not convinced most teams are better off with what used to be a SF now playing PF for extended minutes.

[montestewart]

I think its silly to make arguments for Bennett that revolve around his size until the official measurements come out.

I'm holding off on for or against arguments for now.

[Dark Faze]

I'll admit to not having watched much of Bennett. I see a 6-7 guy who's strong, wide body, can finish, can shoot with range. I think of Carmelo when I see those attributes. And I believe Carmelo played PF his year at Syracuse. Bennett seems to be a little more explosive off the floor while Carmelo is probably more agile.

The defensive issues and injury problems are scary. But I want to understand the ceiling people see on on the offensive end. To those who are touting him, do you think his offensive talent approaches someone like Carmelo?


*edit: I see AFM beat me to it.

He is not even in the same league as Carmelo as a scorer. Carmelo was a master of the triple threat in regards to using nasty footwork to get you off balance and then strike with a one dribble pull up. Adequate size for his position, one of the fastest releases in the league too. Carmelo is a true SF that is strong enough to play some 4.

Bennett is a very strong, undersized PF with long arms and great shooting touch. What makes him not Carmelo is that he doesn't have the ability to create space like Melo does with his footwork and lightning fast release, he doesn't have the footspeed to guard three's and may not have the size to guard 4's.

[stevemcqueen1]

I still don't understand how a 6-7 PF can have such a high ceiling or superstar potential.

Who's the last great 6-7 PF??? Charles Barkley???

Even Larry Johnson, the guy he doesn't quite measure up to, had a NBA career that was solid, but unremarkable.

I've seen nothing to disuade me from my original projection for Bennett... Rodney Rogers.

LJ's career only seems unremarkable now because he ruined his back in his third year and was never the same again. He was totally dominant by his second season and was on his way to a brilliant career. He, Zo, Shaq, and Kemp were the best bigs of their generation and the core of that excellent '94 USA team. He and that Charlotte team with Zo and Muggsy and Kendall Gill and Dell Curry are one of the great "what might have beens" from that era. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be.

If Bennett is the next LJ then he's going to be a superstar. I don't think he's got the kind of body LJ did though.

[truwizfan4evr]

I think its silly to make arguments for Bennett that revolve around his size until the official measurements come out.

I'm holding off on for or against arguments for now.

I sure don't expect him to come out 6 feet 9 when we find out the measurement.

[mohammed10]

I think its silly to make arguments for Bennett that revolve around his size until the official measurements come out.

I'm holding off on for or against arguments for now.

I sure don't expect him to come out 6 feet 9 when we find out the measurement.

I have seen anywhere from 6-7 to 6-9.

Methinks he is closer to the former. Larry Johnson 2.0?

[stevemcqueen1]

To illustrate the difference between Bennett and LJ's bodies, LJ led the league in minutes played his second season. An astounding 40 minutes per game. And with his high energy, run the court full speed and dunk on everyone every chance you get style.

Whatever Bennett accomplishes in his career, I am certain he will never do that.

LJ was built like a super hero. Very tapered and svelte considering how much muscle bulk he had. Bennett is a lot sloppier, doesn't have LJ's muscle tone. He certainly isn't as well conditioned and with his asthma, will never be close.

[AFM]

It's possible. Paul George was remeasured last year at 6 foot 10, 2 inches taller than his original measurement.

By the way, why is everyone quoting Bennett at 6 foot 7? Some sites (wikipedia, ESPN, the UNLV official site) list him at 6'8".
It appears his original measurements were 6'7", 230lbs. His latest stats indicate he is 6'8", 240 lbs.

[stevemcqueen1]

But it's also worth pointing out that LJ was 22 when he was a rookie and thus had a more mature body than Bennett.