Towns or Okafor or Mudiay or Russel?

[moocow007]

while this discussion is very informative and enjoyable to read, is it pre-mature in the sense what if Jackson trades the pick?

Population of this board gets cut in half due to seppuku.

[siar617]

while this discussion is very informative and enjoyable to read, is it pre-mature in the sense what if Jackson trades the pick?

Population of this board gets cut in half due to seppuku.

What does that mean?

[RHODEY]

I have to admit that Okafor looks a lot like the dreaded Eddy Curry. Not a great motor down low on D, though you can tell he wants to do better. His passing looks pretty good -- not yet sure it's great but clearly he's willing and has some eye.

His offense really flows like Eddy's. Which is obviously not an insult. Those quick spin moves for a man of size are a thing of beauty and dominance, and are what led many of us to believe Eddy could be really good. I think Okafor will develop a decent jumper, and inside he's got a soft touch and skill around the rim -- those things will make him a plus-plus offensive force.

He rebounds pretty well but will get stripped pretty often. His instincts are not to attack drivers or position himself well. He has a long ways to go there. But it can be taught.

A guy this skilled can be taught as long as he has desire which he appears to. His defensive motor and awareness will probably always be lacking some but he can get up to par and be a force. Put him at 4 and get a defensive 5 (or vice versa I guess) and your frontline will be very big and good defensively unless he really, really lacks any ability. At that height he only needs to be decently active and aware. I wonder how long his wingspan is, that matters too.

Given how much you can build an offense around a guy like this, I don't see how you can pass him up. But sure there are risks.

7'3" Wingspan.

[TheBigBoss]

while this discussion is very informative and enjoyable to read, is it pre-mature in the sense what if Jackson trades the pick?

He can't trade the pick because last year's was traded, although he can trade the players right's after the draft. With that said, Phil has said that he prefers younger players that haven't spent years playing with certain unbreakable habits so if he does trade it then that likely means we are getting a Gasol or Aldridge back, which wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

[TheBigBoss]

I have to admit that Okafor looks a lot like the dreaded Eddy Curry. Not a great motor down low on D, though you can tell he wants to do better. His passing looks pretty good -- not yet sure it's great but clearly he's willing and has some eye.

His offense really flows like Eddy's. Which is obviously not an insult. Those quick spin moves for a man of size are a thing of beauty and dominance, and are what led many of us to believe Eddy could be really good. I think Okafor will develop a decent jumper, and inside he's got a soft touch and skill around the rim -- those things will make him a plus-plus offensive force.

He rebounds pretty well but will get stripped pretty often. His instincts are not to attack drivers or position himself well. He has a long ways to go there. But it can be taught.

A guy this skilled can be taught as long as he has desire which he appears to. His defensive motor and awareness will probably always be lacking some but he can get up to par and be a force. Put him at 4 and get a defensive 5 (or vice versa I guess) and your frontline will be very big and good defensively unless he really, really lacks any ability. At that height he only needs to be decently active and aware. I wonder how long his wingspan is, that matters too.

Given how much you can build an offense around a guy like this, I don't see how you can pass him up. But sure there are risks.

This is starting to be my thoughts as well. If we can't get Gasol or Milsap, I would probably go after a guy like Amir Johnson, who could mask some of Okafor's weaknesses and grab a two way player at SG while saving the rest of the cap for 2016.

[NoLayupRule]

the biggest offset for the eddie curry comments on Okafor is his passing


passing out of an offensive threat in the post is like 50% of the triangle

[Meat]

while this discussion is very informative and enjoyable to read, is it pre-mature in the sense what if Jackson trades the pick?

Population of this board gets cut in half due to seppuku.

What does that mean?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=seppuku

[KnicksFTW]

This is a PG league now. Guys like Lillard Westbrook Curry bring your team to new heights. I go with Mudiay Okafor then whoever else.

[K_ick_God]

the biggest offset for the eddie curry comments on Okafor is his passing

passing out of an offensive threat in the post is like 50% of the triangle

He has already started making some nifty passes. Out of the post but even exterior to the paint, and the occasional skip pass. Seems to have a good eye. A guy with dominant post skills -- he's already halfway there at least -- who is a willing passer is an entire offense in the NBA pretty much. Would make him an offensive monster.

Question is whether his D will be so bad that he falls apart overall. That's a very hard thing to do at a center's height/body -- Curry was horrible at basketball, just fast/big, but he did fall apart starting with his D most likely.

Too early to tell with Okafor but right now he'd get eaten alive defensively. He is showing no instincts for help D or D in general at the college level, so even next year, he probably won't be ready to do anything defensively except start learning and show some flashes. The level he needs to meet with such size, defensively, is really pretty low. Just need a brain and some desire. He seems smart, and cares, so he should be okay.

[K_ick_God]

The level he needs to meet on D could be determined quite a bit by sheer wingspan.

I'm trying to gauge that though very hard from pictures.





He goes up here like a guard, not too many bigs who would look like that, for better or worse.



Looks like Tim Duncan facially a bit -- so there's that. But looking way too much like Eddy Curry getting a single block and everybody gets giddy:

[NoLayupRule]

If we traded the #1 for Marc Gasol and conely Id be ok with that. Like clev did.

But with the #1 Id have to consider Mudiay or Cauley-Stein over Okafur if his defense is really that bad.

But then again a dominant post scoring and passing big could be supported with a great defensive big and be ok.

I'm torn.

I just hope we get that #1 pick and have options including trading down to 3 or 4 and getting a player in the process.

[Marty McFly]

at the moment i have no idea. i was on mudiay's bandwagon 100%, but i'm a little on the fence these days. towns has a ways to go, and with okafor I'm afraid he'd be jared sulligner (nice player, not worthy of the 1 pick) instead of tim duncan. I'd say mudiay still number 1 but only by a bit, ahead of okafor.

[Marty McFly]

I think it is unfortunate that THIS is the draft we have a pick in. I would wonder if we could trade our pick for Embiid after the draft. Sixers might prefer a more "skilled" big man without an injury history (plus the extra year of team control) whereas Knicks would be thrilled to have a center of Embiid's potential.

Though I supposed that if you have a guy for a year and are willing to toss him right out, that means he likely is not he is cracked up to be...

that's one of those things I'm not sure either team would do, though i would consider it because he's better than all three. i would imagine if the sixers prefer towns or okafor over embiid it would be because of his injury, but at that point, why would the knicks do that? we all know the knicks can't offered to get oden'd, not that there's a durant in this draft to begin with.

[nykballa2k4]

I think it is unfortunate that THIS is the draft we have a pick in. I would wonder if we could trade our pick for Embiid after the draft. Sixers might prefer a more "skilled" big man without an injury history (plus the extra year of team control) whereas Knicks would be thrilled to have a center of Embiid's potential.

Though I supposed that if you have a guy for a year and are willing to toss him right out, that means he likely is not he is cracked up to be...

that's one of those things I'm not sure either team would do, though i would consider it because he's better than all three. i would imagine if the sixers prefer towns or okafor over embiid it would be because of his injury, but at that point, why would the knicks do that? we all know the knicks can't offered to get oden'd, not that there's a durant in this draft to begin with.

Here's one for you but I think I know the answer:
Knicks pick #1, Sixers #2. Philly calls and offers us Nerlen Noel and #2 for #1. It is clear that they want Okafor and the only reason they are offering us Noel is because they think Okafor/Embiid will be the best big man combination since Sampson and Olajuwan. What do you do and IF you had to accept the trade who would you pick?

[siar617]

I think it is unfortunate that THIS is the draft we have a pick in. I would wonder if we could trade our pick for Embiid after the draft. Sixers might prefer a more "skilled" big man without an injury history (plus the extra year of team control) whereas Knicks would be thrilled to have a center of Embiid's potential.

Though I supposed that if you have a guy for a year and are willing to toss him right out, that means he likely is not he is cracked up to be...

that's one of those things I'm not sure either team would do, though i would consider it because he's better than all three. i would imagine if the sixers prefer towns or okafor over embiid it would be because of his injury, but at that point, why would the knicks do that? we all know the knicks can't offered to get oden'd, not that there's a durant in this draft to begin with.

Here's one for you but I think I know the answer:
Knicks pick #1, Sixers #2. Philly calls and offers us Nerlen Noel and #2 for #1. It is clear that they want Okafor and the only reason they are offering us Noel is because they think Okafor/Embiid will be the best big man combination since Sampson and Olajuwan. What do you do and IF you had to accept the trade who would you pick?

rather have MCW

[kingquan316]

I think it is unfortunate that THIS is the draft we have a pick in. I would wonder if we could trade our pick for Embiid after the draft. Sixers might prefer a more "skilled" big man without an injury history (plus the extra year of team control) whereas Knicks would be thrilled to have a center of Embiid's potential.

Though I supposed that if you have a guy for a year and are willing to toss him right out, that means he likely is not he is cracked up to be...

that's one of those things I'm not sure either team would do, though i would consider it because he's better than all three. i would imagine if the sixers prefer towns or okafor over embiid it would be because of his injury, but at that point, why would the knicks do that? we all know the knicks can't offered to get oden'd, not that there's a durant in this draft to begin with.

Here's one for you but I think I know the answer:
Knicks pick #1, Sixers #2. Philly calls and offers us Nerlen Noel and #2 for #1. It is clear that they want Okafor and the only reason they are offering us Noel is because they think Okafor/Embiid will be the best big man combination since Sampson and Olajuwan. What do you do and IF you had to accept the trade who would you pick?

I only do it if Phil thinks Mudiay or Towns is better than Okafor. If Phil thinks Okafor is the best prospect in the draft, you don't do it. Nerlens Noel is a role player to me, nothing u sacrifice a first overall pick for.

[nykballa2k4]

that's one of those things I'm not sure either team would do, though i would consider it because he's better than all three. i would imagine if the sixers prefer towns or okafor over embiid it would be because of his injury, but at that point, why would the knicks do that? we all know the knicks can't offered to get oden'd, not that there's a durant in this draft to begin with.

Here's one for you but I think I know the answer:
Knicks pick #1, Sixers #2. Philly calls and offers us Nerlen Noel and #2 for #1. It is clear that they want Okafor and the only reason they are offering us Noel is because they think Okafor/Embiid will be the best big man combination since Sampson and Olajuwan. What do you do and IF you had to accept the trade who would you pick?

I only do it if Phil thinks Mudiay or Towns is better than Okafor. If Phil thinks Okafor is the best prospect in the draft, you don't do it. Nerlens Noel is a role player to me, nothing u sacrifice a first overall pick for.

I mean, there are shades here. There are guys who you know are "the number one" like when you have a Duncan. Sometimes there just is not that guy. I mean, the last draft where it was comparable in terms of bigs with different values, it was Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler in the same draft. You also have the 2006 draft with Bargnani and Alderidge going early. The best comparison for Towns vs Monroe vs Muiday is the 2010 draft with Cousins, Monroe and Wall.

There were 3 bigs there Favors, Cousins, Monroe picked in that order. If you think player a and player b are both stars there is no harm in trading down.

Also in the case of Okafor, Knicks do need to be mindful of fit. Maybe Towns would be a horrible fit because he needs the ball in order to be relevant?

[kingquan316]

I mean, there are shades here. There are guys who you know are "the number one" like when you have a Duncan. Sometimes there just is not that guy. I mean, the last draft where it was comparable in terms of bigs with different values, it was Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler in the same draft. You also have the 2006 draft with Bargnani and Alderidge going early. The best comparison for Towns vs Monroe vs Muiday is the 2010 draft with Cousins, Monroe and Wall.

There were 3 bigs there Favors, Cousins, Monroe picked in that order. If you think player a and player b are both stars there is no harm in trading down.

Also in the case of Okafor, Knicks do need to be mindful of fit. Maybe Towns would be a horrible fit because he needs the ball in order to be relevant?

I'm on the mindset that you don't trade down unless the player you want probably will be available if you trade down. Unless the team trading up offers a really good piece along with their lower draft pick. Noel isn't someone I would trade down for. Actually no player on that team I would be enticed to do a trade. If I had to pick one, it would MCW.

[Marty McFly]

I think it is unfortunate that THIS is the draft we have a pick in. I would wonder if we could trade our pick for Embiid after the draft. Sixers might prefer a more "skilled" big man without an injury history (plus the extra year of team control) whereas Knicks would be thrilled to have a center of Embiid's potential.

Though I supposed that if you have a guy for a year and are willing to toss him right out, that means he likely is not he is cracked up to be...

that's one of those things I'm not sure either team would do, though i would consider it because he's better than all three. i would imagine if the sixers prefer towns or okafor over embiid it would be because of his injury, but at that point, why would the knicks do that? we all know the knicks can't offered to get oden'd, not that there's a durant in this draft to begin with.

Here's one for you but I think I know the answer:
Knicks pick #1, Sixers #2. Philly calls and offers us Nerlen Noel and #2 for #1. It is clear that they want Okafor and the only reason they are offering us Noel is because they think Okafor/Embiid will be the best big man combination since Sampson and Olajuwan. What do you do and IF you had to accept the trade who would you pick?

that's a tough one. if phily wasn't in the division it'd be an easier call. if embiid stays healthy and he and okafor reach their potential it's going to be a long 15 years for us dealing with those 2.

[nykfan42]

Okafor 27 and 8 tonight. When he gets touches the defense has to adjust and the Dukies are more efficient offensively. I think his passing is underrated. He only had one assist but he's able to find the open man which leads to a pass that leads to a basket. I want.