Countdown to NBA Draft: Prospect Talk

[Thugger HBC]

Personally I dont say to much in this thread because I have the player I want from the start and it's the other players duty to sway my view.......and they havent. All the top players have flaws that could hinder them on the next level, but personally I want Phil to draft the player he thinks can help now and in the future in as many ways as possible on the court.

To me that is Towns and always have been.

[Fat]

the value of having towns is that he is a better player plain and simple... having a guy like okafor is HARDER to build around.. you thought spacing was horrible with amare and chandler? how about okafor and any center that plays in the nba together in the same frontcourt...

if you don't pair him with a good defensive center/pf .. then that means he is your center and good luck with that..

towns might not bring the same level of offense but it's not going to be too far behind okafor and he brings it on D... it's exactly how it's shaping up now at the college level and probably how it turns out in the pros...

i want proof Towns is the better player, Jahlils been #1 on draft boards all season.

[waya]

I hope Phil trolls you all and takes Russell

[Worst_to_First]

OK4 does not have more potential than Melo. The more I watch OK4 the more he looks like Al Jefferson.
...and if Towns is Horford or Pau Gasol then sign me the fuq up.

Towns has a lot of Horford and Pau in him...

but with the defensive presence, leadership and his high IQ he has some similarities with Tim Duncan, too...

Im more for Towns than Okafor... Would allow Melo to play the 4 more than Okafor would!

Sign and trade for Knight, sign Butler and Green via FA!!

Towns // Melo // Butler // Green // Knight

The bolded is another great aspect of Towns that hasnt been talked about much. Not only is Towns more versatile than Okafor but he'd let Melo be more versatile too by being able play the 4 more often. Those two would be matchup nightmares in the frontcourt, and Towns wont be inept on O like Tyson was.

Okafor could improve on D but I dont think he'll ever become a great enough rim protector to be out there alone with Melo like Towns can for stretches, so Jah will likely always need that defensive PF next to him which forces Melo into playing the 3 exclusively. I suppose hybrid defensive forwards like prime Marion or to a lesser extent Draymond could help Melo be a little more versatile too, but those guys are incredibly rare and they're too undersized to be great rim protectors. And imagine a guy like that PLUS Towns. The versatility and D will be nutty. Towns just gives us so many more options. Okafor better be a 25+ ppg scorer and learn to make his FTs to make him worth it if he doesn't become above average on the other end.

This. I had always seen Towns as having the strengths of Chandler, KMart and Copeland rolled into one. This allows us to explore building the formula that made our 54-win team in the 2012-13 successful. Melo is best utilized if he has with him on the court two playmakers, a good 3 & D wing and what I had personally labelled as an 'Omni-Center'. As good as Tyson Chandler was defensively during that time, he did not fit that mold and ultimately that was what that team lacked. I describe an 'Omni-Center' as someone who is both a defensive anchor and a multiple scoring threat, either through the low post, the mid-range shot and the pick-and-roll (yes, sounds a bit like Marc Gasol). These 'Omni-Center' types are extremely difficult to find and KAT has convinced me that he has the tools to be one.

[ibraheim718]

I hope Phil trolls you all and takes Russell

For what little shred of fandom and hope I have left for this franchise I'm actually hoping this happens also.

[ibraheim718]

Personally I dont say to much in this thread because I have the player I want from the start and it's the other players duty to sway my view.......and they havent. All the top players have flaws that could hinder them on the next level, but personally I want Phil to draft the player he thinks can help now and in the future in as many ways as possible on the court.

To me that is Towns and always have been.

I feel the exact same way as you do just switch out Towns for Okafor. It's not a big deal anyway. I'll take the L if we draft Okafor and I'm wrong. I'm not going to be upset if we draft Towns either.. I've had him at #2 on my want list most of the year. I can envision building a good team with either of them. What I don't have is this view that if we take one or the other that our chances of having a good team are doomed because of each of their question marks or shortcomings. I've watched this game long enough to realize there are a myriad of ways to build good basketball teams but the key component is who's doing the building.

I think if a team like San Antonio could get their hands on a player like Okafor to replace Duncan when he retires they'd do it in a heartbeat and still be of the mindset that they can continue their championship winning culture. The way some posters talk in here they would bet against that happening and they'd bet against Buford and Pop making that happen.

[Fat]

I hope Phil trolls you all and takes Russell

D'God Angelo Russell has carried that ohio team. He didnt have the luxury of being surrounded with the same talents as Okafor and Towns.

You can tell he's going to be special and a leader.

[alphad0gz]

I read just fine. You write very poorly. If that's what you intended to write, you missed. Go back and re-read as though you didn't know what numbers were intended for who. And by the way....if you think Towns will end up a 17/9 guy, you are underestimating him.

17 pts
9 rebounds
3 assists
2 blocks
1 steal

per game is underestimating Towns? I love towns, he is my #1 guy right now. But what do you think are accurate numbers for the kid. You know if he avg that he would be an all-star every year

Holy, jeez what do you think his numbers are going to be

25 pts
15 reb
5 assist
3 blocks


2 steals

He would be in the Hall of Fame if he did that.

You wrote it like you were talking about Horford. You could have been more clear on that. As far as Towns: He will be a 20/10/2 /3 guy all day every day.

[islanders11040]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9O_YLng57DQ[/youtube]

[alphad0gz]

the value of having towns is that he is a better player plain and simple... having a guy like okafor is HARDER to build around.. you thought spacing was horrible with amare and chandler? how about okafor and any center that plays in the nba together in the same frontcourt...

if you don't pair him with a good defensive center/pf .. then that means he is your center and good luck with that..

towns might not bring the same level of offense but it's not going to be too far behind okafor and he brings it on D... it's exactly how it's shaping up now at the college level and probably how it turns out in the pros...

i want proof Towns is the better player, Jahlils been #1 on draft boards all season.

Draft boards are meaningless until June. If you don't know that, you must not follow it closely. Okafor could remain #1 or he could slide. It happens all the time. Pick your guy for your own reasons and stay committed. For me...Towns, then Russell. I still see Eddy Curry in Okafor.

[Worst_to_First]

Guys, anyone here who has parts of the write-up as to why ESPN Insider's Jeff Goodman has moved Towns ahead over Okafor (to the Knicks) in his mock draft?

[bigfnjoe96]

Goodman's updated mock doesn't get into much detail on why KAT has passed Jah

Sent from my G2 via Tapatalk

[Fat]

the value of having towns is that he is a better player plain and simple... having a guy like okafor is HARDER to build around.. you thought spacing was horrible with amare and chandler? how about okafor and any center that plays in the nba together in the same frontcourt...

if you don't pair him with a good defensive center/pf .. then that means he is your center and good luck with that..

towns might not bring the same level of offense but it's not going to be too far behind okafor and he brings it on D... it's exactly how it's shaping up now at the college level and probably how it turns out in the pros...

i want proof Towns is the better player, Jahlils been #1 on draft boards all season.

Draft boards are meaningless until June. If you don't know that, you must not follow it closely. Okafor could remain #1 or he could slide. It happens all the time. Pick your guy for your own reasons and stay committed. For me...Towns, then Russell. I still see Eddy Curry in Okafor.

i wouldnt say their meaningless but Very True Guys do slide and for a reason, Jahlil has yet to do so he's been consistent all season 17/9 double digits every game minus 1 i think. Instant threat soon as he touches the ball, high iq, great passer, and double team magnet iv'e yet to see anyone stop okafor 1 on 1 (not even with the bad ankle he had). Hate him or love him Jahlil is a dominant player. I see no eddy curry within him

But anyway i love both guys and i see okafor as the safer choice. I wouldnt want neither guy being my rim protector next year because they both still need work on defense.

[djphan]

i want proof Towns is the better player, Jahlils been #1 on draft boards all season.

let's see...

a)towns plays center for the #1 def team in the nation.. and he's their best defender.. and no stein doesn't see minutes at center when towns is on the court.. ok4 is the center for the #63 defense in the nation... that is a pretty wide margin...

b)in conference play he's avg'ed 20/12/4.4/.590 per 40... that compares favorably to the greatest centers in the nba at the same age and not easy thresholds to pass.... okafor compares favorably to the best pf's.. that's an important distinction because an elite center is better than an elite pf... you would take duncan over someone like blake griffin any day... you would probably take duncan over someone like even malone and malone put up crazy offensive numbers....

c)i'm not a huge fan of bpm but karl towns is #1,... if you like PER.. they are essentially tied but PER heavily weighs usage which is team dependent..

[djphan]

and i happen to think jahlil's offense might not be so incredible depending on the team he goes to... if he goes to minnesota for example he's going to really suffer with spacing if he shares time with any of their big men... it might even be disastrous.. detroit is another...

[JBreezeNY]

and i happen to think jahlil's offense might not be so incredible depending on the team he goes to... if he goes to minnesota for example he's going to really suffer with spacing if he shares time with any of their big men... it might even be disastrous.. detroit is another...

1000000% guarantee you Wolves will take Kaminsky before him, Okafor doesn't fit at all with them.

[NBA Fan 1234]

and i happen to think jahlil's offense might not be so incredible depending on the team he goes to... if he goes to minnesota for example he's going to really suffer with spacing if he shares time with any of their big men... it might even be disastrous.. detroit is another...

1000000% guarantee you Wolves will take Kaminsky before him, Okafor doesn't fit at all with them.

With Pek leaving/possibly being traded, they're gonna need a new C (Dieng has been one of the worst rim protectors in the NBA for the last two years...). Wouldn't be an ideal fit if they're trying to push the tempo, but it could still work. If it comes down to Okafor or Kaminsky, they take Okafor. Obviously they can trade the pick, but you don't pick a late lottery guy with a top pick in the draft.

[Fat]

i want proof Towns is the better player, Jahlils been #1 on draft boards all season.

let's see...

a)towns plays center for the #1 def team in the nation.. and he's their best defender.. and no stein doesn't see minutes at center when towns is on the court.. ok4 is the center for the #63 defense in the nation... that is a pretty wide margin...

b)in conference play he's avg'ed 20/12/4.4/.590 per 40... that compares favorably to the greatest centers in the nba at the same age and not easy thresholds to pass.... okafor compares favorably to the best pf's.. that's an important distinction because an elite center is better than an elite pf... you would take duncan over someone like blake griffin any day... you would probably take duncan over someone like even malone and malone put up crazy offensive numbers....

c)i'm not a huge fan of bpm but karl towns is #1,... if you like PER.. they are essentially tied but PER heavily weighs usage which is team dependent..

A- Just because Towns plays for the #1 defense in the nation doesnt mean he's the sole reason for them being what they are. Willie stein is a MAJOR part of that due to his defensive intensity and Ability to guard any position on the floor. The dude just won the SEC defensive player of the year & maybe you watch kentucky more than me but every game i saw i have seen Willie and Towns share the floor together.. and do people not realize Kentucky is like the tallest team in the country they SHOULD be #1 in defense like Stephen A smith said "Their a bunch of trees"

B- No id take a prime Duncan over a blake griffin any day, Elite centers are better than Elite power forwards? Says who??? i'd take Anthony Davis over Dwight howard or demarcus cousins this very moment.

C- D'angelo Russell >>> Both Towns & Okafor

[JBreezeNY]

and i happen to think jahlil's offense might not be so incredible depending on the team he goes to... if he goes to minnesota for example he's going to really suffer with spacing if he shares time with any of their big men... it might even be disastrous.. detroit is another...

1000000% guarantee you Wolves will take Kaminsky before him, Okafor doesn't fit at all with them.

With Pek leaving/possibly being traded, they're gonna need a new C (Dieng has been one of the worst rim protectors in the NBA for the last two years...). Wouldn't be an ideal fit if they're trying to push the tempo, but it could still work. If it comes down to Okafor or Kaminsky, they take Okafor. Obviously they can trade the pick, but you don't pick a late lottery guy with a top pick in the draft.

Even as you're laying the scenario in front of me I just can't the fit........except for one thing Okafor is really good at running the floor. In fact I think he'll get better at it in the NBA, it just doesn't make sense with all the freedom Wiggins, Rubio & Lavine having to bring in Jahlil that will clog up that paint & get in the way of them.

Hopefully Oak does fit with them I want to be proven wrong.

[djphan]

A- Just because Towns plays for the #1 defense in the nation doesnt mean he's the sole reason for them being what they are. Willie stein is a MAJOR part of that due to his defensive intensity and Ability to guard any position on the floor. The dude just won the SEC defensive player of the year & maybe you watch kentucky more than me but every game i saw i have seen Willie and Towns share the floor together.. and do people not realize Kentucky is like the tallest team in the country they SHOULD be #1 in defense like Stephen A smith said "Their a bunch of trees"

the same willie stein who was anchoring the defense last year... and kentucky was #47... stein's always had a reputation for being a good defender but it never translated to the team until this year when he moved to PF... and towns was put at C...

B- No id take a prime Duncan over a blake griffin any day, Elite centers are better than Elite power forwards? Says who??? i'd take Anthony Davis over Dwight howard or demarcus cousins this very moment.

davis is in a different stratosphere... and he's as much a C as a PF ... there aren't any good current comparables but duncan was the last great center... maybe duncan vs webber is a more fair comparison...