A Friendly Post-Lottery Chat
2013-05-21
Colin: The Draft Lottery itself is a spectacle to behold. Or not behold, exactly, but mock? I feel like it should be mockable—unintentionally doofy, at least—but it’s mostly just drab television, what with its suspense being driven by its inherent drama and absolutely nothing else. It’s mostly a bummer, and really, if your team isn’t involved, you’re the saddest sort of NBA obsessive.
Heather Cox awkwardly explains that the Draft Lottery, you see, is a game of probability, thus explaining to the American public what a lottery is while pretending that literally every American over the age of 12 doesn’t know exactly what a lottery is and how it works. This is not Heather Cox’s fault at all, just the nature of the beast. She has to smile and talk needlessly through a half-hour of television, of which anyone watching only cares about, give or take, 45 seconds.
But anyway, a room full of uncomfortable, uncharismatic old men sit alongside wholly unenthused young players do a soft-shoe if Cox tries to engage them. “Boy howdy, Holly, I hope we win!” is maybe the only acceptable answer one can give in this scenario, and so all we get are variations thereof, save for the part where Damian Lillard talks about being really good at basketball in a strange, humble way, like the kind-of-terrible Blazers were doing him a favor playing him 39 minutes a game, as if he was stealing minutes from a 25-year-old Isaiah Thomas. Maybe these interviews would be less weird if the interviewer and subject weren’t separated by a podium? They would probably still be weird.
Also, the Gilbert family bowtie thing is stupid, despite its apparent mystical powers. But none of the above stuff is actually important. Nate, Nerlens Noel or NERLENS NOEL!!! or Nerlens Noel? Or perhaps you’re a Ben McLemore fan? (I know you’re not.) Give us some sense of your enthusiasm level.
Nate: It was definitely a strange dynamic, as it always is. The Lottery is a collection of old executives, players whose teams want to appease or showcase them, coaches who’d rather be somewhere else, and Adam Silver who looks like he just stepped out of a flying saucer. What a strange-looking man. And then there’s Nick Gilbert: the human horseshoe. There’s something very refreshing about him. Yeah, he’s a rich guy’s kid, but by all accounts he’s had a pretty rough go of it. Yet he always seems to exude positivity and smiles. I’m probably grafting an emotional response onto a positive memory, but I just can’t help but like Nick Gilbert.
But yeah, Nerlens Noel! I am much more excited than I thought I’d be. Most of you guys don’t live in the Cleveland area. I’m pleased we Clevelanders are going to be talking about it around the water cooler for the next few weeks. The Cavs have some juice, the Indians are winning, the weather is lovely. All seems right with the world. And Nerlens Noel is an intriguing prospect. Calipari seems to coach big men to block shots to teammates rather than into the third row like Dwight or Serge. I’m eager to see Noel in a Cavs uniform in 9 months. What about you, Colin? Did you think this was possible? No one I know seems to have been able to fathom the Cavs had a chance at landing this pick. I think it’s because there’s only like 10,000 people in the world that understand probability.
Colin: I think a lot of us harbored less-than-discrete hopes that Anthony Davis would become a Cavalier. Like, if you asked us straight up if we thought the Cavs would win the lottery two years in a row, we would’ve denied it, but a Kyrie-Brow core was too tantalizing to not hope for. Plus, in the Davis draft, the Cavs ended up with the fourth pick, which was a decidedly “Well, [crap]!” sort of moment, especially since so many of us were attached, in the wake of a lottery non-miracle, to the idea of the Cavs drafting Brad Beal or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. (Ay, Dion: keep turning our disappointment into fireworks, buddy.)
Nate: It amazes me the way teams and communities of fans talk themselves into players because they fit a need. Porter was more likely to be available than Noel, but he wasn’t necessarily even the fifth best player in the draft. At least now you don’t have to have an internal Alex Len debate. [Ed: This debate would not have been pleasant.] With that in mind, is Noel the guy? Is there any part of you that wants …McLemore? …Oladipo? …Porter? I was super wary before the draft. Truth be told, I thought Oladipo was the most can’t-miss player, and he didn’t fit on the team, at least in any sort of conventional way. Does Noel’s weight bother you at all? If there’s a player he reminds me of, it’s Alonzo Mourning: similar bodies, similar explosiveness, similar defensive instincts. Mourning was always lighter than the players he played against but made up for it with mettle and tenacity. If Noel can perform similarly, it should make for good times.
In parting, I’m excited for the summer: pictures of Kyrie play-acting with TT and Noel, Summer League, free agency, etc. I’m pretty sure this is the start of a new subsection in the Wikipedia history of the Cavs. As Nick Gilbert said, the goal is to not be back in the lottery next year. I think that’s an admirable goal, even if it’s going to be harder to achieve than many people think it will be. The post-LeBron dark ages are over. I can feel it.
Colin: To answer your most urgent questions: yeah, Noel’s the guy because the Cavs need a rim protector—plus, you can’t pass on a guy who might be a transformative defensive player—and yes, Noel’s going to have to add some weight because, wow, he’s a twig. He’s at 204 right now, though when he was walking around on two sturdy limbs, he weighed something like 215 pounds. I think he’ll be able to pack on some muscle over the next few years. He’ll need to if he wants to play center. And hell, I’m flying high: in my mind, he’s a more athletic Tyson Chandler. Don’t you dare tell me otherwise, and also, if you could send me some photoshopped images of Noel with the sort of Castro-ish beard Chandler favors, that’d be great.
No way Detroit trades Drummond. He looks like he’s going to be a star soon
I would definitely trade this draft away for cousins. Get cousins without giving up a player? Grant would do that in a heartbeat.
@Not sure, I doubt the pistons give him up, but do you really want someone that shoots like 30% from FT, I mean he’s great and has shaken all the what ifs in that way. I mean, if he can get it up to 50% he is the next big center in the league. But you know what, actually, trade this pick for Drummond. I’d be 100% ok with that.
Cousins would be the consensus number 1 in this draft by a mile.
And funnyguy is right on; drafting injury prone big men this high is just too risky.
I do not envy Grant in this draft. I certainly do not see Noel as being a no brainer #1. Way to many if’s about him as others have said. I would rather see the Cavs trade down – give up the #1 for a #4-5 and a 15 or so. Would love to see them add this level of talent below: (assumes we do not trade out of top 5 and get a pick in the 15-20 range for trading down) highest pick – take Porter trade down pick (15-20) – take Gorgui Dieng – may not have the… Read more »
So if Noel sits all of his rookie season to rehab and build mass, is the tank in for next year? I think there’s a good chance. We’re not going to sign a big dollar player this offseason so the team is essentially the same as last year plus 3 mid level rookies.
I think if the team stays healthy, we could be a 7-8 seed. But, health has been an issue. Another dip in the lottery could add another star
No NBA draft has EVER produced less than 3 all-stars, with the vast majority producing 5+. Hand wringing about a “weak” draft is silly. We have the first overall pick! Go get that all-star and his rookie contract!
Has anyone thought of the Pistons as a trade option? #1, Zeller, Gee, and 1 future pick in each round for Monroe or Drummond and their pick next year or Kyle Singler. I’d really prefer Drummond. Defense is good. Trades away any chance of a bust in an unsure lottery. They get to keep their pick this year, draft Noel and get lots of options. DO IT CG!
If the Cavs pick Nerlens Noel I will have images of Sam Bowie and Greg Oden in my head. Teams should never draft injury plagued big men so high.
At some point some of the guys Grant has drafted will be traded away. If the Kings are looking to go in another direction perhaps they would take say Thompson, 19 and their own draft pick back. I’d do it.
People need to quit acting as though Noel is 206 as his playing weight. He was 220+ at Kentucky. When you blow out your knee and doctors have you strengthening that and not doing heavy lifting, you’re going to lose weight. Noel, in game shape, in 220 now. Put on 20 more pounds and he’ll be fine. Also find it hilarious that people are undervaluing Cousins so much. The guy is an elite talent. He’d be the #1 pick in the draft right now considering Noel’s injury. I would not give up the #1 overall pick for him, but if… Read more »
In the movie Let it Ride there are scenes before a race where the lead guy asks all sorts of people which horse they like. After each answer he crosses that horse off the list. That would be 2nd choice for picking this one. My first choice is to trust Chris Grant. I expect him to avoid Ferry’s mistakes that were the real root cause of our fall. Terry Pluto just loved the signing of Larry Hughes.
@ Ben Werth
Agree to disagree, I suppose. I think Cousins can be the best player on a championship team.
Also, I am a Simmons fan but I’ve never heard his opinion on DMC. I take it he is a fan as well?
@ Rich If you really think the Cavs organization is as mismanaged and disorganized as the Kings, then I’m not surprised that you think Noel could be better than Cousins. Seriously, are we talking about the same Kings? The team that’s been in the lottery for 8 straight years with no sign of hope? The team that made that awful draft-day deal and then selected Jimmer Fredette over Klay Thompson? The team that drafted Thomas Robinson 5th and then traded him 8 months later for flotsam? The team that thinks Keith Smart is a viable head coach? If they are… Read more »
@Vesus Listen, I am a fan of Bill Simmons too, but he is basically the only guy who is still in on Boogie. Is the kid extremely talented? Absolutely. Is there a chance that he will put it all together and be a dominant force? Sure. But is he worth trading in our high character, intelligence based drafting&FA system just on the slim possibility that he will learn how to be a normal human being? Hell no. Sacramento’s team has been a hole, but Boogie has been like this his whole life. He isn’t just a head strong kid in… Read more »
What world is it that Noel is as(or even potentally as) good as Cousins? Do they play basketball on that world?
I’ve always said that the thing DeMarcus Cousins needs is to go from a bad team to an even worse, younger team, lacking any leadership whatosever. He’ll surely come around then.
Giving up the whole draft for a guy who very well might not be better than the guy we can draft at #1…no.
Cavs should sign Prigioni to backup Kyrie. Knicks may not be able to afford his salary but it’s pretty reasonable for a guy who will probably start 10-20 games here.
All the talk of playoffs…well to get there the Cavs need to start regularly stepping on and over Detroit, Washington, Philadelphia, the Bucks, Orlando, Toronto. A decent team can rack up a lot of wins beating such squads down, and the Cavs have been failing to get it done. How is this team on the road, anyway? Can they go to Portland or L.A. and win? Can they consistently beat the cellar-dwellars of the East? If not then playoffs is still fantasy land. Needs to be this year, not next year.
@J Hill: Noel is a hell of a lot better than Ryan Hollins with a motor. Hollins already has a motor, he’s just not good at basketball.
Getting the #1 pick this year just feels like such an insult. Here, take the best guy available from a draft class with no star power. Aargh.
No Anthony Davis, no Wiggins…I guess it won’t matter if we can build a roster that attracts Lebron but man this is a disappointing class.
Noel will put on weight. He just turned 19. Mike Brown never had a defensive toy like him. Noel will earn his paychecks on defense, but he’s also an above the rim player, which is something the Cavs need. I’ve been clamoring for a while that the Cavs can make a move for Pau Gasol whether by amnesty waiver or trade. He doesn’t muck up their 2014 finances and he might actually enjoy a smaller market like Cleveland after years of trade rumors and blame in LA. Perhaps the Lakers would do 19 and Zeller. I get that doesn’t sound… Read more »
+200 for use of Kismet
sorry for third post, but even move it up to 215 his supposed game weight, and you find two names besides Nerlens, Mason Plumlee’s little brother, and Jeff Withey, who does pretty much the same thing and doesn’t come with an injury history and he’s gonna go like 20th pick in the draft.
Just do a search on Draft Express for Centers and Power Forwards at least 6’10” at 206 pounds, ever hear of any of them besides Nerlens, because I haven’t either.
For all of this he’s a crazy athlete, is he going to keep all of that athleticism if he puts on what amounts to 50-60 pounds in order to get up to snuff as far as size goes? I mean, seriously, guys like Tyson Chandler, Marc Gasol, Dwight Howard, and Tim Duncan, had to put on 20 pounds (so essentially just filling in) but this dude is tiny. I have no doubt that shooting guards and small forwards will have no problem posting his kid up and just shoving him out of the way. I feel like he is going… Read more »
saw this elsewhere and couldn’t agree more “Here is my issue with Noel – at his ceiling, he is what? Probably Ben Wallace. He’ll be an impact player defensively and on the glass, but he’ll do little offensively other than put-backs and free throws. Sure, he can develop something of a post game or mid-range jumper, but we’re talking about the #1 pick here. He’ll have to develop a great deal offensively in order to justify being a #1. McLemore is the guy I would take. He’s a shooter – something Cleveland needs and someone who could thrive with Kyrie… Read more »
As much as the “win-now” crowd hates it. I think this is the draft to stash overseas talent. There are a few 18-19 year olds who have been impressing the scouts that wouldn’t be considered reaches at #19, 31, and 33. At worst, you wasted two 2nd round draft picks on guys who were at least worth taking a flier on non-guaranteed contracts. At best, when the Cavs start making the playoffs you are getting 20-21 year olds with high potential who can contribute coming onto the team. Teams who get close but don’t make it only fail because they… Read more »
Cavs need to exploit a team that is either about to start rebuilding (Hawks, Celtics) or is in the midst of a permanent rebuild (Sacramento). A team like Portland is looking to build on their core, not trade a foundational piece like Aldridge. Same with Minnesota – they want to build around Love, not send him to Cleveland. Sacramento is more intriguing as a trade partner – they could be interested in getting the 1st pick and getting their pick back from the Casspi trade, along with other assets…it is at least worth a phone call to inquire about Cousins.… Read more »
Someone help me. I’ve been clamoring for Porter since January, and was focused on nothing more than getting the #2 or #3 pick so we can take him, and I can start doing cartwheels of joy. And now that we get the #1 pick….which in theory assures the Cavs of getting the player I wanted all along….now I don’t want him. He’s worth a #2 or a #3 pick, but not at #1. WHY THE HELL NOT? Why do I feel this way? Beacuse he’s not a #1-worthy talent, now I don’t want him unless I can trade down? How… Read more »
If Noel spends from now until December doing nothing but shooting jumpers, he’ll have a passable jump shot when he regains his explosiveness/confidence. I’d rather have that than Cousins, Love, or the pupu platter of the other ridiculous #1 draft options.
We can upgrade SF at 19 – or use our second round picks to move up from 19 if someone falls.
Noel is an easy choice. He’s dropped weight because of injury rehab, and it is BETTER that he dropped weight after surgery than to have put more on. Weren’t we the same crowd who was worried that Dion put on an extra 5-10 lbs before his rookie season too?
KG was 217 at 2″ taller when he came into the league. It’s about filling out the muscle and skillset, which is far easier to do when you come in without weight.
C – Varejao/Noel*
Of course I live in dream land but I would love to get Cousins for something other than the #1 overall pick. Give them 4 future 1st rounders for all I care, and Zeller, with cap filler and call it a DEAL!
Draft Noel.
PG – Irving
SG – Waiters
SF – Sergey Karesev/Tony Allen
PF – Cousins/Thompson
C – Varejao/Cousins
Talk about big man production.
I’d be all for seeing what we could trade for Kevin Love (with a contract extension). I would be beyond pissed if we gave it up for boogie cousins or Derrick Favors. Is DVR just a troll? I might think about trading the #1 for Horford, but I definitely wouldn’t give up the whole draft for him. To everyone worrying that we are in “Win Now” mode, we simply want to make the playoffs next year, not sell out to be as good as we can possibly be next year at the expense of ever really competing. With solid bench… Read more »
The league is littered with guys who were assholes in bad situations and found better ones. Cousin’s had character issues coming into the league. It’s the only reason he fell to fifth in the draft. He was then drafted by the most dysfunctional team in the league and his behavior has gotten worse. If he was in a better situation he should improve if he’s not a Derrick Coleman lost cause. In the right situation Cousins could be a top 5 player in the league. I’m totally open to trading the pick. If they are going after Love it’s probably… Read more »
“It would be a devastating mistake to pass on Noel if he checks out medically, unless we trade the pick.”
EXACTLY!!!
And it would still need to be a very impressive trade to be worth it.
@ Ben Werth Talking ourselves into Cousins? LOL – This guy averaged 17 and 10 with a PER above 20 in his 3rd year and most people will tell you that he isn’t even close to his potential yet. Sure, he has character and FG% issues, but this is Cleveland. Dwight Howard isn’t walking through that door. Guys who can put up 20/10 on any given night are not knocking down the door to join the Cavaliers….if you can flip Noel and some other picks for Cousins, you do it in a second. Having Andy around to keep him in… Read more »
It would be a devastating mistake to pass on Noel if he checks out medically, unless we trade the pick.
Why is everyone trying to talk themselves into Boogie Cousins? Am I missing something here? Beyond being a complete headcase, which seems to be rather high on Grant’s ‘hell no list”, he shoots a terrible percentage, plays Kyrie level PnR D(only it’s worse because he is a big), and is a headcase. AND, he is crazy! Just to remind everyone. This isn’t a Zach Randolph 2.0 as much as everyone wants it to be. And I frickin LOVE Z-Bo… I don’t really have any desire to get Kevin Love either. With his combination of injuries, lack of athleticism and general… Read more »
I just saw this on the Bull’s blog. Really intriguing: “Are two No. 1 overall draft picks enough to make up for the loss of LeBron James? Probably not, but the Cleveland Cavaliers got their second Tuesday in the NBA Draft Lottery, and that raised the intriguing possibility that the way really is being cleared for James to return to Cleveland as a free agent after next season. “By moving up from No. 3 to win the lottery drawing again (they got Kyrie Irving last time), the Cavs move into position to put together a strong young core with the… Read more »
I’m on board with trading for Cousins (within reason.) A new ownership group in Sacramento may make that more difficult depending on how they view him. (Is he a headcase who’s talent is worth it…or vice versa.) I have seen someone willing to trade our entire draft, TZ and Gee for him. That is too much in my opinion. If we are trading for veteran Bigs…get (in my preferred order) Cousins, Horford, Love, LMA. Love’s injuries scare me and his contract is worse than Horfords. I’d love for Chris Grant to push a trade like: #1 + Zeller for Cousins… Read more »
@ Vesus – I don’t think Oden was every injured in HS or college, and look how that turned out for Portland. The fact that Noel has had his knees checked out and rehabbed will give teams a better idea of what they can expect. Again, Cleveland will have various doctors check him out before investing millions of dollars into drafting him. If he checks out, I see no reason to worry about future injuries.
I need to quit double posting, but if you compare Davis’ numbers to Noel’s, they aren’t far off. Rebounding was nearly identical. Shot blocking was nearly identical. Davis scored 4 more PPG, on 1 more FGA and 1 more FTA per game. Noel came into Kentucky much more raw than Davis.
Noel is a damn good player and has a solid chance of being a star. He’s unlikely to ever be a 20 PPG scorer, but his rebounding and defense are franchise changing.
My problem with Noel has nothing to do with his abilities or his perceived lack of superstar potential. My problem is his HS knee injury to a growth plate that apparently never healed properly.
I just fear that he is another Greg Oden. It is one thing to draft an underwhelming player, it’s another to draft a medical bust that had a bunch of red flags.
Also, the weight issue doesn’t scare me that much. Anthony Davis was listed at 6’10, 220 at Kentucky. Noel 6’10, 228. I realize both are probably heavier than their midseason weight, but Davis was just as skinny and he’s doing fine in the NBA.
Cleveland: Where fans are so pessimistic that they aren’t all that happy when they win the #1 pick!
Anyone complaining that we got the #1 pick this year because it’s “a down year” needs to get a grip.
Remember all those past blog posts saying that replicating the OKC rebuild model was a major longshot? Seems like we may have beat the odds in more than one sense last night.
@ Vesus – they said the same about Kyrie. Had Noel played a full, healthy season, he’d be the runaway #1 pick. I realize a knee injury is scary, but these teams have copious of amounts of money to pay the top doctors in the world to evaluate these guys. If a doctor assures them Noel will be fine, he’ll be the pick, and a damn good one. Plenty of stars have had big question marks coming out of high school/college. Noel is a beast.
@ Gordon
“When healthy” is the operative phrase with Love. He hasn’t been healthy for awhile, and the last thing we need is another injury prone superstar.
Cousins is just too talented, and you have to think a change of scenery will go a long way to improving his maturity issues.
That being said, what a god awful year to have the first pick. Anthony Davis is a future star, Wiggins is probably a future star. Noel? A 7 ft question mark with a history of knee problems. *sigh*
@ Charlie
He can also compensate by fronting an opposing C. Imagine a PG trying to lob a pass into the low-post over his head! Not gonna happen.
I think given Kyrie’s inability to stop penetration, having a big time shot blocker could be a huge help. Nerlens can also compensate a bit for his lack of strength with his quick hands.
@ James – I’ll take a shot. 1) Noel has freakish athleticism and an innate ability to block shots. Shot blocking is not a learned trait. You were either born with the ability to time a shooter, know when to jump, or you weren’t. There are plenty of 6’11 and 7’0 players with great athleticism, who are simply average or even below average shot blockers. Noel has this ability to change a game due to his shot blocking, even when he isn’t blocking shots. Players become “worried” and are thinking about his presence when they drive into the lane. To… Read more »
As much as I’m scared about NN’s knee, he’d be a great fit in Mike Brown’s defensive scheme. Guessing that CG will be fielding trade offers until the 11th hour though.
Please please PLEASE write a piece for me addressing some concerns. As a huge Cavs fan I was very excited with last night’s events. But I’m worried. 1). Noel has been compared to Anthony Davis lite. Please talk me into why Noel will be a great pick. 2). There’s a lot of talk about a weak draft. Like the last post, I’m worried about the Cavs picking a bust or a terrible player that won’t fit long term. Kyrie’s and Davis’ draft was weak too. Is Noel like Irving and Davis? Or more like Toronto’s first pick a few years… Read more »
@Vesus – I’ll take Love over Cousins every day of the week. Love when healthy is a 25-13 guy without the character issues.
Cousins is damn good. I think if a coach can get through to him, he’s a 22/13 guy. He’s still very young (22), but is he worth the character concerns? If he destroys locker rooms, I’m not sure you want that poison in here. But, I’d take a chance on him over Aldridge or Horford.
The kid is 19 years old. On one hand – there are tons of question marks related to injury history, etc. But the fact that he’s a skinny 19 year old? He’ll gain weight eventually… when he’s 22, 23, 25.
I was high on Noel before the ACL tear, but his checkered injury history worries me too much….the whole cracked growth plate in his left knee is very concerning.
Package our picks and get an established big man…Cousins, Love, Horford, Aldridge – in that order
Swing for the fences, Grant. Get Cousins in here.
We are in a very, very interesting position in this draft. We have the best asset of all (#1 overall pick), and another decent first rounder. It seems more and more like the playoffs will be our main goal this season. No more tanking, no more excuses. The talent is there. The question is, what do they do to make the playoffs? Is trading away the rights to Noel just because he’ll probably miss half of the season (if not more) in order to ensure we get a full season’s production from another player, the right move? Only if you… Read more »
Two years ago the draft was considered weak because the NBA lockout scared many college players into waiting an extra year to join what became a supposedly loaded draft — and Kyrie Irving, a shaky #1 prospect coming off an 11-game injury-shortened season at Duke, looks destined to become the best player to come out the last three drafts, maybe even four or more. Screw the pundits; we’re in an awesome position. What’s not to like? The Cavs have officially stated they’d consider every option, so between our draft selections, tradeable young talent, and precious cap space, there is no… Read more »
These trade proposals seem lopsided, and not in favor of the Cavs. The whole draft for Derrick Favors and #14? No way. The #1 pick hardly ever gets traded because it has so much value. When the Magic traded Chris Webber, they got the #3 pick and 3 future first rounders. The Cavs should entertain a deal only if it’s too good to pass up. I’m split on the idea of Kevin Love, and I’m a big Kevin Love fan. Yes, it would be great to get an established great player, but it also screws up their flexibility to take… Read more »
@ DaveR
Maybe not the whole year. I can see him getting limited minutes around or after the all-star break. Yes, you want the leg to be fully recovered. However, if he waits too long, I think there’s a risk of losing confidence in the leg or second-guessing himself. I wonder if might have happened to Derrick Rose.
If you draft Noel you put him on the shelf for the year. Just because he can come back in Dec/Jan doesn’t mean he should. So the rest of the draft becomes pretty important.
Cleveland sends #1, #19, #33, Sac Kings 2014 1st, and Tyler Zeller to the Kings for DeMarcus Cousins
or
Cleveland sends #1, #19, #31, and #33 to the Jazz for Derrick Favors and #14
#1 overall pick, Tyler Zeller, the future Memphis #1 pick, future Sacto #1 pick, and future Miami #1 pick, plus roster filler to Minnesota for Kevin Love? They get Noel as a replacement, Zeller as another “young” big, and three future #1 picks to help them rebuild. Draft a SF (Karesev?) at 19. PG – Irving SG – Waiters SF – #19 pick/Gee PF – Love/Thompson C – Varejao Love/Thompson/Varejao would give us one of the best big rotations in the league. We could also dangle Varejao for a veteran SF placeholder, if we were to take a center at… Read more »
I will be so pissed if we ed up with Porter. Everyone talked themselves into liking him before the lottery and ignored the simple fact that he’s just not that good. For me it’s between Nerlens or Mclemore
Think we can flip our entire draft for Horford if ATL decides to blow it up?
I’m predicting that Cavs and Wizrds are going to be a rivalry for many years to come. Whatever we get from the #1 pick, and they’re gonna get Otto Porter to pair with a great pg and sg.
Plus from Chad Ford…. regarding the weight issue.
Noel told me that he’s lost weight since the surgery and was once as high as 220 during the season. Once he gets on an NBA weight program he should start packing on some pounds. But with dominant NBA centers currently averaging about 265 pounds (which is what Dwight Howard, Marc Gasol and Brook Lopez all weigh) Noel is going to have to put on a lot more weight.
YOU DO NOT PASS ON A BIG!!! ESPECIALLY ONE THAT IS THIS KIND OF ATHLETE AND HAS A FARIED TYPE MOTOR.
The only hole left is a 3 and were going to fill it with a VET. or possibly the 19th pick.
Great Core for the next 10 years. Heck at least 2 of these guys would want to stay…….right?