The team to dive for Oden

2143 Views 55 Replies 27 Participants Last post by MemphisX, Apr 2, 2006

SkywalkerAC

Discussion Starter · Mar 26, 2006

I've been thinking for a while about the team or teams that will really be in the hunt for Greg Oden (and the other top prospects) next year. The answer is no longer an easy one. I think the days will be gone where we can guarantee that the Hawks and Bobcats and Raptors and the other "bottom feeders" will be the worst in the league (as teams like the Clippers have already made that jump). Looking at the league and how some of the struggling teams will make additions this summer, it is going to be very competitive next year to say the least. That is, unless one or two teams take the bait and set themselves up for disaster and a reasonable chance to land a great player. I've been wondering who these teams might be and only one is really starting to stand out in my mind. That team is the Minnesota Timberwolves.

All the Twolves have to do is trade KG to a team below the cap for a good draft pick and a good player on a rookie contract and they'd be well on their way in the Oden Sweepstakes. Chicago certainly comes to mind as a trade partner, maybe Atlanta does too.

I think we know that Minnesota's time has come. They're already starting to go young but they lose their draft pick if they were to put a winning team around KG for next season. I think it's best to blow it up this offseason, get two lotto picks and set themselves up for a top 3 pick next season.

Will Mchale and co drop the bomb?

Potential lineup:

Ben Gordon/Marcus Banks
Rashad Mcants/Ricky Davis
Ricky Davis/2006 2nd pick
2006 1st pick/Eddie Griffin
2007 first pick/Mark Blount

Starting to look like a no brainer to me.

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HallOfFamer

· #41 · Mar 27, 2006

Oden and Co. drubbed Muncie Central 80-56 for the Indiana Class 4A title Saturday, the future Buckeye contributing 26 points and 11 rebounds and resting the last minute. Oden exited after winning 103 of 110 games, 24 of 25 in the postseason.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/cs-060325oden,0,1764466.story?coll=cs-highschool-headlines

I've only seen 2 of his televised games so I can't really comment much on him. But reading his scouting reports, it looks like he and Howard will be the faces of the C position for the next 20 years. Oden will be the reason I'm going to religiously watch OSU games next year.

HKF

· #42 · Mar 27, 2006

Minstrel said:
According to Rivals.com, he measured out significantly lower in 2004:

http://72.14.203.104/search?q=cache...pan&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=4&client=firefox-a

I'm sure he's grown a bit since then, but enough to add 10-11 inches to his wingspan seems impossible.

In any case, he does have a huge wingspan. He should be an interesting player.

He's 6'10 now Minstrel. It's not that he just has long arms. He also has tremendous leaping ability.

Sir Patchwork

· #43 · Mar 27, 2006

Minstrel said:
I'm sure he's grown a bit since then, but enough to add 10-11 inches to his wingspan seems impossible.

In any case, he does have a huge wingspan. He should be an interesting player.

Yeah, players do most of their growing between 15 and 18 years old. Like I said, we'll have to see. I just don't see why so much would be made out of his length, while players like Pau Gasol weren't given the same mention. Gasol has a 7'5 or 7'6 wingspan himself. Several players in the NBA have a 7'5+ wingspan. Anyways, we'll have to wait and see, and like HKF said, he has great athletic ability and skills too, and his wingspan shouldn't overshadow the all around player he is.

Minstrel

· #44 · Mar 27, 2006

HKF said:
He's 6'10 now Minstrel. It's not that he just has long arms. He also has tremendous leaping ability.

No doubt. I fully believe he's long, has a great wingspan and great leaping ability. An eight foot wingspan just seems hard to believe. But if he has it, that's cool. I'd love to see official measurements showing it.

JT3000

· #45 · Mar 27, 2006

Oh my God. Some of you people really need your head checked. Especially the guy who stated that a high school player is almost on the same level as David Robinson RIGHT NOW. Do you have no shame? That takes overhyping to astronomical proportions. BTW, I'll take the guy who's already averaging 15 & 12 in the NBA, thanks.

Minstrel

· #46 · Mar 27, 2006

JT3000 said:
Oh my God. Some of you people really need your head checked. Especially the guy who stated that a high school player is almost on the same level as David Robinson RIGHT NOW. Do you have no shame? That takes overhyping to astronomical proportions. BTW, I'll take the guy who's already averaging 15 & 12 in the NBA, thanks.

Would you really rather have a guy putting up 15/12 in the NBA now over Greg Oden in 2007? Virtually all of the high schoolers who have been given the "special" tag have been great in the NBA...Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal, LeBron James, Amare Stoudemire, Dwight Howard.

Kwame Brown is really the only incredibly highly-regarded high schooler that bombed. (Leon Smith, as I recall, didn't have the same cache as these other guys.)

Considering that, I think Greg Oden is very likely to be a major impact player in the NBA, and worth speculating about even before he enters the league.

MemphisX

· #47 · Mar 27, 2006

I remeber some people saying LeBron is all hype also. He was better than 90% of the NBA when he was in HS. Some people are just freaks and playing against inferior competition actually holds some players back. I truly believe that LeBron would actually be worse if he went to college and had his game reigned in by some egomaniac college coach.

HKF

· #48 · Mar 27, 2006

Kwame Brown finished as the No. 6 prospect in his HS class. He wasn't the undisputed No. 1. Greg Oden has been the consensus No. 1 for 3 years in what could be described as the best class since '04 and '95.

This '06 class has something like 40 future pros alone in it.

Sir Patchwork

· #49 · Mar 27, 2006

Greg Oden will come into the league and be the best center right away (okay if Yao keeps playing like he is, then Oden will have some competition).

Diable

· #50 · Mar 27, 2006

I'm almost positive that Oden would have went number 1 last year as a HS junior.He's not a polished player and he doesn't have a dynamic offensive game,but his defense appears to be absolutely phenomenal.I am not so sure that I am one of those heretics who would compare an 18 year old kid to Bill Russelll,but that is the name that seems most appropo.

He actually plays like a center on offense and I think that's a good thing.You can find all sorts of tall guys who want to chuck 20 footers these days,but not too many guys want to go down into the paint and back his man down.On that end of the floor he's not shown any assertiveness really,but he can learn to score I think.I am not convinced that he's going to be one and done at Ohio St.If you listen to him he's a very humble guy who doesn't think he is ready for the NBA and believes that he needs to work on his game.

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-BasketBallBoy-

· #51 · Mar 27, 2006

OMG GREG OGDEN SOUNDS LIKE A GOD! If he is like Lebron, lakers should tank a season for him! Ogden, Bynum, Mihm, Kwame, Ronny and Odom!

JT3000

· #52 · Mar 27, 2006 (Edited)

Minstrel said:
Would you really rather have a guy putting up 15/12 in the NBA now over Greg Oden in 2007?

Err, yeah. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. If we could have both, that's just dandy. I don't have as positive of an outlook on Darko as other Magic fans do, anyway. We could use a back-up plan for him. But I'm perfectly happy with my "less of a sure thing" (according to Patchwork) who is already pushing around men instead of boys. I'm not saying Oden will be crap, and he could very well prove me wrong. I just think the hype has gotten completely out of control.

And by 2007, you don't think Howard's stats will have improved?

Minstrel

· #53 · Mar 27, 2006

JT3000 said:
Err, yeah. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it.

Well, I was making a counter-argument.

So maybe you'd have changed your mind.

And by 2007, you don't think Howard's stats will have improved?

I didn't know you were a Magic fan, so I didn't realize that you were referring to Dwight Howard, who's also a high school phenom and, yes, I expect to get better. I thought you meant a player who had leveled out at 15/12.

I think Howard is one of the most valuable assets in the NBA, but I'd probably still have Oden, since all reports have him as a once-a-generation type of big man. But I can see why someone would rather have the more proven Howard.

Bron_Melo_ROY

· #54 · Mar 27, 2006

I kinda hope the Hornets (and what ever city they'll be playing in) tank and get Oden. Rarely do you see great PG-C combinations in the NBA and the thought of Chris Paul with Greg Oden is making everyone reading this comment salivate like a dog looking at a T-bone steak.

djtoneblaze

· #55 · Mar 29, 2006

JT3000 said:
Err, yeah. I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it. If we could have both, that's just dandy. I don't have as positive of an outlook on Darko as other Magic fans do, anyway. We could use a back-up plan for him. But I'm perfectly happy with my "less of a sure thing" (according to Patchwork) who is already pushing around men instead of boys. I'm not saying Oden will be crap, and he could very well prove me wrong. I just think the hype has gotten completely out of control.

And by 2007, you don't think Howard's stats will have improved?

If you draft Oden, he's not Darko's backup plan. Darko becomes HIS backup plan.

Of course, there's the added fact that you've likely never actually seen Oden play.

MemphisX

· #56 · Apr 2, 2006

MemphisX said:
Ok, there is now way McHale traded an unprotected 1st rounder for Jaric. I am not even going to bother looking it up.

On Tank Job 2007, Oden is definitely worth it plus there will be 2-3 more franchise level players in that draft just in case you get Rick Pitino'd during the lottery.

Well this can be put to bed.

Pick protected from 1-10

The Timberwolves' slump down the stretch this season means the team probably will be eligible for a first-round draft pick this summer. But even if the Wolves don't make the playoffs, there's no guarantee they will get to make a first-round selection.

The conditional first-round selection the Wolves traded last offseason to the Los Angeles Clippers along with Sam Cassell in exchange for Marko Jaric offers the Wolves only limited protection.

The draft pick widely had been described as lottery protected, meaning it was believed Minnesota would keep the selection if the Wolves didn't make the playoffs this season. But that's not entirely accurate. The Wolves will keep the pick if they draft in slots 1-10. But the Clippers will get the pick if it's 11th or lower.

The Wolves appear headed for the ninth pick. But the team's won-lost record in its 10 remaining games could change the draft order.

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