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This Summer's Draft (Center)

618 views 26 replies 14 participants last post by  rynobot 
#1 ·
I know all you upcoming college/high school player aficionados have already been yacking about this........so.........pardon my ignorance in disregarding past posts....

But, is there a legitimate Center out there that the Blazers might be able to package theirs and the Grizz's picks to acquire during the draft?

If so, throw me out some names....

Thanks!
 
#2 · (Edited)
Originally posted by <b>ABM</b>!
I know all you upcoming college/high school player aficionados have already been yacking about this........so.........pardon my ignorance in disregarding past posts....

But, is there a legitimate Center out there that the Blazers might be able to package theirs and the Grizz's picks to acquire during the draft?

If so, throw me out some names....

Thanks!
I know everybody will say Pavel Podkolzine, Kosta Perovic or Ha Seung Jin.

Personally, I like Rafael Araujo from Brigham Young. I've seen him play quite a few times and I'm convinced he'll be rising the charts prior to the draft.

We have so many needs and with many, many highly touted centers winding up as draft busts...I say we should not trade up. Pick up a pg and a center since we have great need for both.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=11325

5th in the nation n rebounding. Scoring 20+ per night. Top 25 in fg%. 73% ft shooter.
 
#3 ·
Anyone heard further word about Pavel Padkolzine? Is he dominating in Europe, or just average? It seemed like he was the hot talk last year before he dropped out of the draft due to some medical issue.
 
#5 ·
Originally posted by <b>Siouxperior</b>!
Emeka Okafor!

He's a legit 6'10" with looong arms and good leaping ability. He also has a very high b-ball IQ (something this team lacks) I think he'd be a very effective Center imo.
Could be. He's definitely a great shot blocker at the college level, but it seems like he's probably better suited to play the PF.
 
#6 ·
Re: Re: This Summer's Draft (Center)

Originally posted by <b>Fork</b>!

.....with many, many highly touted centers winding up as draft busts...
That's an interesting observation. It got me to thinking, though.....(yes, a dangerous proposition)

Historically, haven't most all of the really good Centers been chosen with relatively (very) high draft picks?
 
#7 ·
Re: Re: Re: This Summer's Draft (Center)

Originally posted by <b>ABM</b>!


That's an interesting observation. It got me to thinking, though.....(yes, a dangerous proposition)

Historically, haven't most all of the really good Centers been chosen with relatively (very) high draft picks?
Yeah, that's true. But guys like Shaq, David Robinson, Olajuwan and Tim Duncan have been absolute can't miss prospects. I'm not so sure if this class has too many of those types of guys. Then again, some of the classic botched picks have been top three as well. Sam Bowie and Michael Olowakandi come to mind.

I guess it all comes down to having the right scouting reports and never reaching to draft a needed position. Maybe Podkolzine or one of these others is that good.
 
#8 ·
Re: Re: Re: Re: This Summer's Draft (Center)

Originally posted by <b>Fork</b>!

I guess it all comes down to having the right scouting reports and never reaching to draft a needed position.
I'm sorry, I don't read much about college or high school prospects - not even locally.

But, have you heard of a 7-foot high school prospect from Atlanta that is supposedly going pro? Supposedly, he's one of those "can't miss" types.
 
#9 ·
OK, I did a search and answered my own question.

From AJC.com

......Inside, (7-Footer Randolph) Morris and (6' 11" Dwight) Howard -- considered a No. 1 NBA draft pick should he decide to turn pro -- put on a show of blocked shots and dunks. A show so big that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's satellite television network, HDNet, taped the game to show at a later date.

At one point in the first half, when Howard drew the ball back behind his head and threw down a two-handed dunk, the house resounded with "Ooohs!" One Southwest Atlanta Christian fan could only shake her head and yell, "Amen! amen, amen!"
 
#10 ·
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: This Summer's Draft (Center)

Originally posted by <b>ABM</b>!


I'm sorry, I don't read much about college or high school prospects - not even locally.

But, have you heard of a 7-foot high school prospect from Atlanta that is supposedly going pro? Supposedly, he's one of those "can't miss" types.
I don't really follow it all that much either. Is it Dwight Howard? I was thinking he was from somewhere else, but... I'd take him too.

There is another kid I've heard of who is supposed to be a can't miss guy. I think he's from Mississippi. Al Jefferson. He's not a center either, but he had one game with 57 pts, 16 rebounds and 12 blocked shots. Another game with 38 pts, 18 rebounds and 26 blocks.

Yikes.
 
#11 ·
Originally posted by <b>ABM</b>!
Historically, haven't most all of the really good Centers been chosen with relatively (very) high draft picks?
There could be two All-Stars this year who weren't even drafted in Ben Wallace and Brad Miller (I think it's a safe bet he makes it). I also remember one really good one who was drafted with the last pick in the first, Arvydas somethingorother ;). With guys coming strait out of high school and from the far off corners of the world, I think it's a good bet that there will be other top centers that are available outside the lottery.

As usual, I hope they draft the best player available rather then lean too heavily on need. If Emeka Okafor is available and the superior talent when it comes their turn to pick, I hope they select him even if they project him to be primarily a 4.

STOMP
 
#13 ·
I think it depends on where we stand in the draft. If we have a pick in the 6-10 range and the other in 11-14 then I say we stand. Okafur is IMO the most ready player in the draft, but do we need a PF when we have Z-Bo? I doubt it and Emeka probably wouldn't be a good answer at the 5.

I would like to see Portland somehow get Luol Deng. Maybe even hang tight and take Luke Jackson (in the 15-18 range depending)
 
#14 ·
Originally posted by <b>Schilly</b>!
I would like to see Portland somehow get Luol Deng.
That's exactly the guy I want us to get too. I haven't seen anything in his game I don't really like.
 
#16 ·
Originally posted by <b>Siouxperior</b>!
Some say Dwight Howard is a lock to be the 1st overall pick.



Maybe we'll luck out and win the lotto :D
He's pretty tall. I wonder if he can dunk?
 
#18 ·
Theri are many good centers in this years draft.

IMO Pavel and Okafor will be gone by the time we get to use our pick(s) but i also do not believe their will be no other good big men..

Araujo is a good big man, but he is a senior with questionable potential. I think he would be a good pickup if we hade a late to mid 1st rounder but our picks will probably be top 15.

Chris Paul seems too soft. He IMO will not turn out much better than Chris Mihm.

Ha Seung-Jin of South Korea is intriguing. He seems to have a vast array of post moves and is quite young(18 or 19). I would be hesitant to pick him though due to injurys in the past.

Kosta Perovic seems like one of my top choices right now. He is playing against good competition, and putting up good numbers for a 19 year old. 7.3ppg, 4.2rpg, .7bpg in 22 minutes. I am beginning to like this 7'3 monster.

Perovic would be my pick.
 
#19 ·
Originally posted by <b>ABM</b>!
Wow, I just noticed -->>This Site for the 1st time. OK, I'm behind the times.
Better late than never. NBAdraft.net does a very good job... in fact, I'm considering getting a "premium" subscription to it just because I've been mooching off their site for so long they deserve some of my $.

But, they have Howard going #1 to Orlando. They've got Portland picking Andre Iguodala at #12 and Ivan Chiriaev at #14 (Memphis' slot).
Howard is the consensus #1 at this point, but not a sure thing to remain so. Chad Ford from ESPN Insider had an article about him where he wrote that the scouts love him, but some wonder if he's another Kwame Brown.

As far as who they have Portland taking: both of those guys look interesting, but picking at 12 and 14 means that all of the top prospects are gone and the team might not want to take a chance on a guy they really like (as they have the last three years) because the pick is so high... hopefully they avoid the "experienced collegiate" pick (like Melvin Ely--a guy who's a senior and a solid citizen but not a great prospect).

Ed O.
 
#20 · (Edited)
Well I think it is imperative that POR go after the BEST plahyers, and not get caught up in the "we must get a center" game. In a perfect world, I'd love to see POR get another mid 1st rounder via trade somehow, and then use both ours and mem picks, with hopefully again both lotto, to move UP in the draft and get a Deng or Gordon, and then pick up a Drejer/Jackson or darkhorse (if he declares) Shaun Livingston, with the latter pick.


As far as the centers go, I actually haven't seen most of them play, but I liked David Harrison when I saw him play. I don't think he will ever be a great center, but he is big and could end up being a double\double guy IMO. He was listed as a 1st rounder, but now I see him not listed at all? which I find hard to believe. He would be a GREAT value in the 2nd round. As for the other centers I wouldn't touch Podkolzine with a 10ft pole, especially if I traded up for a top 5 pick. That would be a disaterous move for POR to make IMO. Same goes for Chiriaev, POR is best served not going there, don't be fooled by this kid. I do have interest in Biedrins, but he is YOUNG, 18yrs old, he will take a lot of time to develop, if he ever does, and I think POR is better served, especially with our highest pick getting a player who can help us NOW. We already have one projest in Outlaw. Perovic would be the other guy, then Ha Seung-Jin.

But for arguments sake IF POR ends up about where they are projected currently (#12 & #14), we definitely go for the BEST player on the board. Who could that possibly be? Well I would be happy if Splitter slipped a little more (don't think he will), Iguodala will be a good NBA player IMO, Drejer is interesting, and I can't decide b\t Nelson or Felton, both are small, Nelson being the smallest of the two, but IMO has more heart, and skills. On one hand I'd like t o have him here, the other is still suffering from fears of having another "Damon" type player (small\shoot first\defensive liability), but everything I have read says Nelson is not that type of player, although his size will always be a problem, but Felton isn't much bigger.

Also, I would love to see POR draft L.Jackson, moreso if we had a pick towards the later teens\twenties. I think he will be a good pro, he just has a nice skill set, he can pass, he rebounds well, good shooter, lots of bball IQ and grit. The type of player POR needs. We really need smart players who play hard, or at least 1 of the 2. I wuldn't draft him high in the draft, but later I definitely would.

Contrary to what many are saying I think this will be a good (talent wise) draft. The only Hi-Schooler (besides Howard, and maybe Smith) I would seriously consider taking with a pick is that Shaun Livingston kid, 6'7 PG, he intrigues me, but then again I don't know enough about him. Telfair, another HS looks intersting too, but is small, greater risk IMO. Livingston is pretty much the only Hi-Schooler I would consider taking with the latter of 2 first rounders (IF he even declares).

C.Thomas isn't on the draft board either and I would like him as a 2nd rounder. 'd like to see POR acquire another 2nd round pick, I think there are players worth drafting in the 2nd.
 
#23 ·
i think a good pick up for portland at pg would be chris duhon, who although hasnt done anything at duke i believe will be a pretty good pro and a good distributor at PG. they could probably pick him up in the second round and i think he could be a steal.
 
#24 ·
I would be a real fan of trading Dale for a mid 1st rounder right before the draft. That would convientally leave us with 3 1st round picks and 3 positions needing a young player(PG, SF, C)

IMO our Memphis pick and the portland pick will be between 10 and 16.

I would go for Kosta Perovic with the 1st of the 2 picks.

He is a euro center, with great hight at 7'3. He also is only 19. He is one of the few euro prospects that is actually good enough to get PT on his team.

With the 2nd pick i would go with a shocker and take SF Andre Iguodala. This guy is a triple double waiting to happen. As a sophmore this year he is getting 12.7 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 31 minutes. Those stats alone make him as much a point guard as Gordon, Felton and Jameer Nelson. He is also very quick. He also only averages 2.3 turn overs a game. He could be one of the few sucessfull point forwards, though i believe he will be more of a true PG.
 
#25 ·
I know we have a need for center BUT

I know we have a need for a center BUT wouldn't a center that is overseas be a better center then one from college or even high school...the play overseas is almost like it is at the NBA level...college and high school play is no where near the play of the NBA...yea so a kid can have 57 points in high school but that doesn't mean he would score that many in the NBA.any thoughts?
 
#26 ·
I think we should wait for Slavko Vranes and Nedzad Sinanovic to develop so we can see if either of them can be our center of the future so I think we don't need to take a center and should take a PG and SG or SF, whichever Woods isn't, instead. I don't know who will be available at those positions when we get to pick but I would love it if we took Ivan Chiriaev like nbadraft.net says we will. He says he can be better than Dirk and is willing and able to play any position from PG to C, his first choice is actually PG! The porblem is that he also said that he will go to college unless he is in the top three picks and if he is better than Dirk he should be. We have to hope that some GMs tell him he is a sure thing and then he drops for some reason.
 
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