2015 Nba Draft Discussion: Russell, Nance Jr., Brown

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by LaVarBallsDad, Oct 14, 2014.

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  1. TIME

    TIME Administrator Staff Member

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    No, I'm a new passenger on the Frank the Tank train. Very impressed with him on multiple levels. Besides all the skill and ability stuff that was very obvious in the tournament games, the thing that impressed me most was how he did not shrink under the big pressure. I like Dekker, but the kid disappeared when he was most needed.

    I would not hesitate to take Kaminsky with the 3rd pick. I'd still go Towns and Okafor over him because they both have more raw ability, but Kaminsky would literally be the perfect center next to Randle. They could take turns in the post. Frank can play on the perimeter and spaces the floor better than any of the bigs in the draft. He passes the ball like a Pau-lite. He has a great mind and feel for the game. I love him.
     
    TIME, Apr 7, 2015
    #1861
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  2. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    Who's playing defense?
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Apr 7, 2015
    #1862
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  3. lakerfan2

    lakerfan2 - Lakers All Star -

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    Who's playing defense with Okafor? :)
     
    lakerfan2, Apr 7, 2015
    #1863
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  4. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    Agree again. I don't think the margin is small at all.

    I think Okafor just immediately got thrown off by foul trouble but I am sure nerves played into it too. Like I said last night, it's easy to forget these guys are literally teenagers. At the end of the game when he basically stopped being timid and just went for it, he played well.
     
    ElginTheGreat, Apr 7, 2015
    #1864
  5. tada

    tada - Lakers All Star -

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    So wait, if we had Jordan and Pippen for example, would you still take Kobe over Olajuwon?
     
    tada, Apr 7, 2015
    #1865
  6. lakerjones

    lakerjones Moderator Staff Member

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    I would have no problem if we came away with a starting level SF in the draft!
     
    lakerjones, Apr 7, 2015
    #1866
  7. TIME

    TIME Administrator Staff Member

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    If you know Kobe is going to be Kobe? You gotta take Kobe. Can you imagine a team with a backcourt of Jordan and Kobe with Pippen at SF? C'mon man, they would literally never lose.
     
    TIME, Apr 7, 2015
    #1867
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  8. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    I think Okafor could make up for his defense or lack thereof with his positioning, length, and IQ, and a coaching sitting him everytime he misses an assignment. I do like Kaminsky, though, but in no way am I selecting him top 5. That's insanity, IMO.
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Apr 7, 2015
    #1868
  9. Ryanwestlombardi

    Ryanwestlombardi - Rookie -

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    I've been hesitant to post what you said being a Wisconsin fan and watching them through out the season as I'm biased. Everything you said is exactly how I feel. I have never seen a 7 footer, even a big PF with the ability to crossover his defender and fly to the hoop for a dunk like he's done on numerous occasions this year.
     
    Ryanwestlombardi, Apr 7, 2015
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  10. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Mock drafts have Towns going first because it's boring to have Okafor going first. Besides, most of these scum feeders at the bottom love "potential". I'll take the kid I know is going to be great over the kid who might one day be better. Especially if the other kid is taken first.

    For instance: if Towns goes to Philly, he won't amount to as much as he would here. If Okafor goes to NY he won't amount to as much as he would here.

    Either way, it's not a pissing match between which player is better. Which ever one the Lakers end up with will be great.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 7, 2015
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  11. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    Honestly, Elgin, I like Okafor, but I don't love him. I'd gladly take him, though.
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Apr 7, 2015
    #1871
  12. tada

    tada - Lakers All Star -

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    LOL

    That is not the answer I was expecting but I can't argue against that!
     
    tada, Apr 7, 2015
    #1872
  13. lakerjones

    lakerjones Moderator Staff Member

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    ^ I became a big fan of Frank the Tank this tourney, but top 5? I dunno.
     
    lakerjones, Apr 7, 2015
    #1873
  14. Punk-101

    Punk-101 - Lakers Starter -

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    I'm thrilled with either Towns or Okafor. Any criticisms of the two is just splitting hairs. The points that I keep asking myself are how likely are these players to correct their weaknesses? Here is my splitting hairs:

    Towns: My biggest concern is one that our very own therealdeal has brought up, yet none of the scouts have...being an injury risk due to a weak base. That's a fantastic point. How big is that risk? Towns' only big weaknesses are being a little too aggressive and undisciplined on defense, and lacking more post moves. Are those correctable with coaching? I think very much so. He seems like a great kid that wants to learn. KAJ's tutelage could turn this kid into something much better than Bynum ever was.

    Okafor: He's got the size and skills to be a great throwback post player. He's gonna be a 20/10 player almost guaranteed. The biggest question mark about him being an allstar vs a superstar is his defense and freethrow shooting. If you're a poor freethrow shooter, you better be prime shaq or Wilt to still be a superstar. How likely is his FT shooting to improve? Malone is an example of someone who improved his stroke. Not many others have. Cringing when your best player goes to the line in crunch time is something I don't look forward to. Secondly, if we get a player who sucks on the PnR and does his Gasoft statue of liberty "defense" against penetrating guards I'm gonna be pissed. How likely is it he improves his defense?

    IMO, correcting over aggressive D and learning post moves is much more likely than becoming an adequate FT shooter and defender. Let's say Okafor becomes a 60% ft shooter and a C+ defender and Towns becomes a more disciplined defender and develops a B/B+ post game, who's better? I think Towns by a mile.
     
    Punk-101, Apr 7, 2015
    #1874
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  15. lakerfan2

    lakerfan2 - Lakers All Star -

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    Kaminsky is just as capable as you saw last night. Wisconsin got beat on the perimeter, not inside. He played Okafor very intelligently. He's slightly bigger than Okafor making him take those off balanced shots around the rim and fronted him all night. He can't do much when the other team gets penetration, that's where guys like Towns and Cauley-Stein have the athleticism to make that recovery.

    Definitely not a Top 5 imo as well, and since many of these rebuilding teams covet potential over real skill in front of their eyes, I'm afraid he'll slip under 10, but he IS a Top 5 player no doubt.
     
    lakerfan2, Apr 7, 2015
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  16. TIME

    TIME Administrator Staff Member

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    It's a valid concern. Here's the deal for me: Cauley-Stein is all world on D and worse than D League on O. But any team would be happy to have him because he is sooo good at one important thing. Kaminsky is not a great defender, but he showed last night against the unstoppable low post force that is Okafor that he can hold his own. He simply outplayed Okafor. That tells me he will be ok on D at the next level. But what he brings on the other side of the court makes his team a force. There is a reason why the Badgers were the most efficient offensive team this year, and most of that was due to Kaminsy's influence.
     
    TIME, Apr 7, 2015
    #1876
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  17. LaVarBallsDad

    LaVarBallsDad - Lakers Legend -

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    If we chose 10-14th and Kaminsky was on the board, I'd take him.
     
    LaVarBallsDad, Apr 7, 2015
    #1877
  18. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Fair enough. I think fixing your FT% really isn't that difficult. We're a little jaded by Shaq, but an earnest kid who wants to improve can fix his FT%. Okafor's hero is Duncan and Duncan's FT% is respectable, I find it likely he ends up in that direction.

    The biggest question for Okafor is can he catch up defensively? It's a good question. I think he can be an effective team defender. Guys like Magic and Bird weren't lights out defenders, but they were all-time greats. I'm not saying Okafor is them, just saying sometimes your positives can out weigh that negative. I find it more likely that Okafor develops into a decent defender than Towns develops into a reliable post scorer. For me, it's Okafor no question but as always to each their own.

    I certainly won't be mad if we get Towns.
     
    therealdeal, Apr 7, 2015
    #1878
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  19. ElginTheGreat

    ElginTheGreat - Lakers MVP -

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    I completely get that.
     
    ElginTheGreat, Apr 7, 2015
    #1879
  20. lakerfan2

    lakerfan2 - Lakers All Star -

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    Unfortunately for Okafor, I'm not sure he'll be around the 10+ rebounding side. Maybe more like 7-8 with spurts of 11. His size will grab some boards, but as you saw last night, Wisconsin just kept jumping over him for second chance points. He doesn't have the focus on the boards and often heads for the offensive end before the team secures the ball, which is a little troublesome. You can teach him to box out a little better and focus, but guys with length and leaping ability will steal those boards from him.

    Towns is an eager beaver trying to get at everything, getting him in foul trouble often, but that's easy to correct because he already possesses the physical tools to be defensively elite. THE NUMBER ONE thing that he needs to learn is NOT to swat at shots and rather, use his length and keeping his arm there to change shots. That'll reduce his fouls by half. Refs tend to call fouls even on clean blocks solely because of the swatting motion, and it looks like you're hitting the player.
     
    lakerfan2, Apr 7, 2015
    #1880
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