@therealdeal you're right, those numbers are insane, but being 2 years older and playing 39 minutes is huge. I could definitely see Okafor posting similar numbers in his 3rd year, with more offense and less defense. Year 1 16 points 8 rebounds 1.0 blocks 50% from the field 30 minutes Year 2 19 points 9 rebounds 1.3 blocks 55% from the field 32 minutes Year 3 23 points 10.5 rebounds 1.8 blocks 55-60% from the field 35 minutes
Unathletic guys like Bogut and M.Gasol averaged 1.94 and 1.73 blocks respectively, so I put him in between. I'm also projecting him to grow an inch in height
Bogut is actually pretty athletic and Marc is a defensive guy first and foremost, but I see what you're saying. Pau Gasol isn't a defensive guy by nature and he's averaged 1.7 blocks per game over his career. Damn I really want Okafor...
I do too... I know we've already overachieved by getting the #2 pick and Towns would be great too, but Okafor would be a godsend.
I have no idea what Flip Saunders is going to do. Towns is the ideal fit there; Okafor is exactly what we need right now in terms of being NBA ready and being able to contribute right away. I could definitely see Flip taking Okafor, though. It would fit the type of offensive scheme or lack thereof he likes to run, and he loves guys that work in the post. I have no idea which way this goes until the draft comes...
Yeah I'm just not sure how anyone in Minnesota could justify not taking Towns in their position unless they think Okafor really is the better player with higher upside. I am a huge pre-draft Okafor fan, but even I admit that Towns ceiling is likely higher. So Flip would have to pick the guy that fits worse, has a slightly lower ceiling because he's less explosive, and at a position that he's already set. I just don't get that, but until Okafor is wearing a Laker jersey in October and hopefully past that unlike last year then I won't be convinced.
At this point and much like everyone else I would be okay with either. But even if he's not NBA ready from what I have seen from Towns with they way he can shoot the ball reminding me of LaMarcus Aldridge but who can defend better I'm actually going back to who I originally wanted right after the lottery which is Towns. A guy that skilled with his handle and shooting ability who can defend is very rare. He and Julius, both guys who can put it on the floor and shoot but also have a post game.....WOW
Posts like this remind us what a great position we are in. Real hard to be unhappy with either of these players.
That's how I feel right now. Nevertheless, I'd be stunned if we end up with Towns on draft night the more I think about it. I mean, Flip can't be that incompetent, right?
I'm hoping he is. Either that or they think they can move Pek easily in a trade and want a better center. But do you spend a number one pick to do that when Towns is sitting there and fills so many of their other needs with the roster they have now?
I feel like Flip drafting Jah would create problems that don't exist on that team. As much as he may like him, I can't see the rest of the decision makers signing off on it. When there's not much of a talent gap in either direction, why create a scenario where you have to trade one of your guys? Towns would be a natural fit there with what they have and would be better served having KG as a mentor figure than Okafor would.
Pek is always injured. There's going to be minutes there for Towns or Okafor regardless of who they decide to pick. I would think they would go with best fit. In that case, it's Towns.
Uh huh. Yeah, right. Who are those team execs and how good are their teams from their past decisions? Most importantly how many clicks on the article did the author get, right? Unfortunately he got mine. And if true with those "team execs" ...... I'm glad we have Mitch. Team execs: There’s ‘a logical case to be made’ for Lakers selecting D’Angelo Russell with No. 2 pick in NBA Draft Brett Pollakoff Jun 7, 2015, 12:30 PM EDT AP Most projections for how the NBA Draft will begin involve Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okaforgoing one and two (in some order) to the Timberwolves and the Lakers, with the Sixers scooping up D’Angelo Russell at three. But as we get closer, both L.A. and Minnesota seem to be more carefully considering Russell. The Timberwolves are thinking about him at one, which would be a bold but not completely crazy choice. And front office types believe the Lakers could grab him at two — partially because some feel Russell is worthy, but also because of who L.A. already has on its roster. From Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com: Away from the consensus, distanced from the assumptions, there is a logical case to be made for the Lakers to take Ohio State guard D’Angelo Russell with the second pick in the June 25 Draft and not simply inherit the big man the Timberwolves do not take at No. 1. There is such a logical case, in fact, that front offices outside Los Angeles buy the premise without hesitation. Russell is considered that good — “I would take him No. 1,” said an executive with a team that isn’t picking high enough to be impacted by the top five being shuffled — and the Lakers have that unique of circumstances. The thinking is that Okafor, while skilled offensively with an advanced low post game for someone of his age, is a duplication of Julius Randle ( ), the Lakers rookie who missed all but opening night of last season with a fractured leg injury. It would make more sense, then, to add a stellar and dynamic scoring threat on the perimeter to complement Randle, and balance out the roster. There are far too many what-ifs at this point to truly know which way a team is leaning. There will be individual workouts and interviews, like the one the Lakers held with Emmanuel Mudiay on Saturday, that will factor into all of these decisions. But what is becoming clear is that Russell is firmly in the mix to be considered at the top of this draft class. http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports....pick-in-nba-draft/?ocid=Yahoo&partner=ya5nbcs
I don't know I wouldn't think Flip would be incompetent to select Okafor. By everything I have read he is one of the few in that organization that likes Okafor a little more while all the player development and scouts prefer Towns. At the end of the day Flip is the Coach and GM and I just wonder what ownership thinks. It's still why to earlier to be questioning anything. I saw a tweet someone posted a day or so ago that said Flip is coming out to LA to see both Okafor and Towns in action. I'm sure we'll all know a lot more after this takes place.
When you put the bolded sentence that way, you're probably right. In terms of prefacing what I'm saying by putting it in context, when you're dealing with 2 great talented big men who are so even in terms of talent, then the right fit comes into play for the basketball team. In taking a looking at Minnesota and watching them last year, I could see where Okafor would have an immediate impact with that team in the present and moving forward. Nevertheless, in terms of a basketball fit, I think Towns would make a perfect addition.
