We need a small ball center who can: rebound, defend (protect the paint, defend the perimeter), and finish around the basket.
I think that we have some players who can fill that role in spots - Tarik, Nance, for instance. Some potentials from the draft: Jordan Bell Ike Anigbogu Johnathan Motley Cam Oliver Mathias Lessort Jonah Bolden
Not a fan of Tarik. Too foul prone. Too short, too. Robinson possibly, but size issues, too, IMO. I am thinking Clint Capella.
Well sure but its likely hes just more of one or the other, probably beverly but more offense....fyi beverly was our pick but we sold it to someone
I like Tarik, but you have a point. Capela was a 15th pick in the draft, so keep that in mind. This draft is deep with big men. Around the 28th pick I'm not positive who will be there though. Guys like Patton, Anigbogu, and Allen all fit what you're talking about, but they'll be gone. Rabb kind of fits your description and could slide, but he's slimmer than Capela. Hartenstein and Jeanne are big, ponderous guys but have jumpers. They could be there. Pasecniks is a 7 foot bean pole, very mobile but weighs 200 pounds. If I were you, I'd keep an eye on Giles, Adebayo, Lessort, Bryant, Swanigan, and Motley. Bell is also a maybe, but he's a little small even for what you're looking for. Giles is very talented, but he's got some very serious injury concerns in both knees. Lessort actually models his game after Faried. He's also short, but has a tremendous motor. Swanigan is a little too slow and unathletic for what you're looking for... Motley is thin, but a great athlete. Bell is a workhorse, but small... Adebayo might be your guy at 28. He's a smaller version of Dwight Howard. Uber athletic, strong, a good rebounder, a willing rim defender. So far in his career he seems to understand more what his role is so his mentality isn't really Howard-esque.
werd...but i'd go FA and target patrick patterson. throw a large money, short-term deal at him (like, ALL the space, but only two years). edit: and real's right--capela types are out there in the mid to late first round. you can't be paying 20 per for them.
Stretch bigs exist in this draft but most of them are flawed or out of our range. Markannen of course but he's a lottery pick, probably top 10. Hartenstein but he's extremely raw. Probably gone before 28. Anyone else is either too small or too unathletic to be serious candidates at 28.
I like him a lot, but he's unlikely to be there at 28. If he slides for some reason, he is maybe your ideal Capela pick. That said, personally I don't see a ton of difference from Adebayo to Anigbogu. Both should have solid NBA careers and one will come cheaper than the other. Maybe that's why both could slide to us?
I'd love to have just one of them. Uber-athletic guys you can play against a bigger line-up( (think how SAS played Aldridge and Pau) or small ball units (GS death line-up) without sacrificing size at all. They are invaluable, IMO.
If you grab one you make Tarik a valuable trade asset. At 6 million he's a good trade filler and his contract is non-guaranteed.