Thursday, June 29, 2006
Some More Draft Impressions
What in the world are the Celtics thinking? Sebastian Telfair is a reach two years ago with the 13th pick. Then in two unspectacular years he falls behind Jarrett Jack and Steve Blake on the depth chart. And now the Celtics give up Randy Foye for him. What are they thinking? Is there any team that would rather have Sebastian Telfair than Randy Foye? Unless the Celtics saw a ton of value in trading an overpaid center who can only shoot three pointers (LaFrentz) for an overpaid center who can only block shots (Ratliff), this move makes no sense.
Speaking of the Blazers, I love what they did on draft night. Sure they might have been able to get Aldridge with the 4th pick without having to give up anything, but he is going to be a good player. I think Jay Bilas was right on when he compared him to Chris Bosh. It's just so crazy how scouts start saying things and they get blown out of hand. Everybody says Aldridge was soft. I think that's crazy. People are looking to criticize and just because he doesn't yell like a maniac after dunks or smash the basketball into his head people call him soft. And yeah, he did get pushed around by the Big Baby a little bit in the NCAA tournament, but that was one game and how many 300 pound guys is he going to have to guard in the NBA.
As for the Blazers other big move, Brandon Roy is a stud. Since the new thing is to compare everybody to Dywane Wade, I'll say that he's the Dywane Wade of the draft. I don't mean that he'll win a championship in two years or even be the best player from the draft, but he is the guy who is going to come into the league and immediately dominate games in unexpected ways. If anybody saw the Washington-Illinois NCAA tournament game he was completely unstoppable. Illinois was triple teaming him every possession in the last five minutes and he still had the Wade like ability to score or get to the free throw every single time. Roy has a tremendous feel for the game and is going to be an all-star for a long time. I think Michael Jordan is going to regret not taking him with the third pick for a long time.
Moving along to another player has been railed by scouts the last two months--Rudy Gay. I can't understand why so many teams would pass on him. Do people really think that in the long run Shelden Williams and Adam Morrison are going to be better players. Do the Rockets really think Shane Battier is better than Rudy Gay--does any other team really think that? Look at it this way---Bargnani, who is older than Gay, averages 12 points per game in the Italian League and is worthy of being the #1 pick, but when Gay averages 15 points per game on a stacked Uconn team he's unagressive and lazy. It just doesn't make sense. He's an athletic freak who can shoot and when he gets to the NBA he's going to work hard and become a superstar. A great move for the Grizzlies who also got a steal with Alexander Johnson in the second round.
Just remember this--in ten years we'll be talking about Battier for Gay and Telfair for Foye/Roy as two of the worst trades of all time.
Renaldo Balkman, Renaldo Balkman, Renaldo Balkman...
Speaking of the Blazers, I love what they did on draft night. Sure they might have been able to get Aldridge with the 4th pick without having to give up anything, but he is going to be a good player. I think Jay Bilas was right on when he compared him to Chris Bosh. It's just so crazy how scouts start saying things and they get blown out of hand. Everybody says Aldridge was soft. I think that's crazy. People are looking to criticize and just because he doesn't yell like a maniac after dunks or smash the basketball into his head people call him soft. And yeah, he did get pushed around by the Big Baby a little bit in the NCAA tournament, but that was one game and how many 300 pound guys is he going to have to guard in the NBA.
As for the Blazers other big move, Brandon Roy is a stud. Since the new thing is to compare everybody to Dywane Wade, I'll say that he's the Dywane Wade of the draft. I don't mean that he'll win a championship in two years or even be the best player from the draft, but he is the guy who is going to come into the league and immediately dominate games in unexpected ways. If anybody saw the Washington-Illinois NCAA tournament game he was completely unstoppable. Illinois was triple teaming him every possession in the last five minutes and he still had the Wade like ability to score or get to the free throw every single time. Roy has a tremendous feel for the game and is going to be an all-star for a long time. I think Michael Jordan is going to regret not taking him with the third pick for a long time.
Moving along to another player has been railed by scouts the last two months--Rudy Gay. I can't understand why so many teams would pass on him. Do people really think that in the long run Shelden Williams and Adam Morrison are going to be better players. Do the Rockets really think Shane Battier is better than Rudy Gay--does any other team really think that? Look at it this way---Bargnani, who is older than Gay, averages 12 points per game in the Italian League and is worthy of being the #1 pick, but when Gay averages 15 points per game on a stacked Uconn team he's unagressive and lazy. It just doesn't make sense. He's an athletic freak who can shoot and when he gets to the NBA he's going to work hard and become a superstar. A great move for the Grizzlies who also got a steal with Alexander Johnson in the second round.
Just remember this--in ten years we'll be talking about Battier for Gay and Telfair for Foye/Roy as two of the worst trades of all time.
Renaldo Balkman, Renaldo Balkman, Renaldo Balkman...
4 Comments:
I don't think the Telfair trade was that horrible. Telfair is still pretty young and he was starting last year until he got hurt. I think Boston addressed a PG need in Telfair and Rando, and obviously they felt Telfair, the true point guard, would be more beneficial than Foye.
I was really high on Tyrus Thomas coming into the draft but now I am second-guessing Chicago's pick. Looking at their roster, it seems that Chicago doesn't have a true low-post player. Aldridge would have given the Bulls a presence down low on the offensive end. Thomas is still pretty young and I think it will take at least another year for his offensive game to be NBA ready, but his presence on the defensive end will be felt immediatly.
In regard to Rudy Gay, I think he will end up being the best player in this draft. I have said that for the past month, and now it seems he has a huge chip on his shoulder to prove that to everyone who said he doesn't have the desire or determination. The Gay trade doesn't make much sense for Houston at all. Battier is an average player...Gay has so much potential. Before this year he was projected to go first in the draft...And if Houston didn't want a player similar to T-Mac, they should have taken Marcus Williams here.
isiah must hate new york
Yea and New York hates Isiah!
I think Rudy Gay is going to be Stromile 2.0.
Athletically talented but can't put it all to his benefit.
If I'm wrong, it won't be the first time but Gay underachieved at UConn and I don't think he's going to be that great in the league.
Hence, Stromile Swift 2.0
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