THN Mock: With the 21st pick Oklahoma City selects…

'Alabi is probably more of a sure thing'

WHO?! At least I've heard of Orton

spoiler alert-cole aldrich

I come from the future to tell everybody that orton sucks!

like if you reading this in 2012 lol

Excellent topics, I am searching online high school to earn degree online. After long searching I got this online that, Crossway High School is an online distance learning school. Earn your diploma today!

@kfmsooner

There has to be something amiss with this CDR trade... I think there's something going on under the table or the league should investigate this. Nets are basically doing a dump for nothing and it makes no sense.

CDR was dominant for a couple months before injury (and before Kiki took over). He could take people off the dribble at will from the wing position (even more handle than TWill). Then suddenly he goes off the radar where he had no plays called for him and he got fewer and fewer minutes. Hayes was getting minutes and CDR was on the pine? Are you kidding me?

@justin
Well, he plays forty minutes a game, (Although that will probably drop to thirty soon.) he's our star player's best friend, he's considered part of the core, and he's a pretty darn good player. I'd say his value is somewhere in the six to seven million a year range.

@Greg

So what's Jeff Green's value to the team? Never seen this adequately answered...

@Keith
Indeed it is that the article mentions Green has supposedly garnered a lot of attention from other teams. Don't tell to that to the people on here who time and time understate not only Green's value to this team, but also on the trade market.

This blog has always had mixed feelings on Alabi. I like him. I don't think he's a stiff. I watched him play 3 college games last year, and I thought he did really well. He's not Cousins of course, and I'm not saying he'll be Mutombo, but at 21 I think he's a good pick.

I found an old comment of mine, the link is below. But I'll quote myself rather than retype all that.

http://www.dailythunder.com/2010/05/measuring-stick/#comment-90287

When I watched Alabi play, he had good games against good competition. I saw him play in two ACC games, and then lose to Gonzaga in the first round of march madness.
The games I saw, and I’ve said this before, he looked like Hasheem Thabeet skill-wise, but he had a competitive fire and a good motor. I’m not claiming him to be the center of the future, but I think at #21, you can’t hurt yourself picking him. However, Hollinger is really down on Alabi, so he may be a bust even for the 21st pick.
Just to be complete though, I saw him play Georgia Tech, Duke and Gonzaga. If I remember correctly, he had just as many rebounds as Favors did in that game, and they won. However, Alabi wasn’t an offensive threat at all, but I thought he looked good against them. Looking back, that is rather impressive going against Favors and Lawal. Alabi looked really good against Duke, came up with a double-double, but lost the game by quite a bit. And against the zags, he looked alright, scored in double figures. That game was really lopsided until the end, and Alabi hit a couple clutch free throws, but that Seminole team was just outmatched that night. In all I was impressed with his play against good competition.

basically, here's the deal.

When your drafting out of the lottery, and especially in the low 20's, there are two types of players going to be around.

1) Proven players who were good in college but don't project to be starters in the NBA due to their lack of speed/agility/heigth/length/injury problems. See ---> Cole Aldrich (He is like the steroid example of this, a solid post player but not expected to become an all star).

2) Unproven players who have potential to be starters in the NBA, but also have more potential to bust (because they are unproven). Players who didn't do much in college for whatever reason: low basketball IQ/Still developing/clumsy/injury, but have a good amount of potential: heigth/length/speed/agility to become good in the NBA. See ---> Derrick Favors (steroid example of this).

I'd take the guy that has a chance to be the starting center of my team someday other than a perinnial D-League all-star.

@TempBoy Brandon
"I don't want to see anything break up over non-basketball related things."

Sounds like he is at least understanding that basketball needs trump his personal feelings. No wants to see Green just get kicked out the door. But, if it's in the best interest of the team, something will happen. Also interesting in that article that Green has supposedly garnered a lot of attention from other teams.

@dream catcher
Yes, that's the point. Minny drafts Favors, hopefully we can swap Green for Love.

I don't get all of these assumptions that we're going to trade Green. Presti liked him enough to use a fifth overall pick on him, he plays forty minutes a game, he's our star player's best friend, and he's not nearly as bad of a player as people make him out to be.

anybody read Darnell's new article on KD's contract? great stuff from KD as always.. anyways, i thought this quote would stir up some convo around here :)

"Jeff is a real key part to our team. I really want him to stay,” Durant said. "That's like my brother. I don't want him to leave. We've been so good together, everybody ... I don't want to see anything break up over non-basketball-related things. It's going to be a tough summer for everybody, not just our team but everybody. But I think we'll stick together.”

Read more: http://newsok.com/kevin-durant-expects-extension-deal-with-thunder/article/3470481?custom_click=lead_story_title#ixzz0rh5ehTr0

@The DON
His ceiling may not even be Thabeet. He may have a better attitude than Thabeet, but Thabeet has inches on him still.

@DXL

That wasn't the same workout as Alabi. That wasn't even the same team. Who knows how far into the workout Alabi. I've seen that workout done a few other times and most of the guys are jogging like he was.

I don't think anyone is comparing Alabi to Cousins either, we aren't deciding between those 2 and if we were only an idiot would say draft Alabi over Cousins.

I think he shot 13/21 on that workout. He also took shots that he's not going to be taking in the NBA. His 2 worst shots were from probably 18+ feet where he likely isn't going to be shooting much from. He was knocking down that elbow jumper pretty easily though.

How about this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QPVnWQboQK8&NR=1

another drill for the Wizards.

On Sanders. Most breakdowns from scouts have said he's skinny right now but he has the frame to add 20 pounds and keep his athleticism. He actually has some room to grow athletically since he's never been in a top flight S&C program.

I agree the debate should be Seraphin or Sanders. Both these guys are athletes, there's an obvious suddenness to their basketball movements, and that's necessary in today's NBA. The league's becoming ultra-quick and undersized. Big lumberers are relegated to role play.

Oh and.....

YEW ESS AY!! Y'ooo ES Aii!!!!

Alabi will not amount to jack sh*t

He is a stiff

Book it

@DizzyDai
What about the weight issue though. There is more than just height, reach, and wingspan. There is the muscle to push someone around, the footwork to keep and gain position, a post game against other people that big, and an ability to actually play minutes. I'm not saying Sanders is bad I'm just not sure I'm completely sold on him as a center in this league, especially not going up against someone like Cousins or Bynum.

USA! USA! USA! LETS GO USA!!!!!!

@justin

I am probably higher on Mullens than most. Yet, I don't expect to be more than a back up.

I guess I'm bigger on Sanders than most as well. His biggest draw back is that he needs to add weight. Compared to Alabi's and Orton's issues that is nothing. I fully believe Sanders can become a starting center in this league someday.

Height with Shoes - Cousins: 6'10.75", Sanders: 6'10.5"
Wingspan - Cousins: 7'5.75", Sanders: 7'5.75"
Reach - Cousins: 9'5", Sanders: 9'4"

This is as good a place as any...

USA! USA! USA!

GOALLLLLLLLLL!!!!

US about to be eliminated . . . what a shame.

Botched multiple goal scoring attempts.

There's also a lot of cutting and editing on the Kings workout.

@DXL

Err.. for one, you don't know how far into the workout Alabi was when that video was taken.

Second, of course Cousins and Favors look better than Alabi, that's why they are top five picks.

Alabi's workout looks fine to me, especially since his value is mostly at the other end of the court.

@ThunderHorn
Alabi missed a bunch of very short jumpers and badly airballed a longer 2-point jumper. Just jogging around he looks sluggish and awkward.

Watch Demarcus Cousins at the same type of jumpshooting exercise and tell you can't see a world of difference in terms of skill, agility and motor. One guy has a bounce to his step, the other guy doesn't. One guy's an athlete and the other guy's stiff:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBSK0hLMYo8

I don't know if Orton's any better but I'm certain Alabi's not going to be a decent NBA center.

kfmsooner :
To finish up the CDR trade, ESPN says it is a 2012 2nd rounder…so CDR for basically nothing in return. If Johnson goes 3, then Minny could start to panic, which may open the door for us to steal an asset that we really need.

Minny would be happy to draft Favors and trade one of Love/Jefferson

To finish up the CDR trade, ESPN says it is a 2012 2nd rounder...so CDR for basically nothing in return. If Johnson goes 3, then Minny could start to panic, which may open the door for us to steal an asset that we really need.

dream catcher :
Plus you have to mention the fact that our starter right now is not really a starter, and could easily be mistaken for depth.
I could easily see our pick at #21 be a starter at center down the road.

assuming we draft a center at #21 of course.

Unless you're high on Mullens, I guess.

DizzyDai :@justin
If you are looking for depth, how can you casually right off Sanders because you believe his game is similar to Ibaka’s. Especially when everyone agrees that Ibaka should be moved to the starting line up.

We have one real center on the roster, that's why, and Sanders doesn't seem like a center to me right now.

@dream catcher

I really doubt that's what Presti thought Ibaka would do, especially so soon. He's a huge exception that exceeded expectations.

Plus you have to mention the fact that our starter right now is not really a starter, and could easily be mistaken for depth.

I could easily see our pick at #21 be a starter at center down the road.

@justin

If you are looking for depth, how can you casually right off Sanders because you believe his game is similar to Ibaka's. Especially when everyone agrees that Ibaka should be moved to the starting line up.

justin :@dream
catcher
Ibaka was an exception, and he’s not even a starter yet. Most players drafted in our position are depth. You’re playing a losing game if you’re drafting a guy that you want to start in the league, because then of course you’re going to look at the ones who have little to no experience. Then you hope that they turn out alright.

you said we are not drafting a center at #21 to play down the stretch and box out Pau Gasol. I just pointed out that we drafted a guy named Serge at #24 in a supposed weaker draft for big men who did just that. play down the stretch to box out Gasol. He just forgot...

@dream catcher

Ibaka was an exception, and he's not even a starter yet. Most players drafted in our position are depth. You're playing a losing game if you're drafting a guy that you want to start in the league, because then of course you're going to look at the ones who have little to no experience. Then you hope that they turn out alright.

@DXL

I'm not sure how you can watch that video and come away with those impressions/conclusions unless you've already made up your mind before watching it.

justin :
We’re not drafting a center at 21 to play down the stretch and box out Pau Gasol we’re drafting for depth. I think Alabi can be good depth. I don’t expect to draft a starter with low first rounders.

Serge Ibaka was drafted #24 and this draft is suppose to be one of the deepest in years(according to draftexpress).

To me this converstation should be about Sanders vs. Seraphin.

We're not drafting a center at 21 to play down the stretch and box out Pau Gasol we're drafting for depth. I think Alabi can be good depth. I don't expect to draft a starter with low first rounders.

@dream catcher
Guys who rebound at a high rate in college typically are able to translate that to the pros. How about guys like Alabi who don't rebound at a high rate in college?

justin :

Greg :@justin And Alabi’s not going to be a project? You seem off-base today.

Alabi is much closer to being ready to contribute to an NBA team, IMO.
As far as Alabi’s rebounding:
Alabi R40: 9.7
Orton R40: 10.0
Wouldn’t exactly call this a feather in Orton’s cap.

both are horrible rebounders for their position.

not just his rebounding but his injury history. 2 injuries on his lower body just from 3 years in college. I guess at #21 everybody is a risk, Id just like our pick to be healthy. Seems like all the players Presti selects have a clean bill of health.

Greg :@justin And Alabi’s not going to be a project? You seem off-base today.

Alabi is much closer to being ready to contribute to an NBA team, IMO.

As far as Alabi's rebounding:

Alabi R40: 9.7
Orton R40: 10.0

Wouldn't exactly call this a feather in Orton's cap.

I'm not as impressed with Alabi's size as everyone else. The reason why? If he gets injured often, Alabi's size won't be in the game. Plus he doesn't rebound. Didn't we lose our last game because of a blown rebound?

@justin
Alabi did hurt his foot which hurt his athletic testing numbers, he is normally known as a terrific jumper and can run the floor at least average. He still measured as one of the tallest and longest athletes at the combine. While he might not be the greatest rebounder, I'm not sure he can be much worse than Kristic and he brings a good defensive mindset to the table. Also if everyone wants Lee to come here, you're going to want a player like Alabi opposite him.

justin :
Alabi hurt his foot or something didn’t he? His combine numbers are obviously low, anyone who saw him play could tell he’s quicker than how he tested.
Alabi playing college ball for three years is a positive as far as I’m concerned. We don’t need a project like Orton, we have a project center and a project power forward. Alabi, with his size and length can affect games immediately in short minutes. Again, it’s the mystique of the unknown that’s favoring Orton here, and from watching him I don’t understand what that mystique is because he doesn’t seem to be amazingly skilled.

I'd love Alabi if it wasn't for his rebounding #'s. justin you know how much better we need to be at defensive rebounding. How concerned are you about Alabi's board game?