Via Sportando, seven-footer Tibor Pleiss will likely leave his German team Brose Baskets Bamberg. And according to Andrea Burkert of Süddeutsche Zeitung he will join the Thunder.
Obviously that’s very difficult to confirm, but it makes some sense. Nazr Mohammed’s contract is expiring this offseason and Pleiss could potentially step in and fill that role. Or at least try and make an impression during Summer League.
Pleiss was picked 31st overall by the Nets in the 2010 draft and was traded to the Hawks who then sold his rights to the Thunder. Pleiss averaged 6.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg in Euroleague and 10.1 ppg and 6.0 rpg in Bundesliga.
FREE COLE
can he post up?
Well hope he continues to improve.
At the very worst, if we bring him over, we can still trade him to the bobcats for a second round pick that's almost the same as a late first rounder and basically get back what we paid for him in the first place
Seems to me that he doesn't have interest in coming to the States yet anyway. Read that he wanted to play in Spain for a couple years before trying his hand in the NBA. But that was written in 2010. So who knows?
@dbill405 via WTLC:
Sport1: Chris Fleming (Coach of Bamberg) says you're dreaming of the NBA. Right after the draft two years ago you said that you aren't really interested in the NBA and you don't know the names of most of the players...
Pleiß: That has changed. Of course it's not easy to follow if the games start at 4 or 5 am but the OKC Thunder and I are in close contact. They send me most of their games on DVD so that I can look at them and get a feeling for them (I guess he means the playing style). Since I'm thinking of OKC every now and then I'm very interested to see what's going on there.
Sport1: With which players do you stay in touch via mobile or social networks?
Pleiß: I don't have any contact to the players yet. Two years ago I met KD and Westbrook and had the chance to greet them at the FIBA WC but that's it for now.
Sport1: When do you decide if you're going to NBA this summer?
Pleiß: Not now, probably after this season. I'm trying to concentrate on the present: the playoffs and the championship.
Sport1: But according to rumors OKC staff members visit Bamberg quite a lot and look after you. Who else, besides GM Sam Presti, turns up at your place?
Pleiß: Scouts, physical therapists, athletic coaches. Last time five people were here and watched me. I like that they're so interested in me.
Sport1: Are they involved in your individual training?
Pleiß: They tell my coaches what they'd like to see and until now I managed to do what they want.
Sport1: Anything specific?
Pleiß: Good passes, going hard for rebounds, defense and the occasional jumper from outside the paint.
http://www.welcometoloudcity.com/2012/3/29/2910402/tibor-pleiss-may-join-the-thunder-this-off-season
What a free kick from Gerrard.
@Jooseppi What a shot from Nasri.
But is he better than Lazar?
Video of finals game 1 is online now. I don't know, if it's available in the US. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xTs8ttZNuc
First 8 minutes of the game should give a good insight of his game.
@diddoff Beginning of the game showing he got the pick and pop thing going on. Something rebounding seemed very natural to him too (meaning he had a keen sense of were the ball was going when it hit rim or back board)
@diddoff low post D sucks though lol
@thelaughingwiseman Nah, he's usually pretty good there. I think those two baskets were about the only one his opponent scored on him down there in this series.
@diddoff makes me want to learn german!
I'm hoping for a Marc Gasol light (hopefully a diamond in the rough). An above average post defender who is very solid running the pick and pop. A few years in the league can make him into a more mobile Mosgov or Omar Asik. At least that's what his potential can be. Luckily we have the summer and off-season to work on him.
@thelaughingwiseman Gasol, Mozgov and Asik are waaaaay bigger.
Krstic, Collison, Nesterovic are better comparisons IMO
@diddoff The reason being, he can afford to get some more meat on him, he's still 22
@thelaughingwiseman "Brooks developing him along with Cole"......
bwahahahahahhahahahaha!!
@diddoff He may be a legit 7-1 or bigger.
@diddoff I just see him being really disruptive with his length on both ends (when it comes to rebounding). I see Brooks developing him along with Cole to be great rebounders and low post defenders. Perk and Collison would be great teachers for them
@thelaughingwiseman He has 264 lbs now but looks really thin
I don't mean a huge rebounder and scorer, but a person who can get some rebound maybe around 5, and like 9 pts. But very capable of hitting the open shot in the pick and pop
Not really convinced he will be any good in the NBA.
@justin_mia Just a guess, but I'm guessing he has more chance of contributing ok or better in a defined role than not.
@justin_mia Me either. seems to be the typical euro big man...soft and no D...slow footed
@justin_mia Role player, nobody ever expected more than that.
@justin_mia we won't know until he tries
Kudos for using the "ü", Royce
Pleiss will be fine as a 3rd center. He's unathletic (can barely jump) but is fundamentally sound. Good defender, good rebounder and, surprisingly, has developed a jump shot. He shot 43% from 3-point range for the season (12 for 28).
@DXL He is a terrible rebounder, but the coaching staff wouldn't bring him over if that was an unfixable issue.
So what's the upside on this guy?
@DustinMcWilliams I'd like to know too. I've seen a video or so of him, but I only saw the highlights. What else does he bring? What's his weaknesses?
@Arent http://www.nbadraft.net/players/tibor-pleiss
Something I found. Showing that he doesn't have much of a scoring game.
@Crow "like Mullens" means TOTALLY AWESOME, right?
Right?
@Thunderbeard He might be or he might be like Mullens.
@DustinMcWilliams he can shoot fairly well for a big man. has offensive instincts.
@DustinMcWilliams Dang, I was hoping for a Nenad Krstic 2.0.