2015 NBA Draft/Off-season Thread

[gblews]

If reports of Joel Embiid's needing another foot surgery and the likelihood of his missing another season are true, we now know why the 76ers took OK4 instead of Mudiay. This is what I originally thought was going on.

There was a good reason an incredible talent like Embiid fell to the 3rd spot in the draft. I'm not opposed to a gamble but the higher the stakes, meaning possible wasting of a no. 3 pick, the less gambling makes sense. Embiid looking quite a bit like Greg Oden at the moment.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

The comparisons I've heard from those in the know are to Yao Ming and Zydrunas Ilgauskas (who had the same injury), not Greg Oden (who had a different kind of injury). The results were quite different between the two. Ilglauskas had the same surgery and came back and played ten seasons. Yao never really came back. On the other hand, Yao wore himself out playing in the Olympics. But we'll have to see. Big men just seem more injury prone, so it's hard to keep a good one.

 

[gblews]

The comparisons I've heard from those in the know are to Yao Ming and Zydrunas Ilgauskas (who had the same injury), not Greg Oden (who had a different kind of injury). The results were quite different between the two. Ilglauskas had the same surgery and came back and played ten seasons. Yao never really came back. On the other hand, Yao wore himself out playing in the Olympics. But we'll have to see. Big men just seem more injury prone, so it's hard to keep a good one.

When I mentioned Greg Oden, I wasn't referring to him and Embiid having the same injuries, I was referring to Embiid's career beginning to look like Oden's.

Is it that big men are more injury prone than others, or is it that your vision is clouded by the fact that Philly has drafted some injury prone big men?

 

[Alidar Jarok]

I can't recall any other big men Philadelphia has drafted that were injury prone besides Embiid. I suppose Nerlins Noel was injured, but there's nothing suggesting he's injury prone. Sixers didn't draft Andrew Bynum, that was the Los Angeles Lakers. But I mentioned Yao Ming, I mentioned Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Neither ever played for the Sixers. But I wasn't just referring to recent history (although it's harder to remember players who never amounted to anything because of injuries, so the examples I'm thinking of are fairly obscure).

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Right. Noel got hurt crashing into the basket support, which is hardly a sign he's injury-prone. He played a full season this past year and finished third in the ROY voting, so I wouldn't call him injury-prone by any stretch of the imagination.

Going further back, Shawn Bradley (ugh...) missed half his rookie season after breaking his foot, and the Sixers gambled on trying to resurrect Jeff Ruland's career (Ruland could really play but didn't last long), but those are the only examples I can think of.

--Sran

 

[Alidar Jarok]

Bradley was a player I thought of (although I don't know how the Space Jam aliens took his talent, since he had none to begin with).

Todd MacCulloch had a particularly unfortunate injury involving a nerve condition in his feet, but, although he had a solid career for the New Jersey Nets, it was nothing overwhelmingly noteworthy. He was, however, referenced in a Chappelle's Show skit

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

^Yeah, I never understood that. The Space Jam aliens stole talent from Patrick Ewing (HOF'er), Charles Barkley (HOF'er), Larry Johnson (All Star), Muggsy Bogues (solid role-player) and Shawn Bradley (a really tall guy).

--Sran

 

[tomalak301]

I know there has not been any talk about the Summer League, but because I watch/Listen to NBA TV's The Starters, I've been following some of it this year, and tonight the Spurs, coached by Becky Hammond (First coach in Summer league history) won the summer league title. I hope one day a woman coaches in the NBA. That would be fun.

 

[Borgminister]

Go Spurs Go.

You never know--in 4-5 years when Pop retires, maybe she'll take over. Messina will replace Blatt.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

The Indiana Pacers will be wearing Hickory uniforms for select home games this season to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Hoosiers. If they really wanted to milk this idea, they could try getting permission from Butler to play these games at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

--Sran

 

[gblews]

I know there has not been any talk about the Summer League, but because I watch/Listen to NBA TV's The Starters, I've been following some of it this year, and tonight the Spurs, coached by Becky Hammond (First coach in Summer league history) won the summer league title. I hope one day a woman coaches in the NBA. That would be fun.

I think there is a good possibility that this will happen sooner than later. Gotta give the NBA credit, they have always been ahead of the curve with things like this.

The Indiana Pacers will be wearing Hickory uniforms for select home games this season to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Hoosiers. If they really wanted to milk this idea, they could try getting permission from Butler to play these games at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

--Sran

Very cool. Nice little tribute to the team depicted in Hoosiers, the only great basketball movie ever made, unless you count Space Jam.

 

[Alidar Jarok]

The Indiana Pacers will be wearing Hickory uniforms for select home games this season to celebrate the 30th anniversary of Hoosiers. If they really wanted to milk this idea, they could try getting permission from Butler to play these games at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

--Sran

It would be nice if they did something in honor of Crispus Attucks as well, in honor of Oscar Robertson.

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

It would be nice if they did something in honor of Crispus Attucks as well, in honor of Oscar Robertson.

Indeed. I lived in Indianapolis for eight years and used to pass that school every day. It's now a magnet school for gifted students.

--Sran

 

[Captain Clark Terrell]

LeBron James is not participating in workouts but apparently has a guaranteed spot on the 2016 Olympic team. Maybe I'm just old-fashioned, but I don't see how its fair or appropriate to award a player a spot on reputation alone. The way I see it, LeBron should have to compete for a spot just like everyone else.

Michael Jordan didn't get a spot on the '96 team that played in Atlanta. Why does LeBron get a spot merely because he exists?

--Sran

 

[Alidar Jarok]

The goal is to win. The Basketball team is a job, not a prize so it's hiring a player, not rewarding him. LeBron is the best player currently in Basketball. That's why he has a spot.

 

[gblews]

Sran, Alidar, I agree with both of you. Technically, Bron should have to earn it. Lord knows he would, so why not let him compete? The down side is that he might not want to compete for a spot and may bag the whole thing.

Which leads to why I agree that we should hold a spot for him. Bron, right now, is one of the best in the NBA, which automatically makes him one of the best in the world. We want that gold so we gotta have him. And it's not like holding a spot for a player is unprecedented. It happens in other Olympic sports fairly often. So, I'm okay with it.

 

[Borgminister]

Javale versus Deandre--Shaqtinafoolicious

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

R.I.P. Moses "Chairman Of The Boards" Malone at age 60.

 

[gblews]

Yeah, sad news about Moses Sunday morning. One of the true all time greats. He was one of those players around whom a dynasty could be built. Wasn't just a great rebounder, but also an elite low post defender, rim protector, AND scorer. He did it all. Him and Kareem used to have some earth shaking battles.

I'll never forget "fo, fo, fo". The man did not mince words.

RIP

 

[Borgminister]

RIP.