NBA Thread

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,659]

2 hours ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Do you watch the NBA? It’s not returning to traditional bigs and it’s not going to. He might find a role off the bench on a team that wants a big body to throw at teams, but his size is not in any way the advantage it is in college 

It's still an advantage at the rim. Teams won't be feeding him in the post obviously but looking at room protectors that aren't exactly Speedy Gonzalez like Gobert, Kessler or even big bodies like Zubac, Nurkic and Valanciunas. Edey surprisingly had some decent agility scores at the combine last season. Will he find a spot in the NBA? No clue. But it's a pretty ridiculous time in the sport when really good basketball players can't find a spot, considering how some mediocre and worse players can find a spot.

[HoosierHoopster 6,872]

7 hours ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

It's still an advantage at the rim. Teams won't be feeding him in the post obviously but looking at room protectors that aren't exactly Speedy Gonzalez like Gobert, Kessler or even big bodies like Zubac, Nurkic and Valanciunas. Edey surprisingly had some decent agility scores at the combine last season. Will he find a spot in the NBA? No clue. But it's a pretty ridiculous time in the sport when really good basketball players can't find a spot, considering how some mediocre and worse players can find a spot.

Fair points until you say mediocre and worse players? The NBA is loaded with the best players in the world. It’s just a fact that many many very good college players are just not good enough, athletic enough, etc (eg Hulls) to make it in the NBA, and guys like Zubac are not Edey. Zubac would own Edey, don’t think you’ve watched him play. 
Edey couldn’t sniff a draft spot last year. Why is that? Can he get drafted this year? He might, in the second round, but it will need to he a team that wants him off the bench for a big body

[HoosierTrav 7,762]

11 hours ago, KingPG21 said:

What bigs are you talking about? The best two bigs, Jokic and Embiid, both shoot 3s. And if your referencing someone like AD there is no comp to Edey, AD is a freak athletically who can face up his man. I have no idea what bigs this post is referencing when the #1 pick in the last draft was a big who was the #1 pick because of his ability to face dudes up and shoot. But yah, sure the NBA is cycling back to  bigs with little to no on ball skills who can't shoot.

 

I clearly struck a nerve! Haha. I see your point though and I perhaps misspoke when I said the league is moving away from this type of player. I should have said that you are starting to see the nba be more accepting of the older archetype. There are plenty of guys outside of AD, Jokic (who operates in bulk out of the post) and Wemby that fit the more traditional style. Are you asking me to list them all or provide a few small examples?
 

maybe I’m wrong but during Golden State’s run, it seemed like every team was shifting to smaller ball and playing on the perimeter exclusively. 
 

Also, I’m not sure you can use Wemby to refute the point. He's as much of an exclusion to any rule as you will have when it comes to player types. He wasn’t the #1 pick bc of his ability to face up and shoot. If that’s the case, then take the kids from Yale or ISU with the #1 pick. He was drafted #1 overall bc there has never been a player, with his size and length, possess the overall skill and athleticism he has. 

Either way…. Wasn’t trying to be combative. Just stating an opinion. 
 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,659]

56 minutes ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Fair points until you say mediocre and worse players? The NBA is loaded with the best players in the world. It’s just a fact that many many very good college players are just not good enough, athletic enough, etc (eg Hulls) to make it in the NBA, and guys like Zubac are not Edey. Zubac would own Edey, don’t think you’ve watched him play. 
Edey couldn’t sniff a draft spot last year. Why is that? Can he get drafted this year? He might, in the second round, but it will need to he a team that wants him off the bench for a big body

Good players are taken 2nd round often. Athleticism or lack thereof is really no excuse considering the best player in the league is Nikola Jokic and not too far from him is Luka Doncic. Hulls and Edey aren't on the same level. Hulls was a great shooter but Edey is arguably the most dominant of this century.

[HoosierHoopster 6,872]

1 hour ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

Good players are taken 2nd round often. Athleticism or lack thereof is really no excuse considering the best player in the league is Nikola Jokic and not too far from him is Luka Doncic. Hulls and Edey aren't on the same level. Hulls was a great shooter but Edey is arguably the most dominant of this century.

I don't think you really follow the NBA, Chicken. Have you even watched the Joker play? He's literally the best player in the League man. And Doncic is one of the most skilled, versatile forwards the game has ever seen. You're seriously throwing their names out here?? Hulls is one of many, many examples of players who are great in college but not right or good enough for the League, that  just is what it is. 

Edey's ability to hang with NBA bigs is at best a question mark, it's why he was passed over last year. He is in the mold of the slow front court, non-shooting bigs of days of old. Can he move outside? Can he defend guys like Joker, Doncic, Durant, Embid, Wembanyama, or even Turner, Markkanen, etc.?

Will be interesting to see if he gets drafted and is able to stick / get floor time and how/when. At best a question mark now.

[Hoosierfan2017 21,075]

My very lazy comparison for Edey is Boban Marjanović. That would be his ceiling, imo. And I say that without knowing much about either of them other than both are 7’4. Maybe Edey can be a situational guy playing spot minutes but other than that his game does not fit 2023 NBA basketball. 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,659]

3 hours ago, HoosierHoopster said:

I don't think you really follow the NBA, Chicken. Have you even watched the Joker play? He's literally the best player in the League man. And Doncic is one of the most skilled, versatile forwards the game has ever seen. You're seriously throwing their names out here?? Hulls is one of many, many examples of players who are great in college but not right or good enough for the League, that  just is what it is. 

Edey's ability to hang with NBA bigs is at best a question mark, it's why he was passed over last year. He is in the mold of the slow front court, non-shooting bigs of days of old. Can he move outside? Can he defend guys like Joker, Doncic, Durant, Embid, Wembanyama, or even Turner, Markkanen, etc.?

Will be interesting to see if he gets drafted and is able to stick / get floor time and how/when. At best a question mark now.

Yea I do watch. And Jokic is one of the most unathletic people I've watched play basketball in my life. Everything he does is at a max of 5 inches off the ground.

[HoosierHoopster 6,872]

16 minutes ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

Yea I do watch. And Jokic is one of the most unathletic people I've watched play basketball in my life. Everything he does is at a max of 5 inches off the ground.

Good Lord, he's the best player in the NBA, he literally dominates the League, you're killing me with this stuff. Oh well.

[Hovadipo 55,318]

54 minutes ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

Yea I do watch. And Jokic is one of the most unathletic people I've watched play basketball in my life. Everything he does is at a max of 5 inches off the ground.

 

36 minutes ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Good Lord, he's the best player in the NBA, he literally dominates the League, you're killing me with this stuff. Oh well.

Aren’t both of these things true? I’m pretty sure both of these things are true. 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,659]

36 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

 

Aren’t both of these things true? I’m pretty sure both of these things are true. 

Yes. Which throws out any points about a players athleticism in the NBA. Skill itself can take one pretty far.

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,659]

1 hour ago, HoosierHoopster said:

Good Lord, he's the best player in the NBA, he literally dominates the League, you're killing me with this stuff. Oh well.

Okay... I'm confused here. I literally said he's the best player in the league. He's also incredibly unathletic. Slow, can't jump, isn't explosive etc. The opposite of what teams look for. Yet, his skill makes it all not matter. You don't have to be athletic to be good at basketball and succeed.

[Hovadipo 55,318]

6 minutes ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

Yes. Which throws out any points about a players athleticism in the NBA. Skill itself can take one pretty far.

Any points? Hard for me to get on board with that when Jokic, one of the smartest and skilled human beings to ever touch a basketball, is the example. 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,659]

1 minute ago, Hovadipo said:

Any points? Hard for me to get on board with that when Jokic, one of the smartest and skilled human beings to ever touch a basketball is the example. 

It's an extreme example but he and Luka have proved the athletic part of scouting is very overrated. Look at the amount of bust there have been just because they are going after raw athletes with potential. It's pretty common obviously. And the dudes who "have no place in the NBA" like Jokic or even Draymond Green, turn out to be really good. Simply because they just know basketball. There are obviously super athletes like LeBron, Kobe or MJ . But their Ball IQ are off the charts as well.My point is, if dudes are good at basketball and have IQs, there shouldn't be a reason they aren't in the league and be able to find a place. I personally believe it's a problem with the league itself.

[BtownStrength 1,216]

1 minute ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

It's an extreme example but he and Luka have proved the athletic part of scouting is very overrated. Look at the amount of bust there have been just because they are going after raw athletes with potential. It's pretty common obviously. And the dudes who "have no place in the NBA" like Jokic or even Draymond Green, turn out to be really good. Simply because they just know basketball. There are obviously super athletes like LeBron, Kobe or MJ . But their Ball IQ are off the charts as well.My point is, if dudes are good at basketball and have IQs, there shouldn't be a reason they aren't in the league and be able to find a place. I personally believe it's a problem with the league itself.

This is an interesting argument all around. No one will argue Jokic and Luka are not two of the most skilled and high IQ players. That's part of the equation. And true that Jokic has poor vertical athleticism and straight line speed. But having an all-world bball IQ makes up for some of it. And his lateral quickness isnt as bad, which helps him with bigs and even when he gets switched onto wings / non-elite guards. 

[Hovadipo 55,318]

8 minutes ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

It's an extreme example but he and Luka have proved the athletic part of scouting is very overrated.

Have they? Or are they just complete unicorns? Are there a bunch of Doncic/Jokic/Draymonds out there? Doubt it. You might have trouble finding poor man’s versions of them in fact.

I don’t think there’s some treasure trove of guys that know ball, but are slow, that are wallowing away in Europe or behind a desk that could contribute in the NBA. If you can play, you’ll play. Fans may write them off, but they always get their shot. 

The whole conversation centers around Edey right? Just because a bunch of fans don’t think he has a place in the NBA doesn’t mean he isn’t going to get his chance. He’ll sink or he’ll swim, but his play will be what decides it. 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,659]

14 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

Have they? Or are they just complete unicorns? Are there a bunch of Doncic/Jokic/Draymonds out there? Doubt it. You might have trouble finding poor man’s versions of them in fact.

I don’t think there’s some treasure trove of guys that know ball, but are slow, that are wallowing away in Europe or behind a desk that could contribute in the NBA. If you can play, you’ll play. Fans may write them off, but they always get their shot. 

The whole conversation centers around Edey right? Just because a bunch of fans don’t think he has a place in the NBA doesn’t mean he isn’t going to get his chance. He’ll sink or he’ll swim, but his play will be what decides it. 

I think a lot of NBA executives feel the same way about Edey as fans do. We can hate Purdue and everything but the dude isn't Tacko Fall or like any of Purdues past big men. He's waaaay better and that seems pretty clear. It's also clear that the NBA has without a doubt gone away from specialist. Athletic or not. Edey would kind of be in the specialist category as he'd have a very specific role. But I do think he could contribute. It takes a creative coach, one I don't think the NBA really has anymore or maybe the coaches have just forgotten what it was like before just heaving 3s.

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,659]

21 minutes ago, Hovadipo said:

Have they? Or are they just complete unicorns? Are there a bunch of Doncic/Jokic/Draymonds out there? Doubt it. You might have trouble finding poor man’s versions of them in fact.

I don’t think there’s some treasure trove of guys that know ball, but are slow, that are wallowing away in Europe or behind a desk that could contribute in the NBA. If you can play, you’ll play. Fans may write them off, but they always get their shot. 

The whole conversation centers around Edey right? Just because a bunch of fans don’t think he has a place in the NBA doesn’t mean he isn’t going to get his chance. He’ll sink or he’ll swim, but his play will be what decides it. 

Off the top of my head Kyle Anderson and Boris Diaw are/was about as unathletic as it gets. Both super high IQs. Does Edey fit into that? I don't know. He definitely knows how to use his size. He's Yao Ming Lite. I'd think that has a place in the league somewhere. I do think he's an upgraded version of Boban(who randomly dominates at times when he's in).

[BtownStrength 1,216]

2 minutes ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

I think a lot of NBA executives feel the same way about Edey as fans do. We can hate Purdue and everything but the dude isn't Tacko Fall or like any of Purdues past big men. He's waaaay better and that seems pretty clear. It's also clear that the NBA has without a doubt gone away from specialist. Athletic or not. Edey would kind of be in the specialist category as he'd have a very specific role. But I do think he could contribute. It takes a creative coach, one I don't think the NBA really has anymore or maybe the coaches have just forgotten what it was like before just heaving 3s.

There are places he could carve a role, but like Hova said his success on court will determine if he sticks. Someone like Spo would be a great coach for him, and he vould.offer a good contrast to Bam off the bench. Just 1 example. The biggest concern is probably being switched onto guards and put on an island at the 3 pt line. 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich 8,659]

2 minutes ago, BtownStrength said:

There are places he could carve a role, but like Hova said his success on court will determine if he sticks. Someone like Spo would be a great coach for him, and he vould.offer a good contrast to Bam off the bench. Just 1 example. The biggest concern is probably being switched onto guards and put on an island at the 3 pt line. 

Sure, but how many 7+ footers hold their own against guards in the NBA? Sure Edey would be screwed. But so are Zubac, Valanciunas, Nurkic, Gobert etc. NBA guards are just good. He'd probably get out under a microscope but he'd get torched like any other big man on the perimeter. Cody Zeller is one of the fastest 7 footers I've seen and it ain't like he could ever keep up.

[Hovadipo 55,318]

9 minutes ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

Off the top of my head Kyle Anderson and Boris Diaw are/was about as unathletic as it gets. Both super high IQs. Does Edey fit into that? I don't know. He definitely knows how to use his size. He's Yao Ming Lite. I'd think that has a place in the league somewhere. I do think he's an upgraded version of Boban(who randomly dominates at times when he's in).

For the record, I also think Edey has a role on the right roster. I think he’ll be able to play in the league, in a limited role, as long as his legs/feet allow him to. 

I only hopped into the conversation when it was mentioned that athleticism is overrated because 2 of the best 5 players in the league right now aren’t athletic. I just don’t buy that, because who exactly is being left out?