All things Jalen Duren

[blazerfan11]

I bring him up because I remember people went crazy over his physical build and matureness, thinking he had to be a dominate player.
I watched Duren a couple games and thought he was decent, very raw, clumsy w/the ball but yeah dominate physically.
I think there is a reason why he has fallen from a top lottery pick to mid first round.

Duren is a work in progress like all of the players his age.
It is worth something to say where he is in his development in a particular game, but much more important is watching his improvements over time, and Duren made noticeable improvements during his freshman season.
Edit: and will continue to improve. Unless someone thinks he's done.

 

[blazerfan11]

I always agree with those who argue that you should never pay a center too much. Many of them get hurt and you need multiple centers on your roster to make it through the season. I also agree that guards/wings are the most important position.

However, that does not mean centers are not important. Even if their skills are limited on offense, you still need a good big out there. If Duren's strengths can easily be found via a FA signing or a 2nd round pick then pass on him. If he turns out to be another Bam Adebayo and we pass on him, I will be pissed...again.

Golden State had the number 2 pick in 2020.
They drafted a center.

 

[Pinwheel1]

What struck me is that his coach only played him 25 minutes a game. And it doesn't seem to be be because of foul trouble (2.7 per game)

25 minutes is not that low in college. That means he is sitting 7.5 minutes per half.

 

[illmatic99]

Golden State had the number 2 pick in 2020.
They drafted a center.

not sure that's a good example. wiseman has been a bust.

 

[Hoopguru]

Duren is a work in progress like all of the players his age.
It is worth something to say where he is in his development in a particular game, but much more important is watching his improvements over time, and Duren made noticeable improvements during his freshman season.
Edit: and will continue to improve. Unless someone thinks he's done.

My feeling we already have a center and there are a number of them available in second round and FA's.
We havent had a star wing (forward) player in some time?

 

[blazerkor]

If Duren is our guy shouldn't we try and trade down a bit? Or is he a legit 7th pick?

I don't know if he would be a bad pick at 7 but I do think he would for sure be available at 9 and he would likely be available at 11. So if we could trade 7 for 9 and 20 or 9 and 25 then that's what we should do. If we can trade 7 and Bledsoe for 11 and Randle then that's another thing we should do. If he is our guy, that's great but unless we have info that the Pelicans, Spurs, Wizards or Knicks have him as their guy then we should trade back and still get him while getting more assets.

This offseason has to address the fact that we need multiple upgrades at multiple positions of need, so using the 7th pick on him would probably be unwise given where we're hearing most experts have him going in the draft but we aren't privy to the information that our front office is... so if they do take him at 7 we'll never know if it was a reach or it was based on good information. I like him so I'm hoping we get him and we get something else along with him for the 7th pick.

 

[Pinwheel1]

My feeling we already have a center and there are a number of them available in second round and FA's.
We havent had a star wing (forward) player in some time?

I am all for taking a star forward. The question is who will be a star where we pick? They all have question marks.

 

[blazerkor]

My feeling we already have a center and there are a number of them available in second round and FA's.
We havent had a star wing (forward) player in some time?

We also haven't had a star center... the fact is if we consider him the best player available who will have the greatest impact of any other available player, then we draft him... we trade back if we can draft him later but we still draft him. We need to upgrade this roster. The one thing we definitely don't need is a ball dominant offensively elite perimeter player who doesn't play high level defense because that position is filled... twice. Every other position needs to be filled or upgraded. If it's your contention that there are more pressing needs at both forward spots, I agree and if we don't have plans in place to fill those spots it would be irresponsible to draft a post player as our only big move. Maybe our team doesn't view Duren as strictly a post player though, since he's shown the athletic ability to cover the perimeter on defense and was shooting the corner three very well yesterday in his workout.

There's just so much speculation at this time and we'll just have to wait and see. If drafting Duren at 7 is the only significant move we make this offseason, I'll be incredibly disappointed and be even less impressed with Cronin than I already have been but Cronin is our GM now, so I have to hope that he has more he can do than just drafting Duren and if we do draft him that it will be the best move at the time with even better moves to come during this offseason.

 

[illmatic99]

I am all for taking a star forward. The question is who will be a star where we pick? They all have question marks.

i'm feeling more and more inclined into taking mathurin as of late. at the very least, i see him as a 3&d wing.

really curious why his workout with us was so clandestine.

 

[Hoopguru]

I am all for taking a star forward. The question is who will be a star where we pick? They all have question marks.

I guess my point if you are going to draft/gamble on a young player why not an area of immediate need. We've been very weak at 2 way forwards for a while now and hope one pops into a star?

 

[Pinwheel1]

I guess my point if you are going to draft/gamble on a young player why not an area of immediate need. We've been very weak at 2 way forwards for a while now and hope one pops into a star?

IMO none of them will fill an immediate need. So pick who they think will end up being a star, no matter what position.
Then trade for an immediate need.

 

[Hoopguru]

IMO none of them will fill an immediate need. So pick who they think will end up being a star, no matter what position.
Then trade for an immediate need.

I dont disagree with that and think there are players better at 7 than Duren.
I even like Sochan better at impacting the game than Duren, but thats just me. I think he has a chance to really be good at the next level but Im not taking him at 7?

 

[glazeduck]

I don't have a particularly strong opinion on Duren vs. the field, beyond hoping that whatever we do is done with positive net value.

That said, I don't think enough people are appreciating the importance of fit into the decision. As Bill Parcels once famously said, "if they want you to cook the meal, they ought to let you buy the groceries". While my expectations of Cronin's performance this offseason are pretty pessimistic, I do think it's important to recognize and trust what Chauncey and Dame want this team to be. For better or worse, the success of the franchise is directly tied to the vision of those two guys.

So sure, any of us can make solid arguments for Mathurin or Sharpe or another 8-10 guys over Duren, and vice versa, but if Chauncey and Dame like what they see in that kid and the way he fits into their overall plan... I would at least understand picking him there at 7 (though as others have stated, feels like you could try to trade down a few picks, but that's a digression.)

This thought process won't solve any arguments or clarify anyone's draft boards, but it's how I'm choosing to look at the offseason, I guess...

 

[glazeduck]

All the above said, I'm already sharpening my pitchfork and readying myself to be wholly disappointed on the 23rd

 

[RR7]

He reminds me a little of a taller Onyeka Okungwu. Physical gifts are obviously there, but I don't see him as someone that comes in right away and gives us 20 minutes a night. But, I don't pretend to be an expert on that at all.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

 

[handiman]

If Duren is our guy shouldn't we try and trade down a bit? Or is he a legit 7th pick?

There's something to be said for overreaching to get your guy too early, if you're sure he's better than everyone else is valuing him. But, a good GM (wait, what's that?!) should have a pretty good read of the league-wide room and know how much they can trade down and still safely get him.

 

[Predator]

No Centers in the lottery.

elite wings win championships; not elite centers.

 

[Hoopguru]

All the above said, I'm already sharpening my pitchfork and readying myself to be wholly disappointed on the 23rd

What would disappoint you on the 23rd? Just curious....thanks

 

[PtldPlatypus]

What would disappoint you on the 23rd? Just curious....thanks

Am announcement after we pick that we're trading that player's rights straight up to Detroit for Grant.

 

[Hoopguru]

Am announcement after we pick that we're trading that player's rights straight up to Detroit for Grant.

That would do it for me as well...

 

[glazeduck]

What would disappoint you on the 23rd? Just curious....thanks

• Trading 7 for Grant or a similar-level player
• Overdrafting a player I don't like (basically just Griffin, at this point)
• Overpaying to move up
• Taking on a lot of bad money for meh veterans
• Trading young assets for meh veterans

Mostly just the top one, but in general, I'm scared to death we're going to mortgage the longer-term future of this franchise for a bunch of overrated veterans for the sake of getting to "win now" mode...

 

[Pinwheel1]

No Centers in the lottery.

elite wings win championships; not elite centers.

True. So who is that elite wing?

 

[blazerfan11]

No Centers in the lottery.

elite wings win championships; not elite centers.

Elite players win championships. Especially elite two-way players.

 

[TBpup]

That is quite impressive. I like that Duren says he can play multiple positions. His shot isn't broken. He said he wasn't asked to shoot '3's in college but stepped out and made a few during his workout.

 

[HansenYang]

True. So who is that elite wing?

Not sure he gets there, but Eason has the best chance.

 

[blazerfan11]

No Centers in the lottery.

elite wings win championships; not elite centers.

Dame is not a wing. Should we trade Dame for an elite wing?

 

[Hoopguru]

• Trading 7 for Grant or a similar-level player
• Overdrafting a player I don't like (basically just Griffin, at this point)
• Overpaying to move up
• Taking on a lot of bad money for meh veterans
• Trading young assets for meh veterans

Mostly just the top one, but in general, I'm scared to death we're going to mortgage the longer-term future of this franchise for a bunch of overrated veterans for the sake of getting to "win now" mode...

Valid concerns for sure. Im hoping that Chauncy has great pull in what we, do as he's being asked to build a team around Dame for the next at least 4 years.

 

[STOMP]

Valid concerns for sure. Im hoping that Chauncy has great pull in what we, do as he's being asked to build a team around Dame for the next at least 4 years.

That’s the public face of things to sell season tickets today, but things change which is why you make contingency plans to pivot to

STOMP

 

[TBpup]

Dame is not a wing. Should we trade Dame for an elite wing?

To be fair, the Finals MVP has been a PG......ONCE since 1990. If an elite wing were available and the goal was a title, that would seem to be the more direct route. I'm not suggesting trading Dame, but if we want to seriously contend for a title, is Dame as the #1 the best way to do it? It seems a fair question given the current and recent state of the NBA.