Article: What if the Raptors Drafted Aldridge

[Sedatedfork]

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/basketball/2011/02/11/17246456.html
This article is kind of interesting. It has more to do with the Raptors than the Blazers. I am so glad that the Blazers ended up with Aldridge and not Bargnani (not sure if Chicago would have swapped Bargnani for Tyrus Thomas, but probably).

 

[Natebishop3]

Wouldn't it be awesome but kind of sad if Aldridge ended up surpassing Roy as the best player from that draft?

 

[Pinwheel1]

Not sure why that would be sad as long as he is playing for the Blazers. Maybe a little sad for those internet GM geniuses who wanted to trade him for ......anything

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

We'd probably have this guy:

 

[Natebishop3]

Not sure why that would be sad as long as he is playing for the Blazers. Maybe a little sad for those internet GM geniuses who wanted to trade him for ......anything

Sad because it means that Roy is no longer the great player that he once was, you know? Who knows, maybe Aldridge would have surpassed Roy regardless, but we'll never know that now. In Roy's absence Aldridge has become a monster, which is absolutely amazing for us, but it also means that Roy has fallen from the player he used to be.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Sad because it means that Roy is no longer the great player that he once was, you know? Who knows, maybe Aldridge would have surpassed Roy regardless, but we'll never know that now. In Roy's absence Aldridge has become a monster, which is absolutely amazing for us, but it also means that Roy has fallen from the player he used to be.

It really does not mean that at all. If Roy cane back as the exact same player as he was exactly 1 year ago (an allstar) LMA could still end up the best player in the draft. As doubtful as that appears, (for Roy to make a complete recovery, LMA is that complete of a player.

 

[oldguy]

I think about everyone thought Roy was the most NBA ready coming out of college, but some of the regulars here were predicting that LA could turn out better with some seasoning. I can't remember who they were, and I wasn't one of them. If LA finishes out the season like he's played the last couple of months, those guys should take a bow.

Go Blazers

 

[crowTrobot]

Wouldn't it be awesome but kind of sad if Aldridge ended up surpassing Roy as the best player from that draft?

if?

 

[B-Roy]

Wouldn't it be awesome but kind of sad if Aldridge ended up surpassing Roy as the best player from that draft?

Rondo?

 

[Natebishop3]

Rondo?

I'm still waiting to see how Rondo does without KG, Allen, and Pierce.

 

[THE HCP]

I'm still waiting to see how Rondo does without KG, Allen, and Pierce.

Word to that. It must be nice to not have anybody guard you your first 5 years in the league.

 

[Nate Dogg]

Adam Morrison was such an overachieved hype. He busted big time in the NBA.

Zagsfan20 Your player that you praised so much sucked it up big time.

 

[mgb]

http://www.torontosun.com/sports/basketball/2011/02/11/17246456.html
This article is kind of interesting. It has more to do with the Raptors than the Blazers. I am so glad that the Blazers ended up with Aldridge and not Bargnani (not sure if Chicago would have swapped Bargnani for Tyrus Thomas, but probably).

Funny his main argument for having LA instead is because of his rebounds which many feel is his weakness, but I guess compared to Bargnani it's a strength.

 

[Minstrel]

Word to that. It must be nice to not have anybody guard you your first 5 years in the league.

Teams have been guarding Rondo quite a bit the last couple of years. NBA head coaches aren't dumb enough to base their game plans on what opposing players were like 5-10 years ago. Rondo's the second-best player on the Celtics after Garnett and in the argument with Rose and Deron for second-best point guard in basketball.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Funny his main argument for having LA instead is because of his rebounds which many feel is his weakness, but I guess compared to Bargnani it's a strength.

Bargnani is a historically bad rebounder - the worst rebounding 7-footer since Brad Sellers/James Edwards. Prior to this season, there were only 9 examples of 7-footers who played at least 20 MPG and had a TRB% of 10.0 or less. Bargnani had three of those nine. And, he's well no his way to a 4th with a career low TRB% = 9.0. Nobody else appears on that list more than twice (Sellers and Edwards).

Aldridge may not be a great rebounder, but he's at least respectable - especially on the offensive glass. Bargnani is just flat out horrible.

BNM

 

[MickZagger]

Adam Morrison was such an overachieved hype. He busted big time in the NBA.

Zagsfan20 Your player that you praised so much sucked it up big time.

O Rly?

 

[jlprk]

Both had to play forward, but James Edwards was strong enough to play defense, and thus a good player. Brad Sellers supposedly was a hot shooter, but his twigness made him unplayable.

As for Morrison, I'd criticize the scouts who misjudged his mental endurance, his stick-to-itiveness.

 

[MickZagger]

Teams have been guarding Rondo quite a bit the last couple of years. NBA head coaches aren't dumb enough to base their game plans on what opposing players were like 5-10 years ago. Rondo's the second-best player on the Celtics after Garnett and in the argument with Rose and Deron for second-best point guard in basketball.

Rondo is the 2nd best Celtic after Paul Pierce. Have you watched Garnett as of late?

 

[Natebishop3]

Rondo is the 2nd best Celtic after Paul Pierce. Have you watched Garnett as of late?

So much of KG's game was predicated on athleticism. Dude is old now.

 

[Rhal]

Rondo is the best defender at the PG position, top 3 passer and the best rebounding PG. The BIG problem with his game is on the offensive end. He isn't a good shooter and his FT shooting is about as good as Shaq's. He is the second best player on the Celtics but I do agree with wanting to see what he would do without the Celtics HoF around him. At the moment they make up for his lack of offensive game, without them and more pressure being put on him to score I wonder if the rest of his game would decline because of it. At the moment he can just be willy nilly on offense and not really have to put up a lot of shots or score because of how many offensive weapons the Celtics have on the floor.

 

[Rhal]

So much of KG's game was predicated on athleticism. Dude is old now.

His offense was really predicated on athleticism, now he is much more of a jump shooter which he does fairly well. His defense is still top notch. He is still one of the best defensive pf around.

 

[Nate4Prez]

I'm still waiting to see how Rondo does without KG, Allen, and Pierce.

Word to that. It must be nice to not have anybody guard you your first 5 years in the league.

Not only to not have someone guard you, but it's pretty easy to rack up assists when you pass the ball the KG, Pierce, and Allen. Every time you pass the ball it's going to a great shooter.

 

[maxiep]

If the Raptors would have drafted Aldridge, LA would have become a better player more quickly than he did with us. He would have become their starting center, which means he would have focused on bulking up and playing in the low post instead of working on his pick and pop game--that would been Bosh's area.

We've seen that Aldridge can add serious bulk without losing his speed. With someone like Calderon feeding him in the paint, he and Bosh would have been terrific together, and perhaps Bosh doesn't leave.

Thank you, Bryan Colangelo. Oh, and hugs and kisses to John Paxson as well. Thanks for the trade.

 

[BBert]

Wouldn't it be awesome but kind of sad if Aldridge ended up surpassing Roy as the best player from that draft?

According to KP, Aldridge WAS the best player in that draft. Roy was the most NBA ready. I know Aldridge was no. 1 on my draft list. I whiffed on Roy though, he was only no. 6. At least I had him ahead of Stachey! :0

 

[Minstrel]

Rondo is the 2nd best Celtic after Paul Pierce. Have you watched Garnett as of late?

Yes, he doesn't look as dynamic, but he's still extremely productive and his defense is still tremendous, especially his team defense.

 

[Minstrel]

Rondo is the best defender at the PG position, top 3 passer and the best rebounding PG. The BIG problem with his game is on the offensive end. He isn't a good shooter and his FT shooting is about as good as Shaq's.

His shooting is his huge weakness, definitely, but he's elite at getting to the hoop. He undermines that a bit with his struggles at the line, but he also converts a lot of layups and the fouls on opponents have a lot of value. If he could shoot, he'd be a clear Hall of Fame talent. With his shooting problems, it remains to be seen whether he has a Hall of Fame career.

 

[PapaG]

According to KP, Aldridge WAS the best player in that draft. Roy was the most NBA ready. I know Aldridge was no. 1 on my draft list. I whiffed on Roy though, he was only no. 6. At least I had him ahead of Stachey! :0

Which is why he was the #2 pick. KP was right about LMA; LMA was a project his first season who wasn't really even supposed to play much, at least according to what the Blazers were saying at the time.

 

[crandc]

Sad? If Aldridge in a couple of years is the consensus best player in the draft and Roy a really good player, maybe second best in the draft, I won't be sad. I'll be happy.

Man, some Blazers fans find weird things to be sad about.

 

[Minstrel]

I think the "sad" comment referred to Roy falling from "best in the draft" due to injury...not sad that Aldridge got better.

If Roy is better than Rondo long-term, the Blazers will be championship contenders. I don't see that as at all likely though.