Gorgui Dieng revsited

[Ed O]

Dieng is old (23 and a half years old), not very big and he has no offensive game.

I am not impressed.

Ed O.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Ouch @ the Joel Anthony comparison.

 

[JDC]

Ouch @ the Joel Anthony comparison.

Too bad it's a terrible comparison.

And he can hit a mid range J and pass really well for a big. So even though he's never going to be a 15 point scorer he has valuable offensive skills.

Anybody who actually watches him play would have a hard time not respecting his game. He just makes winning plays.

 

[oldmangrouch]

It is possible to believe he will be the best big man available at #10 and not be convinced he is the best *player* available at #10. Hence the ambivalence.

 

[PapaG]

Dieng is old (23 and a half years old), not very big and he has no offensive game.

I am not impressed.

Ed O.

He claims to be 23. Birth records from the 3rd-world have proven to be less than complete. He could be 25, for all we know.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Dieng is old (23 and a half years old), not very big and he has no offensive game.

I am not impressed.

Ed O.

If he were bigger, younger, or had a better offensive game, he would not be available at 10. Fact is, his wingspan and standing reach are sufficient for him to play center, his offensive game is better than you suggest (particularly his passing), and he's young enough to play for a decade, so none of your concerns are a particularly big deal. Personally, I like the fact that he spent so long in college developing into a player who's probably ready to contribute at the pro level from day one.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Dieng is old (23 and a half years old), not very big and he has no offensive game.
I am not impressed.
Ed O.

You always were youth-obsessed, Ed. Doesn't that sting all the more as you crumble into old-age?

Think of him as Anthony Davis without the offense. Only bigger. There, don't you feel better? Or how about Marcus Camby over a decade younger?

What I like about him is I think he can complement both Aldridge and Leonard. He can actually hit the open mid-range jump shot and has the rudiments of a post game. And one very important offensive skill: he's a very good passer. Watch this:

[video=youtube;OpxLbcI_fQY]

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Ouch @ the Joel Anthony comparison.

Agree with JDC that it's lazy. The reason Anthony doesn't play anymore is because he can't hit a jump shot, but Dieng can. Also Dieng is bigger. (Besides: it's not a strict comparison - it's "he reminds me of". It's not meant to be "he will end up like that" - I looked at Mbakwe and the name given was Reggie Evans. Even worse, for Nate Wolters (all-O, limited D) the comparison was Kirk Hinrich. I think it's just "who looks like him in some way")

 

[Rastapopoulos]

It is possible to believe he will be the best big man available at #10 and not be convinced he is the best *player* available at #10. Hence the ambivalence.

Suppose I'm right and the best PLAYER is Dennis Schroeder (I can't be bothered to do the umlaut any more). Would you take him? Suppose he turns out to have all-star talent (as "Sam Chadwick" says here) wouldn't that create a problem here?? Would it happen here? (Having said that, I actually think we SHOULD take him, but only if we can get Dieng too.)

Everybody says "Best Player Available" is diametrically opposed to "fit" but that implies that there is some objective ranking system whereby you can say that Muggsy Bogues is three points on the Best Player Scale higher than (say) Manute Bol. But that's ridiculous: apart from anything, what players become is a function of the system they're in. A player who might blossom on one team might never do so on another. Imagine if Boris Diaw had never gone to Phoenix. He would be long out of the NBA and as little remembered as...somebody I've forgotten. Or Derek Fisher not on the Lakers. Or Eric Snow if Larry Brown had never got hold of him. Or Raymond Felton if he'd been on the Blazers all his career.

All that aside: the value of defensive bigs has been amply demonstrated in these playoffs. Bogut, Hibbert, Gasol. Sure, Dieng is unlikely ever to be a Hibbert, but if he's 80% of that (on the mythical BPS) he's going to be less than 20% of the cost.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

I don't think many people thought Hibbert was going to be as good as he turned out.

 

[Pinwheel1]

You always were youth-obsessed, Ed. Doesn't that sting all the more as you crumble into old-age?

Think of him as Anthony Davis without the offense. Only bigger. There, don't you feel better? Or how about Marcus Camby over a decade younger?

What I like about him is I think he can complement both Aldridge and Leonard. He can actually hit the open mid-range jump shot and has the rudiments of a post game. And one very important offensive skill: he's a very good passer. Watch this:

[video=youtube;OpxLbcI_fQY]

The thing that impresses me most about these highlights, is that they are all from the same game. It's not like someone went out and just grabbed 15-20 plays from 35 games. He showed these skills in 30-35 minutes.

As far as his age, didn't he get a late start playing basketball? If this is true then it may not be fair to say he has a lower ceiling then younger players. According to his coach he is very smart and just scratching the surface. That he continues to get better. Plus maybe his legs are fresher....

His rookie contract and his 2nd contract add up to be 8-9 years. He would be in his early 30's. If we can get a center for that long it would be a record for us.

 

[HailBlazers]

If he were bigger, younger, or had a better offensive game, he would not be available at 10. Fact is, his wingspan and standing reach are sufficient for him to play center, his offensive game is better than you suggest (particularly his passing), and he's young enough to play for a decade, so none of your concerns are a particularly big deal. Personally, I like the fact that he spent so long in college developing into a player who's probably ready to contribute at the pro level from day one.

Word. Actually surprised by his jumper too.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Jonathan Givony ‏@DraftExpress 2m
DX: Gorgui Dieng Workout Video and Interview http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Gorgui-Dieng-Workout-Video-and-Interview-4276 …

[video=youtube;QomUkx95loo]

I know its just a workout but I do have to say I like how clean (im not sure thats the right word but ...) he is around the hoop. Very smooth and accurate. Definitely seems like he can hit a jumper if needed

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Good to see he's out of the boot. Just please let him not go to the Thunder, that's all I ask.

Aside: I want a "SCAL" shirt.

More relevant aside: somebody scan the crowd and see if there are Portland scouts there...

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Anyone else see the similarities:

 

[Reep]

Anyone else see the similarities:

But Theo was a much better shot blocker. He averaged 5.1/game his senior year. Maybe more like Noel than Dieng.

 

[jlprk]

Anyone else see the similarities:

To Lillard?

 

[Blazinaway]

just saw sheridan hoops latest mock, had Dieng at #27, this is gonna be an interesting and very unpredictable event

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Cool podcast on this year's draft featuring Kevin Pelton where he describes Udoh as "a defensive savant"

 

[theprunetang]

You can see the boot here. (Kind of cool feature.)

I feel terrible for pointing this out, but I noticed something that I just can't unsee now. At one point during the shoot to make this feature happen, Dieng changes the position of his arm. So when you spin him around he gives a Sieg Heil.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I feel terrible for pointing this out, but I noticed something that I just can't unsee now. At one point during the shoot to make this feature happen, Dieng changes the position of his arm. So when you spin him around he gives a Sieg Heil.

That's not a Sieg Heil - that has to be off to the side. It's a "Stop in the name of the law!"