OT: I'm Glad the Blazers Don't Have Durant

[Draco]

Because the drafting of Greg Oden looked like it would force him to become a bench player as the Blazers were going to build around Aldridge, Oden and Roy (ah, remember that sweet dream that went poof in the night).

So what if Zach had to go to the bench, we got nothing but lousy bench players in return for him! At least he would be a good bench player. Rasheed came off the bench when we went to the WCF.

 

[Denny Crane]

As much as some people want him to be, Aldridge isn't a center. He is a power forward.

Odeon, otoh, is a true game changing center. When healthy, probably top 5 in rebounding and blocking shots. He probably would have averaged at least 15pts/G as well. IMO he wouldn't have been far off from Dwight Howard.

A healthy Oden is clearly the right choice at #1 all things considered.

LMA is certainly tall enough to play C, and I think he's about the same size/build as Tyson Chandler. You also had Joel to use in situations where LMA might slide over to PF.

There are centers who don't rebound like a Chandler but with ZBo you'd have a strong rebounding PF, a perfect complement. As it is, he's not a strong rebounder even at PF. Also, he'd be a C in the Okur model, which is fine.

 

[Draco]

LMA is certainly tall enough to play C, and I think he's about the same size/build as Tyson Chandler. You also had Joel to use in situations where LMA might slide over to PF.

There are centers who don't rebound like a Chandler but with ZBo you'd have a strong rebounding PF, a perfect complement. As it is, he's not a strong rebounder even at PF. Also, he'd be a C in the Okur model, which is fine.

Agreed. Aldridge has played a ton of Center this season, basically every minute Camby hasn't played. For years he has regularly been the 4th quarter center. He has had to play with Batum, Dante, or Crash as his PF. Having Zach at PF instead would be less pounding then he has been taking this year and would have worked fine.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Durant is a 6'10" foot Kevin Martin. Funny how he suddenly got so much better when they drafted Westbrook. His +/- was negative for his first season and he had terrible efficiency numbers.

I feel bad about a lot of things. I still feel bad about losing game 7 to the Lakers after being up 15. I feel TERRIBLE about trading down when we could have had Chris Paul OR Deron Williams. Now THAT was a fuckup. But taking Greg was the right decision. If we'd've taken Durant then the curse would have struck him down too, and Oden would be first team all-NBA.

 

[PapaG]

Durant is a 6'10" foot Kevin Martin. Funny how he suddenly got so much better when they drafted Westbrook. His +/- was negative for his first season and he had terrible efficiency numbers.

He was asked to be the franchise player on a bad team one month after he turned 19 years old. The following year, with Westbrook struggling as a rookie with his own efficiency issues, Durant "suddenly" got better and his PER was near 21.

You're going to credit Russell Westbrook for Durant being a great player? I'd say it's more of a mutally beneficial relationship, with Durant being the guy who handles most of the crunchtime plays.

 

[Minstrel]

Durant is a 6'10" foot Kevin Martin. Funny how he suddenly got so much better when they drafted Westbrook. His +/- was negative for his first season and he had terrible efficiency numbers.

While having a talented teammate helps, I'd be more inclined to chalk up the difference between his rookie season and the rest of his career to PJ Carlisimo trying to play him out of position in his rookie year.

 

[PapaG]

While having a talented teammate helps, I'd be more inclined to chalk up the difference between his rookie season and the rest of his career to PJ Carlisimo trying to play him out of position in his rookie year.

That, and Durant being barely 19 when the season started, with the body of a string bean.

An oversized Kevin Martin? That may be one of the dumber comparisons I've heard for Durant.

 

[Draco]

I feel bad about a lot of things. I still feel bad about losing game 7 to the Lakers after being up 15. I feel TERRIBLE about trading down when we could have had Chris Paul OR Deron Williams. Now THAT was a fuckup. But taking Greg was the right decision. If we'd've taken Durant then the curse would have struck him down too, and Oden would be first team all-NBA.

ah haha yes I definetly feel much worse about the Martell pick then the Greg pick. One player has dominated for brief stretches but had his career derailed with injuries, the other just sucked. Martell was a "botched pick" but I don't believe Greg was.

 

[HailBlazers]

I definetly feel much worse about the Martell pick then the Greg pick. One player has dominated for brief stretches but had his career derailed with injuries, the other just sucked. Martell was a "botched pick" but I don't believe Greg was.

Yes, Now that was a botched pick!

People seem to forget just how lucky we were to even get Greg. Our chances of getting the #1 were so slim. When I keep that into prospective I feel lucky to have even gotten G.O. at all.

 

[Draco]

Yes, Now that was a botched pick!

People seem to forget just how lucky we were to even get Greg. Our chances of getting the #1 were so slim. When I keep that into prospective I feel lucky to have even gotten G.O. at all.

At the lottery when we were down to the top 2 I was thinking, "You know, it would be kind of neat to just be #2 because you wouldn't have to worry about picking which guy to draft, they are both such good options."

If we had taken Durant I wonder if we would've kept ZBo? Then not signed Miller? This roster may have been entirely different.

 

[tlongII]

He is selfish. He had 16 of the last 20 points for the Thunder in the 4th quarter of their game tonight.

He doesn't make his teammates better. Oden was the right pick, because if he becomes Bill Russell, the Blazers will be really good.

Repped!

 

[KevinJBonn]

Oden has been a complete non-factor in our rise from lottery to three straight playoffs. Where would OKC be without Durant? My guess is 9th in the west at most. We can be proud of the fact that we've fought through it, and they haven't faced "any adversity" as MB said a few days ago.