Players about to become all-stars (besides Harden)

[Rastapopoulos]

James Harden is revealing that he's better than the third best player on the Thunder and will very soon be better than the third best SG in the league. But apart from him, what are the other young (ish) players who look like they've got it and are about to become great? To make it interesting, don't include people like Kyrie Irving or Ricky Rubio who came in with a splash, but pick players who struggled or flew under the radar originally.

I think an obvious candidate is Evan Turner. He was looking like a total bust in his rookie year, and still might not pan out, but since given the ball and more freedom has finally looked like the player he was at Ohio State. He could finally grow into the "Next Brandon Roy" tag.

Philly also has Jrue Holliday - another player who initially looked lost, and may not be a PG, but has definitely shown up (now Rose is gone).

Goran Dragic has had boom AND bust and re-boom cycles. And he's no longer under 25. But I think, given the right situation, he's going to do well. (Funny that another candidate, Kyle Lowry, going down gave Dragic a chance.)

Will Derek Favors every really put it together, or will he be an Amir Johnson-style perpetual tease? Will he get a chance in Utah's ridiculously crowded frontcourt? (Time for another poison pill offer from Portland?)

Nikola Pekovic certainly exploded this season. As did Ersan Ilyasova, although I have my doubts whether either can sustain it.

Of course, the main reason for this post is to suggest players the Blazers could target. Ideally, of course, James Harden would be a UFA at the same moment that the Blazers are ready to say "come be our franchise player! Take this Max offer!" But sadly there's plenty of time for the Thunder to keep the Big Three together. And of all of the above, only Ilyasova and possibly Dragic are gettable in free agency.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Bold prediction: none of the above will ever become All-Stars.


probably going to be there, but I guess they were all pretty high picks.....John Wall, Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings.

 

[RR7]

Would love Harden, but seems unlikely. Turner as well, though I imagine after their season is over, they will commit to him and Jrue, and move Iguodola.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Would love Harden, but seems unlikely. Turner as well, though I imagine after their season is over, they will commit to him and Jrue, and move Iguodala to us for a lottery pick.

Is what I think will happen

 

[blazedanugz]

When is hardens contract up?

 

[Natebishop3]

Utah will have to trade someone. They have too many good frontcourt players.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

-DeMarcus Cousins
-John Wall
-Jrue Holiday
-Jeremy Lin
-Greg Monroe
-Ricky Rubio

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Would love ... Turner as well, though I imagine after their season is over, they will commit to him and Jrue, and move Iguodola.

Agreed. I still love Iggy, but he's getting older. If we packaged Batum for somebody else (Rajon Rondo, say), I would be in favor of using our cap space to absorb Iggy...

 

[Run BJM]

Greg Monroe probably makes an all-star team at some point. Josh Smith still hasn't yet has he?

Homer dark horse candidate: Klay Thompson.

 

[Natebishop3]

-DeMarcus Cousins
-John Wall
-Jrue Holiday
-Jeremy Lin
-Greg Monroe
-Ricky Rubio

Does Jeremy Lin become the new "Automatic All-Star" because of the Chinese vote?

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Batum

 

[PapaG]

Harden never gets doubled, is the third option on offense, and isn't exactly a shut-down defender. I'd like to see what he can do on his own, but I think he fits the role needed of him in OKC perfectly. The question is whether or not OKC will pay max money for their third-best player.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

The question is whether or not OKC will pay max money for their third-best player.

They already have.

 

[MickZagger]

Harden will be an AS next year. Book it.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Bold prediction: none of the above will ever become All-Stars.

Harden will.

probably going to be there, but I guess they were all pretty high picks.....John Wall, Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, Brandon Jennings.

Jennings won't, Evans won't. Curry would if he could stay healthy: bold prediction - he won't.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Batum

Sigh. He has the talent. He needs to be put in the right environment, though, with a coach who really (a) believes in him and (b) will drive him constantly. After having seen what Stan Van Gundy did for Turkoglu - could he put Batum in that role?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Does Jeremy Lin become the new "Automatic All-Star" because of the Chinese vote?

That was a popular myth about Yao. Chinese voters tended to go for Tracy McGrady. They watched the Rockets because of Yao, but like Americans went for style over substance. And I don't think it was Chinese people who made Lin's jersey the top-seller for most of the year.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

yeah, Harden should make an allstar team. Serge Ibaka probably should at some point too.

 

[Natebishop3]

That was a popular myth about Yao. Chinese voters tended to go for Tracy McGrady. They watched the Rockets because of Yao, but like Americans went for style over substance. And I don't think it was Chinese people who made Lin's jersey the top-seller for most of the year.

Myth? The guy was voted to the All-Star team all eight seasons that he was in the league. He was voted an All-Star starter as a rookie with numbers like 13.5 ppg and 8.2 rebounds per game. Are those the numbers of an All-Star starter?

 

[PapaG]

They already have.

Harden, who had a 21 PER as a role player, is better than 23 PER Westbrook, or 26 PER Durant?

LOL

OK

 

[PapaG]

That was a popular myth about Yao. Chinese voters tended to go for Tracy McGrady. They watched the Rockets because of Yao, but like Americans went for style over substance. And I don't think it was Chinese people who made Lin's jersey the top-seller for most of the year.

Yao was the leader in voting 2 of his 8 All-Star appearances.

http://www.allstarnba.es/ballot/all-time-leaders.htm

 

[The_Lillard_King]

What is OKC situation when it comes to contracts?

Durant and Westbrook have max deals. Perkins got a fat extention and is about 7-8 million/yr. Then they have Harden and Ibaka to deal with? Did Sefolosha get paid or he is unrestricted FA this summer?

I think Durant, Westbrook and Perkins alone almost gets them close to the cap.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Harden, who had a 21 PER as a role player, is better than 23 PER Westbrook, or 26 PER Durant?

LOL

OK

Have you forgotten how much you love to compare PER to usage rate? Westbrook has a usage rate of over 32 to get his 22.9 PER, whereas Harden's usage of 21.6 is almost equal to his PER. Yet you're going to use PER to ridicule the suggestion that Harden is the better player?

 

[PapaG]

What is OKC situation when it comes to contracts?

Durant and Westbrook have max deals. Perkins got a fat extention and is about 7-8 million/yr. Then they have Harden and Ibaka to deal with? Did Sefolosha get paid or he is unrestricted FA this summer?

I think Durant, Westbrook and Perkins alone almost gets them close to the cap.

OKC is going to have to make a decision on Harden either this summer or before the trade deadline. If they let him go RFA, he will get a max contract from a team. If, as Rasta thinks, they view either Durant or Westbrook as their 3rd best player, then that player may be available for a trade. I find that laughable, but hell, whatever.

 

[PapaG]

Have you forgotten how much you love to compare PER to usage rate? Westbrook has a usage rate of over 32 to get his 22.9 PER, whereas Harden's usage of 21.6 is almost equal to his PER. Yet you're going to use PER to ridicule the suggestion that Harden is the better player?

Westbrook is the better player, IMO. He can dominate games, although that can be a hindrance at times to his team. Still, he's young, developing, and seems to be a special player.

Shot at me aside, are you saying Harden is more important to OKC than Westbrook? Is Westbrook their 3rd-best player? I've always added the caveat that 20+ PER players with a high Usage rate are still productive.

 

[RR7]

If I were OKC, I'd trade Westbrook(sure to get a good return), and keep Harden over him.

 

[PapaG]

If I were OKC, I'd trade Westbrook(sure to get a good return), and keep Harden over him.

That's not a bad idea. He'd be worth more in return, simply due to his contract and talent. Harden's trade value is skewed against OKC right now due to his contract.

Harden jumped from a 16 PER to a 21 PER this year. I'm not sure I'd jump at that and give him a max deal.

 

[Natebishop3]

Harden is the easier player to trade because of his contract.

 

[RR7]

I'm not doing it for the greater return, but the belief that harden is the better player.

 

[PapaG]

I'm not doing it for the greater return, but the belief that harden is the better player.

Oh, OK. I guess time will tell. I'd hate to be the one making the decision, but I'd lean Westbrook, at least in terms of having the better career.