The case for Myles Turner

[Fez Hammersticks]

With rumors of trading up into the lotto (Batum/23) the only name connected to Portland that is projected to go lotto is Myles Turner -- range: 5-11

Elite length for a center: 6'11.5" | 7'4" wingspan | 9'4" reach

3pt range and has potential as a legit shotblocker: 4.7 BPG/PER40 -- right now his skillset is similar to what Raef Lafrentz had in Denver.

His biggest knock is his athleticism. Outside Wood, NBA weight training will turn Myles into a much different prospect:

The good news for Turner is that there aren't any imbalances or structural deficiencies that would put him in danger of suffering injuries moving forward -- he just has weak gluteus medius muscles, which stretch from the crest of the hip bone to the greater trochanter at the top of the femur. The muscles serve the purpose of keeping the pelvis from dropping to one side when the opposite leg plants while running. Turner's weakness in those muscles results in a pronation of his left foot in his stride.

So he's going through a specific set of exercises designed to correct those imbalances:

I have been working on my core, hips and gluteal muscles. I have noticed huge gains in my transitional drills. I have been able to get out and run the court better.

It's possible that strengthening those muscles could also help Turner with one of his other major issues -- his lateral quickness when defending the pick and roll. Even if it doesn't, becoming an effective transition player could bolster Turner's draft stock since he finished so poorly in transition and failed to create many opportunities for himself.

What say you?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I say don't trade Batum to move up a few spots in a weak draft.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Say no to players named Myles/Miles.

 

[KingSpeed]

Say no to players named Myles/Miles.

What about MyLe?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

What about MyLe?

Yes but people pronounce it My-Lee so he gets a pass.

 

[BonesJones]

I say don't trade Batum to move up a few spots in a weak draft.

you're the only person I've heard say this is a weak draft

 

[PCmor7]

Let me be the second one then to say this is a weak draft. I think the two bigs at the top will be slightly above-average players, and, while I know it's always pretty much a crapshoot once you get past the top dozen in any draft, the guys beyond this lottery make me particularly unenthused.

That said, if Aldridge would leave and the Blazers would have have to rebuild, Myles Turner is one of the draft picks I could get behind, partially because I think he's a poor man's Aldridge ... that ought to be enough to get at least 33 percent of Blazer fans to be totally against him.

 

[BonesJones]

Let me be the second one then to say this is a weak draft. I think the two bigs at the top will be slightly above-average players, and, while I know it's always pretty much a crapshoot once you get past the top dozen in any draft, the guys beyond this lottery make me particularly unenthused.

That said, if Aldridge would leave and the Blazers would have have to rebuild, Myles Turner is one of the draft picks I could get behind, partially because I think he's a poor man's Aldridge ... that ought to be enough to get at least 33 percent of Blazer fans to be totally against him.

the lottery is average. After that the draft is really strong... Its really deep so that's no way its weak

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

the lottery is average. After that the draft is really strong... Its really deep so that's no way its weak

I wouldn't say average lottery, more huge booms or huge bust material. More than normal.

 

[Rhal]

the lottery is average. After that the draft is really strong... Its really deep so that's no way its weak

Thats the reason so many people say its weak. Few really great prospects and even in the lottery your looking at players ceilings being starters not all stars. Outside of Towns/Oakfer and you can make the case for Russell the rest of the draft is really similiar to the 2013 one in the sense that after the top 3 all the prospects fall into tiers were they are all very similiar rated for the next 10 guys and then the same with the 10 after that ect.

 

[Pinwheel1]

If you are a lottery team , the draft may be weak. If you are a playoff team, the draft is not weak.
Bottom line is there is not much difference between 10 and 30.

 

[WillG]

If you are a lottery team , the draft may be weak. If you are a playoff team, the draft is not weak.
Bottom line is there is not much difference between 10 and 30.

Agreed. It's not a particularly strong draft class, but it is deep - extending through 30 odd picks . . .

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Some of the players after the top 3 may even be as good as Batum. In a few years.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Does not fill me with confidence that a huge chunk of the entry on Turner in DraftExpress is about fixing the way he runs so he stops doing damage to himself.

This guy sounds like a poor man's LaMarcus. With running problems.

 

[tester551]

Does not fill me with confidence that a huge chunk of the entry on Turner in DraftExpress is about fixing the way he runs so he stops doing damage to himself.

This guy sounds like a poor man's LaMarcus. With running problems.

Agreed. Not someone I would pick

 

[jlprk]

Does not fill me with confidence that a huge chunk of the entry on Turner in DraftExpress is about fixing the way he runs so he stops doing damage to himself. This guy sounds like a poor man's LaMarcus. With running problems.

Sounds like Oden. Better measure each leg.

 

[BlazerWookee]

you're the only person I've heard say this is a weak draft

You heard him? Everybody else had to read him...

 

[BonesJones]

You heard him? Everybody else had to read him...

Yeah man we were chillinnn

 

[Eastoff]

But think of mike rice talking about Myles kicks it out to Meyers for a three.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Kevin O'Connor:

Turner was misused under Rick Barnes, but despite the faulty fit, he managed to showcase his talents with the Longhorns. Turner is a giant at over 240 pounds with a long wingspan. This makes him unique in that his bread-and-butter offense comes from the perimeter. He was streaky from behind the arc, but his picturesque form and efficient clip from the free throw line suggests he'll develop into a great shooter.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

Sounds like Oden. Better measure each leg.

His third leg seems to be lacking in comparison to oden, let me formulate a pictogram to help you understand it better.

 

[BonesJones]

But think of mike rice talking about Myles kicks it out to Meyers for a three.

And Afalo setting it all up with the hockey assist

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

 

[ripcityboy]

Amazing agility and foot work for someone that size.

 

[B-Roy]

I would trade anyone on this team outside of lillard and Leonard for this guy.

 

[B-Roy]

I would trade anyone on this team outside of lillard and Leonard for this guy.

Haha. Anyone but Lillard and CJ. Maybe even CJ. He's the second or third best player in this draft after Towns and maybe Porzingis.

Dammit, this guy is a bonafide all-star.

He's also super well spoken:



Everything about this guy makes me confident that he was the one Olshey was targeting with a lottery pick, which in turn makes me even more confident about Olshey's ability to evaluate talent.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Learning from past draft prediction mistakes I now put intangibles and bballiq WAY above anything else. I've done this since the CJ draft where I had CJ/Adams/Gobert as my draft day top-3 for our pick.

Turner is a high iq player and his defensive timing is an intangible that you can't teach. But I clearly had Porzingis rated ahead of Turner. Where he was picked Indiana got a steal.

My intangible/IQ prospects this year? Denzel Valentine and Tyler Ulis - especially Ulis. Sabonis as well but he's going to be well out of reach of attainability.