Draft Grades

That is a good point and I perhaps put too much stock in DraftExpress’s analysis, but still looking at all of the good info. you’ve collected, it is clear that he’s 6’10, plays undersized, didn’t rebound well at the college level so it’s highly unlikely he’ll turn into a board monster at the next level, so even if we throw out DX’s opinion re the Frye comparison, given those attributes i just listed which seem to be echoed by everyone who’s evaluated him, doesn’t that seem like a reasonable comparison notwithstanding DraftExpress’s general laziness?

No, I’m not saying Peja is exactly like West, and West is exactly like Marks, but i’ll elaborate, i thought it was clear the point i was making.

- Peja is 6’10, collects fewer than 4 rebounds per game, cannot defend, blocks fewer shots than most starting point guards, and fires from long range.
- West is listed as a 6’9 PF/C, but can’t defend opposing big men, is in the midst of a precipitous decline in terms of his shot-blocking and rebounding, certainly doesn’t score by crashing the rim & almost always has his big games if he can get that long range shot from the top of the key going.
- Marks is 6’10, is listed as a PF/C but can’t defend opposing big men, is not a shot-blocker, has never averaged more than 3.6 rebounds per game, and only scores if he is lucky from midrange.
- Songaila is 6’9, is listed as a PF/C but can’t defend opposing big men, is not a shot-blocker, isn’t a dependable rebounder, and really only nails buckets if he is having a productive mid-range game.
- Wright is 6’8, does not defend well, doesn’t shot-block, only scores if he’s lucky from midrange or has gaping open holes to the basket.
- Posey is 6’8, makes his living firing from long-range, doesn’t rebound, can’t shot-block, & similar to Wright drives if there is a gaping hole in the opposing defense, and either can’t defend or is too lazy to after getting the post-Boston contract with us.
- Diogu is 6’9, makes his living from mid-range or driving into the rare gaping hole in the paint an NBA team will present him, and can’t shot-block or rebound especially well.

See what I mean? I wasn’t saying each player is exactly like the other one. Of course each of them varies in skill and importance on the depth chart. The point is, prior to Brackins, we had 7 players between 6’8 and 6’10 whom are essentially permutations of each other from an attribute standpoint. All are fairly ‘big’ (6’8-6’10) but play small (don’t rebound, don’t shot-block, can’t defend opposing starter big-men), and make their living firing from a distance, which too often translates into jacking up shots for low percentages. Tall players, between 6’8 and 6’10, who statistically rebound like guards, either can’t or don’t defend, can’t shot-block, and make their living firing mid-range jumpers or 3-pointers. We had 7, now we have 8 of them.

cool your heels man, it’s a message board, and nobody’s being harassed, and certainly nobody’s cool by naming a bunch of random NBA big-men. if you think you spotted a poser, you need some new friends because stuff like that doesn’t indicate how cool anyone is. And I’m not saying I hate Brackins, or he will be a bigger albatross than Ryan Leaf, so please dude, no more drama. What i am saying is that looking at most of the other starting PF/C’s in the NBA currently, from the Boshes to the Cambys to the Thompsons (spelling it out for you, i cite those players because they represent the great, average, and below-average NBA PF/C’s from an offensive standpoint), i don’t think we have one player who could stand toe-to-toe with any of them without requiring constant help defense throughout the course of every game

you are clearly wrong re the Thunder. Serge Ibaka was a tremendous asset from a defensive standpoint and presented a bona fide defensive threat to Gasol. He averaged 2 blocks per game against the Lakers, and blocked 7 alone in Game 2. i’ve never believed or implied that the thunder didn’t have to use help defense or that help defense is completely made up, but it’s asinine to say the thunder defense thrived against the lakers by using help defense that would be in any way comparable to the help defense we would present without a rotation of Ibaka, Krstic, and Nick Collison, whom present a much different and much better troika than our Okafor, Gray, and/or Marks (or take your pick of Songaila if you want to place him in stead of Marks).

And please, i’m not being cynical about the hornets unconditionally, only speaking to posters like mrwaynekeller when he (quoting him, not starting an anonymous online geek fight) had too much the night before and started talking shi* to anyone who questioned the Brackins pick. if i blithely wrote brackins off without mentioning the state of our depth chart, or the skills or attributes we already have or need, then you’d have a point. but since i’ve clearly cited how ill-fitting brackins is for our current depth-chart, as well as for our current attributes/skills and the ones we do need, just disagree with me and tell me how what i’m saying is wrong, don’t accuse me of blindly trying to wreck the morale of the franchise i love just as much as you, just point-counterpoint politely

i would sincerely apologize but don’t remember, nor do i see, anything here i’ve written that’s remotely called into question the good-faith or intelligence of anyone here, i think you just need to relax and take disagreement less personally. everyone here loves the hornets, is smart, and is putting forth their best ideas & constructive criticism with factual/evidentiary warrants