I know they are both young and tall, but fab melo and andre Drummond both had miserable games for the second straight summer league games in Orlando. With questions coming in about both, there has to be a little concern.
On the flip side, nice to see lazar put up 14 points for an okc team high against the pacers since he seems to have the toughest roster spot to retain. Perry jones - okc's 1st rounder - went out with a knee injury.
Box score: http://www.nba.com/summer-league/games/20120710/INDOKC/gameinfo.html
Fab Melo was a bum in college...he's going to be an even bigger one in the NBA. I laughed when the Celtics drafted him thinking they were going to change that.
I see Dwight Buycks is on OKC's summer league roster too. Only got spot minutes though. Aldrich had 7 fouls in 18 minutes...ouch!
Give Drummond time, too much potential. NBA coaches will help him and settle down. Melo is a head case that Celtics took a flyer on because of his defensive capabilities. Won't last if he continues.
Drummond is very young. Remember how he committed to UConn at the last minute? Hopefully, for the Piston's sake, they can keep Ben Wallace around one more year to teach the young man. If he reaches his potential, the sky is the limit. Melo, on the other hand, revealed little in his two years at Syracuse other than size that would indicate he has potential to be a star.
Quote from: nyg on July 11, 2012, 09:03:24 AMGive Drummond time, too much potential.
He has massive potential, but is far from having too much to fail. He could end up suffering injuries like Oden, or (more likely) simply be a physical specimen that never meets the hype like Kwame Brown. I have little doubt that had Brown went to college, he could have put up similar or better numbers than Drummond did as a freshman, yet he's nothing better than a middling journeyman at the next level. No reason to think Drummond will be any better than that until he proves otherwise. The talent may be there, but couple talent with a poor work ethic and a head that isn't completely screwed on straight and you have all the makings for a draft bust.
Summer league basketball does not portend NBA success and/or failure. It's similar to when people on here shoot their load over what they see in the Pro-Am: pointless crap shooting to pass the warm day's malaise.
I think Drummond has a good chance to make it, probably all he ever dreamed of and once he gets familiar and
finds out what the league is like hes got at least 3 years to figure it out,if hes got decent people around him..
Quote from: Blueprint on July 11, 2012, 04:19:18 PM
I think Drummond has a good chance to make it, probably all he ever dreamed of and once he gets familiar and
finds out what the league is like hes got at least 3 years to figure it out,if hes got decent people around him..
The thing about Drummond is that he can't play basketball. He is a phenomenal athlete and a very big fellow, so he will get every chance to succeed. At the worst, he will be a defensive stopper. He has no offensive game whatsoever, other than catching the ball very near the basket (more than 5 feet from the basket and he's in trouble) and dunking it. Can't handle it, can't shoot it from anywhere other than dunks, and can't pass it. He can run and jump all day, though. He's very young and will improve. I think he'll have a nice career, but not a star one. There was no point in him staying in college as Calhoun's big people only catch right near the basket and dunk anyway, so its not like he was going to develop there.
http://www.freep.com/article/20120711/SPORTS03/207110375/dertoit-pistons-andre-Drummond-struggles-against-second-round-pick-on-Day-2
WE all knew that O'Quinn was the real deal......
The only thing worse than over-analyzing the Pro-Am may be the summer league.
Quote from: The Golden Avalanche on July 11, 2012, 09:20:32 AM
Summer league basketball does not portend NBA success and/or failure. It's similar to when people on here shoot their load over what they see in the Pro-Am: pointless crap shooting to pass the warm day's malaise.
Not to mention it's like a senior vs a freshman. You actually think that Drummond wouldn't be able to dominate these games when he is 4 years older? I know everyone loves their college guys, but if I'm a GM I am picking a freshmen with potential over a senior 9 times out of 10.
Lazar has the potential to be a solid rotational player. If you want one of those, sign a vet with the LLE. You can't sign starting level big men in FAs at a decent rate (see Lopez at 61 mil). I'll take the chance he develops over drafting a guy who can contribute but is limited.
Lazar had 15 and Buycks had 11 today against Detroit
Quote from: martyconlonontherun on July 11, 2012, 04:59:39 PMNot to mention it's like a senior vs a freshman. You actually think that Drummond wouldn't be able to dominate these games when he is 4 years older? I know everyone loves their college guys, but if I'm a GM I am picking a freshmen with potential over a senior 9 times out of 10.
No, I don't. I haven't seen anything from Drummond to indicate he has the necessary work ethic and mindset to become a top level professional. He has all the talent in the world, but it's much easier for me to envision him being the next Kwame Brown than it is him being the next Dwight Howard. He has virtually no post moves and is simply the bigger, stronger kid that has always been able to dominate because of that. He won't be that guy in the NBA. Everyone there is the bigger, stronger kid. I get picking him on potential, and he has far more potential than Lazar or O'Quinn, but potential doesn't make you a star, or even a rotational player.
If Drummond had the work ethic and mindset that either Lazar or O'Quinn had, I have no doubt he would become a top-level NBA player. I'm not convinced he does. And as a top-10 draft pick, he has a lot more to prove than either of those guys do. It'll be interesting to see if he lives up to it. Were I a GM, I'd take him before them too, but that doesn't mean I truly believe he'll end up the better player.
Quote from: CTWarrior on July 11, 2012, 04:44:13 PM
The thing about Drummond is that he can't play basketball.
Thank you. I've been thinking that since the first minute I saw him play. He's not a player. And unless he gets an epiphany, he doesn't seem to have the attitude that suggests he wants to become one.
Quote from: MU82 on July 11, 2012, 10:17:25 PM
Thank you. I've been thinking that since the first minute I saw him play. He's not a player. And unless he gets an epiphany, he doesn't seem to have the attitude that suggests he wants to become one.
A promising season for UConn went into the dumpster when he committed there. Calhoun's second biggest mistake after the Miles fiasco.
Quote from: MUFanatic4Life on July 11, 2012, 05:13:38 PM
Lazar had 15 and Buycks had 11 today against Detroit
Thanks for posting that - i had ESPN radio on today while driving and heard and got excited when they described Buycks driving to the hole - only to crash on my happiness by talking about Drummond rejecting him. I believe Drummond has a decent nba career, but big questions about him justifying a 9 pick, and was cringing when they were talking about him as top 5 for a while.
If he ends up being an ok starter in a few years then he still was a miss at the 9 pick - and while no Big 10 fan I believe the Illini center will surprise and prove to be better than Drummond.
Quote from: martyconlonontherun on July 11, 2012, 04:59:39 PM
Not to mention it's like a senior vs a freshman. You actually think that Drummond wouldn't be able to dominate these games when he is 4 years older? I know everyone loves their college guys, but if I'm a GM I am picking a freshmen with potential over a senior 9 times out of 10.
Lazar has the potential to be a solid rotational player. If you want one of those, sign a vet with the LLE. You can't sign starting level big men in FAs at a decent rate (see Lopez at 61 mil). I'll take the chance he develops over drafting a guy who can contribute but is limited.
but if Drummond takes 3-4 years to develop the team that signs him to his next contract is the only beneficiary not the team that drafted him
Quote from: bamamarquettefan on July 11, 2012, 10:54:31 PM
Thanks for posting that - i had ESPN radio on today while driving and heard and got excited when they described Buycks driving to the hole - only to crash on my happiness by talking about Drummond rejecting him. I believe Drummond has a decent nba career, but big questions about him justifying a 9 pick, and was cringing when they were talking about him as top 5 for a while.
If he ends up being an ok starter in a few years then he still was a miss at the 9 pick - and while no Big 10 fan I believe the Illini center will surprise and prove to be better than Drummond.
He was supposed to be the next Dwight Howard and if players were able to still be drafted out of high school there was a big chance he would've been the #1 pick. (yikes)
Quote from: Red Stripe on July 12, 2012, 11:52:55 AM
but if Drummond takes 3-4 years to develop the team that signs him to his next contract is the only beneficiary not the team that drafted him
Nah, no one leaves that quickly. Why did Lebron spend so much time in Cleveland? The way the CBA is set up it is better to sign the first extension to get max money. Wes was an odd ball because he was an undrafted guy who blew up.
Quote from: brewcity77 on July 11, 2012, 05:19:50 PM
No, I don't. I haven't seen anything from Drummond to indicate he has the necessary work ethic and mindset to become a top level professional. He has all the talent in the world, but it's much easier for me to envision him being the next Kwame Brown than it is him being the next Dwight Howard. He has virtually no post moves and is simply the bigger, stronger kid that has always been able to dominate because of that. He won't be that guy in the NBA. Everyone there is the bigger, stronger kid. I get picking him on potential, and he has far more potential than Lazar or O'Quinn, but potential doesn't make you a star, or even a rotational player.
If Drummond had the work ethic and mindset that either Lazar or O'Quinn had, I have no doubt he would become a top-level NBA player. I'm not convinced he does. And as a top-10 draft pick, he has a lot more to prove than either of those guys do. It'll be interesting to see if he lives up to it. Were I a GM, I'd take him before them too, but that doesn't mean I truly believe he'll end up the better player.
So you would take Lazar over Drummond in the draft? My whole point is that hard working/undersized guys like Lazar are a dime a dozen in the NBA. You can always sign a Lazar for the mini. Why waste a draft pick on a end of rotation guy like Lazar? Might as roll the dice on an athletic 7-footer. I know everyone thinks he sucks, but he does have potential and you can only play 5 guys at a time, anyways.
Quote from: The Sultan of South Wayne on July 11, 2012, 07:52:33 AM
Fab Melo was a bum in college...he's going to be an even bigger one in the NBA. I laughed when the Celtics drafted him thinking they were going to change that.
Sure, he's a headcase who's lazy and unmotivated but I'm sure a few million in guaranteed money will change that!