[MrManalo43Participant]

*Disclaimer* I believe K. Anthony-Towns has the most potential in this draft. However…

Everyone expects Minnesota to take K. Anthony-Towns, but is that the best option? Fit-wise, Okafor alonside G. Dieng is a balanced offense/defense frontcourt. That seems like a better fit that Towns/Dieng where it’s defense/defense. Okafor is still an elite prospect, so you can’t knock Kahn if he takes Okafor. As for Pekovic, he seems primed for a David Lee role off the bench: designated scorer, rebounder, frontcourt depth. good fit due to his injury-prone body and age (albiet 30).

If Okafor goes 1st, L.A. will definitely take Towns. This will also be a better fit for the Lakers. They still have a promising offensive player in Julius Randle, but he’s anemic on defense. Towns/Randle becomes a more balanced defense/offense pair, instead of Okafor/Randle=offense/offense

Look, all i’m saying is, the top two prospects are both Elite. so why not take the better fit. I mean, if you feel the fit is still good either way, comment.

 

 

[NJBrown5Participant]

 I don’t really understand how Okafor is a better fit. Deing is a center, as is Pek. I don’t see how having Okafor on the court at the same time as either of those players will be helpful on defense, especially considering how badly Okafor played on that end of the floor last year. His foot speed is atrocious, so he can’t guard 4’s, and he struggles as a weak side defender around the rim.

Towns "fits" Minny’s system because he has bigger upside. That’s why he’s projected to go first overall.

Also, Kahn no longer works for the Timberwolves. He hasn’t for a couple years now.

[NJBrown5Participant]

 I don’t really understand how Okafor is a better fit. Deing is a center, as is Pek. I don’t see how having Okafor on the court at the same time as either of those players will be helpful on defense, especially considering how badly Okafor played on that end of the floor last year. His foot speed is atrocious, so he can’t guard 4’s, and he struggles as a weak side defender around the rim.

Towns "fits" Minny’s system because he has bigger upside. That’s why he’s projected to go first overall.

Also, Kahn no longer works for the Timberwolves. He hasn’t for a couple years now.

[llperez]

 i think the thing that makes towns so intriguing is that he can fit so many different things. He plays defense and can gaurd either pf’s or centers. Offensively he shows more potential as a floor stretcher right now while also having the potential to devcelp down low. He also runs the court better if a team wants to play up tempo. He can fit regardless of what the other big is capable of.

 

 Okafor on the other hand is a little more defensively limited and will want to crowd the paint more meaning the other big better be able to step out.

 

 The only weakness with towns in terms of FIT is that he is not offensively polished and if you put him next to another offensively limited guy it might take awhile for him to get his groove. But i dont draft a guy i view as lesser beucase of current fit. Dieng and pekovic are good, but not good enough to make me alter my drafting strategy. 

 

[llperez]

 i think the thing that makes towns so intriguing is that he can fit so many different things. He plays defense and can gaurd either pf’s or centers. Offensively he shows more potential as a floor stretcher right now while also having the potential to devcelp down low. He also runs the court better if a team wants to play up tempo. He can fit regardless of what the other big is capable of.

 

 Okafor on the other hand is a little more defensively limited and will want to crowd the paint more meaning the other big better be able to step out.

 

 The only weakness with towns in terms of FIT is that he is not offensively polished and if you put him next to another offensively limited guy it might take awhile for him to get his groove. But i dont draft a guy i view as lesser beucase of current fit. Dieng and pekovic are good, but not good enough to make me alter my drafting strategy. 

 

[properbreaksParticipant]

Towns is elite? I have to differ there. I know this opinion has become the minority, but I don’t see him at all as elite.. To me right now, his potential looks like a 16 point 9 rebound a year guy on most years with a block and a half thrown in. a GOOD defender, but nothing like what people say he’s going to be.

To me that Kentucky team made a lot of people look better than what they are because of the depth, the competition that if you don’t play hard someone else will and the fact that they didn’t play but limited minutes on a great team ,so they went super hard in those limited minutes. .I feel like that about Cauley Stein as far as defense. Yeah he has a lot of talent on defense, but he didn’t have to play long, so he looked like Dennis Rodman or Ben Wallace out there going all out. The problem is going to be he won’t be playing 20 minutes or so in the NBA, he’ll be asked to play a good around 40 eventually.

As far as offensive abilities, Okafur is ridiculously skilled inside, while being 6’11 with long arms and a super soft touch. When you think about the fact that he’s huge now and a decent athlete, I don’t know how much more you could want from a center. He has moves that I never have seen done, and he does them instinctively. I’m baffled how people compare them on offense. Towns is good inside, plays hard, has above average agility, but I just don’ see him as elite in anything offensively. .

[King CaluchaParticipant]

 I believe KAT will be a totally different player than what we saw in college. He has the potential to extend his jumpshot to the 3pt line. I do not think he’s the rim protector everyone sees, but he’s pretty long, so he will definitely alter some shots.

I wouldn’t be surprise if Minny takes Okafor. Okafor + Dieng looks like a good couple, some people forget Dieng is very athletic and he has the potential to be a solid midrange shooter. Another thing some people forget about Okafor: He’s a great passer off double teams.

You can’t go wrong with either player. But certainly Towns would fit their pace better.

 

[King CaluchaParticipant]

 I believe KAT will be a totally different player than what we saw in college. He has the potential to extend his jumpshot to the 3pt line. I do not think he’s the rim protector everyone sees, but he’s pretty long, so he will definitely alter some shots.

I wouldn’t be surprise if Minny takes Okafor. Okafor + Dieng looks like a good couple, some people forget Dieng is very athletic and he has the potential to be a solid midrange shooter. Another thing some people forget about Okafor: He’s a great passer off double teams.

You can’t go wrong with either player. But certainly Towns would fit their pace better.

 

[kdtriv01Participant]

 I believe your view is off.  No one in the draft is "elite" yet, however, Towns has the heighest ceiling of all players in the draft.  Rebounding translates, shot blocking translates, he does both very well.  Okafur struggled against bigger longer defenders, guess what? The NBA is filled with bigger longer defenders.  Towns can score over either shoulder, can effectively shoot out to 18 ft, excellent ft shooter.  Okafur will take a while and then end up as a good player like Al Jefferson.  Towns has the ability to far beyond. Okafor doesn’t even have the ceiling of Demarcus Cousins.  So while your entitled to your own opinion, you are looking at the prospects through the lens of college basketball rather than pro.

[properbreaksParticipant]

When I look at a prospect whether he is in college or even in high school I’m only looking at how their talent and skills will translate in the NBA; if we’re talking about them as a draft prospect. I don’t see how his game doesn’t translate. He’s bigger than 75 percent of the centers in the league now! He’s not slow, he has plenty of moves, great touch and is even a bit of an above average athlete.

What I want to ask is what do you and others think Towns’s ceiling is since people are now saying he’s the number one prospect? I like the Aldridge comparison a lot, but he’s a bit slower, a bit less athletic then Aldridge was and it’s harder for him to get his shot off. I’m taking a great inside scorer who’s ok on defense over a pretty good scorer who’s good on defense any day.

[properbreaksParticipant]

When I look at a prospect whether he is in college or even in high school I’m only looking at how their talent and skills will translate in the NBA; if we’re talking about them as a draft prospect. I don’t see how his game doesn’t translate. He’s bigger than 75 percent of the centers in the league now! He’s not slow, he has plenty of moves, great touch and is even a bit of an above average athlete.

What I want to ask is what do you and others think Towns’s ceiling is since people are now saying he’s the number one prospect? I like the Aldridge comparison a lot, but he’s a bit slower, a bit less athletic then Aldridge was and it’s harder for him to get his shot off. I’m taking a great inside scorer who’s ok on defense over a pretty good scorer who’s good on defense any day.

[kdtriv01Participant]

 I believe your view is off.  No one in the draft is "elite" yet, however, Towns has the heighest ceiling of all players in the draft.  Rebounding translates, shot blocking translates, he does both very well.  Okafur struggled against bigger longer defenders, guess what? The NBA is filled with bigger longer defenders.  Towns can score over either shoulder, can effectively shoot out to 18 ft, excellent ft shooter.  Okafur will take a while and then end up as a good player like Al Jefferson.  Towns has the ability to far beyond. Okafor doesn’t even have the ceiling of Demarcus Cousins.  So while your entitled to your own opinion, you are looking at the prospects through the lens of college basketball rather than pro.

[properbreaksParticipant]

Towns is elite? I have to differ there. I know this opinion has become the minority, but I don’t see him at all as elite.. To me right now, his potential looks like a 16 point 9 rebound a year guy on most years with a block and a half thrown in. a GOOD defender, but nothing like what people say he’s going to be.

To me that Kentucky team made a lot of people look better than what they are because of the depth, the competition that if you don’t play hard someone else will and the fact that they didn’t play but limited minutes on a great team ,so they went super hard in those limited minutes. .I feel like that about Cauley Stein as far as defense. Yeah he has a lot of talent on defense, but he didn’t have to play long, so he looked like Dennis Rodman or Ben Wallace out there going all out. The problem is going to be he won’t be playing 20 minutes or so in the NBA, he’ll be asked to play a good around 40 eventually.

As far as offensive abilities, Okafur is ridiculously skilled inside, while being 6’11 with long arms and a super soft touch. When you think about the fact that he’s huge now and a decent athlete, I don’t know how much more you could want from a center. He has moves that I never have seen done, and he does them instinctively. I’m baffled how people compare them on offense. Towns is good inside, plays hard, has above average agility, but I just don’ see him as elite in anything offensively. .

[Numbers_CruncherParticipant]

Kahn was fired over 2 years ago! Flip Saunders is in charge.  

Someone already said this, so my bad. 

 

[Numbers_CruncherParticipant]

Kahn was fired over 2 years ago! Flip Saunders is in charge.  

Someone already said this, so my bad. 

 

[omphalosParticipant]

 Fit is crucial for Minnesota and that means Towns.

Okafor would demand they build their playstyle around the post and he’d be killed defensively.

Towns can play both ends, he fits with his shooting touch and ability to score in the paint and he cares most about winning, not his own personal glory.

 

 

[omphalosParticipant]

 Fit is crucial for Minnesota and that means Towns.

Okafor would demand they build their playstyle around the post and he’d be killed defensively.

Towns can play both ends, he fits with his shooting touch and ability to score in the paint and he cares most about winning, not his own personal glory.

 

 

[Sewok15Participant]

Towns is a much better fit in Minnesota with his shooting range. LaVine and Wiggins are guys who attack the basket first and foremost so they need room to operate in the paint…not somebody to throw it into the post to 20 times a game.

[Sewok15Participant]

Towns is a much better fit in Minnesota with his shooting range. LaVine and Wiggins are guys who attack the basket first and foremost so they need room to operate in the paint…not somebody to throw it into the post to 20 times a game.

[properbreaksParticipant]

To me too much is made of spacing when it comes to big men. If we’re talking team spacing, I’d always rather have my big inside getting easy baskets then anything else. I don’t remember a good scorer who plays CLOSE to the basket, messing up a team’s spacing. They actually make spacing better because they get the other team in foul trouble, they require double teams which leads to wide open jumpers and lanes for penetrators. (especially weak side driving.)

Look at Shaq and Kobe. Tim Duncan and Ginoboli and Parker. Duncan played inside and his guards would drive the lane the whole game and Kobe was just plain relentless going to the basket while having the best player in the world in the post. IT creates more opportunity to drive to me.

[properbreaksParticipant]

To me too much is made of spacing when it comes to big men. If we’re talking team spacing, I’d always rather have my big inside getting easy baskets then anything else. I don’t remember a good scorer who plays CLOSE to the basket, messing up a team’s spacing. They actually make spacing better because they get the other team in foul trouble, they require double teams which leads to wide open jumpers and lanes for penetrators. (especially weak side driving.)

Look at Shaq and Kobe. Tim Duncan and Ginoboli and Parker. Duncan played inside and his guards would drive the lane the whole game and Kobe was just plain relentless going to the basket while having the best player in the world in the post. IT creates more opportunity to drive to me.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

 The team becomes vastly better adding him. Lavine and Wiggins getting one on one coverage, or guys scared to leave them so Oak goes to work. I would take Mr. Okafor.

[Meditated StatesParticipant]

 The team becomes vastly better adding him. Lavine and Wiggins getting one on one coverage, or guys scared to leave them so Oak goes to work. I would take Mr. Okafor.

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