Draft goals change?

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

The other "big" options that I like in this draft that would project well next to Karl-Anthony Towns -- besides James Wiseman -- are Jalen Smith, Saddiq Bey, and Reggie Perry. Granted, these are guys that won't be taken in the top-five. So, these are names to keep in mind if or when Gerrson Rosas makes a draft night trade with our own first-round pick.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I have no dog in the draft fight... but pairing the team's best player with another 7 footer in Wiseman... one who can't really shoot... when that position has never been more irrelevant... meh.

Offensively yes the position is almost irrelevant, but even if Wisemen doesn't fill his potential having a 7 footer with a 7 ft 6 wing span will make a difference on the defensive side. What if he could be like Gobert? How big a difference could that make for this team?

So there's a chance he could become one of the greatest defensive centers of all time?

Well, that would make Towns mostly irrelevant... for either good or bad.

But for the short-term, I don't see the fit between the two of them.

Well this draft has no sure fire anything. If a wing doesn't end up fulfilling his promise as a shooter he's useless. If Wiseman stays healthy he's most likely gonna contribute in some way. Defensively, rebounding, block shots. At the very least a big body in the paint. Everyone keeps saying KAT needs a defensive big next to him and they don't grow on trees these days. Yeah the draft is a crap shoot at every position.

I think putting a defensive big next to him simply plugs one leak... while exposing another.

But I seem to be in the minority around here on that.

I mean we just witnessed a 6'7" guy and a 6'1" guy effectively shut down Towns (a supremely talented big) in the post. So we're going to double down with a limited offensive big next to him?

The Raptors won on defense without any traditional "big" man... just a bunch of long-limbed guys from the weakside willing to put in effort.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Nipicking here, but I would caution anyone against hinting that James Wiseman is limited at anything. His game is pretty well-rounded.

As for the point about the Raptors, have we already forgotten how crucial Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol were to them during their playoff run just a season ago? One game in February is whatever.

Does Houston's win against the Lakers the other night with no traditional center mean it's a bonafide strategy? Or are they still going to get buried in the playoffs by bigger teams like the Clippers, Lakers, Nuggets, and perhaps the Jazz?

Karl-Anthony Towns needs some help defensively in the form of personnel. I don't think we can ignore it any longer. And expecting him to play up to level of Rudy Gobert, Joel Embiid, and Brook Lopez defensively -- which is what this current defensive system requires -- just isn't going to work. That's the trade off with trying to run this "five-out" system with Towns at the 5.

[Hicks123 [enjin:6700838]]

I have no dog in the draft fight... but pairing the team's best player with another 7 footer in Wiseman... one who can't really shoot... when that position has never been more irrelevant... meh.

Offensively yes the position is almost irrelevant, but even if Wisemen doesn't fill his potential having a 7 footer with a 7 ft 6 wing span will make a difference on the defensive side. What if he could be like Gobert? How big a difference could that make for this team?

So there's a chance he could become one of the greatest defensive centers of all time?

Well, that would make Towns mostly irrelevant... for either good or bad.

But for the short-term, I don't see the fit between the two of them.

Well this draft has no sure fire anything. If a wing doesn't end up fulfilling his promise as a shooter he's useless. If Wiseman stays healthy he's most likely gonna contribute in some way. Defensively, rebounding, block shots. At the very least a big body in the paint. Everyone keeps saying KAT needs a defensive big next to him and they don't grow on trees these days. Yeah the draft is a crap shoot at every position.

I think putting a defensive big next to him simply plugs one leak... while exposing another.

But I seem to be in the minority around here on that.

I mean we just witnessed a 6'7" guy and a 6'1" guy effectively shut down Towns (a supremely talented big) in the post. So we're going to double down with a limited offensive big next to him?

The Raptors won on defense without any traditional "big" man... just a bunch of long-limbed guys from the weakside willing to put in effortThe Raptors won on defense without any traditional "big" man... just a bunch of long-limbed guys from the weakside willing to put in effort.

Not sure that is true. Gasol and Ibaka played vast majority of C/PF minutes. They certainly fit more traditional center structure.

I personally believe you still need size at the interior spots to win. Or at very least, a rugged "big" like Draymon that plays WAY bigger than his height. But I feel those types are tough to come by. Regardless, we MUST have a lights-out defender next to KAT, whether that be a C or PF player. I don't see a way around that.

[AbeVigodaLive]

I have no dog in the draft fight... but pairing the team's best player with another 7 footer in Wiseman... one who can't really shoot... when that position has never been more irrelevant... meh.

Offensively yes the position is almost irrelevant, but even if Wisemen doesn't fill his potential having a 7 footer with a 7 ft 6 wing span will make a difference on the defensive side. What if he could be like Gobert? How big a difference could that make for this team?

So there's a chance he could become one of the greatest defensive centers of all time?

Well, that would make Towns mostly irrelevant... for either good or bad.

But for the short-term, I don't see the fit between the two of them.

Well this draft has no sure fire anything. If a wing doesn't end up fulfilling his promise as a shooter he's useless. If Wiseman stays healthy he's most likely gonna contribute in some way. Defensively, rebounding, block shots. At the very least a big body in the paint. Everyone keeps saying KAT needs a defensive big next to him and they don't grow on trees these days. Yeah the draft is a crap shoot at every position.

I think putting a defensive big next to him simply plugs one leak... while exposing another.

But I seem to be in the minority around here on that.

I mean we just witnessed a 6'7" guy and a 6'1" guy effectively shut down Towns (a supremely talented big) in the post. So we're going to double down with a limited offensive big next to him?

The Raptors won on defense without any traditional "big" man... just a bunch of long-limbed guys from the weakside willing to put in effortThe Raptors won on defense without any traditional "big" man... just a bunch of long-limbed guys from the weakside willing to put in effort.

Not sure that is true. Gasol and Ibaka played vast majority of C/PF minutes. They certainly fit more traditional center structure.

I personally believe you still need size at the interior spots to win. Or at very least, a rugged "big" like Draymon that plays WAY bigger than his height. But I feel those types are tough to come by. Regardless, we MUST have a lights-out defender next to KAT, whether that be a C or PF player. I don't see a way around that.

Yes. I thought I was clear that it was yesterday.

Yes... it's ONLY one win. But it's one more win than the Wolves had with Towns from November 27 - February 10.

As for Gasol... he's played in 8 of the Raptors' past 26 games. They're 21 - 5 without him. Ibaka is starting only because Gasol has been out. They cover for each other more than they play with each other.

And right now... when Ibaka sits for 20 or so minutes per night... it's Hollis-Jefferson or Anunoby or others filling the role.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Yeah, that's the impressive thing about Toronto. They lose Leonard to free agency, lose Gasol for a good chunk of this season, yet are still #2 defensively in the NBA. That's a total team mentality and culture at work versus any singular talent.

KAT and DLO simply don't have the desire or chops to be good defensively. It's just not going to happen after 5 seasons in the league, so we need to rely on a couple of singular talents since no system is going to fix their issues.

I agree that one of those singular talents has to be another "big" and judging by Rosas' philosophy, it will need to be more of a highly mobile one that can switch and guard in space. Paul Milsap has been absolutely key to Denver's defensive success when he plays and it's because he has that combination of strength, mobility, and how to position himself. That kind of guy or a Kirilenko type is what we really need.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Yeah, that's the impressive thing about Toronto. They lose Leonard to free agency, lose Gasol for a good chunk of this season, yet are still #2 defensively in the NBA. That's a total team mentality and culture at work versus any singular talent.

KAT and DLO simply don't have the desire or chops to be good defensively. It's just not going to happen after 5 seasons in the league, so we need to rely on a couple of singular talents since no system is going to fix their issues.

I agree that one of those singular talents has to be another "big" and judging by Rosas' philosophy, it will need to be more of a highly mobile one that can switch and guard in space. Paul Milsap has been absolutely key to Denver's defensive success when he plays and it's because he has that combination of strength, mobility, and how to position himself. That kind of guy or a Kirilenko type is what we really need.

Sure. I can get onboard a smaller "big" like Kirilenko or Millsap who are versatile and can do a bunch of things.

That was the type of guy I was hoping Brandon Clarke could become if chosen by the Wolves.

I'm simply against the twin towers, two 7-footers, type of scenarios... sans a Durant- or Giannis-esque 7 footer.

[Camden [enjin:6601484]]

Anthony Davis
Kristaps Porzingis
Pascal Siakam
Bam Adebayo
Domantas Sabonis
John Collins
Nikola Jokic
Rudy Gobert
Clint Capela
Jaren Jackson Jr.

So, none of these bigs would look good next to Karl-Anthony Towns? Or is it fair to say that skill set matters? You can't simply say that a twin towers approach would fail. It simply depends on the big in question... and there a number of different guys that could work next to Towns.

Meanwhile, we just watched roughly 50 games of Robert Covington next to him. It didn't work.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Yeah, that's the impressive thing about Toronto. They lose Leonard to free agency, lose Gasol for a good chunk of this season, yet are still #2 defensively in the NBA. That's a total team mentality and culture at work versus any singular talent.

KAT and DLO simply don't have the desire or chops to be good defensively. It's just not going to happen after 5 seasons in the league, so we need to rely on a couple of singular talents since no system is going to fix their issues.

I agree that one of those singular talents has to be another "big" and judging by Rosas' philosophy, it will need to be more of a highly mobile one that can switch and guard in space. Paul Milsap has been absolutely key to Denver's defensive success when he plays and it's because he has that combination of strength, mobility, and how to position himself. That kind of guy or a Kirilenko type is what we really need.

Sure. I can get onboard a smaller "big" like Kirilenko or Millsap who are versatile and can do a bunch of things.

That was the type of guy I was hoping Brandon Clarke could become if chosen by the Wolves.

I'm simply against the twin towers, two 7-footers, type of scenarios... sans a Durant- or Giannis-esque 7 footer.

Right, and even if one is for the twin towers approach, we know Rosas is seemingly dead set against it. We basically need a taller version of Covington. Lots of luck with that!

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Anthony Davis
Kristaps Porzingis
Pascal Siakam
Bam Adebayo
Domantas Sabonis
John Collins
Nikola Jokic
Rudy Gobert
Clint Capela
Jaren Jackson Jr.

So, none of these bigs would look good next to Karl-Anthony Towns? Or is it fair to say that skill set matters? You can't simply say that a twin towers approach would fail. It simply depends on the big in question... and there a number of different guys that could work next to Towns.

Meanwhile, we just watched roughly 50 games of Robert Covington next to him. It didn't work.

Cam, you need to take your argument to Rosas. I realize Dieng and Vonleh aren't quite tier I defensive guys, but they are close. Yet neither of played for even one second with KAT. If in a season that was supposed to be meant for experimentation they don't even try putting another true big next to KAT, what makes us think Rosas would allow for Adebayo or Sabonis or Capela next to him? It ain't happening, which is a shame because bigs are pretty cheap gets these days.