Victor Oladipo Crush-a-lot

[CanadaEh]

I've been lurking this forum for years, now I've finally decided I make a contribution to the discussions. Like many have previously stated, if Nerlens knee checks out and everything seems good with it, I would love to see him in the Wine and Gold. If Grant decides to go in another direction I would be psyched to draft Oladipo. He's a gym rat with amazing defensive skills. I see him being a more dangerous Tony Allen because he has the ability to shoot the jumper and if he continues to work on it, the sky is the limit for this kid. I'm not saying he'll be a perennial All Star but a 1st Team All Defense candidate and a guy who can slash as well as shoot, I can live with that from the #1 overall pick.

 

[Soar]

I think Oladipo will be a very good player. When a guy has elite athleticism and is willing to work that hard, he will find a way to contribute. I just don't think it will be in Cleveland.

 

[BigErieCavsFan]

I really wish there was a way to get this guy without using the #1 pick. I think he will end up the best player from this years draft. I'm almost to the point that I don't care if he is the #1.

 

[CornerThree]

Ford and Simmons convinced me that he's the guy. Height only really really matters a ton when you're drafting. I be we could use him 10-15Mins at the 3. We'd have a great set of wings.

 

[Derek]

Simmons thinking Oladipo should be the pick just convinces me that we shouldn't even consider him

 

[Rich]

Simmons has whiffed on all three of the Cavs top 5 picks the last two years. Irving embarrassingly so. I simply don't put any stock into his draft analysis.

 

[Nathan S]

Simmons thinking Oladipo should be the pick just convinces me that we shouldn't even consider him

At this point I've been convinced many times over that we shouldn't consider any of the top 6 prospects :chuckles:

 

[STAT]

Leading up to the lottery I was not overly enthused about Oladipo as a prospect, I felt he was the sixth best prospect in the draft. I've been reconsidering lately with the clear adoration NBA front offices seem to have for Oladipo, most heavily reiterated in Ford's article in which NBA executives were polled anonymously and scored him as the best prospect in the draft. And for better or worse, he's the Kidd-Gilchrist of this year's draft: wooing Chad Ford, Bill Simmons, and NBA team higher-ups with his athleticism, motor, work-ethic, and attitude. There seems to be a consensus that he's sure to succeed on some level, be it as a Tony Allen-type stopper or a poor man's Dwyane Wade.

I was starting to believe in Oladipo and considering him as maybe my second or third favorite prospect, but I just can't do it. To me, there's still too much going against him. He was not on the NBA radar as a freshman. His offensive game does not really pass the eye-test: he's a 2-guard that just learned how to shoot, turns the ball over quite a bit, cannot score off the dribble on much more than a straight-line drive, is largely uninvolved in the pick and roll, and just isn't a guy that can go make a play for you. And he does not rate very impressively in the advanced metrics, with Pelton placing him 17th in his draft rater.

Oladipo has athleticism and measurables that lend themselves to the belief that upside is plentiful with him; that he's just scratching the surface. He has drive, an indomitable work-ethic, and the "it" factor, so he's sure to maximize that potential. And yet he's had three years in college and still lacks refinement. He's missing the kind of acumen that you would expect from a player with his work-ethic and experience level. How can a guy who works so hard and has a "hates to lose" mentality, be this underdeveloped as a ball-handler? He's improving as a passer, decision-maker, and shooter, but he's middling at best at this point.

There are reasons to believe in Oladipo and I can't help but like and cheer for him to succeed on the NBA level, but I just can't seem to see him in the same light that many seem to be doing at this point.

 

[Tornicade]

Leading up to the lottery I was not overly enthused about Oladipo as a prospect, I felt he was the sixth best prospect in the draft. I've been reconsidering lately with the clear adoration NBA front offices seem to have for Oladipo, most heavily reiterated in Ford's article in which NBA executives were polled anonymously and scored him as the best prospect in the draft. And for better or worse, he's the Kidd-Gilchrist of this year's draft: wooing Chad Ford, Bill Simmons, and NBA team higher-ups with his athleticism, motor, work-ethic, and attitude. There seems to be a consensus that he's sure to succeed on some level, be it as a Tony Allen-type stopper or a poor man's Dwyane Wade.

I was starting to believe in Oladipo and considering him as maybe my second or third favorite prospect, but I just can't do it. To me, there's still too much going against him. He was not on the NBA radar as a freshman. His offensive game does not really pass the eye-test: he's a 2-guard that just learned how to shoot, turns the ball over quite a bit, cannot score off the dribble on much more than a straight-line drive, is largely uninvolved in the pick and roll, and just isn't a guy that can go make a play for you. And he does not rate very impressively in the advanced metrics, with Pelton placing him 17th in his draft rater.

Oladipo has athleticism and measurables that lend themselves to the belief that upside is plentiful with him; that he's just scratching the surface. He has drive, an indomitable work-ethic, and the "it" factor, so he's sure to maximize that potential. And yet he's had three years in college and still lacks refinement. He's missing the kind of acumen that you would expect from a player with his work-ethic and experience level. How can a guy who works so hard and has a "hates to lose" mentality, be this underdeveloped as a ball-handler? He's improving as a passer, decision-maker, and shooter, but he's middling at best at this point.

There are reasons to believe in Oladipo and I can't help but like and cheer for him to succeed on the NBA level, but I just can't seem to see him in the same light that many seem to be doing at this point.

your penalizing guys for not hitting the aau circuit?

 

[amil99]

Please no..

 

[BodegaBayCav]

I have complete faith in Grant to make the correct pick. But if my job were on the line and I knew my boss favored a certain player, and that player was certain for a long successfull career, well you see where I am going. Oladipo makes a lot of sense. Plus, he will likely stay in Cleveland after he has star power. He would be my choice even if he did not have the owner's attention.

 

[Jack Brickman]

I have complete faith in Grant to make the correct pick. But if my job were on the line and I knew my boss favored a certain player, and that player was certain for a long successfull career, well you see where I am going. Oladipo makes a lot of sense. Plus, he will likely stay in Cleveland after he has star power. He would be my choice even if he did not have the owner's attention.

Dan Gilbert is not a professional scout. He's a rich guy who loves basketball. Grant should certainly listen to Gilbert's opinions because he's the boss, but picking a player solely because Gilbert wants him is a great way to end up getting fired in three years when Noel is the DPoY and Oladipo is Tony Allen.

 

[pl4tinum]

Dan Gilbert is not a professional scout. He's a rich guy who loves basketball. Grant should certainly listen to Gilbert's opinions because he's the boss, but picking a player solely because Gilbert wants him is a great way to end up getting fired in three years when Noel is the DPoY and Oladipo is Tony Allen.

Or a great way to keep your job when Oladipo is a star and Noel is crippled and out of the league. ;P Nobody knows what's going to happen with any of these guys for sure, so... I just think it's a great point. If there's truly a bunch of indecision going on at Cavs HQ, Grant might take the guy his boss wants as a tiebreaker.

 

[Jack Brickman]

Or a great way to keep your job when Oladipo is a star and Noel is crippled and out of the league. ;P Nobody knows what's going to happen with any of these guys for sure, so... I just think it's a great point. If there's truly a bunch of indecision going on at Cavs HQ, Grant might take the guy his boss wants as a tiebreaker.

He didn't do that two years ago when Gilbert wanted Derrick Williams, and I can't imagine Gilbert wanted Waiters last year either. Ultimately, Grant will make the final decision, and I think Noel is a very Grant guy.

 

[BodegaBayCav]

Dan Gilbert is not a professional scout. He's a rich guy who loves basketball. Grant should certainly listen to Gilbert's opinions because he's the boss, but picking a player solely because Gilbert wants him is a great way to end up getting fired in three years when Noel is the DPoY and Oladipo is Tony Allen.

That is why I have faith in Grant to make the correct choice. Although, I suspect there is a better chance of Oladipo being an All Star than Noel being DPoY because of Noel's knee problems and lack of strength.