The Andre Drummond Thread

[Randolphkeys]

This is very logical, but the Cavs didn't even work out the two guys we took in the draft.

Waiters and Zeller didn't suck in college. Drummond looked pretty bad. Its crazy to think that one of the best rookie rebounder in NBA history was usually out rebounded by guys who will someday work for Best Buy's Geek Squad.

[blue_kahuna]

lol, real sorry for wasting your time. I thought we were talking basketball, I guess you don't have time for that.

No, you're just a lazy poster. Every argument that was made for and against drafting Drummond can be found in that thread. Don't point the finger and claim "revisionist history" when you don't know what you're talking about. Makes you look silly.

[polklop1]

No, you're just a lazy poster. Every argument that was made for and against drafting Drummond can be found in that thread. Don't point the finger and claim "revisionist history" when you don't know what you're talking about. Makes you look silly.

I'd be willing to bet I watched more UConn games last year than most anyone in this thread. I asked the initial question to the poster because I don't think he knew very much about that team. Don't respond to a question if you're only going to act smug and not add any insight. Makes you look like a douche.

Sorry for the temporary thread derailment, less internet piss fights, more Andre Drummond talk.

[blue_kahuna]

Waiters and Zeller didn't suck in college. Drummond looked pretty bad. Its crazy to think that one of the best rookie rebounder in NBA history was usually out rebounded by guys who will someday work for Best Buy's Geek Squad.

I beg to differ if you're gonna compare Drummond's college play against Waiter's and Zeller's. Not sure how you can make a blanket statement like that comparing a freshman to a sophomore and senior. If you're comparing freshman seasons, Drummond is by far the better player out of the three.

[blue_kahuna]

I'd be willing to bet I watched more UConn games last year than most anyone in this thread. I asked the initial question to the poster because I don't think he knew very much about that team. Don't respond to a question if you're only going to act smug and not add any insight. Makes you look like a douche.

Sorry for the temporary thread derailment, less internet piss fights, more Andre Drummond talk.

Just telling like it is. The kid got a lot of unwarranted "hate" imo. Just because you "watch" a of UConn games doesn't mean you're somehow more qualified to judge the atmosphere surrounding the team. Unless you were in the locker room, at team meetings, etc...

[Jon]

Waiters and Zeller didn't suck in college. Drummond looked pretty bad. Its crazy to think that one of the best rookie rebounder in NBA history was usually out rebounded by guys who will someday work for Best Buy's Geek Squad.

Please. Tyler averaged 3 & 2 when he was a freshman and had a grand total of 3 blocked shots. Dion averaged 6.6 points per game on crappy efficiency. Those guys didn't enter the draft because they weren't ready to enter the draft.

Andre was a year younger than those two and still produced 10 & 7.6 on 53.8% shooting. It would have been nice if he stayed in school another season, but clearly he didn't need to as he was still taken in the lottery and that may have even been worse for him given how things were going at UCONN.

[Jon]

I'd be willing to bet I watched more UConn games last year than most anyone in this thread. I asked the initial question to the poster because I don't think he knew very much about that team. Don't respond to a question if you're only going to act smug and not add any insight.

The chemistry problems and coaching issues at UCONN that we are talking about are well documented around the web and in the AD draft thread. If you have a different take, you should have followed your own advice, and wrote up your opinion.

[Randolphkeys]

Please. Tyler averaged 3 & 2 when he was a freshman and had a grand total of 3 blocked shots. Dion averaged 6.6 points per game on crappy efficiency. Those guys didn't enter the draft because they weren't ready to enter the draft.

Andre was a year younger than those two and still produced 10 & 7.6 on 53.8% shooting. It would have been nice if he stayed in school another season, but clearly he didn't need to as he was still taken in the lottery and that may have even been worse for him given how things were going at UCONN.

No idea why you took a tone like we are not in agreement. Drummond didn't perform like a top five pick last season. Its as simple as that. I'm not here to pick a side and fling mud. I'm a guy who liked the potential of Drummond all year, didn't see that potential realized, and I then saw the logic of drafting the guy who looks like a starting NBA guard instead with the understanding project centers were numerous in the draft.

I still see nobody touching my question about the rest of the draft if the Cavs went with Drummond first...

[Jon]

No idea why you took a tone like we are not in agreement.

When it comes to projecting prospects I'm a huge proponent of normalizing to experience and accounting for the fact that bigs normally take longer to develop. If you were trying to say that Dion and Zeller had the time to show better what they might be and that that's a plus then you're right, but projecting prospects is all about filling in those holes and gaps because players rarely stay in College until they're ready.

I still see nobody touching my question about the rest of the draft if the Cavs went with Drummond first...

I thought it was covered pretty well. I was fully prepared for Grant to draft the proverbial poo-poo platter, fling it all against the court, and see what sticks.

If you're implying that Grant realized the best way to play this specific draft was to grab a wing early, and a big later, then that'd be an interesting point that's just going to have to prove out. IMO, you'd only go with that sort of plan if the top prospects in question are fairly even.

[Randolphkeys]

So would people rather have Drummond and the pu pu platter or Waiters and Zeller? I'm pretty happy with how the draft turned out, even with Drummond shocking pretty much everybody. PJ3 hasn't shown us much. Draymond Green, Orlando Johnson, and perhaps Jeff Taylor are the only late picks who have stood out to me so far as guys who will contribute to teams off the bench.

[Jon]

So would people rather have Drummond and the pu pu platter or Waiters and Zeller? I'm pretty happy with how the draft turned out, even with Drummond shocking pretty much everybody. PJ3 hasn't shown us much. Draymond Green, Orlando Johnson, and perhaps Jeff Taylor are the only late picks who have stood out to me so far as guys who will contribute to teams off the bench.

Too early to call, especially for the "poo poo platter". If you had to pick now, I think you'd say Drummond has demonstrated the *potential* to be a top player in the league because he's done certain things at a very very high level. You can't say the same for Dion or Zeller, unless you're going to claim Dion has potentially an elite ability to get to the rim that's only being held back by his below average ability to finish at the rim. Tyler has shown he should be able to stick around, but not much else at this point.

[blue_kahuna]

Too early to call, especially for the "poo poo platter". If you had to pick now, I think you'd say Drummond has demonstrated the *potential* to be a top player in the league because he's done certain things at a very very high level. You can't say the same for Dion or Zeller, unless you're going to claim Dion has potentially an elite ability to get to the rim that's only being held back by his below average ability to finish at the rim. Tyler has shown he should be able to stick around, but not much else at this point.

Interesting you should mentioned how Drummond was doing certain things at an elite level. I could recall people brushing it off and saying that he was doing it against college players.

[7foot3]

The thing is, how do we know we didn't get the right guy at the top of the draft? Unless you're back from the future and know exactly where both of these guys will be at the end of their careers, or even in five years, there are no certainties.

I'm not saying we didn't. I'm saying that hitting on 4 is vastly more important than what you do at 17 (or 24/33/34).

And Keys, a pick just outside the lottery doesn't have a great shot at being a potential all star.

http://www.82games.com/nbadraftpicks.htm

Don't just look at #17, 15-19 show that a lot more guys wash out than turn in valuable minutes. The stars aren't zero, but its a very low percentage. It makes little sense to adjust your strategy at 4 because of what you think you can do at 17.


And I know you weren't in the gyms, but when statements are made like Robinson "lit up" Drummond, how is the first thought not to scratch your head and wonder what team thinks that Drummond should be in that position to have to guard a quicker guy straight up? You want to see how he can anchor the defense, and alter shots of perimeter guys who try to drive the lane.

[Randolphkeys]

Interesting you should mentioned how Drummond was doing certain things at an elite level. I could recall people brushing it off and saying that he was doing it against college players.

Drummond has been quoted as saying he was not in playing shape at UConn. You are making claims about Drummond in college he himself wouldn't agree with.

[Rich]

So would people rather have Drummond and the pu pu platter or Waiters and Zeller? I'm pretty happy with how the draft turned out, even with Drummond shocking pretty much everybody. PJ3 hasn't shown us much. Draymond Green, Orlando Johnson, and perhaps Jeff Taylor are the only late picks who have stood out to me so far as guys who will contribute to teams off the bench.

I'm happy with the draft. I think the fact that both guys are going to be in the Rising Stars game tells us that the Cavs did fine.