*cough* Arroyo *cough*
Enes Kanter or Brandon Knight?
- Thread starter The Midnight
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*cough* Arroyo *cough*
BENTLEY
Well-Known Member
Ever dated a girl for years and then you break up with her and you feel kinda weird being alone again? So you start noticing other girls but none of them measure up to your old girlfriend. But you continue to hate being alone so eventually you stop being so picky and you see a girl and she's ok. She does some things that convince you to think "hey, she's not so bad. She's got potential." But you know she isn't right for you. And if you waste time kidding yourself about her, you won't be available when Ms. Right comes along.
It is understandable why Kanter is intriguing, but the bottom line is, we just don't have enough good information about the guy to make him #3 pick. The chances for failure are just huge here. We cannot make a judgement about a player because of one all-star game. The best thing that Kanter has ever done is win MVP at U18 championship by averaging 18.6 points and 16.4 boards. But this championship is like a high school tournament. It's just not that relevant. Yes, it's a nice notch on the belt to compliment real achievements, but the problem is, Kanter has no real achievements. Kosta Koufos also won MVP at U18 championship and averaged even better numbers: 26.5 points, 13.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots, while being a true 7 footer. And Kosta was a good prospect. But not top 3 prospect. Kanter is also a good prospect, in spite of losing a year of development, in spite of almost never playing organized basketball. But is he a better prospect than Koufos was? It is certainly not a bad thing to be under 18 MVP in Europe, but it's just not indicative of being a great NBA player. Kanter is just an enormous risk. He can very easily turn out to be next Koufos. Can he be next Gasol? Perhaps, but Pau was drafted #3 after being MVP in the best League in Europe at 20, playing against top competition. Chances are Kanter is going to be a solid player in NBA, but even that is debatable. It's just too much of a risk for us to take, with reward potential just not there. Later lottery - maybe. But #3 overall when you have guys like Knight leading his team to #3 overall ranking in NCAA, at 17 often playing against guys 5 years his elders. I just don't see Kanter being a wise choice at #3.
Even if we take Bogut as an example, who had much better accomplishments than Kanter overseas, I just don't see the reward potential justifying the risks. Bogut has better size than Kanter, true 7 footer, put up better numbers than Kunter did in U18 Euro at jr World Championships (much more prolific than U18 Euro champ) 26.2 points, 17 boards, 2.5 assists, while actually leading his team to victory. He also player great as a starter for his senior national team. And it took him 2 years of development in NCAA to finally get to a level where he was. Kanter missed critical year of development and did not have Bogut's international accomplishments to begin with. And Bogut is not even a star. He is a good 13 and 11 Center with good size. Kanter does not even have that size nor pedigree of Bogut. I think at best we are looking at smaller poor man's Bogut. At worst we have someone like Koufos or even worse. Realistically, someone in the middle, possibly a good rotation player. Just not a wise selection at #3 overall.
Only difference is Kanter can shoot with range - and that usually makes it much harder for someone to guard you when you've got to respect the jump shot.
Bogut, as hard as he tried, I don't think will ever have the same offensive repertoire as Kanter.
I'd compare Kanter to more of a Scola type player with size.
green
Well-Known Member
If you look at Knight's stats compared to Irving's, they are almost identical, except for shooting percentages, but remember, Irving achieved those amazing percentages against a much, much weaker schedule and only in 11 games. Knight put up Irving numbers over 38 games, better competition, etc.
My point is, don't overestimate Irving and don't underestimate Knight.
My point is, don't overestimate Irving and don't underestimate Knight.
D
Deleted member 365
Guest
If he isn't as athletic as Rose or Westbrook then he certainly isn't worth the #3 pick in my book.
Rose is a franchise player. #3 players are franchise guys. Not Raymond Felton. Which is who Knight reminds me a lot of. Not very athletic, but good enough. Not a great shooter, but good enough. Not nearly the ball handler or passer that Dwill, CP3, Kidd, or Nash are.
People are now talking about him being Jason Terry... And saying that Jason Terry on our team would be a great thing.
I agree. jason terry would be awesome.
But not at #3 folks. I guess this is the point that most pro-Knight people seem to miss.
We're picking #3. And even in a terrible draft, you don't waste a #3 pick on Jason Terry.
Absolutely agree.
I actually think that the Cavs will look very hard at picking Kanter @ #1 then pick Knight @ #4.
#1 Cavs picks Kanter
#2 Minny picks Williams/Irving
#3 Jazz picks Williams/Irving
#4 Cavs picks Knight
Cavs need a future PG and they get a quality big all in 1 go.
green
Well-Known Member
Do you think Irving is worth the #3 pick? And if so, how is he better than Knight? They have nearly identical stats, and Knight is younger, bigger, and did it against much, much better competition and over 38 games instead of 11. How can some say Kantor is overrated because he hasn't played and then say Irving is leaps and bounds better than Knight.
I'm not saying you should love Knight, but if you don't love Knight, I don't see how you can love Irving.
Absolutely they have to consider that. From the Cav's perspective, what's a better draft:
A) Irving & Vesely/Leonard/Biyombo/Valanciunas/whoever
or
B) Kanter & Knight?
While I would probably go with option A, you've got to think the Cavs will need to look long and hard at option B.
Fishsticks
Banned
Yessssiiiirrrr!