Name plyr more like SW than Horford in this draft

[Guest Walter]

Can anyone?

They aren't identical but they are VERY similar. So similar there isn't anyone else more like SW in the draft.

Anyone realy want us to draft Al Thorton given he reminds us similarly of JS?

How about Julian Wright or Green because they remind us of MW?

Or Hawes because he most reminds us of ZaZa?

I agree that Horford is a better NBA prospect than SW but that isn't saying much, the difference isn't THAT great, and the skill-set similarities are significant, especially when compared to the alternatives.

W

[vdunkndunk]

Horford is the consensus third-best player in this draft.

And he's a big rugged athletic post-player.

Since we have the third-pick...and he's the third-best player...and we need a big rugged athletic post-player, I say we take him.

Shelden doesn't really enter into my thinking here, even if you constantly insist on calling Horford a bigger stronger more athletic more skilled version of Shelden Williams.

[TexasPete]

Yi is like Shelden because they are both rotten picks.

[archie_otu]

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Horford is the consensus third-best player in this draft.

And he's a big rugged athletic post-player.

Since we have the third-pick...and he's the third-best player...and we need a big rugged athletic post-player, I say we take him.

Shelden doesn't really enter into my thinking here, even if you constantly insist on calling Horford a bigger stronger more athletic more skilled version of Shelden Williams.

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You're reasoning is so right..but gosh I really wish we had the 5th pick in the draft...Conley is right now 5th on everyone's draft board so if we were at the 5th spot then we would draft Conley. Maybe two years from now, we can match it up just right...if we had the 6th pick in the draft and the top point guard was the 6th best prospect coming out then we could get our man.

[atlien]

It seems everything on this forum eventually comes back to this.

Shelly is a sunk cost. We have to go with whoever makes us better going foward. If it's Horford, then he is the guy we need.

And actually, I agree with Bill Simmons that is the OBVIOUS choice. We need low-post scoring in the WORST WAY (we need D there too, but scoring is absolutely necessary).

Shelly is not a good low-post scorer (Zaza is decent at best).

Horford would immediately give us a scoring threat in the low post, while at the same time, can defend and rebound as well. His athleticism also fits nicely with our team.

So, I think drafting Horford or trading for Gasol makes the most sense. We simply have to get a low-post scorer who is ready to contribute, but can also play decent D and rebound. Horford and Gasol fit the bill.

[Diesel]

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Horford is the consensus third-best player in this draft

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You guys who don't watch college basketball will be fooled by the talking heads one more time.

I think it is needful for you to find the thread here that was draftexpress podcast. I dislike Giovany, but I believe he was honest when he said one thing today. He describe how his rankings are made up (and this is true for these other sites you guys trust and believe in so much)...

They start off with just a player ranking... They rank the players 1 to 60..

Then as the draft date gets closer, they change the rankings based on 1. Rumor, 2. Need. 3. Where they expect the player to go.

Horford is listed 3rd, because people expect him to go third..

Just like Last year...When people suspected that BK had given Shelden a promised, Shelden moved from 21 to 5.

Like the year before last, when people were sure that BK was in love with Marvin, Marvin stayed at #2.

Just like this year... a lot of people rank Wright in the top 6...

Nobody has made Horford a consensus #3. He's not like Oden or Durant. You can't pencil him in there. Hell, before the draft lottery, Horford wasn't even a top 5 player. It was said about him... He has no upside. NOW, you say He's the consensus.

My what a difference a good agent makes.

[Hatertots]

I drive a Toyota Celica. It's not quite an Enzo Ferrari, but it's very close.

[GHook]

Why is everyone saying this when they give no facts or reasoning to back it up? We've all seen Shelden play, at least in Hawks games. Most of us have seen him play in college. That should be proof enough that Shelden and Horford are two very different players.

About Shelden, from Draftexpress.com: Offensively, his game is based around hard work and brute strength rather than a finesse approach. He runs the floor extremely hard and finishes well on the break. Williams sets terrific screens and is a solid target on the pick and roll, improving his hand-eye coordination dramatically over the past few years and becoming a very steady presence for passes and easy finishes around the basket. Williams uses his lower body strength to the fullest at the college level to carve out space for himself, bump his man and work his way to the basket for a strong finish. He shows solid footwork, a simple, but effective jump-hook shot, and decent touch around the rim.

Far from a post game.

About Horford, from Draftexpress.com: Horford started the game off by hitting two mid-range jumpers, one of the spot-up variety from 15 feet out, and the next on a post-up from about 10 feet away, where he turned into his opponent and put up a quick jumper right in his face. Horford missed his next two mid-range jumpers, and then drifted out of the Florida offense for the remainder of the first half. In the second half, Horford directed his offense to the painted area, where he really started to impress with a nice array of hook shots and a great touch around the basket. Horford started off by making a drop-step lay-up off the glass which he was also fouled on, then quickly came back down the floor to hit a fading hook shot from about eight feet out. He hit two more hook shots as the game went on, one of which he used the glass on.

The article goes on to say that Horford's post game is still developing but that he has shown that he is extremely coachable and in control of his emotions.

I understand that some people are in love with Yi after watching a couple of his games, but the competition is way weaker in China than in the US. It's true Yi could turn out to be the next Dirk. Or he could be the next Bargnani. Or Fran Vasquez. Or Olowokandi, Tskitishvili, Milicic. Come on.

Also, everyone who doubts Horford shoudl go to this link http://www.draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=2128 and see how he ranks at or near the top in every category. Really an eye opener. Just imagine if the Florida offense had run through him.

[vdunkndunk]

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Horford is the consensus third-best player in this draft.

And he's a big rugged athletic post-player.

Since we have the third-pick...and he's the third-best player...and we need a big rugged athletic post-player, I say we take him.

Shelden doesn't really enter into my thinking here, even if you constantly insist on calling Horford a bigger stronger more athletic more skilled version of Shelden Williams.

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You're reasoning is so right..but gosh I really wish we had the 5th pick in the draft...Conley is right now 5th on everyone's draft board so if we were at the 5th spot then we would draft Conley. Maybe two years from now, we can match it up just right...if we had the 6th pick in the draft and the top point guard was the 6th best prospect coming out then we could get our man.

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Is that sarcasm? I can't even tell because it makes so little sense. Here's how I see it: Horford is not only the third-best player in the draft, he also fits our biggest need - and yes, our single biggest need is a high quality big man, and no, Shelden doesn't fill that need.

Horford, on the other hand, is a guy who can score in the post (unlike anyone else on our roster), block shots (unlike our starting center), rebound (unlike our starting center), run the floor (unlike Shelden), shoot the midrange jump shot (unlike our starting center), dribble in the open court (unlike Zaza or Shelden), and he's 6'10, strong, rugged, and athletic.

And that's what we need more than anything else from the 3rd pick, especially because we can get a PG with just as much upside as Conely with the 11th pick - or else an experienced starter like Jarrett Jack. People constantly say the Hawks need a PG, and it's true - but it's not our biggest need. We mostly hear about it so much because we passed on two great young PG's for a SF when we already had a bunch of SF's.

But we need size and defensive rebounding and shot-blocking and a guy who can score in the post even more than we need a PG. A guy like that is harder to come by, and Horford gives it to us. And the biggest difference here is that, if we go with Conely, there's not going to be a big man of even close to Horford's caliber available at 11. With the 3rd pick we have to go big - either in a trade or else by picking the best available big man. And that's Horford.

[Sothron]

The only three NBA ready post players in this draft are Oden, Horford and Hawes. We aren't getting Oden and we aren't trading down to get Hawes. That leaves Horford who has almost identical physical stats to Amare Stoudamire. Playing in the talent rich Western Conference Amare has no problems playing center or power forward. I don't think Horford will have that much problems in the much weaker Eastern Conference.

Shellhead was a horrible pick. Just because he plays a similiar position does not mean we must be scared to draft there again. The Lions were 1 out of 3 on wide receivers in the NFL and they still took Calvin Johnson. They were right for doing so.

I am personally very content with either Horford or Yi or even Conley as a dark horse. Each brings something we can use on this team.

[Nicholasp27]

horford is consensus 3rd best player in a DEEP draft

shelden was consensus 10th best player in a weak draft

horford played center while noah played pf

horford has posts moves unlike anyone else on our team

horford is a GOOD pick for this team

[TheDude]

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Can anyone?

They aren't identical but they are VERY similar. So similar there isn't anyone else more like SW in the draft.

Anyone realy want us to draft Al Thorton given he reminds us similarly of JS?

How about Julian Wright or Green because they remind us of MW?

Or Hawes because he most reminds us of ZaZa?

I agree that Horford is a better NBA prospect than SW but that isn't saying much, the difference isn't THAT great, and the skill-set similarities are significant, especially when compared to the alternatives.

W

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Thornton reminds you of Josh Smith? Good lord man, have you even seen him play once? Not the same game at all.

[coachx]

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horford is consensus 3rd best player in a DEEP draft

shelden was consensus 10th best player in a weak draft

horford played center while noah played pf

horford has posts moves unlike anyone else on our team

horford is a GOOD pick for this team

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It is just that simple for me too. No rocket science involved.

1. Teams will not trade away a good center.

2. There are only 5 true centers in the league who have skills. Many ofthose guys will out of the league soon like Shaq & Big Z.(So yea, Hoford can be a allstar level C in today's league at 6'10''.)

3. We will have no draft pick to go after Hibbert or Thabett next year.

4.Our only chance to get a better post player is right now through the draft or trading of our picks.

5. The only player in the draft who has potential to be a great post player is Hoford.

Either pick Hoford or trade for Gasol.

Every team needs a post scorer and post defender. Hoford gives us both !

[MikeWilksBooth]

I'm leaning towards a trade and if we keep the pick Horford. I wanted Yi for the mystique and the fanfare but talent wise I don't really trust a guy who works out against Ivy league centers and folding chairs. If he doesn't have the balls to match up with Horford and Noah in workouts then I wouldn't have the balls to pick him. Plus his age is a question mark, i'd be more inclined to take him @19 which i'm starting to doubt.

[SmooveTheFuture]

Trade down with the Celtics to get the 5th pick and take Conley. Horford isnt going to start on this team. Maybe they could give us Rondo or West + 5th for our 3rd that would work out.

[coachx]

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Can anyone?

They aren't identical but they are VERY similar. So similar there isn't anyone else more like SW in the draft.

Anyone realy want us to draft Al Thorton given he reminds us similarly of JS?

How about Julian Wright or Green because they remind us of MW?

Or Hawes because he most reminds us of ZaZa?

I agree that Horford is a better NBA prospect than SW but that isn't saying much, the difference isn't THAT great, and the skill-set similarities are significant, especially when compared to the alternatives.

W

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Thornton reminds you of Josh Smith? Good lord man, have you even seen him play once? Not the same game at all.

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You should know by now that Walter rarely watches college basketball. Yet, he is the quickest to give his opinion on college players and calls people a bust after only one season.

Walter is a smart guy and makes good NBA analysis but even he has said he is not a college basketball watcher.

Just b/c he, like everyone thought Roy was an NBA ready SG makes him think he is an expert on scouting. Then he went crazy and started calling Roy a PG.

[coachx]

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Trade down with the Celtics to get the 5th pick and take Conley. Horford isnt going to start on this team. Maybe they could give us Rondo or West + 5th for our 3rd that would work out.

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So ZaZa would start over Hoford. That is simply crazy !

[Guest Walter]

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Horford is the consensus third-best player in this draft.

And he's a big rugged athletic post-player.

Since we have the third-pick...and he's the third-best player...and we need a big rugged athletic post-player, I say we take him.

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Nope. No answer there. "big...post-player" = SW. OK, you did answer it. Nobody is...

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Shelden doesn't really enter into my thinking here, even if you constantly insist on calling Horford a bigger stronger more athletic more skilled version of Shelden Williams.

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First, Shelden was STRONGER than Horford. SW benched 185, 25 times. Secondly, you did answer my question by . No one is more like SW than Horford.

W

[coachx]

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I'm leaning towards a trade and if we keep the pick Horford. I wanted Yi for the mystique and the fanfare but talent wise I don't really trust a guy who works out against Ivy league centers and folding chairs. If he doesn't have the balls to match up with Horford and Noah in workouts then I wouldn't have the balls to pick him. Plus his age is a question mark, i'd be more inclined to take him @19 which i'm starting to doubt.

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If he is 19 that means Yi started playing pro basket ball at 15. Every body should know Yi is 22, 1 year older then Horford.

[SmooveTheFuture]

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Trade down with the Celtics to get the 5th pick and take Conley. Horford isnt going to start on this team. Maybe they could give us Rondo or West + 5th for our 3rd that would work out.

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So ZaZa would start over Hoford. That is simply crazy !

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Horford is not a center why would he? Last time I checked what position is Horford suppose to be in the NBA PF not center. Didndt we try this ridculous experiment last year with Spedhead. The same people said of Shelden can play center he will be good at it because he is the 2x DPOY and blah blah blah. How did that work out for us not pretty well. I do not want to go down that path again. If Horford was say 6-11 and 7 Foot and could play center before ok im for it. But to try to put another unsized player at center and it not pan out would be crazy.