Dwight Howard

[phoostal]

In case you didn't know on Friday night at 8pm. Dwight Howard's high school game will be broadcast on ESPN 2. This our chance to see this kid in action. I'm interested to see how much he dominates.

[Traceman]

I watched a portion of the first game between Southwest Atlanta Christian (Howard's team) and Landmark Christian (Randolph Morris' team) on HD Net. Randolph Morris is a very good player. The two didn't actually matchup that much against each other as LC chose to double Howard with other guys rather than tie up Morris on Howard. The strategy worked pretty well and the game went down to the wire with SWAC pulling it out at the end. At any rate, Morris more than held his own in their first matchup. Howard ended up with like 21 pts, 18 rebs and 8 blocks. Randolph ended up with like 26 pts, 24 rebs and 4 blocks. It seemed to me that Howard was clearly the better athlete and he was a lot more versatile. Morris seemed to be more of a low post guy. It was kind of like a matchup between KG and Tim Duncan (with neither Howard or Duncan being as good as KG or Duncan of course). It will be interesting to see how they matchup this time. I MIGHT go to the game but if not, I'll tape it on ESPN2.

[Playmaker0017]

I'm not that interested in the matchup.

I don't think we will land the number one pick, and if we do, I don't think Howard is ready to help us take the next step.

I am hoping more along the lines of getting a great coach and picking up Livingston. I know the kid is a HS kid, and a project, but his stock has soared. He is 6'7" and runs the point. I like that. A good coach and a pickup like Kenny Anderson gives Livingston time to develop.

We need a PG. Bad.

Either that or pick up Neelson. Avoid Gordon like the PLAGUE! He is JT part two.

Play.

[Boondocks]

Whoa Nellie, if we have a top lottery pick we HAVE too pick size. Whether that be Dwight Howard, Emeka Okafor or even that russian Podzolkine.

[Playmaker0017]

Boon,

That size in Okafur is too small to play center and we have a solid PF.

Howard isn't that tall.

The russian is TOO tall.

A 6'7" PG IS size and it IS what we need.

You draft size in a center. But you draft talent when you need it. A 6'7"-6'9" SF/PF is pretty much a dime-a-dozen ... especially when you consider we have a pretty decent PF and one of the PF's you are talking about is a project.

The russian can be argued, but I think he is past the "too tall" point. Diminishing marginal returns and all.

Play.

[Traceman]

REGARDLESS of position and go from there. I don't know if a big man will necessarily be the best player available when we pick but if he is, we should take him. Even if he's a PF. I don't know if Okafor is big enough to play Center at this level or not but he's long, strong and a lot more physical than Theo. If he's the best player available when we pick and he has to play PF, so be it. Pick him (or Howard or whoever is the best player available) and deal either him or Reef later for a position of need. A frontline of Theo/Okafor/Diaw would be pretty dang good defensively. Then, you try to deal Reef for someone like Ray Allen or a combo of players like Q. Richardson (sign & trade), Marko Jaric and Melvin Ely or like Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford and Eddie Robinson.

If we went into next season with a lineup of:

Theo/Nazr

Okafor (or Howard)/Hendu

Diaw/CC

Ray Allen/Jax

JT/DD

or

Curry/Theo

Okafor (or Howard)/Nazr

Diaw/Robinson

Crawford/Jax

JT/DD

or

Theo/Nazr

Okafor (or Howard)/Ely

Diaw/Jax

Q. Rich/Jaric

JT/DD

I'd be very happy with any of those lineups. I could envision scenarios on the last 2 squads where JT lined up at SG next to Crawford or Jaric. I could also envision JT taking on a Bobby Jackson role (particularly with that 2nd group) and coming off the bench as our 6th man on either of those last 2 squads.

The bottom line is that we need to take the best player available regardless of position and remake our roster from there. NO ONE on this roster has proven to be untouchable and that includes Reef. I'd rather keep him around but I would trade him in a heartbeat if it was the best way to improve our team.

[Admin]

Isnt Howard 6'11" and about 240 plus only 18 years old and still likely growing?

Isnt Garnett 6'11 and about 240 and dominating the game?

I would say that Howard has all the size that we need to be a dominate post player. I would greatly prefer drafting him and seeing him blossom into a superstar and then trade SAR for someone like Ray Allen. Also, Okafor is taller than Ben Wallace (obviously not as strong) and has a very similar game as Big Ben does but only with more offense so I see no reason why he couldnt come in and be our perfect compliment to Theo in the frontcourt with SAR sliding over to the 3. All this team would need is a consistent scoring threat from the SG spot and we are set offensively and defensively. Either of those guys are possibly good enough to make us a playoff team in their rookie seasons with just a few small bench pieces added to what we have now. I know that you dont believe that rookies can make that much of a difference, but if you look at what Stoudemire, Bosh, Carmelo, Lebron, etc. have done over the past 2 years as rookies for their teams its quite easy to think that we could possibly land one of those types of players in a Howard or Okafor or possibly even Josh Smith. Now, I am not saying that I would be totally disappointed with that PG prospect, but it would be MUCH harder for a rookie HS PG to come in and get PT than it would for a F or C.

[Playmaker0017]

Dolfan,

And if you read anything or have seen Howard play, you would realize that he prefers to play at the perimeter and that his post moves are very basic.

He drifts to the three-point arc. He used to be a gaurd and feels more comfortable there, despite his size.

As for Okafur, again, I will reiterate, I think he will be a good pro, but not an all-star calibre player. He plays center in college, but is too small to play there in the pros. That will automatically remove a lot of his blocks.

The difference between these players and those players you mention is that those players are not forwards (outside of Bosh). A gaurd can produce for himself.

I completely agree that the HS PG would be the ULTIMATE project, but could also have the ULTIMATE rewards.

In my opinion, if we get a top 3 pick, we trade it for a good player and a top 15 pick. Pick up Jameer or Livingston. What we NEED is a PG.

The number one thing that can turn a team around, outside of a coaching, is a GOOD PG.

Play.

[Dukegotgame]

First of all dwight howard is the real deal. his post moves are not basic at all. i have played with and aganist this guy. down the road i can see this guy as a cross between kg and duncan... meaning kg athleticism and perimeter game, however with duncan's fundamentals. this guy is as good with his left as his right because he broke his wrist i believe in middle school and had to play with his left.

as for livingston he will be at duke for a couple of years. yes i know the espn "insiders" say he might consider skipping college, however do not believe that crap.

[Playmaker0017]

DukeGotGame,

First, I am going to take the Livingston stuff with a grain of salt -- considering he has signed a letter of intent with Duke and you are a Duke fan. Something tells me that is he gets a lucrative offer from the pros, Duke can't match it. If he gets picked top 7, he goes pro. Period.

As for Howard, just because YOU got dominated in the post by him doesn't indicate much. Truth is, he is NOT a post player. Scouting reports and film will tell you that. He isn't comfortable. I doubt that he is going to be a cross between two HOF players. That would make him the best player ever to play the game of basketball. I'm just not going down that road.

Play.

[Playmaker0017]

Trace,

That idea of drafting the best player available started up because of Jordan. No one wants to pass up the next Jordan.

Well, guess what, no one in this draft is the next Jordan.

There is no one with talent SO FAR above everyone else that you should draft them.

Basketball is unlike a LOT of sports, the draft is almost a complete crap-shoot. Picking the "best" player available doesn't necessarily get you best the player.

A team should draft for need and then by best player. If we NEED a PG, then our first target should be a PG, but if a player with talent LEAGUES above the PG, then you pick the BEST PLAYER.

Play.

[Dukegotgame]

First off i did not get dominated by him. I kind of take offense to that considering i am ranked extremely high in my class. Also we are not the same type of player so we were not matched up much. Yes you are right he likes to be on the perimeter and in the post, but that is not a bad thing. You need to realize that the game is evovling and you do not see many straight post up players like kevin mcchale or bruisers like a barkley. it is a plus that he possesses such verstailaity and that is what creates match up problems in the NBA. You need to realize that when kids are this age, they have not found a real niche in their game. I would agree that if all he wanted to do was go out and shoot that would be bad, however that is not the case with him. He is very comprable to kwame who was supposed to the ultimate match up problem. Everyone has seen the amount of talent and skill he has, but his problem is his mental toughness and attitude, a problem that dwight does not have.