Comments on: Thursday Bolts – 4.2.09

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:18:17 +0000

@Joe
The only reason Griffin couldn’t play center in the NBA is if he’s as tall as Michael Beasley with the same standing reach. There are a good number of starting centers under 6’11″ in the league. Dwight Howard, perhaps the best center in the game, is only just over 6’10″ in shoes (6’9″ without). Amare, Horford, and Jefferson are 6’8.5″ without shoes. I doubt Griffin comes in shorter than Amare, Horford, or Jefferson. Also, I don’t think there’s going to be an issue about having short arms or small hands (or as I like to call it, Kwamebrownitis).

His game is a center’s game. He rebounds like crazy, is super athletic, and is a better defender than he’s given credit. He may not block 3 shots a game, but I could care less as long as he forces a miss (blocks are highly overrated without listing which team then gains possession).

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 02:23:52 +0000

Do you really think Griffin is a starting 5 in the NBA? I am not so sure. It would be nice to get him and find out, but I wonder…

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 01:02:24 +0000

@Joe
We need a five, to be sure. Is Gortat that guy? Maybe, maybe not. He’s not someone I’d throw money at, and that alone makes him unlikely to be here next year. UFAs are hard to steal away, and nearly impossible without overpaying them.

The reason I like Millsap better is because Utah is worse off and I think Millsap would be a bigger upgrade over Green than Gortat would over Krstic. I don’t think Boozer is really opting out, since he knows there’s not much market for such a huge injury risk, especially a year after the Brand fiasco. Boozer is more likely to cash in during the 2010 extravaganza when some eager team loses out on one of the big names and settles for Boozer instead.

I think if we’re going to get a good, starting-caliber-on-a-playoff-team type center, we’ll have to get him in the form of Griffin or in a trade to take on salary. Griffin is going to measure up as tall as Horford, who was nearly ROY at center over Durant, and can play center for our otherwise already very tall/long team. But if not him, we’ll have to hope someone with an excess of bigs (I’m looking at you Clippers) will need to put a good center on the block.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:50:06 +0000

@Keith
I saw that you mentioned Amir. Honestly I haven’t seen Amir play that much. I do like Pryzbilla. I have seen him play a bunch and he is very very busy defensively around the basket, and he is a great per minute rebounder.

I’m not saying that we should throw the bank at Gortat by any means, just that with DJ, Collison, Ibaka and Green all fours, Paul Milsap and the money he would command would be very “un-presti” like in it’s cash outlay and redundancy. Gortat is a five, and if you can get him cheap, it’s worth a shot. Comparing the two since they are both RFA’s.

Over on the Orlando blog one commenter was comparing him to Jim McIlvane (a small minute backup who Wally Walker threw Millions at because he thought he would be a big minute star). It wrecked the franchise because Shawn Kemp resented being paid less than a scrub, and demanded a trade. I am willing to guarantee that Gortat is no McIlvane, but I am not ready to give him big money in case I am wrong… which I am a lot. :O)

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:40:59 +0000

@J.G. (Joey) That's tough to say. I don't have a crystal ball, but Gortat has great numbers for a small minute guy. I think he is somebody who can protect the paint and be a defensive 5 for us. We basically have no defensive 5. What we have is Krstic and Collison, who are useful in the middle, but certainly not dominant. Collison seldom blocks shots. Krstic gets a few more, but not really his strength.

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:15:27 +0000

Just a thought, but with Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge likely to sign big extensions this summer, Blake and Outlaw in contract years, as well as the impending 9 million hit from Miles’ contract, what would you say are the chances we could steal Przybilla from them? He’ll actually be their highest paid player next year, and one that they hope isn’t in the long term future of the franchise with Oden in the wings.

Probably a pipe dream with the way he’s playing this year and Oden’s perpetual injury status, but I’d feel better putting him in the starting lineup than any of the free agents this year.

By: Keith

Keith — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 00:01:58 +0000

@Joe
Check out another name on that list, one who actually played more minutes than Gortat: Amir Johnson. I mentioned it earlier when arguing with J.G., but there is a huge difference between playing 10 minutes a game and playing 30 minutes a game. Amir was given a starting chance in Detroit for a while and was extremely hot and cold (he’s had 20 and 10 nights himself) before wearing down quickly and finding himself on the end of the bench. I’m not saying that’s a sure thing for Gortat, but it makes me very very leery.

Also, while 3 million a year would be great to have him as a backup, why would Orlando let him go for so little? There are way less productive players making twice that all over the league. Orlando, of all teams, should know Gortat’s value.

By: J.G. (Joey)

J.G. (Joey) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 21:23:30 +0000

@Vega True, but Gortat is a true 5 (size, length, true 7 footer in shoes) while Collison is an under-sized 5 who really should play as a 4 at 6'10.

By: Vega

Vega — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:50:11 +0000

Personally, I think Gortat brings the same things to the table as Nick Collison. So long as we have Nick Collison, I don’t think we need Gortat.

By: J.G. (Joey)

J.G. (Joey) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:47:14 +0000

@Joe So, Joe, chime in on the debate: Is Gortat a starting 5 for the Thunder and should he be paid like one? Or is he a glorified backup?