Anthony Bennett

[EdMonix11]

Yeah, I just edited my previous post right before you finished replying bringing up that point as well. Chris Grant was under pressure to win now and went for the high risk/high reward guy. It would be nice if Gilbert didn't issue these ultimatums. It results in terrible moves, like overpaying Jack, signing Earl Clark, and passing on the most talented guy in the draft because we had to wait for him to heal.

To be fair, Derrick Rose injured his other knee. ACLs aren't a huge deal anymore. It should not have stopped them from drafting him. Noel is a much better fit, long term, for this team than Bennett is anyways. We know Noel will make a big impact defensively. We know Noel has a great work ethic and a high motor. It's unfortunate that we passed him up.

Yes, Noel's knees are bad and raised red flags but his background check raised red flags as well.

He wasn't the best or most talented player in the draft then, he isn't the best player from the draft now.

I liked Noel going into the draft but soured on him because there was a ton of baggage attached to him AND his knee and his ceiling is Larry Sanders.

Better fit for the Cavs? That's laughable. Let's just clog the paint even more. Why are we talking about this again?

 

[Kyrieville]

Larry Sanders? That's laughable. Noel's ceiling is much higher. There is no reason he can't develop an offensive game as well. He is showing that he has the work ethic, that's for sure.

Also, who cares about background. As long as he wasn't in serious trouble, chalk it up as he was a kid. Kids do stupid things. All I care about is that he is good at the game of basketball.

 

[BimboColesHair]

Larry Sanders? That's laughable. Noel's ceiling is much higher. There is no reason he can't develop an offensive game as well. He is showing that he has the work ethic, that's for sure.

Also, who cares about background. As long as he wasn't in serious trouble, chalk it up as he was a kid. Kids do stupid things. All I care about is that he is good at the game of basketball.

I've seen countless raw players with a "great work ethic" amount to nothing in sports. Our own Tristan Thompson will be brought up, I am sure, to counter your point here as he is an example many of us are currently exposed to. Banking on someones potential is how you get in trouble in sports. Potential is also not current fact.

Anyways, Bennett has the ability to be a much better 2-way player than Noel because he already has a rare offensive game from the 4 spot. Does it still need fine tuning and consistency? Of course, but his offensive talent right now is more than Noel will ever have IMO. Noel on the other hand seemingly had eventual DPOY candidate before the injury, but we still don't know if he still has the athleticism that made him special in the 1st place. We also don't know if his skinny frame can hang with NBA center's yet.

 

[Tornicade]

Thompson was 11th amongst forwards in double doubles the last three seasons. 9th in the last two seasons amongst forwards in double doubles. 6th in double doubles amongst forwards the last season.

This is consistent production. Tristan also is 9th amongst forwards overall in double doubles in their first 200 games since 2000.

People want to pretend like Thompson is some sort of Scrub when he isnt. he is working up an all around game and is filling the role the coaches given to him.One nice thing about getting a new coach is people will get to seeTristan in a different role . than primary rebounder and screener.

 

[CosmoKramer]

I've seen countless raw players with a "great work ethic" amount to nothing in sports. Our own Tristan Thompson will be brought up, I am sure, to counter your point here as he is an example many of us are currently exposed to. Banking on someones potential is how you get in trouble in sports. Potential is also not current fact.

So Tristan's amounted to nothing now? Wow. Jan Vesely and Jimmer Ferdette have amounted to nothing, you can't group TT in with those top-10 pick busts from his own draft class. A raw player with a broken free throw/jumper mechanics turned himself into a solid piece, he's not a star like you'd ideally want out of a #4 pick but I have to laugh when you labeled him as someone who amounts to absolutely nothing. You don't have to knock TT to make a point about AB.

Anyways, Bennett has the ability to be a much better 2-way player than Noel because he already has a rare offensive game from the 4 spot. Does it still need fine tuning and consistency? Of course, but his offensive talent right now is more than Noel will ever have IMO. Noel on the other hand seemingly had eventual DPOY candidate before the injury, but we still don't know if he still has the athleticism that made him special in the 1st place. We also don't know if his skinny frame can hang with NBA center's yet.

For a player with a "rare offensive game" it sure didn't translate to, you know, actual offensive production. He's got the tools, but as of right now let's stop heaping praise on a player coming off a 36/25/64 shooting season.

He's got some talent on the offensive end of the court, but he's got no special abilities as a defender. He was terrible at UNLV, he was atrocious in his first season at the NBA, but lo and behold it's almost guaranteed by everyone he's going to be a plus on defense. He's got some of the worst defensive instincts I've ever seen, his feet look like they're stuck in quicksand on blowbys, and he does this while being the size of most SFs. Yet I'm supposed to believe he's going to develop into a defensive presence at PF?

I guess we can keep doubting Noel's athleticism, even though we've heard he's actually in better shape now than he was pre-injury. There was also a video released of him working out a few months back, he looks even quicker in his movements with no side effects from the surgery. Noel's got game-changing abilities on the defensive side of the ball, it's only going to take a couple games of Noel locking down the paint and mucking up passing lanes with his length and quickness before everyone on this board admits we might have passed up on the rim protecting center we've all been longing for.

 

[Derek]

He never said Tristan has amounted to nothing.

Looking at Bennett's stat line for the season doesn't tell the whole story. We saw two very different players. Early in the season he was lost, and possibly the worst player ever on an NBA court. Late in the season, however, we saw a guy who had the talent to be a lotto pick (or #1 in a very weak draft). Also, he is just about the average size for a PF. You look at his height, and call him small, yet every other one of his measurements has him as PF-sized.

I don't think many are doubting Noel's ability to come back from the ACL tear. I was all aboard the Noel train even after the ACL tear. The problem is that the structure of his knee makes him susceptible to continuing knee injuries, and there's no way to repair that. When we found out about the improperly healed growth plate, that's when the bandwagon emptied. If it were just the ACL tear, he's probably the consensus #1 pick. I'm sure he'll have healthy stretches in his career where he shows that #1, DPOY talent, but the chronic injury risk was just too much.

 

[CosmoKramer]

He never said Tristan has amounted to nothing.

Looking at Bennett's stat line for the season doesn't tell the whole story. We saw two very different players. Early in the season he was lost, and possibly the worst player ever on an NBA court. Late in the season, however, we saw a guy who had the talent to be a lotto pick (or #1 in a very weak draft). Also, he is just about the average size for a PF. You look at his height, and call him small, yet every other one of his measurements has him as PF-sized.

I don't think many are doubting Noel's ability to come back from the ACL tear. I was all aboard the Noel train even after the ACL tear. The problem is that the structure of his knee makes him susceptible to continuing knee injuries, and there's no way to repair that. When we found out about the improperly healed growth plate, that's when the bandwagon emptied. If it were just the ACL tear, he's probably the consensus #1 pick. I'm sure he'll have healthy stretches in his career where he shows that #1, DPOY talent, but the chronic injury risk was just too much.

His first sentence was that he's seen countless raw players amount to nothing, then cited Tristan as an example we all could relate to. Is there anyway else to interpret that?

And I don't understand how you can fight the small perception, he's 6'7''. I'd agree standing reach and wingspan are the more important measurements, but height still plays a part when looking at a player's defensive potential. You don't play defense with the top of your head, but you also don't run around with your arms stretched up the entire time. Taller players can look right over AB, and the vast majority of bigs are taller than 6'7''. Giving up at least 3-4 inches in height is bad enough, what happens when we face a team in the future with two 7 footers? The Lakers (Gasol/Bynum) and Mavericks (Dirk/Chandler) both won titles recently with fourteen feet of frontcourt. We can all pretend he's not small, but he's the same size as most NBA small forwards. If he's going to remain at PF he'll always be short, which in turn makes him undersized.

Overall, I don't disagree he's not a lottery talent. I'd still take him in the top-5 of a re-draft, behind Noel and the Greek Freak at least. AB flashed explosive finishing and outside shooting at times his rookie season, he's still a talented young player. I just don't see him ever being the defensive presence everyone is making him out to be. Good offensive player sure, but I'd be happy with mediocrity out of him on D.

 

[Photon]

Stop pretending like AB has trouble aginst taller players. Who exactly? He actuality stopped and forced outlet passes from post players. He is not abused on defense(like our star pg, Hawes or Jack are). His frame, strength and ok standing reach are not something you just plow trough. Tristan Thompson offense is just awkward. Maybe he can use that maybe not. He looks like some vet recreational league player.

 

[Zen]

Can we stop this narrative that AB was a defensive force last year? If you think he will develop into one that is fine, say that.

He was one of the worst defensive players I have ever seen last year at his position. As Cosmo said the blow bye drives were mind boggling.

There were times where MB nearly had a heart attack when AB would blow a defensive assignment on 3 consecutive trips down the court. You would see MB turn to pull him but then stop himself. If you actually believe that he was a good defensive player last year you either didn't watch the games, or are so intensely attached to the guy that continuing to even talk about it would be pointless.

 

[Derek]

Who is trying to paint Bennett as a defensive force? All anybody is saying is that he is physically capable of defending his position. His problems with defense aren't at all related to his size.

 

[Zen]

Who is trying to paint Bennett as a defensive force? All anybody is saying is that he is physically capable of defending his position. His problems with defense aren't at all related to his size.

There have been probably 50 posts in this thread talking about how he is able to easily stop bigger players in the post etc etc etc etc etc

 

[RedeemTeam]

[video=youtube;BOQA7-SzpdA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOQA7-SzpdA&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/video]

[video=youtube;chM3pkfMoV8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chM3pkfMoV8&feature=youtube_gdata_player[/video]

 

[Derek]

There have been probably 50 posts in this thread talking about how he is able to easily stop bigger players in the post etc etc etc etc etc

Again, I think people are just saying he's physically capable and has occasionally done it in the past. It gives us hope that he can be ok defensively even if he isn't now.

 

[Pioneer10]

Overall, I don't disagree he's not a lottery talent. I'd still take him in the top-5 of a re-draft, behind Noel and the Greek Freak at least. AB flashed explosive finishing and outside shooting at times his rookie season, he's still a talented young player. I just don't see him ever being the defensive presence everyone is making him out to be. Good offensive player sure, but I'd be happy with mediocrity out of him on D.

This is my hope personally: Jason Maxiell with 3 point range would be an All-Star player

 

[natedagg]

I don't know how to look this up, but what were AB's splits in the last 20 or so games?