Obi Toppin Scouting: Discuss

[daytripper]

If Koby picks Toppin it really does show he's over his head and has no idea how to build a modern NBA team.
Toppin's total lack of lateral quickness will hinder him from ever being a perimeter defender. His lack of weight in his base will prevent him from being a post defender. He can't defend the pick n roll.
Seriously they need to find some two way players and drafting a non defender in the lottery for the 3rd year in a row is just the antithesis of what this team needs to be doing.

 

[sailfish]

If Koby picks Toppin it really does show he's over his head and has no idea how to build a modern NBA team.
Toppin's total lack of lateral quickness will hinder him from ever being a perimeter defender. His lack of weight in his base will prevent him from being a post defender. He can't defend the pick n roll.
Seriously they need to find some two way players and drafting a non defender in the lottery for the 3rd year in a row is just the antithesis of what this team needs to be doing.

Who cares about defense. At least he’ll have some epic dunks and we’ll be on SC TOP 10.

That’s a joke obviously. I can’t understand wanting Toppin when your defense is already so porous?

 

[ansatsusha80]

If Koby picks Toppin it really does show he's over his head and has no idea how to build a modern NBA team.
Toppin's total lack of lateral quickness will hinder him from ever being a perimeter defender. His lack of weight in his base will prevent him from being a post defender. He can't defend the pick n roll.
Seriously they need to find some two way players and drafting a non defender in the lottery for the 3rd year in a row is just the antithesis of what this team needs to be doing.

This is why free agents don't want to come here because the front office always make poor decisions....

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

This is why free agents don't want to come here because the front office always make poor decisions....

I don't think that's the reason.

 

[cabs]

If Koby picks Toppin it really does show he's over his head and has no idea how to build a modern NBA team.
Toppin's total lack of lateral quickness will hinder him from ever being a perimeter defender. His lack of weight in his base will prevent him from being a post defender. He can't defend the pick n roll.
Seriously they need to find some two way players and drafting a non defender in the lottery for the 3rd year in a row is just the antithesis of what this team needs to be doing.

Spot on

 

[Ohioplayer00]

If Koby picks Toppin it really does show he's over his head and has no idea how to build a modern NBA team.
Toppin's total lack of lateral quickness will hinder him from ever being a perimeter defender. His lack of weight in his base will prevent him from being a post defender. He can't defend the pick n roll.
Seriously they need to find some two way players and drafting a non defender in the lottery for the 3rd year in a row is just the antithesis of what this team needs to be doing.

Actually the only player (that plays defense) worth taking in this draft as high as we are picking is Edwards and he'll be long gone. None of the other draft picks in the top five (maybe Wiseman) stands out on the defensive end. And the last thing we need to do with the 5th pick is take a non scoring big man (ie Onyeka Okongwu). Toppin may not a great defensive player but he does rebound, gets out and runs the floor and unlike TT can score inside and he shot 42% from three ball land.

 

[Ohioplayer00]

Don't get me wrong, I love Obi Toppin. His age doesn't bother me at all. But the Cavs already have a logjam at PF.

If Toppin is a legit PF, and the Cavs can't trade Love, and Nancy is already the best PF on the roster...if all of that is true, I just don't see how Toppin helps the Cavs.

IMO, in this case, need trumps the best player available. The Cavs need a big PG, not another PF.

But Nance is nowhere near the “finished” score that Toppin is. He shot 42% from three. Unless we have a trade deal on the table for either Garland or Sexton we cannot draft another PG this high! We need a strong wing player to replace Love who is on the downside of his career.

 

[CalBuckeyeRob]

If you drafted a 19 year old with flaws and 3 years later at 22 he still had those same flaws, you would assume they are permanent. Not sure why in drafting a 22 year old Toppin that you would expect him to fix his flaws starting at age 22.

 

[daytripper]

Obi Toppin and Jayson Tatum are the exact same age (born one day apart in 1998).

 

[macbdog]

If you drafted a 19 year old with flaws and 3 years later at 22 he still had those same flaws, you would assume they are permanent. Not sure why in drafting a 22 year old Toppin that you would expect him to fix his flaws starting at age 22.

Not sure why you a think a 22 yr old black man can't improve.

But on a more serious note, not sure why you think Toppin hasn't improved in the last 3 years, or why you think Div I training at Dayton compares to NBA level training. Toppin has grown by leaps and bounds since arriving at Dayton as a nobody prospect and has turned himself into a fantastic player. I'll take his attitude on my team any day.

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

Not sure why you a think a 22 yr old black man can't improve.

Hahaha wtf

 

[CalBuckeyeRob]

Not sure why you a think a 22 yr old black man can't improve.

But on a more serious note, not sure why you think Toppin hasn't improved in the last 3 years, or why you think Div I training at Dayton compares to NBA level training. Toppin has grown by leaps and bounds since arriving at Dayton as a nobody prospect and has turned himself into a fantastic player. I'll take his attitude on my team any day.

Players often make major moves in performance between 18-22 as they get better coaching, get comfortable with body growth that typically occurs in high school, and see competition that is more challenging on a regular basis. Toppin did that. But he doesn't get to do that again because he is now 22. At that age, the improvements tend to be more on the fringe. Not just for him, but for most players.

 

[Alec]

I'm pretty down on Toppin. Watched all the tape I could find online and the defensive concerns are legit. he's for sure a tweener. Simultaneously, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being a top 15 scorer in the NBA with additional spacing and adequate attempts. The temptation is real, but I hope Koby leaves it at that.

 

[Ohioplayer00]

I'm pretty down on Toppin. Watched all the tape I could find online and the defensive concerns are legit. he's for sure a tweener. Simultaneously, I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up being a top 15 scorer in the NBA with additional spacing and adequate attempts. The temptation is real, but I hope Koby leaves it at that.

Let’s be real here.....there is NO sure fire superstar in this draft. They all have flaws and the only well rounded picks in this draft (offensively/defensively) is Edwards and Weisman. Advi looks be another Cedi (good but nothing special), Okongwu is another TT (only good on D and catching lob dunks), Okoro is an inconsistent shooter, and no way should the Cavs take another PG (Haliburton)!
If Toppin doesn’t look attractive then the Cavs should trade down and look at a player like Vassell out of Florida State.

 

[The Human Q-Tip]

Let’s be real here.....there is NO sure fire superstar in this draft. They all have flaws and the only well rounded picks in this draft (offensively/defensively) is Edwards and Weisman. Advi looks be another Cedi (good but nothing special), Okongwu is another TT (only good on D and catching lob dunks), Okoro is an inconsistent shooter, and no way should the Cavs take another PG (Haliburton)!
If Toppin doesn’t look attractive then the Cavs should trade down and look at a player like Vassell out of Florida State.

This kind of logic always confuses me a bit. I mean, the teams/GM's all have access to the same information (plus a ton of additional stuff) that we do. So if we're able to conclude that none of these guys are special, and that the smart thing to do is to grab a more ready, well-rounded guy like Vassell...why shouldn't we assume that other teams see it the same way? And if that is the case, what makes you think Vassell will still be there if we trade down? Or that anyone would give us anything significant if we did trade down?

I really dislike trading down in the hope of nabbing a particular player.