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He's too small to play as an NBA SF. What's the point in trotting out someone who's like 6'4" or 6'5" and asking him to defend guys who are 6'8" or 6'9" every night?

I don't think Okoro is an offensive liability--he started to come on as last year progressed, and I expect that to continue. If he never figures it out, fine--you have another defective/limited player and you look to get someone who can fill that role better.

I think you're exaggerating the height disadvantage here. Okoro's the same size as Moody, Keldon Johnson, Josh Green, Joe Harris, KCP, Hardaway Jr, Crowder, and many other guys who regularly play multiple wing positions. And he's as talented defensively as any of them. It's not a big ask for him to play a significant chunk of his minutes at SF. Much bigger ask for him to be the 2nd option offensively, which is what he'd be at SG unless we spend big bucks of a free agent SF.
 
I think you're exaggerating the height disadvantage here. Okoro's the same size as Moody, Keldon Johnson, Josh Green, Joe Harris, KCP, Hardaway Jr, Crowder, and many other guys who regularly play multiple wing positions. And he's as talented defensively as any of them. It's not a big ask for him to play a significant chunk of his minutes at SF. Much bigger ask for him to be the 2nd option offensively, which is what he'd be at SG unless we spend big bucks of a free agent SF.
I see someone who looked good on defense, but was just undersized in most of the matchups we gave him last year. I'd like to learn from that and put him in the situation where I feel he can have the most positive impact today, and set him up for the most growth in the future.

I'll also concede that, if somehow his extra bulkiness that he's showing off translates into being able to match up better with NBA SF's, then I'm good with him doing that. Being able to defend NBA wings who have size is one of the most valuable traits around. If Okoro can do that, then go get it.

I also don't think he's the second option offensively if Mobley's on the floor--but I think being the second option is nothing but good for his development.
 
Is Okoro a bigger defensive liability at SF, or a bigger offensive liability at SG? Given his skills...I'd rather play him at SF and back him to hold his ground on D than play him at SG and count on him to create offense.

Lots of "can't do" in a post about a 20 year old. I don't anticipate his standing reach getting any bigger, but throwing around "offensive liability" for the #5 pick of the 2020 draft is going to age like poopy diapers.
 
Lots of "can't do" in a post about a 20 year old. I don't anticipate his standing reach getting any bigger, but throwing around "offensive liability" for the #5 pick of the 2020 draft is going to age like poopy diapers.

Jae Crowder and PJ Tucker were two of the most impactful multi-positional defenders in the playoffs last year. But it's pie in the sky to expect Okoro to defend SFs? It just doesn't make sense.

And yeah, Okoro's shaky jumpshot at SG is just as big a problem as Sexton's questionable decision making at PG. As with Sexton there's a decent chance he'll ameliorate that weakness over time, but it's gonna stand out when he plays SG.
 
Jae Crowder and PJ Tucker were two of the most impactful multi-positional defenders in the playoffs last year. But it's pie in the sky to expect Okoro to defend SFs? It just doesn't make sense.

And yeah, Okoro's shaky jumpshot at SG is just as big a problem as Sexton's questionable decision making at PG. As with Sexton there's a decent chance he'll ameliorate that weakness over time, but it's gonna stand out when he plays SG.
I don't think Jae Crowder was anywhere near PJ Tucker's level on defense in the playoffs.
 
I think you're exaggerating the height disadvantage here. Okoro's the same size as Moody, Keldon Johnson, Josh Green, Joe Harris, KCP, Hardaway Jr, Crowder, and many other guys who regularly play multiple wing positions. And he's as talented defensively as any of them. It's not a big ask for him to play a significant chunk of his minutes at SF. Much bigger ask for him to be the 2nd option offensively, which is what he'd be at SG unless we spend big bucks of a free agent SF.

I also wonder if Okoro can't build out with his biggest strength as a defender to be able to guard SFs, I just wonder how he will be able to take a much bigger leap and build out much more tools to be a starting SG.

I still believe Koby didn't draft Okoro to be a starter. I think he was suppose to be the guy who came off the bench to guard the best player 1-3 and be the defensive specialist in rotations with Sexton, Garland, and KPJ. I think we will still look for that KPJ replacement, a scoring wing, in the future

I would start him at SF because we won't have a better option. I think he will answer the questions we have for him there without disrupting Sexland. If we send Sexton to the bench to allow Okoro to develop as a SG we might be looking for 2 new starters at the end of the season instead of 1 or none.
 
What's your point here? He has a 8'3.5" standing reach, but he's build like a truck and defends 1-4. If he can do that, why can't Okoro at least defend 1-3?
Who are we talking about?

If we're asking why can't Okoro defend like PJ Tucker, I think there are a lot of reasons. Tucker is more the exception than the rule. I wouldn't draft someone with Tucker's profile and expect him to be able to defend Durant the way Tucker did in that series.

But, it also took PJ Tucker a long time to become the 36 year old savvy vet defender we see today.
 
I also wonder if Okoro can't build out with his biggest strength as a defender to be able to guard SFs, I just wonder how he will be able to take a much bigger leap and build out much more tools to be a starting SG.

I still believe Koby didn't draft Okoro to be a starter. I think he was suppose to be the guy who came off the bench to guard the best player 1-3 and be the defensive specialist in rotations with Sexton, Garland, and KPJ. I think we will still look for that KPJ replacement, a scoring wing, in the future

I would start him at SF because we won't have a better option. I think he will answer the questions we have for him there without disrupting Sexland. If we send Sexton to the bench to allow Okoro to develop as a SG we might be looking for 2 new starters at the end of the season instead of 1 or none.
Everything we know says Okoro was drafted to start at the 2 with Sexton coming off the bench.
 
I’m a little surprised why people continue to think he going to be a black hole if he’s our starting 2 guard…..What if he gives you between 14 to 16 points a game with a solid all around game, while playing great defense…..

I expect Garland along with Mobley to have higher scoring Avg then Okoro , I also expect Allen to have improve offensive stats…..If Sexton becomes our 6 man , I expect him to also have potentially better stats………..

So basically all I’m saying is you don’t need Okoro to have world beating scoring stats if he our starting 2 guard if he doing everything else good…
 
Everything we know says Okoro was drafted to start at the 2 with Sexton coming off the bench.

You mean everything from that summer where Sexton and KPJ were the 2 untouchables on the roster. Or when Koby talked about how Okoro was going to be able to guard 1-4 easily in the NBA after he was drafted. Or how they thought Okoro was 6'7.
 
Jae Crowder and PJ Tucker were two of the most impactful multi-positional defenders in the playoffs last year. But it's pie in the sky to expect Okoro to defend SFs? It just doesn't make sense.

And yeah, Okoro's shaky jumpshot at SG is just as big a problem as Sexton's questionable decision making at PG. As with Sexton there's a decent chance he'll ameliorate that weakness over time, but it's gonna stand out when he plays SG.

You are comparing two veterans who played power forward in college and transitioned to the perimeter to Okoro. His skill set and history as a player are drastically different. If he develops his ability to muscle up bigger players inside, cool... but apples to apples comparisons seem more fair to him as a player.
 
Everything we know says Okoro was drafted to start at the 2 with Sexton coming off the bench.

You are comparing two veterans who played power forward in college and transitioned to the perimeter to Okoro. His skill set and history as a player are drastically different. If he develops his ability to muscle up bigger players inside, cool... but apples to apples comparisons seem more fair to him as a player.

Here's the NBA.com scouting report on his defense going into the draft...you can find similar things pretty much everywhere:

  • Possessing an impressive combination of length and strength, Okoro is a gifted athlete with the explosiveness to completement his 6-foot-6, 225-pound frame. A powerful leaper who can go up and catch lobs and finish emphatically in space, Okoro blends an impressive physical prolife with an excellent motor and an evolving skill level.
  • Among the top defenders in the draft, Okoro’s combination of tools and competitiveness made him a multi-positional stopper at the college level.
  • With a unique combination of strength and quickness, Okoro is a very good defender who was frequently charged with defending opponents’ top perimeter threats last season regardless of position. Allowing only 0.48 points per one-on-one possession [90th percentile], he proved difficult to push around in close and tough to beat off the dribble on the perimeter.
  • Among the more versatile wing defenders to come out of the NCAA ranks in recent years, Okoro plays with an uncommon competitiveness and physicality. Scrapping for loose balls, using verticality, and making decisive rotations, Okoro does a lot of little things for a player who only turned 19 in January.

Let's be honest...does that sound like a player who's expected to defend exclusively PG and SG?
 
You mean everything from that summer where Sexton and KPJ were the 2 untouchables on the roster. Or when Koby talked about how Okoro was going to be able to guard 1-4 easily in the NBA after he was drafted. Or how they thought Okoro was 6'7.
When was this ever a thing?

Saw some 6'6"
Never saw anyone claim 6'7"
 
You mean everything from that summer where Sexton and KPJ were the 2 untouchables on the roster. Or when Koby talked about how Okoro was going to be able to guard 1-4 easily in the NBA after he was drafted. Or how they thought Okoro was 6'7.
No.

I mean our coaching staff telling Sexton he was coming off the bench with Drummond this past year, and the only reason it didn't happen was Drummond throwing a bitch fit.
 

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