Joakim Noah/The NBA Draft

[lostfan]

I know the Bulls kind of suck and people aren't paying all that much attention but what do you guys think of how Noah is doing since he's been getting the minutes at C? Personally I think he's been doing a really good job. I sometimes wonder where his head is, and I was ranting when they drafted him because they appeared to be ignoring other needs, but he looks like he's actually going to be a good center in the NBA. He's been doing really well defensively, the only times I really saw him overmatched was against Yao Ming (but seriously who isn't), and when they play the Pistons or other teams that are light-years ahead of us in terms of cohesion on offense. Offensively he's obviously not the low-post scoring threat the team needs but he isn't a liability or a complete black hole or a liability so that's automatically an upgrade over Wallace there. Noah will actually make uncontested layups and people have to guard him, and although his FT % isn't anything to brag about it's like 20% higher than Wallace's at any given time.

[DBAHO]

Long - term, I don't know if he's a starter.

 

I see him more as a Varejao energy guy off the bench, who will still be extremely valuable mind you.

 

I think the Bulls need to hope this guy falls to them in the draft.

 

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/brooklopez.html

[shipps]

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/brooklopez.html

Your guy seems like a great fit physically for the Bulls, but is Pax going to go on the same route of drafting players that played for big time winning programs in this draft?Maybe he will change his drafting theory in light of what has gone down this year.

[thedoctor]

Your guy seems like a great fit physically for the Bulls, but is Pax going to go on the same route of drafting players that played for big time winning programs in this draft?Maybe he will change his drafting theory in light of what has gone down this year.

 

stanford has a pretty nice history of success. they don't have titles and probably aren't in the category of florida, kansas, or duke, but i've always felt the cardinal have a pretty strong program. i don't think pax would necessarily be altering anything if he took a guy from stanford.

 

as for noah, i think a lot depends on his ability to develop offensively. he's shown that he's a guy who is a decent defender and provides of energy and rebounding, which is pretty much what he was billed as coming into the league. but right now most of the offense he provides is a result of that energy, not skill. if he can be a more consistent offensive player (specifically in developing a go-to post move and/or consistent 15-foot jumper) he can have everything you need in a center. that remains to be seen, though.

 

either way, i think he'll at the least be what DBAH0 described--a varejao-type energy player.

 

 

[BobDylan]

Your guy seems like a great fit physically for the Bulls, but is Pax going to go on the same route of drafting players that played for big time winning programs in this draft?Maybe he will change his drafting theory in light of what has gone down this year.

 

I don't think there is a problem in his drafting philosophy (with the exception of not taking Aldridge.) I think his problem lies within not having the balls to make a trade. Where would the Bulls have been this year with Kevin Garnett? Or Kobe Bryant? Or Pau Gasol? Those are three guys who can put up some big numbers. Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich and Loul Deng, though I love them, are not in the league those three players are.

[DBAHO]

Deng is the only keeper in that group of 3 you mention Bob right now.

 

Aldridge over Thomas was a big mistake. But they also could of had Brandon Roy in that draft IIRC.

 

Instead of Gordon they could of had Andre Igoudala.

 

I think the Bulls just need a big center who can give you 15/10 a game. Lopez sounds like a guy who could develop into that, but right now he's slated to go top 5 I think.

 

Memphis would rather DeAndre Jordan if they went a big I think. Suits their gamestyle better because he can get up and down the court like Dwight Howard.

 

2 other bigs who are slated to go top 15 are Hasheem Thabeet and JaVale McGee (and maybe Roy Hibbert). All are rated lower than Lopez and Jordan though.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Long - term, I don't know if he's a starter.

 

I see him more as a Varejao energy guy off the bench, who will still be extremely valuable mind you.

 

I think the Bulls need to hope this guy falls to them in the draft.

 

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/brooklopez.html

The Bulls need a strong center. I am in agreement abotu this guy. But in the larger picture they NEED to draft a center.

[thedoctor]

Deng is the only keeper in that group of 3 you mention Bob right now.

 

Aldridge over Thomas was a big mistake. But they also could of had Brandon Roy in that draft IIRC.

 

Instead of Gordon they could of had Andre Igoudala.

 

I think the Bulls just need a big center who can give you 15/10 a game. Lopez sounds like a guy who could develop into that, but right now he's slated to go top 5 I think.

 

Memphis would rather DeAndre Jordan if they went a big I think. Suits their gamestyle better because he can get up and down the court like Dwight Howard.

 

2 other bigs who are slated to go top 15 are Hasheem Thabeet and JaVale McGee (and maybe Roy Hibbert). All are rated lower than Lopez and Jordan though.

 

no thanks on thabeet, another offensively limited post player has no spot on this roster. hibbert is intriguing.

[DBAHO]

They're comparing Hibbert to Joel Pryzbilla on nbadraft.net.

 

Great size, good shot and good rebounder, but bad quickness and atheleticism.

 

A few months back he was a borderline top 10 guy. Now he's slated to go around 19. His stock must have really slipped this season.

[thedoctor]

They're comparing Hibbert to Joel Pryzbilla on nbadraft.net.

 

Great size, good shot and good rebounder, but bad quickness and atheleticism.

 

A few months back he was a borderline top 10 guy. Now he's slated to go around 19. His stock must have really slipped this season.

 

that's a fair comparison, although i think hibbert has a little better shot.

[shipps]

They're comparing Hibbert to Joel Pryzbilla on nbadraft.net.

 

Great size, good shot and good rebounder, but bad quickness and atheleticism.

 

A few months back he was a borderline top 10 guy. Now he's slated to go around 19. His stock must have really slipped this season.

He is a guy a team can get really excited about at or around 19.Top ten you will have strong doubts about picking him.

[southsider2k5]

I don't think there is a problem in his drafting philosophy (with the exception of not taking Aldridge.) I think his problem lies within not having the balls to make a trade. Where would the Bulls have been this year with Kevin Garnett? Or Kobe Bryant? Or Pau Gasol? Those are three guys who can put up some big numbers. Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich and Loul Deng, though I love them, are not in the league those three players are.

 

Gasol was teh one guy of the three you listed who Paxson had the ultimate control over getting. The T-Wolves turned down the Bulls offer, which by most accounts was better than what they got eventually from Boston. Kobe, but most accounts, wasn't willing to come to Chicago if the Bulls put together a package big enough to get Bryant in the first place.

[thedoctor]

Gasol was teh one guy of the three you listed who Paxson had the ultimate control over getting. The T-Wolves turned down the Bulls offer, which by most accounts was better than what they got eventually from Boston. Kobe, but most accounts, wasn't willing to come to Chicago if the Bulls put together a package big enough to get Bryant in the first place.

 

i don't even know if you could hold paxson totally responsible for gasol. espn magazine had a bit on the gasol trade and it said that the grizz gm was prepared to take the bulls offer of nocioni, noah, and joe smith for gasol. but that deal was nixed by the grizz gm, who preferred the lakers' offer because it was less expensive (i.e. had more expiring contracts included in the deal).

[ZoomSlowik]

I don't ever see him being a dominant low post player, but Noah is a decent piece that could be a good glue guy on a solid team. Of course that assumes that all of the other pieces are taken care of, which they're clearly not.

 

As for the draft commentary, a legit center would fill a need , but this draft isn't exactly full of them (Basically just Lopez, MAYBE Griffin or Speights, but they're both PF's right now. Please no Thabeet or Hibbert, and Jordan's too raw for our needs.) and the organization probably won't want another young big guy that they have to find minutes for. They could just as easily grab a PG to groom behind Hinrich for a year or two (or trade Hinrich), or possibly one of those combo guards depending on what they do with Hughes/Gordon. Actually, there aren't a whole lot of perfect fits for the Bulls in general since they have decent but not stellar young players at basically every position.

[knightni]

I think they need a PG more than another big guy.

[lostfan]

I think they need a PG more than another big guy.

Hinrich isn't horrible but he isn't really that good either. On this team he's a linchpin unfortunately, which shows our glaring lack of a go-to guy. On a championship-caliber team he is a role-playing complementary piece like Ron Harper was. Same applies to Gordon, when he gets hot he can score like almost anyone in the league, but he still can't guard ANYONE.

 

I think we can all agree definitively that Noah is better for this team than Wallace was, no? And Drew Gooden at least resembles a step in the right direction?

[witesoxfan]

My opinion of Joakim Noah is that he's perhaps the ugliest person I've ever seen in my life, and he's a terrible dancer to boot.

[nitetrain8601]

Anderson Varejao would be a correct assessment. As for the draft, I'm not sold on Brook Lopez. I think he will be a decent 6th man or a really good 4th starter on a team, but nothing to write home about. DeAndre Jordan is too raw which is evidenced by the fact that he doesn't even start in college. Hibbert isn't 100% focused and does not play at his highest level most of the time (think Frank Williams).

 

The Bulls need a playmaker in this draft, whether it be a big or a guard, that's what they lack the most. Hinrich isn't that great of a PG. He could play there, yea but he really can't create for others and his shot is not good enough to be a consistent SG or scoring PG at least. Hinrich is the same player he was when he came in as a rookie, just making more money.

 

Gordon might be able to play PG if they let him learn the position. He's creative and has shown flashes of brilliance on passes, but then sometimes he does dumb stuff. That's the problem with the Bulls in terms of developing players though. They want you to concentrate on doing what you're good at and don't want you to even think or attempt what you're bad at which is why none of our players have developed really.

 

Tyrus lost a year of experience because of the way he's been jacked around.

 

Deng is nothing more than a 3rd scorer on a championship contending team. He doesn't have the desire to take over games or even want the ball in his hands when the game is in the balance. In fact, in 4th quarters, he usually goes quiet. He kind of reminds me of Lamar Odom. He has a ton of talent, but they just coast along and let the game come to them, they're not aggressive at all and they settle alot for what the defense gives them. I don't ever see him averaging more than 17ppg.

 

Guy I want most on this team is OJ Mayo.

Edited March 23, 2008 by nitetrain8601

[lostfan]

Hinrich makes me the maddest when he dribbles around aimlessly for 12-15 seconds before awkwardly and desperately heaving the ball up from 22 feet away and hitting the bottom right side of the backboard. Something he does at least 2-3 times a game it seems.

[Kyyle23]

Hinrich makes me the maddest when he dribbles around aimlessly for 12-15 seconds before awkwardly and desperately heaving the ball up from 22 feet away and hitting the bottom right side of the backboard. Something he does at least 2-3 times a game it seems.

 

Or when he dribbles right up to the hoop and nobody attempts to guard him, and passes up the easy layup for a pass to the top of the key, which gets picked off 85 percent of the time. Yeah, I love that move too.

 

I especially love Hinrichs frustration fouls. You can almost guarantee that he will foul the player that picks off his lazy passes.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Count Hibbard of Georgetown off my list. In a tough fought game and against a 10 seed, he scored a whopping 6 points and had 1 rebound.

[HuskyCaucasian]

I think the Bulls need to hope this guy falls to them in the draft.

 

http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/brooklopez.html

30 points vs Marquette in a 1 point win and was 10-11 from the free throw line. I'd find a way to trade up.

[nitetrain8601]

Count Hibbard of Georgetown off my list. In a tough fought game and against a 10 seed, he scored a whopping 6 points and had 1 rebound.

 

I've counted him off the list since last year. All you have to do is play uptempo and he is negated right away. I think Aaron Gray is a lesser stiff than this guy.

[nitetrain8601]

30 points vs Marquette in a 1 point win and was 10-11 from the free throw line. I'd find a way to trade up.

 

Marquette doesn't have any worthwhile big men.

[HuskyCaucasian]

Marquette doesn't have any worthwhile big men.

OH i know. but he's at almost 20 pts and 8 as a soph. I lie his potential.