Fly in the Ointment?

by section214 on Jun 6, 2009 11:41 AM PDT Comment 45 comments

I'm just tossing this quick one into the FanPosts, as I sit here thinking out loud.

Hasheem Thabeet did not paricipate in the drills in Chicago. He is not working out for teams. Might this cause a drop in his draft standing? And if so, how does that impact the Kings?

To this point, it has almost been a given that Thabeet would go 2 or 3. But if he does not show the Griz and the Thunder the goods, will they pass? And if they do, which additional player gets chosen ahead of us in his place?

I can't imagine Petrie pulling the trigger on Thabeet if he does not participate in a workout here (or somewhere where GP can get a good look at him.

I'm not losing sleep over this, as I think that Griffin/Rubio/Evans/Jennings would all look good in a Kings uniform (heck, I might even feel that way about Harden/Hill/DeRozan/Holiday). I am, however, amazed that Thabeet and his handlers have taken this approach, and that it has not been mentioned as a potential threat to his current draft stock.

Thoughts?

(This is a FanPost from a member of the Sactown Royalty community. The views expressed come from the member, and not Sactown Royalty staff.)

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Interesting

SB Nation automatically inserted the Kings and Thunder links. I have not seen that before.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Jun 6, 2009 11:53 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Upgrade?

Looking at some other Fan Posts, it looks like it will add “player links” as well (unless people are using SBNation links for players, which hasn’t been the case in the past).

I’m assuming it requires a FULL NAME for a Current NBA Player to auto-link (explaining why none of your names linked), if it is indeed auto-linking.

by smgmatt on Jun 6, 2009 12:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

That’s the idea. And those pages where the links go should have great content from across the SBN blogs.

by Ziller on Jun 6, 2009 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ya its a nice feature

As for players, in my fanposts, I usually link to their draftexpress page(for a prospect) or ESPN’s page (for current players)

Father of the "Natt this!" movement.

by Aykis16 on Jun 6, 2009 12:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

this was one of the few nice things on the CBS NBA Forums, and I’m glad to see this here as well.

"Greed is the inventor of injustice as well as the current enforcer." - Julian Casablancas

by submison on Jun 6, 2009 5:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Synergy is a bootiful thing 214

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Jun 6, 2009 12:20 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And he’s really quite helpful!

www.mancancook.net

by vfettke on Jun 6, 2009 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Big Brother isn't doing to good a job

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Jun 6, 2009 2:21 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

A guarantee?

I haven’t read anything on this other than your post, but it seems logical to me that not working out means you already have a guarantee from one of the two teams drafting #2 and #3.

by Carl on Jun 6, 2009 12:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

this is exactly what I am thinking

I wanted to adopt, but all the good looking babies were taken

by joeytothelimit on Jun 6, 2009 12:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

ditto

and same with Harden (who is not interviewing).

FYI:
Thabeet’s agent is Calvin Andrews of DBA (Walnut Creek, CA)

James Harden’s agent is Aaron Godwin (interestingly, he represents Chris Webber, Candace Parker, Francisco Garcia, Shareef Adbur-Rahim and others, of course, like Kevin Durant)

by betweentheeyes on Jun 6, 2009 1:00 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Just throwing this out there

Maybe his agent figures he’s got enough of a “headstart” on the other “Top 5 potentials” to wait a while for his workouts, to give him more momentum heading into the draft? If that’s the strategy it could really backfire with bad workouts..

by AnotherStupidSN on Jun 6, 2009 12:07 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm also worried about this

However, Ricky is also forgoing workouts. Thabeet did his interviews in Chicago. But yes, there’s a perfect storm of sinking draft value swirling around Thabeet right now. Reportedly being flummoxed to learn about the pro 3-second rule is one of those …

by Ziller on Jun 6, 2009 12:29 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Wait a minute....

He didn’t know about the defensive 3-second rule? That can’t be right….did anyone ask him if regular season NFL games games can end in a tie?

by Charlieb on Jun 6, 2009 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions 3 recs

Haven't there been previous reports about Memphis having spent a lot of time scouting him in college?

If so, there’s still a good chance they’ve seen what they’ve needed to see and want him regardless of his workout status

www.mancancook.net

by vfettke on Jun 6, 2009 12:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps

But I’ve never purchased a car without driving it first, no matter how cool it looks.

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Jun 6, 2009 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

As long as we don't draft Thabeet

I’ll be happy. If he was a few inches shorter, I don’t think he’d be a first round pick.

Father of the "Natt this!" movement.

by Aykis16 on Jun 6, 2009 12:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Did you seriously post that?

If your mom had a penis, she would be your dad. Thabeet is 7’-2.5", he isn’t going to shrink and he a top 5 talent. If he was a few inches taller he might be the first pick?!

"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.

by jjham15 on Jun 6, 2009 5:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If your mom had a penis

She’d have a dildo. Stop misrepresentin JJ.

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Jun 6, 2009 5:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If your mom had a penis, she would be your dad.

Really? That’s an interesting question. You already have a dad and your mom gets a sex change. Does your mom cease to exist? Does she become your second dad when she becomes a he? Or does (s)he remain your mom, and even though he’s a man? What if you have an “I Heart Mom” tattoo? It’s all very confusing.

by Carl on Jun 6, 2009 6:37 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

You just took a joke that wasn't funny to begin with

and beat it to death with a pipe.

by Charlieb on Jun 6, 2009 7:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ladies and Gentleman...

…Carl!

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Jun 6, 2009 7:30 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

HAHAHAHAH!!!

Oakland Raider fan till I DIE!!!

by Robby1987 on Jun 7, 2009 4:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That's what we do here.

It helps if you’re drunk.

Or blonde.

The draft lottery has reinforced my belief that there are not enough bad words in the English language.

by LeaguePassAddict on Jun 6, 2009 7:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

it's kind of been done before, in a "if he was a few inches shorter" kind of a way

by betweentheeyes on Jun 7, 2009 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

hahaha!

Oakland Raider fan till I DIE!!!

by Robby1987 on Jun 7, 2009 4:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

oh well

by betweentheeyes on Jun 7, 2009 6:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

My point is

That the only real “skill” that the guy has is his size. And when he comes across someone who figures that out (see Blair, DeJuan), he gets destroyed.

Father of the "Natt this!" movement.

by Aykis16 on Jun 6, 2009 8:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

One game he got destrpyed by Blair the next game was pretty solid.

There are a lot of guys with size who never play a significant role in the NBA. I understand you don’t want Thabeet, my point was that you can’t discredit the guy as not a first round pick if he was a few inches shorter- because he’s not. If Griffin, Rubio, Harden, Hill, Evans and DeRozan were a few inches shorter then they would also have their stock drop considerably. Thabeet is an athletic, mobile, huge shot blocker that can change a game on the defensive end. It’s fine that you don’t want him or like him, I just don’t think he can be dismissed- his size is part of the package he brings as well as shot blocking and rebounding.

"Or, as Randy Jackson would say: Not feelin’ it, dawg."
-bench-blob- posting virgin.

by jjham15 on Jun 6, 2009 9:54 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

My point was that he doesn't have much actual skill

other than his size, which isn’t a skill. I don’t think that his size alone warrants a top 5 pick. I think he doesn’t have much actual talent, compared to other prospects, and simply uses the advantage of size.

Father of the "Natt this!" movement.

by Aykis16 on Jun 7, 2009 1:30 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with your concern Aykis, though the guy has been ranked as high as #2 in the draft

so others, with more on the line, think he is important.

I agree with you – I have pictorially posted different versions of “bust” and used Thabeet’s picture in one of them. Giving my track record, the guy should be an All-Star by next year.

The biggest concern about this guy is his athletecism. We know he has height. We know he can change the game on the college level. We know that an athletic powerhouse (Blair) can abuse him – at least some of the time, for now. To me, to prove his worth, he should be showing off his skills – but he has refused to do combine drills. Speed, lateral quickness is important pre-draft information. That red flags him for me. Furher, it is a known detriment that he has low BB IQ due to his recent familiarity with the game. Another red flag.

In my book, which is similiar to a coloring book but less complicated, each red flag drops him 2-4 draft spots.

by betweentheeyes on Jun 7, 2009 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Does JT have a lot of developed skills?

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Jun 7, 2009 6:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd argue that being a true defensive stopper

Is a set of skills – and he doesn’t just do it by size.

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Jun 7, 2009 6:49 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

and you are correct, it is a skill

does it translate? Does he have the mobility that the pro game recquires for him to be the success a #2 pick deserves?

Thabeet or not Thabeet, that is the quesiton

by betweentheeyes on Jun 7, 2009 6:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

A question that can be asked about Rubio and others

Is Rubio fast enough? Strong enough? Can he penetrate the lane in the NBA? A lot of time circling the perimeter in those olympic games.

Physically Thabeet certainly fits the bill – but of course a lot of tall guys, just like a lot of small guys – have failed.

Personally, I think he’ll be The defensive center in the NBA over the next ten years.

I’ve been wrong before, according to the wife – on a daily basis.

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Jun 7, 2009 7:02 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've missed your Thabeet posturing

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Jun 7, 2009 8:32 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm ridiculously busy - trying to land a new job/promotion

So imitate the action of the tiger!.
Lend the eye a terrible aspect
- and teach them how to war!
Henry V iii

by lietothegirls on Jun 8, 2009 8:05 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Never said you weren't a go-getter :)

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Jun 8, 2009 8:55 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Jobeeeeeeeeeet!!!

Good luck!

SACTOWN ROYALTY - Try our thick creamy shakes!

by section214 on Jun 8, 2009 12:03 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Thabeet has never interested me

And with prospects like Jennings, Rubio, Evans, Holiday among others (let alone Griffin) out there, he never will entice me. I don’t see how he really works with the Kings system anyway. (Now, Golden State on the other hand….)

Evil Cowtown Inc: Screwin' Suckaz over since Nineteen Eighty-Five.....

No mistakes in the tango, darling. Not like life. Simple. That's what makes the tango so great. If you make a mistake, and get all tangled up, you just tango on.....

by pookeyguru on Jun 6, 2009 12:47 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs