How About Andris Biedrins?

[George O'Brien]

I am not really sure there is a player worthy of being paid for the #5 position in this year's draft. There are a number of guys would would be good value in the #15 range who are likely to go early because there is not a lot of impact players at the top after Howard and Okafor.

On player who is still under radar for most observers is Andris Biedrins of Latvia. I am not wildly excited about drafting another Euro big man, but I like his profile. He is at least 6'11" 240. Here is the Draft City Profile
draft city

He possesses about the same combination of size and skills - already at this young age - that made Darko Milicic the 2nd Pick overall in last years NBA draft. His precociousness is unbelievable, he's playing 30 year old pros every day and dominates them. Unlike most European sevenfooters, Biedrins is more of a back-to-basket player. He works strong in the paint and scores mostly from the lowpost. A strong rebounder, too. But the brightest aspect of his game is his natural shot blocking ability. He wants to block virtually every shot. Last year he finished second in the Latvian League in block shots. While his defense was already great last year, his improvement on the offensive end this season shows his great work ethic. He was working on his offensive skills every day in the off season. That's why his scoring average increased from 3.3 last year to 19.5 this year.

nbadraft.net has a similar description:
nbadraft.net

One of the most promising big men prospects in Europe. Good defender, has size and wingspan as well as good timing in blocking (2nd in bpg in Latvia) and boarding. Not that polished yet on the offensive end, but scores consistently with both the drop-step and the turn-around jumper out to 10 feet. Has yet to add some inside moves, a more reliable outside shot and some pounds of muscle.

He is the only big man other than Okafor with a reputation for being a strong defender and shot blocker. I would consider Andris something of a project, but he may be a good choice at that spot in the draft.

 

[JS22]

Phoenix really needs to draft a somewhat expierienced college player. Someone who may be able to help them right away as opposed to rolling the dice on ANOTHER euro project.

Who could fit well on this team? Im not to educated on this years draft.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by WastedFate
Phoenix really needs to draft a somewhat expierienced college player. Someone who may be able to help them right away as opposed to rolling the dice on ANOTHER euro project.

Who could fit well on this team? Im not to educated on this years draft.

That's the problem, the college guys are not a good fit. The centers are not good defensively and none of the the SG/SF guys are good shooters. The draft is loaded with high scoring point guards, but with Barbosa and Vujanic this seems like a waste.

As I said, I'm not excited about getting another Euro, but Biedrins at least has the type of skills the Suns need: defense, rebounding, shot blocking, and a low post game.

 

[F-Dog]

I think that Biedrins sounds very intriguing, and I would be happy to see the Suns draft him. Like Josh Smith, though, he does a lot of the same things as the young talent that the Suns already have.



I'm starting to thing that Kosta Perovic will be the Suns' pick if the team winds up drafting at #6 or so. Perovic has the size to be a true center and the agility to fit in with the Suns' game plans, he's a shot-blocker and a decent man defender, he has plenty of experience in competitive basketball environment (unlike Podkolzin or the Korean), and he has the makings of a mid-range jump shot, which is all the Suns ever ask of their centers on offense.

The facts that Perovic broke his hand this year and might have contract trouble make him look more like a typical Suns draft pick than the reverse.


Of course, any center drafted after the top 2 is a bust waiting to happen...right now, though, Perovic looks like the guy to me.

 

[slinslin]

I think we will end up without a draft pick at least a high one.
It just makes perfect sense.

1. We already are the youngest team.

2. A top2 pick costs us almost 4M$ capspace!

We would be better off using the pick to upgrade our team and use the money to sign someone who is much more likely to contribute immediately.

Sure a top 5 pick should be used to draft a franchise player but we already have one in Amare and our sights set on 2 more possibly.

 

[F-Dog]

Originally posted by slinslin
Sure a top 5 pick should be used to draft a franchise player but we already have one in Amare and our sights set on 2 more possibly.

I don't think we have any chance at T-Mac this offseason (S&T next year is the only hope), and the Suns' chance of getting Kobe is very slim, too, with or without the pick.

I certainly don't believe that anything coming out of Phoenix regarding those players is worth listening to.

 

[slinslin]

It makes sense for Phoenix and Orlando in my opinion.

If anything Phoenix would probably be on the short side of the deal so I think that the Suns can get McGrady if they want to , if that is what they plan.

 

[George O'Brien]

Andris Biedrins looks more interesting to me than Kosta Perovic. Draft city gives Perovic a more appealing bio than nbadraft.net:

NBA Comparison: Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Strengths: Huge. Towers over opponents. Has soft hands and is excellent at putting back missed shots. A very good passer out of the post. Works his tail off on the court...A decent shot blocker, because of his gigantic size. Nimble on his feet and seems to really love the game. Has a very big upside.

Weaknesses: Has a very limited offensive game. Points come off putbacks and short jumpers. Needs to really develop a back to the basket game to become effective. Kosta also depends on his height for rebounds and not positioning...footwork overall needs work. Defensively everything is based off his size. Over time he will learn the nuances of the game and become much more effective. Notes: Seems to get better with every game. Looks intelligent and most of all "You can't teach height."…If he develops an offensive game, watch out.

-Savneet Singh

nbadraft.net

 

[F-Dog]

Originally posted by slinslin
It makes sense for Phoenix and Orlando in my opinion.

If anything Phoenix would probably be on the short side of the deal so I think that the Suns can get McGrady if they want to , if that is what they plan.

Orlando isn't going to trade McGrady unless he makes it very clear to them that he's opting out, and after he does that, he's not worth nearly much to the team that trades for him (see: Antonio McDyess).

S & T (like Penny Hardaway) is the way I see it going down. McGrady might even stay with Orlando if the team winds up with Okafor and maybe changes their coach and GM.

 

[F-Dog]

Originally posted by George O'Brien
Andris Biedrins looks more interesting to me than Kosta Perovic. Draft city gives Perovic a more appealing bio than nbadraft.net:


nbadraft.net

I love that profile--they compare him to Ilgauskas, then describe a player who's the exact opposite of Ilgauskas...I guess that both players are 7'3", at least.


As I said, Biedrins looks interesting to me too; the more I look at it, though, the more I think that the Suns will wind up with Perovic.

Of course, to sign Perovic, the team will probably have to sign Vujanic first, then go after Vlade Divac in free agency...

 

[slinslin]

Insider compared him to AK47 I think.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by F-Dog
I love that profile--they compare him to Ilgauskas, then describe a player who's the exact opposite of Ilgauskas...I guess that both players are 7'3", at least.

As I said, Biedrins looks interesting to me too; the more I look at it, though, the more I think that the Suns will wind up with Perovic.

I get nervious when the player's heigth is his dominant characteristic.

Perovic was dropping on some of the boards even before his injury. The comparison with Ilgauskas is mostly that his defense is based on his size rather than his footwork, which is deadly in the NBA.

 

[sunsfn]

Andris Biedrins looks more interesting to me than Kosta Perovic does.
Perovic has no buy out clause in his contract which can be a major problem.

I think the suns would want whoever they draft on this years first pick, (top 5-6) to sign with them and be on the team, not stay in another country and play.

Andris is what the suns need, a shot blocker and hard worker.

Has everyone decided the suns would not draft Pavel??
I am not sure they would, but who knows.?

I can see the suns also drafting the bpa, or trading down to pick up the bpa and save dollars, especially if they think that a player they can get lower is as good as they can get at 5.

There will be some guards taken 5-10 and I do not think the suns want to draft a point guard.
P.G. is one position that teams seem to be able to pick up cheap in the free agent market.

 

[Chaplin]

Originally posted by sunsfn
There will be some guards taken 5-10 and I do not think the suns want to draft a point guard.
P.G. is one position that teams seem to be able to pick up cheap in the free agent market.

If Eisley stays and Milos comes over, then PG will definitely not be a position we look at in free agency.

 

[sunsfn]

Charlie Chaplin said,
----------------------------------------------------------
If Eisley stays and Milos comes over, then PG will definitely not be a position we look at in free agency.
---------------------------------------------------

I should have made that more clear...........

I do not think the suns will draft a p.g. and if they think they need a back-up experieced p.g. they can pick up one.

I do not think they will need one either because of Eisley, Barbosa, and Vujanic.

My point was really that the suns will not draft a point guard, and so a bpa that they like may drop down because other teams will be drafting the point guards that will be available to them........

 

[Joe Mama]

Actually leaving a player over in Europe would make some sense because it would save several million dollars from the salary-cap. Of course Perovic might be the only player that could be kept in Europe. How does that work exactly?

Joe Mama

 

[slinslin]

That would be pretty weird considering we draft top5 most likely.

I can't imagine drafting someone in the top5 who

1. Wants to stay in europe instead of signing a top rookie contract
2. Is playing in europe right now, and good enough to be drafted top 5
3. Is such a prospect that leaving him in europe would do him any good

I don't think that is a good or likely option.

I am also not sure wether he would still count against our cap because I was recently told that your rookies once drafted count against your cap even if you haven't signed them yet.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by slinslin
That would be pretty weird considering we draft top5 most likely.

I can't imagine drafting someone in the top5 who

1. Wants to stay in europe instead of signing a top rookie contract
2. Is playing in europe right now, and good enough to be drafted top 5
3. Is such a prospect that leaving him in europe would do him any good

I don't think that is a good or likely option.

I am also not sure wether he would still count against our cap because I was recently told that your rookies once drafted count against your cap even if you haven't signed them yet.

Last year Carlos Delfino was drafted by the Pistons in the first round (25th pick) and he is in Europe. Two of the contracts sites I looked at did not list him. One other one did, but I'm not sure it was for cap purposes.

 

[sunsfn]

If the suns draft about number 5, I do not think that player will stay in europe to play.
They will want him here playing and contributing right away.
The pistons are letting ?? stay on the bench, but not oversees, they want to moniter his training.

If they trade down, then that would be different. It would save them money and get a young player more training.

If they draft a player and let him stay oversees, they do not pay him and it does not count against the salary cap.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I still believe the Suns will draft Podkolzine if he is there when they pick...for better or worse.

 

[George O'Brien]

Originally posted by Chris_Sanders
I still believe the Suns will draft Podkolzine if he is there when they pick...for better or worse.

A year ago there were some issues about whether hed the disease that ended the career of Gheorge Mhursean. Most review suggest he is very very raw. He has great upside, but also are possibility to be a total bust.

The fact that it was the Suns that drafted Gheorge makes me skeptical that they will go down that road again.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

He amazed nearly every GM in workouts.

Colangelo is always looking for a real center.

You are talking about a team that has taken big stiff after big stiff in hoping to hit it big. I could easily see them doing it again.

Not saying that I think that Podkolzine is stiff or great...I have read a lot of conflicting stories about him.

 

[slinslin]

Chris, is that the reason he couldn't get a lottery guarantee from ANYONE?

At his size even if he was decent or even good he could never succeed in a Phoenix Suns style of game.

Yao Ming would have trouble, Podkolzine would be dead meat after less than half of the season at his size and weight.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

No lottery guarantee? Where did you hear that? He was a lock for the lottery until his pituitary condition which has since been treated.

I guarantee you he will go in the top 10 picks right now. I am not saying that he will be decent, I am saying someone will take him and it would not suprise me if it was the Suns.

We did trade a first round pick for Luc Longley remember?

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Oh and what exactly is a "Phoenix Suns" style of game?

It certainly isn't run, gun, and fun anymore.

It isn't a play tough defense to win anymore.

It isn't a drain outside jump shots style of game.

It isn't a penetrate and dish style of game anymore now that Marbury left.

We basically play screen and roll. We don't defend well. We don't shoot well. We certainly don't rebound well. We don't dribble that well. We do get steals but at the cost of giving up a lot of easy baskets.

Oh I guess you mean that we play small, but that in reality is because our big men simply aren't that good.