Oden or Durant? (one week before draft)

[abomb]

So, what's it going to be? You are the GM of the Trailblazers. Who do you take and why?

 

[dodie53]

i pick oden..
because centers that have the potential dominate is hard to come by

 

[dreamcastrocks]

No way am I going to take a 2,3,4 or whatever you want to call Durant, that can't bench 185.

Seriously. Can you really pass on Oden? Not if you want to keep your job.

 

[arwillan]

as great as durant it, you gotta take oden. you cant find that freakish of an athlete every day and his ability to dominate is undeniable. Durant is an excellent player in all aspects, but there are so many great 2/3 players out there (kobe/lebron/etc..)you can't take him over oden.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

as great as durant it, you gotta take oden. you cant find that freakish of an athlete every day and his ability to dominate is undeniable. Durant is an excellent player in all aspects, but there are so many great 2/3 players out there (kobe/lebron/etc..)you can't take him over oden.

Are you talking about Oden or Durant here?

Oden beat Durant in almost every one of the althetic/agility drills.

 

[HooverDam]

No way am I going to take a 2,3,4 or whatever you want to call Durant, that can't bench 185.

If you think this young, long armed kid not being able to bench 185 is going to mean anything as far as him being an NBA talent, you are crazy. That won't affect his draft stock in any way.

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

Isnt this like picking between a Ferrari and a Lamborghini?

Or like, a blone and a blone with a brunette wig on?

 

[mathbzh]

Oden is a must pick... but something tell me Durant will be the best of the 2 very soon and for a long time.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

If you think this young, long armed kid not being able to bench 185 is going to mean anything as far as him being an NBA talent, you are crazy. That won't affect his draft stock in any way.

I didn't say that it affects his draft stock. I'm saying that his body is not NBA ready, and has a real possibility of injury. (a la Shawn Livingston)

 

[YouJustGotSUNSD]

I didn't say that it affects his draft stock. I'm saying that his body is not NBA ready, and has a real possibility of injury. (a la Shawn Livingston)

I get the heebeegeebees just thinking about it

 

[mathbzh]

I didn't say that it affects his draft stock. I'm saying that his body is not NBA ready, and has a real possibility of injury. (a la Shawn Livingston)

You could have a look at Amare and see that you can have an NBA ready body and be injured.

For every skinny injury prone player, you will find a big injury prone player.
Durant being unable to bench 185 just prove one thing. He didn't work on his body yet. That should only improve his draft stock.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

You could have a look at Amare and see that you can have an NBA ready body and be injured.

For every skinny injury prone player, you will find a big injury prone player.
Durant being unable to bench 185 just prove one thing. He didn't work on his body yet. That should only improve his draft stock.

Give me a break. Of course ANYONE can be injured, but not having an NBA body makes you at a higher risk to get injured.

I'm not saying that I would pass on Durant if I were Seattle, but there is no way in hell that I would draft him over Oden.

 

[Milgod]

I think they will pick Oden because bigs are hard to come by and the guy will be a beast. There will probably be outrage if they don't.

However, the Blazers picked a big in '84 instead of a fantastic smaller guy and that didn't turn out too well. Combine that with the red flag against Oden combine workout and they could well pick Durrant. Durrant would probably fit in better as well, seeing as they already have a couple of good big guys.

 

[Folster]

I think they will pick Oden because bigs are hard to come by and the guy will be a beast. There will probably be outrage if they don't.

However, the Blazers picked a big in '84 instead of a fantastic smaller guy and that didn't turn out too well. Combine that with the red flag against Oden combine workout and they could well pick Durrant. Durrant would probably fit in better as well, seeing as they already have a couple of good big guys.

1984 means nothing. This is 2007. Oden is not Bowie and Durant is not Jordan. Besides the #1 pick in 1984 was Akeem Olajuwan.

 

[Black Jesus]

Kevin Durant still has a baby face on a 6-10 body. He has a jumpshot, can finish at the rim, and has room to grow about 30 lbs in the next 2 years. He is gonna be a superstar.

 

[SactownSunsFan]

Oden, despite the fact that he looks like he should have already retired. Durant couldn't do one rep at 185 lbs. That's weak sauce.

 

[abomb]

Bill Simmons' weighs in.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070622

 

[D-Dogg]

Who do I take, or who should the Blazers take?

They should take Oden.


I'd take Durant...he's going to be a superdooperstar.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Bill Simmons' weighs in.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/070622

Let him stick to Celtic articles.

 

[abomb]

Who do I take, or who should the Blazers take?

They should take Oden.


I'd take Durant...he's going to be a superdooperstar.

I feel basically the same way.

Simmons hits it perfectly. We know how good Oden can be (and what that ceiling is). With Durant, we just dont know.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I feel basically the same way.

Simmons hits it perfectly. We know how good Oden can be (and what that ceiling is). With Durant, we just dont know.

Oden could become Shaq, or Duncan, or Hakeem. Give me that twice everytime before a "possibility" of a Kobe or a Wade or even Jordan.

 

[F-Dog]

Durant is going to be great, but Oden is a sure thing right now. If you want to win, you've got to go with the big man.

 

[Milgod]

1984 means nothing. This is 2007. Oden is not Bowie and Durant is not Jordan. Besides the #1 pick in 1984 was Akeem Olajuwan.

I'm not saying it is a direct reflection but Oden does have injury worries. Lets not act like everyone thought Jordan would be the best player in history. Durrant would have probably had a better college career if he had stayed another 2 years than Jordan did. Bowie was also a solid player coming out of college. Portland went with the good big instead of the good small and it didn't work out well.

I think Durrant probably will have a better career than Oden, but still think the Blazers will go with the man everyone expects them to take.

 

[HooverDam]

If I'm the Blazers, I go Oden. You have to consider the whole package, not only is Oden probably going to be a superstar in the middle, it allows them to get rid of Randolph, who is a good ,but not great piece. With Durant, they end up with a line up of:

Aldridge
Randolph
Durant
Roy
Jack

Quite good, but lacking a super stud up front. Now I'm not sure what Randolphs trade value is, but people almost always over pay for bigs. What if they can move Randolph for a Richard Jefferson type player? Once the pick Oden, small forward will be their biggest position of need, luckily its one of the easiest positions to fill. The only other slight concern would probably weather or not Aldridge could play the 4, if he can a young front line of Oden and Aldridge is a fantastic thing to build around.

Oden
Aldridge
Jefferson (or that type)
Roy
Jack

I like that lineup quite a bit better myself.

 

[elindholm]

Oden has been lackluster in his workouts, but of course everyone is ready to make excuses for him -- he was nervous, he's not that motivated in a workout setting, he's still a bit banged up, whatever. It's been the same story with him all year long. Everyone is so hell-bent on declaring him the next big thing, they habitually reject all of the evidence that maybe he isn't.