Phoenix - Chicago Trade Proposal

[slinslin]

I already did the math and it would mean that O'Neal was 17 at the time he was drafted.

 

[elindholm]

Well, right, so I guess that's it then. Unless nba.com is wrong about his birthdate.

I would expect a 17- or 18-year-old to struggle in his first couple of seasons (as Bryant did). But Brown is now as old as most players who have been in the league a year, since no one finishes college anymore. Based on what he's done so far, I think it's doubtful that he'd be even a top-five pick in this year's draft.

 

[slinslin]

Well there is a rule that players are not allowed to be in the draft unless they turn 18 before the opt out deadline. They changed that for Darko and Sofoklis who turned 18 before the draft but after the deadline.

However Jermaine turned 18 4 month after the draft.

 

[Joe Mama]

I agree.

In fact Portland had no idea how good Jermaine O'Neal would become. If the problem was being stuck behind veterans they would not have traded him for so little and not for another big guy.

what are you talking about? They traded him for Dale Davis who was one of the best big men on the trading block at that time. I agree that they could not have possibly known how good he already was and would be , but they got the big men they wanted in return.

Joe Mama

 

[F-Dog]

I would expect a 17- or 18-year-old to struggle in his first couple of seasons (as Bryant did). But Brown is now as old as most players who have been in the league a year, since no one finishes college anymore. Based on what he's done so far, I think it's doubtful that he'd be even a top-five pick in this year's draft.

Olowokandi went #1 overall, remember. Today's Kwame compares favorably to Kandi back when he was drafted; I'm sure Kwame could slip into the top 5 in a draft like this one (possibly right back to Washington ).

The real problem with Kwame is that the Michael Jordan comeback pushed his development back two years, so he'll still be an unknown when he signs his next contract. I'm not sure whether he'd look good in a Suns uniform or not, frankly.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Well there is a rule that players are not allowed to be in the draft unless they turn 18 before the opt out deadline. They changed that for Darko and Sofoklis who turned 18 before the draft but after the deadline.

However Jermaine turned 18 4 month after the draft.

Actually, I am pretty sure that is just the rule for Euro's.

The American rule is that your graduating class must have graduated already. Meaning a person who had a birthday the summer after he graduated could enter the draft.

Since European's often go pro before they are out of school, the rule was you had to be 18 when you applied. Then they changed it for Darko.

 

[George O'Brien]

The recent history of HS big men with the exception of Amare is not very encouraging: Bender, Chander, Brown, Diop have all struggled. It is too early to call them busts, but it is equally hard to describe them as emerging stars.

It is probably a truism that big men take longer to develop than mid sized players. I wonder if it wouldn't be cheaper to wait until the guys become free agents and sign them after they've grown up.