if he's a "superstar" or anywhere close to a top player, he should be able to make the playoffs every year in the East.
Why couldn't Noel get his team closer? Isn't he a stud?
Perhaps you need more than one player in the NBA to win.
the Knick's and Phil's plan is to whip out Phil's nuts and hope a decent player sucks them while whispering "new york...new york..." into their ears.
Er, when did I call Noel a stud?
He's a really good defensive player.
Are you comparing Noel to Melo?
I don't think Hinkie's plan was bad by any means and it could still work out. They still have a lot of assets to deal.
The problem is they selected high variance players. Embiid may or may not come back. Time will tell on that one, but the uncertainty of that coupled with Saric potentially being a couple years away really pushes their time table back. It was probably the best strategy to take, but you have to nail your draft picks to make it work.
I'm sure yeezus will disagree with LOL's and LMAO's, but I don't see anything other than a good Noel season that suggests differently.
it's a risky plan. when embiid fell to them, the guy who was likely to be #1 without the injury, they had to take him IMO. they still have a lot of picks this year and next, and should be top 5 again next year (plus the Lakers and Heat picks). The plan is far from complete, they have a lot of assets left to acquire.
i won't be shocked if they trade noel. there are slight, slight rumors right now. the rumors were slight with MCW, too..until they weren't.
Am I mistaken or did you not call him one of the best defensive players in basketball?
He had statistically a top-20ish season last year I believe, but that doesn't mean he's even close to being a stud or a superstar (the way Melo is billed).
Again, are you comparing Noel to Melo? Melo is a better overall player. My issue is with calling Melo a top-tier player when he clearly he is not. I do not believe he will every win anything, or really come close at this point.
Melo is also 31 now. We can't use his present day talent to judge who he was when he was in his 20's. I don't think he can win on his own and nor should he be expected to, for that matter. Put it this way, if Melo replaced Jimmy Butler on the Bulls I still think they could win 50 games.
As for Noel, if he's an elite defensive center than he's a stud. I have zero qualms calling Gobert a stud as a Jazz fan, so Noel is at least close to that territory even though he's a notch or two below him IMO.
Prediction: Brule and GF will LOL at the Thunders pick this year.
If the rumors of them making another promise are true, then I will surely "LOL"
Well, I hope we get Payne. Seems like the perfect fit.
I forget who they were linked to but it wasn't Payne with the rumored "promise" Also, it sounds like Payne is going to go higher than 14.
Are the Thunder going to take another D Leaguer to save money?
Who was the player they could have taken that would have made an impact on the roster? I suppose Clarkson or Dinwiddle would have helped but with the way it was looking nobody at that pick was going to break the everyday roster. Its better to get developmental time and as long as they don't screw him this season then whats the harm?
You woudn't be saying this if they drafted a stash player overseas.