re: NBADraft.net 6/24 Mock: Pels picking Nerlens Noel

Marcus Thornton and Brandon Bass really packed them in. New Orleans gives 0 fricks about LSU basketball.

Greg Monroe? Sure, he'd be great here because he is an awesome player. The majority of Pels fans have no idea he went to Cox or that Cox is even a school.

Casual fans interested in checking out a game will be intrigued by a guy like Noel. The dude played a quarter of the season and his flat top alone was already a household image amongst casual sport observers.

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So we are judging the effectiveness of a rookie player/skill set based on what teams, who dont have an athlete like Noel at the 5, did in the conference and nba finals? Seems like a bit of a stretch to me.

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No, I'm judging your choice of rim running as a legit NBA skill for Centers. Say what you want, but I'm just not buying it. Sure, you want your guys to hustle, but I highly doubt anyone is concerned about Tim Duncan beating them in a foot race (maybe Kendrick Perkins).

Hell, maybe he and Deandre Jordan can race back and forth while the other 8 guys play basketball.

Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that we do take Noel:

How does that effect us in the offseason?

Are we more likely to go after a PG like Jennings?

Are we more likely to look for floor spacers like Webster or Wright?

Does it effect the way we think about trades (ie Lopez, Vasquez, Gordon)?

I don't think it effects much at all other than it might stop you from pursuing a center in FA, but I don't think they were going to look hard at that anyway. Pekovic was always a pipe dream and I question how well Al Jefferson and his bad defense fits what Monty and Dell are looking for. All the other mid level centers won't be better than Lopez for the money.

Bass and Thornton were SEC players of the year. Like he said no on gives a shite about LSU basketball

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Let's just say, for the sake of argument, that we do take Noel:

How does that effect us in the offseason?

Are we more likely to go after a PG like Jennings?

Are we more likely to look for floor spacers like Webster or Wright?

Does it effect the way we think about trades (ie Lopez, Vasquez, Gordon)?

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In my opinion, we will have to get floor-spacers like Webster or Wright no matter what.

Our offense had problems getting open looks in part because teams knew they could completely ignore Aminu.


I don't see us making a play for Jennings if only because he's a volume shooter and a hardheaded bastard.


I could see us sending out Lopez if the idea is to get another pick this year and then tank, as we would have plenty of minutes for Noel and would be in a position to get a high 2014 pick if we sucked this year.

That's not to say tanking is preferable, but it is a strategy if we're taking a long-term approach of developing our players and accumulating talent rather than going balls-out to end up as the 8th seed.

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Greg Monroe? Sure, he'd be great here because he is an awesome player. The majority of Pels fans have no idea he went to Cox or that Cox is even a school.

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Disagree here. Pelicans fans tend to be fans of basketball in general. I remember during Monroe's senior year he attracted decent crowds all over the state.

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But bringing either one back would make more noise and bring more fans than watching Noel sit on the bench this year..

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brmark70816
Baton Rouge, LA

Im not trying to be a dick, you just have to trust me on this. No one here cares about LSU basketball unless it's Shaq.

Monroe and Granger? Maybe, but even still, NOLA fans are more about national trends then they are local. The nationally known guy always trumps local are far as Bball goes.

And again, all of this is a secondary boost to winning.

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How does that effect us in the offseason?

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