10-23-2020, 05:43 AM
(10-22-2020, 08:58 PM)Scott41theMavs Wrote: Immediately starting? You talking about Toppin? The guy whose college game declaims that he is not going to be physically able to guard a single conceivable NBA player?
Guys who cannot play *any* defense like that don't start for good teams in the 2020s. Amare, who Toppin is not as good as, might not even start in today's NBA. Let New York draft Toppin. Drafting and starting Toppin is like (in the other thread) trading for and starting Drummond. Makes no sense unless we're tanking next year. If Toppin makes a name for himself in the L, it will be as a sixth man.
I get your point, but if Drummond fell to #18 (very rare to draft an All-Star here) wouldn't you rather draft him as BPA, knowing he'll be a solid starter than take chances on busts/role players because of fit? And yes, Toppin would start in almost any team that draft him. Yes, his cloeouts and perimeter defense are awful, but he was the anchor of the most efficient (and most similar to the NBA) offense.