Big Men on Campus

Heres a list of big men coming out on draft day.  We need one of these guys to bulk up our middle.

Brooke Lopez 7ft 245lbs......Very smooth big man who can play both ends.  Probably would have taken Stanford a lot further if their guards were better.

Kevin Love 6ft 9 255lbs......Very good on both ends of the court and can step out and nail a jumper.  Probably projects as a PF at the next level. 

DeAndre Jordan 7ft 240lbs.....Great with his back to the basket.  He can back down defenders with the dribble and put it in the basket.  Very athletic for a big man.

Javale McGee 7ft 240lbs.....Didn't get to see much of him on Nevada this year.  They say he has a very nice skill set from what I've read.

Robin Lopez 7ft 255lbs.....The 2nd Stanford twin who comes up a little shorter then his brothers when it comes to skills set.  Still at 7ft 255 with a little work could develop into a nice center.

Kosta Koufos 7ft 250lbs.....Very good jumper basically from what a saw a mirror of Nenad.  Likes to face up and shoot.

Roy Hibbert 7ft 2 265lbs.....I feel he'll be a little slow for the NBA but offensively he's very polished.  Has great passing ability and a high IQ for the game especially with the pick and rolls.

Devon Hardin 6ft 11 235lbs......A little slim and lots of surgeries a little afraid of him.

Now for a guy who I feel can be a steal on draft day. 

Hasheem Thabeet 7ft 2 260lbs....Very raw skills but great defender and good rebounder.  I really think this kid can develop a soft touch and be a good center in a few years.  He's gotten better both years at Uconn and was a definate presence down lown on the defensive end of the floor. 

Here are my thoughts on your Big Men. 

Brooke Lopez would be nice.  From watching Stanford, he was always in the paint on offense and didn't wander too far unless he was setting a pick.  Also, he looks to be a threat on Offense every play.  He can really get up and down the court as well!  He doesn't leave the paint on defense either, and does intimidate ... But at Stanford, he and his brother covered for each other a lot.

Kevin Love is awesome, but he's a bit undersized for the Nets needs in the middle.  The Nets need a legit scoring threat down low ... Love will be good in the pros, but he seems more like a PF that plays away from the basket than around the basket on offense.  On D, KLove is a lot better than he got credit for.

Jordan and Mcgee ... I didn't get to see a lot of.

Robin Lopez is more passive than his brother on Offense, but more aggressive on Defense.  He needs some sort of an Offensive game/mindset before going to the NBA ... I think he'll be back at Stanford next year.

Koufos ... Nenad Kristic lite.  A jump shooter with good range and decent passing skills, but has no idea that he's 7 ft. tall on Offense or Defense.

Roy Hibbert ... How far you have fallen.  He's a legit 7'2 and is great on Offense despite being mechanical looking.  He's not too athletic, but at 7'2 do you need to be?  He can pass, score in the paint with hooks, post up moves and runners.  And he obviously has a high BBall IQ.  He seems to fade away on Defense at times and didn't demand the ball on offense.  I think he would get lost on the bench with the Nets.

Hardin ... Buyer beware.  Injuries galore!

Hasheen Thabeet really picked it up this year at UConn.  He's definitely a factor on the defensive end, but his offense is pretty limited.  He could use another season to work on some offensive moves.

The Nets will be picking at #10 and #22 in this years draft in June. This will only change with the good fortune ofeither winning the lottery or  making the top three . The only chance at Brook Lopez is if the Nets fall into the number three slot. He would solidify the cener position for the next decade. Michael Beasley was not mentioned and he wouold be an option with the top two picks. He will be an All Star power foward and will dominate the position as Karl Malone did previously and  Tim Duncan does presently.  If they end up staying at the #10 spot They will look at Kevin Love and DeAndre Jordan at the position. Love can be a star in this league for the next decade and reminds me of Kevin McHale early in his career. Jordans game while not as mature at the age of 19 but is said to have Dwight Howards skill set that will need to be nurtured and developed.

I do not believe the Nets will go big again at #22 unless Roy Hibbert is available at the spot which is possible.  Another consideration would be Hasheem Thabeet  who reminds me of Dikembe Mutumbo but will need time to develop. He reminds me as well of soon to be free agent Deasagnai Diop for the Nets.A scoring swingman such as Chris Douglas-Roberts or Brandon Rush would be an excellent pickup at this position.

If the Nets got Kevin Love at #10, I'd be very pleased.  He may not look the prettiest when he plays, but that guy comes to play every night, he's fundamentally sound, has a high Basketball IQ, and throws the best outlet passes I have seen in years!

I don't think the Nets need to get another swingman to go with VC, RJ, Boki (Hopefully he is resigned), Hassell and Ager.  That's 5 guys fighting for 2 slots.  Although, I wouldn't mind seeing Budinger or Joe Alexander coming off the bench shooting from the perimeter for the Nets.

If the Nets were to WIN the lottery, I hope they would get a Big guy.  I think Beasley would be a beast for the Nets.  Nice all around game, and moves really well for a 6'10 guy.  He's got some spring in those legs and a soft jumper.  Being lefty doesn't hurt either.  I'd really be happy with Brook Lopez or Kevin Love.  Although, Rose would be really nice, even the Nets don't really need a PG.

Dr.L ... You really like OJ Mayo that much?  From what I have seen of him, he seems very streaky, and a bit undersized for the 2 guard in the NBA.  Is he maybe 6'4?