Marreese Speights

by ineemoney21 on Jun 26, 2008 11:20 AM PDT Comment 15 comments

I have heard and read about all these other players who the Dubz should draft:

Koufos - Please, lets not even begin to bring him up as an option If he doesn't remind you of a bust and non-impact player, then I don't know what to say.

Donta Green - OK player, BUT not big enough to make the impact we need (strength)

Jason Thompson - Please, NO no-name players, it doesn't work out 99% of the time, you all know this!

JaVale McGee - if he doesnt remind EVERYONE of Pat O'Bryant, then I doubt any real scouting has been done.

Robin Lopez - Uggggggghhh, move on, Don't even think about it!

Darrell Arther - I just don't see any real impact, sorry.

I only see one player that would be around when the Dubz pick that has the "QUALITIES" we need. Marreese Speights fits in MY opinion. He has the SIZE, the STRENGTH, the minimum OFFENSIVE SKILLS (Coaching can improve that, their freakin PROS's!), the DEFENSIVE ABILITIE (rebounding, post defense/muscle), and he still has UPSIDE & POTENTIAL. Also he is NBA ready now, period. Good example is last year and Al Horford, being big and strong is an automatic improvement for the Dubz roster.

on the very informative website www.realgm.com, there is a mock draft (of course) that has CONSISTANTLY specified that it is a "NO BRAINER" that the Warriors take Speights. Here is the websites opinion:

14. Marreese Speights Power Forward. Florida
As I said in the previous mock and what I've been declaring since January; if I were Chris Mullin and had the third overall pick, I would select Marresse Speights; he fits their most glaring needs with that kind of perfection. With that clearly said, I will be terribly shocked and personally disappointed if they leave him on the board all the way down at 14.

With impeccable strength, athleticism and balance, there is not a power forward prospect in college basketball outside of Michael Beasley who is more NBA-ready, yet also shows enough room for improvement to develop into an All-Star than Speights.

His work ethic and motor is constantly cited as the chief reason why he isn’t held in higher esteem, but I respectfully couldn’t disagree more. He has a great motor, especially as a rebounder, and if he falls this low or beyond, he will easily become the draft’s biggest steal.

I know there are all these other factors and details that the Dubz analyze, but the strategy and approach to these drafts need to change. For an NBA franchise to have more success in the second round then the first in the past few drafts, an adjustment needs to be made that simplifies the logic to the choices. We need size, strength, experience and nastiness, and we need those things in a player that has potential to grow and thrive in our system and will not be a flake and soft (Koufos). We have been there and done that, and it does NOT work.

Just my opinion, and I am just hoping that I am not mad at the end of the draft because I would like to enjoy it!

P.S. - I know there are some people who don't agree, so let the criticism start, I don't mind, but there got to be a few out there that feel the whole Marreese Speights idea (though I have not heard it be brought up before).

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!

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Agree on Speights..

as well, he looks ready but also but if we cant nab him, Koufus isn’t as horrible as you say. Shy of 15 ppg and at least 6 rebs a game in the big East as a Freshman isnt too shaby. Plus he averged over 20 +10 in Euro league competition. he may need a year or two to adjust to nba but i could see him better than Okur.

by meximocha on Jun 26, 2008 11:38 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I like Speights…I’m certainly not amongst the most qualified to debate the issue, but everything I’ve heard about him seems to indicate that the positives outweigh the negatives.

Greg

by Gob on Jun 26, 2008 11:42 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I just think Koufos doesn't have that "IT" characteristic

I don’t want to see a safe pick that at the end we know won’t be nothing special and that is how I see Koufos. I see him and then all the other options being picked before and after and I feel like we would have cheated ourselves and wasted the draft. I hate that feeling, but that is what I see happening if we pick this guy.

I look for the “IT” factor and a guy like OJ MAYO has that. No matter all the talk about him, I look at him and see a baller and someone who has that fire in his eyes to attack and get at it in every aspect of the game. Koufos just looks regular and a second class player in the NBA (one of those “seen them before players”). At least with Speights, I get a sense of a true banger and dominance with him, I don’t get that from many other options in the draft.

by ineemoney21 on Jun 26, 2008 11:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

As much as I hate to say it...

I see Speights as the next Robert “Tractor” Traylor. Big body who has potential and upside, but will probably not pan out as planned. On the contrary, he also could be an Al Jefferson type player w/o the offensive skills.
He is a banger who would be good for us inside, but we could find someone like that in the second round coughjoey dorseycough. If we keep the pick we should take the best available talent.

by Captain Jack on Jun 26, 2008 11:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

that is the point / real risks need to be made

I doubt that anyone in the second round has the upside as Speights. I know that word gets put out a lot, but that is the draft and upside is harder to find in second round. I like upside with a body, skinny upside is harder then strong upside!
All the other options just seem so damn weak and soft, I want a banger. That is why the Dubz struggled, that is why the Suns declined and that is why the Lakers got RAN THROUGH! this past Finals. Out of everything, the problem with the Dubz are they are soft in physicality.

by ineemoney21 on Jun 26, 2008 12:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Not bad

From what I’ve read on Draftexpress the guy has become pretty polished offensively.

We walked away from the first day shaking our head at what we witnessed—a 6-10, 20-year old power forward who is about as skilled a big man facing the basket as you will find in this draft. "He’s really more skilled than anyone knows," Joe Abunassar told us. The first thing you notice is how fundamentally sound Speights’ shooting mechanics are. He’s got a natural, flawless stroke, showing small-forward like elevation creating separation from his defender, a high release point, excellent body control on his fade-aways, great technique squaring his shoulders and his hips simultaneously in perfect unison—and not surprisingly, getting unbelievable results in the process. He operates strictly on the balls of his feet as he catches and fires away, draining shot after shot from 16-18 feet with machine-like efficiency, and then proceeding to step-away and knock down college and even NBA 3-pointers with impressive accuracy as well.
In the post, he has a beautiful hook-shot and an even prettier turn-around jumper, to go along with great hands, length and size for his position and excellent agility finishing around the hoop. On top of that, there was nothing resembling any of the problems Speights had with his conditioning back at Florida, as he’s looking to be in phenomenal shape and had no problem at all finishing up his workout in very strong fashion. "He has really has worked on his body and conditioning," Abunassar told us. Needless to say, we came away almost floored at what we saw—telling basically anyone that would listen that we’re talking about a starting NBA power forward any day of the week.

Of course they go on to say that he was completely unimpressive in the second day of workouts where he was playing in a team setting. They say he looked like he fell in love with his jump-shot and and didn’t seem aggressive. This could just be that he is focusing on improving his offensive skillset and making sure that every one knows about it.

For whatever reason (attitude? inconsistency?) he has fallen to the end of the 1st in their mock. NBADraft.net still has him going 16 for what it’s worth.

As far as I’m concerned, with Mullin’s star potential comments, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see us take him. Honestly I think we could do a lot worse but if it was me (being generally more conservative) I would probably take someone who could contribute right away even if slightly unspectacularly like Rush.

I have a feeling that there are going to be a lot of surprises tonight. I’m not sure how many trades will go down but I think there will be at least a few head scratcher picks.

"...OlympicMike is clearly the Barack Obama of GSoM"-Sleepy

by olympicmike on Jun 26, 2008 12:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I like Rush

I would not mind us drafting Rush at all!
Just please, no more Troy Murphys, no more POB’s, no more Dunlevey’s!!!!

by ineemoney21 on Jun 26, 2008 12:43 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

if we draft a PF

he needs to be big and nasty, have a midrange jumper, and doesn’t back down to Garnett or Amare, otherwise pass and get best player available like Rush, Donte or CDR.

by shootda3 on Jun 26, 2008 12:46 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I like Speights, but...

here’s the thing – he doesn’t fit traditional Nellie style ball. As much as we may need that nasty inside presence, a guy to bang with the boozer’s of the league, for some reason Nellie thinks he needs four perimeter threats for his offense to work. Therefore, even though I don’t agree with it, Green, Jason Thompson, and Koufas may better fit his plans. I actually like Darrell Arthur too, not the banger that Speights is but he could be an Antawn Jamison type which I think we need. Aslo, don’t hate on Robin Lopez – he’s only played about two years of organized ball and brings the intensity in the paint we could use.

Warrior fan for life - where we are "always just a big man away" from total domination

by buttafingas on Jun 26, 2008 1:14 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I will kill myself...

if we draft Kosta Koufos!

by gabezgsw on Jun 26, 2008 1:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Got to play smart if you're gonna play for Nellie...

And after seeing this video, I’m a little concerned that there’s no way Nellie’s going to trust this kid because he appears to be not that sharp.

Don’t mean to be cruel, but there’s no way he gets any burn if Nellie can trust the kids cognitive abilities…

Granted, being able to articulate yourself well dosen’t nessesarily translate to basketall IQ but it very well could… At the least it’s reason to be concerned.

"To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you're not, pretend you are." - Muhammad Ali

by Dubs Wise on Jun 26, 2008 1:34 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I guess I prefer him due to the fact that I also feel so fustrated with Nellie

I feel his coaching has worked so well and that we need to adjust the style and approach to the game in order to improve. Everyone said how well our offense was, but in reality, I feel it was one of the worst. I was so fustrated with how EASY we lost any size lead and just went from red hot to ice cold. That was due to thinking they can shoot better then they really could and how horribly soft they were in attacking and defending. The style Nellie uses has lifted the Dubz up, but it is not fit to be effective in a FULL GAME setting.

by ineemoney21 on Jun 26, 2008 1:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

after seeing this video

The only video I’m interested in is his game. Artest and Montay don’t sound like the sharpest knife in the drawer but they can still ball.
I think this kid looks pretty good on the court and I wouldn’t mind watching him play for us next year. I’d definitely take him at 14 cause you can teach skills but you can’t change the body type. I’d probably go for Walker or Pekovic in the 2nd round if they are still there.

by Skeptic con Urquell on Jun 26, 2008 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Kosta Koufos

Can play… But only with his right hand. He does have a great jumper (including the 3 ball) for a guy who is 7’1”. However, he really does not have the defensive and rebounding that we need.

I think his workouts are reason enough to say he is solid. But Mullin said it himself, “I want a difference maker.” He doesn’t want to play it safe and he is looking for someone at the very least will ball out, but still allow us to trade for a true difference maker if the deal arises.

by shooter1525 on Jun 26, 2008 2:49 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs