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So....You're feeling Steph a little more these days, eh Allen?
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Originally Posted by Al3xis
get Curry under D'Antoni and he's in the All Star game more than once in his career.
Originally Posted by Im Not You
The difference...JJ was running off screens for 4 years. In his senior year, he managed to add that catch off the screen, and then dribble a few times to keep defenders honest.
Did you ever see Coach K just put the ball in JJ's hands and say "here, go get a bucket"?
I didn't.
Should people have their concerns? Of course. Any undersized 2 making the transition to 1 is always a crap shoot. Especially without great athleticism. All I'm saying...I personally see more Jason Terry in him than I do Juan Dixon or JJ Reddick. But we'll see.
I say the kid averages no less than 14 in his rookie year...quote me.
Originally Posted by dreClark
So....You're feeling Steph a little more these days, eh Allen?
And if an elite player slips, like Thabeet or Harden, the Knicks may be persuaded to go in a different direction.
Rondo and Tyreke shooting in the back court
[h3]Former LSU basketball player Marcus Thornton only adds to belief that he'd fit with New Orleans Hornets[/h3] [h4]Posted by John DeShazier, The Times-Picayune June 11, 2009 1:43PM[/h4]
Categories: Hornets
I'm convinced Marcus Thornton is the guy for the New Orleans Hornets.
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Ted Jackson/The Times-PicayuneFormer LSU player Marcus Thornton would be a good fit for the New Orleans Hornets.
Admittedly, there's a bias for the former LSU shooting guard. Having seen more of him than of the other draft prospects the Hornets have worked out, and having fallen hard for the way he played and competed in games en route to becoming the SEC Player of the Year last season, the personal preference previously has been stated.
But after watching the little bit of the workout that the media was allowed to see this week during his New Orleans visit with five other candidates, Thornton only confirmed the belief that if he's available when the Hornets pick at No. 21 in the first round of the NBA Draft, they should take him and consider themselves fortunate.
More than ever, New Orleans needs another guy that can create a shot, who is unafraid to take charge when he's on the court. Especially, the Hornets need such a player on the floor with the second unit, which too often is caught standing and watching one another while one guy dribbles and the shot clock dwindles. As we witness those basketball-at-its-worst moments and Coach Byron Scott smolders because he knows he's going to have to re-insert Chris Paul sooner than he wants to, the wonder is why someone - anyone - won't take over.
Thornton, for good or ill, isn't likely to stand around twiddling his thumbs while time elapses. If the ball is in his hands, he's going to make something happen and anyone who saw the Hornets for more than two games last season knows how desperately they need such a player.
Now, getting back free agent guard Jannero Pargo will help in that department, too. Particularly, Pargo will be trusted enough to give Paul a break so that the best point guard in the league won't play himself into exhaustion (and if Paul didn't look spent and broken during the playoff series against Denver, no player ever has).
And the expected addition of Pargo might prompt the Hornets to look for a big man in the draft. Perhaps New Orleans will feel it has addressed its backcourt concerns with the near-future signing of its second off-the-dribble creator and will turn its attention to frontcourt depth and if that's the case, well, it wouldn't be easy to argue against that.
Heaven knows New Orleans can use another serviceable big man backup besides Sean Marks, especially since we're not quite sure what's going to happen with Tyson Chandler. The ankle injury that turned out to be worse than expected and required surgery might hinder him into next season and beyond.
So if the right big man is there, New Orleans hardly would be criticized for grabbing him - "right" meaning less of a project than Hilton Armstrong, who, in three seasons, hasn't yet given the Hornets consistent play and probably isn't ever going to.
But there's something to be said for a team casting its lot with a playmaker, too. And Thornton looks to be a real player, whose game will transition to the NBA. And it'd be better to take him than to lock in on a big man who might take time to develop or might not be good enough to make the team.
The odds are low that a team will get a good big man that low in the first round. The longer the draft goes on, the less chance any team has of getting the kind of player it needs.
But Thornton sure looked like a keeper at his workout, a feeling that was confirmed by Scott. He certainly has looked like the kind of player the Hornets need for their second unit.
That could be bias, sure. It also could be that the guy simply is a player and for a team starving for one as much as are the Hornets, that's plenty enough reason to get him if he's available.