Posted by 4949:

Posted by majorleads:

Posted by CrushAlot:

Isiah messed up big time. I like Ro's tenacity but he missed out on Josh Boone, Rajan Rondo, Marcus Williams and even Kyle Lowry. Balkman may very well be out of the league soon if he can't get a jumper. At best he is a 6th man but he appears to be a young vet who will not last because of the tragic flaw of not having a jumpshot.

I agree and it looks like everyone was right to laugh at Isiah when he chose Balkman. There was a reason why he was projected to go like 50th in the draft, it's because he's mediocre. I would take all 4 of those guys you mentioned in a heartbeat over Balkman. If you're a wing player and you have no offensive game, then you better be a lock down defensive player. Balkman is far far far from that. Terrible pick.

On the other hand, I agree that he should've at least went for a proven defensive player at the least.

no player coming out of HS or college is proven, i don't care how good they're hyped up to be or how good they've played in the ranks they came up from before they get to the pros... the draft is all a big crap shoot... u take guys based on what you think their upsides may be... there's no way anyone here can say that they know Balkman's upside potential after just 2 years in the NBA... how many examples do i have to bring up of other NBA players who've risen up from obscurity their first few years in the league to establish successful careers in the NBA & become more than just minor bit role players to get the point across?... all these names of unproven players like Marcus Williams & Kyle Lowry being compared to Balkman as if it makes some sort of case against him being picked where he was here is sorta laughable, no offense... we gotta see him get a fair shake at some extended CONSISTENT minutes before we can accurately gauge whether it was a mistake or not... i still see the guy making plays & ingiting the crowd when he's had his chances... he obviously needs to develop a jumpshot, but it doesn't take a jumpshot in the NBA to become a good player neccessarily.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by TMS:

not sure what you're drawing from here since none of those guys have accomplished jack in the NBA either up to this point (other than Rondo if u consider playing alongside guys like KG, Allen & Pierce & allowing them to carry the load on offense to be some measure of sustained success)

Balkman's getting 14 mpg while guys like Boone, Lowry & Rondo are getting a lot more... he's only in his 2nd year, i think it's way premature to say Isiah messed up big time w/the pick... i've seen the guy put up some pretty impressive statlines when given extended burn during games just like the rest of those guys you're comparing him with.

I think that is fair TMS--Balkman has played well when he has received his chance. He cant hit the side of the backboard on a jumpshot but that is not his game. He is a defender rebounder shotblocker energy guy who does impact the game at times. Thats why I am annoyed and ABSOLUTELY do not understand why Balkman doesnt play 35 minutes down the stretches last 10? I mean does it nOT make sense to anyone here?

Balkman
Collins
Chandler
Morris
Jefferies
should all get 24-30 minutes
AND they should bring in a top D league prospect for a look

that is what you do in ANY sport once you are way out of it. Playing the guys nearly the whole game boggled my small mind.

i don't get it either, but this is Isiah we're talking about here, so it's just par for the course apparently... hopefully the next GM will have someone else coaching this team & Balkman will get his shot to make it or break it in this league.

Balkman is the kind of player that will look like a star running with Derrick Rose. Just a hope

Its not about whose proven from the 06 draft but you can look at a player and see what kind of skills that he has or doesn't have. Balkman has almost no skills. He is basically a project player at the small forward spot. There is no way that any GM with any sense takes this guy in the first round if at all.

That work-out crew of Jefferies, Jones, and Lee is pretty funny considering that two of them are horrible players and probably will remain so throughout their careers.

If Balkman could shoot, he would definitely be better than most of the guys picked after him except maybe Farmer and Rondo. It is just his second year, but he really has to take it up 2-3 levels next year if he wants to stick in the league. The guy needs to take 500-1000 shots a day this summer and work on his free throws. If he improves his broke jumper and gets his free throw percentage up to 75%, I think he would be a solid NBA sf. Even now, I consider him better than Jeffries.

Posted by TheGame:

If Balkman could shoot, he would definitely be better than most of the guys picked after him except maybe Farmer and Rondo. It is just his second year, but he really has to take it up 2-3 levels next year if he wants to stick in the league. The guy needs to take 500-1000 shots a day this summer and work on his free throws. If he improves his broke jumper and gets his free throw percentage up to 75%, I think he would be a solid NBA sf. Even now, I consider him better than Jeffries.

So in other words, he's really just some lucky D-League Joe shmoe who hit the Isiah lottery.

The guy needs to take 500-1000 shots a day this summer and work on his free throws. If he improves his broke jumper and gets his free throw percentage up to 75%, I think he would be a solid NBA sf. Even now, I consider him better than Jeffries.
[/quote]

then when will he have time to get high