How do you see Blake Griffin's career playing out? I understand that as of now this board is a circle jerk b/w Spurs/Mavs/Lakers(Simplegay)....

But this kid is a monster. To be totally honest, coming into the league I thought the kid's ceiling would be a 20/8 type talent. The more I watch him, he flirts with being able to average close to a triple double. I don't even know what to expect of him, I don't know how much better he can get, but damn, all the dude needs is a jumpshot, one or two post moves, and he is going to decimate everyone in his path.

This, of course, assumes the Clippers curse doesn't get him.

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The more I watch him, he flirts with being able to average close to a triple double.

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so can lebron, so can derrick rose, so can rajon rondo. the point is, their team will never win if they do.

he is a scorer and a finisher underneath, and he needs to be on a team where that is all he has to do.

OK, I guess I should clarify...I mean he is a threat to have a triple double every night.

If he manages to become an elite post up player, I would love to have my post up option be able to dish out 10 assists on any given night. It's one thing for a ball dominant player such as LeBron or Rose to be able to get 10 assists...for a player who mainly operates off of pick and rolls/post ups, it's much more rare.

I don't know, maybe I'm wrong, I just think he has a really special skill set. I'm just nostalgic for big men who can put their back to the basket and do it all. He definitely has the chance to do something special in his career. Look at his rookie numbers...I'd be ecstatic to have a PF on my team putting up those numbers, period, let alone their rookie season...honestly, the only knock on Griffin is he isn't 7 foot tall and can't play center.

he is one knee injury or 1 positive steroid test away from being the next Shawn Kemp- guys like him come and go

Haha trust me, I was a huge critic of him when I watched him play in college...I just thought he was an athletic dynamo, ala Kemp...granted, the majority of what he does now is based off of athleticism...but from everything I've heard/read he works his ass off, and wants to become the best basketball player he can be. It's going to be, what, 8-10 years until he can't rely on his athleticism?

I don't know, if he's lucky enough to be paired w/ a dominant defensive center through his career where he can focus on his strengths down low, he is going to be a monster. I mean, he can't shoot jump shots for **** now and most of his baskets down low are off of ballerina moves..if he ever develops a low post move and a countermove, he's going to dominate

he's going to be a highlight reel player unless he finds his way on to a team with a HOF coach.

the dude is an athletic freak, but he'll never be the man for a team.

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he is 15 illegitimate kids away from being the next Shawn Kemp- guys like him come and go

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FIFY

i want moore head.

I disagree, I think he could definitely be the man for a team...granted, not the Clippers unless God decides to have pity on mankind and strike Donald Sterling from the earth...

He's only a rookie, and he is pretty damn dominant...let's say you put him on the Hornets in place of David West, or the Sixers in place of Elton Brand. You don't think that he would be the man on those teams, and could easily bump them up a few spots in the playoffs this season, as a rookie?

Now, I agree, in 5 years, if he hasn't developed a jumpshot and/or a back to the basket game, he is not "the man". But from everything I've seen this season, and everything I've heard about his work ethic, he'll get it done.

I really torn on this. I generally think that he is going to a great, and dominant player.

However, I was really disappointed that the Clippers didn't improve more this year because they had such a good nucleus of talent. They are only a few games better than last year when he didn't play.

Side note: I think that if Vinny Del Negro stays their coach, he won't be as good.

The Clippers didn't improve b/c they're the Clippers.

Generally, I would never resort to this argument...but man, the Clippers are genuinely cursed.

When the owner is talking **** to your starting PG, there is something seriously twisted in that organization.

I mean, when your young SG improves (Gordon), your rookie PF is ****ing awesome (Griffin), and your backup/starting C (Jordan) all improve leaps and bounds, there is just something fishy going on.

I don't know, I haven't started working yet, but you can bet your ass if my boss is a racist, bigot retard who talks **** to me on a daily basis, I won't work as hard.

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let's say you put him on the Hornets in place of David West, or the Sixers in place of Elton Brand. You don't think that he would be the man on those teams, and could easily bump them up a few spots in the playoffs this season, as a rookie?

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david west is only david west because of "the man" on that team, chris paul. replacing west is moot.

replacing elton brand, who is "the man" on his team, is changing the entire dynamic of the team. griffin can't carry that team.

i understand what you mean with "if he develops more moves", but the fact is, you can't just say that realistically.

if dirk could have just learned to play defense and grow a spine, he would have two titles. but he didn't. and griffin won't either, unless he gets hooked up with a pop/sloan/jackson type coach.

I don't know if Paul can be considered "the man" anymore w/ his knee injury. It might just be a one season thing, but he has definitely lost a step this year and personally, I'd rather have a dominant player at any position other than PG and have my PG be my Robin.

As for the Sixers, Brand is by no means the man. He hasn't even matched his "good" seasons w/ the Clippers...Iguodala is the man on their team and he, too, is a Robin.

Griffin, right now, is a great scorer and a great rebounder with a great motor. By no means am I saying he'll become one of the greatest big men of all time, but when I look at what the PF/C position is becoming in this league, I think the only other player I might consider putting on my team for the next decade is Howard. And that is entirely dependent upon what the rest of your roster is.

dude. elton brand leads his team in points, rebounds, and blocks. if you really want to argue that, is there any point to the rest of this thread?

and chris paul is averaging a 16-10.

Iguodala has the highest usage rate on the team...he is definitely the straw that stirs the drink. And, if I'm not mistaken, Brand's numbers this season still aren't up to par with what he accomplished during his all-star seasons...to say that replacing Brand w/ Griffin wouldn't be an improvement is kind of a stretch.

Yeah, 16 and 10 from your PG....who has obviously lost a step and was averaging 23ish points before his knee injury...

I love Chris Paul, I think he is a fantastic PG and hope he gets back to his pre-knee injury numbers, but until he can prove to me that he can get over that, he isn't the same Chris Paul.

Maybe I'm just not a big believer in your PG being able to be your best player...I've always believed that your PG is there to make your best player better and to make everyone else good...maybe the way I look at things is old school w/ the influx of young, talented PGs entering the league, I don't know. What I do know is that to be an elite PG you need elite athleticism; being the smallest guy on the court, you better be the fastest, quickest, most badass mother****er out there. Unless you're Steve Nash, he's the anomaly.

Edit: And Chris Paul, with his knee injury, just isn't that guy

[This message has been edited by SanAntonioAg09 (edited 4/13/2011 10:48p).]

alright, well, this isn't really much of a discussion if you're never wrong.

Also, I grow weary of the tough-guy stare down after every dunk or basket he makes. It reminds me of an In Living Color sketch where the Jim Carrey character said, "and I'll see you in hell" at the end of every statement. It tends to lose its impact after a while.

Haha, by all means, I'm not trying to say I'm never wrong...if that is your logic, then everytime you try to argue against what I'm saying, then you're saying you're never wrong.

I'm just trying to get a legitimate discussion going. Maybe if I had argued that Griffin were on a Texas team, I'd get more people interested.

Trust me, I'm not totally sold on Griffin's ability, or I would have titled the thread "Who doesn't think that Griffin will be a 3 time MVP?"

I know he's going to be a perennial all star, and I know he is going to make a name for himself..I just want to know whether or not he is ever going to ever enter the HOF discussion or become an all time great. With the way the media works now, it's hard to put a thumb on exactly where players are going to rank when their end comes...it's all about perception, and with all the media that is out there now, you can't argue that Griffin's high flying athletic ability is going to give him a leg up in that department.

I just think he's a great player, and is in a position to become a great player on the block, without his game confining him to only be a post up player. I'm more than willing to listen to what you have to say Obi, but damn, look at what he has done his rookie season and then look at his work ethic and his motor...you can't help but wonder if he is a truly special player.

PS maybe I'm never wrong b/c I brought actual statistics and facts to the conversation whereas you only brought opinions and bias?

"I'd rather have a dominant player at any position other than PG and have my PG be my Robin"

Um, Derrick Rose has had a pretty good year leading the Bulls to the best record in the league. I would take Rose at PG over Griffin at PF every day of the week. Heck, if I was building a team with a stud PG, I'd rather have a PF like LaMarcus Aldridge that can step out and hit the 18-ft shot in addition to playing around the basket. That seems to have worked out well for Duncan and the Spurs...

Rose has been in the league for longer than Griffin. Realistically, how do you know Rose will be better than Griffin 5 years from now?

Your Spurs comparison proves my point...Duncan is the focal point of the team, he has been and he always will be.

If you want to have a truly great team, it starts w/ a great PF/C and then you put the pieces around it. I'm not arguing Griffin will ever be a dominant PF/C on the defensive end, but with the way the NBA is going, does it really matter anymore? Most players that come into the league that are taller than 6'9 think they are the second coming of Jordan..they all want to dribble, and shoot jumpers...they don't want to bang down low and get rebounds.

You may laugh at Griffin now, but when you see what the 4 and 5 position has become in the NBA a few years from now, you would beg to have him on your team. It's getting more and more rare to see a transcendent physical talent willing to bang on the block and sacrifice their body.

The only people willing to bang anymore are undersized PF (Millsap and Blair). I like Aldridge, don't get me wrong...but if you held a gun to my head and made me choose b/w Aldridge and Griffin, I'd choose Griffin every single time.

PGs, more than any position on the court, rely on athleticism and quickness to thrive. Baksetball is a game of height and size....there's a reason why post players can play until their 40s and most perimeter players begin to fade in their early 30s and are useless by their mid 30s.

Maybe I'm crazy, but I'd rather have a guy with back to the basket skills. Griffin may never become that, although I think the odds of that are slim due to his talent level and work ethic, but if he doesn't I would gladly agree w/ you that I'd rather take Rose. All I'm arguing is that a big man with a similar ceiling to that of a perimeter player (for their position) is much, much more valuable.

Hypothetically, if you could have a top 5 all time PF/C or a top 5 all time PG/SG, what would you take? Personally, I'd take the big man every single time.

I'm not choosing Aldridge over Griffin. Reread my note. Let me make it clearer by putting up two scenarios:

1. Rose + 15th best PF
2. Griffin + 15th best PG

Who do you take? I take option 1. I'm not trying to bash Griffin. I think he is an athletic freak and a talented player. I also think he is one highlight reel dunk from ripping his shoulder out of its socket or blowing his knee (slight sarcasm).

I acknowledge Blake is only a rookie (only 6 months younger than Rose though) and has lots to develop, but he doesn't strike me as a player who you are going to build a championship team around. Guess we'll find out these next few years. The Clips have a strong young core so let's see if they can get into the playoffs first.