Raps to draft another Brazilian?
- Thread starter BlahBlah
- Start date
I guarantee you "Hoffa" never pans out. I'm sorry but he does nothing well, his defending is shimmying with his hands in the air...not very effective or good!
ps he stinks!
ps he stinks!
Lucent, There's no doubt Arajuo has often been compared to Miller by the media, but then again any form of comparision can be made to anyone. I personally think any development of >4 yrs is worthless as they player is very likely to leave the team for a big pay day.
And I forgot who mentioned it, but it is indeed all about the upside of a player. You don't have to dominate, but showing some flashes of athleticism or mad skills is a starting point. And for Arajuo, I don't see much potential all - especially for such a high draft pick.
You don't seem to playing with people who have any/much organized ball experience. The drop step, slide step and box out are all fundamental things that would have been drilled in the minds of people who have played some sort of organized ball in school. Even guards have learned these skills as a way to exploit the smaller defenders (ie. Jalen is a great post up guard).
And I forgot who mentioned it, but it is indeed all about the upside of a player. You don't have to dominate, but showing some flashes of athleticism or mad skills is a starting point. And for Arajuo, I don't see much potential all - especially for such a high draft pick.
You don't seem to playing with people who have any/much organized ball experience. The drop step, slide step and box out are all fundamental things that would have been drilled in the minds of people who have played some sort of organized ball in school. Even guards have learned these skills as a way to exploit the smaller defenders (ie. Jalen is a great post up guard).
The Brad Miller/Rafael Arruajo comparison doesn't fly, Big Papa Smurf, because as you said, Miller wasn't drafted. If Arruajo was an undrafted free agent, this and any other post about Hoffa wouldn't exist because no one would care. The complaint is that Arruajo went number 8 overall!! The expectations were not met for a lottery pick and for a team badly in need of a talent infusion, wasting a lottery pick on Arruajo is what bothers me and every other critic of his. I respect your knowledge of the game of basketball but with all due respect, I'll accept the viewpoints of former Utah Utes coach Rick Majerus who saw plenty of Arruajo who was shocked he was drafted at all, much less as a lottery pick. You can question Raptor fans all you want, but don't tell me Majerus doesn't know the game of basketball.
Find me a 24 year-old Center, #8 pick who had the debut Hoffa did who turned it around and justified his high selection and I'll switch to your side of the argument. Until then, he is fucking bust with a capital "Fucking"!
Find me a 24 year-old Center, #8 pick who had the debut Hoffa did who turned it around and justified his high selection and I'll switch to your side of the argument. Until then, he is fucking bust with a capital "Fucking"!
I wouldn't know how much to attribute to the scouts versus the GM solely, but I think they have an extreme history of hit and miss, especially in drafting. I mean some good to great picks in Stoudamire, Camby, McGrady, Carter, MoPete, Bonner, etc. then there's wasted picks like Radojevic, Bradley, Arruajo.kumamake said:
Trades haven't been especially good either.
Overall, I'd rate them as average at best.
Big Papa Smurf said:
You are naming intelligent players with great skills to match. Aruajo is not that bright and his skill set is not even comparable to those guys. Also Brad Miller is horrible defensively, that's one of the reasons Indiana got rid of him.
Also being athletic helps alot, just look at Amare and Dwight Howard
Also Aruajo was picked 8th, that's why people are disappointed.
Do the Raptors need a point guard? If they do they should think very seriously about Deron Williams out of Illinois if he is still on the board when they pick in my humble opinion. 
I think for now the Raptors are guard heavy.
but the again...
I'm the same guy who would draft big first, guard second.
but the again...
I'm the same guy who would draft big first, guard second.
I think you've got to give Hoffa
a little more time, a little more attention, and a little less overall expectation!
He was picked for one reason: you can't teach size! The guy is huge, and he's not completely uncoordinated. As long as the guy in front of you is bigger you should always be able to burn past him, and there are very few guys bigger than hoffa in the league.
BUT: When you're that big, you've got to box out, keep a hand up and REBOUND! (maybe even be a great passer).....and sooner or later his touch around the basket will come and he will be virtually impossible to defend once he gets down low enough!
Hoffa needs to play, and he needs to play A LOT!...He may not become a superstar, but he should be able to average 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Remember that even the CORE TEAM last year were bickering and not getting along. How do young players grow in this kind of enviroment??? Raptor guards were too busy worring about getting beat on defence and hoisting 3's in return. They weren't too concerned about setting up a 6'11'' inch 285pound monster with a layup close to the basket. In fact more often than not he had to get his own shot 10feet away from the basket!
a little more time, a little more attention, and a little less overall expectation!
He was picked for one reason: you can't teach size! The guy is huge, and he's not completely uncoordinated. As long as the guy in front of you is bigger you should always be able to burn past him, and there are very few guys bigger than hoffa in the league.
BUT: When you're that big, you've got to box out, keep a hand up and REBOUND! (maybe even be a great passer).....and sooner or later his touch around the basket will come and he will be virtually impossible to defend once he gets down low enough!
Hoffa needs to play, and he needs to play A LOT!...He may not become a superstar, but he should be able to average 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Remember that even the CORE TEAM last year were bickering and not getting along. How do young players grow in this kind of enviroment??? Raptor guards were too busy worring about getting beat on defence and hoisting 3's in return. They weren't too concerned about setting up a 6'11'' inch 285pound monster with a layup close to the basket. In fact more often than not he had to get his own shot 10feet away from the basket!
Lest we forget Alvin Williams missed all this past season. Not saying he's the answer, and he's not a superstar, but to reiterate someones point, yes the Raptors are guard heavy. They need a big man...
I think the Raps just need talent pure and simple. They should take the best player available regardless of position. Other than Bosh, they don't have any studs anywhere else on the court. Just collect as much young talent as possible and worry about position when we have the luxury of just being a certain position away from contending.
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Basketball/Worlds/2007/08/25/4446109-sun.html
Hoffa is out of the NBA. He will be playing in Russia next season.
Hoffa is out of the NBA. He will be playing in Russia next season.
