CB Draft '09 Mock Press Conference: Northwest Division

[wdleehi]

T-Wolves:


How do you get Randolph to play defense?  

Do you really want Randolph around your younger players?

How do you stop Randolph from being a cancer?


Do you have enough big man depth?



Do you expect your team to be a playoff team?

[nickagneta]

Denver.

In order could you please list who you feel will be the best players on your team 5 years from now form best to worst. You have a great collection of young talent and I'm interested in seeing who you feel will eventually develop into the best impact type NBA player of the group.

Personally, I'm a believer in Oden so my list would be:

1. Greg Oden
2. Jeff Green
3. Kevin Love
4. Brandon Wright
5.(tie) Mike Conley and Randy Foye

[Roy Hobbs]

Portland, do you have any concerns that the men you have listed on your PF depth chart have, over recent years, been playing so much more at the center position and that their bodies may have morphed more into "center type" bodies and not the body type that is needed to guard some of the better power forwards in the league?

It seems the one PF you have on your squad is listed at SF and that you have four centers that you are trying to squeeze into two center and two PF positions on your depth chart.

There isn't much difference in today's NBA between a mobile center and a traditional power forward.  J.O. hasn't "morphed"; rather, he's been forced to play center because there just aren't that many good centers in the league any more.  We have six guys who can play PF:  Jermaine, Rashard, Turiaf, Gomes, Dudley, and Gibson (obviously in an emergency). 

[ChampKind]

Nicely built team in Minn, given their drafting status.  Backcourt looks nice, and I like Peja as the 6th man.

My question is, when Zach Randolph strangles Erick Dampier to death using an iPod earbud cord, will you ban iPods from the locker room altogether?

[wdleehi]

Denver.

In order could you please list who you feel will be the best players on your team 5 years from now form best to worst. You have a great collection of young talent and I'm interested in seeing who you feel will eventually develop into the best impact type NBA player of the group.

Personally, I'm a believer in Oden so my list would be:

1. Greg Oden
2. Jeff Green
3. Kevin Love
4. Brandon Wright
5.(tie) Mike Conley and Randy Foye

1) Greg Oden
2) player received in Yao Ming trade
3) Green
4) Love
5) Conley

[Edgar]

 Part 2.




and they will give 110% every night.

[indeedproceed]

Denver.

In order could you please list who you feel will be the best players on your team 5 years from now form best to worst. You have a great collection of young talent and I'm interested in seeing who you feel will eventually develop into the best impact type NBA player of the group.

Personally, I'm a believer in Oden so my list would be:

1. Greg Oden
2. Jeff Green
3. Kevin Love
4. Brandon Wright
5.(tie) Mike Conley and Randy Foye

1) Greg Oden
2) player received in Yao Ming trade
3) Green
4) Love
5) Conley

Yes. I think Nick is underselling Conley. He's shown that his potential is pretty high, and he's already capable of fulfilling a lot of it. The problem for him in Memphis is that GayMayo just dominate the ball so much he doesn't get a chance to show what he can do when the offense is set.

[Roy Hobbs]

Minnesota:

1) John Salmons was almost exclusively a small forward in Chicago and Sacramento last season.  Can he be your full-time starter at SG?

2) Does your team have enough size off of the bench? 

3) You have a lot of personalities on your team.  How do Randolph and Richard Jefferson (both difficult players) fit next to each other.

4) Are Jameer and Peja ready to compete, health-wise?

[celticinorlando]

ok..i will answer the Zach Randolph questions first:

T-Wolves:


How do you get Randolph to play defense?  We will preach defense as the staple of our team. Zach has been told this by Coach McHale before he was brought on board. We also tied it into   into his contract. We will not hesitate moving Zach if he cannot abide by our principles.

Do you really want Randolph around your younger players? We feel Zach can be a good example of trying to do it "his" way and how that labels you in this league. We also feel guys like nelson, jefferson, bonner and peja will be good mentors for zach as well as the rookies.

How do you stop Randolph from being a cancer? We will explain who we are and what we are about. We are here to win. If he doesn't abide then we will make changes. He knows this is his best chance to change is rep.


Do you have enough big man depth? That is our biggest concern. We would have loved to have one more legit PF/C on the roster but there was just nothing out there we could get. If we don't make the playoffs then it will be because of lack of depth at the bigs


Do you expect your team to be a playoff team? Yes. i expect to make the playoffs. We are changing the losing culture in Minnesota. We are in tough division but there are no excuses. We want to be one the the elite 8 in the West and that is our goal.

[celticinorlando]

Minnesota:

1) John Salmons was almost exclusively a small forward in Chicago and Sacramento last season.  Can he be your full-time starter at SG? Yes. We feel he can be a mismatch on smaller SG offensively and we feel he is a very good defender that will be able to stay with and body up other shooting guards.

2) Does your team have enough size off of the bench?  That is our biggest concern. We feel we have very good shooters everywhere. We wanted one more big.

3) You have a lot of personalities on your team.  How do Randolph and Richard Jefferson (both difficult players) fit next to each other. They both want to win. Jefferson has played with big personalities in new jersey (kidd and carter)...we know zach's track record but feel we have a coach in McHale that will be handle the locker room.

4) Are Jameer and Peja ready to compete, health-Yes...nelson being able to play in the finals proved he was on his way back. We expect them both to be 100 percent come training camp

[wdleehi]

ok..i will answer the Zach Randolph questions first:

T-Wolves:


How do you get Randolph to play defense?  We will preach defense as the staple of our team. Zach has been told this by Coach McHale before he was brought on board. We also tied it into   into his contract. We will not hesitate moving Zach if he cannot abide by our principles.

Do you really want Randolph around your younger players? We feel Zach can be a good example of trying to do it "his" way and how that labels you in this league. We also feel guys like nelson, jefferson, bonner and peja will be good mentors for zach as well as the rookies.

How do you stop Randolph from being a cancer? We will explain who we are and what we are about. We are here to win. If he doesn't abide then we will make changes. He knows this is his best chance to change is rep.


Do you have enough big man depth? That is our biggest concern. We would have loved to have one more legit PF/C on the roster but there was just nothing out there we could get. If we don't make the playoffs then it will be because of lack of depth at the bigs


Do you expect your team to be a playoff team? Yes. i expect to make the playoffs. We are changing the losing culture in Minnesota. We are in tough division but there are no excuses. We want to be one the the elite 8 in the West and that is our goal.

Really?


Go to 1:20
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfa83E2Q5aY

[JSD]

Nuggets, Who is the "team of future" right now in the NBA? How does your team match-up against them?

[wdleehi]

ok..i will answer the Zach Randolph questions first:

T-Wolves:


How do you get Randolph to play defense?  We will preach defense as the staple of our team. Zach has been told this by Coach McHale before he was brought on board. We also tied it into   into his contract. We will not hesitate moving Zach if he cannot abide by our principles.

Do you really want Randolph around your younger players? We feel Zach can be a good example of trying to do it "his" way and how that labels you in this league. We also feel guys like nelson, jefferson, bonner and peja will be good mentors for zach as well as the rookies.

How do you stop Randolph from being a cancer? We will explain who we are and what we are about. We are here to win. If he doesn't abide then we will make changes. He knows this is his best chance to change is rep.


Do you have enough big man depth? That is our biggest concern. We would have loved to have one more legit PF/C on the roster but there was just nothing out there we could get. If we don't make the playoffs then it will be because of lack of depth at the bigs


Do you expect your team to be a playoff team? Yes. i expect to make the playoffs. We are changing the losing culture in Minnesota. We are in tough division but there are no excuses. We want to be one the the elite 8 in the West and that is our goal.

Randolph cares about his rep?  

How do you change a losing culture when your number one option is Randolph?

[wdleehi]

Nuggets, Who is the "team of future" right now in the NBA? How does your team match-up against them?

The closest thing is Portland.  The main difference is they have Brandon Roy.  I have the pieces to trade for a player of that level. 

[celticinorlando]

We feel any team led by Isiah Thomas is a bad example to be used.

We don't believe Randolph is our number  one option. Can he be? yes. We like the double double potential he brings to the table...esp. for getting him in the 6th round...