2013 CB Draft: Central Division Press Conferences

[Rondo2287]

With Indiana, it really just comes down to how far you think Deron and Durant can take this team by themselves. For me, it's enough to be a playoffs team, but I just can't see how this team overcomes its frontcourt, defense, and depth issues to avoid being a first round exit.

I don't really see any depth issues anyways to be honest.  looking up and down the benches.  I don't see any in my division that are far and away better than mine. 

[Who]

I think all the top teams in the East are pretty flawed. More so than in the West.

I think having that Kevin Durant (by far the best player in the East) is a great equalizer for whatever issues Indiana are facing (their bigs).

[indeedproceed]

With Indiana, it really just comes down to how far you think Deron and Durant can take this team by themselves. For me, it's enough to be a playoffs team, but I just can't see how this team overcomes its frontcourt, defense, and depth issues to avoid being a first round exit.

I don't really see any depth issues anyways to be honest.  looking up and down the benches.  I don't see any in my division that are far and away better than mine.

Depth isn't an issue for me, its your talent up front. I'm in the boat that Scola and Taylor aren't starting caliber players. Scola anymore, Taylor yet, but still not next year.

[Rondo2287]

With Indiana, it really just comes down to how far you think Deron and Durant can take this team by themselves. For me, it's enough to be a playoffs team, but I just can't see how this team overcomes its frontcourt, defense, and depth issues to avoid being a first round exit.

I don't really see any depth issues anyways to be honest.  looking up and down the benches.  I don't see any in my division that are far and away better than mine.

Depth isn't an issue for me, its your talent up front. I'm in the boat that Scola and Taylor aren't starting caliber players. Scola anymore, Taylor yet, but still not next year.

Well Taylor is starter in name only, he is only playing about 15 minutes, maybe 25 (10 backing up Durant while williams is out) for the begining of the season. 

I personally havent seen anything to point to the fact that Scola isnt a starter anymore. 

Also, whatever decrease in skill you see from Scola in getting older I think will be more than erased from Lopez getting better.  I think Lopez will probably be a 15-7 guy this year.  up from 11 and 5.5

[pearljammer10]

Just look at the best player on the rest of the East's teams:

Atlanta = D-Wade
Boston = Kyrie or Pau
Brooklyn = Westbrook
Chicago = J.Holiday
Cleveland = Horford
Detroit = Beal
Milwaukee = Paul George
New York = Z.Randolph or B.Lopez
Orlando = Kobe
Philly = Steph Curry
Washington = John Wall

Nobody on that list is anywhere near Kevin Durant as an individual talent. Far and away above everyone else in the Conference. It's not even close. Nobody.

I mean, look at those players, most of them are on a similar level as Deron Williams.

None of them come close to Durant.

And I think that gives Indy a big, big bump in my view of things.

But look what happen when Durant's second fiddle in Westbrook went down in the playoffs last year. You can have a guy like Durant all day long. But if you have other holes in other areas of your lineup, even the best player in the world cant compensate for that missing piece or pieces.

True but I don't think we are assuming Deron will go down with a knee injury in the playoffs this year, are we?

Well no but I am expecting Deron to be just as good as last year which really wasn't that good. Im not a Deron fan in any way shape or form.

[Fafnir]

Deron started out very rough last year but he finished strong and turned in his best campaign since he was playing in Utah.

All-star level year, but he didn't have a hot first few months.

[nickagneta]

I have a really hard time seeding teams in this division.  Cleveland clearly has the best team to me, but they are going to be restricting minutes heavily to stay fresh for the playoffs.  But both Indiana and Milwaukee have significant flaws, especially up front.  I'm leaning toward Indiana in first because of their star power, but it'll be tough.  Either way I think Cleveland, if healthy, is the best playoff team.

This is pretty much the way I see things here too.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

I will take questions on Detroit

[fairweatherfan]

I will take questions on Detroit

Who will you be rooting for in the Rookie-Sophomore game?

[Rondo2287]

I will take questions on Detroit

Who will you be rooting for in the Rookie-Sophomore game?

Follow up, what will you and the other person watching the rookie sophomore game talk about?

(Just kidding of course!)

[Rondo2287]

I will take questions on Detroit

What player on your team do you believe has the best chance of becoming a top 10 player?  Also, do you think that having all the young players playing together with help or stunt their growth?

[fairweatherfan]

I will take questions on Detroit

Who will you be rooting for in the Rookie-Sophomore game?

Joking aside there's a good question for you earlier in the thread - basically "Why did you seemingly aim immediately for Team of the Future?"

[Rondo2287]

Good discussion today guys.  Brought back memories of past CB Drafts.

[Celtic Fan Forever]

I will take questions on Detroit

Who will you be rooting for in the Rookie-Sophomore game?

It will be more like watching my team a and team b at practice 

But I'd actually root for the sophomores, since Beal, Davis, and Drummond are my main 3 guys.

[Lucky17]

I will take questions on Detroit

Who will you be rooting for in the Rookie-Sophomore game?

Joking aside there's a good question for you earlier in the thread - basically "Why did you seemingly aim immediately for Team of the Future?"

I'll follow that up with: why did you draft bigs like Bismack Biyombo, Greg Oden, and Gorgui Dieng instead of similar young prospects with more upside?