Okafor or Bender ? ( POLL)

[crimson_stallion]

Im actually looking at another idea. Instead of trading the 3rd this year, why not look to trade the 16th pick, Hunter and the 18 Nets pick for Okafor? I dont know if Philly does that deal but that deal works better for the Cs. If I have Bender  & Okafor with that 17 Nets pick in my back pocket to take another young player to add to the core or to trade for a star I like that path alot better.

Could be all wishful thinking but I think the Cs might need at least one more young player and then use the Nets pick to either go young or to overpay for a star.

Problem is, we don't want Bender. Trade for Okafor using the 18 pick is not gonna fly. They wanna see where the pick will be. We lost out on Okafor at the deadline because Philly wanted to be sure it was at least a top 3 pick. The reason they may bite now is because Los Angeles kept their pick. So giving Okafor for the 3rd pick is now worth it. We are not drafting Bender. The pick will be Philly's and Okafor is ours...

Bender is definitely on the cards for us. Ainge has been to see him multiple times and the Celtics have also had scouts at Macabi games. Ainge also likes Okafur so this will be interesting, but you are just desperately hating on Bender of you think we won't be thinking long and hard about it if the opportunity for one or the other arises.

The Bender thirst isnteal, no matter how hard you want to deny it. Just accept that he's a legitimate possibility and try to see the positive side of it. He's not Andrea Bargani lol.

I have been trying incredibly hard to see the positive side of it.  Bender is a young big man with role player potential, and people want to take him at #3.  There is absolutely nothing positive to take from that. 

It's like watching a fatal car accident about to happen right before your eyes, and knowing that there is nothing you can do to stop it

And you are right, Bender is not Andrea Bargnani - Bargnani was so much better.

[Greyman]

I voted Okafor for what it is worth. We know what he can do and Bender is difficult to really value until he is older and NBA ready (which I think he will be one day but I have no idea how good he may get). For a team trying to improve on 48 wins and get closer to contending, Bender would be a luxury. My only problem is when I look at most of the other potential 3 pick players, many are guards. I know they can be packaged or we can move some of the current guards but it would be great to fill a need.

[Denis998]

Bender is clearly an inferior player. How can the vote be so close.

[crimson_stallion]

Bender is clearly an inferior player. How can the vote be so close.

Because Bender is 18 years old, and there is an unspoken rule on Celtics Blog that ANY basketball player who is under 20 years old instantly gains the title of "Potential All-Star".

Doesn't matter if they are actually any good - bring a 19 year old 5'1" Amish guy (who has never touched a basketball) into the NBA draft and immediately CelticsBlog fans will project him to go top 3. 

On the other hand if you took Lebron James at 23 years old and put him in the draft, everybody will say he has no potential and that he will never be more then a role player because he's too old and can't shoot threes.

Welcome to CelticsBlog.

[SparzWizard]

Bender is clearly an inferior player. How can the vote be so close.

Because Bender is 18 years old, and there is an unspoken rule on Celtics Blog that ANY basketball player who is under 20 years old instantly gains the title of "Potential All-Star".

Doesn't matter if they are actually any good - bring a 19 year old 5'1" Amish guy (who has never touched a basketball) into the NBA draft and immediately CelticsBlog fans will project him to go top 3. 

On the other hand if you took Lebron James at 23 years old and put him in the draft, everybody will say he has no potential and that he will never be more then a role player because he's too old and can't shoot threes.

Welcome to CelticsBlog.

Now I just had a laugh reading that 

[TheSundanceKid]

Bender is my choice with the #3 pick for sure. However I'm taking okafor over him. I really like him, he has great instincts around the basket, once motivated he is a good defender. He's one of those guys that will punish you big time if you go small.

It would take more than the #3 pick to get him though. We'd need to add a guard in too. Maybe they fall in love with Dunn and want to get him at #3. That would be sweet

[crimson_stallion]

Bender is my choice with the #3 pick for sure. However I'm taking okafor over him. I really like him, he has great instincts around the basket, once motivated he is a good defender. He's one of those guys that will punish you big time if you go small.

It would take more than the #3 pick to get him though. We'd need to add a guard in too. Maybe they fall in love with Dunn and want to get him at #3. That would be sweet

I would take Okafor over Bender, but Personally I would rather take a swing at Greg Monroe over either of those two guys.

Monroe is basically the guy you hope Okafor can become, he's got a positive attitude, he has no injury history, and he's proven that he can average a double-double on a year by year basis.  Still pretty young too, and he's a significantly better defensive player than Okafor (which is saying something). 

Not sure if the Bucks would be willing to give him up though. 

And before the shocked and confused questions start coming in yes - I would rather have a consistent 17/10 guy with average defensive ability over (1) a 17/7 guy who character question maks who can't defend and (2) a guy who hasn't played a single game against starting calibre NBA competition. 

Call me crazy!

[TheSundanceKid]

Bender is my choice with the #3 pick for sure. However I'm taking okafor over him. I really like him, he has great instincts around the basket, once motivated he is a good defender. He's one of those guys that will punish you big time if you go small.

It would take more than the #3 pick to get him though. We'd need to add a guard in too. Maybe they fall in love with Dunn and want to get him at #3. That would be sweet

I would take Okafor over Bender, but Personally I would rather take a swing at Greg Monroe over either of those two guys.

Monroe is basically the guy you hope Okafor can become, he's got a positive attitude, he has no injury history, and he's proven that he can average a double-double on a year by year basis.  Still pretty young too, and he's a significantly better defensive player than Okafor (which is saying something). 

Not sure if the Bucks would be willing to give him up though. 

And before the shocked and confused questions start coming in yes - I would rather have a consistent 17/10 guy with average defensive ability over (1) a 17/7 guy who character question maks who can't defend and (2) a guy who hasn't played a single game against starting calibre NBA competition. 

Call me crazy!

2 things that Okafor has over Monroe is his rookie contract and potential on the defensive end.
Rookie contract because it's cheaper obviously. It also infers youth.
On the defensive side I think Okafor can become a good defender. I think that ship has sailed for Monroe, he is what he is on that end. Very slow feet, lacks awareness. Okafor on the other hand has alright foot speed, his hands are actually quite active for a big man and of course he does have some serious length to him. Watching him this last year he seemed disengaged on defence, given the situation he was in I give him some slack there. However he did show some good flashes when he wanted. I believe that if a coach can help him mature in that regard he can be the type of center we need on that end. Not capable of guarding 4 or 5 positions but giving our guards the confidence to attack their man knowing there is a good second line behind them

[ashanm10]

Bender is my choice with the #3 pick for sure. However I'm taking okafor over him. I really like him, he has great instincts around the basket, once motivated he is a good defender. He's one of those guys that will punish you big time if you go small.

It would take more than the #3 pick to get him though. We'd need to add a guard in too. Maybe they fall in love with Dunn and want to get him at #3. That would be sweet

I would take Okafor over Bender, but Personally I would rather take a swing at Greg Monroe over either of those two guys.

Monroe is basically the guy you hope Okafor can become, he's got a positive attitude, he has no injury history, and he's proven that he can average a double-double on a year by year basis.  Still pretty young too, and he's a significantly better defensive player than Okafor (which is saying something). 

Not sure if the Bucks would be willing to give him up though. 

And before the shocked and confused questions start coming in yes - I would rather have a consistent 17/10 guy with average defensive ability over (1) a 17/7 guy who character question maks who can't defend and (2) a guy who hasn't played a single game against starting calibre NBA competition. 

Call me crazy!

Sorry mate but Monroe can't be what we are looking for.....

Every idealistic world would want us to have a full all star team. Monroe can't be that allstar, okafor got better potential hopefully but still dunno how long it will take until his game might be challenged hard by today's gameplay.

Ideally we want floor spacers and ones who can create and make their shots. Now if we even could have a light Porzingis (obviously I'm talking about Bender), that's a very interesting player to have as for once, the paint won't have to be so congested as it was when poor little Isaiah was trying to get in! We need to create spaces and so having those bugs who can drag the other big out would be so much help! Bender's versatility is something CBS will salivate over....if we picked Simmons or Ingram, he would do the same thing the warriors did with Draymond ^^ and for our Conference, it's a good way to go I really hope Bender nails the workouts

[LooseCannon]

Bender is my choice with the #3 pick for sure. However I'm taking okafor over him. I really like him, he has great instincts around the basket, once motivated he is a good defender. He's one of those guys that will punish you big time if you go small.

It would take more than the #3 pick to get him though. We'd need to add a guard in too. Maybe they fall in love with Dunn and want to get him at #3. That would be sweet

I would take Okafor over Bender, but Personally I would rather take a swing at Greg Monroe over either of those two guys.

Monroe is basically the guy you hope Okafor can become, he's got a positive attitude, he has no injury history, and he's proven that he can average a double-double on a year by year basis.  Still pretty young too, and he's a significantly better defensive player than Okafor (which is saying something). 

Not sure if the Bucks would be willing to give him up though. 

And before the shocked and confused questions start coming in yes - I would rather have a consistent 17/10 guy with average defensive ability over (1) a 17/7 guy who character question maks who can't defend and (2) a guy who hasn't played a single game against starting calibre NBA competition. 

Call me crazy!

I would rather have a consistent 17/10 guy with average defensive ability over Greg Monroe.

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

Woj seems to think that teams will trying to outbid each other for this 3rd pick..as the next few weeks go by...The Bender Workouts are going to be huge for us.

Then all Ainge has to do is swindle someone out of a transcendent talent on draft night. 

[greece66]

Bender is Tyler Zeller.

Zeller can shoot 3's , handle the ball on the perimeter , has elite length for his position , was a predicted top 5 pick at the age of 18 , played against grown men from in a professional league as a teenager ?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X91FEJjpfYM

[The Oracle]

Bender is my choice with the #3 pick for sure. However I'm taking okafor over him. I really like him, he has great instincts around the basket, once motivated he is a good defender. He's one of those guys that will punish you big time if you go small.

It would take more than the #3 pick to get him though. We'd need to add a guard in too. Maybe they fall in love with Dunn and want to get him at #3. That would be sweet

I would take Okafor over Bender, but Personally I would rather take a swing at Greg Monroe over either of those two guys.

Monroe is basically the guy you hope Okafor can become, he's got a positive attitude, he has no injury history, and he's proven that he can average a double-double on a year by year basis.  Still pretty young too, and he's a significantly better defensive player than Okafor (which is saying something). 

Not sure if the Bucks would be willing to give him up though. 

And before the shocked and confused questions start coming in yes - I would rather have a consistent 17/10 guy with average defensive ability over (1) a 17/7 guy who character question maks who can't defend and (2) a guy who hasn't played a single game against starting calibre NBA competition. 

Call me crazy!

Sorry Crimson but the truth is that adding Monroe IS CRAZY!  Milwaukee's defense went from an excellent 2nd ranked def. in 14-15 to 22nd in 15-16.  Meanwhile Detroit went from a 21st ranking in 14-15 to 13th in 15-16.  Do you see a common thread between these 2 teams, his name is Greg Monroe.  He isn't the sole reason for Milwaukee's collapse as Parker at power forward is a disaster defensively.  Going from Pachulia to Monroe is a huge downgrade though and is a big part of it. 

Meanwhile the offensive rankings changed very little for either team due to various factors.  The truth is that Monroe can help an anemic offense some.  The mistake people make is in thinking that adding a solid low post scoring center will automatically help your offense and it flat won't help because for every bucket he gets you down in the post he is costing you just as many by killing your floor spacing.  He makes it more difficult for attackers to penetrate and if they can't do so it also limits the amount of open 3's and easy buckets for others. 

Okafor presents the exact same problems.  Good luck creating an elite offense in today's NBA (with the current rules), while having post scoring, space eating bigs clogging the paint.  Teams have zero chance at competing for a title without said elite offense.  Analytics have shown clearly that it is far better to have defensive bigs that can clear the paint on the offensive end.  This means every team will be chasing each and every 2 way stretch big that they can get their hands on.  The C's are in a great spot with that 3rd pick whatever they decide to do with it.

[BornReady]

Didn't vote as its hard to judge bender by the limited opportunities we've had to see him

Bender has the higher ceiling
But Okafor has a lower floor as at least a good starter while bender could be a bust

[ashanm10]

Okay guys, let's think about it this way:

Okafor or Porzingis?

Which player has the greatest impact in modern NBA gameplay? Who would fit CBS system best?

I'll let you guys discuss