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If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

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  • #1

    If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

    http://www.indystar.com/article/2009.../1034/SPORTS15

    INDYSTAR.COM
    BOB KRAVITZ
    JUNE 16 2009
    The Pacers need "mean.''

    Not taking-candy-from-children mean or shooting-up-a-strip-joint-parking-lot mean, but mean, a guy with a bit of an angry edge and a Machiavellian will to dominate.


    Say hello to DeJuan Blair, the University of Pittsburgh forward who joined North Carolina's Ty Lawson, UCLA's Jrue Holiday, Wake Forest's Jeff Teague, Michigan State's Goran Suton and Florida State's Toney Douglas at the Pacers' predraft workout Monday at Conseco Fieldhouse.

    If he's still there when the Pacers select at No. 13 nine days from now -- assuming, of course, they remain at No. 13 -- Blair is my pick.

    He may not have the prototypical power forward height at 6-61/2, but he's got the wingspan of a pterodactyl (he's as wide as Roy Hibbert is tall at 7-2), he's strong, has good hands, he's an accomplished passer and he can rebound and play defense.

    More, though, he's got passion, a motor, an unmistakable don't-mess-with-me attitude.

    Weaknesses? Absolutely. Otherwise he'd be a top-five guy instead of someone who acknowledged Monday he expects to go between Nos. 10 and 20. Height is clearly an issue, although he's quick to remind you that Charles Barkley, who was 6-6, wasn't supposed to be big enough to compete at power forward.

    Blair will certainly have a tough time in the low post offensively -- hard to see how he's going to find his shot consistently -- but the Pacers are not in the market for a big-time scorer.

    They need defense.

    They need rebounding.

    They need Blair.

    Looking for a current comparison? How about Utah's 6-8 rebounding machine Paul Millsap?

    "The Pacers are looking for somebody with a mean edge,'' I told him. "Are you a little bit mean?''

    "Of course,'' he said softly.

    Then he paused and flashed a toothy smile. "I'm a mean person.''

    OK, maybe not mean . . .

    "Tough,'' he said. "This league is tough and I'm a tough person already. I would bring a low-post presence, rebounding and toughness.''

    The only problem will be if Blair isn't there at No. 13, which is entirely possible. The word is that Blair, who dropped 35 pounds since the end of last season, has helped himself immensely in the weeks leading up to the June 25 draft.

    Of course, most of these reports begin with words like, "Those in the know say . . .'' and "There's a growing consensus that . . .'' And those words are often written by somebody like me, who knows as much about prospect/project Jrue Holiday as he does vegan cooking and Javanese history.

    As we all know, the 10-day countdown to draft day is rife with smoke screens and strategic lies. Nobody is showing their hand, save for the Los Angeles Clippers, who hold the top pick and have unabashedly embraced Blake Griffin. At this point, the only folks who know where the Pacers are leaning are members of Larry Bird's inner circle.

    Just for grins, I checked out several mock drafts Monday. Five Web sites had the Pacers taking Duke's Gerald Henderson. Four had them taking Blair. Four had them taking Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn. Two had point guard Brandon Jennings, who played last season in Italy. There were single votes for North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough, Louisville's Earl Clark and Gonzaga's Austin Daye.

    The only thing I know for sure is, the Pacers have to take the best player available, whether he fills an immediate need or not. A Blair-like interior presence would be my choice, as long as he's available, but if he's not, it doesn't matter if the Pacers choose another point guard or a swingman.

    You don't start plugging holes until you've moved past the .500 mark.

    So, I asked Blair, if he was so heavy in college, why didn't he lose the weight before his first payday beckoned?

    "I have a lot more time to (train) now,'' he said, sounding like a guy who's tired of talking about his height and weight and just about everything else. "In college, you have just a couple of hours with school and everything else. And I'm not around fast food a lot.''

    The question a general manager has to ask is, will he maintain that slimmer physique once he cashes that first big paycheck?

    Here's the moment when I began thinking that Blair would look perfect in an Indiana Pacers uniform: During a regular-season game between Pitt and UConn last year, Blair outmuscled 7-3 Hasheem Thabeet for a rebound, then locked the big man's arm in his and flung Thabeet to the floor like he was a rag doll.

    Somehow, I don't see, say, Brandon Rush trying to rip somebody's arm out of its socket, just for the fun of it.

    Indianapolis native Jeff Teague, who was among a marquee group of prospects at the fieldhouse, said Blair made a quick impression on him.

    "He's an animal,'' Teague said.

    Sounds like a Pacer to me.
    60
    yes
    51.67%
    31
    no
    48.33%
    29
    @WhatTheFFacts: Studies show that sarcasm enhances the ability of the human mind to solve complex problems!
    Tags: None
  • #2
    Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

    It depends on who else is available. I'd take him ahead of the pg's but if Gerald Henderson gets by Charlotte I'd much rather have him.
    "I had to take her down like Chris Brown."

    -Lance Stephenson

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

      I enjoyed watching Blair in college and generally appreciate players with his work ethic, tenacity, aggressiveness and determination underneath the basket. While I would love for him to become a Pacer, I'd feel more comfortable taking him if O'Brien wasn't our head coach. I could easily see him losing confidence and getting buried on the bench during his rookie year with Jim - but if it seems like a given that we will be making a coaching change after the upcoming season, it may be worthwhile to take Blair (if he's still on the board).

      Comment

      • #4
        Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

        Originally posted by BRushWithDeath View Post
        It depends on who else is available. I'd take him ahead of the pg's but if Gerald Henderson gets by Charlotte I'd much rather have him.
        Overall, Henderson is the safe pick. But Blair would be nice
        "So, which one of you guys is going to come in second?" - Larry Bird before the 3 point contest. He won.


        Comment

        • #5
          Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

          I swear I would pull a Shade if they draft Blair, he is an smaller Jason Maxiel, they need to draft either best player avalaible or a PF who can complement Roy Hibbert in the Future and I don't think that Blair can do that.
          @WhatTheFFacts: Studies show that sarcasm enhances the ability of the human mind to solve complex problems!

          Comment

          • #6
            Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

            Originally posted by vnzla81 View Post
            I swear I would pull a Shade if they draft Blair, he is an smaller Jason Maxiel, they need to draft either best player avalaible or a PF who can complement Roy Hibbert in the Future and I don't think that Blair can do that.
            Just out of curiosity, why wouldn't Blair be able to complement Hibbert? Hibbert isn't too great of a rebounder and Blair could pick up the slack in that department.
            "So, which one of you guys is going to come in second?" - Larry Bird before the 3 point contest. He won.


            Comment

            • #7
              Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

              Originally posted by MillerTime View Post
              Just out of curiosity, why wouldn't Blair be able to complement Hibbert? Hibbert isn't too great of a rebounder and Blair could pick up the slack in that department.
              Like I said before in the Blair thread, he does not have a jump shot that can open the floor for Roy, also him and Roy are gonna have to use the same floor space making it easier for the other team to double Roy, the other thing about his game is that he is to small to guard almost anybody, he is not a shot blocker and is not quick enough to stay in front of his guy, also the tough game everybody talks about does not translate to the NBA when the game is cleaner and they call fouls almost every time you touch somebody and he is going to foul out almost every game.
              @WhatTheFFacts: Studies show that sarcasm enhances the ability of the human mind to solve complex problems!

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

                I think Blair has enough wingspan, width and strength to be effective in the paint...particularly on the boards. Certainly he can defend the post better than Murphy. Blair's reach is probably higher than Troy's so I doubt defending the paint will be a huge issue except against the elite big guys.

                ...and while I love the Pacers, the clean-up job has taken a bit too much of the flavor out of this team. We need some swagger and I think he would bring some of that along with much needed toughness and rebounding. I don't know if he beats out Murphy, but I do think he would make a great addition coming off the bench.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

                  I voted No.....but really preferred to answer "Depends on who else is available and whether we have any plans to acquire another 1st round pick".

                  About the article, I'm gonna echo what Seth said about Kravitz. The guy has as much knowledge about this draft as any of us.....by reading draft notes, mock drafts and whatever any other "Draft" Blogger" has posted...cuz that's pretty much what he wrote in the article. The difference is that he had the opportunity to interview the Draftees.

                  I get more indepth draft coverage from all of you in PD then anything that Kravitz just wrote.
                  Last edited by CableKC; 06-16-2009, 09:31 PM.
                  Ash from Army of Darkness: Good...Bad...I'm the guy with the gun.

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

                    Originally posted by vnzla81 View Post
                    the tough game everybody talks about does not translate to the NBA when the game is cleaner and they call fouls almost every time you touch somebody and he is going to foul out almost every game.
                    As it is with all rookies until they learn the NBA a little and the NBA learns them.

                    Blair would be fine.

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

                      Originally posted by BlueNGold View Post
                      I think Blair has enough wingspan, width and strength to be effective in the paint...particularly on the boards. Certainly he can defend the post better than Murphy. Blair's reach is probably higher than Troy's so I doubt defending the paint will be a huge issue except against the elite big guys.

                      ...and while I love the Pacers, the clean-up job has taken a bit too much of the flavor out of this team. We need some swagger and I think he would bring some of that along with much needed toughness and rebounding. I don't know if he beats out Murphy, but I do think he would make a great addition coming off the bench.
                      He wont beat out Troy in his first year as a rookie, thats for sure. He would be a great addition to the guys (Foster and McRoberts when resigned) off the bench
                      "So, which one of you guys is going to come in second?" - Larry Bird before the 3 point contest. He won.


                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

                        Originally posted by PacerDude View Post
                        As it is with all rookies until they learn the NBA a little and the NBA learns them.

                        Blair would be fine.
                        Another thing we need to ask is if all that weight he lost is not going to affect his game, is different to be a 300 pound guy in college and dominate than a 270 pounds guy and try to dominate in the NBA where the players are big and athletic, I really think that Blair is way overrated, he is like the new Kevin Love(from last year).
                        @WhatTheFFacts: Studies show that sarcasm enhances the ability of the human mind to solve complex problems!

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

                          I wouldn't be opposed to Blair I guess. But I don't expect him to ever be more than just a decent role player. Better than Ike Diogu, worse than Paul Millsap. More along the lines of Chuck Hayes or Reggie Evans.

                          He'd bring some things that the Pacers need for sure, but I can see his weaknesses being exposed easily enough that he won't see too much time on the court. I know this is a weak draft, but I think there will be better players available that could bring more positives over the long term than Blair can.

                          I'd rather see what Ty Lawson could bring to the team (assuming Ford could be moved and Jack re-signed) or even James Johnson.

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

                            Originally posted by CableKC View Post
                            I voted No.....but really preferred to answer "Depends on who else is available and whether we have any plans to acquire another 1st round pick".

                            About the article, I'm gonna echo what Seth said about Kravitz. The guy has as much knowledge about this draft as any of us.....by reading draft notes, mock drafts and whatever any other "Draft" Blogger" has posted...cuz that's pretty much what he wrote in the article. The difference is that he had the opportunity to interview the Draftees.

                            I get more indepth draft coverage from all of you in PD then anything that Kravitz just wrote.
                            The sad thing is I wonder if Kravitz has ever even seen the kid play.
                            Come to the Dark Side -- There's cookies!

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: If he is available, Blair must be the guy (BOB kRAVITZ)

                              Originally posted by MillerTime View Post
                              Just out of curiosity, why wouldn't Blair be able to complement Hibbert? Hibbert isn't too great of a rebounder and Blair could pick up the slack in that department.
                              Good point. On offense it works too because Roy does have a very good high post game. Blair would be posting up and rebounding the balls that Roy and the rest of the team shoots IMO.

                              ....but when I think of drafting Blair, I don't expect him to be the PF of the future. I just think he has a low probability of being a bust and would add a nice dimension to this team.

                              Comment

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