Report: Thabeet to be sent to D-League
According to ESPN's Marc Stein: "Thabeet will thus become the highest draft pick ever sent to the D-League by an NBA team."
almost 2 years ago
UConnBlog Justin
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I think none of us would have been super surprised if someone told us, last year, that this
would happen. It took him three years to become passable in college at everything that wasn’t defense. I expect that he’ll be 28 by the time people stop making fun of him for being a “bust.”
Also, this clearly depicts a person who may not yet know that he could be in over his head in anything, and perhaps a D-League assignment in a Dakota could help with that.
Fold the football program, and deposit monies previously budgeted for said program into a savings account in Coach Calbertus Magnus's name.
I feel bad for Thabbet.
Not surprised, as gxpanos noted, but bad. I still think he can be a valuable piece on a team, but he is going to need time. Getting drafted this high was a curse for him in a lot of ways. If he had gone somewhere with some established big men to work behind and learn from with no pressure for two years or so that would have been the best-case scenario. Here’s hoping he’s back in the league soon.
I think the problem is because they have TOO much depth in the frontcourt
Marc Gasol is awesome this year, and Zach Randolph is probably the best low-post scorer in the league. And because of that, there’s no where for him to play. And that’s why he’s getting sent down: They don’t really have any minutes available for him right now. Had he gone to, say, Sacramento, where there’s nothing down low, he would get tons of minutes without the pressure of being on a winning team.
So a lot of it’s bad luck, like you said, but also the fact that Gasol decided to lose 30 pounds in the offseason and become, really, one of the best young centers in the league.
by UConnBlog Justin on Feb 25, 2010 7:39 PM EST up reply actions
Yeah, not too surprised
I guess, but the whole “highest pick ever to be sent down” thing is a bit of a downer.
I suppose I’m most surprised because everyone in the NBA had been saying that he was a valuable asset off the bench, especially for a team like Memphis that has absolutely nothing in reserve. At the very least, he could play kick-ass D for 10 mins. a game. But perhaps they figured, in the long run, a No. 2 pick playing 10 mins. off the bench isn’t ideal. This is probably the right thing to do.
by UConnBlog Justin on Feb 25, 2010 7:34 PM EST reply actions
Just think:
He could have played another year with us and helped smooth some of the rough edges, maybe get back to a Final Four. THEN he could get drafted high and been a complete failure.
/joke.
Memphis should have never drafted Thabeet.
He had and has no future in Memphis with Marc Gasol already firmly implanted in their plan for the future. They should have went after someone like Ricky Rubio instead – someone who could spread around the shots between Gay, Mayo, and Gasol. Thabeet should have went to OKC where he would have really had an impact IMO.
Good call
He would’ve fit in nicely with the Thunder. Although, not sure he would have progressed as quickly as OKC would’ve liked, considering they’re contending this year. But long-term, he’s a perfect fit.
Only problem with Rubio was he supposedly didn’t want to play for Memphis. But he would have been perfect for the Griz, considering they are set at every other position in the starting five; Conley’s the weak link.
by UConnBlog Justin on Feb 27, 2010 11:30 PM EST up reply actions
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