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Zeke's Going Somewhare...But Where?

Captain Kangaroo
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Where does Zeke Land?  

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Dr Z Community Regular

Dr Z

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Knowing nothing about the situation, I'll go with Cavs via proximity, or Heat via KD calling in favor of LBJ. I really hope it's the Spurs though. I'll also add that I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to the NBA, I really wasn't interested until LeBron got drafted by the Cavs. I was a pretty "casual" NBA fan before that.

GP1 Veteran

GP1

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I'm with you CK. The Heat need to go through a lot of off season gyrations this year in terms of salary and bodies. Center seems an obvious choice for them to make those changes. Bringing in a cheap rookie center would be a good move if other players move on or are moved on.

It's hard to make it as a free agent. I still see Europe as the best choice, but his best chance at the NBA is Miami.

Kangaroo Craig Contributor

Kangaroo Craig

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Whoever picks him up will send him to the NBA Development League where he can add some weight and improve rebounding and scoring. Zeke has upside that is attractive to the NBA. He needs to go to an organization that is welling to spend a few years to develop his skills. A young team like the Cavaliers, who are looking for help right away, are not a good fit for him.

Dave in Green Newbie

Dave in Green

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According to Sam Amico, the five teams that have already contacted Zeke with interest after the draft are the Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs. If no other teams contact him, then he will likely end up signing a free agency agreement with one of those five. All other things being equal, I like the Spurs organization best for developing players like Zeke, so I'm voting for them. But all the circumstances for each team are not yet locked into place, what with trades, free agency, etc. So one of the other teams could end up offering the best overall opportunity for a center with Zeke's skills.

GP1 Veteran

GP1

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Whoever picks him up will send him to the NBA Development League where he can add some weight and improve rebounding and scoring. Zeke has upside that is attractive to the NBA. He needs to go to an organization that is welling to spend a few years to develop his skills. A young team like the Cavaliers, who are looking for help right away, are not a good fit for him.

Respectfully, Zeke isn't a development project. He has to be able to perform immediately or he won't get a chance at all. If teams think it will take him five years to be ready, they will find a guy who only needs one or two.

Why? Zeke will be a less than 20 minute per game player. He may not even be a 12 minute a game guy. He doesn't have the ability to be a go-to starter. Players that play less than 20 minutes per game only have a five year career.....CAUTION to Dave in Green....before clicking on the next link, go get a box of tissues. Source

ZachTheZip Newbie

ZachTheZip

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If any team calls Zeke up saying that they'll sign him on the condition that he plays in the D League, Zeke needs to tell them to kindly go eff themselves.

Same as if the Heat call him. Worst place possible for Zeke to go. A completely opposite culture from what Zeke with his personality would fit in with. No way it would ever work out. Plus, the Heat will collapse after next season (and not because of LeBron; DWade might not physically hold up that long and Pat Riley will almost certainly retire).

Kangaroo Craig Contributor

Kangaroo Craig

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Good players who don't get drafted usually end up in the development league or they go overseas. I don't see him making an NBA roster right away, but I could be wrong.

MDZip Mentor

MDZip

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Respectfully, Zeke isn't a development project. He has to be able to perform immediately or he won't get a chance at all. If teams think it will take him five years to be ready, they will find a guy who only needs one or two.

Why? Zeke will be a less than 20 minute per game player. He may not even be a 12 minute a game guy. He doesn't have the ability to be a go-to starter. Players that play less than 20 minutes per game only have a five year career.....CAUTION to Dave in Green....before clicking on the next link, go get a box of tissues. Source

Ah but in that same article: :)

BTW, dimension also matters… average careers for players with…

Height of 7 feet or more = 5.78 seasons

So if you can get in, you can stay a while.

LZIp Grand Master

LZIp

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Same as if the Heat call him. Worst place possible for Zeke to go. A completely opposite culture from what Zeke with his personality would fit in with. No way it would ever work out. Plus, the Heat will collapse after next season (and not because of LeBron; DWade might not physically hold up that long and Pat Riley will almost certainly retire).

Somebody gets it.

Dave in Green Newbie

Dave in Green

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Respectfully, Zeke isn't a development project. He has to be able to perform immediately or he won't get a chance at all. If teams think it will take him five years to be ready, they will find a guy who only needs one or two.

Why? Zeke will be a less than 20 minute per game player. He may not even be a 12 minute a game guy. He doesn't have the ability to be a go-to starter. Players that play less than 20 minutes per game only have a five year career.....CAUTION to Dave in Green....before clicking on the next link, go get a box of tissues. Source

Thanks for the warning. I wept tears of joy when I saw all the numbers at that link. :lol:

We already know that players who don't perform at a high level in professional sports tend to have shorter careers, and those numbers just help quantify it. Zeke's NBA playing time and career length will be directly related to his performance, just like every other player. If no team thinks he has a chance, he won't get an undrafted free agent contract. If he does get a contract, it won't last long if he doesn't show that he's progressing into a useful contributor. If he becomes a useful contributor but his development flattens, he'll quickly get replaced by a higher level contributor.

Zeke certainly does have the physical ability to be a go-to starter in the NBA. He now must demonstrate the will, mental toughness and work ethic it takes to develop his full physical potential at an NBA level.

GP1 Veteran

GP1

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Zeke certainly does have the physical ability to be a go-to starter in the NBA.

Zeke was a great Zip and one of the all time great MAC players so please don't take this as bashing, but if he was a go-to starter in the NBA, he would have been drafted. He doesn't come close to having the offensive skills necessary to be a starting NBA center let along a "go-to" guy.

We are all fans of his, but we should all stop living in a world where we deny the reality of what has taken place.

Dave in Green Newbie

Dave in Green

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@ZippyRulz, there are no rewards on ZN.o other than what you take away yourself. You done good. Enjoy the feeling. ;)

Hustle Belt has a nice analysis of how both Zeke and DJ might fit into the 76ers organization based on Philly basically blowing up their program and starting over from scratch. I'm sure that everyone involved in advising Zeke on his professional basketball career gave a lot of thought to the situations at all the teams that approached Zeke, and decided that the 76ers opportunity was the best available for the Orlando Summer League. This is going to be fun to watch as it develops. Zeke and DJ could be a great combination if they work together to help make each other better. But Zeke also has an opportunity to play for another NBA team in the Las Vegas Summer League. Stay tuned.

Hustle Belt's Analysis

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