Jonas Valanciunas's Ceiling...?

[white men can't jump]

NBA champion (2006)
7× NBA All-Star (1994–1997, 2000–2002)
2× NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1999–2000)
All-NBA First Team (1999)
All-NBA Second Team (2000)
2× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1999–2000)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (1993)
2× NBA blocks champion (1999-2000)

You really feel confident JV can produce that?

Gortat isn't his ceiling --- but when you guys say HOFers like Mourning (2 time defensive player of the year) and Malone (2 time MVP!!) it's crazy .... when he doesn't live up to these lofty expectations you'll be the ones with the pitchforks demanding his head

I maintain that we should be looking at a career path like Chandler and Noah

I do think he can be a comparable player to Mourning. He's already doing better than Chandler and Noah were early in their careers, and clearly has much more to give than either of them on O. On D he may never be quite as good as Mourning, but he can be similarly intimidating. Mourning was a great shotblocker, but it was easier to get blocked shots back then, as it was easier for perimeter defenders to force a guy to the direction they wanted (ie. into the big) with more physical perimeter D being allowed.

Can JV make all-star games? Yes.
Can he make some all-NBA teams (not necessarily 1st team)? Yes.
Can he be in the discussion for DPOY or all-defensive team type things? Yes....I mean, if Marc Gasol can win it when he clearly didn't deserve it...All Jonas has to do is be an anchor for a great defensive team, which I think is realistic.

Essentially, can he be a top 3-5 C like Mourning, who plays a similarly physical and emotional style while being effective on both ends? Yes. I think he may be better than Mourning offensively, at least in terms of touch around the rim, and a bit worse defensively. I think the way he plays will help his team in similar ways, and that his personality make it a strong possibility he can be one of the leaders on a good-to-great team. I think in a vacuum he's probably not a DPOY type guy...but again, so much of that is team-dependent, as is seen when a guy like Gasol wins it.

*And as Shrub said, that's best-case scenario when talking ceiling. It doesn't mean he will, but he can if he maximizes what he's got to work with. It is possible he doesn't meet this, but I think given his personality, he comes closer to his ceiling than to his floor (where I think the Gortat comparison is more fitting for the latter than the former).

[KazanTheMan]

He's had flashes of dominance this season multiple times. He can go on a 5 minute run where he scores like 10 points, and then he gets benched and loses his momentum. I believe he can be great, but it WILL take a great coach. Casey is wasting his potential.

[connected]

Let's hope you two are right. I would love to see that happen.

Either way he will be a solid player with a long career.

[ejah]

JV doesn't seem to have any truly elite skills. He isn't especially long, tall, athletic, strong, or skilled and he doesn't 'get' the NBA game yet. He does, however, do a lot of things pretty well. He has good fundamentals and has a winning temperament that will allow him to play the game the right way as part of a winning team.

A lot of analysts talk about Hibbert as being the best big man in the NBA right now. Beyond blocks, his numbers are quiet and he certainly couldn't be the centrepiece of a team. Similar to Hibbert, I see JV as having the potential to be a key player on a winning team. I don't really care what his best statistical season will look like.

[MACK11]

He's had flashes of dominance this season multiple times. He can go on a 5 minute run where he scores like 10 points, and then he gets benched and loses his momentum. I believe he can be great, but it WILL take a great coach. Casey is wasting his potential.

Thats what ive been thinking whenever JV is having a nice quarter. casey benches him and he loses all of the momentum

[MACK11]

Honestly for JV to reach has maximum potential he needs a better coach. Casey has isnt letting him develop

[psrs1]

Honestly for JV to reach has maximum potential he needs a better coach. Casey has isnt letting him develop

On board with your sediments. There is a recent thread on DC and JV's development.

[MangoKid]

A lot of draft pundits on draft night said that his ceiling is Pau Gasol. I tend to agree with that.

[Miekenstien]

On board with your sediments.

The shit he leaves at the bottle of the barrel?

[BobLoblaw]

Gortat has a lot of Polish compared to Valanciunas.

I imagine Valanciunas' upside as somewhat a mix of Asik and Gortat. Asik's physical type and defensive potential, Gortat's offensive skillset and Gortat's tunnel vision.

[stretch]

I think JV will develop into a Marcin Gortat type player with hopefully a little better finishing on the offensive end

If more plays are run through him, hopefully he takes note of Duncan and Gasol (elite big men who have had solid assist numbers)

He may have a shot at becoming an all-star ala Chandler, Hibbert, Antonio Davis -- if we get an elite player on our team and JV kills it on the defensive end

comparing him to other young Cs:

1) Drummond
2a) JV
2b) Vucevic
3) Miles Plumlee
4) Kanter
5) Tyler Zeller
6) Biyombo
7) Faverani

Looking at this list, there is an omission of Steven Adams who is getting limited but productive minutes with a very good team, OKC. The rookie has that ability to piss off the opposition as already Nate Robinson, Jordan Hamilton, and Vince Carter have been ejected for taking a swing at Steve.

[The Great One]

No love for Meyers Leonard?? good young C for the Blazers.

[2KJ]

Ceiling could possibly be Patrick Ewing: Not as powerful as Shaq, not as quick/flexible as Hakeem, but a beast on defense, has decent offense, nice midrange, good free throw shooter. But gone are the days wherein the league has elite centers as the game is more perimeter based, so this isn't likely to happen.

If he continues to develop a solid post game, he can be a mini-Ewing, who averages 17 pts 10 reb 2 blocks, I'd be happy with that, since the offense atm runs through the wings and guards. I just hope he doesn't fall in love w/ the 3 point shot like howard, bynum, and amir lol.

[KeonClark]

Ceiling could possibly be Patrick Ewing: Not as powerful as Shaq, not as quick/flexible as Hakeem, but a beast on defense, has decent offense, nice midrange, good free throw shooter. But gone are the days wherein the league has elite centers as the game is more perimeter based, so this isn't likely to happen.

If he continues to develop a solid post game, he can be a mini-Ewing, who averages 17 pts 10 reb 2 blocks, I'd be happy with that, since the offense atm runs through the wings and guards. I just hope he doesn't fall in love w/ the 3 point shot like howard, bynum, and amir lol.

What? When did Howard and Bynum fall in love with the 3? lol, when did Bynum and Howard take a 3?

[saints91]

I can see him being as good as Mourning. He's only in his 2 year. I was thinking of the great Centers (The Dream, Ewing and Robinson), he needs to develop the 15fter, and a good turn around fader. Offensively he is close, but he needed to stretch the floor a bit. It would help open the paint. I do think you guys are under selling him though. I think he can easily be an 18-22 player with an 8-11 rebounds in his prime (8 years) . He's needs more time and touches than he is getting now.