NathanFromMCounty

April 21st, 2011 at 8:30 PM ^

...the prevalence of the one and dones (and two and dones) is really leading to the deterioration of the quality of both the NBA and NCAA games (and I believe I read an interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a year or so ago where he said that some of the behavioral issues in the NBA in the recent past were due to 19-20 years being able to declare and get ultra-rich at that age).

Bb011

April 21st, 2011 at 10:17 PM ^

I agree, I don't think its their responsibility to keep the quality of the NBA up. I can see how the economic benefits would lure a lot of people in, and I guess a lot of players are not from the most wealthy of backgrounds. If I could afford to not take money right away though as a player (i know a lot of people can't) I would definitely stick around at my school.

remdog

April 21st, 2011 at 7:03 PM ^

"Leaning towards remaining in this year's draft" and "probably gone" are two different things.

The former indicates a slight bias whereas the latter indicates a strong bias and likely outcome.

Attention getting headline but inaccurate.

MichiganMan2424

April 21st, 2011 at 8:14 PM ^

Entering the Draft, but I do have a problem with him saying he'll return for sure and then leave, if he ends up leaving. If you think you might want to leave, leave the door open. Don't say you won't and then do.

jeffv437

April 21st, 2011 at 9:25 PM ^

Everything I hear on espn radio tells me that the NBA and the cba is much worse than the NFL. It sounds almost certain that the NBA will not have season next year. David stern has bride in his beer that the NBA is losing a ton of money. So why take the chance and leave school and then niot have the chance to play because there is a lockout.

tk47

April 21st, 2011 at 11:20 PM ^

No outside shot, no left hand.  Obviously he'll get drafted if he leaves, but he could improve his draft position A LOT if he sticks around for a year and just develops a perimeter shot.  IT MAKES NO FUCKING SENSE FOR HIM TO GO TO THE NBA RIGHT NOW.  I know it's easy for me to say, but he could get a hell of a lot better of a rookie contract if he sticks around one more year.



Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to say "oh screw him he wasn't that good anyway", because he's talented as hell and I'm grateful as hell that he went to Michigan ... but I just don't think it makes sense for him to leave right now when he could be a LOTTERY PICK next year.  Oh, and there's that whole lockout thing.

PRod

April 22nd, 2011 at 9:14 AM ^

Kalin Lucas was player of the year in the conference his sophmore year, led his team to the final four and a way better player than Morris is at this time, but stayed in school.  So it makes perfect sense that Morris would go pro and sit at the end of someone's bench for 3 years while he develops, if he even makes the league.

Spontaneous Co…

April 22nd, 2011 at 10:59 AM ^

We know how the NBA works and all these kids have seen so many flame outs, it's amazing that they are so oblivious to the weaknesses in their game.  I understand some emphasis on jumping if you think you'll get the guaranteed first round money but for someone like Darius with such a tremendous upside, jumping just because you think you'll be a low first round pick is like being so eager to get to the party that you jump in a Civic when there is a Ferrari with your name on arriving 15 minutes later.

If Darius has modest improvement in his ability to defend and go left and a significant improvement in his shooting, he'd be a borderline lottery pick next year.  Let's say he'd get drafted 26 this year (super optimistic to give him the benefit of the doubt) and 12th if he stayed another year.  That decision would make him

At 26th, he'd make 922,000, then 991,000 then 1,060,000 = $2,973,000

At 12th he'd make 1,736,000 then 1,866,000 then 1,996,000 = $5,598,000

The decision to stay will have made him an extra $2,500,000 in his first three years of work.  And of course, imagine if he goes in the second round this year with no guaranteed contract. 

Stay, get an insurance policy, improve, be part of something fun and perhaps special, and get richer.