Prime Cedric Ceballos in today's NBA.

[Lebron23]

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2009/1217/la_lal50ceballos_800.jpg

http://lakers-edge.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ceballos1.jpg

Do you think he's gonna be a top 10 small forward in the current NBA? He twice averaged over 20 ppg with the Lakers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ojZX0qEuYQ

[3ball]

tremendous off-ball player - so he would crush it today.. off-ball players are the biggest beneficiaries of spacing, open lanes, and enhanced ball movement.

off-ball players also aren't susceptible to flooding - infact, they're the ones exploiting strong-side floods that leave the weakside a man down defensively.

ceballos would also benefit from the easier penetration of today's game, since the penetration is often what kicks off the ball movement..

and of course, ceballos was an elite athlete - athletic wing players get in the lane much easier with today's wider driving lanes and hand-check ban.. of course, like all players today, he'd have higher efficiencies in the paint due to the paint-camping ban and spacing.

[Mr.Kite]

Top 10 player

[bizil]

The injury bug caught Ced right when he was really getting into some great prime years. He was getting 22 points and 8 boards a night at 26 years of age. Then shortly after, he wasn't the same due to injuries. He was out of the league at just 31 years of age.

Among SF's, I think he would be a top 10 caliber SF in today's league. U got the big four in Bron, Durant, Melo, and hopefully a healthy Paul George. Then u got the guys like Leonard, Hayward, Gay, and Parsons. I think u could make a case that Ced could be the sixth best SF today's NBA.

[TAZORAC]

A poor man's Grant Hill.
Ceballos was never that good, about equal to Jimmy Butler for the Bulls if he played today.

[JohnnySic]

He was a "nice" player, that's it. The kind of guy who sneaks onto 1 all star team as some type of achievement award.

[Rake2204]

He's a lot different from James Harden, but he still kind of reminds me of him, in terms of being a guy who moved from a team where he was a small part of the bigger picture (Phoenix with Barkley & company) to a team where he had a chance to be the man and do whatever he wanted (those mid-90's L.A. years).

I remember him as a shoot first, shoot second type while he played for the Lakers, but I don't know if that's what he was meant to be. Would surely have a place in today's league, but would maybe belong as a part of the big picture on a good team as opposed to being the top dogger.

[Joyner82reload]

in b4 noballs says he would be elite in todays game and a likely top 10, if not 5 top player. oh wait

[Height Freak]

tremendous off-ball player - so he would crush it today.. off-ball players are the biggest beneficiaries of spacing, open lanes, and enhanced ball movement.

off-ball players also aren't susceptible to flooding - infact, they're the ones exploiting strong-side floods that leave the weakside a man down defensively.

ceballos would also benefit from the easier penetration of today's game, since the penetration is often what kicks off the ball movement..

and of course, ceballos was an elite athlete - athletic wing players get in the lane much easier with today's wider driving lanes and hand-check ban.. of course, like all players today, he'd have higher efficiencies in the paint due to the paint-camping ban and spacing.

Very good analysis. I agree. This guy would definitively be the rich man's version of Iggy (but more offensive oriented) and certainly much better than someone like Jimmy Butler.

http://33.media.tumblr.com/ee6bffbac19c6641f254810030573ff8/tumblr_muh7i5tcso1sdydefo1_400.gif

[scm5]

Very good analysis. I agree. This guy would definitively be the rich man's version of Iggy (but more offensive oriented) and certainly much better than someone like Jimmy Butler.

http://33.media.tumblr.com/ee6bffbac19c6641f254810030573ff8/tumblr_muh7i5tcso1sdydefo1_400.gif

I hope you mean this season's Iggy. People tend to forget Iggy used to put up 20/5/5/2 on 45%+ with lockdown defense.

Jimmy Butler is pretty damn beast as well. He's an amazing defender and played behind Rose and Pau for much of the season. Consistent as hell for most of the season and doesn't force shots.

I think Ceballos would be around the same caliber of player as these two, but it's hard to say if he would be better or worse than them. Definitely not a "rich man's Iggy" if you meant prime Iggy. That would be Lebron. Definitely not "much better" than Butler.

[Height Freak]

I mean't this season's Iggy, and either way Ceballos' more effective in FG's than prime Iggy as well.

Why not?

As far as Butler, Ceballos' better than him as a scorer, a better all around FG shooter, defender and rebounder. So those key categories combined make him have a better all around impact in the game than Butler.

[scm5]

I mean't this season's Iggy, and either way Ceballos' more effective in FG's than prime Iggy as well.

Why not?

As far as Butler, Ceballos' better than him as a scorer, a better all around FG shooter, defender and rebounder. So those key categories combined make him have a better all around impact in the game than Butler.

FG% is such a simple stat, but yes, Ceballos was a more efficient scorer than Iggy. Iggy was worlds ahead in defense and as a playmaker. He could contribute in more ways than Ceballos could.

Jimmy Butler is scoring 20+ppg at 58% TS. That's right around where Ceballos was in his 20+ppg days. Butler gets to the line more and is miles ahead as a 3 point shooter. In terms of scoring efficiency, they're around the same in my eyes. Butler is more likely to put players in foul trouble and hit 3's. Ceballos is more likely to get you a bucket. Overall, through the course of a game, they're gonna score at around the same efficiency.

Ceballos was NOT a better defender than Butler.