while he wasn't playing at an all-star level until roy went down, he was a very solid second option on the team.
he average 18 pts and 8 reb in his second year.
I'd take that from my second best player any day.
I understood back then if they didn't want to take Aldridge because he played the same position as your best player. I understood they didn't want Roy (who they thought was the best player at the time) because of his knees. Which is why I was 100% behind Rudy Gay. It made sense. Too much sense. The fact that they thought they could make Bargnani a C or a SF when his natural position was PF was a perplexing decision.
In the end though, no superstar came out of that draft.
You have good players in Gay, Rondo, and Aldridge; that was pretty much it. I know Roy was in that draft, but his knees were a legit concern for the Raps, and 6 years later, he is not in the league anymore, so I won't count him in that.
Don't wanna make an excuse for Colangelo, because selecting Gay may have changed the course of this franchise, but it was a poor draft class overall...
aldridge is a pf no doubt, but his game is different enough from bosh (low post) and he is large enough to play centre against almost anyone in the league.
Not to mention the fact he was bosh's friend and bosh was lobbying for him.
that said, when you have the first pick you don't draft for need, you take the best available player. Aldridge was the best available then and he is the best now. Rudy Gay would have made sense too but a front line of bosh and aldridge would have been great. not the same thing as bargs and bosh who are both perimeter oriented.
The thing was, people don't remember but there were offers from other teams in the lottery to trade down. I couldn't wrap my mind around the thought that BC had such a serious amount of tunnel vision that he said f*ck it, he's our #1 no matter what.
