NBA Draft Profile: Hasheem Thabeet

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers are the 11th youngest team in the league...although they play like they're in the top five. The Clips are a team with a mix of vets who are regretting signing contracts with the team (Marcus Camby, Baron Davis), young guys who look like they're wandering aimlessly (Al Thorton), and players who aren't helpful for any team (Ricky Davis, Chris Kaman, Zach Randolph). Like the Wizards, that's not exactly the situation you want to put a rookie like Thabeet in.

Also like the Wizards, the Clips have a truckload of big men, starting with the ones revealed above.

Kaman is mostly a scorer and rebounder down low, averaging 12 points and eight rebounds in the regular season for Los Angeles. Camby is mostly a shot-blocker and rebounder for the Clips, averaging 11.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in his 2008-09 campaign.

Once again, the Clippers are in a similar situation as the Wiz, with a coach who may not be able to handle the teams' numerous amount of egos. Except this time, it isn't because he's "the new kid in town."

Many Clippers fans (including The No-Look Pass) think Coach Mike Dunleavy is just flat-out bad. Simply put, the Clippers had the talent to at least be incorporated in the Western Conference's top 10 teams. Unfortunately, Dunleavy wasn't fit to control and mentor the team properly. Hopefully for Hasheem and his family, this won't be Thabeet's new home.

Oklahoma City Thunder

I wrote an article about OKC's future playoff chances, which included a segment about Thabeet and how he could aid this team...

"With a starting line-up of Westbrook, Sefolosha, Durant, Green, and Thabeet, the Thunder could have not only one of the youngest starting line-ups in the league, but one of the most talented. OKC lacks a very important piece—an imposing center. Thabeet adds not only rebounds, but a low-post presence with a monstrous blocking ability, as well as a variety of post moves."

Minnesota Timberwolves

The 'Wolves are perhaps the team with the most potential in this Draft, followed by the Thunder. Former Celtics Al Jefferson and Ryan Gomes, sophomore Kevin Love, and Boston College grad Craig Smith would all highlight the T-Wolves young savvy.

Coach Kevin McHale would be an excellent guide to Thabeet throughout the season, considering he was a Hall-of-Fame low post man himself back in the Celtics' glory days of the 1980's.

They have hard-working, blossoming players on the court, and veterans that give an air of a teaching nature towards their younger teammates. Despite the large amount of centers and forwards on the team, the locker room, combined with the coach, make this a sound fit for Thabeet. Expect to see him in a T-Wolves uniform if the lottery plays out like I think it will.

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