I don't know. I'm just throwing things out there that might apply to the hypothetical above.

You don't get the MLE if you are more than the MLE under the cap on July 1st. Period. You either get your cap space (whatever it is after renouncing the rights to FA's OR you get the MLE). Not both.

Back to my point:

If this Draft is shit, and teams don't wanna commit to a big salary for a rookie in the top 7 or 8 which teams would be likely to trade?

Washington is one IMO

And another serious contender might be New York. IF they want all the cap room they can get in an effort to sign Lebron why wouldn't they do the deal? Is Curry so fucking good?

Hell, we could wait until after Draft Day and take their pick and a player off them for our 3 second rounders.

Why help the Knicks get Lebron? That's what people would ask.

I'd say there is very little chance of him signing with the Knicks.

The Knicks might try to trade their pick, but only if someone takes on Curry's contract. That way they'd have another 10+ mil to spend next year. They'll attempt to do what Orlando attempted when Hill/TD/Tmac were FA's.

They'll have to sign those other FA's first though and hope Lebron sees enough around him to go there.

The Knicks might try to trade their pick, but only if someone takes on Curry's contract. That way they'd have another 10+ mil to spend next year. They'll attempt to do what Orlando attempted when Hill/TD/Tmac were FA's.

They'll have to sign those other FA's first though and hope Lebron sees enough around him to go there.
I wouldn't have a problem with Curry being our backup center (net the Knicks pick).
One year then deal his expiring for real value.
If we include Amir in the deal we're only on the hook for 6M.. still plenty of room to add a nice piece.

I would mind. Is he really better than Brown is at 4 mil? Why add 6 mil for no extra production when you could use that 6 mil elsewhere?

I don't know. #8 in this draft is not that fascinating. Is Curry even going to be healthy from that "knee" injury?

Do you think the knee injury was a cover for being out of shape, or legit? He was sidelined with a knee injury, plays 12 minutes in his 3 games, then goes out for the season with the injury, immediately followed by him checking into a weight loss clinic. Could just be that he wasn't playing so he should try to get himself in better shape before his knee rehab, or could be that the weight caused the knee problem.

There have been rumors for a while now that the Knicks have promised Stephen Curry that they'll take him.

So this Eddy Curry stuff is pretty confusing for me to read.

Can we call one of them Cerry?

I would think they'd simply trade Curry or Jeffries next year for a player they think can help them longer term. Someone with a bad contract but a better player.

Maybe a GSW wing player (they have 4 players making 10+ mil a year past 2013).

You could get Stephen Jackson for Jeffries I bet. Sign a big (Bosh, JO, Boozer if doesn't opt this year, Memo). Then convince Lebron to come.

PG 2009 #8/Nate
SG Jackson/Gallinari
SF Lebron/Chandler
PF FA PF/
C Curry/

The PG in that scenario just has to be a catch and shoot guy, really. LeBron would have the ball in his hands most of the time. Jackson would be the hard-nosed defender that can shoot 3s, Nate is the energy off the bench, and whatever PF they get would need to be a solid post player that can defend the rim. I don't think JO or Memo are what they'd be looking for.

^Steph Curry

The PG in that scenario just has to be a catch and shoot guy, really. LeBron would have the ball in his hands most of the time. Jackson would be the hard-nosed defender that can shoot 3s, Nate is the energy off the bench, and whatever PF they get would need to be a solid post player that can defend the rim. I don't think JO or Memo are what they'd be looking for.

They could also just resign Lee for their PF spot.

Very true. He'd be a young developing big that could fit the role.


^Steph Curry
Exactly.

Hansbrough's measurables (height,weight, reach, etc) were almost identical to Blake Griffin in Chicago.

Interesting.

draftexpress has a lot of good stuff posted today, fyi

Austin Daye (DX has him going to us @ 15)

Height without shoes: 6' 9.75"
Height with shoes: 6' 10.75"
Weight: 192
Wingspan: 7' 2.75"
Standing Reach: 9' 2"

Earl Clark (DX has him @ 14)

Height without shoes: 6' 8.5"
Height with shoes: 6' 10.25"
Weight: 228
Wingspan: 7' 2.5"
Standing Reach: 9' 1.5"

Terrence Williams (DX has him @ 16)

Height without shoes: 6' 5"
Height with shoes: 6' 6.25"
Weight: 213
Wingspan: 6' 9"
Standing Reach: 8' 7.5"

Ty Lawson (DX = #17)

Height without shoes: 5' 11.25"
Height with shoes: 6' 0.5"
Weight: 197
Wingspan: 6' 0.75" (poor Ty)
Standing Reach: 7' 10.5"

James Johnson (DX = #18)

Height without shoes: 6' 7"
Height with shoes: 6' 7.75" (didn't gain much)
Weight: 257
Wingspan: 7' 0.75"
Standing Reach: 8' 9.5"

Since GD mentioned them:

Blake Griffin (#1)

Height without shoes: 6' 8.5"
Height with shoes: 6' 10"
Weight: 248
Wingspan: 6' 11.25"
Standing Reach: 8' 9"

Tyler Hansbrough (#22)

Height without shoes: 6' 8.25" (.25 shorter than Griffin)
Height with shoes: 6' 9.5" (.5 shorter than Griffin)
Weight: 234 (14lbs lighter)
Wingspan: 6' 11.5" (.25 longer wingspan)
Standing Reach: 8' 10" (1 inch longer)

Other Guys Mentioned Here By People:

Jonny Flynn (#10)

Height without shoes: 5' 11.25"
Height with shoes: 6' 0.75"
Weight: 196
Wingspan: 6' 4" (now compare that with Lawson...)
Standing Reach: 7' 11.5"

Dejuan Blair (#11)

Height without shoes: 6' 5.25"
Height with shoes: 6' 6.5"
Weight: 277
Wingspan: 7' 2"
Standing Reach: 8' 10.5"

James Harden (#3) (I mentioned him in a plan and drafted him @5)

Height without shoes: 6' 4"
Height with shoes: 6' 5.25"
Weight: 222
Wingspan: 6' 10.75"
Standing Reach: 8' 7.5"

Tyreke Evans (#6 - nice size for a combo guard)

Height without shoes: 6' 4"
Height with shoes: 6' 5.25"
Weight: 221
Wingspan: 6' 11.25"
Standing Reach: 8' 8"

And for Knick fans:

Stephen Curry (#8 obviously)

Height without shoes: 6' 2"
Height with shoes: 6' 3.25"
Weight: 181
Wingspan: 6' 3.5"
Standing Reach: 8' 1"

LOL @ 6' 10" 192lbs.

And BTW, Jordan Hill has it over Blake Griffin in every measurement (except weight) by the smallest of margins.

Also stats aren't everything. These measurements can't tell you anything about a player's desire to be the best, improve, adjust to the NBA. They can't tell you if a guy has heart or if he's a fucking lazy prick.

But, some people love to crunch numbers so here are the averages by position (cause you never want to Draft a dude that's below average):

PG Sample:150 Without shoes: 6' 0.48" Weight: 184 Wings: 6' 4.6" Reach: 8' 0.5"

SG Sample: 144 Without shoes: 6' 3.59" Weight: 202 Wings: 6' 8.1" Reach: 8' 4.9"

SF Sample: 121 Without Shoes: 6' 6.18" Weight: 213 Wings: 6' 10.5" Reach: 8' 8.1"

PF Sample: 235 Without Shoes: 6' 7.70" Weight: 235 Wings: 7' 0.7" Reach: 8' 10.5"

C Sample: 118 Without Shoes: 6' 10" Weight: 251 Wings: 7' 2.8" Reach: 9' 1.7"

Somebody with some free time should start some new threads for each of the potential picks at #15.

I'm too lazy.

Maybe I'll start the "Joe should trade or sell #15" thread.

Would anybody here consider Hansbrough at #15?

Only if I'm in a "gotta get a big guy who can help now" mood. And I'm not yet, nor had I better ever be.

Do you buy the David Lee/Hansbrough comparisons?

Is he the best player on the board, GD or do you just want him?

I don't care who they Draft as long as we get a real fucking player that is logging real minutes and making a contribution in 2 or 3 years time.

Our shitty Draft record has to end at some stage - why not this year?

Or did Joe use all his Draft luck when he stumbled on to Stuckey and AA?

Do you buy the David Lee/Hansbrough comparisons?

They are both white and hussle. Ends there. Lee is athletic and tough on the glass, uses his speed and good hands on offense, but little else. Psycho T is a guy with great moves, intelligence, and intensity on offense (I think he's NCs all time scorer), but not enough strength, size, leaping ability, or range on his shot to find much more than a niche in the league.

Is he the best player on the board, GD or do you just want him?


I dunno, I was just asking.

Probably just another bench PF for us.

I'd rather have a good PG, if that is what is there (Lawson).

If Joe sells/trades the pick, then that signals that we are not rebuilding, we're going for it now.

Right now it looks like Lawson should be available.

I'd Draft him if he's the BPA and allow Stuckey to play off the ball more often.

For 1 thing it gives you more freedom to trade Rip (don't have to sign Gordon to recover) and there is no guarantee Bynum will hang around after next season.

I'm not sure Hansburough is even a lock to stay in the NBA. To me, he looks like a solid role player with a low ceiling (like Luke Walton before his shot disappeared). I think Tyler is 2nd round material, not first round.

Most mocks have moved him up to the #17-20 range, fwiw.

That's fine. I'm just saying I wouldn't look at him until the early 2nd. I just don't see how he becomes more than a bench player. He doesn't have much foot speed and he doesn't really have the strength to be a full time center either.

They are both white and hussle. Ends there. Lee is athletic and tough on the glass, uses his speed and good hands on offense, but little else. Psycho T is a guy with great moves, intelligence, and intensity on offense (I think he's NCs all time scorer), but not enough strength, size, leaping ability, or range on his shot to find much more than a niche in the league.

accurate.

but for me, id take the best pg available..yeah p u want the BPA, but i think we should look at flynn or lawson. stuckey needs to play off the ball more

Most mocks have moved him up to the #17-20 range, fwiw.


I think this has to do with the derth of big men vs. the demand.

Probably. I think a lot is being read into his measurables being better than expected, too.

I can't figure out what Dumars could possibly be doing with three second-rounders (36, 39, 44). All three picks could probably net a decent role player, but this gives Dumars a little flexibility. He could, conceivably, trade up with the first two into, say 29 and grab something like a backup PG for Stuckey. There've been rumors flying about trading Amir; that could be done to get higher into the first round and snag BJ Mullens.

Dumars has some options to work with, but a serious lack of quality bigs in this draft really hurts the Pistons, and by so deeply committing to the cap space plan Dumars isn't exactly operating in a position of strength.

Perhaps I'm seeing this too narrowly--what do y'all think?

If we consider all options Joe could actually be the King on Draft Day.

How many teams aren't happy with their pick slots? Plenty!

How many teams want to trade out of the first round? Plenty!

And yet some other teams want to get into the first round!

Joe could be the go between for all teams - we'll just have to wait until we actually have the cap space before any deals are finalised, since we can't trade Amir + #15 for Haywood + #5 or our seconds for a player and a 1st rounder on Draft Day cause we don't have the space at the time.

It should be the most interesting Draft Day (rumour-wise) in a long, long time for Piston fans though. I for one am hoping I'm not left disappointed again.

well then i'd get prepared P. because while i agree with what you're saying, everything i hear makes it seem like we will NOT be looking to be aggressive like that.

something i would try to do, would be to see if there's someone on the board a team wants early in the 2nd. then trade that 2nd for a future #1.

but yeah it seems we're among those teams who are also trying to move out of the 1st. or at least it seems we would avoid acquiring a 2nd #1 as it would take away from our cap space.

cap space, schmap space. we will have plenty anyway and while i agree this draft is trash overall....there ARE guys in the top 20 who i really like and could be a big part of our future. having another pick or 2 in that range can only be a good things. unless of course you only think of the guaranteed contract and the cap space the pick would take up.

we'll see. i guess i'll have to see what joe does in FA/trade market too before i pass final judgment on his draft day moves. once the full picture is seen, maybe his draft day moves- whatever they may be- will make more sense.

but i'd prepared for disappointment now just in case. last year certainly was that way so i can definitely see this year being similar, with a 'WTF?' move or 2. :o(

Joe Dumars is king!

love dumars- always have and always will. but he has his work cut out for him this offseason. this is probably a more difficult offseason than when we lost hill. will have to see what he does with the assets he's got. i'm curious to see how it plays out.

Well, I am always prepared to be disappointed on Draft Day (it's almost an annual event).

But why couldn't Joe do this:

First Deal Announced on Draft Day:

Detroit trade all 3 of their second rounders to Washington for #5 (Jordan Hill)

The Wizards really don't wanna pony up $3.5 mil for their pick (or so the rumours go). So, they make the trade - grabbing 3 role playing rookies that Flipper can develop around his core of Arenas, Jamison and Butler.

The fact that they save almost $3 mil is a major thing, since it's more like $6 mil cause they're over the tax.

Second Deal on Draft Day:

Detroit trade Amir Johnson to New York for #8 (Stephen Curry?)

Knicks do it cause there is really no star available at #8 and they don't wanna have money tied up in lesser players right now - they wanna clear as much cap room as humanly possible for 2010.

Amir gives them an expiring contract - so BOOM! They love it. Amir's addition could also turn out to be pretty good for the Knicks, if "Super Coach" can help Amir realise his "potential"

We then Draft at #15 and you can pick whoever you want.

Point of this is:

We only use $3.5 mil of our cap space and that's to add Hill. We might even use less than that because I don't think the cap hold on the #8 pick is as much as Amir's salary.

So, we'd have 3 young players (Hill, Curry, Daye) that have potential, Prince, Rip, Stuckey, Kwame, Maxiell, AA, Bynum and approx $15 mil to spend.

That nets us:

Jordan Hill - I stated in this thread or a different one that his measurements were slightly better than Griffin's. I haven't checked his "athletic" measurements, which are up now.

Apparently he is capable of playing some C in today's NBA.

At #8 we could go for Curry and get a shooter (and we now all know how much Joe loves 3 point shooters lol) or grab James Johnson if we think he's gonna be a quality combo F. Right now I'll say we take Curry.

His shooting automatically helps and apparently he's capable of initiating the offense, which is something else Joe has mentioned (2 ball handlers). With Stuckey we have the luxury of picking a smaller SG because on D Stuck can guard the normal SG's while Curry guards the PG.

At #15 we can go for the BPA or take BJ Mullens if he's there and get a big that could help us down the road.

So, those 3 deals net us some young talent and satisfies those fans that are dying for fresh blood on the roster.

With the cap space we can still sign Boozer or another big for $10 mil and then reward Dice for his loyalty and give him the rest of our space.

Team:

C: Dice/Kwame/Mullens
F: Boozer/Hill/Maxiell
F: Prince/**
G: Rip/AA/Curry
G: Stuckey/Bynum

** With Curry and Bynum on board we can expect Stuckey to play SG more than ever before, which shift some of Rip's minutes (and AA's) to backing up Prince.

So, this is Joe hedging his bets. He grabs a "stud" to make us contenders now (Boozer) while getting the youth the team really needs to contend for the long haul.

With Kwame, Dice and Bynum expiring we also free up money for next off-season to re-sign Willy and grab another piece

I don't see NY being that desperate to shed a few million bucks. They'd have to hope they get a star at #8 so Lebron doesn't think the cupboard is bare.

I don't see NY being that desperate to shed a few million bucks. They'd have to hope they get a star at #8 so Lebron doesn't think the cupboard is bare.


Having the money to sign LeBron and DWade would not be a bare cupboard....but let's see how the next 2 salary caps play out. This year is going to be a slight decrease if any, next year will be the big hit.

Chris - No one at #8 is likely to be an All-Star so if they were relying on getting a good player to show Lebron the cupboard wasn't bare then they fucked up.

I read that they wanna clear as much space as possible. I don't think they really care about the pick - it's not a player they have in their system already.

If anything they are trading a guy that might fit/might not for the expiring contract of a young, athletic PF. Amir can just board and block and run the floor.

They (and every other team in the league) should jump at the chance to add Amir. If he sucks you only paid him for 1 season. If he has a good season you decide if you wanna keep him or not (and you have his Bird Rights)

Having the money to sign LeBron and DWade would not be a bare cupboard....but let's see how the next 2 salary caps play out. This year is going to be a slight decrease if any, next year will be the big hit.

well, the Magic had money to sign Hill and TD. TD never came. Having space doesn't mean the player thinks that is his best chance to win.

And if they do feel that way, why not package #8 to get rid of Curry or Jeffries? Then they'd have even more space than just selling the pick.

They may.

And ORL is not NYC. Just as DET is not. Let's not go there.

right. NYC has much more of a draw, I agree. Still, it's a lot to ask a guy to leave a winning situation. Unless Lebron was already signed, then you'd have an easy time finding guys to play with him.

Didn't Chicago have a hard time signing guys too though? I seem to remember a time after MJ was gone that they had major cap space and got nothing for it.

Yeah, I remember T-mac throwing out the first pitch at a Cubs game then never talking to them again.....I think that was a case of no one wanting to follow Jordan there. That was a real, real bad team though. They were one of the 5 worst in history if I remember. NY has something to build and a willingness to spend. That and I think Lebron believes he can do it by himself with a couple of key pieces....you talk to him about adding Bosh or Wade? Whew.

I doubt Wade goes to NYC. I bet Bosh would follow him though.

Other good side kicks:

Joe Johnson
Dirk?
Redd
RJ
Peja
Nash
Shaq

Some of those are on the decline and would command less money. But plenty of other options if Bosh/Wade wouldn't join him.

Discussion topic:

I haven't looked up the NBA draft rules to verify this, but if the rules are similar to the NFL, could we see some teams at the bottom of the first round "passing" on their picks until the top of the 2nd round?

If that's possible, this could be a real mess.

And fun!

No they've got a rookie cap hold unless they trade it... they'd simply trade their pick for a 2nd rounder.
IMO our high 2nd round picks have more league value than late 1st rounders in THIS draft.

Is that always true though, due to the need to guarantee those late 1sts?

Is that always true though, due to the need to guarantee those late 1sts?

In most, but not in a deep draft like 2 years ago where guys like AA were available at the end of the 1st, and you're going to sign them regardless.

on a side note- aaron afflalo went right where he should have. or perhaps higher. he is every bit a late 1st to early 2nd round player IMO.

Blair (Buffalo, N.Y.): Do you think when the draft comes around, the Pistons might think about picking up DeJuan Blair? I think he’d be a good replacement at power forward for Rasheed. And what’s up with Iverson?

Langlois: Blair has lost nearly 40 pounds, by recent accounts, since getting serious about his conditioning. He’s been impressive in individual workouts and now it looks unlikely that he’ll be around at 15 when the Pistons pick. Iverson will be a free agent on July 1. The persistent buzz is that he’ll probably wind up playing for Larry Brown in Charlotte.

Again, if we move Amir or Max I'd consider him. Right now I don't see how he gets PT.

My question is, if he really did lose 40 lbs, is that too much?

I thought the Knicks had serious interest in Curry. He's not going to cost very much for the next 4-5 years, he's a potential sniper, and if they get LeBron they're going to need guys that can just nail the open 3s that he creates.

UNC's Ty Lawson attends predraft workouts with Pistons
By VINCE ELLIS • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • June 5, 2009

Point guard Ty Lawson from national champion North Carolina was probably the biggest name to workout for the Pistons this week.

Director of player personnel George David said this morning that 10 prospects visited the team’s practice facility for predraft workouts and interviews on Tuesday and Thursday. The NBA Draft will be held June 25 in New York.

Among the 10 was Lawson, who was the catalyst of the Tar Heels surprisingly easy march to the NCAA title at Ford Field in April.

Lawson, a lightning quick penetrator that excels in transition, would be a candidate for the Pistons’ first-round pick (15th overall). Lawson’s knock is his 6-foot frame and questions about his ability to play defense at the NBA level.

David described the workouts as a combination of first-round and second-round possibilities. The Pistons having three picks in the second (Nos. 36, 39 and 44).

Gonzaga teammates Austin Daye (forward) and Josh Heytvelt (center/power forward) were also among the visitors. Daye is a first-round prospect; Heytvelt a second.

Other prospects were LSU’s 6-5 combo guard Garrett Temple, USC’s 6-9 power forward Taj Gibson and Texas’ 6-7 forward Damion James.

All are considered second-round choices.

You gotta wonder about guys dropping so much weight.

Maybe teams told him to drop 50 pounds and he's trying to do it?

One would think that if he was potential Lotto pick 40 pounds ago he had no reason to drop the weight.

I hope this doesn't hurt his stock. It shouldn't but you never know.

As for Lawson - my stance hasn't changed: If he's the BPA available when we pick select him and work shit out later.

You could always have AA back up Prince, Stuckey play some minutes behind Rip and that would free up some time at PG behind Stuckey and Bynum for The Law.

(Does he even have a nickname? Is he gonna be good enough to have a nickname? And is he gonna be good enough to have the nickname "The Law" without it being a joke?)

New Orleans Hornets take a look at UNC's Tyler Hansbrough

Posted by Jimmy Smith, The Times-Picayune June 05, 2009 2:52PM

Four-time All-American and one-time college player of the year Tyler Hansbrough of the University of North Carolina was among the first eligible draft prospects to work for the New Orleans Hornets on Friday at the Alario Center and left Coach Byron Scott impressed.

"First of all, he is a power forward, he's a rugged, very intense, fierce competitor," Scott said. "He's a much better athlete than I think a lot of people give him credit for. He shoots the ball much better than people give him credit for. So I don't think it'll be a big-time transition period for him as far as adjustment to the NBA style. College is probably more physical than the NBA until you get to the playoffs. I don't think the adjustment is going to take that long."

Several mock drafts have Hansbrough, who led the Tar Heels to the national championship this season, going just before the 21st pick in the first round, where the Hornets are slotted to select.

There is some discussion that the Chicago Bulls, for whom Hansbrough has already worked, could pick him at No. 16.

Some scouts question Hansbrough's jump shooting ability, but he shot mid-ranged jumpers fairly consistently during that portion of the work out that was open to the media, though he struggled outside the NBA's 3-point shooting line.

I don't care if Chicago wants him @ 16, GD.

IF he's the BPA @ 15 then I hope we draft him.

I'm guessing he won't go higher than that, so it should be interesting.

i love the kid's heart and run-through-a-wall mentality. but there's no way i'd want to draft him with a 1st round pick regardless of where his stock says he should go.

he's a 2nd round talent with serious limitations on the court IMO. he can be a nice scrappy 10-12 minute guy but nothing more.

Please note:



"
First of all, he is a power forward, he's a rugged, very intense, fierce competitor," Scott said. "He's a much better athlete than I think a lot of people give him credit for. He shoots the ball much better than people give him credit for. So I don't think it'll be a big-time transition period for him as far as adjustment to the NBA style. College is probably more physical than the NBA until you get to the playoffs. I don't think the adjustment is going to take that long"

What a sad, sad day for the NBA.

College more physical?

the have pussified the nba game, no doubt. but he's still going to be facing players way stronger and more athletic than him. if he gets blocked all the time in college, i can only imagine how much that'll happen in the nba.

maybe he'll surprise me. but i see him as a 9th or 10th man with a very limited ceiling.

Oh, I don't think that today's game works in his favour.

He'd probably be better off if it was the good ol' days.

Personally I don't want us to Draft him at #15. He might have the highest bball IQ in the world, the most mental toughness, the most determination, the most heart and the drive to excel but from all reports his physical limitations will hold him back.

Kind of like Maxiell. I seriously believe that if Max was the most driven person on the team he'd still be nothing more than a role player. His assets just aren't cut out for serious minutes IMO.

Nothing wrong with that - such is life. I only despise Maxiell because we passed on better players that have the ability to start and have long productive careers.

The medicals of various NBA draft prospects, including Missouri’s DeMarre Carroll, who may need a liver transplant in the near or long-term future, DeJuan Blair, whose knees and arthritic condition are a major concern to certain teams, and A.J. Price, who reportedly still has an aneurysm in an artery of his brain that could become a serious issue later in his career.

nba draft net is saying that jrue holiday is a guy we're thinking long and hard about at #15.

i like the kid. a lot. but only as a PG, not as a 2 guard. he's got a bit of rajon rondo in him with more strength...

Higher - did you see where DX has him Drafted?

IIRC Top 6!

And that's some harsh shit for Blair, Price and Carroll. Here's hoping they make the league and have enough coin to do something/anything about those conditions.

yeah he does go in the top 10 in most mocks. i guess the thinking is that somebody has to slip with all the PGs bunched together.

he probably goes top 10 but you never know. i'm not holding my breath.

Oh, I just thought you might not have seen DX's Draft.

How on Earth are the 2 "premier" sites so far apart on players?

It boggles my mind.

well this draft is part of the reason why. there are a couple of guys that inspire WIDE ranging opinions from scouts/prognosticators.

there's never a consensus on all the players- beauty is in the eye of the beholder as they say. but this year above most is a year where a number of players are very hard to get a read on. and that leads to some teams falling in love with a guy or at least rating him a good bit higher than other teams.

it's a pretty sucky draft overall and there could definitely be a lot of busts from this class. but there is definite potential in 20 or so guys who could potentially have pretty good careers. the real question is, how many of them will realize their potential and how many will fall by the wayside....?

The real question is: how many busts can Joe draft in one night?

Hopefully, it's not as many busts as the WNBA draft.

hey at least in the 'vagina nba' they can shoot.

Rod (Southfield, Mich.): Why are the Pistons not looking at Tyler Hansbrough? This guy is a David Lee with more leaping ability and he’s going to give you 20 points a game. He’s one of the few proven guys out there. The Pistons will be very sorry if they let him slip past them.

Langlois: The Pistons haven’t said they’re not looking at Hansbrough, Rod. Most credible draft projections had Hansbrough going in the late first or early second rounds until very recently. He measured and tested better than expected at the Chicago combine and really was one of the few players who noticeably boosted his draft stock there. (Though to call him David Lee with more leaping ability is inaccurate. Lee was the slam dunk champ at the McDonald’s All-American game as a high school senior and was best known for his athleticism, unlike Hansbrough.) It’s now believed he could go as high as the middle of the first round – and one credible mock draft source, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford, had him going as high as No. 11 to New Jersey in his most recent mock. So it’s now possible he’ll be off the board at 15 when the Pistons pick – and no one would have guessed that as recently as two weeks ago. I don’t think anyone believes he’ll be a 20-point scorer in the NBA, but if he can be a solid rotation piece, that’s not bad.

must be hansbrough's agent writing in that BS question.

I created a mock draft on my blog if anyone wants to check it out.

http://rgsportsview.blogspot.com/2009/06/rgs-sportsview-2009-mock-nba-draft.html

Nice job Reg...
Interesting scenario if Joe has to pick between Mullens or Clark.
Needs vs talent

It’s now believed he could go as high as the middle of the first round – and one credible mock draft source, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford, had him going as high as No. 11 to New Jersey in his most recent mock.

LMAO

Chad Ford is a credible source? When did this happen?

Chad might be credible in terms of picking a likely draft order, but not in terms of evaluating talent.

CoughDarkoCough

Players in play for #15 according to Keith


Johnny (Sterling Heights, Mich.): I went to a bunch of mock drafts and I’ve come to the conclusion that out of 27 mock drafts, you can narrow it to five players for the Pistons: B.J. Mullens, DeJuan Blair, James Johnson, Jrue Holiday and Terrence Williams. Of my assumptions, which one do you think best fits our needs?

Langlois: I think the assumption is off, for starters. Holiday is highly likely to be gone. I think your other four names would all be considered – but so would Earl Clark, Austin Daye, Jeff Teague, Eric Maynor, Ty Lawson … I’d say there are at least eight and perhaps more players who are still under consideration. There is a much wider range at 15 this year than there would be in a typical draft year with a week to go, and that’s especially true in the 10-25 range. Teams have to be prepared that someone unexpected could fall to them. And as for best fitting needs … that just isn’t a big issue with the Pistons. They almost always take the player they think best fits the Pistons profile, regardless of position. They can’t really target a need this year, anyway, given the great uncertainty as to what will happen at the top of the roster this summer. In other words, what might appear a great need today could change drastically with a major free-agent signing and a big trade in the first two weeks of July. Best-case scenario, the player they pick at 15 works his way into the fringe of the rotation next season, which is another way of saying it doesn’t make a lot of sense to think anyone the Pistons draft at 15 is going to solidify any position.

please NO on austin daye. he's a lankier and suckier version of prince.

HW - Do you find it odd that our boy James Johnson climbed into the late Lotto and has now sunk back into the late teens?

I realise that this Draft is fairly even from 10-20 or so but I find it weird that a guy like him could rise and fall so quickly.

And what's your opinion on Ty Lawson? The guy is obviously lacking in the "measurements" but wasn't he one of the better college PG's? How can "experts" rate him so far behind the guys he out played this season?

Honestly, is this draft that bad? It seems like there's a TON of interest in this draft, and doesnt seem too shitty imo.

2 or 3 potential all star players and decent role players.

Every single Draft that isn't top heavy is called shit by experts and fans alike...

Until the day starts to get closer and it becomes abundantly clear to all that there are many, many players who could fill a role on your team right now.

If we had 2 first round picks in the teens we could get 2 of the following:

Johnson, Lawson, Mullens, Blair, Earl Clark, Austin Daye, Terrence Williams, Hansbrough, Maynor, Teague and I'm sure there are plenty more.

I look at that group and am pretty sure we could grab a couple of quality players for our squad - guys that are gonna work hard and do their job.

If we came out of this Draft with 2 of those guys I would be pretty happy (assuming we don't miss the boat on an All-Star calibre player).

Anyone agree with that?

(NOTE: Highly unlikely we trade our seconds for a mid-first due to the cap hold)

BJ Mullens Promise? (http://www.nbadraft.net/node/7444)

Two different sources have indicated to NBADraft.net on Friday that the Pistons have a promise in place to take BJ Mullens if he's available to the them at 15.

Mullens works well with the rebuilding Pistons as he's a player with significant upside but will take time to become a contributor. With the Pistons in the process of rebuilding their squad, Mullens offers them a potential center for the future.

We are so fucked.

I can only hope that this is a smokescreen to get someone to jump on him earlier.

P- i think johnson's fall is due to the wide range in opinions about this year's prospects. it doesn't take much for a guy to rise or fall a good bit because there are a bunch of guys where there isn't a general consensus on them. so they can be 'hot' one minute but then show up a bit overweight for a workout (as in johnson's case) and their stock can fall quickly.

i still love the kid and would draft him at #15 in a heartbeat. but i think given the uncertainty of a lot of these prospects, their stock is very prone to fluctuate fairly significantly.

as for lawson- i like the kid. but this draft literally has a bundle of pretty darn good PG prospects. most are 'undersized' but given the up tempo style of play that is becoming more fashionable and the transition to a lot of small, quick PGs, i think he has very good value. but put simply, i think there are a handful of guys who translate better to the nba than he does. he is very quick and strong but pretty limited athletically.

and while he improved his ability to hit the NCAA 3, he most definitely does not have an nba ready deep ball. lots of players coming into the nba don't. but his jump shot as a whole is pretty flat and will be even tougher for him to complete against bigger, longer, nba defenders. i wouldn't go as far as to compare him to mateen cleaves but.....there's genuine concern there.

and keep in mind-lawson thrived with a VERY talented team around him. not that he should be punished for that, but it has to be taken into consideration when you project his skills to the next level.

i think he can be a good backup PG. but i think given the depth of his position, he too is subject to being 'hot' one minute and then 'not' the next. given how close in talent that top group of PGs is, it comes down to beauty being in the eye of the beholder. and a guy who was ranked at or near the top of the half dozen or so top PGs, could easily slide to the bottom of that group, simply due to a 'numbers game'.

Some interesting first-hand impressions of Mullins....

http://www.pacersdigest.com/apache2-default/showthread.php?t=47336


Many of you all have seem to have brushes with Pacers players, or just NBA players in general, and have been kind enough to post about it here. I always like reading those posts. Well, I happened to have had an opportunity myself tonight, and I thought you all might be interested in hearing about it.

I was in Manhattan for work today, and once I got to LaGuardia, spent a good bit of time ignoring my surroundings as I was talking to my wife on the cell phone. By the time I got off the phone, I was sitting in the transit bus taking us all to our plane. I look directly to the right of me, and I see these two massive femurs, and then I realize that I'm sitting next to one tall *******.

I happen to catch him look at his boarding pass, and I saw "Mullens" written on it, and realized I was sitting next to BJ Mullens. Turns out he's trying out for us tomorrow. We get off the bus, and start making our way to the plane. I was fortunate to be seated up on row 1, but his original seat was in the back of the regional jet (which some of you might know is really small and cramped). I call over to the flight attendant, noticing that the two seats on the opposite side of the row are empty, and coerce her to offer the seats to Mullens. Turns out that he took her up on the offer. I couldn't help but introduce myself by asking him whether he played ball for Ohio State. That turned into a pretty long discussion for a large portion of the flight. The flight ended at around 10:30pm, which doesn't seem like a great setup for a good night's sleep before a tryout. Given the amount of stuff we talked about, it's hard to recount all of the conversation, but here are some of the highlights:

He was surprisingly unengaged in the tryout / practice process: he mentioned how he just wrapped up a tryout with the Knicks today, and was in Detroit prior to that, but he couldn't recall who he practiced with, nor did he know who he was set to practice with tomorrow. He did know however, that he had 7 more cities to visit in the next seven days... pretty grueling, eh? Additionally, he didn't know who played at the 5 for the Pacers. When I mentioned Hibbert, Nesterovic, and Foster, he was familiar with Hibbert specifically, but didn't realize he came to the Pacers. "I haven't heard much about what happened to him, has he been any good?" That struck me as odd. My guess is that they would take the time to study the teams beforehand.

He grew up a big fan of Ohio State basketball, but really didn't follow the NBA very much. "I pretty much committed to Ohio State in the eighth grade" was a funny quote. He didn't have a dream place to play basketball for, and said he's only really followed the Cavaliers since Lebron James was brought in. He has a relationship with Greg Oden, thinks he's a hilarious guy to be around. Mentioned that Oden is at Ohio State now trying to work towards his degree. Personally seemed less driven to finish his own degree, but said "what else are you going to do over the summer?" Talked a lot about how most ball players in the public eye are limited in what they do with their spare time... which wasn't what I would have expected him to say. Also struck me funny that getting a degree was his way potentially of passing free time...

Didn't strike me as the sharpest knife in the drawer, but someone you could hold a good conversation with. To me he seemed aloof and laid back, and not very driven, but a good guy to hang out with... a good ole midwestern boy.

Felt pretty resolute about deciding to enter into the draft: "definitely happy I'm going to play in the NBA". Seemed confident that he was going to be drafted first round. Mentioned a few times how tired he's getting of the traveling.

His favorite team he's tried out for so far was the Pistons, felt as if there might be a place in their plans for him.

When I asked him about players he'd like to emulate, he didn't have a concrete answer. He seemed to like McDyess a lot, and when I mentioned Kaman (only person that came to mind at the time), he agreed that he shared some similarities. He basically skated the question by saying there were lots of players that had features he'd like to emulate.

Has been to Indy many times before and likes the city.

I'm an above average height guy (6'4"), but he made me feel tiny. 7'0" up close is impressive. He's lean and not very bulky... not fantastic definition, but solid... I'd guess he's a good 240-50.

If he ended up emulating Kaman, and lived up to his potential of being a good post defender with above average offensive skills, he'd be worth a late first round pick for us. Not sure how he'd fit with Hibbert, but if we traded Foster around draft time, they might consider him a project @ the 5.

After meeting him tonight, that wouldn't disappoint me all that much, but my vision for a Hibbert complement would be someone more driven, angry, mean... a banger. His personality didn't seem to fit that mold. He's not an imposing presence.

Hope someone found this interesting...

I'd like us to take Austin Daye. It'd be nice to have a solid and unique guy at the 3, considering the shit luck we've had with backup 3s.

he's not unique IMO- he's a carbon copy of prince. except he's not as good a shooter or defender. and he's even more passive than prince. is THAT what you want in a backup SF...?

i think clark can play SF as can terrance williams. williams is a stud athlete and decent 3 point shooter. he can certainly improve that percentage but the point is he can shoot it. i'd take him, clark, johnson, teague, and a host of other players at #15 before i'd take daye. if we take daye we'll be getting a bust IMO.

BTW- just read something at nba.com that says we are very excited about deron washington's season in israel he had and with his development overall. apparently he could be a factor in the rotation next year.

http://www.nbadraft.net/files/players/bj-mullens-hd_0.jpg

Man, I hope this guy plays better than he looks.

Do any of you college ball fans think that Terrence Williams (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Terrence-Williams-507/) can play the 3 in the NBA? He looks great on film (don't they all) but I was really surprised to see that he's only listed at 6'6", he looks bigger.

Yeah, he can, he's country strong.

glenn- IMO he definitely can. he's a bit like jefferson, with his size and game.

i LOVE the kid and hope we don't overlook him if he's there. he's a dynamite athlete who is a great finisher, very good defender, he's versatile (can play the 3, 2 and even some 1) and he's a very capable shooter from 3 land with even more potential at the pro level.

i love the kid. i believe he will be gone by #15 but if he's not, i'd have a hard time passing on him.

I worry about his shot. A lot.

true. but i think the key thing is that he has nice form, elevation, and range on his jumper. IMO i think once he's in the pros and dedicates himself to taking tons of jumpers a day to improve since it's his fulltime JOB, he will definitely improve his consistency and outside shooting percentage. it's definitely a shot he can and does make, just not with the consistency you might want.

he is a guy who loves the game and works hard too, so i think that bodes well for his improvement in that area too.

like i said- the form is there just not the consistency. so that's a great thing IMO. it's not like he lacks the range or the form so repetition should see marked improvement.

B.J. Mullens worked out for the Philadelphia 76ers (#17) on Sunday, and is scheduled to work out for Chicago (#16) on Tuesday. While many NBA teams we spoke with have picked up on the rumor that he may have a promise from Detroit at 15, things don’t really seem to add up here. If anything, the Pistons seem to be most interested in Earl Clark, and have reportedly told him as much, as have the Phoenix Suns, drafting 14th. On the other hand, Detroit continues to be very active in trade-talk, though, and could very well decide to move the pick, which would make all of this moot. Would Mullens really turn down his Green Room invite if he definitely knew he was going 15th? Clark on the other hand just passed up a workout with Chicago this week in order to be with his newborn baby, as he seems to be feeling very good about where’s currently at in this draft.

Source: DX
Lots of other good stuff here: http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Word-on-the-Street-June-22nd-3276/

:mccosky:


Pistons ponder plenty of options

Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills -- The NBA silly season, already under way, will kick into high gear this week.

The NBA Draft is Thursday, then July 1 teams can start courting and negotiating with free agents, though they can't sign any until July 7.

It's called the silly season because of the wild and incessant rumor mongering it spawns. The Pistons, because they have four draft picks, a roster in flux and more available salary cap space than most, are caught in the vortex of it all.

If you believe all the Internet reports, the Pistons have interest in just about every top-level free agent available and have made monetary promises to a few. If you believe Internet reports, the Pistons are trying to trade Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and their first-round draft pick (No. 15). If you believe Internet reports, the Pistons have made verbal promises to at least two players to take them at No. 15. If you believe Internet reports, the Pistons are looking to acquire another first-round draft pick, later in the first round.

None of the above is true.

Pistons president Joe Dumars said Saturday there was "no chance" he was looking to trade his first-round pick. Nor was he looking to trade for an additional first-round pick. No promises or guarantees have been made to anybody.

Dumars also said he was not looking to trade Hamilton or Prince, though, as he has stated numerous times since the end of last season, nobody is untouchable. If the right proposal came along, Dumars wouldn't hesitate to trade either player, or the No. 15 pick. The key distinction is, he's not shopping them. He's not actively searching for ways to trade those two players or his pick.

Clearly, though, the next few weeks are going to be critical for Dumars as he tries to rebuild the Pistons. The draft will be only a small part of the rebuilding plan. The major reconstruction will be done through free agency and trades.

The draft
Besides the 15th pick, the Pistons also have three second-round picks (35, 39, 44). Ideally, the Pistons would like to use two of those picks on players they can stash in Europe for a couple of years.

Overall, this is considered a weak draft by the consensus of scouts and general managers. After the No. 1 pick, Blake Griffin to the Clippers, there are no projected stars. But there are, at least to Dumars, a good crop of NBA-ready players.

As he told Pistons.com, "I think were in position to get a good player. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and we like the guys in the 10-to-15 range. These particular guys may not be guys you project as stars, but you can still project them as really good players.

"Our job is to continue to add talented players to the roster. Were going to be in position to do that at the 15th pick."

Through the work of vice president of basketball Scott Perry and director of player personnel George David, the Pistons have a list of about six or seven players they would consider should they fall to No. 15.

That list most likely includes (but is not limited to): Terrence Williams, 6-foot-6 shooting guard, Louisville; Earl Clark, 6-10 small forward, Louisville; Austin Daye, 6-11, small forward, Gonzaga; B.J. Mullens, 7-1 center, Ohio State; James Johnson, 6-8 power forward, Wake Forest; DeJuan Blair, 6-6 power forward, Pitt; and Ty Lawson, 6-1 point guard, North Carolina.

"We've targeted four or five guys we like and were hoping we can get one of these guys," Dumars told Pistons.com. "Whoever we get, we think, is going to upgrade our talent base."

Question: what is the point of giving a kid a promise that they'll draft him if he's available? It seems like terrible business.

Amongst other rationale (which someone smarter or more interested than I am can explain) it can prevent the player from working out for teams picking after you and possibly getting hurt. Which is why Mullens working out for Chicago (16) and Philly (17) throws a lot of doubt on this "promise".

Also, you promise him before the pull-out date to convince him to stay in.

I understand the reasoning now... but it still seems stupid (except Hermy's scenario). If a different player drops, don't miss out on him because you gave a promise to a gumpy white kid with zero skill.

Or make a promise and then trade the pick.

Something tells me that I'm going to hate Rubio. He reminds me of Ginobili for some reason.

I hate all those foreign fucks.

They just don't seem to have that old fashioned attitude I like.

I wanna see guys like Maxiell smash these little punks, but those days are long gone.

And that pisses me off.

The first time Blair plays Rubio he should just smack the kid.

Once he knocked him on his ass Blair could stand over him and say:

"Fuck you, you little cunt! You make more money than me and you're a fucking pussy"

Then let's see what Rubio would do.

Convulse.

Likely - and if he got drafted by Sacramento you know none of those bitches would step up to Blair.

Damn I wish Maxiell would just fucking smash dudes. That can be his role!

For 10 or 15 minutes (or however long it takes to foul out) his job should be to smash whoever the fuck is stupid enough to attempt to dunk on our homecourt.

We're still the Detroit Pistons - not the fucking Fairy Queens. Fuck David Stern and this sanitised shit. Every team needs a guy that smacks people. Max can be our guy (but fuck paying him $5 mil per for that)

For MoTown

James (Plano, Texas): Is it true the Pistons have promised B.J. Mullens they will draft him at 15? I personally feel Earl Clark is better.

Langlois: The Pistons have consistently denied making promises to players. It’s not a wise policy in most instances, and especially not in a draft with as much uncertainty as this one. What if a player they clearly rate higher than Mullens unexpectedly falls to 15, as could happen with this draft? As for Clark, there’s reason to believe Phoenix has pretty strong interest in him at 14, though he could still be on the board at 15 and would draw strong consideration from the Pistons, as well.

FYI: I am Keith Langlois.

Langlois mock draft: http://www.nba.com/pistons/news/mockdraft_090624.html?rss=true


Detroit – If the draft falls this way through 14, the Pistons probably will focus on a group of big men that includes Johnson, Clark, Austin Daye and perhaps B.J. Mullens. Johnson would be most ready to play from day one next season, but he could be a tweener. Daye, at 6-foot-11 and 193, has enormous upside – but might be too frail to help anytime soon. That’s why we’ll lean to Louisville’s Earl Clark, who has All-Star tools if he answers questions about his fire.

6-11, 193??? I knew he was skinny, but that's insane. He'll make Rookie Tayshaun look like David Robinson.

I hate all those foreign fucks.




You're a foreign fuck, foreign fuck.

Yippee:


The Portland Trail Blazers (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=por) acquired the 22nd pick in Thursday's NBA draft from the Dallas Mavericks (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=dal) in exchange for the 24th and 56th picks in this year's draft, and worst of their second round picks in 2010.
The trade has been agreed to in principle by the two teams. It should be finalized by the league office later today.
Why would the Blazers move up two spots in the draft? The word around the league was the Kings had zeroed in on Omri Casspi with the 23rd pick. Casspi could be a good pick for the Blazers to either keep or to bring over this year to provide more toughness in the front court.
Another potential target for the Blazers could be Florida (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/clubhouse?teamId=57)'s Nick Calathes (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36380), Pittsburgh (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/clubhouse?teamId=221)'s DeJuan Blair (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=36578), Georgetown (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/clubhouse?teamId=46)'s DeJuan Summers or VCU (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/clubhouse?teamId=2670)'s Eric Maynor (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=27371).
For the Mavericks, they pick up a couple of extra picks to move two spots in the draft.

They have a players mock out there, I found this interesting:


3. Thunder/Russell Westbrook select ...

James Harden (http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&playerId=19221), SG, Arizona State

"He can handle, shoot and he's athletic. And he was in a good system at Arizona State," says guard Russell Westbrook, who likes the makeup of the 6'5" Harden. But don't get Westbrook started on sliding to the 2 so Oklahoma City can tap Spanish star Ricky Rubio (http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&playerId=19272). Says he: "You trippin'."

15. Pistons/Will Bynum (http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&playerId=18815) select ...

Omri Casspi (http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/player?draftyear=2009&playerId=19144), SF, Maccabi Tel Aviv

"He's not going to back down from anybody," says guard Will Bynum. "Plus, he doesn't mind doing the little things on the court it takes to win. Those are traits we're known for in Detroit, so he's a good fit. And he can shoot, handle it and pass. What more could you want?"
Doug Says: "Casspi plays hard and is everything heart-wise that Darko was not."

Bynum has a really good observation there.

i think #15 is a bit high for him.....but not if guys like clark and williams are already gone. i wish he would fall to us in round 2 but there's no way he makes it past the early 20s.

and if we go strictly by BPA then there will almost certainly be a guy like teague or blair at #15 who IMO are better prospects. and more nba ready too.

can't wait to see how the board unfolds in front of us. this is a bad draft overall but there WILL be a couple of good players for us to pick from at #15. interested to see which direction we go...

I'd love Blair, Budinger, Hansbrough or Clark.

I'd be okay with Mullins, Lawson, Henderson or Cassapi.

I'd hate Maynor, Holiday or Teague.

I reckon that Bynum played with Casspi and is giving the nod to a pal.

I don't think he'd want a teammate that couldn't play.

Casspi is a legit #15 pick in this draft, as are a dozen other players.

i'll vomit if we take hansbrough in round one. if we take him at #15 i might throw myself into oncoming traffic.

and no way i'd want lawson over teague...or about 4 or 5 other PGs.

but beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

I'll take the guy that's met every challenge and beaten it.

You do not do what Hansborough did without being an NBA-quality player.

He'll be gone before any of the others I listed though, so its a long shot.

Hermy, you are correct.

But from my POV most of you are foreign...

I'm not too concerned with how the Draft unfolds.

The closer it gets the more obvious it is that there will be many, many players on the board that could fill a role for us.

I'm expecting us to draft at least 1 European dude in the second round, but from looking at mocks our highest second rounder could net us a player worth keeping too.

It's kinda funny how everyone says this Draft is shit, yet as the day gets closer more and more prospects "appear"

Any chance that Johnny Flynn falls to 15?



Any?

I could see it happening. But I'm not sure Flynn would be the guy that I draft if he's available. I wouldn't be upset if they did draft him, however.

Sacramento has reportedly offered Detroit the #23 and #31 picks in exchange for the #15. The Kings may target DeJuan Blair (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/DeJuan-Blair-5049/) at 15 if he’s available, while the Pistons like Toney Douglas (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Toney-Douglas-1231/) and possibly DaJuan Summers (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/DaJuan-Summers-1198/).

according to DX

not a good deal. We already have 4 picks, we don't need 5.

Yeah, that goes counter to everything that makes sense.

Why would Joe give up some of his precious cap room for that?

I can see trading #15 for two future firsts or even a future first and a second, though.

Maybe even selling it outright for cash.

to be fair, the #31 pick is a 2nd rounder, and therefore doesnt have a cap hold.

I think that given our need for talent now, Joe doesn't deal out of the first round, either. I think he'd probably want to deal #15 and a couple 2nd rounders to move up a spot or three, but that's it.

Sacramento has reportedly offered Detroit the #23 and #31 picks in exchange for the #15. The Kings may target DeJuan Blair (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/DeJuan-Blair-5049/) at 15 if he’s available, while the Pistons like Toney Douglas (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Toney-Douglas-1231/) and possibly DaJuan Summers (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/DaJuan-Summers-1198/).

according to DX

Why on earth do the Pistons trade -down- to get an extra second rounder? We already have enough of them this year as it is.

to be fair, the #31 pick is a 2nd rounder, and therefore doesnt have a cap hold.


Oops, that was a mistake on my part.

Thanks for the correction.

I don't think he'd want a teammate that couldn't play.

Casspi is a legit #15 pick in this draft, as are a dozen other players.

I didn't say he wasn't. I just think that Bynum's choice was based on him knowing Casspi much more than the others.

It looks like the Knicks just bought the Lakers pick (29th).

So who is Stephen Curry going to guard?

who is going to guard him?

What time is this shit?

I don't know, I'm not watching?

Predict the pick at #15

Maybe do it like this:

Prediction: BJ Mullens

If you think it will be traded, say so.

That's my prediction, btw.

Picking BEFORE the draft would probably be preferred.

Anyone think we'll trade a couple of our 2nds for a mid-late first? I could see our 2 higher 2nds being moved for a low-20's pick. If they actually wan't Casspri, that could be a place to grab him.

I could see Mullins. Could be SF, but it depends on how much dealing he thinks he'll do.

How much different is the cap hold on pick 11 and 15? If the Nets are trying to shed a bit more salary, there's a move for them. 15 and our late 2nd for 11.

the cap hold on any pick is not that much, unless you're drafting top-5.

In my book, this year's draft is already better than the past few. (action-wise)

Hell, it's better than the last three trade deadlines combined.

Yes, this has been fun.

I was listening to the Denver GM on the radio yesterday. They asked him about it being a bad draft. He said all that matters is he gets his pick right. There could be 25 busts in the first round, but if he gets a good player it's a good draft.

It's really just wide open. The steals won't be known for a couple years really.

it'll be clark or johnson IMO. and if i have to choose i say clark wins out. can't wait to see who is on the board though so i can decide whether he would be the best pick or not.

i want Clark, no one else!

1a Earl Clark
1b James Johnson
1c BJ Mullens

Clark, but I'm scared it could be Mullens.

Also, I'm hoping Joe swings for the fences and gets Bosh tonight. I'm sure you're all hoping so, as well.

in a crapshoot draft like this, it isn't that big of a deal to take a risk on a potential 7-footer.

1st free agent signings, then trades, otherwise we could lose some of our precious cap space!

We've made the risks of drafting a 1st round pick almost zero. If #15 is a bust this year, he's an expiring with favorable contract terms in a trade next year.

I either want a high potential player or a player ready to play now. No guys that need to be groomed just to be backups.

here's a wild card, on the potential side: Brandon Jennings.

His stock is so low right now that his own agent is pulling him out of the selection show. He could fall to the Pistons at #15.

Now, I've never been a fan of Jennings or Mullins, but that was when they were considered top-5 picks. At #15, all bets are off.

It might allow Bynum to be included in a big man trade.

I'm fine with taking a flier on Mullins. There is such a high potential for busts this year might as well take the risk on a big man.

I wouldn't be surprised if at all if we took Jennings.

well, it was a given that he was a top-10 pick before today. His agent apparently no longer thinks so.

Mullins I think is best-case (%5 chance) Alonzo Mourning. Worst-case (%95 chance), he's darko.

Jennings is a little safer. %25 chance he's Kenny Anderson, %75 chance he's Sebastian Telfair.

Supposedly the Bucks are high on Jennings.

Mullins scouting report is pretty similar to what Andrew Bynum's was (strengths and weaknesses).

Mullins is leaner, more athletic.

His skill set is very similar to Zo, but He's got a gaping hole in his chest where his heart should be.

Mullins should be the 2nd or 3rd guy taken in this draft. That he could slide to #15 says all you need to know about his drive to succeed.

he's a softer version of kaman IMO. in the right situation he could be a real good one. but he looks disinterested at times which is a huge concern, like you say.

very talented though and tons of potential.

Am I the only one that thinks Blake Griffin looks like the dude from Remember The Titans?

According to Stephen Curry, D'antoni values defense.

I'm bored, maybe I should get drunk to make this more fun...

Sacramento drafts penny hardaway part 2 to play PG. Some people never learn.

Rubio fell to #5. Minnesota just committed grand larceny.

Foye and Mike Miller for Rubio.

Rubio fell to #5. Minnesota just committed grand larceny.

Foye and Mike Miller for Rubio.

Even if he's just Jason Willaims, that's a fine pick in this draft.

I think he's the best passer they've ever had just by stepping foot on the floor.

Johnny Flynn...WTF?

Did Minnesota just draft TWO point guards at #5 and #6?

hardaway was a damn good player for a time there.

flynn and rubio together? i love flynn. but this combo makes no sense IMO. there has to be a deal coming. right?

it's not like either one is capable of locking down 2 guards either, if they decide to go small.

One of them going to New York for a S/T with David Lee?

he was a damn good SG. At PG he was a liability.

and yeah, this has gotta be a trade.

HA-HA! knicks don't get curry!

knicks could offer the #29 and whoever they take back to GS for curry...?

nah- i think the warriors like his shooting too much for their run-and gun. guys like him are not easy to find and i think they'll keep him.

PGs are the theme, as we all expected. at least 5 more go before the round is done IMO.

You wonder if Curry is going to phoenix in the amare trade...

aha! didn't even think of that. that would make a lot of sense. actually that was the proposal, wasn't it?

wright
biedrins
belinelli
#7

this night could have a couple more big trades left yet! hopefully we can make one......?

whoever they pick, knicks fans will HATE this pick

jordan hill to NYC. and the boos rain down!

good player but.....

mikki moore part II.....?

Derozan is either vince carter or harold miner. I haven't figured him out yet.

shocked evans is still there. i'd take him in a heartbeat. but no way he falls another 5 picks.

Derozan is either vince carter or harold miner. I haven't figured him out yet.

my thoughts exactly.

bucks take.....? i would guess teague or evans. possibly holliday.

shocked evans is still there. i'd take him in a heartbeat. but no way he falls another 5 picks.


...the hell? He went #4 to Sacramento.

jennings. kevin johnson part II. love this kid and with time i think he'll be one of the top guys from this class.

LMAO- i stepped out for a little while and missed that. my bad. no wonder it didn't seem to make sense.

hey- it's been a long day at the office. clearly...

Maybe we're going to get Clark.

oh OK then that makes sense. yeah i'm not sure he's a PG. i think evans would be best utilized as a SG who handles sometimes. not a fulltime PG.

nets take terrance williams. bank on it.

i told you the bucks would draft a PG.

It's surreal to me that Lawrence Frank is still the coach in NJ.

called it. i love this kid and hate to see him go to NJ. stud athlete, hard worker, good defender, good range. versatile.

damn. would've been nice if he slipped to us.

the draft is tonight? WTF?

No one ever tells me shit.

James Johnson and Earl Clark are both still on the board with 4 picks left...

If either one is there at #15, we got ourselves a steal.

Worst-case, I think we get Mullins, and that will be ok.

I thought this was a mock thingy

why is ESPN's draft tracker still listing mcdyess and rasheed as potential starters for us?

outside chance we get dice back in there. but sheed? grow a brain. that ain't happening. he'll sign in cleveland. or somewhere other than motown.

James Johnson and Earl Clark are both still on the board with 4 picks left...

If either one is there at #15, we got ourselves a steal.

Worst-case, I think we get Mullins, and that will be ok.


agreed. i REALLY hope it's not daye though. the kid is very talented but to me he's got bust written all over him. i want nothing to do with him. hopefully somebody ahead of us takes him....suns maybe?

I'd take Blair, but I haven't followed this at all.

I was wondering about that same thing, HW. First time it popped up, I noticed McDyess and got confused. I didn't even notice Sheed was still on there. How much worse would that look if it said Maxiell and Brown?! UGH

We know you'd take Blair, you Pitt fan. :)

He makes Thabeet pee on himself.

i'd be VERY happy with either clark or johnson. johnson was my guy i wanted for a long time. but clark is a really good versatile talent too.

i love blair too and he'd be a great pick IMO. ditto for teague although he'd have to be a BPA situation which is very possible.

but obviously PG is not as great a need as other positions. i could get on board with it for sure, assuming we make other moves in the trade market too.

Well, Indiana with Granger at SF is a safe choice not to take Clark or Johnson, so that leaves charlotte and phoenix as obstacles.

HOLY SHIT JORDAN FUCKED UP AGAIN

oh man...we're going to get Clark or James Johnson. Please Joe or once take advantage of someone else's draft day stupidity.

blair is a beast. the knees are a question. but he can come in from day 1 and be a great rebounder and defender and solid post presence. even if he flames out in 4 or 5 years.....he will have been a good value for the amount you'd have to pay him with the #15 pick. a couple million a season at most....?

BARGAIN! blair could definitely work, but i think it'll be clark or johnson.

I don't question Blair's game. I question his health.

If he were healthy, he'd have been a top-10 pick.

bobcats just drafted trajon langdon part II. not as good a shooter though.....

come on Indy...we know you dont need a SF. Take Lawson.

bobcats just drafted trajon langdon part II. not as good a shooter though.....


Huh?


In what universe is a guy with all hops and no shot compared to Trajan Langdon?

He's much more like Donhtay Jones. You don;t even need to change the schools.

Charlotte out of the way. We'll have the option of one of the two. I would think Phoenix would take one of them since Hill is getting older and Barnes being a FA. They could go for a PG with Nash getting old, even though they have Barbosa.

I don't question Blair's game. I question his health.

yeah but he's played with his knees like this for a few years and never missed a game. over an 82 game season it could be an issue. but the docs seem to be relatively OK on it for now. after a few years? maybe a different story.

but dice's knees are pretty much nothing and he's worked his butt back into a damn good player. so i think he could hold up for a few years at least.

it's a big gamble but, in theory, it could make sense. a short career would still make him a good pick. unless of course he missed time in those early years too.

who knows...

Except Dice fucked up his knees late in his career. He didnt get drafted with them.

come on, Indy. Lawson...lawson...


...or Hansborough, that works too!

Huh?


In what universe is a guy with all hops and no shot compared to Trajan Langdon?

He's much more like Donthay Jones. You don;t even need to change the schools.

yeah true- but i was thinking of a dukies BUST who was drafted at that spot. i think jones is at least a serviceable player. a much better comparison as far as abilities, yes. but i think henderson is a guy who will be out of the league in 3-5 years.

lollerskates

Except Dice fucked up his knees late in his career. He didnt get drafted with them.

true. i wish it wasn't an issue for blair cause he's be a cinch pick. well, actually he'd go much higher so he woudln't even be there for us.

but i love the kid.

Wow....

lol @ the "overrated" chants.

damn, Joe lucked out.

lol- hansbrough is a tool. however he'll be the new jeff foster for the pacers and probably outhustle all our bigs.

Hansbrough will be a quality player. He;s perfect for Indiana's system, too.

He plays his best in a fast tempo, and indy runs as fast as any.

phoenix throws a curve and takes either teague or mullens. watch.

Yeah, he won't be a star in the league, but he's going to be a solid hustle player off the bench. Doesn't make it a bad pick at all.

http://www.wtfdetroit.com/forums/showpost.php?p=258544&postcount=1

I think we would take Johnson over Clark, but it would be awesome to have the choice.

I don't think they'll take Mullins at all. They're an athetic team and trying to put a big slow guy in the middle didn't work for them at all. Why do they draft another guy like that? Especially when they're trying to trade for Biedrins.

suns will pick then they'll go to a damn commercial, giving our pick little attention.

ahhhh

WOW, Phoenix took the lesser SF!

Joe. If you don't take James Johnson, I'll hate you.

clark goes to the suns. makes good sense. i was wrong.

i'd take johnson or teague. possibly mullens.

Wow, Earl Clark.... Didn't see that coming.



AND OUT FROM THE SHADOWS........BRAAANNDDDOOOOOOOON JEEENNNNNNNNNIINNNNGSSSSS

Show up on time or don't show up, asshat.

why take clark when we have sharpe who has the same skills?

James. Johnson. PLEASE!

So true HW, so true!

That's an ugly ass green, BTW.

love johnson. would love him here. something tells me it won't be him though. seems too easy.

I could see them playing some PF for them in their smallball style. He's got the height and the athleticism.

Watch, it'll be Lawson or something stupid.

we'll probably piss everyone off and take holliday (who i actually like and think he could be a top 5 player) or daye.

wow these kids look younger and younger every year.

suns will pick then they'll go to a damn commercial, giving our pick little attention.
Nice call. Why give us a shot at hearing about what our team needs and what we should do this offseason? Ehhhhh

if it is daye, we have to trade prince. and get the kid a personal trainer and CHEF, to put some weight on that frame. he's very talented but as i said before, he scares the hell out of me. if you can't emerge at gonzaga, how the hell will you fare against bigger stronger professionals?

please be johnson....or even teague!

Holiday wouldn't surprise me at all. Joe had him in for a workout early and made some nice comments about him.

please not daye. Anyone but Daye.

Nice call. Why give us a shot at hearing about what our team needs and what we should do this offseason? Ehhhhh

i swear ESPN times it that way every year. it always seems to happen to us. i know they need a break, but why does it always seem like its for our pick?

Johnson and Daye are not even in the top 5 left available.