Really, this could range anywhere from #1 to maybe even #7 or 8 before the salary would be low enough that they wouldn't want to trade the pick, but if we were to trade for Washington's pick, who would you be looking at?

How do you rank the top 3 (Griffin, Rubio, Thabeet)?

What about when those 3 are off the board, how do you start ranking guys? Who are you interested in?

After that article in the Washington paper saying they'd most likely trade a high pick, I thought it would be worth discussing.

This is entirely based on some scouting reports and random readings and I hold out the right to change this as I read more.

#1 is a toss up between Rubio and Griffin, mostly because I have a thing for pass-first point guards, plus he's got solid size and he's only 18 years old. Plus, supposedly the kid is a leader, which we drastically need. He just needs to put in some work on that jumper and he'll be a dominant PG in the NBA. IMHO, that's the most important piece.

It would be extremely hard to take Rubio over him Griffin, though. I went back and forth on it a few times before finally just saying they're even. I'd compare it to last year's draft with the PF and PG where the PG ended up being the much better choice, but Griffin has never had his motor questioned and that's actually looked at as a strength, whereas that is part of why Beasley didn't go #1 to the Bulls. I'd be fine with either if we had the choice. We'd have a dominant post presence or a dominant PG, although Griffin is most likely the best choice. Again, its probably just my love for the pure PG.

Now is the tricky part because I don't know much about these guys. Joe should look more and skills than potential because we haven't had a great track record of developing guys and Curry's not the guy that's turning that around for us, obviously.

Thabeet is the favorite #3 by most accounts because he's just got so much raw potential (which scares me a bit), size, and he busts his butt on the defensive end. His offense needs to develop a lot before he becomes more than just Sammy Dalembert v.2 . He's nowhere near the first 2. He could be a huge bust, but passing on him could be a huge mistake as well. Its just the idea of us trying to develop a raw player again that scares me away.

I like Hill a little more than Harden but they're also pretty much even, although we'd probably be trading Rip to get that pick so we'd have a hole at SG AND PF. If we resign McDyess, he could be a great mentor for Hill, whereas we'd have no one mentoring Harden and Stuckey would be our most experienced backcourt player, including backups. It sounds like he's got a fantastic work ethic, though, which could rub off on teammates (Stuckey). Another tough call that will get sorted out when the draft gets closer.

After that, I don't know if it'd be worth trading for the pick unless we're giving up much less than Rip, like some combination of Max/Amir/AA/#15/2nd rounders. If we included a player we'd have to take something back with the pick since its a money-saving move. Maybe they'd do #15 and our 2nd for their pick if its out of the top 5.

DeRozan sounds too much like a guy without a motor that still needs a ton of work. If we were the Pistons of '04, with a veteran team that could push him and a great coach that could mold him, I'd say we could give it a shot. But with this Pistons team and coach? No way. With a different coaching staff and a veteran presence/leader on the team, maybe. I just don't like anything I've read about his drive to succeed.

Jennings is a similar (read: HUGE) project but it doesn't sound like he takes plays off or lacks a work ethic. He just needs a ton of work. Sounds similar to Rondo when he came into the league as a guy that had a ton of upside but was a huge project. Once he got in the right environment, he flourished. Could we provide that environment? Right now I say no. With a different coaching staff and a veteran presence/leader on the team, like a veteran PG that he'd play behind for a year, he'd be worth it.

Beyond that, its all guys I haven't even heard of so I'll let other people share opinions of them.

Hard to say without knowing what our roster will be like. What are you trading for that pick? Makes a big difference if Stuckey/RIP/Tay are here vs not.

I'm assuming Rip will be moved for the pick in some sort of package. That article said they wanted to stick to the core of Arenas, Butler, Jameson and Prince doesn't seem to fit that to me. They've already got Butler at the 3, which one would move to the 2?


For reference, Washington Post:

[T]wo things have become very clear. One is that Wizards management is completely committed to the Gilbert Arenas/Caron Butler/Antawn Jamison trio; otherwise, Jamison would have been traded to Cleveland and Arenas would have not been re-signed. The other is that the Big Three need another borderline all-star type of player to get this team to be a championship contender
...
One hypothetical trade I particularly like is swapping the fourth pick, Mike James' expiring contract and Nick Young for Hamilton/Prince and the 15th pick. Detroit could then draft Harden to replace Rip, for example, and the Wizards could upgrade their wing by adding an ace catch-and-shoot player like Hamilton or a premier perimeter defender like Prince.





I also read something suggesting that Joe may have given Curry a mandate to make them an uptempo team, which would make a guy like Rubio much more appealing. It also said more on the Pistons-GSW trade idea, saying they could send Prince and Amir for Biedrins and a pick. Golden State's sitting at #7 right now, so they could be anywhere in the middle of the lottery.

It also said more on the Pistons-GSW trade idea, saying they could send
Prince and Amir for Biedrins and a pick. Golden State's sitting at #7 right now, so they could be anywhere in the middle of the lottery.

Wha-wait...is that a legit rumor? I pulled that out of my ass the other day.

Link?

Second to last paragraph in his article. (http://blog.mlive.com/fullcourtpress/2009/04/can_joe_dumars_rebuild_the_det.html)

I really don't know that they'd give him up though. He's young (23 a month ago), a very solid big man, the only C on their roster, and a team captain (according to their website). They have a plethora of forwards - Anthony Randolph, Brandon Wright, Stephen Jackson, Corey Maggette.... I think Prince is better than those guys, but you have to find playing time for them, and who starts in the middle. Even if it is Nellie-ball you have to have a big guy.

Nelson hates him (and Crawford), apparently.

I had heard that rumor before, a year or so ago, actually. I forgot all about it. Maybe that's the tipping point that gets them to trade him. I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest to see Jackson, Maggette and Prince all starting with the kind of stuff Nellie pulls.

So if you assume the trade is RIP for the pick and big man filler, then I might take Rubio with that pick. I think Griffen will be a solid player too, but I think Rubio has a higher ceiling. I also think he'd be a great complement to Stuckey in the backcourt. I'd assume we got Haywood or someone up front. So we'd hopefully go after Bosh/Amare or sign Lee/Boozer as plan B.

Griffen to me is a safe 20 and 10 player (like Boozer), but I'm not sure he can put a team on his back and carry them to a title like Rubio might be able to do. I also think there are other options like Griffen (Boozer, maybe Bosh), but no alternatives to a floor leader like Rubio out there.

theres no point in trading up in a weak draft, when those guys who will be available after Griffin, Rubio wouldn't even make the lottery in other years...

if Griffin really is a sure 20&10 player you take him over Rubio 10 times out of 10 times...when was the last time a great PG won a title? ( Chauncey doesn't count ;) ) ... in my opinion Rubio lacks the athletism to be a modern type NBA PG, he will struggle on the defensiv end and gambles for steals quit a lot...but i am a fan no doubt, seen some of his games, what he does on the offensiv end is remarkable

I read somewhere (I've done a lot of reading today, my entire team is out on vacation or at conferences at work today and its been slow) that if they got the #1, they may keep it and take Griffin to pair with Jameson and eventually replace him, or if its #2, they'll see if the #1 team takes Rubio before trading. If they're looking at Rubio, they'll trade it because they already have Arenas and they wouldn't work together.

Arenas
Young?
Butler
Jameson
Griffin

That looks pretty solid

Here's to hoping they don't get a shot at Griffin and we can take the pick/Rubio off their hands.

Assuming we trade Rip for the #2 and Haywood (helping their cap and getting us a big), we'd have:

Rubio/Bynum
Stuckey/AA
Tay/#15
Max/Amir
Haywood/Kwame

That's with what's on our roster now, so no assumption of Dyess. Hopefully they won't ask for the #15 in return, although we could counter with a high second rounder or something similar. I don't think that trade would work though without them throwing in more than Haywood. We'd have to take back someone else to make salaries match. The article said something about Nick Young but I feel like they wouldn't want to trade him, since he's got some upside and had a good year for them. Is he strictly SG or is he SG/SF and a potential Tay backup/replacement. Mike James's expiring deal if he exercises his option? Etan Thomas's expiring (could be traded later)?

We'd still have cap space to go after FAs or more trades.

if Griffin really is a sure 20&10 player you take him over Rubio 10 times out of 10 times...when was the last time a great PG won a title? ( Chauncey doesn't count ;) ) ... in my opinion Rubio lacks the athletism to be a modern type NBA PG, he will struggle on the defensiv end and gambles for steals quit a lot...but i am a fan no doubt, seen some of his games, what he does on the offensiv end is remarkable
He fits if Joe really told Curry he wanted a more high tempo team. That's for sure.

Griffin has the drive and commitment you want. Though he will probably die from diving head first into the media desk and electrocuting himself.

So there is that to consider. Also, I think he would make Amir cry and quite the team freeing up more salary for us next season.

i've read somewhere that Stuckey still will be the starting PG next season...but if you could get Rubio you have to do it ofc...getting a stud rook(locked up for rookie salary the next 4 years + moving RIP would be ideal, but its probably a pipe dream, and i would not do it for guys like Thabeet or Hill

if Griffin really is a sure 20&10 player you take him over Rubio 10 times out of 10 times...when was the last time a great PG won a title? ( Chauncey doesn't count ;) ) ... in my opinion Rubio lacks the athletism to be a modern type NBA PG, he will struggle on the defensiv end and gambles for steals quit a lot...but i am a fan no doubt, seen some of his games, what he does on the offensiv end is remarkable

I said the only reason I might pass on Griffin is because you can get Boozer or Bosh or Amare possibly.

If none of those are an option, Griffin is a no brainer (because we'd have nothing down low).

As far as a good PG winning I think you have to count Billups, Wade, Parker. They didn't win on their own (Wade and Parker has post players), so I agree without Boozer/Bosh/Amare the PG isn't going to win shit here.