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Detroit Pistons pick: 2nd Round #60 overall
Detroit Piston's Draft History (http://insider.espn.go.com/nbadraft/draft/tracker/team?team=det&draftyear=2006)

Links:
http://www.nba.com/draft2006
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2006/index
http://www.nbadraft.net (http://www.nbadraft.net/)


WTFDetroit Draft related topics:
"Who do we draft at #60?" (http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6136)
"Draft Day is coming" (http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6266)

Chatroom open for draft discussion:
http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/chat/flashchat.php

The Pistons have been generally pleased with the depth of this draft, if not its star potential. They worked out 24 players. Among the standouts were Nik Caner-Medley (6-foot-8 forward from Maryland), Denham Brown (6-6 swing player from Connecticut), Viktor Keirou (6-6 shooting guard from Russia), Nick George (6-6 forward from Virginia Commonwealth) and Tarence Kinsey (6-6 shooting guard from South Carolina).
Others the Pistons looked at included: C.J. Watson, 6-2 guard from Tennessee; DeAndre Haynes, 6-2 guard from Detroit Southwestern who was the Mid-American Conference player of the year for Kent State; J.R. Pinnock, 6-5 swing player from George Washington; Yotam Halperin, 6-5 guard from Slovenia; Jeff Horner, 6-3 guard from Iowa; Brendan Winters, 6-5 guard from Davidson; Vincent Grier, 6-5 guard from Minnesota; Justin Williams, 6-10 forward from Wyoming; Kenny Adeleke, 6-8 forward from Hartford; Louis Amundson, 6-9 forward from UNLV; Wojciech Barycz, 6-10 forward from Poland; Jose Juan Barea, 6-0 guard from Northeastern; Daniel Horton, 6-4 guard from Michigan; Mustafa Shakur, 6-3 guard from Arizona; Dwayne Mitchell; 6-5 forward from Lousiana-Lafayette; Will Blalock, 6-0 guard from Iowa State; and Kyrylo Fesenko, 7-0 center from the Ukraine.


http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060628/SPORTS0102/606280379/1127

Perhaps the greatest day of the year, and one day will be a national holiday if all goes well (more to that statement than meets the eye) , however last year was a big disappointment imo. I am hoping that some of the rumblings about Portland and a few other teams picking late will trade their picks and Detroit gets in on it. As much as people are saying this is a down year, I think this is a role player draft and considering we only have 6 or 7 guys who have roles it would be nice to get a contributor.

I have a gut feeling that Joe wants Daniel Horton, he may have to move up to get him however, as I have heard rumblings that the Spurs like him too.

Perhaps the greatest day of the year, and one day will be a national holiday if all goes well (more to that statement than meets the eye) , however last year was a big disappointment imo. I am hoping that some of the rumblings about Portland and a few other teams picking late will trade their picks and Detroit gets in on it. As much as people are saying this is a down year, I think this is a role player draft and considering we only have 6 or 7 guys who have roles it would be nice to get a contributor.

YES!!!
http://abou.heliologue.com/uploads/52in52/transformersug.jpg

but seriously, i do hope the Pistons make some kind of move to make things more exciting for us fans. [smilie=running.gif]

Next year at this time the movie will be released. I think Detroit will be aggressive tonight I would bet almost anything they move up.

Next year at this time the movie will be released. I think Detroit will be aggressive tonight I would bet almost anything they move up.
maybe not move up that much, but more or less try to get multiple picks.

*Prays Joe D gets us a draft pick for Mo Evans*

I want some excitment dammit.

*Prays Joe D gets us a draft pick for Mo Evans*

I want some excitment dammit.

i'd rate our off-season an A+ if we pulled off a pick for Mo Evans [smilie=rofl.gif]

*Prays Joe D gets us a draft pick for Mo Evans*

I want some excitment dammit.

i'd rate our off-season an A+ if we pulled off a pick for Mo Evans [smilie=rofl.gif]


I don't think it is far fetched, this a role player draft teams at the end of the first need guys who can step in now. Like it or not Mo is less of a gamble for a team like LA, PHX, NY, Cle, Por or Mem than drafting a guy who may or may not be accepting of a role playing spot.

That is not to say Detroit has room to have anymore mistakes but for Us Mo does not fit we need Delfino to get PT so this is a win win if we deal him.

*Prays Joe D gets us a draft pick for Mo Evans*

I want some excitment dammit.
i'd rate our off-season an A+ if we pulled off a pick for Mo Evans [smilie=rofl.gif]

I don't think it is far fetched, this a role player draft teams at the end of the first need guys who can step in now. Like it or not Mo is less of a gamble for a team like LA, PHX, NY, Cle, Por or Mem than drafting a guy who may or may not be accepting of a role playing spot.

That is not to say Detroit has room to have anymore mistakes but for Us Mo does not fit we need Delfino to get PT so this is a win win if we deal him.

that's exactly how i feel. of course i exaggerate w/ the "A+" comment, but i'd be real happy if we pulled off that deal.

not sure if it's already been reported, but espn was reporting that Sheldon Williams at #5 to the Hawks is a lock.

Greg Anthony on Randy Foye, "Think of Chauncey Billups with more athletic ability."

Evans to the Lakers for Von Wafer and their pick works once that pick is made (it has no salary before the draft so the deal doesn't work)

We'd take ANYONE and be very fucking happy about it.

Anyone thought about what we could have done with Orlando's pick this year if the terms of the trade were different?

Some good players should be available at 11.

Greg Anthony on Randy Foye, "Think of Chauncey Billups with more athletic ability."

Was just about to say that. I can watch the NBA draft preview! YES SIR!

ESPNS mock draft coming.

1. Bargani(sp) or Foye or morrision. Anthony says Gay. Bucher says Roy

not sure if it's already been reported, but espn was reporting that Sheldon Williams at #5 to the Hawks is a lock.


Wasted pick IMO. Last year Williams was a mid second according most experts. He did nothing IMO to warrant lottery consideration. If I am Atlanta and want a C I trade down go after O'Bryant, Armstrong or Saer Sene, but I can't pass on Foye or Roy at 6 if they are there.

Sheldon Williams is as good as he ever will be, he is this year's Sean May. A solid player but not worthy of the draft hype.

Atlanta doesnt give a shit about building their team properly. they just holding out for the next dwayne wade slasher to get them a chance to win on ref love alone.

pistons arent moving up, and whoever we grab is going to be insignificant next year. no one is trading for mo evans, especially not with a pick.

i think this draft class is pretty underrated. i see some pretty unique talent in it. though, im glad we dont have the orl pick this year, cuz i think this draft is 10 deep, and dont expect anyone i want to be there at 11.

the real question is, who will be flashiest dressed? my money is on tyrus.

man, what i wouldn't give to just sit in Joe D's office and listen in on the wheelings and dealing of draft day :)

how about a little chat?
according to Buchler Bargnani to the Raps, Morrison to the Bobcats!

Question if you are a GM when do you draft Reddick? His back is bad I guess, he chokes, his game is one dimensonal and had off court issues so what is too soon?

Chat is open...

Chat is open...

yeah, guys....sorry about the late info, but the chatroom is open for anyone who wants to chat during the draft:

http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/chat/flashchat.php

wheres rodney carney? he was top 5 in the mocks all year, ranked #2 in athleticism at the combine, and now he's going to fall out of the lottery. there are some stupid gm's out there. im not a huge fan of his, but dude can play. watch him fall to the pacers. i cant stand when they get steals in the draft.

oh yea, pick of the draft was houston getting gay. they'd be fools to trad him. he's the perfect tandem with mcgrady. he couldnt have picked a better team to land on. only having to be the 3rd option on offense will be huge. a lot of people had houston breaking out last year. well, provided they stay healthy, i gotta believe theyre contenders this year.

oh yea, pick of the draft was houston getting gay. they'd be fools to trad him. he's the perfect tandem with mcgrady. he couldnt have picked a better team to land on. only having to be the 3rd option on offense will be huge. a lot of people had houston breaking out last year. well, provided they stay healthy, i gotta believe theyre contenders this year.

Gay's expected to be traded to the Grizzlies for Battier

and i'd be uber pissed if i were a seatle fan. the team is apparently out of money, and was rumored to be selling their draft picks. they took this guy cuz they dont want to have to sign a draft pick this year. the nba should take over this franchise, ala MLB taking over the nationals. this is embarrasing for the nba.

david stern and dan patrick going at it....classic.

i guess trading for battier would be ok. i'd still stick with gay though.

houston are morons for trading gay for battier. battier will help them, but gay is going to be a huge player.

chicago is going to be scarey good pretty soon folks. hate to say it, but they're shooting past us in the talent department. once they gel together and mature a bit more....watch out. :(

chicago still has some work to do this summer before theyre better than the pistons. just as i type this, they take rodney carney. yikes. if they take ben from us, they could still make a 2-1 3-1 trade and still beat the hell out of us in hunger, intensity, depth, size, and probably talent. holy shmoley. that could be a bad ass team next year. mean as hell if they take ben.

Carney. Another Chicago G. That's some $%#@ backcourt.

indiana takes marcus williams. bank on it.

carney is not going to chicago, he's going to philly. i love carney and he's going to be an igudoula type of player. those 2 will be fun to watch playing together in philly.

anyway, chicago took carney for philly. the bulls will get the swiss dude, who is also a really great young G prospect.

i agree the bulls need someone in the middle. but still- they have a ton of talent and options.

indiana takes marcus williams. bank on it.

You got the "Williams" part right

carney is not going to chicago, he's going to philly. i love carney and he's going to be an igudoula type of player. those 2 will be fun to watch playing together in philly.

anyway, chicago took carney for philly. the bulls will get the swiss dude, who is also a really great young G prospect.

i agree the bulls need someone in the middle. but still- they have a ton of talent and options.

Just got back home. Haven't been keeping up on the switching. Thanks.

We need to get a pick. Marcus Williams and Kyle Lowry are both still on the board.

We need a PG, and both of there ones are studs.

surprising. they take yet another SF. williams is nice. potential to be REAL nice. but i thought with their frontcourt, they would look to solidify their PG with all the issues they've had with tinsley. (health, inconsistency etc)

lots of trades going up and down the board. i'd like if we could get in on the action!

wishful thinking though.

but watching some of this young talent going to these young teams just makes it even more obvious to me that we can't just 'stand pat' and expect to be able to get back where we want to be. our experience and continuity are great, but we can't rely on that too much- other teams are adding ridiculous athleticism and young talent to their squads.

IMO we will be left in the dust if we don't find ways to also add similar talent. teams will catch us up and perhaps overtake us before very long at all if we don't make some moves.

JMO

yes, that's what i said. indiana will take shawne williams. i'm just a really bad speller. :)

Way OT, but did anyone just see the trailer for "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" during the break? I was thinking the whole time, "what the hell, I don't think a movie could get any worse." Anyways, let's see what the Knicks do.

Hell, add Rondo to that list of PG's.

nevermind, then

I think Zeke thought that was Rolando Blackman in his prime. Who wants to break the news to him that it's Renaldo Balkman. Yeah, no way Zeke has a job in 10 months.

wow. isiah makes a HUGE reach. even if balkman turns out to be a sleeper, he could've been had MUCH lower. they should've taken BPA even if it meant stockpiling another PG and making a trade later.

they need to make a trade later anyway as they have too much Gs. so why reach for a player of less talent here?

anyway, better them than us.

celtics apparently now trading back into the suns spot to get rondo. puzzling since they just traded for telfair.

is another big trade coming down the road?? me thinks so.

nets have the next 2 picks. my bet- marcus williams from uconn and alex johnson from FSU. he's a sleeper. (johnson)

I'll be pissed if Cleveland ends up getting Marcus Williams

Motherfucker.

It's not like they needed a PG(well actually they did), but come on.

I guess I'm not pissed

UConn 1,2 punch. Boone will be better than projected

i was half right- they got williams. and now he has his college buddy with him. that is cool for them to be able to go to the same team.

yeah a year ago i was very high on boone. but his mental makeup seems to need a boost of confidence and some coaching.

he has very good tools but he did not develop like i thought he would this year. could still end up being a very good player if he finds out how to maximize his potential.

LOWRY! THATS JUST GREAT

"if a fight breaks out, hes the one that would be on your side"

LOWRY! THATS JUST GREAT

I wish we got him.

Great day in Memphis - Lowry and Gay.

Fuck I wanted to root for Shannon, at least it's a good situation for him.

i HATE that the cavs got shannon brown. i love this kid's game so much- stud athlete, ridiculously explosive with a developing perimeter game.

man, i HATE them getting him!

2 Spartans on the Cavs. Lol'ing at the conundrum

Ager is on the Mavs!

LOL

Zeke just got punked on national TV......

damn. my man, james 'flight' white is a goner too. :(

Paul Davis goes to the Clippers

if the cavs trade hughes--or when he gets injured--brown is going to be great for the cavs. he's a sleeper pick for ROY. talk about a perfect fit.

im not sure i agree with whoever said everyones making alot of great moves. i dont see this draft impacting next years too much (except maybe chi, cle, and hou--but houston is a reach).

i get the feeling zach randolph and darius miles could be had for a bag of potato chips. why wouldnt portland completely tank this year?

WE'RE ALMOST THERE GUYS


POPSPOPSPOPSPOPSPOPS

I hope we get poor man's Sam Perkins.

Blalock. Should have gone Washington IMO, but Blalock isn't bad. I'm just wonder what we're going to do with him for the next couple years. There clearly isn't roster space for him.

i cant believe we passed on pitsnogle. im cancelling my season tickets.

How can Isiah be so stupid? Like... I know its been said a million times and theres still time for a few million more, but passing up Marcus for someone who they couldve got, if nothing else, with their 29th pick...
Im happy Orlando got Reddick though... I had a bet with a friend on that one ;)

if one thing isiah has shown its that he can draft.

marcus williams was ok, but kid seems like an asshole that will probably be out of the league soon. the last thing the knicks need is another malcontent. he should be mocked, but not for passing on marcus williams.

Williams was suppose to be lottery!

WOW! Isiah is the biggest joke in sports. Look at what Chad Ford had to say about the Knicks' latest embarrassment.

Pick #20-Renaldo Balkman
Renaldo Balkman? He plays with great energy and is a great athlete, but he averaged fewer than 10 points per game at South Carolina. No other team would've taken him in the first round. He has no skills other than running the floor -- think of a poor man's Darius Miles. He would've been a decent second round pick -- a guy who might have made a roster. Wow.

Pick #29-Mardy Collins
Mardy Collins? He doesn't have a position, is a below average NBA athlete, and he can't shoot. And he's the Knicks' sixth combo guard. Let's just get it over with -- Isiah's getting an "F."

I love the question marks after both guys' names. LOL @ my old idol and the Knicks. You really have to question whether or not he's sabotaging the Knicks on purpose. Maybe he still bleeds Piston red, white, and blue deep down and is taking down an old rival. Let's hope so.

marcus williams is slow, bad attitude, bad work ethic, out of shape, underachieved, not a good shooter, has a criminal record... am i missing something here?

yes, the kid can ball. lots of kids can ball. you'd have been nuts to draft MW in the lottery.

No Allan ray? damn he would have benn good

Meet Will Blalock (http://wtfdetroit.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6304)
(w/ video)

wtf, did i miss us trading Mo Evans?!?!?!

Pistons trade Maurice Evans for the #51 pick, Cheik Samb.

^Happened after the draft.

My main man skelly sent me the good news. Big ups to him, where ever he may be.

The Knicks are fucked once again...

Pistons got an a great player and a guy that contribute this season. Hunter might be retiring or they may plan on not bringing back Delk.

yup, chiekh samb from senegal for evans. samb apparently has a ton of athleticism but is obviously a project.

i thought we could've done better for evans. i like evans but he gets a bad rep because he should not have played ahead of delfino. evans is a bit like devean george and i'm sure phil jackson will like him- he's a hustler too.

oh well, i'm sure we keep samb overseas which opens an extra roster spot for the upcoming season. it would be great if he became one of those projects that actually pans out and becomes a steal down the road.

interested to see what hammond and dumars say about him.

BTW- blaylock is a great pick. love the kid- tons of athleticism, can break people down off the dribble (something we sorely lacked this last year) and is a good distributor. if he improves his J, he's going to be a good player for a long time in this league.

Cheik Samb 7-1 215 C Senegal
The Lakers sent this pick to the Pistons for Maurice Evans. Samb is a poor man's Mouhamed Saer Send. He's very long (7-7 wingspan) and athletic, but very thin. Playing in Barcelona, he runs the floor well, blocks shots and rebounds, and he has a developing offensive game. He needs to put on weight, but his club is a good one for his development. He could be a sleeper in a few years.

Imagine this.

Next years dunk contest...

Gerald Green. james White. David Noel. Carney Gay.Gonna have to take one out but damn thats going to be exciting.

Lakers took Farmar (UCLA). The Kobe fans are giddy.

Cheik Samb 7-1 215 C Senegal
The Lakers sent this pick to the Pistons for Maurice Evans. Samb is a poor man's Mouhamed Saer Send. He's very long (7-7 wingspan) and athletic, but very thin. Playing in Barcelona, he runs the floor well, blocks shots and rebounds, and he has a developing offensive game. He needs to put on weight, but his club is a good one for his development. He could be a sleeper in a few years.

Sorry to the Sene fans, but Italian B league >= Belgian league.

Sene in Belgain league - 3 points, 2 rebounds

Samb in Italian B - 10 points, 8 rebounds

Sene showed up some college kids, that is the difference between #10, and #51, fuck, I like this trade. 1 year in Europe, and 1-2 in NBDL, have him add some weight, and I think we could have something.

The Knicks are a disgrace to life.



That is all.

Great day in Memphis - Lowry and Gay.
I doubt Gay will make Memphis forget about Battier once the season starts... just a hunch.

Great day in Memphis - Lowry and Gay.
I doubt Gay will make Memphis forget about Battier once the season starts... just a hunch.

I think in 3 years though, he will, or at least has a high possibility of it.

Giving up a guy like Battier might not seem like much to some, but every single winning team has a glue guy.

Memphis just trade their's.

The guy can play 40 minutes, produce 15 and 6 and plays good D while being a good leader on and off the floor.

WTF is going on in the NBA? A guy like that gets traded for 2 guys that are super athletes but don't play hard all the time?

Yeah, great move.

This ain't track and field, motherfucker.

Fuck Memphis. Jerry West has lived off Billy Knight's core for too long.

Yes, I'm well aware that Knight is "killing" Atlanta with stupid draft picks, but we're not talking about Atlanta. We're talking about Memphis.

Oh, sorry - we're actually talking about the Draft.

Stupid move by Memphis

Giving up a guy like Battier might not seem like much to some, but every single winning team has a glue guy.

Memphis just trade their's.

The guy can play 40 minutes, produce 15 and 6 and plays good D while being a good leader on and off the floor.

WTF is going on in the NBA? A guy like that gets traded for 2 guys that are super athletes but don't play hard all the time?

Yeah, great move.

This ain't track and field, motherfucker.

Fuck Memphis. Jerry West has lived off Billy Knight's core for too long.

Yes, I'm well aware that Knight is "killing" Atlanta with stupid draft picks, but we're not talking about Atlanta. We're talking about Memphis.

Oh, sorry - we're actually talking about the Draft.

Stupid move by MemphisI'm sure you were saying that when he traded his glue guy Vlade Divac for some punk by the name of Kobe Bryant.

WTF?

You're fucking crazy Steve.

Divac for Kobe was a no brainer. And no way was Divac a glue guy

Giving up a guy like Battier might not seem like much to some, but every single winning team has a glue guy.

Memphis just trade their's.

The guy can play 40 minutes, produce 15 and 6 and plays good D while being a good leader on and off the floor.

WTF is going on in the NBA? A guy like that gets traded for 2 guys that are super athletes but don't play hard all the time?

Yeah, great move.

This ain't track and field, motherfucker.

Fuck Memphis. Jerry West has lived off Billy Knight's core for too long.

Yes, I'm well aware that Knight is "killing" Atlanta with stupid draft picks, but we're not talking about Atlanta. We're talking about Memphis.

Oh, sorry - we're actually talking about the Draft.

Stupid move by Memphis

Sorry, Memphis has plenty of glue(Jones, Jones, Miller, Warrick, etc.) their whole team works, but has little star power or potential(Gausol, and that's it), so they go after a potential star, who could support Guasol, and still be surrounded by great complementary guys with good attitudes.

WTF?

You're fucking crazy Steve.

Divac for Kobe was a no brainer. And no way was Divac a glue guy

Was Kobe even a lotto pick? He wasn't considered a 'no brainer' at the time.

And yes, Divac was considered a reliable, teacher player with a good attitude.

I can't believe you guys.

Nine fucking pages and no one even makes a mention of the Blazers draft. They made SIX draft day trades, got FOUR first-round picks, and TWO top-10 picks who were both projected top 5 just a short time ago.

Granted, I give the Blazers a C+ for their draft, but that was some fucking ridiculous shit.

i thought the grizz got a steal back when it was just gay for battier. but now it appears the grizz also got stro swift back in addition to gay.

now, i know swift has never lived up to the hype. and he's overpaid. but he is still a good kid with good upside. he's still very young so i would not discount him as a bad player yet. he can at least be an energy guy off the bench.

battier is a solid role player and a good teammate. but memphis has guys like that and he's far from irreplaceable. i don't think he did anything special on or off the court to help the team that they can't replace.

he is severely overpaid as well and i think gay is going to be outstanding for them. IMO he has it all, he just needs to be more assertive. he wasn't an underachiever or lazy, as some people think. he just has not been assertive since he had so much talent around him.

he is a good kid and played for a great coach. he'll be a allstar calibur player before long, which is far more than battier ever was. plus, he's a good kid so it's not like they're losing that.

JMO

I can't believe you guys.

Nine fucking pages and no one even makes a mention of the Blazers draft. They made SIX draft day trades, got FOUR first-round picks, and TWO top-10 picks who were both projected top 5 just a short time ago.

Granted, I give the Blazers a C+ for their draft, but that was some fucking ridiculous shit.




i get the feeling zach randolph and darius miles could be had for a bag of potato chips. why wouldnt portland completely tank this year?

whats to be impressed about portland? that their going to play a whole bunch of kids next year? they'll be staring down the loss record, i'd bet. (73 losses).

If Portland can drop their bad contracts and malcontents they have a great core to build around, and this would be the year if they get some picks.

Imagine the potential of a lineup of: Jack/Roy/Webster/Aldridge/Oden

They'd need surroundings, but that is a nice beginning(hell, if they can get Oden, anything would be a good beginning).

Bill Simmon's take on the draft (funny stuff):

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060629


10:20 -- The Mavs take Maurice Ager at No. 28. He puts his head in his hands and starts sobbing hysterically as his entourage congratulates him. It's about time we had some emotion tonight, dammit. Ager walks up to the stage in a triple-breasted, oversized beige suit, goes to shake hands with Stern and immediately gets whistled for a foul on Dwyane Wade.

[smilie=rofl.gif] [smilie=rofl.gif]

I just read that Matt and laughed the whole way through. Classic stuff.


Utah taking a mortified Ronnie Brewer (who has a "Wait, isn't that the city with no black people?" look on his face). Apparently, he can't shoot consistently from the outside because he broke his arm when he was a kid. But if that right arm could bend, he'd be right back in that thing. Meanwhile, his dad looks exactly like Sam Jackson in "A Time to Kill" and seems like a 50/50 bet to scream "Yes, the Jazz deserve to die AND I HOPE THEY BURN IN HELL!"


(Hey, did you know that Morrison's favorite DVD is "Ultimate Fighting," his favorite book is "The Art of War," he listens to Metallica when he works out and he cried when Rage Against the Machine broke up. I just learned all of those things in the last 20 seconds. Sounds like he needs a girlfriend.)


Here's why you have to love the NBA draft: It's the only show where you could ever see a graphic like, "WOULD MOST LIKE TO MEET: HIS PARENTS."

On the Knicks Balkman pick:
There are those moments in sports when you expect something great, and then it actually happens. And then there are those rare moments in sports when you expect something great, and something even greater happens. This was one of those moments: The Knicks on the clock, the crowd pushing for Marcus Williams, and then ...

--Stern: "With the 20th pick, the New York Knicks select ... Renaldo Balkman."

(Crowd explodes in horror.)

--Stern (over the boos): "Renaldo is not here."

--Patrick (without missing a beat): "And it's probably a good thing."

I loved the whole article though.

You guys can disagree with me about the Houston/Memphis swap but IMO the Rockets made a good move.

Battier is perfect for them and will compliment Ming and McGrady extremely well. Could Gay be a superstar? Maybe, and Memphis now gets to find out.

He does have a ton of potential.

But I'll take the guy that gives it his all every night over the guy that tends to coast and disappears every fucking day of the week. And I'm certain JVG would do the same.

yeah i guess we'll have to disagree. because i don't think that criticism of gay is true at all. i watched a ton of uconn games and IMO he didn't coast, he just didn't assert himself the way he's capable of because he was surrounded by a ton of talent. he is not a lazy player at all.

he's no villaneuva- he is much more intense than him and wants to be a top player. then again, look how villanueva turned out this year when everyone criticised him. he stepped it up and proved them wrong.

gay has much more talent and passion for the game than charlie. charlie's play was uninspired at uconn; gay's was not IMO.

anyway, we disagree. that's cool.

WTF?

You're fucking crazy Steve.

Divac for Kobe was a no brainer. And no way was Divac a glue guy

Was Kobe even a lotto pick? He wasn't considered a 'no brainer' at the time.
The risk with trading Divac was more about the uncertainty around obtaining Shaq than about Kobe the high school lottery pick.

HW - you know I get no coverage of college ball (or very little) so a lot of my opinion is based on what I've read over the last 6 months.

That said I know Gay has a ton of potential, but what Houston is trying to do is win big and make the second round/WCF. Developing a rookie is obviously something they didn't want to do.

They got a quality player in Battier (IMO) and can move forward.

If Gay performs well then the deal works for both sides.

Anybody got a link to a alleged list of the best undrafted players?

I'm wondering if Daniel Horton is getting any play elsewhere.

Daniel Horton is headed to the heat, which kind of sucks. I would have loved for us to have brought him in. Anyway, Pharoah, I agree with you. This was a great trade for both. Battier gives Houston a good chance of doing decent in the playoffs immediately. Who really knows how long TMacs back is going to last. They need to win soon. The best part of this is for Houston is that even if Gay develops, they won't look horrible in trade. It's not like they traded a future star for a crappy player. Hopefully they trade away a future star for a decent player and a good playoff run, or more. Besides, if JVG gets any older, he is going to look like "The Emporer" soon.
As for Memphis, they get a shot at a great player. The team does really have enough role players, even though Battier is a great one. They need a second star to pair with Gasol, plain and simple. Great move for both franchises.

Daniel Horton update:

http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2006/07/03/Sports/Horton.To.Sign.With.Heat.Play.Summer.Ball-2120079.shtml?sourcedomain=www.michigandaily.com&MIIHost=media.collegepublisher.com


Horton to sign with Heat, play summer ball

Gabe Edelson
Posted: 7/3/06

NEW YORK - Just before midnight last Wednesday, NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik strode to the podium in The Theater at Madison Square Garden …

"With the 60th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select Will Blalock from Iowa State."

Simultaneously, hearts sank around Ann Arbor and throughout Wolverine Nation. The Pistons' selection of Blalock in the draft's final slot officially meant that Michigan point guard Daniel Horton had gone undrafted despite the fact that he was coming off the most impressive season of his four-year college career.

The fact that the hometown Pistons desperately needed a backup point guard - coupled with the fact that Blalock himself could fill that role in upcoming years despite Horton's superior scoring and free-throw shooting - made the reality even more difficult to accept.

Horton, who watched the draft with friends in Ann Arbor, could not be reached for comment. But according to Richard Katz, one of his agents, the Cedar Hill, Texas, native certainly wasn't thrilled with his newfound free-agent status.

"There's an immediate disappointment for anybody who doesn't get drafted," Katz said. "Of course, any talented athlete is going to be upset; it's going to be an emotional situation when they're not drafted. … But the reality is, if you're not drafted in the early part of the second round, in my opinion, it's better to be a free agent, because you can pick and choose where you want to go rather than being saddled with an organization where you don't have as good of an opportunity."

It didn't take long for Horton to find a suitor - and, perhaps, an ideal platform from which he can launch an NBA career.

As the Detroit Free Press first reported on Friday, Horton plans to sign a guaranteed contract with the Miami Heat. Katz said the deal would most likely be a one-year agreement with a team option for the second season, and it could become official as early as July 12, when the free agency period begins.

If Horton does sign the contract - according to the NBA's Collective Bargaining Agreement, the minimum one-year salary for rookies during the upcoming season will be $412,718 - he will play for the Miami's summer league team in Orlando from July 10 to July 14. In addition to the Heat, the Charlotte Bobcats, Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic and New Jersey Nets will also field teams for the competition.

Katz said Horton plans to fly to Miami tomorrow evening to prepare for summer league play, after which he will spend another week or two with the Heat in Miami for "further instruction."

While no written contract has been drawn up just yet, Katz said he, Horton and the Miami brass have agreed to the contract, which Katz feels is an indication that "the Heat has every intention of taking him to veterans camp." At that stage, Horton would have an opportunity to compete directly for a spot on Miami's active roster.

The situation appears to be a promising one for Horton. Veteran backup point guard Gary Payton is an unrestricted free agent who will be 38 years old and entering his 17th season in the league if he were to continue playing in 2006-07. If Payton isn't back with the Heat next year, starter Jason Williams would be the only other point guard on Miami's roster, barring another move. Of course, Horton would have the added benefit of playing alongside superstars Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal on a team attempting to defend its recent NBA title. Katz said that despite his client's initial frustration at the conclusion of the draft, Horton has become quite optimistic about the positive aspects of his circumstances.

"I think Daniel's very excited," Katz said. "I think (he) sees that there's an opportunity for him to compete for a job on that roster. He feels it's a really good organization, and there's some pretty talented basketball players there. … At the end of the day, I think he's in a very good situation."

Big Game Hunter: Katz, whose agency also represents undrafted Wolverines forward Chris Hunter, said the Gary, Ind., native is looking to hook on with a summer league team in the hopes of being invited to an NBA training camp. According to Katz, several teams have shown interest in adding Hunter to their summer team rosters, but a formal agreement has yet to be reached.

Notes: Horton led the Wolverines in scoring (17.6), assists (5.3) and steals (1.9) last season. He was named to the All-Big Ten first team by members of the media, and qualified for the All-Big Ten second team in the coaches' vote. … According to ESPN.com's Chad Ford, Horton was rated as the fourth-best athlete among draft-eligible players at the NBA's pre-draft camp in Orlando last month. Horton was the top-rated player in the lane agility test. … Five Big Ten players were drafted on June 28. The Michigan State trio of guards Shannon Brown (Cleveland Cavaliers) and Maurice Ager (Dallas Mavericks) and center Paul Davis (Los Angeles Clippers) all went between picks 25 and 34. Illinois forward James Augustine (Orlando Magic) and guard Dee Brown (Utah Jazz) were selected later in the second round.