:: Official NBA Draft Thread - June 26, 7PM EST ::

[al3xis]

You just gota be stupid to take Westbrook over Bayless.

I don't watch DJ at 6, kid is too small.

It's Bayless, Mayo or deal the pick to me. And nothing else.

but I will say this; he is the most NBA ready player in this draft
A lot of people are saying this now....I don't see it, it's still Beasley to me.

 

[jpzx]

Originally Posted by gottagitdemjs

Originally Posted by JPZx

Dude said Sasha Kaun gettin drafted

Reading is fundamental. I never said he was "gettin drafted." I said he will most likely go to Russia to be around his mom.. I edited what I typed earlier. If he does get drafted, he's a mid to late 2nd rounder. All the info I got above is from KU themed message boards, so the outlook is going to be a little rosier coming from them than most others.

You edited it but whatever, it ain't that serious

You just gota be stupid to take Westbrook over Bayless.
Agreed, Bayless's potential > Westbrook's potential...in my opinion Westbrook will be a bust because I don't think he'll beable to handle the NBA game, but only time will tell

 

[al3xis]

"Even stronger are rumors that the Grizzlies are talking to a number of teams, including the Knicks, Blazers and Suns,about deals that would send the No. 5 pick to whomever is willing to take Brian Cardinal's awful contract (2 years, $13 million left). The latest buzz hasthe Knicks talking to Memphis about a deal that would send David Lee and the expiring contract of Malik Rose to Memphis for No. 5 and Cardinal."



The NBA announced the 16 players that will be available to the media on Wednesday and also in the Green Room during the actual draft on Thursday.

- Joe Alexander (West Virginia) - Darrell Arthur (Kansas) - DJ Augustin (Texas) - Jerryd Bayless (Arizona) - Michael Beasley (Kansas State) - Danilo Gallinari(Italy) - Eric Gordon (Indiana) - DeAndre Jordan (Texas A&M) - Brook Lopez (Stanford) - Robin Lopez (Stanford) - Kevin Love (UCLA) - OJ Mayo (USC) -Anthony Randolph (LSU) - Derrick Rose (Memphis) - Brandon Rush (Kansas)) - Russell Westbrook (UCLA)Via RealGM Staff Report


...
Trading Lee and getting the 5th....I'm not really against it. But I then would move the 6th to a mid first round pick

 

[scuse7]

Conley and their pick for Miamis 2nd.

I would do that if I were the Grizz.

 

[ValarMorghulis]

DJ can run an offense from the word GO..but can he guard somebody?? it was proven he can't guard Rose!!

 

[al3xis]

Ford's complete new Mock..

Chalmers

The man is to basketball what Tod McShay is to football...



[table][tr][td]CHAD FORD'S MOCK DRAFT[/td] [/tr][tr][td]

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Chicago​

[/td] [td]

Derrick Rose​

[/td] [td]Position: PG
Height: 6-3
Weight: 196
Age: 19
School: Memphis
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: Rose and Beasley finally got their close-ups in Chicago last week, and sources say both players worked out well.

And as you can tell from their news conferences, neither pretended to be something he's not. Rose was humble and talked about leadership. Beasley wasbrash and funny and talked about scoring.

The Bulls continue to maintain that they haven't made up their minds about who they're drafting. But I'd be shocked, at this point, if itisn't Rose. The team needs leadership, defense and a player who's willing to put his team before himself -- that guy is Rose. Beasley may score moreand win more individual awards. But ultimately, I think the Bulls will be more comfortable with the belief that Rose can take the franchise where they want itto go.
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Miami
​

[/td] [td]

Michael Beasley​

[/td] [td]Position: PF
Height: 6-8
Weight: 239
Age: 19
School: Kansas State
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Heat continue to wait and hope that somehow Rose falls to them at No. 2. Rose opted against working out in Miami, but didinvite Heat brass to Los Angeles for a private workout -- though Heat team president Pat Riley didn't show up.

The Heat were scheduled to be in Chicago this weekend to watch Mayo again, but they skipped the workout to see Rose.

We continue to hear that the Heat will probably trade the No. 2 pick if Rose is off the board. The latest talk has the Sonics and Heat discussing a swapthat would send the No. 2 pick and Mark Blount to Seattle for Chris Wilcox and the No. 4 pick. The move would give the Heat a huge amount of cap space in thesummer of 2009. (Wilcox is in the last year of his contract, while Blount has two years and $16 million remaining.)

At No. 4, if Mayo were off the board, the Heat would have their choice of Jerryd Bayless, Russell Westbrook or Brook Lopez. All three would fit a need forthem.
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Minnesota​

[/td] [td]

O.J. Mayo​

[/td] [td]Position: SG
Height: 6-4
Weight: 200
Age: 20
School: USC
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Wolves remain the most difficult team to peg right now.

As of Sunday, the word out of Minnesota was that the team will draft Mayo if Beasley is off the board. Though Mayo doesn't fit a need, he would beconsidered the best player available, and that appears to be swaying Minnesota in his direction.

At the same time, a lot of trade talk surrounds this pick. The Knicks, Clippers, Bucks and Trail Blazers all have tried to maneuver to get this pick. TheBucks may have the best chance of succeeding if they offer Yi Jianlian or Charlie Villanueva as part of a package.

If the Wolves trade down, their target seems to be Lopez or UCLA's Kevin Love.
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Seattle​

[/td] [td]

Russell Westbrook​

[/td] [td]Position: PG
Height: 6-3
Weight: 192
Age: 19
School: UCLA
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: We've had Bayless at No. 4 since our first mock draft, but we've gathered enough information over the weekend tosuggest that the Sonics may be leaning in another direction.

GM Sam Presti is notoriously tough to read, but sources say it appears that Westbrook, Lopez and Indiana's Eric Gordon are strongly in the mix at No.4.

The Sonics have been talking to other teams about moving down a few spots with an eye toward drafting Westbrook, Gordon or Lopez. But with the Knicks'strong interest in Westbrook and Gordon at No. 6 and the Clippers looking at Westbrook, Gordon and Lopez at No. 7, the guy they want may not be there.

So why Westbrook? Two reasons: upside and defense. The Sonics have time to let players develop and Westbrook could turn into a better shooting version ofRajon Rondo down the road.

The Sonics also want Beasley and are trying to work out a deal with the Heat to get up to No. 2, as noted above. Beasley and Kevin Durant are best friendsand the Sonics think a pairing of the two scorers would be devastating.
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Memphis​

[/td] [td]

Eric Gordon​

[/td] [td]Position: SG
Height: 6-3
Weight: 222
Age: 19
School: Indiana
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: For weeks we've been hearing that the Grizzlies are high on Love. He fits a need, is one of the more NBA-ready players inthe draft and would be popular in Memphis.

He still could be the pick. But there's a growing chorus saying that the Grizzlies are looking strongly at Gordon -- an athletic, sweet-shooting 2-guard-- with the pick.

Even stronger are rumors that the Grizzlies are talking to a number of teams, including the Knicks, Blazers and Suns, about deals that would send the No. 5pick to whomever is willing to take Brian Cardinal's awful contract (two years, $13 million left). The latest buzz has the Knicks talking to Memphis abouta deal that would send David Lee and the expiring contract of Malik Rose to Memphis for No. 5 and Cardinal.

In other words, it sounds like GM Chris Wallace is, once again, being pushed by ownership to cut payroll.
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New York​

[/td] [td]

Danilo Gallinari​

[/td] [td]Position: SF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 212
Age: 19
Country: Italy
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: OK, we've come full circle.

We had Danilo Gallinari going to the Knicks in our first mock draft, but dropped him when a Suns source said that Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni wasn'ta big fan. Apparently Gallinari's workout, combined with some research, has changed that opinion. Gallinari has worked out well everywhere and it soundslike the Knicks are comfortable with him here.

Russell Westbrook is also a strong possibility if he is on the board. Ditto for Jerryd Bayless. Joe Alexander is the dark horse -- the Knicks' brasswatched him work out for a second time on Friday.
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L.A. Clippers​

[/td] [td]

Jerryd Bayless​

[/td] [td]Position: PG
Height: 6-3
Weight: 204
Age: 19
School: Arizona
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Clippers have been trying to move up in the draft to get Mayo or Bayless. In this scenario, they have Bayless drop intotheir lap.

The Clippers are in desperate need of guards, and Mayo, Bayless, Westbrook and Gordon appear to be atop their board. Bayless' shooting and scoringability would be a welcome addition to the Clippers, even as many scouts question whether he has what it takes to be a full-time point guard in the pros.

The other potential scenario for the Clippers is a trade. They've been talking to the Suns about a deal that would send Corey Maggette and No. 7 toPhoenix for Leandro Barbosa and No. 15.
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Milwaukee​

[/td] [td]

Joe Alexander​

[/td] [td]Position: SF
Height: 6-8
Weight: 220
Age: 21
School: West Virginia
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: Alexander is a high-energy forward who impressed GM John Hammond and new coach Scott Skiles with his toughness and grit.That's exactly what the Bucks are going for right now. Hammond wants to change the culture in Milwaukee, and Alexander has that capability. He also fits aneed. The Bucks will be shopping Bobby Simmons (along with just about everyone else) hard this summer.

It sounds like Anthony Randolph is the other player the Bucks are looking at closely here. However, Randolph is further away than Alexander right now.Alexander is still a work in progress too, but if he figures things out, he has a chance to be really special.
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Charlotte​

[/td] [td]

Kevin Love​

[/td] [td]Position: PF
Height: 6-10
Weight: 255
Age: 19
School: UCLA
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: If the draft plays out this way, Charlotte will have a very difficult decision to make. The Bobcats have been looking for a bigman so they can slide Emeka Okafor over to the 4 full-time, and Brook Lopez would be a great complement to Okafor up front.

But a lot of teams are questioning Lopez's upside. Teams love size, but they don't see Lopez as a star NBA player. That's where Love comes in.He's a Larry Brown type of player -- he knows how to "play the right way." Love would bring toughness, rebounding, basketball IQ and the abilityto step in and contribute right now. While he doesn't have ideal size, he knows his way around the basket.
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New Jersey​

[/td] [td]

Brook Lopez​

[/td] [td]Position: C
Height: 7-0
Weight: 258
Age: 20
School: Stanford
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: This is a dream scenario for the Nets if it happens. Lopez may have been projected too high at No. 3, but he would be a stealat this point in the draft. The Nets have been looking for a strong, scoring big man for years and Lopez really fits the bill.

If he's not here, other names to listen for are Danilo Gallinari (if available) and Robin Lopez, Brook's brother.
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Indiana
​

[/td] [td]

.J. Augustin​

[/td] [td]Position: PG
Height: 6-0
Weight: 172
Age: 20
School: Texas
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Pacers have been eyeing two point guards -- D.J. Augustin and Russell Westbrook -- for a while.

Westbrook looks like he'll be long gone. He canceled his workout with the Pacers last week and hasn't rescheduled. That leaves Augustin, who'san excellent fallback option for the Pacers. Augustin is a better floor leader than Westbrook and a better perimeter shooter, and he's more ready to stepin and play right away. He should be an excellent fit for Indiana.

If Augustin and Westbrook are gone, the Pacers could reach for the next-best point guard on the board: Mario Chalmers. No. 11 may seem a little high forhim, but he has been generating serious buzz in workouts.

The Pacers might also go in another direction if they could move Jermaine O'Neal for a veteran point guard such as T.J. Ford or Kirk Hinrich. In thatcase, Kosta Koufos or a similar prospect could be the choice.
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Sacramento​

[/td] [td]

Mario Chalmers​

[/td] [td]Position: PG
Height: 6-2
Weight: 170
Age: 22
School: Kansas
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Kings might have a tough choice here: Go for an upside pick in Anthony Randolph or fill a need at the point inChalmers.

Randolph has scared away a lot of teams with his lack of strength and a skill set that looks several years away from being fully NBA-ready.

Chalmers, on the other hand, is seen as one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft. He's an excellent shooter and defender who knows how to get tothe basket. His workouts have been so positive that he's no longer a reach here at No. 12.

Another option for the Kings is Roy Hibbert. Like Chalmers, Hibbert wouldn't be an upside pick. But he would be able to step in right away andcontribute.
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Portland​

[/td] [td]

Alexis Ajinca​

[/td] [td]Position: C
Height: 7-1
Weight: 240
Age: 20
Country: France
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: It seems unlikely the Blazers will actually keep this pick. They are loaded with young players and have a history of draft dayactivity on the trade market.

GM Kevin Pritchard is already burning up the phone lines. I think either he'll package some of his young players with this pick and move up in the draftto get a solid prospect or he'll trade the pick for a veteran. The Blazers have had talks with the Nets about Richard Jefferson, the Suns about LeandroBarbosa and the Grizzlies about a deal that would send the No. 13 pick and the expiring contract of Raef LaFrentz to Memphis for No. 5, Brian Cardinal andJason Collins.

In case they do keep the pick, the Blazers have been eyeing Joe Alexander and Russell Westbrook. The Blazers would like to move up to get one or bothplayers, but so far they haven't found the right deal. For the past several weeks we've had Brandon Rush in this spot. But the more I talk to theBlazers, the more I think they may go for a bigger splash. Ajinca is a long, athletic big man who is pretty skilled. He doesn't fill a need for theBlazers, but Pritchard loves to gather assets.
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Golden State​

[/td] [td]

Kosta Koufos​

[/td] [td]Position: C
Height: 7-1
Weight: 265
Age: 19
School: Ohio State
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: By all accounts, Koufos has been excellent in workouts and could have become a top-five pick had he waited until 2009. GoldenState has taken several big men in recent drafts, but it will probably be drafting for talent, not need -- and Koufos' combination of size and offensiveskill should be a nice complement to Biedrins' defensive and rebounding prowess.

Rider's Jason Thompson and Syracuse's Donte Greene are other possibilities with this pick.
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Phoenix
(via Atlanta)​

[/td] [td]

Brandon Rush​

[/td] [td]Position: SG
Height: 6-7
Weight: 205
Age: 22
School: Kansas
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Suns have been eyeing Rush, a college veteran who can step in and play the 2 and the 3. Rush can hit open shots, playdefense and stay out of the way of the Suns' stars.

Other candidates: The Suns have major interest in Mario Chalmers and Robin Lopez, and Anthony Randolph would be very tough to pass up.

But the future is now in Phoenix, and Rush seems like the guy.
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Philadelphia​

[/td] [td]

Anthony Randolph​

[/td] [td]Position: PF
Height: 6-10
Weight: 197
Age: 18
School: LSU
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: At some point, Randolph can drop no further.

He hasn't been great in workouts, needs to add a lot of strength and appears to be a few years away from making an impact.

But he has length, athleticism and tremendous upside, and the Sixers, a team on the rise, can afford to wait.
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Toronto​

[/td] [td]

Robin Lopez​

[/td] [td]Position: C
Height: 7-0
Weight: 245
Age: 20
School: Stanford
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Raptors really need size, toughness and rebounding. While Lopez doesn't project as a great scorer in the pros, he'sa big, rugged player who could solidify the Raptors' front line. Alexis Ajinca and Donte Greene are possibilities here.
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Washington​

[/td] [td]

Darrell Arthur​

[/td] [td]Position: PF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 216
Age: 20
School: Kansas
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Wizards could lose free agent Antawn Jamison to free agency this summer. In case they do, they might want Arthur, a playerwho, in a lot of ways, is Jamison's clone -- a face-up 4 who runs the floor and can score in a variety of ways.
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Cleveland​

[/td] [td]

Roy Hibbert​

[/td] [td]Position: C
Height: 7-2
Weight: 275
Age: 21
School: Georgetown
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Cavs need help inside and are hoping that Koufos falls to them. If he doesn't, they'll have a tough choice to make.Of the players projected to be available, Hibbert is the most ready to step in and help right away.

Mario Chalmers is another possibility here, if available.
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Denver​

[/td] [td]

Jason Thompson​

[/td] [td]Position: PF
Height: 6-11
Weight: 250
Age: 21
School: Rider
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The big man from Rider may not be flashy, but he put up big numbers for four years and would give the Nuggets something theyneed: a consistent scoring presence in the paint.

Thompson could end up moving ahead of a number of bigs with more upside because more teams are valuing production over potential this year.
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New Jersey
(via Dallas)​

[/td] [td]

J.J. Hickson​

[/td] [td]Position: PF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 240
Age: 19
School: NC State
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: If the Nets grab a center with their first pick, they might look to add even more toughness in the paint with their secondpick. J.J. Hickson is built like a tank and can be a tough scorer both inside and outside. He's got great upside.
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Orlando
​

[/td] [td]

Marreese Speights​

[/td] [td]Position: C
Height: 6-10
Weight: 245
Age: 19
School: Florida
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Magic need a 2-guard and like Courtney Lee. But they are also very thin up front and could use big bodies to help out inthe paint. Marreese Speights has too much talent to slip any further in the draft than this.
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Utah
​

[/td] [td]

JaVale McGee​

[/td] [td]Position: PF
Height: 7-0
Weight: 241
Age: 20
School: Nevada
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: This would be a disappointing drop for JaVale McGee. Though he has enormous upside, he's struggled in workouts, and teamsthink he's a project that could take a few years to develop. The Jazz are always on the lookout for size and upside, so this one seems like an easy call ifMcGee lasts this long.
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[/td] [td]

Seattle
(via Phoenix)​

[/td] [td]

Serge Ibaka​

[/td] [td]Position: PF
Height: 6-10
Weight: 220
Age: 18
Country: Congo
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: Expect Seattle GM Sam Presti to use a trick or two from his days in San Antonio and look internationally with his second pick.Serge Ibaka has the talent to be a potential lottery pick someday, but he's still very raw. The Sonics can leave him over in Spain and reap the benefitsdown the road.
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Houston​

[/td] [td]

Donte' Greene​

[/td] [td]Position: SF
Height: 6-9
Weight: 221
Age: 20
School: Syracuse
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: This seems like an unbelievable fall for a player with as much upside as Donte' Greene. Indeed, teams like the Kings andWarriors will look at him in the lottery, and likewise for the Raptors in the mid-first round. But if he slips past them, he could be on a free fall. He'sa great shooter with upside, but he's not ready yet.
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San Antonio​

[/td] [td]

Ante Tomic​

[/td] [td]Position: C
Height: 7-2
Weight: 237
Age: 21
Country: Croatia
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Spurs got burned by Tiago Splitter (their 2007 first-round pick), but that won't stop them from grabbing Ante Tomichere. His skills remind some of a young Pau Gasol. He needs to get stronger and continue developing, but this would be a value pick for them. And the good newsfor San Antonio is that Croatian teams don't pay nearly as much as Spanish teams.

The Spurs are also trying to move up into the mid-first round for a shot at Robin Lopez.
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New Orleans​

[/td] [td]

Chris Douglas-Roberts​

[/td] [td]Position: SG
Height: 6-6
Weight: 195
Age: 21
School: Memphis
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: Chris Douglas-Roberts would be a great fit for the Hornets if he's still on the board. He is a big-time scorer who excelsat slashing to the basket. He also is an excellent midrange shooter. He should be able to step in and contribute right away.
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Memphis​

[/td] [td]

DeAndre Jordan​

[/td] [td]Position: C
Height: 6-11
Weight: 250
Age: 20
School: Texas A&M
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: DeAndre Jordan has too much talent to pass up here. The Grizzlies like Courtney Lee as well, but if they land Eric Gordon atNo. 5, they can to go big here at No. 29. Jordan is a major project, but he shouldn't slip any further than this.
[table][tr][td]

PICK​

[/td] [td]

TEAM​

[/td] [td]

PLAYER​

[/td] [td]

VITALS​

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]

[/td] [td]

Detroit
​

[/td] [td]

Bill Walker​

[/td] [td]Position: SF
Height: 6-6
Weight: 235
Age: 20
School: Kansas State
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: The Pistons need size in the middle, because they don't have a true center. But if all of the bigs they want are gone, lookfor them to take a chance on Walker. If he's healthy, he's a steal here. Joe Dumars is an opportunist who will take what he can get at No. 29.
[table][tr][td]

PICK​

[/td] [td]

TEAM​

[/td] [td]

PLAYER​

[/td] [td]

VITALS​

[/td] [/tr][tr][td]

[/td] [td]

Boston
​

[/td] [td]

Courtney Lee​

[/td] [td]Position: SG
Height: 6-5
Weight: 200
Age: 22
School: Western Kentucky
[/td] [/tr][/table]
The skinny: Of Boston's big three, Ray Allen looks like the one who could use the most help. Courtney Lee can step in from day one andbecome an important player off the bench. His ability to shoot and score would be a big help.

31. Minnesota Timberwolves (via Miami)

DeVon Hardin | C | California
The Wolves need size, and Hardin is the most talented big man left on the board. He hasn't lived up to his potential yet, but in the second round you takea shot.

---

32. Seattle SuperSonics

Kyle Weaver | PG | WashingtonState
The Sonics are high on Weaver, an athletic combo guard who can defend and slash to the basket. He's not a consistent scoring threat, but he fills the boxscore in just about every other way.

---

33. Portland Trail Blazers (via Memphis)

Nicolas Batum | SF | France TheBlazers will try to find a way to move up and get longtime Kevin Pritchard favorite Ante Tomic. But if they can't, they'll do backflipsover Batum's slip into the second round. Concerns about the health of Batum's heart abound, but in the second round you don't hesitate to pull thetrigger. If he's healthy, he'll be yet another great steal for Pritchard.

---

34. Minnesota Timberwolves

Nathan Jawai | PF | Australia
Jawai is another big body who can create space in the low post. He may return to Australia for a few years to keep developing before the Wolves decide to bringhim over.

---

35. Los Angeles Clippers

Jamont Gordon | SG | MississippiState
Gordon is another sleeper. Strong and athletic, he just finds ways to make plays. I'm not sure he's a point guard, but he'll add some toughness andenergy to the Clippers' backcourt.

---

36. Portland Trail Blazers (via New York)

.J. White | PF | Indiana

The Blazers have lots of bigs, but few with the toughness or rebounding ability of White.

---

37. Milwaukee Bucks

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute | SF |UCLA
The Bucks want to keep adding toughness and Mbah a Moute has the potential to be an exceptional defender. He's not going to score a lot, but he can guardjust about anyone.

---

38. Charlotte Bobcats

Richard Hendrix | PF | Alabama
Hendrix isn't flashy, but he is tough in the paint, can rebound and has the potential to be a solid player off the bench for the Bobcats.

---

39. Chicago Bulls

Ryan Anderson | PF | California
The Bulls need big men who know how to score, and Anderson did that in spades in college.

---

40. New Jersey Nets

Damjan Rudez | SF | Croatia
Rudez is a big-time sleeper in the draft. He's a long, athletic forward who can really shoot the basketball. He's outplayed some of the top talent inthe draft in recent workouts.

---

41. Indiana Pacers

George Hill | PG | IUPUI
The Pacers keep adding to their backcourt with a hometown hero. Hill's ability to play both the 1 and 2 will come in handy in Indiana.

---

42. Sacramento Kings (via Atlanta)

Nikola Pekovic | C | Serbia
He's a tough guy who uses brute strength to score and rebound in the paint. He'd go higher if it wasn't for his new deal with Panthanikos. He'smaking so much money in Europe now that a team will have to fork over a lot of cash to get him over to the States.

---

43. Sacramento Kings

Omer Asik | C | Turkey
On talent, Asik should be a late first-round prospect. Of all the 22-year-old international players, he's the guy teams covet. However, he's set tosign a five-year deal in Turkey with no NBA buyout, meaning it may be difficult-to-impossible to ever get him to the U.S.

---

44. Utah Jazz (via Philadelphia)

Trent Plaisted | C | BYU
Plaisted's athleticism, energy and toughness will be major assets in Utah. If he had a bigger offensive repertoire, he would go much higher.

---

45. San Antonio Spurs (via Toronto)

Joey Dorsey | PF | Memphis
I'm not sure how Gregg Popovich will handle Dorsey's off-the-court stuff, but the Spurs need some toughness and athleticism in the paint. Dorsey canprovide it.

---

46. Seattle SuperSonics (via Portland)

Goran Dragic | PG | Slovenia
Dragic is an athletic point guard who can really get to the basket. Of the international guys left on the board, he's the most ready to come over andcontribute now.

---

47. Washington Wizards

Walter Sharpe | PF | UAB
This former blue-chip forward from Alabama struggled with grades and, believe it or not, narcolepsy during his college years, but the scouts -- and especiallythe Wizards -- are intrigued by his talent.

---

48. Phoenix Suns (via Cleveland)

Pat Calathes | SF | St.Joseph's
If Terry Porter elects to keep Mike D'Antoni's spirit alive in Phoenix, Calathes would be a good fit. The sweet-shooting point forward is stilldeveloping, but he has great potential.

---

49. Golden State Warriors

Josh Duncan | SF | Xavier
An athletic forward from Xavier, Duncan can shoot the 3-pointer and run the floor.

---

50. Seattle SuperSonics (via Denver)

J.R. Giddens | SG | New Mexico
On talent, Giddens is one of the top 30 players in the draft. But his off-the-court antics have hurt his stock. He is starting to get his life back togetherand would be tough to pass on this late in the draft.

---

51. Dallas Mavericks

Malik Hairston | SG | Oregon
Hairston is solid in virtually every area of his game and is one of the few players left in the draft who could come in and contribute immediately.

---

52. Miami Heat (via Orlando)

Sonny Weems | SG | Arkansas
Weems scored as one of the most athletic wings in the draft during combine tests. He was never a dominant player in college, but he could turn into a nice roleplayer in the pros.

---

53. Utah Jazz

Sean Singletary | PG | Virginia
The Virginia guard is a favorite of Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor. He's a talented scorer and distributor -- kind of in the Dee Brown model.

---

54. Houston Rockets

Shan Foster | SG | Vanderbilt
Foster is a lights-out shooter, but the rest of his game is a little one-dimensional.

---

55. Portland Trail Blazers (via Phoenix)

Mantas Kalnietis | PG | Lithuania
The athletic point guard from Lithuania hasn't had much playing time, but he seems to have all the physical skills you'd look for in a point guard downthe road.

---

56. Seattle SuperSonics (via New Orleans)

Semih Erden | C | Turkey
The athletic center for Turkey is talented but can be a bit of a knucklehead at times. Still, at this point in the draft, he's a very good get.

---

57. San Antonio Spurs

Mike Taylor | PG | Iowa State
Taylor is one of the most athletic point guards in the draft. He's struggled to keep his nose clean, but the Spurs are one of the few teams that don'tseem to have a problem in terms of discipline.

---

58. Los Angeles Lakers

Davon Jefferson | SF | USC
Jefferson has so much talent; he just doesn't know how to use it. The Lakers can afford to spend some time with him and see if they can get his game up tosnuff.

---

59. Detroit Pistons

Darnell Jackson | PF | Kansas
Jackson brings his hard hat to work everyday. That's what Joe Dumars loves.

---

60. Boston Celtics
Sasha Kaun | C | Kansas
The NBA champs draft the center of the NCAA champs. Kaun actually should be going higher, but he's got a big offer in Russia and it doesn't look likean NBA team can match. Still, if he develops down the road, he's worth the investment[h2]http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft...umnist=ford_chad&page=MockDraft-Round2-080623[/h2]

 

[ctk1ng]

lol at anthony randolph going 16 overall and Chalmers going 12

Chad Ford is crazy

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

You don't like 'Rio Allen????

 

[johnnyredstorm]

I qould give up everybody on the Knicks for the number 5. Makes the rebuilding process so much easier and Cardinal's contract comes off the books by 2010.Maybe could even package the 2 picks to the Heat and take Beasley

 

[jpzx]

[h1]Are Wolves and Bobcats disucssing Morrison swap?[/h1]

Jun 23, 2008 5:09 PM EST

With trade rumors swirling as the 2008 NBA Draft approaches, the Timberwolves might be entertaining the idea of sending the third overall pick to the Bobcats for shooter Adam Morrison and the ninth selection, according to a report in The Pioneer Press.

Minnesota decided not to comment on the deal early Monday morning.

 

[bigmike23]

Agreed, Bayless's potential > Westbrook's potential...in my opinion Westbrook will be a bust because I don't think he'll be able to handle the NBA game, but only time will tell
no its not. RW has the POTENTIAL to be a all around player lock down defense and good scoring guard. with that been said i dont like bayless butim taking him over RW all day every day his offense game is already there.

 

[blaxoid]

Originally Posted by thecomebacklegend

just stop right now,you are not getting it thru ya head,IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO SCORE POINTS OR DO ANYTHING WHEN 3 DUDES ARE GUARDING YOU OR THE DEFENSE MAIN JOB IS TO FOCUS ON 1 PLAYER CAUSE HIS TEAM MATES ARE NOT SHOWING UP

answer this question
say you are watching a fight who do you think would avg more punches and get hit less 5 people (Memphis) or 1 person (USC)?

Rose was on a better team and still did not avg better stats then Mayo

 

[not a sneak]

Originally Posted by thecomebacklegend

Originally Posted by Nowitness41Dirk

Thanks for typing that Nowitness.

I was gona get this name banned for a month, too.

Yall shoulda known that while most of you were pickin them for a Final 4 run, right?

The sad thing is, he's yet to formulate a legitimate argument as to what makes OJ Mayo a better player... All he says is "Well, OJ scored more with less talent around him! That obviously makes him a better player!" It's almost as bad as the "Beasley is 3 inches shorter than some power forwards, so all they'll have to do is reach up and block his shots" crap he was talkin... And we're the ones playing too much NBA Live.

And yeah, at the beginning of March, everybody loved USC's talent and thought they'd make a deep run.

just stop right now,you are not getting it thru ya head,IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO SCORE POINTS OR DO ANYTHING WHEN 3 DUDES ARE GUARDING YOU OR THE DEFENSE MAIN JOB IS TO FOCUS ON 1 PLAYER CAUSE HIS TEAM MATES ARE NOT SHOWING UP

answer this question
say you are watching a fight who do you think would avg more punches and get hit less 5 people (Memphis) or 1 person (USC)?

Rose was on a better team and still did not avg better stats then Mayo

Dude, do you know what the point guard does? He facilitates, whichmeans he gets his team mates involved. Coach Cal did not ask Rose to go out and give them 20-25 points a game, but to go out there and help his teammates getinto the flow of the game. OJ was asked to go out and give them 25 points a game, or they had no chance of winning.

Going on what you're saying. Kobe had a MUCH improved team this year with Andrew stepping into his own, and Pau coming in Jan-Feb, he had three legitscores, and franchise type players in Odom, Gasol, and himself. Why didn't Kobe average more points then he did last year, with a IMPROVED team, when heactually had a better team this year and averaged less points per game in the this years regular season then last? If KG, Jesus and PP were on a much betterteam, why didn't they all average 50? They are the Champs, they had the best team, but only one of the big three average 20 points per game durring theplayoffs?

You logic is horrible, if you put MJ on the worst team in the league he is going to average more points pergame then he would on the BEST team in the league.

 

[lnmymind]

Word on the Street: Rounding Up

by: Jonathan Givony - President
June 23, 2008


-Check out a two hour run-down of DraftExpress' entire first round mock draft with our detailed analysis on NBATV. Their draft preview is airing constantly starting tonight.

-Great news for Nicolas Batum-he's been cleared to continue working out for NBA teams after a long day of extensive testing with one of the world's top doctors in Cleveland. He is flying out to San Antonio to work out tomorrow, and then will be in Cleveland the following day. His agent Bouna Ndiaye tells us that he will be sending out the full medical report at 9:30 AM tomorrow to us and every NBA team.

-Russell Westbrook's reported "promise" (according to one internet rumor) ended up being a whole bunch of hot air it turns out. After initially telling teams such as Milwaukee, Indiana and Phoenix that he is shutting down workouts, Westbrook traveled to Charlotte this weekend to work out for the Bobcats. Westbrook has suffered a number of minor ankle injuries that forced him to rest and reevaluate his situation and the teams he would like to be picked by, but with his stock being as high as it is at the moment, that's really of little consequence. Westbrook was frustrated by the fact that he could not get any of the more highly touted guards ranked ahead of him-O.J. Mayo, Jerryd Bayless or Eric Gordon-to work out against him, as they saw little to gain and were too concerned about hurting their own stock. Bayless would not work out with Eric Gordon either yesterday in Minnesota reportedly. It's interesting to note that ex-UCLA head coach Larry Brown finally got his wishes of seeing Westbrook in person, after making a fairly large stink about agents trying to control the draft process. He reportedly is in love with Westbrook (and Kevin Love) and this appears to be the furthest he'll fall.

-The Utah Jazz apparently fancy Goran Dragic as a potential backup for Deron Williams a few years down the road, and could take him with the #44 pick in the second round. Dragic has two more years remaining on his contract with Tau Vitoria (where he will return to this season after being on loan with Olimpja Lublijana), but has a buyout in his contract for one million Euros.

-Anthony Randolph has strangely decided to work out for a number of teams that seemingly have little chance at drafting him (Portland, Indiana) while refusing to visit teams that very well could-such as Sacramento. Randolph's workouts continue to underwhelm many onlookers, to the point that it has clearly affected his confidence. On the positive side, his dislocated shoulder does not appear to be a short-term or long-term issue, according to teams that have studied his physical in-depth.

-Darrell Arthur is back on the road, fresh off hiring Dallas-based agent Jerry Hicks. Arthur may or may not have had a hamstring or back injury depending on whom you ask, and seems to be back in contention for picks 12-18. He had a terrific workout in Indiana, but does not appear to be in the picture there unless both D.J. Augustin and Russell Westbrook are off the board, which is a possibility. Arthur will be in the Green Room on draft night.

-Walter Sharpe may be a surprising name called on draft night, after conducting strong workouts with teams like Cleveland, Denver, New Jersey, Washington and Charlotte, and showing surprisingly well there. Sharpe, a very highly touted member of the 2004 high school class, only played in 12 games this season before being ruled academically ineligible at UAB. He was later diagnosed with Narcolepsy (a sleeping disorder), but has numerous other red flags on his resume, including being kicked out of Mississippi State for breaking team rules, being shot in the stomach, and then later being arrested for disorderly conduct-all separate incidents.

Some team may regardless decide to take a chance on Sharpe due to his terrific combination of size, athleticism and skill playing both inside and out. One NBA Assistant General Manager told DraftExpress that he thinks Sharpe is a first round caliber talent who may not get to the middle of the second round due to the increasing buzz around him. He still has workouts to conduct with Utah, Detroit and the LA Lakers.

-Bill Walker's has decided not to have surgery on his recent knee injury, now suspected to be a minor ligament strain. Walker will be sidelined for 3-6 weeks, but is in the process of visiting teams in the draft at the moment. He was in Memphis and Detroit this past week, but does not appear have a promise from anyone at this point, as opposed to what was suggested by one media outlet. According to people close to Walker, the initial diagnosis of a partially torn Meniscus from the group workout in Golden State was incorrect.


-Ante Tomic conducted a workout in New York City on Saturday in front of 10 interested teams alongside Peja Samardziski, Damjan Rudez and Vladimir Golubovic. Two General Managers-New York's Donnie Walsh and Boston's Danny Ainge, were present, as were team representatives such as Scott Layden (Utah Jazz), Tim Connelley (Washington Wizards), Kenny Williamson (Charlotte Bobcats) and George Felton (San Antonio Spurs). Tomic reportedly had just a "so-so" workout, while it was Damjan Rudez actually that may have been the most impressive. Tomic likely gets drafted somewhere in the top 10-15 spots of the second round, and is rumored to be a strong candidate for Euroleague outfit Maccabi Tel Aviv. He currently has a contract with KK Zagreb that lasts until 2011, and has no NBA escape clause to work with.

-Philadelphia will be conducting a group workout on Tuesday, which will be open to two other teams drafting immediately after them-Toronto and Washington--featuring prospects such as Darrell Arthur, Marreese Speights, Jason Thompson and Alexis Ajinca. Their pick could very likely come out of this group, although they are rumored to have strong interest in DeAndre Jordan as well, who they recently worked out, and will very likely be on the board here.

-Nathan Jawai will also be conducting a group workout on Tuesday, this time in New York City. The workout will be conducted by the Detroit Pistons, and w
ill be attended by the Knicks, Nets, Grizzlies, Wizards and possibly others. 10 players will be there, including Jonathan Wallace and Novica Velickovic.

-As New Orleans Hornets blog Hornets247 reports, New Orleans has been conducting very few workouts with first round caliber players, leading some to suspect that some kind of trade may be in place. Representatives of more than one team told DraftExpress that they believe the Hornets actually promised Mario Chalmers that he will not get past them at 27, leading him to decide to keep his name in the draft and hire an agent. The problem is that Chalmers very well may not be there at 27, as he is reportedly getting heavy looks from teams like Phoenix at 15, Cleveland at 19, and especially Denver at 20. Chalmers continues to work out in the meantime for teams such as Portland and Indiana.

-Speaking of Courtney Lee, basically every team representative we've spoken with has him going 22nd in their personal mock draft, heading to Orlando.

 

[kiddin like jason]

but can he guard somebody?? it was proven he can't guard Rose!!
What?

Look, I don't care about what happened last season in college basketball; I think O.J.'s game is more NBA ready than anybody else's, and I think heends up being the best player of this draft class when it's all said and done.

He's going to be able to score when he pleases, and if he wants to, can be a top-notch defender in the League quick. He's also got the lead guardskills, but I see him as more of a combo guard that plays more shooting guard than point. Despite the intangibles, he's got a whole hell of a lot to prove,and I think he's ready to do that; he's been ready. When you've been talked about for this long, you're going to desire proving your worth -see LeBron James. And save it, I'm not comparing him to LeBron James as a basketball player; I'm just saying he has that same hunger to prove he'sworth the hype. And I think the scrutiny is a good thing for him. He knows what his weaknesses are based on last season, and he knows there's a lot more atstake now.

Like I've been saying, I don't see him being anything less than a superstar in the NBA, and it's been that way for years now. Honestly, if he couldhave hypothetically went to the NBA after his junior year of high school, I say he's like a top 25 player today. He's been ready for the NBA.

Representatives of more than one team told DraftExpress that they believe the Hornets actually promised Mario Chalmers that he will not get past them at 27, leading him to decide to keep his name in the draft and hire an agent.
Chalmers?

A Pargo replacement, I guess. There is a bigger pressing need.

 

[lnmymind]

/\ but what are basing it off of then if you say you don't care what happened last season?

It seem like people keep pulling these opinions of certain guys out of their @@+@# with nothing to really back it up. Top 25 in the league today? Come onman...be serious.

 

[kiddin like jason]

/\ but what are basing it off of then if you say you don't care what happened last season?

It seem like people keep pulling these opinions of certain guys out of their @@+@# with nothing to really back it up
Uh, his basketball ability and my judgment? I mean, what kind of answer are you looking for, a mathematical formula?

 

[N41D]

IT IS MORE DIFFICULT TO SCORE POINTS OR DO ANYTHING WHEN 3 DUDES ARE GUARDING YOU OR THE DEFENSE MAIN JOB IS TO FOCUS ON 1 PLAYER CAUSE HIS TEAM MATES ARE NOT SHOWING UP
What's your point? OJ scored 5 more points than Rose on 6 more shots and almost 10 more minutes per game. Shot 4 more threes per game... Whenyou shoot more and play more minutes, you should score more... Project their PPG out over the full 40 minutes, and OJ is scoring about 1.5 points pergame more...

And you still aren't understanding that having a better team around you = fewer shots because there's less emphasis on one single player carrying thescoring load.

And you completely ignored my question as to how you explained Kobe, Garnett, Pierce, and Ray Allen all seeing drops in their scoring averages this year. Is itbecause they had sub-par seasons by their standards, or is it because more talent around them meant less emphasis on carrying the scoring load night in andnight out, so they could focus on other aspects of the game and make themselves more complete players?

I think it was pretty apparent by the end of the season that if Memphis needed Derrick Rose to give them 20 or 25 points to win a game, he was more thancapable of doing just that. But that team didn't need that every night. They needed Rose to facilitate the offense and control the tempo of the game, whichhe did better than any other point guard in the country over the course of the year. Derrick Rose was the best point guard in the country this year, and heproved his ability to impose his will offensively in March when his team needed him... He's the best guard prospect in this draft with the highest upsideof anyone in the bunch.

Anyways, I'm done going back and forth with you about this. It obviously isn't going anywhere...

 

[grittyman20]

Why would the Bobcats even think of drafting Westbrook? I know he's more athletic, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to be a betterplayer.

I guess they could be trying to take best player available, but I really like Felton's game (from the few Cha games that I've seen)

 

[japanair21]

Originally Posted by grittyman20

Why would the Bobcats even think of drafting Westbrook? I know he's more athletic, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's going to be a better player.

I guess they could be trying to take best player available, but I really like Felton's game (from the few Cha games that I've seen)

I really do too, I think he needs polishing, but he can be a good PG in the L. From what I've heard, a lot of people DON'T like him.

 

[clutchshooter]

how these dudes gonna play the same position and Mayo avg better stats on a worser team

first off, 'worser is not a word. you are looking for 'worse'.

secondly what you seem to be oblivious to is the fact that the general consensus is that star players usually garner better stats on worse teams because of thefact that they are the only ones who can put up those stats, not the other way around as you seem to think.

while defenses are focused in on them more they still get more oppurtunities to score than they would with other stars around.

these days it's rare that an offensive player is 'stopped', they're either shooting well or they're not.

and whether they are or not, if they get enough attempts they'll rack up the points.

 

[franchise3]

Rockets = CDR or Batum @ #25

 

[truthgetsbusy]

Originally Posted by Kiddin Like Jason

but can he guard somebody?? it was proven he can't guard Rose!!

What?

Look, I don't care about what happened last season in college basketball; I think O.J.'s game is more NBA ready than anybody else's, and I think he ends up being the best player of this draft class when it's all said and done.

He's going to be able to score when he pleases, and if he wants to, can be a top-notch defender in the League quick. He's also got the lead guard skills, but I see him as more of a combo guard that plays more shooting guard than point. Despite the intangibles, he's got a whole hell of a lot to prove, and I think he's ready to do that; he's been ready. When you've been talked about for this long, you're going to desire proving your worth - see LeBron James. And save it, I'm not comparing him to LeBron James as a basketball player; I'm just saying he has that same hunger to prove he's worth the hype. And I think the scrutiny is a good thing for him. He knows what his weaknesses are based on last season, and he knows there's a lot more at stake now.

Like I've been saying, I don't see him being anything less than a superstar in the NBA, and it's been that way for years now. Honestly, if he could have hypothetically went to the NBA after his junior year of high school, I say he's like a top 25 player today. He's been ready for the NBA.



Thank you! Somebody else sees the light.........or the Kobe Lite....like dude said on that draft special tonight. I really see something in him that Idon't see in the others. EVERY PERSON who has coached/trained/played with/ played against OJ has said the same things. The kid has the drive to be great,his work ethic is unmatched, and his IQ/skill level is already there. OJ is Kobe Lite or Diet Kobe in my eyes. He's gonna make alot of ya'llbelievers next year. I look at his season at USC as Kobe's airballs in Utah.

Guys like OJ, MJ, and Kobe think about basketball 24/7 and think about how they can get better and be the best player on the planet.
Guys like KG, LeBron, Magic, Rose, D-Wade are dedicated to basketball and love the game but don't think about destroying the competition or rival players24/7
Guys like Beasley, Carmelo, Barkley, Iverson, T-Mac love to play basketball but it doesn't rule there lives. They think about hitting that GW shot butdon't think about 500 shots a day in the summers.

The are only a select few guys that are straight killers that dedicate there lives to being the best and sacrificing money, friends, and family to do it.

MJ
Kobe
and.........

OJ is next in line

 

[bigmike23]

WOW

*reads and just hits the backspace*

 

[al3xis]

Originally Posted by Bigmike23

WOW

*reads and just hits the backspace*

Seriously...

...

Guys like OJ, MJ, and Kobe think about basketball 24/7 and think about how they can get better and be the best player on the planet.
Guys like KG, LeBron, Magic, Rose, D-Wade are dedicated to basketball and love the game but don't think about destroying the competition or rival players 24/7
Guys like Beasley, Carmelo, Barkley, Iverson, T-Mac love to play basketball but it doesn't rule there lives.
We can have suspicions, but unless we know these guys personally, I'm not sure how we can say.

how a full season can be ignored? I mean it does give us something to go off of...and Beasley and Rose's 2nd half of the year stood well above anyoneelse. By production and how much potential they appeared to have.

You don't like 'Rio Allen????
Not anywhere in the Top 20 or even 25. A nice back up PG or spot starter for his career.

I have no idea what teams see to take him in the lottery.