RealGM

#3 OJ Mayo
#31 Bill Walker
#34 DJ White

That sounds like an incredible draft for the Wolves, imo. We don't need Walker, but he's great value at 31. Three players that they have going after 34 that I might look at instead with those picks are Nikola Pekovic, Jason Thompson and Ryan Anderson

If Walker falls that far I will be ecstatic. Ryan Anderson is also a sleeper of mine I would love to pick him up, only problem is, that means we wouldnt have picked up and project big in the draft and we either plan on bringing in a FA, or spending another year with Jefferson at the helm. Or maybe we plan on playing Richard more, but I doubt that will be the case.

Walker and Mayo have a history together. They would work well together here also. Walker would do many of the positive things Snyder did for us last year. He has had a great time in chicago and would look nice here.

The logic with DX is we only take one center. Asik is a very nice prospect. But he is a prospect, probably a year or 2 away from being a rotation guy. But a very valuable pick.

We would need to MLE a vet big as a stop gap, but that would be a nice foundation to this team.

Vet-5
Al
Brewer
Mayo
Foye

Gomes-Shad-Walker-Bassy-P'OB (nice bench)

Move jaric, or move Shad for the starting C and let Jaric take the guard minutes off the bench.

It would be a positive draft.

If I had a say in who we drafted that would be exactly it. I really like Omer Asik.

pretty sweet draft.

Kind of intriguing how DX was saying rumors are that Mayo will only work out for big markets...but have us picking him.

Big markets shmig markets. Ask Kevin Durant how those endorsements are coming.

Plus its not like Minnys never seen a superstar.

As far as the big market thing, all OJ has to do is look at KG to know that the options will be there, no matter where you go. I'm feelin that draft cause I like Bill Walker a lot.

Anyone notice how statements BY HIS AGENT (if I'm not mistaken...) about working out for only big market teams only happened AFTER switching agents? OJ Mayo himself has been quoted saying he wants to be drafted as high as possible and he has also been quoted saying that he would like playing with a group of young guys and growing together and in that same interview flatly stated that the cold weather is completely inconsequential to him. Put that together with the Tim Floyd interview which was absolutely GLOWING....I mean if he really was a head case, Floyd wouldn't give him a glowing review like he did. He would most likely be diplomatically polite and slightly positive.

Put the pieces together. The whole big market idea is all his agents. OJ Mayo will play anywhere for anyone. His agents want him in a big market because they want to milk more money out of him, because that's all many agents care about...the profit they make of their clients. OJ is fine, his agents are whack.

Here's a link to the draft, for those that want it:

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2008/

Gary Forbes, Pat Calathes and Sonny Weems are also very interesting 2nd rounders that interest me, but they'll be picked later, I think.

To the OP, the mock actually has the Trailblazers taking Asik, it has us taking DJ White, a guy that has not at all impressed me. Id be much happier taking Ryan Anderson

shrink wrote:Here's a link to the draft, for those that want it:

http://www.draftexpress.com/nba-mock-draft/2008/

Am I blind or does that say the Wolves pick D.J. White, not Omer Asik?

that'd be kind of a kick in the balls if MN missed out on Hardin so closely

Mayo/Walker = the next Jordan/Pippen?

Did everyone notice Lopez dropped to ninth?

He dropped to ninth in the ESPN mock draft too, FWIW.

www.nba.com/draft2008/board/mock.html

NBA.com is behind the times. I checked the links, and several of the sites have been updated, with us taking Mayo at #3. Hoopsworld has Mayo going at #2.

big3_8_19_21 wrote:Anyone notice how statements BY HIS AGENT (if I'm not mistaken...) about working out for only big market teams only happened AFTER switching agents? OJ Mayo himself has been quoted saying he wants to be drafted as high as possible and he has also been quoted saying that he would like playing with a group of young guys and growing together and in that same interview flatly stated that the cold weather is completely inconsequential to him. Put that together with the Tim Floyd interview which was absolutely GLOWING....I mean if he really was a head case, Floyd wouldn't give him a glowing review like he did. He would most likely be diplomatically polite and slightly positive.

Put the pieces together. The whole big market idea is all his agents. OJ Mayo will play anywhere for anyone. His agents want him in a big market because they want to milk more money out of him, because that's all many agents care about...the profit they make of their clients. OJ is fine, his agents are whack.

I don't even know that his agents made that statement publicly. Draftexpress just reported the rumor, I don't recall them attributing actual quotes.

Also, Floyd would likely be glowing in public whether or not Mayo was a joy to coach or an absolute cancer. If he's been glowing about Mayo towards Hoiberg, that holds a little more weight.

Put all the pieces together, and we don't really have a clue about what's running through Mayo's head, except that a couple weeks ago his only interest was in being drafted as high as possible. He'll more than likely play wherever he's drafted, but he doesn't really have much of a choice in that matter.

My phrasing could have been better and I shouldn't have stated it so absolutely, but I maintain the same position.

I mean if the reports hold water, it was his agents who said that to the teams (not publicly), and if iirc, that only happened after he switched agents.

IMO, I don't think Floyd would have been so glowing if he was a nutcase, I think he would have still be positive for sure, but he wouldn't have gone out of his way to praise him as highly as he did. That's not based on fact either way, that's just an opinion, so take it as you will.

All I'm saying is that all the evidence points to his agents being the problem, not him.

Actually, with how Draft Express has its mock, I really do NOT like the second round. We leave the draft without a center prospect. I am meh on Walker at 31. Yes, he is value, but another SF and no Center. Then, at #34, we miss out on Asik as well and end up with another PF who I think has no shot at playing the 5 and may just be another Craig Smith with limited to no fit on the team. Very dissapointing 2nd round. I would much rather go with Asik at #31 and Thomspon from Rider at #34 who can at least play some 5 if he is primarily a 4.

It would be odd sitting as a fan or in the FO and seeing that at 20 most of the late round centers are left and then see them go in bulk. Then, at #31, seeing a few you like, you draft the possible BPA, and then watch Asik go right before you pick and then Pekovic go right after with Thompson following shortly.

That would be a rough draft. If it were Asik not White we got like the OP thought, I would be happy with that but still prefer mulitple bigs in the 2nd.

This would be a much better mock if team needs were taken into account because many teams are picking guys at the wrong positions. I'd consider it more of a value ranking. If Ajinca and Hardin went right before our pick that would really blow. That's why I think we're thinking of trading up. If either falls to 31 I think we could get a great big man without trading up. Jason Thompson fell into the 2nd too. Maybe teams are souring on him now.

As for the rumors, I seriously doubt those rumors came from his agent. Agents don't put out bad press like that about their guy, even if it's exactly what they're thinking. I think it's a good bet it came from the front office of one of those big market teams, most likely Miami, LA or NY. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Riley himself trying to push him down the board so they can trade down with Memphis for Mayo.

Maybe it came from Bill Duffy himself as a favor to McHale to set up a smokescreen around Mayo.

younggunsmn wrote:This would be a much better mock if team needs were taken into account because many teams are picking guys at the wrong positions. I'd consider it more of a value ranking. If Ajinca and Hardin went right before our pick that would really blow. That's why I think we're thinking of trading up. If either falls to 31 I think we could get a great big man without trading up. Jason Thompson fell into the 2nd too. Maybe teams are souring on him now.

As for the rumors, I seriously doubt those rumors came from his agent. Agents don't put out bad press like that about their guy, even if it's exactly what they're thinking. I think it's a good bet it came from the front office of one of those big market teams, most likely Miami, LA or NY. I wouldn't be surprised if it was Riley himself trying to push him down the board so they can trade down with Memphis for Mayo.

Maybe it came from Bill Duffy himself as a favor to McHale to set up a smokescreen around Mayo.

Yeah, but they weren't supposed to make it to the press, that's the point. Your explanation is also entirely possible as well, though.

I understand that most people don't like the idea of not picking up a center by taking Walker at #31 but if he looks good medically you are getting a 1st round talent in the 2nd without missing out on much.Does picking Asik or Pekovic (and then paying him $5-6m a year to get him over) instead turn the team into a contender next season? I would say not.

Worry about getting a 5 next year if you can get better talent at other positions.

If the draft played out like DX have it would Boston trade getting their 09 1st back for this years so we could take Hardin.

That would be an ideal draft for me #3 Mayo,Bos 1st Hardin,#31 Walker,#34 Pekovic ( leave him in Europe unless he will play for a lot less than I think he will want).