The winner of the 2008 Sonics Draft Contest is...

[djthesonicsfan]

asdf1223. Got to give it to you for making the Russell Westbrook call at #4. Downtown talked about it, but you made the call. And then you had Ibaka as well, although at #32 instead of #24.

A very close second was Sonic Ben with Westbrook taken at #10 & Ibaka at #24. You'd have probably won if the Clippers trade had gone through.

Other notable efforts in no particular order...

- wiff, HeavyP & Big Mac called Ibaka at #24. And HeavyP & Big Mac also predicted Trent Plaisted. Which was kind of weird. HeavyP had him at the #47 pick & Big Mac had him at #43. Except our pick was #46. Who cares. We traded the guy for DJ White anyway.

- Credit to Argyle for calling the Sasha Kahn trade. For $50. Actually I wonder if that's all it would really take with Bennett.

- HipHopHead nailed the Hardin. Except points were deducted because he doesn't know how to spell his name right and it was at pick #50, not #46.

- Yours truly predicted DJ White & Sasha Kahn.

- Downtown gets the bonus award for most entries. And getting around to mentioning Russell Westbrook, Ibaka & DJ White.

[ryantony]

Great idea!

I have no idea how to make a fair trade but I think we'll take Bayless with 4th and then trade Chris Wilcox and our 24th to Phoenix for some dude who evens out the contracts and their 15th where we'll take Javale McGee -- haha make fun of me now

[bennith13]

I agree Dj... Great idea. Even though I disagree with a few people here about who we should draft it is still fun to have a debate about it. Most likely I will be wrong anyways... hopefully we get a fare amount of people participating in this.

[Det the Threat]

Good idea DJ, but i'm a bit surprised you didn't start it with some of your own projections.

I think we'll take Jerryd Bayless at #4.
Then i expect Presti to trade up with that #24 pick and select Robin Lopez somewhere in the 15 - 20 range.
I also believe that he'll keep the #32 pick and use it on either a swingman that falls there(CDR, Bill Walker, Courtney Lee etc.) or another bruising forward/center like DJ White, Richard Hendrix,

[BBen]

Edited:

Bayless + Wilcox + Petro for Beasley + Blount

24 = Javale McGee

[HeavyP]

#4: Bayless
#24: Ibaka
#32: Asik
#43: Weaver
#47: Trent Plaisted
#56: Some overseas PG none of us have ever heard of, there are about 6 of them projected to go in the 2nd round.

My guess is We'll trade two 2nd rounders for future 2nd rounders again.

[djthesonicsfan]

- #4 OJ Mayo
- Sonics trade Wilcox, Wilkins, Ridnour & #24 in three team deal for Brandon Rush & expirings
- #32 DJ White
- Sonics trade #46 to Lakers for cash
- #50 Sasha Kahn
- #56 Bryce Taylor

[Argyle]

Guaranteed win for Argyle here-

#4 Bayless
#24 Botched
#32 Bad
#43 Project
#50 Foriegn
#56 Traded to the Spurs for $30

[sonic-ben]

#4 Want Mayo 6-4 probably Blayless 6-3
#10 Westbrook 6-3... Trade Collison or Wilcox
#24 Ibaka 6-10 super athletic {kemp]
#32 Nathan Jawai 6-10 thick thick man
#46 Weaver 6-5
#50 traded to NJ
#56 traded to NJ

Building team for Durant .... period

[Hiphophead101]

#4 - Bayless (Love is a stretch)
#24 - Koufos
#32 - Chalmers
#46 - Harden
#50 - Taylor
#56 - Hudson - withdrew from draft. Pick traded.

[BenjaminH]

Yes, this should be fun. I would also be interested in doing a mock draft competition for the lottery, the way we did last year. (I tied for first, though my picks were way off after the lottery. I think Farmer Man or J-Sonic would have won if we tallied the entire draft ... but I can't really remember.) It gets tricky when there are trades you don't anticipate in your mock draft, like the Green and Wright trades last year. But it might be fun, nonetheless. I see that DJ has already made some very informed mock drafts. In any case, here are my predictions for this:

#4 - Bayless
#24 - Koufos
#32 - Weaver
#46 - Dorsey
#50 - Roby
#56 - Kemp

I must admit, these predictions are, more or less, guesses and not very well informed.

EDIT: I am also not account for trades, though I think that Presti will try to make (at least) one if he can find any takers.

[Downtown]

This might be a little long. From most accounts Mayo wants to go to New York or LA. He won't work out for smaller market teams such as Minnesota, Seattle(maybe he's looking at the relocation situation) and Memphis. I like him best if he is still at #4 but I have reservations about him for this reason alone.

Bayless seems from all accounts as the no brainer pick, but I also have reservations about him. For whatever reason I just don't see him as the player I want running the point. It's not based on his individual skills, but rather I see him as being a Marbury type in that he looks to play for himself rather than make his team better, but that's an uneducated, bias remark on my part. But I can't get it out of my head.

The guy I'm really thinking could be a great fit is Russel Westbrook. He reminds me of Devin Harris in that he is quick and athletic, plays some of the best defense I've seen from a pointguard, doesn't make the flashy plays but gets the ball into teamates hands without flair, and can score enough to be a threat at all times. He also gets to the line and draws fouls by driving hard to the hoop, an area the Sonics lacked last year.

But I know that taking him at #4 would kind of shortchange the pick since I think Westbrook could still be there until the Clippers pick(who from what I've heard really like him). I have no idea what sort of scenario would make sense, but I would be willing to trade down to get Westbrook. He's my preferred pointguard.

I want to see Presti make a deal to get into the low to mid teens. I'm looking at 3 players I think would add alot to the Sonics. Brandon Rush, Chase Budinger, and Kosta Koufos all would fit well. Rush is versatile, which Presti seems to talk about so he could start at shooting guard if Durant and Green shuffle over a spot, or be the sixth man behind both Durant and Green.

Budinger is under the radar, but I feel that he is an NBA ready type of player that can put up good scoring numbers and has great athleticism. One area the Sonics fell short was in outside shooting. Budinger could take some pressure off Durant and give Seattle a second threat that can provide momentum change. Most people don't talk alot about Budinger but I think he is going to be a steal for a team.

Koufos is a no brainer since the Sonics can use a center. Koufos pretty much has all the requisites that the Sonics can use, plus he is a very good offensive center and that would mean that teams could no longer push out to pressure Durant if they had to watch for a big scoring threat inside, which Koufos is.

Any of those 3 players described above would suit me if Presti can swing a trade.

Barring a trade, we're down to #24. Two players I like that should still be left are Courtney Lee and Mario Chalmers. Both are backcourt players that are versatile, can defend, and have very good outside shots.

Perhaps if a big man falls through the cracks that was projected to go much higher is still left then I would consider him. The names that come to mind are Speights and McVale.

For the first of their second rounders I think the door is wide open. Names I like are JJ Hickson, DJ White, Richard Hendrix, Kyle Weaver, and possibly Nathan Jawai.

I'm not concerned beyond that as I don't see how any of the other 3 picks will be on the roster next season. Trade them or take foreign players for a rainy day suit me fine.

But I'll qualify everything I've said above by saying I'm always open to trades and if the right deal(s) come along every pick is on the table. I'll also say that I reserve the right to change my mind before the draft if more information regarding workouts, etc. come to light.

[Big_Mac79]

#4 SG OJ Mayo
#24 PF Serge Ibaka
#32 PG Mario Chalmers
#43 PF Trent Plaisted
#50 PF Vyacheslav Kravtsov
#56 C Donatas Motiejunas

[Downtown]

Why did my post get formatted weird? Moderators, any answers? Is this a glitch in the new system?

[asdf1223]

#4 Russel Westbrook
#24 Jason Thompson
#32 Serge Ibaka
#43 Bryce Taylor
#50 Trade Bait
#56 Anton Ponkrashov

[Downtown]

So the day after I say I would like Budinger on the Sonics he pulls out of the draft. Was it something I said to offend him?

I notice some posters aren't factoring trades in and are simply stating their preferences strictly by the numbers that the Sonics have. I suppose I should follow suit instead of saying I want such and such player by way of a trade.

#4- Mayo/Westbrook.

#24- Courtney Lee, Hibbert/Chalmers(if Presti goes big for some reason at #4). I'm assuming that both Rush and Koufos will be gone by #24.

#32- Hickson/DJ White/Jawai/Hendrix(basically best big man left).

#43- Nikola Pekovic.

#50- Ewing/Giddens/Weaver(again, best player available).

#56- foreign player(honestly, how can you predict who will still be there?).

Like most everyone, pointguard with the #4 looks most likely, but who knows for sure. I do feel that both these players could step in right away and make a difference.

Lee is a versatile player that can play two positions, and once again from what I saw of him during march madness, and from news reports, he is NBA ready. He's been compared to Anthony Parker, which would mean he has the ability to become that perimiter defender( I liken him more to Raja Bell). Hibbert hasn't been a draft darling but I recall that Brendan Haywood was the same in his draft year. Fundamentally sound like former teamate Jeff Green, he still has size, is a senior, and plays that steady but unspectacular type of basketball. I do like Chalmers game and like I said, if for some reason they go big at #4 then Chalmers is a nice pickup in my mind at #24.

Best big man available is self explanatory. If they get a point and a combo shooting guard/small forward, then to me it's an easy choice with the #32. The only question is which one of these guys will be left.

Both Pekovic at #43 and another foreign player at #56 makes sense to most of us I think(probably at #50 as well).

I thought I would try an attempt to squeeze in one more player at #50 if the right guy fell down the ladder that had made a good impression during workouts. Position has no bearing, as does nationality.

[is1531]

OK. I'm going out on a very long limb here but I'm going to predict a trade:
#24, 32, Chris Wlicox (and maybe a future pick) to NJ for Keith Van Horn, Maurice Ager, #10.

At #4 we grab Lopez, 10 we grab Westbrook or Randolph or (insert random PG here).

You can not move up 14 slots by offering 24, 32 and Wilcox. Wilcox can walk from the Nets after this season. You have a better chance of offering that deal to Phoenix for pick 15. I think Phoenix may keep the pick and draft Speights.

[kjtruong]

Budinger is under the radar, but I feel that he is an NBA ready type of player that can put up good scoring numbers and has great athleticism. One area the Sonics fell short was in outside shooting. Budinger could take some pressure off Durant and give Seattle a second threat that can provide momentum change. Most people don't talk alot about Budinger but I think he is going to be a steal for a team.

budinger withdrew

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008 ... aft-080617

[Downtown]

A name that's come out of right field is Pat Calathes. At 6'10" and 220lbs. he is can play both forward positions. I'll spare you the details here but go to draftexpress and check out the detailed comparisons of all the small forwards. Calathes does incredibly well. I wonder if he might be worth a look with one of the lower second round picks if Presti manages to open up some roster spots.

After watching the NBA finals I've been wondering(as I'm sure alot of basketball fans have) about the importance of loading up a team with players that can play good defense. Here's my thought.

Could a perimiter defender like Desmond Mason be a good fit on the Sonics, more so than Damien Wilkens? I was very impressed with the job James Posey did and wonder if Mason could play the same role, minus the 3 point shooting?

A also liked the way Leon Powe complimented the Celtics starters. I'm thinking about what it would take to get Brandon Bass from Dallas?

If there is someone that Presti feels he wants that he can get a few spots lower in the draft, could he swing a deal to get the Knicks pick for the Sonics pick, plus Wilson Chandler, a very good young defender with lots of upside in return for Wilkens?

Could Presti combine some of the second round picks to move up and take a very good defensive pointguard like Mario Chalmers for a good backup?

Just more to think about until draft day.

[djthesonicsfan]

Just a reminder the deadline is coming up to either enter or revise your existing predictions.