NBA Draft/Ramblings about the rest of the league/Draft Lotto

Post #1 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:29 am

Now that we know the order of the draft, what do you guys see as happening around the league with the other teams?

1) Chicago
2) Miami
3) Minnesota
4) Seattle
5) Memphis
6) New York
7) LA Clippers

Milwaukee
9) Charlotte
10) New Jersey
11) Indiana
12) Sacramento
13) Portland
14) Golden State

cdash · Post #2 » by **cdash** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:35 am

This sucks. Beasley is EXACTLY what Chicago needs and they werent that bad to begin with. Chalk them up for the playoffs next year. That means Rose to Miami, and a backcourt of him and D Wade (and them not tanking) means Miami is back in the playoffs. F*** this.

Post #3 » by **PR07** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:39 am

This is absolutely pathetic. If we had stuck where we were for the second half aka the #9 spot, we'd be looking at probably a Top Pick right now. Has this crossed anyone's mind? No, we had to sign Flip Murray and bring back Jermaine. The incompetence of our management is unbearable. Just another slap in the face.

cdash · Post #4 » by **cdash** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:40 am

Seriously, this is the worst case scenario for us. The top two picks in the East to arguably the two best teams in the East who didnt make the playoffs. One of them being our Central Division rivals. Ugh. Ruined my week.

Tanking sure pays off...

xxSnEaKyPxx · Post #5 » by **xxSnEaKyPxx** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:41 am

This was the worst case scenario, I'd rather be picking 14th than have to face Rose in our division for x amount of years.

Pacers have the worst luck in the NBA.

JarrettJackSG · Post #6 » by **JarrettJackSG** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:41 am

That makes total sense for the Bulls. Dump off one of their past high picks (Tyrus, Noah) and discard who they traded for (Drew Gooden) so that they can pick Micheal Beasely, thereby allowing their guards (Kirk, Ben Gordon, Larry Hughes, and Thabo) to stay, because the Bulls like their guards better than their hometown hero PG Derrick Rose.

Because Tyrus, Noah, and Gooden are so much easier to trade than Kirk, BG, and Hughes.

Post #7 » by **PR07** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:45 am

I wasn't expecting to win, but I wasn't expecting to get slapped in the face by the process either. Not only does Riley's all out tanking get rewarded with a Top 2 pick, but the Bulls of all people get the top spot.

cdash · Post #8 » by **cdash** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:49 am

Yeah no kidding. The Bulls. People were picking them before the season to represent the East in the Finals. Fantastic. I mean, Beasley is EXACTLY what they have lacked the last few years. Now that they have the top pick, the top coaching candidates will want to come there too. Great.

glasket · Post #9 » by **glasket** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:55 am

I guess we can say bad luck for us. However we will have to pick up a good player in the draft and our core group will need to step up unless we want to be stuck in mediocracy for the next few years.

This definately does look like a worst case scenario.

Post #10 » by **APerna** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:57 am

It does stink that Chicago jumped all the way up, while we stayed put but that's the way the ping pong ball bounces...

BTW...head over to the main page...I got some good quotes from TPTB tonight

Post #11 » by **APerna** » Wed May 21, 2008 12:58 am

Here's some cool links:

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... oing_well/

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... oing_well/

Post #12 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed May 21, 2008 1:09 am

Well, Chicago got the dream and is getting their PF to go with Noah and Deng in the front court. I see them taking Beasley.

Miami's still living the dream as they'll likely end up with the guy they wanted the whole time in Derrick Rose, but they'll never have to live with any what-if scenario's about taking Rose over Beasley. The choice is made for them.

Minnesota has a tough choice, but I see them taking Brook Lopez to play center next to Al Jefferson long-term. I can't see them taking Mayo or Bayless as they already have a combo guard in Randy Foye and really need a true PG.

Seattle could very well end up with either Bayless or Mayo here with New York selecting the other one.

I see Memphis (who selects between Seattle and New York) as reaching for the big man in either Randolph or Love. They already have Gay and Miller on the wings, with Crittenton or Lowry likely to also pick up minutes at the SG position and Conley and Lowry taking up the PG minutes.

The Clippers seem like they have to take Eric Gordon here to go with a front court of Thornton/Brand/Kaman. Add a PG or hope that Livingston can be healthy and you have a very balanced lineup there that can do everything with strength. You have cutters in Gordon and Thornton. You have tremendous distance in Gordon as well. You have a tremendous garbageman in Kaman, and you have a great low-post presence that can get you a bucket every time down in Elton Brand. Get a guy to give them all the ball and you're pretty solid for at least 3 years, and probably have a window of about 5 years before you need to really think about replacing Brand in that combo and extending the window.

Milwaukee is a tough situation, but I see them taking Gallinari here. They have a hole at SF that Gallinari could fill ably. I do think though that Skiles won't be a huge fan of Charlie Villanueva and will likely look to replace him, or will be pressured by management to get Yi some more run at PF. They seem pretty set at PG with Mo Williams, SG with Redd, and C with Bogut. Gallinari just seems to fit the rest of that lineup with his flexibility.

Charlotte is a tough one, but I see them as taking whomever Memphis didn't reach for, either Love or Randolph. They'd probably want to (with Jordan at the helm) take the young, athletic potential of Anthony Randolph to play between Okafor and Gerald Wallace. They seem to like a high-speed run and gun style with very athletic players across the board in a Felton/Richardson/Wallace/draft pick/Okafor lineup. Love would work as well as he would be the less athletic PF/C with Okafor being the more athletic one, but he's a great rebounder and would start the fast break with tremendous skill for all the thoroughbreds they have everywhere else.

New Jersey is a tough one. I think, ultimately, they'll either take a SG type player in Russell Westbrook, or take a guy like Darrel Arthur to add to the current big man trio of Krstic (he should be re-signed or will sign the Qualifying Offer at the least), Sean Williams, and Josh Boone. If they take Westbrook, look for Carter to be moved and the rebuild to be on, with Jefferson leaving town shortly thereafter.

That leaves us. I think it's going to be a Westbrook/Augustin/Jordan trio that we have to choose from. If NJ takes Westbrook, we'll likely choose between just Augustin and Jordan, and I just see the PG spot as too big of a hole for us to ignore. Otherwise, I think we have to take Westbrook.

Sacramento seems like an ideal landing spot for either Deandre Jordan or Donte Green. Either seem like they could team with Brad Miller and Ron Artest in the short term or Spencer Hawes and Francisco Garcia/John Salmons in the long-term.

Joe Alexander or Nicolas Batum seem like a great fit for Portland here at the SF position with their wide skill sets. One things for sure though, Portland will probably be very active on draft day with probably looking at moving guys like Frye, Jack, and possibly Blake or Rodriguez looking to either acquire the SF they need badly, or to find that leader at PG that would allow Roy to move back off the ball to the SG spot. Maybe it's in moving up to get a guy like Westbrook or possibly Augustin. Maybe it's trading out of the draft completely for a veteran that could be on the market.

Golden State wraps up the lottery, and it's tough to determine how they'd go. Don Nelson seems like he might only have one more year there, and he plays such a different style from any other coach that would likely follow him there. If they stick with the Nelly-ball philosophy, look for a guy like Joe Alexander who would play PF for them, or possibly even an athletic big man like Kosta Koufos, who could combo with Andris Biedrins up front at the pivot positions.

That's it for my *early* lotto look. What do you guys see happening?

cdash · Post #13 » by **cdash** » Wed May 21, 2008 1:27 am

I dont know about the mock draft, but you forgot to give the Knicks the pick at #6.

Post #14 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed May 21, 2008 1:39 am

No I didn't. It was mixed in the same paragraph as the Seattle pick.

Basically, I had Seattle pick between Mayo and Bayless with New York taking whomever they left. Memphis picked in between, but I thought they'd reach for either Love or Anthony Randolph.

cdash · Post #15 » by **cdash** » Wed May 21, 2008 1:47 am

Sorry, I didnt read it that carefully. I think if Seattle takes Bayless then Memphis takes Mayo. If Seattle takes Mayo, it gets trickier for the Grizzlies. Either way, Chris Wallace is still making the decisions and he is a proven moron.

Post #16 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed May 21, 2008 2:07 am

I can't see Memphis taking Mayo or Bayless there. They have Conley, Lowry, and Crittenton at PG, Miller and either Lowry or Crittenton at SG, Gay locking up a ton of the minutes at SF with Miller picking some up as well. I just don't see a ton of room for either Mayo or Bayless. They have a gaping hole at either PF or C and guys like Love or Randolph would fill that hole. Lopez would be a dream for them.

Sure, they might have to take Mayo and his star power, but it's just hard to fit him in immediately. Maybe they take Mayo and then trade Miller for the PF/C type they need, but who knows. The most simple solution would be to take Love or Randolph and keep the rest of the guys they have.

cdash · Post #17 » by **cdash** » Wed May 21, 2008 2:13 am

Yeah I think if Lopez is there Memphis takes him. I cant see them taking Bayless, but I can see them taking Mayo (and Mayo being pissed about it). They shopped Miller around at the deadline last year, he doesnt really fit in with their youth movement, he has some value...I cant see him being there long term. Lowry or Crittenton is likely to be traded and neither is a starting SG in my mind. So basically, I think there is room at SG for Mayo. Plus I think most people view him as the third best prospect in this draft behind Rose and Beasley. I cant see Memphis reaching for Randolph or Love at #5 over Mayo.

Post #18 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed May 21, 2008 2:28 am

My gut feeling is that they can get the PF or C they want in the draft, but Miller won't get them the PF or C they need. I think a Miller/Love combo would be better than a Mayo/player acquired by trading Miller combo would be.

I also would personally view Lopez as the better overall prospect than Mayo, and Mayo end up being a good SG, but a very replaceable SG.

Post #19 » by **PR07** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:30 am

Alright, I've cooled down. I just get mad when teams that get all the breaks, keep getting breaks while the Pacers are stuck in the mud. If I didn't have the Colts, things would be a whole lot worse, that's for sure.

Post #20 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Wed May 21, 2008 3:36 am

How well has Chicago done with their top 4 picks lately?

Just kidding.

I can certainly tell you this. It's times like this where we figure out who the real fans are. It certainly takes dedication at this point to remain fans.