The Official Draft Thread

[No-Man]

According to CBS is PHoenix the team that promises Waiters to select him at 13.

[carey]

It makes sense.

No it doesn't. I can see why you want to belive that it does though. I know you really want him to be a Sun.

[bwgood77]

That's not how a promise works. You stop working out for teams HIGHER than the team that promised you in hopes that you fall to that team. It's how we got Amare at #9.

Not exactly. That only happens sometimes.

Players can be told that a team promises to pick them at a certain spot and they dont shut down all workouts. They continue to workout, knowing that promise is the lowest that they will go. Thats what Rivers is doing. Waiters on the otherhand got a promise from a high drafting team that he was good with and cancelled all workouts. Waiters knows he's not going in the top 5, so if he was promised by a team drafting #6-#8, he knows that is his top value and cant go any higher. Thats when players completely shut it down.

Waiters got a promise at #8 and liked the situation. No more workouts.
Rivers got a promise at #13. He now only works out for a few teams drafting higher than us.

It makes sense.

Why would a team even MAKE a promise then? "Hey, we'll draft you if you fall to us, but go ahead and work out for everyone ahead of us if you want." That makes zero sense. I mean it makes sense for Rivers but it certainly doesn't make sense for the Suns.

I am starting to wonder if Rivers even got a promise at all. I think he's just so confident he's going to go in the top 10....a friend probably told him "You'll definitely go top 12 or so dude. Probably between 4 and 12." Or he is just guessing he will go in that range since Cleveland, Toronto, NO, etc are working him out.

Nothing would surprise me with Rivers at this point.

[bwgood77]

UConn shooting guard Jeremy Lamb remains in the running as a top-10 pick, but his workout with Toronto (No. 8) on Thursday hardly helped his case. Sources said Lamb turned his ankle minutes into the session, and he was expected to cancel a scheduled workout with Portland (Nos. 6 and 11) for Friday. Though the injury is not considered serious, the predraft workout phase is obviously not a good time to be dealing with a weak ankle.

That sucks. The less he worksout, the more he is going to drop, while all the other SG's stock goes up. I want nothing to do with him.

Yeah, I noticed Amick now has us taking Lamb. The CBS insider has us taking Waiters. They both have Rivers going to Philly at 15.

[bwgood77]

I'm starting to think Royce White might end up being one of the best players in this draft. If we could somehow get a pick to snag him, it would be nice. A playmaking forward like him is rare. He averaged 5 assists in college. That's more than most point guards in college. In addition to his 9+ boards and 13+ ppg on 53% shooting. Add a block and a steal per game too.

Once Nash and Hill are gone, it would be nice to have a big man that had a good handle and was great at finding the open man, in addition to whoever our new pg is, especially if it ends up being a scoring pg or a rookie.

[jredsaz]

That's not how a promise works. You stop working out for teams HIGHER than the team that promised you in hopes that you fall to that team. It's how we got Amare at #9.

I think thats why Rivers is only working out for teams in the top 10. Because, it was the Hornets that made the promise.

When it was reported that a lottery team had promised to draft Duke shooting guard Austin Rivers, many suspected that it came from New Orleans with its No. 10 pick. His father, Celtics coach Doc Rivers, and Hornets coach Monty Williams are close friends, and Austin is just the sort of young, confident talent that New Orleans could use during its rebuilding process. But a source with knowledge of the situation insisted that the Hornets have not promised Rivers.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/w ... index.html

Also from that same link:

UConn shooting guard Jeremy Lamb remains in the running as a top-10 pick, but his workout with Toronto (No. 8) on Thursday hardly helped his case. Sources said Lamb turned his ankle minutes into the session, and he was expected to cancel a scheduled workout with Portland (Nos. 6 and 11) for Friday. Though the injury is not considered serious, the predraft workout phase is obviously not a good time to be dealing with a weak ankle.

That sucks. The less he worksout, the more he is going to drop, while all the other SG's stock goes up. I want nothing to do with him.

I love the references. You should consider end notes or a bibliography. I just dont see the suns offering a promise to a prospect who has not worked out for them. Maybe, but...

[jredsaz]

I'm starting to think Royce White might end up being one of the best players in this draft. If we could somehow get a pick to snag him, it would be nice. A playmaking forward like him is rare. He averaged 5 assists in college. That's more than most point guards in college. In addition to his 9+ boards and 13+ ppg on 53% shooting. Add a block and a steal per game too.

Once Nash and Hill are gone, it would be nice to have a big man that had a good handle and was great at finding the open man, in addition to whoever our new pg is, especially if it ends up being a scoring pg or a rookie.

His game is compared to Diaws but he doesn't seem to have the care free attitude. Big +. In fact, its the opposite. he cares so much he needs meds! I can respect that.

[carey]

Unless Kerrsed is saying that the Hornets offered Rivers a promise they would take him if he shut down his workouts. Instead of doing that Rivers thought to himself "Well, I'm good enough to go at least #10," and decided to schedule workouts with teams drafting above #10 in hopes of going higher. Which would essentially void the promise, but I'm sure the Hornets wouldn't spite him and not take him if he was there at #10 just cause he worked out for a few teams. Still that situation is much less feasible than Rivers not having a promise at all.

[bwgood77]

Unless Kerrsed is saying that the Hornets offered Rivers a promise they would take him if he shut down his workouts. Instead of doing that Rivers thought to himself "Well, I'm good enough to go at least #10," and decided to schedule workouts with teams drafting above #10 in hopes of going higher. Which would essentially void the promise, but I'm sure the Hornets wouldn't spite him and not take him if he was there at #10 just cause he worked out for a few teams. Still that situation is much less feasible than Rivers not having a promise at all.

Well that is certainly possible. He could have had someone approach him with a promise and then decide he isn't going to shut down his workouts (even if they wanted him to) and still told the press he got a promise.

Maybe I read it wrong, but it seemed like Kerrsed made it seem as if Phx gave him a promise but were ok with him working out with teams ahead of us.

[bwgood77]

I'm starting to think Royce White might end up being one of the best players in this draft. If we could somehow get a pick to snag him, it would be nice. A playmaking forward like him is rare. He averaged 5 assists in college. That's more than most point guards in college. In addition to his 9+ boards and 13+ ppg on 53% shooting. Add a block and a steal per game too.

Once Nash and Hill are gone, it would be nice to have a big man that had a good handle and was great at finding the open man, in addition to whoever our new pg is, especially if it ends up being a scoring pg or a rookie.

His game is compared to Diaws but he doesn't seem to have the care free attitude. Big +. In fact, its the opposite. he cares so much he needs meds! I can respect that.

Yes, did you see Simmons' article today? He compared him to a rich man's Diaw. I'm a little envious of Boston's position right now. They go to the ECF game 7 and then they have two first round picks in a very deep draft. I mean they could end up with Royce White and Andrew Nicholson. I mean, a future team with those guys in the frontcourt with Rondo and Bradley in the backcourt? Plus they still have Pierce for a few years and probably KG if they want him (which I am guessing they will.) Probably Jeff Green too.

[jredsaz]

I'm starting to think Royce White might end up being one of the best players in this draft. If we could somehow get a pick to snag him, it would be nice. A playmaking forward like him is rare. He averaged 5 assists in college. That's more than most point guards in college. In addition to his 9+ boards and 13+ ppg on 53% shooting. Add a block and a steal per game too.

Once Nash and Hill are gone, it would be nice to have a big man that had a good handle and was great at finding the open man, in addition to whoever our new pg is, especially if it ends up being a scoring pg or a rookie.

His game is compared to Diaws but he doesn't seem to have the care free attitude. Big +. In fact, its the opposite. he cares so much he needs meds! I can respect that.

Yes, did you see Simmons' article today? He compared him to a rich man's Diaw. I'm a little envious of Boston's position right now. They go to the ECF game 7 and then they have two first round picks in a very deep draft. I mean they could end up with Royce White and Andrew Nicholson. I mean, a future team with those guys in the frontcourt with Rondo and Bradley in the backcourt? Plus they still have Pierce for a few years and probably KG if they want him (which I am guessing they will.) Probably Jeff Green too.

Right! Thats how smart teams do it. I used to make Depends jokes about the Celtics all the time but just when it looks like they will slip into mediocrity with the rest of us they have a couple young pieces in place and two draft picks in the deepest draft I can remember. There are 20 players that can be solid contributors in this draft. That's not including the 2-5 players that might be legit franchise guys.

And, yes. Simmons is fantastic. I made a Simmons KAHNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!! reference in trade thread minutes ago.

[Kerrsed]

Page limit reached.

[DirtyDez]

Is #21, unprotected 1st next year and Jujuan Johnson still bad for Gortat? Boston has two so they could trade next year's right?

Rondo
Bradley
Pierce
KG
Gortat

[ATTL]

I'd have to think we could get better than that for Gortat.