Thursday, June 30, 2005

2005 NBA DRAFT GRADES

Coming Soon...........................................

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

FINAL 2005 NBA MOCK DRAFT

1. Milwaukee Andrew Bogut C Utah- Supposedly Redd is coming back, a cornerstone center or point guard is needed. Bogut is the choice. Has to start right away will be one of the best passing big men in the NBA, Gadzuric is where he should be, a servicable backup.

2. Atlanta Marvin Williams SF North Carolina- Atlanta could use a PG among other things but the pontential of Williams is too much to pass on. Marvin Williams is the best player available here regardless of the fact that they have Josh Childress and Josh Smith already. Al Harrington will be traded before the start of the season.

3. Portland Deron Williams PG Illinois - This pick is completely up in the air at this point. Utah and Portland seem to be on negotiations to swap picks/players. (Randolph and #3 for Boozer and #6) I’m assuming the deal gets done and Utah is making the pick here and they get the PG they covet in Williams.

4. New Orleans Chris Paul PG Wake Forest - For a team with so many holes, Paul is the impact player with the most upside that they need. Great leader can score and distribute effectively. Already an upgrade over Claxton/Dickau.

5. Charlotte Raymond Felton PG North Carolina- Charlotte gets another proven collge player in Felton who should team up well with Okafor to provide immediate help. Pick may also be traded to LA Lakers.

6. Utah -Gerald Green SG High School- Portland may or may not be picking here. Green’s tremendous upside potential is too much to pass on. Absolute superstar potential no matter who picks him, I cant see him lasting no later than this pick This is probably Portland’s pick here obtained in the Boozer/Randolph swap and they indeed get who they wanted.

7. Toronto Danny Granger F New Mexico- Assuming Donyell is back, Granger is still the choice. He can step in right away at the SF position. Last years number one pick Rafael Arujo may start at center, the talented Bosh at PF and Granger who has been improving his stock starting at SF or backing up Donyell. PG remains a need but with another first rounder they can address that later. Granger has been unconscious in workouts, reportedly hit twelve NBA threes in a row.

8. New York Channing Frye PF Arizona - Alleged promise to Frye is already in place at this pick. We all know how much Isiah loves drafting bigs, he simply cannot resist Frye here especially after trading Kurt Thomas and with Sweeney waiting. NY has pick #30 as well.

9. Golden State Fran Vasquez C Spain - Team is ready for breakout year. Stacked with players everywhere. Can afford to take a chance on Vasquez even though his stock is rumored to be falling like a rock.

10. LA Lakers Andrew Bynum C High School - Big upside player who is rising fast on draft boards after very impressive workouts. LA needs a big with average centers like Mihm,Slava and with Divac thinking of retiring they could use help here also at PG. Personally, I think Chucky Atkins fits well in the triangle and they wont address the PG position through the draft.. LA also has been rumored as to be drooling over Gerald Green.

11. Orlando Antoine Wright SG Texas A&M -After a strong draft last year, SG is priority now. Wright is big, athletic and should make an impact right away backing up Mobley. Nice combo with Howard and Francis. Joey Graham could easily go here as well. Wright may not be here at this point due to strong workouts. A steal at #11 for Orlando if he is.

12. LA Clippers Yaroslav Koralev SG/SF- Another draft another lottery pick for the Clippers and they decide to go foreign with the pick to beef up the frontcourt. Ton of talent here with Koralev, thought to go much higher. Was the best player on his former Junior team in Moskow. Definite promise to this guy somewhere. This is where it is.

13. Charlotte Martell Webster SG High School - Nice acquisition by whoever picks here. Could be Charlotte, could be someone else. Hopefully not another Deshawn Stevenson, concerns have already been raised after he reportedly skipped workouts. Hubie Brown would say "Webster has tremendous upside potential".

14. Minnesota Charlie Villanueva F Connecticut- Villanueva is one of the most versatile players in this draft, he likely will be a backup but he will get his minutes. The T’Wolves will have their hands full with this kid as Villanueva drove UCONN coach Jim Calhoun crazy during the two years he was there. Hakim Warrick is my sleeper pick here. Villanieva's work ethic still remains a concern.

15. New Jersey Johan Petro C France- Need a big desperately to go with Kristic, may look to trade this pick. If they keep it its Petro. Chris Taft is a strong possibility here also. Either one is not a polished player, I'd actually prefer Petro at this point but Taft was once projected by scouts to go #1 overall in the draft. If NJ decides to go small McCants is the pick here.

16. Toronto Roko Leni Ukic PG KK Split- Already taken Granger with their first pick now would like a PG. If he stays in, Roko is the pick here. Another player with potential buyout issues. Strong draft for Toronto if it plays out like this. Rumored promise by the Celtics won't be able to happen here.

17. Indiana Hakim Warrick- SF Syracuse Bird and his staff are not afraid of taking a HS stud, instead take Hakim Warrick to add some athleticism to the Pacers. Right now Warrick is all over the place on scout's boards. Recently held workouts with Danny Granger, they both showed their strengths and did not hurt their stock. Indiana may be looking to trade this pick.

18. Boston Joey Graham SF Oklahoma St. -Rumored promise to Monta Ellis seems to be false. Ellis is still eligible for the draft so maybe the promise was given elsewhere. Jarrett Jack may go here if LA doesn’t select him, with Delonte West moving to the off guard where he fits in better. Lot of scenarios here but I'm going with Graham as he is THE best athlete in this draft and has ahigh Basketball IQ , solid defensively, and can play up tempo but it is a strong possibility has is not around at this pick. The Celtic like Ukic but with him gone they will look to address their PG concerns in the second round. Sleeper pick: Hakim Warrick if still on the board and Graham having been taken. (I know the C's have a ton of swingmen but you know Ainge likes the defensive type plus Graham/Warrick are the best athletes in the entire draft.)

19. Memphis Ike Diogu PF Arizona State- Jerry West need's a PG but with Swift potentially gone Diogu is the choice here. Memphis would love if he turns out to be the player he is compared to, Elton Brand. Had solid measurements which were a big concern initially. Is staying in the draft. Julius Hodge may be the alternative here.

20. Denver Ersan Ilyasova SF Turkey -Ersan has received some type of assurance that he will be picked here. It doesn’t look like he is even on any other teams draft boards at this point so something must be going on. The book on him is typical for a foreign player. He can shoot, more of a finesse player than a banger. He has had injury problems in the past.

21. Phoenix Rashad McCants SG North Carolina- Need bench help, gamble here on HS player a possibility. With Q being traded to NY, McCants is the choice, even with Joe Johnson coming back.. McCants has been slipping as of late but someone will roll the dice on him. Could be a perfect fit with the highest scoring team in the league.

22. Denver Martynas Andriuskevicius C Lithuania- Stayed in the draft for a reason, although I don’t think he thought he would be around this long. Teams are scared because he is so far away from being ready to play in the NBA that he's not worth the risk, even though he is 7'3. Two internationals picked for Denver to stash or trade away.

23. Sacramento Julius Hodge SF North Carolina State- Need help right away. Petrie will make the best of this spot and grab flamingo legs Julius Hodge to help spread the floor. Hodges has been rising after impressive workouts. Abused McCants so bad he had to fake illness. Hodge can also play a little PG if needed.

24. Houston Chris Taft C Pittsburgh- PG remains a need but nothing at this spot jump out. Take a chance on Taft for help at C/PF. Taft was once a lottery pick but poor workouts sunk his stock. At this point he's worth the risk.

25. Seattle CJ Miles SG High School- The Ray Allen situation is the key here. If he goes the Sonics can forget about the season anyway. Went with HS stiff Swift last year, now the pick is Miles. Seattle is clearly in rebuilding mode with this pick here. If not, Francisco Garcia, Matt Walsh or Kennedy Winston may get in here.

26. Detroit Ryan Gomes-F Providence Can afford to gamble, take “tweener” Gomes. Already have a lot of bigs but that can never be a bad thing. Ryan Gomes sneaks in the first round here as he can play SF or PF off the bench. Backup G still remains a need. This is the best case scenario for John Gilchrist or Luther Head.

27. Utah Sean May PF North Carolina- This pick may be Portland's. The nightmare ends for May here. After seeing 3 of his teammates selected he goes to a team that could use him. Last years number one pick, Humphries destined to be trade fodder. May slipped due to uninspiring workouts and measuring slightly smaller than projected.

28. San Antonio Wayne Simien PF Kansas- Love to go international, not this time. Simien replaces the clutch Dirty Horry at PF. Measured a solid 6-9 with shoes on. Angelo Gigli is the rumor here. Also wouldnt be surprised if Randolph Morris went here to provide frontcourt depth.

29.Miami Jarrett Jack PG Georgia Tech- Turns out to just slide into the first round. With Jack the Heat could potentially move Wade to off guard in certain situations. Damon Jones and Keyon Dooling may not be back either.

30. New York Andray Blatche C High School -Solid pick at number thirty here for NY. His draft workouts have been just okay so far, but he is a legit seven footer.

6/28 NBA DRAFT NIGHT 2005

Check back here for the latest news and the final Mock Draft.....................

Monday, June 27, 2005

6/27- Draft News

TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE 2005 NBA MOCK DRAFT CLICK HERE

MOCK DRAFT UPDATE SOON!

With Less than a day to go before the draft things are really starting to shake up:

Andrew Bynum C High School- His stock seems to be soaring at the moment, a week ago he was considered a late first rounder now he's a lottery pick. Portland seems to be the team that wants him so a potential trade is coming soon. Lakers are interested in Portland's #3 pick as well as Bynum. Whoever takes Portland's #3 pick will also have to take Ruben Patterson or Damon Stoudamire.

One rumor that was shot down was New Orleans sending Jamal Magloire to Toronto for both of thier first rounders #7 & #16. Toronto is willing to part with one of those picks, not both. Deal is dead.

Golden State has made Mike Dunleavy available in order to try to move down a few slots on draft night. Reason being is that they are sold on Channing Frye and think he will go to the Knicks one pick ahead of them.

Francisco Garcia F Louisville- Garcia has really flown under the radar during the offseason but now he may slide to Indiana or Sacramento with thier respective picks. Both teams are looking for a outside presense that can spread the floor.

Roko Ukic PG Croatia- Seems to be a lot of speculation regarding Roko going to the Celtics at #18 overall. I think it would be a great pick if he is available at that point but I dont see him lasting past Toronto or if there are trades the Lakers could be interested as well.

Chris Taft C Pittsburgh- This guy stock sank more than anyone I could think of. Poor work ethic and attitude will do that. I think his best case scenario is to be selected by New Jersey at #15, worst case is Seattle at #25.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

6-23 NBA MOCK DRAFT 5th Revision

2005 Mock Draft

Lot of uncertainty at this point so another revision may be needed even though the draft is less than a week away.

1. Milwaukee Andrew Bogut C Utah- Supposedly Redd is coming back, a cornerstone center or point guard is needed. Bogut is the choice. Has to start right away will be one of the best passing big men in the NBA, Gadzuric is where he should be, a servicable backup.

2. Atlanta Marvin Williams SF North Carolina- Atlanta could use a PG among other things but the pontential of Williams is too much to pass on. Marvin Williams is the best player available here regardless of the fact that they have Josh Childress and Josh Smith already. Al Harrington will be traded before the start of the season.

3. Portland Chris Paul PG Wake Forest- This pick will either go to Lakers who plan to give up Caron Butler and their pick, or to Charlotte who will give up picks #5 &13. Charlotte really wants this pick and will make a move to get the PG of the future. Portland also seems to be high on Gerald Green and/or Martell Webster. That said, both of those players will be around at #5, Webster will go later than Green. I think the Charlotte deal gets done. The Celtics are reportedly real high on Felton but have no realistic chance to get him unless Pierce is moved.

4. New Orleans Deron Williams PG Illinois- For a team with so many holes, Williams is the impact player with the most upside that they need. Great leader can score and distribute effectively. Already an upgrade over Claxton/Dickau. Promise is in place here.

5. Charlotte Gerald Green SG High School- I'm Assuming that this is Portland’s pick here, they need an impact player right away. Green isn’t that, but the potential is too much to pass on. Superstar potential. It is no secret Portland is still high on Green even though the GM has said things otherwise.

6. Utah Raymond Felton PG North Carolina- PG is their number one concern. Felton falls nicely to Utah and is starting from Day One. Felton would be great in a fast paced offense like Phoenix but Utah would work just fine.

7. Toronto Danny Granger F New Mexico- Assuming Donyell is back, Granger is still the choice. He can step in right away at the SF position. Last years number one pick Rafael Arujo may start at center, the talented Bosh at PF and Granger who has been improving his stock starting at SF or backing up Donyell. PG remains a need but with another first rounder they can address that later. Granger has been unconscious in workouts, reportedly hit twelve NBA threes in a row.

8. New York Fran VasquezC Spain -We all know how much Isiah loves drafting bigs, he simply cannot resist Vasquez here especially after trading Kurt Thomas and with Sweeney waiting. Vasquez can also play center. Experienced player here, this isnt's Skita or Darko here. Alleged promise to Frye is already in place at this pick.

9. Golden State Channing Frye PF Arizona -Team is ready for breakout year. Stacked with players everywhere. Can afford to take a chance on Frye who has really improved his stock since the end of the college season. Andriuskevicius is a strong possibility as he is in the draft.

10. LA Lakers Andrew Bynum C High School - Big upside player who is rising fast on draft boards after very impressive workouts. LA needs a big with Mihm,Slava and Divac thinking of retiring they could use help here also at PG. Personally, I think Chucky Atkins fits well in the triangle.

11. Orlando Antoine Wright SG Texas A&M -After a strong draft last year, SG is priority now. Wright is big, athletic and should make an impact right away backing up Mobley. Nice combo with Howard and Francis. Joey Graham could easily go here as well. Wright may not be here at this point due to strong workouts. A steal at #11 for Orlando if he is.

12. LA Clippers Yaroslav Koralev SG/SF- Another draft another lottery pick for the Clippers and they decide to go foreign with the pick to beef up the frontcourt. Ton of talent here with Koralev, thought to go much higher. Is the best player on his current team in Moskow. Definite promise to this guy somewhere. This is where it is.

13. Charlotte Martell Webster SG High School - Nice acquisition by whoever picks here. Could be Charlotte, could be Portland. Hopefully not another Deshawn Stevenson, concerns have already been raised after he reportedly skipped workouts. Hubie Brown would say "Webster has tremendous upside potential".

14. Minnesota Charlie Villanueva F Connecticut- Villanueva is one of the most versatile players in this draft, he likely will be a backup but he will get his minutes. The T’Wolves will have their hands full with this kid as Villanueva drove UCONN coach Jim Calhoun crazy during the two years he was there. Hakim Warrick is my sleeper pick here. Villanieva's work ethic still remains a concern.


15. New Jersey Johan Petro C France- Need a big desperately to go with Kristic, may look to trade this pick. If they keep it its Petro. Chris Taft is a strong possibility here also. Either one is not a polished player, I'd actually prefer Petro at this point but Taft was once projected by scouts to go #1 overall in the draft.

16. Toronto Roko Leni Ukic PG KK Split- Already taken Granger with their first pick now would like a PG. If he stays in, Roko is the pick here. Another player with potential buyout issues. Strong draft for Toronto if it plays out like this. Rumored promise by the Celtics won't be able to happen here.

17. Indiana Hakim Warrick- SF Syracuse Bird and his staff are not afraid of taking a HS stud, instead take Hakim Warrick to add some athleticism to the Pacers. Right now Warrick is all over the place on scout's boards. Recently held workouts with Danny Granger, they both showed their strengths and did not hurt their stock. Indiana may be looking to trade this pick.

18. Boston Joey Graham SF Oklahoma St. -Rumored promise to Monta Ellis seems to be false. Ellis is still eligible for the draft so maybe the promise was given elsewhere. Jarrett Jack may go here if LA doesn’t select him, with Delonte West moving to the off guard where he fits in better. Lot of scenarios here but I'm going with Graham as he is THE best athlete in this draft , solid defensively, and can play up tempo but it is a strong possibility has is not around at this pick. The Celtic like Ukic but with him gone they will look to address their PG concerns in the second round. Sleeper pick: Hakim Warrick if still on the board and Graham having been taken. (I know the C's have a ton of swingmen but you know Ainge likes the defensive type plus Graham/Warrick are the best athletes in the entire draft.)

19. Memphis Ike Diogu PF Arizona State- Jerry West need's a PG but with Swift potentially gone Diogu is the choice here. Memphis would love if he turns out to be the player he is compared to, Elton Brand. Had solid measurements which were a big concern initially. Is staying in the draft.

20. Denver Ersan Ilyasova SF Turkey -Ersan has received some type of assurance that he will be picked here. It doesn’t look like he is even on any other teams draft boards at this point so something must be going on. The book on him is typical for a foreign player. He can shoot, more of a finesse player than a banger. He has had injury problems in the past.

21. Phoenix Rashad McCants SG North Carolina- Need bench help, gamble here on HS player a possibility. With Q being traded to NY, McCants is the choice, even with Joe Johnson coming back.. McCants has been slipping as of late but someone will roll the dice on him. Could be a perfect fit with the highest scoring team in the league.

22. Denver Martynas Andriuskevicius C Lithuania- Stayed in the draft for a reason, although I don’t think he thought he would be around this long. Teams are scared because he is so far away from being ready to play in the NBA that he's not worth the risk, even though he is 7'3. Two internationals picked for Denver to stash or trade away.

23. Sacramento Julius Hodge SF North Carolina State- Need help right away. Petrie will make the best of this spot and grab flamingo legs Julius Hodge to help spread the floor. Hodges has been rising after impressive workouts. Abused McCants so bad he had to fake illness. Hodge can also play a little PG if needed.

24. Houston Chris Taft C Pittsburgh- PG remains a need but nothing at this spot jump out. Take a chance on Taft for help at C/PF. Taft was once a lottery pick but poor workouts sunk his stock. At this point he's worth the risk.

25. Seattle CJ Miles SG High School- The Ray Allen situation is the key here. If he goes the Sonics can forget about the season anyway. Went with HS stiff Swift last year, now the pick is Miles. Seattle is clearly in rebuilding mode with this pick here. If not, Francisco Garcia, Matt Walsh or Kennedy Winston may get in here.

26. Detroit Ryan Gomes-F Providence Can afford to gamble, take “tweener” Gomes. Already have a lot of bigs but that can never be a bad thing. Ryan Gomes sneaks in the first round here as he can play SF or PF off the bench. Backup G still remains a need. This is the best case scenario for John Gilchrist or Luther Head.

27. Utah Sean May PF North Carolina- The nightmare ends for May here. After seeing 3 of his teammates selected he goes to a team that could use him. Last years number one pick, Humphries destined to be trade fodder. Felton and May playing together again in Utah. May slipped due to uninspiring workouts and measuring slightly smaller than projected.

28. San Antonio Wayne Simien PF Kansas- Love to go international, not this time. Simien replaces the clutch Dirty Horry at PF. Measured a solid 6-9 with shoes on. Angelo Gigli is the rumor here. Also wouldnt be surprised if Randolph Morris went here to provide frontcourt depth.

29.Miami Jarrett Jack PG Georgia Tech- Turns out to just slide into the first round. With Jack the Heat could potentially move Wade to off guard in certain situations.

30. New York John Gilchrist G - New York Solid pick at number thirty. His draft workouts have been impressive so far, really showing off his scoring ability. They already have a SG combo in Crawford/Q and you could even make the case that Marbury plays more like a SG as well. Strange pick here but I can definitely see it happening with nut job Isiah running the show.


Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Draft News 6/22

To Go Directly to the Mock Draft Click Here - will be updated at least once more before the draft.

RUMORED PROMISES
: Now that we know who's in. There will be more of these to come in the days ahead.

New Orleans
#4 pick will select PG Deron Williams- This was one of the first to reach the public. It makes sense if Chris Paul is off the board, however if he is still around at #4 I cant see how they can pass him up. Orlando is trying to find a way to get Williams as we speak.

LA Clippers
#12 pick will select SF Yaroslav Koralev - There is no doubt a promise is in place to Koralev. I have heard multiple teams involved but based on my strongest source I believe it is the Clippers who are about to re-sign Bobby Simmons and have no real huge needs at this point.

Boston Celtics
#18 pick will select PG Roko Leni-Ukic- I like the pick but I dont see Roko lasting past Toronto at #16. Ainge is real high on Chris Paul but there is no way it will happen.

Denver Nuggets #20 will select SF Ersan llyasova SF Istanbul- Denver has planned to use one of thier two first rounders on an international player that they can stash for a year. Ersan is the pick here.

More to Come.......

6-22 Update Coming Later- News, Who's In/Out, Final Mock Almost Complete

TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE 2005 MOCK DRAFT CLICK HERE

The Deadline to pull out of the draft has passed. A look at who's staying in or pulling out from the candidates who were undecided.

IN:

Shavlik Randolph F Duke
Jarret Jack PG Georgia Tech
Randolph Morris F Kentucky
Ike Diogu PF Arizona State
Linas Klieza F Missouri
Dwayne Jones C St. Joes
Martynas Andriuskevicius C Zalgiris (Lithuania)

OUT:

Brandon Rush G High School
Rudy Fernandez SG DKV
Carl Krauser G Pittsburgh

RUMORED PROMISES: Now that we know who's in. There will be more of these to come in the days ahead.

New Orleans
#4 pick will select PG Deron Williams- This was one of the first to reach the public. It makes sense if Chris Paul is off the board, however if he is still around at #4 I cant see how they can pass him up. Orlando is trying to find a way to get Williams as we speak.

LA Clippers
#12 pick will select SF Yaroslav Koralev - There is no doubt a promise is in place to Koralev. I have heard multiple teams involved but based on my strongest source I believe it is the Clippers who are about to re-sign Bobby Simmons and have no real huge needs at this point.

Boston Celtics
#18 pick will select PG Roko Leni-Ukic- I like the pick but I dont see Roko lasting past Toronto at #16. Ainge is real high on Chris Paul but there is no way it will happen.

Denver Nuggets #20 will select SF Ersan llyasova SF Istanbul- Denver has planned to use one of thier two first rounders on an international player that they can stash for a year. Ersan is the pick here.

More to Come.......

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Draft News- 6/18

TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE LATEST MOCK DRAFT CLICK HERE

With the draft approaching in less than two weeks, I will break down the surprises and disappointments:

Surprises:

Joey Graham F Oklahoma St- The best athlete in the entire draft according to combine measurents. May go lottery, already received six figure shoe deal from Nike.

Travis Deiner G Marquette- Camp performance has really boosted his stock. Already known as a big game player and clutch shooter, he may sneak into the first round at pick #29 to Miami.

Matt Walsh G Florida- Solid team player who can do it all. Led Florida in assists despite playing at the off guard position. Has a guarantee in place, I throwing Seattle out there as that team. NO player has improved thier stock as much as Walsh in this draft.

Julius Hodge G North Carolina St.- I've been hyping him up for a while now but he solidified himself in the first round with solid individual workouts. His ability to fill in at the point really helped his stock. I have Sacramento picking Hodge at #23.

Ike Diogu & Wayne Simien- Solid measurements secured thier status as first round selections. Diogi is still more highly rated than Simien mainly due to Simien's injury history. Going into the draft I thought both were borderline first rounders, now picks 15-30 are a lock at this point.

Disappointments:


Chris Taft C Pittsburgh- Will he even get in the first round? I say yes, but with workouts less than inspiring and an already damaged rep Taft is the Buyer Beware pick in this draft. Lot of upside if he can put it together. Teams are all over the place on this kid.

Randolph Morris C Kentucky- Looks to be heading back to school after poor workouts. Scouts are in agreement that another year ay Kentucky would signifigantly improve his stock. I thought he really had a good shot at cracking the first round but being called lazy will not do you any favors.

Hakim Warrick F Syracuse- Very dissapointing combine numbers from a player who many thought was the best athlete in the draft. Workouts were average at best, teams are torn on this kid as he doesn't project to an NBA position. Sticking by my pick at #17 to Indy. There was a rumor that he had a promise at #9 but I dont see it.

Monday, June 13, 2005

Draft News 6/15/05

TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE 2005 NBA MOCK DRAFT CLICK HERE

Marynas Andriuskevicius C Lithuania- After rumors surfaced that he was pulling out of the draft due to a lack of a promise now comes reviews from his latest workout in Chicago. The 7-2 Lithuanian showed that he is definetely a long term project. Interestingly enough is the fact that he is not even projected to be a "true center", his game is more like a SF as he can hit the three and play out on the perimeter. If he stays in the draft he will indeed go lottery due to his enormous potential but if I'm an NBA GM I am not touching this one. Reminds me too much of the scouting reports of Tskitishvili.

CJ Miles SG High School- After turning down his invitation to the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp, Miles was projected to be pulling out of the draft and attending college. However, word is that Miles has recieved a first round promise and is now hiring an agent. Miles has slipped under the rader a bit, almost reminds me of the Kedrick Brown situation back in 2001. Both are tremendous athletes that will need plenty of time to develop. Right now I have Miles going #26 to Seattle, pending the Ray Allen situation.

Yaraslav Korolev SF Moskow- Korolev has turned down a invitation to work out for Danny Ainge and the Celtics who are picking at #18. What this potentially means is that Korolev has recieved a promise and is staying in the draft or it's just smoke and mirrors created by his agent. I'm thinking that this one is for real, Korolev is a very highly touted player who may not need as much time to develop as other prospects in this draft. I have Minnesota selecting him at #14.

Matt Walsh SG Florida- After impressive performances during workouts, Walsh has decided to leave his name in the draft. Where he fits in, I'm not quite sure. I have him projected in the 30-35 range right now but I know Seattle at #26 remains a strong possibility. Miami also may show interest in Walsh. You'd have to speculate that he has recieved a promise but from who?

Luther Head G Illinois- As I wrote in my previous News column, Head has really risen his draft stock by being the most impressive player in the Chicago Pre Draft Camp. Questions still need to be answered on his ability to play the point guard position. Everyone knows he can score and play D but can he handle the point? I think that concern will be enough to push him into the top of the second round.

Hakim Warrick SF Syracuse- He was considered a lottery pick as few as two weeks ago. Now he is looking to go in the 20-25 range, as he hasnt shown the shooting touch or ball handling that he will need in the league. GM's also have concerns as to what position he will play as his body is built like a SF but his game is that of a center. Indiana at #17 is my pick for Warrick to go.

Von Wafer & Anthony Robertson- Both have said that they are remaining in the draft. In each case they are looking at being drafted in the second round. There is really no chance that either one sneaks into the first.

Players That Have Pulled Out:

Kevin Pittsnogle F West Virginia- Awful workouts
Dee Brown G Illinois- Injury
Martynas Andriuskevicus C Lithuania(?)-Back In For now
Tiago Splitter C Brazil- Will Wait unti Next Year
Eric Williams Wake Forest- Expected to Be A Second Rounder

Friday, June 10, 2005

Draft News-6/10

TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE MOCK DRAFT CLICK HERE

Chicago Pre-Draft Camp Day 3 has just wrapped up. Some of the more impressive performances belonged to:

Luther Head G Illinois- SG trying to show he can play PG. That is still up in the air but his scoring ability and defensive prowess are not to be debated. When alls said and done Head will be the Camp MVP and will have the best shot at cracking the first round.

David Lee F Florida
- Despite not being featured on offense he showed with limited touches that he has a developed post game as well as the ability to step back and hit the J. Needs to get more aggressive and show that he can dominate.

John Gilchrist G Maryland- We all know hes not going backto school so hes in no matter what. He has performed well but I dont see him getting in the first unless the Knicks see something in him with the 30th pick and think he can back up Marbury.

Travis Diener G Marquette- Not much of a shot at the first round but showing that he has recovered from injury and still has a great shooting stroke. Scouts saying he's the best pure PG in camp. He'll get drafted but I dont think he can stick in the NBA due to lack of size/athleticism.

Brandon Rush G High School- Showed that he has plenty of offense in his gane but also his weaknesses on defense were exposed. Coming out of High School this is expected but he is still a real long shot to crack the first round.

Ronnie Turiaf F Gonzaga- Workmanlike player who does all the small things. Word is that he is the overall best player in camp right now. Solid player, can block shots and rebound well. Has a spot in the league for many years to come.


Players That Have Pulled Out:

Kevin Pittsnogle F West Virginia
Dee Brown G Illinois
Martynas Andriuskevicus C Lithuania
Tiago Splitter C Brazil

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

6/8/05- Chicago Pre Draft Camp Rosters Set

TO GO DIRECTLY TO THE MOCK DRAFT CLICK HERE

Here is a quick preview of the players participating in the camp that you may see jump into the first round. More info will be posted once it is available.

John Gilchrist 6-2 201 PG Maryland Jr
Dee Brown 5-10 175 PG Illinois Jr.
Randolph Morris 6-10 266 C Kentucky Fr.
Salim Stoudamire 6-1 178 SG Ariz. Sr.
David Lee 6-9 240 PF Florida Sr.
Louis Williams 6-2 175 SG GA HSSr.
Ronny Turiaf 6-10 243 PF Gonzaga Sr
Bracey Wright 6-3 200 SG Indiana Jr



Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Top 10 Biggest Draft Busts In the Past 10 years (1995-2005)


My Criteria:

- Position Selected
- Career performance
- Strong/Weak Draft
- Any Potential To Improve?

10. Joe Smith #1 1995- Smith has had a decent career but not the superstar that he was in college. The number one pick should be reserved for superstars, I know it doesn’t always happen but in 1995 there were a few superstars that did come out of that draft.
Selected ahead of : Antonio McDyess, Jerry Stackhouse, Damon Stoudamire, Kevin Garnett.

9. Tony Battie #5 1997- Career averages of 6 ppg and 5 rpg is not exactly what Denver thought they were getting with the #5 overall pick in 1997. Known as a rebounding, shot blocking machine in college, Battie never really panned out in the NBA. Has spent most of his career playing for mediocre teams. He certainly isn’t the worst center available but definitely not worthy of being selected #5 overall. In his defense it was one of the weakest drafts in this ten year period.
Selected ahead of: Tim Thomas, Tracy McGrady, Danny Fortson, Austin Croshere

8. Darko Milicic #2 2003- Call it what you want but the only thing that is keeping him from being lower on this list is the fact that he is only 20 years old and that he was drafted by one of the strongest, deepest teams in the league. On top of that he is coached by Larry Brown who is notoriously hard on rookies. But being the #2 pick in the draft has its pressures and expectations and Darko has done absolutely nothing in the NBA. Unlike some of the players on this list he does have upside, but when will we see it? If Detroit could do it over don’t you think they’d take any of the players below instead?
Selected ahead of: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade, Kirk Hinrich

7. Kwame Brown #1 2001- A player with upside here but has had many issues on the court as well as off the court. 2001 was a strong draft ,full of superstar quality players but Washington thought that they were catching the next Kevin Garnett. Far from it, he won’t even be back with the team that drafted him next season. Much like Darko, it’s a little too early to give up on him.
Selected ahead of: Tyson Chandler, Pau Gasol, Eddy Curry, Jason Richardson

6. Jonathan Bender #5 1999- A player that people have been waiting on to “break out” for years now. This wiry thin SF who can stick the three but not much else has proven to be nothing more than a guaranteed injury every year he has played. In one of the strongest drafts in recent memory how he got himself drafted #5 remains a mystery.
Selected Ahead of: Wally Szcerbiak, Andre Miller, Richard Hamilton, Shawn Marion

5. Shawn Respert #8 1995- Another bust from the 1995 draft. Whether his lack of success was due to the cancer of his abdomen or not, being drafted this high should lead to results on the court. The cancer issue came out after his career was finished but this guy was a superstar in college but had serious flaws in his game that were exposed in the NBA. On a positive note, he did end up beating cancer which makes him a success off the court in my book. Overall, he still had too many issues to be picked this high.
Selected ahead of: Antonio McDyess, Jerry Stackhouse, Damon Stoudamire, Kevin Garnett.

4. Trajan Langdon #11 1999-.At Duke he was a very good college player. His main attribute was his ability to shoot the lights out. In the NBA he could still shoot but the problem with Langdon was his ability to get open. He had no shot off the dribble and was extremely weak on defense. Played in a total of 119 games in his career.
Selected ahead of: Corey Maggette, Ron Artest, James Posey, Jeff Foster

3. Sagana Diop #8 2001- Looking back it’s interesting to think how a player even gets drafted like this guy .Just a horrifying pick here in a loaded draft. Diop came straight out of High School and was drafted due to his size and his size only. His game was ridiculously raw and was a project of a lifetime and still is. Diop is still in the league but will never live up to his #8 pick status.
Selected Ahead of: Joe Johnson, Vladimir Radmonovic, Richard Jefferson,Troy Murphy, Zach Randolph

2. Fredric Weis #15 1999- New York shocked everybody with this gem. I’ve even heard that this was the worst pick EVER! Considering who was on the board after this pick I could easily see the point there as Weis had one of the shortest careers out of any player drafted this high ever .Weis is best known for being dunked on by Vince Carter in the Olympics. Words cannot do this dunk justice, google it for yourself if you haven’t seen it. I mean his stats over in France weren’t even that great which is unacceptable when your 7-3 and playing in France. Not picking Ron Artest here proved to be a huge mistake for NY.
Selected ahead of: Corey Maggette, Ron Artest, James Posey, Jeff Foster

1. Michael Olowokandi #1 1998- Wow what a draft! It’s amazing how bad the Clippers can find a way to screw themselves. This was THE best draft in recent memory, 6 out of the top ten picks have become all stars. The rest of the draft was full of solid players as well which makes this pick even more appalling. Drafted due to size, will never pan out or live up to the hype.
Selected Ahead of: Mike Bibby, Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter, Larry Hughes, Paul Pierce, Dirk Nowitzki

Draft News- 6/7/05

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Roko Leni Ukic PG KK Split
- As it stands right now there is a 95% chance he stays in. I have him going to the Raptors with their second pick at #16. Roko is considered to be anywhere from the 4th-7th best PG prospect in the draft.

Tiago Splitter F Brazil- Buyout issues are going to keep him out of the draft until next year. Widely considered a top ten pick, at only 20 years old he has plenty of potential and scouts will be watching him closely next year.

Martynas Andriuskevicius C Lituania- Reports had him pulling out of the draft, now it looks like hes staying in. Right now he is projected anywhere from 7th-15th overall, what scares teams is his incredibly thin frame. Won't be ready anytime soon for major minutes but at 7"3 he may be worth the risk.

The Chicago Pre Draft camp roster came out today, among the notables trying to crack the first round are:

David Lee - Florida
Salim Stoudamire- Arizona
Dee Brown- Illinois

Sunday, June 05, 2005

Small Update 6/5/05

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Charlotte Bobcats
have reportedly offered Atlanta the rights to picks #5 and #13 for Atlanta's #1. Atlanta has turned down the offer.

Memphis Grizzlies have come out and said that they will indeed keep thier first round pick. (#19) Jerry West confirmed this and shot down that rumor.

Andrew Bynum C High School- held workout over the weekend, didnt shoot the ball well but scouts are not concerned. Good size and solid footwork will get him in the late first round. I have him going to Miami at #29.

Florida Gators Matt Walsh and David Lee also held workouts to try and boost thier second round stock. Lee looked ordinary, while Walsh showed solid all around skills and seemed to impress a few teams including Golden State.

Saturday, June 04, 2005

Draft News- 6/3/05

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Workout News

Ike Diogu Arizona St PF -Very impressive workouts have secured him a spot in the late first round. His measurement of 6-7 with a wingspan of 7-3 also helped his stock.

Antoine Wright Texas A&M SG- Very positive reviews from multiple sources. He is still raw in terms of NBA ready-ness but he has shown an excellent shooting stroke and is now considered the top SG in the draft. Look for him to go no later than pick #11.

Charlie Villanueva Connecticut F- I have been taken some heat for putting Charlie in the top 10 in my latest mock draft but he is proving that he has the ability to work hard and is willing to improve his game. So far workouts have went well and Im on the fence here between Villanueva and Channing Frye to Golden State at #9.

Chris Taft Pittsburgh C- Mixed reviews here , it all depends on what your original opinion of him was. I think hes slipped the most out of any prospect in the draft. Before the season he was projected to go #1 overall, now I have him at #24 to Houston.

Channing Frye Arizona F- Rising up the draft board, rumors of a promise from Golden State at #9. I think that is a little high for him but I could easily see it happening.

Julius Hodge North Carolina State F- Reportedly abused Rashad McCants in workouts. Whether or not thats true his stock is rising fast even though he doesnt fit the prototypical body teams are looking fo in a SG/SF. I have him at # 23 right now to Sacramento.

Wayne Simien Kansas PF- Measured over 6-9 with shoes which answered the top question scouts had. Moving up im my mock draft, not overtaking Diogu though.

Ronnie Turiaf Gonzaga PF- Had him in my mock draft version 2. Due to so-so workouts he is on the outside looking in. He is not alone however, Ryan Gomes and Francisco Garcia are keeping him company.

Tiago Splitter Brazil F- May be pulling out of the draft. He thinks his chances may be better next year to go higher in the draft.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

2000 NBA Draft Grades

2000 NBA DRAFT GRADES

Here is the next installment and probably the last for a while. The draft was stacked with Forwards as you’ll see here but overall was weak. There were some second round gems as always. In my opinion, the best player in this draft came in the second round.(Redd)

1. NJ Kenyon Martin- (A-) Tough, aggressive player who coming out was thought of somewhat of a risk due to the fractured fibula he suffered during the NCAA tournament. Good pick for NJ here as they needed a big and he would carry them along with Jason Kidd to multiple playoff series including an NBA Finals appearance. Signed with Denver last off-season.

2. Van Stromile Swift- (C) Seems to just be breaking out now. The grade of C reflects him being the 2nd pick overall and not being a dominating force. I have no doubt in my mind that he is going to be a decent player but this high in the draft a little more is expected. This could be one that could be changed in the immediate future. Should have played more, stats don’t tell the whole story on this guy.

3. LAC Darius Miles- (C-) Broke out after his high school postseason performances. Has had a few off the court issues since he joined the league but with those aside he still isn’t much more than a freakish lanky athlete with a raw game. His per minute averages are pretty good but at 3rd overall not what you’d expect. Game still improving.

4. CHI Marcus Fizer-(F) Very good college player (1st team All American-Junior Year) who carried a strong performance in the NCAA’s into a very high pick. Has had some serious injuries that have hurt his performance but still a brutal turnout for Chicago who I’m sure had high hopes. He finished second team All Rookie and showed promise but career averages of 9ppg and 4rpg? You don’t draft a backup with #4. No upside left at all.

5. ORL Mike Miller- (A-) NBA Rookie of the Year. Great shooter, played 3 years in Orlando before being traded to Memphis. While in Memphis where minutes are split among many, he proved that he needs to be on the floor as a starter. Not a good defensive player but can really light it up>> Shot over 50% from the floor and 43% from 3pt last season. Solid pick here, could’ve done a lot worse.

6. ATL Demarr Johnson- (F) Another super lanky forward played one season at Cincinnati before bolting. Based on what he’s done and where he was drafted, F is the grade but with all players in this draft the book is still open especially in Demarr’s case as he almost never walked again after an accident he was in.

7. CHI Chris Mihm-( C) Finally the streak of forwards selected ends. CHI traded this pick to CLE. Not a bad pick due to the fact that this draft was weak and that he is 7” and can play a little bit. He will never dominate although he did have his best season this year. Will be in the league a long time.

8. CLE Jamal Crawford- (B) CLE traded pick to CHI. First guard taken. Coming off his best season, maybe the best offensive player in the draft. Will never be a PG as originally thought but does have a place as a scorer in the league. I see him as a 6th man Ricky Davis type.

9. HOU Joel Prizbilla- (C-) HOU traded pick to MIL. 7”1 240 lbs. drafted on pure size/potential. Lack of centers really helped this kid out. Coming off his best season in a remarkably unspectacular career. Good rebounder and can block shots well but a monstrosity on offense. With that said, (C-) because he can play D and this draft you have to consider what else was left at this point for bigs.

10. ORL Keyon Dooling- (C-) Played 2 seasons at Missouri. Has good size and is a great athlete. Looked decent this season as a backup on the Heat. Looks like a career backup as he still cannot hit the NBA three. Game still improving.

11. BOS Jerome Moiso- (F) Rick Pitino really blew this one. Moiso was extremely raw, in fact I remember watching him play for the Celtics his rookie year he looked he never played basketball before in his life. I felt like getting a hold of Pitino and ask him “how can you possibly draft this guy?” I believe he is out of the league, but I know he played in Toronto for a bit so maybe he’s around somewhere.

12. DAL Etan Thomas- (B) Very good rebounder, turned that skill into a huge contract last summer. Not much of an offensive threat but he’s not going to kill you either. Another player whose stats do not reflect his performance. Once again considering how bad this draft was this was a solid pick.

13. ORL Courtney Alexander-(F) Good scorer in college, never stuck around in NBA after averaging over 17 ppg his rookie year on a terrible team. That alone almost saves him from an F. He’s not in league anymore as far as I know but I could be wrong. Let me know if anybody actually knows. Think he is somewhat of a headcase.

14. DET Mateen Cleaves- (F) Hate to do it to the guy as he is one of the best college point guards I have seen in my lifetime, but his game is all about the intangibles which doesn’t or didn’t as in this case translate to the NBA. Great leader will be a coach someday but never found a way to hit the NBA three. Still on a roster(Seattle) where he averaged .9 ppg this year. Hometown favorite pick here and why not in this draft. Right?

15. MIL Jason Collier- (D) Traded to HOU. Not the worst player by any means in this draft. That honor could go to a number of players. Collier did manage to scrap his way tp 11ppg and 6 rpg in 2003 for that brutal Atlanta team. May bounce around the league for a while due to the fact he is 7”0 213 lbs.

16. SAC Hidayet (Hedo) Turkoglu- (B+) Solid pick here for SAC. Took a lot of people by surprise with this one. Good scorer but total defensive liability, solid sixth man type. Put up 14ppg this year in only 26 minutes a game. Came up big for the Kings in the playoffs years ago.

17. SEA Desmond Mason-(A) 2001 Slam Dunk Champion. Spectacular athlete who does many things well except hit the three. Other than that, solid numbers all the way around. Shoots well from the field. Starter now but could also provide a lot of things off the bench. Was involved in the trade that brought Ray Allen to Seattle.

18. LAC Quentin Richardson- (A) Knock on him was that he couldn’t shoot but could rebound and play well down low for a guard. Not the greatest shooter percentages wise, but he did lead the league in threes made (and also attempted). Still rebounds well which is amazing considering he is mainly a fixture on the three point line now. Good pick here.

19. CHA Jamaal Magloire- (A) Developing into one of the best true centers in the game. Still with the team that drafted him which is a rarity in this draft. Injuries cut short this past season but he is on his way to being a double double machine in the league for years to come. Finding a big this late is a steal.

20. PHI Craig (Speedy)Claxton- (B-) High-quality pick here even though he played only one season in Philly. Put together some really solid years in Golden State before signing with New Orleans before this season. Will stay in the league due to all around game that translates well off the bench.

21. TOR Morris Peterson- (A-) Doesn’t do a whole hell of a lot besides score but he can light it up quick.(Dropped 37 against the Celtics this past year). A relative steal this late in the draft. Can score from just about anywhere on the floor. Good complimentary player.

22. NY Donell Harvey-(F) Even this late in the draft can’t hide the fact that he is a bust. This late in the draft there really wasn’t much left but there were still some values left to be had.

23. UTAH DeShawn Stevenson-(F) Maybe worth the risk this late but definitely not the second coming of Kobe Bryant. Bust in Utah. He has shown that he can score in the NBA with Orlando but little else. His Orlando performance deserves a different grade. He is still in the league though which a plus is. Considering a certain SG that is still on the board a F is the grade.

24. CHI Dalibor Bagiric- (F) The last of Chicago’s three picks. If anyone can tell me anything about this guy please do. Enough Said.

25. PNX Jake Tsakalidis- ( D) Low risk/high reward pick here.For a guy whose 7”2 he hasn’t done much at all but he fills up space and grabs an occasional rebound. That’s it but he is still in the league, so therefore a D is the grade.

26. DEN Mamadou Ndiaye- (D) Never played with Denver but has played with four other teams. Is basically twelfth man material, I don’t give him an F because he is still around and this late in the draft this is what is commonly found.

27. IND Primoz Brezec- (C-) Maybe the toughest grade to give here. Reason being he did nothing while in Indiana, the team that drafted him. In his defense Indiana was a deep team but he had his chance. On talent I’d give the pick a A as finding a big this late is tough, but he gave Indiana no return on investment, that said Charlotte has found a good player and you have to give them an A as well for getting him.

28. POR Erick Barkley- (F) Didn’t have much of a chance, came out too early. He was damn lucky to get guaranteed money for three years. The main knock on him was his shooting, and it proved to be valid.

29. LAL Mark Madsen- (B-) We all know he cannot dance but he is a scrappy player who has two rings. You cant measure a player like him with stats, its just impossible. One thing you can guarantee with him is that he will give you maximum effort every time out. With the last pick in the first round you really cant complain here.

Notable Second Rounders(In order they were drafted):

Marco Jaric, Jake Voskhul, Eddie House, Eduardo Najera, Michael Redd, Brian Cardinal, Jason Hart