(Informal) Mailbag

As the NBA Draft pushes even closer, it should come as no surprise that there is a ton of talk ongoing currently which focuses outside of who will be selected. In fact, it’s a much more pressing topic to discuss which veterans may be on the move, rather than which amateurs are ready to join the professional ranks.

KG and Kobe Bryant, two of the most talented superstars in the past decade of NBA basketball, both seem to want out of Minnesota and Los Angeles respectively.

While neither may actually get what they want…it is becoming more and more likely that these two will be the two biggest names (yes, even over Oden & Durant) on draft night.

We’ve all heard a majority of the supposed offers and potential deals:

Boston’s attempt (including the #5 pick, Al Jefferson, and Gerald Green…allegedly) was apparently shot down by KG himself. However, that won’t stop Boston GM Danny Ainge from trying to talk contract and the benefits of playing alongside Paul Pierce (who if KG isn’t netted, may be dealt himself) to KG.

Chicago has a lot of attractive pieces (Loul Deng, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, #9 pick); yet, GM John Paxson was far from shy in telling reporters he won’t gut his team to land Bryant. A wise move.

Phoenix, who undoubtedly has the most attractive offers for both players, remains a highly unlikely destination for Kobe (for obvious reasons). The Suns also seems to lack the desire to push towards landing KG. While Shawn Marion’s name has been part of almost every major deal (bring back the Celtics in this case), Steve Kerr may still end moving into the 5 (Boston), 7 (Minnesota), or even 9 spot (Chicago) with Marion all but assuredly involved. The expiring contract of Kurt Thomas, who has netted interest recently, especially out of New Jersey, also gives the Suns a valuable trading piece.

Recently, Atlanta has shown up on the radar (Josh Smith and Josh Childress have expiring contracts next season) alongside that of Sacramento (Bibby & Artest appear to be on the block), Denver (Camby and/or Nene may be expendable), Seattle (Ray Allen appears to be back on the block…remember, Toronto allegedly offered the #1 pick in the ’07 draft for the sharpshooter), and Portland (seemingly intent on selecting Oden) appears ready to move recently revived and rejuvenated big-man Zach Randolph to countless potential suitors.

That’s even before analyzing a few of the guys who have opted out; most notably Detroit PG Chauncey Billups and Seattle SF Rashard Lewis. Gerald Wallace wants to test the waters outside of Charlotte while the Nets seem intent on re-signing Vinsanity.

Deep breaths. Whew. That’s a boatload of information to process.

And yet, there are still plenty of questions to be answered before draft night is over. While some of them have been briefly foreshadowed above; I still feel it’s time to put some thoughts down onto electronic paper (ala the blog), and preview some of the potential big-time stories which may or may not go down in this year’s draft.

1) Will mega-superstars Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett have new teams after draft night?
In my opinion, it’s a big fat NO. Just as in year’s past, specifically with guys like Vince Carter, Tracey McGrady, Allen Iverson, and even Kevin Garnett…draft day mega-deals for veterans aren’t very likely. The All-Star most likely to pack his bags appears to be Phoenix’s Shawn Marion. However, I would have to relent on the notion that KG is far more likely to be dealt than Kobe. Ironically enough, KG might even be heading to LA. But only if Kobe agrees to the deal. Why such power for Bryant? There’s no way Dr. Jerry Buss will bring in Garnett, at the cost of potential Odom/Bynum and a new contract for Garnett, if Kobe is still demanding to bolt. While this will be teased all the way until Thursday night, I find it hard to believe either of these two superstars will have a new jersey to pedal following Thursday night.

2) Will the Portland Trailblazers select Texas Longhorn Kevin Durant?
While it won’t be as shocking as the Houston Texans passing up on Reggie Bush for Mario Williams, the Blazers (even with Zach Randolph in tow) aren’t likely to pass up on a future cornerstone center. While Durant has phenomenal upside, Oden seems to be the closest real-deal bookend/postman since Tim Duncan came out in 1996. One thing is for certain: Seattle is licking their fingers either way.

3) Will the Atlanta Hawks not select Ohio State Buckeye Mike Conley Jr. with the 3^rd pick?
Passing up on all-world PGs Chris Paul and Deron Williams just two drafts ago, the Hawks also allowed Randy Foye and Marcus Williams to slip by in ’06 (in order to take Shelden Williams). Now it appears they are backing away from taking Conley at #3 ; instead debating over moving the pick, drafting UNC’s Brandon Wright, or (the most likely of scenarios) drafting Florida big-man Al Horford. Falling back on the 11^th pick (from the Al Harrington deal with Indiana), GM Billy Knight may be confident enough in the prospects of Acie Law, Jarvis Crittenton, or potentially waiting yet another year to select a rookie PG.

4) If not selected at #3, where could Conley end up going?
While Atlanta may not view Conley as being worthy of their third pick, plenty of teams situated directly below the Hawks seem fixated on selecting him. Memphis, at #4, may pass on Brandon Wright, assuming Al Horford is gone, and select Conley as their point guard of the future. While at #5 to Boston isn’t out of the question (they did take Rajon Rondo last year in the late 1^st-round), Milwaukee, selecting sixth, doesn’t appear to be willing to pass up Conley. With Mo Williams in a contract year and Charlie Bell not a legit starting 1-guard, Conley shouldn’t slip past the 6th pick in this year’s draft.

5) Will the Phoenix Suns make a move to select higher in the 1^st round?
With the 24^th and 29^th picks in this year’s draft, Phoenix may have enough ammunition, alongside Shawn Marion, to make a serious move into the top 10. While losing out on Atlanta’s top selection this season (which was protected inside the top3 of the lottery, all the way back from the Joe Johnson/Boris Diaw deal), new President Steve Kerr has recently worked out likely lottery picks Jeff Green, Joakim Noah, and Corey Brewer. It seems obvious the Suns will make some sort of move, if not the biggest of the night altogether. Marion’s deal is up next season and their luxury tax would be through the roof trying to pay him market value. Nevertheless, as happens in many drafts (cough, last year), rumors and speculation often never come to fruition when the frantic pace of draft night finally sets in. It seems Marion, who needs a new contract if he’s traded it would appear, will be dealt, at the latest, by Thursday afternoon.

6) Who will draft former BC malcontent Sean Williams?
Off the court behavior, which was a constant negative for Williams, finally forced Al Skinner to boot the talented 6’10 Williams off of his BC-squad this past season. While many doubt he would’ve been a lottery talent, Williams is obviously the risk/reward of this draft that’s rooted deeply in his bad behavior off the court trouble. Likely to slip into the late 1^st/early 2^nd round, Williams, and his 7-5 wingspan, has recently have a few impressive workouts and some promising speculation from several team’s beat writers. Where he ends up (Philly, New York, Phoenix, etc.) is completely unknown. But it’ll be very interesting to watch.

7) Who will be the 1^st four-year guy to go?
With tons of freshman, sophomore, juniors, and international talent jam packed into every stage of this draft, the question remains: who will be the first college senior to go? The consensus seems to be, even with recent talk of him slipping to the mid-teens, that Florida State’s Al Thornton will be that man. In fact, Thornton may be one of a select few seniors who will see heavy first-round attention. Other names to consider include Texas A&M’s Acie Law, Vanderbilt’s Derrick Byars, Wisconsin’s Alando Tucker, Rice’s Morris Almond, and Oregon’s Aaron Brooks.

8) When will the European swingmen be selected?
While the first international prospect to go will undoubtedly be the Chinese forward Yi Jianlian; it remains to be seen when Italian Marco Belinelli and Spaniard Rudy Fernandez will be taken. (Two other potential 1^st-round targets could end up being Brazlian Tiago Splitter and Pau Gasol’s brother Marc.) Fernandez has peaked into the top 20 on several mock draft boards while Belinelli has rounded well into the 20-30 range. Both teams could end up on contenders, ala Ginobili did, and both could provide immediate impacts as slashing scorers.

9) How many international players will go in the 2^nd round?
In recent years, the 2^nd round was mainly stocked with high school and international talent. Once a wasteland of 4-year seniors (at least before the late-90s), the 2^nd-round has now officially become the time to take a chance on, often unproven, international talent. This year should prove to be no different; especially for teams with plenty of depth and patience (numerous players selected in the 2^nd round don’t chose to come to America for a season or two typically). NBADraft.net has 9 of the 30 2^nd round picks being international talents, DraftExpress.com has 8, ditto for CollegeHoops.net. Last season, the first in which high schoolers weren’t eligible, 10 international guys went in the 2^nd round (with the #1 overall pick Bargnani leading six first round selections).

10) What will Isiah Thomas do?
Last year he stunned a ton of people by taking South Carolina Gamecock Renaldo Balkman. Ironically, it wasn’t a terrible pick in retrospect. Ditto can be said for Channing Frye, David Lee, and Nate Robinson the year before. While the Knicks are still a mess, they swapped picks with Chicago (23 for 9, the last part of the Eddie Curry deal) and now have been laced with tons of draft-day rumors and promises. DePaul’s Wilson Chandler is the latest potential promise that the Knicks GM has made. However, plenty of talk has surrounded team support for Rice’s Morris Almond, media support for Ohio State’s Daequan Cook, brief rumors concerning BC’s Sean Williams, and even talk of dealing the pick altogether (in order to package a sign-and-trade for Rashard Lewis or potentially the likes of Kobe/KG/Jermaine O’Neal/whoever Isiah unrealistically is targeting). Either way, you can’t truly predict what the Knicks will do, as always, on draft night.

So there’s plenty of banter, projections, rejections, and wild rumors-spreading. You didn’t hear it all here first…but, admit it, it never sounded so good.

Until next time…

Producing At The Next Level

This week, you'll be flooded by positional rankings at each position in the draft based on where players are expected to be drafted. In light of the impending flood, I decided to switch it up and provide positional rankings based on production at the next level.

Point Guard
1) Mike Conley Jr. - As if it ever was in doubt. Conley Jr. has the competitive edge to conquer his greatest shortcoming, his jumpshot.
2) Acie Law IV - There will be claims that he lacks the upside of Crittenton, but he can start for the Hawks, Clippers or whomever drafts him now. Law can shoot, involve his teammates and knows how to react in the clutch.
3) Javaris Crittenton - Crittenton has the goods if he can put in the work to make himself a more disciplined player. He will grow into a lesser Chauncey Billups if all goes as planned.
4) Taurean Green - Overexposure is Green's scourge, though he has played his best basketball when the game is on the line and NBA scouts have to be conscience of this trend.
5) Aaron Brooks - Brooks is a scoring point in the mold of Mo Williams and has much room for improvement as a point guard.

If He Gets the Opportunity to Excel: Ramon Sessions. While Sessions is not a nightly triple-double threat, he score the ball, distribute and rebound just as well as anyone in this draft class.


Shooting Guard
1) Nick Young - One of the best pure shooters in the draft, Young can also slash and drive with the best of them. His defense can also translate into easy buckets.
2) Rudy Fernandez - Rudy has already shown the world what he can bring to the table. While his Ginobili comparisons might be an embellishment of sorts, Fernandez is plenty talented and will fit the bill in the new NBA.
3) Marco Belinelli - Success or not, Belinelli will captivate audiences with his style of play.
4) Derrick Byars - While critics contend that Byars lacks foot speed, the SEC Player of the Year made up for it with desire and technical skill.
5) Morris Almond - The dark horse for rookie of the year plaudits, Almond will get to know what it feels like to be surrounded with actual basketball players. Once he overcomes that shock, he'll be wildly successful.

Potential for Superiority: Daequan Cook and Rodney Stuckey. There's a glut of talented shooting guards, so both of these guys can average 15 points per game and not crack this list.


Small Forward
1) Kevin Durant - Durant will be the best second-pick overall since a guy named 'Zo.
2) Jeff Green - Green's ability to contribute in multiple ways will make him a great success in the NBA.
3) Thaddeus Young - An upside machine, Young still has to develop. If he is still at the project stage by year three, then we can consider this one to be a flop.
4) Julian Wright - Don't feed into his inability to add weight. Wright's dribbling, passing and mid-range shooting make him a potential Luol Deng clone.
5) Corey Brewer - Limited at the offensive end, Brewer will make the league's all-defensive team at least twice.

Close But No Cigar: Jared Dudley. When you do the measurements, Dudley doesn't seem to measure up until the game actually starts. Ultimately, that matters most.


Power Forward
1) Al Horford - Horford - not Noah - was the leader of the two-time national championship teams and he has the body, the desire and the moves to succeed.
2) Brandan Wright - A 7'4" wingspan and a dominating game inside eight feet make Wright a shoe-in for this list in spite of his featherish frame.
3) Yi Jianlian - Yi will get every opportunity to succeed because he's marketable. Oh yeah, he's got game.
4) Al Thornton - If Al is in the right situation, he can be the best PF from this draft class. That's a gigantic IF.
5) Josh McRoberts - A defensive specialist who can gain confidence on offense with the right coach. Based on where he's being projected to go, McRoberts can develop into the force that made him the nation's top recruit.

Explicably Missing: Joakim Noah. At some point, Joakim will no longer have microphone privileges so he can learn how to not be such a baby when he gets whistled for traveling. If a top 10 pick's best compliment is that he's an energy guy, then the sky is not the limit.


Center
1) Greg Oden - He can become one of the game's best ever to play at the position if he can avoid injuries. He will not be amazing at first, but he will be a force.
2) Spencer Hawes - Spencer for Hire will be a serviceable NBA center for years to come, but if he does not continuously work on his game, he could be destined for a land called Stiffsville.
3) Aaron Gray - To be honest, I don't expect Gray to be a great center, but he'll be decent and play in the league for many years. Gray was a project when he enrolled at Pitt and he leaves as a center with a solid face-up game and a good shooting touch.

Best Name in the Draft: Kyrylo Fesenko. Sorry, Detroit. You didn't get to hide this guy until pick 57. The scouts love him and his stock has elevated to the middle of the second round.

Sneak Peak: 2008 NBA Draft

Even though all the recent draft talk has centered around the 2007 edition, there’s no reason we can’t take the tiniest look at who may end up being the elites of the 2008 draft class.

Even if it’s just a peak.

With that being said, let’s take a look at a specific selection of lottery-destined talent that could have their name called a year from now.

A pick-six collection of non-incoming collegiate freshman…

Chase Buddinger [F, Arizona]
-A guy touted by many as one of the top five incoming freshman, he seemed to fall head-first into the underachieving quagmire currently engulfing the University of Arizona. With that being said, many believe he has top 5 talent and perhaps a sophomore season away from the also-underachieving Marcus Williams will allow him the time to expand his game and bring Arizona back into national championship contention.

Roy Hibbert [C, Georgetown]
-Pulling out of the ’07 draft class relatively early, Hibbert may find things a little tougher without running mate Jeff Green in ’08. With that being said, his size [7-2, 280 lbs.] will not be forgotten in ’08. Unless an injury occurs, Hibbert should still see the lottery, perhaps as the #1 center prospect, next season.

Hasheem Thabeet [C, Connecticut]
-Let me say this: I’m extremely skeptical from the get-go. While many claim to see the next Dikembe Mutombo, I remain more than a little hesitant. Yet, like Hibbert, his size [7-3, 260 lbs] can only aid him in trying to remain in lottery contention in ‘08. Many feel the Huskies have a lot of growing up to do this year. Front and center would of their reclamation project will be Mr. Thabeet.

Tyler Hansbrough [PF, North Carolina]
-My roommate likens him to the next Mark Madsen. While I see a mid-2^nd round talent here, he could easily take home ACC Player of the Year honors in 2007-08 and improve his draft stock. While sites like NBADraft.net liken him to Udonis Haslem, Hansbrough will find a more deft touch shooting the ball. While I don’t see him play one-eighth as much as Pay does, I do wonder if his paint game will ever translate into anything effective in the NBA environment. His strength, footwork, and ball fakes don’t seem like they’ll cut it in the NBA.

Chris Lofton [SG, Tennessee]
-Wisely sticking around for a junior season, headlining a promising Vols squad, Lofton should remain a 2^nd-round talent next year in the draft, much the same as he was touted as this year. His doubters all say the same things: a lack of size and overall speed to play the 2-guard in the NBA. Yet, he has a chance to jump up a lot of boards by putting on some weight, improving his ballhandling [6’2 is tough for a 2-guard in today’s NBA], and continuing to hit clutch shots. Growing 3 inches would really improve his stock though.

Ty Lawson [PG, North Carolina]
-He and Darren Collison [UCLA] appear to be the two elite PGs heading into ’08 draft territory. In fact, both had to at least briefly consider entering this year’s foray. While high school names like Rose and Mayo, for now, may seem more appealing to ’08 prognosticators; due to what we’ll call a Tony Parker-esque ability to get into the paint, Lawson and Darren may surge ahead of the incoming freshman in next year’s lottery. Runs at a national title could immensely help the position of any of the 4 aforementioned PGs.

A pick-six collection of incoming collegiate freshman…

Derrick Rose [PG, Memphis]
-NBADraft.net’s #1 selection for ’08, Rose is also listed in the top three of almost every major Top 150 ranking for incoming freshman. A lottery pick if high schoolers could still declare themselves eligible, Rose should flourish in Calipari’s up-tempo system in Memphis. Alongside potential ’08 draftees Joey Dorsey and backcourt mate Chris Douglas-Roberts, expect Rose to remain a top 5 selection all season long.

Michael Beasley [PF, Kansas State]
-Sitting pretty as the #1 recruit on Rivals.com, Beasley enters Kansas State, sans chief-recruiter Bob Huggins, alongside the (now-injured) Bill Walker. While the team’s performance may not open too many eyes outside of the Big XII, it’s unlikely that Beasley will be forgotten when Dickie V starts spouting off at the mouth about “diaper dandies”. Beasley’s size allows him to easily fit into next year’s #1 pick; especially if the PGs and Cs who hover around him aren’t as good a fit for the top team. Either way, this guy will be a downright beast this season.

OJ Mayo [PG, USC]
-The biggest rep in years to enter college basketball, Mayo will be the talk of all of Cali before the year is over…for better or worse. While his attitude always comes into question, his game is downright electrifying. He might look to score first as a PG, but he can make an amazing pass often look trivial. He easily has the biggest upside of any incoming collegiate freshman. While he seems the most likely of the 1-and-dones to be the draft next season, it’ll be interesting to see how he handles SoCal and Tim Floyd.

Donte Greene [PF, Syracuse]
-While a guy named Carmelo used the one-and-done at Cuse to amazing heights (remember, Cuse was in the NIT before the title in ’03 after Melo’s arrival on campus), similar heights weren’t reached by one of last year’s top recruits, Paul Harris. Nevertheless, Greene’s body [6’9, 220] has many thinking he’s a more physical Rashard Lewis. While Boeheim will undoubtedly toughen him up, it remains to be seen if Greene can break away from falling in love with shooting from the wing and potentially develop into a Chris Bosh-type over the next few years.

Eric Gordon [PG/SG, Indiana]
-Personally, I don’t seem to remember too many Hoosiers leaving early. Yet, the word on Gordon, who I admittedly am a little skeptical of, is that he may be the best pure incoming freshman that plays the point guard position. Especially when asked to shoot the rock. While next year’s draft is assuredly, at least as of now, PG-heavy…it seems hard to believe Gordon, especially with his explosive first step and crazy athleticism, will be left out of any lottery projections.

DeAndre Jordan [C, Texas A&M]
-With the Law gone in A&M (not to mention a well-received head coach), Jordan’s prospects for dominating in the Big XII still don’t seem overhyped, even for a freshman. He is a mammoth at 7’0 and has a pretty solid YouTube video out there impressing many people. With a lot of project-type centers likely coming out next year (ala Thabeet and Hibbert potentially), Jordan may be a more solid post-man to target with an early selection in ‘08. Then again, he could be another Cedric Simmons or Mohammed Sene.

A pick-six of international talent, supposedly on their way to the US in ‘08…

Nicholas Batum
-Let’s get one thing straight: this man is my European-crush. Seriously, he seems to be everything Rudy Gay appears to be…and much more. Batum has an immense wingspan, never minds having the ball in his hands late, and even possesses credible 3-point range. Still developing overseas (in France for Le Mans), Batum should this years Yi…but even more hyped. A European-Durant may become a popular moniker next draft season. There’s no reason this kid can’t end up being the next international player to be selected #1.

Kosta Koufos
-Okay, I cheated. He’s a freshman at Ohio State. Yet, he’s got a 7’4 wingspan and a heritage that certainly doesn’t line up with the pilgrims. Taking over the center spotlight, and position, from departed Greg Oden at Ohio State, Koufos should be one of the more interesting guys to watch in the college game this season. While he must become a lot more aggressive on defense, he may easily pass Brook Lopez as the project-center who’s upside is too good to pass up in ‘08.

Artem Zabelin
-While most of the Russian talk is about, shocker, a PG (named Alexey Shved, aka the Russian Penny), this 7-footer is the one that sparks my interests. While still a baby at 19, he may or may not be the high-riser in the late-first round that flames up the draft charts late next draft season. Of course, he could just as easily not see an NBA court, if ever, until 2010 (or later).

Danillo Gallinari
-Seen on early ’08 draft boards, ranging from the mid-to-late first round, this Italian can play multiple positions and has displayed, at least as of late, deft outside shooting. While he’s apparently been plucked as having some “growth issues” by team doctors, he also is seen as a guy who will continue to grow into his body and may soon become a near 7-footer who can dribble, drive, and shoot. Sounds like a dangerous trio to me.

Omri Casspi
-Another one of those “will he come out in ’08 guys”, Casspi used the Nike Hoops Summit in Memphis this season as an international coming out party. Having watched the game myself, Caapi looked downright dominant when attacking the hoop and proved to be a rather stealthy finisher around the basket. While he may be a little oversized at 6’9 to bring his perimeter/slashing type stile to the NBA, it’s obvious this kid has no fear of the US-game or its talent.

Boban Marjanovic
-What can I say? I love the name. He’s Serbian and 7’3 and at 18 year of age, he’s still developing physically and as a ballplayer. His buzz has been growing on DraftExpress and perhaps he could be one of those late second rounders that ends up getting quality minutes within 2 or 3 years in the NBA. Either way, if he can ditch his robotic ways, Marjanovic may become the bruising, physical European big-man many have been craving for in the NBA.

Two random wild cards, for fun if nothing else, to prophesize about…

Darrell Arthur [PF, Kansas]
-Often a forgotten man last season, Arthur may be the biggest benefactor of Julian Wright leaving early for the pros. Ironically, it may also be Brandon Rush staying that aids Arthur even more. He has an NBA-ready body with an NBA-game that’s in development. He may quickly become one of the superstars of college basketball this upcoming season that becomes a household name during his sophomore campaign.

Eric Maynor [PG, Virginia Commonwealth]
-It’s a ridiculous hometown pick, but I’m afforded a little fun after hard work. While it’s easy to doubt that a mid-major underclassman, especially a PG, might be crazy to leave after his junior campaign, Maynor may become the exception to that rule. While only a few sites, headlining would be DraftExpress, have placed him into consideration for such a move, Maynor’s clutch play down the stretch of ’07 is not likely to be forgotten. Add that to the fact that his coach, Anthony Grant, may be gone next season…and Maynor may try to sneak into the draft and develop on the bench for a year or two until he got a shot. Speaking of shots, Maynor better develop a consistent one over the summer before even considering playing in the NBA.

So there are 20 guys you may or may not see in next year’s lottery. If the first three picks of this year’s draft end up being Oden, Durant, and Brandon Wright; then the majority of ’07 prognosticators, back in 06, were dead on.

That would be especially good for the likes of Rose, Beasley, and Batum (easily the most popular top three thus far).

While there’s no specific order to be found yet, it’s clear, at least to this expert, these are a selection from the overall collection of names, of which you will be seeing in the earliest of the early selections of the 2008 NBA mock drafts

Until next time…

The NBA Trade Winds Are A-Blowin'

With the NBA Draft just around the corner, trade talks are heating up as teams seek to shift pieces of their organization in order to address needs for the immediate future. Unlike previous years, there is major starpower included in trade talks, including but not limited to the disgruntled Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Shawn Marion. While there have yet to be any firm or concocted rumors included Bryant and Marion, the Kevin Garnett to the Celtics rumor is building steam in the mainstream press.

Note: The remaining contract amounts are approximations and can be seen at Patricia Bender's NBA page.

Via the Boston Herald and a little bit of my imagination ...
Minnesota trades Kevin Garnett (averaging $20M until 2009), Mark Blount (averaging $6.5M until 2010), CASH ($4M) and the 41st pick to Boston for Al Jefferson ($1.75M until 2008), Gerald Green (averaging $1.6M until t-opt in 2009), Sebastian Telfair ($1.9M until 2008), Theo Ratliff ($12M until 2008), Brian Scalabrine (averaging $3M until 2010) and the 5th pick

WHY? I've always held the belief that if the T-Wolves are to trade KG, they are going to get rid of at least one of their bad contracts (Mark Blount, Marko Jaric, Troy Hudson and Mark Madsen), which is akin to a controversial congressional bill that has pork barrel legislation attached to it. Is it ugly? Yes. Is it necessary? Yes, especially in terms of a rebuilding project for the T-Wolves. Of course, the T-Wolves will have plenty of quick decisions to make on what to do with Jefferson and Green, as well as who they will select with the 5th pick overall next week.

Should Mike Conley slip past both Atlanta and Milwaukee ...
Sacramento trades the 10th pick and rights to Kenny Thomas (averaging $7.1M/yr with a p-opt in 2008) to Portland for Zack Randolph (averaging $14M/yr until 2011), 37th, and 52nd pick

WHY? Despite Randolph having an excellent season last year, Portland have been trying to shop him and they might have found the right opportunity. Sacramento's dying for an inside presence to place alongside Brad Miller, who battled plantar fasciitis last season. While Portland has perfectly competent point guards in Jarrett Jack and Clement's man-crush Sergio Rodriguez, but the Blazers have let it be known that they are interested in Mike Conley Jr. If he slips to the 10th pick, which he might due to rumors and reports linking the Hawks to Al Horford at the 3rd pick and the Bucks to Corey Brewer at the 6th pick, it might be the window to trade Randolph and obtain the young point guard. Kenny Thomas would serve as a make-weight to reduce the burden placed upon the Kings' books.

Via the Chicago Tribune ...
Cleveland trades Drew Gooden (averaging $8M/yr until 2009) to Chicago for Victor Khryapa ($1.3M until 2008) and the 9th pick

WHY? Chicago has the 9th pick but no one available addresses the gaping hole that is their inside scoring crisis. Drew Gooden, who the Cavs are allegedly shopping, fits that need. Khryapa represents another shooter to add to LeBron's never-beginnning arsenal.

Coming on the heels of rumors of Phoenix seeking to move Kurt Thomas and the Nets begging for a power forward ...
Phoenix trades Kurt Thomas (averaging $7.5M/yr until 2009) and the 24th pick to the Nets for Jason Collins (averaging $6.1M/yr untli 2009) and the 17th pick.

WHY? This will likely require a third party, because the Suns really don't want to pick up Collins' contract, since he won't be a member of the D'Antoni's eight-man rotation. Thomas would garner instant minutes from the Nets and provide the inside presence that the Nets have lacked for the better part of their last two playoff appearances.

Spanoulis wants out and the Rockets are looking to swing a second-rounder ...
Houston trades Vassilis Spanoulis to Dallas for the 50th pick.

WHY? Spanoulis has let it be known that he'll be returning to Europe to resume his career, so the rich get richer and Dallas gives up one of its three second-round draft picks. Meanwhile, Dallas has a full roster and can afford to have Spanoulis develop even more abroad.

Other News and Rumors

Atlanta will either trade the 3rd pick or select Florida's Al Horford, who from early indications of the individual workouts has come away as this draft class's top power forward.

Philadelphia 76ers Team President Billy King has gone on record to say that the 76ers won't be keeping all four of their picks (12th, 21st, 30th and 38th), because they simply do not have enough room for four rookies on the roster.

In a rare move, the Chicago Bulls have **promised** (there's that word!) that they will select Oklahoma State's JamesOn Curry with the 49th pick. For all the newbies to this site and to NBA Draft talk, promises are generally given to players who teams would like to select in the 1st round. That's because being selected in the 1st round guarantees a multi-year, seven-figure salary.

What's in a (nick) name???

Most of us never had the luxury of having a nickname during our sporting days. Whether that included pee-wee, youth league, AAU, high school, or even collegiate athletic participation, the closest we got to a nickname was being screamed at by our last name by the coaches.

Nobody was likely to be called “Babe”, “Shoeless”, “Sweetness”, “Air”, “Pudge”, “The Splendid Splinter”, “The Great One”, “Magic”, or even “He Hate Me” on or off the field during their playing days.

There might have been some expletives shouted at us, but it just wasn’t the same as an incredibly cool nickname.

Ask your typical sports fan, young or old, and a few of their favorite nicknames most likely include (and yes, I know I will miss more than a few memorable ones):

“Broadway” Joe Namath
Deion “Primetime” Sanders aka “Neon” Deion
“The Mailman” Karl Malone
“Pistol” Pete Maravich
Joe DiMaggio, “The Yankee Clipper”
Willie Mays, “The Say Hey Kid”
“The Iron Horse” Lou Gehrig
William “The Refrigerator” Perry
“Iron” Mike Tyson
“Mr. October” Reggie Jackson
Jerome “The Bus” Bettis
Darryl “Chocolate Thunder” Dawkins
Robert “Tractor” Traylor
Evander “Real Deal” Holyfield
Andre “Bad Moon” Rison
Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini
Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon
Fred McGriff , “The Crime Dog”
“Thunder” Dan Majerle
Thomas “The Hitman” Hearns
“Sugar” Ray Leonard
Ed “Too Tall” Jones
“Super” Mario Lemieux
“The Nigerian Nightmare” Christian Okoye
“The Answer” Allen Iverson
“The Human Highlight Film” Dominique Wilkins
Michael “Air” Jordan

The list goes on and on and on. And on.

Yet, there are some that stick out, at least to me, even more.

So, without further adieu, here are my top ten sporting nicknames (and yes, I’ll limit it to current athletes) going today…

10) Frank “The Big Hurt” Thomas
-While he isn’t the dominant MVP-caliber player he was during the mid-90s, he will always be remembered for his intimidating physical appearance and amazing plate discipline which allowed him to be one of the most feared hitters in all of baseball.

9) Carnell “Cadillac” Williams
-If you’re going to be a bruising running back, it never hurts to be named after an American classic automobile. Earning this nickname early on in college, even with a talented guy like Ronnie Brown splitting your carries, definitely earns my respect.

8) Orlando Hernandez aka “El Duque”
-One of the more memorable Yankee pitchers during their recent run of dominance, Orlando came from Cuba, age-issues and all, and brought along both personality and a Juan Marichal-reminiscent leg-kick. The MVP of the 1999 ALCS, El Duque passed “The Rocket” Roger Clemens for coolest pitching nickname for a Yankee…barely.

7) James “Lights Out” Toney
-Once the dominant middleweight fighter on the scene in the mid-90s, at least before being knocked out senseless by one Roy Jones Jr., Toney’s nickname has left him more popular as of late (rather than his heavyweight career). While boxing often lends to the most violent nicknames (aka “The Executioner” Bernard Hopkins), Toney’s still racks up #1 on my boxing nicknames list.

6) Gary Payton aka “The Glove”
-You already understand the nickname, that is if you know anything about Gary Payton or the game of basketball. A guy who wants to be a defensive specialist, and a trash-talker, has to eat up this nickname from the start.

5) Steve Francis aka “Stevie Franchise”
-A fan-favorite before he stepped out on an NBA court, I love how this nickname now means more of him being labeled as a “Franchise Killer”. Nevertheless, the four-time All-Star, at least back in the day once earned this nickname, in a positive light.

4) Rafer “Skip to my Lou” Alston
-Wikipedia describes it best: His nickname Skip To My Lou stemmed from his tendency to skip while dribbling the ball upcourt. He played in several prominent streetball tournaments including the Entertainer's Basketball Classic, the North American street basketball tour, the AND1 Mixtape Tour, and the ESPN TV show, Street Ball. It is said that, during a streetball tournament at the legendary Rucker Park in Harlem, Alston once performed what most would regard as an impossible move: during a fastbreak, he supposedly glided in the paint for a layup attempt but made a change of plans in the air as he rolled the ball down his right arm, across his shoulder and down his left arm to a trailing player for a finishing dunk.

3) Tom “Flash” Gordon
-Based on the famed comic book character, Flash Gordon works so ridiculously well for a hard-throwing reliever. No lengthy explanation is needed; quite frankly, it just sounds right for him. Smart and effective always performs well in my book. [At least in my book of Top Ten Lists]

2) Gilbert Arenas aka “Hibachi/Agent Zero”
-All a part of “Gilbertology”, these nicknames, perhaps self-imposed more than any others throughout this entire post, are all part of the world of Washington Wizard Gilbert Arenas. One of a kind, to say the least, Arenas epitomizes the modern-day eccentric athlete. Whether playing online poker at halftime, showering before a game in uniform, donating dollars upon dollars to charity, dispensing game jerseys to fans, throwing himself a million-dollar birthday party, or trying to one-up every former coach from USA basketball, Arenas is one-of-a-kind. Agent Zero must overcome all the obstacles the world throws at him; whereas Hibachi is just something Gilbert loves to yell out when he’s hot. We’re all along for the ride with this guy. And I’m loving just about every minute of it.

1) Adam “Pacman” Jones aka “The Rainman”
-First off, the Pacman nickname is cool enough as it is. [Thanks ProFootballTalk for putting it out there and ESPN Radio’s Doug Gotlieb for bringing it to the 4-letter network.] In fact, he goes as P. Jones on his NFL jersey, and most people don’t even know his first name (Adam). Gobbling up interceptions and making big hits allows him to have the best CB nicknames since one Deion Sanders. However, it’s the Rainman nickname (spouted off from a certain Lil’ Wayne-driven chorus in a song) that has gained recent acclaim. After his off-the-field antics in Vegas during All-Star Weekend (for the NBA, no less), the Rainman (and his record setting suspension) easily dominate the top of this list.

And the award for top “alias” goes to…
Mike Vick aka “Ron Mexico”
-All I will say is that soon he may be known as “Pitbull”.

Comment a few of your favorites if you’d like.

Especially if I missed some of the current ones that are simply too good, or goofy, to be true.
Until next time…

NBA Draft Deadline Looms

For the sake of brevity, here are the details on which early entrants are remaining in the 2007 NBA Draft. The majority of the news should be credited to Andy Katz of ESPN.com.

Staying in the Draft
Jeff Green (Georgetown). As a sure-fire top-12 pick, Green's stock was too good to pass up. This is bittersweet for the Hoyas who were holding out hope for the Big East Player of the Year's return for his senior season.

Spencer Hawes (Washington). Hawes' draft stock has come into question during workouts, as teams fear him becoming a stiff. Nevertheless, Hawes is a proven low-post scorer and a has a nice mid-range jumper to boot. His decision to stay in the draft should not come as a shock.

Thaddeus Young (Georgia Tech). Last week, Young said he would return to Georgia Tech if he were not to be selected as a lottery pick but later backed off his strong comments. Young will likely be drafted between the 13th and 18th picks.

Ramon Sessions (Nevada). Sessions was a second-round talent at best prior to the pre-draft camp, where he excelled as a floor general, defender, shooter, and rebounder.

JamesOn Curry (Oklahoma State). There's always the forehead scratching decision and this is it. Curry has been absent from any second round talk on any mock draft site that is privy to international talent.
****

Withdrawing from the Draft
DeVon Hardin (California). Andy Katz of ESPN.com pulls a Kobe Bryant - switching his report from earlier today. Not really. The San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday that Hardin, whose stock is at its current peak, was going to sign with an agent [and thus, remain in the draft]. Anyhow, his workouts made a profound statement to NBA executives who will be considering him next year.

Marcelus Kemp (Nevada). Being a borderline second rounder wasn't good enough for Kemp, who has the explosiveness and talent to compete at the next level, but can use an extra year to refine his skills.

Dominic James (Marquette). James had hoped that his form at the pre-draft camp would be similar to that of his jaw-dropping performance against Duke earlier this season. He never rediscovered that form and struggled with his shooting touch amongst other difficulties.

Maureece Rice (George Washington). GW head coach Karl Hobbs always encourages his players to test the draft waters. Rice did and now he returns to the nation's capital to lead his team.

Aaron Bruce (Baylor). Duh.

Jaycee Carroll (Utah State). Read the comment above.

Shaun Pruitt (Illinois). Pruitt had a chance to raise his stock, but he did not. His return to Illinois will give him a chance to work on his game and complete his degree.

****

Final Finals Thoughts: It’s Time for Some Changes…NOW!

As the NBA Finals end rather unceremoniously, with a borderline disgusting Spurs 4-0 sweep of the Cavs, it seems that everyone is spending the majority of their time beating up the current format of the NBA Finals; specifically, the ridiculous disparity in power between the Eastern and Western Conferences.

Unfortunately, balancing the power of each of the conferences is nearly impossible right now.

Especially since the top two picks in this year’s draft, likely to be future franchise cornerstones Oden & Durant, will both be transplanted into the Pacific Northwest (at least for the time being).

Ironically, following the last game of the 2006-07 season, I’m not even summarizing the impressive sweep the Spurs just completed against the Cavs. Far from it, in fact. Just as the Spurs seem to want it; here I am analyzing what went wrong with the playoffs (again).
In fact, ambiguity may be the best term for symbolizing what the Spurs have done over the past nine seasons (which includes a total of four NBA titles). While I won’t spend much time on the topic, it has to be said – at least once in this post – that the Spurs have in fact molded themselves into a modern-day dynasty. Comparisons to teams like the Patriots, of the NFL, are both realistic and accurate.

While I’ll always be bitter about the Horry hip-check, I won’t be a Spurs hater. Not today at least.

So, as I veer off onto another route with tonight’s post, perhaps one being traveled just as much in recent days throughout the media, the question I can’t escape continues to linger right in front of me: where should we, and we meaning as in the office of the NBA commissioner (you know, that Stern-dude), begin to attempt to tinker with the mess that seems to be the NBA, specifically its playoff system, as of late?

Should we, we now describing the legion of loyal fans, just blame David Stern? Or should we instead blame the networks (ESPN & TNT) for having a dreary stranglehold on the schedule (remember, the Playoffs have to take nearly five months)? Should we consider the recently popular notion of re-seeding? Can we just go 1-16, in order, and worry about things like travel plans and division champions (i.e. hosting games) later?

Is there a possibility to mold the NBA Playoffs into a sort of May to June-Madness?

In all likelihood, none of these questions will be seriously addressed by the Commissioner. Not while profits are high and he continues to fret more about the league’s image, via marketing more than any other facet, 24/7.

While Stern would never directly listen to me, I’d still like to join the ever-growing rallying cry of everyone from experts to novice fans currently pleading with him to DO SOMETHING!

Can I also mention, even if it’s a completely off-the-wall note, that NBC’s coverage back in the day only helped things. Just allow yourself, if you remember of course, to reflect back to the glory days of NBA television coverage. Back to Bob Costas or Marv Albert giving a stirring introduction in the opening moments of the telecast. Whether they were in New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, San Antonio, or Salt Lake City…you felt right next to them.

They were the voices, or perhaps even the catalysts, behind those
unforgettable moments during NBC’s coverage (spanning from 1990 to 2002): who can forget Jordan torturing everyone imaginable (with Ahmad “Little Mike” Rashad dry-humping him throughout the telecasts), the great five-year Suns/Sonics rivalry (from Barkley vs. Kemp to the shot from Rex Chapman), watching Shaq tear down rims and grow before our eyes from Orlando to Los Angeles, or the countless brawl-scenes from the Heat and Knicks (with instant laughter when you remember Zo and LJ flailing their arms at each other as Van Gundy bites at Mourning’s ankles).

Then, perhaps most recognizable, was the unforgettable music “Roundball Rock” (thanks John Tesh) that electrified you before another stacked double or even triple-header began.

Next was the in-studio team. Hannah Storm just plain rocked it. Peter Vecsey always had “insider information”, from his sources, which nobody ever believed. Steve "Snapper" Jones and Bill Walton were ready to choke each other out at any moment. Jim Gray was on the sidelines acting as arrogant as possible. Isiah and Magic were train wrecks, wherever they were. Matt Goukas and Dan Issel were always unexpectedly great #2 analysts. Even when Costas soaked everything out of the moment,
“This may be the last time Michael Jordan sweats on the sidelines of an NBA court while taking a break during his team’s final timeout,”…you ate up every second of it.

Ahhhh, fond memories from the NBA on NBC.

Now we get nauseating amounts of ESPN/ABC-fueled coverage of “The Association”. Where guys like Stephen A. Smith (get over yourself), Tim Legler (read more), Tom Tolbert (admittedly, he was a huge mistake started by NBC), and even Stuart Scott (tool tool tool) get WAY too much camera exposure.

TNT might have a fun studio team, if Charles Barkley wasn’t hoarse twenty minutes into every show. Not to mention Dick Stockton, somehow still breathing, can’t pronounce a single name that isn’t Smith/Jones/Williams/Jackson correctly.

While you could rant about the television aspect as much as you want; perhaps PTI’s Michael Wilbon said it best, “Why on Earth is Phoenix playing San Antonio, with their records, in the second round of the Western Conference Playoffs?”

I guess everyone wants Suns & Spurs in the Finals. And they’re going to whine and moan until they figure out a way they could get it. Assuming both teams could’ve gotten there. However, I still wonder how either team would’ve matched up with the Mavericks. Were the Warriors their only kryptonite in these playoffs for Dirk and Dallas?

Other questions still linger...

-Would the playoffs have looked more appetizing, and shown up more on the ratings radar, with a 1-16 pairing?
-Would we have had Golden State unforgettable upset of Dallas?
-Would J-Kidd have had as many triple-doubles? Or more possibly?
-Would Washington still have been as helpless?
-Would Deron Williams have risen to prominence?
-Would Carmelo and AI have potentially built real momentum following a potential first-round victory?
-Would LeBron have grown before our eyes in the Eastern Conference Finals?
-Would we know who “Boobie” Gibson was?
-Would Tony Parker have become a Finals MVP? {As if Eva wasn’t enough already.]

Or would the new memories be even better???

It’s interesting to ponder, if nothing else.

Just like these issues…

-NBA All-Star Game switches to International versus the USA? [Why not try it, once?]
-Changing the lottery system completely. [Punish teams who tank it.]
-Re-seed the playoffs. [At least explore ideas out loud.]
-Punish instigators more. [A new Robert Horry Rule sounds great.]
-Give out the MVP award after the post-season. [Tim Duncan and LeBron James just might agree with that.]
-Stop starting Finals games at 9:15 pm. [Forget the West Coast; you’re losing the biggest East Coast markets right off the bat with that start time.]
-Never allow the Pussycat Dolls to do a musical promo for the Playoffs. [Just let them dance to someone else’s music.]
-Make a rule, i.e. foul call, against flopping. Make it a foul. It’ll cut it in half. [PLEASE. Call if the F-Duke Rule.]
-Dump this stupid 2-3-2 format immediately. [No explanation needed honestly.]
-Make officials more accountable. [Sorry if it’s tough work, but the quality is slipping big time. Imagine if D-Wade didn’t get fourteen calls in Games 3 through 6 last Finals. Imagine!]
-Give more press for USA Basketball rosters and encourage more debates on TV about them. [It’s much more interesting than you think. Get a guy like Arenas to talk about it more and you’ll see how some players truly feel about it.]

I suppose most of this is all hot-air, but it’s still a hot-button issue…especially at the end of the season.

Fortunately, the NBA Draft is barely two weeks away. While that could end up disappointing, as last years clearly did, mainly due to a complete lack of interesting trades…at least it’s something to look forward to before a long off-season really begins.

After this NBA Finals, even for the purists who can survive by eating up the accomplishments and dominance witnessed during this post-season run by the Spurs…everyone deserves something a little more infotaining.

Until next time…

Note: Credits for photos found in comments section.