2009 NBA Draft - 6/25/09

[Deleterious]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archiv..._over_griffin/

Clippers May Prefer Rubio Over Griffin

The Clippers, according to insiders that spoke with the Oakland Tribune, are enamored with Ricky Rubio and could conceivably select him instead of Blake Griffin with the number one overall pick.

If such a scenario occurs, the Clippers will look to deal Baron Davis.

For now, the Clippers look like they will lean towards the obvious selection.

"I think five years from now, Blake Griffin will be hitting his stride in the NBA, and he will be an impact player wherever he is," Clippers president Andy Roeser told AP. "He is an athletic player. He can do all sorts of things and has a ton of talent, and I think any team will be happy to have him."

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...20#STORY_18918

Clippers Win Lottery; 'Taking Griffin'

The Clippers have twice had the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, and will get it again for a third time, having won the league's draft lottery Tuesday night at Secaucus, N.J.

"Clearly, we're taking Blake Griffin," Clippers General Manager and Coach Mike Dunleavy said in a telephone interview from Barcelona, Spain.

"This guy is the No. 1 pick. We're extremely excited. He's the guy."

Anytime a GM says they are taking so and so, I get suspicious.

[84 Lives!!!]

Here's a question:

Washington offers the #5 to us (after drafting James Harden) for Rip Hamilton. Skip whether this is possible cap-wise... I just wanted to ask (trading Rip for James Harden):

Would you guys do it?

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by 84 Lives!!!

Here's a question:

Washington offers the #5 to us (after drafting James Harden) for Rip Hamilton. Skip whether this is possible cap-wise... I just wanted to ask (trading Rip for James Harden):

Would you guys do it?

I know very little about Harden, so hard for me to say. I do know I would love to get Rip out of town. I think he needs to go, and getting what hopefully would be a young and talented player in return sounds good to me.

[JonBenke]

I'm with D .. I'd love to trade Rip for a high draft pick (young player), and hope that isn't the only trade that Dumars makes this off season.

[LeFlorist]

Originally Posted by 84 Lives!!!

Here's a question:

Washington offers the #5 to us (after drafting James Harden) for Rip Hamilton. Skip whether this is possible cap-wise... I just wanted to ask (trading Rip for James Harden):

Would you guys do it?

This is almost exactly the scenario I as thinking about when I started reading this thread. The SI mock draft (by Ian Thomsen; http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...x.html?eref=T1) states for Washington (whom they have drafting Jordan Hill, following Griffin, Rubio, Harden, and Evans):

Like Boston in this spot two years ago, the Wizards are expected to trade this pick for a veteran to help Flip Saunders win now. On the small chance they keep it, Hill's interior presence would be a big help to a franchise that needs to change its soft image.

Would Washington go for Rip and #15 for their #5? If Thabeet and Harden were still on the board after 4 picks, wouldn't the Pistons be crazy not to try to make it happen, even if it took a little more?

[Hongbit]

I've watched James Harden for two years and still can't figure out why he's great. Nothing in his game stands out as exceptional and he's far from an elite athlete physically. I really wonder if this guy has the will to work and get better at the pro level or if he'll just be happy to cash in on being a lottery pick.

[Elevate]

I don't like either Harden or Thabeet. I really hope Joe D doesn't trade up.

Unless it's to 10 or 11 so he can draft Jonny Flynn or Jrue Holiday.

[Deleterious]

http://motownsports.com/forums/newre...te=1&p=1852052

Clippers Begin Using Griffin To Sell Tickets

The Clippers claim to have made their decision to draft Blake Griffin with the number one overall pick in this year's draft a year ago when he decided to stay at Oklahoma for his sophomore season.

"I'd say we made the decision June 2008," assistant general manager Neil Olshey said Wednesday. "When he decided to go back to Oklahoma, that if we got the No. 1 pick in '09, he'd be the guy."

On Wednesday, the Clippers strategically placed pictures of Griffin on their Web site to advertise ticket sales for next season.

What that snippet doesn't mention, is the fact they also have Ricky Rubio on their site in multiple places as well.

[Deleterious]

http://www.freep.com/article/2009052...008/1051/rss16

SI mock draft: Pistons select B.J. Mullens

When all the NBA lottery teams have made their first round selections, the Pistons will be on the clock.
Advertisement

Ian Thompson of SI.com has Detroit taking center B.J. Mullens (Ohio State) with the 15th overall pick.

"It's going to take a few years, but Mullens has the size and soft hands to develop into a legit center. He'll be a wise investment for a team that is turning over its frontcourt," Thompson wrote.

Thompson projects the top three picks to be: 1. Los Angeles Clippers -- Blake Griffin (Oklahoma); 2. Memphis Grizzlies -- Ricky Rubio (DKV Joventut - Spain); 3. Oklahoma City Thunder -- James Harden (Arizona State).

To read the entire mock draft click here.

[Deleterious]

http://www.freep.com/article/2009052...699/1051/rss16

Even with 15th draft pick, point guard is an option for Pistons

One of the more interesting points from Joe Dumars' season-ending news conference was the evaluation that Rodney Stuckey is not a true point guard.

"Playing the point can take your aggression away because you're worried about the other four guys," the Pistons president of basketball operations said. "What this year confirmed is he's a combo guard. We have to play him on the ball and off the ball."

After Tuesday night's NBA draft lottery, it appears the Pistons will have many options if they decide to select a point guard with the 15th pick June 25.

Virginia Commonwealth's Eric Maynor, Syracuse's Jonny Flynn and North Carolina's Ty Lawson could be available after top prospects Ricky Rubio of Spain and Brandon Jennings, who played overseas this season, likely are picked before the Pistons' turn.

Maynor is 6-feet-3 and 180 pounds -- good size for a point guard. He was the best player at VCU all four of his seasons and a clutch performer. But there are questions about the competition he played against in the mid-major Colonial Athletic Association.

Flynn, a good athlete, helped himself with a solid postseason. But at 5-10, he is undersized and will have to learn how to play man-to-man defense coming from Syracuse's legendary zone scheme.

Lawson proved he was more valuable to the Tar Heels than Tyler Hansbrough this season as North Carolina looked vulnerable when he missed time with an injury. With Lawson, the Heels were a juggernaut and won the national title. Lawson is great in transition, but undersized at 5-11.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12714

NBA AM: Rubio Waiting Until 2010?
Rubio's Camp Unhappy With Lottery

For those of you who love drama and were disappointed by the Los Angeles Clippers coming out and saying that Blake Griffin is going to be the top pick, there's no need to worry. With Griffin ending up in a Clipper uniform a certainty there's still the compelling situation with Spain's Ricky Rubio, who did not like how the draft panned out to say the least.

Rubio's Agent, Dan Fegan, wants Ricky to land either in Los Angeles or Sacramento. Memphis and Oklahoma City, his two most likely destinations after the lottery, are not attractive options to Rubio's camp and if nothing changes in the draft order he could end up waiting till 2010.

"He'll pull out if he doesn't like what he's hearing," an NBA source told Jonathan Givony of Draftexpress.com. "Or he can stay in and force the Grizzlies to call his bluff—would they really take him knowing that he may never come over? That's one way to get him to fall to three."

This isn't the first time that a Dan Fegan client has tried to position themselves to land where they feel best. If you remember back in 2007 Yi Jianlian's representatives made it very clear that they had no interest in Yi playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, but they drafted him anyway. Yi however didn't have the options that Rubio currently does.

A move to the NBA is going to be an expensive one for Rubio unless there are some drastic changes with DKV Joventut over the next four weeks. He currently has a buyout of $7.7 million and they don't appear to be willing to accept anything less than the full amount right now.

"Rubio doesn't want to go to Memphis, and he especially does not want to pay money out of his own pocket with that huge buyout for the honor of doing so," said another scout to Draftexpress.com. "Fegan [Rubio's agent] wants him in L.A., and if he can't have him there, he wants him in Sacramento. Definitely not Oklahoma City."

For Rubio there really is no downside in waiting until 2010. In 2010 his buyout goes down just over $1 million, which whatever NBA team that drafted him could play nearly half of. He'd also have a chance to go number one overall, which isn't going to happen this year despite the reports of the Clippers having a quiet interest in him.

At 18-years-old Rubio has all the time in the world. Although a lot of his countrymen have come over and been very successful in the NBA, Juan Carlos Navarro taught him how important it is to land in the right situation. If his camp isn't comfortable with where he's likely going to end up this year there's no reason not to put his NBA career on hold for another year.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...21#STORY_18954

Could Mavs, Thunder Make Deal With Clips?

There will be no shortage of competition, however, particularly from Oklahoma City, which has the third pick in the draft. The Thunder is expected to make a play for Griffin, using the third pick and one of their young core players (Jeff Green or Russell Westbrook) as bait for the top overall pick, which would allow them to keep Griffin in his hometown.

That would be a huge move in terms of local interest and, by extension, ticket sales.

The Mavericks have to take a proactive approach on this. The Clippers were trying to dump salary all last season. They have a nice core with Al Thornton, their big guys, Davis and Eric Gordon. Pairing Griffin with that group should make the Clippers playoff worthy.

But if they can pare some of that salary, presumably Davis and/or one of their big men, the Mavericks have to be ready to move, something they’ve never been shy about in the past.

[Deleterious]

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/...p-May-20-3224/

-A number of teams are already reportedly sending out feelers indicating that they would like to acquire a pick in the late first round—including the San Antonio Spurs, Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. A few teams that are rumored to be looking to trade or sell their picks are the Oklahoma City Thunder (#25), Minnesota Timberwolves (#28) and New Orleans Hornets (#21).

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12721

NBA PM: Grizzlies Trading #2?

As the news came out this morning from our friends at Draft Express, that Ricky Rubio was upset at the way the NBA draft lottery turned out, a rumor quickly followed behind that the Memphis Grizzlies would look to trade the pick rather than use it themselves. While Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace has been openly interested in Rubio, we're being told that the Grizzlies would rather have the $3 million they'd likely get from a team looking to move up, as well as a slightly lower pick.

The first issue is, of course, Rubio's buy-out. In order for Rubio to come to the NBA he must first buy his freedom from DKV Joventut, which is proving to be a fairly cut-and-dried scenario. They want 6 million Euros and they won't negotiate. No payment plan, no percentage of endorsements and contracts signed . . .pay it all, cash up front. Rubio is essentially DKV Joventut's version of LeBron James. They're nothing without him. For that reason, they want to keep him around as long as possible, and if they have to give him up they want to have the cash to bring in several players to replace him.

Assuming Rubio would be willing to come up with the cash - and his NBA team would only be able to contribute $500K to the effort - it comes down to which team would be most fitting for his talents. It's a given that he'll want to start, but we're not talking about another Derrick Rose here. A better comparison might be OKC's Russell Westbrook. He started slowly, but was quite good by the last month or so of the season. As much as the Grizzlies were initially high on Rubio, the arrival of Lionel Hollins as head coach, his admiration for starting point guard Mike Conley, and Conley's emergence under Hollins' direction make it less likely that Memphis would even want to explore a starting point guard at this point. What they really need is a back-up point guard, and they can get one of those in the middle of the first round and get some cash in the process.

With that in mind, don't get too excited thinking the Portland Trail Blazers are going to pull another draft day miracle and reunite Rubio with former teammate Rudy Fernandez. While that idea is intriguing, it would be a step backward for the Blazers. Expect them to make an offer to Andre Miller and Jason Kidd - established point guards who are legitimate upgrades over Steve Blake. But bringing in a rookie when they already have Jerryd Bayless on the bench would make little sense for the Blazers, who are looking to get to the second round of the playoffs and beyond next season.

More likely might be the Philadelphia 76ers, who will likely lose Miller, or the Washington Wizards, who thought they were going to get the #2 pick and have already given Rubio a lot of thought.

One thing is certain: the number two pick in the 2009 NBA Draft is for sale. Stay tuned to HOOPSWORLD as we continue to follow this story.

I imagine 15 is probably lower then they want to go. Good thing we made the playoffs.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...22#STORY_18966

Wizards, Thunder to Swap Picks?

Look for the Thunder to be pretty active in trade discussions with the No. 3 pick. They like (Ricky) Rubio, but if they draft him, they'll have to move Russell Westbrook to the 2-guard position. I talked to Thunder head coach Scott Brooks on Tuesday, and he said that although he believes that Westbrook can play the 2, Westbrook wants to be a 1.

I think the challenge is that Westbrook is most effective when he has the ball in his hands and struggles more when forced to play off the ball. With Rubio and Kevin Durant likely to have the ball a lot in that offense, Westbrook would have to make an adjustment. When you factor in that neither Rubio nor Westbrook is an accomplished shooter yet, there is an issue.

That's why a couple of teams think the Thunder might be willing to trade down in the draft. Two league sources said the Wizards and Thunder already had discussions about a swap of the No. 3 pick for the No. 5 pick and the Wizards' 2008 first-rounder, JaVale McGee.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...22#STORY_18965

Grizzlies Leaning Toward Thabeet?

Several sources told me that owner Michael Heisley loves (Hasheem) Thabeet. He wants the team to be tougher defensively and thinks Thabeet would give it the shot-blocking and size it desperately needs.

I'm told that the rest of the Grizzlies' front office is partial to (Ricky) Rubio, but as we've seen the past few years, Heisley runs the show in Memphis.

[Tayshaun22]

Originally Posted by Hongbit

I've watched James Harden for two years and still can't figure out why he's great. Nothing in his game stands out as exceptional and he's far from an elite athlete physically. I really wonder if this guy has the will to work and get better at the pro level or if he'll just be happy to cash in on being a lottery pick.

Exactly. The guy wasn't consistently a star in college, so what makes you think he'll get it done in the pros as a top pick.

[lesgoblu02]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=12721



I imagine 15 is probably lower then they want to go. Good thing we made the playoffs.

Trade with Washington, Rip and #15 for #5 and whatever salaries. Then turn around and send #5 and 2 Million to Memphis for #2. They can still get Thabeet and we can draft Rubio.

[Betrayer]

Disclaimer: I only follow NBA, not college or Euro. But I've done some reading on Rubio and I just don't get the love.

He's built like a stick and doesn't have that athletic jumping ability you'd like. His stats don't look all that great for someone who supposed to be such a huge talent, especially playing in a weaker league. He's a transition PG that isn't great in the half court or with the outside shot. He can't produce in a one-on-one situation against his current competition, how's he going to provide any sort of dribble penetration at the NBA level?

This just smells of Darko to me. I don't want to move up to the second pick and take another young Euro project with all kinds of hype. Someone else can have him.

If I move up to #2, I take Thabeet. At least I know the kid can rebound, block shots, and clog the paint. Pair him up with a scoring PF (Boozer or Bosh) and you're in business. Good luck finding a 7'3" shot blocking Center anywhere else if you waste a #2 pick on a Euro prospect at PG.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by Betrayer

Disclaimer: I only follow NBA, not college or Euro. But I've done some reading on Rubio and I just don't get the love.

He's built like a stick and doesn't have that athletic jumping ability you'd like. His stats don't look all that great for someone who supposed to be such a huge talent, especially playing in a weaker league.

I don't watch European basketball, but this is basically what I have learned from reading up on Rubio.

Rubio plays for DKV Joventut. That team plays in two leagues. The first is the Spanish league named ACB. It is generally regarded as one of the best single nation leagues in the world. Obviously this is debatable, but the league is in the discussion. The second league they play in is called Euroleague. Euroleague is a multi nation league made up of teams from 12 different countries and is considered the second best league in the world behind the NBA, and its not really debatable on that one. And yes, it is better then anything the NCAA has. So not only does he play in two of the better leagues in the world, he started playing in them at the age of 14.

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/05/22/d....html?rss=true
His debut in the strongest league in Europe came at age 14.

Originally Posted by Betrayer

He's a transition PG that isn't great in the half court or with the outside shot. He can't produce in a one-on-one situation against his current competition, how's he going to provide any sort of dribble penetration at the NBA level?

He is good in transition no doubt, and his jump shot is awful but that is something you can work on. I have read conflicting reports on his ability to get to the hoop. But the real reason you want Rubio, he is often considered one of the best in the world at running the pick and roll. With the NBA basically becoming a pick and roll league now, getting a PG who can run this well is huge, and Rubio is it.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Ricky-Rubio-1155/

Rubio is one of the best pick and roll players you'll find in basketball today, NBA or not. According to Synergy Sports Technology's quantified report, an astounding 62% of his offensive possessions come in this fashion. His ability to deliver crisp, perfectly timed passes directly into the hands of a cutting teammate for an easy basket is uncanny, as he makes the game so incredibly simple, doing everything but put the ball into the net for them. It's exactly this type of court vision and feel for the game that has produced comparisons to Steve Nash, even if their perimeter shooting and defensive skills couldn't be any more different. He has a similar ability to change speeds with the ball and simultaneously see every inch of the court, not hesitating for an instant to deliver a bullet pass underneath the rim for an easy layup.

Originally Posted by Betrayer

This just smells of Darko to me. I don't want to move up to the second pick and take another young Euro project with all kinds of hype. Someone else can have him.

Low blow with the Darko comparison!

Darko's greatness was a myth. Nobody liked him before his big workout with Detroit. The year before he was drafted, he could only manage to play 10 minutes per game.

Rubio on the other hand was playing in some of the best leagues in the world since he was 14, and contributing to his teams. Yeah a lot of the times he was a backup, but thats because Rudy Fernandez was playing in front of him. Here are some of his awards he has won:

* Won 3 Catalan National Leagues (2005, 2007, 2008)
* Won the FIBA EuroCup Championship (2006)
* Led the Spanish ACB League in steals (2007)
* Won the Spanish ACB League Rising Star Award (2007)
* 2 times FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year (2007, 2008)
* Won the Spanish King's Cup (2008)
* Won the ULEB Cup Championship (2008)
* All-Spanish ACB League Team (2008)
* Voted the Spanish ACB League's Best Point Guard (2008)
* Mr. Europa Award (2008)
* Spanish ACB League Defensive Player of the Year (2009)

The ones that stand out to me are, defensive player of the year, All-Spanish ACB league team, ACB best point guard, and Mr. Europa - which is an award given to the best european basketball player that year, no matter where he is playing, so even NBA players are eligible.

Yes his stats look bad this year, but he has been playing the whole season with a broken wrist or damaged ligament, something like that. I know he has been playing with one hand all year. Also remember, the kid just turned 18 years old. And he did pretty good going up against Paul and Williams in the Olympics this past summer.

Rubio is probably never going to be Chris Paul or Deron Williams when it comes to scoring. But he will come in and play great defense and run your team like a PG should. He will absolutely kill teams on the pick and roll and get the ball in the right guys hands on the right spot on the floor. Any scoring you get will just be a bonus.

Originally Posted by Betrayer

If I move up to #2, I take Thabeet. At least I know the kid can rebound, block shots, and clog the paint. Pair him up with a scoring PF (Boozer or Bosh) and you're in business. Good luck finding a 7'3" shot blocking Center anywhere else if you waste a #2 pick on a Euro prospect at PG.

Thabeet is terrible. All you need to know about his is 6'7" DeJuan Blair absolutely destroying him this year. If you get physical with Thabeet, he is done. In the Final Four against MSU he had it going a little bit. MSU put him on his butt and he disappeared after that. To me he looks awkward and not very athletic or quick. I think he has a long road ahead of him in the NBA, as teams will bring his man out on the perimeter to pick and roll him to death.

[Deleterious]

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090...425/1127/rss13

Pistons work out draft possibilities

Chris McCosky / The Detroit News

Auburn Hills -- The Pistons completed their first week of workouts for draft-eligible players.

George David, director of player personnel for the team, said 20 players worked out, and most were players the Pistons would consider with their three second-round picks.

The workouts were closed to the media, and David would only release 10 names. Of those, only two would be considered for the first-round pick (15th) -- Arizona small forward Chase Budinger and Kentucky shooting guard Jodie Meeks.

The others: Temple shooting guard Dionte Christmas, Miami (Ohio) and Grosse Pointe South graduate Michael Bramos (small forward-shooting guard), Alabama-Birmingham shooting guard Robert Vaden, North Carolina small forward Danny Green, Marquette small forward Wes Matthews, French point guard Nando De Colo, Gonzaga point guard Jeremy Pargo, and Miami point guard Jack McClinton.

Besides the 15th pick, the Pistons also select 36th, 39th and 44th in the June 25 draft.

[84 Lives!!!]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

...He is good in transition no doubt, and his jump shot is awful but that is something you can work on. I have read conflicting reports on his ability to get to the hoop. But the real reason you want Rubio, he is often considered one of the best in the world at running the pick and roll. With the NBA basically becoming a pick and roll league now, getting a PG who can run this well is huge, and Rubio is it... The ones that stand out to me are, defensive player of the year, All-Spanish ACB league team, ACB best point guard, and Mr. Europa - which is an award given to the best european basketball player that year, no matter where he is playing, so even NBA players are eligible... And he did pretty good going up against Paul and Williams in the Olympics this past summer... Rubio is probably never going to be Chris Paul or Deron Williams when it comes to scoring. But he will come in and play great defense and run your team like a PG should. He will absolutely kill teams on the pick and roll and get the ball in the right guys hands on the right spot on the floor. Any scoring you get will just be a bonus.

...

Rubio sounds like Jason Kidd.

Decent comp? Or way too high?

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by 84 Lives!!!

Rubio sounds like Jason Kidd.

Decent comp? Or way too high?

Sounds about right to me. The ability to create and being a bad shooter at least. People keep comparing him to Nash so I get the feeling he kind of plays out of control a bit like Nash does.

[SuperFlew]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

Thabeet is terrible. All you need to know about his is 6'7" DeJuan Blair absolutely destroying him this year. If you get physical with Thabeet, he is done. In the Final Four against MSU he had it going a little bit. MSU put him on his butt and he disappeared after that. To me he looks awkward and not very athletic or quick. I think he has a long road ahead of him in the NBA, as teams will bring his man out on the perimeter to pick and roll him to death.

I'm glad somebody finally brought this up. Thabeet gets absolutely abused when he has to match up against a power player in the post. He's a great weak-side shot blocker, but that alone will not make him a decent NBA player.

It makes me cringe when I see people saying they hope we trade up to get him. I don't see him ever getting close to the Mutumbo comparisons.

[Deleterious]

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...out-grizzlies/

Ricky Rubio's agent doesn't rule out Grizzlies

By Ronald Tillery (Contact), Memphis Commercial Appeal
Saturday, May 23, 2009

Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said Friday there was cordial talk -- and no threats -- when he met with the agent for Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio.

"We had a productive and wide-ranging discussion. It was a good meeting," Wallace said from Los Angeles before he boarded a plane for Spain to watch the 18-year-old Rubio, who according to an Internet report might not want to play in Memphis.

Despite the report by Draftexpress.com, the Griz, who have the No. 2 pick in the June 25 draft, have yet to receive a similar vibe directly from Rubio's camp.

Wallace said he had a "cordial meeting" with Rubio agent Dan Fegan.

"I also talked to him about some of his other clients," Wallace said. "We're very early in this process."

After Oklahoma's Blake Griffin, Rubio is widely considered the draft's second-best prospect.

Citing unnamed sources, Draftexpress.com reported this week that Fegan would rather steer Rubio to Los Angeles -- where the Clippers have the No. 1 pick.

Fegan unsuccessfully attempted to bully the Milwaukee Bucks into passing on Yi Jianlian in the 2007 draft. The Bucks took Yi anyway.

Wallace and Griz coach Lionel Hollins will watch Rubio play in an ACB playoff game today in Madrid. They will then visit with Rubio and his family near Barcelona.

"We'll meet with him and go from there," Wallace said.

Wallace acknowledged that the Griz are high on Rubio's abilities but pointed out that the team has just begun to explore a number of options.

Memphis will explore trying to trade up and swap picks with the Clippers so it can land Griffin. The Griz will also listen to offers to move down in the draft, possibly acquiring an established NBA talent, or staying at No. 2 and possibly grabbing Rubio.

"We've got a long way to go," said Wallace, who also met with Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet and his agent, Bill Duffy, Thursday in Los Angeles.

While Thabeet is considered among the draft's top three prospects, the general consensus is the Griz would select Rubio at No.2.

[EatEmUpTigers711]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

http://www.detnews.com/article/20090...425/1127/rss13

That kid that they mention, Michael Bramos was a year or two younger than me & went to the same high school as me, GP North, not South.

That would be absolutely wild if he made it into the NBA.....

[Truth]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

I
Darko's greatness was a myth. Nobody liked him before his big workout with Detroit. The year before he was drafted, he could only manage to play 10 minutes per game.

This has nothing to do with Rubio, but Darko's star was shining very brightly before Detroit worked him out. He wasn't a star. He was a young big who could run the court, pass and shoot. I was in my car the night the order was picked and I still remember the ESPN guys gushing about him, one even said if James wasn't in the draft or the Cavs weren't picking first, Darko was a potential number 1 pick.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by Truth

This has nothing to do with Rubio, but Darko's star was shining very brightly before Detroit worked him out. He wasn't a star. He was a young big who could run the court, pass and shoot. I was in my car the night the order was picked and I still remember the ESPN guys gushing about him, one even said if James wasn't in the draft or the Cavs weren't picking first, Darko was a potential number 1 pick.

Yeah, and what happened just before the draft order was set? Darko was worked out by the Pistons and everyone fell in love with him. That is just what I said. Until that workout, nobody was talking about Darko.

My original point was that all the hype about Darko was just that, hype. He had done nothing to earn it other then be 7 foot and somewhat ahtletic, oh and have a good workout. He wasn't a starter on his pro team and hell, he never even averaged double digits in points. That is the future hall of fame player?

Rubio has done it, and has the awards and stats to prove it. Does that mean he wont be a huge bust too? Of course not, but at least you have a lot more to go off of then some closed door workout.

[MPast86]

NBAdraft.net has us taking Tyreke Evans. I would like that pick.

[Hart]

I get a lot of my information from Chad Ford on ESPN.com. He wrote an article saying two very interesting things.

1. The Thunder might looking to shop the #3 pick because Memphis really likes Thabeet at #2 and they don't really need another point guard (Rubio) with Westbrook already there. Ford makes the point, and I think it is a good one, that Westbrook strengths play better at the point than the two guard position. If the Thunder use the #3 pick as the Ricky Rubio sweepstakes, would the Pistons get involved?

2. The second point is scary for me. He suggests the Pistons may trade their first round pick in order to get further under the cap and sign two premier free agents (Gordon and Millsap/Boozer) this summer. I think this would be a huge mistake as I don't believe there are two free agents on the market who would make us a championship team anytime in the near future.

[sportz4life]

Originally Posted by MPast86

NBAdraft.net has us taking Tyreke Evans. I would like that pick.

Never last until #15..not even close.

[sportz4life]

Originally Posted by EatEmUpTigers711

That kid that they mention, Michael Bramos was a year or two younger than me & went to the same high school as me, GP North, not South.

That would be absolutely wild if he made it into the NBA.....

Dont hold your breath

[Deleterious]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archiv...ns_with_flynn/

Bucks Could Replace Sessions With Flynn

The Bucks, who have the tenth overall pick, are showing interest in Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn, according to DraftExpress.com.

It is appearing more and more unlikely that Milwaukee will be able to retain point guard Ramon Sessions due to his contract demands.

RealGM Note: Christopher Reina, the Executive Editor of RealGM, has projected that the Bucks will select point guard Brandon Jennings with the tenth selection.

Reina has Flynn going fourteenth to the Suns in his latest mock draft.

[EatEmUpTigers711]

Originally Posted by sportz4life

Dont hold your breath

I've seen worse who have made it.....

Not really expecting it though.

[Deleterious]

Here is the complete list of players participating in the draft combine:

http://www.freep.com/article/2009052...071/1051/rss16

PLAYER, COLLEGE/CLUB
Jeff Adrien, Connecticut
Rodrigue Beaubois, Cholet (France)
DeJuan Blair, Pittsburgh
Jon Brockman, Washington
Derrick Brown, Xavier
Chase Budinger, Arizona
Nick Calathes, Florida
DeMarre Carroll, Missouri
Omri Casspi, Maccabi Elite (Israel)
Dionte Christmas, Temple
Earl Clark, Louisville
Darren Collison, UCLA
Dante Cunningham, Villanova
Stephen Curry, Davidson
Austin Daye, Gonzaga
DeMar DeRozan, Southern California
Toney Douglas, Florida State
Wayne Ellington, North Carolina
Tyreke Evans, Memphis
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse
Taj Gibson, Southern California
Danny Green, North Carolina
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame
James Harden, Arizona State
Gerald Henderson, Duke
Josh Heytvelt, Gonzaga
Jordan Hill, Arizona
Jrue Holiday, UCLA
Joe Ingles, Melbourne South Dragons (Australia)
Damion James, Texas
James Johnson, Wake Forest
Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech
Ty Lawson, North Carolina
Eric Maynor, Virginia Commonwealth
Jack McClinton, Miami (Fla.)
Jerel McNeal, Marquette
Jodie Meeks, Kentucky
Patrick Mills, Saint Mary's
B.J. Mullens, Ohio State
Jeff Pendergraph, Arizona State
A.J. Price, Connecticut
Tyler Smith, Tennessee
DaJuan Summers, Georgetown
Jermaine Taylor, Central Florida
Jeff Teague, Wake Forest
Hasheem Thabeet, Connecticut
Marcus Thornton, Louisiana State
Greivis Vasquez, Maryland
Terrence Williams, Louisville
Sam Young, Pittsburgh

[Deleterious]

http://www.freep.com/article/2009052...302/1051/rss16

Top college prospects will put best foot forward at predraft showcase

The NBA conducts its annual predraft combine starting today at Attack Athletics Gym in Chicago. Fifty-two players are scheduled to work out and conduct interviews with NBA personnel over the next five days in the hope of hearing their names called in the June 25 draft. Free Press sports writer Vince Ellis provides more details.

The Big Three

By all accounts the top three draft prospects are Oklahoma power forward Blake Griffin, Spain point guard Ricky Rubio and Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet.

Griffin is the consensus No. 1 pick and likely will be selected by the Clippers, unless they trade the pick. Thabeet and Rubio appear to be jockeying to go No. 2 to the Grizzlies. Griffin and Thabeet are scheduled to be in Chicago.

From Chicago to Detroit

It's hard to see a scenario in which the Pistons' pick at No. 15 wouldn't be among the 52 prospects at the combine.

Various mock drafts have the Pistons taking Virginia Commonwealth point guard Eric Maynor, Gonzaga small forward Austin Daye, Ohio State center B.J. Mullens, Louisville small forward Terrence Williams or Wake Forest small forward James Johnson. All five will be in Chicago.

Mullens, by the way, will be the lone Big Ten player there. No players from Michigan schools will be at the combine.

No more 5-on-5 scrimmages

There will not be five-on-five scrimmages as in years past at the camp, according to ESPN.com hoops guru Chad Ford. Still on the agenda: vertical jumps, bench pressing, other light drills, medical exams and one-on-one player interviews by NBA teams.

Point guards rule

While the big-men prospects are scarce, there are many point-guard prospects along with Maynor. There could be 10 selected in the first round.

What's next?

The annual Reebok Eurocamp will be June 6-8 in Treviso, Italy. Point guard Brandon Jennings, who caused a stir when he jumped overseas from high school last summer, is scheduled to be there.

On June 15, the draft-eligible list will be complete with the deadline for underclassmen returning to school who haven't signed with an agent. Then teams will conduct individual workouts to get ready for June 25.

[Deleterious]

The following players will be brought in to be worked out by the Pistons. I doubt this is a complete list, but its all I could find right now. Click on their name for their bio.

June 8, 2009

Leo Lyons PF - 6'9" 225 Lbs. Missouri.
DeJuan Blair PF - 6'6" 287 Lbs. Pittsburgh.

June 9, 2009

Robert Dozier PF - 6'10" 205 Lbs. Memphis.

June 10, 2009

Marcus Thornton SG - 6'4" 198 Lbs. LSU.

[Elevate]

Lyons, Dozier and Thornton are all possibilities for the 2nd round.

The more I see Blair, the more I hope Dumars stays far away. This guy will be about 0.7 blocks per game different than Maxiell.

[Deleterious]

http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.s...bj_mullen.html

Pistons mulling over Ohio State's B.J. Mullens

by A. Sherrod Blakely
Thursday May 28, 2009, 11:55 AM

The Detroit Pistons are in Chicago for the NBA pre-draft camp continuing their evaluation of several prospects, with at least one likely to be donning a Detroit Pistons jersey next season.

Although much attention has been paid to Detroit's need for added firepower/athleticism on the perimeter, the Pistons have some pretty big holes to fill in the frontcourt as well.

Rasheed Wallace is a free agent, and isn't expected back next season. Antonio McDyess will become a free agent, and there's a very good chance he'll latch on with another team closer to winning a championship than Detroit.

That leaves a huge void upfront, one that Detroit may look to address via the draft with B.J. Mullens.

Although he only played one year of college basketball, Mullens is widely considered the second-best center in this draft behind UConn's Hasheem Thabeet.

That inexperience, coupled with a questionable work ethic, have raised some concerns about how he will fare at the next level.

But as one NBA scout told me earlier this week, "he's a 7-footer, everyday. That, and the fact that the kid does have some good basketball skills offensively, will give him a shot at being in the league for a long time."