2009 NBA Draft - 6/25/09

[sportz4life]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

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

Darko#2..awesome...can't wait for the sequel..I will renounce my fandom if they draft this stiff. If tthey draft Mullens I will know until Dumars is replaced the rebulding is hopeless.

[Deleterious]

Originally Posted by sportz4life

Darko#2..awesome...can't wait for the sequel..I will renounce my fandom if they draft this stiff. If tthey draft Mullens I will know until Dumars is replaced the rebulding is hopeless.

This really shocks me. I figured if a 7 footer had any talent at all, people would love to have him. But you are about the 4th or 5th person I have seen react this way. He must be horrible.

[keystone]

Toughness is the first trait Dumars looks for and Mullens ain't got it. This is what you call a smokescreen.

[Deleterious]

http://www.freep.com/article/2009052...+likes+Pistons

Point guard draft prospect Eric Maynor likes Pistons

CHICAGO -- Count point guard prospect Eric Maynor as an admirer of the Pistons franchise.

And while he has workouts and interviews scheduled with Golden State, Minnesota and Toronto, he said today during interviews at the NBA predraft combine that he will definitely fit in a trip to Detroit before June 25 -- the date of the draft.

“I saw (Pistons coach) Mike Curry (Wednesday) and he asked was I coming up there,” said Maynor, who is projected to go in the first round. “I know I’m going up there, but I don’t know the exact date, though.”

Maynor stands 6-feet-3 and during a four-year career at Virginia Commonwealth he was known for making big shots -- including the winner in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Duke his sophomore season.

The draft is loaded with point guards so if the Pistons want to go that route with the 15th pick of the first round, Maynor would appear to be a candidate.

And he broke down the situation in Detroit for me.

“Honestly, it’ll all boil down to what trades are going to happen,” Maynor said. “I think there’s going to be a lot of change in there.

“Mike Curry is a great guy, a great coach, but he just needs guys that are going to be committed to winning.”

[DrWho17]

I'd be pretty happy if the Pistons ended up with Maynor, he seems to fit the Pistons mold well, and being from a small school might be underdrafted. I just don't want them to overdraft a big man, this is a PG draft, so I suppose they need to just get the best value at #15 they can.

[Johnny Mac]

I read they might be trying to trade out of the first round to save some more cap space to be able to sign 2 high end FA

[Hongbit]

I think less than 8 players from this draft will be NBA players 6 years from now. It wouldn't shock me if nobody from this class ever makes an all-star appearance.

[Deleterious]

http://www.freep.com/article/2009052...365/1051/rss16

Point guard struts his stuff at combine

CHICAGO -- Point guards must have swagger.
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Because he's often the smallest guy on the team, a point guard with a cocky demeanor can go a long way toward influencing the other four guys to let him lead them.

And although there isn't a whole lot you can learn about a player in a 5-minute interview, swagger is one thing that point guard prospect Eric Maynor exudes -- despite playing for mid-major Virginia Commonwealth in the Colonial Athletic Association.

"College basketball is college basketball whether you're in the ACC or wherever," Maynor said Thursday morning at the NBA draft combine workouts. "But like I always tell people, when I got a chance to play against them big-time schools I was able to more than hold my own. As I'm in workouts, I'm going to do the same.

"I feel like I can play with anybody in the country whether it's ACC competition, Big Ten, Big 12, it don't matter. I feel like I can play with them."

That swagger comes from a four-year career where he became known for making big shots -- including the winner in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Duke his sophomore season.

Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars said after the team's first-round playoff exit that promising second-year player Rodney Stuckey would be more effective as a combo guard and not a pure point guard where he is the primary ball-handler at all times.

The draft is loaded with point guards so if the Pistons want to go that route with the 15th pick of the first round of the June 25 NBA draft, Maynor, projected to go in the middle of the opening round, would appear to be a candidate.

"You hear the word combo guard sometimes, but I think I'm a pure point guard," Maynor said. "I really believe in that, but overall I'm a good leader. I'm a great leader."

Apparently Maynor was practicing his delivery to coaches and GMs. Besides their individual workouts, the 52 players at the combine were to go through interviews as teams try to probe their minds. No games, however, and that was something that Maynor missed.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...29#STORY_19140

DaJuan Blair's Height Could be a Problem

It's hardly a secret Pittsburgh power forward DeJuan Blair is on the Bucks' radar for their first pick.

The Bucks are looking to shore up their front court and crave a rebounding machine like the powerfully-built, 276-pound Blair.

But some NBA officials are concerned about Blair's lack of height. Those concerns weren't dispelled at the pre-draft camp.

Blair said he was measured at 6-6 1/2 in shoes.

On the plus side, Blair's wing span is an impossing 7-2.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...29#STORY_19139

Larry Brown Trading Up for Stephen Curry?

Larry Brown is reportedly extremely high on Stephen Curry, and may be willing to trade up in order to get him. Apparently he views him as being able to play either guard position, even alongside Charlotte’s current group of point guards, Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin.

Curry is getting love from teams as high up as Washington and also has a chance to be drafted 6th (Minnesota) or 7th (Golden State). While the Knicks clearly like him, he isn’t the only player they will consider—the other top candidates on their board currently appear to be Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...29#STORY_19138

DeMar DeRozan Declines Workouts

DeMar DeRozan will not be conducting any competitive workouts, his agent Aaron Goodwin tells us. The rumor mill indicated that he was only interested in going up against James Harden, except for in Toronto, where he was slated to face off with Gerald Henderson. Goodwin says that is not the case.

“DeRozan is not working out with anyone. He isn’t going up against Gerald Henderson or anyone else at this point. He may not even go to Toronto. He won’t fall to 9.”

It will be very interesting to see how things play out, particularly if players such as Jrue Holiday and Jonny Flynn continue to move up the board. On face value, teams like Washington, Minnesota, Golden State and New York don’t have an immediate positional need for a player like DeRozan, but his upside could clearly sway the tide in his favor.

Never understood why someone wouldn't be willing to workout for a team. I hope he drops like a stone.

[Deleterious]

Well, the pre-draft measurements were released today. Here are some highlights. The entire list can be found here (You can get measurements on players for as far back as 1989).

Name	            No Shoes	Shoes	Weight	Wingspan	Reach
Dejuan Blair	    6'5.25	6'6.5	277	7'2	      8'10.5
Chase Budinger	    6'6.25	6'7	206	6'7	      8'5
Omri Casspi	    6'7.75	6'9.25	211	6'9.25	      8'10.5
Earl Clark	    6'8.5	6'10.25	228	7'2.5	      9'1.5
Darren Collison	    6'0.25	6'1.5	166	6'3	      8'0.5
Stephen Curry	    6'2	        6'3.25	181	6'3.5	      8'1
Austin Daye	    6'9.75	6'10.75	192	7'2.75	      9'2
Demar Derozan	    6'5.5	6'6.5	211	6'9	      8'6.5
Wayne Ellington	    6'4.25	6'5.25	202	6'6.5	      8'4
Tyreke Evans	    6'4	        6'5.25	221	6'11.25	      8'8
Jonny Flynn	    5'11.25	6'0.75	196	6'4	      7'11.5
Blake Griffin	    6'8.5	6'10	248	6'11.25	      8'9
Tyler Hansbrough   6'8.25	6'9.5	234	6'11.5	      8'10
James Harden	    6'4	        6'5.25	222	6'10.75	      8'7.5
Gerald Henderson   6'4	        6'5	215	6'10.25	      8'6.5
Jordan Hill	    6'9.25	6'10.25	232	7'1.5	      9
Jrue Holiday	    6'3.25	6'4.25	199	6'7	      8'4.5
James Johnson	    6'7	        6'7.75	257	7'0.75	      8'9.5
Gani Lawal	    6'7.75	6'9	229	7	      8'10
Ty Lawson	    5'11.25	6'0.5	197	6'0.75	      7'10.5
Eric Maynor	    6'2.25	6'3.25	164	6'2.5	      8'1
Patrick Mills	    5'11.25	6'0.5	175	6'2	      7'11
B.J. Mullens       6'11.75	7'1.25	258	7'1.5	      9'3
DaJuan Summers	    6'7.25	6'8.5	243	7'0.75	      8'10.5
Jeff Teague	    6'0.25	6'1.5	175	6'7.5	      8'2.5
Hasheem Thabeet	    7'1.25	7'2.5	267	7'6.25	      9'5
Marcus Thornton	    6'2.75	6'3.75	194	6'5	      8'3
Terrence Williams   6'5  	6'6.25	213	6'9	      8'7.5
Sam Young	     6'5.25	6'6.75	223	6'10.75	      8'9.5
Jermaine Taylor	    6'3.5	6'4.75	207	6'8.75	      8'5

[Deleterious]

http://www.freep.com/article/2009052...061/1051/rss16

Gonzaga small forward could intrigue Pistons at No. 15

CHICAGO -- One of the more intriguing prospects in the NBA draft is Gonzaga small forward Austin Daye.
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Several mock drafts have the sophomore going to the Pistons with the No. 15 selection of next month’s draft. He measured at nearly 6-feet-11 today at the NBA Draft Combine.

It’s obvious the Pistons are doing their due diligence with him, as Daye said this morning that he'll visit Auburn Hills next week for a workout and interview.

Daye, who has not signed with an agent, is basically testing the waters. He has until June 15 to withdraw his name from draft consideration. The draft is June 25.

Right now, Daye, the son of former NBA player Darren Daye, is leaning toward staying in the draft. But only if he gets assurances he'll go in the top 20.

“If it’s a situation where I’m not at the position where I want to be, then I’ll definitely probably go back to school and try to up my stock next year,” Daye said. “I think I’m impressing some people in these workouts and drills, so we’ll see from there the next couple of weeks.

“If you slide in the 20s, a lot of crazy things can happen.”

Daye, who will turn 21 next Friday, is a multi-skilled player who is intriguing as such as big small forward. But he weighs 190 pounds, so there are questions about whether he would be able to bang with the big guys in the NBA.

There also are doubts about whether his game is ready for the NBA, but some say Daye has the most upside of any prospect in the draft. So if there are no prospects that really catch the Pistons' eye, they could take a flier on a guy they think might grow into an impact player.

MORE FROM THE COMBINE: Pittsburgh power forward DeJuan Blair and Wake Forest power forward James Johnson, both projected first-round picks, said they will visit the Pistons. Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn, who some project as a lottery pick, said he hopes to visit, too.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

http://www.freep.com/article/2009052...061/1051/rss16

LOL. 6'11 190?

No thanks.

[Deleterious]

Here is a breakdown of day 1 at the NBA draft combine from NBADraft.net.

009 NBA Draft Combine: Day One
By Aran_Smith
Thu, 05/28/2009 - 8:33pm

Day one of the NBA Draft Combine from Tim Grover's Attack Athletics gym in Chicago, IL was a chance to get to see a majority of the players who will be drafted in a controlled environment. The new combine format was successful in getting most of the top talent in front of the NBA GMs and scouts.

Unfortunately it was at the expense of seeing players in a game setting. The biggest positive of this format is that it gives GMs and scouts a chance to analyze player's shooting forms and their demeanors. Player's passing, ball handling, defense, and rebounding were not on display.

Teams also enjoy the opportunity to get a 30 minute interview with 18 of the players of their choosing during the 2 day event. Here are notes on each player after the first day of the event.

(The most telling information likely will be when the measurements are released.)

Group 1

Rodrigue Beaubois Cholet (France) -- Has the most freakish length of any point guard in the draft with a 6-10 wingspan at 6-2. Looked good shooting the ball displaying a smooth release.
Darren Collison UCLA -- Showed his blinding speed in the full court speed dribbling drill. Knocked down some 3 balls, solid performance.
Stephen Curry Davidson -- Easily the top shooter among the group. A number of the other player's shots break down when shooting 3 pointers. His looks just as pure from deep.
Toney Douglas Florida State -- The old (draft camp) format would have been perfect for someone like Douglas to show his ability to run the show at the point guard position for 3 games. Douglas is an excellent defender and scorer but scouts are skeptical about his ability to play the point guard position.
Jonny Flynn Syracuse -- Looked to be a good inch shorter than Ty Lawson which means he's likely 5-11. Being under 6' will make it difficult to claim a spot in the lottery.
Jrue Holiday UCLA -- His fundamentals are very strong. Has a lot of potential to be a decent role player. He's bigger than the rest of the guards. Unfortunately the old format would have been perfect to get a chance to see a player like Holiday play point guard in a full court situation. Then again with the old format, it's unlikely he would have shown up. Looked good in the ball handling drill though not nearly as cat quick as his teammate Collison. What position is he?
Ty Lawson North Carolina -- In the 5 shot shooting drill dropped all 5 looking very good. His release is still extremely low as he doesn;t get much lift and shots the ball from his chest.
Eric Maynor VCU -- Shot the ball well, but doesn't have a fluid release. He's a very complete point guard but lacks huge upside and his shot is the one drawback to his game. It's effective but his slow release makes getting shots off more difficult.
Patrick Mills Saint Mary's -- Might be the fastest guard in the draft (Collison and Lawson included). The injury really diminished his play late in the season so he'll have a decision to make. Really sets his feet well on every shot, excellent form.
AJ Price Connecticut -- Shot the ball pretty well, but considering that and his size are his two greatest aspects, it's unlikely he impressed anyone to move up much.
Jeff Teague Wake Forest -- Mentioned he was likely going to stay in the draft this year. Late season collapse dropped his stock but still has a shot to
Greivis Vasquez Maryland -- Looked a little out of place along with all the cat quick smaller guards.

Group 2

Dionte Christmas Temple -- Unorthodox release was apparent. A bigtime scorer but not athletic enough for the first round.
DeMar DeRozan USC -- Huge hands allow him to coral the ball on ally oops and control the ball on dunks. Had one impressive tomohawk dunk on the 3-2, 2-1 drill.
Wayne Ellington North Carolina -- Along with Curry the purest shooter in the draft. Looked very smooth with his effortless release.
Danny Green North Carolina -- Very stiff in his movements. Has an effortless release with great speed and accuracy on his shot.
Gerald Henderson Duke -- Shot mechanics have improved but still not tremendous. Body looks very muscular but doesn't appear able to put on much more weight.
Jack McClinton Miami -- Struggled in the ball handling drill appearing focused on speed instead of ball protection. He even
Jerel McNeal Marquette -- Shot was a bit flat. Very polished guard but size is a concern.
Jodie Meeks Kentucky -- Shot the ball extremely well. Body is ripped but looks extremely rigid. Movements are herky jerky. Meeks still has some holes to his game and may or may not get drafted. On the flip side, his stock may never be as high as it is now and he likely won't get the same chance to stand out offensively.
Jermaine Taylor Central Florida -- Looked excellent handling the ball. Shot wasn't falling
Marcus Thornton LSU -- Ball handling looked good, not great.
Terrence Williams Louisville -- Lack of shooting ability was apparent. This obviously isn't a setting that he thrives in aside from the full court drills.

Group 3

Derrick Brown Xavier -- Mentioned he's likely to stay in the draft. Mechaincs on his shot looked poor. A freak athlete but these shooting drills don't exhibit what he does well.
Chase Budinger Arizona -- Athleticism was on display. His jumpshot unfortunately was not connecting.
Omri Casspi Maccabi Tel Aviv (Israel) -- His best attributes (toughness and hustle) don't show up in a setting like this. His shot release is a little awkward. Needs to work on extending his range and consistency, shot off the dribble.
Earl Clark Louisville -- A phyical specimen with big upside. Needs to mature mentally. His focus comes and goes. A bigtime talent but his demeanor is questionable. Shot well from outside.
Austin Daye Gonzaga -- Did not shoot particularly well. Although he's probably the best shooter in this group (3). The t-shirt under his uniform couldn't hide his lack of strength. It will be interesting to see if he can put 185 up a few times. Looked fluid running the floor but struggles with his start stop and explosiveness. Similar to Brian Cook, a soft shooter. Needs another year to play himself into the first round. If he believes in his talent, he should return to Gonzaga.
Joe Ingles Melbourne South Dragons (Aus.) -- Left hander is still very skinny but showed a solid touch. Shot the ball well although has a slow release on his shot.
Damion James Texas -- Spent the entire year trying to prove that he can shoot. His shot is developing but still hasn't gotten there.
James Johnson Wake Forest -- Older player with a physically developed body. Looked good, strong demeanor and focus. As impressive as any of the small forwards.
Tyler Smith Tennessee -- Appeared an inch or two shorter than the rest of the group. Jump shot is a little slow, but hit 4/5 at one point on the outside shot drill.
DaJuan Summers Georgetown -- A live body. A more fluid athlete than James Johnson but lacks the all around tool box that JJ possesses.
Sam Young Pittsburgh -- Still playing with a bandage on his arm after the Raptors vertical jump accident. Form on his shot is poor but has become consistent and effective. Doesn't look fluid in his movements but long and explosive.

Group 4

Jeff Adrien Connecticut -- May be a little warn out working out with the Griffin Brothers every day. Leans back a little too much on his release.
DeJuan Blair Pittsburgh -- Appears to have concentrated on his diet and conditioning since the season ended probably dropping close to 15-20 pounds. Looked very good in the post drills hitting shots and moving well.
Dante Cunningham Villanova -- Worked out with the bigmen which was surprising considering he has transitioned into more of a SF and will need to play there at the NBA level. However some of the drills were the same with all the bigs shooting 3 pointers. He drained one three.
Taj Gibson USC -- Still has weight concerns playing in the post but very long and fluid and will have a shot to get into the late first round.
Tyler Hansbrough North Carolina -- Seems to have trimmed down a little adding speed. Shot
Luke Harangody Notre Dame -- Looked at least an inch or two shorter than Hansbrough's. His old school shot was falling. But is he a severely small PF or a severly slow SF?
Josh Heytvelt Gonzaga -- His arms looked huge, bigger than Hansbrough's. Had his shot going.
Gani Lawal Georgia Tech -- Looked a little slow moving through the shooting drill. Shot the ball extremely well. Very explosive. Has put on some weight. Legs looks thicker. Outside of Griffin and Hill, has the most upside of any of the power forwards in this draft.
BJ Mullens Ohio State -- Looked very fluid and athletic running the floor. His shooting looked solid. Didn't hit many of his outside shots but his form was good and didn't miss by much.
Jeff Pendergraph Arizona State -- Doesn't stand out athletically. Didn't have a great showing but still probably finds a spot in the second round.

Invited but not in attendance:

Jon Brockman Washington
Tyreke Evans Memphis
Blake Griffin Oklahoma
James Harden Arizona State
DeMarre Carroll Missouri
Jordan Hill Arizona
Hasheem Thabeet Connecticut

[Deleterious]

http://www.draftexpress.com/blog/Jon...e-Edition-3235

• Scattered Notes

-One player who really doesn’t seem to have very much positive buzz these days is Ty Lawson. “Injury prone” one assistant GM calls him. “A backup point guard…he’s 100% behind Jonny Flynn” another NBA representative says. “He’s a product of North Carolina’s system” a third told us. Lawson seems to be outside of the lottery at the moment, but still has a good chance to be picked by two teams looking for point guards in the late teens, Philadelphia (#17) and Atlanta (#19). He’ll have to keep Eric Maynor at bay, though.

-James Johnson is being knocked by some teams for not being very impressive in their interview sessions, but others are wondering if those are the same franchises that appear to be most interested in him at this point. We’re hearing that Phoenix at 14, Detroit at 15 and Chicago at 16 all like him quite a bit, and there are some question marks about whether there are smokescreens being placed in order to cause him to fall.

“He was great in the interview we did with him. Seems like a really nice kid,” one team that sat down with him here in Chicago said. “I’m not really sure where that stuff is coming from.” Johnson is being knocked by some for not always being terribly enthusiastic about practice, and also for butting heads with Wake Forest head coach Dino Gaudio and teammate Jeff Teague at times.

-Larry Brown is reportedly extremely high on Stephen Curry, and may be willing to trade up in order to get him. Apparently he views him as being able to play either guard position, even alongside Charlotte’s current group of point guards, Raymond Felton and D.J. Augustin.

Curry is getting love from teams as high up as Washington and also has a chance to be drafted 6th (Minnesota) or 7th (Golden State). While the Knicks clearly like him, he isn’t the only player they will consider—the other top candidates on their board currently appear to be Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday.

Feedback for this article may be sent to jonathan@draftexpress.com

[Deleterious]

http://www.freep.com/article/2009053...507/1051/rss16

Syracuse's Jonny Flynn's visit much more lighthearted

CHICAGO -- It was Jonny Flynn's last interview Thursday night with a prospective NBA employer, and the Syracuse point guard was caught completely off guard.
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The session was with the Pistons, and though some teams might treat the occasion as a time for all business, Flynn's visit definitely took on a lighthearted tone.

"There was a lot of laughing and giggling," Flynn said Friday at the NBA Draft Combine. "I cracked jokes in there with them. I came in there with my shirt buttoned up and I was like 'I can unbutton my shirt'.

"They were just great guys. Joe Dumars was in there. It's just everybody with the Pistons is just down to earth. It was really informal."

There's a good chance Flynn will be gone by the time the Pistons use the 15th pick of the first round of the NBA draft on June 25, but the Pistons were doing their due diligence.

After a standout sophomore season, Flynn entered the NBA draft and is considered one of the best guards with his one-on-one skills and ability to finish at the basket. The question is his size, 6-feet -- similar to Pistons backup Will Bynum.

Flynn doesn't know if he will get a chance to make it to Detroit for a visit and predraft workout, but he said he wouldn't mind heading to Motown.

"It's great situation," Flynn said. "They went through a couple of tough times this year, but they made the playoffs still.

"They just have a great group of guys."

[Hart]

It looks more and more like Flynn is a longshot to fall to 15.

I never thought Earl Clark would make it out of the top 10 but more recent projections have him potentially being there when we pick. I hope that holds true until draft day.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...01#STORY_19207

The Thunder Could Trade Down for Curry

Oklahoma City has a Stephen Curry fixation. The Thunder attended all of Curry's home games at Davidson this past season and is looking at him as a potential shooting guard. But they'll almost certainly move down from the No. 3 pick if they decide to take him. Scouts are not only high on Curry's shooting, but also think he can make players better around him. "When you look at that Davidson team, they barely had any other Division I players," said one scout.

[djhutch]

I might think about moving into the #3 spot. Guaranteed Griffin, Rubio or Thabeet. Though I tend to think Griffin & Rubio would be gone, & they're the 2 I'd want .. so maybe I wouldn't trade. Nevermind....

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...02#STORY_19225

Dallas to Make Move for Jordan Hill?

Another interesting tidbit of information coming out of the NBA Combine in Chicago revolves around the Dallas Mavericks and potential interest they may have in Arizona power forward Jordan Hill. The rumor mill indicates that Dallas is seriously considering making a move to acquire the ultra athletic junior, and views him as exactly the type of tough, active rebounder they are missing in their frontcourt rotation at the moment. Brandon Bass currently fills that role for them, but they may not be able to keep him and still maintain ample cap space for 2010.

One team that could reportedly help Dallas move up high enough to pick Hill is the Washington Wizards at #5, a team they already have a history with making draft-day deals. The two teams swapped Antawn Jamison for Jerry Stackhouse and the #4 pick (Devin Harris) back in 2004, a move that worked out well for both parties.

Dallas can offer either the non-guaranteed contract of Jerry Stackhouse to help the Wizards reduce payroll next year (while taking someone like Mike James or Etan Thomas off their hands) or they can help the Wizards by providing a veteran like Josh Howard or Jason Terry if it’s experience and scoring punch they are after. Either move would allow the Mavericks to stay flexible from a financial standpoint as they look towards the free agent class of 2010. They can also dangle their first round pick (#22).

[Deleterious]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archiv...ay_than_curry/

Knicks More Enamored With Holiday Than Curry?

Alan Hahn writes that the Knicks may be leaning toward drafting Jrue Holiday of UCLA over Stephen Curry of Davidson with the 8th pick in this month's NBA draft.

Hahn states that he has "a feeling Holiday's potential has the Knicks more enamored right now than Curry."

[Deleterious]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archiv...stephen_curry/

Blazers Covet Stephen Curry?

The Blazers are "nosing around" to see if they can trade up from their 24th pick and choose Davidson's Stephen Curry.

Curry is a point guard whose main weapon is his jumper. Therefore the thinking is that he would be a good fit next to a ball-handling wing such as Brandon Roy.

[Deleterious]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archiv...er_than_rubio/

Grizzles Looking At PG Other Than Rubio?

The Grizzles are looking for a point guard, and are reportedly considering options other than Ricky Rubio.

Many feel as though Memphis will settle on Hasheem Thabeet if they are worried about Rubio not agreeing to come to play, but DraftExpress.com is reporting otherwise.

Tyreke Evans and Jrue Holiday are players that have been mentioned, according to the web site.

[Deleterious]

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archiv..._tyreke_evans/

No Prospects Want To Face Tyreke Evans?

Tyreke Evans is looking to improve his draft stock by working out against anyone, according to his representation at Wasserman Media Group.

"Tyreke will work out against anyone," said a source at the company. "The only problem so far has been that no one is willing to work out against him, especially not [Demar] DeRozan or [James] Harden."

RealGM Note: Executive Editor Christopher Reina has Evans listed as going to the Warriors with the seventh overall pick in his latest mock draft.

[Hart]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...02#STORY_19225

The Pistons can trump anything that Dallas has to offer the Wizards, minus Nowitzki of course. I really hope Dumars is considering at least talking to Washington about the #5 pick.

[Hart]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

http://realgm.com/src_wiretap_archiv..._tyreke_evans/

This seems ridiculous. I am not sure what workout means in this case but I don't think anybody would question whether Evans is the most athletic guard in the draft. Is that what he wants to prove? The questions with Evans are his defense and his jumpshot...two things that can't really be measured in a workout.

[Deleterious]

http://www.probasketballnews.com/story/?storyid=523

One thing that's not in doubt: The Wizards are actively dangling the fifth pick for a starting veteran. They are said to have contacted San Antonio to find out about the availability of Manu Ginobili, but that rumor was quickly shot down by both sides. The Wizards may also try to make a run at unrestricted free agent forward Shawn Marion (Toronto) or guard Ben Gordon (Chicago).

If they are sniffing around Manu and Gordon, seems Rip would fit in with what they are looking for. Wonder if that extension is scaring them away.

[djhutch]

I wouldn't be shocked if the Pistons trade Rip, but I hope they'll do it for another player & not a draft pick. I don't think this draft is deep enough to get the value you'd want.

[Deleterious]

http://www.hoopsworld.com/HeadlineSt...03#STORY_19254

Is Austin Daye Athletic Enough for NBA?

Does anyone else find it fishy that Austin Daye tested at last week's NBA Draft Combine in Chicago as the slowest, least athletic player in the entire Draft class?

It wasn't a shock that the Gonzaga sophomore forward was the only player who couldn't even lift the 185-pound bench press once. After all, he's 6-foot-10 and only 192 pounds. But, when has Daye ever been described as extremely slow and unathletic? He did it all for Gonzaga over the past two seasons. He scored inside and outside, handled the ball, scored and dished in transition, threw down exciting dunks, blocked shots, and really gave Gonzaga a long, versatile player in its lineup.

Daye has loads of potential to be a terrific player in the NBA. He has Rashard Lewis, Tayshaun Prince, Lamar Odom, Thaddeus Young and Josh Howard (insert any other long, versatile small forward here) written all over him.

NBA executives have been raving lately about how impressive Daye has been in workouts. He's been praised for his ability to do so many things exceptionally well. He's been steadily rising up draft boards over the past few weeks. And he's certainly impressive in interviews.

If everyone has been so excited about Daye, how is it possible that he tested as the slowest, most unathletic player out of EVERY SINGLE PLAYER at the Draft Combine?

To be fair, Hasheem Thabeet didn't participate in the testing, and Ricky Rubio and Brandon Jennings weren't in Chicago. But that doesn't change much. Hopefully, for Daye's sake, Thabeet is slower than Daye, but he would still then be the second slowest, the weakest, and the most unathletic player at the Combine.

[4hzglory]

Del, thanks for posting all of these links in the various threads. It definitely saves a lot of us a lot of time!

[Deleterious]

No problem.

[Deleterious]

I have a little time today, so figured I would post some mock drafts to see how much things have/haven't changed. I am just posting the Pistons pick, but I will insert a link back to the full mock for each one. Any comments listed after the players name are those of the person running the mock draft and not mine.

NBADraft.net

15. Jeff Teague 6'2 PG Wake Forest - For a team in "semi-rebuilding" mode, adding a point guard with upside like Teague makes sense. Dumars has a keen eye for talent and after making the decision to blow the team up by dealing Billups, this team can look to the future with their pick with a number of potential options available such as Teague or possibly Mullens.

Hoops Hype

15. Terrence Williams 6'5 SG Louisville - Incredibly versatile shooting guard who plays three positions at the collegiate level. Outstanding athlete with great strength, terrific leaping ability, and a frame that is tailor made for professional basketball. An excellent defender first and foremost thanks to his physical attributes, length and the hard-nosed style of play he brings to the court. Fills up the stat-sheet with assists, rebounds and turnovers. Not a prolific scorer, very inconsistent with his jumper, particularly off the dribble, but settles regardless for bad shots from the perimeter. Doesn’t get to the basket or free throw line enough due to his average ball-handling skills.

Draft Express

15. Austin Daye 6'10 SF/PF Gonzaga

HoopsWorld

15. James Johnson 6'8 SF/PF Wake Forest

RealGM

15. Austin Daye 6'10 SF/PF Gonzaga - Last summer Daye looked like a top-five pick to me, but his physical development was slower than anticipated. He will never be too athletic and definitely not too strong, but he will almost certainly come into his own two or three years after arriving in the NBA the way Bargnani did this season.

[sportz4life]

Originally Posted by Deleterious

I have a little time today, so figured I would post some mock drafts to see how much things have/haven't changed. I am just posting the Pistons pick, but I will insert a link back to the full mock for each one. Any comments listed after the players name are those of the person running the mock draft and not mine.

NBADraft.net

15. Jeff Teague 6'2 PG Wake Forest - For a team in "semi-rebuilding" mode, adding a point guard with upside like Teague makes sense. Dumars has a keen eye for talent and after making the decision to blow the team up by dealing Billups, this team can look to the future with their pick with a number of potential options available such as Teague or possibly Mullens.

Hoops Hype

15. Terrence Williams 6'5 SG Louisville - Incredibly versatile shooting guard who plays three positions at the collegiate level. Outstanding athlete with great strength, terrific leaping ability, and a frame that is tailor made for professional basketball. An excellent defender first and foremost thanks to his physical attributes, length and the hard-nosed style of play he brings to the court. Fills up the stat-sheet with assists, rebounds and turnovers. Not a prolific scorer, very inconsistent with his jumper, particularly off the dribble, but settles regardless for bad shots from the perimeter. Doesn’t get to the basket or free throw line enough due to his average ball-handling skills.

Draft Express

15. Austin Daye 6'10 SF/PF Gonzaga

HoopsWorld

15. James Johnson 6'8 SF/PF Wake Forest

RealGM

15. Austin Daye 6'10 SF/PF Gonzaga - Last summer Daye looked like a top-five pick to me, but his physical development was slower than anticipated. He will never be too athletic and definitely not too strong, but he will almost certainly come into his own two or three years after arriving in the NBA the way Bargnani did this season.

Like looking through clothes at the thrift store..keep looking..why do I keep hoping that either Jrue Holliday or DeJuan Blair fall or they move down and take Patty Mills..

[Hart]

The best source of information I have found regarding the draft is Chad Ford. He is constantly talking to people in the league and different organizations who give updated information. At this point, from all the info I have gathered, it seems like their are a handful of players who are very likely not going to be there when we pick: Griffin, Thabeet, Rubio, Holiday, Harden, Flynn, Curry, DeRozan, and Hill. Tyreke Evans and Brandon Jennings are kind of wildcards and more unknowns. If one fell to #15, they would be hard to pass up, but most likely that will not happen. That is 11 guys right there. So that leaves a group that includes Blair, Henderson, Daye, Clark, and Johnson as the main guys we will chose from. Personally, I would say after around 15 or 16, there is a drop in talent...or it is at least much harder to project the talent. So the Pistons are not sitting in a bad spot in this draft at all.

[Deleterious]

If you think there is a drop in talent after 15 or 16, you have a much different view then I do. Outside of Griffin, nobody really floors me.

Pistons best options are to trade up into the top 5 or trade/sell their #15 pick. I think you have Griffin as clearly the best talent. Then maybe 5 or 6 guys who are going to be good players. After that its ugly.

[Deleterious]

RealGM: Basketball Wiretap Archives: Rubio Now Open To Working Out With Teams Picking 2-4

Rubio Now Open To Working Out With Teams Picking 2-4

Ricky Rubio is now open to working out and interviewing with teams slated to pick 2-4, according to sources that spoke with Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.

Dan Fegan is limiting Rubio's workouts to those three teams (Grizzles, Thunder and Kings) at this time.

[Deleterious]

DraftExpress: Analyzing the NBA Combine Results

Part of this article that I am not posting talks about how useless these numbers are. I agree, but it's June 4th and the Pistons haven't been relevant in a good 6 months, so we need something to talk about. I'm not going to post the spreadsheet with all of the data. It's simply to hard to properly format here. You can view it on the DraftExpress web site here. They have data for players going back to the year 2000.

Analyzing the NBA Combine Results

-The often cited Blake Griffin – Amare Stoudemire comparison holds weight at the combine if nowhere else. The two look very similar on paper. Griffin’s no step vert of 32” and max vert of 35.5” are the same as Stoudemire’s, his lane agility time of 10.95 is .24 seconds faster than Stoudemire, and his 3.28 ¾ court sprint mark was a fraction of a second slower than the All-Star forward. The biggest differences between the two in terms of combine measurements lie in Stoudmires two inch wingspan advantage and Griffin’s ten extra reps on the bench. Though the two look considerably different in how they use their athleticism on the floor, their tests couldn’t have matched up any better for anyone supporting that comparison.

-James Harden tested out far better than anyone could have expected, which will likely cause teams to pay keener attention to his athleticism in competitive workouts. Harden’s 37” max vert tied him with a player than many consider one of the best athletes at the wing position in this draft in Terrence Williams, and had his 31.5” no step vert bettered him by a full inch. This is a clear case of a player testing well above the level teams project him at. The best example of that is in Harden’s 11.10 lane agility time, with is only .01 seconds behind the time posted by arguably the quickest point guard in the NBA, Chris Paul. Harden also showed good strength on the bench, throwing up 17 reps, but also recording the highest body fat percentage amongst wings with 10.1%.

Those tossing around Brandon Roy comparisons were likely surprised by Harden’s speed and strength, Harden topped the Trailblazers franchise player by 11 reps on the bench and beat him by .14 seconds in the ¾ court sprint. However, Roy out-jumped Harden considerably, posting a 40+” max vert three years ago.

-Jordan Hill tied for the second highest max vertical reach in this class, maxing out at 11’11”, which ties him historically with Nene and puts him just ahead of Al Horford. His 31” no step vertical was quite impressive for a guy his size, and his no step reach of 11’7” tied him with the likes of Josh Smith. Unfortunately, his lane agility time of 12.23 seconds ranked last in this class. Though players are able to perform each test twice with laser timing, Hill’s agility test shouldn’t raise any major red flags. Hill’s 11 reps on the bench and 3.30 second ¾ court sprint were both par for the course.

-Tyreke Evans didn't stand out in many areas athleticially, posting one of the worst lane agility times amonst guards at 11.81 seconds, and didn't compensate with a great vertical, only leaping 34" in the max vert test.

-Stephen Curry didn't wow anyone with his speed related results, posting average times of 11.07 in the lane agility test and 3.28 in the 3/4 court sprint. He did, however, put up 10 reps on the bench (an area you would think he’d struggle in) and posted an above average max vertical leap of 35.5".

-It didn’t take long to find a couple of players with measurables similar to DeJuan Blair, as past draftees Craig Smith and Paul Millsap both fit the bill on most levels. Blair posted a lower body fat percentage (12%) than Smith (12.2%), and compares well to Paul Millsap in his numbers across the board. His max vert of 33” was half an inch better than Millsap’s and while Millsap did marginally better in the no step vert (Blair jumper only 26” which explains some of the issues he’s had at the rim against good shot blockers) and ¾ court sprint, Blair did three more reps on the bench, finishing with 18 reps, and was .17 seconds better than Millsap in the lane agility drill, finishing in 11.5 seconds. Considering where Blair likely started his trek towards fitness, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to undergo a Craig Smith-like transformation and come into the Summer League looking significantly more fit and moving better because of that.

-Jonny Flynn had the best vertical leap of the day at 40" even, but posted only decent times in the lane agility drill (10.86) and the 3/4 court sprint (3.23) for a player his size. For comparison's sake, Nate Robinson ran a 10.75 and a 2.96 in those drills. Just to give you a feeling of how the speed based drills look historically, Flynn's time is matched by historic speedsters Shaun Livingston and Ronny Turiaf.

-Tyler Hansbrough’s no step vertical leap of 28” is a pretty good indication of why he tends to have his shot blocked at the rim quite often. The same can be said about the likes of DeJuan Blair, Luke Harangody, and Taj Gibson. His lane agility time of 11.12 seconds and his ¾ court sprint time of 3.27 were consistent with the rest of the players at his position, though, if not slightly above average.

-Eric Maynor was in the same boat as Hansbrough, testing as well as you would expect him to, finishing slightly below average at his position across the board, tallying a bottom-10 max vertical leap of 31.5”, but posting a respectable 10.78 lane agility time

-Rodrigue Beaubois Demar Derozan, and Chase Budinger all jumped well as expected, posting max verticals over 38”. Joining them was Wayne Ellington, who on top of his surprising vertical leap, was above average in every category.

-Every year there are always a couple of players whose lack of upper body strength get exposed when they have to hit the bench. This season those players were Grievis Vasquez, who tested very poorly on top of his single rep, and Austin Daye, who unsurprisingly could muster only one. Three international players tied for third to last, with Joe Ingles, Rodrigue Beaubois and Omri Casspi all managing just three.

-Daye’s poor upper body strength didn’t shock scouts, but his other numbers certainly had to. Daye tied Vasquez for the lowest max vertical leap at a poor 28”, edging out Jordan Hill for second to last in the lane agility drill at 12.11 seconds, and running ¾ of the court .02 seconds slower than Eddy Curry at 3.55 seconds. Obvious Daye is more smooth than he is explosive, but his body couldn’t have been less equipped to excel in this setting by all accounts.

-Harden was the strongest guard, putting up 17 bench reps, while Luke Harangody took the top spot with 23 followed by Blake Griffin (22), and Xavier’s Derrick Brown (20). It isn’t surprising to see Brown near the top of this list, as Xavier players always seem to outperform their peers when it comes to the bench –a testament to their strength and conditioning program. Brown posed some other very impressive totals, tying Jordan Hill with a max vertical reach of 11’11” and running an excellent time (3.13) in the ¾ court sprint for a forward.

-Jermaine Taylor reminded everyone why he was offered a football scholarship without stepping on the gridiron by posting a 34” no step vertical, and putting up 16 reps on the bench, but joined both Evans and Demar DeRozan as guys who probably were a little too aggressive in their two attempts at the lane agility drill. DeRozan finish in 11.88 seconds and Taylor in 11.54, both in the bottom 10 in the entire class. Obviously, even the top athletes in attendance had a hard time transitioning their merit to this setting.

-Toney Douglas ran the top ¾ court time at 3.03, with Damion James, Patrick Mills, Jodie Meeks and Dominic James finishing just behind him at 3.10 or faster. For reference, Douglas’s time was one of the ten best we’ve seen in our database, which dates back to 1989. His 10.63 mark in the lane agility drill, 36.5” max vertical, and 15 reps on the bench landed him as one of the top overall athletes at the event. Damion James also posted a 37” max vert, tied for second in max vert reach at 11’11”, and tossed up 14 reps on the bench, being one of the better forwards across the boards in attendance.

-Jack McClinton, Rodrigue Beaubois and Darren Collison all ran under 10.5 in the lane agility drill, with McClinton’s time of 10.44 landing him in the top-10 in our database. Both Collison and McClinton posted strong marks across the board.

-AJ Price earned the dubious distinction of having the highest body far percentage of the players tested at 12.4%, while James Johnson, Luke Harangody, DeJuan Blair and Josh Heytvelt were all above 10.8%. On the other side of the spectrum, Gerald Henderson, Jeff Teague, Dante Cunningham, Marcus Thornton, Sam Young and Demar Derozan all posted percentages under 5.

-Gerald Henderson didn’t live up to expectations despite his chiseled frame, posting a max vert of 35” managing 8 bench reps and running a solid 3.13 ¾ court sprint. For a player touted for his athleticism, Henderson didn’t test out well.

[Deleterious]

DraftExpress: Score Up/Down

•Q Score Up: Players who are being mentioned more and more in a positive light by NBA teams we speak to: B.J. Mullens, Tyler Hansbrough, Rodrigue Beaubois, Josh Heytvelt, Jack McClinton, Jeff Pendergraph, Omri Casspi

•Q Score Down: Players who are being mentioned more and more in a negative light by NBA teams we speak to: Earl Clark, Terrence Williams, Ty Lawson, Eric Maynor, Damion James, Tyler Smith, Wayne Ellington

[djhutch]

I wouldn't mind seeing Ellington fall to us with one of our 2nd round picks.