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June 24, 2008
Not top 10 locks any more ...
A couple of agents realized this week their clients aren't quite the top-10 locks they once appeared.
New Jersey Nets president Rod Thorn, whose team holds the 10th pick, was approached by two agents about players who chose not to work out for the Nets. Those agents were inviting the Nets to visit with their players in Manhattan, when they assemble for the draft.
In other words, those players are no longer so confident they'll go before the Nets select.
Thorn wouldn't identify the players, except to say they're both guards. Best guess would be Arizona's Jerryd Bayless or Indiana's Eric Gordon, although UCLA's Russell Westbrook could be a possibility.
Posted by Observer Sports on June 24, 2008 at 03:32 PM | Permalink
Comments
Rick Bonnell, You have no clue how this draft will go, why do you fill this site with meaningless rumors. Give us some meat. For those of you idiots who will no doubt write in to defend Bonnell - Get a Life!!
Posted by: TimmyTom | Jun 24, 2008 4:05:21 PM
What meat do you want Timmy? At this point almost everything is a rumor and no oe knows how the draft will go really. If you bother to read, most sites are reporting how wide open this draft in particular is. Bonnell's post is just a reflection of that. He's telling us that the draft is so unpredictible that even some agents of top players are having to reconsider where they're going to be picked. I don't think after telling us that he would presume to know how the draft will go.
Now that we all understand that Timmy is raging douche bag, let me offer some advice to the young fella. Timmy, please take some time to find out what's really causing you to lash out at that mean ol' Mr. Bonnell and his confusing messages about basketball. One you find the real cause of your anger you'll be one step closer to resloving the issue and can stop being mad at that scary Mr. Bonnell and his aweful posts about things going on in the basketball world(how dare he!).
Posted by: Jared | Jun 24, 2008 4:29:00 PM
Come on, Bonnell! Pull out your crystal ball and tell us accurately what is going to happen. And we don't want generalities! Specifics, man! We pay a lot of money to read this blog, and we demand that you give us our moneys worth!
Posted by: TommyTim | Jun 24, 2008 4:56:05 PM
First, Bonnell is normally terrible, but Timmy did jump a little too soon on this one.
Second, what chance does anyone see of this happening:
trade G wall for low teens pick and take brandon rush + something, after adding westbrook or lopez at 9.
I think rush gives us everything G wall does, plus a outside 3 threat, has demonstarted he can be a team player and will come in much cheaper. Also, if the + something is a back up pg, then we're good to go.
Posted by: bonnell=procton | Jun 24, 2008 4:57:16 PM
I actually thought it was a decent post as it provided some new information. Nobody has had Bayless or Gordon slipped past the 7-8 range that I have seen. Could just be the normal pre-draft chatter but it would be interesting if they both slipped. Think the Bobcats should take Bayless if he is available at 9? He could play back-up point, provide some much needed outside shooting, and maybe play a little at the 2 in certain games. I know we need a PF more, and this would be the complete opposition direction of a guy like Westbrook, but just a thought.
Posted by: Mason | Jun 24, 2008 5:14:54 PM
I hope and pray the bobcats can get bayless.
Posted by: Noah | Jun 24, 2008 5:24:22 PM
I don't think Westbrook is one of the 2 guards you are talking about Bonnell. Rumor has it that he has a promise in the mid-lottery and he has been shooting up the draft boards, unlike Gordon and Bayless.
Posted by: Yeah? | Jun 24, 2008 5:31:28 PM
I hope and pray Lopez is off the board.
Posted by: Token | Jun 24, 2008 6:31:24 PM
We better jump all over Bayless if he is available.
Bill Simmons and Chad Ford did a draft on espn.com today. They had Bayless still on the board at No. 9 ... and gave us Brook Lopez. Disgusting.
I've said this before: I don't understand why people think Lopez would complement Okafor. Okafor can't step out and guard power forwards on the perimeter. Lopez does nothing to alleviate that.
Posted by: say what? | Jun 24, 2008 7:20:35 PM
say what? I completely agree about Lopez.
Posted by: Yeah? | Jun 24, 2008 7:25:48 PM
elton brand is up for grabs acording to many sites and espn's draft special tonight. the guy is a better scorer then okafor, offers about the same boards and plays just as good defense, except he can play out of the lane, which okafor cant. the bobcats should pull the trigger on this one. look i really think okafor is a good player, but the team is at a crossroads. if they keep him and give him a big contract(not max) they need to accept they can only go so far with this guy. with brand they would have versitility on offense and defense. trade okafor, sean may, matt carrol and pick 9(russell westbrook? anthony randolph?) to the clippers for elton brand, sean livingston, and the 7 pick(brook lopez)
Posted by: brendan | Jun 24, 2008 10:03:47 PM
First, I doubt Brand would want to play in Charlotte. Second, his contract is almost up and he can opt out so it wouldn't make a lot of sense to trade for Brand for 1-2yrs and then he leaves to go to a bigger market.
Posted by: Yeah? | Jun 24, 2008 10:23:45 PM
"If [the Bobcats] keep [Emeka Okafor]...they need to accept they can only go so far with this guy."
Now, I'm a big Duke guy and a huge Elton Brand fan, but I feel I should remind you "how far we can go" historically with Brand on the roster. Not including this season (when he hardly played), Brand's teams have averaged a WHOPPING 31.25 wins and have gone to the playoffs a grand total of ONCE in his eight years. Bringing Elton Brand on board is hardly an instant ticket to the playoffs.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jun 24, 2008 10:28:37 PM
As much as I like an argument that favors Emeka over Brand or at least doesn't knock Emeka, I will say that your argument is pretty weak Procton.
First of all Brand has played in the league for 9 years, not eight. Second, it is not like Brand has travelled around from team to team. He played in Chicago for two years and then the Clippers. Given that he has spent the majority of his career (7yrs) with one team, I would attribute that to being a big reason why he hasn't been in the playoffs, especially if it is a bad team and in his case we are talking about the Clippers. A team that has horrible ownership - led by a guy who for the most part wouldn't spend until recently - and made very poor decisions. The fact that Brand hasn't been to the playoffs isn't his fault, the bigger reason is that he is a victim of circumstance.
Posted by: Yeah? | Jun 25, 2008 12:04:20 AM
Alright, so I'm just pulling this out of my ass, so no offense to the Felton fans. Everybody knows about Portland talking to Phoenix about Barbosa and Toronto about Diaw, and the Suns have said they want Nesterovic to back up Shaq and want a PG other than TJ Ford... so why don't the Bobcats jump in to make things work...
Raptors get: Boris Diaw, #14 pick
Suns get: R. Nesterovic, Raymond Felton, #9 pick
Blazers get: Leandro Barbosa, Matt Carrol
Bobcats get: TJ Ford, Martell Webster, #13 pick, #17 pick
Posted by: Nick | Jun 25, 2008 12:21:05 AM
**** #14 -> #15
Posted by: Nick | Jun 25, 2008 12:22:23 AM
Why would we do that? Felton is a better pg than Ford, and he also isn't a liability like Ford is when it comes to health. Carroll is better than Webster and I don't see the need to get two more rookies. Things are going to be crowded enough for playing time as it is.
Posted by: Yeah? | Jun 25, 2008 12:39:50 AM
Procton is a big Dook guy? Who knew?
Posted by: apauldds | Jun 25, 2008 7:58:12 AM
Apauldds, that makes so much sense now. Procton hates on everything UNC in every sport. I went to UNC so I pull for my tar heels in the NBA, but I don't discredit someone's ability b/c they went to Duke. I think Duhon is an okay role player, Corey has some scoring ability, Battier a solid defensive player but overrated in my opinion, Brand is a stud (though he is coming off a somewhat serious injury) and the 6-10 white guys who did nothing at Duke and left for the NBA are garbage (McRoberts, Shav Randolph etc...).
In terms of Brand, I thought he and Marion were in similar situations with their contracts. One season left at a pretty large chunk of change w/ the ability to opt-out. If this is the case, I know Marion has said he doesn't plan to opt out. Anybody heard whether Brand plans to opt out? Brand is a pretty versatile and dynamic forward and is a beast on the boards. If Bobcats brass was set on drafting Lopez (which I don't like), Brand would compliment Lopez much more effectively than Okafor and would be worth pursuing. Probability would have to give up Okafor and a rotation player plus maybe something else.
Posted by: Mason | Jun 25, 2008 8:09:59 AM
Sorry, I never spell check or read over these things, probability = probably
Posted by: Mason | Jun 25, 2008 8:10:54 AM
Hey "Yeah?"...reading is FUNdamental: "Not including this season (when he hardly played)..."
Oh, and I'm glad to see you overrate Felton again. To start with, Ford shot better from the field, 3PT (while also reducing his shots as Felton REFUSES to do,) and the FT line. He scores, rebounds, gets assists, and gets steals at a higher rate than Felton. And finally, in the most important stat for a PG, Felton's A:TO is more than 10% worse. But I forgot...Felton has such a hard time with such awful players on his team when Ford gets to play next to studs like Jermareo Moon, Anthony Parker, and Rasho Nesterovic.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jun 25, 2008 8:31:11 AM
Brand has one player option year left on his deal at $16.44 mil. The deadline for his option is June 30.
Elton Brand is non-committal about his plans and whether or not he'll opt out of his contract with the Clippers, but hints that it might be coming.
"Even if there is an opt-out, it doesn’t mean I’m going to a new team," Brand clarified. "It’s hinging on my agent saying to me, ‘Here are your options."’ It does sound very likely that Brand will test the free-agent waters this summer, meaning there's a solid chance he might be playing elsewhere next season.
Mike Dunleavy also said that he does not know whether Brand will opt out, but the Clippers’ coach is confident that Brand also will be in a Clippers’ uniform next season.
--Rotoworld
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jun 25, 2008 8:34:08 AM
the brand situation would, of course, have to be a sign and trade. sign okafor to a big deal(la does the same with brand) and then swap players. they are the key (these two players) but that 7 pick will be tricky. if lopez is like chris kaman(which many sites compare him to) then that situation has not played out so well in LA with brand/kaman. but its hard to say this guy is like that guy. a statement i never liked is "he is the next....." but i am interested in lopez/brand more then mohammad/okafor or a okafor playing center lineup. emeka is a good defender, but he is undersized as a 5 and new age centers like d howard eat him up with speed and size.
the main idea with any move for this team is to get better then what we are, and with any coach(brown, vincent, or bickerstaff) this existing lineup is only gonna be good not great as okafor being the centerpiece(or center). he has been only so good so far. excuses like injury and rookie play for the rest of the team should not count going forward. all players should be available for trade if it has a chance at bringing in a good mix. there has to be an all-star or two, great defense, and sound bench play fo the bobcats to go further.
Posted by: brendan | Jun 25, 2008 8:39:58 AM
the brand situation would, of course, have to be a sign and trade. sign okafor to a big deal(la does the same with brand) and then swap players. they are the key (these two players) but that 7 pick will be tricky. if lopez is like chris kaman(which many sites compare him to) then that situation has not played out so well in LA with brand/kaman. but its hard to say this guy is like that guy. a statement i never liked is "he is the next....." but i am interested in lopez/brand more then mohammad/okafor or a okafor playing center lineup. emeka is a good defender, but he is undersized as a 5 and new age centers like d howard eat him up with speed and size.
the main idea with any move for this team is to get better then what we are, and with any coach(brown, vincent, or bickerstaff) this existing lineup is only gonna be good not great as okafor being the centerpiece(or center). he has been only so good so far. excuses like injury and rookie play for the rest of the team should not count going forward. all players should be available for trade if it has a chance at bringing in a good mix. there has to be an all-star or two, great defense, and sound bench play fo the bobcats to go further.
Posted by: brendan | Jun 25, 2008 8:40:08 AM
"He's only been so good?" What do you want out of the guy? He's one of about ten NBA players averaging a career double-double, he's led the team in FG% for the past two years without a great offensive game, he's one of the best defensive big men in the game. The scoring comes every time we make it a point to actually get him the ball instead of letting certain perimeter players jack up threes at 25%.
Posted by: Michael Procton | Jun 25, 2008 9:23:49 AM
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