NBA Draft - 2008

[JohnBM01]

Some of the finest basketballers from college and around the world will think about where they will be headed to try to improve lineups. The Draft comes your way from Madison Square Garden on June 26, 2008. What does your team need? Who will be the best collegiate talent to go to the NBA? What international players could step up the level of competition? This is your thread to discuss NBA prospects. We can only speculate at this point, so go right ahead to talk about who could be going where.

 

[Giancarlo]

I don't understand why DeAndre Jordan is entering the draft this year. He might as well be right out of high school.

Roy Hibbert is gonna be a total bust in the first round, a la Saer Sene a couple years ago.

The draft lottery drawing can't come soon enough for me. I really want to know if the Heat will get the 1st or 2nd pick. Chances are that Memphis or Seattle would take Rose with the 1st pick, which i wouldn't mind at all. B-Easy is a pretty good consolation prize.

 

[a6m5]

I saw on your PSN tag/message thing about Beasley, but I just read on ESPN that said that according to their source, Miami just held secret workouts for Mayo and (I think)Bayless. Could be a crafty smokescreen, but who knows?

My Blazers reportedly acquired the Hornet's 27th pick for cash. ESPN writer seems to think that the Blazers are looking to draft someone with this pick, but many Blazer fans probably sees this pick as another piece that will be packaged for trade. Either for veteran, or one of the top picks.

I'm watching the draft again this year at work with my buddies. It'll be fun!

 

[kjb]

I don't understand why DeAndre Jordan is entering the draft this year. He might as well be right out of high school.

Roy Hibbert is gonna be a total bust in the first round, a la Saer Sene a couple years ago.

The draft lottery drawing can't come soon enough for me. I really want to know if the Heat will get the 1st or 2nd pick. Chances are that Memphis or Seattle would take Rose with the 1st pick, which i wouldn't mind at all. B-Easy is a pretty good consolation prize.

Well the rumor mill has it that the Heat are really interested in OJ. Mayo or Bayless. Word has it that Riley doesn't like Beasley and may trade the #2. It looks like the Bulls will take Rose but after that who knows. My knicks are interested in Mayo and Westbrook I just hope they get somebody good.

 

[Giancarlo]

I'm excited! Pat Riley has got to be a mastermind; can you imagine how many more trade offers he must be receiving for the Heat's pick, in comparison to the Bulls' #1?

 

[a6m5]

How in the heck did we end up with Bayless!?

I liked Miami keeping the 2nd pick though. Very nice fit. 👍

 

[JohnBM01]

So Derrick Rose and Mr. Beasley got drafted to Chicago and Miami respectively. We (Houston Rockets) drafted a French guy who'll be traded to the Portland Trailblazers. It will be interesting to see just who we're really trying to trade for (as well as who'll be leaving Houston to join the Trailblazers or other teams).

 

[Giancarlo]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/news/story?id=3460866

How in the heck did we end up with Bayless!?

You traded Jarett Jack, Josh McRoberts and the 13th pick (Brandon Rush) to Indiana for Ike Diogu and the 11th pick (Bayless).

We (Houston Rockets) drafted a French guy who'll be traded to the Portland Trailblazers. It will be interesting to see just who we're really trying to trade for (as well as who'll be leaving Houston to join the Trailblazers or other teams).

You traded the 19th pick (the French guy, Nicolas Batum) to Portland for the 27th pick (Darrell Arthur) and the 33rd pick (Joey Dorsey).

---

I'm REALLY happy, the Heat had a great draft. We selected the most talented player in this draft, picked up another second rounder or two for 2009, and traded basically peanuts for Mario Chalmers. A steal at #33 and the PERFECT point guard next to D-Wade.

Now the wait for the season to start begins...

 

[JohnBM01]

Yes. We got Darrell Arthur and Joey Dorsey. I think it was Dorsey who made an ass of himself in March Madness two years ago thinking he'll score a lot of points as his Tigers took on (I believe) Texas A&M. Dude ended up getting more fouls than points. He had no points in that game. My one issue will be if he'll be the Terrell Owens (in negative aspects) of the Rockets. His character moments could be a distraction to the team if Dorsey starts being one of these characters for my hometown team. The fun starts in November, so I'll be looking forward to see if the newcomers can play a crucial role to get us to the playoffs and to go further into the playoffs than every past meeting. All I ask for as a Rockets fan is for my team to be like the 1993 and 1994 Houston Rockets- champs.

 

[superberkut]

I think Roy Hibbert would have been better to keep than Jermaine O'Neal, or at least less risk-filled. As a Raptors fan, I really hate to see the former Georgetown Hoyas star get traded to the Pacers...

 

[Omnis]

How does Beasley fit in with Miami? Is he going to displace Haslem, or will the lineup look like this:

PG: Chalmers
SG: Wade
PF: Haslem (Beasley)
SF: Beasley (Haslem)
C: Mourning (?)

 

[Giancarlo]

How does Beasley fit in with Miami? Is he going to displace Haslem, or will the lineup look like this:

PG: Chalmers
SG: Wade
PF: Haslem (Beasley)
SF: Beasley (Haslem)
C: Mourning (?)

Beasley makes all the other forwards expendable. I love Haslem, the hometown guy, but if he can net us a pretty good player that fills a hole then it has to be done.

You're leaving out Marion BTW, but i don't like him because he wants way too much money even though he's already making $17 million this year.

 

[Omnis]

Yeah, I forgot Marion. Forgot he was even on our team since he was injured or whatever. But would he play Center with Mourning?

I don't know anything about this Beasley guy. Is he strictly a power forward or can he play a small forward too? If the latter is true, then it opens up a lot of flexibility.

 

[kjb]

Beasley is a beast and it doesn't matter who the other forwards are. He is going to be an all star.

 

[Giancarlo]

Yeah, I forgot Marion. Forgot he was even on our team since he was injured or whatever. But would he play Center with Mourning?

I don't know anything about this Beasley guy. Is he strictly a power forward or can he play a small forward too? If the latter is true, then it opens up a lot of flexibility.

Oh no, no. He's about 6'6" or 6'7" and plays primarily as a SF but has statistically been more productive as an undersized PF.

Beasley is the most talented player in this past draft. Chicago drafted Rose because he was a hometown kid and everyone had a chubby for Chris Paul last season. Arguably, it was also because of some clever work by Pat Riley to ensure Chicago would not pick Beasley.

Anyway, Beasley averaged about 26 points (third in the nation) and 14 rebounds (first in the nation) in college. He's a little over 6'8", and plays primarily PF but can slide to SF pretty easily because he has a pretty sweet stroke. On the offensive end, there's nothing he can't do. People question his defense in the low post, but he has the wingspan of a guy 7'0" so he definitely has the tools to work on that.

 

[a6m5]

You traded Jarett Jack, Josh McRoberts and the 13th pick (Brandon Rush) to Indiana for Ike Diogu and the 11th pick (Bayless).

I knew that, but I made that comment, because it was highly unlikely that our GM would go after Bayless. You gotta love the smokescreens. I even heard him talk about the smokescreens in the predraft interview.

P.S. Congrats on Beasley. You should be excited.

I think Roy Hibbert would have been better to keep than Jermaine O'Neal, or at least less risk-filled. As a Raptors fan, I really hate to see the former Georgetown Hoyas star get traded to the Pacers...

O'Neal is a great character guy though. I'm pulling for him to get back into the All-Star form. Raptors are my favorite East Coast team, so personally, I'm very glad to see Jermaine team up with Bosh. 👍

 

[superberkut]

O'Neal is a great character guy though. I'm pulling for him to get back into the All-Star form. Raptors are my favorite East Coast team, so personally, I'm very glad to see Jermaine team up with Bosh. 👍

I can live with that, seeing how Shaq worked with the Suns...

I think Jermaine will do that, but all the same, it's a great thing, however he doesn't have much time left. I don't think we'll exactly be fishing for Hibbert back when Jermaine either gets traded or retires.

 

[a6m5]

I can live with that, seeing how Shaq worked with the Suns...

I think Jermaine will do that, but all the same, it's a great thing, however he doesn't have much time left. I don't think we'll exactly be fishing for Hibbert back when Jermaine either gets traded or retires.

Shaq and the Suns?......... uhhhh.......

In the actual trade, I think Raptors came away the winner. Then again, I'm not big on TJ Ford. If Jermaine can stay healthy, and if the contract situation is manageable under the cap, I'd say the Raps' competitiveness upgraded by quite a bit.

 

[Giancarlo]

O'Neal is a great character guy though.

Really? I always get the impression that he thinks he's a thug. So many times he picked fights when playing against the Heat (particularly against Udonis Haslem).

What did he do during the whole Detroit/Indiana fiasco? I don't remember at this point.

 

[a6m5]

Really? I always get the impression that he thinks he's a thug. So many times he picked fights when playing against the Heat (particularly against Udonis Haslem).

And I thought Haslem was a thug. Sorry, he really does look like one.

Between teams, that type of rivalry, if you can call it that, can exist. Prime example is Kevin Garnett. I used to love the man, the player. He does not get along with our center, Joel Przybilla. Our team is soft like jello, and Joel is the only "dirty work" muscle on the team.

They almost always get in each other's face, when KG's team and us play. Now, I can't say I adore KG. I gotta side with our own homeboy, but that's just how it goes sometimes.

What did he do during the whole Detroit/Indiana fiasco? I don't remember at this point.

He was "part of it". That was unfortunate, but from the videos I've seen, it was just mass chaos. Even our local highschool/college hoop hero, Freddy Jones was involved in it, though he didn't hit anybody. And he is the most calm, mild mannered guy probably in the league, if not in the whole world.

Jermaine, I've met in person before, and I can not praise this guy enough. Our team at the time, the Trail Gangstas, we had some serious headcases. But O'Neal wasn't one of the them, and he shows respect to others(anyone not named Haslem), including even the fans.

 

[Giancarlo]

And I thought Haslem was a thug. Sorry, he really does look like one.

Yeah he probably is. But he can back it up i guess?