The 2007 NBA Draft

[JohnBM01]

Per the request of my buddy a6m5, this thread is open for discussion of this upcoming NBA Draft. Some of the finest collegiate players and internationals will make their way to shake up the NBA a bit. Have any favorites? Discuss them here. Certainly, Kevin Durant and Greg Oden have been hot commodities in this year's college season. Let's not forget the Florida's "Fantasic Four" that left Billy Donovan's coaching to be with some NBA coach (granted they get drafted).

Who's going #1? Who does your team need? Reply on with your picks for the NBA Draft. I'll be working on an NFL Draft thread in a few days.

 

[JohnBM01]

Big news for NBA prognosticators:

Kevin Durant (Texas) is going pro! He won something of 6 National Player of the Year honors. For damn sure he's the real deal. But can he prove it on the next level apart from his great collegiate career? I personally would have loved to have seen Durant lead Texas to perhaps a Final Four (meaning they'd have to go through North Carolina and Georgetown) after Texas made it to the Elite Eight last season. As mentioned before, Durant is the real deal. Can he excel at the next level where his physical conditioning is improved and that he'll have to have the mentality and perserverance of a professional? ESPN Sportscenter commercials were talking about how Durant could remind NBA folk of Tracy McGrady (of my Houston Rockets). As it would stand, Memphis would have its biggest salvation if Durant is drafted to Memphis. People thought that the Houston Texans of the NFL blown a great chance at Vince Young and such. Well, what if Memphis gets a virtual unknown over Durant or even Oden?

Something to think about. Where's Durant going? Is he going to be drafted?

 

[a6m5]

I heard about Durant today. Now, I hear the hype is that Durant could possibly go first, ahead of Oden. I don't follow college ball, so I have no idea which player might be better than the other. All I can say is that teams that gets one of the top 2 picks in this year's NBA Draft are very lucky.

Go Blazers...

 

[Giancarlo]

Durant doesn't really seem like a good fit for Memphis or Boston. I think whoever can get Durant might actually trade the pick for frontcourt help, who they both need.

I mean Boston already has many forwards, and Memphis already got Rudy Gay last season, so going for Durant over Oden doesn't really make sense.

 

[rollazn]

Durant can be a huge superstar in this league. He has a lot of potential and will probably be taken second only behind Greg Oden.

 

[JohnBM01]

Okay, folks... Greg Oden says he wants to be in this year's NBA Draft. Where do you think HE is going?

 

[a6m5]

I think we'll know more come the Lottery day. I've heard 5/22, but I have yet to confirm it.

 

[Giancarlo]

Oden to Memphis, and Gasol is outta there.

 

[a6m5]

Oden to Memphis, and Gasol is outta there.

Gasol's name has been mentioned in numerous trade rumours involving our Zach Randolph(Portland). I think Zach is a better player, but Gasol and our Sergio Rodriguez were on the World Champ Spain team together, so I'd be lying, if I said I wasn't interested.

 

[Giancarlo]

Gasol's name has been mentioned in numerous trade rumours involving our Zach Randolph(Portland). I think Zach is a better player, but Gasol and our Sergio Rodriguez were on the World Champ Spain team together, so I'd be lying, if I said I wasn't interested.

Are you kidding? Gasol is garbage compared to Randolph, who's a 20 and 10 player almost every year.

 

[a6m5]

Are you kidding? Gasol is garbage compared to Randolph, who's a 20 and 10 player almost every year.

Zach has his issues. One is that he's from a "hood". He used to make all sorts of on/off court headlines in the news. This year so far, just two small local negative publicity, but it's the kind of stuff that Blazers have aggressively distanced itself from.

Second one would be his defense. He's improved in that department, so much, and he's still an liability.

Lastly, he gets distracted doing games alot, especically by the refs.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think Zach is a good player, I think he's a great player. But his characteristics are not exactly what we want in a veteran leader of a very young team. We need KG.

P.S. Nice new avatar, buddy. 👍

 

[a6m5]

Tomorrow is the big lottery night, guys! It will determine our teams' drafting position, we might even be able to forecast possible trades, etc.

Class of 2007 is expected to be a very deep one, but the real big prizes are just the top 2. There will be steals down the line for sure, but until they are uncovered, everybody's focused on the 1st & 2nd picks.

I can't wait!

 

[Giancarlo]

I know tomorrow is just the lottery but in the actual draft god i hope the Heat can snag Javaris Crittenton or Acie Law...

 

[Giancarlo]

Haha damn, that's a bitch for Boston and Memphis...but Congrats a6m5!

 

[a6m5]

Yes, congrats to all the Blazer fans on gtplanet...... Oh, that's pretty much me! But seriously, thanks Gian. :tup:

Durant or Oden? I'm pretty sure the Blazers will take Oden, but our new GM Kevin Pritchard(we call him "KP") is so sharp, we trust him with whatever decision he decides to make. To tell you the truth, I was praying for the second pick. We watched the lottery at work, and after the 9th pick or so, I was chanting "Blazers #2", like a crazy person, with fingers crossed and everything. At #1, you have to choose between Durant and Oden. While I've been hoping(it was very distant) to see Oden in the Blazers uniform, I'd hate for my team to be the one to select Oden, then Durant becomes a much better player down the line or something.

Anyway, here's the real question. Seattle Sonics, which the City of Seattle pretty much guaranteed that they will not build a new stadium for them, and waved them bye bye...... What now? They are getting Durant, maybe Oden. I'm betting on the emergency session that the City said they will not call for.

 

[Giancarlo]

If i were in the Portland management i would try to trade my number 1 pick (Oden) to Seattle for some crazy deal that Seattle will almost certainly bite on. They need Oden much more than the Blazers do, in my opinion. Plus Durant is very much like Rashard Lewis - but maybe they take Durant for that reason and buy out/trade Lewis. Who knows.

 

[Giancarlo]

Well maybe not, since i was thinking about Atlanta's pick and Conley...

a6m5, would you trade Jarrett Jack and LeMarcus Aldridge to Atlanta for the #3 pick, Tyronn Lue and Salim Stoudemire?

According to trade simulators, it would be a successful trade scenario [financially].

 

[a6m5]

Well maybe not, since i was thinking about Atlanta's pick and Conley...

a6m5, would you trade Jarrett Jack and LeMarcus Aldridge to Atlanta for the #3 pick, Tyronn Lue and Salim Stoudemire?

According to trade simulators, it would be a successful trade scenario [financially].

Yeah, it might have made sense financially, but that would be where it ends. So, in a short answer, no.

I'm so big on Jack, I wouldn't even trade Jack for Conley, straight up. But the truth is, for some reason, Jack's been in the trade rumor mill since last year. I can totally see him becoming the next Chauncey Billups, so I am totally confused.

As for Aldridge, he just might've been the most underrated rookie from last year, mostly due to limited playing time + injury. Down the line, he could become a better player than the #1 pick of the 2006 Draft(Bargnani), or the 06/07 Rookie of the Year(Brandon Roy). It's still early, but he reminds me a lot of young Rasheed Wallace. Without the temper.

Portland fans are aware of the rumors that the Blazers are trying to pick up Conley to unite him with Oden though. I like both of our young PGs, Jack and Sergio Rodriguez, so I'm hoping we won't see any trades involving those two.....

 

[Giancarlo]

Yeah, it might have made sense financially, but that would be where it ends. So, in a short answer, no.

*snip*

That is all true, but i dunno...Oden is touted as something really really special, and he's already said he wants to play with his good buddy Conley, who is a top 5 pick anyway and probably the best PG in the draft.

 

[a6m5]

That is all true, but i dunno...Oden is touted as something really really special, and he's already said he wants to play with his good buddy Conley, who is a top 5 pick anyway and probably the best PG in the draft.

I really don't want Conley, but I've never seen him play either. He is a very highly rated PG in this year's draft, but I have hard time believing that he'll be better than Jarrett Jack. Jack has his faults, but he's coming along really nicely. He also has real fire in him, which I like. Having said all that, his name's been being mentioned in trade rumors for a while. Just like with Shawn Marion, I have no idea why their teams would shop them.

Aldridge is pretty much untouchable though, along with Roy. I don't see the #1 pick or Sergio Rodriguez being moved either. Everybody else is up for grabs.

 

[a6m5]

Did I say #1 and LaMarcus Aldridge are untouchable? Because they are starting to be mentioned in trade rumors. Let me get into the details though:

LaMarcus: One article I read (the writer)suspects that Portland is just entertaining other teams with his name to get the talks rolling. Blazers are not really interested in trading him. This talk supposedly involves the Blazers, Raptors and one more team, a third party that is not being named(sounds real reliable).

#1: There is a good reason for this as well. While I'm a Oden guy(I've always been), Kevin Pritchard, Blazers GM is a huge fan of Kevin Durant. This rumor suggests that if the Blazers are going to take Durant anyway, let the Sonics have the #1 pick to draft Oden, but they'll have to give Blazers something in return for the swap. Makes sense to me, except I'd rather have Blazers draft Oden.

There are so many crazy trade talks all over the league. Some players have already been traded. It should be real fun on thursday. I expect to see a lot of picks and contracts get moved.

 

[Giancarlo]

There are so many good picks in this draft for the Heat...Law, Crittenton, Stuckey, Byars, Thaddeus Young...i'll just sit back and see what happens.

I hope we pick Aaron Gray with the 39th pick, though.

 

[a6m5]

There are so many good picks in this draft for the Heat...Law, Crittenton, Stuckey, Byars, Thaddeus Young...i'll just sit back and see what happens.

I hope we pick Aaron Gray with the 39th pick, though.

Who is Gray? Local star player or something?

Blazers have the #1 pick, plus 4 second rounders...... No, I don't know how they got that many. From previous trades, probably.

I want Oden, obviously, but also would love to see the Blazers draft Aaron Brooks of Oregon. Point-Shooting Guard, little bit undersized, but fairly smart player, pretty quick, good shooter. I think he's projected to go right after the Lottery though, so Blazer won't get him unless he slips, or the Blazer move up.

I heard that the Blazers are in talks with Milwaukee for their #6. Blazers supposedly offering Joel Przybilla and Jarrett Jack. I'd hate to see Jack go, but it is for #6 pick......

P.S. How many more years does Shaq have?

 

[Giancarlo]

Who is Gray? Local star player or something?

P.S. How many more years does Shaq have?

Nah, just a center with pretty decent game, that got in really good shape recently. We just need a lot of help at the 5 spot, because all our centers are well over 30...

Shaq i think has either 2 or 3 years left on his contract.

 

[Giancarlo]

Wow, pretty good draft so far. I really think Seattle and Detroit did really good this draft.

a6m5, how do you feel about the Randolph trade to NY?

 

[JohnBM01]

The first two were no brainers. I didn't get to see all of the draft because I was busy watching my Houston Astros play the Colorado Rockies in hope that Craig Biggio gets hit 3,000 (which he did. Congratulations, man!). From what I did see, it looks like China's really expanding to the NBA. Yi Jiandian(?) will play for the Milwaukee Bucks. From what I heard about him (he's from one of Houston's sister cities: Shenzhen, China), he loves American stuff. He likes 50 Cent, some Sean John... dude would roll in NICELY in America. I'd stil love to see Yao Ming and Jiandian go at it. I'm interested in how a matchup with Yao Ming at Center for the Rockets would do against Yi Jianding at Power Forward for the Bucks. I forgot the other Chinese fellow who was signed up by the L.A. Lakers.

The international influence is quite interesting in the NBA. We even got some more Euro-ballers from Italy, Spain, and Croatia (amar212 to see Croatia mentioned). I just wish more of us here in the States could get to see more international action rather than have to get NBA TV. So let me ask you all about the international influence with the NBA... is all this international influence good for the NBA or not? Do you think there are other basketball markets you think would be interesting for the NBA?

[UPDATE] How good is European and Chinese basketball if Europe and China are willing to let international players play in the NBA?

 

[kjb]

Portland and Seattle had real good drafts. I like the Knicks picking up Zac Randolph ( I still hate Isiah Thomas gave a potential lottery pick). I liked Charlotte getting WRight but I kind hate they traded him for Richardson. All this was a pretty good draft. But it looks like the West will continue to the dominant conference.

 

[Giancarlo]

So let me ask you all about the international influence with the NBA... is all this international influence good for the NBA or not? Do you think there are other basketball markets you think would be interesting for the NBA?

[UPDATE] How good is European and Chinese basketball if Europe and China are willing to let international players play in the NBA?

Well everyone is always saying "Oh so and so played overseas so they have a lot of big-game experience..." etc. etc. but it never really amounts to anything. They still have to adapt to the fast-paced play of the NBA and still have just as much of a learning curve to overcome as do the young college players in the US.

The NBA usually just means more money for the players, but it's not necessarily a "better" league.

 

[a6m5]

a6m5, how do you feel about the Randolph trade to NY?

Bittersweet, my friend. His offcourt stuff, you guys already know about. On the court, he lacked defense, and a critical skill for a talented post player like Zach: Passing out of double teams(I just hope Oden is good at this!). I almost forgot, I think he had 4 years and $60 million left on his contract, and no he's not worth that much.

Even with those issues, I thought the Blazer could have done better. Francis is a beat up, has-been, veteran. Frye looks promising, but not amazing. I guess it came down to the "$$$". Francis contract is expected to be bought out. Some smaller, weaker rumors suggest him getting traded(as a expiring contract) for another player, and I'd love that, if that was possible.

On Shaq: Does he have 2, 3 years left?(of playing)

[UPDATE] How good is European and Chinese basketball if Europe and China are willing to let international players play in the NBA?

I think they are just like our rookies. Some are amazing, right off the bat(Yao, Ginobili, Parker), some never leave the bench, some get as far as the summer league and that's it.

kjb: How does Isiah still have a job, I have no idea. He is so amazingly bad at his job.....

 

[Giancarlo]

On Shaq: Does he have 2, 3 years left?(of playing)

Oh i'd say 2 max.