Chicago Bulls: NBA Draft

Unsubstantiated Speculation: Monday's NBA Draft Rumors

Jason Tomassini — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:29:05 -0700

Speculation season has come early this year with the Spurs mercifully ending the Finals and beginning all the draft hype sooner than usual, which is probably a relief to most basketball fans. Last week I predicted a deluge of links once the Finals ended and, unfortunately for me, I was correct. So we’ll go heavy on the links and light on the side comments today (well, I’ll try at least).

· Let’s stay with this idea that NBA fans are relieved the Finals are over so the focus can switch to the Draft, which this year, seems to garner more interest. Bill Simmons tackled the subject this week, offering some ideas to salvage the credibility of the playoffs. Ken Berger of Newsday wrote a great piece, suggesting the quicker the focus can switch to the draft, the better so fans can get this miserable season out of their memory. From 1984-1998, the NBA Finals gave fans a chance to see some of the best basketball ever played, so it’s sad to say that Simmons and Berger are right about the state of the game. This year, the Finals were the low point on an overall terrible season of basketball and, with two franchise players available, this draft is so interesting because it provides the few casual NBA fans left with the exact thing that might save the popularity of the league: a change. It’s a chance for a whole new brand of players, two that could potentially change the face of the league, to inject some life into the NBA when it needs it most. Major League Baseball had the home run chase and fans (David Stern as well) are hoping Durant and Oden will strike the same chord. It’s pretty lucky that Durant and Oden are coming into this league after one of the worst years in memory, hopefully they don’t provide the NBA with yet another disappointment.

· Portland GM Kevin Pritchard claims he is still undecided on the No. 1 pick and will have a better idea after Oden comes to Portland tomorrow and Durant visits Friday. Apparently everyone in Portland wants Oden, which is funny because up until the national championship game, the “Greg Oden is overrated” bandwagon was nearly full. Something tells me that stupid bench press carries more weight (no pun intended… I swear) than it should. Pritchard’s best quote regarding the decision: "Look at the first half of Durant's game against Kansas. Watch that game and tell me it's an easy choice." I love this guy.

· On the Durant front, Adidas and Nike are apparently in a bidding war for the young man’s services. Durant’s agent is apparently asking for something in the ballpark of 50 million but Durant is interested in going the Stephon Marbury route (with shoes, not incompetence) and offering a cheap pair of shoes so kids can afford them. He is a lock for world domination, I’m sure of it. On a sad note, Durant visited Seattle this week to get a look at his probable first NBA city. He is expected to announce his retirement shortly.

· Today marks the deadline for undecided players to announce their intentions for the draft. I’m sure the final list of draft entrants will be readily available today, but we’ll cover that Wednesday. The great Andy Katz is all over several players decisions and, more importantly, what it means to their respective college teams. In case you’re reading this before the official list comes out, here’s what we know so far:

· Dominic James is making the right choice and going back to Marquette.

· JamesOn Curry is making the wrong choice and staying in the draft. He thinks Chicago is taking him at No. 49 but not everyone is so sure. He may pull a Randolph Morris and not hire an agent at all so he could head back to school and become a free agent after the season.

· Ramon Sessions is supposedly killing his workouts and will stay in the draft.

· I, probably like most people, know little about Dominic McGuire from Fresno, but here’s a Q & A with Gary Estwick of the Fresno Bee to enlighten us all. McGuire hired an agent and is in the draft.

· DeVon Hardin from Cal is staying in the draft, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Katz reported Hardin’s goal was to be in the top 20 and supposedly New Jersey has interest at No. 17 (didn’t they want McRoberts also?) and Golden State at No. 18 as well.

· Katz said draft longshots Maureece Rice (George Washington) and Charles Rhodes (Mississippi State) are heading back to school.

· Wilson Chandler appears to be staying in the draft and he just skipped a workout in Chicago. He claims it was due to injury but at the bottom of this article it says he is staying in the draft and has shut it down because Isiah Thomas, in his infinite wisdom, has promised the No. 23 pick to Chandler. Last week I read an article that Thomas promised he’d take Derrick Byars if he could. I don’t know what is going on in that man’s head but I know, given the precedent he showed last year, a ~~devastatingly awful~~ strange decision will be made.

· The most interesting draft article I read this week was from SI.com’s Luke Winn, who wrote about the incredible rise and ubiquitous presence of Internet draft services, most notably NBADraft.net and DraftExpress. It’s pretty fascinating how these sites began from such modest foundations and turned into resources that both players and NBA executives frequently consult. In a year where Joakim Noah bashed mock drafts and their “basement-dwelling creators,” Winn’s article smashes some of the preconceived notions about the Internet draft movement’s shaky legitimacy. It quickly becomes evident how serious these guys are. As far as the mock draft debate, the founders of the sites admit they are pretty unreliable at the end of the day, but Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress, in one of the better quotes in recent memory, knows why: "If it was up to me, we'd just scout players and not have a mock draft at all. How am I supposed to predict the stupidity of 30 NBA GMs an entire year in advance?" He is my hero. Ryan White of The Oregonian takes his own look at the Internet’s unique way of following the draft, finding some interesting stuff regarding Portland’s pick at No. 1.

· Mike Conley (along with Daequan Cook) is staying in the draft. He worked out for the Bulls the other day and while it’s a long shot he’ll end up there, his dad wouldn’t mind it.

· Chad Ford has some rumors. It’s Insider only so I’ll just tell you what he said. Apparently the Wolves are really interested in Spencer Hawes at No. 7. I’m not sold on Hawes because nearly every power forward in the NBA is either stronger or more athletic than him, but he seems to have a lot of suitors. Only time will tell if I’m truly smarter than most NBA GMs. Ford thinks Thaddeus Young is staying in the draft, citing an interest in being in the top 20. That shouldn’t’ be a problem.

· Speaking of Hawes, he worked out for the Sixers and Celtics to pretty decent reviews.

· Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times took on the unenviable task of speaking with Sixers GM Billy King. They appear to be high on Nick Young.

· The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Sekou Smith continues to lord over this draft with an iron fist, turning in another great feature, this time of Al Horford. Featured inside: Joakim Noah has something to say!

· I’ve always been interested in the effects that undecided draft entrants’ decisions have on their college’s incoming recruits. Luckily Whitelaw (not making that name up) Reid of the Daily Progress in Charlottesville has me covered with this feature on Sean Singletary and how his decision on the draft will affect Sam Zeglinski, an incoming point guard for the Cavaliers.

· It’s looking more and more like Al Horford and Brandan Wright will go, in some order, at No. 3 and No. 4 so the Celtics pick at No. 5 may be the key to the rest of the lottery. The Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy takes a look at the options, which basically include a trade or any of up to eight players.

· Aaron Brooks is one of the more likable players in the draft as evident by this feature assessing his draft chances. His lack of size and his scoring mentality probably have him destined for the second round but Brooks has always been confident.

· Al Thornton has come a long way and after working out for the Celtics, Danny Ainge thinks he’s the second-best offensive player in the draft. Hopefully his long journey will contain a Sixers jersey.

· So I guess Brandan Wright, being the masochist that he is, had an incredible workout with Milwaukee Friday. The joke is once again on the hapless Bucks, who have no chance at getting him. That didn’t’ keep the local columnists, like Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times, from wishing. After the recent diss from Noah, who refused to work out for the Bucks, and the defections from all their stars of the recent past, the Bucks appear to be the NBA’s least desirable franchise right now. Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel hopes this offseason helps Milwaukee bring back the old days.

· Good to see some features on a few of my favorite mid-major players last season:

· When I covered Delaware and the CAA in college, one of my favorite players to watch was Loren Stokes, who is highlighted in this well-done feature from Brian Hendrickson of The Columbian. Hopefully he gets a shot somewhere.

· The Nets and Knicks worked out Jared Jordan. Isiah Thomas apparently really likes Jordan, raising the tally of players he’d like to draft to 14.

· Jamaal Tatum is one of the better defensive guards I have seen in awhile and apparently NBA teams are taking notice. Whoever drafts him is getting a lot of value.

· I’ve heard next to nothing about the Clippers pick at 14 but they seem to be looking for a point guard. Acie Law and Javaris Crittenton worked out for the Clips Wednesday. They must not be optimistic that Shaun Livingston will locate his left knee any time soon.

· Oh, and Yi Jianlian has a blog on NBA.com. The entire concept baffles me. I know bloggers don’t get a lot of credit but I will say this of them. They speak fluent English. That seems to be a prerequisite. Yi Jianlian, breaking the ethnic barrier of blogging. Maybe our government ccan learn from the blogosphere and repair our poor relationship with China.

Wow, that was exhausting. Back with hopefully much less on Wednesday.

Chicago Bulls: NBA Draft Team Needs

Raphielle Johnson — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:59:26 -0700

NBA Draft: Chicago Bulls

Record: 49-33, 3^rd Central

Draft Picks: 9, 49, 51

Team Needs: The Bulls don’t really have many needs to fill in the draft this year. They could use a forward that can add some scoring to the likes of Hinrich, Gordon and Deng. With scoring power forwards being almost nonexistent in this year’s pool (given where the Bulls are picking), a player that can score inside and out would help. But that could come in the way of a blockbuster trade (Kevin Garnett? Pau Gasol?). Tyrus Thomas should improve during this offseason, but he’s more useful on the defensive end right now.

Who They Should Pick: F Al Thornton (Florida State)

Draft History Since 2000

2006: LaMarcus Aldridge (2), Rodney Carney (16)

2004: Ben Gordon (3), Luol Deng (7), Chris Duhon (39)

2003: Kirk Hinrich (7), Mario Austin (36), Matt Bonner (45), Tommy Smith (53)

2002: Jay Williams (2), Roger Mason Jr. (31), Lonny Baxter (44)

2001: Eddy Curry (4), Trenton Hassell (30), Sean Lampley (45)

2000: Marcus Fizer (4), Chris Mihm (7), Dalibor Bagaric (24), AJ Guyton (32), Khalid El-Amin (33), Jake Voskuhl (34)

Links: NBA Draft | NBA Teams | Mock Draft | Draft History

All-Time NBA Studs & Duds: Part One

Jeff Fox — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 08:15:03 -0700

It’s true that the NBA draft is a crapshoot. When looking through the history of the NBA draft it is also very apparent that some NBA teams are better dice throwers than others. It is also true that hindsight is 20/20 but some of these picks leave the onlooker scratching their heads. The fact that some of the game’s greatest players of all-time, including Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, were passed over by teams in the draft is bewildering. It’s time to play Monday morning quarterback and break down each NBA team’s draft day touchdowns and draft day blunders of all-time.

Atlanta Hawks

Stud:

1970-#3 overall – Pete Maravich

Dud:

1985-#5- Jon Koncak

Could have had: Karl Malone, Chris Mullin

Boston Celtics

Stud:

1978-#6- Larry Bird

Dud:

1948-#3- George Hauptfuhrer

Could have had: Dolph Schayes

Charlotte Bobcats

Stud:

2004-#2- Emeka Okafor

Dud:

2006-#3- Adam Morrison

Could have had: Brandon Roy

Chicago Bulls

Stud:

1984-#3- Michael Jordan

Dud:

2002-#2- Jay Williams

Could have had: Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer

Cleveland Cavaliers

Stud:

2003-#1- LeBron James

Dud:

1996-#13- Vitaly Potapenko

Could have had: Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Jermaine O’Neal

Dallas Mavericks

Stud:

2003-#29- Josh Howard

Dud:

1984-#4- Sam Perkins

Could have had: Charles Barkley, John Stockton

Denver Nuggets

Stud:

1991-#4- Dikembe Mutombo

Dud:

2002-#5- Nikoloz Tskitishvili

Could have had: Amare Stoudemire, Carlos Boozer

Detroit Pistons

Stud:

1985-#18- Joe Dumars

Dud:

1959-#2- Bailey Howell

Could have had: Wilt Chamberlain

Golden State

Stud:

1959-#3- Wilt Chamberlain

Dud:

1965-#1- Fred Hetzel

Could have had: Bill Bradley, Rick Barry, Billy Cunnigham, Gail Goodrich

Houston Rockets

Stud:

1970- 2^nd round - #18 overall - Calvin Murphy

Dud:

1976-#1- John Lucas

Could have had: Robert Parish, Alex English

Indiana Pacers

Stud:

1987-#11- Reggie Miller

Dud:

1978-#3- Rick Robey

Could have had: Larry Bird

Los Angeles Clippers

Stud:

1972-#2- Bob McAdoo

Dud:

1985-#3- Benoit Benjamin

Could have had: Chris Mullin, Karl Malone

Los Angeles Lakers

Stud:

1979-#1- Magic Johnson

Dud:

1986-#23- Ken Barlow

Could have had: Arvydas Sabonis, Dennis Rodman, Mark Price

Memphis Grizzlies

Stud:

2002- 2^nd round - #45 overall - Matt Barnes

Dud:

1996-#3- Shareef Abdul-Rahim

Could have had: Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Jermaine O’Neal

Miami Heat

Stud:

2003-#5- Dwyane Wade

Dud:

1992-#11- Harold Minor

Could have had: Latrell Sprewell

Check back tomorrow for Part Two of All-Time NBA Draft Studs & Duds

Lottery Lowdown: Part Two

Adam Stanco — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 12:55:59 -0700

This is Part Two of Adam Stanco's Lottery Lowdown, a Two-part look at what the Draft means for the Top 14 picks.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

Kevin Garnett needs help. Desperately. Randy Foye is the only other player on the Minnesota roster who scares opponents.

The Timberwolves could use help at the point guard, swing, and center positions meaning they could go in multiple directions on draft day. And it all comes down to how much the pick can help Garnett.

Joakim Noah would provide Garnett with a big boost on the defensive end of the floor, Mike Conley or Acie Law would give Garnett his best lead guard counterpart since Stephon Marbury, and Julian Wright would get Garnett better looks than he’s ever had. However, KG needs to play alongside a legit star as soon as possible and none of those prospects will be playing at an elite level in the NBA anytime soon.

8. Charlotte Bobcats

Between Raymond Felton, Gerald Wallace, Adam Morrison, Sean May, and Emeka Okafor, Charlotte is quietly stockpiling talent in Charlotte.

But the muli-dimensional Wallace might not be a Bobcat for very long. Despite the team’s desire to retain him, the free agent-to-be will most likely sign elsewhere. The loss would be huge for Charlotte, considering how good Wallace is on the defensive end of the floor.

If Wallace isn’t retained, expect Charlotte to make a major push for Corey Brewer. The former Florida swingman will be an excellent defender on the next level and his offensive repertoire is impressive. He can shoot with range and attack the hoop. However, Brewer is one of the fastest-rising prospects in the draft and it is unlikely that he’ll be available for the Bobcats.

If the Bobcats don’t move up and Brewer is gone before they select, Jeff Green would be another solid fit.

9. Chicago Bulls (from New York Knicks)

Turns out Isiah Thomas’s trade for Eddy Curry wasn’t ridiculous. In October of 2005, the Knicks acquired Curry in a five-player deal that also included this year’s draft pick. Thomas has long insisted that he would take Curry over any player the Knicks could have selected in this draft.

Obviously, that would have been a hard sell if the Bulls had gotten one of the top two picks from the Knicks. Instead, the Bulls will be selecting deep into the lottery without the possibility of getting the second-best center originally thought to be available because Roy Hibbert decided to return to Georgetown.

With Hibbert out of the mix, expect the Bulls to take a long look at Washington big man Spencer Hawes. Hawes is skilled, but his poor rebounding and complete lack of explosion could signal disappointment on the NBA level.

10. Sacramento Kings

Was it really five years ago that the Kings were on the verge of knocking the Lakers off their Western Conference pedestal? Sacramento has gone from a league juggernaut, rubbing shoulders amongst the league’s elite to completely lacking an identity.

Eric Musselman was fired after just one season. One extremely frustrating season, that is. Trade rumors commonly feature Mike Bibby and Brad Miller – the only remaining contributors from those magnificent teams. The Ron Artest experiment made more waves from his off-court issues than anything he did at Arco Arena, which could mean he might not be back next season. Heck, the whole team – literally – would be moving if the Maloofs had their way.

Having a pick this deep in the lottery won’t singularly reverse the team’s fortunes, but it would be a nice start on the road to recovery. If Joakim Noah is available at No. 10, the Kings would be foolish not to select him. Noah would energize Sacramento and remind fans of what Chris Webber used to do for them. Noah doesn’t resemble a young C-Webb, but his game does. The son of Yannick Noah and two-time NCAA champ is a quick jumper and surprisingly adept at finding cutting teammates.

If Noah is off the board, the Kings would probably target Spencer Hawes.

11. See Part One For the Hawks 3rd and 11th picks.

12. Philadelphia 76ers

For the first time in over a decade, the Sixers will start a season without Allen Iverson leading the team. Andre Iguodala is now Philly’s marquis name, but there are questions about whether he can be one of the league’s true stars. While Iguodala can defend as well as anyone and is capable of huge scoring outbursts, he can’t shoot with any consistency (31% from 3-pt) and he turns the ball over far too much.

Yet somehow the Sixers still managed to acquire two players in the 2006 draft – Rodney Carney and Bobby Jones – who are stunningly similar to Iggy. GM Billy King continues to draft shooting guards and small forwards, despite having a roster that is full of them. Louis Williams, Kyle Korver, Willie Green… The list goes on and on.

So don’t blame Philly fans for their pessimism towards this draft.

Florida State’s Al Thornton might just be the best available player at No. 12, but he’s an explosive scorer who plays on the wing. Talented forwards Julian Wright of Kansas and Georgetown’s Jeff Green are also potential picks who would struggle to find playing time on this current Sixers team. Philly could also decide to go big and pick Spencer Hawes or really reach for Colorado State’s Jason Smith.

The Sixers also have two picks later in the first round which could be packaged together – or individually as part of a deal with another member of the roster – to move up in the lottery.

13. New Orleans Hornets

Two years ago, the consensus of those associated with the NBA was that Chris Paul was a much better player than Deron Williams. The Jazz front office was repeatedly knocked for drafting the former Illini over the former Demon Deacon in 2005.

But last year something changed. The pro-Williams opinion started gaining momentum. It was building and building and building until, finally, around the midway point of the season, Paul was knocked from his perch. No longer was the Hornets’ lead man considered the best young point guard in the NBA; that distinction now belonged to Williams.

Incredibly, their numbers were eerily similar:

Chris Paul: 17.3 ppg, 8.9 apg, 4.4 rpg, 1.84 spg, 43.7% FG, 36.8 mpg

Deron Williams: 19.2 ppg, 8.6 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1.0 spg, 45.6% FG, 36.9 mpg

The difference – in the public’s mind – was their team’s records. Utah won 51 games, yet the Hornets won just 39. But Williams really separated himself during the postseason, performing brilliantly, while Paul was home. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and the average beholder only gets to see small-market teams play during the playoffs. That’s when unheralded talents are transformed into full-fledged stars.

What does all of this have to do with this year’s draft?

If Paul is to regain his title, he must do more than beat Williams in the numbers game. He must get his Hornets into the playoffs and, consequently, onto a national stage. The only way it will happen is if he gets help.

David West, Desmond Mason, and Peja Stojakovic are all solid players, but not one of them is unstoppable. And if Tyson Chandler becomes an all-star it will be because of his rebounding and defensive capabilities, not his offensive gifts.

Look for the Hornets to add a wing player who can score and who has serious star potential. USC’s Nick Young, Thaddeus Young of Georgia Tech, FSU’s Al Thornton, or even Kansas stud Julian Wright – if he slides – would all fit the bill.

14. Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers can not do anything on draft day without deciding whether they will ever have Shaun Livingston back to being Shaun Livingston. After Livingston’s grotesque knee injury, the likelihood of a full recovery is minimal. While the team is hopeful, they must also be realistic. And that means addressing their point guard needs immediately.

In 2003, the Chicago Bulls faced a remarkably similar situation. Jay Williams, the team’s phenomenally talented court general, was badly injured in a motorcycle accident. The human side of Bulls management was hopeful for his return. However, the business side understood the importance of accepting Williams’s fate and dealing with it as soon as possible. They snatched up Kirk Hinrich with the seventh overall pick and, as evidenced by the team’s rapid ascension of late, the move paid off greatly.

The Clippers should follow the precedent Chicago set. Everyone in NBA circles is hopeful for Livingston’s return, but successful organizations aren’t built on hope. They are built on dealing with reality.

If the Clippers have the chance to draft Acie Law or Javaris Crittenton, they shouldn’t hesitate. They should simply follow their heads and not their hearts.

Return to Part One of Adam Stanco's Lottery Lowdown, a Two-part look at what the Draft means for the Top 14 picks.