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Is Adam Morrison Going to Be the Odd Man Out in Charlotte?

The Big Lead — 2007-07-16T23:33:00 00:00

So now that the Bobcats have traded for shooting guard Jason Richardson and re-signed wing Gerald Wallace, one has to wonder: what becomes of their mustachioed rookie, Adam Morrison? My answer? His NBA future in Charlotte is in deep trouble.

Michael Jordan would have not made the Brandan Wright-for-J Rich deal if he did not intend to start the former Michigan State star. They're paying Richardson $50 million over the next four years, so he'll be starting at shooting guard. The high-flying Wallace, who was had for the bargain basement cost of $57 million over the next six years, is going to be starting at small forward.

Which leaves exactly where for Adam Morrison? If the plan is to make him a Vinny Johnson-type microwave off the bench, is that something he's going to be interested in? Perhaps. But that doesn't pay well, unless your name is Kyle Korver.

Morrison's in trouble, and here's the reason: he's just too slow. If you look at the small forwards in the league, he is among the slowest and worst defensively. Is he swift enough to play shooting guard? That remains to be seen. If the Bobcats want to go small, they can play a lineup of Richardson, Wallace, Morrison and Ray Felton at point guard, with Okafor at center. That's not bad ... for the East.

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How I Spent My Summer Vacation: By Amare Stoudemire

The Big Lead — 2007-07-08T13:06:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Suns, Western

First, Amare weathered all of those silly trade rumors. Some folks had him going to Atlanta. We had a hunch it was poppycock all along - why would you give up a young stud in his 20s for an aging stud already in his 30s? Phoenix held onto Amare and with the roster intact, should be one of the favorites - if not the favorite - to reach the NBA FInals.

Then, it seems, the first-team All NBA dunking machine elected to take a few college classes at nearby Arizona State University.

Amare Stoudamire was just on the Dan Patrick show, sans Dan Patrick of course, and is apparently attending summer school at Arizona St. University in the quest for a History degree. What courses is he taking? Human Geography and Palates of course.

If you recall the tremendous HBO Sports piece on Stoudemire from a few years ago, it talked about how he had attended six high schools in two years and overcame a difficult - to say the least - childhood. Now he's going back to get his degree? Nice. Increasingly, I'm becoming a huge Amare Stoudemire fan. Perhaps the Suns should trade for Andrew Bogut so that the Aussie can see the positive cultural side of American basketball players.

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So Where is Gerald Wallace Going?

The Big Lead — 2007-07-08T12:43:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Bobcats, Eastern, NBA Rumors

Now that the dust has settled and Vince Carter, Chauncey Billups and Rashard Lewis have all decided where they're going to play next season (New Jersey, Detroit and Orlando, respectively), there's one huge name left on the free agent market: Charlotte's Gerald Wallace.

Orlando would have been a nice home for the small forward, but the Magic went with Lewis. Not many other teams can afford the kind of money Wallace wants ($10 million a year, which I feel is absurd), so the early indications were that he'd stay in Charlotte.

But after the draft night deal that brought in scorer Jason Richardson and his bloated salary, plus the fact that Charlotte is going to need to pay Emeka Okafor in the near future, and the fact that the Bobcats drafted small forward Jared Dudley, one has to wonder ... is there room for Wallace?

I said it last year - once Charlotte went with Adam Morrison in the draft in 2006, that signaled the end of Wallace. As nice of a player as he is (career numbers last year in scoring, three-point shooting and assists and he's only 25 years old), he's going to impede the growth of Morrison.

So the question remains: where to? Is Dallas really a contender? Supposedly a three-team deal is in the works, but it would have to involve Josh Howard, since he's a small forward. And is Wallace even a better player than Howard? I don't believe so. Milwaukee is supposedly in the fold, but can't offer him Charlotte money. In addition, would he want to play second fiddle to Michael Redd?

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Greg Oden's Opener Was Just as Bad as Tim Duncan's

The Big Lead — 2007-07-08T12:27:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Trail Blazers, Western, The Word, Summer League

All the Trailblazer fans unimpressed with rookie Greg Oden's first summer-league showing (10 fouls, six points) can get down from the ledges of buildings in downtown Portland. All is not lost. Former Portland coach Maurice Cheeks would like you to know that a current NBA Hall of Fame lock struggled in his first summer league game, too. His name? Tim Duncan.

"I remember Tim Duncan's first summer league game, and Greg Ostertag killed him. Just killed him. Now, who do you think the better player is? The kid is going to be fine.''

Anyone who puts stock in summer league games needs to get their head checked. The games amount to less than an NBA preseason game, if that's possible. Oden could commit 10 fouls in each of the next three summer league games and I wouldn't be think for a moment that he's not going to be an NBA force.

I'm predicting that Oden ends his rookie season with averages of about 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Not otherworldly, and probably not good enough to warrant rookie of the year honors. But more importantly, the Blazers will probably win 40 games, and set things up quite nicely for the 2008-2009 campaign, when I anticipate the start of a lengthy playoff run. And yes, I do expect championships.

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There's Hope! Bucks Brass Meets with Yi

The Big Lead — 2007-07-07T12:59:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Bucks, Eastern, NBA Draft, NBA Videos

Besides getting dunked on by Rudy Gay Friday (at the end of the above video, you can see Yi returning the favor), there's actually positive news to report on Bucks first-round pick Yi Jianlian - he finally spoke with Milwaukee officials, a potential sign that the two signs could avert disaster and work out a deal.

Yi's solid showing followed his first face-to-face meeting with Bucks officials Thursday at the team's hotel in Las Vegas.

Harris and Krystkowiak represented the Bucks at a meeting that lasted about one hour, with Yi bringing an interpreter and the Bucks' officials bringing one of their own.

"We talked about the opportunity in Milwaukee," Harris said. "He was very respectful and, I thought, very engaging."

Baby steps, people. And based on the clip above, Yi's game somewhat resembles that of Dirk Nowitzki from inside 15 feet, except it's clear he'll be a better defensive player than Dirk (the block), and he's far more athletic (the dunk). I think Milwaukee should be bending over backward to appease Yi, who, paired with Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd, could form a very strong nucleus.

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The Miami Heat are Having a Terrible Offseason

The Big Lead — 2007-07-07T12:43:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Heat, Eastern, NBA Draft, NBA Rumors

You'd think the 2006 NBA Champs would be poised to overhaul the roster this summer, especially since Miami was swept out of the 2007 playoffs by the Chicago Bulls in the first round.

Except the Heat have regressed.

First, Miami boggles minds everywhere by taking a shooting guard with their first round pick in the NBA draft, selecting upside guy Daequan Cook, a freshman from Ohio State. He plays the same position occupied by the Heat's top player, Dwyane Wade.

Next, the Heat allow their best shooter, Jason Kapano, to sign with Toronto.

Now, it appears as if Miami could be on the verge of signing overrated point guard Steve Blake since Mo Williams is looking for too much money, And the Heat's third best player, James Posey, is likely not going to return as well.

What is Pat Riley doing in South Beach?

There aren't many solutions with the free agent market quite barren, and Shaq isn't getting any younger. It's probably a good idea to pass on Blake, though, and if you're going to pass on James Posey, then perhaps a player like Travis Outlaw should be brought in to play small forward.

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Rudy Gay Welcomes Yi Jianlian to the NBA

The Big Lead — 2007-07-07T10:23:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Bucks, Grizzlies, Western, NBA Videos

It's only a brief clip, and looks to be taken from a fan sitting in the second or third row. But as you can see here, Rudy Gay of the Memphis Grizzlies spins to beat Milwaukee Bucks rookie Yi Jianlian baseline, and then throws down a nasty two-handed facial in the rook's face. The crowd's reaction says it all.

Yi did finish with 23 points, but the Grizzlies defeated the Chinese national team, 86-77.

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NBA Draft Analysis: Second Round Losers

The Big Lead — 2007-06-29T00:35:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Timberwolves, Lakers, Rockets, Spurs, Eastern, Western, NBA Draft

San Antonio Spurs - Rare is the day when the Spurs botch a draft pick, but Marcus Williams is a cancer waiting to happen. He was a ballhog in Arizona, didn't enjoy playing defense, and pouted frequently. Can't see him lasting long with the Spurs.

Los Angeles Lakers - All around pretty terrible draft for the Lakers, who did nothing to improve the team in the short term. Perhaps they are building for the inevitable post-Kobe era, but Sun Yue from China? Spain's Marc Gasol? Will either even score a point for the Lakers this season?

Houston Rockets - I'm all for snatching up foreign players and waiting on them for a year or two, but Australian small forward Brad Newley? Why not pick up some immediate insurance for Yao in the form of Syracuse 7-footer Darryl Watkins? Or a gander on a shooting guard such as Virginia's JR Reynolds or OSU's Ron Lewis?

Minnesota Timberwolves - Chris Richard? Wow. Major surprise. A nice player, sure, but perhaps a bit undersized (6-foot-9) to play power forward. Would have much preferred the T-Wolves make a move on a legit center, such as Kyle Visser (a guy ESPN's John Hollinger love, and yet went undrafted).

Josh McRoberts, Portland Trailblazers - Supposedly, he was going to be a lottery pick if he had left after an awesome freshman campaign. Now, he's got to make a roster to get paid.

Zabian Dowdell, Virginia Tech - ESPN's Chad Ford, who has taken on some kind of all-knowing role in the draft, had Dowdell rated as the 35th best player in the draft. He wasn't selected.

Bobby Brown, Cal-State Fullerton - There were times when he seemed to be shooting up the charts into the early second round. Guess nobody bought the hype. He wasn't drafted.

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NBA Draft Analysis: First Round Winners

The Big Lead — 2007-06-28T23:11:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Nets, Hawks, Wizards, Trail Blazers, SuperSonics, Warriors, Eastern, Western, NBA Draft

Atlanta Hawks: Scoring post player? Check. Al Horford is a monster. Point guard? Check. Acie Law is perfect. There really was no way Billy Knight could have bungled this one. He hit a meatball out of the park. A core of Law, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Al Horford isn't bad at all. If this team can somehow acquire a center - even if he's just a shot blocker and rebounder - it could turn into something decent sooner rather than later. And no, Shelden Williams is not that man.

Golden State Warriors: If the proposed trade of Brandan Wright for Jason Richardson goes through, the Warriors just made a tremendous acquisition. With the 18th pick, the Warriors got arguably the best foreign player in the draft, scoring guard Marco Belinelli. He reminds me of Manu Ginobili. And Wright is a perfect fit for the up-tempo Warriors. He's the power forward they didn't have against Utah in the conference semis, when the Warriors were destroyed inside by Carlos Boozer. It'll be interesting to see what the Warriors do with Mickael Pietrus. But how's this potential lineup: Baron, Belinelli, Stephen Jackson, Al Harrington, and Wright? Or, the Warriors could go big with Wright at power forward and Andris Biedrins at center.

Washington Wizards: By now you know about my man crush on USC wing Nick Young. Between Gilbert Arenas, Young and Caron Butler, the Wiz won't be hurting for offense. This leads me to believe Antwan Jamison could be on the move for a power player.

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NBA Draft Analysis: First Round Losers

The Big Lead — 2007-06-28T22:50:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: 76ers, Bucks, Heat, Kings, Hornets, Eastern, Western, NBA Draft

Philadelphia 76ers: Philly could have used a shooting guard or a power forward. Naturally, it drafted the position it was strongest in: small forward. Billy King bricked here with the selection of Thaddeus Young. Iggy's not a shooting guard. Colorado State's Jason Smith is a bit of a curious selection as well - he seems to be a center more than a power forward. A center that floats to the perimeter. He's not a back-to-the-basket guy, which is what they needed. With the final pick in the first round, guard Petteri Koponen isn't a bad one, since he'll be stashed overseas. So with three picks in the first round, Philly didn't draft anyone to come in and immediately contribute. Nicely done!

Sacramento Kings: I like Spencer Hawes. Burly center from Washington with a strong low-post game. Eventually, he'll replace aging center Brad Miller. But for a team with a crazy small forward (Artest) and no talented power forwards, why would you take a center? BC's Sean Williams probably would have been a reach here, as would Josh McRoberts. But passing on small forwards like Al Thornton, Thaddeus Young and Julian Wright? Oops.

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NBA Draft Analysis: Second Round Winners

The Big Lead — 2007-06-28T12:13:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Celtics, Bulls, Trail Blazers, Clippers, Eastern, Western, NBA Draft

Boston Celtics: The consensus thus far is that Seattle took the Boston out behind the woodshed in that Ray Allen deal ... but the Celtics picked up two quality college basketball players in the second round by snapping up point guard Gabe Pruitt at No. 30 and space-eater Glen 'Big Baby' Davis at No. 35. I actually believe Pruitt will push Rajon Rondo for the starting point guard job, but that's just me. And Davis, assuming he doesn't turn up at camp in the neighborhood of 400 pounds, has great footwork for a man of his stature.

Portland Trailblazers. Duke's Josh McRoberts is a player worthy of the first round, and so is Vandy's Derrick Byars. McRoberts can be a Sabonis-like player for the Portland, but you worry about what kind of PT he'll get with Channing Frye coming over from the Knicks. Byars, at 6-foot-7, actually could find himself getting some run at small forward ... but so could Portland's third second round pick, Demetrius Nichols from Syracuse. There's no telling Florida's Taurean Green could make the team, but he's a smart player and a winner. Tremendous draft by the Blazers.

Chicago Bulls: Like the Aaron Gray pickup. He had a strong college career at Pittsburgh in the rugged Big East. And Jameson Curry was always a nice player at Oklahoma State, but he was always a bit undersized.

Los Angeles Clippers: I was a bit dubious of the Paper Clips drafting Al Thornton in the first round when he'll have to beat out Corey Maggette for minutes, but I do like the Jared Jordan point guard pickup with the 45th pick. Don't know if he's NBA starter material, though.

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PLEASE DRAFT ME: Nick Young

The Big Lead — 2007-06-27T22:16:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Celtics, 76ers, Bobcats, Hornets, Eastern, Western, NBA Draft

Some prospects aren't getting enough respect on draft boards. PLEASE DRAFT ME aims to change that.

Perhaps I'm the only one, but I think USC guard Nick Young should definitely be a Top 10 NBA lottery pick. Many have him falling into the 11-14 range, or perhaps drifting even further. How can this be? Has anyone examined Young's career at USC?

For starters, his core numbers (points, shooting percentage, three-point shooting) increased each year. His junior stats were eye-popping for a shooting guard in one of the three best conferences in the country: 52 percent shooting, 44 percent from three.

Here's how he stacks up against some shooting guards in the draft:

Corey Brewer: 47% FG, 33% three's
Rodney Stuckey: 45% FG, 26% three's (playing for Eastern Washington against inferior competition)
Morris Almond: 48% FG, 45% three's (playing for Rice, in pathetic Conference USA)
Aaron Afflalo: 46% FG, 37% three's (Pac-10 Player of the Year)
Daequan Cook: 44% FG, 41% three's

Boston needs a shooting guard at No. 5, and it is likely to take Brewer. Can't argue with that. Love Brewer. Milwaukee (Redd) and Minnesota (Foye) don't need shooting guards, but Charlotte at No. 8 could desperately use one. How can the Bobcats, the 6th worst shooting team in the NBA last year, pass on a scorer like Young? Let's not forget - Charlotte's best player, Gerald Wallace, is testing the free agent market, and if he goes elsewhere, the Bobcats will have no perimeter punch.

If Young somehow falls past the Bobcats, I can't imagine the Bulls (Gordon) or Kings (Martin) taking him, nor the Hawks (Johnson) at 11. He'd be a perfect fit in Philadelphia at 12. Too bad people in Philly seem set on FSU's Al Thornton, paying no mind to the fact that he plays small forward ... like the 76ers best player, Andre Iguodala. There's always the chance that New Orleans takes Young at 13 to play small forward - he's a wiry 6-foot-7, but could easily fill the shoes of Desmond Mason.

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Why Don't NBA Stars Want to Play In Boston?

The Big Lead — 2007-06-27T21:31:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Celtics, Eastern, NBA Draft, NBA Rumors, Boston

Kevin Garnett's not interested. Neither is Kobe Bryant. Even a 2nd-tier talent like Shawn Marion said no to Beantown.

What gives? Why are NBA stars rejecting the greatest organization in the history of the NBA? Things have gotten so bad, GM Danny Ainge appears to be waving the white flag when it comes to making a deal for the 5th pick in Thursday's draft. Seems as if there are no takers. It's not as if keeping the pick is terrible - Corey Brewer is a stud waiting to happen and I'm slowly coming around on Yi Jianlian. But the bigger issue is why nobody wants to play in Boston.

Here are just a handful of possibilities:

1) The unimpressive tandem of GM Danny Ainge and coach Doc Rivers. I've stated many times I don't think Rivers is the problem; Ainge has simply made terrible trade after terrible trade. He hasn't done badly in the draft, though.
2) Who wants to be third banana in a city dominated by the Red Sox and their rabid fans, and the successful New England Patriots? Tough to imagine any Celtic becoming nearly as popular as Tom Brady or David Ortiz.
3) It's remains a touchy subject, but as recently as 2002, Boston was trying to shed the stigma of being a racist city.
4) There's the whole Bird-McHale-Parish 1980s heyday thing that Rick Pitino couldn't handle. That's not even mentioning Red and Russell.

This is all very sad news for Celtics fans, who have been forced to live on the P word - potential - through the growing pains of Al Jefferson, Gerald Green and the rest of the kids. And I suggest ownership handle this sooner rather than later - if you believe some people, the 2008 free agent class is one of the best ever.

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Grant Hill Probably Won't End up in Toronto

The Big Lead — 2007-06-26T20:54:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Raptors, NBA Rumors

Grant Hill would have been the perfect offseason acquisition for the Toronto Raptors. A smart, team-oriented veteran who could come in and help teach the young pups how to win when it counts. Hill doesn't have a ring, but he's the consummate pro and is regarded as one of the classiest guys in the NBA. If Toronto is looking for a veteran to come in and link the foreign players (the Raptors may have as many as eight on the roster to start next season) and the Americans, Hill is their guy.

And it looks like they won't get him.

There are those in the Raptors organization who think they will lose out on Grant Hill not to Detroit or Phoenix but to San Antonio.

The Spurs may be willing to give Hill a starting role - bringing Mike Finley and Manu Ginobili off the bench - and Hill would get a chance to finally play alongside Tim Duncan, seven years after they were supposed to hook up in Orlando.

I know the Raptors are going to put on a full-court press but it might not be enough.

Damaging news to the league's top GM, Bryan Colangelo (this list is solid, but I've still got Colangelo at the top). I've been scouring the free agent lists floating about the net and there really isn't a glue guy to be found. Chris Webber? You know I like him, but I wouldn't put C-Webb in the Grant Hill glue category. Jerry Stackhouse? He's going to want minutes and shots, and might not be worth the headache.

Colangelo is as crafty as they come, and you can be sure Raptors fans will be praying he works his magic.

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Why Would the Dallas Mavericks Want Kevin Garnett?

The Big Lead — 2007-06-26T20:31:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Timberwolves, Mavericks, Western, NBA Draft, NBA Rumors

Short answer: they shouldn't. Sixty-seven victories. Best record in the League. One of the best pure scorers in the NBA in Dirk and one of the best swingmen in Josh Howard. Two good point guards in JT and Devin Harris. Two adequate centers and good punch off the bench.

So do we really need to go down this road?

DallasBasketball.com has learned that the Mavs have quietly laid the groundwork necessary to be bidders in the Kevin Garnett Sweepstakes, with a backup plan that could land an impact lottery-level player in Thursday's NBA Draft.

Sigh. I've got no clue as to the credibility of this site, but if there's a scintilla of truth to this, I'd be disappointed in Mark Cuban. Cubes, baby, all that happened was you ran into a terrible first-round matchup. A hot team that was much quicker than you. A hot team that shot the lights out. Dirk had a terrible series. It happens. Are you really ready to scrap all of that to bring in a stud who is - let's face it - beginning the downside of his career?

No slight to KG - he's one of the 10 best players in the league. But if this deal involves parting with Dirk, Howard or Harris, I'd be disappointed. The Mavericks are fine. They'll win another 60 games next year. And be right there with Phoenix and San Antonio for Western Conference supremacy.

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Why Do the Nets Want to Keep Vince Carter?

The Big Lead — 2007-06-24T21:28:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Nets, NBA Draft, NBA Rumors

That's what I'm asking myself in the wake of the New York Daily News report that claims Vince Carter will be re-signed before he opts out of his contract and tests the free agent market. Let me preface this by saying I'm still skeptical the Nets will re-sign Carter. Why would the Nets want to hang onto a shooting guard who disappears in the clutch, hasn't gotten into a defensive stance since arriving in the Garden State in December of 2004, and is going to command $15 million a year?

If you can read between the lines on Z-Man's post about this, he thinks it's crazy, too. Before you say, 'but hey, with Kidd, Carter, Jefferson and a healthy Nenad Krstic, the Nets will rule the East!' I say, not so fast, my friend (Corso rules!).

Last year, with those four in the lineup, the Nets opened the season 11-14. Then Krstic went down with the injury, and New Jersey had to scramble just to get into the postseason (where it lost to Cleveland in the second round).

Here's what the Nets should do - let Carter go anywhere he wants, try like heck to deal Richard Jefferson for Zach Randolph, and then try really, really hard to get a scorer with the 17th pick (pray for Nick Young, but he won't be there; perhaps Rodney Stuckey will plummet that far, or the Nets can work out a deal with foreign stud Marco Belinelli before the draft so that if they take him, he can join the club next season).

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Crystal Ballin': Charlotte Bobcats

The Big Lead — 2007-06-20T20:55:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Bobcats, Eastern, NBA Draft

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 28th NBA Draft.

Lots of folks like Milwaukee as a sleeper in the East, but my pick is the Bobcats (again). If they can add a legit scorer to join an already-strong frontcourt, I don't see why Charlotte can't make a run at the playoffs.

Needs: A prolific scorer. Defensive help.

Best case scenario: Corey Brewer slips through the cracks? Not happening. Since the Bobcats will lose their best player (Gerald Wallace) and their best shooter (Matt Carroll) to free agency, I think offense is the pick at No. 8, and Nick Young is the guy. The USC shooting guard hit 52 percent from the field, and 44 percent from three - astonishing numbers for a shooting guard on a pretty balanced team. With the 22nd pick, if BC's Sean Williams, Duke's Josh McRoberts, or Colorado State's Jason Smith are around, one of those three is the pick. I really like McRoberts when he's paired with a good center. He's got good range and might be the best passing big man in the draft.

More likely scenario: From all that I've read, Charlotte seems enamored with Joakim Noah. It's crazy if you ask me - Emeka Okafor and Sean May are a very good tandem inside when healthy. If you want to play Noah and Okafor at the same time, where will the offense come from? There aren't going to be instant-offense guys around in the early 20s, thus the logic behind grabbing Young early.
Please don't draft: Yi Jianlian, because he's a project who isn't ready to contribute. Will you get mad if I add Noah to the list? Too bad. Just did.

Second round possibilities: No pick.

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Crystal Ballin': Portland Trailblazers

The Big Lead — 2007-06-20T20:19:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Trail Blazers, Western, NBA Draft

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 28th NBA Draft.

A team on the verge. Between the top pick in the draft and four second-round selections, the Blazers should be able to fill the roster with enough talent to reach 35-40 wins next year, and target the playoffs the following year.

Needs: A scorer at small forward to complement Rookie of the Year Brandon Roy. A point guard.

Best case scenario: It's already happened, but to play along ... Atlanta offers a couple bad contracts and the No. 3 pick for Zach Randolph. Portland takes Greg Oden first, then Mike Conley third. LaMarcus Aldridge slides to power forward to replace Randolph, and your new backcourt is Conley and Brandon Roy.

More likely scenario: Portland doesn't get a legit offer for Randolph, and is stuck with three very good players for only two spots. Not bad. But it also makes one wonder ... could you fault Portland for taking Durant first, keeping Aldridge to play center, and have Z-Bo at power forward?

Please don't take: Anybody other than Oden or Durant with the first pick.

Second round possibilities: With four picks in the second round (37, 42, 52, 53), the Blazers are in outstanding shape. They can take a chance on two Euros would pan out down the road (a strategy the Spurs have employed with much success) and a point guard and a small forward. How about a gamble on Finnish point guard Petteri Koponen? Or Bosnian center Stanko Barac? Two guys the Blazers could gamble on in the 50s might include Fullerton point guard Bobby Brown and I've always like Villanova forward Curtis Sumpter, despite his many injury issues.

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Crystal Ballin': New Jersey Nets

The Big Lead — 2007-06-19T23:51:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Nets, Eastern, NBA Draft

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 28th NBA Draft.

Will Richard Jefferson get traded? What will Vince Carter do? How many more years does Jason Kidd have? This is a pivotal offseason for the Nets, who may have more summer question marks than any team in the league (including the Lakers). New Jersey could start next season with four different starters than it had against Cleveland in the playoffs last month.

Needs: Assuming Vince Carter departs, you'll need a scorer. If Richard Jefferson is dealt (hopefully, it's for a power forward), then you'll need a small forward to play like the Olympian he replaced. And then there's a wingman for center Nenad Krstic, who returns from injury (assuming Mikki Moore gets a Jerome James-type offer from a dumb team).

Best case scenario: Boston College shot-blocking machine Sean Williams is around at 17. Even though the Nets drafted Josh Boone last year, Williams is more ready to come in and be a defensive force. Scenario 1b would involve Georgia Tech's Thaddeus Young slipping this far, because he'd be a nice replacement for Carter or Jefferson.

More likely scenario: They're going to probably have to decide between Duke's Josh McRoberts and Colorado State's Jason Smith upfront, or an upside guy like Daequan Cook to play 2/3. McRoberts could actually be a nice fit next to Krstic, though. I still think Williams will be around at 17 just because of his drug issues that got him booted from BC. New Jersey would jump at Williams, who has the potential to be a Dennis Rodman-type rebounder with Dwight Howard-like shot blocking ability.

Please don't take: Cook, Aaron Afflalo, or Smith.

Second round possibilities: No pick.

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Crystal Ballin': New York Knicks

The Big Lead — 2007-06-19T23:35:00 00:00

by The Big Lead

Filed under: Knicks, Eastern, NBA Draft

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 28th NBA Draft.

Even though rumors are spreading like wildfire (thanks a ton, Chris Sheridan) about the possibility of Kobe Bryant coming to the Knicks for any of the garbage on the New York roster, we're going to assume that's not happening. Isiah Thomas has had a rough few years as a GM, but when it comes to the draft, he's unearthed some gems the last two years (David Lee, Channing Frye, Nate Robinson, Renaldo Balkman).

Needs: Backup center for Eddy Curry, slashing small foward.

Best case scenario: Al Thornton or Thaddeus Young fall to 23.

More likely scenario: The Knicks roster is funny - they've got a good point guard (Marbury), a scoring shooting guard (Crawford), two defensive-minded small forwards (Balkman, Jeffries), two very good power forwards (Lee, Frye) and one of the best centers in the East (Curry). When you're set like that, yet don't make the playoffs (I know, injuries), it's time to juggle the roster - which leads me to believe a trade is in the works. If one doesn't happen, look for the Knicks to find a slashing small forward who can score (Q Rich can't slash, just shoot) - say, DePaul's Wilson Chandler or Vandy's Derrick Byars.

Please don't take: A shooting guard, because Crawford is the best player on the team, or Glen 'Big Baby' Davis. He'd be a crowd favorite, but it'd be criminal to play him at the expense of Lee or Frye.

Second round possibilities: No pick.

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