FanHouse J.j.Hickson

It's funny how the timing works out. Ben Wallace hasn't played for the Cavs since Feb. 26 due to a broken right leg, and Anderson Varejao missed Cleveland's last game with a banged up wrist. The Cavs finally had the entire team back on the practice court on Tuesday ... but learned today that rookie J.J. Hickson will miss the next two to three weeks with a sore back.

Truth be told, losing Hickson is hardly a huge blow for the Cavs -- he's barely played of late, and with both Wallace and Varejao available, he wasn't going to play much going forward -- but it's still horrible timing on the eve of the playoffs.

Here's a look at the top ten players we saw at the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

1. Jerryd Bayless: Who cares that him running point was like a Ben Stiller movie or that he managed so few assists his teammates almost decided to bring their own ball on the court to play catch? The kid was transcendent. Floaters, fadeaways, dunks, steals, you name it. If it's got flash, Bayless was unleashing it on someone this week.

2. Kevin Love: You know how some people's college game just doesn't transfer to the pro game? Yeah, Kevin Love won't be having that problem. Tough, resilient, with a range of moves and offensive versatility to go along with the sweetest, yes, outlet pass we've seen, Love was incredibly impressive.

3. Anthony Randolph: Youth and athleticism rules! The lanky Warrior started the week off with a bang and played solid throughout. His impressive handle really made him stand out, along with a tenacious effort on defense.

With the NBA Draft coming up on Thursday night, FanHouse's Tom Ziller took a friend's advice and unilaterally decided what teams ought to do in the first round. Think of it as a shorter version of our ongoing Crystal Ballin' series.

1. Chicago -- Michael Beasley, Kansas State. Fan consensus would have the point guard from Memphis here, and it looks like John Paxson will swing that way, too. It looks like a whole lot of Chris Paul-induced "pure point" fervor to me. Beasley, though, is the rare unassailable post presence who also boasts great perimeter skills and extraordinary tenacity on the court. With a team so desperate for points on something other than jump shots, Beasley fits right in.

2. Miami -- Derrick Rose, Memphis. The Heat, on the other hand, has some firepower in the paint, between Dwyane Wade's irrepressible slashing and the alternating efforts of Shawn Marion and Udonis Haslem. But Wade needs help running the show. Rose would provide the right engine to push Miami's offensive abilities while offering some backcourt defensive support.

3. Minnesota -- Brook Lopez, Stanford. Like any other basketball aesthete, I have cracked some Brook Lopez jokes. But behind the Cheetah Girls t-shirts, he's a good prospect. The biggest thing he can offer Minnesota in some interior anchorage on defense. Al Jefferson got abused routinely in the paint last season, with nary a partner to help stunt the opponent. Lopez immediately fortifies the effort, maybe not creating a good defense by himself, but at least helping out. Oh, and he can score too.

27 more picks of questionable logic after the jump.

Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.

The Rockets had a nice 22-game win streak to hang their hats on in 2008, but that was about it. The injury to Yao really wrecked the team's chances of advancing deep into the playoffs (or even past the first round). If the team can add some athleticism and boost their bench a bit, they could be contenders in 2009.

Picks: #25, #54.

Needs: Not to have the Chinese government force their All-Star center to shut it down mid-season to make sure he's ready for the Olympics. That, and some size to back up said center when he does play. I know it seems like Dikembe Mutombo might just play forever. But I promise you, Rockets fans: he won't.

Best case scenario: Chris Douglas-Roberts would be a nice player to get here, but if the fans were drafting, I don't think he'd be available.

This is why the "test the waters" process is mishandled. NC State forward J.J. Hickson declined an invitation to the NBA's pre-draft camp.

Coach Sidney Lowe said last week that Hickson would attend the camp, but would only get a physical. However, his name is not found under "Camp Players" or the separate list of "Skills, Strength & Agility, and Medical Testing." The latter is usually reserved for players who are considered guaranteed first-round picks.

Normally, players who feel they are assured of being a first round pick (basically the top 15-20 players) skip the camp and just have the physical. That means Hickson feels he's guaranteed to be a first rounder. He's basically the only one.

DraftExpress has him as the first pick in the 2nd round. NBADraft.net has him as the final pick of the first round. ESPN has him going 28th.

Fifteen players made the "physical only" list ... which include the likes of O.J. Mayo, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley and Kevin Love. Yeah, Hickson may be in that same recruiting class, but he isn't in that class of talent right now.

Hickson has yet to sign with an agent, so there is the possibility of him returning to the Wolfpack.