It is unlikely that we will have a legitimate PF on the board or Even Brandon Roy. Picking a Rookie PG is not even justifed at the stage we are. Let us just trade down get Shelden Williams or Splitter and do a decent deal for Swift ( it will be a miracle if he stayed). Likely trading partners would be New Orleans and New Jersey. A back up for Yao in Saer Sene is not a bad Idea. Bonzi would be the SG we would need. I am not really sold on carney.
I am not convinced that draft pick would help us win right now. I want us to win right now. With a health Yao and Tracy, I really think that we can go all the way. draft pick is not gonna help us right the way. the clippers wants to trade CM, draft pick + Luther Head for CM would be good for us and them. Our windows of opportunity is closing in 3 years so let's win now
You're probably right. I knew there was a reason I don't like using innitials! (even though I eventually gave in and started doing it too) Also, I don't know about Corey Maggette either. He would look brilliant at times through out that series, but then other times he looked like a complete bonehead. When you combine that with the injury prone history, I just don't know. It makes me nervous. I saw somebody else say that Corey Maggette who was the kind of player who decides whether he's going to pass or shoot before he even touches the ball and that seems pretty accurate. On the positive side, can you imagine the foul trouble teams would get into with Yao, McGrady and Maggette in the line-up? Maggette is brilliant at getting to the line.
The real question is: Who wants to trade up for our pick? I don't see a lot of teams jumping at the chance to draft at #8. All of the trade worthy guys will be long gone by the time we get around.
The Knicks might do it...Isiah is kinda loony...Knicks need help in the front court...Give them J-Ho and the #8 pick for Jamal Crawford....I think the Knicks would go for it especially since they have a lot of guards and Juwan would become their second best forward behind Channing Frye.
I agree with gucci in that I don't see a huge market. I don't see this as a draft that teams will be trading "into" (ie player for picks). I could see teams trading up 4-5 slots to get a player they target. Teams always trade for a targeted player - in our slot, that could include a center like Patrick O'Bryant (obviously we won't be drafting a center top 10), or a specific point guard, like Rondo, Williams, or even Foye. I can't see anyone trading up for one of the wings; if I had to guess, most draft trades target centers and point guards. Just looking at the past 3 years of trades involving first rounders... 2002: 4 point guards, 2 centers, 1 non-PG/C Denver trades in for Nene (C) Golden State trades in for Jiri Welsch (PG) Utah trades up for Curtis Borchardt Lakers trade up for Kareem Rush New York trades in for Frank Williams Atlanta trades in for Dan Dickau Philadelphia trades in for John Salmons (PG) 2003: 2 point guards Boston trades up (Memphis) for Marcus Banks Phoenix trades in (San Antonio) for Leandro Barbosa 2004: 2 point guards, 1 center, 2 non-PG/Cs Dallas trades in for Devin Harris Chicago trades in (Phoenix) for Luol Deng** Orlando trades in for Jameer Nelson Dallas trades in for Pavel Podkolzine Portland trades in for Khryapa **Chicago didn't trade specifically for Deng; they bought the pick from Phoenix.** 2005: 3 point guards Utah trades up for Deron Williams Portland trades up for Jarrett Jack New York trades in for Nate Robinson **Nate Robinson was also more of a BPA pick part of the Q/Kurt Thomas trade than a target** So in 4 years, 11 point guard trade-ups, 3 center trade-ups, and 3 others. I'd say, pay close attention to teams behind us who take a liking to Marcus Williams, Rajon Rondo, or Randy Foye, and also keep an eye on Mardy Collins.
Depending upon what other teams offer, I'd say trade it. Still, with this being a comparatively wide but shallow draft, I have to echo the sentiments expressed elsewhere in this thread and say the 8th pick has comparatively little value.
Splitter's said if he isn't at least a top ten pick he won't be heading into the NBA. He needs the money to work out a buyout with his current club.
im iffy on maggette also. i'd love to have him but i dunno if he'll stay healthy. i wouldnt mind taking the cat back tho. could we trade for cat and sign another player or two? mike james. or split mid-level with bobby j and someone else?
Having a rookie on the team in the playoffs is a huge advantage. They have no fear. That is part of the reason that Sam C. did so well for us, he was fearless. I'm completely in favor of drafting the most talented player at 8 and fill our needs with free agency. (ie, don't trade the pick, use it)
That's my thinking too. The draft is a nice way to dramatically increase the talent of a team, as long as it gets the right target. MLE for Mike James and an athletic shooter at #8. Sweet.
I think Mike James can be are Carney, Roy whatever... He can score, drive, whatever... we either need to draft Shelden or Reddick.
Unless you can trade up for Aldridge or Morrision, we'd be better off signing James and drafting Carney. New Orleans' picks look mighty tempting though, if you can grab Reddick and Shelden Williams. Eesh, 2 Duke players in one draft.
If the premise is a trade, then take Patrick O'Bryant, a 19-year-old center, although I look for Minnesota to take him first. O'Bryant could then be traded for a nice SG or SF in a center-starved league. Now, in truth, I don't like this strategy because I believe one of the highly touted players (Bargnani, for example) is going to drop and we should be there for the scoop. If Atlanta goes for a PG (Marcus Williams); Minnesota goes for need (O'Bryant at center) and perhaps a player like Shawn Williams shoots up into the lottery, then we may have more choices than we thought possible. Oh, yes, and I still like Cedric Simmons as a possible choice so we can trade Swift for our SG/SF need.
We absolutely need to draft. If anything, trade Swift for more picks. Our team needs talent on rookie contracts, where we can possibly retain the Bird rights. If we could trade Swift for NOK's pick and get Sheldon, and draft Carney, the team would have a future. Picking up MJ would be good, too.
I like this thinking. We need to be thinking of getting at least three younger possible rotation/ starters before we can compete with the big boys. Although on any given night we can slow it down, and win a game 78 to 75 if Tracy and Yao are both on.
