ESPN - Clippers Send 7th and Future 1st to Seattle for 4th Pick

LA's pick could be protected and they don't expect to be in the lottery? Westbrook supposedly was ranked no.1 by the Blazers out of all the players they worked out. Rockets were also meant to be high on Westbrook.

 

Mayo has never been coached, is not a blow by you athelete, and is position less player. If his career is as good as Larry Hughes or Jamal Crawford, I'd be surprised.

 

edit: ...before the Sam Presti era.

 

The Seattle Times has completely denied there is any trade with the Los Angeles Clippers:

http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/sonics/index.html#29819

I suppose the deal was leaked prematurely. Perhaps there is no deal or maybe it is a smoke screen. *shrug* Regardless, today is very interesting.

 

In Bucher's piece he says it is Mayo protected, which would be the first NBA trade with "hold the mayo."

Thank you, I'm here all week!

 

I disagree. I think it is pretty much a toss up after pick 3.

tier 1 (1-2)
Beasley & Rose

tier 2 (pick 3)
Mayo

tier 3 (picks 4-11)
Bayless, Love, Lopez, Gordon, Westbrook, Alexander, Gallinari, Augustine

All of those guys are decent bets for a decent starting player, just depends
on need how they get selected.

Personally I can't see how people but Westbrook in the same company as Bayless (who I would put in the top group on talent/upside), but some seem to.

 

Mayo can shoot. If Larry Hughes had a good jumper he would be a top 10 combo guard.

With all the talk about Rose, he can't shoot like Bayless or Mayo. (Or like his natural comparison, Deron Williams, when he came out).

If any player I think is slightly overrated in this draft, I'd say Rose. He should be a slam dunk top 5 pick, but not a slam dunk #1 pick. I think the slam dunk #1 pick is Beasley.

 

I actually think you're right!

But perhaps because Chris Paul won the MVP award, teams are hesitant to pass on the best PG available.

Perhaps Riley isn't trying to get OJ Mayo at all - perhaps he wants Beasley, so much that he made it look like they'd trade up or down - anything to avoid picking Beasley....

I guess we'll see!

 

I regret not being able to watch more Memphis games last season. KSU was on in Houston about every week, and after seeing Beasley the first time, I didn't miss him. His talent is incredible. The guy is a multi-skilled beast. I saw nothing negative about his on-court demeanor and he was usually cool under pressure. There were a few times when nerves got the best of him, but whoop dee do! He also isn't selfish with the ball.

Beasley will have a huge impact his rookie year and I predict his rookie season will remind people of LeBron. There is little doubt in my mind he will have more points, rebs and a higher FG% than Durant did last year. There won't be much of a contest for rookie of the year.

My only concern about Beasley is he doesn't seem very mature. Most guys that end up being great at the NBA level are very driven to improve their game and work very hard in the offseason. Beasley may be the kind of guy that doesn't adjust well to being on his own and may lose focus. NBA players have a lot of free time. In another comparison with KD, I think it's safe to Beasley isn't nearly as focused on basketball. It's not a character flaw to be a "kid" at age 19, but many (not all) 19-year olds that go on to NBA stardom are more than "kids". His almost nonchalant attitude at the beginning of the draft process spoke volumes, at least to Pat Riley.

I would take Rose. He seems more like the kind of guy that lives and dies with winning and losing. His stellar play during the tournament should translate well to the next level, and he can get better. He may not have the best rookie season, but he may have the bigger impact on the NBA game.

 

All this talk about building around PGs Last I checked the 2 best over the last 10 years don't have rings (Nash, Kidd), and the two young pups (Paul/Deron) haven't made it to the finals, losing to superstar wings and front court players. And the regular season and post season MVPs went to wings BTW

I'd build around a Lebron/Kobe/Duncan/Wade over a Deron or Paul (or Rose). That kind of talent seems to me to be Beasley.

 

guess that's the end of this thread. Seattle selects Russell Westbrook.

 

Russell Westbrook will be the next Antonio Daniels. Both rose up during draft time, wasn't considered a lottery pick before. Both picked at #4.

 

I can see that.