Supposedly, Yao Ming's team, the Shanghai Sharks, have given him permission to make a 10-day trip to the US next month, during which he'll work out for 5-10 teams. It's the strongest indication to date that the Sharks will allow him to enter June's draft. It also lessens the threat of a New York "fix" in the lottery. If the Sharks/whoever holds the rights to Ming were really that furtive in their dealings with the NBA, then I see no reason as to why they would be doing this. It would be counterproductive to what they would be trying to accomplish.
You might be right about him not going this high. However, everyone has been complaining about a lack of interior defense on this team. While he's not fast & has a limited offensive arsenal, he does bring a strong defensive game. With the lack of big, dominant centers, I don't think that he'll drop too far down. Maybe, if Wagner is still available when we pick, the Clippers would trade us Odom & the #8 pick for the #5 & #14 pick for a chance to draft Wagner. Maybe, we could then draft Marcus at #8. Again, you might be right, but the only teams that I can see going for him, would be Phoenix or Washington. Phoenix needs a center more than a PF & Washington would have a hard time passing on Rush at the 11th spot. Also, if he hasn't signed with an agent, that might scare off some teams for fear that he'd not want to play for them & go back to school. However, I placed him so low, because of this draft review on him. 8. Chris Wilcox 6-10 PF Maryland / Sophomore / 11.9 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg Could become a dominant player in the paint if he adds some low post moves and a better shooting touch to his already amazing physical skills. Runs the floor like a deer. There are too many players of his kind in the NBA. That makes him less attractive. I agree, but if he impresses in the rookie camps, he might be worth taking. However, I still believe that the Rockets will draft the best available center, if they can't get Ming or Woods. I didn't forget him. Some players that are hyped before the draft will drop down lower than projected. I left him out of the top 13 picks, based on this review of him & what I believe are the needs of the other teams. 6. Caron Butler 6-7 SF Connecticut / Senior / 19.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.2 spg Full of strength. Runs the court extremely well. Needs to add some feet to his shooting range. His defense needs development, too.
quote: _______________________________________________ 6. Caron Butler 6-7 SF Connecticut / Senior / 19.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.2 spg Full of strength. Runs the court extremely well. Needs to add some feet to his shooting range. His defense needs development, too. ________________________________________________ Why would we want Butler when we already have KT? Their stature and game seems to be very similar.
I based this guess on the UCLA connection & the fact that he could back up Kandi. If the Clippers keep the current nucleus together, then they really only need a starting PG. Other than Kandi at 7'0", they only have Odom & Rooks at 6'10". Everyone else is shorter than that. They need to add some size to the team, imo.
Nike, Right now, relatively speaking when you adjust for experience, Cato has nothing over Amare, who is already a better ball handler with better hands. In other words, if we brought him in now to play Cato's role, I believe that he can do it. If we can all agree on that then the only other consideration is, has he reached his potential. In my opinion he is far from that. You have noticed the recent play on Brown and Chandler. If Amare by this time next year is giving or is capable of giving this kind of production, then he should be our man. It does not matter that he is coming out because of violations, it just matters that he is coming now. Who is he likely to be like 3 yrs from now? Athletic ability and potential seem to justify we take the chance instead of going after a Wilcox or Jefferies.
See I'm not sure how stronga defensive game he'll really bring... I have a hard time seeing him drafted in the top 10. Marcus is a big body, but so is Jason Collier. I wasn't particularly impressed with his defensive game in the couple of NCAA games I saw him play, and with his competition getting bigger and faster and stronger I wonder how effective he'll really be compared to expectations. I'm interested to know which draft source you're getting your quotes from. It's one I'm not familiar with As for Wilcox the simple fact is I honestly think he could play Center for a lot of teams. At 6-10 245, he was the strongest player in the post on Maryland's team, and the only one able to push the strength and conditioning coach out of the post in practices. And I'd be willing to bet he's stronger in the post than Cato. I think Wilcox could have a sweet 15-17 foot jump shot developed by the comming season. The elements are there for it, he just needs to polish it off. And probably has the ability to develop his range even further. I'd love to see him drop down to #8, cuz I think that means he'll be back at Maryland for another season Because staying would raise his stock cuz Gary would work with Chris to develop those missing facets of his game. Butler's the real deal, and he got consistantly better as the season progressed. I'm almost positive he hasn't declared but I'd expect him to at least test the waters. Also of note, Butler is a Sophmore not a Senior. He also shot .373% from outside the arc so his shooting range is not bad at all. He's an outstanding player, and from the games I saw his defense wasn't outstanding but it wasn't bad at all. Like I said before, I'd like to see the link to the draft review you're using, I'd like to see what they say about the rest of the players.
Why would they draft Rush when they already have Maggette, Richardson, Odom, etc.? I want the Rocks to draft Wilcox at 5, and Butler or Rush at 14.
Here's my view of the draft: 1. CHI - Ming (Remember, the Bulls love to wheel & deal at the draft, they have the last 2 drafts plus the countless times they traded Pippen. Look for Krause to post a sign reading: WANTED: PERIMETER SCORER, and just sit back and wait for the bidding to begin. My early draft 'Shocka!': Draft rights to Ming\Oakley for Stephon Marbury \Outlaw) 2. GS - Williams (No-brainer, Richardson & Williams could form one of the league's best backcourts,..... or be the first backcourt with a 3:1 TO to Assist ratio. Will (should) they pass the ball? Don't be surprised if they deal with the Bulls for Ming. (How big would he be in San Fran\Oakland, huh?)) 3. MEM - Woods (OK, solves 2 problems. One, helps strengthen the backcourt. Two, being a local product, will help dull the sting of passing on Wagner. Memphis is my early pick for most improved team, they could be the Pistons of 02-03.) 4. DEN - Wagner (Another no-brainer, though it may be hard to pass on Borchardt or Stoudamire. They will have their own version of 'Stevie Franchise\The Answer' now.) 5. HOU - Gooden (Would love Ming or Woods, but settle on Gooden over Wilcox due to more developed offensive game. Post game is too good to pass up. Can he play C?) 6. CLE - Wilcox (They need a PF, have tried to turn a C into a PF, now they get a PF, and what a PF is he! Perfect compliment to their skilled Cs with athleticism and shot-blocking. Could also be Gooden or Butler.) 7. NY - Borchardt (They need size, they need size, they need size. Actually, Borchardt should be a nice fit as long as he boards and stays healthy.) 8. LAC - Stoudamire (Its simple. They need more size. They love athleticism. They've had luck with HSers. Look for some serious trade talk here.) 9. MIA - Butler (Well, he's been compare to Paul Pierce, might as well slide like Pierce. Look for Riley to come back to reality (Defense may win championships, but defense alone ain't jack) and select this athletic swingman with scoring potential, FINALLY! Could possibly trade as well.) 10. PHO - Haislip (See LAC @ #8 minus the HS part.) 11. WAS - Jeffries (Good fit, here. Size & skill. Could come in as one of the Wiz best low-post players, which is both good & bad.) 12. LAC - Ely (Remember, they need size. They also need more 'half court' players. And 'Kandi might not be back. And...) 13. IND - Rush (A successor for Reggie Miller? Resist the urge to draft Marcus to take 'best available.' This is a very DANGEROUS team, they have so many players to deal, they could be big players in this draft or in the off-season.) 14. MIL - Gadzuric (Mild surprise considering Marcus is still on board. Ever notice that since they traded another UCLA C, some guy named Alcindor later known as Abdul-Jabbar, they've been looking high and low for a C? 'Curse of Kareem', perhaps?) 15. HOU - Yarborough (OK, so its not exactly the order the Chronicle predicted, but the Rocks get their young, athletic SF. Honestly (and not because I'm a big fan of his, as well as Gooden's ), this could be a guy whose stock explodes after workouts. Very talented. Carmelo Anthony could also be a possibility.)
There are also reports that he may not qualify. Supposedly, he took a test this past weekend, so we'll have to see.
DearRock, here's where I disagree with you... Right now I think Cato has an advantage. 90% of Amare's game has been abusing the open court and taking advantage of people who can't physically match up with him. The fact is he's no where near his potential. He's an athletic phenom with no half court offensive game. From what I've heard he's a less refined, possibly slightly more athletic Kwame Brown. Now if you're drafting for next season he's probably not the guy you want to pick. If waiting a couple years for him to develop his game as well as grow mentally, he's a good choice. The question I have for you is where is Amare's athletic ability and potential noticably better than Wilcox? I haven't seen anything major to back up that thought. Amare has the better handle and looks better in the open court. Wilcox has 2 years of college experiance and an actual post game he can go to. Which one of those two talents are more important for the rockets? Especially considering how little we run the floor 90% of the times in games... Also considering that the difference between their ages is less than a year. So additional physical development is an equal possibility for both of them.
First, there is no way N.Y. would choose Borchardt over Marcus. (They already have a 6-11, 230-lb center in Camby.) Second, if Marcus is on the board at #14, the Rockets will take him. Third, the Rockets will take Dunleavy, Woods or Butler (whoever is left) before they will take another PF, even Gooden.
Jay, it is a good question. I would like to think that Stoudamire at Maryland for two years would be better than Wilcox. There are both very good. I am one of those who say that the team already has alot of talent and there is only so much stuff you could put through a system in a given time. Why would we be drafting for next season? Do not mix us up with the Chicago Bulls. We are purely a team in this position because of injuries and the fact that Toronto gave us a pick for the dream. We were not supposed to be in this position, at all. I am not looking for anyone to come in and make a difference. Heck, as it is, we are going to have difficultly finding minutes for a lot of people next year. If a scout tells that Stoudamire will never be more than average in the NBA, then fine. If this guy is going to be better that Swift, as good as 74% as good as Garnett, I say take him. Let me just add one more thing. I have seen EG being very soft and weak taking it to the hole. He is not a nasty fella. By the looks of it Amare is a nasty fellow and if he can respond to coaching, the sky is the limit. I think we can afford to wait. I must say that the thought of Amare and EG being part of the same backcourt, makes me shiver. According to Live: 5. HOU - Gooden (Would love Ming or Woods, but settle on Gooden over Wilcox due to more developed offensive game. Post game is too good to pass up. Can he play C?) 6. CLE - Wilcox (They need a PF, have tried to turn a C into a PF, now they get a PF, and what a PF is he! Perfect compliment to their skilled Cs with athleticism and shot-blocking. Could also be Gooden or Butler.) 7. NY - Borchardt (They need size, they need size, they need size. Actually, Borchardt should be a nice fit as long as he boards and stays healthy.) 8. LAC - Stoudamire (Its simple. They need more size. They love athleticism. They've had luck with HSers. Look for some serious trade talk here.) I would say the comments for LAC would be just as appropriate for HOU. We need Gooden like we need Marbury.
REPOST! Jay, it is a good question. I would like to think that Stoudamire at Maryland for two years would be better than Wilcox. There are both very good. I am one of those who say that the team already has alot of talent and there is only so much stuff you could put through a system in a given time. Why would we be drafting for next season? Do not mix us up with the Chicago Bulls. We are purely a team in this position because of injuries and the fact that Toronto gave us a pick for the dream. We were not supposed to be in this position, at all. I am not looking for anyone to come in and make a difference. Heck, as it is, we are going to have difficultly finding minutes for a lot of people next year. If a scout tells that Stoudamire will never be more than average in the NBA, then fine. If this guy is going to be better that Swift, as good as 74% as good as Garnett, I say take him. Let me just add one more thing. I have seen EG being very soft and weak taking it to the hole. He is not a nasty fella. By the looks of it Amare is a nasty fellow and if he can respond to coaching, the sky is the limit. I think we can afford to wait. I must say that the thought of Amare and EG being part of the same frontcourt, makes me shiver. According to Live: 5. HOU - Gooden (Would love Ming or Woods, but settle on Gooden over Wilcox due to more developed offensive game. Post game is too good to pass up. Can he play C?) 6. CLE - Wilcox (They need a PF, have tried to turn a C into a PF, now they get a PF, and what a PF is he! Perfect compliment to their skilled Cs with athleticism and shot-blocking. Could also be Gooden or Butler.) 7. NY - Borchardt (They need size, they need size, they need size. Actually, Borchardt should be a nice fit as long as he boards and stays healthy.) 8. LAC - Stoudamire (Its simple. They need more size. They love athleticism. They've had luck with HSers. Look for some serious trade talk here.) I would say the comments for LAC would be just as appropriate for HOU. We need Gooden like we need Marbury.
I wonder if the Clipps could trade their 2 lotto picks for a shot at Ming if they would do it. Granted, they have Kandi, but they could potentially land a guy with as much or more (possibly a lot more) talent in Ming and not have to pay him a boatload of money like they will have to do with Kandi. Also, given the Chinese population in LA, it might actually be a good fit for Ming and the Chinese "powers that be" who are making these demands/requests.
OK, I'll admit that Gooden is redundant. If Butler has great workouts, he could easily be drafted by the Rocks. But if Gooden is redundant, what is Stoudamire? Or Wilcox? And if you think these guys are Cs (Gooden, included, despite what I typed), or could be 'converted' into Cs, I have some swamp land to sell to you! (If anybody would be open to playing C, it would probably be Stoudamire because it means playing time. But do you really think he would be successful?) The reason I forecast Gooden is because he has a solid post game, and the Rocks need post players. He's just more 'ready' than Wilcox. He also boards and rebounds, and should the Rocks look to deal (say KT), he could be quite valuable in a trade or as a replacement. I'll admit, in a perfect Rockets' world, they would love to draft Ming. As for Marcus, I have to wonder if he's effective without scoring, and his defensive ability. Can he board effectively, block shots, defend without fouling? That's why I have him slipping, will he be another Sean Rooks. And that's why I see Borchardt going before him.
Here you go. I don't know how accurate they are, but their site provides the NBA player salaries & length of contracts like RealGM used to do. So, I just used their review as a guide & moved players according to what I believe are their needs & what player might be available when they pick. http://www.**************/draft.htm For some reason the link is not copy & pasting correctly. The link address is: www.**************/draft.htm I give up. Clutch must have his site blocked or something. It's hoopshype. Just type that in with the www & .com in the appropriate place. The guy was promoting his site recently & that might explain what's wrong.
The more I think about it, the more I think this team needs Yao Ming. A real center. We have the other parts...in fact, might have to trade some of them to get what we want. The tough thing to figure in all this is, Who will we deal in the off-season? What will that bring us? Nothing against Mo-T, but we're probably stuck with him as the starting "power" forward, and we do have Glen Rice on the books...for now, anyway. Kenny T., I hope you like your new address. Now, the Bulls are really looking for defense and veteran help. That was in today's Chicago Tribune. They keep acting like they might trade the pick; I think that's what Rose and Cartwright are screaming for. Just food for thought, if we wind up drafting 5, 6, or 7.
DearRock, I agree with you for the most part. We're not the Chicago Bulls and consquently we don't need to focus on taking potential. That's why I'd be hesitant to draft Amare especially at the 5 pick if we have it. I also agree that more than anything else, the Rockets need to find a player with a post game. More than a SF, we need someone to play inside with their back to the basket. *edit* (lol confused live's predics as yours DearRock) It's also why I don't question Live's choice of taking Gooden with the 5. Gooden's a known contributer and a very solid player, but with slighly less upside than the the younger players. A little less risk, a little less reward I'd take Wilcox over Gooden, partly because I'm a Maryland fan but also cuz I'm more familiar with his game. I just see it as a little more risk than Gooden but with the potential for a lot bigger reward. His post game is developing nicely, and between the two Wilcox has the better chance of being able to play minutes at Center. As for Amare, I don't know... How good would Amare be after 2 years at Maryland? I'm not sure, mainly because I don't know how he'd deal with the coaches, and how he'll develop as a player. Like you said, "if he can respond to coaching, the sky is the limit." Well that's a pretty big if. It took Wilcox a year to figure out Gary was telling him the right things to do. I don't know how long it would take Amare to learn that same lesson. That's a big part of the reason I'm against drafting Highschool players so highly. But the one thing I do know is that drafting Amare, most specifically with the 5, doesn't address the most glaring need for next season, which is a reliable post player.
Live, Amare is 19 years old and all he reasonably can expect now is some money in his pocket and the opportunity to learn basketball in probably the best environment in the league, just ask Cato who begged to stay. If we have to depend on any draft pick next year, we are in big trouble. As far as I am concerned if we can play EG at center, we can play Amare, but as I said that should not be the case next year. Perspective is a crazy thing. I get the impression that we want to be constantly "rebuilding" and not contending. I will say again, that if it were not for our injuries, we would be right there with Portland and Minnesota. The evidence for that is extensive. So we are then talking about setting up ourselves to be a couple notches above that next year. We cannot seriously go in that direction if we continue to talk about trading KT. If we say value is equal to performance over cost, then KT is highly valuable and so is Mobes. Trading KT, I promise, will not return equal or the same value, especially considering that we have some heavy salaries already and some more to come. Because KT is so underpaid, we can afford to have a relatively good performer at a low price. To be a team to be taken seriously you need to be loaded. Have we taken a look at Sacramento and Dallas, recently? They have stockpiled talent and we have to do the same, to keep pace.
