I'm beginning to wonder if Miles will be available at #9. Orlando, it seems, is bluffing that they'll pick up Miles at #5. I believe they're trying to get Chicago to leave Mihm for them at #5. Chicago, I'm betting, is feigning interest in Miles, when they have no timeline to allow for his development and their necessity to win. Look for them to pick up Mihm at #4 (Clippers willing). Will all of this trickery push Atlanta into picking up Miles, leaving Alexander available to the Bulls at #7? Would Atlanta still pick up Miles when they're trying to rebuild? Or go for a proven Miller or Johnson? I'm beginning to wonder if Miles will be available at #9 (as I said in the beginning), although I haven't poignantly described such a process (trying to post when your significant other is waiting is difficult). ------------------ get it Tag, get it! - a Jazzhole asking Greg Ostertag to rebound the ball.
HS player "stocks" tend to rise and fall a lot, a la Lewis, and Bender. Will Atlanta take him? Doubt it. If he's there at #7 Chicago would take him. Unless they really want Alexander, which I just can't see. Orlando probably doesn't want him. With a good chance for TMac, and already with Maggette (Has anyone else heard the latest rumor? #5, #10, Maggette, and Doleac for #1, and a contract NJ doesn't want, If I was NJ, I'd do that in a heartbeat!!) he doesn't fit the team. Doc has already questioned TMac's value as it's just potential, why would he pick Miles? ------------------ The more lefties on your team, the better. Draft Moiso. Trade Moises. Trade or bench Kenny Thomas.
I agree with you that Orlando wants Mihm bad. Chicago taking Miles just doesn't make sense. He is a couple of years away from contributing on the NBA level. ------------------
I agree, I think Orlando is trying to bluff the Darius Miles thing to get Mihm to drop. However, I just cannot see Jerry Krause passing Mihm. ------------------ Check out the Best Source for Draft Info Draftsource.net
This is exactly what I predicted on my Saturday morning draft revision, RichRocket Racks 'Em: http://www.clutchcity.net/mockdraft.cfm?xMockID=87 I see Miles falling to the Rockets--if they want him. Moiso and DerMarr are great choices,too, and more ready to contribute now, but I like Miles' towering upside. Orlando want Mihm at #5 but settles for Pryzbilla because Chicago takes Mihm at #4. Atlanta wants a contributor right now and goes for Mike Miller at #6. Chicago needs backcourt scoring and welcomes Courtney Alexander at #7. Cleveland takes the big Russian Greek at #8. That leaves the Rockets (because of Rudy's job security) with the luxury of tapping Darius Miles and grooming him. I am worried, however, that the Clippers could screw things up and take Miles at #3. ------------------ There are 3 kinds of people: those who can count and those who can't.
I don't think Orlando is bluffing, but Miles might not be there at 5. Miles has the most potential in the draft. If the Bulls take him at 4 they can still get a big man at 7. It took MJ 6 years to win a championship. They can wait 2 or 3 for Miles and still be competitive. ------------------
Will the exposure and fame that Jordan got influence the Bulls draft picks? Alexander should be a solid NBA player, but won't have the sizzle that a Miles could have if he reaches his potential. Will that have any bearing on Krause's decisions? Also, since they took steady E Brand over a flashy S Francis last year, will they try to compensate for it this year? Mango ------------------ Eat more spinach! Live long and prosper! Donate blood! Smeg will be assimilated. Now...back to updating The Serious Police Files.
I just love the way Johnson's ONE year and Miller's Two years at College make them into ready made NBA players. ------------------ Mango is the Smeg of Bizarro World
Most of these players are overhyped. The only guys who will turn out above average will be: Martin Fizer and possibly Miles ------------------
I have been thinking that we may have a chance for him only if everything falls into place though. If you look at everything New Jersey will take Kenyon Martin, Vancouver will go with Swift, and I think the Clips will go with Marting. From there on you have Chicago picking Mihm I would think. At 5 I think you will see Orlando go big and pick Pryzibilla. They have come out and said that they think he would be a good pick at 10 if he is still around. That could be a bluff there but if you look at what they are looking at in the free agent market a pick like this makes sense. They are going after Duncan, Hill, McGrady, and Eddie Jones and I would guess they figure they could get 2 of them. out of that group you have a shooting guard, small forwards, and a power forward and they seem to have there pg spot already filled. If they get two players of that calibur they will be in a win now mode, not in a mode to draft a project of sorts. at number 6 it seems Atlanta is in love with Mike Miller. Now at 7 which is the wild card pick. Chicago is in the same situation as Orlando. They are pretty much looking at the same free agents except if you follow all the rumors you know the Bulls and Tim Thomas keep making eyes at each other. As each say they want one another. He will be there small forward and then like somebody said they will need back court help. My prediction Alexander or possibly even Demarr Johnson as I don't really see Miles as a full time 2 guard in the NBA, although he is athletic enough to play their. Cleveland has the next pick and it seems obvious they want that one center from Greece and have pretty much already said we are picking him. Next leaves the Rockets at number 9 sitting pretty with a chance to pick Miles and to get lucky on draft day. Hopefully everything falls into place exactly right. ------------------
Cleveland is salivating over the prospect of getting Miles at #8. I don't believe he will get past #3, but he sure won't get past #8. ------------------ the more I know, the more I know I don't know...
Good point Smeg. I'm curious about Atlanta... if they pick Miles, it seems as if they have to quickly unload Dikembe (33 rumored years old) or ask him if he minds terribly rebounding 20 a game during his prime for a team building around a different player (alot to say in one sentence). Incidentally, earlier this week nbatalk.com floated a damaging rumor that Dikembe is not only 33 years old, and that Wilken's arrival in Toronto thus ended the Dikembe to Toronto trade. If Miles were available at the #6, then which player would make the most sense for them: Miles Johnson Miller -or- Alexander. I would personally guess Alexander (forcing the guess again... Miles at #7 to the Bulls?). This possibility again calls into question a potential Rockets - Hawks trade such as Da Man mentioned in a different thread. <HR> The two things that would seemingly make it all but impossible for the Rockets to acquire Miles would be: 1) the Clippers decide they (dis)like him alot, and thus draft him. 2) Orlando or the Nets go ahead and draft him at #5 in lieu of the trade that NIKEstrad mentioned. That trade offers ridiculous depth to the Nets. The players offered solidify the current Nets need, and the picks are icing to boot. The threat of this trade truly forces Krause's hand. Want him? OK, we still get a highly tradeable player... Mihm. If Krause takes Mihm at #4, Thorn has made it readily clear that he's interested in Miles. Unfortunately, unless this trade is a complete hoax, in which place Orlando chooses Pry(sz)abilla (to be paired w/ Duncan during the next Finals), I have to amusingly waffle and concede that Miles will not be available at #9. here's to LAC wanting to trade down to the #9! ------------------ get it Tag, get it! - a Jazzhole asking Greg Ostertag to rebound the ball.
Orlando has Doleac -- it's unlikely they want Mihm, too. I don't see much difference between Doleac and Mihm. I think Orlando will draft for athleticism.
Mark my words.....Miles will not be on the board at 9. I am sure of it. If he makes it out of the top 5 I will go into shock. ------------------ HOOP-T ------------------
I won't be shocked at all. Matter of fact, I think top 5 is a stretch. The consensus top two picks are 1. New Jersey - Martin 2. Vancouver - Swift Next up is LA Clippers. Next year, they will only have one great player, Odom, and he is a 3. Drafting Miles does not make much sense. I see the Clips targeting a 4 or 5 with the third pick. Since next year will be a better year to draft centers and this year they will loose their starting 4, Mo Taylor, to FA, I say the Clips will draft the best remaining 4. 3. LA Clippers - Fizer Chicago and Orlando own the next two picks. Both team are in white hot pusuit of MacGrady. Drafting Miles would be redundant if either team eventually does sign TMac. I see Chicago thinking that TMac is in the bag and going after the 5, 2, and 1 spots, in that order. 5s are way harder to come by, so I say Chicago drafts a center: 4. Chicago - Mihm Orlando aint got nobody. They should draft the best player, reguardless of position. But they are targeting the two best 3 FAs (Hill and TMac) and their pick will indicate what they think their possibilities of winning the FA lottery. I say never underestimate the size of a GM's EGO. The Orlando's GM ego will get the best of him and they will draft anything but a 3. 5. Orlando - Alexander or Przybilla Of course if Hill's and TMac's agent has definitely told the Orlando's GM not to bother making an offer, ... I somewhat do not get why Miles is being hyped so much. For starters, he is the 4th best player in his HS class. No one knows how well he would have played against college competition (if he had passed his entrance exams and went) and needless to say how well he will play against NBA talent. The most anybody here has seen him play is in a high school allstar game, which is a glorifed pick up game. Project Miles' potential ceiling from a pick up game that meant nothing is flat out scary. Miles' raw skills will not guarantee him a great, long, successful NBA career. No one knows how well he is going to adapt to the NBA lifestyle. Despite everybody's best intentions, the lifestyle may be too much, too fast for his maturity to handle or to develop. Finally, whoever does draft him will have to wait a couple of years for him to contribute meaningful minutes to their club. Only GMs, who do not have to worry about getting fired before Miles starts to contribute, will even consider picking Miles. Miles could be great or he could be the next Bill Willoughby. ------------------
The latest rumour has the Clips drafting Miles with the #3 pick and then trading him (plus maybe the #18 pick) to Orlando for the #5 and #10 picks, with the expectation the Fizer gets picked by the Magic with #5 and then the Magic take a PG with #10 ------------------ Mango is the Smeg of Bizarro World
i saw on a one website that the deal would be: Magic get:#3(Darius Miles) Clippers get:#5, #10, and Cory Maggette
