Here is a listing of the draft order as it stands before tonight's lottery. Bobcats are locked at #4 regardless. Also included are Sportingnews' mock picks. Evan 1. Orlando Magic — Emeka Okafor, PF, 6'10" 252 2. Chicago Bulls — Luol Deng, SF, 6'8" 220 3. Washington Wizards — Dwight Howard, PF, 6'11" 225 4. Charlotte Bobcats — Josh Childress, SF, 6'8" 207 5. Atlanta Hawks — Andris Biedrins, C, 7'0" 238 6. L.A. Clippers — Josh Smith, SF, 6'8" 214 7. Phoenix Suns — Martynas Andriuskevicius, C, 7'2" 242 8. Toronto Raptors — Devin Harris, PG, 6'3" 185 9. Philadelphia 76ers — Andre Iguodala, SF, 6'6" 210 10. Cleveland Cavaliers — Ben Gordon, PG, 6'2" 195 11. Golden State Warriors — Rafael Araujo, C, 6'11" 290 12. Seattle SuperSonics — Tiago Splitter, C, 6'11" 240 13. Portland Trail Blazers — Shaun Livingston, PG, 6'7" 175 14. Utah Jazz — Pavel Podkolzine, C, 7'5" 330 15. Boston Celtics — Al Jefferson, PF, 6'9" 260 16. Utah Jazz (via Knicks) — Sergei Monya, SF/SG, 6'8" 220 17. Atlanta Hawks (via Bucks) — Sebastian Telfair, PG, 6'0" 175 18. New Orleans Hornets — Dorell Wright, SF, 6'7" 190 19. Miami Heat — Anderson Varejao, PF, 6'10" 230 20. Denver Nuggets — David Harrison, C, 7'0" 280 21. Utah Jazz (via Rockets) — J.R. Smith, SG, 6'6" 190 22. New Jersey Nets — Jameer Nelson, PG, 6'0'' 190 23. Portland Trail Blazers (via Grizzlies) — Luke Jackson, SF, 6'7" 215 24. Boston Celtics (via Mavericks) — Robert Swift, C, 7'0" 245 25. Boston Celtics (via Detroit) - Peja Samardziski, C, 7'0" 245 26. Sacramento Kings — Ryan Gomes, SF, 6'7" 238 27. L.A. Lakers — Kirk Snyder, SG, 6'6" 219 28. San Antonio Spurs — Kris Humphries, PF, 6'9" 240 29. Minnesota Timberwolves - FORFEIT (Joe Smith Incident) 30. Indiana Pacers — Sasha Vujacic, PG, 6'7" 205
I thought we got the bulls pick plus our own this year. Also, I didn't think that an NBA team was allowed to trade away their first round draft pick two years in a row.
Shallow, shallow draft this year. Josh Childress going 4th? I saw some stanford games... and he's no grant hill... neither is luol deng. Heck, I'm not sure any of these people are that good. Although some of the lesser known might be gems. Rafael Araujo??? I loved him in college... but he's got no leap. BIG BODY... but that's not gonna cut it in the NBA... plus he's out of shape.
Orlando. Sorry, I just don't see a realistic deal going down with them because they already have a better #1 offensive option in TMac and they need to address their frontcourt. I'd consider Hinrich + more. I don't think Curry or Chadler is enough, I think the #2 is too much from the Bulls perspective to go along with Hinrich, but maybe Hinrich + #32 (Bulls 2nd) + next year's 1st would do it. Crawford (S & T) and the #2 for Francis might be OK to both teams as well. I was thinking Arenas + Kwame or Arenas + #3 for SF are plausuble options. I have plenty of problems with Arenas's game too, but he is probably better than Francis at knocking down the open jumpers thus benefit more from an inside-outside offense centered on Yao. Plus, in Kwame or the #3 pick you might find a guy to be the future power forward. Charlotte. Let us see who they get in the expansion draft. Maybe the #4 pick plus a couple decent vets they pick up would work. Alternative the #4 this year plus their 1st next year might do it. Francis could really go be the man there. Another option I would consider is JT + #5 + next year's 1st (or perhaps settle for #35). Francis is a better player than JT--but maybe not that much better in the context of the Rockets offense and the other picks could fill other holes. The Clips have some possibilities, starting with Brand for Francis strait up. Alternatively, maybe Maggette + Jaric OR Wilcox + Jaric + #6 is in the ball park. Phx--I can't fathom a deal with them. Toronto. Hard to fathom a deal with them, anything less than the #8 + DM + AW + next years #1 would not be enough. I won't go further than that--that is abotu all the lottery could have impacted the Rockets blockbuster trade prospects.
Nothing stops the Rockets from trading their 1st round pick every year and not having a 1st rounder for the next 10+ years. The CBA prohibits the Rockets from making a trade that leaves them without a 1st rounder in two successive years. Once the current draft is held, the counter is reset to zero and the Rockets are free to package their 2005 pick because that's only 1 future pick.
Kwame is a very good defender and he will be an all star in 3 years. He is already a better defender than MoT and Cato. He dropped 30 points, 19 boards against Chris Webber; 25 points and 9 boards against J. O'neal. Can MoT and Cato do that? In his 3rd year, Kwame is averaging 10.9 and 7.4. How did Cato do the past season? 5.8 points and 6.8 boards. What about MoT? 11.5 points and 5.1 boards. Think hard before you say Kwame is a bust, will Rox be happy with an excellent defender who averages 11 points and 8 rebounds as a PF? I have to say yes! and Kwame is only 22. Mark my word, Wizards is not going to give Kwame up. He will be an all star.
Arenas and Kwame for SF? Wizards GM will be an idiot to make this trade, and if CD does not make this trade if asked by the Wizards, he is an idiot. Well, it is not going to happen, Wizards are not that stupid.
CD would be an "idiot" if he did do that trade. Kwame gets bashed all the time for not living up to the hype, and Arenas is living off of one good year!! He was injured most of last year. Horrible trade. The Wizards suck for a reason.
