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Hier mal etwas zu lesen für NBA-Fans, die Draftanalysen von ESPN.com:
Draft grades: evaluating every team, from A+ to F
By Chad Ford
We billed this year's draft as the most unpredictable in recent memory ... and it sure lived up to that billing.
Seven first-round trades, and eight more in the second round. The Portland Trail Blazers made a whopping six trades.
Despite the chaos, our mock draft came out well. Our last update came at 4:47 p.m. ET, shortly after a source in Portland told us that the Trail Blazers had traded the No. 4 pick and Viktor Khryapa to the Bulls for the No. 2.
After we nailed the first six picks in the draft and nine of the first 12, the trades created lots of twists and turns. We ended up hitting 14 of 30 in the first round. We were one spot away with five other picks. We missed biggest on Patrick O'Bryant (who went nine picks ahead of where we projected) and the Knicks' bizarre choice of Renaldo Balkman.
That's how we did. How did the 30 NBA teams do?
• ATLANTA HAWKS
Round 1: Shelden Williams, PF, Duke (No. 5)
Round 2: Solomon Jones, C, South Florida (No. 33)
Analysis: The good news is that the Hawks ended up with a solid player. Shelden Williams will be a decent NBA rebounder and shot-blocker.
The bad news? The Hawks drafted fifth and, in my opinion, ended up with a player who didn't belong in the top 10 or, perhaps, the top 15.
Williams is a poor man's Antonio Davis. Several players on the board, most notably Brandon Roy and Randy Foye, fit a need for Atlanta and will be better NBA players than Williams. In deciding on Williams, I think the Hawks jumped to a conclusion too early.
If they don't make major changes in the offseason, they'll be back in the high lottery next year. And if the pick isn't in the top three, it goes to Phoenix.
Grade: C
• BOSTON CELTICS
Round 1: Rajon Rondo, PG, Kentucky (No. 21, acquired from Phoenix)
Round 2: Leon Powe, PF, California (No. 49, from Denver)
Analysis: I was a huge fan of the Celtics' draft last year. This year? Not so much.
I've been high on Rondo all year and think he was a steal at No. 21, so that's an "A."
And I like the acquisition of Leon Powe in Round 2. If he stays healthy, he'll have a solid NBA career.
But I'm not a Sebastian Telfair fan. While you do have to factor in the fact that the Celtics saved some money in this deal, they could've kept Randy Foye (their pick at No. 7 before trading for Telfair) or traded for Brandon Roy (the Wolves' pick at No. 6). Both, in my opinion, will be better NBA players than Telfair. If they keep Telfair, I think they will regret it down the road.
However, if the Celtics are going to turn around and use Telfair and Theo Ratliff to help them acquire Allen Iverson (the hot rumor late Wednesday night), then the grade goes up dramatically. We'll just have to wait and see.
Grade: B
• CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
Round 1: Adam Morrison, SF, Gonzaga (No. 3)
Round 2: Ryan Hollins, C, UCLA (No. 50)
Analysis: Bernie Bickerstaff played it safe again and went with the most proven player in the draft. Adam Morrison will score points and he'll draw fans into the arena. The Bobcats continue filling the team with solid players who have good backgrounds -- and with Morrison they may have found their first star.
However, I believe Roy would have been a better choice here. He fits a bigger need, and I think he'll have a better NBA career.
Hollins is a nice pick in the second round as a big, athletic project.
Grade: B+
• CHICAGO BULLS
Round 1: Tyrus Thomas, PF, LSU (No. 4 overall, acquired from Portland)
Thabo Sefolosha, SF, Switzerland (No. 13, acquired from Philadelphia)
Round 2: No picks
Analysis: Another great draft for Bulls GM John Paxson.
I had Tyrus Thomas ranked No. 1 on my board for the past two months, and the Bulls got him at No. 4 and picked up Viktor Khryapa in the process.
I also am a Thabo Sefolosha fan, though I think Ronnie Brewer's skill set was a little better fit for the Bulls.
The Bulls had two glaring needs and addressed them both in the draft. Sefolosha is ready to play right now and Thomas will be soon.
If the Bulls add a center via free agency (I see Joel Przybilla in their future) and find a trade for Tyson Chandler (I think he's getting moved), they might be ready to advance in the playoffs.
Or they'll use all these assets to get their hands on Kevin Garnett. Either way, the future for the Bulls is bright.
Grade: A-
• CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
Round 1: Shannon Brown, SG, Michigan State (No. 25 overall)
Round 2: Daniel Gibson, PG, Texas (No. 42)
Ejike Ugboaja, F, Nigeria (No. 55)
Analysis: When you pick late in the first round, you're usually looking for someone who has a chance to be a rotation player.
When you pick in the second, you're looking for someone with a pulse.
I think the Cavs exceeded expectations with both picks.
Brown is going to be a dynamite player, a real steal at No. 26. He has the strength and athleticism of a lottery pick. He's a little undersized, but I think he'll be a great spark plug for the Cavs.
I also like the Gibson pick in Round 2. As a point guard, Gibson is a so-so prospect. But as a scoring two, he could be a Ben Gordon-type player.
Grade: A
• DALLAS MAVERICKS
Round 1: Maurice Ager, SG, Michigan State (No. 28)
Round 2: Traded Danilo Pinnock, SG, George Washington (No. 58) to Los Angeles Lakers for future second-round pick.
Analysis: The Mavs didn't have much to work with and got a very nice pick here.
Ager is a good athlete and a good shooter, and he can score and defend. With it looking likely that Marquis Daniels will be traded this summer, he could come in and fill a role.
Grade: B
• DENVER NUGGETS
Round 1: No picks
Round 2: Nuggets trade rights to No. 49 (Leon Powe) to Celtics for a future second-round pick.
Analysis: With only one second-round pick, the Nuggets did what they often seem to do -- trade it.
I actually thought Leon Powe could've helped them, so...
Grade: F
• DETROIT PISTONS
Round 1: No picks
Round 2: Cheik Samb, C, Senegal (No. 51, acquired from Lakers)
Will Blalock, PG, Iowa State (No. 60)
Analysis: The Pistons didn't have a first-round pick, but they made the most of their opportunities.
Cheik Samb is the type of reach you make in the second round. He's a 7-foot, athletic kid that a team in Spain will spend time and money developing for you.
I had Will Blalock ranked in the 30s and think he not only will make the Pistons roster but also could play for them down the road.
Grade: A
• GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Round 1: Patrick O'Bryant, C, Bradley (No. 10)
Round 2: Kosta Perovic, C, Serbia (No. 38)
Analysis: I have mixed feelings about the Warriors' draft.
I like Patrick O'Bryant and think he's one of the four or five best upside guys in this draft. And the Warriors had a need at center. So what's the problem?
The Warriors, at some point, have to quit drafting young guys and start fielding a team that can get to the playoffs. Some other teams were interested in the No. 9 pick, and I'm surprised the Warriors didn't find a way to start making moves.
O'Bryant and their second-round pick, center Kosta Perovic, are good choices, but Golden State fans are going to have to be patient. I'm just not sure how much patience they have left.
Grade: B
• HOUSTON ROCKETS
Round 1: No. 8 pick Rudy Gay is packaged with Stromile Swift and sent to Memphis for Shane Battier.
Round 2: Steve Novak, SF, Marquette (No. 32)
Lior Eliyahu, SF, Israel (No. 44, acquired from Orlando)
Analysis: I think Shane Battier is an excellent fit in Houston, and he'll help the Rockets immediately. He's a glue guy who won't take shots away from Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady, and he'll do all the little things that coaches love. I get that.
But the price the Rockets paid was very, very high.
Rudy Gay and Stromile Swift? OK, both have motivation issues. But their talent is undeniable.
The Rockets made their division rivals, the Grizzlies, much stronger in the long term, and maybe in the short term, too.
In the second round, Steve Novak should make the roster because he can shoot the lights out. But wasn't that true of Dan Langhi, too? How'd he pan out?
I like Lior Eliyahu to contribute down the road, but he's a couple of years away.
Grade: B-
• INDIANA PACERS
Round 1: Shawne Williams, SF, Memphis (No. 17)
Round 2: James White, SG, Cincinnati (No. 31, acquired from Portland)
Analysis: The Pacers got an A+ last year for drafting Danny Granger. This year, I'm not feeling them.
Indiana got two excellent athletes in Shawne Williams and James White, who have all the physical tools to be great NBA players.
But why weren't they great college players? I think their weak grasp of the game combined with some motivational issues for Williams make these picks questionable. The Pacers keep talking about changing their culture and I don't see either of these guys doing that.
If talent or potential is all that counts, I think Marcus Williams would've been a better choice.
And they should have kept Alexander Johnson.
Grade: C+
• LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Second round: Paul Davis, C, Michigan State (No. 34)
Guillermo Diaz, SG, Miami (No. 52)
Analysis: The Clips used their two second-round picks to draft players who had some first-round buzz.
Davis should be in the league a long time. He is big and skilled and can hit an 18-foot jump shot.
Diaz is an elite athlete who can shoot the ball. He is growing as a playmaker but is still a few years away. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Clippers send Diaz to Miami at some point.
Grade: B+
• LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Round 1: Jordan Farmar, PG, UCLA (No. 26)
Round 2: Acquired Danilo Pinnock, SG, George Washington (No. 58) from Dallas Mavericks for future second-round pick.
Analysis: I think Jordan Farmar will be a solid point guard in the pros and I think the triangle offense will be good to Farmar. He's a solid shooter, ballhandler and defender, though not great at anything.
Don't expect him to do too much in L.A. next year. After all, we know Phil Jackson isn't fond of rookies.
Grade: B
• MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Round 1: Rudy Gay, SF, UConn (No. 8, acquired from Houston)
Kyle Lowry, PG, Villanova (No. 24)
Round 2: Alexander Johnson, PF, Florida State (No. 45, acquired from Indiana via Portland)
Analysis: I've been hard on Jerry West's drafts the past few years. But this one was, in a word, awesome.
The Grizzlies somehow turned a solid player, Shane Battier, and a late first-round pick into three potential starters and potential rotation player.
Getting Rudy Gay, Stromile Swift and Kyle Lowry should remedy the Grizzlies' greatest weakness -- an utter lack of athleticism. Now, Mike Fratello willing, the Grizzlies can get up and down the court with the other elite teams in the West. A starting five of Lowry (or Damon Stoudamire, if he returns), Mike Miller, Gay, Pau Gasol and Swift would be long, athletic and able to score in multiple ways.
I'm a big fan of Alexander Johnson, especially in the second round. He is a poor man's Kenyon Martin and adds some toughness to their front line. Great pick.
Grade: A+
• MIAMI HEAT
Round 1: None
Round 2: None
Analysis: The Heat didn't have a pick. They gave it away to the Lakers to get Shaq. How'd that work out for them?
Grade: A
• MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Round 1: No picks
Round 2: David Noel, SF, North Carolina (No. 39)
Acquired Damir Markota, SF, Croatia (No. 59) from San Antonio for future second-round pick.
Analysis: Noel tested as the best athlete in the Orlando predraft camp. He could be a Bobby Simmons type if he develops. For a second-round pick, he's very solid.
Markota has great size, can shoot the ball and is an excellent athlete.
After another few years playing in Europe, he could come and make a contribution to the Bucks.
Grade: B
• MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Round 1: Randy Foye, SG, Villanova (No. 7, acquired from Boston via Portland)
Round 2: Craig Smith, PF, Boston College (No. 36)
Minnesota (via Suns) Loukas Mavrokefalidis, C, Greece (No. 57)
Analysis: This was a good draft for the Wolves, though I thought they should've kept Brandon Roy.
Actually, from what I've heard, the Wolves selected Roy for the Rockets. The Rockets were going to select Foye and send him to Minnesota along with either Luther Head or a future first-round pick. But the Blazers knew what was going on, selected Foye and forced the trade of Foye for Roy.
Foye is an excellent pick, however. He should be able to come in immediately and play both the one and the two for Minnesota and provide a big scoring boost in the backcourt.
I'm not a huge Craig Smith fan, but Loukas Mavrokefalidis is interesting. He has great size and is putting up pretty impressive numbers in Greece.
Grade: B+
• NEW JERSEY NETS
Round 1: Marcus Williams, PG, Connecticut (No. 22)
Josh Boone, C, Connecticut (No. 23)
Round 2: Hassan Adams, SG, Arizona (No. 54)
Analysis: I think the Nets went 2-for-3 Wednesday night.
Obviously the Marcus Williams pick was a slam dunk. They've needed a solid backup for Jason Kidd, and Williams will be great in that role. The Nets play smart basketball and Williams was the best pure point guard in the draft. His presence will help the Nets limit Kidd's minutes and preserve his health without a huge drop-off for the team.
I also liked the Hassan Adams pick in the second round. He adds some real toughness and a defensive presence at the two and three.
I'm much more skeptical of the Josh Boone pick. On paper it's a good pick. He's long and athletic, he blocks shots and he rebounds. They desperately need all of that. But Boone rarely plays up to his abilities. I just don't see him panning out. I think they should've grabbed Alexander Johnson.
Grade: B+
• NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
Round 1: Hilton Armstrong, C, Connecticut (No. 12)
Cedric Simmons, PF, NC State (No. 15)
Round 2: Marcus Vinicius Vieira de Souza, SF, Brazil (No. 43)
Analysis: The Hornets got an "A" from me last year for landing Chris Paul. This year's haul wasn't quite as dramatic, but it was still really solid. They needed size in the frontcourt and got two of the top four bigs in the draft with Hilton Armstrong and Cedric Simmons.
Marcus Vinicius Vieira de Souza was likewise a solid pick in the second round.
Slowly, but surely, the Hornets are getting back on track.
Grade: A-
• NEW YORK KNICKS
Round 1: Renaldo Balkman , SF, South Carolina (No. 20)
Mardy Collins, PG, Temple (No. 29)
Round 2: No picks
Analysis: From 1995 to 2004, the Knicks were the worst drafting team in the NBA, according to our John Hollinger. Isiah Thomas did a pretty good job of reversing course the last two years, but took two major steps backwards this year.
I understand why Thomas likes Renaldo Balkman -- he's the anti-Knick. He's a hard working, blue-collar athlete who scraps and fights for everything he gets. He doesn't want to shoot 20 times a game and doesn't have a 40-man entourage whispering in his ear about how great he is.
But I just don't think Balkman has the talent to warrant a first-round selection. He might have the right attitude, but I can't see him as anything more than a marginal role player in the NBA.
Given who was on the board when Thomas selected Balkman -- including Marcus Williams, Rajon Rondo and Shannon Brown -- I think this was a wasted pick.
The Knicks' second first-rounder was better -- sort of. Mardy Collins is a big combo guard who knows how to play. But his lack of athleticism and shaky jumper combined with the fact that the Knicks already have four combo guards on their roster means that he's unlikely to contribute much.
James Dolan said in a press conference this week that Isiah had a year to turn the Knicks around or he would be fired. I wonder if Isiah just moved up the timetable on his exit.
Grade: F
• ORLANDO MAGIC
Round 1: J.J. Redick, SG, Duke (No. 11)
Round 2: James Augustine, PF, Illinois (No. 41)
Analysis: The Magic got their man in both the first and second rounds.
Redick is the best shooter in the draft and Augustine is an excellent second-round pick because of his athleticism, size and willingness to do the dirty work.
But I wonder why the Magic didn't opt for a bigger, more athletic two guard like Ronnie Brewer, Rodney Carney or Thabo Sefolosha. All three will have a better career than Redick, I believe. None of them can shoot the way Redick does, but all of them have many more dimensions to their game, including defense, ballhandling, athleticism and versatility.
And neither of them has a herniated disk in his back.
Grade: : B-
• PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Round 1: Rodney Carney, SF, Memphis (No. 16 pick, acquired from Chicago)
Round 2: Bobby Jones, SF, Washington (No. 37, acquired from Minnesota)
Edin Bavcic, C, Bosnia (No. 56, acquired from Toronto)
Analysis: The Sixers had a good draft.
They added a superathletic swingman in Carney who can shoot the ball and run the floor. Carney is also an excellent defender when he wants to be.
Bobby Jones doesn't know offense, but he's one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the draft.
They still need a point guard and some help at the four, but the Sixers couldn't accomplish everything with just two draft picks.
Don't be surprised if they address their other needs via trade. There's a lot of talk that they're trading Allen Iverson to the Celtics soon. Boston exec Danny Ainge has denied it, but a lot of people in the league are saying otherwise. Word is that Sebastian Telfair and possibly Al Jefferson or Theo Ratliff might be coming Philly's way.
Grade: B+
• PHOENIX SUNS
Round 1: No picks
Round 2: No picks
Analysis: Apparently the Suns are a little short of cash.
They traded away their first-round picks for cash and cap relief despite having intriguing players like Shannon Brown, Rajon Rondo, Marcus Williams and Sergio Rodriguez still on the board. They did pry a future first-round pick from the Celtics in the Rondo deal, but at the end of the day they gave up two assets for some spare change for owner Robert Sarver. If the Suns wanted to dispel the notion that Sarver is cheap, this wasn't the way to do it.
Grade: F
• PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Round 1: LaMarcus Aldridge, PF, Texas (No. 2, acquired from Chicago)
Brandon Roy, SG, Washington (No. 6, acquired from Minnesota)
Sergio Rodriguez , PG Spain (No. 27, acquired from Phoenix)
Joel Freeland, PF, England (No. 30, acquired from Detroit)
Analysis: Six trades. Wow. They get points for just having the guts to pull that off in one night.
They get more points for having the fortitude to stand up to a mob of "Draft the 'Stache" groupies who wanted Adam Morrison in Portland.
But what gets them an "A" grade, ultimately, is the quality of the players they ended up with.
They started the night with the No. 4, No. 30 and No. 31 picks. They ended it with LaMarcus Aldridge, Brandon Roy, Raef LaFrentz, Joel Freeland and Sergio Rodriguez.
Of the four, Roy is my favorite pick, and I like the way they maneuvered to get him. The Blazers caught wind of the Wolves' plan to take Roy and trade him to the Rockets. So Portland drafted the guy the Wolves wanted, Randy Foye, forcing the Wolves to send Roy to Portland for Foye.
And the trade to No. 2, while it might have seemed unnecessary, took a player they didn't want off their roster and got them the assurance that they were getting the guy ranked No. 1 on their board.
Freeland and Rodriguez have a lot of potential and could be excellent assets in a couple of years.
Blazers fans may be disappointed that Morrison is in Charlotte, but the truth is that this is one of the better moments the Blazers have had in the last five years. Aldridge and Roy have a chance to be stars, and the Blazers rid themselves of another bad chemistry guy in Sebastian Telfair.
If they find a way to dump Darius Miles and Zach Randolph this summer, the purge will be complete. Paul Allen needs to give the GM job permanently to Kevin Pritchard. He earned it on Wednesday.
Grade: A
• SACRAMENTO KINGS
Round 1: Quincy Douby, SG, Rutgers (No. 19)
Round 2: No picks
Analysis: Didn't the Kings make the same pick the last two years when they selected Francisco Garcia and Kevin Martin in the late first round?
Garcia is a long, skinny two guard who can shoot and score the ball. Martin is a long, skinny two guard who can shoot and score the ball. Douby is a long, skinny two guard who can shoot and score the ball.
I know they miss Bobby Jackson, but this is ridiculous. They would have been better off adding a real backup point guard like Marcus Williams or Rajon Rondo.
Grade: C+
• SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Round 1: No pick
Round 2: Traded Damir Markota, SF, Croatia (No. 59) to Milwaukee for future second-round pick.
Analysis: Almost every year the Spurs seem to find an international gem.
In this case, however, they found it for another team.
Grade: C
• SEATTLE SUPERSONICS
Round 1: Mouhamed Saer Sene, C, Senegal (No. 10)
Round 2: Denham Brown, SG, Connecticut (No. 40)
Yotam Halperin, PG, Israel (No. 53)
Analysis: Hmmm ... the Sonics have drafted a project center in each of the last three years.
In 2004, it was Robert Swift. In 2005, it was Johan Petro. This year, they got the rawest one yet, Mouhamed Saer Sene.
I understand the appeal. Sene's game resembles Dikembe Mutombo's. He has a huge 7-8 wingspan and an excellent body.
But he's years away from contributing. Years.
I'm surprised they didn't trade the No. 10 pick for something of greater value. Lots of teams were trying to move up.
I do, however, like their second-round picks. Denham Brown knows how to score and play defense. Yotam Halperin is an experienced combo guard who can help coming off the bench.
Grade: B-
• TORONTO RAPTORS
Round 1: Andrea Bargnani, PF, Italy (No. 1)
Round 2: P.J. Tucker, SF, Texas (No. 35)
Analysis: Bryan Colangelo stuck his neck out by taking Andrea Bargnani No. 1.
I think it was the right thing to do. He's not the best player in the draft, but he's a great fit in Toronto.
Most of the people telling you that they prefer other players to Bargnani haven't seen him play in person.
He's bigger and quicker than you'd think as a 7-1 forward, and he's more experienced than most realize. He played more than 70 games last season in a league with more talent than the NCAA.
And one thing that doesn't come across on video is the confident way he carries himself. That will be critical to his success in the NBA.
In the final analysis, Colangelo thought Bargnani had the physical tools and the mental makeup to be the No. 1 pick.
The comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki or Pau Gasol aren't really fair. But he does have the potential to be mentioned in the same breath as both of those guys someday.
Unfortunately for the Raptors, Colangelo couldn't find a way to get back into the mid-first round to take a point guard like Marcus Williams or Rajon Rondo.
Taken in Round 2, P.J. Tucker adds some toughness to the Raptors.
Grade: A-
• UTAH JAZZ
Round 1: Ronnie Brewer, SG, Arkansas (No. 14)
Round 2: Dee Brown, PG, Illinois (No. 46)
Paul Millsap, PF, Louisiana Tech (47)
Analysis: GM Kevin O'Connor has taken a lot of heat for his draft picks this decade. He was criticized for passing on Chris Paul for Deron Williams last year, and the rest of his first-round picks are no longer with the team.
He redeemed himself on Wednesday. Ronnie Brewer was a steal at No. 14. He was ranked No. 8 on our big board and fits a need perfectly for Utah. They need a two guard who can create his own shot and defend multiple positions and Brewer should be great, right away.
The Jazz also did well in the second round. Dee Brown is the perfect change-of-pace backup for Williams. He's a natural leader and a fearless competitor, and he could end up playing an Earl Boykins role for the Jazz.
Paul Millsap has been called a poor man's Karl Malone. If the Jazz trade Carlos Boozer this summer, which seems likely, he'll fill a void as a tough rebounding specialist who can score in the paint.
Grade: A
• WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Round 1: Olexsiy Pecherov, PF, Ukraine (No. 18)
Round 2: Vladimir Veremeenko, PF, Russia (No. 48)
Analysis: D.C. is an international city, so it only makes sense that the Wizards added some international flavor.
I think Olexsiy Pecherov could be a Keith Van Horn type in the NBA. He can rebound and hit the NBA 3-pointer. He may need another year or two of seasoning in France, but he's got a bright future and he would likely have been a lottery pick had he waited one more year to be drafted.
Veremeenko is a productive Russian player. He's a bit of tweener who'll spend more time developing his inside game in Russia before coming over.
Grade: B+
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Who's the Rookie of the Year?
Chad Ford
Now that the draft is over and draft grades have been handed out, one big question remains unanswered: Who's this year's Chris Paul?
For a player to rise quickly to the top of his class and compete for the Rookie of the Year award, talent is an essential part of the equation, but so is fit. He needs to (a) be NBA ready and (b) get plenty of playing time. It also helps to (c) go to a bad team, or at least one that really needs you to produce.
Last year on draft night I proclaimed that Paul would win Rookie of the Year. He had all three factors going for him: He was ready to roll, he was going to get to start, and he was playing for the moribund Hornets.
With that in mind, here are my top five candidates for Rookie of the Year.
1. Brandon Roy, SG, Portland Trail Blazers: Roy has four years of college experience, and he'll likely be the starting two guard for the league's worst team. If the Blazers purge Zach Randolph and Darius Miles this summer, Roy will also likely be the team's best scorer.
2. Adam Morrison, SF, Charlotte Bobcats: In the Rookie of the Year race, Morrison has a head start. The national NBA media knows who he is, and personality brings him attention.
Morrison also has all three factors going for him. He's probably the most skilled scorer on the Bobcats, and he should get lots of minutes.
But he's not No. 1 on this list because he faces a bigger adjustment to the NBA than Roy. He's going to have to get his shot off against bigger, longer, more athletic wings. Chances are he'll figure out how to do it, but it might take a while.
3. Randy Foye, SG, Minnesota Timberwolves: Foye has the first and second factors going for him. He's as NBA ready as anyone else in the draft, and with Rashad McCants out for the year, he should get plenty of playing time.
But the Timberwolves might be a pretty good team next year, and they have Kevin Garnett and Ricky Davis to do the scoring. Still, Foye will find a way to fill up the stat sheet. And if the Wolves start winning again, he might get Rookie of the Year consideration for playing a role in their turnaround.
4. Andrea Bargnani, F, Raptors: Why isn't the No. 1 pick the top guy on this list?
Bargnani is more NBA ready than many realize, given his experience in Italy. But he does face more adjustments than the usual No. 1 pick. The NBA game is not the Euro game, and it will take him time to adjust to the speed and physicality of the game here.
More importantly, Bargnani isn't guaranteed big minutes as long as Charlie Villanueva is on the team. Bargnani will likely come off the bench in a supporting role, taking away minutes and touches. Still, by the end of the season we should see some quality production from Bargnani.
5. Rudy Gay, F, Grizzlies: Gay marginally qualifies for each factor. He has the talent to win the award, though he lacks some of the experience of the other players on the list. He is likely to go to a playoff team on which Pau Gasol and Mike Miller dominate the touches, and it's unclear whether he'll have the starting job at small forward.
But he's still a dark-horse candidate for Rookie of the Year. If Gay lives up to his potential, there's no reason he couldn't be the second-best scorer on the Grizzlies and help Gasol lead Memphis back into the playoffs (and maybe even into the second round, though that wouldn't help him win a regular-season award). He's a long shot, but we're keeping an eye on him.
Others to watch: LaMarcus Aldridge, C, Blazers; Ronnie Brewer, G, Jazz; Shelden Williams, F, Hawks; Tyrus Thomas, F, Bulls; J.J. Redick, G, Magic; Shannon Brown, G, Cavs.
The disappointments
Andy Katz
NEW YORK -- Darius Washington recovered from missing free throws that would have sent Memphis to the 2005 NCAA Tournament.
How he handles the disappointment of going unselected -- only two days after he lost his amateur status by signing with an agent -- might be an even bigger challenge.
Washington could have returned to Memphis for his junior season had he held off on signing with Roger Montgomery. The Memphis Commercial Appeal reported Monday, though, that his father said he and his son were "confident and comfortable" with the decision.
Now Washington has the tough task of finding a team that will take him to camp. He has no guaranteed money to go on and no cachet of being a draft pick. It's not unreasonable to think he could stick as an undrafted player (like a Marquis Daniels), but he already has put himself a step behind.
"I told him I wanted to coach him another year," Memphis coach John Calipari said. "But I've always thought you're better off trying to go to a team that you can make than just being a pick in the 50s in the second round."
What was Washington's likely reaction?
"He's probably crushed," Calipari said. "But guys don't understand."
Washington definitely was the player who made the biggest mistake -- largely because of the timing of his decision to sign with an agent -- but there were other disappointed early entrants as well as high-profile seniors who weren't selected.
• Big 12 player of the year, Texas junior P.J. Tucker, stayed in the draft and went No. 35 to Toronto. The Raptors, though, should be a good fit for Tucker. He could end up being a Carlos Boozer-type player who finds success coming from the second round.
• Tucker's former teammate, Daniel Gibson, worked out for Cleveland and didn't go to the Orlando predraft camp. He probably was thinking the Cavs would draft him in the first round at No. 25, not in the second, where there is no guaranteed money at No. 42.
• Florida State junior Alexander Johnson stayed in the draft and went No. 45 to Indiana. His rights were later traded to Memphis.
• Cal's Leon Powe got a good report on his surgically repaired knee, enough for him to declare for the draft and sign with an agent after his sophomore year. He went No. 49 to Denver and ultimately was shipped to Boston.
• Guillermo Diaz left Miami after his junior season to stay in the draft but went No. 52 to the Los Angeles Clippers.
• Juniors Marcus Slaughter of San Diego State and Curtis Stinson of Iowa State, both of whom signed with agents, weren't even selected.
• Seniors who had stellar careers but went undrafted include Syracuse guard Gerry McNamara, West Virginia guard Mike Gansey and forward Kevin Pittsnogle, La Salle forward Steven Smith, George Washington forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu, and Pittsburgh point guard Carl Krauser.
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Draft night scene at the Garden
by: Matt Wong
Thanks be to free nights and weekends. Because when Rudy Gay checked his phone, he already had 17 messages and 21 missed calls.
Not that he or any of his draft counterparts can't afford a hefty phone bill nowadays. But still, the number and frequency of the calls and text messages they were receiving was, well, off the hook. Catch one of the draftees during a free moment and he was flipping open his phone or typing like mad on his keypad, even during off-camera interviews.
Randy Foye, who didn't even want to think about how many times he'd been interrupted by a call, still dialed his buddy and former 'Nova teammate Kyle Lowry to congratulate him on being selected by Jerry West and the Memphis Grizzlies. The Warriors' Patrick O'Bryant, too, was getting calls from many of his former Bradley teammates, not to mention a few ladies, he joked. And so on.
Soon after being ushered off the big stage, each prospect was taken to an area backstage for more media interviews and internet chats. The young stars and their entourages were led through a maze of black curtains, each one separating a different media outlet, furnished with lights, cameras and director's chairs for the league's newest stars.
And after answering many of the same questions over and over again, many found solace in their handy gadgets which allowed them to hear or read the familiar voices of friends and family.
Oftentimes, though, stations would get backed up and the players would congregate and catch some of the draft on TV together. Gay and J.J. Redick happened to be in the same room when New York was selecting at No. 20, and much like those that bleed blue and orange, even they couldn't believe Renaldo Balkman was gonna be a Knick. More surprising for both was that UConn's Marcus Williams was still on the board at the time.
Others, like Foye and Ronnie Brewer, now of the Utah Jazz, traded stories about their predraft workout experiences.
The No. 1 pick in the draft, Italy's Andrea Bargnani, looked anything but your typical top pick -- he was genuinely excited, especially when it came time to chat with fans online. Talk about a grip, he almost yanked me over the table with his handshake.
Meanwhile, the Adam Morrisons and Redicks of the hoops world just moved from station to station without much fuss, used to the circus-like atmosphere. Morrison, his mustache looking quite Jordan-esque, answered questions in his usual low-key manner. Redick, who endured chants of D-U-I from the rowdy Garden crowd, was just glad the process was over, tired of the criticism he was receiving for a recent mistake in judgment.
The Garden as usual, and particulary on this day, was unforgiving, thanks to Knicks fans who were there to send a message of their own with "Dolan Sucks!" chants and "Fire Isiah" signs aplenty.
However, there was one sign that was a little more positive, and perhaps a lot more insightful. One that might have critics laying off Billy Knight, another GM on the hot seat, for a bit. It actually happened a few years back.
"Funny thing happened in junior high school," said Shelden Williams, the controversial No. 5 pick. "I was at the NBA Players Association camp and they gave out draft hats. I reached in and I pulled out a hat. It was Atlanta Hawks.
"Here I am drafted by Atlanta."
Meant to be? Perhaps. But judging by the night's events ... it may just have been another missed call.
My thoughts on the draft
Chris Broussard
My takes on the draft:
1. I trust Bryan Colangelo. He built that outstanding team in Phoenix by being right about so many players that other teams either passed over or got nothing from: Shawn Marion, Amare Stoudemire, Boris Diaw, Joe Johnson. So I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt as he attempts to build the Toronto Raptors. That's why I've got to believe Andrea Bargnani will be a near star, if not a bona fide star, rather than another Nikki Tskitishvili.
2. How did John Paxson get so much smarter than brother Jim? John is slowly but surely building a contender in Chi, and drafting Tyrus Thomas was one more major step in the right direction. Thomas, raw as they come, fits perfectly in Chicago because just like the Bulls, he's gritty, athletic and terrific defensively. Even if he doesn't develop the skills to become a superstar, he will be a major contributor. If he does reach his potential, watch out!
Either way, the Bulls will be a smothering defensive unit real soon. And I hear they're going to throw big bucks at Big Ben, who could propel them into EC title contention next season. On another note, the Bulls are putting together a lot of assets and could make an enticing offer for KG.
3. I'm iffy on Adam Morrison. I think he'll be a good NBA player but not a star. No D, no board work, and unlike most, I don't assume he'll be able to score big-time at this level. I think he may end up being a Keith Van Horn-caliber player, which, while not bad, isn't what MJ has in mind.
4. I like Portland getting LaMarcus Aldridge and Brandon Roy, who is the truth. But I don't take Portland seriously. The Blazers, with all their youth, are fielding a college team. Not only will they have to wait on Aldridge to develop, but Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw (will it ever happen?) and Jarrett Jack as well.
And while I like Zach Randolph personally, he's not a leader, so you have to wonder how the youngsters will grow under the guidance of Randolph and Darius Miles. I love Nate McMillan as a coach and if his young players develop well, they could be the Bulls in a few years. But next year's going to be ugly again.
5. Atlanta should have taken Randy Foye, who I think is going to be a star. He's combo like Jason Terry, as tough and gritty as they come, and capable of playing next to Joe Johnson. A first five of Foye, JJ, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and ZaZa would've been exciting and competitive.
Don't get me wrong, Shelden Williams will be a solid NBA player, but I think 5s too high for him. He has some value, and if the Hawks meet their PG needs elsewhere -- free agency (Terry, Sam Cassell, Speedy Claxton) or through a sign-and-trade for Al Harrington -- this may work out OK. But I have a feeling that come January, they'll be wishing they had taken Foye just like they were wishing they had taken Chris Paul this past winter.
6. If Boston is angling to get A.I., I'm all for it. I'd love to see A.I. and Paul Pierce play together. The duo would by no means bring Beantown a title, but I think it'd make the Celtics an exciting playoff team. The experiment would also serve as the final word on whether A.I. can play with another star. If Pierce's game and numbers decline badly next to A.I., then we'll know once and for all that the Answer -- for all his greatness -- just couldn't mesh with another top talent over 82 games.
7. Once again, mad props to Jerry West. I absolutely love what Memphis did Wednesday. Rudy Gay is going to be a star, so now the Grizz will have a legit star tandem in Pau and Rudy. Also like Kyle Lowry, a nasty and tough little energy bug.
8. The Nets also did well. No surprise, as Prez Rod Thorn and GM Ed Stefanski continue to push all the right buttons. Love Marcus Williams as J-Kidd's understudy and believe he's their PG of the future. Also like Josh Boone, who can run the floor and will catch plenty of alleys from Kidd. Nets still need a nasty enforcer to get to the Finals, but they did as well as they could at 22 and 23.
9. Like Ronnie Brewer in Utah, which needed an athletic swing. And I like Hilton Armstrong in the bayou, err, the Wild West.
10. I spent some time with Mohammed Saer Sene in Senegal last year. Dude was mad raw, but so was Olajuwon (forgive me for mentioning them in the same breath) when he first started. Sene has made crazy progress in a short time and has big-time potential. Still, he's a long way away, giving the Sonics three 7-foot projects in Sene, Robert Swift and Johan Petro.
11. Now to everybody's favorite punching bag, the best 6-foot type in history, Isiah Lord Thomas. I think Zeke misread the draft guide and thought he was selecting Rolando Blackman instead of the unknown Renaldo Balkman at 20. But seriously, while I would not have taken Balkman that high since you could've gotten him at 29 or perhaps as a free agent, I don't think the pick's as horrible as most everyone else thinks.
I don't necessarily expect dude to become a cross between Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest (Lord's comparison) -- let's hope not since the last thing we need is a cross-dressing rapper who beats on fans -- but I think he brings some things to the table that the Knicks are sorely lacking. Namely, energy, hustle, a defensive mentality and rebounding. Yeah, he's kind of like David Lee in that regard, but did this crew really need another ball-hungry guard?
While I like Marcus Williams, they already have four points (which is why Mardy Collins has me scratching my head). I would've taken Boone at 20, but I think Balkman has a place in the league. Let's be honest, the Knicks don't really need another great talent. They've got plenty of those (they just don't fit together). What they need is help in the chemistry, hustle, intangible and heart departments, and I actually think Balkman brings that.
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NBA Rumor Central: C's Still Want A.I.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Allen Iverson
76ers C's Still Want A.I.
Jun 29 - The Boston Herald reports that the Celtics will continue to pursue Allen Iverson. Boston is trying to find a third team to make a deal work with Philadelphia.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
NO/Oklahoma City Hornets Looking To Deal
Jun 29 - The Oklahoman reports Hornets owner George Shinn said the team is working on two possible trades and one free agent deal.
"There's a lot of possibilities out there we're working on that I'm very excited about," Shinn told the newspaper. "Jeff (Bower) has my instructions, 'Don't be crazy about spending, and if we can stay under the (salary) cap, let's do it. But let's get better.'"
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Why Bargnani isn't Skita or Darko
By John Hollinger
I can hear the whispers now.
"Skita … Darko … Bargnani."
All three are European. All three had scouts salivating because of their advanced ability to shoot for a big man. All three barely showcased their game in front of American fans, and American writers for that matter. And in the minds of some, all three are going to go down as historic draft busts.
The first two are certain -- Nikoloz Tskitishvili's career barely has a pulse and Darko Milicic, regardless of what he does from here on out, always will be the guy who Detroit took ahead of Carmelo Anthony and Dwyane Wade.
But Andrea Bargnani, the player the Toronto Raptors selected with the top overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft, going to be another bust? I don't think so. There are a few important differences between Bargnani and the other two guys that not enough people have caught onto, and that's why I expect his career trajectory to be very different:
1. He actually plays.
Skita and Darko were both workout gods who suddenly turned clueless when the ball went up. However, they were able to mask that weakness because neither of them ever saw the floor for their European teams. Tskitishvili was on a loaded Italian team and played so rarely that scouts tried to sneak into his team's practices, while Milicic was on a veteran-dominated Serbian team and, though he played, didn't see the ball much.
Scouts and GMs let their imaginations run wild based on what they saw in the workouts, without any game tape to bring them back to reality. That's not the case for Bargnani -- he played major minutes for Italian powerhouse Benetton Treviso, starting with an 18-point effort against the Raptors in an exhibition game last October.
(In retrospect, now that Bargnani saw so much action it should have been a red flag that Darko and Skita weren't playing. At the time we blamed the European system, but perhaps they just knew things we didn't.)
And because Bargnani has played often, we've seen his warts too. Unlike the Nuggets with Tskitishvili and the Pistons with Milicic, the Raptors are coming into this one with eyes wide open.
2. He's already good.
Various outlets around the country have described Bargnani as putting up mediocre numbers in Europe. This is a classic example of the failure to understand the difference between per-game and per-minute averages. Per-game, Bargnani's stats are nothing special -- his Euroleague numbers of 10.9 points and 4.1 rebounds don't exactly scream out future All-Star.
But Bargnani played only 21.2 minutes per game -- what kind of numbers could we reasonably expect in that amount of playing time? Besides, Euroleague games are lower scoring to begin with -- they're eight minutes shorter and much slower-paced -- so it's extremely difficult for a player to average 20 points a game. In fact, nobody did it this year. The leading scorer in Euroleague play, former Maryland star Drew Nicholas, averaged 18.6.
So let's take Bargnani's numbers and compare them to those of his peers. He averaged 10.9 points in 21.2 minutes per game, or about 20.7 points per 40 minutes. Adjusting for the fact that his team played a slightly slower pace than the Euroleague average, that becomes 21.1. And of the 170 players to play at least 250 minutes in the Euroleague this season, only 12 averaged as many as 21.1 pace-adjusted points per 40 minutes.
3. There's a lot less risk than you think.
Drafting a European seems scary and unpredictable to folks over here, because we've seen so little of the guys in game action. Additionally, we tend to think of the NCAA as the next-best level of basketball beyond the NBA, and the European leagues as a confusing muddle of bearded guys with no vowels in their names who smoke cigarettes at halftime. So we tend to think of college guys as "safer."
But actually, the opposite is true. Drafting a European who got major playing time in one of the top leagues is much safer than taking an NCAA player, because he's playing a game that's much closer to the NBA stylel.
That's true on two levels -- first, the playing style, because it's grown men in a professional setting whose rules are more similar to the NBA's than colleges'. Second, it's closer in terms of the quality of competition. Sorry to rain on your parade, Mr. Packer, but the European leagues surpassed the NCAA a long time ago.
Thus, the results from European play are vastly more predictable than the NCAA's. I know that to be true because for the past few seasons I've been using "translated" stats from the Euroleague -- the top level of European basketball -- to assess how much help a player might be in the NBA, and it's proven extremely reliable. As long as the player gets a reasonable amount of minutes at the Euroleague level, we can say with a great deal of accuracy how he'd fare in the NBA.
Take last year's most prominent Euroleague import, Pacers point guard Sarunas Jasikevicius. His Euro stats from 2004-2005 translated into 14.5 points per 40 minutes, 39.3 percent shooting, and a 12.34 Player Efficiency Rating (PER). His actual results? 14.3 points per 40 minutes, 39.6 percent shooting, and a 12.91 PER. While not every translation hits the bull's-eye that accurately -- guys get stronger, better, hurt, or fat -- it's a pretty effective means for projecting European players' effectiveness.
Which brings us to Mr. Bargnani. His translated numbers from the Euroleague last season are solid, if not spectacular: 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds per 40 minutes, 44.7 percent shooting, and a 14.25 PER. Considering the fact that he's 20 years old, and few 20-year-olds are able to play at that high a level, he's certainly among the best prospects in basketball.
That doesn't mean he'll be as good as Dwight Howard or LeBron James, to compare to two recent No. 1 picks, but he's at least as good as Andrew Bogut and a heck of a lot better than Kwame Brown.
So get those thoughts of Skita and Darko out of your mind. Bargnani is an established pro who already has performed well in a competitive league, And although he's perceived as a risky choice, the translated European stats tell us he's about as safe a pick as there is -- a 20-year-old 7-footer who, even if he doesn't improve a lick, will be a productive NBA player. In a weak draft with few sure things, you could do much worse.
While we're on the topic of European players, here's how a few others who were either drafted Wednesday or are rumored to be signing with NBA teams look statistically, based on their 2005-2006 Euroleague campaigns. Note that Thabo Sefolosha, Oleksiy Pecherov and Sergio Rodriguez didn't play in the Euroleague last year, so we don't have translated stats for them:
Yotam Halperin, SG (drafted by SuperSonics)
9.0 pts/40, 5.3 ast/40, 40.7 FG percent, 11.28 PER
Halperin kind of reminds me of Carlos Delfino statistically -- he can do everything except score. He'll do it a little better than Delfino, though, if the European numbers are any guide.
Damir Markota, PF (drafted by Spurs, then traded to Bucks)
11.7 pts/40, 12.1 reb/40, 40.7 FG percent, 9.38 PER
Markota will work the boards but the rest of the Croatian's game falls well short of NBA standards. Fortunately, he's only 20.
Kosta Perovic, C (drafted by Warriors)
11.6 pts/40, 7.7 reb/40, 44.5 FG percent, 10.90 PER
7.7 rebounds per 40 minutes? Shouldn't somebody tell this guy he's 7-2? The other numbers aren't exactly scintillating either.
Luis Scola, PF (rights owned by Spurs)
15.2pts/40, 10.8 reb/40, 47.2 FG percent, 15.17 PER
Long regarded as one of the best European-based players, the Argentinean has backed up with his numbers over the past few years. The only thing standing between him and the NBA is a bad buyout clause.
Sofoklis Schortsanitis, PF (rights owned by Clippers)
16.2 pts/40, 11.6 reb/40, 54.4 FG percent, 15.64 PER
A second-round pick two years ago, Schortsanitis completely improved this year and might make the trip across the pond to be Elton Brand's understudy.
Vassilis Spanoulis, PG (rights owned by Rockets)
15.6 pts/40, 5.9 ast/40, 47.0 FG percent, 13.77 PER
Another Greek player who was drafted two years ago and blossomed this past season, Spanoulis could be the answer to Houston's backcourt problems.
Jorge Garbajosa, PF (expected to sign with Raptors)
12.9 pts/40, 9.4 reb/40, 36.1 FG percent, 12.24 PER
A Spanish League mainstay, Garbajosa is regarded as one of the toughest players in Europe. The 36.1 field-goal percent might surprise some folks, but he has shot poorly the past couple of seasons.
Robertas Javtokas, C (rights owned by Spurs)
9.8 pts/40, 13.1 reb/40, 45.9 FG percent, 11.46 PER
Javtokas shapes up as a prototypical backup center -- he'll rebound a ton but won't do much else. The Spurs are just fine with that, which explains why Rasho Nesterovic has a new address.
Mickael Gelabale, SF (rights owned by Sonics)
10.7 pts/40, 7.5 reb/40, 41.1 FG percent, 9.70 PER
Gelabale has a reputation as a good defender, and he'll need to be because he won't provide much offense. The board work is impressive, though.
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Chat with Chad Ford
Welcome to The Show! On Thursday, ESPN NBA Insider Chad Ford will drop by fresh from Wednesday night's NBA draft. He'll be on hand to wrap up the draft and discuss the winners and losers.
Ford writes daily NBA Insider columns for ESPN Insider. He also is a frequent contributor to ESPN.com and ESPN the Magazine, and makes appearances on ESPN Radio and ESPNEWS.
Send in your questions to Chad now, then join him right here in The Show on Thursday at noon ET!
Check out ESPN.com's 2006 NBA draft index.
Ford Archive: Chats | Columns
Chad Ford: Thanks for coming everyone. What a fun and wacky draft night. It's time to talk fallout.
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Rob (Toronto): Chad, How did the Raptors do in your opinion? and What are they going to do about the PG situation? How long till I need playoff tickets?
Chad Ford: They did great. Liked all three picks. Bargnani will play next year ... though I doubt he starts. But they have a ways to go ... they still need a point guard, more help at center and more support. But with cap space and tradable assets like Mike James and Charlie Villanueva, the Raptors should get it solved this year.
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Nashua NH: Blazers...I've lost track of what they just did. Is it safe to be a fan again?
Chad Ford: Yes. By the end of the summer Darius Miles will be gone. Hopefully Zach Randolph will be gone. You'll have a nice young nucleaus. Some flexibility. And they have good kids with character. I thought the Blazers were awesome last night. They won back some fans by being aggressive and smart. And it was a lot of fun ...
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Kevin (charlotte): Who decided to pick Morrison for the bobcats, jordan or bickerstaff? Will those two be able to co-exist? Is jordan now really the GM?
Chad Ford: They worked together. But this is the guy that Bernie Bickerstaff and his staff loved. They had to win Jordan over. They did that. I think that's telling for the future.
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Adam (Chicago): I haven't seen the Bulls on many "Winners" lists but I thought they did great - thoughts? Any FA's for them?
Chad Ford: I did too. They got the best player in the draft ... and I love Sefolosha. Personally I preferred Ronnie Brewer at No. 13 but Sefolosha was a great pick. They addressed two needs, have lots of money in free agency and they have assets ... Bulls will be very good.
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Paul (Jacksonville, FL): How could the Hawks pass on Randy Foye? He would have made their backcourt absolutely dynamite, and they could have easily addressed their interior defense through free agency. Players like Foye aren't just out there on the market though, whats the deal then?
Chad Ford: Agreed. And did Billy Knight just go to sleep after pick No. 5. Marcus Williams and Rondo were available in the 20s and Phoenix was giving away their picks. How do they not jump back in and grab a point guard? Ugh.
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Dee (Portland): What was the logic behind the Blazers and Timberwolves drafting for each other at 6 and 7? If the wolves didn't get anything in addition, why didn't each team just draft the player they wanted?
Chad Ford: What I was told was that the Wolves were selecting Roy for Houston and that Houston was going to take Foye and another asset (Luther Head or a future No. 1) and swap them for Roy. However, the Blazers figured it out, drafted Foye, and killed the deal. That's why the Wolves essentially swapped No. 6 for No. 7 without any compensation.
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Matt (Houston TX): Hey Chad! What about a Rockets question. Why on Earth did the Rockets trade all of their athletism in Swift and Gay for a career role player in Battier? Especially when Gay's favorite player is tmac and would flourish underneath him and has the chance to be a superstar?
Chad Ford: I would've kept Gay. Battier is a Jeff Van Gundy type of guy. He's a great role player. But I thought the Rockets traded away too much. Battier can help now ... but I doubt he puts them over the type.
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Chris Mullin : Where do you think Iverson ends up? Any chance my Golden State Warriors?
Chad Ford: I'd do it if Philly would take Baron Davis. You're on the right track. They need to make a lot of changes. Need to start thinking about making the playoffs. They can't just keep taking projects. I like Patrick O'Bryant, but he's a long term fit, not a short term one.
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Cayne (Federal Way, WA): Chad, can you provide some general insight into this year's 7 foot Sonics draft choice? And why would Seattle take yet another center... is this team now the Detroit Lions of the NBA?
Chad Ford: Of all their project big guys -- Sene has the most upside. Reminds me of a young Dikembe Mutombo. I expect them to probably move Swift. You can't have three project centers and I think Petro and Sene have the best chance of being good.
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Josh (Orlando, FL): Not much has been made of the Orlando Magic's two picks in the draft last night. Redick and Augustine are two college seniors who should be able to contribute immediately. How do you think they fared? And would you have picked someone else at #11?
Chad Ford: Very solid draft for the Magic as long as Redick's back is OK. I like Augustine too. But, I thought Ronnie Brewer was a better fit. He's a better athlete, better defender, more versatile. Redick's not a bad pick, but I prefer Brewer.
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Mark (Missoula, MT): How do you like the Hornets picks? Two bigs, with a aging PJ Brown. Thought they could have taken a SG, but I thought they did alright.
Chad Ford: Harder to get big guys. I liked their picks. I'm not sold on Hilton Armstrong, but lots of scouts loved him. Simmons was a great pick at No. 15, though I hear knee issue were holding his stock back. They'll find a swingman in free agency.
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Matthew ((New Jersey)): Chad, how do you think the sixers did? And what do you think they need to do to have a successful season?
Chad Ford: OK. I'm not huge Carney fan. Bobby Jones is a solid pick. But I don't think we can judge the Sixers yet. They're going to trade Iverson. Let's see what they get.
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Vesco (Salt Lake, Utah): How about my Jazz?????? Looks pretty good with Brewer, Brown and Milsap. Your thoughts?
Chad Ford: Loved Utah's pick. They solved their backcourt issues. Brewer will be the starting two guard. Brown will be great off the bench. Milsap has a chance. If the Jazz can find a veteran point to backup Williams and a long big man backup, the Jazz will a playoff team next year.
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Rich, Kokomo, IN: Your view of the Pacers' picks. Could they have traded down and still picked Shawne Williams? Was White worth all 2nd rounders?
Chad Ford: I was hard on them last night because I didn't understand the fit of Williams or White. But I'm more comfortable with the picks this morning. They took talent and will figure out fit later in free agency. Lots of mixed opinons on Shawne Williams and White. But no one denies their potential. Could be a Charlie Villanueva situation with Williams. If he turns out ... wow.
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Ed: Why wouldnt the kIngs go after Marcus Williams if all the hype is that they need a back-up PG and Marcus Williams was available?
Chad Ford: I guess the Kings love supper skinny two guards with long arms that can shoot.
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Darisu (Portland, OR): Doesn't anyone think it is ironic that the only NBA team to go through the draft without a GM had arguably the best draft night? Perhaps the Knicks should give this a try going forward.
Chad Ford: Great point. The Knicks have moved beyond DISASTER. We need to come up with a new word for the low they've hit. Dolan said Isiah has a year ... I think he may have sped up his funeral date.
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Mark (Boston, MA): Why would the Celtics trade the #7 pick for a PG (Telfair) and then make another trade for Rondo? Is one of them on the move already?
Chad Ford: Heard Danny Ainge would've taken Rondo at No. 7 if they had kept the pick. I persoanlly like him better than Telfair. Rondo will take longer to develop but has more upside, especially if he fixes that jumper. However, it's not like Telfair can shoot. I hope they get Iverson. That would be fun.
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Joe (Greenbelt, MD): Last night I was ECSTATIC when Marcus Williams dropped to 22 and the Nets took him. What kind of ball player do you think he could turn out to be? (of course with the teachings of J-Kidd)
Chad Ford: Great pick for the Nets at 22. Steal of the draft. Josh Boone at No. 23? Not a big fan of that one.
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Walter (Germantown,Tn): How did you rate all the picks the Grizzlies made last night?
Chad Ford: The Grizzlies get an A+. I thought he had the best draft of anyone. Swift, Gay, Lowry and Johnson significantly upgrade their athleticism and will allow them to play with the Suns and Mavs in the West ... Mike Fratello willing.
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Rick Ohio: I thought the CAVS had a good draft, like S Brown. What are your thoughts
Chad Ford: Great draft. I love Shannon Brown and thought Gibson was an excellent second round pick. They're backcourt is set ... but they need to figure out the front court. I wouldn't re-sign Gooden and they need to find a backup for Ilgauskas.
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Vinod (Blackfoot,ID): How do you rate the Lakers draft including the trade?
Chad Ford: Probably doesn't matter. Farmar is solid, but I doubt he plays next year ... Lakers will make their spash in July.
Chad Ford: I've got to run everyone. Come back later today for the debut of our 2007 Top 100 list. This was a fun draft, but next year should be amazing. Thanks for coming along for the ride and looking forward to a great year next year. Talk to you soon ...
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Chat with Scoop Jackson
Welcome to The Show! On Thursday, Page 2's Scoop Jackson will log on to answer your questions about anything and everything sports related.
To get ready for Wednesday night's NBA draft, Scoop wrote a piece "Who NBA squads really need," in which he forms a mock draft of which players should go to which teams in the NBA draft. Now it's the day after, talk to Scoop about how the teams really did.
Scoop is a national columnist for Page 2 and a contributor to ESPN:The Magazine. He has weekly segments on Cold Pizza and Classic Now and is a regular forum guest on Rome Is Burning. He resides in Chicago.
Send in your questions to Scoop now and then join him Thursday at 2 p.m. ET!
Sccop's Archive: Chats | Columns
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Mikey from MN: why was andrea bargnani the #1 pick? i nver heard of him till last week and he only averaged 10 and 3 i think.
scoop Jackson: hey, wassup!
2 reasons I believe Andrea was picked No. 1. One: the raptors have spent alot of $$ over the years scouting players internationally. They had to when the opportunity came justify that. And two: they have an enormous international and multi-cultural fan base in T.dot. This gives their audience someone to relate a little better to/with.
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Steven A, Smith: Scoop, your antics are usually too much for me, but what did you think about the Milwaukee Bucks new/old logo? Don't you agree, this draft won't matter outside of Roy, Foye, and Morrison?
scoop Jackson: antics? Me? Never. I'm just tryna be like you Stephen A.
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Duboseklahoma: Why do u think Pittsnogle and Gansey didn't get picked?
scoop Jackson: great question! I have no idea. If I were a GM, one - if not both - of them would have been selected.
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Ryan (Atlanta, GA): Is Billy Knight really the idiot that everyone in Atlanta thinks he is or is Shelden Williams truly the next Elton Brand in disguise making him the biggest genius in the history of basketball? And if he is the idiot we all think he is, how much longer is the Dirty South going to be subjected to his tortuous reign? We really can't take it anymore. The man can't build a team.
scoop Jackson: The owner
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