Laredo Slider's draft predictions and trades - Lottery

Okay, the draft is five days away, and here are my predictions (not what should happen as a popular espn columnist wrote earlier this week) Thanks to hoopshype, draftexpress, and NBA draft for some insight, but my board is going to differ from them all:

1. Blazers - Greg Oden

This isn't as much of a no brainer, as previously thought, after Oden's workout this week. He was winded, and nervous, and Kevin Durant wowed the Blazers yesterday (this is looking like Bowie-Jordan in '84...Portland taking the big man...another obscure team picking the guy with no ceiling)...I would be so nervous with this pick. The reason I would pick Oden is because he is a big, and LaMarcus Alderidge and Oden can be the most dominant combo in the west for 15 years...

2. Sonics - Kevin Durant

I shouldn't have to explain myself with this one. The Sonics have picked centers in the last three drafts. It would be funny if Oden slipped to them. They could get a ring, in that scenario, sooner than later.

3. Hawks - Mike Conley Jr. (and Sr.)

I'm proud of this pick, because neither Draftexpress.com or NBADraft.net, have this as Atlanta's selection (they both have Al Horford here). The reason Atlanta has to pick Conley is because that is the position that they need the most, and they could redeem themselves for the Chris Paul debacle. How are they going to draft a power forward when they have Sheldon Williams ready to contribute (he is the reigning rookie of the month)? They can't, but what they can do is have David Stern make another trip to the podium and announce that they pulled off a deal to get Leandro Barbosa, Boris Diaw, Marcus Banks, Eric Piatkowski, the #24 and #29 picks (from the Suns) for the #11, Speedy Claxton, Salim Stoudamire, and ZaZa Pachulia (this trade works: RealGM.com trade i.d. 3998223). This would address needs for both teams. The Suns would get relief (and a replacement) from the dumb signing of Marcus Banks, it will give them a building block for the future (if they wanted to trade Marion, for luxury tax reasons)in the #11, a spotup shooter to replace Barbosa, in Salim Stoudamire, and would give them a young banger that's a better option than Pat Burke (a little relief for the aging Kurt Thomas, too). The Hawks get two guys who go right into the rotation, in Barbosa and Diaw, and two picks in a deeeeeeep draft. They will also get the presence of Mike Conley Sr., which is important because the Hawks need a family identity, a organizational attitude, or some sort of lineage to hang their hats on.

The Hawks would look like this, if everything falls into place:

Conley Jr.
Joe Johnson
Josh Smith
Boris Diaw
Sheldon Williams

Barbosa
Josh Childress

I'll go over the Suns lineup when they pick at 11.

4. Grizzlies - Al Horford

A good piece to put next to Pau. It will give them a good baseline/low post presence...now they need to see if they can get into the east...

5. Celtics - Brandon Wright

Both draft web sites have Jeff Green in this slot (if the Celtics trade the pick, this would be viable)...It would be better for the Celts to get a big to go alongside Jefferson. If I were Danny Ainge, I would make a trade down for Al Thornton, and bring in a player to compliment Pierce, while he is in his prime. There seem to be no trade partners though, except for Suns, and I already made a deal for them. Sorry, Jose

6. Bucks - Spencer Hawes

If I'm a team in a blue collar town with a blue collar big man (Andrew Bogut), I would add another blue collar big man. Hawes has a skill set that would fit, too. The Bucks are set on the perimeter, and with two offensively gifted big men, who aren't afraid to mix it up, they would be my surprise team of the east next year.

7. T'Wolves - Joakim Noah

If I were to put any of these personalities next to KG, it would have to be Noah. The Wolves only have a couple of guys above 6-10, and its a no brainer to add the championship pedigree that Noah possess. He is one of the guys who won't stop working once he gets his first payday.

8. Bobcats - Nick Young

The only position where they could truly upgrade is shooting guard. Young's length and all around game are perfect for a team who has a ton of athleticism. His offensive game is deep, too. He could handle the full guard duties of handling the ball and running the offense. Doesn't seem super flashy, and played under a great college coach in Tim Floyd. The Bobcats, by the way, are not that far away from making some noise in the east (neither is my men's league team).

9. Bulls - Coery Brewer

He could be a chip in a trade. He could be a replacement if the Bulls decide to move Ben Gordon, and promote Selfolosha to the starting spot (in this scenario the Bulls would score 70 points a game). The Bulls m.o. seems to build around defense, and the addition of Brewer would make their D air tight.

10. Kings - Jeff Green

The Kings will probably explore a trade for Ron Artest this summer, and since Green plays the same position, and somehow he slipped down my mock draft, the Kings will take him. I do think that the Kings should use this pick, and Mike Bibby, to bring in a player like Pau Gasol (Memphis wouldn't take Bibby, so there would probably be a third trade partner, maybe the Cavs)

11. Suns (from Hawks in my mock trade) Yi Jianlian

If he pans out, this could be a devastating addition to the most athletic frontcourt ever. This would be a good wait-and-see spot for Yi to go to as well. They would have their replacement for Diaw, and be more formidable in the half court (in time).

Potential Lineup

Nash
Bell
Marion
Thomas
Stoudamire

Yi
Claxton
James Jones
Pachulia

Which brings me to two points (1) the Suns may make the trade (or maybe picking for the Hawks) before my supertrade is announced and, (2) the Suns may make another trade to get some luxury tax relief...

12. Sixers - Al Thornton

A great compliment to the athletic A.I. (Andre Iguodala), Thornton is the best available, and Philly can draft at any position, except shooting guard...

13. Hornets - Rodney Stuckey

This scoring machine would be a great compliment to Chris Paul...even though he is the biggest gamble of any of the picks. The Hornets are set at the point, three, four, and the five. So they gotta take the risk and hope for the best. He could very well be the steal of the draft.

14. Clippers - Acie Law IV

I don't think there would be a better rookie-vet pairing than Law and Cassell. Javaris Crittenton could go here, but he's too much of a project for a Clips team looking to win right now. The Clips missed the swagger of Sam Cassell last year, and there wasn't a better clutch player in college than Law.

This is how the lottery will shake out, in my opinion...Tomorrow, I will get into the rest of the first round, with a endorsement to who my team, the Knicks, should pick.

Draft News, Trade News - NBA

I'm a huge fan of the NBA Draft for several reasons...the fate of my team (NY Knicks, stop laughing) can be decided on this night for the next 5 years...all the anticipation after the college season is over, because we know where these guys will end up, and it's fun to see new faces, in a new city...the suits that some of these guys wear will be funny to look at ten years from now, and the idiotic trades some G.M.'s/Presidents of Basketball Operations make...I'm going to open the forum for the latter...in ESPN Insider today, Chad Ford mentioned there were trade talks with the Warriors being the ones who are trying to trade up:

The talk here in Italy is that the Warriors are trying to move Jason Richardson and the No. 16 pick to move up higher into the draft to grab Yi Jianlian. Their targeted trade partners appear to be the Grizzlies (for Stromile Swift, Damon Stoudamire and the No. 4 pick), the Celtics (for Theo Ratliff and the No. 5) and the Bobcats.

Ainge is going to be in every rumor, because he has two commodities, Theo Ratliff's huge expiring contract, and the fifth pick in a loaded draft...I don't think he will pull trigger, but let's assume that Josh McRoberts will be the number 16 (probably the best available at that spot)...the Celts could have a rotation the looks like this:

1. Rondo

2. J. Rich

3. PP

4. McRoberts

5. Jefferson

6. Delonte West

7. Wally World

8. G. Green

9. Kendrick Perkins

10. Ryan Gomes

This would be one of the most formidable rotations in the east, one the most athletic teams in the league, and they wouldn't have an issue regarding scoring, and rebounding...I imagine that Ainge could turn around and trade for a couple of of his excess parts (Delonte West and Gomes) for Phoenix's 24 and 19, which they desperately wanna get rid of...

Next would be Memphis...who has Pau, and Mike Miller...I think they should draft, and wait for the money of Stoudamire to come off the cap, and go from there...but if they were to do the trade:

1. Terrance Kinsey

2. J.R.

3. Mike Miller

4. McRoberts

5. Pau

6. Gay

7. Hakim Warrick

In the west, I would look get a Brandan Wright or Yi, and see where the young core takes me...

The Celts seem to have the best scenario, as long as they make the right pick at 16, and Danny Ainge's karma doesn't get in the way...