Unofficial NBA Draft Thread

[CP]

From ESPN's Broussard

Cleveland is trying hard to buy a draft pick and if the above scenario doesn't happen, they may buy the 17th pick from Chicago. One of the players the Cavs are targeting is Kentucky guard Eric Bledsoe, whom some believe could turn into a Rajon Rondo-type player.

Same article says Clips & Bulls are discussing deal to send #8 to Bulls for Deng and the #17. I just can't see Clips taking on Deng's contract without giving anything else away when they can go after their own FAs.

[daddywags]

Yeah, that sounds like wishful thinking on Chicago's part.

Bledsoe would go well with Calipari when we hire him.

[Bayou Tribe]

Bledsoe would be a nice fit. Combo guard, shot well in the post-season (if I remember correctly). Could do alot worse at 17, if they would be able to swing that. Also, do you guys have a 2nd rounder? I looked through some projections earlier, and I can't remember.


I'm hoping for one of the small forwards to Nola at 11, George or Aminu. But I am getting a sinking feeling that they may go Patterson.

[FUDU]

Despite the NBA draft being **** I'm expecting a significant move from the Cavs tonight, a trade getting them a needed player and ending up with a first round pick.

[papacass]

Windhorst tweeting that the Cavs are "lukewarm" on making a move to get into the first round tonight, based on discussions he's had with team executives in the past day.

Maybe Windy is trying to manage expectations, but I'm not holding my breath on anything major happening. Most likely scenario is the Cavs buy a couple of second-rounders and try to find a hidden gem. That's been their M.O. the past few years.

I don't think they'll be as aggressive/desperate as we want them to be, at least on draft night. Maybe the seeds for a later deal are planted tonight, but I'd be surprised if the Cavs leave the draft with anything of immediate consequence.

[Bayou Tribe]

OKC gets Miami's 1st rounder and Daequan Cook. So now the Thunder have 3 first rounders (18, 21, 26) and Miami is very close to being able to offer 3 max deals in free agency.

[Ziner]

OKC gets Miami's 1st rounder and Daequan Cook. So now the Thunder have 3 first rounders (18, 21, 26) and Miami is very close to being able to offer 3 max deals in free agency.

Ha, the NBA cracks me up. You trade a player to move down in the draft.

[CAVSTRIBEBROWNSin07!]

My draft predictions:

5 best NBA players to come out of this draft: John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, Jordan Crawford, Evan Turner (I love ET, but the game vs UNC makes me think he could have some struggles vs bigger defenders), Greg Monroe.

Biggest busts: Derrick Favors, Wes Johnson, James Anderson.

Biggest steals: Crawford, Xavier Henry, Avery Bradley.

Biggest moment of the draft: Something which affects LeBron. Somehow the dude will steal the spotlight.

[papacass]

Biggest moment of the draft: Something which affects LeBron. Somehow the dude will steal the spotlight.

Only because everything that happens is viewed through the prism of how it affects LeBron. Even if it's in a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon kind of way. If there is a way to tie LBJ to an exchange of second-round picks between the Grizzlies and Pacers, the media will find it.

[Ziner]

Whatever, I'll put it here. Maybe we should start a general off-season thread.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2010 ... id=5324240

Bulls trade Heinrich and a pick for what seems to be nothing but cap space. Chicago has can sign 2 max guys.

[Triple-S]

Whatever, I'll put it here. Maybe we should start a general off-season thread.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2010 ... id=5324240

Bulls trade Heinrich and a pick for what seems to be nothing but cap space. Chicago has can sign 2 max guys.

this would almost Chicago the clear favorite.

if this does happen, again, the question has been posed on the board multiple times, "Does LeBron want to be in MJ's shadow everytime he steps on the court?"

Also, if the Bulls were to say get, Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, the Cavs would struggle mightily to win the division.

so either way, it really doesn't bode well for us.

[Doc]

Its starting to feel like that FA year with McGrady, Grant Hill, and Duncan, among others. Orlando gets 2 top guys...they go nowhere. SA keeps Duncan, and they've been a great team since. I'm still confused on Miami...can they possibly get Wade and 2 others? And now the Bulls could nab 2 max guys to go with Derrick Rose? Wow. I guess a Delonte deal might start making more sense. We can't absorb salary like Washington, but West's mainly non-guaranteed contract is probably a valuable piece tonight, as we enter the final stretch to clear cap space.

[Ziner]

0% chance Wade goes to Chicago. His crazy ex is in that town.

[Bayou Tribe]

I'm still confused on Miami...can they possibly get Wade and 2 others?

A little cumbersome, but a good article that tries to clear up the numbers. 3 max contracts sounds nice, but with Beasley's contract in the fold it would be very hard to pull it off. Unless there are some drastic, unforseen measures it will be 2 guys (prob D-Wade and a compliment).

http://cbs4.com/local/miami.heat.trade.2.1770149.html

[papacass]

If the Cavs lose LeBron, the Cavs would struggle mightily to win the division.

Fixed.

Regardless of where he goes and who he hooks up with.

And yes, the Bulls will enter July as the frontrunner for LeBron, at least on paper.

[OldDawg]

Most likely scenario is the Cavs buy a couple of second-rounders and try to find a hidden gem. That's been their M.O. the past few years.

Speaking of hidden gems, whatever happened to Christian Eyenga??? A hidden gem that continues to hide??

[smalls1129]

Quick question and then follow up comment concerning the Bulls trade. I have heard that this trade cannot be finalized until July 8th due to Washington not being able to afford KH salary til then. How can this really go on? Doesn't the NBA's 'year' begin on July 1st, how can they allow a trade to start in one fiscal year and not be completed until the other? Just seems like there are way too many loopholes in the system allowing teams to manipulate salaries that has absolutely no logic to it.

[peeker643]

Most likely scenario is the Cavs buy a couple of second-rounders and try to find a hidden gem. That's been their M.O. the past few years.

Speaking of hidden gems, whatever happened to Christian Eyenga??? A hidden gem that continues to hide??

He averaged 3.5ppg in the Euro League this past year. Looks like a real up and comer. In fact, I was gonna ask Cass where they keep hiding all these hidden gems they've found in the last couple years?

[OldDawg]

Most likely scenario is the Cavs buy a couple of second-rounders and try to find a hidden gem. That's been their M.O. the past few years.

Speaking of hidden gems, whatever happened to Christian Eyenga??? A hidden gem that continues to hide??

He averaged 3.5ppg in the Euro League this past year. Looks like a real up and comer. In fact, I was gonna ask Cass where they keep hiding all these hidden gems they've found in the last couple years?

At least we're not paying the dude to suck on our bench.

[peeker643]

At least we're not paying the dude to suck on our bench.

Actually and unfortunately I believe they are paying for him to suck on a different continent. Don't believe they retain his rights w/o paying him that rookie contract.

Someone else likely has that info.

Edit:

I might be wrong.

It should come as no surprise that Eyenga signed a three-year deal to play in Spain. Reports indicated that the Cavs wanted to sign him and put him in the NBDL after his surprising 2009 Summer League results. It is definitely surprising that Eyenga didn’t take the guaranteed two years at about $2 million, but it would be ideal to hold judgement until we find out the specifics of his deal and opt-out amount with DKV Joventut.

NBA teams can contribute up to $500,000 for buyouts on overseas contracts. A higher buyout usually means a higher salary, so if Eyenga’s salary for the next few years in Spain trumps what the Cavs could have given him, then it is possible that the buyout amount could be huge.

Regardless, even at the end of three years, the Cavs would still have Eyenga’s rights, and he would still be just 23 years old going into the 2012-13 season. Guys like Anthony Parker and (knock on wood) Jamario Moon would be keeping the seat warm for him until he comes back.

In the end, selecting Eyenga was never meant to be a move to contribute to the 2009-10 season, anyways. It probably wasn’t even meant to contribute to 2010-11, either. And the Cavs will continue to have Eyenga’s rights if and when he is ready to compete in the NBA.

http://bit.ly/drfSGO

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Turner is the man.

[CP]

If there's a white guy in the draft, Utah is going to take him.

[dmiles]

If there's a white guy in the draft, Utah is going to take him.

Unless my talent meter is fizzled I just can't see it. Similar type to Budinger who drops into the 40's last year. My guess is the NCAA run gives him cachet.

I've been wrong before. That NCAA championship game was dreadful to watch if you ask me regardless of how close it was.

[Bayou Tribe]

Aldrich and Mo Pete going to OKC for 2 of the 1st rounders.

Safe travels, Lefty. We hardly knew ya....

[CP]

@PDinsider #Cavs now working phones hard, looking for some action in picks 16-26. New Orleans might look to sell 1 of 1st rounders they just got.

[Bayou Tribe]

@PDinsider #Cavs now working phones hard, looking for some action in picks 16-26. New Orleans might look to sell 1 of 1st rounders they just got in addition to sending Peja Stojakovic to Cleveland.

FIFY

[CP]

OKC just took Bledsoe for the Hornets... Hornets have CP3, Collison... Cavs might have just bought themselves a PG

[CP]

Nevermind, Ford says Bledsoe was taken for the Clippers in exchange for future 1st.

[Bayou Tribe]

Hornets got 21 and 26 from the Thunder, and there is talk that the Hornets may move 26.

[CP]

I suppose if I'm Gilbert I could spend my money in worse ways than buying some youth.

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

Who the fuck is Kenneth Turan and why is his opinion worth airing twice every commercial break?

[CP]

Reghi and Roda claimed the Cavs had targeted 5 guys. Two of them, Solomon Alabi and Hassan Whiteside, have made it to round 2. Perhaps they can get one of them?

[mattvan1]

so either way, it really doesn't bode well for us.

Congrats, Captain Obvious. The understatement of the decade.

[CP]

@PDinsider

There are a couple of big men still on board the #Cavs might have interest in, but they aren't being very aggressive at moment.

[CP]

@chadfordinsider:

Knicks take Landry Fields with their second pick. Fields wasn't in my Top 100. First time a team drafts a player out of my Top 100 in yrs

[CP]

@PDinsider:

#Cavs still talking with teams, they are considering buying a second rounder I hear. Depends on who is available.

[mattvan1]

@PDinsider:

#Cavs still talking with teams, they are considering buying a second rounder I hear. Depends on who is available.

Meanwhile, Miami has a roster of only 3 NBA caliber players, and $50 mil in cap space. Big, big gamble to see if they sign 2 (3??) max guys. Penthouse or outhouse. Riles has cojones, I'll give him that.

[CP]

Great for Riley, if they get the max guys he kicks Spoelstra to the curb and takes over. If they don't, he fills the roster and stays in the front office.

[waborat]

Only 4 times have the Cavs not had a selection on draft night...

'92, '05, '07, '10...

Anyone see a pattern with those above mentioned years?

No youth, no future

[CAVSTRIBEBROWNSin07!]

Biggest moment of the draft: Something which affects LeBron. Somehow the dude will steal the spotlight.

Only because everything that happens is viewed through the prism of how it affects LeBron. Even if it's in a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon kind of way. If there is a way to tie LBJ to an exchange of second-round picks between the Grizzlies and Pacers, the media will find it.

Woj agrees:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=A ... gent062510

Also wanna back off my Xavier Henry as a sleeper call, where he was taken he's no sleeper.

[davemanddd]

Most likely scenario is the Cavs buy a couple of second-rounders and try to find a hidden gem. That's been their M.O. the past few years.

Speaking of hidden gems, whatever happened to Christian Eyenga??? A hidden gem that continues to hide??

He averaged 3.5ppg in the Euro League this past year. Looks like a real up and comer. In fact, I was gonna ask Cass where they keep hiding all these hidden gems they've found in the last couple years?

ah yes, but stats in the euroleague don't really tell the whole story. case in point - brandon jennings only averaged 7 ppg in his lone year over there and look what he did this year in the nba as he finished 3rd in the voting for the rookie of the year and made the first team all-rookie squad averaging 15 ppg. meanwhile, when methusaleh bob mcadoo played in europe he averaged something like 26 ppg as a 40 year old man while playing absolutely no defense whatsoever. in other words, you really need to take all those euroleague stats with a grain of salt.