2004 NBA Draft thread

[Gert T 0]

Well, I don't know if it is too early to start talking about the draft, but let's get it started.

 

This draft obviously have the impact that the 2003 draft had with James, Anthony, Wade, Hinrich, & Bosh. This may be a draft based on potential as I believe there are 10 HS seniors entered in the draft.

 

The top three picks are ripe with questions:

 

1. With the top pick, many would like Orlando to take Emeka Okafor as a safe pick. But now with Tracy McGrady on his way out would it be smarter for Orlando to prepare for the future by taking Dwight Howard II?

 

2. & 3. Will the Clippers and the Bulls somehow make their teams even younger by selecting the 2nd generation of teenagers for their respective teams. Or will Atlanta try to move up to select Howard if he is still around?

 

 

Teams with multiple 1st Round picks:

 

Atlanta 6th & 17th overall

Portland 13th & 23rd overall

Utah 14th, 16th & 21st overall

Boston 15th, 24th & 25th overall

[Steviekick 0]

The draft itself isn't necessaily that interesting. I'm wondering about what trades will be made, especially with all that's going down with the Lakers and McGrady wanting to get out of Orlando.

[Gert T 0]

I am very interested in the Clippers and Bulls picks since they have been drafting in the top 8 for the last 6-7 years.

 

A HS player will not make them better immediately, but do you go with the best player available?

[Guest Rrrsh]

Yah, I am way more interested in reports that Tmac and Shaq both want to meet up in Dallas. You never know what deals could be made.

[razazteca 0]

If Tmac and Shaq were to sign with the Mavs then that would mean that Micheal Finely and both of the Antwains will be gone.

[Dangerous A 0]

Remember, Nash is a free agent as well an if T-Mac and Shaq ended up on Dallas, they wouldn't have the money to resign him. Then again, if you just got T-Mac and Shaq and still have Nowitizki, then you probrably don't need Nash as much, especially with the emergence of the young guys like Josh Howard and Marquis Daniels.

 

My only thing is would Nellie be willing to part with some of his fun and gun offense to actually implement SOME kind of defense if he gets the right personnel?

 

On a different note, the draft is looking weak on paper. Pick 25 can be as good or better than any of the lottery picks this year. Besides Okafor and Howard, I don't see much else in terms of immediate impact or star potential.

[razazteca 0]

Nellie needs to let Shawn Bradley go and get a real Center.

[Gert T 0]

The problem with sign and trade with huge stars like Shaq and T-Mac is that it is virtually impossible for both teams to get a "good trade". If the Mavs give up too many actual players they lose too much and pick up the big salaries so if they can't win right away they are screwed. And if the Lakers and Magic pick up two or three draft picks they will surely be right at the rear of the first round.

 

Yeah off-season activities are usually more interesting, but what can I say, I am a draft junkie!

[razazteca 0]

What is the past history of the Clippers draft picks and would it be fair to say that most were failures? What is the retention rate for the Clippers draft picks?

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

What is the past history of the Clippers draft picks and would it be fair to say that most were failures? What is the retention rate for the Clippers draft picks?

Yes it would. That is why I hope they make a trade, seeing how our two best players Brand and Maggette came over here in trades on draft day.

 

By the way will there be another thread for the Expansion Draft on Tuesday, or will we talk about that in here as well?

[Gert T 0]

LA Clippers recent draft history:

 

2003 Chris Kaman (6th overall pick)

2002 Chris Wilcox (8th overall pick) Melvin Ely (12th overall pick)

2001 Tyson Chandler (2nd overall pick) Traded to Chicago for Elton Brand

2000 Darius Miles (3rd overall pick) Quentin Richardson (18th overall pick)

1999 Lamar Odom (4th overall pick)

[Guest Rrrsh]

If Tmac and Shaq were to sign with the Mavs then that would mean that Micheal Finely and both of the Antwains will be gone.

They wouldnt sign, they would be traded.

[Guest Rrrsh]

The Mavs have Walker, Finley and Jamison to trade in regards to Salary, along with Nash if they sign him (and all reports point to them signing him)

[MrRant 0]

Sonics pick 12th.

 

Eh.

[Steviekick 0]

I think Nash is one of the most underrated point guards. I wouldn't move him.

[razazteca 0]

Nash is the BEST whiteman point guard in the league.

[alfdogg 0]

Jason Williams?

[Guest Rrrsh]

Jason Williams?

Nash KILLS Williams

 

 

I love Nash, but if you want Shaq and Tmac, then you gotta give up stuff.

[razazteca 0]

Williams is too inconsistent but Hubie might be able to mold him into a great player. Let's wait and see if Jason Williams can have consective All-Star seasons before we declare him the GREAT WHITE HOPE.

[alfdogg 0]

Top 5 white PG's

 

1. Steve Nash

2. Jason Williams

3. Kirk Hinrich

4. Bob Sura

5. Mike Dunleavy

[MrRant 0]

Mock Draft 3.0 from FoxSports.com

 

1. Orlando Magic — Emeka Okafor, PF, 6'10" 252 - All good money continues to be on the bruising Okafor going No. 1, no matter who has the first pick. The Magic could trade down in the draft, and according to the Orlando Sentinel, at least a dozen teams have contacted GM John Weisbrod about doing just that. The Bobcats and Clippers are definitely two of those teams. And while the Hawks would likely take local phenom Dwight Howard, Okafor would be the pick for pretty much anyone else here. His instant impact will be better than any player available, a huge factor in the Magic's attempt to re-sign T-Mac. 

 

2. L.A. Clippers — Dwight Howard, PF, 6'11" 225 - He's too good to pass up and he'd give the Clippers trade bait at the very least. A huge piece of trade bait. The Hawks are drooling over Howard, but any number of teams would love a big man with his agility, strength, and potential ... not to mention humility. However, the Clips already have their franchise big man in Elton Brand, and — for some terrible reason — they're invested in Chris Wilcox at the four. Howard's not the best fit, but you can't pass up his talent. Look for a trade here.

 

3. Chicago Bulls — Luol Deng, SF, 6'8" 220 - Deng just makes a lot of sense here. Jamal Crawford's scoring punch could likely be gone by next season, and the Bulls need a versatile swingman. They also don't need another high school project, having been saddled by the development of Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler for three years now. But with Curry and Chandler entering the pivotal fourth year of development, the addition of Deng and his 6-foot-8 frame would make for an intimidating front line. Deng has signed with an agent and will forgo his remaining eligibility at Duke.

 

4. Charlotte Bobcats — Andre Iguodala, SF, 6'6" 210 - The Josh Childress rumors have fallen off here, but Charlotte president Ed Tapscott and coach/GM Bernie Bickerstaff still say they'll avoid taking a high school player. Iguodola's stock, meanwhile, has jumped up faster than one of his own dunks. He impressed Bickerstaff on Wednesday with his quickness, athleticism, and long-armed defense (think Tayshaun Prince). Even his oft-maligned jumper was falling. And before you evoke comparisons to Vince Carter, Iguodala's passing skills are also highly rated. Even if Iguodala turns out to be a bust, the Bobcats' supplemental draft provides cushion. 

 

5. Washington Wizards — Andris Biedrins, C, 7'0" 238 - Wizards management has to fight the itch to pull the trigger on Shaun Livingston here. The Wizards really, really don't need more guards. Check the roster in the backcourt: Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes, Jerry Stackhouse, Steve Blake, Juan Dixon, and Jarvis Hayes. There's just no room for another guard, but plenty of space for a big man that can step in and contribute in front of Brendan Haywood. Biedrins can run the floor and block shots, and D.C. fans won't have to wait on him to develop like they did for Kwame Brown. The Wizards worked him out Tuesday and liked what they saw. 

 

6. Atlanta Hawks — Shaun Livingston, PG, 6'7" 175 - OK, OK. We got a ton of hate mail about dropping Livingston all the way to 13 in our last mock draft. Some said we should quit our jobs. Others even accused us of smoking crack. We probably just had too much faith that NBA GMs would favor point guards with college experience ... but we succumbed. Livingston's upside really is tremendous, and his height can't be overlooked. With the Hawks shopping Jason Terry, they'll need a point guard. And, again, as much as Livingston is a project a few years away from competitiveness, so are the Hawks. 

 

7. Phoenix Suns — Martynas Andriuskevicius, C, 7'2" 242 - It seems little has changed on this front. The Suns are high on the multi-skilled, yet skinny, center, higher than any other team perhaps. But his agent says Andriuskevicius will not enter the draft if he isn't guaranteed a top-five pick, but there ain't a chance he'll get picked by anyone higher than Phoenix. He also wants to return to his Lithuanian team for another year. That's a lot of demands. Our advice to Martynas? Suck it up, let the Suns take you and join a team that can immediately compete instead of waiting until next year and getting drafted by the Bobcats.

 

8. Toronto Raptors — Ben Gordon, PG, 6'2" 195 - Gordon's stock has also risen significantly over the last week. Even the Bulls are reportedly high on him at the third pick. But the Raptors need experience, leadership and scoring (Toronto had terrible problems putting points on the board last season). Gordon has shown he can contribute in all three categories immediately. 

 

9. Philadelphia 76ers — Josh Childress, SF, 6'8" 207 - If he falls this far, the Sixers would simply be crazy to pass him up. They need a smart, athletic player at forward to make up for the debacle that is Glenn Robinson's contract. Childress is also a great defender, ultimately making him and Samuel Dalembert quite a tandem. Plus, after his three seasons with Mike Montgomery, the smart Childress will be welcomed by Jim O'Brien. 

 

10. Cleveland Cavaliers — Devin Harris, PG, 6'3" 185 - Along with his maturity, nice-guy Harris fits in well with an image-conscious team led by LeBron James. Paul Silas will love him.

 

11. Golden State Warriors — Pavel Podkolzine, C, 7'5" 330 - Apparently, Podkolzine put on a show at the Reebok Eurocamp. Though he's been criticized for being too raw and too slow on defense, some scouts thought he put everything together. His size is tremendous, and the Warriors should pick him here for two reasons: He's the best talent on the board, and the team could lose both Erick Dampier and Adonal Foyle this summer. Podkolzine would fill that void in the post, and then some. However, he may take longer to develop than the hype predicts. Kosta Perovic — a 7 foot 3, 19-year-old from Serbia — would also have been an option here (or even higher), but Perovic has officially said he's returning to his team, Partizan Belgrade. 

 

12. Seattle Super Sonics — Rafael Arujo, C, 6'11" 290 - If the Sonics don't take a big man, they're insane. They've got enough perimeter shooters for two NBA teams, let alone one in Seattle. Araujo is very strong, and he reportedly pounded Colorado center David Harrison in private workouts. Is he good enough to be a lottery pick? Maybe not, but the Sonics need a mature center in the worst way.

 

13. Portland Trail Blazers — Kirk Snyder, SG, 6'6" 219 - Reports are that Snyder has received a promise from a lottery team, and the Blazers certainly need a guard to go along with their frontcourt depth. This looks like it would be the spot for him. Snyder has really won over scouts over the last few weeks with his do-it-all workouts and positive attitude. 

 

14. Utah Jazz — Sergei Monya, SF/SG, 6'8" 220 - Our NBA sources tell us that the Jazz are set on Monya at 14. They need size, and at this point in the draft, his talent becomes too attractive to pass up. A versatile European in Utah who can contribute immediately? Sounds about right. 

 

15. Boston Celtics — Luke Jackson, SF, 6'7" 215 - We hear the Celtics are hoping Jackson — the hot-shooting Oregon star — is available at 15. A few weeks ago that would have been a given, but Jackson's reportedly a very hot commodity right now. While scouts worry about his agility on defense, his otherwise all-around game is worth picking this high. Plus, Luke and Ricky Buckets can chill on the weekends. 

 

16. Utah Jazz (via Knicks) — Johan Petro, C, 7'0" 220 - Again, our inside sources are telling us that the Jazz are sold on Petro. He wasn't even on our board a week ago, but Petro (whom Dime featured back in '02) has worked his way up thanks to the big man camps in Europe. He's only 18 and very inexperienced, but his body is essentially made for the NBA. Plus, the loss of Greg Ostertag could leave a gaping hole in the Jazz's frontline.

 

17. Atlanta Hawks (via Bucks) — Josh Smith, SF, 6'8" 214 - Two high school players in the first round? Honestly, why not? The Hawks aren't going to win anytime soon, so they might as well take two young guys (Livingston and Smith) who not only already know each other, but can also grow up in the League together for a few seasons. Smith's upside and highlight-reel potential is tremendous, and he could definitely go much higher than this, but his untested talent may make him drop. If he's here when the Hawks are picking, the local kid has to be picked up.

 

18. New Orleans Hornets — Dorell Wright, SF, 6'7" 190 - We still like Wright at the 18th pick. The high schooler gives the Hornets an athletic punch on the wing that they lack, and he's got loads of potential. If that potential is realized, he could be a major steal. 

 

19. Miami Heat — Al Jefferson, PF, 6'9" 260 - Some say the Heat should draft Jameer Nelson here, or even Sebastian Telfair. Jefferson, though he may be shorter than 6 foot 9, would give the Heat a low-post presence — the size they lacked against the Pacers in the playoffs. He's definitely a low-post banger, and though his lack of speed may not fit in immediately with the up-and-down Heat, the team can't pass up the size available in this draft.

 

20. Denver Nuggets — Kris Humphries, PF, 6'9" 240 - Humphries was a top-10 player coming out of high school, and a year dominating in college only did him well. Though he may a bit shorter than his listed height, the Nuggets could use his size if Marcus Camby ends up leaving. 

 

21. Utah Jazz (via Rockets) — J.R. Smith, SG, 6'6" 190 - We kept this pick from last week, too. Normally, the Jazz aren't very keen on taking high school kids, and he's been nothing but up and down in private workouts. At his best, with his explosiveness, jumper, and finishing ability, the Jazz could definitely use him. At his worst, well, two out of three first-round picks ain't bad. And ultimately, the Jazz don't want to draft three Europeans in the same round ... or do they? 

 

22. New Jersey Nets — Jameer Nelson, PG, 6'0'' 190 - If he slips this far, this pick still makes sense. Not only is Nelson local (relatively), but he would also thrive under the wing of Jason Kidd. When Kidd ultimately leaves New Jersey, Nelson could be ready to take over the reins. The biggest knock against him is his size, but as anyone who watched him last season will attest to, Nelson's skills at the point are solid. He'd be a great backup next year. 

 

23. Portland Trail Blazers (via Grizzlies) — Sebastian Telfair, PG, 6'0" 175 - Word on the street is that Telfair's been guaranteed a pick before 23, but we're not sure where. The Blazers could definitely use him as they try to revamp their backcourt, especially since Damon Stoudamire will probably be out of Portland by the end of next season. 

 

24. Boston Celtics (via Mavericks) — Robert Swift, C, 7'0" 245 - The Celtics reportedly like Swift, and he's not working out for anybody else. Sounds like a big hint. But with love for Luke Jackson too, who does the team take at 15, and who do they let slip to 24? 

 

25. Boston Celtics (via Detroit) — Peja Samardziski, C, 7'0" 245 - Samardziski has been cleared to go to the league amid prior doubts that Partizan Belgrade wouldn't let him go. On talent alone, he could go in the lottery, but his vertical has been measured at a paltry 22 inches and his mobility has been hampered by a leg injury. Still, his size would be vital for the Celtics, and his potential in the middle is undeniable. 

 

26. Sacramento Kings — Tiago Splitter, PF, 6'10" 240 - Splitter is sort of untested, and if he thinks he'll fall this far he would likely pull out of the draft. Splitter's typical of the Europeans in this draft: He's got a great body and runs the floor well, but needs to work on his offense and put on some weight. The potential, however, is there. If for some reason he stayed in the draft and was selected this low, the Kings would be very, very lucky. 

 

27. L.A. Lakers — Sasha Vujacic, PG, 6'7" 205 - The Lakers have had their eye on Vujacic for a few years now. Our source in Europe tells us he's a tall combo guard like Marko Jaric — very aggressive, and he loves to drive to the basket. He's also a great shooter. We smell triangle offense. That is, if Phil stays for another year. 

 

28. San Antonio Spurs — Anderson Varejao, PF, 6'10" 230 - Varejao has a versatile offensive game, and he could probably contribute right away. Don't expect him to star, though. Scouts think he's definitely a late-first rounder, and that he won't be more than a role player despite flashes of brilliance while playing for Barcelona in Spain. 

 

29. Indiana Pacers — Peter John Ramos, C, 7'3" 275 - Predicting this pick is pretty much impossible. Ramos deserves mention here, however, because he's on a lot of late first-round radars. Character questions have Ramos slipping despite his size and big numbers in the Puerto Rican League. If available this far down or in the second round, he's definitely worth the risk.

[alfdogg 0]

What happened to Ben Gordon?

[Shanghai Kid 0]

Those dummies forgot Ben Gordon.

[razazteca 0]

Nothing but highschool and euro players in the 1st?

[Guest Smell the ratings!!!]

they have Gordon to the Raptors at 8. Is there a reason only I saw that?

 

didn't some of those Euro guys drop out thought? I know for sure Splitter did.

[razazteca 0]

Edit that mock draft so that 7 and 8 is properly spaced!

[MrRant 0]

Bitches.

[KingPK 0]

Does the draft always follow so soon after the finals are over?

 

Anyway, outside of Okafor, I really don't know much about any of these guys, which kind of makes the NBA Draft a bit of a crapshoot. It's not like the NFL draft where you know the top 20 players' height, weight, 40yd time, religion, favorite member of the B-52s, and first word.

[alfdogg 0]

Does the draft always follow so soon after the finals are over?

Well yeah, when the first round lasts about three weeks.

[Kurt Angle Mark 0]

First pre-draft trade

 

The Portland Trail Blazers may be closer to finding a first-round spot for Lincoln High (N.Y.) point guard Sebastian Telfair after agreeing to trade backup point guard Eddie Gill and $3 million to the New Jersey Nets for the 22nd overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft, league sources told ESPN.com Sunday night.

 

The trade, which will be consummated on draft night, gives the Blazers three first-round picks at No. 13, 22 (from New Jersey) and 23 (from Memphis to fulfill the terms of a Bonzi Wells trade last year).