|
| |
Feeling Drafty
Tony
Williams
June
26, 2008
Welcome to the 4th
Annual Draft Diary – or as I’ve dubbed it the Diary of the Mouth. Or, for one
year only, we can rename it “The One Year Anniversary of Kevin McHale Handing
Danny Ainge Kevin Garnett and the NBA Title!”
Anyway, it’s that time of year
again. And for me it’s the best time of the NBA “season.” I love watching all
these ‘experts’ analyze and psychoanalyze why Player X is over/underrated. I’m
also geeked up for the obligatory hot words of the draft like UPSIDE, LONG, and
CEILING.
I’ll be giving you the blow-by-blow right from my Man Room
lair in Northern New
Jersey – a stone’s throw from the festivities at The Theatre at
Madison
Square Garden.
I figured if I can’t be there in person – thanks, Stern! -- the next best thing
would be on my home court. Besides, who wants to be in a crowded arena, up in
the nosebleeds, eating stale press food? The Man Room provides plenty of ‘me
space,’ front row seating, no bathroom lines, and great food. This reminds me,
this column is sponsored by Soho’s Pizzeria and
Molson Ice.
Besides banging out a quality diary my other goal is to win
the Gregg Easterbrook Award – annually won by ESPN’s Bill “Sports Guy” Simmons –
for the best 4,000-word column.
Before we get to the festivities, a few pre-draft trades went
down that may change the course of this draft. Richard Jefferson of the Nets to
the Milwaukee Bucks for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons, which will now be known
as “The Nets’ Prep for LeBron James in 2010 Trade.” Seriously, how transparent
was that deal? The Nets are arranging for their hopeful move to
Brooklyn
within two years – the same time LBJ can be a free agent. It makes sense on all
landscapes, though, the LBJ funny business or not. Yi never wanted to be in
Cheesehead Country. He’s always wanted to be in a major market with strong Asian
ties, so he gets what he wants. Meanwhile, this makes the Bucks a serious threat
in the Eastern Conference next year, as they have all-stars on the perimeter
[Michael Redd and RJ], a nice core of Mo Williams at point, Charlie Villanueva
at the four, and Andrew Bogut at the five. Plus, Desmond Mason is your sixth
man. New Head Coach Scott Skiles is going to be challenged trying to get this
group play some D but at least they’ll put some points on the boards…if Skiles
the Tyrant lets them.
You know it might be a push when you hear the Jermaine O’Neal
for T.J. Ford trade and think out loud, “Hey, they should dub this All-Gimp
trade!” The reports are that the Raps get the injury prone J.O., as the equally
brittle Ford and Rasho Nesterovic head to
Indiana. Both sides win – pending players pass their
physicals. J.O. gets to be “protected” by Chris Bosh, who’ll get most of the
attention. So, J.O. gets to get his in anonymity and can be a matchup problem
for the other team’s center. If he’s right, O’Neal is a steal of a trade because
he’s a former all-star who will have an impact. This move makes
Toronto the third-best team in the East. On the other hand,
Indiana gets a legit starting point [sorry Jamaal Tinsley]
but they’re resting on Ford being upright for 82 games and that hasn’t happened
yet [75 is his career high]. Ford is perhaps the fastest guy in the L, so
that’ll help the speed up the offense but if he’s not all the way back from a
spinal condition he’s useless because speed is his game.
Well, it’s showtime, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.
And remember, if you’re not satisfied you’ll get a money back guarantee…
7:32 p.m.
– We start with live shots of the Green Room – which actually isn’t green, nor a
room. It’s more like a taped-off corridor aside the stage. And The Commish,
David Stern, greets us: family dreams, blah, blah, blah. Shilling the WNBA,
blah, blah, blah. Global domination, blah, blah, blah. Oh, and my favorite part:
“we’re fresh off the coronation of the World Champion Boston Celtics”: I think I
just threw up in my mouth a bit. Kudos to Knicks fans, though, for booing the
C’s. Then again, they’re probably just prepping for the obligatory lousy pick at
number five. Quick question: how do you say “Booooo” in Italian?
7:38 p.m.:
First pick by the Chicago Bulls is hometown boy Derrick Rose of
Memphis, as suspected by all. I think it’s a no-brainer.
Dude is a monster. Comparable to Deron Williams of the
Utah
Jazz. He’s an unselfish leader who can balance being a killer one-on-one or get
his teammates involved. Plus, he’s a bigger point guard [a strong 6’3] who can
bang on bigger ballers. I hope incumbent point Kirk Hinrich doesn’t mind coming
off the bench. It makes sense, though, because – and I’ve been saying this for
years – Hinrich isn’t a point. Matter of fact, at Kansas University Hinrich
shared point duties with Jeff Boschee. Hinrich is more of a combo guard, as is
sixth man phenom Ben Gordon. The addition of Rose will open things up for
shooters like Hinrich, Gordon, and Andres Nocioni. Looks like the odd-man out
will be Chris Duhon, though.
7:43 p.m.:
The Miami Heat pick Michael Beasley of
Kansas
State.
Some shock here if you believed the smoke screens coming from Pat Riley’s camp.
All along he had many believe that Beasley wasn’t his type of player, especially
after Beasley officially measured at 6’8, instead of the 6’10 he was listed in
college. First of all, he was measured in socks. Last I checked you don’t play
basketball in socks unless it’s that indoor Nerf set we all had growing up. And
second, dude has a seven-foot wingspan! That’s Tayshaun Prince length, so he’ll
be fine. Sure, when I first saw him up close during his prep years I thought
“this generation’s Derrick Coleman!” But he’s showed me something since then.
First, he’s a very good rebounder, a hard worker, and he wants to improve. DC,
for all his talent -- and he was arguably the most versatile power forward ever
-- was easily distracted by the lifestyle and literally got fat and lazy and
rested on his laurels. The guy dubbed “Beastley” only has ball on his mind.
People are concerned about a 19-year-old on
South
Beach. But if Ricky Davis – a charter member of my
All-Crazy Team – can evade the police blotter, Beasley will be OK…and be a 20
point scorer his rookie year.
7:48 p.m.:
Kevin McHale picks O.J. Mayo from USC. My man, OJ!!! Personally, I like the kid.
I got to know him some as a prepster when he played at the old ABCD Camps in
Teaneck,
NJ. He gets a bad rap for his “character issues.” His
problem was that he surrounded himself with questionable cats who were out for
self. Athletically, he has all the moves. At 6’4 he’s very physical for a lead
guard. He actually likes to play D. And, from what the reports out of
Southern Cal
said, he was a great teammate and leader. Plus, dude’s been in the spotlight
since grammar school. He’s used to being The Guy. He’s used to dealing with
outside pressures. He’s used to being scrutinized. Plus, and this is a big
“plus”, he LOVES basketball. Forget that he wants to make himself into his own
brand – which is one reason why he chose big-market USC – he just loves ball.
His ceiling is very high and at worst he’ll be a Stephon Marbury type but I
could easily see him as a lethal second option in the Scottie Pippen mold. I
really don’t see bust with this kid. Teamed with Al Jefferson, they have a very
good one-two punch out in Minny…unless of course Kevin McCeltic, um McHale,
doesn’t give him away to good ol’ Boston for a six pack, some 80’s short shorts,
a new ugly Cardigan sweater, and that 2008 championship ring the Boston brass
promised to give him for that KG larceny, um, trade. Sorry, still bitter!
7:54 p.m.:
The Sonics pick Russell Westbrook of UCLA. LOVE this kid. Although he says he’s
a point guard he really doesn’t have a real position but is athletic, plays
suffocating D, and at 6’3 will try to dunk on EVERYBODY. He woulda been great in
NYC because with him, David Lee, and Renaldo Balkman, they woulda raised hell on
D. His hustle alone would’ve made him a cult figure in
New York.
Oh well, now Seattle – or
Oklahoma City – gets to see him, Kevin Durant, and Jeff Green form a formidable triple
threat. Sorry, city of
Seattle. Better get the NBA League Pass. That’s the only
way you’ll enjoy this great, young nucleus.
8:01 p.m.:
It’s Kevin Love of UCLA!!! Personally, he’s a favorite of mine. I’m a lil’
biased since I’ve followed K-Love since he was a junior at Oswego High in
Oregon. I also love chatting up his dad and former Laker,
Stan, and I’ve become good buddies with Kevin’s godfather Bill Feinberg.
Memphis finally did something right. I’m not big on
hyperbole but Love is the best outlet passer since Bill Walton and Wes Unseld.
By the way, Kevin’s middle name is Wes, in honor of Stan’s former teammate when
they played in Washington.
The critics kill Love for his “conditioning, toughness, length, etc.” I’m here
to say his skill-set is NBA-ready. He’ll add 8-10 points per game for
Memphis just on easy outlets and fastbreak points. Trust
me! Mike Miller, Rudy Gay, and company are going to love what he brings to the
table. He has star talent but can easily slide into anonymity and dominate a
game without getting touches. A solid rebounder with a lil’ Bill Laimbeer in his
game in that he has range for a big man, and he’ll get them easy transition
buckets. He’ll be a great fit.
8:06 p.m.:
I can hear the boos already. Brace yourself. Here’s Stern…it’s Danilio
Gallinari!!!! YES!!!!! I’m giddy just because of the sheer volume of boos. I bet
I can turn down my television and hear them from here. I can EASILY hear my
buddies in the next town over breaking stuff. OK, alarming fact: dude’s nickname
is “Rooster!” Really? Reebok already has a signature shoe dubbed “The Rooster!”
This doesn’t alarm anyone? I know new Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni loves him. He’s
known him since Gallinari was a child, when he and Gallinari’s dad were
teammates in Italy.
Whatever. Dude NEEDS to perform yesterday for
New York. They are not taking this pick well. On a serious tip, he did handle
this bashing well. Sorta like when the Eagles fans “welcomed” Donovan McNabb on
draft day, 1999. Can he live up to the hype? He seems mature. He’s saying all
the right things. But the Knicks fans want results. Remember, they booed Balkman
and now he has a following, so you never know. Guys in the know about European
ballers say he has some Toni Kukoc in him. Maybe Gallinari won’t be a perennial
all-star but he might just work out from what pundits say.
8:12 p.m.:
Clip Joint picks Eric Gordon of
Indiana. Nice player but where do you play him? He’s NOT a
point. He’s a Gilbert Arenas type who likes to shoot. He might have had the best
jumper in college last year but at 6’3 – and a gunner -- he won’t be a steady
point. The Clips are gonna have to “hide” him at the two guard like teams do
with AI and Arenas. He’ll play point out of necessity because they don’t really
have a point – unless Shawn Livingston comes back completely from that horrific
knee injury. I personally don’t get the pick…not with either Jerryd Bayless or
D.J. Augustine available to be your point. Gordon can score from anywhere on the
floor but can he initiate the offense? Or will he be looking to “get his”?
8:18 p.m.:
It’s Joe Alexander from West Virginia for the Bucks. He was the “hot name” coming into the draft.
He’s athletic and 6’8 he can play both forwards. Plus, he has a mean streak,
toughness, and likes to bang on you. He’ll fit in nicely under Skiles’s
mentoring because, along with RJ, Skiles has at least two guys willing to stick
out their chests to take charges and get their noses bloodied some.
8:25 p.m.:
Bobcats pick Augustine. I’m iffy on the former Texas Longhorn. He’s slight
[5’11, 172 pounds] but at the same time he runs an offense well and gets others
involved. He’s super quick and had Kobe Nuts in college in that he enjoyed
taking the big shots. Sure, Durant was the stud at
Texas
but if you ask around it was Augustine who was the glue to that team and
actually made Durant a better player. Scouts say that Augustine has a lil’ Steve
Nash in him because he’s able to keep his dribble alive – especially on the
baseline – to get his teammates a better looks. His wingspan is 6’3, which means
he’ll play the passing lanes well. He just has to get stronger, be able to
handle the verbal lashings from Mike Jordan and renowned point guard hater Larry
Brown, and make Raymond Felton work because people in the know say Felton kind
of rested on his first-round “I’m a Tar Heel playing for THE Tar Heel” status.
Now, he’ll have to work extra hard to keep Augustine off his heels.
8:29 p.m.:
The Nets pick Brook Lopez, one half of the Wonder Twins at Stanford [his brother
Robin might also have his name called tonight]. People are very high on him.
Sure, he’s a seven-footer with great wingspan and a shot blocker but he’s not
real nimble. They say he has a mean streak and was a great rebounder but he only
had eight per in college. Call me crazy but I see Chris Mihm. Now, that isn’t a
shot at Lopez – because he’ll probably be a solid pro -- but I just don’t see
the “steal” that Jay Bilas is crooning about. Darrell Arthur of
Kansas would’ve been a better fit. Oh well. Didn’t the
Nets already learn from drafting one half of a twin brother center combo??? That
is, unless you consider the Collins Twin Era a success.
8:35 p.m.:
The Pacers pick Bayless of Arizona. LOVE this kid. I’ve loved his game since I
saw him play up close in high school. The 6’3 point has swagger. Now, with the
T.J. Ford deal and the Bayless pick, that suitcase you heard being packed was
Tinsley’s. For real, Larry Bird can’t get Tinsley, his rap sheet, and his guns
outta Indianapolis
fast enough. Bayless isn’t your prototypical point. He’s the new-age “lead
guard.” A Chauncey Billups/Tony Parker-type. But with the new nucleus of Ford,
Bayless, Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy, Jr., and Troy Murphy, the Pacers are
looking at a more uptempo offense.
8:41 p.m.:
It’s Jason Thompson of Rider for the Kings. He’s the only senior drafted thus
far. He’s 6’11 with a face up game. The popular word being bandied right now is
“solid.” Not sure you want your lottery pick to be “solid.” Shouldn’t lottery
picks be cornerstones? Guess that’s why I’m not an NBA GM and why the only
trades I do are via the
realgm.com trade checker. As you probably guessed, I have NOTHING else to
add about this Thompson kid…and he played in my state! Yikes. Best of luck, kid.
At least no one will notice if it doesn’t work out. Funny how fast Sacto fell
into basketball obscurity since they blew up that Chris Webber/Mike Bibby team.
8:47 p.m.:
Brandon Rush of Kansas goes to
Portland. LOVE this pick. Makes sense.
Portland
is basically drafting for depth because a healthy Blazer team will be loaded
next year. The hopeful return of Greg Oden, added with All-Star Brandon Roy, and
now a 6’7 swingman who doesn’t like being The Man, will only make Portland that
much scarier.
Portland
will be a contender next year and Rush will just be another solid piece. Plus,
they can now dangle a very good, yet sporadic swingman in Travis Outlaw for more
spare parts. Rush can play in obscurity but be a difference maker because he
does all the “little things.” He was a glue guy on a national championship
Kansas team and will be a silent, yet productive baller.
8:52 p.m.:
With the final Lottery pick the Warriors pick Anthony Randolph of LSU. The
Warriors go big for once but if Don Nelson is really returning, I don’t see this
pick’s logic. He’s lean at 6’11 and 200 pounds. Don’t they already have a lean,
long, weak frontcourt man in Brandon Wright? Sure,
Randolph
is heralded as “talented” but he’ll need to bulk up. He likes to run the floor,
which is a plus, and likes to ignite breaks with blocks but Nellie has great
disdain for rookies. Just ask Webber. And Webber was the number one overall pick
and a surefire stud! A rookie who’s a project will get even less love.
8:58 p.m.:
Phoenix picks Robin Lopez and immediately Shaq orders him
to “tell me how my [butt] tastes.” They have some weird hazing down in the
Valley of the Sun! This Lopez version is lesser known. His hair, however, will
be legendary down there. Seriously, if I’m a part of the Suns’ marketing team
I’m sooooo ordering faux afro wigs for Fan Giveaway Night. Lopez is actually
stronger than his twin. And he’s defensive oriented. Stick him next to Shaq and
you immediately see what G.M. Steve Kerr and new coach Vinny Del Negro want out
of the Suns. Defense, ignite the secondary fast break of Nash, Amare Stoudemire,
Grant Hill, Raja Bell and company, and then if nothing happens with the break,
set up the half court offense. We’ll see but with a guy like Arthur still
available, I question this pick.
9:04 p.m.:
The Sixers pick Marrese Speights of
Florida. 6’10 widebody from
Florida.
As indifferent as the crowd was when he was called, I actually like this pick.
He’s limited conditioning-wise – sure, not working hard in Philly will go well –
but if he can get in better shape, they might have something there. He’s a good
shooter in the paint [60%+]. And he likes to bang. Philly is slowly putting
together a solid team. With the super steady Andre Miller at point and gazelles
Andre Iguodala, Louis Williams, Thaddeus Young, Sam Dalembert, and Rodney Carney
running the floor, Mo Cheeks has a sleeper Eastern Conference contender.
9:06 p.m.:
This pick from Toronto
is really for the Pacers, pending that trade. It’s Roy Hibbert of G’Town. Here’s
a guy who hurt his stock by actually staying in school. Had he come out last
year, he coulda been a top-five pick. I just think he’ll be an OK pivot. He’s
7’2 but rarely dunks and he likes to face up and shoot jumpers. Dunno? Sounds
like he could be a career backup. I’ll never forget when I saw him in college
and he got his shot blocked and then later almost got dunked on by then-Rutgers
guard Quincy Douby….and Douby, who now plays in Sacto, is only 6’3, 170 pounds
soaking wet. Red flags, anyone?!
9:14 p.m.:
The Wiz pick JaVale McGee of Nevada.
He’s a 7-footer with 7’6 wingspan and the first mother-son WNBA-NBA connection,
so he has that going for him. His mom, Pamela, played in 1998-99. He’s a
mechanical big with potential they say. I guess. The Wiz should just embrace who
they are: they’re an uptempo, poor man’s pre-Kerr Suns team. There’s no need to
front. Stop drafting stiffs in hoping you can be a tougher team. Just go with
the flow, keep drafting gunners, and entertain the masses. Drafting plodders
like McGee [no offense], Brendan Haywood, and someone named Oleksiy Pecherov
insults us all. Embrace the “seven seconds or less” philosophy and let ‘er fly!
9:16 p.m.:
Blazers trade Jarrett Jack and Rush’s draft rights to the Pacers for Ike Diogu
and Bayless’s draft rights! Wow! Sucks for Jack and Rush, going from a potential
dynasty to the Pacers. But, hey, at least
Brandon
can play with his brother Kareem. Bayless must be grinning ear to ear. Dude can
play two-man with either Aldridge or Oden and feed
Roy easy buckets all day.
9:20 p.m.:
Cavs pick J.J. Hickson of NC State. He’s 6’9 and plays bigger than that. A wide
body who is very strong. He’ll add some beef to a frontline that had no one else
but Anderson Varejao wilin’ out on the glass. And no, the glacial Zydrunas
Ilgauskas and the formaldehyde-filled Ben Wallace don’t count. It wasn’t a bid
splash of a pick but it was a solid one. See, this is where “solid” fits in –
right around the 20th pick. Still woulda rather seen Arthur picked –
he’s getting that Aaron Rodgers look to him, sitting in that Green Room alone
popping that gum. I’d had even picked Chris Douglas-Roberts of
Memphis. Just someone – ANYONE! – to lessen the scoring
load for LeBron.
9:26 p.m.:
The Bobcats pick again and it’s Alexis Ajinca of
France.
No, really. It’s the Bobcats’ first international pick. Yawn. He’s 7’ with a 7’8
wingspan…but rail thin! He’s only 220 pounds!!!!! Dude, as a college football
player I was 220. To put it in better perspective Baron Davis is a solid
212 and he’s only 6’3! You just KNOW high flyers Gerald Wallace and Jason
Richardson just put money in the kitty to see who dunks on Frenchy first in
practice. I think even Jordan
plunked down a C-note.
9:33 p.m.:
The Nets are on the board again and they pick Ryan Anderson of Cal. Huh?! He’s a
6’10 banger who scored more Pac-10 points than Love and Mayo last season. They
say he’s a great passer and offensive minded. But at only 235 pounds I don’t
know what they do with him. Especially with them already acquiring forwards
Simmons and Yi, Bostjan Nachbar still there, as well as the ever-improving
Shawne Williams. And add in the Lopez Twin and there’s no room for him. That’s
twice the Nets passed on Arthur, who has the potential of being a 17-20 ppg
scorer.
9:40 p.m.:
Magic pick Courtney Lee of Western Kentucky. A
6’5 scorer whom I actually like. And it’s need pick. Well, it’s a need
considering they’ve buried J.J. Redick’s body on the pine [a benching with which
I disagree]. Lee can play right now and give the Magic a viable backup to Keith
Bogans, who’s more of a defensive specialist. If you watched the NBA Playoffs it
was painfully obvious the Magic couldn’t even score with
Detroit when the D collapsed on Dwight Howard. So, picking
a scoring swingman makes sense – if only they had a flawless shooter to rely
upon. Oh, wait, nevermind.
9:44 p.m.
The Jazz pick Kosta Koufas of Ohio
State. A legit seven-footer but he’s not a rebounder.
He’s a finesse center and if you know me, I just HATE finesse bigs! If you’re
not a great rebounder in college even though most guys you played against were
under seven feet tall, and now you’re expected to be a force in the paint for
notorious tough guy Jerry Sloan, God bless you, man. You think Greg Ostertag was
Sloan’s favorite whipping boy? They might as well give Koufas Ostertag’s old
locker and jersey number.
9: 48 p.m.:
The Sonics select Serge Ibaka of Congo! Huh???! 6’10, 228 forward. This is a
stash away pick in the mold of Seattle GM Sam Presti’s former team the Spurs.
Ibaka, who was at the draft, will stay in
Spain
and mature [i.e. Manu Ginobili] and hope to make some noise as a seasoned
“rookie” in about two years. And get this, Ibaka is only the third player from
the Republic
of Congo
[Dikembe Mutombo of the Rockets and D.J. Mbenga of the Lakers are the others]
and he has 17 siblings!!! At least he already has his posse picked out.
9:52 p.m.:
Doris Burke just interviewed Arthur and he had that solemn look like Rashard
Lewis had on draft night when he fell all the way out of the first round, after
coming out as a high schooler back in 1998. I’m telling you, Arthur is gonna
make a lot of GMs have some ‘splaining to do in a few years.
9:56 p.m.:
The Rockets pick Nicolas Batum of
France. Supposedly a “French League All-Star”
says Stuart Scott. He’s 6’7, 210. Sure, a foreign project is just what Yao Ming
and Tracy McGrady need to finally get out of the first round. The Rockets are in
“win now!” mode and this guy doesn’t look like he fits the part.
9:58 p.m.:
Arthur supposedly has kidney issues, which is scaring the hell out of most
teams. If that’s true then I understand the trepidation but that being said,
when he gets picked it’ll probably be to a playoff team who can nurture him and
stash him away for a few years, while he hopefully gets stronger and hones his
game.
10:02 p.m.:
Spurs pick George Hill of IUPUI. He’s a 6’2 point who likes to run and gun.
Think that gunner’s mentality will sit well with Gregg Popovich? A plus for Hill
is that he plays defense, which is the Spurs way. And his 6’3 wingspan is a
bonus. But can he subjugate his scoring mentality and fit in? Remember, this was
the same reason why it took Pop so long to trust Tony Parker. Score-first points
don’t do well initially in Pop’s scheme.
10:06 p.m.:
This pick by N’awlins is really for
Portland, as the two are in a pending trade.
Portland
will get the rights to this pick and the Hornets get cash. It’s Arthur!!!! Yes!
This is a great pickup. I’m telling you, he can be a very good third scorer or a
lethal sixth man. He’s 6’9, long, great offensive repertoire, good speed, and a
grown man’s turn-around jumper. And besides, his self-given nickname back in
high school, Slim Shady, is terrific. I fell in love with his game back when his
high school, South Oak Cliff High, played in the same high school tournament as
K-Love’s at
Iona
College.
Arthur was arguably the best baller at that tournament and is perhaps the best
forward to come out the
Dallas
area since Larry Johnson in the late 80’s. Trust me, city of
Portland, you just added a very good baller, who now has a
chip on his shoulder. He’ll fit in nicely with that great, young roster…and
Portland just made Lakers, Spurs, and Hornets fans a little
uneasy.
10:12 p.m.:
Seriously, isn’t Blazers GM Kevin Pritchett awesome? 12 players have been traded
or picked up in last three years, including eight trades. They have the youngest
roster in the L. And right up ‘til the last six weeks of the season, they were a
playoff threat in the single-greatest season the Western Conference ever had…and
all this without their franchise center. Uh-oh. Pritchett reminds me of me – if
I had my own NBA team to run. Seriously, I’d be fiddling with the Trade Checker
option all day harassing other GMs and messing around with straight-up trades
and threeways [I mean trades, sickos!].
10:14 p.m.:
The Grizz’s second pick is Donte Greene. He’s 6’9, 220 but can’t bench his own
weight. No, really. At the pre-draft camp he benched 185 pounds twice…TWICE!
He’s a scorer with suspect shooting selection. Well, at least he’ll have K-Love
cleaning up the messes. Just “break out” when you see Love grab the carom, Donte,
and you’ll get an easy
four to six garbage points per. I remember seeing Greene up close in
high school, specifically his final prep game, The Jordan Classic, just last
year and he was getting pushed around some there. Don’t know what kind of
strength program they have up in
Syracuse but it’s not working. He’s a fluid offensive
threat but needs work. Not sure a bad team is really a good fit for him.
10:23 p.m.:
D.J. White from Indiana goes to
Detroit. He’s 6’9, 251, and a mean player on the blocks. He
likes to rebound and is basically a less-athletic Jason Maxiell. White will be a
grunt like Maxiell or a Reggie Evans and fit in nicely with a blue-collar
Pistons fanbase.
10:32 p.m.:
With the 30th pick the hateable Celtics pick…oh, who cares! Alright,
alright, they pick J.R. Giddens of New
Mexico. He’s a 6’4 combo guard who’ll probably get no burn, unless
Ray Allen unhooks himself from the Juvenation Machine and goes back to playing
like the stiff he was early in the playoffs. As I type this, McCeltic just
traded the 31st pick, Al Jefferson, Jesse Ventura, Adrian Peterson,
and a
Great Lake to
the Celtics for a Red Auerbach “victory cigar.” Seriously, if that actually
happened would anyone have been shocked? He probably wears a faded “Celtic
Pride” tee under his ugly sweaters. And, yes, I’m still
very bitter!
Well, on that note that
concludes the first round. Still can’t believe Chris Douglas-Roberts isn’t a
first round pick. Telling you, he’s going to be a sneaky surprise in the mold of
Monta Ellis. Well, at least I can still see. Last year at this time I was
looking at a six month rehab stint, fresh off the Carpal Tunnel I acquired and
the whole Kobe
mess. Hope it was as fun for you as it was for me. Until next year’s draft or
until I write a column damning the obligatory McCeltic trade that helps ease his
buddy Danny Ainge into the Finals, have a good one!...and, yes, still bitter!
|
