2009 NBA Draft

[SabresRule]

With the NBA season over, I think it would be a good time to look to the 2009 NBA Draft.

(The NFL Draft started thread in December, so this might be a good time to start this site's second annual NBA Draft Thread.)

There are a lot of interesting names- Griffin, Thabeet, Rubio, Curry, Evans, Hardin, and all those Syracuse guys Salsa reminded us of.

What needs does your team need to fill, and how do you see the draft going?

 

[Paul Wozniak]

My initial impression is that this draft is short on "impact" players.

 

[HD MM]

With the NBA season over, I think it would be a good time to look to the 2009 NBA Draft.

(The NFL Draft started thread in December, so this might be a good time to start this site's second annual NBA Draft Thread.)

There are a lot of interesting names- Griffin, Thabeet, Rubio, Curry, Evans, Hardin, and all those Syracuse guys Salsa reminded us of.

What needs does your team need to fill, and how do you see the draft going?

What date is the draft Sabres?

As for my Cavs, I want a big or a hustling type. Someone who can score from the post or is a slasher. Someone who can rebound and can provide energy from the bench. Psycho-T fits all of those characteristics, but the only question remains whether he can carry that onto the NBA?

 

[SabresRule]

What date is the draft Sabres?

Thursday, June 25th.

(BTW, I remember during last year's Draft, you went to an Indians game- and that set up probably one of your best posts: http://www.satelliteguys.us/1425478-post86.html.

Could lightning strike twice?)

 

[Paul Wozniak]

The Piston's need to rebuild there front court also. A strong post presence is needed.

 

[HD MM]

Thursday, June 25th.

(BTW, I remember during last year's Draft, you went to an Indians game- and that set up probably one of your best posts: http://www.satelliteguys.us/1425478-post86.html.

Could lightning strike twice?)

Ugh, I just got a sick to my stomach feeling when I re-read that and remembered that Courtney Lee was still available with the Cavs #19 selection! Judging on how well he's played for the Magic, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that he could've contributed to our success this year.

 

[anders5189]

I think it'll be interesting to see who takes Brandon Jennings. For those who don't know Jennings was a big time PG in HS who was too stupid to qualify for college so he played last season in Italy, where he did virtually nothing. Still, he is projected as a lottery pick. The word is he is a total showboat, think Jason Williams (the skinhead one). As far as I'm concerned a guy like that is not worth the risk unless you want to average 20 turnovers a game or you plan on running a promotion where fans in the first 5 rows can catch an errant pass.

 

[SabresRule]

Thread bump.

Draft is 72 hours away.

What position players does your team need?

 

[Rey]

miami needs a center!

 

[HD MM]

This draft is one of the weakest I can remember. Besides Griffin, everyone else is a crapshoot.

 

[Rey]

This draft is one of the weakest I can remember. Besides Griffin, everyone else is a crapshoot.

:up:up On top of that miami's picks for this draft are poor. poor draft+ poor picks =

 

[Ramy]

I don't think anyone else stands out either. Maybe thats why Jodi Meeks stayed in it.

 

[HD MM]

:up:up On top of that miami's picks for this draft are poor. poor draft+ poor picks =

Yeah, Cleveland doesn't pick until #30. By then, we'll be lucky to get chopped liver!

 

[Paul Wozniak]

Detroit needs front court help. We have a first round (#15), and 3 second round picks. If we take Dejuan Blair at #15, I think Tayshaun Prince will end up as trade bait. Don't know what they are going to do with 3 second rd. picks, especially in light of the fact that most of their first rd. picks of the last few years didn't make the team.

 

[Max Fisher]

In anticipation for this, the Spurs picked up Jefferson today:
[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4281291&campaign=rss&source=ESPNHeadlines"]San Antonio Spurs get Richard Jefferson from Milwaukee Bucks for 3 players - ESPN[/ame]

 

[SabresRule]

In anticipation for this, the Spurs picked up Jefferson today:
Source: Spurs acquire Jefferson for 3 players - ESPN

Milwaukee went to all that trouble to get him- only 1 year?

Talk about having no patience.

As for the Spurs- this is a good trade. They need depth- in the playoffs against Dallas, nobody showed up other than Duncan and Parker- and a bit of youth.

 

[SabresRule]

Wizards get Mike Miller, Randy Foye for fifth pick in NBA draft - NBA - SI.com

So the Wizards won't have a round 1 draft-pick- good trade or bad?

 

[HD MM]

Wizards*get Mike Miller, Randy Foye*for*fifth pick in NBA draft - NBA - SI.com

So the Wizards won't have a round 1 draft-pick- good trade or bad?

Good for the Wiz, mind boggling for the Wolves. The Wiz got a starting shooting guard in Mike Miller. Randy Foye's not too bad either. I'd take him over any player available in this year's #5 slot. This draft is one of the weakest in recent memory.

The deal would leave Minnesota with the No. 5 and 6 picks in the lottery. The Timberwolves also have the 18th and 28th selections in the first round of today's draft.

Note to Minnesota, why in the hell are you trying to accumulate so many picks in this year's draft?! Has no one told you how weak this draft class is?

 

[HD MM]

The Boston Garden will be quiet for the NBA draft.

No party for the season ticketholders and sponsors. No network live shot from the war room. No congratulatory phone call to the next Boston Celtics star on Thursday night, when the top college and international players are distributed around the league.

Having traded their first-round pick to Minnesota in the deal that brought Kevin Garnett to Boston, the Celtics do not pick until No. 58 -- out of 60 -- in the NBA draft. It's the lowest they've ever made their first pick.

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2009/news/story?id=4281276"]Danny Ainge says Boston Celtics unlikely to move up in draft - ESPN[/ame]

 

[HD MM]

Griffin up for tough challenges

NEW YORK -- Blake Griffin heard the doubters who wondered why he was joining a college team coming off a 16-15 season.

"A lot of people, when I committed to Oklahoma, asked me, 'Why did you commit there? Why didn't you go to Kansas or Duke or somewhere like that?'" he recalled Tuesday. "I just said, 'You'll see in a couple years.'

"I'm a big believer in not always following the most popular thing to do. Make your own path. Do you own thing."

Griffin won't have a say in which team he joins in the NBA, with the Los Angeles Clippers expected to select him with the top pick in Thursday's draft. But good thing he enjoys forging a new path. He'll have to do just that to rewrite the history of a franchise best known for its blunders on and off the court.

"It doesn't bother me at all," Griffin told The Associated Press. "All that stuff happened in the past. That's exactly what it is: It's in the past. No one can do anything about it now. If I am with the Clippers, it's going to be all about the future. No disrespect to anybody, but I could care less what happened 20 years ago, 15 years ago."

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2009/news/story?id=4282111"]Blake Griffin not worried about Los Angeles Clippers' challenges - ESPN[/ame]