[Derwood]

current ESPN.com poll asks "who would you take with the #1 pick in the NBA Draft?" Adam Morrisson leads by a healthy margin :shock:

[1908]

According to Draft Express, these are the 2006 Green Room Invites:

 

LaMarcus Aldridge

Hilton Armstrong

Andrea Bargnani

Ronnie Brewer

Rodney Carney

Randy Foye

Rudy Gay

Adam Morrison

Patrick O'Bryant

J.J. Redick

Brandon Roy

Cedric Simmons

Tyrus Thomas

Marcus Williams

Shelden Williams

 

The NBA does its best to invite who it projects as the top 15 picks.

[Sweep The Leg Johnny]

Ben Gordon is the lifeblood of this team. Trading him would be ridiculous.

 

I think that's an overstatement. He's a very good shooter and moves pretty well without the ball, but his defense is inconsistent and his ballhandling is below avg. at best.

 

sure, but he's the guy who comes in and gives the team a jolt of energy. How many 4th quarter comebacks has he been responsible for? I just don't think you find that level of excitement and energy too often from a young player. He's not the best player on the team but he is exciting.

 

Energy and excitement is nice but not critical. Heck Kirk, Tyson (when healthy) and Nocci bring energy and excitment to the table pretty consistently. I like Ben - and don't want to see him traded, but he's nowhere near being the lifeblood of this Bulls team. He's an amazing offensive punch that the Bulls rely on often. If he did get traded, it would be with the assumption that the Bulls would have a new offensive source. If Ben continues to develop, he could be something very special.

[wolf stansson]

Kirk Hinrich is the life blood of this team.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Kirk Hinrich is the life blood of this team.

 

Correct.

[Derwood]

Kirk Hinrich is the life blood of this team.

 

Correct.

 

he's pretty sedate. Nocioni definitely picked up the "energy" factor in the 2nd half last year and looks like he can put the team on his back at times. If the Bulls trade Gordon, I would hope it would be for a two-guard who can put up 20 ppg.

 

EDIT: all that said, I'd trade Gordon before I traded Hinrich

[UMFan83]

Ben Gordon is the lifeblood of this team. Trading him would be ridiculous.

 

I think that's an overstatement. He's a very good shooter and moves pretty well without the ball, but his defense is inconsistent and his ballhandling is below avg. at best.

 

sure, but he's the guy who comes in and gives the team a jolt of energy. How many 4th quarter comebacks has he been responsible for? I just don't think you find that level of excitement and energy too often from a young player. He's not the best player on the team but he is exciting.

 

Now we all know that you can prove anything with the right statistic, but I've seen several efficiency related statistics (basketball sabr in nature) that suggest that Gordon is not a very good all around ballplayer. That worrys me a bit.

 

Anyone hear about this Marrion for Chandler and #2 pick trade rumor. It's being discussed in a couple of forums, and they were talking about it on the Score earlier. Anyone know if it has legs?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Shelden Williams is projected as a lottery pick? When did this happen, and how did so many people lose their minds at once?

[1908]

Shelden Williams is projected as a lottery pick? When did this happen, and how did so many people lose their minds at once?

He reminds me of Boozer a lot. Top 5 is a stretch; top 10 doesn't seem like one to me.

[1908]

Anyone hear about this Marrion for Chandler and #2 pick trade rumor. It's being discussed in a couple of forums, and they were talking about it on the Score earlier. Anyone know if it has legs?

No mention of it in any of the local papers today, and all the articles focus on the Bulls draft strategy following a conference call with Pax. So I'd guess not a lot of legs.

[Andy]

The life blood of this team is Andres Nocioni. But I'm quite glad that there are so many exciting young players on this team that we are arguing over which one is the most exciting. :)

[wolf stansson]

Anyone hear about this Marrion for Chandler and #2 pick trade rumor. It's being discussed in a couple of forums, and they were talking about it on the Score earlier. Anyone know if it has legs?

No mention of it in any of the local papers today, and all the articles focus on the Bulls draft strategy following a conference call with Pax. So I'd guess not a lot of legs.

It has legs more in Phoenix than here. My dad says it's all they've been talking about on Phoenix sports talk radio for about a month.

 

I have a feeling the Suns want next year's pick which would be insane to deal now that the Knicks have fired Larry Brown.

 

Basically Paxson said on Boers and Bernstein that he wouldn't do it, but I think he is just saying that to drive down the Suns' price. They have cap issues and want to lock up Diaw and have a glut of forwards with Amare coming back. I also think Pax values Chandler very high for one reason or another.

 

We'll see what happens after it goes down, because the days leading up to the NBA draft is nothing but lies and misdirection anyway.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

ESPN has the draft histories of the last 10 years on the first page of their draft coverage. Because I'm a masochist, I saw how bad the Cavs were at drafting.

 

1996

 

They took Vitaly Potapenko at 12. 4 of the next 5 picks were Kobe, Nash, Jermaine O'Neal, and Peja.

 

2001

 

Took Diop at 8. Afterwards: Joe Johnson, Richard Jefferson, Zach Randolph, Gilbert Arenas, Tony Parker

 

2002

 

Dajuan Wagner at 6. Amare Stoudamire and Caron Butler both taken in the following 4 picks.

 

Seriously though, look at that 1996 draft. Iverson, Camby, Abdur-Rahim, Ray Allen, Antoine Walker, Kittles, Kobe, Peja, Nash, O'Neal, and Ilgauskas in the top 20 picks. That's a draft.

[Derwood]

Yeah, well look at the Bulls:

 

1995 - Picked Jason Caffey one pick before Michael Finley

 

1998 - Picked Corey Benjamin before Nazr Mohammed, Ruben Patterson and Cuttino Mobley

 

2000 - Took 5 players all before Michael Redd

 

2001 - Took Trenton Hassel one pick before Gilbert Arenas

[wolf stansson]

2001 - Took Trenton Hassel one pick before Gilbert Arenas

brb suiciding

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Yeah, well look at the Bulls:

 

1995 - Picked Jason Caffey one pick before Michael Finley

 

1998 - Picked Corey Benjamin before Nazr Mohammed, Ruben Patterson and Cuttino Mobley

 

2000 - Took 5 players all before Michael Redd

 

2001 - Took Trenton Hassel one pick before Gilbert Arenas

 

Those guys are all nice players, but Kobe, Nash, O'Neal, and Peja! And they took POTAPENKO. My team is worse dagnabbit.

[wolf stansson]

Oh yeah. Your team is WAAAAAY worse.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Oh yeah. Your team is WAAAAAY worse.

 

hey! I don't want to have to sick Peter Crouch on you.

 

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/325/karatekid1vk.jpg

[1908]

Basically Paxson said on Boers and Bernstein that he wouldn't do it, but I think he is just saying that to drive down the Suns' price.

Talked to a friend tonight who heard the interview on Boers and Bernstein. He remembered Paxson saying he absolutely wouldn't do it. Paxson thought Marion was an excellent player in the system he played in but the Bulls would be giving up too much -- three assets: Tyson, the number 2 pick, and $14M in cap space -- to get him. Is that your recollection as well?

[Mark_R]

That's about right. I don't necessarily consider Tyson at his money an "asset"

[1908]

That's about right. I don't necessarily consider Tyson at his money an "asset"

Yeah, you've made that pretty clear. Just repeating the word Paxson used.

[wolf stansson]

Basically Paxson said on Boers and Bernstein that he wouldn't do it, but I think he is just saying that to drive down the Suns' price.

Talked to a friend tonight who heard the interview on Boers and Bernstein. He remembered Paxson saying he absolutely wouldn't do it. Paxson thought Marion was an excellent player in the system he played in but the Bulls would be giving up too much -- three assets: Tyson, the number 2 pick, and $14M in cap space -- to get him. Is that your recollection as well?

Yeah but it is more complex than that.

 

When introducing him, Boers prefaced it by saying something like "and now we welcome onto the show a man who will lie to us from now until Wednesday evening, Jon Paxson.

 

Paxson replied, "pretty much."

 

I was getting the vibe that he was just trying not to show his hand to Phoenix. He went out of his way to praise the players at the top end of the draft and act like he wasn't even considering the Marion deal.

 

I don't care what he says, I think when a player like Marion is offered, you have to consider it.

 

I think the Suns are asking for next year's pick as well and with the option to swap first rounders w/the Knicks, he isn't going to biff the chance at Oden.

 

I could be wrong though, he may not want to do the deal at all. I think it's clear he values Chandler a ton more than I do.

[1908]

Yeah but it is more complex than that.

 

When introducing him, Boers prefaced it by saying something like "and now we welcome onto the show a man who will lie to us from now until Wednesday evening, Jon Paxson.

 

Paxson replied, "pretty much."

 

I was getting the vibe that he was just trying not to show his hand to Phoenix. He went out of his way to praise the players at the top end of the draft and act like he wasn't even considering the Marion deal.

 

I don't care what he says, I think when a player like Marion is offered, you have to consider it.

 

I think the Suns are asking for next year's pick as well and with the option to swap first rounders w/the Knicks, he isn't going to biff the chance at Oden.

 

I could be wrong though, he may not want to do the deal at all. I think it's clear he values Chandler a ton more than I do.

Thanks for clarifying. That's a lot of nuance you picked up. It's possible Paxson is playing chicken with the Suns, and I didn't hear the interview. I don't remember John ever saying one thing to the media and doing something else, though. He seems like a straight shooter to me in that regard. Either way, should be a fun few days leading up to the draft.

[wolf stansson]

That's a lot of nuance you picked up.

Haha

Yeah, it may have a bit to do with me thinking this would be a great deal. I'm not a big Chandler fan at all.

Oh yeah. Your team is WAAAAAY worse.

 

hey! I don't want to have to sick Peter Crouch on you.

 

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/325/karatekid1vk.jpg

CRAP! THAT GUY CAN DO ANYTHING!

[Brian]

Am I the only Chandler fan? I don't necesarrily agree with his salary, but I think he's a great guy to have on a bench (I don't like him enough to opose this rumored trade unless next years pick is involved than it does get a bit steep)