2007 NBA Draft

[Flip41]

I thought I would start this thread to kind of move on. I was pissed last week and wanted to trade Dirk then I changed my mind. The Mavs need a PG, SG, or C with low post skills. I beleive that the PG with leadership is the only thing that the Mavs could get that would immediatly start and help the team.

That said, I think the Mavs should try to move up and get AC Law. He has 4 years of college experience and was the leader of that A&M team that was good.

I like Mike Conley, but he is young and is way too high on the board for the Mavs to get.

What does everyone else think?

[Gaddabout]

I think if you could move that far up in the draft, Spencer Hawes might have a more immediate impact.

Law is Sam Cassell, but a young Sam Cassell, which means he'll probably need a couple of years seasoning before he's ready to contribute.

Hawes could come in next year and start producing 10 to 12 points in the low post.

[BaylorTMW]

Please god no, no Spencer Hawes...

Fact is, unless we get into the top 8, we are not going to get a player that is going to put us over the top NEXT year. And that might even be the top 3, and you might get a trade to #3, but this draft scares me after Oden/Durant around that point...

[Flip41]

This is a deep draft it shouldn't scare you after #2.

[Gaddabout]

Originally Posted by BaylorTMW

Please god no, no Spencer Hawes...

I thought people wanted scoring at the 5? Probably no better scoring 5 in the draft. He's Brad Miller, and maybe just a little bit nasty with the right motivation.

[jthig32]

Are three second round picks really enough ammo to move up into the middle of the first round to even discuss any of these people?

I wouldn't think so.

[Flip41]

I know that jthig32, but you may package a player with a pick or two to move up. Also, since they are wanting a PG they may have to look at the draft since there aren't that many options available in the NBA right now.

[peruna11]

Assuming the mavs keep the 4th pick in the 2nd round, would you consider Taurean Green as a potential pick? The mavs need a point guard and he will probably be the best one available at this time. If not a pg, what about Nick Fazekas or Glen Davis? Fazekas is tall, a good rebounder, and has good range. But he is needs a lot more power. Davis on the other hand has weight issues and doesn't have the height for an NBA PF. However, he does possess good shooting touch around the rim and good range, and a pretty good rebounder.

[BaylorTMW]

Originally Posted by peruna11

Assuming the mavs keep the 4th pick in the 2nd round, would you consider Taurean Green as a potential pick? The mavs need a point guard and he will probably be the best one available at this time. If not a pg, what about Nick Fazekas or Glen Davis? Fazekas is tall, a good rebounder, and has good range. But he is needs a lot more power. Davis on the other hand has weight issues and doesn't have the height for an NBA PF. However, he does possess good shooting touch around the rim and good range, and a pretty good rebounder.

I see Davis as a Ronny Turiaf type of player. Wouldnt mind seeing him, but I think he will be gone. A guy that does intrigue my is Aaron Afflalo, but I don't know if he can be a PG...

[SeriousSummer]

If Acie Law is still on the board when the Clippers pick at 14, then you might be able to do a deal. The Clippers badly need a point, but Law won't be ready to play as a starter for several years, so they might take Terry as part of a bigger deal.

[DarenG]

Originally Posted by jthig32

Are three second round picks really enough ammo to move up into the middle of the first round to even discuss any of these people?

I wouldn't think so.

I would say no. You would have to probably trade 1st and 2nd to move up far in the 1st round.

[craggmac]

Please, no more white dudes

[MascisMan]

What about Terry for the Clippers 14th pick and Maggette?

[DelNegro]

Originally Posted by MascisMan

What about Terry for the Clippers 14th pick and Maggette?

The Clippers would laugh and hang up the phone.

[mkat]

Originally Posted by craggmac

Please, no more white dudes

yeah that's not working well in Utah....

[nowhereman]

it's a pretty crappy draft for PGs.

like.. ultracrappy.

[Lor20]

Originally Posted by craggmac

Please, no more white dudes

who cares ? as long as a player plays well i couldnt care less wether he is green and has 3 eyes and 4 legs (even though I'm not sure if the nba rules would allow such a player - is there anything in the rule books about that?).

I dont think a rookie is gonna fix the mavs up (i dont even expect oden or durant to be dominant until their second or third year - and the mavs are starting to get a tad old then (damp, terry, stack, dirk a bit...). And leadership from a rookie wont really work either D-league to nba is still a HUGE step.
I wouldnt mind getting a young player that is a really good shooter at SG though to rotate with stack in the event we do a terry+x for another real PG (is there any?). we have stack that can still take it to the hoop and harris aswell, and if we get a SG that can shoot and a PG that can make plays and shoot some too then i think we'll be set.

[MavsX]

Originally Posted by DelNegro

The Clippers would laugh and hang up the phone.

haha

[belgianfan]

Originally Posted by Lor20

I wouldnt mind getting a young player that is a really good shooter at SG though to rotate with stack in the event we do a terry+x for another real PG (is there any?). we have stack that can still take it to the hoop and harris aswell, and if we get a SG that can shoot and a PG that can make plays and shoot some too then i think we'll be set.

Webster and Roy for Terry?

They are both young, Roy can destribute the ball and is the ROY! Webster is a young shooter, like you asked.

If they don't want it: Webster + Jarret jack
Or Terry + filler

The salary's probably wouldn't work, but I'm too lazy to make them work...

[bcrav4]

With the Hawks pick I suggest we look at:

Kyle Visser 7' C - bruiser who lives in the post
Herbert Hill 6'10 - hard working post big man, with good offense and defense, shot 64%
Sean Williams 6'10 - Amare type body, low bball iq, questionable worth ethic

Reyshawn Terry 6'7 - nbadraft.net compares him to Stephen Jackson

[mary]

Lottery Spotlight: Roy Hibbert
Authored by Kostas Bolos - 21st May, 2007 - 12:18 pm



Name: Roy Hibbert
Age: 20
Height: 7-2
Weight: 265
College: Georgetown (Jr.)

Strengths/Weaknesses: Roy Hibbert is a solid big man with tremendous size and strength around the basket. His size makes him a monster on the boards and allows him to play physical defense while filling the lane and blocking shots. On offense, he has a soft touch and good footwork, and his work ethic and intelligence have allowed him to improve his scoring every season. His jump hooks and 10-foot jumpers will be tough for NBA defenders to stop due to his size and wingspan.

His basketball IQ has increased every season and is maturing as a leader on the floor. His quick decision making has enabled him to be effective passing the ball out of the post, and with some coaching, he can eventually turn into a block player who can determine the tempo of the offense.

However, along with his enormous size comes decreased athleticism. Despite having good instincts and footwork on offense, he still lacks quickness and notably speed down the court in transition. At age 20, he is still growing into his massive frame. He also does not play as effectively with rougher big men covering him. His toughness is suspect and he needs to add some muscle to develop into a dominating post player. Once he gains confidence in his strength and size, he will be able to elevate his game and begin attacking the rim and throwing down dunks left and right in the NBA.

Marquee Performances: Hibbert was often the largest player on the court, and usually he had his way with smaller centers in college. However, going to the NBA, he will face plenty of seven-footers, all of which will bring more aggression and toughness than anyone in the college game. However, his draft stock was solidified after he put up a very solid 19 points on 9 of 13 shooting, 6 rebounds, and 1 block in 24 minutes against heralded defensive stopper and projected number-one overall pick Greg Oden in the Final Four semifinal versus Ohio State.

This, along with solid games against shot blocking specialist Sean Williams of Boston College (17 pts, 12 reb, 2 blks) in the second round of the NCAA tournament and another against Pittsburgh in the Big East tournament finals (18 pts, 12 reb, 1 blk, 8 of 10 shooting).

Ideal Fit: Hibbert is an effective low block player. He is a traditional center with a back-to-the-basket repertoire that rivals any other player in this year’s draft. With some added muscle and increased speed and athleticism, he can become a dominant performer in the NBA. The style of play that he would fit best into is a team that runs a half court offense that allows entry passes in to the Big Fella. That way, he can punish opposing centers with his scoring ability or kick it out to an open wing man with his superior passing skills when he feels the double team coming.

A team with much needed frontcourt post scoring such as the Chicago Bulls , Atlanta Hawks , or even the Washington Wizards , especially if the team is able to trade disgruntled center Brendan Haywood away before the draft. Inserting him next to a rebounding and defensive machine would be an ideal fit, especially alongside Ben Wallace in Chicago or Josh Howard and Sheldon Williams in Atlanta. He is likely to go in the Lottery, so expect him to be gone before the Wizards select with the sixteenth pick. The Bulls and Hawks would be foolish to pass on this prospect, depending on where they end up after the May 22 Lottery.

Another interesting scenario to watch for could be a potential deal made by the Dallas Mavericks to obtain a pick to secure Hibbert. As the Mavericks have demonstrated in the past by dealing Antawn Jamison to Washington for the number five overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft in order to select speedy point guard Devin Harris, they are not afraid to take a gamble on a young player with upside. Currently on the precipice of a potential roster shakeup, the Mavericks could rid themselves of the oft-ineffective Erick Dampier and instead pair Hibbert on the block with DaSagana Diop to perform one of the most intimidating frontcourt defensive tandems. Adding Hibbert also gives Dallas a low post presence it has been lacking, with great perimeter players to feed while utilizing his passing abilities.

Best Case: Rony Seikaly

A slower paced center who can put up 15 and 10 every night with 2 blocks and assists, while commanding double teams and feeding guards with quick crisp passes.

Worst Case: Michael Olowokandi

A complete waste of size and college-dominating talents and ability, ultimately leading to a journeyman career with contracts coming only as a result of league-wide need for big men.

http://www.realgm.com/src_twoplusthe...t_roy_hibbert/

[Stranger]

Interesting. If we got a lottery pick, however, I would rather make a safe choice for a player that fills a need, like Corey Brewer or Mike Conley.

[mary]

A team with much needed frontcourt post scoring such as the Chicago Bulls , Atlanta Hawks , or even the Washington Wizards , especially if the team is able to trade disgruntled center Brendan Haywood away before the draft. Inserting him next to a rebounding and defensive machine would be an ideal fit, especially alongside Ben Wallace in Chicago or Josh Howard and Sheldon Williams in Atlanta. He is likely to go in the Lottery, so expect him to be gone before the Wizards select with the sixteenth pick. The Bulls and Hawks would be foolish to pass on this prospect, depending on where they end up after the May 22 Lottery.

Sloppy..

[MavsX]

nice work mary

[DelNegro]

If the Mavs get a top 10 pick that means they gave up Josh Howard to get it. I don't think the mavs come out ahead in that scenario.

[Windmill360]

By Sam Smith
Lottery winner may double up
Oden is grand prize in Tuesday drawing, but Conley is wild card

Published May 21, 2007


Tuesday is Powerball day in the NBA, the NBA draft lottery, the seventh game of the losers' championship.

And it's more exciting than last year, when the No. 1 overall pick was Andrea Bargnani, or the year before when it was Andrew Bogut. They're nice players, but hardly ones to turn around a franchise, promise a future and excite the ticket-buying public.

That happened in 2003 with LeBron James. Before that it was Tim Duncan in 1997 and Shaquille O'Neal in 1992. These guys come along about twice a decade.

And it's time again, with Ohio State center Greg Oden the consensus No. 1 pick … unless the Celtics get it? I think he was joking, but one personnel guru said the feeling was the Celtics were the only team that might take Texas' Kevin Durant No. 1 (no booby prize) because of general manager Danny Ainge's unusual reliance on brain typing for draft picks.

In some ways, this lottery is bigger than the multi-state Powerball. There you can become a millionaire. Everyone in this lottery will be a millionaire. This is a chance to win a championship, which money rarely can buy.

There has been some talk that the team that drafts Oden will be told he wants to play with point guard Mike Conley Jr., his lifelong friend and floor leader. And I believe it. It's hardly unusual; Kobe Bryant dictated his way to Los Angeles out of the draft. Conley's dad is representing his son and Oden, and Conley the player is no slouch. In fact, many teams rate him the draft's best point guard. The two most difficult positions to fill are center and point guard. With those, you can begin building a team.

If the Timberwolves happen to jump from No. 7 in the preliminary odds to No. 1, I believe they finally would deal Kevin Garnett to put in place an Oden/Conley building project, something to get excited about. Plus, Oden needs someone like Conley. Despite Oden's high skill level, he's a more passive personality, whereas Conley is a born leader. The pairing would provide Oden the comfort zone he needs to ease his transition.

A team like the Bulls could become big players. The Bulls have the Knicks' pick, which has the ninth-best odds to get No. 1 and a chance to get into the top three. If the Bulls were to get lucky and get No. 1, they'd probably keep Oden. But he's not exactly a classic post-up scorer yet and is still a kid despite his appearance.

The Suns wanted to get together to commiserate following their controversial playoff loss to the Spurs, and Amare Stoudemire missed the Saturday meeting. Coach Mike D'Antoni dismissed his absence with a joke, but D'Antoni and star point guard Steve Nash concede the Suns have chemistry issues. In addition, managing partner Robert Sarver soon will take complete control of the franchise from Jerry Colangelo, and D'Antoni knows Sarver is concerned about being in luxury tax territory.

"We have to be careful tinkering with this too much," D'Antoni told Phoenix reporters. "You can get an All-Star out of the draft. I don't want to think we've got to go crazy."

Three of the four NBA playoff survivors are defensive, grind-it-out teams, and the fourth, the Cavaliers, are a wannabe with coach Mike Brown.

And while their more wide-open style didn't fail, the Suns could be a vastly different team next season.

They won Game 4 in San Antonio to reclaim the home-court advantage they lost in Game 1 when the bloodied Nash couldn't return after a late-game collision with Tony Parker. And before Stoudemire and Boris Diaw were suspended, they were in excellent position to move on because they dominated the Jazz in the regular season.

The Suns could have the Hawks' pick, plus they will have the Cavaliers' at No. 21 and their own at No. 29.

If I were the Bulls and I got the No. 1 pick, I'd try to trade for Stoudemire. And my guess is with Stoudemire averaging about $15 million for the next four years, the Suns would strongly consider making a move to ease the financial burden and maybe the locker-room tension. The Bulls have less than a 2 percent chance of landing the top pick, though, so it's hardly a likely scenario.

Depending on who draws the top pick, it's a good possibility that team makes a move to accommodate Oden. And it means a number of top players could be on the market.

The Grizzlies have the best odds and certainly would deal Pau Gasol, in part to cut costs with the team up for sale.

No one ever knows what the Celtics are up to, but would getting Oden lead finally to a Paul Pierce deal? He would fit well with Al Jefferson and give the Celtics the chance to build a great young core? The Celtics certainly need a point guard.

You figure the Bucks, with the third-best odds, would deal Bogut. He's a solid high-post, passing center, but that's Oden's position. The Suns get the Hawks' pick unless it is top three. If the Hawks get No. 1, Zaza Pachulia would be an underrated pickup for someone and shouldn't cost much.

There are some solid players potentially available such as the Timberwolves' Garnett, the Trail Blazers' Zach Randolph, the Sonics' Nick Collison, the Bobcats' Gerald Wallace and the 76ers' Andre Iguodala. What if some of them come on the market? How does that change the makeup of a team? There are some very good players at the top of this draft.

continued

[V2M]

From Chad Ford's blog on ESPN.com:

Artem Zabelin, a 7-foot-2, 19-year-old Russian, is the true mystery man of this draft. I've come across only two NBA scouts who have seen him play live. Both came away impressed. But it's going to take a lot of faith for an NBA team to pull the trigger on him in the first round this year.

Zabelin measured 7-foot-1 in socks at the workout and has an impressive 9-foot-3 standing reach. He also has good athleticism for a big man. On his vertical jump, he nearly touched the 12-foot mark on the backboard.

[MavzManiacz]

Originally Posted by V2M

From Chad Ford's blog on ESPN.com:

Artem Zabelin, a 7-foot-2, 19-year-old Russian

I literally started laughing because my first thought was this is more than likely the the second coming of Pavel "The Russian Bear" Podkolzin!

Just to bring the thread back to the very beginning, if anyone is interested ...

http://www.nbadraft.net now has Acie Law going #20 to Miami.

[V2M]

Conley on their mind
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
June 1, 2007

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Yes, Greg Oden is enamored with the idea of Portland Trail Blazers general manager Kevin Pritchard hustling a trade for another lottery pick to select his personal point guard, Michael Conley Jr. He wants this understood. If he goes to Portland with the No. 1 overall pick, he would love to have him on his side.

Nevertheless, Oden, who's expected to be chosen first in the June 28 draft, is sensitive to the shadow that has chased Conley throughout his basketball career. Perhaps, Oden wonders, Conley could benefit with a fresh start somewhere else in the NBA.

"I would love to play with him," Oden told Yahoo! Sports at the NBA predraft camp, where he underwent a physical for NBA teams. "Being with him for so many years, it would be great. But I just think he might want to (go elsewhere), just to be his own person after always being pegged as my sidekick. I think he might want to go do his own thing, and be his own person, without me getting most of the glory."

Conley is considered the top point guard prospect in the draft, and the Atlanta Hawks are thinking hard about selecting him with the third overall pick.

The Blazers would be willing to trade Zach Randolph and Jarrett Jack as part of a package to secure that No. 3 choice, but Atlanta wants LaMarcus Aldridge. In fact, the Hawks believe Aldridge is a much better bet to be a star forward than the 2007 draft crop that includes Brandan Wright, Corey Brewer, Al Horford and Joakim Noah.

Atlanta would pass on Wright, despite the belief that he might be the most talented player in the draft after Oden and Kevin Durant. After taking North Carolina's Marvin Williams two years ago over Deron Williams and Chris Paul, the Hawks can't take another forward whom they'll have to wait to develop. They see Florida's Horford, the strongest, most physical of the class, as the choice at three with Conley.

As for Conley, he says he is rooting for Portland to make a deal for him, but Oden's thoughts on the dynamic between the two of them – and the shadow – resonates with Conley.

"I can understand what he's talking about," Conley said. "I've had to deal with being in his shadow growing up. I thought going to the NBA would be the time we would end up splitting anyway … but once I heard about the trade, it was like, 'Wow, me playing with him again?'

"I'd definitely welcome it. He's a great teammate, a great player, and my best friend. I have had nothing but success with him."

AROUND THE PREDRAFT CAMP

• Seattle SuperSonics president Lenny Wilkens interviewed the fourth and final candidate for the team's general manager opening, meeting with San Antonio assistant G.M. Sam Presti, the 30-year-old whiz kid of the Spurs.

Several sources believe Presti will be the choice, but apparently Washington Wizards assistant G.M. Tommy Sheppard impressed Seattle officials with his interview a week ago. John Gabriel, the ex-Magic G.M., and Gary Fitzsimmons also met with Wilkens.

Wilkens has said that he'll wait to hire a coach, until his G.M. is on board. There's a lot of belief among league officials that, with Durant on the way to the Sonics, Wilkens might make himself the coach. However, one league source familiar with Wilkens' thinking this week at the camp said the speculation was "highly unlikely" to happen.

• While Billy Donovan was across town at his coronation as Orlando Magic head coach, his predecessor, Brian Hill, was in the gym on Friday visiting with league friends.

After several weeks of deliberation, the Magic fired Hill, who had reached the playoffs in his second season upon returning to Orlando as coach. The organization has offered him a chance to stay in an undetermined role, but Hill is waiting to hear specifics before making a decision.

When asked if he still wanted a chance to coach, he said, "I do."

For now, though, Hill said, "They offered me a position in the organization that's not clearly defined yet, and once I get that, and see exactly what it is, I'll make a decision."

• A source who has spoken with Los Angeles Lakers G.M. Mitch Kupchak and Pacers G.M. Larry Bird says that the conversations about a Jermaine O'Neal-for-Andrew Bynum-and-Lamar Odom trade have accelerated in recent days, undoubtedly a reaction to Kobe Bryant's four-day tirade.

"I wouldn't be surprised if this got done by the draft," the source said.

• Perhaps no player has created as much intrigue as Eastern Washington shooting guard Rodney Stuckey, who is believed, according to sources, to be the Detroit Pistons' target at No. 15.

Said one Eastern Conference scout: "If this kid was playing at Washington, instead of Eastern Washington, people (would be) talking about him as a top 10, maybe top seven or eight player, in this draft."

Stuckey is a fearless, tough guard with a great shooting touch. Out of high school, he would've gone to the Pac -10, but he didn't have the grades to become eligible as a freshman.

"And even with that, I love the fact that he became an academic all-conference student," the scout said. "That tells you something about his determination."

• Josh McRoberts is intriguing to the New Jersey Nets at No. 17, so much so there was some discussion within the franchise of guaranteeing the 6-foot-11 Duke forward the spot.

• Marquette sophomore Dominic James struggled for most of the camp, leaving him with no choice but to return to school. His coach, Tom Crean, spent two full days watching him and said that he hoped "whatever he decides, he needs to use this experience to see where he needs to improve."

With James returning for his junior year, Marquette is expected to be one of the elite teams in the Big East Conference.

• Marist point guard Jared Jordan dazzled scouts with his passing and poise, and he says that he has "nine or 10" workouts scheduled with teams. He'll start in San Antonio next week.

"I think I proved to people that I can run a team," Jordan said.

[alby]

June 28 is the draft, four more weeks=[

[Dr.Zoidberg]

From HOOPSWORLD.com
Draft Prospects: Dallas Mavericks
By Bill Ingram
Jun 7, 2007, 08:57


The buzz out of Orlando last week had more to do with the players who weren't there than it did with those who were. Of course, top first round picks have nothing to gain from showing up for the pre-draft camp, but late first rounders can often improve their standing by putting on a show in the weaker talent pool of the pre-draft camp. This year, even the projected late first round picks weren't around, meaning there was very little for the gathered who's-who of NBA front offices to evaluate.

"I'm not aware of a lot of the college guys," admits Mavericks assistant coach Joe Prunty. "But what stood out to me was that most of the guys I had heard of weren't there. Pre-draft has become that, unfortunately. A lot of guys think they can just be sneaky and don't have to show up. It's still productive, though. They do a good job of running it and I think there's value in it. Maybe it could be tweaked, but that's for someone else to decide. But for a guy like me, who doesn't get a chance to watch any of the college games, it's great to be able to see them come together and play. It gives me a chance to know who they are, at least."

Ironically, the Mavericks don't have a first round pick in this year's draft, so the field of talent in Orlando could very well be the pool the Mavs get to pick from when they finally get on the board in the second round. Given the lack of buzz coming out of Orlando, though, can the Mavericks realistically expect to improve their team in the immediate future with their 2007 picks?

"That's always the issue with a second round pick is whether or not you can get a player who can really help you out," says Prunty, who spent last week checking out the Orlando camp. "There haven't been many second round picks who really made it in the history of he draft and there's only a handful of guys every tear who come in and make an impact and they usually wind up on bad teams. That's why those teams are picking where they are. There's an odd exception like the Spurs with Tim Duncan, where they had injuries and then got the top pick and were very good. If Durant goes to Seattle this year that's a team that was injured and could be very good next year. At the end of the day you're looking for a chance to get better. When you're in Dallas and you're not always picking with a top pick it's amazing to get guys like Josh (Howard), Devin (Harris) - turning situations that weren't ideal pick situations around and getting guys that can come in and help."

With the second round talent pool looking fairly shallow and the Mavs needing some help in improving the team while staying under the cap, does the team feel pressure to get into the first round?

"You're always looking to improve your situation, whether it's through trade or the draft or free agency, but we don't feel like there's a need," says Prunty. "There's no burning desire to get into the first round just to get there. There's a desire to make our team better and if there's a way to do that, we'll do it. But there's no reason to ever get into the first round just to be in there, even though everybody's saying this will be a very good first round. We would only do it if we feel it's a piece that helps us. You don't want to just jump into something and right now there's no real intention to get into the first round. Some teams do that - they want to get into the first round at all costs - but we're not there."

So don't get your hopes up if you're expecting to see the Mavericks moving into the first round on June 28th. There are certainly ways the team could move up, but at what expense? Are they willing to do what it would take to get into the first round? Probably not. And they don't really need to. At the same time, they have a serious salary cap issue facing them as they seek to re-sign Jerry Stackhouse and find another scorer to combat the smaller, quicker offensive teams. Part two of my conversation with Joe Prunty addresses the free agency issue - coming soon!

http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_22231.shtml

[duboh7]

^ Prunty throws out a lot of smoke, saying nothing about the Mavs plans ...... as he should at this point in time.

I have for some time, thought the Mavs would use #34 for an athletic, good shooting 2G (and posted that a few days ago, with 3 possibilities that I thought might slip to that position). Now, I'm not sure. The good #2's & #3's seem to be moving up in the draft, so the Mavs might consider a trade or look at a big man, here.

[seelenjaeger]

Funny that we are discussing the need of bringing in another 2nd round SG who can distribute instantly... we already have well-hyped Maurice Ager to be the benchwarmer fitting to that describtion there ...

[StackAttack]

Any chance of us grabbing Big Baby with #34?

[Dtownsfinest]

If the Mavs are going to gamble I hope its on a power foward. The power foward from LSU was a beast this year. Haslip I believe is his name. If we could get someone like that i'd say we had a pretty good draft. Its a need that definately can be field.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Maverick Draft Preview: Pick #60

By Matt Carter | June 8th, 2007



Ohio State's Ron Lewis could be a potential pick for the Mavs at #60. (Associated Press)


We have arrived at Pick #60, the final pick for the Dallas Mavericks and, more importantly, the final pick in the NBA Draft. Most players with any substantial talent will likely already be long gone by the end of the second round, which gives the pick very low trade value. Therefore, this is a pick where the Mavericks can afford to take some chances. It is difficult to say exactly who will be available, as different players have different needs.

As with my previous two articles, I will start of be restating the Mavericks’ team needs in the upcoming draft:

-A post player who can bully other teams with their strength while continuing to play solid defense.

-A point guard with skills who can prosper under Avery Johnson’s system. Passing skills are currently more important than shooting.

-An athletic guy that can play the 3 or 4, possibly a backup for Dirk Nowitzki who can get to the basket.

If my earlier predictions are correct, the Mavericks will probably pick up two larger players earlier in the second round, an athletic four (possibly Sean Williams and Ali Traore) and a big capable of being a PF or C (Kyle Visser, Aaron Gray, or Glen Davis). With this pick I believe Dallas will look for a smaller guy to play the 1 or 2, but if a talented big slips far enough it will be easy to take him and just invite the others to play in the summer leagues. That’s the luxury of having the last pick in the draft.

Here are some possibilities for the Mavs with the 60th pick:

Ron Lewis SG/Ohio State
Lewis would be a solid safe pick for the Mavs if he is still available at pick #60. He isn’t the biggest of guards (at 6’4’’) and isn’t incredibly strong, but he does possess a long-range show and an ability to drive to the basket. He has the luxury of having deep experience in NCAA tournament playing alongside Greg Oden and Mike Conley, Jr., which might be good in giving him experience in clutch situations. He doesn’t have great hands, however, and barely has any sort of a midrange game.

Can the Mavs take him? Possibly, but it will all depend on the sort of risks taken by other teams late in the draft. If they choose to go with proven college players with four years of experience, Lewis will probably be gone. If teams choose to go the international route, he could be available. Avery Johnson likes players with four years of college under their bet, so Lewis will be a solid bet at pick #60.

Renaldis Seibutis SG/Lithuania
Selbutis would probably be one of those “project players” similar to Manu Ginobili when he was drafted in 1999. The Spurs let him play overseas for a couple of years before eventually becoming an NBA All-Star. I’m not saying Seibutis will have anywhere near the impact of Ginobili, but if drafted he will probably remain in Europe for a few years. Draft reports claim him to be a great scorer, but not that great of a shooter. His talent comes in driving to the basket and creating for his teammates. He is capable of being a big point guard or a 2.

Can the Mavs take him? The same sort of variables exist for drafting Suibutis that exist for drafting Lewis, but he could very well be available at pick #60. I personally really like what he can offer offensively, and in a few years he could develop greater shooting skills and defense. He does possess a good work ethic, which Avery Johnson would appreciate out of him. Donnie Nelson is typically great at scouting players outside the U.S., so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him picked up (maybe even at #50).

Stephane Lasme PF/UMass
Lasme is an interesting player for a number of reasons. For one thing, he seems to be all over the place on team’s draft boards. I’ve seen him taken in the late 40s and I’ve seen him not taken at all. This leaves open the possibility of Lasme being open at the end of the draft. He is a much more athletic player than either Seibutis or Lewis, and is also a much better defender and shot-blocker. Unfortunately he possesses very little of an offensive game, and at 6’8’’ he is a little small to play a power forward at the NBA level.

Can the Mavs take him? He could be selected at either #50 or #60, but his age (25) and lack of offensive ability might be a hindrance to teams looking for young talent to develop. His character and work ethic is not in question, but Avery is probably looking for a younger player late in the draft to send to the D-League for playing time. I don’t see Lasme as that guy, though he does have some solid defensive skills.

JR Reynolds PG/SG/Virginia
Reynolds is a shoot-first PG or a small SG. Either way, he is for the most part an offensive player who can knock down big shots in succession. He has a tendency, however, to be a little streaky, but he does handle the ball well in addition to moving well without the ball. The main other weaknesses in his game include his decision-making and defensive strength. He often takes too many gambles.

Can the Mavs take him? Reynolds is like Lasme in that some boards have him going earlier in the drafts, but others don’t have him drafted at all. Reynolds would probably be a D-League player for at least a year, but in time he could develop and considering his younger age he might have more potential than Lasme.

Other Options

Sun Yue SG/China- A 6’9’’ guard/forward that can shoot the ball well. Still needs some work on defense, though.

Coby Karl SG/Boise St.- Another SG with some talent, an offensive game and a solid performance at the Orlando Pre-Draft Workouts.

Jared Jordan PG/Marist- Jordan was one of the best passers in college last year, but the level of competition was not as high for him as for other players. He could someday become quite a surprise.

Darryl Watkins C/Syracuse- Due to his 6’11’’ frame Watkins will probably get some run in the summer leagues but his inconsistency and occasional lack of effort could turn teams away quickly.

Mohamed Akubar PF/San Diego St.- Akubar is a PF with a good shooting touch but not a whole lot more. He is a bit undersized for a 4 and could be taken down on the post easily.

http://mvn.com/nba-mavericks/

[StackAttack]

Jermareo Davidson should be available at the #34 or even #50. Sometimes cited for lack of effort, but he's got a wide array of post moves on the offensive end, and defensively, he's a terrific shot blocker. If we're really going to try and fulfill our need for a post player through the draft (as there don't seem to be any good ones available through free agency), though, we should really set our sights on Glen Davis out of LSU. Some have him going late first round, some have him falling all the way to the middle of the second round. If he's available, I don't think there's anyway we can pass him up. Another option would be drafting Pau Gasol's younger brother, Marc Gasol, who may or may not be available at #34. Don't know much about him, but reading a couple of articles, he seems to be similar to his brother, but the consensus seems to be that he will not make as much noise in the NBA as Pau has.

If we're looking for a point guard, our options include Taureen Green (who made a ton of noise at the Pre-Draft Camp, and because of how well he did, may not be available) or Jared Jordan (SI had a great article on him, I think it's posted in this thread somewhere), among others.

If we're looking to move Buck this summer, which we may have to in order to make salaries match in some sort of trade involving other players, we may want to take a good look at DJ Strawberry, especially with Devean George leaving. He's likely to go un-drafted, but with no real needs that we absolutely need to fill, we might as well grab a hard-nosed defender like Strawberry with the last pick of the 07 draft. He improved his stock plenty at the Pre-Draft Camp, with a very strong showing, so he may actually be drafted towards the end of the second round, and surely will have suitors if he goes undrafted.

The only player I've read the Mavs are taking a good look at is Adam Halulska, the only player they currently have a workout scheduled with. He's a shooting guard with plenty of range, a bit inefficient though, looking at stats from his last year at Iowa.

I really feel like our best chance to improve through the draft is to draft Big Baby out of LSU. Here's a good video on the dude:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=p2xARh4_dfs

[alby]

although the video is of him 4 years ago, he sure looks quick for a 340lb nose tackle

[MascisMan]

Originally Posted by Dtownsfinest

If the Mavs are going to gamble I hope its on a power foward. The power foward from LSU was a beast this year. Haslip I believe is his name. If we could get someone like that i'd say we had a pretty good draft. Its a need that definately can be field.

Do you mean Milsap?

[Flacolaco]

Last week my father was in Seattle on business, and he saw Kevin Durant having dinner with the Sonics GM and co.

Are they allowed to do that?