Posted by King1:

Do you really Think Love is going to guard anyone inside and Alexander cant guard a three. How is a guy usless on offense that scores when he gets it, doesnt turn it over and can pass? He get 6 shots a game and is a great free throw shooter. I think Love has great skills and I like him but scoring in the post will be hard for him. He struggled against Lopez and they arent great athletes.

Posted by islesfan:

"I really need to get insider back"

This is for you Joe and others who don't get Insider.

Here are some quick hitters two days before the NBA draft from a number of NBA sources:

• A potential deal with Memphis and New York apparently has some legs. The Knicks, who have the No. 6 pick, would get the Grizzlies' No. 5 pick and give David Lee and other considerations to Memphis. New York would then select UCLA's Russell Westbrook and Italy's Danilo Gallinari with its No. 5 and No. 6 picks. If Memphis selects UCLA's Kevin Love, that is a strong indicator that the Grizzlies are keeping the pick.

• Detroit and Boston are sitting with "catcher's mitts" at Nos. 29 and 30, respectively, to see who falls to them. But the Celtics are willing to move No. 30 since they're not desperate to add another roster body, especially with 2007 second-round pick Gabe Pruitt on the books for next season.

• Love's likely destinations are one of four places: Minnesota (3), Memphis (5), Charlotte (9) and New Jersey (10).

• If Gallinari isn't taken by New York or New Jersey, then there is a real chance he slides out of the lottery.

• Portland and Washington talked about moving their picks, but the deal is dead between them.

• Washington's No. 18 is available to be had.

• The swap with Miami (2) and Seattle (4) doesn't make sense for a lot of other executives in the league. It makes sense for Seattle to get Michael Beasley and give up Chris Wilcox, but it doesn't make sense for the Heat. The problem for the Heat is that if they move drop a spot or two to get O.J. Mayo, he could easily be gone at No. 3 to Minnesota. The consensus from a number of teams is that Miami will stay where it is in the draft despite exploring a number of options. Making trades next week is another matter.

• Nevada coach Mark Fox said he's getting a ton of calls from teams late in the first round for JaVale McGee, who was once projected to be picked in the late lottery.

• Mayo said Monday night that his interview with the Timberwolves went very well in Chicago on Saturday. He said that the T-Wolves wanted the conversation to keep going. He has also interviewed with Memphis and Seattle.

"Right now, I'm happy to play for any team," Mayo said.

• If the Knicks and Grizzlies work out a trade in the Nos. 5 and 6 spots, then the top nine could go like this:

1. Chicago -- Derrick Rose
2. Miami -- Michael Beasley
3. Minnesota -- O.J. Mayo
4. Seattle -- Brook Lopez
5. Russell Westbrook -- Memphis (for NYK)
6. New York -- Danilo Gallinari
7. LA Clippers -- Eric Gordon (or Jerryd Bayless or D.J. Augustin)
8. Milwaukee -- Joe Alexander
9. Charlotte -- Kevin Love

• The safest pick in the lottery might just be Alexander to the Bucks.

• The hot names on the trade block, but might not be moved by Thursday night, continue to be Toronto's T.J. Ford and Indiana's Jermaine O'Neal. Milwaukee denies Michael Redd is being moved.

• Arizona signee Brandon Jennings didn't go to Tucson on Monday as originally expected for the start of summer school classes.

Too much media interest, and his SAT score coming on Thursday -- which he has yet to receive a qualifying score -- prompted Arizona to wait until the weekend for Jennings to be on campus. If Jennings isn't eligible, he said he may pursue a contract with a European team.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by TrueBlue:

If our goal is to get two picks and they are in the Top 10, I want Augustin and Gordon.

There's no way I'm believing this rumor though.

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 06-24-2008 11:56 AM]

Two lottery picks and you want a 6-3 and 5-10 guard? What type of plan is that if I may ask? A backcourt of Nate Eg and augustin? if they stand on each others shoulders i guess they could check yao.

Nate and Jamal would be trade bait as they should be. I'd offer Jamal to the Griz for Mike Miller so D.J. has 2 perimeter threats to kick the ball out to. I'd offer Balkman, Nate, Q, Zach in a 3 way with Philly and Denver for Camby, Evans, and 16. Use the MLE to fill in the holes if necessary if we can sign them(Pietrus, Childress, J.R. Smith, Ricky Davis, Kelenna Bookie, Nachbar, Duhon, Najera etc etc).

PG=D.J./Marbury(bench him)
G=Gordon/16pick(draft a defensive 2/3 Rush/Greene/Chalmers
SF=Miller/Chandler
PF=Evans/Jeffries
C=Camby/Curry(bench him)

Very realistic trades I'm proposing and I practically accomplish everything necessary. I get us a pure point guard, a dynamic 2 who can score from anywhere on the court, a pure shooter at the 3 spot who's a vet, a rugged power forward who plays the position like he should, defends grabs rebounds, and plays team ball and ditto with the center no need to even discuss what he'd bring to the table. I put Marbury and Curry on the bench where they should be so we don't have to witness them starting games putting us in a hole because of their disinterest. Tell them come off the bench and give them the green light/touches for monitored minutes because that's how they're going/want to play anyway. Oh and I eliminate our cap freeing up the possibility to go after whatever Big Name is out there come 2010/2011.

Anymore questions I can aptly address and provide pristine solutions for you?

[Edited by - TrueBlue on 06-24-2008 12:49 PM]

This is why you should never criticize others.

Posted by djsunyc:

two lotto picks to put together the shortest starting backout in the nba? i don't think that works...

Posted by King1:

Briggs I think Lee covers the psot pretty well and not at the four. The other thing is when a coach doesnt demand defense or there is no accountability then players wont play defense. That is no excuse but that is human nature. I think you will see his defense get better and I think you will see his offense get better.

Posted by King1:

I think you have to get Love or trade the 5th for 10 and 21 pick from NJ and draft a big

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by djsunyc:

two lotto picks to put together the shortest starting backout in the nba? i don't think that works...

Should I start naming decent sized back courts that get scored on with ease? The Bulls did fine for 2yrs with a short backcourt. Matter of fact they had one of the better defensive teams during that stretch with exception to last yr.

yeah...but 4 years later and both bulls guys might be gone. you ain't building for long term success you're tallest backcourt player is 6'3...unless both of them turn out to be HOF caliber.

The reasons they might be gone have probably less to do with their height and more to do with contract issues and the lack of the Bulls formulating their team properly. Take for instance they've had several chances to add a frontcourt scorer but they refuse to do it. Even approaching this draft looks like they're going to pass up on a once in a lifetime talent in Beasley to draft another midget in Rose who measured 6'1/2" without shoes. But of course exceptions will be made depending on what player you're talking about.

You don't like Gordon he's a midget
You like Beasley he's not a midget
You like Rose he's not a midget
You like Westbrook who's not a point and could see time in the backcourt with Nate if so is undersized so what he's not a midget.
If Nate remains on the roster so what he's not a midget


What are he rules?

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by TrueBlue:

Posted by djsunyc:

two lotto picks to put together the shortest starting backout in the nba? i don't think that works...

Should I start naming decent sized back courts that get scored on with ease? The Bulls did fine for 2yrs with a short backcourt. Matter of fact they had one of the better defensive teams during that stretch with exception to last yr.

yeah...but 4 years later and both bulls guys might be gone. you ain't building for long term success you're tallest backcourt player is 6'3...unless both of them turn out to be HOF caliber.

The reasons they might be gone have probably less to do with their height and more to do with contract issues and the lack of the Bulls formulating their team properly. Take for instance they've had several chances to add a frontcourt scorer but they refuse to do it. Even approaching this draft looks like they're going to pass up on a once in a lifetime talent in Beasley to draft another midget in Rose who measured 6'1/2" without shoes. But of course exceptions will be made depending on what player you're talking about.

You don't like Gordon he's a midget
You like Beasley he's not a midget
You like Rose he's not a midget
You like Westbrook who's not a point and could see time in the backcourt with Nate if so is undersized so what he's not a midget.
If Nate remains on the roster so what he's not a midget


What are he rules?

take dj, ok...but putting 6'3 gordon next to him and start both of them together? that just isn't condusive to long term success and post season success. you can get away with one short dude, but not two. why, if you have these two picks back to back would you roll the dice on that?