many thanks.

just make something up... it will probably have the same chance of happening than anything he writes

Chad Ford: Hey everyone. Thanks for coming. Is Ron Artest ever going to dealt or anyone else for that matter? Also we'll break down what's going on with the NBA draft. Let's roll ....




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baron (golden state): will i have the tru warrier as a teammate after today?

Chad Ford: Maybe. The Ron Artest saga has gone on for a long time. The Pacers are right to be patient and wait for the right deal. The worst thing they could've done is rushed to make a bad deal. I've been writing for nearly a month that the Warriors are the best trading partner for Artest. They have players that Pacers want (Ike Diogu, Mickael Pietrus and perhaps Mike Dunleavy ... though I think that Troy Murphy won't be involved because his contract is too large for the Pacers liking) and the Warriors need Artest if they're going to get serious about being a contender. They are terrible defensively and Artest would provide a huge boost if he stays in control. So, for all of us that like good trades, we're hoping that the Pacers will deal him after they play tonight. Still, and I think we all hate to admit this, it's just speculation at this point. The Pacers have done a good job keeping things close to the vest.


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Eric (Akron): Can the Cavaliers survive without Larry Hughes? And should they try and trade Gooden for a PG or a "tougher" PF?

Chad Ford: Losing Hughes for all that time is a huge blow. While his stats didn't always show it, he was a very important part to their sucess this year. It makes me wonder if Cleveland will be willing to get involved in the Artest sweepstakes at the last minute. They have two possibilities. One is to swap Luke Jackson and Drew Gooden for Artest straight up. The other is to faciliate a three way deal with Minnesota that gets them Wally Szczerbiak in return. So far they've been unwilling to mess with their chemistry ... but now?


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Mike (Denver): If Denver doesn't end up getting Artest, as it sounds like they are out of it, where do you see Watson, Nene, and Lenard going and for who?

Chad Ford: I'm not sure they're out of it ... but to make something happen, they would have to put together a four or five team trade which is very difficult to do. One such scenario that could get the Pacers on board? A five way deal with Indiana, Denver, Memphis, Seattle and Atlanta that sent Artest, Anthony Johnson and Vitaly Potapenko to Denver, Earl Watson, Bryan Russell and Samaki Walker to Memphis, Nene to Atlanta, Fred Jones to Seattle and Mike Miller and Flip Murray to Indiana. That deal allows Indiana to get a good player for Artest and allows them to clear enough cap room to get under the luxury tax threshold this season. If Denver can't pull it off ... they may be able to do a Watson for Flip Murray swap.


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Tad (Ithaca, NY): Has Jeff McInnis's stock dropped so low that Memphis ABSOLUTELY won't trade for him?

Chad Ford: McInnis is a talented player who has trouble getting along with folks in every town he's played in. Memphis just moved a bunch of guys like that out of town this summer to improve chemistry so I don't see them adding him now. It seems to me that landing Watson, because of his defensive prowess and his familiarity with the system, would be the best option.


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Vincent (Boston): Should the Celtics trade Paul Pierce for a Number 1 pick and I would like to see Danny Ainge resign...Thoughts

Chad Ford: Pierce is having a great year and I'm sure he's frustrated that the Celtics aren't playing better. I've went back and forth on the C's trading Pierce and have come to this conclusion ... unless they can get back equal value for him (and I dont' think they can) why trade him? The team is already young enough so I'm not sure that the draft picks will really help. It's nice to have young players, but not too many. As it stands, some of their young guys aren't getting enough minutes anyway. As for Ainge resigning, I don't think so. He's made some mistakes, but overall I think he's a good GM.


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Josh Meyer (Fort Dodge) IA: Any chance of my Wolves dealing Spree in a sign and trade to the Clips for Wilcox?

Chad Ford: That's wishful thinking ... I don't think anyone would give up anything to add Spree at this point. Chris Wilcox, however, remains one of the most attractive trade pieces out there. He's young, big and athletic and doesn't get much burn in LA. Part of that is because he's behind Elton Brand who should be playing all the minutes. But part of it is that head coach Mike Dunleavy's never thought Wilcox is a smart enough player for his system. In a run and gun offense (like say NJ or Phoenix), he could be really good.


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Majeed (San Diego, CA): Are the Lakers still in the Artest sweepstakes? Why don't they just give up Odom for Artest and change to make it work salary wise?

Chad Ford: Wanted to talk about Odom for a second because I'm not sure I believe all of this talk that Odom is untouchable. It's easy to say that when you're sure that the Pacers don't want him in an Artest swap (they like him but don't want to swallow his salary). I think there are other scenarios out there that could compel the Lakers to trade him ... like a possible Odom for Peja Stojakovic and Kenny Thomas swap. The Lakers need multiple pieces but are hamstrung in what they can do which I think opens the door to Odom trade. Personally, and this is just me talking, I wouldn't trade him. I think he's one of the more underrated players in the league -- an unselfish player who can do just about everything on the floor and is willing to. But I know that not everyone on the Lakers sees it that way.


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Richard (Flagstaff, AZ): We can expect to hear more about Amare's return in the next month or so. Do you think the Suns should bring him back after the All-Star break and prepare for a playoff run, or go with what they have now and think about next year? Nash's window still has 2-3 years left, and Amare has his whole career in front of him. I'm just worried about an unnecessary injury that could threaten his career.

Chad Ford: I don't think the Suns will risk the long term health of Amare just to try to win it this season. With that said, with Amare back and healthy it looks like the Suns could be just as good as the Spurs and Pistons. Mike D'Antoni has done an amazing job with a depleted roster.


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Kyle Armstrong (Albany, NY): Is there any hope for the Knicks this season -- and the next few seasons for that matter -- or does Isiah bite the bullet, suck it up and let some contracts expire to decrease payroll?

Chad Ford: The right course of action, two years ago, was to let contracts expire, gather draft picks and rebuild. At this point, it's a hard course to follow. The Knicks are years away from being able to get below the cap, they've traded away top draft picks for 2006 and possibly 2007 (the Bulls can swap picks with the Knicks next year) and they're paying one of the best coaches in basketball $10 million a year to help them win now. Isiah's painted himself and his team into a corner here. I'm not sure how he gets out of it.


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Sid (Baltimore, MD): Chad, a little draft question here, do you see Lamarcus Aldridge being able to play the 5 in the pros, and what's this hype beginning about Patrick O'Bryant about?

Chad Ford: I think Aldridge is a four with a little bit of three in him. Probably a guy like Chris Bosh is the right comparison. Bosh does play some five, but only because the Raptors don't have a real center.

Chad Ford: As for O'Bryant, he's a 7 foot sophomore from Bradley who's had three excellent games this season after coming back from an eight game suspsension. But the hype is a little out of control for now. He's put up good numbers against Northern Iowa, Wichita State and Creighton ... However with no good center prospect in the draft, if he keeps it up he'll get a look in the lottery. Right now, however, we have him ranked at No. 32. Teams always reach for big guys with potential and O'Bryant does have a lot of both.


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Martin (Hampton, VA): Where will Marcus Williams from UCONN go in the next draft?

Chad Ford: I think he may be the best "pure" point guard with pro potential in college basketball though some would argue that UCLA's Jordan Farmar was better. Now that he's off suspension he's going to have to prove to scouts that he can keep the turnovers down and keep hitting his jumper. UConn, despite the loss in his first game back, should be much more potent with him on the floor and it should boost his stock. I think he's a mid first round pick if he plays well the rest of the season. If he doesn't, he should head back to school.


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Kevin (Philly): Is Shelden Williams the next Carlos Boozer?

Chad Ford: It's a pretty good comparison. Scouts will obsess a little with his relative lack of athleticism and his still developing offensive game, but he's an awesome rebounder and shot blocker, both of which should translate in the pros. We have him ranked awfully high (No. 8) right now ... but only because of the position he plays and the lack of competition in the draft for big fours who can control the paint.


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Hater (Cleavland): Carlos boozer? Lets hope not, he sucks!

Chad Ford: Spoken like a true Cavs fan ...


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Trieste, Italy: Hi Chad. What do you think about Andrea Bargnani? Which will be his position in the draft? Do you think he will be ready to post double-digits in his first NBA year?

Chad Ford: Like Bargnani a lot. I'm not sure he's ready for the NBA yet. He's very skilled and at least he's getting some serious playing time on a very good team in a very good league. He doesn't dominate yet, but he sure shows flashes of brilliance. I think he's a top 5 pick if he comes out and may end up being the only international player in the lottery this season given the buyout issues with the other top international prospect, Tiago Splitter.


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Ben (Oakland): Where will Leon Powe be drafted?

Chad Ford: All depends on the knee. He has the talent to be a Charles Barkley type player in the pros. However, two knee surgeries will scare teams. If doctors give him the green light, he could be a late lottery pick. If there are concerns about his health, he'll slip.


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Orlando (Kentucky): How can you talk about the best NCAA point guards and not mention Rajon Rondo?

Chad Ford: Huh? He's been ranked as the top point guard on our board all year and a Top 5 prospect overall in the draft. He's a jump shot away from being a superstar type prospect. But even without the jumper, his athleticism, defense and feel for the game will make him the first point guard off the board in the draft.


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Mike (Memphis): Chad, any chance Memphis has 3 players drafted in the first round - Carney, Williams and Washington? Or does Washington and/or Williams need to stick around another year?

Chad Ford: Yes. Rodney Carney and Shawne Williams both could be late lottery picks. Darius Washington is a little tougher to project. He's a great player but scouts wonder if he's really a point guard. He wants to come out, but he might have to settle for the late first round, early second if he does.


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Perry, Detroit: It seems like there's a lot of talent in the draft, but now potential superstars ... is that right?

Chad Ford: Maybe. There are no obvious superstars in the draft. No Tim Duncan's or LeBron James's. However, there is a lot of talent and almost every scout believes this could be one of the deepest drafts they've seen. It's a bummer for a few top teams that may not get the immediate impact player they need, but good for everyone else.


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Tom (Michigan): Is Maurice Ager a first round pick? He's really progressed this year.

Chad Ford: Yes ... maybe a late lottery pick. He's got a lethal combo of athleticism and outside shooting. Scouts wish he was a little taller at the position, but given his skill set, he should be fine.


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Jeff (New Jersey): If the Knicks get the top pick is it theirs? If so who are they taking?

Chad Ford: No .... it's an unprotected first round pick. If it's No. 1, the Bulls still get it. Chalk it up as another bad deal that Isiah doesn't regret.

Chad Ford: I've got to run everyone. Thanks for coming to the chat today. Look for my latest blog on five late comers who could shake up the draft later today along with an updated Top 100. See you next week.