By Aran_Smith
Fri, 06/19/2009 - 1:52pm
BJ Mullens Promise?




BJ Mullens


Two different sources have indicated to NBADraft.net on Friday that the Pistons have a promise in place to take BJ Mullens if he's available to the them at 15.

Mullens works well with the rebuilding Pistons as he's a player with significant upside but will take time to become a contributor. With the Pistons in the process of rebuilding their squad, Mullens offers them a potential center for the future.

#2 Pick Still up in the Air

The 2nd pick is still up in the air. If Memphis holds onto it, it's likely they will opt for Hasheem Thabeet.

Sacramento may stand pat and take their chances that Rubio falls to them at 4. However they may feel the pressure of other teams trying to jump in front of them and may put a deal together to swap picks with Memphis. Memphis would then hope to grab Thabeet at 4.

There are a number of other teams who could be in the mix to trade up to grab the Spanish sensation.

Hot Curry

As impossible as it sounds, there are rumors that Stephen Curry could go as high as 2 overall with teams such as Portland targeting him in a possible trade. The Thunder are also apparently very high on Curry and will consider taking him with their 3rd pick.

Curry has a lot of intrigue after leading Davidson one possession away from the final four in the sophomore year and then making a successful transition to the point guard position in his junior year.

The Knicks have all but conceded that Curry wont be there at 8, which would have been an marriage made in heaven.

Questions linger for many about his ability to defend and play the point guard position against elite level athletes, but apparently a number of teams are convinced and willing to mortgage the farm to get him.

Knicks Attempting to Trade Up

The Knicks are trying to make a deal with Washington to move up to the 5th pick offering Wilson Chandler. New York is after a number of players that they don't feel they can get at their #8 pick including Curry, Ricky Rubio and Jordan Hill.

It's possible they will offer their pick in a deal or hold onto their pick and add the 5th pick along with their 8th pick.

Portland to Target Hedo Turkoglu




Hedo Turkoglu


The Portland Trailblazers would like to dump Travis Outlaw ($4 million next year) and their pick and clear some additional space to make a run at Hedo Turkoglu.

The Blazers have 12 guys under contract next season and loads of talent, and somehow their cap is at just $50 million. So they are in position to make some moves, and have an owner (Paul Allen) and GM (Kevin Prichard) who are eager to improve.

The league's salary cap is expected to be close or less than the $58 million it was in 2008-09. (Imagine, had Darius Miles stayed gone, they would have an additional 9 million to play with.)

Portland's cap looks great right now, but next year they'll have to resign Brandon Roy and LeMarcus Aldridge, so if they want a free agent it better be this summer.

After his playoff heroics, it's unlikely the Magic will be able to afford to resign Turkoglu. While many teams with cap space are looking forward to the 2010 free agent class, Portland's situation forces them to go after a free agent now.

There's also the possibility that a team such as Olympiacos or Panathinaikos jumps into the mix and makes a huge offer to him to come overseas to finish out his career. Hedo has a game that would extremely well in Europe with his ability to make plays for himself or others.

Tyler Hansbrough On the Rise

After measuring very impressively in Chicago and testing well in the athleticism workouts, Tyler Hansbrough has been on the rise lately and could go as high as 11 to New Jersey. In fact, New Jersey looks like the likely destination for Hansbrough at this point.

The all time leading scorer in the ACC is considered a surefire contributor (safe pick), which in a weak draft is a valued commodity. Hansbrough may have leapfrogged DeJuan Blair who continues to impress in workouts himself.

DeJuan Blair Likely to Chicago

It's looking very likely that if he gets to them the Bulls will take DeJuan Blair. Blair makes a lot of sense as he would work well platooning with the longer and more versatile Joakim Noah at the 4 position. Blair's toughness and ability to rebound would fill a huge void for a team that was 20th in rebounds last year.

Wayne Ellington/Gerald Henderson Struggling

Highschool teammates and close friends Henderson and Ellington could be slipping some.

Both players have had disappointing workouts of late. Henderson's workout with Toronto failed to impress while Ellington had some struggles shooting the ball in workouts of late.

Jonas Jerebko in Late First?

The top performer at this year's Reebok Eurocamp, Jonas Jerebko is reportedly getting looks in the late first round. Teams in the 23-29 range are possibilities for him as well as a team such as the Spurs or Rockets moving in to take him. The Lakers (29th pick) are said to be very high on Jerebko as well.

Buyers and Sellers

Expect a flurry of action on draft night, which has become the norm in recent years, and a number of first and second rounders to be sold and traded.

Teams with multiple picks such as Sacramento (23), Oklahoma City (25) and Chicago (26) are all looking to sell their picks according to sources. While three other teams would like to buy picks late in the first round: San Antonio, Detroit and Houston.

Joe Dumars has his eye on Toney Douglas and would like to pick up a late first to grab him. San Antonio is likely after Victor Claver who suspiciously remained in the draft, despite a lackluster and injury plagued season. No word on who Houston is after, but Rockets GM Daryl Moray was on hand in Treviso as Swedish SF Jonas Jerebko put on an excellent performance.
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Thanks ARAN - this is
Submitted by gatorheels on Fri, 06/19/2009 - 5:53pm.
Thanks ARAN - this is exactly the type of stuff I want to hear about more often

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http://www.nbadraft.net/node/7444

Chandler for the 5th pick in this draft? No thanks.
I'd rather take my chances at 8, and work possible trade/sign and trade market.

Posted by nyk4ever:

Rubio + Curry would be one hell of a draft.

You ain't getting Rubio and Curry with 5 & 8.
You'd need at worst 3 & 6

If we could get the 5th pick for Chandler, I would do it. While Chandler is a solid player, DG is not a PF and will ultimately need to move to the SF spot at some point. If 5 and 8 gets you Curry and Hill, or Hill and Flynn, I would do it.

Its safe to say there is nothing safe to say about this draft after Griffin #1.

Chandler is better than anyone coming into the draft. Knicks need to steer away from foolish trades. They have enough assets to get a good deal done without using Chandler.

Posted by Vmart:

Chandler is better than anyone coming into the draft. Knicks need to steer away from foolish trades. They have enough assets to get a good deal done without using Chandler.

Other than Griffin, I'm with you 100%...but these grass is always greener UK cats are ready to give our talent away at a moments notice.

Posted by newyorknewyork:

Posted by Pharzeone:

Man, I think it is safe to say now that Walsh screwed up by not signing Lee to that reasonable extension back in the preseason. Also, there goes that whole theory about Walsh trying to use Lee and Nate in a backroom deal with a S&T for a draft pick. I feel a forced deal that they don't want to make coming just to do something.

I'm pretty sure they were still asking for 10mil a season at that time. Lee had a below average season the yr before. Walsh didn't know if he was worth hurting 2010 for.

#5 for Chandler is more then what he is worth right now if you think of what you would really desire out of your #5 pick. But since the top of the draft isn't very strong he fits in with these same prospects though he does have 2yrs experience as well as the same amount of potential.

The Knicks are trying to target Curry & Hill.

Lee wasn't asking no way need $10 million. Are you kidding. He hedged wrong. Now he is forced to waste assets. The worse part is that he basically did nothing in last year's stronger draft and now wants to make all type of moves in the weaker draft.

Sorry Phaz after re-reading your reply I thought you said he screwed up, but you said that he did nothing. So you could disreguard this comment.

Also to say that Walsh screwed up a deep draft last yr is your opinion not a fact and really cannot be properly evaluated at this point in time. And I don't believe Walsh feels he screwed up at all. He was able to hire MDA, unload Randolph & Crawford, as well as land a quality prospect like Gallinari who unfortunately got injured. You continue to state your opinions but state them as Walsh's, but if Walsh had the same opinion as you then he would have made all the moves that you wanted him to make.

I dunno about dealing Wilson either but the Knicks have alot of sf's on the roster and Gallo seems to be the future at that position....Wilson can play the 2...but the dude can play the 4 too...so what are the Knicks doing playing him at the 2...makes no sense really.

So trading Wilson for the 5th pick makes alot of sense...especially like a poster said...brings you Curry and Jordan Hill...thats pretty sick right there...

Jordan Hill
Gallo
Curry/Flynn

if we could get Derozan at #5 i would be willing to give up Chandler, but not if i have to also give up the #8 pick... & i love Chandler... but let's face it, he doesn't project as a franchise changing star player... he can be a great 2nd fiddle player on a good team... i think w/#5 & #8 we could realistically end up with both Derozan & Jordan Hill out of this draft, which could really set our franchise up w/a tremendous 1-2 punch for the next decade.