2006 NBA Draft/Offseason Thread

[Warhammer]

Who the hell is Alexander Johnson?

[Groundhog]

Yotam Halperin. With a name like that, how can he fail?

[stevew]

Supposedly some sort of deal with Cleve/Phil/Boston being discussed. Fuzzy on the details. But i think it was AI and drew Gooden going to Boston, Al Jefferson/Gerald Green/Telfair(?)/filler going to Philly, and Delonte West/Szcerbiak(?) going to Cleveland.

Not sure about the guys with the ?'s

(may already be in this thread)

[Groundhog]

Hmm... Well, West and Wally would do wonders for us, and losing Gooden is a bonus, but who plays PF?

[Groundhog]

Nets with a good draft. Hassan Adams would have to be a chance to make the roster.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Hmm... Well, West and Wally would do wonders for us, and losing Gooden is a bonus, but who plays PF?

Anderson!

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by stevew

Anderson!

Let me rephrase; who plays PF when Anderson fouls out in the 22nd minute of the game?

[Swaggs]

If Gansey and/or Pittsnogle don't go soon, I am going to be hella pissed at the NBA.

If they were European, with the same skill sets, they would be long gone.

[stevew]

Oh, and probably LeBron in a lot more situations.

Put West/Hughes/Wally/Bron/Anderson out there and I think you got a pretty solid lineup.

[stevew]

Okay, it would be nice if the draft could actually show all the picks, instead of inane discussion and commercials. It would be nice to see the breakdowns of some of these 2nd round guys instead of filler.

[Young Drachma]

I'm sick of seeing all of these foreign guys. You can't tell me that these American kids they're shutting out of the draft aren't better and more ready.

It's all about being cheap and saving money, so they can save lots of money to pay crappy veterans.

I hate this game.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Nets with a good draft. Hassan Adams would have to be a chance to make the roster.

Agreed.

[stevew]

http://www.nba.com/draft2006/profiles/EjikeUgboaja.html
Cavs Second rounder.

[chinaski]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

I'm guessing they may put Aldridge in the middle. Not sure how that'll work.

Thats what im thinking. We have quite a log jam now with Raef, Przy, Skinner, Aldridge and to a much lesser extent Ha. Sad to see Pryz get shatted upon, he's really turned his game up, but hes really nothing more than a great backup. I think Skinner has a good deal of untapped potential, but its not going to be found in Portland. Ive always been a Raef fan, but hes just doesnt fit in. I see us keeping Pryzbilla & Skinner. Raef will get moved for nothing, we probably only received him to help Bostons cap. Ha will fade away.

I think our roster will breakdown like so...

PG Roy / Blake
SG Dixon / Jack
SF Webster / Miles
PF Randolph / Skinner
C Aldridge / Pryzbilla

2nd round rookies Freeland and Rodriguez holding down the bench.

[Groundhog]

Damn. We'll never see that guy in the NBA. Still, Cavs said that they wouldn't have 3 rookies on the roster next season, and Brown and Gibson figure to be there, so better to pick a guy who might develop in to something in a year or two. I doubt we'll ever see his name mentioned again though.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by chinaski

Thats what im thinking. We have quite a log jam now with Raef, Przy, Skinner, Aldridge and to a much lesser extent Ha. Sad to see Pryz get shatted upon, he's really turned his game up, but hes really nothing more than a great backup. I think Skinner has a good deal of untapped potential, but its not going to be found in Portland. Ive always been a Raef fan, but hes just doesnt fit in. I see us keeping Pryzbilla & Skinner. Raef will get moved for nothing, we probably only received him to help Bostons cap. Ha will fade away.

I think our roster will breakdown like so...

PG Roy / Blake
SG Dixon / Jack
SF Webster / Miles
PF Randolph / Skinner
C Aldridge / Pryzbilla

2nd round rookies Freeland and White holding down the bench.

Pryz is no lock to come back. The Blazers can only offer up to the midlevel exception for him, and sadly some team may be willing to pay him more. And Freeland probably stays overseas. There was some talk of Luke Jackson heading to Portland, perhaps he can get his career back on track in a friendly environment.

[cschex]

Is Roy a PG, because all of the analysis I've seen on him has him playing at the 2, his position in college. I would think they'd keep Jack there or bring over Rodriguez, who is a pure point.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Damn. We'll never see that guy in the NBA. Still, Cavs said that they wouldn't have 3 rookies on the roster next season, and Brown and Gibson figure to be there, so better to pick a guy who might develop in to something in a year or two. I doubt we'll ever see his name mentioned again though.

I concur.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Swaggs

If Gansey and/or Pittsnogle don't go soon, I am going to be hella pissed at the NBA.

If they were European, with the same skill sets, they would be long gone.

Both of those guys should have been drafted. Hopefully they keep at it, whether it means the D' league or Europe.

[Young Drachma]

Justin Williams would be a good fit in Detroit. But they probably won't take him. Free agent, I guess. Oh well.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by stevew

Both of those guys should have been drafted. Hopefully they keep at it, whether it means the D' league or Europe.

Forgot about the D-League. That is an asset for players who go undrafted as opposed to before it existed.

[Groundhog]

Pistons have the ability to snag a player far better than they probably expected at #60. I bet they draft a 7'2 17 year old from Bosnia however.

[Young Drachma]

Well...ok then.

[sovereignstar]

OOTP and Justin Williams = Dark Cloud on suicide watch

[Groundhog]

Gansey, Pittsnogle, Gerry McNamara, Allan Ray & Darius Washington all deserved to be drafted - especially the first 3.

It's a shame that GMs view the 2nd round as the place to stamp their ownership on young Euros that aren't even close to being ready, rather than pickup guys who could step in and help straight away. If teams looked at it like this, 2nd round picks would be a lot more valuable than they are.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar

OOTP and Justin Williams = Dark Cloud on suicide watch

hahahaha....seriously, man. They're really messing with me tonight. Good thing I started the new job this week and so, I'm not really worried about it, because not even that crap could take me off Cloud 9.

I'd rather watch one of my sports anyway and whenever I get frustrated with the current sports landscape, it just reaffirms what I'm doing.

Or you know, Dominoes on ESPN2. I bet they wouldn't pick Serbians in the 2nd round..

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Gansey, Pittsnogle, Gerry McNamara, Allan Ray & Darius Washington all deserved to be drafted - especially the first 3.

It's a shame that GMs view the 2nd round as the place to stamp their ownership on young Euros that aren't even close to being ready, rather than pickup guys who could step in and help straight away. If teams looked at it like this, 2nd round picks would be a lot more valuable than they are.

It's stinks that the draft is just 2 rounds. I don't think there is a dearth of NBA-level talent out there. I think its the way the league tries to control what sorts of players enter the league, that makes the sport such an undesirable bore for most of the season.

[sovereignstar]

More than 2 rounds? Think about it a little. The maximum amount of players you can have on a team is 15 (and 12 active). It's just not possible for teams to add two new players every year, much less 3 or more. They would rather put their stamp on someone with that oh so sexy upside than sending down a Justin Williams to the NBDL or releasing him outright.

[stevew]

Fwiw, at one point i believe the 2nd round was going to be eliminated by '08. It looks like they may be moving away from that, however.

[Galaxy]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Gansey, Pittsnogle, Gerry McNamara, Allan Ray & Darius Washington all deserved to be drafted - especially the first 3.

It's a shame that GMs view the 2nd round as the place to stamp their ownership on young Euros that aren't even close to being ready, rather than pickup guys who could step in and help straight away. If teams looked at it like this, 2nd round picks would be a lot more valuable than they are.

I think it's a smart stragety. Teams can only carry 15 players, and do you really think a second-round pick will make an immediate impact? Second-round picks aren't starters, and usually don't make it.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Dark Cloud

It's stinks that the draft is just 2 rounds. I don't think there is a dearth of NBA-level talent out there. I think its the way the league tries to control what sorts of players enter the league, that makes the sport such an undesirable bore for most of the season.

For the players, it's not like they get any kind of special guarantee by being drafted in the 2nd, so it's almost better to just go undrafted. Then you can go somewhere into a situation where you might actually make the roster.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by sovereignstar

More than 2 rounds? Think about it a little. The maximum amount of players you can have on a team is 15 (and 12 active). It's just not possible for teams to add two new players every year, much less 3 or more. They would rather put their stamp on someone with that oh so sexy upside than sending down a Justin Williams to the NBDL or releasing him outright.

I didn't say I thought it'd ever happen again, especially with Dictator Stern wanting the league to go to one round (but yeah, I don't recall hearing anymore about that...). But for him and his ilk, that's all about money. I mean, maybe its better for the kids to be free agents because they get a shot to go somewhere and perhaps make an impact.

But basketball's model to me in America just seems so flawed in relation to the other leagues -- football doesn't count, really -- like the NHL or MLB or soccer worldwide.

[Young Drachma]

Originally Posted by stevew

For the players, it's not like they get any kind of special guarantee by being drafted in the 2nd, so it's almost better to just go undrafted. Then you can go somewhere into a situation where you might actually make the roster.

Yeah, its like being a 7th rounder in the NFL. Might as well not bother, though NBA teams release players so fast, that its not as if being picked up is going to hinder your chance to get some looks elsewhere. If anything, being drafted at least puts your name out there.

[Groundhog]

Yeah. The best thing about basketball is that if you played college ball and were any good, there are tons of leagues all over the world that you can play in for decent money. Getting drafted boosts your stock world-wide.

One of the funniest draft stories is Stephen Jackson. He was taken in the 2nd round by... Nets? Didn't make the team, and signed with the Sydney Kings in our Australian comp. He sucked big time, didn't hit the court, and was cut. Next season, he's playing a decent role on the Nets. I never understood that.

[stevew]

Isiah making up articles again to try to make it look like he isn't a dumbass.......

Newsday - Many experts believed the Knicks reached badly by selecting Renaldo Balkman, but the Suns were reportedly set to pick the forward from South Carolina. The Suns ended up trading out of the first round altogether.

"I thought, 'If we take Balkman at No. 20, somebody will drop to us [at No. 29],' " Thomas said last night. "If we didn't get Collins, we had a backup. But Balkman wouldn't have been there at No. 29."

"Balkman is a unique player," Thomas said. "He reminds me of Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest. Mardy Collins is a big guard who can defend. Defensively, we feel you can put those two guys on the floor at and cover [small forward and shooting guard]."

[miami_fan]

I addressed the trend to European players in an earlier thread so no need to go further on that one. However, I was surprised that Pittsnogle and Gandy weren't drafted. I expect both of them to be invited into camp and I really expect Pittsnogle to make a team. I think really like the idea of a 6'11 guy being able to shoot over most of the people guarding him. I never thought that McNamara would be drafted. IMO he is a just jump shot specialist. Those type of players are looked upon with disdain in the NBA. For better or for worse, NBA teams will look for any type of specialist whether it is rebounding, passing, perimeter defense, blcking shots etc. before they take a guy who just shoots jumpers.

[timmynausea]

Knowing that the NBA draft is all about athleticism and upside, I'm even more surprised that Gansey didn't get drafted. He is a much better athlete and defender than J.J. Redick and hit a slightly higher percentage of his 3 pointers than Redick last year (44.2 to 42.1). You look at the measurables and it's not that close:

17 reps of 185 pounds to 6
6'7" wing span to 6'3"
34" vertical to 33"

I look at Gansey as like the best of both worlds. He has a high basketball IQ, he's a great shooter and passer, and was among the best perimeter defenders in the Big East. As a shooting guard, he still lead WVU in rebounds. On top of all that he is actually a pretty good athlete.

But whatever. It seems like just a month or two ago I was reading an article where the NBA commissioner was complaining about the appallingly low skill level of people entering the league. Maybe it's because they'd rather draft a European or high school kid who has only been playing basketball for 6 months. The "unknown" makes it seem like the sky is the limit. How many Kwame Browns and and Darkos will it take?

[bulletsponge]

The "unknown" makes it seem like the sky is the limit. How many Kwame Browns and and Darkos will it take?

my estimate.... 96 more

[ThunderingHERD]

Preach on. For how much longer will these undrafted whitebread types have to continue dominating the NBA before GMs take notice?

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by ThunderingHERD

Preach on. For how much longer will these undrafted whitebread types have to continue dominating the NBA before GMs take notice?

Thing is, they don't get a chance. If you are drafted in the 1st round, you are going to get a shot to play. Teams have invested something in you for a number of years and they want to see you pan out. If you are undrafted or a 2nd rounder, you don't get those 2nd, 3rd & 4th chances; you had better impress right off the bat or it's off to Europe with you.

[miami_fan]

Wait, FOFC posters are actually agreeing in with Dicky V?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by miami_fan

Wait, FOFC posters are actually agreeing in with Dicky V?

He looked like a shiny alien last night. I had to reach for the remote to mute him far too often.

[Arles]

Originally Posted by stevew

Isiah making up articles again to try to make it look like he isn't a dumbass.......

Interesting, since reports from Phoenix said the Suns had agreed to make the deal to Boston prior to NY's choice. Maybe they had ESP and knew Isiah would be just crazy enough to draft a guy not even listed in the top 100 draft media guide.

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Arles

Interesting, since reports from Phoenix said the Suns had agreed to make the deal to Boston prior to NY's choice. Maybe they had ESP and knew Isiah would be just crazy enough to draft a guy not even listed in the top 100 draft media guide.

Yeah, I saw you were over there massively pwning people on the Suns board at realgm. Stupid kid fans have no concept that their team is actually on a cash budget in addition to the cap, etc.

[Neuqua]

Figure this is as good a place as any to pimp the new Pro basketball website:

http://hothand.org/

[Johnny93g]

Raptors trade Charlie V to Milwaukee for TJ Ford. I really believe this is a smart move, and improves the Raptors immensly.

[MikeVic]

Originally Posted by Johnny93g

Raptors trade Charlie V to Milwaukee for TJ Ford. I really believe this is a smart move, and improves the Raptors immensly.

I like Charlie V, but they needed a guard. And I trust Colangelo enough to believe he got the PG he wanted.

[Johnny93g]

Any chance the Raps can use our cap space to sign Nene?

[stevew]

Originally Posted by Johnny93g

Any chance the Raps can use our cap space to sign Nene?

They can, but the Nuggets reserve the right to match any contract offer made to him(like that for most any 4th year player)

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by MikeVic

I like Charlie V, but they needed a guard. And I trust Colangelo enough to believe he got the PG he wanted.

Not a bad trade for either team. What happens to Magloire now?