2008 NBA Draft/ Offseason Thread..

[MacroGuru]

Well 3 Jazz made it interesting, 2 Centers and a Forward...All European...It is ok they if they sit in Europe for a year or two, the Jazz do not have the roster space.

[TazFTW]

Originally Posted by mckerney

I'm happy and surprised that McHale managed to take Mayo and resist the temptation to trade him for a lower pick and cash. Disappointed they didn't go with DeAndre Jordan in round 2. Probably a high chance he'll bust, but has the physical tools where he could be a good combo with Jefferson. It's probably a better chance he'd work out than taking a European center.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2...ory?id=3463045

Mayo heads to Memphis, Love to Minnesota

By Chad Ford
ESPN.com
(Archive)





Updated: June 27, 2008, 12:45 AM ET

• Comment
• Email
• Print

The Minnesota Timberwolves aren't holding onto O.J. Mayo for long.
Two league sources told ESPN.com that the Wolves have reached an agreement in principle with the Memphis Grizzlies that will send the draft rights of Mayo, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker and Greg Buckner to the Grizzlies in return for the draft rights to Kevin Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins.

The deal is a blockbuster for both teams. ESPN.com reported on Tuesday that the Wolves GM Kevin McHale was infatuated with Love, but felt that the team had to select Mayo and use him to acquire more assets.

In addition to landing Love, the Wolves get a sharp-shooting swingman in Miller who can help carry the scoring load from the perimeter. The deal is also a financial boon for the Timberwolves who get the bad contract of Jaric (three years, $21 million) off the books. Walker and Buckner's contracts are not guaranteed after this season.

The Grizzlies get the superstar they wanted in the backcourt in Mayo. The also rid themselves of Cardinal's bad contract (two years, $13 million). The Grizzlies now have a glut of guards on the team with Mayo, Mike Conley, Kyle Lowry and Javaris Crittendon.

[Groundhog]

Nets scored a slamdunk this draft.

Happy to see big Aussie Nathan Jawai drafted by the Pacers, though apparently on the way to Toronto. No idea if he'll make it in the NBA, but you can't teach his size+mobility.

[Jas_lov]

I think that's a good trade for Minnesota getting Love and Miller to go with Jefferson. Kevin McHale finally found a GM dumber than himself and took advantage of it so good for him.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by TazFTW

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2...ory?id=3463045

Way to fuck up another draft.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Jas_lov

I think that's a good trade for Minnesota getting Love and Miller to go with Jefferson. Kevin McHale finally found a GM dumber than himself and took advantage of it so good for him.

Doubt it. Plus the fact that McHale is infatuated with Kevin Love leads me to think he'll be a huge bust.

[Ryche]

On the bright side, McHale didn't trade down for cash this year.



My biggest problem with this trade is upside. Mayo at least has star potential. Does anyone think Love can be a 20-10 guy?

And the whole bits with Hoiberg claiming they had no intention of trading Mayo and the owner saying they think Mayo is better than Love.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Ryche

On the bright side, McHale didn't trade down for cash this year.



My biggest problem with this trade is upside. Mayo at least has star potential. Does anyone think Love can be a 20-10 guy?

And the whole bits with Hoiberg claiming they had no intention of trading Mayo and the owner saying they think Mayo is better than Love.

This team is a fucking joke. At least Tubby is brining talent into The Barn.

[Chief Rum]

You guys got rid of Jaric's contract. Hell, that alone should be worth the world.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

You guys got rid of Jaric's contract. Hell, that alone should be worth the world.

Yeah, but added Mike Miller's and Brian Cardinal's, and also lost the trade asset of Walker's expiring contract.



Oh yeah, sorry you're not going to get your first round pick anytime soon.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by mckerney

Yeah, but added Mike Miller's and Brian Cardinal's, and also lost the trade asset of Walker's expiring contract.



Oh yeah, sorry you're not going to get your first round pick anytime soon.

It's okay. I am confident that your owner loves McHale so much, he will keep him in position long enough for you guys to run out of time.

[Neon_Chaos]

Oh well. There goes any hope for the Gay-Love era in Memphis to begin. Gay-Mayo doesn't sound as appealing.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Neon_Chaos

Oh well. There goes any hope for the Gay-Love era in Memphis to begin. Gay-Mayo doesn't sound as appealing.

Actually, they are both suggestive.

[Neon_Chaos]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Actually, they are both suggestive.

The Grizzlies are a mess right now. I find it fitting that Kwame and Darko are in the same team.

Reading news that Marc Gasol was going to be signing with Memphis this season puts the Love-Mayo into a better light for them.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by mckerney

Doubt it. Plus the fact that McHale is infatuated with Kevin Love leads me to think he'll be a huge bust.

I really like Kevin Love. Should pair wonderfully with Al Jefferson, at least offensively. Plus he won't be demanding out in 3 years like Mayo would be.

[MrBug708]

Kevin Pritchard is the best GM in basketball

PDX when Pritch took over:

Telfair, Blake, Jack
Dixon, Webster, Monia
Miles, Patterson, Khryapa
Randolph, Outlaw
Ratliff, Pryz, Skinner, Ha

PDX roster now:

Bayless, Blake, Sergio
Roy, Fernandez
Webster, Outlaw, Batum
Aldridge, Frye, Diogu
Oden, Pryz, LaFrentz

[Logan]

An amazing turnaround.

[st.cronin]

JR Giddens to the Celtics, woot. He could be a steal.

[bulletsponge]

so who did the Rockets end up getting? all these trades are confusing.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by st.cronin

JR Giddens to the Celtics, woot. He could be a steal.

Love when they picked him the screen said

NEEDS TO IMPROVE: PROFESSIONALISM

"Has had issues on and off the court."


nice. I stayed up to watch them pick a dillweed

[miked]

I don't really get the Nets. I liked Jefferson and wondered why they would trade him for Yi, especially after their last few drafts grabbing big guys Kristic, Williams, and 2 more in the first round last night. So now they have about 5 guys for 2, maybe 3 spots, and completely lack a good scorer (I'm not really counting Vince "soft-serve" Carter). I just don't see how this trade improves them unless you really believe LBJ is going to NJ.

[MikeVic]

Who had the "NEEDS TO IMPROVE: EXPERIENCE"... and then one of the analysts said "how do you improve experience??"

[st.cronin]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Love when they picked him the screen said

NEEDS TO IMPROVE: PROFESSIONALISM

"Has had issues on and off the court."


nice. I stayed up to watch them pick a dillweed

He was once stabbed in a nightclub. Hm, where have I heard that before...

[Sublime 2]

I really like the Bill Walker pick by the C's as well.

With Giddens and Walker on board it looks like it may be the end of Tony Allen in a C's uniform.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Sublime 2

I really like the Bill Walker pick by the C's as well.

With Giddens and Walker on board it looks like it may be the end of Tony Allen in a C's uniform.

are you crazy? walker will be lucky to make the team.

one of those guys MAY attempt to fill a posey type role. ATTEMPT TO.



Bill Walker, puhlease.


Although, if he makes the team they should give him #8 and have hilarity ensue.

[Sublime 2]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

are you crazy? walker will be lucky to make the team.

one of those guys MAY attempt to fill a posey type role. ATTEMPT TO.



Bill Walker, puhlease.


Although, if he makes the team they should give him #8 and have hilarity ensue.

Neither will be able to fill a Posey role. Both could certainly take the place of Tony Allen however.

I wouldn't be surprised if the picks were made b/c of what happened with the Atlanta series. We were over matched athletically and that's something both of these kids can bring immediately...whatever else they bring, well we'll see about that. But I definitely like the idea of getting younger/more athletic at the wings.

If one of them can turn into what Tony Allen showed glimpses of, then I'll be ecstatic.

[korme]

Sad to see Bill Walker get buried in a deep C's roster.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by korme

Sad to see Bill Walker get buried in a deep C's roster.

don't worry, he'll back on the open market again soon for another chance for teams to pass over him

[Sublime 2]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

don't worry, he'll back on the open market again soon for another chance for teams to pass over him

lol any reason for all the Bill Walker hate?

[Groundhog]

After a few days of reflection, I'm still very dissapointed in the Cavs selection. We have serious holes to fill, and while a #19 pick is rarely going to net you a guy who can contribute in a big way any time soon I really don't think we needed to be drafting one of those "P" guys that everyone else drafted this year. We should have been looking for a SG that doesn't suck and can actually shoot the ball a little bit, or even a bigman like Koufos who has all the tools to be a solid pro - especially in Utah, which was just about the perfect spot for him to fall. Yet Courtney Lee and Douglas-Roberts stay on the board after our pick (CDR for far too long a time), two guys who, while not even close to sure things, are far closer to a sure thing than J.J. Hickson.

Even if they were determined to go big, does an undersized PF really appeal to the Cavs frontoffice more than a skilled 7 footer like Koufos? I'd have been happier with DJ White, a guy who is also undersized but at least has the skill level to contribute from day 1, as opposed to Hickson who will probably ride the pine for the next 2 years while we still struggle to field a SG who can play D and knock down open jumpers.

This is probably going to be an ugly draft class for the next season or two with all that youth. Beasley should have a nice rookie year and Rose figures to certainly get the minutes, but outside of that there are a crap load of 19 and 20 year olds whose games don't yet come close to approaching their draft stock.

Sacramento's selection of Thompson at #12 may look like a big reach (and I certainly thought so when watching the draft), but now I can see what they were thinking. They wanted a big, so do they grab one of these 19 year old skinny guys who might amount to something, or take the 4 year guy who, while not a star, can probably help them from day 1?

As everyone else has said here and elsewhere, god damn the Blazers are amazing. They continue to stun me with the deals they pull off on and around draft day, and I can't believe they managed to walk away with Bayless and Batum this year. Considering the hype around Omer Asik maybe they'll regret trading him away, but it's not like they really need another big assuming that Oden is healthy.

Kudos to the Rockets too for dashing the Spurs plans and forcing them to make a bizzare selection at the end of the first round. When Batum came off the board I thought CDR was a lock for the Spurs given that I could so easily picture him fitting in with their system, but apparently they Spurs just had to have an undersized SG that they probably could have had in the middle of the 2nd round.

[DeToxRox]

I think San Antonio is one team that has earned the right to not be questioned for how they draft.

[bhlloy]

I feel really sorry for Bill Walker. By all accounts a good kid from a really tough background that would have been a guaranteed multi-millionaire if the NBA hadn't changed it's rules a few months before he tore up his ACL.

Not a commentary on whether the rule is right or wrong, but it's kind of unfortunate either way.

I think he could be a decent sixth man if he can stay away from knee trouble- he wasn't the #1 high schooler in the country for nothing. I think it's a nice pickup for the C's unless his knee is so far gone that he doesn't even make it onto the court.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by DeToxRox

I think San Antonio is one team that has earned the right to not be questioned for how they draft.

Well, to be fair, all they've really done is draft really good non-Americans low in the draft.

[rkmsuf]

Originally Posted by Sublime 2

lol any reason for all the Bill Walker hate?

Because of the name I think. Could he have a more generic name?

[Schmidty]

I know that this has nothing to do with the offseason or the draft, but I had to post this article about Joe Dumars. There's a reason why the Sportsmanship award was named after him, and why he's my favorite athlete ever.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/29/sp...2f4&ei=5087%0A

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Because of the name I think. Could he have a more generic name?

John Smith?

[Logan]

Joe Smith's ordinary name got him the #1 pick in 95.

[mckerney]

Originally Posted by Logan

Joe Smith's ordinary name got him the #1 pick in 95.

And look what that got the Warriors (and every other team that he played for).

[Vince]

So Baron Davis decides to leave nearly $18,000,000 on the table to pursue free agency. Not exactly sure why he'd want to do that -- he has been incredibly well-received here in the bay area, and he's basically the face of the rejuvenated Warrior franchise. There's no way he makes $17M this year anywhere else, and he doesn't seem likely to go to a team that stands any better chance than the Warriors of making the playoffs. What was he thinking here?

[Neon_Chaos]

Originally Posted by Vince

So Baron Davis decides to leave nearly $18,000,000 on the table to pursue free agency. Not exactly sure why he'd want to do that -- he has been incredibly well-received here in the bay area, and he's basically the face of the rejuvenated Warrior franchise. There's no way he makes $17M this year anywhere else, and he doesn't seem likely to go to a team that stands any better chance than the Warriors of making the playoffs. What was he thinking here?

Perhaps he's made enough money, and is now on the hunt for a ring.

[Chief Rum]

Lord, I'm not one to make love a conditional, but...


...if you love me, make this happen.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_yl...yhoo&type=lgns

[Blade6119]

Originally Posted by MrBug708

Kevin Pritchard is the best GM in basketball

PDX when Pritch took over:

Telfair, Blake, Jack
Dixon, Webster, Monia
Miles, Patterson, Khryapa
Randolph, Outlaw
Ratliff, Pryz, Skinner, Ha

PDX roster now:

Bayless, Blake, Sergio
Roy, Fernandez
Webster, Outlaw, Batum
Aldridge, Frye, Diogu
Oden, Pryz, LaFrentz

Thats just a sick turn around, but i still think Colangelo is the best in the biz.

[Neon_Chaos]

Originally Posted by Blade6119

Thats just a sick turn around, but i still think Colangelo is the best in the biz.

I think Pritchard's greatness is only equivalent to Paul Allen's willingness to back up his GM's moves with his wallet.

Together, they are quite possibly the best GM-Owner combo in the entire league.

Sergio Rodriguez in 2006, Rudy Fernandez in 2007, and the 27th pick this year were all bought with cash. You can't do that unless your owner is willing to shell out the dough to back up his GM.

[Schmidty]

In my opinion, Joe Dumars is the best, by a smidgon.

[Neon_Chaos]

Originally Posted by Schmidty

In my opinion, Joe Dumars is the best, by a smidgon.

Agreed. So far, he's the only GM who's rebuilt and retooled piece by piece in this decade and has a ring to show for it.

[jeheinz72]

Wow, Baron Davis is a fool.

I'm a big time Dubs fan and frankly, given that in all likelihood he'll get hurt again soon, this isn't the end of the world provided they can re-invest the budget elsewhere.

[Groundhog]

[Neon_Chaos]

Setting aside the Darko pick for a moment, Dumars was brilliant as GM.

Received Ben Wallace and Chucky Atkins for Grant Hill in 2000
Received Corliss Williamson for Jerome Williams in 2001
Received Jon Barry for Mateen Cleaves in 2001
Received Cliff Robinson for Jud Buechler in 2001
Received Rip Hamilton for Jerry Stackhouse in 2002
Received Lindsey Hunter for Michael Curry in 2003
Received Rasheed Wallace/ Mike James for Rebraca, Sura, Atkins, 2 1st rounders in 2003
Drafted Mehmo Okur in 2001
Drafted Tayshaun Prince in 2002
Signed Chauncey Billups in 2002
Signed Antonio McDyess in 2003

The Pistons were 32-50 in 2000. They have won 50 games or more each season since 2001 and were in the Conference Finals the past 6 seasons, thanks to all those moves above.

Unfortunately, the Darko pick will forever haunt Dumars, no matter how impressive of a job he's done in Detroit.

[Anthony]

Originally Posted by rkmsuf

Because of the name I think. Could he have a more generic name?

Joe Smith.


John Generic

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by jeheinz72

Wow, Baron Davis is a fool.

I'm a big time Dubs fan and frankly, given that in all likelihood he'll get hurt again soon, this isn't the end of the world provided they can re-invest the budget elsewhere.

I think he is making the right move BECAUSE he will be hurt again next year. Instead of getting 18 mil next year and who knows what after that if he is hurt again, he will get say 12-14 mil over the next 5-6 years no matter what. Add on the illusion of him taking less money for the good of the team (whoever that may be) and it is a win-win for him.