Memphis Grizzlies: NBA Draft

Memphis Grizzlies: 2009 NBA Draft

Jeff Fox — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:08:08 -0400

2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Team Needs/Capsules - NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects

Memphis Grizzlies

2008-09 Record: 24-58

Draft Picks: Lottery (top 3 or picks 6-9), 27, 35

Key Free Agents:

Greg Buckner (Partially guaranteed)

Quinton Ross

Hakim Warrick (Restricted)

How They Got Here:

The Grizzlies had a breakthrough season this year, topping their win totals from the past two years. That’s the positive spin on the fact that they only won 24 games this year. However, all their key contributors are in their early 20s and they have two studs on the wings in O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay.

What They Need:

The basically need to just keep stockpiling young talent, and with three picks this year they can do just that. Even if Warrick comes back, they could use another power forward to throw into the mix. And while Mike Conley Jr. had a solid season - and Mayo has potential to be a good point guard - they could use another lead guard also.

Who They'll Take:

With Ricky Rubio apparently not interested in playing in Memphis (or, more precisely, Rubio’s agent not interested in him playing there), the Grizzlies are left with two options - take Hasheem Thabeet and have him and Marc Gasol form a twin tower combo, or trade the pick to one of the several teams determined to get Rubio. Who they pick as their second first rounder (pick #27) depends on who they take earlier in the night - if they went small early, go big at #27, and vice versa. With their second round pick, just grab the player with the most potential left on the board and hope he pans out.

Memphis Grizzlies Draft History (since 2000)

2008: Kevin Love (5), Donte Greene (28)
2007: Mike Conley Jr. (4)
2006: Kyle Lowry (24)
2005: Hakim Warrick (19)
2004: Sergei Lishouk (49)
2003: Marcus Banks (13), Kendrick Perkins (27)
2002: Drew Gooden (4), Robert Archibald (31), Matt Barnes (45)
2001: Shane Battier (6), Jamaal Tinsley (27), Willie Solomon (32), Antonis Fotsis (47)
2000: Stromile Swift (2)

2009 NBA DRAFT: NBA Team Needs/Capsules - NBA Mock Draft - Top 100 Prospects

Top Prospects

Stephen Curry - PG/SG - Davidson

Tyreke Evans - PG/SG - Memphis

Blake Griffin - PF - Oklahoma

James Harden - SG - Arizona State

Jordan Hill - PF - Arizona

Ty Lawson - PG - UNC

BJ Mullens - C - Ohio State

Ricky Rubio - PG - DKV Joventut

Brandon Jennings - PG - Arizona

Hasheem Thabeet - C - UCONN

NBA: Week in Review: OJ Can Play

Hoopsworld — Sun, 16 Nov 2008 20:19:08 -0500

By: Travis Heath

It's Sunday which means it's time to take a look at what the wonderful world of the NBA taught us this week.

Fool Me Once Shame on Me, Fool Me Twice...

Al Harrington and Don Nelson aren't exactly on the best of terms these days, and it's only a matter of time until Harrington gets traded. Last week, Harrington complained of back spasms and said he would miss around two weeks. This prompted Nelson to call Harrington's agent, Dan Fegan, "Dr. Fegan" earlier this week. The implication being that Fegan was the driving force behind Harrington's decision to shut it down.

Well, Fegan fired back at Nelson this week.

"I'm not surprised that president/general manager (Don) Nelson made light of Al's condition," Fegan told the San Jose Mercury News. "The only thing that surprises me is, since he's grabbed every other important position in the organization, Nelson hasn't made himself team physician and examined Al's back himself."

Gotta say, that's a pretty darned good comeback by Fegan. And it's also a classic power play by Nelson dating back to his Dallas days.

Remember, Nelson is the snake-oil salesman that had media in Dallas believing Steve Nash was all washed up right before he left the Mavs in free agency in the summer of 2004. That was, of course, right before Nash proceeded to win back-to-back MVP awards.

Point is, Nellie is definitely a fun guy to listen to, but you shouldn't always take everything that comes out of his mouth all that seriously.

Classic Sloan

The Utah Jazz has just been hammered by injuries this season. Deron Williams played in just a couple of ballgames this week until realizing his ankle was quite right yet, Andrei Kirilenko is now out with an injury to his finger and Matt Harping played in his first game earlier this week. Mehmet Okur has also been away from the team for awhile now and is back home in Turkey tending to his ailing father.

Some coaches might hop on the good old "Excuse Express" after being dealt a hand like the one Utah has been dealt this season. However, that's not a train Jerry Sloan has ever considered taking a ride on.

"It's a great opportunity for some guys who haven't played to get a chance to play and hopefully help your team on your own," Sloan said prior to Saturday night's game in Cleveland. "But you can't worry about (injuries). I mean, those are things that you start off the season knowing that's always a possibility. And heck, some of them could be career-ending sometimes. So what do you do about it? Nothing, you've got to go out and try and play with who you have. That's the way life is."

I'm pretty sure if you look up the term "Old School" in the dictionary, there's a picture of Sloan's mug plastered next to it.

O.J. Can Play

Some fans have been skeptical about how good of a pro player O.J. Mayo will become. Well, I'm sold on the kid after seeing him play last week in Denver.

Everyone is probably aware Mayo scored 20 points in the first quarter last Sunday in Denver and finished the game with 31. Everyone is probably also aware Mayo dropped 33 points the next night in Phoenix. However, most people probably aren't aware just how professional this kid is behind the scenes.

As I talked to him last week, I felt like I was talking to a guy who had played in the league four or five seasons already. Simply put, the kid is wise beyond his years.

"It's been a pretty easy transition," a cool and collected Mayo told HOOPSWORLD. "I'm really having a lot of fun. I'm just going out and trying to compete every night I play.

"We feel pretty confident as a team. We got off to a pretty good start, but we feel like we could have got off to a even better start if we didn't let a few games slip away. You know, we're a young team and we just want to work at playing a complete 48 minutes right from the start of the game."

Were those really the words of a rookie? Really!?!

Sounds like a veteran talking about trying to help his young teammates along. Simply put, the longer you talk to Mayo, the easier it is to forget he just turned 21 on the 5th of this month.

Truth be told, we probably spend way too much time talking about talent and not quite enough time talking about maturity and professionalism around draft time. Fortunately for the Grizzlies, they've found themselves a true professional who also happens to have a lot of talent.

A Travelin' Man

The travel in the NBA is no joke. Last season, I traveled as much as I ever have covering NBA games. There were times on the second night of back-to-back where I got home and felt like I could sleep for 14 hours... and I was just covering the game.

The life of a NBA player sounds glorious at first, right? Play basketball, get paid millions and travel the country. While you won't hear too many players complaining about the first two, the last one can be tough. And remember, it's not like players have time to go sightseeing or really check out the cities they travel to. In fact, often times teams are in one city for less than 24 hours before hopping on a plane en-route to their next destination.

The amount of travel undoubtedly takes its toll on NBA players and coaches, but it takes a particular toll on older coaches like Phil Jackson of the Los Angeles Lakers.

"Traveling is part of our job in this business," Jackson told the LA Times. "You go out on the road... and that takes some effort and takes some energy. This conference is especially difficult for teams. When you're on the West Coast and you have to travel to New Orleans, Memphis, across the Mississippi and across two-thirds of the country and two time zones, it makes a big difference."

I feels Phil's pain, there's no doubt about that. But then I got to thinking, the Lakers technically only play 39 road games a year.

Why you ask? Simple. Two of the team's "road" games every season are in their home building when they play the Los Angeles Clippers. The flipside to that is since the Lakers are buried on the far left coast, it means they have have a longer commute out East than most other teams in the league.

Still, no matter what team we're talking about, the travel is at times almost unbearable. And based on all the years Phil has been in the league as both a coach and a player, I'm sure my man has racked up his fair share of frequent flyer miles.

Anthony Who?

If you haven't yet heard of Anthony Morrow, you should probably check the kid out. The Golden State Warriors picked Morrow up as an undrafted rookie out of Georgia Tech. The Dubs were hopeful he might develop into a NBA player over time. However, nobody -- at least not anybody who's honest -- saw what happened on Saturday afternoon in Los Angeles coming.

The 23-year-old Morrow scored 37 points for the Warriors on 15-20 shooting. Just in case you're keeping track, dude also grabbed 11 boards.

Last season at Georgia Tech, Morrow never scored more than 31 points in a game. That happened on November 11th, 2007 against Tennessee State. Not sure what that says about the Clippers defense this year, but I digress.

Who knows how good Morrow will be in the future. That said, you've got to have some serious skills to score 37 points in any basketball game. Heck, it's hard enough to score 37 points down at your local YMCA, yet alone in a NBA game against the best athletes in the world.

Keep your eye on this kid.

Big Picture: Old School OJ Mayo

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:14:50 -0400

Today's BIG PICTURE

Thanks to our friends over at Icon Sports Media, CHN has access to thousands of great college basketball photos. Each day during the season, CHN will feature a Picture of the Day, which might include a newsworthy, funny, or simply interesting subject. At the bottom will be a caption or headline that might be informative or amusing. The possibilities are endless! During the off-season, we'll publish scattered favorites that were missed during the year.

OJ MAYO: ABCD CAMP

We go way back in the archive, back to June of 2003, for today's Big Picture. OJ Mayo, just 15 at the time, made his ABCD Camp debut.

- Check out recent BIG Pictures!

- Also check out the Cheerleader of the Day!

- Watch all of CHN's favorite College Basketball Videos!

NBA: Thursday Preseason Report

Hoopsworld — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:18:37 -0400

By: Steve Kyler

LB And The Bobcats: The Larry Brown show got off to a rough start last night in Orlando, looking a lot like the Larry Brown Knicks for most of the first quarter, a quarter in which the Magic hung 40 points to Charlotte's nine. The Bobcats and Magic both came down to earth for the balance of the game, but Charlotte's deficit never closed allowing the Magic to look at some of their reserves, and for Larry Brown to put all 17 of his guys on the floor. There had been some scuttle about the Bobcats point guard position, with Raymond Felton slated as the starter and rookie DJ Augustin coming off the bench. Brown said before the game that he was more than pleased with both of his point guards in camp and that while he knew they threw a lot at the guys in training camp, the guards were really taking to the new instructions and system. Brown's biggest surprise was Gerald Wallace. Brown said he knew Wallace was good; he just had no idea how good he was. Wallace seems to be the go-to-guy for the Bobcats because he creates so many matchup problems for opposing defenders. Sean May and Adam Morrison both were on the floor last night, and both looked like they have a long way to go. Morrison has dropped a ton of weight, and is rocking a long pony tail these days, while Sean May looks as round as ever, drawing comparisons to Oliver Miller from courtside fans. Sean was effective offensively, but its hard to imagine how he'll be healthy all season carrying that much weight.

The Magical Rotation: Magic Head coach Stan Van Gundy addressed his decision not to play Keith Bogans and Marcin Gortat telling reporters that in pre-season he wanted to give the minutes to guys that need to learn the system or to guys that have questions surrounding them. Stan indicated he knew what he had in Keith, Marcin and Adonal Foyle and was going to rotate those guys throughout the pre-season, but that newcomer Mickael Pietrus would need at least 20 minutes a game to get into the flow of what the Magic do. Stan also said that Tony Battie would get a ton of minutes for much of the same reason. JJ Redick and Courtney Lee both had solid games for the Magic, however after the game JJ Redick ducked the media, heading for the side door, despite having a 12 points in 14 minutes draining shot after shot. Magic GM Otis Smith voiced his offense to Florida Today's John Denton regarding the notion that the Magic were "showcasing" JJ Redick, saying he's seen JJ every day in practice and knows exactly what JJ can do. The Magic face CSKA Moscow on Friday, and Van Gundy said that despite this being a non-NBA team the game plan was to continue to play the same guys and work on improving their offensive and defensive schemes.

Snake Bit: How snake bit are the Wizards? They spend untold millions trying to keep the team together and are already without Gilbert Arenas, who may not play until December. Antawn Jamison left the first pre-season game in Dallas with a bone contusion on his knee, and now word is Brendan Haywood will miss at least 4 months to wrist surgery. Imagine what the Wizards would have been like if they could have gotten all their guys healthy; its seems for a third straight season we'll never know.

Hazing The Rookies: Every year there are great rookie hazing stories that surface throughout pre-season. The hot one these days is filling the rookie's car with popcorn, that's happened to a few guys, including Memphis swingman Hakim Warrick. The Warriors did it to Patrick O'Bryant and video of it is posted on YouTube. The Bobcats have pulled off one of the best ones yet, giving each of their rookies children's bookbags that they must carry wherever they go. DJ Austin got the Giggle Girl pink bag with white poke-a-dots, Alexis Ajinca got a light blue My Little Pony bag with its own horse mane that must be brushed regularly. The Bobcats rookies are still fetching luggage and getting donuts as all first year players normally are forced to do. DJ Augustin takes carrying the bag in stride, and says the vets have made it clear that if they are caught without it there will be worse hazing to come. Last year, Jazz rookie Morris Almond got smart and bought several dozen donuts and left them on the counter of his apartment grabbing a fresh box for every practice, admittedly the donuts were stale by mid-week, but he never missed a box. Conversely former Jazz rookie Kyrylo Fesenko would take a taxi to the nearby Krispy Kreme and bring fresh hot donuts on his day, endearing him to his veteran teammates.

Top 10 Summer League Steals

Hoopsworld — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 12:28:27 -0400

By: Jessica Camerato

There were teams who struck it rich on Draft Night and others who overlooked promising talent. Those players who were bypassed in New York City had the chance to showcase their games during summer league play in Orlando, Las Vegas, and Utah. HOOPSWORLD takes a look at the top ten players who proved to be a steal on Draft Night.

#5 Kevin Love, Minnesota Timberwolves (via Memphis Grizzlies)
Kevin Love may have been a top five pick, but the Minnesota Timberwolves got a steal when they acquired him from the Memphis Grizzlies on Draft Night. Love knew his conditioning was under fire when he came to Las Vegas, so he dropped the pounds and picked up his game. He was in noticeably better shape and got up and down both ends of the court to impress on offense and defense. Love averaged 18 points and 13.5 rebounds while shooting nearly 50% from the field. After posting 26 points and 15 rebounds against the Portland Trail Blazers, it was clear Love could have gone earlier in the draft and the T'Wolves had played their hand successfully.

#11 Jerryd Bayless, Portland Trail Blazers (via Indiana Pacers)
Teams around the league should take notice -- if the Trail Blazers want to make a Draft Day trade, just say no. Two years ago GM Kevin Pritchard nabbed Brandon Roy from the Minnesota Timberwolves and this summer he swiped Jerryd Bayless from the Indiana Pacers. Bayless won MVP honors at the Las Vegas Summer League and looked more like a top pick than an 11th. Even though the Trail Blazers still have to determine how well Bayless can play the point, the real point is that they made out like bandits once again.

#14 Anthony Randolph, Golden State Warriors
When the Golden State Warriors drafted Anthony Randolph, it seemed as though they chose the second coming of Brandan Wright. As it turns out, Randolph is an upgrade. The 6-10, 205 pound forward ranked fifth in scoring in Las Vegas, posting 20.8 points per game. Despite his lean and lanky frame, Randolph is not afraid of contact. He got to the line 18 times in his Vegas finale and shot another 17 free throws in his most recent Rocky Mountain Revue match up. Wright may not have lived up to his rookie year expectations but the Warriors got it right with Randolph.

#16 Marreese Speights, Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers' running game cannot succeed if they don't have big men grabbing rebounds for quick outlet passes. They found a perfect fit in 6-10, 245 pound Marreese Speights. Speights ranked second in rebounding at the Vegas Summer League with over 10 boards per game and posted two 20+ point performances (18.2 ppg). He has to work on his free throw shooting if he wants to be effective at the basket, but the 19-year-old could have an upside nearly as big as his size.

#19 J.J. Hickson, Cleveland Cavaliers
After striking out on the likes of Luke Jackson and Shannon Brown, the Cleveland Cavaliers finally got it right with J.J. Hickson. He is just one of three players who the Cavs have locked in after next season and should prove to be a valuable investment. Hickson exploded for 26 points and nine rebounds in his first game and averaged nearly 20 points and eight boards during summer league. He outscored highly touted lottery picks O.J. Mayo and Kevin Love, showing he was worth the Cavs' wait at the 19th spot.

#27 Darrell Arthur, Memphis Grizzlies (via New Orleans Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Houston Rockets)
The cameras rarely lost sight of Darrell Arthur's frustration on Draft Night as he slipped further and further down the first round. Arthur bounced around from three teams that night with his kidney condition raising question marks across the league. His game, however, should not have been a concern. Arthur clearly had something to prove in Las Vegas and scored 18 points off of 9-for-12 shooting in his debut. He has an diverse offensive repertoire and is not limited to merely the post up moves of a big man. Drafting Arthur may have been a risk but putting him on the court will not be one for the Grizzlies.

#28 Donte Green, Houston Rockets (via Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies)
Donte Green introduced himself to the NBA by dropping 40 points on the Phoenix Suns, nearly breaking the Vegas Summer League scoring record. Green never scored more than 22 points after his debut but he didn't have to dominate the ball to showcase his value. His jumpshooting presence will boost the Houston Rockets' offense next season and give them more scoring options in the frontcourt. The 29th overall pick was shipped around the league before landing in Houston and he will try to prove it's where he belongs.

#34 Mario Chalmers, Miami Heat (via Minnesota Timberwolves)
Michael Beasley may have been the center of attention at the Orlando Pro Summer League, but Mario Chalmers was the biggest surprise on the Miami Heat. Chalmers, who slipped to the second round after pushing the Kansas Jayhawks to the NCAA Championship, showed he didn't leave his game behind in college. He averaged 15.8 points and 5.4 assists per game, ranking just behind Beasley in scoring for Miami. More noticeably, the 6-2 guard got to the free throw line 47 times in five games and shot nearly 92% there. Beasley stole the spotlight but Chalmers made his presence known.

#41 Nathan Jawai, Toronto Raptors (via Indiana Pacers)
Nathan Jawai earned the nickname "Baby Shaq" in Australia but it's tough for a moniker like that to stick in the NBA. The 6-10, 280 pound Aussie knows he has his work cut out for him overseas so he hit the gym to learn from the best. Jawai worked out at Joe Abunassar's Impact Basketball with teammate Jermaine O'Neal this summer and showed his determination to improve. He averaged 10.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in two games, and although he struggled from the free throw line (53.8% FT), he has the focus to make that wrong a right. Jawai doesn't have to be "Baby Shaq" to be successful, being himself just could be good enough.

#54 Maarty Leunen, Houston Rockets
Expectations are rarely high for a 54th pick and few were anticipating Maarty Leunen would make a splash in Vegas. 16 points and five rebounds per game later, Leunen broke the mold. He consistently scored in double digits and, at 6-9, shot 44% from three-point range. Leunen may have grown up milking cows in Oregon but now he can milk his summer league performance for all it's worth.

Unsubstantiated Speculation: Team by Team Draft Rumors & Links

Jason Tomassini — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 13:21:32 -0400

Team by team 2008 Draft links and rumors:

1. Chicago Bulls
It's becoming more and more apparent that Chicago will take Rose, even though I don't think they should. Although those ready to put Miami on the clock should be wary that Rose is openly politicking for his hometown team to pick him just a week before the draft. The one thing I don't like is this idea that Rose is a better pick because he acts serious and professional in interviews and Beasley does not. These kids are 19, neither of them are professional. Rose is shy, Beasley is not. Can Rose do his taxes better than Beasley or something? Is Rose more proficient in Excel? No. They are both really good at basketball but happen to have different personalities. Derrick Rose is going to be freaking great but give me Beasley this year. That is all. Now, the idea that Rose should be the pick because he is by far the best true point guard for a league that covets them more than ever -- that works.

2. Miami Heat
This is probably where Beasley is going to go, whether it's by Miami or not, so let's talk about him. First, ESPN is cashing in on this whole, "The Next Arenas" thing by capitalizing on Beasley's personality even while its writers bash his draft prospects. They have him blogging. They have an "in-depth" feature on him, which tries to overtake that old Wash Post feature as the "link all Internet writers must provide when discussing Beasley's character issues." They have some ESPN Digital Video things (part 1, part 2) of him, which are pretty tame but awesome for a Philly native like me because he hangs out in the city all day. For the record, he does not stab anyone in the videos nor does he give anyone a wedgie. Rose did work out for Miami so if you're the type of person that likes to make blind leaps of faith (and as someone writing about the Draft, I am), that's another sign that Chicago hasn't made up its mind.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves
They hold the key to the rest of the Draft. Not only does their pick affect those after it but it apparently affects those in front of it. If Miami thinks they can get Mayo at No. 4 or No. 5, they may be inclined to trade the No. 2. The T'Wolves seem to be all over the board. Mayo should be the pick but they have brought in Eric Gordon and Jerryd Bayless recently. Brook Lopez and Danilo Gallinari were in there too. As Ian Thomsen at Sports Illustrated writes, this is one of the toughest drafts to predict in recent memory and a lot of it rests on Miami and Minnesota's uncertainty. Thomson says it's down to Mayo and Love. Mayo has been neglecting small markets (although given that he worked out in Minny, his tune may have changed), and Love is a white person. You do the math.

4. Seattle Supersonics
Another team that long seemed to be locked in on a player (Jerryd Bayless), but now could go any number of directions. It appears Brook Lopez and Russell Westbrook (who Chad Ford has the Sonics taking -- now who is the one with the crazy man crush on Russ?), are very real possibilities. Apparently my man Westbrook has shut down workouts and according to Ford, has a promise in the mid-lottery, possibly at No. 4.

5. Memphis Grizzlies
Many reports have the Grizz trading this pick along with Mike Miller (good) and Brian Cardinal (and his franchise crushing contract). It seems like the Grizzlies best bet is if Mayo falls to them so Miami or another teams that wants him will come calling. Otherwise they will probably take Kevin Love. Some are reporting "Chubby Bryce Drew" Gordon is high up there, but others are reporting he doesn't want to play there. Also, this made me laugh out loud, although I'm sure that wasn't the writer, or Chris Wallace's, intention.

6. New York Knicks
Another pick that seems to be way up in the air and also seems to affect all that comes after it. Danilo Gallinari worked out there recently and supposedly balled, which is good because he said he won't play anywhere besides the Knicks or the Nets. Obviously with Donnie Walsh at the helm, who is very much unlike Isiah Thomas, trades are distinct possibilities if the right vet is available.

7. Los Angeles Clippers
It's highly possible that none of the current Clippers besides Al Thornton and Chris Kaman will be on the team next year. It looks like they will be going small, which assumes they are for some reason optimistic that Thornton, Brand, Kaman will be their front line for more than another month or so.

8. Milwaukee Bucks
Another team that will likely look far different next season. With Scott Skiles now at the helm you can be certain that the pick will be boring. Joe Alexander seems about right. I'm not entirely sure why DJ Augustin isn't an option here, seeing as how Mo Williams stinks and is a shoot-first PG on a team with a glut of shot-hoisting forwards, but then again, it's the Bucks so I guess I should be surprised they won't be taking Sasha Kaun.

9. Charlotte Bobcats
If it was up to Larry Brown he would try to take Aaron McKie, but alas, there is no such option. I haven't read much about the Cats trading this pick which means they most certainly will. But if they do pick, it might be someone that hasn't worked out for them, because no one wants to. I suppose playing for Michael Jordan and Larry Brown has lost its luster. Besides you can wait one more spot and play for Jay-Z!

10. New Jersey Nets
Speaking of Hov, he is about to make a new friend. Who that friend could be is completely impossible to predict however. Logic says another big man for NJ, but then again logic has no place in the Meadowlands. Gallinari seems to be a lock if he is available because, you know, he doesn't want to play anywhere else, but a "rich man's Bostjan Nachbar" probably isn't too appealing to a future Brooklyn fanbase. They can barely understand the dude who sells Gyros on the corner.

11. Indiana Pacers
With the rumors surrounding a makes-too-much-sense deal involving TJ Ford and Jermaine O'Neal, DJ Augustin might not be the surefire pick here anymore. I guess Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy are long-term options so one of those wacky, athletic bigs will probably go here if Augustin does not.

12. Sacramento Kings
Not a lot of action on this pick. It seems like they will just keep it and probably take Augustin if he's available. Otherwise a Wheel O' Big Man will be spun and any of the Speights/McGee/Jordan mess will be chosen.

13. Portland Trailblazers
Some have them trading this thing for sure, others have them keeping it and taking something called Alexis Ajinca. One thing is for sure, the Blazers have options and probably don't need to get any younger.

14. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors are the team that every prospect seems tailor-made for, which is funny because Don Nelson hates youth. Apparently Jason Thompson, a guy who has been underrated throughout this process, is in play. A 7-footer who can run and shoot? Doesn't sound like something thing that would interest Nellie at all. Initially an upside big man like Koufos, McGee or Randolph would seem to make sense, but don't they already have Brandan Wright and Patrick O'Bryant? (Yes, they do).

-Read more of Jason's Draft coverage at the Super, Scintillating, and Sarcastic blog

Memphis Grizzlies: NBA Draft Team Needs

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 02:59:37 -0400

2007-08 Record: 22-60; 5^th Southwest

Draft Picks: 5, 28

Key Free Agents

G Juan Carlos Navarro (restricted)

How they got here and what they need

The season went downhill in a hurry for Memphis; leading some to wonder if they were the second-best team in their own arena at one point (the Memphis Tigers also play in FedEx Forum). Finally the Pau Gasol era came to an end, with him being traded to Los Angeles for essentially peanuts and some cap relief in the form of Kwame Brown's expiring contract. The departure of Gasol means that there's some room for another big man on the roster, since neither Hakim Warrick nor Darko Milicic will scare opponents with their game or stature.

With two first-round selections, Memphis may also look to add a wing player to the roster, bringing him off the bench to spell the likes of Mike Miller and Rudy Gay. But they could really use some size, and a good basketball IQ wouldn't be a bad thing either.

Who they take

This could be a tough decision for GM Chris Wallace. While they could definitely use a player like a Kevin Love to add to the interior, the allure of a talent like OJ Mayo may be too much to pass up. I'll go out on a limb and say that the Grizzlies select Mayo with the fifth pick.

Draft History (since 2000)

- 2007: Mike Conley Jr. (4^th)
- 2006: Kyle Lowry (24^th)
- 2005: Hakim Warrick (19^th)
- 2004: Sergey Lishchuk (50^th)
- 2003: Marcus Banks (13^th), Kendrick Perkins (27^th)
- 2002: Drew Gooden (4^th), Robert Archibald (32^nd), Matt Barnes (46^th)
- 2001: Pau Gasol (3^rd), Shane Battier (6^th), Will Solomon (33^rd), Antonis Fotsis (48^th)
- 2000: Stromile Swift (2^nd)

Links: NBA Draft | NBA Teams | Mock Draft | Draft History

Poll: When Will Mike Conley Be Picked?

Shawn Siegel — Sat, 23 Jun 2007 15:41:40 -0400

Unsubstantiated Speculation: Wednesday's Draft Rumors

Jason Tomassini — Wed, 20 Jun 2007 11:19:50 -0400

I’ve always thought Kobe Bryant had this unusual desire for attention that dictated much of his behavior. It wasn’t overt like Terrell Owens or Barry Bonds but it was subtly there. He’s never wanted to share the spotlight and he always had this wannabe Jordan air to him. Well my suspicions were validated yesterday when, on the same day the final list of NBA draft entrants was announced, it was coincidentally revealed that an amateur video existed of Kobe ripping anyone and everyone in the Lakers organization at a shopping mall. I realize this year’s draft has gotten a lot of media attention but come on. An amateur video? Let’s just hope he’s still wearing underwear in public.

Anyway, big day for the draft, here’s some links…

· We’ll get to who is staying and who’s going back to school in a minute but there may be a bigger story going on. According to Ian Thomsen at Sports Illustrated, Greg Oden has some lingering health issues. When I first saw this I put it alongside Durant’s bench press as far as legitimacy, but there seems to be several things that league executives are investigating. Among the concerns are that Oden’s wrist might not fully heal, he has a bulging disk in his back, he has knee problems and his hip alignment is off, causing one leg to be longer than the other. It seems like no professional draft can go by without the expected No. 1 pick being doubted in some way. But if Blazers GM Kevin Pritchard is really as torn as he says he is over who to select, I suppose these injury rumors should carry a little weight. Oden made his first trip to Portland yesterday so Pritchard should get all the info he needs. Also in the SI article are concerns over Joakim Noah’s shoulder which he recently said was “75 percent,” but his agent says is 90 percent. Whatever, I’ve stopped listening to Joakim Noah but if his workouts are as mediocre as I’ve read, I suppose his shoulder is an issue. By the way, Noah is interviewed by Andrea Kramer tonight on HBO’s Real Sports. It should be more unpredictable than the Sopranos finale.

· So here’s the final list of early entry candidates for this year’s NBA Draft. Obviously there are going to be some names most people don’t know, but here’s a rundown of notable players and their decisions:

· The most surprising name heading back to college might be DeVon Hardin of Cal. Originally, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Hardin was entering the draft but when it came down to it, he decided to stay in school. Carl Steward of the Oakland Tribune thinks the decision was a smart one by a smart young man. He was rumored to be considered in the top 20 and with his injury history it’s certainly a risk, but one thing’s for sure, Cal should be pretty decent next year and Hardin will at least get a chance at becoming a lottery pick.

· The most surprising name staying in the draft was probably JamesOn Curry. He went with the whole “the time is now” thing for his justification, but it’s pretty unlikely he’ll get drafted. It’s worth noting, and he does so himself, that Curry is now off of probation from drug charges. Sounds like a great time to enter the NBA. Hopefully Portland drafts him. It was originally thought that he would not hire an agent and if he went undrafted could return to Oklahoma State. He still doesn’t have an agent but said he’s not going back to Oklahoma State. Good for him. I mean, he is off probation, he can do whatever he wants. Curry does think he has a promise from the Bulls at pick No. 49. So there’s that to look forward to?

· A guy who I always thought was undervalued in this whole process, Sean Singletary, decided his stock might be better next year and is returning to Virginia. On the bright side, we get another chance to see Singletary destroy Greg Paulus’ ankles, which is a nice consolation prize.

· All of the potential lottery picks that were believed to be on the fence decided to stay in the draft. Jason Smith earned his spot the hard way, with a string of outstanding workouts.

· Jeff Green might have been intrigued by a shot at a national title but realized he was too good to not be in the NBA.

· Like a schoolgirl deciding whether to break up with her boyfriend, Spencer Hawes made a list of pros and cons before deciding his draft fate. With interest as high as the Wolves at No. 7, Hawes is in.

· I guess Paul Hewitt should start recruiting less talented players because he’s now lost both prized recruits from last year with Thaddeus Young declaring for the draft. For what it’s worth I think he’s a lot more NBA-ready than Javaris Crittenton.

· Mike Conley worked out for the Bucks the other day to some rave reviews. I don’t see any reason for the Bucks to pass on Conley if he’s available. Mo Williams is a free agent who should get a lot of offers and with Michael Redd and Charlie Villanueva needing shots (not saying he deserves them, just that Charlie needs them), Conley would be a good fit. I know Brandan Wright rocked their socks off, but Conley is a is a bigger need. He’s a Midwest guy too, which means he might actually want to play in Milwaukee, always a plus.

· The Sixers took an impromptu flight out to L.A. to see Yi Jianlian. I think Yi would be a great fit for my Sixers and it’s rumored they would make a play to get him if he slips, but I cannot imagine a worse place for a 7-foot Chinese jump shooter to play than Philadelphia. This is the city that doesn’t allow non-English speakers to eat cheesesteaks. Al Thornton was unable to workout for the Sixers due to injury and Wilson Chandler was a no-show because of Isiah Thomas’ complete insanity, so they got a look at Morris Almond and Marcus Williams, two players Philly should consider at No. 21.

· Chad Ford has his latest mock draft and behold! It is free! Finally Chad Ford is being unleashed on the general public. I’m not sure how long it will be free because it’s still part of Insider’s content but it’s there nonetheless. Here’s the first five picks and here’s the rest of the first round (I’m as confused as you). He has some interesting choices here. I thought the Grizzlies loved Kyle Lowry so I don’t know why they’d take Conley, No. 7 seems high for Jeff Green, especially given the Wolves interest in Spencer Hawes and with all the teams trying to jockey for Yi, I can’t see him falling to No. 9. But then again, this is Chad Ford’s draft world and we’re all just living in it, so I give him the benefit of the doubt.

· Sometimes finding a decent article on ESPN.com’s Page 2 is nearly impossible but Mary Buckheit turns in a nice feature on some of the top draftees and their excursion to Vancouver to help EA Sports with NBA Live ’08. The whole trip sounded more awkward than entertaining but it was interesting anyway.

· SI.com’s draft expert Chris Ekstrand answers a bunch of pertinent questions. He’s not bad but I would trust NBADraft.net, DraftExpress and the like over SI’s guy.

· After Portland, it seems the team most people are looking to for a draft-induced rejuvenation is the Hawks. Sekou Smith of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution talks with beleaguered Hawks GM Billy Knight about using this draft to turn the franchise around… again.

· The Jazz have the No. 25 pick and worked out Morris Almond. As Almond acknowledges in this piece by Ross Siler of the Salt Lake Tribune, he would be a great fit for the Jazz. The best quote from this article? “He even admitted to being a fan of the Jazz and forward Matt Harpring, an Atlanta-area product like himself, even if ‘it wasn't a popular thing to say.’” As I had always suspected, cool kids don’t care for Matt Harpring.

· And finally, you’re going to read a million articles on Greg Oden, Kevin Durant and all the potential lottery picks, but some of the best stories might come from the guys who have no shot at getting drafted. The guys who chase their childhood dreams and are just happy to be working out for one NBA team, let alone 10 or 12. Matt Lojeski from Hawaii is one of those guys. Props to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times for his feature on Lojeski, who used a workout with his hometown Bucks to gain an outside shot at a second round pick. He went up against Corey Brewer and Carl Landry and held his own against the college standouts, even when few eyes were on him. Good luck Matt.

Links: NBA Draft | NBA Teams | Mock Draft | Draft History

Unsubstantiated Speculation: Wednesday's NBA Draft Rumors

Jason Tomassini — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 12:04:15 -0400

It was tough to compile today’s draft links, what with the Billy Donovan situation and all. Like many, I have been up until all hours of the night, wondering what will happen, where Donovan will land, what the lawyers will say. Answers were hard to come by, given the confusing nature of the situation. My mind was clouded, my emotions mixed. I didn’t know what to believe. But I’ve recovered, thanks to the NBA Draft and its integrity, straightforwardness and comforting reliability. In a stormy sea of sports ambiguity, we can all rely on the NBA Draft to right our ships.

On with the links (void of sarcasm, I promise)…

· Jason Quick of The Oregonian has been all over the draft because, you know, something important is finally happening in Oregon. The latest fruit of his labor is this well-done Greg Oden feature. A lot of players say they want to be great, but you get the sense from this piece that Oden really means it. He talks about greatness in such an understated way that you realize he’s not out to prove it to critics, but only to himself. Anyway, Quick digs pretty deep, even talking to Oden’s fourth grade coach. The story dominates all Oden features that preceded it and sets the bar high for the thousands that will follow. Jason Quick, laying down the gauntlet.

· Quick also seemed to have the scoop on the private workouts and physicals the top prospects went through in Orlando. Oden’s results evoked the phrase “freak of nature.” In the 3/4 court sprint, Oden finished just .07 seconds behind Aaron Brooks. His body fat is 7.8 percent; Josh “The Doughboy” McRoberts tips the scales at 13.7. Oden also beat Kevin Durant by nearly 0.7 seconds in the agility drill. This is the stuff middle-aged white NBA executives dream about.

· Speaking of Durant, over at the AOL Sports Fanhouse, Michael David Smith is more concerned with Durant’s zero reps on the 185-pound bench press. I have a feeling that number is going to go the way of Vince Young’s Wonderlic grade. The man can’t bench 185 pounds but I’m sure he will drop 40 on any team that takes him lightly. Jonathan Givony, who has made the draft his bitch this year, is the president of DraftExpress and doesn’t care for any of these measurements, using some solid examples to prove why they don’t matter. Somewhere Jay Bilas is sobbing quietly, thinking of a future world where freakish wingspan is no longer relevant.

· Oh and Chad Ford continues to shame all other draft gurus, obtaining these exclusive test results from Orlando. It’s for Insiders only. Only the privileged may know how fast Rodney Stuckey can run through cones.

· Seeing as how everyone has already heard enough about the top draft prospects, it’s already time to get into the draft sleepers. Ken Davis at MSNBC.com submits this list. He likes Demetris Nichols and Jared Dudley, amongst others. He also enters the long list of sportswriters who are hawking Jared Jordan as a super-duper sleeper because the first time they saw him play he was running a textbook pick-and-roll at the pre-draft camp. Something tells me all these guys weren’t in the press box at the MAAC final. I didn’t realize Sports Illustrated had an NBA Draft Insider, but they do and his name is Chris Ekstrand and he has some sleepers of his own. Surprise, surprise, he likes Nichols and Dudley too. Must have been some extremely telling pick-up games down there in Orlando.

· Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Isiah Thomas is looking to roll the dice with the No. 23 pick. Further proof of what was already suspected: Thomas runs the Knicks like a game of craps. Darryl Watkins, don’t turn your phone off June 28th.

· Yesterday was the first day teams could conduct workouts for players. Here’s the plans for some of the lottery teams.

· The Wolves are going to bring in Joakim Noah and Spencer Hawes. Noah will work in the low post, shoot mid-range jumpers and engage in a shouting contest with Kevin Garnett. They will also bring in Gary Neal, who will compete against Ricky Davis to see who can take the most ill-advised jumpers and not get back on defense. Should be a good one.

· The Wizards, at No. 16, have a ton of guys coming in this week, including Nick Young, Javaris Crittenton and Jason Smith.

· Even though they fell to No. 4, the Grizzlies have opted to still participate in the draft and will bring in Al Horford, Noah and Brandan Wright.

· Since not everyone is an ESPN Insider, here’s some workout stuff as reported by Chad Ford:

· The Bobcats are working out Corey Brewer, Julian Wright, Jeff Green and Thaddeus Young against each other next week.

· Brandan Wright is working out with the Hawks, Grizzlies and Celtics.

· Ditto for Horford, plus the Bucks and Wolves.

· Al Thornton is working out for the Celtics, Blazers (huh?), Wolves, Bobcats and Bucks.

· Spencer Hawes will work out for the Wolves, Bulls and Kings.

· Jeff Green’s got the Sixers, Bulls, Bobcats and Bucks.

· Remember that guy Alando Tucker? You know, the Player of the Year candidate last year? Well he’s working out for the Sixers with Jermareo Davidson and a couple scrubs. In other news, Converse signed Tucker to a shoe deal rumored to be worth seven figures. Nothing sells shoes like five years of college in Wisconsin. (In all seriousness, Tucker is going to prove a lot of people wrong in the NBA).

· Aaron Brooks thinks he is a “NBA prototypical point guard.” It is uncertain whether anyone agrees.

· Last but not least, an outstanding feature on former Boise State forward Coby Karl, son of Nuggets coach George Karl, who is recovering from cancer and trying to get drafted. It comes from an unlikely source (in geography, not ability), Phil Jasner of the Philadelphia Daily News.