NBA Draft Recap

27. June 2008  - Published by Dan Clasgens

HEADLINES

Bulls pick Derrick Rose with first pick in NBA draft
Chicago Tribune - "Derrick Rose likes to attract attention as much as he likes committing turnovers, so a seersucker suit and bow tie definitely weren't part of his equation Thursday night. Nevertheless, Rose is all dressed up with somewhere to go after the Bulls used the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft on the speedy, sturdy point guard who grew up in the Englewood neighborhood on the city's Southwest Side. " 

15-67 good for one thing: Beasley
Miami Herald - "The worst team in the NBA stopped being that in a jubilant instant Thursday night. Younger, better, more fun, more exciting and an immediate playoff contender is what the Miami Heat became with one draft pick and two fairly magical words: Michael Beasley. An enormous, rollicking, standing ovation rose in the Heat's downtown arena from some 4,000 fans at the team's draft party when commissioner David Stern called Beasley's name in New York as the league's No. 2 overall selection." 

Grizzlies trade Love, Miller to Minnesota for Mayo
Memphis Commercial Appeal - "The Grizzlies fell short of moving up to No. 2 and grabbing Michael Beasley in the NBA draft so they did the next best thing. Memphis grabbed the consensus third-best player in the draft, USC's O.J Mayo. The Grizzlies, who selected UCLA's Kevin Love with the fifth pick, were completing a deal late Thursday night that will bring them Mayo (taken third by Minnesota), Antoine Walker, Marko Jaric and Greg Buckner for Love, Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal and Jason Collins. The deal still needed NBA approval, according to two league sources." 

Clippers glad to have Eric Gordon
L.A. Times - "They pushed. And Eric Gordon pushed back. There was only one other player on the court when the baby-faced Gordon took center stage in workouts for the Clippers. That was Nevada's Marcelus Kemp, not as elite a prospect as Gordon, but one that stretched a couple of inches taller. Battling those types of players was one of the few lingering questions the Clippers had concerning Gordon and when he answered those, the Clippers couldn't pass on him with the seventh overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft."

Knicks Go Danilo
New York Post - "When Mike D'Antoni walked into the interview room last night at the Knicks' Westchester practice facility, the coach blurted, "Are we doing this in Italian or English?" So begins the Knicks' Italian Stallion Era, and possibly the end of David Lee. Donnie Walsh and the Italian-speaking D'Antoni made the Italian League phenom Danilo Gallinari a Knick last night. They chose the defensively challenged Gallinari with the sixth pick amid mostly boos from the Garden's theatre crowd. "I'll be more worried if they're booing him next year," D'Antoni said. " 

Ainge again busy late
Boston Herald - "As usual, Danny Ainge finished with more than he started last night. In addition to taking New Mexico guard J.R. Giddens with the 30th pick of the NBA draft, the Celtics director of basketball operations secured Bill Walker for cash from Washington, which had taken the Kansas State forward with the 47th pick. Ainge then finished his night with the 60th and last pick of the draft by taking Semih Erden - a 6-foot-11 Turkish center who became the first international draft pick of Ainge’s tenure as the Celtics’ personnel chief."

Crawford heading to Lakers; Magic take Lee 22nd overall
Lexington Herald-Leader - "Kentucky's Joe Crawford was chosen around midnight, 58th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers, three picks away from the end of the draft. Crawford joined Western Kentucky product Courtney Lee as the only Kentucky collegians chosen in the draft. Lee was taken in the first round, selected 22nd overall by the Orlando Magic."


DRAFT BOARD
1. Chicago Bulls - Derrick Rose, Guard, Memphis
2. Miami Heat - Michael Beasley, Forward, Kansas State
3. Minnesota Timberwolves - O.J. Mayo, Guard, USC (To Memphis)
4. Seattle Supersonics - Russell Westbrook, Guard, UCLA
5. Memphis Grizzlies - Kevin Love, Forward, UCLA (To Minnesota)
6. New York Knicks - Danilo Gallinari, Forward, Italy
7. Los Angeles Clippers - Eric Gordon, Guard, Indiana
8. Milwaukee Bucks - Joe Alexander, Forward, West Virginia
9. Charlotte Bobcats - D.J. Augustin, Guard, Texas
10. New Jersey Nets - Brook Lopez, Center, Stanford
11. Indiana Pacers - Jerryd Bayless, Guard, Arizona
12. Sacramento Kings - Jason Thompson, Forward, Rider

COMPLETE RECAP 

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NBA Draft Projections

25. June 2008  - Published by Adam Bartel

To comply with federal regulations that every sports blog must have a liveblog of the NBA Draft, I'll be liveblogging on this site starting close to 7:00, when ESPN coverage begins.  I'm not sure what time the actual draft starts, but we'll play that one by ear.  There should be an interface for some Q&A or live commenting as well.

And with that, I should probably give my predictions of at least the lottery picks for tomorrow night's draft.  I can't remember a draft with more teams looking to move out of their slot; just in the lottery, I've heard Miami, Seattle, Memphis, the Clippers, and Portland all are interested in switching positions, so all of this is predicated on picks not being traded around.

  1. Chicago - Derrick Rose, SG, Memphis
  2. Miami - O.J. Mayo, SG, USC (if they keep the pick I think they'll go this way, but my guess is that it's dealt to either Seattle or the Clips, and Beasley will get the nod)
  3. Minnesota - Michael Beasley, PF, Kansas State
  4. Seattle - Jerryd Bayless, PG, Arizona (and if he slips to #11, I won't be shocked either - this draft is that nutty)
  5. Memphis - Kevin Love, C, UCLA
  6. New York - Danilo Gallinardi, SF, Italy (D'Antoni knows the European game so this makes sense)
  7. Clippers - Eric Gordon, SG, Indiana
  8. Milwaukee - Joe Alexander, PF, West Virginia
  9. Charlotte - Brook Lopez, C, Stanford
  10. New Jersey - Anthony Randolph, PF, LSU
  11. Indiana - Russell Westbrook, PG, UCLA (just like Bayless, he could go seven spots higher and I won't be surprised)
  12. Sacramento - D.J. Augustin, PG, Texas
  13. Portland - Brandon Rush, SG, Kansas
  14. Golden State - Mario Chalmers, PG, Kansas

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NBA: Mock Drafts

24. June 2008  - Published by Dan Clasgens

Let's take a look a few different mock drafts for Thursday's NBA showcase:

ESPN.com - Chad Ford
1.) Chicago - Derrick Rose
2.) Miami - Michael Beasley
3.) Minnesota - O.J. Mayo
4.) Seattle - Russell Westbrook
5.) Memphis - Eric  Gordon 


NBA.com - Consensus Mock Draft

1.) Chicago - Derrick Rose
2.) Miami - Michael Beasley
3.) Minnesota - O.J. Mayo
4.) Seattle - Jerryd Bayless
5.) Memphis - Brook Lopez


The Sports XChange - Kerry Eggers

1.) Chicago - Derrick Rose
2.) Miami - Michael Beasley
3.) Minnesota - O.J. Mayo
4.) Seattle - Jerryd Bayless
5.) Memphis - Kevin Love

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