SB Nation - James Harden

Pac-10 Weekly Wrap - Washington stays on top

Nuss — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 06:47:53 -0000

Welcome to the latest edition of the 2009-2010 Pac-10 Weekly Wrap, which looks at the state of the conference's hoops featuring my personal power rankings and analysis of the state of each team. It's a day late (we'll usually do it on Monday), but hopefully worth the wait.

The last week was better for the conference than the first couple, but not by a whole lot. On to the rankings and recaps. Guess who's climbing the charts?

1. Washington

Rank last week: 1
Record: 5-0

Nine days between games made for a rusty Washington team against Montana, their only game of the week. The Huskies escaped the Griz with a four-point win after trailing much of the game. I wouldn't read too much into this game, as Montana is a pretty decent Big Sky team with some nice talent.

Bright spot: The Huskies absolutely shut down Montana's best player, Anthony Johnson. He's a Pac-10 talent, and that should be as encouraging as anything. They nearly let the other guys beat them but that can be tightened up. This team still has the potential to be very good defensively.

Question mark: Who is going to lead this team? Quincy Pondexter looked superb through the first four games, but disappeared against Montana's zone. If he wants to be the man, he's got to assert himself in all situations. That's something they've got to sort out before Pac-10 play.

2. California

Rank last week: 2
Record: 4-2

I guess there's really no reason to move them down, given the results: a pair of blowout wins over terrible competition. But I did consider moving them down because Harper Kamp is likely to miss the rest of this season, and Theo Robertson is still on the shelf. This week will tell us a lot -- they really ought to handle New Mexico, Iowa State and Pacific pretty easily if they're as good as everyone wants to think they should be. We'll see.

Bright spot: Despite the loss of Kamp and with a woefully thin front line, the Bears have been one of the best defensive rebounding teams in the country. Hard to believe that didn't make more of a difference against Syracuse and Ohio State. One has to think it'll start making a difference soon.

Question mark: What in the world is their front line rotation going to look like the rest of this season without Kamp? That'll be a huge issue.

3. Arizona State

Rank last week: 3
Record: 6-1

Close loss to Duke combined with two decisive wins -- over a depleted LSU and Arkansas Pine Bluff -- all away from home solidify the Sun Devils as the third best team. However, I'm not sold they can stay here. They were eventually overwhelmed by the Blue Devils' talent, and their win over the Tigers had as much to do with LSU running out of gas as anything else.

Bright spot: The Sun Devils are proving that there still is some talent left in the wake of the departures of James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph. Derek Glasser has been especially impressive -- not bad for a guy who was originally supposed to be a walk-on at USC.

Question mark: Just because there's still talent doesn't mean everyone has been replaced. The Devils have been one of the worst defensive rebounding teams in the country so far, even giving up 44.5(!) percent offensive rebounding to Arkansas Pine Bluff. Yeow.

4. Washington State

Rank last week: 5
Record: 6-0

How far can Klay Thompson carry the Cougs? That will likely be the question going forward. The Cougs face their toughest stretch of the early season, including trips to The Kennel and Manhattan, Kan.. This will either be a big boost to the team, or put them in a postseason hole they'll spend all season digging out of.

Bright spot: Did you know that Reggie Moore has a 133 offensive rating? That's really, really good. He is just simply not playing like a freshman.

Question mark: What's going to happen on a night when the other team takes Klay away? Who will score? There are options, but nothing proven. We might find out tomorrow night.

5. Arizona

Preseason rank: 4
Record: 3-2

Wisconsin and Vandy are both good teams the Wildcats lost to last week, but they needed overtime to beat Colorado. Could have been a really bad trip to Maui without the win over the Buffs. When we say the Cougs will go as far as Klay Thompson can take them, we could say the same about Nic Wise and the Wildcasts.

Bright spot: Wise looks as if he desires to be the man for UofA. Good thing, because it's a young team that needs a strong leader.

Question mark: The Wildcats gave up an absurd amount of free throws in Maui. Aberration, or sign of things to come?

6. Oregon

Preseason rank: 7
Record: 4-2

Think this is too high after losing back-to-back games against Portland and Montana? That loss to the Pilots doesn't look nearly as bad anymore, and the loss to Montana might not either after the Griz nearly beat Washington, too. Obliterating Montana State was good.

Bright spot: Michael Dunigan is back. The Ducks really need him, and are going to continue to need him. He provides an advantage up front in a a conference more or less devoid of big men.

Question mark: The Ducks play three games in two weeks. Can they stay sharp, especially with upcoming games against quality opponents such as Missouri and St. Mary's on the docket. For the second year in a row, it looks like the Ducks might be a victim of scheduling too aggressively.

7. Stanford

Preseason rank: 8
Record: 4-3

Beat Virginia -- we don't have to tell you how far that goes in these parts -- and take Kentucky to overtime? Perhaps we underestimated Johnny Dawkins and his merry band of scholars.

Bright spot: The Cardinal have the same thing going for them that the Cougs do -- a great scorer who can explode on any given night. Landry Fields is averaging 23 points and 9 rebounds. That's good.

Question mark: We're still not sure we actually believe the Cardinal are for real. Can their nonexistent front line really be that small of a factor.

8. Oregon State

Rank last week: 10
Record: 2-3

After the public flogging we gave the Beavers last week, they came up with a nice win over George Washington. Nice job for OSU.

Bright spot: They survived yet another horrible offensive performance to beat GW. This is going to be a constant struggle for the Beavers all year long.

Question mark: Three of the Beavers' five games have been played at 68 possessions or more. What the heck? That's way, way too fast for that team. Perhaps some of their problems come from that.

9. USC

Preseason rank: 9
Record: 2-2

Beat Coppin State, lose to Nebraska. Not a lot to learn here again.

Bright spot: The Trojans are still shooting the ball well -- 28th nationally in 3-point percentage.

Question mark: For as well as they're shooting the ball, they're dead in opponent 3-point field goal percentage.

10. UCLA

Preseason rank: 6
Record: 2-4

What the heck is going on in Westwood? Can't win a game in your own tournament? Your starting center is transferring? Wowzer. If Ben Howland squeezes a berth out of these guys, it'll be considered his greatest coaching acheivement.

Bright spot: They beat Princeton. Yay!

Question mark: Too many to count. Way too many.

Super Early 2010 Bracket

Chris Dobbertean — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:34:30 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

The return of Sherron Collins is a major reason why Kansas is the top overall seed in Blogging the Bracket's Super Early 2010 Bracket. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, file)

Browse more photos »

Well, here it is. This is my first attempt at putting out a bracket based on pure conjecture, so go easy on me. At the very least, we'll all have something funny to laugh at when the real thing comes out in March.

Some of you probably wanted me to put something out as soon as UNC cut down the nets in Detroit, but I wanted to wait until the draft and recruiting seasons played out. The result is a bracket that will undoubtedly be something to ridicule in March, but is better than anything I could've put out in April.

More specifics after the jump.

The power conferences dominate this field, thanks to the confinued dominance of the Big East and a resurgent SEC--and despite a down Pac-10. The Big East may not have the monster year it had in 2009, but it still has nine teams in this early projection. Cincinnati was a late addition thanks to the signing of Lance Stephenson earlier in the week. Marquette and Seton Hall are knocking on the door, as they are in the First Four Out and Next Four Out groups, respectively.

The Pac-10, meanwhile, is lucky to have four teams in. California, Washington, and UCLA are in good position. Arizona's place in the field will depend on how well their highly-regarded recruiting class adjusts to the college game. Arizona State finds themselves just outside the field thanks to the loss of James Harden and Jeff Pendergraph to the NBA, but a good showing in the NIT Season Tip-Off could catapult their season.

The Big Ten returns the same seven teams who made the field in 2009. Michigan State is on my early top line, but Purdue could easily join or surpass them. The ACC has the same number of teams, six, but Derrick Favors-led Georgia Tech replaces Florida State. UNC and Duke both find themselves on the two line right now.

The SEC should recover from a year which saw them earn an 8 seed, a 9 seed, and a 13 seed. Kentucky would have been on my top line had Jodie Meeks not stayed in the NBA draft. Tennessee should be much improved, while Mississippi State shouldn't need to win the SEC Tournament to get in thanks to the return of Jarvis Varnado. Devan Downey and Dominique Archie's return to South Carolina means the Gamecocks will again be a contender. Florida is back in the field for now, but the Gators' place will depend on how well the recruits adapt to Billy Donovan's system. Vanderbilt joins UF among the Last Four In, while LSU finds themselves just outside after the graduation of Marcus Thornton.

The Big 12, however, looks to be very strong. Kansas and Texas should be excellent and if the new recruits can adequately fill in for the Griffin brothers, Oklahoma as a 5 seed may look very silly. I have them with six entrants, much like 2009. but Kansas State replaces Oklahoma State in this bracket.

Outside of the major conferences, it's not looking so rosy at the moment. The only two at-larges come from the A-10 (Xavier) and C-USA (Memphis, as Tulsa has a chance to break the Tigers stranglehold on the league crown this year). This will undoubtedly change as games are played, however.

I'll talk more about teams and their chances at improving their resumes as I dive into early-season event talk over the next few weeks. In the meantime, have a Happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

Poll

Who is your very early preseason #1?

Kansas

38 votes

Michigan State

6 votes

Texas

10 votes

Villanova

3 votes

Kentucky

19 votes

Someone else (feel free to comment)

13 votes

89 votes | Poll has closed

James Harden Goes Third Overall to OKC; Jeff Pendergraph 31st to Sacramento, Traded to Portland

Cory Williams — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 23:57:38 -0000

Pretty big surprise, but Harden is a quality pick. Check back here for a summary of our coverage of James Harden over the past season, Thunder fans.

Jeff Pendergraph went 31st, and was quickly packaged to Portland for Sergio Rodriguez and the 38th overall pick.

Back in the 2009 Pac-10 Championship game, I sat in the Staples Center and followed Harden's every move against USC, and here is the article. It is very long, but you need to read it to get a grip on how the college game had adjusted to Harden's deliberate style of play.

Daniel Hackett definitely had Harden's number, and I can imagine he will need some time to develop against the superior defenses seen in the NBA.

Mavs Draft Preview Part I: The Highly Unlikely

Wes Cox — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:39:17 -0000

I couldn't really decide how I wanted to do the predraft stuff, so I thought I would focus on the players I'd like seeing in a Mavs uniform next season. Of course, that includes people who won't be there at 22 so I'm breaking this into three parts. Guys Dallas would have to trade for, that they could maybe get lucky and have fall to them, and then the realistic list of guys with a very good chance of sitting there at 22.

I'll start at the top with three guys who I'd be happy to see Dallas trade up for. To get the obvious out of the way first, there's probably only like a 1% chance one of these three end up here. And before you come up with crazy trade ideas, any deal will involve Josh Howard and have a bad contract coming back to Dallas.

James Harden SG 19yo , ARI So.

The perfect pick for Dallas in this draft is someone who can contribute immediately while Dirk is still in his prime and someone whose ceiling is high enough that they can be leaned on to carry the team more and more with each year. To me, James Harden fits the bill perfectly. A prototypical scorer who can shoot and get to the basket, I think Harden will be able to offensively take over the occasional game as a rookie and only get better.

Won't last past the sixth pick.

Current NBA Comp: Brandon Roy in Baron Davis body.

Ricky Rubio PG 18yo, Spain

You might have heard of him. This is the sexy pick. Mark Cuban admitted that part of the Kidd trade was to get people talking about the Mavericks again, and bringing in Rubio would do that and then some.

He's almost already a superstar, but he'll require a lot of patience. I'm not sure Dallas has that. Trading up for Rubio would send the signal that Dallas was all but giving up on 2009, wasting another year of Dirk, and getting ready for 2010 and onwards. It would be a new era and a huge gamble -- exciting though.

Won't last past the sixth -- probably top 4.

Current NBA Comp: I don't know, some sort of Kevin Martin / Steve Nash love child.

Jordan Hill PF 21yo, ARI Jr.

Dallas has been rumored to be interested in Hill so this is most realistic of the three. I don't think he has quite the potential of someone like Kenyon Martin, but Hill is pretty close to the athletic, tough big man that they have seemingly never had and always admired,

Capable of playing center or PF, he could be a perfect change of pace backup to Dampier and a great floormate with Dirk. With Hill, Dallas could even go big for once playing a Dirk/Hill/Dampier trio. If Kidd hangs around, we'd probably be treated to more of those Kidd/Hollins style connections we all loved so much.

Won't fall past 10.

Current NBA Comp: Poor mans Amare Stoudemire.

Poll

Baseless unrealistic hypothetical: Josh Howard (2yr/20mil - team option on 2nd year), Jerry Stackhouse(1yr, 2mil), the 22nd pick, and the 2012 1st rounder to Memphis for Marko Jaric (2yr/14mil), Darko Milicic (1yr/7mil), and Harden or Rubio?

Yes if it's Rubio

79 votes

Yes if it's Harden

65 votes

Yes either way

46 votes

No thanks

130 votes

320 votes | Poll has closed

Loud Links: Oklahoma City Thunder News for June 22, 2009

daddydai — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 23:31:22 -0000

Loud Links return! Does it seems that a lot of young talent would rather play ball in OKC (versus Memphis)? Hasheem doesn’t work out for the Grizzlies. Harden gives them a poor workout. Do I really have to mention Ricky Rubio? Speaking of the Spanish wunderkind, Ricky’s contract situation seems to be almost over. The Las Vegas Summer League schedule is released. Blake Griffin is to bless the cover of a video game. The Oklahoma interviews ESPN’s rumor-maker Chad Ford. There is also sighting of Damien Wilkins, Shaun Livingston, and Rumble.

The Hoops Report | Ricky Rubio Meets With Oklahoma City Thunder
According to sources, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who currently own the No. 3 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, met with Ricky Rubio on Saturday in Los Angeles to discuss Rubio's buyout situation and their interest in the Spanish point guard, among other things.

NBA Draft: OKC Thunder's Sam Presti might be in the mood to deal | NewsOK.com
Trying to figure out Presti’s intentions is like trying to predict Oklahoma’s weather. Based on reports around the league, Presti is leaning toward James Harden or Stephen Curry.

Former Clipper Shaun Livingston works out in L.A. | The Fabulous Forum | Los Angeles Times
Former Clippers first-round draft pick Shaun Livingston was spotted working out today at the Hawthrone Athletic Xchange as the NBA Development League held its pre-draft camp tryouts. Livingston, whose career was derailed following a near-career-ending injury in 2007, was shooting around and going through light drills on the other half of the facility with Oklahoma City Thunder Coach Scott Brooks.

Minnesota is desperate to land Hasheem Thabeet | LayupDrill.com - A Basketball Fans Dream
The Washington Times reports this weekend that the Timberwolves have reached out to the Wizards about acquiring the 5th pick in the upcoming draft. Minnesota is intrigued with moving up to the number 2 position so they can select Hasheem Thabeet, but in order to do so, Memphis may want a mix of players and picks. The Wizards would reportedly receive Wolves forward Mike Miller, guard Randy Foye, and the 28th pick in the first round for the fifth pick. Miller’s expiring contract entices Washington, as does Foye. The 28th pick could be used to add depth to the front court.

What Does It Take to Make the NBA? :: Cover Story :: Philadelphia City Paper
It is 4:17 on a Thursday afternoon and Dionte Christmas and I are standing underneath the northernmost basket on the main court of Temple's McGonigle Hall, talking hoops. He's just come from the final class of his senior year, and he's decked out in a blue and white button-down and dark navy slacks. The outfit covers up his newly-filled-in 6-foot-5 frame and, if it weren't for a pair of dark basketball sneakers poking out from under his business-casual clothes, you might forget the fact that, in one week, Christmas will officially be a professional athlete.

THUNDER: Thunder to Play in Vegas Summer League
Oklahoma City will also play the newly crowned NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on July 14, the San Antonio Spurs on the following day, the Chicago Bulls on July 17 and will close its schedule against the Dallas Mavericks on July 18.

NBA.com: 2009 NBA Summer League presented by EA Sports announced
NEW YORK, June 22, 2009 -- Twenty-one NBA teams, including the 2009 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers, will compete in this year's NBA Summer League presented by EA SPORTS in a 55-game schedule that was announced today. A team of NBA Development League Select players will also participate in the action taking place at the Thomas & Mack Center and the COX Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas July 10-19.

Kings Blog and Q&A: Rubio buyout situation almost resolved
Ricky Rubio's situation is about to get less complicated. According to a source close to Rubio, the $6.6 million buyout of the Spanish point guard's contract with his current team, DKV Joventut, will likely be reduced today or tomorrow to an amount where "he knows he'll be able to make the payments," the source said. The resolution of that element of the Rubio equation will, in effect, clear a major obstacle for teams that are considering drafting him Thursday but have concerns about when he would join their team. And that, of course, includes the Kings.

PBN | Coach's draft notes
I love this quote from Oklahoma City GM Sam Presti, as it is so true: "Decisions in the NBA follow you, and each one you make limits options that may present themselves in the future." This will hold true for each pick come Thursday night.

Q&A with Chad Ford: A draft expert's view of Sam Presti, Blake Griffin | NewsOK.com
DM: What are your impressions of how Sam Presti has built this team thus far? CF: I think he’s one of the brightest, most intelligent GMs in the league. He’s innovative. He’s willing to experiment. He’ll look at different things rather than the way it’s kind of always been done. If you look at what he’s done in short order to teams in comparison to when he took over the Sonics, he went from a team that was just a disaster to a team that I believe is one of the best up-and-coming teams in the league and a team that’s going to be very well-positioned to be a legitimate title contender. And that’s not easy to do.

More From The Chad Ford Q&A | Thunder Rumblings
Q: If you were Sam Presti in this draft you would…..? A: Take Ricky Rubio if he was there. I think he’s special, and I think special players figure it out. I think he’s got such a great feel for the game and makes people better that he would be a fit. I think Russell could play both the 1 and the 2. But the other reason I take Ricky Rubio is because he’s an asset. And who knows what team will come after him and what they might offer to the Thunder in return. Now who do I think they’ll take? They’re very quiet in that front office. You have to kind of rely a little bit more on hearsay with the Thunder than other teams. But I think if they don’t trade the pick they’ll probably take James Harden.

Camby To OKC? Presti Meets Rubio. Thabeet To Memphis? | Thunder Rumblings
Meanwhile, Hasheem Thabeet, who along with Rubio and Griffin could be the top three picks Thursday, reportedly canceled a workout with Memphis on Saturday because of a shoulder injury. But the Grizzlies, according to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, flew to L.A. on Saturday and met with the 7-foot-2 center from UConn…for the third time! That level of interest could be a sign that the Grizzlies will take Thabeet with the second overall pick and leave Rubio for the Thunder, which could spark all kinds of scenarios. A good profile of Thabeet also in the Commercial Appeal.

Draftbusters: What makes up a bust and who is likely to be one | Daily Thunder.com
Come Friday morning every team and every fan of that team will have a a new player on their roster. And while they may not agree with the pick, most everyone will be excited and have high hopes for it. But the reality is, only five or six of these guys will probably be big-time contributors. Maybe two or three will be All-Stars. In five years, what guys will we be looking at and laughing that they went in the top 10? Sure there’s tell-tale signs and things we could peg, but you’ve also got the can’t-miss players. The guys that there’s no way they’ll bust. But it happens. Even though people can scout, do tons of homework, interview players and whatever else, in the end some of it comes down to luck. You can’t really know how a player will pan out. Right now, we all say Blake Griffin is a lock for stardom. It’s a no-brainer. But in four or five years, will we be laughing at the fact he went in front of Jordan Hill? It may sound crazy now, but it’s entirely possible.

Brandon Jennings' Roma Teammate on Jennings vs. Rubio - ESPN
Ricky Rubio and Brandon Jennings are both credited with have having undeniable gifts. For Rubio it's a story of uncommon vision, handle, passing, leadership, creativity and commitment to defense. For Jennings: Speed, handle, commitment to defense, and athleticism.

Draft Notes: Harden Workout, Thabeet Pull-Out, Heisley Talks | Beyond the Arc | Memphis Flyer
Harden had, frankly, a terrible workout, missing an avalanche of jumpshots while dealing with the stifling defense of small orange cones. Arguably worse than all the missed shots was how clearly frustrated Harden got.

THUNDER: A Look At: Hasheem Thabeet
Thabeet averaged 13.6 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.2 blocks a game during his junior season at the University of Connecticut. He was named Co-Big East Player of the Year alongside Pitt's DeJuan Blair, and is a two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year award winner. Thabeet recorded 415 career blocks and tied the Connecticut single-game record for blocks in a game (10) three times.

THUNDER: A Look At: James Johnson
Johnson averaged 15.0 points on 54.2% shooting to go with 8.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game, despite being the No. 2 option for the Demon Deacons. He led Wake Forest in rebounding in each of his two seasons. Johnson, who holds a martial arts background in kickboxing, has a seven-foot wingspan to go with an 8’9 ½" standing reach.

THUNDER: A Look At: Ricky Rubio
Rubio spent this past season playing for DK Joventut in both the Spanish ACB League and Euroleague. In five Euroleague games, he averaged 2.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals. In the 22 games he played in the ACB, Rubio averaged 10.0 points, 6.1 assists and 2.2 steals in 23.0 minutes per game, nearly double the playing time he saw in the Euroleague. The 18-year-old helped the Spanish National Team to a silver medal in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games.

DraftExpress: Word on the Street, June 22nd
Speaking of Rubio, do we have a second player openly telling the Grizzlies that they aren’t interested in playing in Memphis? From what we can gather, it doesn’t seem like Thabeet’s camp is all that enamored with the direction Memphis is heading in, and there seems to be strong indications that he feels very good about his chances of being drafted by Oklahoma City, with one NBA source going as far as to say that the chances of him being picked there if available are "100%." 2009 NBA Mock Draft: Version 6.0 - ESPN

NBA Draft: After Blake Griffin, a lot of unknowns | NewsOK.com
Minnesota, armed with three first-round picks, appears the team best capable of meeting Memphis’ asking price. If the Timberwolves trade up to draft Ricky Rubio, what kind of domino effect could it have?

NBA Draft: Rumor mill | NewsOK.com
Boston could be trying to trade up to No. 2 (Grizzlies), No. 3 (Thunder), No. 4 (Kings), No. 5 (Wizards), No. 9 (Raptors) or No. 11 (Nets). Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen are players they might be willing to trade. The Celtics don’t have a first-round pick.

NBA Draft: The draft's great eight | NewsOK.com
Stephen Curry: Last month, most felt Curry would be available at No. 8 to go to the Knicks, which is where he wants to play. A straw poll of general managers ranked Curry the No. 2 point guard in the draft. Oklahoma City, Washington and Golden State are believed to be big Curry fans. He could go in the top five

NBA draft: The latest trade rumors and more - ESPN Insider
This comes on the heels of Rubio spending the weekend with Thunder GM Sam Presti in LA, where Rubio and his camp shared physicals, contract information and personal time with Presti, who walked away "intrigued." However, Rubio didn't walk away with a promise from Presti that they'd draft him at No. 3.

Oklahoma City Thunder 2009 Draft Preview - The Sports Network
Oklahoma City has two first round picks to work with, the third overall and No. 25. Arizona State guard James Harden may be the most NBA-ready player in this draft and should be a steady and consistent wing player very early in his career. He has gotten a lot of attention from the Thunder and Washington Wizards. Now, the Grizzlies have put him in the mix and are apparently enamored with what a three-man rotation of Harden, O.J. Mayo and Conley could do. In the end, I think the Grizzlies go big, leaving Harden to team with Durant and Westbrook in Okie City.

Blake Griffin to grace EA Sports game cover | NewsOK.com
Blake Griffin will wear an Oklahoma jersey for one more year. However, he will be wearing it on the cover of EA Sports' NCAA Basketball 10.

The Player to Root for on Draft Day - TrueHoop By Henry Abbott - ESPN
It might seem like Blake Griffin -- the likely top overall pick -- has a lot on the line this week. But he'll be in an NBA uniform with a salary to match no matter what this fall. He has nothing at risk compared to Christmas, who doesn't know if he'll be playing in the NBA, the D-League, overseas, or trying to make use of his college degree.

Hasheem Thabeet (shoulder injury) nixes Memphis Grizzlies workout - ESPN
"Thabeet was a combination of he's had some shoulder situations and he wanted to talk to some other teams," Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace said of the 7-foot-3 center out of Connecticut. "It's also what goes on this time of the year with guys showing, not showing, that type of thing. The gamesmanship of the draft."

Analysis: NBA Draft's first round - cleveland.com
Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder do more homework than about anyone and they seem to have done the most homework on Hasheem Thabeet and James Harden, a swingman from Arizona State. But they may not be able to pass on Ricky Rubio if he's there. Some also think they like power forward Jordan Hill from Arizona.

Rumble Excites Kids at a Day Camp | KSBI-TV | News
More than 100 kids capped off three weeks of camp with a day of fun and a special guest helped get the party started.

Washington Daily News Online | Special Father’s Day for Wilkins’
This weekend’s camp and "Fun Day" was extra special to Damien Wilkins because his father, 15-year NBA veteran Gerald Wilkins, was on hand to watch and help out. It just so happens that the NBA-duo got to spend some quality time together on Father’s Day.

NBA Draft preview: The Thunder's first draft | NewsOK.com
Oklahoma City's first NBA Draft is just three days away, and we have your guide to Thursday night's action. We're giving you the three best players at selected skills as they pertain to the Thunder's needs as well as the biggest values, sleepers, question marks, teams to watch and a projection of who could end up where when all the first-round picks are in.

Miss a previous Loud Links Post? Find it quickly Below!

June 2009

| 06-01-09 | 06-02-09 | 06-03-09 | 06-04-09 | 06-05-09 | 06-06-09 | 06-07-09 | 06-08-09 | 06-09-09 | 06-10-09 |

| 06-11-09 | 06-12-09 | 06-13-09 | 06-15-09 | 06-16-09 | 06-17-09 | 06-18-09 | 06-20-09 |

Rumor: Thunder Are High On Stephen Curry and Ricky Rubio

dishingoutdimes — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 17:23:17 -0000

Welcome back to the work week, and what better way to start it off than with fresh rumors concerning the NBA Draft? The draft is now almost precisely 3 days away and all sorts of interesting information is floating around. The Thunder appear to have narrowed down their possibilities to four players: James Harden, Hasheem Thabeet, Ricky Rubio, and Stephen Curry. So, without any further ado, here's your "Rumor Report", which very well could become a daily occurrence up until the draft:

Stephen Curry

Apparently a lot of people in the Thunder organization like Stephen Curry, and he could very well be the pick at #3. The rumor is courtesy of Chad Ford at ESPN who has these quotes on his latest mock draft:

we hear Presti is now hot for Stephen Curry...The scuttle is that Curry is the hot name in the Thunder's draft war room.

Hasheem Thabeet

Some think that Hasheem Thabeet is being steered away from Memphis, much like Ricky Rubio is. He backed out of his workout with the Grizzlies. Chad Ford thinks that Thabeet is attempting to send a message (info on his mock draft):

However, the fact that Thabeet canceled his workout (shoulder injury) with Memphis on Sunday could be a big factor. Chris Wallace has already interviewed him, but owner Michael Heisley hasn't. And the subtle message behind the cancellation can't be what the Grizzlies want to hear -- Thabeet doesn't want to play in Memphis.

More Thabeet News, Plus Very Interesting Rubio Information, After The Jump!

Also, more related to the Thunder, apparently Sam Presti visited Hasheem Thabeet personally on Sunday in Los Angeles, along with James Harden, only a day after he visited Rubio in Los Angeles. Yes, that's right, the Thunder didn't just send anyone to L.A. to talk with the top prospects, Sam Presti went himself. And combine that with the latest news out of DraftExpress:

there seems to be strong indications that he feels very good about his chances of being drafted by Oklahoma City, with one NBA source going as far as to say that the chances of him being picked there if available are "100%."

Ricky Rubio

What did Sam Presti get to take a look at in Los Angeles? Chad Ford:

Thunder GM Sam Presti flew to L.A. on Saturday to talk to Rubio. He also got a chance to review Rubio's physical and contract -- two important pieces of the puzzle for whoever drafts him.

Related to his contract, some positive news for Rubio and anyone who plans to draft him is expected to break today. This was found on HoopsHype, quoted from the Sacramento Bee newspaper:

According to a source close to Rubio, the $6.6 million buyout of the Spanish point guard's contract with his current team, DKV Joventut, will likely be reduced today or tomorrow to an amount where "he knows he'll be able to make the payments," the source said. The resolution of that element of the Rubio equation will, in effect, clear a major obstacle for teams that are considering drafting him Thursday but have concerns about when he would join their team. And that, of course, includes the Kings.

Basically, Rubio could join the team that he gets drafted by for summer camp in July, which obviously makes him a much more attractive prospect now. I'm sure Sam Presti, along with several other GMs, are noticeably more interested. For what it's worth, the team that drafts Rubio can only pay $500,000 of his contract buyout. The buyout should still be reduced as it far exceeds his salary of just under $100,000 playing in Spain.

Let's take a look now at Rubio's chances of being drafted by the Thunder. It appears they are growing by the day. First, we hear news that he is no longer on the Memphis draft board AT ALL (Chad Ford):

As for the rest of the Grizzlies' draft board? Notably absent is Ricky Rubio. Sources say he is off the board after refusing to visit.

With Blake Griffin going #1, it doesn't take a great mathematician or philosopher to figure out that if Chad Ford's info is correct, Rubio will likely be available at #3. Why does this matter? From DraftExpress:

Ricky Rubio, who Oklahoma City spent the last day and a half with in Los Angeles meeting with alongside his family.

A whole day and a half? Seems like the Thunder are quite interested.

James Harden

Let's not slight Harden, who many still consider to be the likely pick for the Thunder. Certainly he seems to fill a need for the Thunder, but the field appears to have opened up in the past few days. Not to mention, Harden could be gone by the third pick (DraftExpress):

While Harden may not have helped himself with his poor workout in Memphis, he may be the last man standing at this point—the only player in the elite tier of prospects that actually is interested in playing there. The fact that highly influential Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley flew into Memphis to watch Thabeet, only to have him cancel his workout at the last minute, could bode very well for Harden.

Meanwhile, the Thunder seem to have done all their homework on Harden, and he'll certainly be in consideration if he's there at the third pick (DraftExpress):

Sam Presti also took time out on Sunday evening to meet with James Harden, which is Oklahoma City’s third meeting with him so far, including his workout at their facility and an interview at the NBA combine in Chicago.

My Analysis

Despite what people consistently said about Rubio wanting to avoid Oklahoma City, I sincerely doubt he would have spent his weekend with the Thunder organization if he wasn't interested. I'm starting to think that Rubio might be the pick if he's there at #3. The big problem is Memphis. Their top two targets - Thabeet and Rubio - seemingly don't want to play in Memphis. If the Grizzlies stay put, they may just go with James Harden, or perhaps Tyreke Evans or Stephen Curry would slide way up the draft board. They apparently really like Harden, and Evans already has a following in Memphis, having played for the college there.

The Timberwolves are actively engaged in trying to trade up to the #2 spot with Memphis, as apparently Rubio has warmed up to the idea of playing in Minnesota. However, Rubio (because of his buyout) is probably going to need the money of a top 3 pick, not the #6 pick where Minnesota currently sits. If the Wolves trade up, Rubio will be off the board. The Kings and the Knicks were also rumored to be interested in trading up for Rubio.

With 4 targets that the Thunder organization is very high on, I doubt they will trade their #3 pick. As I posted in the last story, that's seeming more likely with the later pick. They are probably going to sit put and figure out who to take depending on who goes with the 2nd pick. Despite the information from the NBA source that says the Thunder will definitely take Thabeet if he's there, I'm not so sure. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised to see Rubio get selected by the Thunder. Presti will then get a lot of trade offers, but from the sound of it, he'd also be equally happy having him play for the team.

The big wild card in all of this is Stephen Curry. If the Thunder are indeed wild about him, we could have a big surprise on draft night.

Of course, if Rubio is available at #3, I'm betting that the Thunder will get some very interesting and tempting trade offers. And if the Thunder have two more guys that they are high on, I could see them settling on a deal with maybe the Kings or the Wolves, and dropping back and taking Harden or Curry.

In any case, the draft board seems to have opened up for the Thunder considerably over the weekend, and now I'm not entirely sure who they'll pick. It seems to be about equal chances for Harden, Rubio and Thabeet with lesser chances for Curry, but the outside chance that he'll slide up to the third pick.

2009 NBA Draft Coverage: The Thunder Are A "Wild Card" In The Draft

dishingoutdimes — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 01:26:13 -0000

More photos » by Dusan Vranic - AP

FILE - Will Ricky Rubio be wearing Thunder blue? Only time will tell. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic)

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I'll apologize right off the bat for not having the Photoshop skills that Mr. P does, so I'll just be using the AP photos. Apparently Chad Ford has labeled the Oklahoma City Thunder as a "wild card" in the 2009 NBA Draft. The logic here is that Ricky Rubio is still a target, but obviously so are James Harden and Hasheem Thabeet. What the Thunder do depends on the picks ahead of them, but the person that the Thunder take will have a big impact on the rest of the board. With the first pick, the Clippers are almost a lock to take Blake Griffin, and it doesn't seem like they'll trade the pick for anything less than a king's ransom. The Memphis Grizzlies could go a number of routes with their pick. They are looking at the same players as the Thunder, but are also likely looking at some trade offers. So it's really a mystery who will fall to the Thunder, and with that we'll take a look at the latest draft buzz from the top of the board:

Ricky Rubio is an interesting story. Chad Ford explains:

It's pretty simple as to why Rubio is being selective: He is going to have to pay a lot of money for the privilege to play in the NBA next season. His buyout will cost him something between $5 and $7 million of his own money. That's a lot of money, especially when you consider that Rubio wasn't making a ton of dough in Spain. He essentially will be signing over his paychecks for the next couple of years to his team in Spain.

It really is quite the dilemma for Rubio. He can always just play out the last two years of his contract in Spain and then jump the pond to the states for the 2011 NBA season. However, Rubio really wants to play in the NBA now. He's just nervous that unless he gets the right fit, he's not going to realize his potential and he's not going to get the big contract he wants in the future. So, not surprisingly, Rubio is going to be looking for a team that desperately needs help in the back court, but has some money to sign some free agents and some other decent players that Rubio can play with.

Why are you telling me this, I'm sure you're asking yourself. Because the latest rumor is that the Thunder have been showing some interest in Rubio. Obviously they have some room in the back court, and it wouldn't be surprising if Rubio would want to play with the talented players that Sam Presti has assembled. The other part of the rumor is that the Thunder would consider taking him, and then trading his draft rights. It's important to remember, though, that the Thunder haven't had Rubio in for a visit yet, and without that piece of the puzzle, it seems unlikely that they'd draft him.

EDIT: A HOT teaser for you; big Rubio information at the end of the post that I stumbled upon after publishing.

More draft buzz after the jump!

Rubio probably wouldn't go to the Grizzlies either. He'd be competing for playing time with established NBA players Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo. It's starting to look like he may fall to the Kings, but Chad Ford sees a remote possibility that he could fall all the way to the 7th pick where Golden State sits. Not surprisingly, "A Golden State of Mind" has this possibility outlined in a blog post, so I'll let you read it there if it interests you.

Chad Ford has reported that most of the talk around the league has the Thunder taking James Harden, which shouldn't be shocking to any regular readers of this blog.

I still think Rubio has a shot at No. 3 either as the Thunder's pick or as part of a trade, but I have to concede that all signs point to Harden.

Of course, there's also the possibility that Thabeet will fall down to the Thunder. While a lot of mock drafts have the Grizzlies taking Thabeet, one of the best Grizzlies blogs points out some slant in Memphis towards Rubio:

In Memphis, the thought of selecting the the UConn center has been followed by a lot of angst and hostility. Chris Vernon of 730 FoxSports has already started his Just Say No to Thabeet campaign. The Grizzlies' fanbase is in a frenzy to draft the child prodigy Ricky Rubio with the #2 pick.

Not to mention this tidbit from the same blog, a quote from the Memphis Commercial-Appeal:

"If we want (Rubio), we're going to take him," Wallace said Wednesday. "We wouldn't have taken a 10-hour flight to Spain if we didn't have interest in him."

So real quick, let's recap what we know. The Clippers are undoubtedly going to take Griffin unless they want to go for the biggest jaw-dropper of all time. The Grizzlies like Rubio and could take him, but most mocks and chatter have them going with Thabeet to shore up their front line. The Thunder's probable choice would be Harden, although Sam Presti has gone against the grain before. And Rubio's agent Dan Fegan seems to be trying to steer him to Sacramento, which could certainly use his talents. Sacramento really seems to want Rubio too, and that's who I think they'll wind up targeting. Fortunately for Memphis, they own the 2nd pick, and as the quotes from their front offices are indicating, I think they are trying to give the illusion that they'll take Rubio. They'll then trade with Sacramento to pick up something in return, drop below the Thunder, and grab the player they're really targeting.

Basically, I would rank the most likely picks at 3 for the Thunder as: Harden, Thabeet, Rubio. As Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman points out, Presti is not likely to draft a player he hasn't done all of his homework on:

What’s growing more and more evident is Rubio doesn’t appear likely to workout for any of the additional teams he might visit over the next week. The ESPN.com report says the Thunder is pushing for a meeting, physical and a review of Rubio’s contract in Spain, adding that if he feels better and is up for the visit he will travel to Oklahoma City next.

While a visit to Oklahoma City would serve as just one more small piece of the entire evaluation process, it’s seemingly an important one for Thunder officials to experience before deciding whether to draft Rubio. It’s the most intimate and extensive time organizations spend with players and, without it, it’s hard to see the Thunder selecting and keeping Rubio.

Harden was in Oklahoma City on Wednesday for an individual workout with the Thunder, one of only four teams that he has worked out for. I've been trying to find any other possibilities with the third pick, other than a trade obviously, and it looks like really only DeMar DeRozan, Stephen Curry and Jordan Hill have been mentioned. In fact, one mock draft out there has the Thunder taking Curry (Sporting News):

The consensus seems to be that the Thunder will take SG James Harden. But the Thunder almost never do what the consensus indicates. Curry would give OKC a sweet-shooting combo guard to pair with PG Russell Westbrook. They could try for Thabeet or Rubio here, too. There’s been talk about Hill, but Hill has not worked out here.

Now that would certainly create an interesting twist, wouldn't it?

EDIT: I came across some interesting information right after I published that I thought I'd pass along...

Just as the notion of Ricky Rubio in a Kings uniform is seeming less likely by the day, there is this unsurprising news: he is moving on.

A source with knowledge of the situation said Rubio was visited in Los Angeles today by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who have the No. 3 pick in the June 25 draft. This matters mostly because Rubio's visit in Sacramento this week came with unspoken terms, an understanding of sorts that a Rubio promise on the Kings' part could have stopped his American tour with just one concert. But that clearly never happened, and certainly not only because Rubio was unable to get on the floor Thursday when he fell ill.

So he continues to interview away, certainly hoping to not fall below the fourth spot if only because that $6.6 million buyout has to be paid for somehow. There has been talk of a second Sacramento visit, but I'm not sure that's plausible now since he is believed to be headed back to Spain on Sunday.

--Sam Amick, Sacramento Bee

Very interesting. This suggests that the Thunder continue to have an interest in Rubio and they are pursuing it as much as possible to make sure that they get every opportunity to interview him before he heads to Spain tomorrow. Nothing like stirring the pot a little!

Declaration day: Pac-10's losers and winners

Nuss — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:00:46 -0000

More photos » by Reed Saxon - AP

That constipated look on Ben Howland's face? He's wondering just who the heck is going to play point for his team next year now that Jrue Holiday is officially gone. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

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The deadline for underclassmen to announce their final intentions for the NBA Draft came and went yesterday. Here's a quick look and the losers and winners, from biggest to smallest, along with my way-too-early Pac-10 power rankings for next season.

LOSERS

USC: A couple of months ago, this pretty clearly would have been Arizona. Not anymore. Tim Floyd has resigned in disgrace and DeMar DeRozan, Taj Gibson and Daniel Hackett (!) are gone. I think it's become obvious that the program is in need of some serious house cleaning -- beyond these players leaving, there were some serious fractures on that team last year. The recruiting cupboard is all but bare, and there are likely sanctions on the way. Not a good day to be a Trojan. (But I guess we could say that about any day, right?)
Arizona State: James Harden is gone, and anyone who watched the Sun Devils play when he wasn't on the floor the last two years -- or when his legs finally gave out from inexcusable overuse -- know what that means. Herb Sendek has what appears to be a good recruiting class coming in, but let's be frank: None of them are game changers like Harden. He was a special kind of player that made Sendek look like a darn good coach. Let's see what he can do now that he doesn't have Harden around to ride like Secretariat.
Arizona: Boy, have the Wildcats pulled one heck of a magic act. In November, they were in complete disarray. Lute Olson was retiring just before the start of the season and their first choice for interim coach didn't want the job. Then, the season was mediocre by their standards, recruiting was at a standstill and it looked like their Big Three was bolting for the NBA. Now, they've got a fantastic coach in Sean Miller (after serendipitously being spurned by Tim Floyd), an unbelievable recruiting class considering the wreck this program was just a couple of months ago, and they're only losing Chase Budinger and Jordan Hill -- Nic Wise returns. Still not a great day for Arizona, but holy cow could it have been a lot worse.
UCLA: Had UCLA successfully recruited a point guard for this draft class, I suppose it would be debatable whether UCLA even belonged in the loser category, even with the loss of Jrue Holiday, who was never as good in LA as he was supposed to be. But with Darren Collison graduating and Holiday staying in the draft, the Bruins have a ton of question marks at the lead spot. Their leading returning assist men? Nikola Dragovic and Michael Roll. Yeah.

WINNERS

Cal: While traditional powers such as Arizona and UCLA got worse, Cal didn't have even one of its talented underclassmen test the draft waters. That means Jerome Randle, Patrick Christopher, Jamal Boykin and the rest of the Bears' roster will return. No team will be poised to take advantage of other teams' losses more than Cal, which will be a top 10 team heading into next season. The scary part is that they've got a coach who's used to his teams having to live up to high expectations. Watch out.
Washington: At the end of the year, people actually said with a straight face that Isaiah Thomas might declare for the draft. He didn't, and neither did Quincy Pondexter. With a fantastic recruiting class coming in led by Abdul Gaddy, the only thing keeping the Huskies from being a winner on Cal's level is the enormous question mark in the frontcourt where Jon Brockman used to be.
Washington State, Oregon State, Oregon, Stanford: This is a great time to be a program on the rise in the conference. After having some of the best teams in the country in 2007-08 and being unbelievably balanced last season, this figures to be a good time to be heading north, what with the traditional powers being down. There's room to move, and each of these programs have hope for the upcoming season that they can make that move.

Way-Too-Early Pac-10 Power Rankings

Cal - New version of WSU 2007-08 ... but with more talent. Scary.
Washington - Could easily repeat as Pac-10 champs if even one of their big men steps up inside. None of this foo-foo face up stuff; who will get dirty?
UCLA - I'm betting Ben Howland can figure out an adequate solution at PG.
Arizona - This shows just how fast it drops off after top 3. Depth still will be a major issue, but the combo of Wise and Fogg will make for a formidable backcourt.
Oregon State - This is a tough one: Does the Pac-10 stop being fooled by the Princeton offense, or does OSU get even better after another year in the system?
Arizona State - Still lots of experience here. Derek Glasser is underrated -- I understand, it's tough to take that chest hair seriously -- and Ty Abbott could be the breakout player of the year in the conference out of Harden's shadow.
Washington State - My heart wants to rank the Cougs higher, but with a new coach and still loads of inexperienced players ...
Oregon - Lots of talent. However, Ernie Kent doesn't exactly have a track record of coaching guys up to dramatic improvements between their first and second year. Look for the Ducks to be better in 2010-11. If Kent can hang on that long.
Stanford - Big losses (Goods, Hill, Johnson) and a solid-but-unspectacular recruiting class don't scream "mover and shaker."
USC - Until they get a coach and one or two of the as-yet-unsigned recruits, this is a team staring at the bottom of the conference.

2009 NBA Draft Coverage: Building A Thunder Draft Board

dishingoutdimes — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 10:00:19 -0000

Whenever a draft comes around, fans all become "armchair GMs" and claim to know which prospect is a better fit for certain organizations. Of course, the actual process that organizations go through is a grueling ordeal involving lots of scouting, workouts, interviews, and debating. All of that is geared towards developing the all important draft board - the manual that no team can head into the draft without.

There are many competing draft philosophies, but they all revolve around making a list of eligible players and ranking them in some sort of order. One such philosophy is the oft-maligned "best player available" theory, which suggests that the drafting team should draft the highest ranked player remaining on their board. The theory goes that the team will be able to stockpile the best talent that they can, and if they wind up with too many players at a certain position, they have the ability to trade. A team that has employed this method is the Atlanta Hawks, according to Chad Ford, who had Marvin Williams rated as #1 on their board in 2005, allowing them to take Williams over the likes of Chris Paul and Deron Williams, despite having a need for a point guard.

According to Ford, many other teams employ a tiered philosophy. In this system, the team still ranks prospects in order. However, it is based on the ability to separate the prospects into groups where there are clear drop-offs in either talent or risk/reward balance. Often there are only 1 to 3 players in the "sure fire" top tier, and then there is a clear division that emerges. More on building a draft board after the jump!

As Ford points out in his article, it's very hard for teams to come to a consensus on their rankings, much less tiers:

"I fight with my scouts constantly," one prominent GM told me. "Everyone has their own ideas, their own preferences, their own methodology. There really is no consensus and, I hate to say it, I'm not sure there's even any real right or wrong."

However, the "tier method" could potentially have some value, especially if there is considerable disagreement amongst people in the organization on a few prospects. While there may be heated debate on which prospect is better, the people will often come to an agreement that both of the prospects have similar potential to make an impact on a team. To solve the argument, the tier system also employs team need.

For instance, let's just throw out three current NBA players that have a big impact on their teams: Dwight Howard, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James. Howard is a PF, Bryant is a SG and LeBron is a SF. Let's say, for the sake of argument, that they were all up for draft, and they were all ranked in the Thunder's "Tier 1". I think you could probably rank the Thunder's positional needs as follows: SG, C, PF, PG, SF. Based on this, the Thunder would rank the prospects in Tier 1 as follows: Bryant, Howard and then LeBron. Chad Ford says that many teams who employ the tier system have enjoyed a fair amount of success, and it really makes sense, because they are addressing needs while drafting just about the best talent available.

Furthermore, the team will always take a player from a higher tier if they are still available, even if there is a player at a position of need available in a lower tier. For instance, using the above example, let's say the Thunder were drafting 5th and that LeBron was still available. Since they had LeBron in their Tier 1 (elite talent) they would take him even though they might have a player that addresses a need in their Tier 2.

I think that it makes a whole lot of sense. So, with that, I'm going to go ahead and throw together my own draft board for the Thunder based on this concept. I'm assuming the Thunder would make shooting guard the priority position, followed by center, power forward, point guard, and small forward.

Tier One

1. Blake Griffin - PF

Simply put, Blake Griffin is in a class by himself. I'm sure any team would love to get their hands on him. I don't see any other prospect that everyone is sure about, and that teams think could make as much of an impact. According to Blake's agent, every single team told him that he'd be the #1 pick if they were drafting in that position. That's why Blake is in Tier One by himself.

Tier Two

2. James Harden - SG
3. Hasheem Thabeet - C
4. Ricky Rubio - PG

These three players seem to be the "best of the rest". Most teams would take any of these three guys in a heartbeat. After them, the talent pool remains relatively strong, but the prospects are less "sure-fire". Most scouts and teams that I've heard quoted, as well as draft experts, agree that Harden, Thabeet, and Rubio will all have big impacts in the NBA. James Harden gets the edge in this tier for the Thunder because he fits the position of most need. Hasheem Thabeet comes in a close second, while Ricky Rubio slides down to 4, despite many people thinking he has superstar potential. I'm sure the Kings are really hoping that this is how the Thunder's draft board looks, because that means that Rubio would likely fall to them (with Griffin to the Clippers and Thabeet to the Grizzlies).

Tier Three

5. Tyreke Evans - SG
6. Jordan Hill - PF
7. Stephen Curry - PG
8. Jonny Flynn - PG
9. Jrue Holiday - PG

These five guys have an extraordinary amount of talent, but they have some question marks, moreso than the top four players on my board. Tyreke Evans and Jordan Hill will be fighting bad combine marks in certain drills. Stephen Curry is widely viewed as a role player who will be a spot-up sharp shooter in the NBA, but will be limited by his sleight frame. Jrue Holiday has the opposite problem, the lack of a developed jumpshot and some limitations on his ball handling skills. Jonny Flynn, meanwhile, is mainly knocked for being small and undersized, and needing to add strength. At times he can try to do too much. However, despite all of these skepticisms and criticisms, all of these guys have the potential to have a big impact on a team for a long time, which is why they all fit in the top 10.

Tier Four

10. Gerald Henderson - SG
11. DeMar DeRozan - SG
12. B.J. Mullens - C
13. James Johnson - PF
14. Tyler Hansbrough - PF
15. Jeff Teague - PG
16. Eric Maynor - PG
17. Brandon Jennings - PG
18. Earl Clark - SF
19. Austin Daye - SF

These guys have quite a few more question marks, but they also have the ability to become stars. It's really a needle in a haystack here. One or two of these guys will be great NBA players. Which ones is difficult to tell. I know I might draw some criticisms in this section of my board. Henderson at 10? Well Henderson did okay in his workouts, and he's a very polished player (similar to Harden, just with less consistency and creativity). He is an excellent perimeter defender and has a high basketball IQ. He doesn't drill the trey, but still gets it at about a 34% clip, which is certainly better than DeMar DeRozan's three point rate of 17%. Also, DeRozan is green, hasn't had much experience, and is a raw talent. He graded out poorly in a number of drills at the combine. I would have actually put him lower, but to adhere to the tier system, he was at a position of need. People may also be wondering why I have Jennings so low, the lowest PG in this tier. He showed some immaturity in skipping college to go play ball in Europe and is now trash talking Ricky Rubio. It's almost like he's asking to be a huge bust. Not to mention the fact that he makes poor decisions at times and is an average shooter at best. Teague is a combo guard with a lean to the point which is why he got the edge out of the point guards. I actually think Eric Maynor could be a steal in the middle rounds. Everyone thinks he got away with playing in a bad conference, but he's a solid player and put up big numbers even against the "big boys" in the NCAA tournament.

Tier Five

20. Chase Budinger - SG
21. Terrence Williams - SG
22. Toney Douglas - SG
23. Wayne Ellington - SG
24. DeJuan Blair - PF
25. Jeff Pendergraph - PF
26. DeMarre Carroll - PF
27. Derrick Brown - PF
28. Ty Lawson - PG
29. Darren Collison - PG
30. Patrick Mills - PG
31. Sam Young - SF
32. DaJuan Summers - SF

I think all of these guys could be role players or deep bench players in the NBA and any of them could probably make an impact on the Thunder in the next few years. I can almost guarantee you there will be one star or solid starter out of this group (there usually is out of the last 10-15 first round players every year). Chase Budinger had a ridiculously great vertical leap at the combine and he's a pretty good scorer. I think he'll shoot up some draft boards and it's not all that surprising to see him at 20. Terrence Williams has the talent and the range to succeed in the NBA, along with the athleticism, just something doesn't quite seem to add up with him. Toney Douglas is a 6'2" shooting guard who thrives on slashing to the rim and getting fouled, but he's a scoring machine and he is an excellent on-ball defender. He's undersized for an NBA shooting guard, which is why he might not even go until the early second round, but I like him a lot. Ellington sneaks into this tier as a pure shooter and smooth athlete, but not a great defender. Some of you may be saying, "Blair at 24??? Is he crazy??". This might have been the case before Blair's knees got red flagged. According to Chad Ford, NBA scouts and GMs have called the medical results anything from alarming to devastating.

--------------------------------

Of course, if the Thunder were to draft a shooting guard at #3 (James Harden), the priority for another shooting guard would fall with Kyle Weaver and Thabo Sefolosha on the roster, one of them likely to be in the shooting guard rotation. So, later in the draft you might see the shooting guards fall down in a tier. Of course, if the Thunder wind up with a big man like Thabeet, then the shooting guards would be a priority later on.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind a pair of teammates (Harden and Pendergraph), but we shall see how it all shakes out. I know we've re-hashed a million times what to do with the third pick, but with this tier system bringing out a few of the later round prospects, who do you think the Thunder should take with the 25th pick? I've created a poll below with all of the players I have listed in my Tier Five.

Additionally, it's possible the Thunder don't employ a tiered strategy at all. There's really no way of telling. Sam Presti keeps his cards pretty close to the vest. But, I hope I've introduced the concept of a tiered draft strategy and why it would be beneficial. If I were a GM, this is the strategy that I would use personally, as it seems to make more sense than simply drafting the best player available.

Poll

Who would you take with the 25th pick if you were Sam Presti? This is assuming the player would be available at 25.

Chase Budinger - SG - Arizona

47 votes

Terrence Williams - SG - Louisville

38 votes

Toney Douglas - SG - Florida State

7 votes

Wayne Ellington - SG - UNC

25 votes

DeJuan Blair - PF - Pittsburgh

111 votes

Jeff Pendergraph - PF - Arizona State

13 votes

DeMarre Carroll - PF - Missouri

12 votes

Derrick Brown - PF - Xavier

8 votes

Ty Lawson - PG - North Carolina

69 votes

Darren Collison - PG - UCLA

17 votes

Patrick Mills - PG - St. Mary's

103 votes

Sam Young - SF - Pittsburg

20 votes

DaJuan Summers - SF - Georgetown

9 votes

479 votes | Poll has closed

Loud Links: June 10, 2009

daddydai — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 23:00:27 -0000

4D reporting from Jessica Alba ravaged Oklahoma City. It appears that Griffin would draft Curry with the #2 pick. Rubio sues DKV Joventut, but the team dealt his contract to someone else. An apparent NBA draftee "has not legs but a gelatinous mass of flesh not unlike a slug that leaves a trail of greasy discharge when he runs the court on a fast break". Really, who? Gortat loves him some M.J. Our new draftees will debut in OKC on the 27th. Jenni Carlson is trying to pull a fast one on the Clips. Plus more, as always…

Chat: NBA prospect Blake Griffin -SportsNation - ESPN
Jeremy (Rochester, NY): In your opinion, who is the best player besides yourself in the draft? Blake Griffin: Stephen Curry.

Report: Ricky Rubio sues as rights go to Spanish IRS - ESPN
The guard has been trying to get out of his contract with Spanish league team DKV Joventut but has met resistance. On Tuesday, according to the Spanish news agency EFE, Rubio sued the team after learning that it had transferred the rights to his buyout to Hacienda, the Spanish version of the Internal Revenue Service. The rights were sold to satisfy a debt Joventut had with Hacienda.

HoopChill: NBA Teams… Draft James Harden
James Harden, a 19 year old shooting guard out of Arizona State, is the next great player for the NBA and should be drafted second this year. Yes I know the NBA finals are on right now, but the NBA draft is the only event for teams that aren’t involved in the playoffs look forward to. James Harden is one of the most complete players in this year’s draft, and got all the respect he deserved at the start of the college basketball season. Many teams ranked him as the 2nd best player in this year’s draft. Now as we near the NBA draft, his stock has fallen and he has moved down a lot of mock drafts. This is greatly undeserved, Harden is a spectacular player that could be the next great player in the NBA.

NBA Draft: Young Too Old? - Basketball News & NBA Rumors
A two time all-Big East selection, Young possesses a polished all around game with a knack for performing best in his team's biggest games. The small forward averaged 23.5 points per game in the NCAA Tournament, leading the team to the Elite Eight. Despite all of these accomplishments, however, Young will likely slip out of the draft lottery and into the latter part of the first round largely because of his age.

NBA.com: Recapping what was learned from 2009 Eurocamp
Mills may have been a bit inconsistent in terms of his playmaking skills and perimeter shooting, but he left a strong impression with his blazing speed, terrific ball-handling skills and excellent mid-range game, which had some teams comparing him to Aaron Brooks. Mills likely stays in the Draft now, and could be a solid pick late in the first round or early in the second.

FreeDarko Presents: Ken’s Mock Draft of Players that He’s Read Brief Paragraphs About and Only Seen Play on You Tube
I normally respect Sam Presti and his giant pulsating brain, but he will make the greatest mistake of his career by drafting Harden. Sure, shooting guard is a glaring need for an otherwise promising team, but I heard from a guy who knows a guy who dated a girl who read on a blog that Harden is such a bad athlete that he entered a 3 km race with a rabbit and only won because the rabbit was so confident of winning that he decided to take a nap midway through the course. Further, I hear that the slothful James Harden has not legs but a gelatinous mass of flesh not unlike a slug that leaves a trail of greasy discharge when he runs the court on a fast break.

Thunder schedule draft workout - USATODAY.com
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Another group of NBA draft prospects is coming to Oklahoma City for a workout session with the Thunder. Former Big 12 stars DeMarre Carroll of Missouri and Damion James of Texas are among four forwards scheduled to participate in Wednesday's session. Omri Casspi from Israel, DaJuan Summers from Georgetown also were invited for the workout. Thunder spokesman Michael Ravina says DeMar DeRozan of Southern Cal had a separate workout for the team this week.

Marcin Gortat of Magic told by Reebok he must cover his Air Jordan tattoo
This may be one of the most ridiculous and hilarious stories you'll hear about today. Marcin Gortat of the Magic has an Air Jordan tattoo on his leg. Yet, he entered into a contract with Reebok, who happened to not take a look at the giant MJ tattoo on his leg.

Immediate Needs: Los Angeles Clippers - Basketball News & NBA Rumors -
Mike Dunleavy struts into the tunnel at STAPLES Center, leaving his battered players to finish out the year. The Oklahoma City Thunder (23-59) lead 76-53, en route to a 41-point victory over the home team. The general manager/coach of the Los Angeles Clippers gets an early ejection midway through the third quarter as an awful season finally nears a close.

Curry/Knicks situation very uncertain (The Knicks Fix) - Newsday.com
Thunder - Rubio will work out for them this weekend, but it doesn't sound like they want to move Russell Westbrook to the 2. Harden or Thabeet would be good calls here, but apparently the Thunder may be also listening to trade up offers. No. 3 seems too high for Curry, especially with Thabeet, Rubio and Harden to choose from.

OKC Thunder Roll Through Oklahoma|NewsChannel 8
MidFirst Bank and the Oklahoma City Thunder present the "Thunder Summer Caravan", a series of Thunder Basketball events throughout the state for fans of all ages. The 12-stop tour, which is free and open to the public, will tip-off on Saturday, June 27 when the Thunder plans to debut the team’s newest player(s) to the public at MidFirst Bank (5800 N Western Ave.) in Oklahoma City. The players will be making their first appearance in Oklahoma City following the NBA Draft on June 25.

The Trap and Myth of the Next | Daily Thunder.com - Where Thunder Happens
Around draft time - or really around any time - whenever a young player’s name gets brought up, the inevitable happens. He gets compared to someone else. Oh yeah, I see a lot of Josh Smith in him … He’s got a bigger Brandon Roy written all over him … If he develops a jumper, he’s the next Dwyane Wade. It’s unavoidable.

2009 NBA Mock Draft: Version 4.0 - ESPN

Blake Griffin to be featured on ESPN’s ‘Rookie’ | NewsOK.com
Former OU basketball star Blake Griffin is being featured in the second season of ESPN’s "The Rookie," consisting of three webisodes on ESPN.com and a half-hour special June 30 on ESPNU and ESPN2.

No. 1 priority: Griffin working hard to prove worth as top pick - USATODAY.com
Blake Griffin has carried sandbags up hills, sometimes wiping grit from his mouth and eyes. That's the way the 6-10 star forward from Oklahoma, the consensus national college player of the year, trains in the offseason. "I look at him like a robot," said renowned San Francisco-based trainer Frank Matrisciano, who puts Griffin and his older brother, Taylor, through extreme workouts.

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