SB Nation User Blog: Corndogg

Somebody Get Don Nelson An Ice Cold Busch Light

Corndogg — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:34:28 -0000

Which one of these 3 photos does not belong in a Golden State Warrior jersey? Yeah, I can't figure it out either. I think I just stumped myself.

Just what Golden State needed - Another super skinny kid with a developing offensive game, big motor and a complete inability to get any meaningful time on the court while Nellie's running the Warlocks.

The only good thing that might come of this is that Golden State can finally give a proper burial to the corpse of Patrick O'Bryant (that might actually be him in the second picture above). And if that preceeding sentence doesn't scream "Draft Night Success!," then I don't know what does.

(P.S. Nice job picking Richard Hendrix in the 2nd round. He will get wayyyy more burn next year than these two next year)

Steve Kerr Hates Phoenix. Here's Proof.

Corndogg — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 15:16:16 -0000

It's like hiring a PETA-card toting, Vegetarian to run McDonald's.

Not to mention that Terry Porter looked like he had just shot kidney stones the size or Robin Lopez's kneecaps out his urethra when he was being interviewed by Stu Scott. Lopez is a slow, offensive-less player who as a "big time rebounder," couldn't even pull down 6 a game against Pac-10 competition. Just what the doctor ordered in Phoenix.

Then, in the second round, they miss on a super-duper athletic kid like Bill Walker so they can get perpetually underachieving Malik Hairston, who was consistently rated 10-15 spots behind Walker on lots of draft boards. If D.J. Strawberry can't get off the bench, what is Hairston gonna do? Oh, I know, go play with the Mercury!

Instead of Hairston, Kerr cut a deal with Phoenix's best friend and completely honest competitor, the Spurs. They got some Euro who may be their point guard in a few years. Yeah, those years. Eons into the future. I bet Hairston turns out to be the next Scottie Pippen.

R.I.P. Steve Nash. Good thing you don't care about getting a ring. Cause this draft just cemented that declaration.

The Quick Hitter

Corndogg — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:12:38 -0000

First off, a big RU THANK U to everyone who participated in the liveblog last night. I could not have imagined having so much fun in my underwear, with a beer. Wait, yes I can, but this was still a close second. Really though, the comments were hilarious and insightful and it turns out that everyone really hates Jason Thompson. So we got that going for us, which is nice.

My immediate thoughts on who did well and who was typical (read: awful) last night:

Winners: Portland, Miami, New Jersey

My head is actually hurting thinking about how many players and picks Kevin Pritchard got in this draft. One thing I do know for sure, Jerryd Bayless and Brandon Roy will be a sick backcourt. Im sure the Blazers got about 12-15 more great players out of this draft. Great Success!

Miami did what we thought they would do and took Beasley. Riley is the anti-christ, but he ain't no idiot. Backpeddling into Chalmers in the second round might be the steal of the draft. Also, Darnell Jackson will steal minutes from Mark Blount, which is a nice.

Let's take stock of what the Nets did, shall we? Brook Lopez (the guy they coveted), Ryan Anderson (a super sleeper) and CDR (RU's FAVE!). Not to mention getting their newest marketing toy, Yi (check out the front page of NJNets.com) and Bobby Simmons' contract which expires during the SUMMER OF LEBRON! All the gave up was Richard Jefferson. Well done Kiki. Well done, indeed.

Losers: Kings, Bobcats, Darrell Arthur, O.J. Mayo, Adriana Lima

Jason Thompson. Learn it, love it Ziller. Cause it is a reality.

The Bobcats took another small point who can't play defense (although I think Augustin could be quite good, there were much better players on the board at that time), a French guy who won't see the NBA for 3+ years (when they could have had Darrell Arthur or Ryan Anderson) and Kyle Weaver (when they could have had CDR). If you want to win NOW, MJ, why don't you get some players that will help you do it. Good thing you dont need size in Charlotte, cause you only have 2 guys on your opening day roster above 6'10"

Poor Darrell Arthur. Last guy in the green room. Has to watch Serge Ibaka (who said he is not coming to the states for years) drafted ahead of you. Oh, and did we mention Jason Thompson. At least he probably set the record for "Most Traded Player" on draft night. From Portland to somewhere to Houston to Memphis. I hope you are an All Star in 3 years. In fact, I demand that you be one.

Mayo - so you get drafted by one of the least marketable NBA teams. Not ideal. Oh, but wait -- what's that I hear? You are getting traded O.J. Nothing could be worse than Minny. Oops. Spoke too soon. Welcome to Memphis. Suck it long and suck it hard. Nice glasses though.

Adriana Lima. You are one of the most beautiful women in the world. But once you get an Elvis fix and start eating all those ribs, you are gonna look more Beale Street than Brazilian. You are, the biggest loser. Good bye.

I'm sure there is a lot I missed. But hey, I'm just a Corndogg. Matt and I will be constantly updating throughout the day with quips, grades and the like. We even have THE BEST PHOTOSHOP EVER coming in our Grizz/Wolves trade breakdown. Also, God Hates the Knicks.

It's My Mock and I'll Take Joe Alexander Wherever I Want To

Corndogg — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:14:56 -0000

Well, if Matt has gotta get his mock all up in my face, I might as well retaliate. Tonight is going to be more fun than a night in Indy with Tinz and S-Jax. I, for one, expect a MASSIVE amount of wheelin' and dealin' tonight... which means no trades will happen and everyone will pick the player Chad Ford projects for them. But, I still have a voice in this matter (read: opinion), so here goes my mock draft. I truly hope that a mock as sedate as this does not happen, but my mind is spinning too quickly to even possibly decipher the mayhem that might ensue.So, tonight on our liveblog, just keep in mind that I will be repeating this prayer over and over and over again: "Dear God, if you love me and hear these words, please unleash chaos on Madison Square Garden tonight, Thursday June 26, 2008 around 7:30 EST. K THANX BAI."

Mock It Out:

Chicago: Derrick Rose (duh)

Miami: O.J. Mayo (Riley will do is just to stick it in everyone's face)

Minny: Mike Beasley (even McHale can't screw this one up)

Seattle: Jerryd Bayless (though I expect the Sonics to trade out of this spot, either way)

Memphis: Brook Lopez (everyone else says Kevin Love, I say "I'm thinking like Chris Wallace")

New York: Danilo Galinari (cause Coach D just can't help himself)

Clippers: Russell Westbrook (thanks for falling in our lap)

Milwaukee: Joe Alexander (this is wherever I want to)

Charlotte: Kevin Love (MJ loves him and they can get Courtney Lee or CDR with the #20)

New Jersey: Eric Gordon (in my opinion, best player on board right now)

Indiana: Kosta Koufos (no need for a guard, big need for inside scoring)

Sacramento: D.J. Augustin (see Clippers explanation)

Portland: (Ed. note: Lost track of my picks and had Bayless on the board twice, which left Augustin here for Portland - Just so they could rub it in everyone's face. Alas, they will just have to make do with...) Brandon Rush

Golden State: Darrell Arthur (because I said so)

It's My Mock and I'll Take Joe Alexander Wherever I Want To

Corndogg — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 13:22:37 -0000

Mock It Out:

Chicago: Derrick Rose (duh)

Miami: O.J. Mayo (Riley will do is just to stick it in everyone's face)

Minny: Mike Beasley (even McHale can't screw this one up)

Seattle: Jerryd Bayless (though I expect the Sonics to trade out of this spot, either way)

Memphis: Brook Lopez (everyone else says Kevin Love, I say "I'm thinking like Chris Wallace")

New York: Danilo Galinari (cause Coach D just can't help himself)

Clippers: Jerryd Bayless (thanks for falling in our lap)

Milwaukee: Joe Alexander (this is wherever I want to)

Charlotte: Kevin Love (MJ loves him and they can get Courtney Lee or CDR with the #20)

New Jersey: Eric Gordon (in my opinion, best player on board right now)

Indiana: Kosta Koufos (no need for a guard, big need for inside scoring)

Sacramento: Russell Westbrook (see Clippers explanation)

Portland: D.J. Augustin (look, you didn't have to make a trade and you still got the player you want, plus 3 more pick in the next 25. Kevin Pritchar is a god).

Golden State: Darrell Arthur (because I said so)

So You're Saying There's A Chance

Corndogg — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 18:00:24 -0000

Unlike Lloyd Christmas ending up with Mary “Samsonite,” this one (at least in the Corndogg’s mind) has legs. So, in case you haven’t heard, Portland just bought New Orlean’s #27 pick this morning for the customary $3 million. Now, with a roster already capped at 15 players under contract and about a dozen picks in this draft (just kidding, its 5 now), logic seems to dictate that Kevin Pritchard is working on a serious deal.

Here’s what I think. Michael Freakin’ Beasley. Think about it. The Heat aren’t hot for Iron Mike. Portland, though not possessing the legit veterans Miami claims to covet, does have a few things that could entice them. How about nearly $13 million expiring next year with Raef Lafrentz? How about the picks from this year and next year’s draft, especially #s 33 and 36 this year. Why? Because you can still get first round talent at those spots without having to guarantee contracts. What about Jarrett Jack? I mean, the Heat ain’t getting Big Daddy Rose, so at least Jack is serviceable.

Think about the possibilities. The Heat will have to suck it up this year and see what fun can be had with Wade, Matrix and the lot. But then… Hello Carlos Boozer. With Marion and Lafrentz off the books next year and the Booz, who really wants to play in Miami, could come calling. Add into that the good young talent that their good young coach, Eric Spoelstra, can develop over the next two years and you have the makings of an Eastern Conference contender. Oh, and BTW, none of those great youngsters will be sucking up major cap space, meaning the Heat can afford to give Wade the money (and sidekick) he needs in order to stay in South Beach when his contract is up. They could still luck into a really good young player at 13 like Mario Chalmers, Robin Lopez or they could take a flier on an upside kid like Deandre Jordan or Anthony Randolph. A team full of veterans would not be as willing to take orders from the youngest coach in the NBA anyway. I could see better deal than this for Miami, but I don’t think other GMs have the balls of Pritchard and can make it happen.

So, where does this leave the Blazers? Well, it only gives them a starting lineup of Oden, Aldridge, Beasley, Roy and Sergio Rodriguez. This gives you 2 great scorers/leaders in Aldridge and Roy. One superstar scorer and matchup nightmare in Beasley. A defensive man-child in Oden and some great young talent to surround them, such as Martell Webster, Joel Pryzbilla, Steve Blake and whatever Euros/UFAs (undrafted free agents) they can find. Seriously, look at that starting lineup again. I don’t think anyone in the West would have a better one over the span of the next 8 years. Its ridiculous to conceive of it, but I am here to say it could be a very real, uh, reality.

So, do you think this trade works for both teams? The Heat get #13, 33 and 35 plus Travis Outlaw, Jarrett Jack and Raef’s expiring contract for #2 and Mark Blount’s slightly larger contract, expiring in 2010?

(Ed. note: Commentor "Rosewood" beat me to the punch. As soon as I published this article, I realized that I had overestimated what Beasley would be making and read Outlaw's contract wrong - he has two years left, not one. So year, put Marcus Banks in there. Who cares? At least he would give Roy a workout in practice. I'd still recommend the trade, even with him tacked on. Thanks Rosewood).

Maybe God Is, As A Matter Of Fact, A Tar Heel:

Corndogg — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 17:31:48 -0000

The NBA prospects dimmed (well, went totally blackout) early this morning for UNC point guard Tywon Lawson. The guard, who looked very impressive and was gaining significant buzz in pre-draft workouts, got busted for a DUI in Chapel Hill. It's unfortunate that this happened, but it might have saved his life or someone else's, so that is good. Perhaps though, there is a lot more going on than meets the eye. Dean Smith, I'm watching you.

This incident does not necessarily kill Lawson's chances of getting drafted. He is, by all accounts, a good character kid who just did something silly. But, at a time when the NBA puts an incresing premium on values and good public personas, this could mean Lawson will miss out on a first round selection in the draft. He certainly looked like the most NBA-ready of the 3 underclassmen Heels that declared. Which leads me to my conspiracy theory...

Chapel Hill is a tiny town where people (and I mean EVERYBODY) knows all the basketball players and loves them like brothers. But, a few thing about this arrest strike me as khamically awkward. Lawson came out a few days ago and talked about how fickle Carolina fans can be. How they lambasted him for putting his name in the draft and not coming back to help them try and win a national championship. He was playing great in the camps too, making it even less likely he would return. Could it be that some psycho undergrad leaked some info to the Chapel Hill Police Department so that Lawson would get booked, almost assuring that he would have to withdraw from the draft? Did the cop know who he was and what was at stake with him leaving, thus making sure he went about "just procedure" when he arrested Lawson, perhaps gluing him to UNC for another year? Did Tyler Hansbrough force him into that car and shove a bottle of Dewar's down his throat -- thus increasing the ridiculous legend this kid has made for himself in 3 years there? I personally saw cops let athletes get away with a lot of stuff during my time in Chapel Hill than any John Q. Public did. We have all seen it. But why now, why this time for them to bust Lawson?

Look, I'm not trying to insinuate anything or allege any chicanery. But, wouldn't it be so ironic if Lawson was out, not really understanding the magnanimity of his future and just acted like so many other college students? At this time, with this much on the line? And he just happened to get busted. Its a whole lot of coincidences that just don't make sense. But then again, when dealing with the NBA, there is a lot that makes little sense (see: Pau Gasol trade).

Let's assume that for whatever reasons the gods decided to make an example of young Mr. Lawson and rope him back to the University, that it will happen. What does this do to the draft? The Nuggets were eyeing him hard at #20 (yes, yes, I am WELL aware of the irony). There isn't another young point out there, at least in the current debates, that would make sense for them to take in that spot. A lot of the playoff teams that made it deep would also love a young point to come in and learn, such as San Antonio, Boston, Detroit (if they trade Billups) and Cleveland. And, even if Lawson stays in the draft, how will GMs react? Me personally, I assume this is just one isolated incident, but what do they think? Is he now a risk? Will it hurt him and if so, how much?

There should be a lot more about this coming up in the next few days. In the meantime, go take a look at all the Tar Heel message boards. If you think I am a conspiracy theorist, wait til you get a load of those guys. And when the Heels with the 2009 National Championships, I bet the senior class all goes in together and buys Lawson a life time supply of Busch Light as part of their endowment.

(Ed. note: Lawson was only charged with "driving after consuming alcohol," not driving while impaired. Is that even a real arrest? Apparently, yes it is.)

Eric Gordon: The Rodney Dangerfield of the Lottery?

Corndogg — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 16:51:09 -0000

Is EG not really getting the respect he deserves or is he just not being "classified" correctly by draft pundits? We start the debate here.

Matt and I both have differing definitions on both some of the elite prospects in this draft and also how to classify them. Matt seems to think Jerryd Bayless and Eric Gordon are "combo guards," meaning they will essentially play off the ball until the half court is set and then primarily be used for slashing or in ISO situations, i.e. they are not points. He thinks O.J. Mayo is a "big guard," meaning roughly the same, but with an even greater likelihood that such a type of guard will spend even more time off the ball and only be used at the point in relief for a primary point.

I project them quite differently. In fact, I rank them a lot differently than a lot of the blogosphere does. I think Bayless is pretty much a point guard, with great scoring skills. Sure, he isn't a "pure" point like say, D.J. Augustin, but I think he is more of one than we saw in a shoddy Arizona system last year. I think Mayo is headed towards being an exceptional off guard, who can certainly handle the point throughout a game -- not unlike a Wade (even though we all know and agree Wade is much better off the ball). Then, there is Gordon. Most see him as solely a two guard who will have the ball in his hands extremely infrequently, namely when he is trying to iso his guy. But, in a lot of internet chats, alot more people are classifying all of these guys in roughly the same general category. If that is the case, then it is perfectly fine.

That being the case, here is where my problem lies (let's take Mayo out, as I feel his size and length make him an exception). If Bayless and Gordon are regularly being compared for the same basic position in the league, why in the world is Bayless getting all the credit (as high as 3 in some mocks), while Gordon is much further down the lottery (in some cases, even on the fringe). They were all measured and worked out this past weekend in Florida and Gordon came away the clear winner between he and Bayless. He is taller, bulkier, stronger and outran him by a slightly significant margin in the agility and pace drills. If NBA execs project them in the same position, why the hurt on Gordon. I could argue that his handle is just as good, his passing isn't much worse. He is tougher to stop, namely because he is an absolute freight train going to the whole, while Bayless spends much, much more time out on the perimeter. Gordon's shooting percentages weren't as good, but it's more because his shot selection (and the insouciance of Kelvin Sampson to form any dynamic offensive structure) rather than bad technique that cast a negative eye on his perimeter game. Arizona's system (even in this one season under Kevin O'Neill) has always been engineered to run and gun with great perimeter talent. Sampson has always done better with bangers, rebounders and defensive minded guards. Could it really be the Indiana system that is causing Gordon to yo-yo up and down the draft boards? Is it because so many people refuse to categorize Bayless and Gordon seperately, where they belong? I'm not really sure, but unless Bayless (widely projected to go to the Sonics at 4) is not destined to be a point guard, then why not give a greater look at a guard with just as tough a handle and with better physical skills.

Again, I am not trying to knock Bayless. Nor am I the conductor for the Eric Gordon Bandwagon. But really, unless the folks out there scouting see him projected as mainly a point guard as I do, then this seemingly great disparity is ridiculous (and not in the way out blog title suggests). Also, its not like anyone knows what Sam Presti is truly thinking and what he will do with this pick and with his team. He has kept pretty quiet about the direction he will take in the draft. Maybe its simply because Gordon looks chunkier and less athletic than the ultra trim Bayless. But when a kid is bigger, faster and stronger than his direct comparison and yet has all of the same handle, ball and defensive skills, why is he not given the recognition? I think we might see a greater debate rise between these two as the draft evaluations progress. Just don't be surprised if your team's fans are booing like a bunch of ghosts when Gordon goes to them way higher than projected. And be less surprised when they are praising him for his toughness, intensity and under-appreciated skill a few months into the season.

Stupidity, Thy Name Be Bobcats

Corndogg — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:34:41 -0000

In case you were wondering, the Charlotte Bobcats may not be the best at this whole "draft" thing. Less than a day after one prominent Bobcats blogger (yes, there are many) made it very clear that Deandre Jordan was unfocused and unproductive, we get this scoop from Rick Bonnell, basically saying that the Bobcats have already given a "promise" to Jordan to take him 9th.

Why don't we take a look at the last team who "promised" a kid they would take him, no matter what. That guy would be Sheldon Williams, from those lottery experts, the Atlanta Hawks. Williams is now sucking up time behind 4 frontcourt guys in Sacramento and still wondering how his minutes and reputation got passed along so quickly to this year' s runner up for ROY, Al Horford. Don't you think Brandon Roy might have made a bit of difference handling the ball for them? Or a healthy Randy Foye? In reality, who are we to say. All we know is that the only good thing Williams has done since he graduated Duke was marry Candace Parker.

Sure, the Bobcats want to get more athletic. They want to be able to run more. But with a head coach who is notorious for disregarding young player development and a front office that foolishly believes this team can win in the Eastern Conference immediately, all signs point to disaster for the Bobcats. If I can compliment this team on anything, it is that they have done a very good job of drafting or signing high character guys who are committed to team basketball. Jordan, during a "potential"-laden freshman year, let his lack of focus and work ethic keep him from averaging 20 minutes a game and becoming the dominant counterpart to Joseph Jones that the talented Aggies needed. Nope, by the time second semester rolled into College Station, Jordan was ready to get out of smallville as quickly as he could.

Perhaps I am being to harsh on Jordan. In fact, maybe the right fit for him will be the Bobcats. After all, the coach that recruited him to A&M left him and the big city boy just never felt at home in a college town. That could cause anyone to lose focus and become disgruntled. And, with a smart young player like Emeka Okafor to lead him and a veteran lineup with filled with quality guys like Gerald Wallace and a suddenly mature Jason Richardson, perhaps the Bobcats can work well with the youngster and help him to develop properly, both as a player and a person. However, seeing as how underwhelming and stagnant many of the recent Bobcat draft picks have become, history is not on their side.

So, while Kevin Love is more ready at this time or Darrell Arthur might get more minutes right away, the Bobcats have seemingly took the pressure off of their front office and made a ridiculous promise to a ridiculously talented youngster. The last time the "other" Jordan did that, he ended up with Kwame Brown. Here's hoping Michael knows more about the kid than the fact that he is big and has a great last name. Of course, he has drafted kids for worse reasons than that before *cough* carolina connection. And perhaps, getting any big decisions off the plate of Bobcats ownership is the smart thing to do. They haven't managed to do very well thus far when they were under pressure. Plus, with quite a bit of cap room and some decent contracts, we could see another signing day trade, just like the one that got Richardson to Charlotte last year. But, when you have a boss that yells at his fans for not buying enough tickets, then asks the city for more money , you might be smart to spend more wisely.

It's up to you Larry Brown. If you are in this to really try and win, and not just for a pay check, then go ahead and start dusting off your "Footwork Fundamentals" book, cause it seems that you don't have a choice except to make it work, with a teenager.