Here are a few links, some older, some new, including some tidbits:

Draft buzz: Kanter at No. 2? Kemba sliding? (ESPN.com)

- The Cavs are still seriously considering drafting Lithuanian big man Jonas Valanciunas at No. 4, even though he may not be able to come to Cleveland until the 2012-13 season because of complications with the buyout of his contract with his current team.

- Minnesota had serious discussions Tuesday night about taking Kanter over Williams at No. 2, assuming Irving is off the board.

- There is legitimate concern that UConn's Kemba Walker could be sliding deep into the lottery or even out of it altogether if Sacramento were to pass on him at No. 7.

- Toronto was impressed with the workout of Congo forward Bismack Biyombo Monday in New York, particularly his athleticism and raw skill.

Draft Buzz: Timberwolves make offer for Lakers' Bynum, more (SI.com)

- Minnesota is still looking to land a high-level, impact player for its No. 2 pick, and a source said one of the Timberwolves' many trade proposals was a request for Lakers center Andrew Bynum, which involved sending small forward Michael Beasley to Los Angeles.

- The consensus from sources I've spoken with is that they'll take Kanter at No. 4, in part because 19-year-old Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas isn't expected to play in the NBA next season.

- Sources said Toronto president and general manager Bryan Colangelo is all-in on the team's new defensive-minded approach, and he is considering taking Biyombo there despite the widely held belief that the athletic defender/rebounder/shot-blocker would go lower.

- Biyombo worked out in Detroit (No. 8) on Tuesday and a source said he played well, but no one on hand played as well as Kansas power forward Markieff Morris.

- New York (No. 17) has attempted to move up, most likely for BYU sharpshooter Jimmer Fredette or Thompson. But the Knicks continued to scout all their options, holding a private workout with 20-year-old, 7-foot forward Donatas Motiejunas (Benetton Treviso) on Tuesday. He is in play for their pick, and a source said he played much better in New York than he did in an atrocious workout in Treviso.

A Perfect Fit (Basketball Prospectus)

Last season, nobody really thought much about the draft of the Knicks. New York didn't have a first-round draft pick, only a pair of second-round choices. For a team that had largely cleared the salary decks for a free-agent splurge, draft night seemed like an after thought. With the 39th pick of the night, the Knicks took Landry Fields, who ended up as their starting two-guard and logged over 2,500 minutes on the season. Only John Wall saw the court more often as a rookie. Fields wasn't the most highly skilled player in last season's first-year class. He did some things very well: He rebounded from the backcourt, defended on the perimeter and shot well from three-point range. As things turned out, the Knicks needed those specific skills so badly that it was hard for coach Mike D'Antoni to take Fields off the floor.

Keeping that little anecdote in mind, let's look at some players from this year's draft class that aren't likely to be taken in the lottery, but still have one or two standout skills that can get them onto the court in the next NBA season. And let's match those skills with a team that can use them.

Bulls GM plans to keep both picks (Sporting News)

"Our feeling is, really at the back end of the draft, that there’s going to be some good players there for us," Forman told reporters, according to ESPNChicago.com. "You never know how a draft will fall."

The rating game: Almost every position comes with talent but flaws (Sporting News)

Sporting News analyzes every position for Thursday’s NBA draft, with input from an NBA scout, and then ranks the top prospects:

Five risky NBA Draft picks that could go bust (Sporting News)

Where were you when the Washington Bullets selected Kenny Green?

I was somewhere between the couch and the floor of my one-bedroom apartment on that day in June 1985, all but fainting upon watching paid basketball talent evaluators making such a ridiculous decision.

And Karl Malone was still on the board, waiting to be selected by the Utah Jazz one pick later.

There may be no more amusing stat in sports than the comparison between the No. 12 pick in the ’85 draft (Green) and No. 13 (Malone). Green scored 265 points in his career. Malone scored 36,928.

It’s unlikely there’ll be another blunder so profound in this year’s draft because it’s almost certain no one as good as Malone will wait 13 picks to be chosen. But there’ll be mistakes, probably involving some of these potential draft busts:

It may be a little late for a mock draft, but here are my thoughts of how the draft is going down (i only posted comments on the lottery picks):

  1) Cavs: Kyrie Irving

It sounds like the Cavs are uncertain who they gonna pick, him or Williams. As some articles say, there is a certain risk in picking a player who has only played in 11 NCAA games last season due to injury. From a logical standpoint, they can't go wrong either way, both players fill a need since they plan to rebuild. If they pick Williams, they will almost definately pick a PG at #4, be it Knight or Walker. I think they will go with Irving because the PG is more important in today's NBA since at least half of all teams have a solid or quality PG.

He has no real weaknesses in his game, his strengts (besides his obvious PG-skills, like great court vision or good ballhandling) are his three point shot (46 %) and his free throw shooting (90 %), plus that he gets to the line quite often (6.5 FTA)

Current draftexpress slot: # 1

2) T-Wolves: Derrick Williams

Actually, I think they won't keep him. They know he is a valuable player and they can try to get a player who fits more of a need in exchange. There are rumours about trading down to the 4 - 5 range to pick Kanter, but i doubt they want two rookies in their starting five next season. They will try to turn Williams into a proven player, maybe a SG or C.

His most obvious strength is that he can score inside and outside, with great overall shooting mechanics. He has to improve his rebounding and ball-handling on the next level though.

Current draftexpress slot: #2

3) Jazz: Brandon Knight

That's the first real question mark for me. They can also go big and give Kanter or Big V (don't wanna spell Valanciunas all the time) consideration, but both are risky picks (Kanter: hasn't played bball last season; Big V: buyout issue). If they fell in love with Kemba Walker they may as well take him over Knight if they want a proven player and leader. But that would require them to trade Devin Harris, and i don't know if they can do a deal before the draft. Knight gives them the most options: they can play him alongside Harris at the 2, they can trade Harris and have Knight running the point or they can let him play behind Harris for some time. It just makes the most sense to me.

His strengts are his quickness, his outside shot and clutch shooting. He has to work on his game in traffic and get to the line more often (4.5 FTA).

Current draftexpress slot: #3

4) Cavs: Kawhi Leonard

They won't pick another PG when they pick Irving at #1. And i think they will also pass on the two big men on the board. It might be a bit of a reach (you can call me nuts if you want), but i think they might give Leonard a chance at #4. He is not the most explosive guy in this draft, but he can defend multiple positions, is a great rebounder, is only 19 years old and seems like a good character guy.

Offensively he is very raw and has no three point shot, so that's what he has to put some work into.

Current draftexpress slot: # 9

5) Raptors: Big V

I still believe the Raptors have confidence in Jeryd Bayless as their future PG. And they have a huge hole at the center spot. The addition of a big man makes it easier for the team because Bargnani can play the game that suits his skills best (high post, perimeter) and DeRozan has more options when penetrating to the rim. They had no true quality center for years, and Big V could very well develop into one.

Big V is a high energy guy and very good at finishing inside the paint in various ways. He is an above average FT-shooter (91 %, not bad for a big man!). He still looks a bit skinny and may have problems boxing out bigger and stronger players. And he has to improve his defense.

Current draftexpress slot: #8

6) Wizards: Biyambo!

Yep, call me an idiot again, but i think Mack-Bo is the more intruiging prospect here. He has...cough...ridiculous upside! Seriously, he has all the physical tools to become a defensive force in the league, and the Wizards have enough time to develop him slowly. Kanter is another possibilty here, but as dumb as it might sound, they already have JaVale McGee. I know, i know, he has to grow up, but i think they're quite high on him, and i'm not so sure Kanter is a big upgrade over him (actually, Kanter is the player with the biggest bust potential this year, in my opinion).

Mack-Bo is very raw offensively and can't shoot, he mostly scores on the rebounds he catches. He looks like a great athlete, but he has to learn how to use his skills effectively.

Current draftexpress slot: # 14

7) Kings: Enes Kanter

If the draft comes down like stated above the Kings will have a lot of great options here: they can pick Kanter (fills a need), Walker (fills a need), Vesley (fills a need), Fredette (fills a need) - so what will they do? As intruiging as picking a PG is, they will go with the big guy here (btw, this is the lowest i think Kanter might fall). Kanter gives them the oportunity to play Cousins regularly at PF, plus he seems to be a good character guy. Walker would be the other player the Kings might pick if they believe they have a bigger need for a floor general.

Beside the fact that i think he will fail in the NBA, he has the physical tools to become a good low post scorer. His biggest weakness is his defense (as seen on some older clips JGivony posted on dx.com). And it looks as if he doesn't really care at all. After all, I have a problem trusting a player who faced opponents who he could simply overpower his whole carreer, which he won't do in the NBA.

Current draftexpress slot: # 4

8) Pistons: Jan Vesley

Vesley or Walker? I really don't know, they could go either way. With Walker they could play Stuckey at the SG spot, which would make Ben Gordon or Rip Hamilton expendable. But Vesley is a versatile player who can defend multiple positions and fills a positional need for them. He is a quick, athletic player who has a great height advantage at the SF position. He has to improve his FT-shooting though (54 %).

Current draftexpress slot: # 6

9) Bobcats: Kemba Walker

"OMG, Kemba Walker at # 9???" Yep, sue me. He's undersized (like DJ Augustin), but he is a serious upgrade at the PG position. The Cats need some size too, but they should be able to get a big guy with their 19th pick. Walker is too much a steal at # 9 to pass on him. He might as well go to Raptors at # 5, but he won't fall any lower.

He is a true PG and floor general with no real weaknesses, besides his size, which will make it diffucult for him to defend bigger PGs.

Current draftexpress slot: #5

10) Bucks: Alec Burks

Picking a SG makes the most sense considering the current roster. He's not the best shooter in the draft, but he is a proven scorer, plus he is only 19 years old. He gives the Bucks' roster more balance and a solid guy who might even crack the starting five through the season. He saw his stock fall down the last few days, but i think his will be picked in the lottery.

He has to improve his three point shot, but he still does a little bit of everything. He might be able to provide a scoring punch coming off the bench and should be able to get to line quite often.

Current draftexpress slot: # 19

11) Warriors: Klay Thompson

He's a solid choice at #11. He has good height for a SG/SF and gives the Warriors another perimeter scorer who will help spread the floor. If they trade Ellis and play him at SG, he gives them much needed size in the backcourt. But he might most likely become a 6th or 7th player for them. He has to improve his defense though.

Current draftexpress slot: # 11

12) Jazz: Chris Singleton

Picking Jimmer at #12 would put too much pressure on coach Corbin, since he would have to figure out how to split minutes between Knight, Harris and Fredette. And if they part with Harris, i dunno if they want two rookie PG running the show. Picking Marcus Morris would make sense, but they already have Milsap and Favors, so it would be hard for him to get minutes. I have to agree with Jonathan Givony here, who says:

Singleton has been moving up draft boards lately thanks to some impressive workouts. He reportedly has huge fans in Utah’s front office. With Andrei Kirilenko entering free agency and unlikely to return, Singleton would fill a need immediately at small forward. He has the added benefit of being able to defend multiple positions, which will help Gordon Hayward get on the floor more easily.

He is one of the best defenders in the draft, and the Jazz could very well use his to guard scorers on the opposing team, especially with his height advantage. He has to work on his offensive game and develop better shooting mechanics to become a complete player.

Current draftexpress slot: # 12

13) Suns: Marcus Morris

They might also consider taking Jimmer, but they need an upgrade at the PF position, and Morris is a player who might take Warrick's starting spot within a few weeks. He would be a great fit in the Suns' offense, since he is a player who knows how to finish in the paint in various ways.

He is an above average shooter, but needs to improve his defensive rebounding. Besides his lack of real height for a PF, he is the purest PF in the draft.

Current draftexpress slot: # 10

14) Rockets: Big M (Donatas Motiejunas)

They need size, and Big M has size. He may not be a typical low post center (in fact, he seems better suited on the high post and perimeter), but he would certainly create mismatches against smaller opponents. Plus, he was considered a top 5 pick not so long ago, so the potential should be there.

Current draftexpress slot: # 18

*** *** ***                                                                  

15) Pacers: Jimmer Fredette

16) 76ers: Markieff Morris

17) Knicks: Tristan Thompson

18) Wizards: Tobias Harris

19) Bobcats: Marshon Brooks

20) Timberwolves: Nikola Vucevic

21) Trailblazers: Iman Shumpert

22) Nuggets: Kenneth Faried

23) Rockets: Jordan Hamilton

24) Thunder: Kyle Singler

25) Celtics: Tyler Honeycutt

26) Mavericks: Justin Harper

27) Nets: Davis Bertans

28) Bulls: Darius Morris

29) Spurs: Jeremy Tyler

30) Bulls: Nikola Mirotic

(all team logos via i.cdn.turner.com)

When i was reading a few articles about the upcoming draft and compare certain players to fomer draftees, Terrico White's name came up, and i was wondering: what is that guy's status? I knew he was injured (broke his foot), and that made me look for others players whose rookie seasons got cut short by injuries. Here's the list (if i missed someone, please lemme know in the comments):

Terrico White, Pistons

His current status is unclear, the last thing i found was this article from March 18, 2011:

White just started practicing fully this week. So far, Pistons coach John Kuester likes what he sees.

"He’s starting to get into basketball shape," Kuester said. "I’m very pleased with his progress in practice. It’s good to have him on the court."

White is glad to be back as well.

"I’ve never had to sit out that long from an injury," White said. "I mean, it’s been hard. I’m still trying to learn by watching. ... It’s been five, six months. It’s been hard just sitting there watching them play."

Right now, White is focused on regaining the strength in his right leg. He said he still has some pain in his foot, but that Kander said that is normal.

"He said that comes with it," White said. "I’m just trying to tough it out and just trying to build up the strength in my leg. When I do that, I’ll be ready."

In case you don't remember White, check out his dx.com profile page here.

I think it depends mostly on who the Pistons new coach is going to be and which players remain on the roster.

White's contract is unguaranteed if he gets waived before or on July 18th.

Darington Hobson, Bucks

He got cut by the Bucks in december due to injuries (hip surgery). The last i found about him was that he had a second surgery on his other hip and that he hopes he can re-sign with the Bucks.

Darington Hobson, a 6'7'' forward and the 37th pick in the 2010 draft, has had successful surgery on both hips, is off of his crutches and will "seriously consider" re-signing with the Bucks (lockout allowing), the Racine Journal Times reported this weekend.

"They have been very good to Darington. And Daring likes it there," said Hobson's agent, Sid Lash. "We got to do our due diligence and find out if it's the right fit for the Bucks and for us.''

[...]

Unfortunately, the last thing the worst shooting team in the NBA needs is a 24-year-old coming off of two hip surgeries who shot worse than the 24-year-old they already have (Luc Mbah a Moute, a restricted free agent) and has yet to prove he can play the kind of in-your-face defense that Bucks coach Scott Skiles demands.

So while Hobson is seriously considering a return to the Bucks, it isn't clear why the Bucks would consider offering Hobson a contract and an invite to camp.

See his dx.com profile here.

Sounds like his chances won't be high to get a direct chance for an NBA team. I hope we will see him in the D-League though, he definately has enough talent to make an impact there.

Daniel Orton, Magic

The former Kentucky big man had injurie issues before the draft, and right after a promising D-League stint, he injured his left knee again.

Here's the newest i could find about him:

Orton hopes all of the waiting, loneliness and frustration of his rookie season help him earn consistent minutes as Dwight Howard’s backup next season, as he recently told the Sentinel.

But there’s much to learn before Orton is ready to play in his first NBA game.

He needs to cut his weight down. He’s listed at 255 pounds but weighs more than that.

His left knee, which forced him to miss his senior year of high school and most of this year, needs to get better. He tore his meniscus a little more than two years ago while a senior at Bishop McGuinness High in Oklahoma City, and then underwent arthroscopic surgery after his second D-League game this season.

The knee is OK now and hasn’t limited him in workouts, but he hasn’t played at full-speed with the team since the scope surgery in December.

His contract is fully guaranteed so he has not to worry about being cut. If the stays healthy i think he has a good chance to become a rotation guy at the end of next season (if there is one). I expect him to come back to the D-League first, but the Magic need a big guy behind Howard. If they can't find one trough trade, they may have to rely on Orton and hope he stays healthy.

Check out his dx.com profile for more info.

Hassan Whiteside, Kings

He was climbing up the draft boards and was even considered a lottery guy by some before last year's draft (thanks in part to his outstanding measurements). He then fell to the second round and proved the fact that he was very, very raw. His D-League stats don't exactly blow you away, and even worse, he injured his left knee and was out for the season. In March he had surgery to repair a partially torn tendon in his left knee.

I couldn't find anything about his current status, but his contract is guaranteed, and if he comes back healthy, the Kings have to make up their mind if they believe in his talents, or include his contracts in possible trade scenarios.

Here's his dx.com profile.

Elliott Williams, Blazers

He was one player i was really looking forward to see playing, sadly his season was cut short by a dislocated right patella. Here is a news update from March 2011 i found:

Rookie guard Elliot Williams, who underwent season-ending surgery on both of his knees, was given the green-light earlier this week to resume light basketball activities, ramp up his shooting and intensify weight-lifting sessions. When the Blazers went through Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Sunday, Williams visited with the doctor who performed his surgeries and received a clean bill of health.

"It went really well," Williams said of the visit. "He said my progress is very good. I can’t jump yet, but I can do everything else and I’m going to start pushing it pretty hard. So I’m excited."

A day after the checkup on Monday, Williams went through the most extensive workout since his surgeries — a 2 1/2-hour session that featured a slew of shooting drills, weight-lifting and cardiovascular work. The No. 22 overall pick of the 2010 NBA draft has been lifting weights for weeks to strengthen the areas around his repaired knees and he recently started doing light shooting.

But Monday marked the first time since surgery that he incorporated movement into his shooting — working off of screens, doing one-dribble pull-ups, etc. — and he also did some jogging.

"My legs felt a little weird because it had been so long, but it feels good," he said. "I actually shot the ball pretty well."

How well?

"He was making everything," said Chris Johnson, who worked out with Williams.

It's hard to believe that a player who mostly relied on his athletic abilties could come back as the same, but i really hope that he will come back strong. His guareteed contract gives him some saftey.

Check out his dx.com profile here.

I'm gonna include a poll to this because i wanna know what player you think will have the most impact if healthy.

here are some random links to some more or less interesting articles. i quoted an excerpt to catch your interest, the articles are usually much more longer than that. here we go:

Cavs still debating No. 1 pick (yahoo)

via l.yimg.com

Irving worked out for the Cavs in Cleveland last week while Williams worked out on Tuesday. Scott said he also was impressed with both players after having dinner with them.

[...]

"He [Irving] has his head on right," said Scott, who coached the New Orleans Hornets before he was hired in Cleveland. "He reminded me so much of my initial contact with Chris Paul. Kyrie was a lot like him. The thing that stood out to me when I met him was he was a lot bigger than I thought. He’s a good-sized point guard. He’s 6-3 and a legit 6-3, not 6-feet or 6-1.

"In our general conversation, he was a very, very intelligent young man and a very mature young man. He has a lot of confidence in himself. He didn’t answer like, ‘Uh, well.’ He answered pretty matter of fact. That impressed me about him."

Williams averaged 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds as a sophomore with Arizona last season. Scott believes Williams (6-9, 250 pounds) can play both forward positions.

"Very strong, great athlete, can get his shot off as well," Scott said. "He’s a guy that people say is a tweener, but I think he can play both. He’s going to obviously have to get better on the defensive end, but he’s just a great athlete, and if we were to have him, he’d give J.J. [Hickson] and those guys a run for their money [at power forward].

"He’s a very good kid as well, very mature. He had a good understanding of himself and the game."

NBA Mock Draft 3.0 (yahoo, via draftexpress.com)

The Cavs are doing their due diligence, and continue to explore the possibility of picking Derrick Williams (who visited Cleveland on Tuesday and agreed to work out competitively against lower-profile collegiate prospects) at No. 1 in hopes that point guard Brandon Knight falls to No. 4. But that scenario remains unlikely.

Cleveland will try to bring Knight and Kemba Walker in at some point for a competitive workout, meaning that the Cavs are far from showing their hand.

[...]

Williams has scheduled his only workout so far with the Timberwolves on Thursday, the same day that Enes Kanter will be in Minnesota. It does not appear that the two will be matching up head-to-head, which may be more of a blow for Kanter since Williams’ stock is higher. Williams has agreed to work out competitively for Minnesota, although not against Kanter.

[...]

The Kings’ Geoff Petrie has shown that he’s not afraid to "reach" for the prospect he most covets, which is why it shouldn’t surprise anyone if Fredette ends up here. The BYU guard is arguably the most polished and NBA-ready player available.

[...]

Singleton has been moving up draft boards lately thanks to some impressive workouts. He reportedly has huge fans in Utah’s front office.

[...]

Phoenix needs an upgrade at power forward, where they play the likes of Hakim Warrick and Channing Frye. [Tristan] Thompson addresses the team’s poor defense and rebounding. He’s had some strong workouts and interviews, and could get picked higher than this, particularly if Cleveland (reportedly his biggest fans) decides to trade down or acquire another pick.

[...]

Brooks has been rocketing up draft boards thanks to strong measurements and excellent workouts. He reportedly impressed Larry Bird so much in his workout in Indiana that the Hall of Famer could not hide his satisfaction.

Jimmer Fredette impresses in workout with Kemba Walker (yahoo BDL)

However, earlier Wednesday, he got his chance to face Walker (and several other players) in a workout held by the Utah Jazz. It turns out Jimmer was pretty impressive. From the Twitter of Brian Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune (via PBT):

Jimmer wasn't outplayed by Walker. Definitely held his own, according to four other players involved in workout.

Brooks, Burks glad to get second chance with Bobcats (sportingnews)

via dy.snimg.com

Marshon Brooks was looking forward to Wednesday’s predraft workout in Charlotte for a couple of reasons.

For one thing, it was his second chance to make a first impression. An injured ankle he suffered in his first workout, for the Knicks, meant he had to delay — not cancel, he hoped — his initial chance to showcase his skills for the Bobcats, who own the Nos. 9 and 19 overall picks in the first round.

"It gave me a lot of confidence that they actually wanted to bring me back," said Brooks, the 6-foot-5 Providence product who was originally scheduled to work out for the Bobcats on June 7. "That was huge for me. I just wasn’t ready to go at the time. I could have gone out there but I wanted to give Charlotte my best look."

And then there was the opportunity for a head-to-head matchup against his primary competition on Wednesday — Colorado’s Alec Burks.

NBA Draft debates: Jimmer Fredette or Justin Harper-who's the best shooter? (sportingnews)

Scout’s take: "There are actually some pretty good shooters in this draft. Jimmer, obviously, and Justin Harper, but I would throw in guys like Klay Thompson, too. And those guys should be able to get their shots off in the NBA, too—I don’t think they will have to worry too much about the adjustment period. In my mind, Jimmer Fredette is one of the top three or four college shooters I’ve seen, so you have to have him at the top. But those stretch fours are always good to have, and Harper has value because of it."

Jimmer Fredette takes center stage at Utah Jazz workout (sportingnews)

via dy.snimg.com

Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin said Walker showed a ton of defensive quickness and good scoring ability.

He said he liked what Fredette showed in terms of athleticism and defensive commitment.

"They're both competitors," Corbin said. "You can't argue against the success that either one of those kids has had. They had great college careers and their talent level and the work they demonstrated today show why."

Is Kyrie Irving a risky No. 1 pick? (ESPN)

But it is more about uncertainty than ability. John Wall and Derrick Rose both dramatically improved their assist numbers and turned the ball over more when they first started as freshmen at Kentucky and Memphis, respectively. But by the end of his only college season, Irving's assists decreased -- he averaged 9.9 assists per 40 minutes in his first five games, but just 3.3 assists per 40 minutes in his last six games -- and his turnovers increased.

Still, the metrics show that Irving may be in good company, as he compares most favorably to Chris Paul and Ty Lawson. Further on down the list are Jerryd Bayless and William Avery, both first-round picks who have not had great success relative to the other players. Others are Steve Francis, Stephon Marbury and Mike Bibby, from which we can safely draw the conclusion that Irving will be a scoring point guard, like these other players.

Irving has about a 60 percent chance of being good and a legitimate chance of being really good. But because he played only 303 college minutes, there is also a relatively large chance (about 15 percent) that he fails.

Dime Q&A: Jeremy Tyler Talks About The NBA Draft, His Journey & Surviving An Earthquake (Dime)

Dime: What kind of improvements have you been working on with Coach Hill as far as your game?

JT: Everything, a series of moves that I have that I’m comfortable with, and we’ve tried to get them to perfection. I mean, he has a lot of on the court and off the court things to teach me. 75 percent of the workout is all mental. It’s just been a fun experience, a fun journey that I’ve been through. He knows what I’ve been through. It’s been great.

The Forgotten One: Ben Hansbrough (draftexpress)

via content.draftexpress.com

While it's hard to ignore the kind of production the senior saw in arguably the best conference in the country, many question Hansbrough's ability to create scoring chances for himself at the same rate against NBA defenders. Equally as worrisome are the concerns about his ability to defend his position, matching up with players who are bigger, stronger and quicker than those he saw in the Big East. It is in this shroud of doubt that Ben perhaps most closely resembles Tyler – an underappreciated star begging for a chance rebel against his detractors.

In spite of a prodigious four-year career at North Carolina, the elder Hansbrough remained an easy target for many skeptics, honing in on his modest size and athleticism for a power forward. After a coaching change midway through the regular season for the Pacers that saw Tyler move into the starting rotation, he quickly became a valuable contributor for a playoff bound Indiana team. In his sudden rise to respectability at the pro level, he sees a path for his younger brother to follow.

"I can see that," he says. "I think Ben is really going to be able to help a team, he can shoot and distribute the ball well. He's a good quality guy who knows how to carry himself. A lot of people underestimate what he's capable of doing in the NBA. "

 

here are some random links to some more or less interesting articles. i quoted an excerpt to catch your interest, the articles are usually much more longer than that. here we go:

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Finding-a-Niche-for-Enes-Kanter-3743/

Using recently acquired game footage from his prep school days in the 2009-10 season, we've been able to learn more about his strengths and weaknesses as a prospect, which can hopefully shine some light on his ability as a player.

Prep school basketball is far from an ideal setting to evaluate Kanter's NBA prospects due to the weak competition he faced, but it's more than we previously had to work with, which was very little.

In writing this report, we looked at the following games:

-Four Stoneridge Prep games spanning from November 2009 to January 2010
-The Nike Hoop Summit on April 10, 2010
-Turkey vs. Lithuania, August 2, 2009 – Kanter vs Jonas Valanciunas at the U-18 European Championship

We also created two edits (offense and defense) to help illustrate some of the points we're making. Due to potential rights issues, only clips from his high school games were included.

http://www.raptorshq.com/2011/6/8/2212231/raptors-draft-workout-numero-uno

Now normally a pre-draft workout that featured these two would be an incredibly interesting session to take in, but unfortunately Franchise and I were left quite disappointed when all was said and done.

Why?

Well for starters, it was reported that Brandon Knight's agent did not want his ex Wildcat client working out against Walker.  This of course led to the creation of the two sessions, with Walker working out in the morning with Jacob Pullen and various other prospects, and Knight coming in separately for the afternoon run.

Second, well, even though media was granted access to the workouts, we were really limited in terms of what we were able to see. 

We were only able to catch the tail end of these workout sessions, which was really only the outside shooting portions, and it seems that each year we're able to take in less and less of the live action that goes on.  Franchise correctly noted that four years ago during our first pre-draft access, often media took in the last half hour of action, and we were able to not only get an idea of how certain players fared against each other, but also capture live action shots of the ongoings.

http://www2.kusports.com/news/2011/jun/09/morris-twins-bobcats-its-possible/

Marcus Morris going ninth is an easy sell. He could go higher, he could go lower, but he’s certainly a lottery pick, which means he’ll go in the Top 14.

Here’s Ford’s take on Marcus: "The Bobcats haven’t been the greatest drafters the past few years. Michael Jordan is determined to change that. The thinking in Charlotte is to not take big risks — to go with a proven product and swing for a double instead of a home run. Morris, with his versatility, toughness and Kansas pedigree is a very good option."

So we’re good there. But Markieff Morris at No. 19 is a little more of a stretch. The reason? The Bobcats have to hope that Markieff still is available when their second pick in Round 1 rolls around. It’s possible, but there has been plenty of talk of him landing in the lottery, as well.

Here’s Ford’s take on Markieff and the potential Morris twins merger: "A month ago I was in Florida with the Morris twins and the big topic of discussion was the inevitability of the two brothers breaking up when they were drafted by different teams. We explored a number of options that could reunite them on the same team. This is really the only plausible one, and it’s more plausible than you think. The Bobcats are one of those teams that thinks the twins can play together. If it happens, you’ll see two very happy twins on draft night."

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2011/06/nba_draft_2011_darius_morris.html

Our countdown to the 2011 NBA draft continues with a look at Darius Morris, a 6-foot-5 point guard from Michigan.

Morris led the Big 10 in assists per game (6.7) as a sophomore, setting Michigan’s single-season assist record with 235, and led his team with 15.0 points per contest.

Morris, who is drawing many comparisons to Andre Miller, has a scheduled workout with the Trail Blazers

according to the Detroit Free Press. Portland holds the No. 21 and No. 51 picks in the June 23 draft.

http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=20067

This is one of the most deceiving times of year where teams can easily be fooled by a string of good workouts and solid interviews. The team that puts more stock in what they've seen over the last several weeks rather than what they saw during the regular season is most likely to end up disappointed.

The time leading up to the draft is really just a small piece of the puzzle allowing teams to get to know prospects on a personal level and see some of the skills they have to offer. However, what it all comes down to is whether or not they can play and there's no better judgment of that than game film.

Everyone in this draft believes their best days are ahead of them. They're doing everything they can to sell teams on that, but the ones who have truly succeeded are the ones who have a good track record to back it up. Those players compromise our five on the rise:

http://www.bulletsforever.com/2011/6/8/2213851/2011-nba-draft-news-chad-fords-latest-mock-draft-and-more

Meanwhile, the Wizards' brass is heading over to Italy this weekend to watch the Adidas Eurocamp in Treviso, where they'll get a good look at guys like Jonas Valanciunas, Jan Vesely and Bismack Biyombo.  Here's what's interesting, though.  According to Jonathan Givony of Draft Express, the Wizards have joined Toronto and Utah to watch Jan Vesely in the Serbian League Finals prior to the camp.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/luke_winn/06/08/nba.draft.williams.jenkins/index.html?sct=nba_t11_a1

Arizona's Derrick Williams is the most complete player available, and would be well worth trading for at No. 2 -- or even selecting ahead of Duke point guard Kyrie Irving at No. 1. Everyone knows that Williams is versatile; a search for his name and that adjective yields around 127,000 hits in Google. His standard stats make it clear he's an excellent scorer (19.5 points per game), rebounder (8.3 per game), three-point shooter (56.8 percent) and drawer of fouls (11.6 free-throw attempts per 40 minutes), but the hoops world may not realize the true degree of his versatility. The data in his Synergy file is stunning:

http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2011/06/post_178.html

The Cleveland Cavaliers own the first and fourth overall picks. With No. 1, they'll tab Duke point guard Kyrie Irving.

Or will they? Will the conventional wisdom prevalent since the lottery ping pong balls dropped the Cavs' way prove as unreliable as LeBron James at crunch time?

An NBADraft.net mock draft, on FoxSports.com, has the Cavaliers taking Arizona forward Derrick Williams with the first pick, with the comment:

Brandon Knight to work out for Kings Thursday

The Kings will hold a pre-draft workout with Kentucky guard Brandon Knight Thursday at the team's practice facility.

Jimmer Fredette’s Workout Confirmed with the Jazz

The workouts have begun for the Utah Jazz in preparation for the NBA draft in June. And yes Jazz fans get ready, "The Jimmer" will be among those working out for the Jazz. And while Jimmer day has yet to be determined, he did go through his first workout today for the Indiana Pacers. According to Chad Ford at ESPN, Jimmer admitted to being "a little winded," after the 75 minute workout.

Jimmer Fredette to Work Out with New York Knicks

Jimmer Fredette will have an interesting workout with the New York Knicks Thursday. Fredette will work out with Klay Thompson and Marshon Brooks at the same time for the Knicks. The expectation is that the three players will face off against one another to try and showcase which would be the best player to draft.

Kawhi Leonard hoping to go high in NBA draft

And, while he is still considered a tweener, Leonard his rapid ascension since declaring for the draft has only pushed him to get better and go higher. "It’s not really overwhelming at all for me. If you’re working hard, good things are going to come from it. You just can’t get caught up in all the hype and what people say around you," Leonard said. "I’m just out here working hard, trying to get picked. I want to be a high pick and a lot of hard work comes with that. I just want to be a player in the NBA."

Kyrie Irving wants to remain normal, but Cleveland Cavaliers' potential No. 1 pick is anything but, say coaches, teammates

Of course, Irving got hurt just eight games into the season, twisting ligaments in his right big toe. He wore a cast for three months and still wears an orthotic in his shoe. He surprised many -- including Singler -- by coming back to play in three NCAA tournament games, but he thought he needed to prove he was healthy enough to play in the NBA.

He clearly did that, as virtually every mock draft has him listed as the top player available. For a city still struggling to get over The Chosen One, Boyle thinks Irving can be a great replacement if he's chosen No. 1.

"I think it's a great 'get' for them," Boyle said. "After losing LeBron, fans need something to hold on to. He's an exciting player. He makes other guys around him better. Guys enjoy playing with him and enjoy running because they know they'll get the ball.

"I'm excited to see him at that level."

Cavs workouts: Although the team has not released any information about workouts of potential draft picks, Florida State's Chris Singleton told reporters at his workout with Golden State on Tuesday that his first workout was with the Cavs.

The Cavs would not confirm reports that Turkey's Enes Kanter is due in on June 7. The agent for Providence's Marshon Brooks said Brooks will work out on June 10. ... The Web site thehoopsreport.com reported the Cavs held a workout on Monday that included Singleton, Tobias Harris, Marcus Morris, Jordan Williams, Cory Joseph and Diante Garrett. Harris was matched up against Williams, Morris went up against Singleton, and Joseph matched up with Garrett.

According to the Web site, Morris was the most impressive player and Singleton didn't look good at all. The site also reported that Garrett got the best of Joseph, while the Harris-Williams matchup wasn't an ideal pairing, as Harris is more of a combo forward and Williams is a true post player.

First of all: it’s unclear whether the Bulls keep their pick or not. I think it’s unlikely since the pick has some value in possible sign & trade scenarios. But even if we assume the Bulls keep the pick, it’s not clear if they a) go after the best player available on the board, b) go after a player with the most upside, c) go after a positional need, or d) screw up the whole thing by picking a player who turns out as a bust…sorry. Whatever the Bulls plan, there is a chance that we keep this pick and add a player to our roster.

Let’s take a look at the players who are likely taken in the lottery. Referring to this Consensus Mock Draft posted on NBA.com, which features 12 different mocks all over the net, these players are likely to be out of reach for us:

Wall, Turner, Favors, Cousins, Johnson, Aminu, Monroe, Aldrich, Davis, Udoh, Patterson, Motiejunas, Whiteside. So although all mocks are kind of a gamble, let’s assume these players won’t be on the board at # 17.

Who’s left then? Depending on which mock draft you take a look, the most prominent names left and first-round-bound are:

Daniel Orton, Damion James, James Anderson, Gordon Hayward, Stanley Robinson, Luke Babbitt, Solomon Alabi, Larry Sanders, Paul George, Kevin Seraphin, Eric Bledsoe, Willie Warren, Avery Bradley.

If I was the GM, I would go with a mix of the above stated options (besides d), that is): a player that fits a positional need, can deliver right away (probably as a bench guy), but also has enough upside to emerge into a great player with nearly all-star potential.

I know, that’s what all GMs are looking for in every draft in the # 6 - # 30 range. But, when you look back on the last decade’s drafts, there are a few examples of players who were on the board at # 17 and even have emerged into an all-star (Rondo # 21 2006; Granger # 17 and Lee # 30, 2005; Nelson, # 20, 2004; West # 18, 2003; and so on…). And those drafts weren’t even those that are considered real deep drafts (like 2003).

This shows that it’s not impossible to find such first round gems, but very unlikely. Anyways, here are the players that I think fit the criteria:

-    Larry Sanders: Here are some pure facts of what you get when you pick him: a 6’10.5’’ guy, with a nearly 7’6’’ wingspan, standing reach of 9’4’’ and 4.6 % body fat…okay, plus he weighs only 222 pounds. But you have to admit, the numbers are impressive, right? Add to this his speed, his ability to run the floor and a great timing for shot-blocking. He may be more suited to defend the PF position rather than the C position, but offensively he could play both positions. He might fit in quite well as a backup for Gibson and/or Noah if we can’t land a quality big man in free agency (possibly in a Joe Johnson scenario).
I see him ahead of other available big-men like Orton, Alabi, Seraphin simply because he is more polished than them and is not as raw as them.
You’re still not convinced? Take a look at what Mat Shelton and Michael Hagan at VCURamNation.com write in this Thunder blog entry.

-    Luke Babbitt: Some have him ranked higher, even in the lottery. The way he climbs on the boards right now seems to draw comparisons to Joe Alexander, who failed to fulfil the expectations. But Babbitt is certainly a different player type than Alexander. He’s a versatile wing with great height (nearly 6’9’’ with shoes), great shooting numbers (50 % from the field, 42 % 3pt, 92 % FT). His high scoring and rebounding averages must be seen in relation to his high minutes played (37.1). But he has shown that he can carry a team and is a solid shooter. There remain questions about his defensive skills, but if we do sign a SF (I won’t call names on this one) and/or a PF and part with Deng, Babbitt can be a nice addition coming off the bench and delivering some sharp-shooting.
Other possible options if we go for a SF are George, Anderson or Hayward, but I see Babbitt as the more versatile and more solid player.

-    Avery Bradley: This is not a draft that is stacked with quality guards. What separates Bradley from Bledsoe or Warren is his great defense. He is considered one of the best defenders off the ball in this draft, but the big question surrounding him is if he can play SG with his limited height, 6’3’’ with shoes. Another thing that may concern is his inability to get to the free throw line. His other strength is his outside shot, which already impressed observers in the Draft Combine. If we do not land an additional guard, which we desperately need, in free agency, Bradley might help coming off the bench.
If we go more for a PG, the one player that makes sense is Bledsoe. He hasn’t had that big of a role on a Kentucky squad that had John Wall running the show, with Bledsoe mostly playing off the ball. But you could clearly see that Bledsoe possesses the athleticism, speed and will to finish around the rim. He also has an okay three point range (38 %), but the problem with him is that he hasn’t shown he can handle the ball well and run an offense (which he wasn’t asked for, though). It remains to be seen if he can develop into a real PG or if he develops into a kind of Nate Robinson undersized off-guard.

Lemme hear what you think and give me some feedback. And excuse spelling mistakes if you find some, english is not my native language.