SB Nation User Blog: ejdacanay

Warriors-Nets Talking Swap (C-Mag for Vinsanity)

ejdacanay — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:09:29 -0000

Warriors-Nets Talking Swap (C-Mag for Vinsanity)

Warriors-Nets Talking Swap
Written by Rasheed
Thursday, 25 June 2009

The Warriors and New Jersey Nets are talking about a deal which would send Vince Carter to the Warriors. The Warriors have offered 6th man Corey Maggette as the centerpiece in the deal along with swapping first round picks this year. The hold up at this point seems to be who else the Warriors would send to the Net along with the Nets wanting the Warriors to take back Keyon Dooling as well.

Can the Warriors and Clips make a deal this offseason?

ejdacanay — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 04:50:51 -0000

Hey guys, Greetings from GSoM. We are both within the divison, so making a trade may be difficult even though both teams are irrevelant. You guys are loaded with bigs and we got alot of young talent in the 1-3 positions. I'd love to get DeAndre from you guys or even Z-Bo if we can dump one of our long contracts (C-Mag, Jackson). Then there's also the Baron back to the bay dealio (Which I'm not a fan of). But what deals can we make for DeAndre? What deals do you guys like with us?

Thanks for your time!

NBA Draft Superthread III

ejdacanay — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 05:14:10 -0000

2009 NBA Draft:

June 25, 2009

ESPN

4 p.m.-9 p.m. PST

Current Draft Order:

1. Los Angeles Clippers
2. Memphis Grizzlies
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Sacramento Kings
5. Washington Wizards
6. Minnesota Timberwolves
7. Golden State Warriors
8. New York Knicks
9. Toronto Raptors
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. New Jersey Nets
12. Charlotte Bobcats
13. Indiana Pacers
14. Phoenix Suns

Our Projected Pre-Off-Season 2010 Depth Chart:

PG: Monta Ellis, Jamal Crawford, CJ Watson

SG: Stephen Jakson, Anthony Morrow, Marco Belinelli

SF: Kelenna Azubuike, Corey Maggette

PF: Anthony Randolph, Brandan Wright

C: Andris Biedrins, Ronny Turiaf

Why the Warriors should draft a PG:

If there's a position we are thin at it will be at the PG position. We are lacking playmaking PG's while we are stocked well in scoring PG's.

Our PG's: Ellis, Morrow, Watson, Crawford

Why the Warriors should draft a SG or SF:

Personnel wise we are OK at both positions, especially at the 3. When it comes to true SG's. We have none other than Marco. Drafting a SG is certainly an option.

Our 2's: Ellis, Morrow, Crawford, Belinelli, Jackson, Azubuike

Our 3's: Jackson, Maggette, Azubuike, Randolph [Possible]

Why the Warriors should draft a PF:

Power Forward is a position we have great talent and potential at with Randolph and Wright. Depth over a future starter would be the ideal reason to draft a 4, but there are other needs.

Our 4's: Randolph, Kurz, Davidson, Wright, Turiaf, (All 3's if we play small)

Why the Warriors should draft a C:

The Warriors should draft a Center, but not as a starter, but a backup. This years draft is incredibly weak at the Center spot with only 2 1st round talents in Thabeet and Mullens. You do not draft a backup at #7, but once again if we go BPA and Thabeet is available at our slot not at #1 then he may be the pick.

Our 5's: Biedrins, Turiaf, Randolph, (All 4's if we play small)

Why the Warriors should Trade The Pick:

The Warriors should trade down if at our slot there is no perfect candidate to pick with (Mainly a non-top 3 pick). A trade down to the mid-later 1st would give us many specialists to pick and some pre-season high rated prospects such as Mullens, Teague, Aminu, Lawson, Collison. We can also trade for current NBA players who management target.

Draft Tek's Big Board

(Updated May 17th)

*Rnk*	*Player*	*College*	*Psn 1*	*Psn 2*	H	Wt
1	Blake Griffin	Oklahoma	PF		6-10	252
2	Ricky Rubio	DKV Joventut	PG		6-3	180
3	Jordan Hill	Arizona	PF		6-10	235
4	Hasheem Thabeet	Connecticut	C		7-3	265
5	James Harden	Arizona State	SG		6-5	220
6	DeMar DeRozan	USC	SG		6-6	210
7	Brandon Jennings	Virtus Roma	PG		6-1	170
8	Earl Clark	Louisville	SF		6-10	230
9	Stephen Curry	Davidson	PG	SG	6-1	180
10	Gerald Henderson	Duke	SG		6-4	210
11	Tyreke Evans	Memphis	SG		6-6	219
12	Jonny Flynn	Syracuse	PG		6-0	185
13	James Johnson	Wake Forest	SF		6-8	235
14	Eric Maynor	VCU	PG		6-3	180
15	Ty Lawson	North Carolina	PG		6-0	195
16	Jeff Teague	Wake Forest	PG		6-2	175
17	DeJuan Blair	Pittsburgh	PF		6-6	287
18	B.J. Mullens	Ohio State	C		7-0	275
19	Chase Budinger	Arizona	SG	SF	6-7	218
20	Terrence Williams	Louisville	SG	SF	6-6	220
21	Wayne Ellington	North Carolina	SG		6-5	194
22	Gani Lawal	Georgia Tech	PF		6-9	233
23	Jrue Holliday	UCLA	PG	SG	6-3	205
24	Patrick Mills	St. Mary's	PG		5-11	180
25	Sam Young	Pittsburgh	SF		6-6	220
26	Tyler Hansbrough	North Carolina	PF		6-8	245
27	Darren Collison	UCLA	PG		6-0	170
28	DaJuan Summers	Georgetown	SF		6-8	225
29	Austin Daye	Gonzaga	SF		6-10	200
30	Derrick Brown	Xavier	SF		6-8	227

ESPN's Big Board

RK	Player		AGE	POS	HT	WT	SCHOOL/COUNtrY	PROJECTION
1		Blake Griffin	20	PF	6-10	248	Oklahoma	Top 5
1		May 13 update Griffin looks like the closest thing to Superman the NBA has ... more
2		Ricky Rubio	18	PG	6-4	180	Spain	Top 5
2		May 25 Update: Will he sign with the team that drafts him? To terminate ... more
3		Hasheem Thabeet	22	C	7-3	267	Connecticut	Top 5
3		May 14 Update: Thabeet is one of the most polarizing players in the draft. ... more
4		James Harden	19	SG	6-5	222	Arizona State	Top 10
4		May 15 Update:We've had Harden ranked in the Top 5 of our Top 100 ... more
5		Jordan Hill	21	PF	6-10	232	Arizona	Top 10
5		May 21 update: Among the most improbable storylines of the NBA draft has been ... more
6		Stephen Curry	21	PG	6-3	181	Davidson	Lottery
6		Apr 23 Update: It shouldn't come as a huge surprise that Curry has decided ... more
7		Tyreke Evans	19	SG	6-5	220	Memphis	Lottery
7		Apr 20 Update: Evans has made the argument over the last two weeks of ... more
8		Jrue Holiday	18	PG	6-4	199	UCLA	Lottery
8		May 18 update: In a draft without many players with big upside, Holiday has ... more
9		Jonny Flynn	20	PG	6-1	196	Syracuse	Lottery
9		May 25 update: Over the past few weeks, a number of GMs seem ... more
10		DeMar DeRozan	19	SG	6-6	211	USC	Lottery
10		Apr 8 Update: DeRozan is riding a terrific March back into the lottery. He ... more
11		DeJuan Blair	20	PF	6-7	277	Pittsburgh	Lottery to mid first round
11		May 18 Update The problem for Blair is in the definition of "big man." ... more
12		Brandon Jennings	19	PG	6-2	165	Italy	Lottery to mid first round
12		May 28 Update: Jennings is all over the map for NBA teams, and seeing ... more
13		Jeff Teague	20	PG	6-2	175	Wake Forest	Lottery to mid first round
13		Apr 8 Update: Teague got off to a terrific start this year and a ... more
14		Austin Daye	20	SF	6-11	192	Gonzaga	Lottery to mid first round
14		May 14 Update: Daye has had one of the biggest swings of any player ... more
15		Earl Clark	21	SF	6-10	226	Louisville	Lottery to mid first round
15		May 18 Update: The question about Clark always has been about heart. Does he ... more
16		Eric Maynor	21	PG	6-3	164	VA Commonwealth	Lottery to mid first round
16		Mar 23 Update: Maynor is another guy who came up big in a losing ... more
17		James Johnson	22	PF	6-8	257	Wake Forest	Lottery to mid first round
17		April 4 Update: Johnson is a very intriguing prospect. He's a great athlete, has ... more
18		Gerald Henderson	21	SG	6-5	215	Duke	Lottery to mid first round
18		April 25 Update: After two pretty non descript years at Duke, Henderson blew up ... more
19		Tyler Hansbrough	23	PF	6-10	234	North Carolina	Mid to late first round
19		May 15 Update: Word out of North Carolina, where he's working out, is that ... more
20		B. J. Mullens	20	C	7-1	258	Ohio State	Mid to late first round
20		Mar 26 Update: Mullens was projected as a Top 5 pick at the start ... more

EJ's Draft Board with Personal Scouting reports:

1. Blake Griffin

2. Ricky Rubio

3. Hasheem Thabeet

4. James Harden

5. Jordan Hill

6. Brandon Jennings

7, DeMar Derozan

8. Tyreke Evans

9. Johnny Flynn

10. Jrue Holiday

Demar DeRozan

Demar is another Pac-10 prospect and could've been a favorite among SC fans if he did not declare. Was a highly regarded SG/SF prospect coming out of High School. Two words to describe Demar: Offensive Powerhouse. Demar is an excellent offensive option from 17 feet to the hoop. His mid range game is the best in the class, he's a highly effective slasher and gets to the hoop well with fluidity and grace, and he's deadly in transition. His freakish athleticism and long wingspan should make him a good defender, but his footwork needs some tweaking. Demar is in my opinion a 'project' prospect, very high ceiling and great tools, but inconsistency, a less than stellar 3-Point range, inability to create for teammates, and below average ball handling may make him bust. Drafting DeMar would give us a legit SG and could possibly free up Monta for a trade.

Tyreke Evans

Tyreke Evans was another highly touted HS prospect. Was ranked in top 5 by most major scouting agencies and major sports networks. Tyreke is a score first PG, but may has the ability to play SG in the NBA. Tyreke has excellent size at 6'6" and a Wingspan of 7'3". He has great range and has the ability to hit from downtown, is excellent in transition, and finishes very well at the hole. Him and Jennings are probably the most exciting players in this draft. He's able to defend both guard positions which was seen alot with the Tigers and is apt in grabbing steals. Tyreke has all the tools to be an offensive juggernaut, but he has to cut his turnovers down (Worst in this years Draft class), needs to work on his lackluster PG skillset, needs to be more disciplined on the court (He's spontaneuous), and has off court issues.

Johnny Flynn

The former Orange star has risen up draft boards with fellow PG prospect Holiday within the last weeks. He was the 4th best PG in the High School class of 07 according to both Rivals and Scout scouting sites. He is very similar to size to Ty Lawson, but Flynn outhsines Lawson in athleticism. Flynn's college campaign ended with a spectacular Sweet 16 run, Syracuse's first sicne 04, in which they beat Harden's best Pac-10 team, the Sun Devils, before gettign eliminated by Griffin's Sooners. Johnny's strenths are in his excellent athelticism and speed when combined with his leadership, court vision, and driving ability he is the perfect playmaker designed for an uptempo team like the Warriors. However, like Lawson he is undersized. He also needs to work on his outside jumper, his occasional erattic playstyle, his defense, and watch his turnovers.

Blake Griffin

Blake is the unofficial #1 prospect in this draft. He's likely to go #1 and will not go past #2 in any situation. Blake is a big and mobile PF who loves to do the dirty work down low and was the most efficient player in the NCAA. The former Sooner has an NBA Ready body that will get you rebounds, will get you points in the paint, and will get his hands dirty on Defense. A great character and teammate, high work ethic, to add to his freakish athleticism for his size. Handles the ball well and passes well for a big man. However, he is not a perfect specimen; he still has not developed a good mid range game (Can't hit well beyond 13-14 feet), is only a 60% FT shooter, Defensive technique is inadequate, has had knee injuries, and is turnover prone.

James Harden

James Harden was the best player in the Pac 10 this year. Was highly efficient on both sides of the ball. Offensively he's able to get to the rim with relative ease and his body control is outstanding, he's able to twist his body which make him an excellent slasher and a perfect guy to have on the fast break. He's a SG who has great court vision, great passing ability, high basketball IQ, and is not erratic with his shot selection. Defensively, he is one of the best, he can guard well Man to Man, is strout, is active on terrorizing passing lanes, and looks as if he actually wants to play D. He has decent range (Can hit downtown as well), but has an inconsistent jumper. He also has average, or maybe less than average, agility and athelticisim. He's also very turnover prone and his handling skills are questionable.

Jordan Hill

Jordan Hill is likely to be the second PF taken off the board. Jordan is another athletic big with an ideal NBA body. The former Wildcat contested well for top Pac-10 player, but I have Harden narrowly beating him out. Jordan, a Junior, has showed great improvement since his Freshman year. He has developed a very solid mid range game, is working on post moves, is a stout shot blocker, is quick and mobile for his size, and is an excellent rebounder. However, he has not developed advanced post moves yet, is old for the draft class, is still inexperienced (Only started playing in High School), is a 65% FT shooter, and still needs to make smarter decisions and work on fundamentals (FT Shooting, Passing, Footwork).

Jrue Holiday

Like Flynn, Holiday has shot up many draft boards including mine. Jrue was ranked the best PG in the HS class of 08 and 2nd overall for Rivals while ranked the best SG and ranked 2nd overall for Scout Inc. A GSoM favorite, the former Bruin although recruited as a combo guard has told scouts and GM's that "I'm a Floor General." His willingness to focus on the PG spot is very encouraging to teams as his ceiling is one of the highest in the draft, another Boom or Bust pick. Blessed with a huge wingspan, 2nd longest amongst Lottery PG's, he will cause matchup problems for the opposing defense as well as have the ability to guard multiple positions on defense, which he already excels at. He has great PG skills in his vision and passing, is extremely smart, and is unselfish. However, his less than stellar College campaign has strayed away people. He also is average when it comes to athleticism, his jumper, and his 3point shot.

Brandon Jennings

Brandon Jennings was the #1 prospect coming out of HS according to Scout Inc and ESPN and the 4th best accourding to rivals last year and became a High School to EuroLeague Trailblazer. A true PG who is amazingly fast, athletic, and flashy. Dangerous off the dribble and in transition, a terror in the press, and wonderful in stealing the ball (Ranked #1: 5.1 Steals/40 Minutes). He gets to the hole with relative ease while being able to create for himself and for others which makes him a nautral playmaker. Another boom or bust pick, one who screams allstar and another which can yell bust. Skeptics ask; Did the decision cost him? Although he has matured significantly and played in the second best league he is still turnover prone, is undersized and skinny, is an average jumpshooter, and is a lackluster rebounder.

Ty Lawson

Former Tar Heel and Champion, Ty Lawson, is one of 3 excellent true PG's in this years class. As shown in his fantastic big dance performence he is the fastest person in this draft, is a terror on the open court, is phenomonal in the press and in stealing the ball, and is great in creating oppurtunities for others. His PG skillset is excellent in terms of his passing ability, court vision, and ability to draw defenders to himself via his speed which allows him to make easy passes. He has a solid jumpshot with 3-Point range, takes care of the ball very well, and terrific at getting to the hole. Although, he has good bulk for his size, frankly, he is short. He's under 6 foot (5'11") which will give him a hard time offensively against taller defenders. Although a Junior he is still inexpereinced and needs to inspire his teammates in ways other than on the court.

Ricky Rubio

Pistol Pete, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd. These are the comparisons that he is being drawn to and may be rightfully so. Best PG skillset in this draft as well as one of the youngest. Ricky is a wonderful passer, has eagle eye court vision, a great knowledge of the game, has faced many tough opponents, and is a tenacious defender. He is excellent in transition and Ricky has the best Assist/40 Minutes in this draft class, which sits at 10.8/40 Minutes and that's saying something in the Slower paced Euroleague. He's a wild defender, think Sasha Vujacic, and like the other 2 excellent PG's is great in the press and at stealing the ball. He also has the best size of the 3 standing tall at 6'3". He does have weakness though; he's coming off an inury to his wrist, is less than average with his jumper, and is highly turnover prone (2.8/2.4 Ratio in the Euroleague and 2.6/3.0 in the lesser Spanish league). He's also young and inexperienced and has the tendency to be too flashy at times.

Hasheem Thabeet

Hasheem "The Dream" Thabeet was probably my second favorite prospect coming in this year. Hasheem has good athleticism for his size and position and is one of the most mobile Centers I have seen in a long time. His big body also allows him to grab rebounds. Hasheem is a marvelous shotblocker and uses his excellent 7'3" height to help him in doing so. His shotblocking and Defense has drawn comparisons to Mt. Mutombo. He's also shown vast amounts of improvement since joining the Huskie basketball program. As gifted as he is Defensively, it's hard to say that about his offense. He still has not developed much post moves outside of his baby hook and really needs to work on his offensive repertoire. He also needs to work on handling the ball better. He's inexperienced as he's only been playing several years. Lastly, he seems to fade in big games and has been outshined by DeJuan Blair of Pitt.

EJ's Mock Draft

Pick #1 - Clippers: Blake Griffin

Unanimous #1 goes to the lottery Winner, the Clippers.

Alt. Pick: Rubio, Trade the Pick

Notes: Expect Z-Bo, Camby, or Kaman to get traded. Baron Davis is also a candidate to go.

Pick #2 - Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet

Rubio's diva attitude seems to be driving away Memphis, but Thabeet would be an excellent pick, he gives the Grizzlies an excellent front court which will enable Marc to slide to PF. Thabeet, Gasol, and Gay would be a solid 345.

Alt. Pick: Trade Down, Rubio

Notes: A trade down to Sacramento would be ideal as the Kings are searching for a new PG. If Thunder are really interested in Rubio, they are an option as well.

Pick #3 - Thunder: Ricky Rubio

The Thunder need a big man and the Grizzlies have drafted Thabeet. This leaves em with the oppurtunity to pick the best player avaialble and that's Ricky. Ricky would be foolish to pass up an oppurtunity to play for a very talented and young squad. This will move Westbrook to the 2 positon and would give the Thunder a nice 1-2-3.

Alt. Pick: Hasheem Thabeet, Jordan Hill, Trade Up/Down, James Harden

Notes: Thunder are also in a position to trade up for Thabeet or Rubio or Trade down with Sacramento if Rubio is available.

Pick #4- Kings: Jrue Holiday

Kings are begging for a PG. With Rubio off the board, they go for the high draft riser in Jrue. He provides better Defense then Rubio, but the playmaking still needs to be seen.

Alt. Pick: Ricky Rubio, Trade Up, Brandon Jennings, Jordan Hill

Notes: The Kings really want Rubio, they can easily trade up to positons 2 or 3 if Rubio is there. Also, look for a possible move of Beno.

Pick #5- Wizards: Jordan Hill

Wizards are looking for in my opinion the BPA. They can draft an heir at the 1, find a true 2, get 3 depth, get a brusing 4 or 5. And it looks like they'll solidify their frontline with Hill. Hill will give them a versatile frontline and some help for the screaming Butler.

Alt. Pick: James Harden, Trade Down

Notes: Also look to see if they will trade a big especially if they draft Hill.

Pick #6- Timberwolves: James Harden

Unlike the earlier 5, with the exception of Sacramento, the T'Wolves have an excellent frontcourt. Look for the T-Wolves to draft a Wing. And they've lucked out, James Harden has fallen out of the top 5 and they get what in my opinion is one of the safest picks in the draft.

Alt Pick: DeMar DeRozan, Tyreke Evans, Trade Up, Jrue Holiday, Brandon Jennings

Notes: If they feel so, they may give up on Telfair and try their stab at one of the Combo Guards in Evans and Holiday and see if they can win the job from him, if not they can play the 2. A Jennings would autoamtically mean they want competition. Look for them to trade up as well, their 3 1st rounders are gold.

Pick #7- Warriors: Brandon Jennings

The Warriors will be looking for PG help and they have alot to choose from. Jennings [and Flynn] would be ideal for this offense. Warriors are not sold on any one person yet so this will fluctuate within the next few weeks.

Alt. Pick: Jrue Holiday, Johnny Flynn, Tyreke Evans, DeMar Derozan, Ty Lawson, Jordan Hill, Trade Up

Notes: Look for the Warriors to dangle Ellis and/or Biedrins especially if they draft Jennings or DeRozen.

Pick #8- Knicks: Stephen Curry

The Knick fans and D'Antoni will be ecstatic to have Curry. They get a great shooter with adequate PG skills, perfect for D'Antoni's Offense.

Pick #9- Raptors: DeMar Derozan

The Raptors are lacking a real 3. And DeRozan has the potential to be one of the best 3's to come out of this draft. Will be a flashy player that will draw the crowd in.

Pick #10- Bucks: Johnny Flynn

They are rumored to be looking for a PG and it may be Flynn.

Monta Ellis for Joe Johnson? Would you guys do it?

ejdacanay — Sun, 31 May 2009 02:45:35 -0000

We would throw in Brandan Wright and/or Marco Belinelli for filler. You would get a solid offensive weapon at the 1 and 2 position who is locked up long term, as well as a solid shooting prospect and/or a good post product. Also would Josh Smith be available? What deals can we do with the Hawks and what can you guys do with the Warriors?

Thanks and Greetings from Golden State of Mind/GSoM!

NBA Draft SuperThread II

ejdacanay — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:45:51 -0000

2009 NBA Draft:

June 25, 2009

ESPN

4 p.m.-9 p.m. PST

Current Draft Order:

NCAA Players who have declared:

Darion Anderson	Northern Illinois	So.	G	6-2	200
Anderson has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Ryan Anderson	Nebraska	Jr.	G	6-4	205
Anderson has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Dominique Archie	South Carolina	Jr.	F	6-7	200
Archie has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

DeJuan Blair	Pittsburgh	So.	F	6-7	265
Blair has already suffered two knee injuries. There's no sense in having a third before signing an NBA contract, which is why the Big East Player of the Year made a wise move to declare when his stock was high (and knees functional).

Derrick Brown	Xavier	Jr.	F	6-8	225
Assuming Brown returns to Xavier (which he should), first-year coach Chris Mack will have a team expected to win another Atlantic 10 title.

Chase Budinger	Arizona	Jr.	F	6-7	220
Budinger was always going to be picked about where he'll be picked this year, i.e., in the mid-to-late first round. There was no reason to put it off again to play for a fourth coach in four years.

Nick Calathes	Florida	So.	G/F	6-6	195
Calathes is in really good shape considering he has the option of playing in the NBA or professionally in Greece. Either way, he'll make a nice paycheck after two NITs at Florida.

Earl Clark	Louisville	Jr.	G/F	6-9	225
Clark could be the type who is a better pro than he was a college player. His body, quite simply, is built for the NBA game.

Dwayne Collins	Miami (Fla.)	Jr.	F	6-8	240
Collins has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Kareem Cooper	Texas-El Paso	Jr.	C	7-0	285
After failing at Memphis and UTEP, now Cooper wants to be a pro. Hilarious ... for everybody except him.

Kenneth Cooper	Louisiana Tech	Jr.	C	6-10	260
Cooper has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Brandon Costner	NC State	Jr.	F	6-9	230
Costner is a classic case of a guy who stayed in college past the point when his stock had peaked. He'll make money playing basketball somewhere, but it might not be in the NBA.

Stephen Curry	Davidson	Jr.	G	6-3	185
Curry had done just about all he could do in college, and it was wise to take advantage of this weak draft. Barring a surprise, he'll be a lottery pick and a 12-year relevant professional.

Bryan Davis	Texas A&M	Jr.	F	6-9	240
Davis has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Austin Daye	Gonzaga	So.	F	6-11	200
Daye has obvious talent, and if he remains in the draft somebody will select him. But he's never been consistently dominant on the collegiate level, and that should be a concern for NBA franchises.

DeMar DeRozan	USC	Fr.	F	6-7	200
Don't be surprised in five years if DeRozan is one of the best players from this draft. It took him a while to adjust to the college game, but he was brilliant late in the season, and he'll probably be brilliant in the NBA at some point in the future.

Eric Devendorf	Syracuse	Jr.	G	6-4	180
Devendorf was so much fun to coach in college that Jim Boeheim basically pushed him out the door. It's doubtful an NBA team will be interested.

Devan Downey	South Carolina	Jr.	G	5-9	175
Downey has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Osiris Eldridge	Illinois State	Jr.	G	6-3	190
Eldridge has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Wayne Ellington	North Carolina	Jr.	G	6-4	200
There is nothing more Ellington can do to enhance his stock. This is clearly the time for him to go, and he'll make an NBA roster, almost certainly.

Chinemelu Elonu	Texas A&M	Jr.	F/C	6-10	235
Elonu has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Tyreke Evans	Memphis	Fr.	G	6-6	220
Evans shook a lot of the bad labels in a spectacular season at Memphis. He's a guaranteed lottery pick with the tools to be a nice scorer at the NBA level.

Gary Flowers	Chipola JC (FL)	So.	F	6-8	214
From Oklahoma State to junior college to the NBA Draft. Yeah, this will probably work just fine.

Jonny Flynn	Syracuse	So.	G	6-0	185
Flynn was smart to get in this draft because his stock is high enough where he could be the second or third true point guard taken. It would've been hard to improve on that next year considering John Wall will almost certainly be in that draft.

Jonathan Gibson	New Mexico State	Jr.	G	6-2	180
Gibson has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Kyle Gibson	Louisiana Tech	Jr.	G	6-5	205
Gibson has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Taj Gibson	USC	Jr.	F	6-9	225
Gibson is already 23 years-old, so it makes sense for him to at least try this. It's doubtful he'll get into the first round, but he probably won't get in there next year either, which is why it might just be time to go and deal with the result, whatever that is.

Blake Griffin	Oklahoma	So.	F	6-10	250
Griffin was the best player in college this season by a wide margin, and he's the top pick in this NBA Draft by a similarly wide margin.

D'mond Grismore	Huston-Tillotson (TX)	Jr.	C	6-6	--
Apparently, the 'D' stands for dumb.

Rogér Guignard	Texas-Arlington	Jr.	G	5-11	165
Guignard has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Daniel Hackett	USC	Jr.	G	6-5	205
Hackett probably isn't an NBA player, but he can make a nice living overseas, which is the realistic plan.

Luke Harangody	Notre Dame	Jr.	F	6-8	250
The consensus is that Harangody will be back at Notre Dame. That's good, because Notre Dame is where he belongs.

James Harden	Arizona State	So.	G	6-5	218
Harden will go in the upper half of the lottery because he's a crafty and skilled guard who can play right away. The only question is whether he has the athleticism to truly be a star.

Kevin Harris	Northwest Mississippi CC	So.	G	5-11	--
Somebody must have told Harris that 5-foot-11 JC point guards are a commodity.
James Lewis	Fresno Pacific	Jr.	G	6-4	--
Lewis has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Paul Harris	Syracuse	Jr.	F	6-4	230
Harris has an obvious size problem that'll make his transition to the NBA difficult. Still, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him in the league guarding and rebounding as a specialty player next season.

Gerald Henderson	Duke	Jr.	G/F	6-4	215
Henderson always had the tools to be great, and he was great for much of the ACC season. He's likely to go in the lottery, which makes leaving now a sensible move.

Jordan Hill	Arizona	Jr.	F	6-10	235
Hill helped himself as much (if not more) than anybody this past season while averaging a double-double for the Wildcats. He's a guaranteed top 10 pick, one who could easily go in the top five.

Jrue Holiday	UCLA	Fr.	G	6-3	180
Holiday was underwhelming as a freshman, somewhat of a disappointment. But he's still talented with great potential, and for those reasons he'll be selected in the first round.

Damion James	Texas	Jr.	G/F	6-7	220
James isn't really a guard or a forward, and there's no guarantee he'll go in the first round. Consequently, the most common belief is that he'll return to Texas for his senior season and try to help the Longhorns make the Final Four.

James Johnson	Wake Forest	So.	F	6-9	245
Johnson is one of those guys who just looks like a pro. Barring a surprise, he'll go in the first round.

Mac Koshwal	DePaul	So.	C	6-10	255
Koshwal is an interesting prospect, but it's hard to imagine a scenario under which he gets guaranteed money right now. He'd be smart to return to DePaul, for at least another year.

Gani Lawal	Georgia Tech	So.	F	6-8	215
It would be nice to see Lawal play with Derrick Favors next season. But there's a decent chance he'll go in the first round of this draft, so it would be hard to blame him for remaining in.

Ty Lawson	North Carolina	Jr.	G	5-11	195
Lawson's stock could not be higher than it is now given the way he performed in the NCAA tournament. If he stays healthy and focused, he should be a quality NBA point guard for many years.

Darnell Lindsay	Tennessee Tech	Jr.	F	6-4	205
Lindsay has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Dior Lowhorn	San Francisco	Jr.	F	6-7	230
Lowhorn has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Ater Majok	Connecticut	Fr.	F	6-10	240
Majok never played at UConn, and he was never going to because of his connection to the school's ongoing recruiting scandal. In other words, entering the draft was his only real move, most believe.

Jodie Meeks	Kentucky	Jr.	G	6-4	210
Meeks will probably be selected if he remains in the draft, but he seems likely to return to Kentucky and thrive in John Calipari's dribble-drove motion offense.

Nate Miles	Southern Idaho	Fr.	G	6-7	170
Needless to say, Miles already has an agent.

Patrick Mills	Saint Mary's	So.	G	6-0	180
It's unclear where Mills will be selected, but there's no doubt he's already capable of playing in the NBA.

Tasmin Mitchell	LSU	Jr.	F	6-7	240
Mitchell probably isn't ready to play in the NBA, but there's no harm in declaring (and then withdrawing when the times comes to do it).

B.J. Mullens	Ohio State	Fr.	C	7-0	275
Mullens was hardly impressive as a freshman. But he's tall and he can dunk, so some NBA team will be happy to make him a millionaire.

Ronald Ogoke	Paul Quinn College (TX)	Jr.	C	7-0	225
Ogoke averaged 3.8 points for an NAIA team. He couldn't get drafted by a Big West school, much less an NBA franchise.

Patrick Patterson	Kentucky	So.	F	6-9	235
Patterson is an interesting case. If he wants to be rich now, he should stay in the draft. But if he wants to try to make a Final Four with Jodie Meeks, DeMarcus Cousins, Darius Miller, Darnell Dodson (and perhaps John Wall), then he should return to UK and get rich next year.

Scottie Reynolds	Villanova	Jr.	G	6-2	190
The word is that Reynolds is just testing to test, but that he'll ultimately be back at Villanova. If that happens, the wildcats could make another Final Four.

D.J. Rivera	Binghamton	Jr.	G	6-4	190
Rivera has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Terrence Roderick	Alabama-Birmingham	So.	G	6-6	180
Roderick almost averaged six whole points per game last season at UAB before 'leaving' the team. The NBA must be thrilled to have him available.

Magnum Rolle	Louisiana Tech	Jr.	F-C	6-11	220
Rolle has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Junior Salters	Wofford	Jr.	G	6-1	190
Salters has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Donald Sloan	Texas A&M	Jr.	G	6-3	205
Sloan has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Tyler Smith	Tennessee	Jr.	F	6-7	215
All season it appeared Smith's junior year would be his last. But he doesn't seem to be a lock for the first round, and now it's reasonable to think he might return to Tennessee.

DaJuan Summers	Georgetown	Jr.	F	6-8	235
Summers is an intriguing prospect. But he led a team once ranked in the top 10 to the NIT, and it's questionable why he is in such a hurry to leave Georgetown considering it's unclear whether he can get into the first round of this draft.

Shawn Taggart	Memphis	Jr.	F	6-10	240
Taggart will be graduated by the time next season begins, so it might simply be time to move on and take a paycheck somewhere. But he seems interested in returning to Memphis and possibly being the best player under first-year coach Josh Pastner, and that's what most believe he's going to do.

Jonathan Tavernari	BYU	Jr.	G/F	6-6	215
Tavernari has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Jeff Teague	Wake Forest	So.	G	6-2	180
Teague was better early than late, as was Wake Forest. But the combo guard still has that explosive first step, and there's no reason to think he won't go in the first round if he remains in the draft.

Hasheem Thabeet	Connecticut	Jr.	C	7-3	265
Some insist the best-case scenario is that Thabeet will be Dikembe Mutombo, and they say it like that's a bad thing. Remember, Mutombo was an eight-time All-Star, and any franchise would love one of those.

Malcolm Thomas	San Diego City College	So.	F	6-9	220
Thomas would be wise to go ahead and enroll at San Diego State, where he belongs.

Dar Tucker	DePaul	So.	F	6-5	215
If Tucker was simply tired of losing at DePaul, this makes sense. But otherwise, what's the rush?

Jarvis Varnado	Mississippi State	Jr.	F/C	6-9	210
The feeling is that Varnado will get some feedback that suggests he isn't a lock for the first round, at which point he'll announce he's returning to Mississippi State, where he could play beside Renardo Sidney and challenge for the SEC title.

Greivis Vasquez	Maryland	Jr.	G	6-6	190
Vasquez is probably a second-rounder, and the worst-case scenario has him earning a paycheck in another country. But unless he just hates college, the wise move is to return to Maryland, improve his game and see if guaranteed money is available next year.

Martez Walker	Riverside CC (CA)	Fr.	F-G	6-6	225
Walker had a better chance of getting drafted out of middle school than he does now. His stock was higher back then.

Michael Washington	Arkansas	Jr.	F/C	6-9	240
Washington is a likely second-rounder, one who could benefit from one more year at Arkansas.

Jeremy Wise	Southern Miss	Jr.	G	6-2	165
Wise has no chance of getting drafted. He should return to school.

Nic Wise	Arizona	Jr.	G	5-10	175
It was fine for Wise to declare, but he's not an NBA player with guaranteed money waiting. Odds are, he'll return to Arizona.

International Players who have declared:

Our Projected Pre-Off-Season 2010 Starting Lineup:

PG: None (Crawford/Watson)

SG: Monta Ellis

SF: Stephen Jackson

PF: Anthony Randolph

C: Andris Biedrins

6th Man: Corey Maggette

Why the Warriors should draft a PG:

If there's a position we are thin at it will be at the PG position. We are lacking Pass First or Court Vision while we have a more than adequate amount of scoring PG's.

Our PG's: Ellis, Morrow, Watson, Crawford

Why the Warriors should draft a SG or SF:

My personal opinion is that we are OK at these positions especially at the 2, but we need a 2 or 3 who can defend man to man and possibly shoot the long ball. We can also go 2 or 3 if management's draft strategy is to go BPA (Best Player Available).

Our 2's: Ellis, Morrow, Crawford, Belinelli, Jackson, Maggette, Azubuike

Our 3's: Jackson, Maggette, Azubuike, Randolph [Possible]

Why the Warriors should draft a PF:

I also personally think we are fit in the future at PF, a combo of Wright and Randolph may set us for years IF we keep them. Regardless, if we win the lotto for the #1 we pick Griffin if we lose and go BPA we may pick another PF (Which I doubt).

Our 4's: Randolph, Kurz, Davidson, Wright, Turiaf, (All 3's if we play small)

Why the Warriors should draft a C:

Our 5's: Biedrins, Turiaf, Randolph, (All 4's if we play small)

Why the Warriors should Trade The Pick:

EJ's Draft Board with Personal Scouting reports:

Earl Clark

Earl Clark would give us a future long term prospect at the SF position and would allow AR to natural develop at the 4. Did very well under Pitino and was praised for his defense and rebounding. Earl has the ability to bang down low with other bigs and can hit from downtown as well. He's a very solid defender and loves to contest shots. Was originally a SG. Earl is highly inconsistent and is very turnover prone which will lead to inefficiency, there are also questions about his mental toughness and basketball IQ.

Demar DeRozan

Demar is another Pac-10 prospect and could've been a favorite among SC fans if he did not declare. Was a highly regarded SG/SF prospect coming out of High School. Two words to describe Demar: Offensive Powerhouse. Demar is an excellent offensive option from 17 feet to the hoop. His mid range game is solid, he's a highly effective slasher and gets to the hoop well with fluidity and grace, and he's deadly in transition. His freakish athleticism and long wingspan should make him a good defender, but his footwork needs some tweaking. Demar is in my opinion a 'project' prospect, very high ceiling and great tools, but inconsistency, a less than stellar 3-Point range, inability to create for teammates, and below average ball handling may make him bust.

Tyreke Evans

Blake Griffin

James Harden

Jordan Hill

Brandon Jennings

Brandon Jennings was the #1 prospect coming out of HS last year and became a High School to EuroLeague Trailblazer. A true PG who is amazingly fast, athletic, and flashy. Dangerous off the dribble and in transition, a terror in the press, and wonderful in stealing the ball (Ranked #1: 5.1 Steals/40 Minutes). He gets to the hole with relative ease while being able to create for himself and for others which makes him a nautral playmaker. Skeptics ask; Did the decision cost him? Although he has matured significantly and played in the second best league he is still turnover prone, is undersized and skinny, is an average jumpshooter, and is a lackluster rebounder,

Ty Lawson

Ricky Rubio

Hasheem Thabeet

Hasheem "The Dream" Thabeet was probably my second favorite prospect coming in this year. Hasheem has good athleticism for his size and position and is one of the most mobile Centers I have seen in a long time. His big body also allows him to grab rebounds. Hasheem is a marvelous shotblocker and uses his excellent 7'3" height to help him in doing so. His shotblocking and Defense has drawn comparisons to Mt. Mutombo. He's also shown vast amounts of improvement since joining the Huskie basketball program. As gifted as he is Defensively, it's hard to say that about his offense. He still has not developed much post moves outside of his baby hook and really needs to work on his offensive repiortre. He also needs to work on handling the ball better. He's inexperienced as he's only been playing several years. Lastly, he seems to fade in big games and has been outshined by DeJuan Blair of Pitt.

NBA Draft SuperThread

ejdacanay — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:31:10 -0000

Ok guys I think I'll be creating a Draft superthread to outline those who have declared, those will stay, what should we do, and list possible targets.

NBA Lottery Date:

May 19th, 2009

ESPN

Time: TBD [Program is 30 Minutes Long]

2009 NBA Draft:

June 25, 2009

ESPN

4 p.m.-9 p.m. PST

Final Lottery Standings and Chances to win #1 Pick.

1. Kings (16-64) -- 25 percent chance to win
2t. Wizards (19-61) -- 19.9 percent
2t.. Clippers (19-61) -- 15.6 percent
4. Thunder (22-58) -- 11.9 percent
5. Grizzlies (23-57) -- 8.8 percent
6. Timberwolves (24-56) -- 6.3 percent
7. Warriors (29-51) -- 4.3 percent
8. Knickerbockers (31-50) -- 2.8 percent
9. Raptors (31-49) -- 1.7 percent
10t. Nets/Bucks (33-47) -- 1.1 percent/.8 percent

Our Percentages at winning the #2 or the #3 pick with a 7th placed lottery finish:

2nd Pick: 4.9%

3rd Pick: 5.8%

Players who have declared:

(Name FormerTeam Grade/Birthdate Position Height Weight Agent?)

Dominique Archie	South Carolina	Jr.	F	6-7	200	No
DeJuan Blair	Pittsburgh	So.	F	6-7	265	Yes
Chase Budinger	Arizona	Jr.	F	6-7	220	Yes
Derrick Brown	Xavier	Jr.	F	6-8	225	No
Nick Calathes	Florida	So.	G/F	6-6	195	No
Patrick Christopher	California	Jr.	G	6-5	215	No
Earl Clark	Louisville	Jr.	G/F	6-9	225	Yes
Dwayne Collins	Miami (Fla.)	Jr.	F	6-8	240	No
Brandon Costner	NC State	Jr.	F	6-9	230	No
Austin Daye	Gonzaga	So.	F	6-11	200	No
DeMar DeRozan	USC	Fr.	F	6-7	200	Probable
Eric Devendorf	Syracuse	Jr.	G	6-4	180	No
Devan Downey	South Carolina	Jr.	G	5-9	175	No
Tyreke Evans	Memphis	Fr.	G	6-6	220
Roderick Flemings	Hawaii	Jr.	F	6-7	210	No
Jonny Flynn	Syracuse	So.	G	6-0	185	Yes
Taj Gibson	USC	Jr.	F	6-9	225	No
Blake Griffin	Oklahoma	So.	F	6-10	250	Yes
Luke Harangody	Notre Dame	Jr.	F	6-8	250	No
James Harden	Arizona State	So.	G	6-5	218	Yes
Paul Harris	Syracuse	Jr.	F	6-4	230	No
Jordan Hill	Arizona	Jr.	F	6-10	235	Yes
Jrue Holiday	UCLA	Fr.	G	6-3	180	No
Damion James	Texas	Jr.	G/F	6-7	220	No
James Johnson	Wake Forest	So.	F	6-9	245	Yes
Mac Koshwal	DePaul	So.	C	6-10	255	No
Jodie Meeks	Kentucky	Jr.	G	6-4	210	No
Patrick Mills	Saint Mary's	So.	G	6-0	180	No
Tasmin Mitchell	LSU	Jr.	F	6-7	240	No
B.J. Mullens	Ohio State	Fr.	C	7-0	275	Probable
Patrick Patterson	Kentucky	So.	F	6-9	235	No
DaJuan Summers	Georgetown	Jr.	F	6-8	235	Yes
Shawn Taggart	Memphis	Jr.	F	6-10	240	No
Jeff Teague	Wake Forest	So.	G	6-2	180	No
Hasheem Thabeet	Connecticut	Jr.	C	7-3	265	Yes
Dar Tucker	DePaul	So.	F	6-5	215	Yes
Greivis Vasquez	Maryland	Jr.	G	6-6	190	No
Jeremy Wise	Southern Miss	Jr.	G	6-2	165	No
Nic Wise	Arizona	Jr.	G	5-10	175	No

Our Projected Pre-Off-Season 2010 Starting Lineup:

PG: None (Crawford/Watson)

SG: Monta Ellis

SF: Stephen Jackson

PF: Anthony Randolph

C: Andris Biedrins

6th Man: Corey Maggette

Why the Warriors should draft a PG:

If there's a position we are thin at it will be at the PG position. We are lacking Pass First or Court Vision while we have a more than adequate amount of scoring PG's.

Our PG's: Ellis, Morrow, Watson, Crawford

Why the Warriors should draft a SG or SF:

Our 2's: Ellis, Morrow, Crawford, Belinelli, Jackson, Maggette, Azubuike

Our 3's: Jackson, Maggette, Azubuike, Randolph [Possible]

Why the Warriors should draft a PF:

Our 4's: Randolph, Kurz, Davidson, Wright, Turiaf, (All 3's if we play small)

Why the Warriors should draft a C:

Our 5's: Biedrins, Turiaf, Randolph, (All 4's if we play small)

Why the Warriors should Trade The Pick:

Thread will be updated periodically along with adding my current draft board and adding declarations as we go.

Kawakami on Marco: "Better than Crawford and Maggette"

ejdacanay — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 09:57:51 -0000

Kawakami on Marco: "Better than Crawford and Maggette"

"And Belinelli, who I thought was the centerpiece of this defensive performance. What do you do if the more talented team has scorers who are tired? You get in their faces. You stand in front of where they want to go. You make them mad.

You make them push off or run you over or do something lazy and dumb, and that’s what Belinelli did four or five (or was it six?) times throughout this game as the Celtics trudged around.

The Warriors don’t have anybody else on the roster who does that kind of stuff, as you well know. The Warriors need a pesky-annoying type (think Ginobili) and hey, there’s Belinelli doing it vs. the best team in the league.

Right now, right here: Belinelli is the Warriors’ best defensive guard, if you count SJax as a small forward, and I do.

Belinelli might be the Warriors’ future at point guard–he was guarded by Rajon Rondo for bits tonight, and did not get embarrassed. You wouldn’t want that matchup all night long… but when Monta Ellis gets healthy, you could run Belinelli and Ellis together, definitely.

Dunno what that means for Crawford–maybe combo guard off the bench?

Belinelli is a future very decent guard in this league, no question.

That’s a big statement to make about a second-year player that Don Nelson wouldn’t play last year for many issues, most of them defensive, and I agreed with some of them.

But Belinelli’s not terrible on defense any more. I think he was verging on OK towards the end of last season and still wasn’t playing… oh well.

Just on defense, Belinelli’s play would’ve been a PLUS for the Warriors. But he also threw in 22 points on 7-of-17 shooting, threw in two huge shots in the steamroll moments of the fourth quarter, and was an overall +12. (Azubuike, usually a big minus player, was a game-best +19.)

If Crawford and Maggette take time away from Belinelli when they get back, that would be a surprise and a debacle. He’s better than they are. And he’s improving every day."

I'm sick of it.

ejdacanay — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:55:00 -0000

I am sick of all these Warrior fans complaining. I'm sick of the negativity. I am not at all sick of the Warrior team and organization itself, maybe a little upset but nothing else. Too many Warrior fans, especially GSoM'ers are riding:

It's extremely ridiculous calling the current squad and how they play disgusting or pathetic. The way I see it is that most Warrior fans set their sights too high, even with Baron's departure and Monta's injury, with many people claiming playoffs and even being high playoff seeds. Realistically, we did not look like a playoff team coming out of the off-season, yet we want them to be that. Realistically we looked like a 30-52 team. Tack on smaller injuries from Jackson, C-Mag, Wright, and Randolph and you have a recipe for a bad season. This season, in my opinion, was never meant to be a playoff season, its a rebuilding season, in which we MUST groom our youth. We are the youngest team in the league and they need our support, support from the fans and to me it's stupid to be labeling the squad as disgusting and pathetic. This team is alot better and has alot more potential than what we had post-TMC era and pre-We Believe era in which we won an average of 28 games in 12 seasons (332 total). I don't know if you guys were around through that stretch of bad basketball, but I was still supporting the team through thick and thin, through the bad weather. This young team needs support and losing the fan base will further impede what looks like a bright future, so do the right "fan" thing to do and support our young team.

TK Counter-Smashes Sabean

ejdacanay — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:01:03 -0000

TK Counter-Smashes Sabean

I usually don't like TK, but I'm on his side this time.

Giants Among Suitors For The Big Unit

ejdacanay — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 21:29:21 -0000

Giants Among Suitors For The Big Unit

I don't mind him coming over.