2008 Draft Day Thread: 7:30 ESPN

[TheGuiltyParty]

Alright... we're under 24 hours to go until I hear the sweet, sweet sounds of David Stern's voice and so let's get this party started. We've already had three trades go down (#20 to Charlotte, #27 to Portland, and the O'Neal/Ford trade, will we see more?

Also... before the draft starts, can everyone list the ONE name they want the most at #16??? I think it'll be interesting to see who's where and who gets it right.

For me.... #16 will be Darrell Arthur.

Who Ya Got?

[noah]

S
P
E
I
G
H
T
S

A 6-10 banger who can score in the post and rebound . . . I reckon that's exactly what we need.

Great athlete.  Major upside.  Shot 62% from the field last year...

[jemagee]

There's some 'wortk ethic' questions on speights, if that can get the heat to double think beasley i think it'll get the sixers to possibly double think on speights who i still think will be the best option there.

It'll be a power forward, and depending on where he's available, maybe buy into the second round and get the kid from rider as well?

[jemagee]

Chad Fords new mock (#7) has

16 - Deandre Jordan
18 - Darrell Arthur
25 - Speights

I tell ya, in terms of upside, i prefer speights to jordan...of the 3 i would put jordan as my least favorite option.

Here's hoping Chad ford is as accurate as he usually is.

All I know is that the sixers MUSt improve their coaching staff for big men whomever they draft...get me bill russell in here to coach, or olajuwon, what's david robinson doing these days? 

I want a REAL big man coach (or two) on this team.

[sixersftw]

There's some 'wortk ethic' questions on speights, if that can get the heat to double think beasley i think it'll get the sixers to possibly double think on speights

It's funny that they think beasley has character issues so the guy they want instead is...oj mayo.


also i don't think the big man coach is the issue.  moses malone really worked w/ akeem IIRC.  i just think we A) don't have enough talented big and B) our only talented big is dumb as rocks

[Derek Bodner]

All reports are Mayo's been a tremendous teammate this year.

[jemagee]

I didn't hear anything too bad about Beasley this year either   Point is that these are still just kids, and you mature as you age, it just happens.

Oh yeah, if anyone cares, John Hollinger did some '3 years out' Per analysis in terms of projection the best performers from this draft, for the big men, Beasley obviously scores out as the best, love second, 3rd/4th is a close tie between arthur and speights.

Of course, you're feeling on this is probably closely associated with how you feel about hollinger and the per

[TheGuiltyParty]

All reports are Mayo's been a tremendous teammate this year.

Exactly! Mayo got a ringing endorsement from Jeff Van Gundy last night when JVG said that he watched OJ Mayo at practice for 6 days straight this year and he saw a player that not only gives his all in practice but a guy who helped his teammates a lot. Beasley's character issues come from a lot of the exact opposite feelings. If Derrick Coleman never existed, I think Beasley would go #1.

[Derek Bodner]

I've seen some questions about Beasley this year.  In fact, I saw him publicly scold teammates for not passing him the ball on 2 different occasions.

[TheGuiltyParty]

While I respect what Hollinger does, I'm not a fan of his new draft formula since even he admits it has flaws. I posted this on realgm but according to the NY Post, a trade is being discussed between the Blazers and Knicks where the Blazers would get the 6th pick and David Lee for pick #13, #27, and either Jarrett Jack or Steve Blake. That deal seems really, really terrible from a Knick standpoint. Am I missing something???

[jemagee]

Well it's the new york post...and that trade makes no sense from the knicks point of view since you don't get a player better than lee at any of those spots...and you don't achieve goal #2 which is clearing some contracts for 2009/10 to get lebron

[anklebreaker]

On another trade note, the Heat and Clippers are talking blockbuster:

#2 and Marion for #7 and Brand.... If its legit, the likelihood of the Clippers turning this one down isn't favorable...

[TheGuiltyParty]

Here's another rumored Knicks deal that makes little sense but more sense than the Portland rumor.

To NYK: #5 and Brian Cardinal
To MEM: #6 and David Lee

Cardinal has a terrible contract so it makes me wonder why the Knicks would do this to jump one spot. Supposedly David Lee's agent called Memphis and told them that he is not interested in playing in Memphis and will not re-sign there next summer which may have killed this.

[jemagee]

Here's another rumored Knicks deal that makes little sense but more sense than the Portland rumor.

To NYK: #5 and Brian Cardinal
To MEM: #6 and David Lee

Cardinal has a terrible contract so it makes me wonder why the Knicks would do this to jump one spot. Supposedly David Lee's agent called Memphis and told them that he is not interested in playing in Memphis and will not re-sign there next summer which may have killed this.

This only makes sense if memphis includes some point card and the picks AREN"T involved.  If New York gets 5 and takes cardinal and thus has 5 and 6.

The Heat/Clipper deal is interesting, but silly to me, and would have to be dependent on brand and an extension since his opt out deadline is after the draft, we all know he wants to go to Miami, but still.

I think this is a lot of internet message stuff turning into reality like that rumored Iverson to clippers thing a few years ago

[Derek Bodner]

please don't post this anywhere else.  This is not for public consumption.  I'm posting it here because I trust nobody will post it over at any other public message boards before the draft.

I have it from a reliable source that the Sixers board is narrowed down to Jordan, Speights and Arthur.  If one of those are available, they will be the 16th pick.  I don't have the order, however.