Iman

I dont see Brewer falling to our #11 pick which is what these scenarios seem to be proposing. If Brewer does fall that low, I'd take him and figure it out later. He should have substantially more trade value than the unknown point guards we might get otherwise. Even just later in the draft you could probably trade down with whoever took the point you wanted and get that point plus a future pick or additional player.

I agree with the above comments, that summary sounds like it was written by a homer but it's also fairly fair. A little mention about how our last few signings/drafts didnt go well and put the rebuilding into jeopardy would pretty much balance off the comments in my mind. They also make it sound relatively easy for us to keep our pick. We do have to jump over the teams ahead of us but also have to not get jumped over by teams behind us.

Wow Newkid..lol. That team would be too young and basically you're giving Chillz away for less than a 21st pick so I especially dont like that part of the deal. If we get the 2nd pick, I see BK moving it or Durant later for an established player. I think management is starting to get desperate for instant wins. I see us drafting a big then hoping the combination of less injuries (including Speedy playing most of the year) and team/player growth will get us 40-45 wins next year. A new Coach is a strong possibility also, especially if we dont get off to a strong start next season.

I'm with Bootys and Walter on this one. A good point would help this team alot. It also would be good to have a young point to groom for the future. But we need a good center much more than a point. Also, unless we trade a couple of our points, neither Condley or Law will start for us next year. To me the factor everyone seems to be forgetting is that BK is now in save his butt mode. Even last year he tried to draft to improve the team quickly and I see him doing the same this year. If we get the 3rd pick, I see BK taking Horford. At 11 he'll take a big if any are available. Not Thabeet though, Hawes or Noah is who he's hoping will slide to us.

Walter, I agree, this team is missing pieces to ever be good. But it's not like anyone else in the East is very good either. 40 wins is very reasonable. Going into this last year, I was worried about losing all of Harrington's offense and figured we'd win around 32 games. If not for all the injuries we would have easily topped that. Many of our players improved significantly this year and we were almost able to win without Joe. I dont think this team will be able to ever get a home court playoff game as constructed, but I dont see how our core won't improve and have us consistently in the lower end of the playoff hunt each year. To be a contender, we will have to get lucky in the lottery this year or/and make a big trade but basically we have a core already and that core will be able to get into the playoffs as constructed in my opinion. It just wont ever be good. Barring a big trade, I think we'll win 40 games or so next year no matter who we draft or probably sign. I guess Chauncey might get us to 45+ wins if we could sign him but I dont see that happening. Oden and Conley, 40 wins. Conley or Law only, 40 wins.

Hmm, that looks to me like we might get the 11th pick. Philly might tie Indy since Indy might lose the next two. I dont see Sac beating NOK and for sure they wont beat the Lakers assuming the Lakers arent eliminated already.

GSU reminds me of UAB, their football team is giving the big teams in Alabama a run, might happen at GSU too!!

As stated before, a Coach and his players have to play to win. If a franchise is somehow going to purposely tank, management has to do that by restricting the Coach. Especially in this case with a Coach already on the bubble.

I agree, the lack of restriction on the second pick to Phx has haunted us. I tend to be way in the minority in that I think getting Oden or less so getting Durant would turn this franchise quickly, but I'm not that sure that a 4-6 pick would have been that important. Especially since we still have a a 12 or so pick anyways. Two picks would have given us the opportunity to possibly move up but otherwise it would just help to keep us locked in as a very young team.

It appears to me that management is trying to do everything they can to tank. JJ went down, they suspend JSmoove. It's just that the Bucks and Celtics are missing more key players and they suck on top of that. We still have a few more games that will be hard to lose and the Bucks dont appear they are gonna catch us. Just face the facts, we are stuck 4th going into the lottery and need to get lucky. The Indy pick also looks solidly like it'll be 12th, maybe 11th if we win that game. I know, if we win too many games we might fall into 5th, hopefully not.

Yep, I practically think the Oden pick is key, the other picks wont be that important. I think Durant might be great but it will take a year or two before he's that much better than the combo of Marvin and Chillz. Either way, if we draft him we have to make a move to complete our team just as we are gonna have to make a move even if we dont draft Durant. Hibbert might be a good center in the future but for the next year or two I doubt he'll be much of an upgrade. Basically to me we draft Durant or we have to trade for or sign a good center. The draft picks will give us more depth and tradeable assets but wont make or break us. Indy sux, the pick will be better next year anyways but the draft probably wont be this strong. A good young point to grow with the team would be nice but unless those available this year dont appear as good or as ready as Deron or Paul, they wont make much difference next year. I like Conley with the Indy pick but if he's not available I'd rather see us take Splitter, Hawes, Jianlian, etc if they are available.

The top pick for Oden is very critical for this franchise. A pick or two from #2 thru #15 by itself probably wont make a huge difference next year. It will help alot and give us much more longterm strength and more tradeable options but it probably wont improve us that much in 2008. Without Oden, I see us as a bottom half of the playoff team next year whether we get two picks or no picks. With our without those picks to improve and to eventually contend we'll have to make a trade or two. I'm not sure what capspace would have bought us especially when you consider we probably wouldn't have used it since we have to start extending our young core. Even without those picks we'll improve substantially next year due to player and team growth. I think we would have made the playoffs this year if JJ hadn't went down. A new Coach would make a huge difference. I'm actually looking for a good year outta Speedy, at least as a solid PG backup. Durant and Conley, etc would help some and give us enough tradeable assets to make a big move for a good center but with or without the picks the team will probably be similar until we get that center and our players mature somewhat.

Thanks for the stats BusBoy. That is funny, most would take JSmoove top5, maybe top2 in his draft now. But since Marvin has one year of college and was drafted ahead of some good players everyone thinks he's garbage. And even further, I dont see why some cant understand that some players develop faster than others, just look at JJ for example. Marvin will be fine, a good stat page filler just somewhat more of a shooter and less exciting and well rounded that JSmoove. I think JJ, Marvin, JSmoove gives us a great 2-4, we just need a solid center to cover their slight undersize problems. Shelden has disapointed me and I really didnt expect much to begin with.

Yup, early in the year when we lost JJ we looked bad. We lucked up and beat someone his last game out but we got blown out a few times. We've improved and look better without him now. If we had had JJ down this weak end of the schedule run we probably would have been very close to the playoffs. This has been a perfect tank without tanking, just as I always stated, without JJ we can tank and still improve our young players. Now we will have a decent shot at keeping our top3 pick also, a much better chance than signing Dwight Howard btw, and I'm one of the ones who thinks we have a good shot at Dwight.

I'd do it and I dont think it's out of the question to see Portland and Phoenix do those moves either. I think Marvin still has good trade value. Everyone knew he was a project.

I like that comment. It's unprofessional by Woody which helps in the decision to replace him. It also might help motivate Speedy, even if his condition is chronic, motivated rehab will help.

That's a huge win for Indy and us. I dont want to see it come down to whether we lose to Indy that last game because we'll screw it up and win. Indy has some easy games and may move up somewhat but I'd rather that than lose the pick.

I agree, we dont need Monta, especially if we cant figure out how to use Salim. I'd trade Salim and junk for him but not even Salim and Shelden. Definitely not a first rounder.

I think they classified Joe's injury as a severe hematoma or bruise. He's reported to be ready about the time the playoffs start, which for us is the offseason.

I'm nearly positive that Ty Hill has been hired as a Hawks Coach. I noticed him behind the bench every game and finally heard he was Coaching about 10 games back.

I'd like to know if Solo has gained weight during this season. It appears to me that he has and that's a very good sign given most lose during the season.

I wouldnt do it even if it did save you all that capspace. Ignoring the capspace would make it even less likely I would do it. I guess I would do any other Marvin combo on the team except Marvin and Smoove. However, if I were to package Marvin and Chillz I'd probably go after Dwight Howard, a top two pick this year, then Deron or CP3.

Although Joe being out does increase our odds of keeping our pick, I bet the happiest people to here about this are Phoenix fans. They'll probably get around the 5th pick whereas a few weeks ago it looked like it might be around 10th.

BK was reported to be at the Washington game last nite to see Spencer Hawes. Not sure if he'll come out or be available for us. He doesnt seem to me to be the type center we need but he probably is the type BK likes, at least so far. He's a very good passing big man with some nifty moves and great hands but he's not very athletic or strong. Nice to see BK looking though.

Assuming Oden and Durant come out, I'd move JJ for either pick. If we got Oden then I'd draft a point with the Indy pick. We'd still probably miss the playoffs if we didnt sign a vet SG but we'd have capspace and tons of potential. If we got Durant, we'd need a center and could use Marvin or our capspace to get one. The teams getting picks for Durant and Oden will get some incredible offers, JJ probably wouldnt be enough to get it done.