WakaFlocka

You just proved my point... Just because there's a rumor floating around or a player met with "X" team doesn't mean that player will sign with said team. Welcome to Kent Bazemore and the Hawks. I never said the info regarding Bazemore meeting with the Hawks or the Hawks having interest in general was false, just that I don't think it leads to anything.

Sefolosha was reported to have contact with the Heat and visit with the Wizards before signing with the Hawks. Not a single person that I could find knew a thing about it until the contract terms were released. We live in an age where every rumble of a move is reported all over twitter and various websites the second it happens. Forgive me for thinking that Bazemore won't be a Hawk because we've heard so much about it, but up to this point, Ferry's Atlanta history backs me up.

Or the Hawks aren't really serious about Bazemore, period. When Ferry has signed other FAs, did we ever hear as much about it as we have with Bazemore? Nope, past moves went totally under the radar until they were done deals.

Minnesota is absolutely going to want multiple picks in either of those proposed deals. Payne could be a nice piece, sure, but he's not going to wow anyone like 1st round picks do. Millsap will be a FA after this coming season, Horford will be a FA the year after. Zero chance Horford resigns with the TWolves, maybe Millsap would if you overpaid him. In conclusion, you're going to have to add 1st round picks to Paul/Al and Payne to make up for the fact that all Minnesota is really getting in those deals is Adreian Payne. Kind of defeats the purpose of tanking if Love didn't end up resigning.

If you get Love, he leaves after one season and you've given away future 1st round picks to get him in the first place, how exactly do you go about drafting top talent? Minnesota has your picks.

That is such a terrible idea.

Refusing the breathalyzer is an automatic suspension in Georgia, too, along with points on your license that stick even if you don't end up being convicted of the DUI. I want to say the suspension is 90 days, but don't quote me on that. There are ways around it though. You can apply for a provisional license of sorts that allows you to drive to work, school, etc.

We all know Josh has some serious issues on the court, but you don't think it's a bit of a stretch to say that there won't be a single team offering him a new contract after his current deal is up in three years? C'mon man...

Comparing an unfortunate, everyday DUI to speeding around completely wasted in a Ferrari and physically abusing someone whom you supposedly love? Solid comparison. Lance clearly has his issues, but if he could be had for $10m or $11m per year for 3 years you have to seriously consider it. If the Hawks sign Deng for around that amount and that's also what Lance ends up getting I'm going to be real pissed.

Why would the Warriors want Lin when they just gave Sean Livingston $16m to backup the 1 and 2 spots?

No big surprises there, we all know that there won't be a ton of movement until the dust settles around Lebron and Melo. I just really, really hope the Hawks don't get Deng. He's not the player that they need.

I hope you're not serious. Dude couldn't get minutes on two different tanking teams this past season... I'm not too excited about the idea of signing Bazemore, but I'd absolutely take him over Brooks.

Hopefully neither get signed period.

Ok. Deng has also played ~7,000 more NBA minutes than Milsap and has more of an injury history.

Nice shots, Dennis and Jenkins definitely look like they've put some good weight on. On another note, it's always so weird to see all these NBA players in my old school's gym.

Asik was traded to New Orleans on draft night. We can stop talking about him coming to Atlanta now.

Being a Gators fan who's seen Billy Donovan develop Prather over the years, I'm very excited. Assuming Bud and crew think they can re-work his jumper (specifically the 3), I could definitely see him making the team.

By definition, all 25 teams that made a pick in last night's NBA draft improved their rosters. For me, though, the real test of success is whether a team got more out of their picks than we'd expect, based on average results in years past. To quantify that concept, I've used the average value of each pick from 2006 to 2013 (as detailed last year) and my WARP projections from this year's draft to rate each selection, then totaled those ratings and ranked teams from 1 to 25. Here is how they performed in statistical terms. 1. Denver Nuggets (plus-5.4 projected WARP, 3.0 expected based on picks) The Nuggets actually entered the draft with 2.1 expected WARP, a total they improvedvia a savvy trade of the 11th pick for the 16th and 19th selections. Denver then used those two first-rounders to pick the No. 3 (Jusuf Nurkic, 3.3 projected WARP) and No. 13 (Gary Harris, 1.9) prospects in my WARP projections. In the second round, the Nuggets added my No. 5 prospect, Nikola Jokic (3.1). Even if you think translated Adriatic League stats overestimate the potential of the two centers, both Nurkic and Harris easily could have been lottery picks, and Jokic could have gone at the start of the second round. 2. Memphis Grizzlies (plus-3.2 WARP, 1.7 expected) My draft ratings haven't always aligned with those of John Hollinger, my Per Diem predecessor and current vice president of basketball operations for the Grizzlies. They apparently did this year, though. The Grizzlies grabbed UCLA guard Jordan Adams (No. 6 in projected WARP at 3.0) with the 22nd pick, then traded a future second-rounder Utah to get Tennessee forward Jarnell Stokes (No. 14, 1.9) at 35. 3. Houston Rockets (plus-1.8 WARP, 1.5 expected) As we know, the Rockets are another team that makes heavy use of statistical analysis. With his only pick, Houston general manager Daryl Morey took Swiss forward Clint Capela, whom I highlighted before the draft as a positional steal, and according to WARP projections, could end up being one of the best players in the draft. (3.4). 4. Charlotte Hornets (plus-1.5 WARP, 2.9 expected) The Hornets rank well because of their willingness to go for the best player available rather than try and fill a need. Charlotte stopped Indiana forward Noah Vonleh's slide at the ninth pick. Vonleh was ninth in projected WARP (2.4), but still better than the average ninth pick in this deep draft, and could prove to be a steal. Later, the Hornets got the shooting they needed by trading down two spots to take P.J. Hairston (1.8, 11th) at the 26th pick, completing a strong night. 5. Boston Celtics (plus-1.3 WARP, 3.1 expected) No. 17 pick James Young went much higher than his WARP projection (1.2, 33rd) warranted. Still, the Celtics grade out well because they drafted the top prospect by projected WARP, Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart (3.6), with the sixth pick. 6. Detroit Pistons (plus-0.4 WARP, 0.7 expected) Detroit used its only pick, No. 38 overall, on Colorado guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who ranked 25th in projected WARP (1.1) and was considered a possible late first-round pick. 7. San Antonio Spurs (plus-0.3 WARP, 1.2 expected) The Spurs get dinged a bit for their second-round pick, Nemanja Dangubic, whose WARP projection rates him 1.2 wins below replacement level. (Since below-replacement picks aren't likely to play, I zeroed them all out, but the rating is still negative compared to expectation.) However, San Antonio did well to get stathead favorite Kyle Anderson (1.5, 19th) with the 30th pick. Andersen should excel in the Spurs' system, which emphasizes ball movement. 8. Philadelphia 76ers (plus-0.3 WARP, 6.0 expected) From a statistical standpoint, general manager Sam Hinkie's second draft wasn't quite as spectacular as his first, which topped last year's rankings. Philadelphia's second-round picks rated as hit (K.J. McDaniels, 1.5) and miss (Jordan McRae, minus-1.4). Despite his slight drop in the draft after signing to play in Turkey, Dario Saric (1.4) was taken right in line with his projection (12th). Of course, the health and development of Joel Embiid (2.9, 7th) will make or break this draft, and there's no easy way to quantify the risk of his recovery from a fractured navicular bone. 9. Utah Jazz (plus-0.2 WARP, 3.0 expected) In Dante Exum (3.3 projected WARP, fourth), the Jazz got great value at the fifth pick. But Utah undid some of that by taking Rodney Hood (minus-0.2 projected WARP) later in the first round. 10. Miami Heat (plus-0.1 WARP, 1.0 expected) No team came closer to nailing the average value of its pick than the Heat, after trading up to take 24th-rated Shabazz Napier (1.1) with the 24th pick. 11. Chicago Bulls (-0.2 WARP, 2.0 expected) I didn't love the Bulls' trade from 16th and 19th to 11th, but Doug McDermott's 1.8 projected WARP is better than average for that spot. Chicago rated below average overall because of second-round choice Cameron Bairstow, who had the lowest WARP projection (minus-1.8) of any player drafted. 12. Milwaukee Bucks (minus-0.4 WARP, 4.1 expected) Though he ranked eighth in projected WARP (2.5), No. 2 pick Jabari Parker scores as a typical second selection. The Bucks appeared to get a second-round steal in French forward Damien Inglis (1.2, 23rd) before reaching for Johnny O'Bryant (minus-0.4), who rates as one of the least NBA-ready players in the draft. 13. Sacramento Kings (minus-0.5 WARP, 1.7 expected) At 1.2 WARP, Michigan guard Nik Stauskas rated 22nd, making him a bit of a statistical reach at the eighth pick. Stauskas' shooting fills an important need for the Kings, though he won't help their defense. 14. Atlanta Hawks (minus-0.5 WARP, 2.3 expected) Because of his age (23), WARP projections hate Hawks first-round pick Adreian Payne(minus-0.2), another player whose shooting ability is ideal for his team (in this case, because Atlanta values floor spacing above other traits in its big men). The Hawks got some of that back statistically with second-round picks Walter Tavares (1.0) and Lamar Patterson (0.9), both good values. 15. New Orleans Pelicans (minus-0.5 WARP, 0.5 expected) Despite winning KenPom.com's statistical KPOY award each of the past two seasons,Russ Smith (minus-0.3 projected WARP) doesn't rate as an efficient NBA player, in large part because late development has boded poorly for NBA success in the past. 16. New York Knicks (minus-0.6 WARP, 1.6 expected) Due to his age (23), Wichita State forward Cleanthony Early (0.0 projected WARP) doesn't rate as well by the numbers as he does in the eyes of scouts. The Knicks' other two second-round picks, Thanasis Antetokounmpo (0.6) and French forward Louis Labeyrie(0.4), rate as average for where they were chosen. 17. Toronto Raptors (minus-0.7 WARP, 1.8 expected) I have no methodology to translate Brazilian statistics and therefore cannot rate Bruno Caboclo, Toronto's surprise first-round pick. This rating is entirely based on second-round pick DeAndre Daniels, who rated 0.9 wins below replacement level. 18. Los Angeles Lakers (minus-0.7 WARP, 2.3 expected) Though the numbers favored taking Vonleh over Julius Randle (1.6 projected WARP, 17th), Randle was still a fairly typical seventh pick. The Lakers did worse statistically by buying a second-round pick to draft Missouri guard Jordan Clarkson (minus-0.5). 19. Los Angeles Clippers (minus-0.9 WARP, 0.9 expected) The Clippers' only pick, Washington guard C.J. Wilcox (minus-0.8 projected WARP), was the lowest-rated first-round pick. Wilcox's shooting ability may make him more valuable than that projection, but it's tough to see how he cracks a crowded wing rotation in L.A. 20. Minnesota Timberwolves (minus-0.9 WARP, 2.4 expected) All three of Minnesota's picks, starting with UCLA guard Zach LaVine (0.9, 28th) at No. 13, rated worse than average for where they were taken. Italian forward Alessandro Gentile rated 0.9 wins below replacement level. 21. Oklahoma City Thunder (minus-1.0 WARP, 1.9 expected) Last year, the Thunder's surprise first-round pick (Andre Roberson) was an advanced-stats darling. Not so with Stanford forward Josh Huestis (0.1 projected WARP), who was ostensibly drafted to compete with Roberson. Mitch McGary (0.8) went a bit higher than his value suggested. 22. Phoenix Suns (minus-1.1 WARP, 3.8 expected) Starting with three first-round picks, the Suns got good value in Syracuse point guardTyler Ennis (2.0, 12th), but not with T.J. Warren (0.6), the lowest-rated lottery pick, or Serbian guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (0.2). 23. Orlando Magic (minus-1.1 WARP, 4.1 expected) Your view of the Magic's draft depends on how much importance you place on shooting, because neither Aaron Gordon (1.7 projected WARP, 16th) nor Elfrid Payton (0.8, 34th) are accurate shooters. It seems Orlando will try and compensate for below-average shooting on the wing with elite defense. 24. Brooklyn Nets (minus-1.2 WARP, 1.2 expected) The Nets purchased three second-round picks and used them all on seniors, none of them with positive WARP projections: Markel Brown (minus-0.6), Cory Jefferson(minus-0.4) and Xavier Thames (minus-1.8). The problem with using second-round picks on fringe college veterans is those choices lose all value if the player is cut. By contrast, drafting and stashing an international prospect offers some chance, however small, of getting value from the pick. 25. Cleveland Cavaliers (minus-3.1 WARP, 4.4 expected) Essentially, this spot is a referendum on Andrew Wiggins (1.3 projected WARP, 21st), whose performance at Kansas didn't match up with that of a typical No. 1 pick. Both of Cleveland's second-round picks (Virginia sharpshooter Joe Harris at minus-0.6, and Stanford forward Dwight Powell at minus-1.3) were seniors who rate worse than replacement level. No picks: Dallas Mavericks, Golden State Warriors, Indiana Pacers, Portland Trail Blazers,Washington Wizards

If Dennis gets full backup minutes at PG this season, the Hawks have serious issues.

I was actually semi excited about the Jenkins pick just because I was watching that draft with some friends who were dead set on the Hawks taking Fab Melo with that pick and I wanted nothing to do with him.

Where do you come up with this stuff...? Anderson was out almost 3/4 of the season and is coming off of a back/spine injury - hes' only had one healthy season his entire career. Holiday fractured his leg and underwhelmed even when he was healthy, plus the Pelicans don't have a pick this year because of him. Gordon hasn't been right in years and never will be again thanks to his knees. Tyreke has also had an offseason knee procedure. You really think Lebron wants to go to that team in that city?

Nice drill in that video, JJ definitely looks like he's gotten a little thicker. Love that he's wearing the Kobe Prelude 6s, too.

Because you're giving up two proven, productive players for a project SG who was overrated in the draft last year and the #8 pick. Who would you propose the Hawks get a #8 to make this trade worth it?

Paul George put up his stats on the #1 team in the East, Melo put his stats up on a team that couldn't even make the playoffs in a ridiculously down year for the East. That's all that matters here.

No one cares to mention that there's absolutely no way Minnesota does this because they're trading 1 year of Love for two years of Horford? Because we all know Al wouldn't resign with the Timberwolves.