MoonKnight

A large contingent of Hawks management made their way to Cali recently to watch Yi. No word on their reaction to the workout but the Hawks are clearly considering him. Sources have told Sekou that they believe the Hawks will trade possibly both of their lottery picks for vet help. His proposed trades will be in a later edition of AJC. He also said that the Hawks will have no workouts until later in June and that this Wright talk are just assumptions that are premature at this point.

Does Horford solve our center problems more than Conley would solve our point guard problems? The answer to this question could help determine our strategy for the entire draft. The workouts will help provide the answer though I am leaning towards believing Conley cures the point guard issue more than Horford cures the center issue. The Wright talk still puts a damper on my mood.

I agree wholeheartedly about Wright. He should have expected people to question his weight and strength when he was considering the decision to declare for the draft yet he has done zilch to improve in either area since the end of the college season. Does this guy have a trainer? We do not need a player selected with the 3rd overall pick that has no self motivation.

Big Z, Duncan, and Elson are playing in the finals with traditional center size. While a Oden type player rarely comes along, a Pryz, Haywood, or Petro type player may be available and fit our needs better in the right trade than hoping a part time center will.

But neither Howard or Bosh are full time centers, though I think Howard has grown into the size of a more traditional center. Howard has mostly played besides Battie and Toronto has used Nesto and Garbs to defend the center position more than Bosh. Certainly, Horford could be a part-time center but with our current half court style of play I think a more traditional, bigger center fits our needs more.

Not to be critical here KB but why do you believe these stats indicate Horford can "lock down" our center position? He can clearly play some part time center but I don't see him being much more of a full time center anymore than SW. Clearly, Horford can improve greatly our frontcourt depth but I don't see him as a long term solution to the center problem.

I think these stats certainly don't hurt Conley at all. He is only 10 pounds lighter than Law yet is stronger. With that long wingspan his strength in the bench press is impressive. If one can ever come out a winner in these type of body measurements then Conley might be winner or very close to it. I hope one of our gurus on this site can match Paul's measurements with Conleys.

I agree about Young. I thought he was taller and I thought his vertical might be closer to 40 inches. Given his questionable ball handling and perimeter skills, I think his measurements may have hurt him.

I hope Crit gets added to this Workout. At least BK is either truly considering this guys to draft or is attempting to raise their stock by profiling them. Either way, this sounds like good news.

according to an interview with Law on NBAdraft.net. He did not give a date or time but that he was working out against Conley in Atlanta and for the Bucks. I am sorry if someone has already posted this info. I would love to be a fly on the wall during that workout.

This Wright rumor from Ford is very distressing. I know Wright had a good ACC tourney but the times I watched NC play Wright was mostly invisible. Hansbrough made much more of an impact in those games than did Wright. We simply do not need a post player who lacks the aggressive mindset and physical strength to currently play the position. We do not have the time to wait on another long term project at the 3rd pick given our roster and overall franchise instability. I've had a bad feeling for some time that Wright might be BK's guy but I hope I am wrong.

According to a blurb I saw on ESPN news. Kobe has always been the player I dislike the most and this incident further confirms it. This dude is a team chemistry killer and is the most selfish player in the league (which is saying alot). It took Shaq and PJ to hold the fort together when Kobe was younger but now that he is the man this garbage will continue to happen. IMO the Lakers current team is not soo much more less talented than the Bulls teams of the 90's that the Lakers couldn't get out of the 1st round. Kobe is no MJ.

Conley, or any other rookie pg, would have to overcome Woody's horrid offensive coaching to succeed. I suspect Ohio State ran a more structured balanced offense than anything Woody will draw up. I, like others here, so want a point guard to come in here and really take the reins and succeed that we are overlooking Woody. I need to keep reminding myself that Woody will dampen the ability of any rookie point guard we bring in here.

I am leaning toward Conley because there appears to be no clear cut guy worth the #3 pick. It seems in this years draft we have about 8-10 guys who would normally be worth the 5th overall pick overall. What makes this draft seem special is the fact that we do have about 8-10 guys who would normally each be worth the 5th overall pick overall. Workouts will be important of course and I hope Conley's rookie agent will let him compete in a workout against some other possible pgs. But if the next 8-10 guys continue to remain bunched up after workouts then we should pick for need and select Conley. I agree with you that BK could make some boneheaded deal or that another "leak" could come out weeks before the draft and that "leak" involves the name Brandon Wright.

A trade for Haywood has been perculating in my head prior to reading your idea about same. IMO, we could probably also get the Wizards 2007 pick tossed in the trade as well. With the Wizards pick we take the BPA even if it is a swingman as insurance in case we lose JChillz. Of course I have still not made up my mind about whether Conley is worth the 3rd overall pick.

I think Memphis has major point guard issues like us and may Select Conley at #4. I still hope Ainge falls in love with someone whereby he might want to move up and give us Perkins and #5 for #3. We then have a solid big in Perkins, who is still very young and improving, take our pick of Brewer, Noah, or maybe Yi at #5 and still get Crit or Law at #11.

In the NC games I watched Wright was fairly invisible and made much less of an impact than Hansbrough. While I am still wrestling with whether I feel Conley is worthy of the #3 pick there is no question in my mind that he is far more NBA ready than Wright. Wright and Yi are the two biggest projects of the first 12 prospective picks.

Think of Marcus Williams, Jarrett Jack, Tony Parker, Jamaal Tinsley, etc. Big Men tend to rise right before the draft. I think Law or Critt will certainly be available with the 11th pick.

I know the BK's "Big PG" preference has been alleged here for years but there is no real proof of this belief. Consider the signings of Craig Claxton and drafting of Salim (though not a true point). The truth may be that BK has no real conception of the point guard he wants. Hence these strange draft picks the past few years. I would be stunned if BK selects Conley with the 3rd pick even if that selection was warranted.

I agree Perkins has not reached his potential but he is a better post defender right now than any of the potential players we could draft in the picks #3-12 range. Ainge is such an odd GM it would not shock me if he fell in love with a player due to "brain typing" or whatever the hocus pocus is called and might want to move up to our pick to ensure the player is there. It is an interesting thought anyway.

Maybe I dreamed this but I thought someone posted a suggested trade of #3 to the Celts for #5 and K. Perkins. While the proposed Jack/LA for #3 sounds great though unlikely, the above Celts deal sounds pretty realistic. I think Perkins can still become a very solid 5 and is better as a true 5 than anyone we could draft as a true 5 with our two picks. Perkins could form a nice compliment with Zaza. This deal could likely happen if Ainge falls for Yi and is afraid he would not be there at #5. At #5, Conley might still be around along with Brewer, Noah, etc. Thoughts?

draft Conley at #3? I am not advocating Conley at #3 but I cannot imagine any way that BK would draft a point at #3 given his history as GM. Am I out of line for suggesting that we are wasting posts here by posting about Conley at #3? It just seems that to envision BK drafting Conley at #3 is just so unrealistic to even mention.

There is no doubt that Georgetown's style impacts all of their players stats including Hibberts. Hibbert played Oden very well when the two matched up and is a good barometer of how he might play against other quality big men. I also like the fact that he improved drastically each year on campus and is clearly a hard worker. If we draft based on need compared to BPA, the big question is whether Hibbert is more of a reach at #3 than Conley at #3. I have certainly not made up my mind on the question but I am leaning toward the idea that Conley is more of a reach at #3 than Hibbert.

It is still early in the evaluation process but I feel the same way you do at this time. I remember Hibbert playing Oden very well in the tourney and this memory is still fresh in my mind.

take out Conley and replace him with Green who is 6'8 with Boris Diaw like versatility and you are spot on.