Bulldog

I think it is a good move myself. They needed more quality at PG. Foye will be a combo guard anyway and they have now solidified their backcourt with a 20/5 guy who can get Garnett the ball and make some shots, like Cassell when he had a great year there. I think they will trade Jaric anyway, but this was a relatively inexpensive way to improve their backcourt fairly significantly.

20 and 10 might be a stretch for Wilcox. They hoped for that with Kurt Thomas and that didnt work. Nor did Brian Grant whose game Wilcox resembles. anyway 20 and 10 is what Marion brings, plus blocks, assists, steals, a great attitude...

why trade him? I know they want to resign Diaw but Marion is too good to trade.

The Suns have apparently asked the Sonics about Chris Wilcox who said that they would need to trade Shawn Marion in return.

Wilcox has Ike Austin written all over him. The guy has done precious little until he put together a decent 25 game run to end last season. But that warrants nowhere near the $60m he is asking for... I just dont get this one. Wilcox is a fairly decent player. Probably a 25 minute per game backup on a title contender... so $60m..????

I think he should bite the hands off the Sonics for their $42m offer. A year ago he was looking at getting employment from any team. As for trading for Shawn Marion...please. The Suns should keep their group together and go for the title.

Bargnani started with 20 points on 7 of 11 shooting including 2 threes. Nice start.

I dont really understand the trade from the Bulls point of view. Chandler is still very young, is over 7 foot tall and has proved that he can be a shot blocking and rebounding monster. He just needs to bulk up and avoid injuries, and then he can be Mutombo-lite. If he adds some offense, we are talking a perennial all-star... if.... Lots of teams were therefore interested in him. I just think that Chicago could have got more back for him, and certainly more of a veteran scorer. PJ will come off the books after next year and I see that it will give great cap flexibility, but Ben Wallace is over 30 and that move must mean they want to win now, so why didnt they try for someone like Rashard Lewis, Corey Maggette, or package him with Deng for Marion all of which can put the ball in the hole... That would have meant the defense is good with Wallace, and they would have a scorer to light it up. For the Hornets I think it is a risk, but a calculate one that could really pay off.

I mean - he needs to practice his stroke this offseason, but that's just ridiculous...

1. Renaldo Balkman to the Knicks at #20 - big shock here. Could have taken Rondo or Williams and packaged them in a trade or taken Josh Boone... not a lot of people know Balkman, but I hope for Isiah's sake that he does...

2. Rudy Gay slipping to 8 AND then getting traded for Battier... I was surprised Houston made the trade after landing Gay who seemed perfect for them. They obviously feel with Battier, Ming and McGrady they can win now.

3. Marcus Williams slipping to 22..??? The best pg in the draft and he slips a long way. I thought he would go 10 to Seattle as they do not seem sold on Luke Ridnour there. Instead the Sonics take another project at Center. It hasnt worked for them in the past, might not again.

4. Leon Powe slipping to 49. Some mocks had Dallas taking him at 28. he will have a good opportunity to show his skills in Boston.

The realgm mock draft suggests that after Toronto draft Bargnani, Toronto will try to trade Charlie Villanueva. The suggestion is to Atlanta for Josh Smith.

Charlie V has great potential and had a very good year last year. Would you be happy with this trade?

so who should the Mavs go for - Mike James? Sam Cassell? or trade for a distributor type ?

Zo does a lot more for charity than most players in the league. He has given back after enjoying huge success. Given that and the effort he so obviously brings every night, I am happy for him that he got a ring in the end.

Well done, Zo.

Wade has some thinking to do.

Every team in the league will want him and who does he have around him...? Shaq is ageing, Zo and Payton will probably retire. So that leaves J-Will, Posey and Walker. Good players, but is it enough to make him stay?

You can bet the big 3 markets - Chicago, NYC, and LA - are working out how they can make an offer for him.

I hope Wade stays in Miami. It is good for the league when stars show loyalty.

5 blocks and massive intensity as ever... you have to respect him for what he gives on the court. He was a massive factor.

1. Shaq - if you picked one center to play one season next year, it would still be Shaq Daddy.

2. Yao - at the end of the year he was sensational. He has really improved

3. Jermaine Oneal - fills up the stat box but sometimes doesnt show up when it matters

4. Ben Wallace - Seemed to slow down this playoffs but is a difference maker on defense.

5. Boris Diaw - he finishes playing C, but difficult to categorise. Terrorised every team Phoenix played in the playoffs and can do it all.

6. Marcus Camby - Fantastic defensively but fragile.

7. Chris Kaman - worst haircut in the league, but really announced himself on both ends of the floor this year.

8. Brad Miller - good all round game.

9. Ilgauskas - Solid but slowing down.

10. Mourning - I would still have him here above others. Still a scary man.

2 words - Wayne Rooney. England for the title.

Shaq just had a bad game. He will be back and the Heat take game 3.

The Pacers reportedly have discussed a trade with Toronto that would send Jermaine O’Neal to the Raptors for a package that would include the No. 1 pick.

The Pacers, according to Mark Murphy, would likely take Adam Morrison.

Indiana may also be talking with the Timberwolves about a Jamaal Tinsley-for-Ricky Davis deal.

Trading Tinsley and ONeal for Morrison and Ricky Davis? That seems like a bad move to me, and a slamdunk for Toronto who would have an incredible front line in that scenario.

Predictions? Obvious choices are Wade / ONeal or Dirk.

Josh Howard could sneak it if the Mavs win. My prediction is the Heat take the title in 6 and Wade takes the trophy.

I think Miami will surprise. They have beaten favourites Detroit with Wade playing sick and looked good all playoffs...

He came out of nowhere to get draft buzz out of high school a couple of years ago, then he fell off the map. Is he going to get drafted?

He is the sort of player that could fly up the draft on the night. He is projected to go mid second round at the moment.

People wondered at the time if he would skip college and go straight from High School as he was so good, and that sort of hype has still stuck to him a little.

I think the only question is whether his knees hold out, but I could see him going late first round, maybe to the Lakers.

the 3 years before Nash arrived he averaged just under 20 and 10, and throw in a block and 2 steals a game - I would say he will be alright without Nash...

Strange jumper or not, Marion is a great player and I would still be amazed if Phoenix would gamble on a draft pick for him. The draft is littered with players that misfired - and they would have done a great job to draft someone with equal talent - so why take the risk?

The Jerry Krause experiment didnt work. He went for Curry and Chandler and traded Elton Brand. The baby twin towers didnt work out. As we have said the Curry trade has turned it round, and I dont think it will be long before Chandler follows him out the door.

His rebounding and blocking are good. But the Bulls are paying top dollar for a guy that averages just over 5 points. Unless he improves this year either to a 10+ rebounds and 3 blocks per game guy (a la Ben Wallace) he has got to improve his offense.

nbadraft.net have him at #11 to Orlando. He is one guy that really divides opinion. Some see him as a Drazen Petrovic type who will take over games with his incredible range. Others say he has little NBA type game and will end up as a Steve Kerr / Voshon Lenard type taking few minutes and coming on to gun some threes before heading back to the bench.

To me he seems like a winner. He was superb in college, no question. I think he will fall between the two - not reaching Petrovic, Miller, Stojakovic type heights but certainly providing good production as more of a Dan Majerle type player. I see him going to the Jazz at #14.

Marion for a #2??? That is a terrible trade for Phoenix. Marion is a team leader and does everything on the floor and is a team player. They are fighting for a ring right now, so I just dont see them trading one of their best guys for a project. They need the best team possible for the next 3 years while Nash still has legs and that means Nash, Bell, Marion, Stoudemire and Diaw with Thomas as 6 man. If anything they could try to upgrade at 2 guard, although Bell is a nice fit not needing too many touches and playing good perimeter defense. I do not see this trade going down.

For Chicago - no brainer. Pull the trigger and contend for the East next year. They could still rebuild with the Knicks 2007 draft pick. (and dont forget they still have the #16 pick this year and take Rajon Rondo or someone like him)

Included in the Curry deal is the option to swap picks next year. It is possible therefore that the Knicks have a similar season to this year and end up with the number 1 pick in the 2007 draft which Chicago could take and the chance to draft Greg Oden.

It would be amazing if the Bulls were to make the playoffs two years in a row whilst getting the number 2 and number 1 picks in each year... Also Oden looks unbelievable. I personally think he looks more like a Mutombo than a David Robinson but hey thats pretty good!

That trade looks worse and worse for the Knicks...