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somebody post chad ford's chat

gsuteke

By gsuteke
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exodus Newbie

exodus

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Chad Ford: Hey everyone, thanks for coming. We'll take a few NBA questions at the front and spend the majority of the time today talking about the NBA draft. Let's roll.

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Chaz (Hartford, CT): Chad, you've got to give Danny A. and the C's some credit, they are really gelling as a team and look to have a bright future?

Chad Ford: Sure do. I've questioned in the past what Ainge is up to, but I watched them recently and thought the same thing. There is a lot to like here. Ryan Gomes looks amazing. Remember, the Celtics had him pegged as a first rounder, but passed on him when Gerald Green was available. We said on draft night getting him in the second round was one of the great draft steals. I think he's proving that. And if Paul Pierce can keep playing at this MVP type level, the Celtics could be a playoff contender next year.

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Jake (Iowa): It seems everyone is raising questions about how the Suns will adapt with the return of Amare, specifically addressing team chemistry. Conversely, Diaw's breakout year has been due to the fact that he's distributing the ball for Phoenix out of the post. Do you think anyone realizes how scary an Amare fed by both Nash and Boris will be (besides Mike D'Antoni, who already has Amare and Diaw playing 1 on 1)?

Chad Ford: D'Antoni will make it work. The good news is that Stoudemire won't be asked to play center anymore. I think they'll keep Diaw at the five, Stoudemire at the four, Marion at the three with Raja Bell and Nash in the backcourt. If Stoudemire can be 100 percent when he comes back, I think they're the best team in the West.

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Ben (Oakland): Please give a Warriors fan some hope. These are dark times.

Chad Ford: I've killed the Warriros for years, got on the bandwagon this fall after seeing them in training camp and I'm just as confused as you are. The team has the talent. I think it's time to look for a new coach.

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Nick (Toronto): Hey Chad, Out of all the teams in the Eastern Conference currently out of the playoffs, which team do you see having the most promising young core of players? Boston, Chicago, Orlando, Toronto, Hawks etc.

Chad Ford: That's tough because all of those teams actually have some upside. I already mentioned Boston ... I love Chicago's young players and they have a ton of money to spend in free agency. The combo of Dwight Howard, Darko, Jameer Nelson and a high draft pick in this draft put Orlando in a great position. The Raptors have Chris Bosh, Charlie Villanueva and probably most importantly Bryan Colangelo now. And if you've watched the Hawks play lately, you see they're getting better. They have some good young players, some cap flexibility and some trading chips. If they can ever get this ownership mess fixed and a Colangelo type GM to run the show, they also have a chance. Notice that the Knick never entered this discussion ... when you look at those other teams you see how big of a hill the Knicks will have to climb.

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Judd (SLC, UT): What's up with the Jazz? At times they are great (beat Detroit twice!) and then lose at home to Charlotte!!! Help, please.

Chad Ford: They're a mess. They don't have a go to low post scorer nor do they have an athletic wing who can really create his own shot. They win because Jerry Sloan has them overacheiving. The Jazz have talent, but they need a little different mix. Hopefully they can package Carlos Boozer in a trade this summer to get one of those pieces and the draft will provide the other.

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rreebs (LA): Chad, please help me figure out my Clips.

Chad Ford: Don't worry. Adding two new pieces (Radmanovic and Maggette) can disrupt things in the short term but they should be better off in the long run. Besides, if the Clippers end up a sixth seed, I think they have a real shot of getting into the second round ... I like them better than Denver.

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Noah (Tucson, AZ): Hey Chad, who do you see making those last couple of playoff-spots in the West? I think it's too late for Houston, but Sacramento could go... Lakers should be in too.

Chad Ford: I think Sacramento is going to get a spot ... probably at the Lakers expense. If the Hornets keep stumbling, then I think the Rockets still have an outside shot. Utah is just too unpredictable to call at this point.

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Kenny (Rockville, MD): Chadwick, Do you see Miami being able to take Detroit in the playoffs?

Chad Ford: No. Barring an injury the Pistons are returning to the Finals. I think they'll fly through the East in the playoffs.

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Jose (Chicago): Will the Bulls make the playoffs?

Chad Ford: I don't see it. I think the Top 8 in the East are pretty set. I know the Bucks have been faltering a bit and the Sixers are pretty unpreditctable, but I think they're better than the Bulls and Celtics at this point.

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Keith (Atlanta, Ga): If LaMarcus Aldridge doesn't enter the draft, who is the best player available that the Hawks could get in the top 5?

Chad Ford: I know Aldridge and a lot of college basketball players are saying they're not entering the draft. That happens every year about this time. They don't want to deal with distractions leading into the tournament or they're emotional about the season ending. But history shows that between 50 and 70 underclassmen will enter the draft. I Aldridge gets word he's a Top 5 pick, he'll come.

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Matt (Boston, MA): Has JJ Redick's poor shooting games the past couple of weeks exposed him as a player that can be minimized by bigger, more physical guards?

Chad Ford: It's going to be an issue. Scouts are all over the place on Redick making him the toughest guy in the draft to pick. Some love him and feel that his shooting prowess makes him a lock for the lottery. Others look at his size, lack of lateral quickness and the likelihood that he's going to struggle to create his own shot on the next level and wonder why teams would take a sixth man so high. I keep saying I don't think he slips past Utah which means I think he's probably a late lottery pick at this point.

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Greg (Asheville, NC): What about this kid Noah from Florida?

Chad Ford: Joakim Noah has really watched his draft stock take off the past few weeks. Being an athletic, 7 footer who can drop 37 points on Georgia in a draft without any top notch big men will do that to you. I keep hearing Noah wants to return to Florida for his junior season. I think he should ... he's not ready (of course I could say that about almost everyone in the draft). If he has a huge tournament, it will be tough to turn away from the NBA, however, because he'll be projected as a Top 10 pick.

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Clyde ( New York): Rudy Gay has tremendous ability, but do you think that he can be the centerpiece of a team?

Chad Ford: No. I don't think he has the leadership capabilities or take over the game mentality to be the centerpiece. But I do think he'll be a very nice piece for a team, especially one that gets out in transition.

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Jay (Orlando,FL): Who do you think is the best SG for Orlando to draft? I have my doubts on Reddick.

Chad Ford: I think Orlando likes Rodney Carney of Memphis. He's more of a three, but with Grant Hill nearing the end of his tenure there, that's OK. Ronny Brewer is another possibility because he'd give them some size in the backcourt.

Chad Ford: Brandon Roy's another possibility for Orlando. That's a little high for him, but his stock has risen to the point that it's not out of the question.

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Mike (Boulder, CO): Is Hansborough a better pro prospect than Sean May was?

Chad Ford: I think so. However, I think the Bobcats took May WAY too high. Hansborough, to me, is a good pick somewhere between 18-25. He won't be a star in the NBA, but he'll be a guy that coaches love and he'll find a way to earn minutes.

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Walter (New Hampshire): Chad, What is the latest draft view of Tiaggo Splitter? I would love his size in a Celtic uniform. Think he'll last that long in the draft?

Chad Ford: Just depends on whether he can workout a buyout with his club in Spain. Right now it doesn't look good. IF he can't get something worked out before the draft, I think he'll slip or he'll withdraw and try again next year. If he does get something worked out, I think his range is 8 to 15. He be a good fit in Boston. He's tough, defensive minded, long and he has more experience than most of the players in the draft.

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Ben (NYC): What do you think of Jeff Green, Roy Hibbert and Aaron Gray? Who from that group comes out and where will they all eventually get drafted?

Chad Ford: Gray, because of his size and production at Pittsburgh this year has a shot at being a first round pick. There just aren't many legit centers in the draft and Gray fits the bill. He'll be a backup at best in the pros, but that will be enough for someone to gamble on him. I think Green and Hibbert are second rounders at best. Hibbert has the most upside because of his size, but he's VERY raw.

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Keith (Atlanta, Ga): Has Marcus Williams at UConn improved his draft stock with his play this season? How high will he go?

Chad Ford: It's a weak point guard draft, so Williams has a shot of impressing scouts if he has a great tournament and can lead UConn to an NCAA title. He's going to need that however, because he's not the type of kid that's going to workout well in individual workouts. He's a pure point guard who looks the best when he's on the floor running a team. I think he's a legit mid to late first round prospect, but I know some NBA scouts have him ranked in the second round.

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Dan (Minneapolis): I keep hearing about this Andrea Bargninni. Have you seen him in person? Where do you see him drafted?

Chad Ford: Yes, I've seen him in person. I spent some time with him last year at the Reebok Eurocamp, saw him workout and saw him play in person for the Italian national team. Also have seen him play for Benetton. He's improved a lot this year and has actually taken over a few games which is impressive for a 19 year old playing in the second best league in the world. He's not Dirk Nowitzki, but he's pretty close. He's athletic, can shoot the ball, is very versatile and he attacks. His per minute numbers in the Euroleague are really impressive. He's going to have to get stronger and work on his body, but I wonder if he doesn't have as much upside as anyone in the draft. I doubt he'll go No. 1 ... but you can read my blog today to get a feel for why some people think he should and also see some highlight video from his play in Europe.

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Travis, Memphis, TN: Any good foreign sleepers this year? I think scouts have learned they aren't as great as expected excluding Dirk and Manu.

Chad Ford: Lots of scouts talking about Yotam Halperin, an Israeli player who plays in Slovenia. He's a 6-foot-4 combo guard kind of in a Beno Udrih type mold. He's having a big season in the Euroleague and given the lack of great point guards, he's got a shot at the late first round. Other like Olexsiy Pecherov, a big Ukranian kid playing in Paris and Uros Tripkovic, a big combo guard with a sweet shooting touch.

Chad Ford: Got to run early everyone. Someone just slammed into my parked car outside my window. Ugh. We'll do again next week.

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Lascar78 Newbie

Lascar78

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Quote:

Keith (Atlanta, Ga): If LaMarcus Aldridge doesn't enter the draft, who is the best player available that the Hawks could get in the top 5?

Chad Ford: I know Aldridge and a lot of college basketball players are saying they're not entering the draft. That happens every year about this time. They don't want to deal with distractions leading into the tournament or they're emotional about the season ending. But history shows that between 50 and 70 underclassmen will enter the draft. I Aldridge gets word he's a Top 5 pick, he'll come.

He didn't answer the question, but what he did say is 100% correct

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exodus Newbie

exodus

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It's the same story every year. Nobody says they are coming out during the season.

I don't think the Hawks will have a top 5 pick. realistically the draft picture won't start to become clear until the June combine. That is a long way off.

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exodus Newbie

exodus

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Each week we update the Top 100 and highlight a few of the best and worst from the week. The NCAA tournament is a week away and the draft landscape continues to change almost weekly.

Who's No. 1? Last week we profiled three players, Adam Morrison, LaMarcus Aldridge and Rudy Gay, as the potential No. 1 pick in the draft.

But after Andrea Bargnani's 19-point outburst against Olimpija last week in the Euroleague, the wide circulation of this Bargnani highlight reel on the Internet and the recent strong play of Darko Milicic in Orlando, some have wondered why I left Bargnani out of the conversation.

The question I'm getting is this: If Bargnani is the next Dirk Nowitzki, doesn't his upside trump that of Gay, Morrison and Aldridge?

Good question. Bargnani, like a lot of other Euros, has suffered from the Darko backlash. NBA GMs and scouts are wary of declaring an international player "the next big thing" after several of those prospects have struggled the past two years.

However, Bargnani has a few things going for him that many Euros don't.

First, unlike some of the Euros that scouts (and Insider) fell for in Europe in previous years, Bargnani is more than just a workout wonder. He's playing serious minutes and putting up very good numbers on one of the best teams in Europe.

Second, scouts have been looking closely at Bargnani for the past three years. By now, they have him scouted just about as well as an American player.

Third, it appears, given the competition he's facing, he might be ready to come in and contribute right now. The kid can light it up from the outside, put the ball on the floor and dunk in traffic. Don't believe me? Watch the video.

But would a GM have the guts to take Bargnani No. 1 overall? I can't see that happening. As much as I like him as a project, GMs will look at him as a guy who could get them fired if they're wrong.

And his cause isn't helped when he lays an egg like the one on Wednesday night -- 12 minutes, no points.

High riser: The year-long search for a decent center in the draft finally might be coming to fruition. NBA scouts have been abuzz the past few weeks about the play of Florida big man Joakim Noah.

Noah, the son of Yannick Noah, the former tennis star from France, has been on fire the second half of the season. After his 37-point performance against Georgia last week, a number of scouts talked about Noah as a possible lottery pick.

What scouts love about Noah is his combination of size, athleticism and skill with a crazy motor that just doesn't stop running. Scouts know that his body still needs work and that his game needs polish, but it's rare to see a big man who likes to play so relentlessly.

Given the steep learning curve he's experienced this year, scouts think there might be plenty more upside left in his game. While the early word out of Gainesville is that Noah is leaning toward returning for his junior year at Florida, he might not be able to turn down a guaranteed place in the lottery. That is a possibility if he has a big NCAA tourney.

Three weeks ago, we thought we might be stretching it a bit when we put him at No. 20 on our Top 100. This week he's moved himself up to No. 10 and could go even higher if he shines at the Big Dance.

College kids: Despite J.J. Redick's brilliance this season, it's still impossible to get a great read on where he'll go in the draft.

One talent evaluator told Insider on Tuesday that he'd select Redick as the No. 1 pick in the draft if it were up to him. Another team executive put his range at 12 to 18.

More and more scouts are watching Redick closely after a string of tough games had him shooting just 28 percent from the field and 22 percent from 3-point country in his last four games. Redick was awful in last year's tournament. Another bad finish to the season could hurt his stock. However, if he continues to dominate the way he did most of the season, it's tough to see him slipping past Utah in the draft.

Washington guard Brandon Roy continues to get love from NBA scouts. Several scouts told me that he's ranked in the lottery on their boards and one went so far as putting him ahead of Arkansas' Ronnie Brewer.

The gist of what I'm hearing from some scouts is this: "What does Brewer do better? Roy's a better shooter, a better ballhandler and a better defender, and he has a better feel for the game."

With point guard prospects such as Rajon Rondo continuing to falter, I've heard an increasing number of scouts mention Randy Foye and "point guard" in the same sentence.

Several lottery teams need point guards, and Foye's name keeps coming up. One scout said, "I don't think he's a pure point guard, but I think he has a lot more skills in that department than people give him credit for." If that becomes the consensus on draft night, Foye's likely to land in the top 10.

North Carolina freshman Tyler Hansbrough's dominating performance against Duke has created an interesting question, because Hansbrough's stock might never be higher than it is right now.

So, should Hansbrough come out?

He's not getting any taller, his arms aren't growing any longer and he's probably not getting much more athletic either.

Those are the knocks. His heart and skill around the basket are already top-notch. He could find himself in the mid-first round on draft night. If he waits, will he be able to improve his stock much from there?

We keep hearing that Duke's Josh McRoberts is planning to test the draft waters. That could be a mistake. While McRoberts is a likely late lottery pick if he declares, one more year at Duke (this time running the show) could land him in the top three next year. His game needs more work and his stock could benefit from it -- so this might be a kid who really benefits from staying in school one more year.

International men of mystery: The numerous Israeli fans who subscribe to Insider finally might be getting their wish of an Israeli player in the NBA next season. In fact, not one but two Israelis could be taken in this year's draft.

First, Yotam Halperin, a 6-4 combo guard who has been spending a lot of time running the point for Olimpija in Slovenia, is drawing rave reviews from international scouts. They love his decision-making skills, shooting stroke and athleticism. We said earlier in the year that he might be a second-round pick. After a strong Euroleague performance this season (13.8 ppg, 3.5 apg, 52 percent shooting), he's now getting some consideration as a candidate for the late first round.

The other sleeper is Lior Eliyahu, a player we first featured in our coverage of the Reebok Eurocamp last season. Eliyahu, a 6-8 small forward with a strong all-around game (he's averaging 19.2 ppg and 6.3 rpg for Galil Elyon), is thinking seriously about putting his name in the draft. Right now he's a second-round pick, but could move into the late first with strong workouts.

He's fallen … can he get up? What happened to Rondo? He started Kentucky's season ranked as the top point guard in the draft, got off to a scintillating start and has fallen apart the second half of the season.

Rondo's lack of a consistent outside jumper has killed him. Rondo thrived by using his quickness to take defenders off the dribble. Now they lay back and force him to shoot. When he does, it's usually pretty ugly. Rondo has not only lost his starting job, but also has to play some two guard now. While enough scouts love him to keep him in the mix in the late lottery, he might have to play another year at Kentucky to rehab his stock completely.

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tmac13 Newbie

tmac13

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Chad Ford: D'Antoni will make it work. The good news is that Stoudemire won't be asked to play center anymore. I think they'll keep Diaw at the five, Stoudemire at the four, Marion at the three with Raja Bell and Nash in the backcourt. If Stoudemire can be 100 percent when he comes back, I think they're the best team in the West.

Now Diaw is getting rave reviews as a defensive center??..I read this morning where D'Antoni said they put Diaw defensively on the other teams biggest player and don't worry about it...Damn, I could handle him having success but now that he a "defensive center"(which we desperately need), I think my heads going to explode.

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DJ_Money Newbie

DJ_Money

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And if you've watched the Hawks play lately, you see they're getting better. They have some good young players, some cap flexibility and some trading chips. If they can ever get this ownership mess fixed and a Colangelo type GM to run the show, they also have a chance.

That was almost a compliment. shocked.gif

I like how Ford manages to say that BK has gotten us "some good young players, some cap flexibility and some trading chips"...but manages to say that he should be fired in the same sentence.

Replace "Colangelo type GM" with "NBA-caliber coach", and he'd be onto something.

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CBAreject Newbie

CBAreject

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BK had a vision for this guy and his passing ability, but Woodson was fixated on making him a point-guard or shooting guard (worst of all).

He played best here as a defense-oriented small forward in my opinion (like George Lynch with passing), because he needs to play around the basket to score at all, and he's really a pretty decent rebounder, too.

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emeans Newbie

emeans

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I was about to say the same thing.

Chad basically says BK as done an excellent job of assembling a young talented team with cap flexibility, and tradeable pieces.

But in the same breathe he says the man who did this need to be fired and get a Coangelo type.

Does he understand that this team was totally built by BK. That doesn't make any sense!!!

He really hates BK!!

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drzachary Newbie

drzachary

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It doesn't make sense to me? Granted there aren't as many physically imposing centers in the West without Shaq, but how can he be "handling" the other centers defensively at 215 pounds.

Dr. Smith! Dr. Smith!...this does not compute!!

He is Magic Diaw. There is nothing he or his people cannot do, except with the obvious exception of holding territory during wartime.

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