Tuesday Insider

[Admin]

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The scuttle has now reached fever pitch. The lies? Reaching extraordinary proportion. By now the Clippers have traded their lottery picks 12 different times to 12 different teams. By the time they select at No. 12, we're getting a sneaking suspicion that we may not know anything more than we know now.

The biggest rumors Monday night were all cued up in Cleveland.

Andre Miller to the Clipps? The talk has been floating around for two months, but conventional wisdom said, if the Clipps can't afford to pay Michael Olowokandi, Elton Brand and Lamar Odom . . . how do they afford that max contract extension that Miller is looking for?

As with most things associated with the Clipps, conventional wisdom looks dead wrong. News that the Clippers approached the Hornets about a Baron Davis trade took everyone off guard. Now, a source inside the Clippers told the L.A. Times that they're engaging in talks with the Cavs about Miller.

The deal would apparently send Corey Maggette, the No. 8 and the No. 12 to Cleveland in return for Miller. Another variation that's much less likely has the Cavs sending the No. 6 and Miller to L.A. for Darius Miles, the No. 8 and the No. 12. The Cavs have also inquired about the availability of Lamar Odom, but GM Elgin Baylor told the L.A. Times that they wouldn't trade either Odom or Michael Olowokandi.

"You can't believe everything you read," Baylor said. "There's nothing to it. We're talking to teams. We're listening to teams. None of the teams above us [in the draft order] are willing to move down.... We have not talked to any team [about Odom]. Any team that's asked about Lamar we've told, 'We're not trading Lamar.' We have not called any other team and asked about trading Lamar.... We don't want to move Michael."

Miller told the Akron Beacon Journal that there is a 50 percent chance that he'll be traded on draft night. "It's something that could happen," he said. "That's between my agent [Lon Babby], the coaches and [Cavs general manager] Jim Paxson to decide. Whatever happens, it's out of my hands."

Cavs coach John Lucas confirmed the trade talk. "People have called, but Andre's our best player," Lucas said. "You have to listen. But at this point there are 9,000 trades out there. You listen and you learn and you keep moving."

Lucas said it would take "something crazy" for Miller to be dealt. Lucas said the Cavs have received no attractive offers, but "you never know what happens."

A trade that would give the Cavs three lottery picks in a deep draft may be too good to pass up. With the Nos. 6, 8 and 12, the Cavs could likely add Caron Butler, Dajuan Wagner and Amare Stoudemire. Factor in young players like Maggette, Ricky Davis and DeSagana Diop, and the building blocks might finally be in place for an interesting team down the road. . .

Unless the Cavs decide to keep Miller and add another All-Star player now. Several sources told Insider Monday that the Cavs were also talking about a deal that would send the No. 6 pick, Tyrone Hill and perhaps Lamond Murray to the Bucks in return for Glenn Robinson, Anthony Mason and the No. 13 pick.

Robinson and Mason would give the Cavs the veteran fire power they need to surround Miller. The Bucks would get a player they covet at No. 6 (either Nikoloz Tskitishivili or Nene Hilario), free up playing time for Tim Thomas and get cap relief next summer when Hill's $6.6 million contract comes off the books.

Both the News Herald and the Racine Journal Times reported variations of the trade in Tuesday's editions.

Lucas seemed to confirm the information Monday afternoon in a Cleveland.com chat when he told fans that "there's a chance we could move Tyrone." He also said forward Lamond Murray "have some value" in a possible trade.

As for the Clippers, they continue to mystify folks around the league. Has Donald Sterling lost his mind, or is he finally ready open his wallet and put together a powerhouse in L.A.? Maybe Jerry West knew something we didn't when he decided to get out of town.

If the Clippers aren't involved in some sort of cruel practical joke, it looks like they'd be willing to pay three max deals this year (Miller, Brand, Olowokandi), and a couple of pretty big ones next season (Odom, Miles, and Quentin Richardson).

One question several observers have is why the Clippers are so obsessed with a point guard when Marko Jaric, perhaps the top point guard in Europe, is set to play for the Clippers this year.

Coach Alvin Gentry said the team is just interested in stockpiling talent. We'll pause why you pick yourself off the floor. "What we want to get [are] good players," Gentry said. "We'll take veteran players if they're good players. We want to add talent. We're not in the market to get a player just because he's a veteran. Hopefully, we draft a good player and he has to earn his way into the lineup. He's going to have a tough time playing ahead of guys who were here last year."

The Clippers are hazy on what will happen

Elliott Teaford / Los Angeles Times

Miller: 50 percent chance he's gone

Chris Tomasson / Akron Beacon-Journal

Trade talks pick up steam

Sam Smith / Chicago Tribune

Bucks-Cavs trade rumor begins

Bob Finnan / Willoughby News-Herald

Bucks trade talk includes Robinson

Gery Woelfel / Racine Journal Times

More Draft Rumors: Will the Knicks opt for Nene?

Although nothing else going on is as dramatic as the Andre Miller and Glenn Robinson rumors, there are a few other interesting scenarios out there . . .

Why are so many teams targeting the Cavs at No. 6 as a trade partner? One, the pick is for sale. But two, several teams are now convinced that the Knicks are secretly after Nene Hilario with their No. 7 pick. While Scott Layden has gone out of his way to publicly praise Chris Wilcox and Dajuan Wagner, the team has been tight lipped about Nene, despite bringing him in for two workouts.

Given the Knicks' history, that may be the best indication out there that they really like a guy. That's why teams like the Heat, Suns, Blazers, Magic and even the Mavs have been trying to slide ahead of New York. Nene's strength, wing span, shot blocking and rebounding abilities should allow him to play center -- the most coveted position in the NBA.

"There are no more guys who want to play center so they all filter into the [power forward] spot," Memphis director of player personnel Tony Barone told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "There is some stigma with being a center. A typical power forward, the bruiser ... that's died."

The Miller and Big Dog rumors will probably put an end to talk of the Suns swapping the No. 9 for the Cavs No. 6 pick. The Suns were also seeking to pawn off Bo Outlaw and the 3 years, $17 million remaining on his contract as part of the deal. The Cavs weren't interested.

It looks like the Heat are the latest trade target for the Blazers. Portland is seeking to move into the lottery to get a shot at Amare Stoudemire, the Miami Herald reported. The Blazers are offering the Heat the same deal they offered the Clippers: their first-round pick (21st overall) and power forward Zach Randolph.

Orlando has also spoken to the Heat about exchanging picks, sources told the Herald. The Heat's interest would be piqued if forward Mike Miller is dangled? The Magic have been offering Miller to the Grizzlies and Nuggets in exchange for the No. 4 or No. 5, but might not be willing to part with Miller for a pick that low.

Meanwhile, the Heat are talking to the Raptors (No. 20), Pistons (No. 23) and Nets about picking up a second first-rounder.

Several league sources told Insider that the Hawks have several deals on the table to move up into the mid first round. GM Pete Babcock has coveted Dan Dickau and Jiri Welsh, among others, to play point guard for the team this season. The Hawks are talking to everyone from the Wizards at No. 11 all the way down to the Pistons at No. 23.

Babcock indicated Monday that they may no longer want the Pistons' pick, indicating that the Hawks may have to go higher to get the player they want.

"Any deal we would make --- and we're talking to a lot of teams --- would depend on whether there's a player we really want when the pick is up," Babcock told the Atlanta Constitution Journal. "We don't want a first-round pick for the sake of having one."

The Pacers were quick to dismiss talk that they'd consider trading the No. 14 and Austin Croshere to the Lakers for Robert Horry and the No. 27 if Qyntel Woods fell to them, but consider this.

The team has been bringing in quite a few prospects of late who are late first-rounders at best -- at least later than where it was picking at No. 14. Monday the team had in John Salmons and Roger Mason Jr. The Pacers have also brought in Mladen Sekularac, Darius Songaila, Ryan Humphrey and Freddie Jones of late.

"The draft hasn't arranged itself at the top," said David Morway, the Pacers' senior vice president of basketball administration, told the Indianapolis Star. "There's still a lot of indecision among teams. By this time you usually have a good feel for how the top 11 or 12 are going to go, but that's not the case. You also have a lot of teams talking of trading into the lottery and more teams than usual talking of trading out of the lottery."

Here's a surprise. After spending the last month denying an Insider report that the Sixers are looking to deal the No.16 pick to the Warriors, the Philadelphia Daily News reversed course today and is now "reporting" that the Sixers may be talking to the Warriors about trading their 16th pick.

"We're trying to decide," general manager Billy King told the Daily News. "The luxury tax is a big key to what we're doing. If we take a player, it means committing to 3 years [of guaranteed salary]. Do we want to do that or go get veteran free agents?"

The Sixers have made only a token attempt to bring in the top picks who will be there when they draft at No. 16. Multiple agents and league sources who have dealt with the Warriors for the past month have confirmed that the team will have a mid first-round pick.

Who will the Warriors take if they get No. 16? The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that the Warriors' brass took a look at Jiri Welsch Sunday. The team has also taken a long look at Dan Dickau and Frank Williams.

Heat's No. 10 pick attracts trade inquiries

Barry Jackson / Miami Herald

Pistons waver on 23rd pick

Jeffrey Denberg / Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Pacers consider many options

Mark Montieth / Indianapolis Star

Sixers trying to decide if they want 16th pick

Phil Jasner / Philadelphia Daily News

Warriors looking to deal

Brad Weinstein / San Francisco Chronicle

Jacobsen surprise invite to draft?!?

Obviously, the NBA knows something about Stanford's Casey Jacobsen's draft status that we didn't.

Jacobsen was one of 16 draft prospects invited by the league to attend the NBA Draft iat Madison Square Garden Wednesday night. The invitation is considered a key indicator of who the NBA thinks will be the top picks.

After several high-profile mistakes the past few years, the league has reduced the number of players invited and done a more thorough job of researching the projected range of each player.

Remember Jumaine Jones crying in 1999 after he slipped to pick No. 27? Or Rashard Lewis looking like a lost puppy in 1998 when he fell all the way to the second round? The NBA has actually been trying to avoid those classic made-for-TV moments.

So imagine the surprise when Jacobsen, considered a borderline first-round pick by many, appeared on the list. Jacobsen may have dropped a clue that he was an early first-rounder late last week when he canceled a workout with the Jazz, who draft at No. 19.

Jacobsen joins top lottery prospects Jay Williams, Mike Dunleavy, Caron Butler, Drew Gooden, Chris Wilcox, Dajuan Wagner, Jared Jeffries, Nikoloz Tskitishivili, Nene Hilario, Qyntel Woods, Curtis Borchardt and Amare Stoudemire.

Other top players such as Melvin Ely, Kareem Rush and Marcus Haislip were also invited.

The fact that Jacobsen was invited ahead of several other top prospects, including Bostjan Nacbar, Jiri Welsch and Dan Dickau, is a good sign that Jacobsen will land somewhere between 14 and 18. So where will he go? Jacobsen did have a stellar workout in Indiana, which picks at No. 14. The Rockets, Sixers and Hornets have been looking for a shooter at picks 15, 16, and 17.

Workout Watch: The Wizards big day

Want an idea who the Wizards are considering at pick No. 11? They had them all in for a workout Monday. Jared Jeffries, Qyntel Woods, Bostjan Nachbar, Melvin Ely and Jiri Welsch were all in D.C. working out for Michael Jordan Monday.

The only player they couldn't get in? Dajuan Wagner.

Because of the large number of players and workouts Insider has collected, you must click here to go to a complete list of workouts.

Wizards Take Their Last Look

Steve Wyche / Washington Post

Paying a visit to the Pacers

Staff / Indianapolis Star

Writers Bloc: The end of the world

It's that time of year when columnists around the country use the NBA draft to predict the demise of pro basketball . . .unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on if you wrote the column) it never really turns out that way.

The Washington Post's Michael Wilbon is pining for the good old days when the No. 1 pick in the draft was a sure thing.

"Once upon a time the first pick in the NBA draft was somebody you knew with reasonable certainty could be productive, if not have impact, from his very first game in the league. If you saw Bill Walton or Magic Johnson or Isiah Thomas or James Worthy or Hakeem Olajuwon or David Robinson or Shaq or even Tim Duncan beat the best college players of the day, you drafted him."

While even players like Larry Johnson and Derrick Coleman did produce immediately, there have been only eight players (James Worthy, Hakeem Olajuwon, Patrick Ewing, David Robinson, Shaquille O'Neal, Chris Webber, Allen Iverson and Tim Duncan) in the past 22 years who look like they'll have Hall-of-Fame careers. Thirty-six percent isn't exactly what I call a sure thing.

The Boston Globe's Shira Springer has a great piece chronicling the bizzare things teams will do to uncover that hidden gem.

"Teams cannot hope to completely uncover players' personalities and NBA aptitude with a series of tests, though that has not stopped them from trying. Consider a pair of questions from a psychological exam [Celtics GM Chris] Wallace was once asked to administer: If you have to eat off a dirty plate, does it bother you a) some of the time, b) all the time or c) none of the time? If you are inside a house and lightning strikes, are you scared a) some of the time, b) all of the time or c) none of the time? Interpreting the responses is more complicated than running a pick-and-roll. There seems to be just as much guesswork for players taking the tests as there is for general managers deciding on a second-round selection."

Speaking of projecting prospects, how many NBA scouts do you think were at Jeffery Jordan's AAU debut Monday night?

The Memphis Commercial Appeal's Ron Higgins was there to chronicle the first game of the son of MJ.

"His father, Michael, wasn't in the house, too busy helping the Washington Wizards prepare for the NBA draft. His mother, Juanita, sat almost unnoticed at the top of the bleachers in the Wooddale High gymnasium. And down on the floor, nervously making his AAU 13-year-old and under national basketball tournament debut was Jeffery Jordan."

For the record, the 5-foot-9 Jordan scored all of his 13 points in the second half, including 11 straight points in the third quarter when his team rallied to cut the lead to seven points.

For many teams, the draft pool is clear as mud

Michael Wilbon / Washington Post

NBA teams will try anything to gauge prospects

Shira Springer / Boston Globe

Jordan's son draws attention

Ron Higgins / Memphis Commercial Appeal

Peep Show

Knicks: GM Scott Layden has talked again to Seattle about acquiring power forward Vin Baker and point guard Shammond Williams in a non-draft-related deal, the New York Post reported. Apparently, Seattle wants Kurt Thomas in the deal, and if it gets him, would be willing to take on one of the Knicks' three point guards, possibly Charlie Ward.

Nuggets: Antonio McDyess's agent, Andy Miller, says his client wants to stay in Denver. "McDyess has given me no indication at this point that he wants to pursue any other options other than Denver," Miller told the Denver Post. "I have a very good relationship with him. If he had a desire or even an inkling of a desire to explore other options, I am 100 percent confident that he would have already told me. He wants to kind of evaluate how the team improves while he helps himself get better." . . . Expect the team to announce today that it has bought out the remainder of Tim Hardaway's contract, making him an unrestricted free agent. The only way the Nuggets don't do it is if they work out a trade today and need Hardaway's full salary to facilitate it.

T-Wolves: Chauncey Billups has opted out of the final season of his three-year deal and will become a free agent on July 1. With Terrell Brandon coming off season-ending knee surgery, the T-Wolves could be in a bit of a pickle if he leaves. "We'd like to have Chauncey back on our team, but he has got to take a look at a lot of things, and we've got to take a look at a lot of things," Wolves vice president Kevin McHale told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. McHale said Billups is looking for a commitment for a starting role. "Chauncey is looking for the opportunity to play. If Terrell is back, we expect him to be fully healthy and play 30 minutes a night. That leaves only 18 minutes for his backup. If he's playing really well and playing 32, 34 minutes, that leaves only 14, 16 minutes for his backup."

Mavs: Don Nelson seemed to confirm rumors that the Mavs may be in the market for the Knicks' Kurt Thomas. "One of the big mistakes we've made since I've been here was not signing Kurt Thomas, and that was more of a financial thing," Nelson told the Fort Worth Star Telegram. "We really like him as a player, and now he's proven out to be what I thought he was. We're looking for a guy like him. He's physical and rebounds, and when you lose a guy like that and you get nothing for him, it's just a void because then it takes you a period of years before you can replace that guy." . . .The Mavs waived Danny Manning Monday.

Heat: Although the Heat likely will release Chris Gatling and his non-guaranteed contract by July 9, Miami has kept him in case his $2.8 million salary for next season can help facilitate a trade in the next two weeks. A team acquiring Gatling could cut him before July 9 without having to pay the final two years of his contract. Gatling said Monday he's traveling to Miami this week to begin summer workouts. "I have no idea what the Heat will do," he told the Miami Herald. "I will be in better shape next season."

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[flava]

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Several league sources told Insider that the Hawks have several deals on the table to move up into the mid first round. GM Pete Babcock has coveted Dan Dickau and Jiri Welsh, among others, to play point guard for the team this season. The Hawks are talking to everyone from the Wizards at No. 11 all the way down to the Pistons at No. 23.

Babcock indicated Monday that they may no longer want the Pistons' pick, indicating that the Hawks may have to go higher to get the player they want.

"Any deal we would make --- and we're talking to a lot of teams --- would depend on whether there's a player we really want when the pick is up," Babcock told the Atlanta Constitution Journal. "We don't want a first-round pick for the sake of having one."

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If we could get Welsch, that would be very solid. Supposedly, he is a guard to can play from the 1 to the 3. And although everyone is strongly in favor of JT at the point, I think there are times in a game where he is almost unstoppable at the 2. Having a guy like Welsch for those times would really help the club!

flava

[Admin]

That makes me very excited. Here is some info on Welsch....

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Source - NBA Draft.net

Jiri Welsch

Birthdate: 1/27/80

NBA Position: PG/SG

Ht: 6-6

Wt: 205

2001-2002 Stats

14.5 Points Per Game

3.2 Rebounds Per Game

2.2 Assists Per Game

NBA Comparison: Brent Barry

Team player who handles ball with ease and has a sweet stroke from downtown and an exceptionally well developed mid-range game. Jiri is a great defender, as he takes advantage of his fast legs and hands and his body strength. He likes to attack the basket and makes great decisions off the dribble drive. With excellent court sense, he is a consistent high-percentage shooter and 3-pt shots are no exception.

Comparison with Sani Becirovic:

Jiri is as skillful as Sani on the offensive end of the floor, with Sani having better developed game of taking his man of the dribble (which is his specialty). Welsch is also good in taking his man off the dribble as he has a faster first step and is overall faster than Sani, but hasn't got as many dribbling moves as Sani. I would give Welsch the edge in the shooting department and decision-making as he has much better assists to turnover ratio than Sani. But the difference is on the defensive end, where Sani has always been a liability and is hurting his team with his inability to break through picks. That factor was also seen last year when Jiri was backing up Sani. Coach Sagadin assigned Sani to cover less dangerous opponents, while Jiri was assigned to cover the best of them. That was especially seen in playoff stages of euroleague as Sani was replaced in the starting 5 with Jiri, who responded exceptionally well. This year, with Sani gone, Jiri has taken over his spot and has become the team's leader. He is regularly scoring around 20 points a game through this season, and plays exceptional team ball.

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Source - ESPN Insider

Jiri Welsch

SHOOTING GUARD | (6-6, 205) | CZECH REPUBLIC

Notes: Jiri Welsch, a member of the Czech National Team, has played for Union Olimpija in the Euroleague the past two seasons. He averaged 16.9 points and shot 50.3 percent from the field this past season.

Made his professional debut during the 1996-97 season with BHC SKP Pardubice (Czech Republic). Welsch also played with Pardubice during the 1997-98 championship season before being signed for the 1998-99 season by B.C. Sparta Praha. Helped Sparta Praha win the 1999-20000 championship before moving to Slvenia and signing with B.C. Olimpija Ljubljana.

Welsch also won the 2000-01 Slovenian National Championship with B.C. Olimpija Ljubljana and also helped Olimpija win the 2001 Slovenian National Cup. He has been a member of the Czech Junior National team has been member of the Czech Under-22 National Team.

Positives: Welsch is a combo guard who likes to take the ball to the basket or dish on the dribble drive. Excellent size for a point guard. He's got a sweet outside jumper, and is a solid decision maker and leader. He likes to play the game at a fast pace and will push the ball up the floor whenever he gets the opportunity. Scouts say he's got a great feel for running a team. He's extremely tough. Think John Stockton on hormones.

Negatives: Welsch is an inconsistent shooter from beyond the 3-point arc. He doesn't have the quickness to guard smaller quicker point guards like Baron Davis and Steve Francis. Isn't a great athlete, but makes up for it with a certain court savvy.

Summary: Some teams wonder whether Welsch can really play point guard in the NBA on a full-time basis. He may be better suited playing shooting guard in America. Obviously his stock slips a bit if they're not convinced he can run a team. If they think he can make the transition to full time point guard, he could end up in the mid-first round by draft day.

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Source - NBA Draft.net

Dan Dickau

Point Guard

Gonzaga

6'1 189

2001-2002 Stats

20.6 Points Per Game

3.0 Rebounds Per Game

4.9 Assists Per Game

NBA Comparison: Jason Terry (better shooting version)

Strengths: Sweet shooting point with absolute breakneck quickness. Has another gear which he shifts into to blow by defenders. His combination of deadly accuracy from deep and quick first-step make him a nightmare to defend. Very skilled ballhandler, with great penetration ability. Pushes the ball up the court with great speed. An intense competitor with a great knowledge of the game. Has a scorer's mentality. Flashy yet fundamentally sound. Fearless. Incredible anticipation and creativity.

Weaknesses: Not overly big or strong (although he looks much stronger than last year). The biggest knock on Dickau is whether or not he is able to run an NBA team. When he has the ball he either looks to shoot or pass, but doesn't control the ball the entire game like most point guards (possible due to the way Gonzaga runs their offense)

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Source - ESPN Insider

Dan Dickau

GUARD | (6-0, 170) | GONZAGA | COLLEGE STATS

Season Averages

YR GMS MIN PTS REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF FG% FT% 3P% PPS

2002 32 34.7 21.0 3.0 4.7 2.9 1.6/1 0.8 0.1 1.9 .441 .864 .457 1.52

Season Totals Rebounds

YR GMS MIN FGM FGA FTM FTA 3PM 3PA PTS OFF DEF TOT AST TO STL BLK PF

2002 32 1110 195 442 165 191 117 256 672 15 81 96 149 92 26 4 61

Notes: Dan Dickau became the first player in Gonzaga history to earn All-American honors, being named to the first team in 2002, as well as being the first Bulldog to be among the top five in John R. Wooden Award balloting. Dickau was also a Naismith Award Finalist for Player of the Year after leading the Zags back to the NCAA Tournament for the third straight year.

In just three seasons after transferring from Washington, Dickau leaves Gonzaga with 299 career assists, which ranks seventh on the all-time list. He also became the 23rd member of the Gonzaga 1,000-point club with 1,125 to rank 16th. Add in his Washington numbers and he put up 1,290 career points and handed out 366 assists.

Dickau was named MVP of the West Coast Conference Tournament, after earning the award for the regular season. Dickau played for Team USA at the World University Games last summer -- a team that won a bronze medal in Beijing, China. He averaged 4.8 ppg, 1.3 rpg, and 1.1 assists in China.

Positives: Relentless. Dickau is a top-notch shooter and playmaker. Difficult to guard because of his ability to sink the jumper or take it to the hoop. Very active on the offensive end; is deceptively quick. Dickau does have NBA-range on his jumper and the ball-handling skills to get his teammates involved. His game definitely has a flair to it.

Negatives: Dickau is a pretty weak defender. Will he give up more points than he scores in the pros? Doesn't seem to quite have the knack that other WCC alums (like John Stockton and Steve Nash) have for making his teammates better and coming up with the big play.

Summary: Dickau will continue to be one of the most hotly-debated players in the draft. Will benefit from the success of players like Nash and Andre Miller. Some scouts feel he has the potential to land in the late lottery with good workouts. Others say there are enough question marks that he could slip all the way to the bottom of the first round. No one doubts his ability to score, but whether he can run a pro offense? The jury is divided.

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[Guest]

The thing that's sticking with me here is this: "...the Hawks have several deals on the table to move up into the mid first round." Welsch would solidify our lienup, no doubt, and seems to be the proverbial shoe that fits....My question is this; knowing what we know about Pete and his aversion to the number 13; Whos the odd man out??? JT, Slim, Reef, Theo, Ira, Naz, Dion, Leon, Hendu, Crawford, Toni, Junkmail, and Jiri makes 13. Contractually, I have a hard time seeing us moving Hendu or Toni, and who would even want Theo, Davis or Crawford? Leon, Ira, and Naz are all BYC contracts (are'nt they? correct me if I'm wrong here..) which has us whittled down to JT, Reef, Slim, and Dion, unless we deal with a team that's under the cap. Of our current 12, Theo, Dion, and Slim seem easiest to move without trading our franchise player(s?) Reef or JT (who we're doing all this damned shuffling to accomodate anyway.) So I ask myself, who'd want a center who's been on the IL for a full season and a half, or a bench 2 guard, who himself is constantly in injury trouble, in exchange for a high draft pick? Which leaves DerMarr 'Slim' Johnson, the former 6th pick whom we've coddled and babied for three years until the end of last season when we saw him blossom, the guy JT says works harder in practice than anyone, the guy who plays good huslte D, the guy who, other than JT, is all we can count on at this point to give us at least 75 games in the backcourt! The more I think about it, the less sense it makes, I need an Excedrin....

HDS428

[Guest]

We will probably take that one dude or Dickau in the first

round and select Predrag Savoic in the 2nd round.The guy

that compares to Brent Barry sounds good.The way our

team is built(around a PF)we need shooters and gets that

can hit the long rang shots.

[TheDude]

yeah, i'm going to have to agree with you... i like picking up the talent in dickau and welsh but what about DerMarr? I thought he was about to explode onto the scene...I dont' want to sound negative but please oh please Babcock, don't let our boy go...

I actually emailed Babcock today asking him about DerMarr's posibility of starting this year. He replied back and said that DerMarr had started near the end of the season last year, played well and is having a really good summer. He said whoever wins the starting job in training camp, gets the start. That doesn't give me a definitive answer.....

If we let DerMarr go, I can see him exploding into Tracy McGrady II: The Day the Hawk Died.

[flava]

he's much to valuable - especially for the picks being offered...

flava

[hds428]

I'm nervous about letting DJ go too, in fact, I don't like the idea one bit, which is why I put up that post. I just don't see really any other players on our roster that could fetch a high enough draft pick. It would almost have to be one of our young core players, and if that's the case, I'd rather us try to use a different approach than to create a problem in order to solve a problem.

[hds428]

Theo, maybe an outside chance, but his salary is big, and his health has yet to be proven, Toni's in about the same boat. Naz, maybe, if we deal with a team that's below the cap. I'm not advocating us trading Slim, hell it nauseates me to think about it, with all the time and hope we have invested in the kid, I'm a huge DJ fan. But reread my original post, flave, go thru the steps and connect the dots. Hopefully my logic in there is wrong, but ask yourself; Who Else Is There???