What do we do with the 5th Pick??

[Diesel]

If we get the 5th pick of the draft... What do we do with it?

For instance...

1. Orlando - Howard

2. Chicago - Okafur

3. Washington - Smith.

4. Charlotte - Livingston.

Diesel why do you believe it will happen this way?

Well, Washington is not going to get another PG when they already have Arenas. I also believe that they will play Jarvis Hayes as a 2/3 Combo. Outside of trading down, I think Washington goes for Smith.

I think Charlotte is looking for that player that they can build around. I think that would be Livingston. I think they will wait on his development. In the meantime, they will put some vets around him like Antonio Davis and Chrissy Crawford.

That leaves us with #5.

What we have is:

Biedrins, Gordon, Deng, Podkolzine, Perovic, Nelson, and Childress.

I don't like the choices.. I mean, I don't ike Gordon. I don't like Podkolzine. I haven't seen Perovic yet but I will and Biedrins seems like a flash in the pan to me. If we couldn't make a deal with Washington, one name I haven't seen enough is Tiago Splitter 

http://nbadraft.net/profiles/tiagosplitter.asp

I think if he's available, he's a guy we should consider.

[Plainview1981]

Trade up or trade the pick. Seems like nobody in this draft

even matters other than Howard/Smith/Okafor. I'd like to have

Okafor most if he's a NBA center. But nobody else seems to

matter in the draft so why draft any of those guys?

[Iman]

Of course we have no idea where we'll draft, who'll be in front of us or even who will come out, but it does look pretty likely that me may not get Howard or Josh. First I hope we get lucky in the lottery and get a top3 pick. If not I still think some team above us will go for a European. Also maybe Luol Deng and/or JR Smith will come out and be in the top few picks. I dont really want Livingston with our top pick or Deng but would probably take JR Smith. If not I bet Billy Knight can find us the best available European. Then I'm looking at Tony Allen or Kirk Snyder with our mid first.

[DirtyBirdNetic]

Okefor would be a tremendous addition for us... but I do agree, it would be tough to fenagle him away from those top 3 teams. What to do???

[KB21]

There is talk that he is reconsidering his intent on staying in school because scouts are telling him that he is a lock for the top 3, so he may declare after all.

If he does, the first three picks will be:

1. Okafor

2. Howard

3. Deng

Neither Chicago nor Washington are keen on taking a high school kid. Both teams have been burned and want a player that can make an immediate impact. I do not see Josh Smith nor Shaun Livingston going to either team. There is some talk that Livingston may decide to go on and play at Duke for a year.

With the 5th pick, if that is the pick we get, the first thing we do is see if we can use it in a trade to get Howard. That's the guy we want, and we should try almost anything to get him. Chicago will probably be interested in Andre Iguodala, who is a seasoned college player (if two years counts as seasoned) that can help them immediately. We could take Iguodala and deal him to Chicago. Of course, that means we would likely pass on Josh Smith unless Charlotte takes him at 4.

If we can't move up for Howard, then we have to look at Josh Smith if he is available. The only other player we should look at with the 5th pick for us is Latvian PF Andris Biedrins. I've got a feeling that Biedrins may be the guy we end up with.

[Admin]

The owners are said to want a team in the Kings mold, a team that is very athletic and can run and gun and score like crazy. Josh Smith is the epitomy of that and he is also a crowd pleaser which is something we havent had since Nique. If the cost is more than say JT/5th pick to get Howard then I definitely go after Smith. He is going to be a superstar player in this league.

Funny that NBA Draft.net calls him a Vince Carter with heart. I think he is far more athletic defensively than Carter has ever shown though, which would separate them. Of course Carter has a much better jumper though, but Smith can work on that.

[capstone21]

Carter was a great defensive player in College. He just changed his game when he came to the NBA.

Playing defence in High School does not mean u can D up in the NBA. This kid will be 3 years before really contributing anything.

[KB21]

We are in a position where we have to take the potential superstar talent over the immediate impact player though.

It took Tracy McGrady around three years to hit his groove. I believe Smith is very similar to McGrady in many ways, and he's better as a shooter at this point than what McGrady was when he came out of Mt. Zion Academy.

The guy that the Hawks want is Dwight Howard though.

[Diesel]

J.R. Smith will be a good college player, but right now, he's not a pro talent. I think he's just a shooter and he doesn't have the size or strength to play on the pro level.

However, I think Josh Smith is going to be something special. This guy is Physically gifted, he's got a pro game about him. He's really a freak of nature. I think he's going to be better than Tmac and Kobe during their first year but I think that as time goes on, his athleticism will put him on track with Tmac or Vince. He has the potential to be better but he will have to do some maturing. But as for as a HSer, he's very mature.

[Wretch]

*lol*

Yeah... I am not convinced that the lottery is real. I think some years, where it really doesn't matter, Stern just lets it fly. But in the case where sh#t just needs to be done (LeBron, Memphis(Van)/Detroit, CWebb, Yao/JWill) I think the NBA steps in and creates it's own destiny within the top 3 picks. And considering the lack of parity between the 2 conferences, I don't think there's any question regarding motive.

I don't think there's any under the table business between the league and the teams involved. Stern or whomever just determines which picks in the top three go where. Having the drawing behind closed doors makes no difference, it is the machine that has been created to produce the number combinations that the league needs.

With that, I don't think that there is any need to worry about where we finish. We are in dire need of facelift, just as Cleveland was in need of LeBron and Detroit (an already *decent* EC team) was in need of Memphis' pick. I don't think we'll get the top pick. But the team that does get it, will be a team inclined to take Okafur - like Orlando who coincedentally has the worst record in the league. We'll get the 2nd pick, take Howard, and the rest would be up to chance. So realistically, I think the lottery is being drawn only for the #3 pick.

Otherwise if *bwahahaha* the lottery is "real", and we end up picking 5th, I hope Deng declares - that might give us a chance at Smith.

[emeans]

I agree with Hotatlanta. The 5th pick will be one pick too late. We either need to trade up or trade down.

[emeans]

will be special in the NBA. I really hope we can get him with the 3rd pick. Again the 5th pick will be to late.

[Diesel]

In my mind, I agree wholeheartedly. I think that you're right, Stern looks at Atlanta and sees a franchise in need of help. New Owners, Team with a City with a capacity to grow, and team on the verge of a major facelift. If it's Howard we want, it's Howard, we'll get. However, I would love the opportunity to get Howard and Smith.

I think Smith will be special. If there's a way to get Both, I hope Stern/Atlnata Spirit work that out!!