2009 NBA Draft "Green Room" Invites
The NBA doesn't want to embarrass anyone, so they do their own research among GM's to try to invite only those likely to go in the lottery or shortly thereafter. That's certainly no guarantee, though. Remember Darrell Arthur and the sudden "oh-my-god-he-has-a-kidney-or-something" issue last year?
Hansbrough? No Blair?
over 2 years ago
tyger1147
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DeJuan Blair’s Outlook Improving?
A pair of MRIs making the rounds amongst NBA teams appear to be easing some concerns about DeJuan Blair’s knees, according to his agent Happy Walters. Blair was red-flagged at the NBA pre-draft camp for the ACL tears he suffered in both knees while in college. He does not appears to have an ACL in either knee now, and there were concerns that he may struggle to stay healthy as his career moves on.
In response, Blair’s camp retrieved an MRI from November of 2008 done at Pittsburgh for doctors to compare with the MRI of his knees from the pre-draft camp earlier this month. The specialists found that there had been "no deterioration in the situation of his knees whatsoever over the course of the season," which has been conveyed to the doctors of various NBA teams that are most interested in Blair at the moment.
Blair still appears to be strongly in consideration at Indiana (#13) and Chicago (#16), and will indeed visit the Bulls on Tuesday to work out against B.J. Mullens. He’ll be in Utah (picking 20th) on Monday.
-Golden State appears to be exploring possibilities to improve on the defensive end in hopes of making a strong run to the playoffs next season. One trade that has reportedly been offered by the Charlotte Bobcats that may help on that front would involve packaging Kelenna Azubuike and Marco Belinelli in exchange for Raja Bell. The Warriors are pondering the offer, but would have to get Azubuike’s consent to make the trade unless they decided to wait until July 24th.
Hinrich would be an awesome piece for them, but Belinelli and Azubuike only make ~$4.6 million. The Bulls would have to find another $2.6 million to take back from Golden State to make it work. How’s aboot: Belinelli, Azubuike, Brandon Wright + 2010 2nd-round pick for Hinrich + both 2009 draft picks? I’d do that in a heartbeat.
Rose/Belinelli
Salmons/Azubuike
Deng/Salmons/Azubuike
Thomas/Wright/TiT
Noah/Miller
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
After seeing that MRI stuff, I'm sold. I'm back on the Blair bandwagon (I never reall wanted to leave, Dejuan!)
But if we’re going the trade route, the Hinrich trade you proposed is pretty awesome for us. I don’t know that the Warriors do that, but I love Brandan Wright. He reminds me of the yin to Tyrus’s yang, and I’ve already made my thoughts on Kelenna Azabuike known in a previous thread.
"Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy." --Newton
by fundamentallysound on Jun 22, 2009 9:05 AM CDT up reply actions
I was just thinking how this might be the best trade proposal EVER on Blog-a-Bull.
The Warriors would have Kirk Hinrich, Jamal Crawford, Corey Maggette, Stephen Jackson, Anthony Murrow and, of course, Monta Ellis to mix between the 1, 2 & 3. They won’t miss Azubuike or Belinelli at all. As for Wright? They already played Anthony Randolph more than him, and would still have Biedrins and Turiaf at the 4 & 5. PLUS, they’d be able to take a big at #7, #16 and/or #26. Coming away w/ Hinrich + Jordan Hill/Earl Clark and/or Terrance Williams/BJ Mullens/Hansbrough and then Danny Green… for their cast-offs would be a straight coup for them.
For the Bulls, they basically fill their three needs they’d be trying to fill through the draft and only two selections with proven players. They get their M2GWCSAD and a scoring-minded backup PF.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
Monta wants to run the point
I don’t know if Kirk is a good fit.
I would mind finding a way to land Azubuike on the roster though.
But I thought Kirk could play SG!!!
Hinrich’s the perfect type of PG to play next to Ellis. He’s a combo guard that doesn’t dominate the ball. He can guard the SG’s, which is probably all Ellis really cares about anyway. Call Hinrich the SG, whatever.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
I guess they could make that work.
I have a feeling Monta gets traded anyway. I think a sign/trade of D. Lee for Monta makes sense to both teams. Throw in Turiaf and maybe Jeffries and NY may like it more. I just think Monta’s worn out his welcome.
Then that's even better of a reason for them to get Hinrich.
Their only PG’s are Ellis and C.J. Watson.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
the status of some of the FAs
to be makes the draft pictures even that much more murky.
Marvin Williams
Raymond Felton
BG
Artest
Odom
Ariza
Hedo
etc.
…….
…….
Aaron Gray….
They don't have cap space.
Or very little of it. And they don’t need another SG or SF/PF tweener in the least. Felton’s the only realistic option there, and Hinrich’s waaaaay better.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
Well not them specifically,
just seems that with next year’s over-anticipated class, and the suspected weakness of this draft, and financial outlook of most teams, this draft will probably focus more on needs than best player available.
It just seems to me...
…a lineup of:
Ellis/Jackson
Hinrich/Crawford
Maggette/Jackson
Turiaf/Randolph
Biedrins/Hill
would give Nelson his best chance to do his thing. They could do waaaaaay worse.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
Like it
I like Bellinelli for the shooting and floor spacing. I like Azuibuke for the penetration and shooting, but more for the athleticism to pair with Rose. They’d be great bench options.
We’d still need a backup PG.
12/31: Fire Vinny Del Negro.
by NBA Observer on Jun 22, 2009 9:35 AM CDT up reply actions
Belinelli?
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
i definitely was thinking he was a PG. Don't know why.
Swap him out for Watson or whomever if it matters. Or just throw in Watson.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
Belinelli's barely an NBA player
so I’m not sure it matters what position he plays.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 22, 2009 9:51 AM CDT up reply actions
basically. he was just a salary-maker and an "oooo-backup-PG" throw-in.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
Which is why I think the Bulls could hold
on to their picks, or 1, if they’re basically trading Kirk for KA/BW.
Boooo draft picks.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
Hinrich + the 2 draft picks costs more next year than these three.
About $4 million more. Trade Salmons for a future draft pick or an expiring contract and there’s your money to sign Gordon. The Bulls lose 2 years of rookie scale, but they get more certainty in the product they’re getting. Plus, if the Bulls are still worrying about cost 2 years from now, it means major moves and improvement have not happened and that sucks no matter what.
I boo the uncertainty of production coming from Hansbrough, Mullens, Danny Green, etc.
People should remember that while they have the right to their opinion, they are not entitled to be taken seriously. --Bruce Bartlett
I wouldn't necessarily
look to play the picks…
But they can be valuable to other teams looking for low salary contributors. Especially to those teams that are currently losing money. They can be trade chips used to offset the cost of absorbing the salary of a ‘star’ player. Expiring contracts and draft picks are very valuable right now.
well I agree that's all we'd need as a backup PG
someone barely in the NBA. But nope, Belinelli isn’t a PG.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 22, 2009 2:27 PM CDT up reply actions
yikes
Belinelli handling the ball sounds like big trouble. His game is meant to be fed to him. You have to run him around screens to come create the big space for him to get his shot off.
Putting it this way. I’d say Ben Gordon is a 6 of 10 in the ball handling PG duty department and Belinelli is more like a 3 of 10. Even as a backup it worries me. The defense merely has to put full court ball pressure on Belinelli and he’ll run 6-7 seconds off every shot clock possession.
12/31: Fire Vinny Del Negro.
by NBA Observer on Jun 22, 2009 10:27 AM CDT up reply actions
Not sure if you were damning Gordon with faint praise there
But I will chime in that I do think the ‘BG&PG = Armageddon" rhetoric is overplayed. He could take a handful of minutes there each night. Sure, it would just be the Ben Gordon show, but it’s not many possessions and that show does deliver once in a while. Especially if you believe his PER-by-position stat, though I don’t.
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by your friendly BullsBlogger on Jun 22, 2009 2:29 PM CDT up reply actions
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