Under the assumption that the Bulls take Rose with the number 1 pick, there are a lot of articles and rumors that Riley is actively shopping the #2 pick as he has become disenchanted with Beasley, perhaps due to his personality, or perhaps Riley covets other PFs more, and is willing to take back pieces in a trade to move down the draft.  There are a lot of good arguments on this board for both cases, so just out of curiosity, I'd like to see what YOU think the Heat will do with the #2 pick in the draft tomorrow, assuming Rose is selected #1.

i apologize in advance if this sounds completely ludicrous, but after watching noc's defensive ability, i get the feeling that he can guard the 2 position.  he's not the quickest guy on the court, but recovers quickly and seems to perpetually disrupt the person he's defending.  this, coupled with his newfound scoring ability, has lead me to wonder on several occasions if he could actually play the 2 position consistently, or if he would get into foul trouble early and/ or tire on the offensive end.  he appears to be confident with his outside shots, and isn't exactly shy on pulling the trigger, and with his size, i'm sure he could post up smaller guards on mismatches, and could adequately defend the position.  the only real concern would be his perceived lack of dribbling skill... but i don't think the bulls would ask him to bring the ball down the court much if hinrich or duhon were in the game.  the odd man off the bench, of course, would be b-jizzle, who appears, from recent performance, to be successful coming off the bench, or duhon.

this question is posed purely to pick brains, and not to suggest that any lineup changes be made this year... i would like to know your thoughts on noc, and if you feel he is athletic enough to play a combo 2/3 game instead of the 3/4 game, and if you feel he could contribute at that position on this team... or if you feel he would get abused at that position (and why).  i'm not sure if it would be of much help on this year's team, but theorizing we pick up a 'big' via trade this year or in the draft next year, i wouldn't mind trying him at the 2 in order to keep him on the first team with hinrich, deng and wallace.  of course some of the floor 'leadership' would be reduced if duhon didn't start, but isn't that what captain kirk is there for?

Chicago Tribune 8/24/06

Nets Invite Jay Williams to Camp

By DAVID PORTER
Associated Press Writer
Published August 24, 2006, 3:12 PM CDT

NEWARK, N.J. -- Jay Williams' bid to resurrect his NBA career after a serious motorcycle crash three years ago has brought him to New Jersey, where he worked out for Nets officials and has been invited to training camp.

Kevin Bradbury, who represents Williams, said the Nets invited the former Duke star and No. 2 draft pick to training camp in October. Williams hasn't played in the NBA since his 2002-2003 rookie season when he averaged 9.5 points for the Chicago Bulls.

Nets general manager Ed Stefanski said Thursday that Williams had given "strong indications" that he was interested in accepting the invitation.

Williams crashed his motorcycle into a light pole in June 2003, fracturing his pelvis and tearing knee ligaments. He was hospitalized for 3 1/2 months and had nerve damage in his left leg. The Bulls bought out his contract for about $3 million.

Williams is considering the offer and no contract has been signed yet, Bradbury said. The Nets are expected to have a full roster of 15 players under contract, which means Williams would not receive any guaranteed money.

"That allows us to get a look at him, plus the whole league gets a look at him," Stefanski said. "I haven't met a much nicer kid than Jay. He has unbelievable desire. If anybody has the drive to make it back into the league, he does."

Bradbury said Williams has held workouts for several teams over the last two months, including Phoenix, Seattle, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Lakers. He also participated in Steve Nash's annual charity game in Vancouver last month.

"He used to be one of the explosive guys you'd ever seen, and he's not that type of player any more," Bradbury said. "He's not going to rise up on you like he used to. But he still has good foot speed and lateral movement, and he can still get by a guy in either direction.

"He's working really hard on extending the range of his jump shot because he knows he has to have those things to compete at this level again."

Williams, from Plainfield, N.J., led Duke to the national title as a sophomore. He was a two-time All-American and the 2002 AP college player of the year.

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Several topics:

1. So the Trailblazers pick up Jamaal Magloire for 3 scrubs today... a potential low level All Star caliber PF/C for a handful of, well, nothing. The bucks get MAYBE a decent backup in Steve Blake.  Makes me wonder if a Duhon plus a Schensher and change could have made this one happen for the Bulls.  Don't get me wrong, I think we'll do fine with the PJ Brown, Wallace, Allen combo, but Magloire would have been a nice complimentary veteran widebody in the middle...
2. Knicks let Jackie Butler go to the Spurs for 3/7?... 3/7????? wtf?  and then signs restricted Jared Jeffries to a 5/30????  Just when you think that he might turn this thing around, he just kicks himself in the nuts.  Not to rip on our AG, but I would prefer to have a Jackie Butler for 3/7... 3/7 is like those mcdonald's special wednesdays when you can buy burgers for $0.29 each... you have to buy 10 of them... we should have taken a flyer on Jackie Butler... hold the pickles.
3. Did the Cubs really just trade away Maddux again?

I just read on another post that Deng is now almost 6'10"?... Does anyone have any documented info on that?... I saw a Skiles post from 2005 saying that Deng grew an inch last year and he joked that Deng might be 7' by next year... 6'10" isn't bad for a swingman just starting to come into his own.. now if he could just get a little more aggressive on offense instead of settling for 15' jumpers I think the Bulls could have the east tied up with their current roster.

Has anyone heard anything on what sweets does over the summer to keep in shape?  Any chance at all he'll come into this season at a slimmed doen 240-245?  I'd even take 250?  If you're involved in professional basketball, how hard is it to stay in shape??... I mean, if he's running up and down the court over and over again in games and in practices, doesn't that burn an incredible amount of calories?  Doesn't that mean you would have to be eating Krispy Kremes and Big Macs all day in order to actually gain weight?  Between sweets not losing weight, and Ty1 unable to put on a few pounds, you have to wonder who the Bull's nutritionist is, and what his take is on sweets and Ty1.  Anyone with an 'inside source'?... Kevin, maybe you could ask your 'guy'?...