Friday, June 18, 2004
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
A month ago, the conventional wisdom on this year's NBA draft was that it lacked any real impact players but was among the deepest in years. That was thanks to a record 94 American and international underclassmen who had flooded the draft.
After Thursday's mass exodus of underclassmen, has the draft suddenly lost all its depth?
A record 38 international underclassmen declared for the draft in April, but just six prominent names -- Andris Biedrins, Ha Seung Jin, Sergey Monya, Pavel Podkolzine, Peter John Ramos and Sasha Vujacic -- actually stayed in the draft. Everyone else pulled out on Thursday.
"I think the draft was looking a little bit deeper than it is now, with some of the Europeans and some other people pulling out," Magic GM John Weisbrod said. "It's moving the priority in the draft selections more and more forward."
The NBA draft is on the Atkins diet, and the rapid talent loss is putting the squeeze on teams like the Celtics, Jazz, Hawks and Blazers, who were trying to package their multiple picks to move up.
Both Boston and Utah had the opportunity Thursday to make draft promises to a number of international underclassmen with their late first-round picks but declined to do so, according to sources. Players like Peja Samardziski, Tiago Splitter, Johan Petro, and Roko Leni Ukic would have settled for a draft spot outside the lottery, but none of them got a satisfactory guarantee.
Why not? It's the same story we've been writing for months. Teams outside the lottery are reluctant to make promises, because there's a good chance they'll be able to trade up on draft night. Most lottery teams are willing to move their picks for talented veterans, and several playoff teams would love to capitalize on the opportunity. If you don't know for sure you'll still be drafting in the 20s come draft night, it's awfully tough to promise someone that spot.
It also has been nearly impossible to pin down the projected draft order, which also helped limit promises and ultimately sparked the withdrawls. Teams simply don't know who will be on the board when they pick. Players such as Josh Smith, Jameer Nelson, Rafael Araujo, Pavel Podkolzine, Luke Jackson, Sebastian Telfair and Peter John Ramos have draft stock that could land them in the lottery or in the mid to late first round. No one wants to be locked in to a promise only to see someone they like better fall to them.
Those realities, along with the chilling reminder of what has happened in the past to several highly touted international players -- such as Maciej Lampe, who slipped from a lottery projection all the way to the second round -- sent folks running to the hills.
"I just didn't feel that the commitment I had from a team in the lottery was firm enough," agent Herb Rudoy said Thursday evening after reversing course and pulling Splitter's name at the last minute. "On Wednesday we thought he was in for sure. As the day went on (Thursday), we began changing our mind. It is a tough decision to make, but I think it was the right one for Tiago."
Top American underclassmen like Lawrence Roberts and Ryan Gomes told a similar story.
"Too many unanswered questions," Roberts said during an appearance late Thursday afternoon on ESPNews. "Anytime you have a situation like that, the best remedy is to answer the questions people have in their heads. That's going back to school ... and proving I'm a higher pick than people might think."
While the decisions might have been wise for the players, the exodus has wreaked havoc on the draft. Some GMs are feeling a little remorse after seeing the potential draft pool slashed.
"We may have been too smart for our own good," one NBA GM who has a pick in the 20s told Insider late Thursday night. "We didn't want to commit, because we thought the chances of a great player falling to us were really high. Now that so many pulled out, the chances are really low. As it stands, I think we liked a few of the guys who pulled out a lot more than anyone who is going to fall to us. Last year, too many kids stayed in. This year, too many probably pulled out. This is how it goes."
The good news for several prospects is things are opening up at the bottom of the draft. Underclassmen who opted to stay in -- such as Delonte West, Donta Smith, Dorell Wright and Kevin Martin -- along with a few 22-year-old internationals -- such as Viktor Khraypa, Anderson Varejao, Beno Udrih and Albert Miralles -- now have a realistic shot of getting picked late in the first round.
Draft Rumors
Emeka Okafor is in Orlando today to work out for the Magic. According to various reports, Okafor's back checked out in the Chicago pre-draft physical and he was not medically red-flagged by the league. You can expect the Magic doctors to go over his results and his back carefully one more time, but from what we're hearing, it's not going to be a major issue.
Much more pressing for Okafor and the Magic is owner Rich DeVos' meeting with Tracy McGrady, which is supposed to take place sometime this weekend. The meeting will be a two-way affair. While the Magic want to hear McGrady's plans concerning his right to opt out of his contract after next season, they have some issues of their own they want to address. McGrady reportedly had a so-so work ethic with the team last year and didn't participate in practices much. If T-Mac wants to stay, the Magic want him to commit to change his ways, too.
"We want to know that Tracy will put his heart into it if he stays and will come to terms with the things we are asking him and all our players to do," DeVos told the Orlando Sentinel.
While the Magic downplay the significance of the meeting to their eventual choice in the draft, the truth is T-Mac's plans will shape the team's direction. If T-Mac is on board, the Magic likely will either try to trade the pick for a veteran or select Okafor, the most NBA-ready player in the draft. If T-Mac wants out, the Magic likely will begin rebuilding and will have to decide whether Okafor or Dwight Howard holds the most promise.
Howard will be in Orlando on Saturday. He also plans on making visits to the Clippers (though he won't work out) and to Charlotte (where he will likely workout). The Hawks are trying to swap picks (No. 2 for No. 6 & No. 17) with the Clippers, but need to be assured that Howard will be there when they pick. The Bobcats are trying to do the same thing (No. 4 plus a player or draft pick they pick up in the expansion draft), though they would be happy with either Okafor or Howard at No. 2.
The Bulls finally worked out Luol Deng on Thursday. Deng has long been thought to be Chicago's most likely pick at No. 3, but he had yet to work out for the club.
"Luol was relentless in his work. And that's who he is," GM John Paxson told the Chicago Tribune. "We got a decent read on his quickness, and he's a better athlete than people give him credit for. He's going to be a very good shooter in this league. Right now, he has more of a mid-range game than a deep game. But he's 19 and has time to develop that. And he's a willing learner."
The Bulls seem to be deciding between Deng, Josh Childress, Andre Iguodala and possibly Ben Gordon, who had a stellar workout with them earlier in the week. While Gordon, at 6-foot-2, isn't a great fit in the backcourt with Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls were blown away with his workout. That goes the same for the Hawks and Suns. Athletically, few have been able to match Gordon in workouts.
Where will Pavel Podkolzine land on draft night? Don't count out the Dallas Mavericks. Sources claim the Mavericks, who don't own a first round pick, have been talking to teams in the late lottery trying to move up to select Podkolzine, with whom Donnie Nelson fell in love with at the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso. The Mavericks need a big, physical center in the worst way, and Podkolzine would be a perfect fit in Don Nelson's liberal offense.
One potential scenario has them trading last year's No. 1 pick, Josh Howard, to the Cavs for the No. 10 pick. The Cavs are looking for a young, veteran swingman to put on the court with LeBron James, and Howard fits the bill. Not only did he have four years of college experience, he also started 29 games for the Mavericks last season and played a big role in their playoff run. The Cavs own a trade exception that could allow them to acquire Howard without having to send back a player in return.
Several NBA agents told Insider on Thursday that the Nets canceled workouts with draft candidates. As we first reported last week and again on Thursday, the Nets have been in serious discussions with the Blazers about a trade to acquire Shareef Abdur-Rahim for Kerry Kittles, Aaron Williams and New Jersey's No. 22 pick. Now that the Nets are canceling workouts, is the deal done? Nothing can become official until after the expansion draft, because Kittles was left unprotected. It's unlikely the Bobcats will select him, meaning the Nets could to trade him Wednesday, a day before the draft.
What will the Blazers do with three picks? One of the later picks likely will be used for Sebastian Telfair. The other two? Don't be surprised if they package both to move up higher in the draft. Most of the players the Blazers like won't be on the board when their first pick comes up at No. 13.
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
A month ago, the conventional wisdom on this year's NBA draft was that it lacked any real impact players but was among the deepest in years. That was thanks to a record 94 American and international underclassmen who had flooded the draft.
After Thursday's mass exodus of underclassmen, has the draft suddenly lost all its depth?
A record 38 international underclassmen declared for the draft in April, but just six prominent names -- Andris Biedrins, Ha Seung Jin, Sergey Monya, Pavel Podkolzine, Peter John Ramos and Sasha Vujacic -- actually stayed in the draft. Everyone else pulled out on Thursday.
"I think the draft was looking a little bit deeper than it is now, with some of the Europeans and some other people pulling out," Magic GM John Weisbrod said. "It's moving the priority in the draft selections more and more forward."
The NBA draft is on the Atkins diet, and the rapid talent loss is putting the squeeze on teams like the Celtics, Jazz, Hawks and Blazers, who were trying to package their multiple picks to move up.
Both Boston and Utah had the opportunity Thursday to make draft promises to a number of international underclassmen with their late first-round picks but declined to do so, according to sources. Players like Peja Samardziski, Tiago Splitter, Johan Petro, and Roko Leni Ukic would have settled for a draft spot outside the lottery, but none of them got a satisfactory guarantee.
Why not? It's the same story we've been writing for months. Teams outside the lottery are reluctant to make promises, because there's a good chance they'll be able to trade up on draft night. Most lottery teams are willing to move their picks for talented veterans, and several playoff teams would love to capitalize on the opportunity. If you don't know for sure you'll still be drafting in the 20s come draft night, it's awfully tough to promise someone that spot.
It also has been nearly impossible to pin down the projected draft order, which also helped limit promises and ultimately sparked the withdrawls. Teams simply don't know who will be on the board when they pick. Players such as Josh Smith, Jameer Nelson, Rafael Araujo, Pavel Podkolzine, Luke Jackson, Sebastian Telfair and Peter John Ramos have draft stock that could land them in the lottery or in the mid to late first round. No one wants to be locked in to a promise only to see someone they like better fall to them.
Those realities, along with the chilling reminder of what has happened in the past to several highly touted international players -- such as Maciej Lampe, who slipped from a lottery projection all the way to the second round -- sent folks running to the hills.
"I just didn't feel that the commitment I had from a team in the lottery was firm enough," agent Herb Rudoy said Thursday evening after reversing course and pulling Splitter's name at the last minute. "On Wednesday we thought he was in for sure. As the day went on (Thursday), we began changing our mind. It is a tough decision to make, but I think it was the right one for Tiago."
Top American underclassmen like Lawrence Roberts and Ryan Gomes told a similar story.
"Too many unanswered questions," Roberts said during an appearance late Thursday afternoon on ESPNews. "Anytime you have a situation like that, the best remedy is to answer the questions people have in their heads. That's going back to school ... and proving I'm a higher pick than people might think."
While the decisions might have been wise for the players, the exodus has wreaked havoc on the draft. Some GMs are feeling a little remorse after seeing the potential draft pool slashed.
"We may have been too smart for our own good," one NBA GM who has a pick in the 20s told Insider late Thursday night. "We didn't want to commit, because we thought the chances of a great player falling to us were really high. Now that so many pulled out, the chances are really low. As it stands, I think we liked a few of the guys who pulled out a lot more than anyone who is going to fall to us. Last year, too many kids stayed in. This year, too many probably pulled out. This is how it goes."
The good news for several prospects is things are opening up at the bottom of the draft. Underclassmen who opted to stay in -- such as Delonte West, Donta Smith, Dorell Wright and Kevin Martin -- along with a few 22-year-old internationals -- such as Viktor Khraypa, Anderson Varejao, Beno Udrih and Albert Miralles -- now have a realistic shot of getting picked late in the first round.
Draft Rumors
Emeka Okafor is in Orlando today to work out for the Magic. According to various reports, Okafor's back checked out in the Chicago pre-draft physical and he was not medically red-flagged by the league. You can expect the Magic doctors to go over his results and his back carefully one more time, but from what we're hearing, it's not going to be a major issue.
Much more pressing for Okafor and the Magic is owner Rich DeVos' meeting with Tracy McGrady, which is supposed to take place sometime this weekend. The meeting will be a two-way affair. While the Magic want to hear McGrady's plans concerning his right to opt out of his contract after next season, they have some issues of their own they want to address. McGrady reportedly had a so-so work ethic with the team last year and didn't participate in practices much. If T-Mac wants to stay, the Magic want him to commit to change his ways, too.
"We want to know that Tracy will put his heart into it if he stays and will come to terms with the things we are asking him and all our players to do," DeVos told the Orlando Sentinel.
While the Magic downplay the significance of the meeting to their eventual choice in the draft, the truth is T-Mac's plans will shape the team's direction. If T-Mac is on board, the Magic likely will either try to trade the pick for a veteran or select Okafor, the most NBA-ready player in the draft. If T-Mac wants out, the Magic likely will begin rebuilding and will have to decide whether Okafor or Dwight Howard holds the most promise.
Howard will be in Orlando on Saturday. He also plans on making visits to the Clippers (though he won't work out) and to Charlotte (where he will likely workout). The Hawks are trying to swap picks (No. 2 for No. 6 & No. 17) with the Clippers, but need to be assured that Howard will be there when they pick. The Bobcats are trying to do the same thing (No. 4 plus a player or draft pick they pick up in the expansion draft), though they would be happy with either Okafor or Howard at No. 2.
The Bulls finally worked out Luol Deng on Thursday. Deng has long been thought to be Chicago's most likely pick at No. 3, but he had yet to work out for the club.
"Luol was relentless in his work. And that's who he is," GM John Paxson told the Chicago Tribune. "We got a decent read on his quickness, and he's a better athlete than people give him credit for. He's going to be a very good shooter in this league. Right now, he has more of a mid-range game than a deep game. But he's 19 and has time to develop that. And he's a willing learner."
The Bulls seem to be deciding between Deng, Josh Childress, Andre Iguodala and possibly Ben Gordon, who had a stellar workout with them earlier in the week. While Gordon, at 6-foot-2, isn't a great fit in the backcourt with Kirk Hinrich, the Bulls were blown away with his workout. That goes the same for the Hawks and Suns. Athletically, few have been able to match Gordon in workouts.
Where will Pavel Podkolzine land on draft night? Don't count out the Dallas Mavericks. Sources claim the Mavericks, who don't own a first round pick, have been talking to teams in the late lottery trying to move up to select Podkolzine, with whom Donnie Nelson fell in love with at the Reebok Eurocamp in Treviso. The Mavericks need a big, physical center in the worst way, and Podkolzine would be a perfect fit in Don Nelson's liberal offense.
One potential scenario has them trading last year's No. 1 pick, Josh Howard, to the Cavs for the No. 10 pick. The Cavs are looking for a young, veteran swingman to put on the court with LeBron James, and Howard fits the bill. Not only did he have four years of college experience, he also started 29 games for the Mavericks last season and played a big role in their playoff run. The Cavs own a trade exception that could allow them to acquire Howard without having to send back a player in return.
Several NBA agents told Insider on Thursday that the Nets canceled workouts with draft candidates. As we first reported last week and again on Thursday, the Nets have been in serious discussions with the Blazers about a trade to acquire Shareef Abdur-Rahim for Kerry Kittles, Aaron Williams and New Jersey's No. 22 pick. Now that the Nets are canceling workouts, is the deal done? Nothing can become official until after the expansion draft, because Kittles was left unprotected. It's unlikely the Bobcats will select him, meaning the Nets could to trade him Wednesday, a day before the draft.
What will the Blazers do with three picks? One of the later picks likely will be used for Sebastian Telfair. The other two? Don't be surprised if they package both to move up higher in the draft. Most of the players the Blazers like won't be on the board when their first pick comes up at No. 13.
