Orlando May Be Shopping Gooden

[George O'Brien]

Orlando seems almost certain to finish in the bottom three with a good chance of winning the lottery. I'm not sure the whole story, but apparently they are not happy with Dwight Gooden, the #4 pick in the draft two years ago.

Orlando Sentinal: Things look a bit hairy for Gooden

Published March 8, 2004

Brian Schmitz

One Magic player should have a decided interest in the NBA draft lottery -- and probably should have Mayflower's number on speed dial.

If the Magic land one of the top three lottery picks, they likely will choose a big man (or big teenager).

Drew Gooden should take note.

Gooden could be made expendable in the summer if the Magic pick University of Connecticut's Emeka Okafor, Atlanta high school phenom Dwight Howard or Russian giant Pavel Podkolzine. Those are the players identified as the top three selections.

And if the Magic happen to draw lower than the No. 3 pick, look for them to try to move up in the June draft by offering Gooden, who was used as bait before the trade deadline.

One agent and several league sources say that Orlando will explore adding Gooden as a sweetener in a draft-day deal.

The Magic obviously are questioning whether Gooden will ever become a better defender, mentally tougher and a more consistent force.

Even coming off the bench, he has a world of talent -- 15 double-doubles this season is proof. But he also can follow a 32-point, eight-rebound outing with a seven-point, two-rebound night.

Unpredictable, you say? After a 14-point, two-block outing in his last game, Gooden missed Sunday's game -- his first of the season -- because of . . . infected hair follicles in his right leg. I kid you not.

Gooden orginally said he had been bitten several times by a spider.

The attack of killer hair follicles should be taken seriously and requires early detection. Stop that laughing out there!

Battling a staph infection, Gooden saw the team doctor Saturday night.

Gooden's numbers are down from last year but are not that bad:

11.5 ppg, 45.1% shooting, and 6.5 rpg in 27.3 minutes per game. He is listed at 6'10" 240.

About the only scenerio where he might be relevant to the Suns would be if the Suns had the third pick in the draft and the Magic wanted Pavel. I can't see Pavel fitting into the Suns scheme at all, while Gooden might be useful even if redundant. Gooden is a much more promising prospect than anyone coming out in the draft that early.

 

[slinslin]

Gooden sucks.

They already shopped him at the deadline but couldn't find takers.

Talk about soft, bad attitude, tweener and black hole.

 

[George O'Brien]

I bring him up because I know he has problem, but also a world of talent. Gordan Giricek is playing much better since he went to the Jazz. Obviously hoping to turn around a player with attitude problems is always a risk, but so does taking a teenager with no high level competitive experience. Teams routinely give up on young players

Hidayet Turkoglu was considered to be a terrible defender when was with the Kings and how he is considered to be very good. Barkley had a reputation for having a bad attitude in Philadelphia. I don't know if Gooden is worth the risk, but I don't like most of the draft options either.

 

[scotsman13]

you know it was funny, the year that the suns drafted amare he was going up against gooden during the summer play. after the 2 meetings in LA he was to meet amare agian he is salt lake.

i went to that game. and sit maybe 7 feet from the giz bench where gooden sit the whole game. he got up and got drinks talked with a bunch of people moved around a lot and never had ice on his knees, but it was said that he was having knee problems. i think what he was having was amareitis, fear of getting shown up again by amare.

 

[Joe Mama]

Originally posted by scotsman13
i went to that game. and sit maybe 7 feet from the giz bench where gooden sit the whole game.

I'm not sure what kind of bench that is, but it sounds gross. I know I wouldn't want to sit on it. That's for sure.

Joe Mama

 

[green machine]

Originally posted by Joe Mama
I'm not sure what kind of bench that is, but it sounds gross. I know I wouldn't want to sit on it. That's for sure.

Joe Mama

 

[Ryanwb]

 

[scotsman13]

ok, ok it was the griz bench

 

[Ryanwb]

Originally posted by scotsman13
ok, ok it was the griz bench

Why was he sitting of the Grizzlies' bench?

 

[green machine]

Originally posted by Ryanwb
Why was he sitting of the Grizzlies' bench?

He was drafted by the Griz.

 

[Ryanwb]

Originally posted by green machine
He was drafted by the Griz.

whoops

 

[Assface]

Originally posted by Ryanwb
Why was he sitting of the Grizzlies' bench?

Haven't you ever been drunk and wandered somewhere you weren't supposed to be?