PhxGametime
Formerly Bball_31
Suns like possibilities at No. 17
Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 24, 2003 12:00 AM
2003 NBA draft
WHEN: 4 p.m. Thursday.
TV: ESPN.
SUNS PICKS: No. 17 in first round, none in second round.
TOTAL PICKS: Two rounds, 58 picks.
DRAFT PARTY: Fox Sports Grill, Scottsdale, open only to season ticket holders.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: More than a dozen foreign-born players could be taken in the first round.
• The Republic Mock Draft
There doesn't figure to be much drama at the top of Thursday's NBA draft, where the first three picks are pretty much nailed down.
Ohio prep sensation LeBron James is already down in ink next to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the first pick. Detroit general manager Joe Dumars is committed to Darko Milicic with the second pick, leaving Syracuse's Carmelo Anthony for Denver at No. 3.
After that, however, it could get dicey, with a number of teams looking to move up, others to move down. That leaves the Suns in a wait-and-see mode at No. 17.
If the draft unfolds as the Phoenix brain trust anticipates, though, the Suns should be picking from a group that includes point guards Luke Ridnour of Oregon, Reece Gaines of Louisville and Marcus Banks of Nevada-Las Vegas; forwards Nick Collison of Kansas, Brian Cook of Illinois and Serbia's Zarko Cabarkapa; and 18-year-old center-forward Sofoklis "Baby Shaq" Schortsanitis.
A player who might slide into their reach is Polish forward Maciej Lampe. As fallbacks, the Suns would look at guard Aleksandar Pavlovic and Frenchman Boris Diaw-Riffiod.
Widespread speculation is that Cabarkapa is the player the Suns want most, but it's likely they'll come away with Cabarkapa, Cook or Ridnour and consider it a successful draft.
"That's a pretty good group," said Dick Van Arsdale, vice president and player personnel director. "Of course, there could always be somebody that drops from above."
That's what happened when the Suns stole Michael Finley with the 21st pick in the 1995 draft. Jake Tsakalidis, who had been projected as a possible lottery pick in 2000, was still on the board when the Suns picked at No. 25.
What seems certain is that the Suns aren't likely to land another NBA Rookie of the Year, as they did last summer when they selected Amare Stoudemire directly from high school.
"I think at 17, if we're lucky, we could get a guy who could help us this year," Van Arsdale said. "I don't think we'll have to take a guy who is a total project. Baby Shaq, because he's only 18, is probably the biggest project in that group.
"We hope whoever it is, he can help us. But we don't anticipate anybody who is going to help us like Amare did last season. That's too much to ask for."
Thursday's shakeout could begin as soon as the No. 4 pick, currently held by Toronto. The New York Knicks, with the ninth pick, are among teams trying to trade up. Miami, at No. 5, might join Toronto in attempting to move down. Also, the Chicago Bulls may be re-evaluating their plan after playmaking guard Jay Williams suffered career-threatening injuries in a motorcycle crash.
This is widely regarded as a deep draft, with a lot of promising players possibly available in the second round.
"The question is," said Bryan Colangelo, Suns president and general manager, "after the third pick, which direction does it turn? Anyone that has the answer is probably going to get rich off this thing.
"After the third pick, there is clearly a drop to another level. There may be players picked at 20 or in the late teens that turn out to be a better player, or at least make a bigger initial impact, than somebody taken from four to 10."
The Suns have had every player on their "A" list in for workouts except Banks, who apparently told them that he had an injury that prevented him from working out. It's not unusual for a team to have a player work out and promise him that he won't last beyond the team's pick. Then the player cancels workouts with teams drafting after that spot.
It's no secret that the Boston Celtics, with former Suns coach Danny Ainge as director of basketball operations, have interest in Banks. They pick directly in front of the Suns at No. 16.
It might not matter if Seattle scoops up Banks before the Celtics, who also could beat the Suns to Collison.
The draft lost one possible top-10 pick when 7-foot-4 Russian center Pavel Podkolzine opted to pull out. The 18-year-old was diagnosed with a pituitary gland problem that can be corrected with surgery.
Podkolzine said he pulled out because he couldn't get assurances of where he would be selected. At least one league insider said that while he may look good in workouts, in game situations he appears lost and slow.
The draft also will be without Charlie Villanueva, a prep star from Blair Academy in New Jersey, who opted to enroll at Connecticut.
Most NBA insiders say Arizona recruit Ndudi Ebi should have done the same, but he elected to remain in the draft, which indicates he believes he'll be taken in the first round. That would secure him a guaranteed three-year contract.
Atlanta could be his destination.
Bob Young
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 24, 2003 12:00 AM
2003 NBA draft
WHEN: 4 p.m. Thursday.
TV: ESPN.
SUNS PICKS: No. 17 in first round, none in second round.
TOTAL PICKS: Two rounds, 58 picks.
DRAFT PARTY: Fox Sports Grill, Scottsdale, open only to season ticket holders.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR: More than a dozen foreign-born players could be taken in the first round.
• The Republic Mock Draft
There doesn't figure to be much drama at the top of Thursday's NBA draft, where the first three picks are pretty much nailed down.
Ohio prep sensation LeBron James is already down in ink next to the Cleveland Cavaliers, who have the first pick. Detroit general manager Joe Dumars is committed to Darko Milicic with the second pick, leaving Syracuse's Carmelo Anthony for Denver at No. 3.
After that, however, it could get dicey, with a number of teams looking to move up, others to move down. That leaves the Suns in a wait-and-see mode at No. 17.
If the draft unfolds as the Phoenix brain trust anticipates, though, the Suns should be picking from a group that includes point guards Luke Ridnour of Oregon, Reece Gaines of Louisville and Marcus Banks of Nevada-Las Vegas; forwards Nick Collison of Kansas, Brian Cook of Illinois and Serbia's Zarko Cabarkapa; and 18-year-old center-forward Sofoklis "Baby Shaq" Schortsanitis.
A player who might slide into their reach is Polish forward Maciej Lampe. As fallbacks, the Suns would look at guard Aleksandar Pavlovic and Frenchman Boris Diaw-Riffiod.
Widespread speculation is that Cabarkapa is the player the Suns want most, but it's likely they'll come away with Cabarkapa, Cook or Ridnour and consider it a successful draft.
"That's a pretty good group," said Dick Van Arsdale, vice president and player personnel director. "Of course, there could always be somebody that drops from above."
That's what happened when the Suns stole Michael Finley with the 21st pick in the 1995 draft. Jake Tsakalidis, who had been projected as a possible lottery pick in 2000, was still on the board when the Suns picked at No. 25.
What seems certain is that the Suns aren't likely to land another NBA Rookie of the Year, as they did last summer when they selected Amare Stoudemire directly from high school.
"I think at 17, if we're lucky, we could get a guy who could help us this year," Van Arsdale said. "I don't think we'll have to take a guy who is a total project. Baby Shaq, because he's only 18, is probably the biggest project in that group.
"We hope whoever it is, he can help us. But we don't anticipate anybody who is going to help us like Amare did last season. That's too much to ask for."
Thursday's shakeout could begin as soon as the No. 4 pick, currently held by Toronto. The New York Knicks, with the ninth pick, are among teams trying to trade up. Miami, at No. 5, might join Toronto in attempting to move down. Also, the Chicago Bulls may be re-evaluating their plan after playmaking guard Jay Williams suffered career-threatening injuries in a motorcycle crash.
This is widely regarded as a deep draft, with a lot of promising players possibly available in the second round.
"The question is," said Bryan Colangelo, Suns president and general manager, "after the third pick, which direction does it turn? Anyone that has the answer is probably going to get rich off this thing.
"After the third pick, there is clearly a drop to another level. There may be players picked at 20 or in the late teens that turn out to be a better player, or at least make a bigger initial impact, than somebody taken from four to 10."
The Suns have had every player on their "A" list in for workouts except Banks, who apparently told them that he had an injury that prevented him from working out. It's not unusual for a team to have a player work out and promise him that he won't last beyond the team's pick. Then the player cancels workouts with teams drafting after that spot.
It's no secret that the Boston Celtics, with former Suns coach Danny Ainge as director of basketball operations, have interest in Banks. They pick directly in front of the Suns at No. 16.
It might not matter if Seattle scoops up Banks before the Celtics, who also could beat the Suns to Collison.
The draft lost one possible top-10 pick when 7-foot-4 Russian center Pavel Podkolzine opted to pull out. The 18-year-old was diagnosed with a pituitary gland problem that can be corrected with surgery.
Podkolzine said he pulled out because he couldn't get assurances of where he would be selected. At least one league insider said that while he may look good in workouts, in game situations he appears lost and slow.
The draft also will be without Charlie Villanueva, a prep star from Blair Academy in New Jersey, who opted to enroll at Connecticut.
Most NBA insiders say Arizona recruit Ndudi Ebi should have done the same, but he elected to remain in the draft, which indicates he believes he'll be taken in the first round. That would secure him a guaranteed three-year contract.
Atlanta could be his destination.
