The Grandstand

I [still] love this game...

I'll try not to repeat what's already been said, since I think we can all agree that teams like Indiana and Boston [Gomes at 50?] made out like bandits while Rob Babcock has no clue [although I do like the Ukic pick @41].

I think this draft was particularly unique because it comes on the cusp of the new CBA, allowing teams to take advantage of the new provisions while drafting players who would have been ineligible under the new agreement. Why would you take a 21-year old SEC player who's pretty close to hitting his ceiling when you can secure the rights to a potential stud like Mile Ulic or Cenk Akyol, leaving them in Europe for a couple years without paying them a cent? Also, under the new CBA you can send 18-year olds like Blatche and Amir Johnson to NBDL [the limit was 20 before] and bring them up whenever they're ready, allowing non-rotation high schoolers to develop at a much faster rate. Plus, you can always offer the non-drafted college players a spot with the expanded 14-man roster. I know this all changes next year b/c the high-schoolers and 18-year old Euros will be out, but for this draft it was huge.....

I agree that Granger will be sick, and I don't understand why the Nets or Magic didn't grab him. I like Wright, but can't Granger do most of the same things with better size, defense, and rebounding, all things they need in New Jersey? Plus, he can get out and play on JKidd's break much better than Wright. I like Vasquez, too, but it seems like the Magic have more faith in Grant Hill than most if they got the big man rather than a swingman who can shoot and probably play the point better than Steve Francis.

It seems that a lot of teams, esp. the Lakers, used Gerald Green as a smoke-screen to get the guy they really wanted. I can understand the lakers avoiding Green [and Granger, for that matter] b/c they have top players at the same position [Kobe and Odom], but I'm shocked that Toronto picked Graham over Green. The rest seemed to need a player who could contribute immediately or already had the position filled, but ultimately I think this will be a bigger steal than even Granger....

For some reason, I'm not as thrilled with the Salim pick as everyone else seems to be. Sure, he's an elite shooter who can create his own shot, pull up, and defend decently, but I don't see how he translates to the league. How can he play the point when he doesn't handle the ball particularly well and has never played the position? Also, it seems like he's usually coasting in 3rd gear and doesn't have that fire in him [until the end of the game] -- qualities that don't exactly help an undersized 2's chance of making it. I think he can certainly contribute, but with the value on the board [Ukic, Turiaf, Blatche] I probably would have gone in another direction. I do think Akyol could be good down the line...

As for Schemes [Morris] and the others who want to go back to college, I think they have to prove [with reciepts, etc.] that they paid for EVERYTHING during their NBA tour, which will be difficult since Schemes went to a SFX-sponsored workout. I think a UC Irvine player actually did this successfully [according to Katz] in 2001, and was allowed to return for a senior season only to be never heard from again....

Parting note: I completely agree regarding Stu Scott. I think bandy and I discussed this during the Finals, when he was tormenting the players' families while they were trying to watch the game. He seems to have made a career out of shouting mainstream rap lyrics at the most akward and unfitting times, plus he claimed in ESPNtheMag that he once ran a 4.6 forty [bullshit].

Post your all-star picks for the NL and AL, if you have time. I'll put mine up in a couple of days. ALso, Bandy I'm anxious to hear your rant on sports media so we can get a discussion going. Where the hell is Mouser?!?

posted by -dig- @ 11:27 PM