Twisted_Dawg
07-10-2008, 11:33 AM
......in not drafting one of these guys. Chalmers and CDR are going off in their Summer League play. Chalmers has looked so good that Miami gave him a three year contract at $2.3 million, which is more than the usual minimum contract given to 2nd round picks. CDR is playing very well. It will also be interesting to see if Darrell Arthur also plays well in the Summer League. These guys were well known and available when we made our #1 pick.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=Orlando-Day3-080709
ORLANDO -- Hell hath no fury quite like that of a scorned NBA draft pick.
The Orlando Pro Summer League is stocked full of top draftees, ranging from the first two picks (Chicago's Derrick Rose and Miami's Michael Beasley) to No. 4 selection Russell Westbrook to New Jersey's Brook Lopez, who was selected 10th.
But it's two players who shockingly plummeted into the second round --national championship hero Mario Chalmers and All-American Chris Douglas-Roberts -- who have put on some of the most driven performances of the week. Suddenly, futures that might have seemed dim just a week ago have bloomed into downright rosy outlooks for Chalmers and Douglas-Roberts.
Take one look at their Wednesday performances -- Chalmers got to the free-throw line 17 times (all makes), scored 23 points and handed out six assists for Miami; Douglas-Roberts streaked his way to 20 points for New Jersey -- and it's apparent both second-round picks are playing with a purpose.
"A chip on my shoulder is an understatement," huffed Douglas-Roberts, who took advice from Nets star Vince Carter throughout Wednesday's game. "I'm going to have to play like this my whole career. It was sort of a blessing in disguise by me going 40th. I'm seeing a lot of teams this week that passed on me, and I get to slap them in the face a little bit."
Chalmers, the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player and a hero for hitting the clutch 3-pointer that forced overtime, looked on in disbelief on draft night as the first round came and went without his name being announced. Projected by some as a pick in the 10 to 20 range, Chalmers slipped to 34th and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Heat president Pat Riley was as surprised as Chalmers that the player slipped so far and worked furiously to acquire the cat-quick point guard. When Miami failed in its attempts to buy a late first-round pick from Portland, it sent two first-round picks and $2 million to the Wolves for Chalmers.
The point guard has been so impressive in his first three summer league games that he secured a three-year contract that could be worth as much as $2.3 million. This is how highly the Heat think of Chalmers: His first-year salary is $700,000, roughly $250,000 more than a minimum deal.
"I signed my contract, and that gives me a lot of confidence," said Chalmers, who is averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 assists and 2.7 steals in three games. "It's a great feeling to know you have that contract officially with a team.
Embarrassed on draft night, CDR is using the Orlando Summer League to show up his competition. "Draft night is over and done with, and I definitely have that chip on my shoulder," Chalmers said.
Douglas-Roberts could be well on his way to locking up some long-term security of his own if he keeps playing as he did Wednesday. He was a blur on the break, and the unorthodox shooting stroke many GMs knocked in the days leading up the draft wasn't a problem as he made 6 of 10 shots and 8 of 9 free throws.
In practically every interview Douglas-Roberts has done this week, the first-team All-American has fumed about his horrifying draft experience. Not even a good week in the summer league, he admitted, will wipe away this sting anytime soon.
"I just couldn't understand it," Douglas-Roberts said. "It was a mixture of being disappointed, embarrassed and emotion. It's a good thing because I ended up in a place where I have a great opportunity. I'm glad I got to the Nets, but I'm still not happy that I went 40 regardless of what happens from now on."
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=Orlando-Day3-080709
ORLANDO -- Hell hath no fury quite like that of a scorned NBA draft pick.
The Orlando Pro Summer League is stocked full of top draftees, ranging from the first two picks (Chicago's Derrick Rose and Miami's Michael Beasley) to No. 4 selection Russell Westbrook to New Jersey's Brook Lopez, who was selected 10th.
But it's two players who shockingly plummeted into the second round --national championship hero Mario Chalmers and All-American Chris Douglas-Roberts -- who have put on some of the most driven performances of the week. Suddenly, futures that might have seemed dim just a week ago have bloomed into downright rosy outlooks for Chalmers and Douglas-Roberts.
Take one look at their Wednesday performances -- Chalmers got to the free-throw line 17 times (all makes), scored 23 points and handed out six assists for Miami; Douglas-Roberts streaked his way to 20 points for New Jersey -- and it's apparent both second-round picks are playing with a purpose.
"A chip on my shoulder is an understatement," huffed Douglas-Roberts, who took advice from Nets star Vince Carter throughout Wednesday's game. "I'm going to have to play like this my whole career. It was sort of a blessing in disguise by me going 40th. I'm seeing a lot of teams this week that passed on me, and I get to slap them in the face a little bit."
Chalmers, the Final Four's Most Outstanding Player and a hero for hitting the clutch 3-pointer that forced overtime, looked on in disbelief on draft night as the first round came and went without his name being announced. Projected by some as a pick in the 10 to 20 range, Chalmers slipped to 34th and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Heat president Pat Riley was as surprised as Chalmers that the player slipped so far and worked furiously to acquire the cat-quick point guard. When Miami failed in its attempts to buy a late first-round pick from Portland, it sent two first-round picks and $2 million to the Wolves for Chalmers.
The point guard has been so impressive in his first three summer league games that he secured a three-year contract that could be worth as much as $2.3 million. This is how highly the Heat think of Chalmers: His first-year salary is $700,000, roughly $250,000 more than a minimum deal.
"I signed my contract, and that gives me a lot of confidence," said Chalmers, who is averaging 17.7 points, 7.0 assists and 2.7 steals in three games. "It's a great feeling to know you have that contract officially with a team.
Embarrassed on draft night, CDR is using the Orlando Summer League to show up his competition. "Draft night is over and done with, and I definitely have that chip on my shoulder," Chalmers said.
Douglas-Roberts could be well on his way to locking up some long-term security of his own if he keeps playing as he did Wednesday. He was a blur on the break, and the unorthodox shooting stroke many GMs knocked in the days leading up the draft wasn't a problem as he made 6 of 10 shots and 8 of 9 free throws.
In practically every interview Douglas-Roberts has done this week, the first-team All-American has fumed about his horrifying draft experience. Not even a good week in the summer league, he admitted, will wipe away this sting anytime soon.
"I just couldn't understand it," Douglas-Roberts said. "It was a mixture of being disappointed, embarrassed and emotion. It's a good thing because I ended up in a place where I have a great opportunity. I'm glad I got to the Nets, but I'm still not happy that I went 40 regardless of what happens from now on."