General 2010 NBA Draft Discussion

[Bruno]

http://www.thehoopsreport.com/article.aspx?id=506

Nets Host 36 NBA Draft Prospects This Week

By Ryan Feldman
Tuesday, June 08, 2010

The New Jersey Nets will host a NBA Draft workout this week from Wednesday, June 9 to Friday, June 11 that will consist of 36 draft prospects and 23 NBA teams in attendance. Each day, 12 prospects will work out. There will be two sessions each day with six players in each session.

The 23 teams that will be in attendance are the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Denver Nuggets, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards.

Wednesday, June 9: First Session
Sherron Collins, Kansas
Jon Scheyer, Duke
Tim Olbrecht, Germany
Deon Thompson, North Carolina
Omar Samhan, St. Mary's
Art Parakhouski, Radford

Wednesday, June 9: Second Session
Ben Uzoh, Tulsa
Rodney Green, La Salle
Stanley Robinson, UConn
Darington Hobson, New Mexico
Dexter Pittman, Texas
Pablo Aguilar, Spain

Thursday, June 10: First Session
Scottie Reynolds, Villanova
Edwin Jackson, France
Dwayne Collins, Miami
Wayne Chism, Tennessee
Tyler Wilkerson, Marshall
Jerome Jordan, Tulsa

Thursday, June 10: Second Session
Jamar Smith, Southern Indiana
Ryan Thompson, Rider
Sylven Landesberg, Virginia
Tyren Johnson, Louisiana-Lafayette
Gani Lawal, Georgia Tech
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame

Friday, June 11: First Session
Manny Harris, Michigan
Tajuan Porter, Oregon
Marquis Gilstrap, Iowa State
Ryan Wittman, Cornell
Brian Zoubek, Duke
Hamady Ndiaye, Rutgers

Friday, June 11: Second Session
Thomas Huertel, France
Jerome Randle, California
Ludovic Vaty, France
Mac Koshwal, DePaul
Jordan Eglseder, Northern Iowa
AJ Ogilvy, Vanderbilt

[benefactor]

SF an need? We have a solid one who will be much better all around this year. I dont understand why you would want a guy who will not play much on a team with a small window.

A "solid" one? Are you talking about RJ? Excuse me for a minute....

HAHAHAHAHALMAOLMAOLMAOLMAOLMAOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO LOOOOOL

Ok...I'm back.

The only way that RJ makes the Spurs better is if he is traded for either an impact player with a longer deal or some young prospects. His game is what it is and that is not changing. The experiment failed. Wake up and join reality with the rest of us.

Whiteside is a project, Alabi is what he is.....Hes 22 yrs old, very mature and is a mobile 7-1 shot blocker and changer. We have gotten our ass kicked the last 3 seasons inside and your answer is to draft a SF?

I love it how you pick out one part of his game and say that makes him an NBA ready player that will get minutes in the Spurs front court. You should stand back and view the whole forest instead of admiring the beauty of one tree.

Yes, he has shown he can block shots at the college level. That's great and there's a good chance he will become a nice defender in a couple of seasons. He is also one of the worst defensive rebounding bigs in the draft, which will allow other bigs to get offensive boards when he is in the game...allowing opponents to get extra possessions and put back scores. Combine this with his very raw offensive game and poor passing ability he begins to hurt more than he benefits. In short, he's a project.

Again, if the Spurs want a 5th big that can help next season they are better off re-signing Mahinmi. He is far more NBA ready than any big the Spurs can get with the 20th pick.

TD and Dice are a year older,so like it or not if we draft big he will have to play. We are not beating any of the good teams out west if we dont improve inside.

Even if we sign splitter I still think SA needs to look big, Alabi or Patterson so we can give TD nights off and still win games. Remember we won rings with D not a bunch of SFs running around.

If the Spurs sign Splitter(and they likely will), they will have 4 rotation bigs under contract next season. They will have one SF...and if the right deal comes along then he might be gone too. There is no argument you can make that suggests that the Spurs need a big more than a SF.

EDIT: Just saw you mentioned Patterson. Him and Alabi probably shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence. Patterson is far more NBA ready. I would take Patterson without hesitation, but it's unlikely he falls as far as 20.

[The Truth #6]

A SF is a need but at 20 we might not find anyone good for that position left. RJ isn't great but he's durable and in a contract year. Our SG concerns are in some ways not great either because Manu has to be really rested and we have no solid backups. If we can draft a two that is good and can rest Manu that might be the better option, especially if there are no good SFs left.

[TD 21]

I'm with The Truth #6 on this one. Sure, we'd like to see a long term successor in place at SF, but if George and Babbitt, as expected, are gone by 20, why force it? The Spurs have enough options at SF to get them through next season: Jefferson, veteran free agent signing, Hairston, Gee and Ginobili when they go to a three guard alignment.

If they think, for example, Williams is the best player for them likely to be available at 20, then pick him. This team isn't overloaded with ball handling guards. I know he's an SG, but he can handle the ball some and make plays by all accounts.

It's only a guess, but I think the Spurs view Hairston as more of an SF than an SG. Look how they've utilized players of similar build (Udoka, Bogans) in the past. Like them, he has good strength but weak ball handling skills.

[The Truth #6]

I suppose the next question is will Williams even be available at the 20th pick? Not sure what the FO was thinking with how things developed after he worked out with us. But it's possible Williams actions are a self created strategy to garner interest...by faking the idea that he's been given a promise. Obviously not likely but it's amusing to consider. Someone has an angle but it isn't clear yet.

[SenorSpur]

A SF is a need but at 20 we might not find anyone good for that position left. RJ isn't great but he's durable and in a contract year. Our SG concerns are in some ways not great either because Manu has to be really rested and we have no solid backups. If we can draft a two that is good and can rest Manu that might be the better option, especially if there are no good SFs left.

Understand your point, but I disagree. With Manu. Hairston, Gee and Hill, the Spurs have enough depth at the SG position to get through the year. Instead the SF position is severely lacking and has been for some time. The Spurs are in dire need more depth at a position that has been neglected, since the final 2 years of the Bowen era. That didn't happen. Now that RJ is in his contract year, this is the perfect opportunity to draft a young, athletic, SF. Groom him and prepare him to take over once RJ is either traded during the season or walks at the end of the year.

The good thing is that this draft is chocked full of SFs, so with the Spurs picking at #20, they should be able to get a good one.

[Chieflion]

Chieflion's 1st round mock draft

This is not perfect and does not include draft day deals. For me, this is a 4 player draft consisting of John Wall, Evan Turner, Derrick Favors, DeMarcus Cousins. The picks 6-18 are probably a crapshoot to me personally.

1. Washington Wizards - John Wall (Consensus No.1 pick drafted by the Wizards, what will happen to Gilbert Arenas?)

2. Philadelphia 76ers - Evan Turner (Best College Player in the draft goes to Philly, will the Sixers make the playoffs next season?)

3. New Jersey Nets - Derrick Favors (Most touted player in high school, youngest player in the draft, worst team in the league, cap space, new owner, will Favors be that integral part to the turnaround the Nets are supposed to do next season?)

4. Minnesota Timberwolves - DeMarcus Cousins (Most productive player in NCAA basketball history as of recent memory, the Wolves go BPA here, but is the big men rotation of Love, Jefferson and Cousins a huge logjam? Someone has to go, but who?)

5. Sacramento Kings - Wesley Johnson (Kings select Wesley Johnson out of Syracruse. His ability to play without the ball suits young star, Tyreke Evans to a T, and his ability to slash and hit the 3 ball at an efficient rate could make him a player that could make an immediate impact to a Kings team that needs an exciting player to add to their roster.)

6. Golden State Warriors - Greg Monroe (Warriors and small ball has become an apparent joke around the league. The Warriors break that this draft by selecting a skilled power forward out of Georgetown in Greg Monroe. His passing ability and high post game would remind older Warriors fans of ex-Warrior Chris Webber, although not as athletic, and would suit the Warriors' up-tempo high powered offense perfectly.)

7. Detroit Pistons - Ekpe Udoh (The Pistons are currently in full rebuilding mode and had a disastrous season and need size inside. By drafting the lengthy and athletic big man in Udoh, the Pistons would hope to solve and bolster their frontcourt for next season, although they have to solve their backcourt jam with Hamilton and Gordon at the SG spot.)

8. Los Angeles Clippers - Al-Farouq Aminu (The cursed franchise would select Aminu to be their player. Aminu could bring excitement to the young team, with Davis, Gordon, Aminu and Griffin, this Clipper team would bring instant viewers if they were not the second banana in Los Angeles.)

9. Utah Jazz - Xavier Henry (The Utah Jazz would go with a player who would fit their offense and they need a swingman to improve depth at the slot. Henry would provide offense and length and solve some issues with perimeter scoring for the Utah Jazz. Last but not least, LOL Knicks.)

10. Indiana Pacers - Ed Davis (The Pacers select Davis to improve depth at PF position, with Murphy likely being traded and expiring next season, the Pacers will want Davis to be their PF of the future. Will the athletic power forward be a perfect fit? Of course not, but he is talented, and it would work out one way or the other.)

11. New Orleans Hornets - Paul George (The Hornets need to improve scoring from the perimeter and relieve Chris Paul from the being the only consistent perimeter threat from outside. George could shoot the 3 and improve length and athletic ability, providing youth to the old SG/SF rotation of the Hornets.)

12. Memphis Grizzlies - Eric Bledsoe (Taking a gamble on Bledsoe, with Conley not living up to expectations, the PG out of Kentucky provides a lot of mystique. Would he be a good PG in the NBA? He was the 2nd best PG out of high school prospects behind John Wall, but unfortunately played off-guard next to the consensus 1st pick in Kentucky. Would he be the answer to the Grizzlies' PG woes?)

13. Toronto Raptors - Cole Aldrich (The Raptors value players without off-court problems and they need a tough big who can play, so to convince Bosh to stay in Toronto. Aldrich provides that tough body, and can contribute immediately as a 3rd big in the rotation and helping on the boards, an area the Raptors need to improve on.

14. Houston Rockets - Hassan Whiteside (The Rockets have nothing to lose by banking in on a 20-year old center with a lot of talent. Whiteside's ability to block shots at an elite level could make him a capable back-up behind Yao Ming.)

15. Milwaukee Bucks - Luke Babbitt (The Bucks have new life after acquiring Brandon Jennings last season and making the playoffs. They made some noise despite Bogut's injury. They add Babbitt to their roster for 3-point shooting and additional scoring. The Bucks need more firepower and select a 50-40-90 college player to their team.)

16. Minnesota Timberwolves - Gordon Hayward (The Wolves waste no time picking Butler's Gordon Hayward to improve swingmen depth. This is the Wolves 2nd pick in the 1st round and they have another pick coming in the 1st round. Hayward would provide a scoring punch to their SF position behind Corey Brewer and hopefully help the Wolves post-Garnett.)

17. Chicago Bulls - James Anderson (The Chicago Bulls are trying to lure a max FA to the Windy City to join Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. To do that, they are going to need to acquire a shooter in anyway possible and upgrade their talent overall. By selecting Anderson, the Bulls solve the spacing problem in their roster by a bit. The pure scorer would need to play off-the ball and fight through screens a lot more, but that itself is part of Anderson's game.

18. Miami Heat - Avery Bradley (The Miami Heat are at a crossroads, Mario Chalmers, Dequean Cook and Michael Beasley have been disappointments and Dwyane Wade's status to stay or leave is uncertain. The Heat have tons of cap space and would like to lure 2 max FAs to the team. Bradley fits in with his defensive potential and sets out to accomplish what Chalmers should have done. Bradley does not have to handle the ball a lot if Miami re-signs Dwyane Wade, a perfect combination. Bradley and Wade could be the best backcourt defensive duo in the NBA.)

19. Boston Celtics - Patrick Patterson (The Celtics pick an NBA ready power forward who could spell Garnett, Sheed and Perkins in Patterson and allow a young and ready player to blossom in a good system.)

20. San Antonio Spurs - Damion James (The Spurs pick local-bred Texas talent, Damion James, known for his motor and hard working character. His defensive potential and rebounding ability at the 3/4 spot would allow him to become a rotation player in this league. He also has an NBA ready body and is a player who can contribute immediately behind Jefferson.)

21. Oklahoma City Thunder - Larry Sanders (One of the best young teams in the NBA select a mobile big man in Larry Sanders. Sanders' elite length and defensive potential would further bolster the already tough defense of the Oklahoma City Thunder.)

22. Portland Trail Blazers - Kevin Seraphin (The Blazers pick Seraphin who they can stash for future use.)

23. Minnesota Timberwolves - Willie Warren (Hi Minny, we meet again. The Wolves further improve SG scoring with Willie Warren, once a teammate of Blake Griffin in college. Warren can score, no question, but cannot be the main guy. The Wolves would have to set Warren on the right path in his NBA career, will they be able to do that?)

24. Atlanta Hawks - Daniel Orton (The Hawks find a big man who is raw, but talented. Orton could blossom and play behind Al Horford. The Hawks reportedly do not like the position they are in for the NBA 2010 draft, so they bank in on potential here.)

25. Memphis Grizzlies - Quincy Pondexter (With Rudy Gay intriguing teams with cap space and the Grizzlies not going to overpay to keep their talented SF, the Grizzlies draft Quincy Pondexter as insurance going into next season. With Sam Young on the roster as well, these two forwards may duke it out for a starting spot if Gay leaves next season.)

26. Oklahoma City Thunder - Stanley Robinson (The Thunder draft the athletic Stanley Robinson out of UConn. With this being the potential pick, Robinson would stay behind Green and Durant, receiving little time. He might get to play small ball 4 but he is not going to get a ton of minutes either way as a rookie. He is definitely going to be added, increasing the overall athletic profile of the Oklahoma City Thunder.)

27. New Jersey Nets - Terrico White (The Nets draft Terrico White, hoping to modify his game to be a PG. Is that posisble? This is yet another potential-based pick for the Nets. Terrico White appears to be the most athletic guard in the draft right behind John Wall. If he pans out, the Nets would be extremely delightful. He has the size and the tools. Would he actually work out?)

28. Memphis Grizzlies - Dominque Jones (The Grizzlies, after getting screwed over by the Nets in my mock would draft Jones, whose length would help him play behind O.J Mayo. Drafted to score, Jones would fit the profile of the Grizzlies' team.)

29. Orlando Magic - Devin Ebanks (The Orlando Magic, with a disappointing end to the season, draft Devin Ebanks to replace Matt Barnes in the rotation if he leaves. Ebanks would replace the journeyman and hopefully fulfills his potential there. He isn't going to be a big time player but he is going to learn to shoot the 3 effecitvely if he wants to contribute to the Orlando Magic.)

30. Washington Wizards - Solomon Alabi (We saw the Wizards at the start, what a fitting way to end with the Wizards with the mock. The Wizards add frontcourt depth with Alabi, who would play behind the talented Javale McGee at the center position. Here is the key though, Alabi is a project, the Wizards are rebuilding, and he can get some playing time. Both parties benefit from this pick.)

Thanks for reading through Chieflion's 2010 mock draft. It took me at least an hour. Make sure to leave your comments. Also, much thanks to draftexpress for providing the draft order and player reports.

Updated with some slight switches in the mock.

[benefactor]

A SF is a need but at 20 we might not find anyone good for that position left. RJ isn't great but he's durable and in a contract year. Our SG concerns are in some ways not great either because Manu has to be really rested and we have no solid backups. If we can draft a two that is good and can rest Manu that might be the better option, especially if there are no good SFs left.

I agree there are some questions at SG. This is one of the reasons I've been pushing for the Spurs to consider signing Romain Sato. I wouldn't have a problem with the Spurs drafting a guard if a good enough one fell.

The Spurs could also trade the pick for an extra pick. One scenario I mentioned in another thread would be to try to trade the pick to Memphis for their two late first round picks...then use those picks to draft Pondexter and Dominique Jones(both players should be available late in the first).

[Bruno]

Nice work, even if I disagree with most of your picks.

And if the 19 first picks go likes in your draft, I hope Spurs will go with either Larry Sanders or Damion James.

[Chieflion]

Nice work, even if I disagree with most of your picks.

And if the 19 first picks go likes in your draft, I hope Spurs will go with either Larry Sanders or Damion James.

What picks do you disagree with? Like I said, it is not perfect and I hope to improve on it in the future. I like Larry Sanders though, don't get me wrong. But there are no indications up till now that the Spurs would draft him, likewise for Damion James who doesn't have a position on offense. With Williams, there are some vague indications.

[mountainballer]

first off, congratulations, this is a very good mock IMO.

some surprising picks in the 6-14 area, but I can hear your reasons.
personally I wonder if the Pistons would really take Udoh over Ed Davis and Aldrich (with Charlie V on the roster, but they might try to trade him) and if the Grizzlies really once more reach for a PG.
(Conley was a disappointment considering he was a #4 pick, but I don't think they need to give up on him. he still is only 22 and don't forget he played very good in the last 2 months of this season. Grizzlies have reasons to hope that this was finally his break out party.)
if George was still there, they would pick him to prepare for a departure of Gay. he isn't, so I think they pick the best available SF prospect, which would be Babbitt or Hayward. (IMO they still miss Mike Miller a lot and both players have been compared to him, so they will have some fans in the Grizzlies organisation)

[Bruno]

What picks do you disagree with? Like I said, it is not perfect and I hope tio improve on it in the future.

Well, it isn't that your picks are horrible (I don't have the pretention or the knowledge to say that), it's just that I would make other choices than yours.

And do you think Patrick Patterson won't be drafted in the or do you forget him?

I like Larry Sanders though, don't get me wrong. But there are no indications up till now that the Spurs would draft him, likewise for Damion James who doesn't have a position on offense. With Williams, there are some vague indications.

I don't buy at all the rumor around Williams and Spurs. James and Sanders make more sense for Spurs.

[Chieflion]

Well, it isn't that your picks are horrible (I don't have the pretention or the knowledge to say that), it's just that I would make other choices than yours.

And do you think Patrick Patterson won't be drafted in the or do you forget him?



I don't buy at all the rumor around Williams and Spurs. James and Sanders make more sense for Spurs.

Oh no. Forgot about Patterson, slipped my mind. Fixed, had him drafted by Atlanta, although he slips down a lot, but he does have some flaws to his game and doesn't have much potential.

[mountainballer]

Oh no. Forgot about Patterson, slipped my mind. Fixed, had him drafted by Atlanta, although he slips down a lot, but he does have some flaws to his game and doesn't have much potential.

Hawks clearly get the steal of the draft in Patterson. I also can see that he drops more than any mock projects him, but I can't see him fall deeper than Celtics at #19.
they get the probably most NBA ready player in the draft, who they can use well to reduce the work load of KG and who would form a pretty decent front court with Perkins for many years to come.

[Bruno]

If Patterson is available at #20, Spurs should pick him. It's a no-brainer.

Memphis pick (#12) is maybe the most difficult to predict in the draft. Memphis has depth at PF/C (Randolph, Gasol, Thabeet, Arthur) an at SG/SF (Mayo, Gay, Brewer, Young, Carroll). They need a backup PG behind Conley but drafting one at #12 will be a big reach. They could also go with a shooter since they are one of the worst shooting team in the league or they could also go after a PF given Randolph off the court troubles and Arthur so-so level. I'm really curious to see what they will do with this pick.

[mountainballer]

I agree there are some questions at SG. This is one of the reasons I've been pushing for the Spurs to consider signing Romain Sato. I wouldn't have a problem with the Spurs drafting a guard if a good enough one fell.

The Spurs could also trade the pick for an extra pick. One scenario I mentioned in another thread would be to try to trade the pick to Memphis for their two late first round picks...then use those picks to draft Pondexter and Dominique Jones(both players should be available late in the first).

I do like the Pondexter plus Jones scenario (obviously). and I see room for either a 4th guard (Williams, Jones, even Warren) or a backup SF (all the listed suspects, about 6 or 7 players, from George to Pondexter).

we probably didn't hear about all invitations for work outs, but looking at the list of players, it seems as if the Spurs go that direction with the 1st rounder. most of the invited big men (all?) are clearly options for the #49 pick.

[benefactor]

Thanks for reposting that here. I got kinda caught up in the other thread.

I really think it's the best value if all the better SF prospects are gone by 20. If it comes down to trading for those two picks or gambling on a project like Whiteside or Alabi, I trade the pick every time.

[mountainballer]

I try to go back to the trade up discussion. let's assume the report is legit, that the Spurs are one of the most aggressive teams in trade up talks.
so what's the goal.
IMO there are only 2 scenario's, that can be labeled that way.

plan A: trade up to #10-13 and that way get one player from the group of George, Henry, Babbitt and Hayward.

plan B: trade up to #2-4 and that way get a franchise talent.

plan A will cost either money, #20 pick, a future pick, maybe Blair as teaser. (at least 2 pieces from that pool)

plan B will cause a significant roster shake up and a package with one or more pieces from the pool of Tony, Splitter, Hill, Blair, #20 pick, future pick.

so using the #20 pick probably is only plan C or D.
(trading down as the other option).

however. can't remember the Spurs being mentioned in so many rumors around the draft for many years. and that's a good sign. obviously the Spurs see this draft much more important for them, than the last 7 or 8.

[Blackjack]

There's some serious RTB up in this mug; and Chieflion looks to be getting a jump on next year's All-SpursTalk.

Can't say I'd be all that disappointed with benefactor's scenario. Well, it'd hurt my heart if it spelled the end of THC as we know it but I'm a big fan of Jones and there's a lot to like from Pondexter as a potential role-player and glue guy.

Depending on who's left, I wouldn't mind Jones at 20; Williams sounds pretty intriguing but I'm not as familiar with him. As I've mentioned before, I slacked on the scouting this year and I'm in the dark more than at any time in recent memory. But I do love the perceived activity on the Spurs' behalf and not knowing as much has made this draft more exciting than ever. I feel like a kid waiting on Christmas.

However it ends up playing out, the Spurs should do pretty well for themselves. They've got a nice pick at 20 and more options at their disposal to get something done because of the climate and their need for immediacy, two things that should lead to a fun offseason.

[The Truth #6]

Intrigued to read the Spurs involved in so many rumors to move up. If that's true then it's going to be more difficult than ever to predict what they're going to do. And given that they like to use smokescreens, and the pressure to get a good player in this draft is as high as ever, this will get interesting, or frustrating, depending how you look at it.

To return to a previous thought from the Babbit thread...I agree with Senor Spur that getting a SF is a priority, but my point in looking to get a SG is that getting a quality player is more important than just filling a need. To me, there's a need at SG also because though Manu is still spectacular, he's only able to give that level of play for about 30 games in a season, which is basically the playoffs. Given that, I think we have a huge hole at SG as well, realistically. I love the possibility of Hairston and Gee but they haven't done anything yet and I consider Hill more of a PG who is still learning the position.

As bad as RJ is, he's more frustrating than just straight bad. Again, he's durable. And if no quality SFs are left, and there's a quality SG on the board that the Spurs like, then I can see the logic.

Whether or not that will be Williams is debatable, with the realistic odds against it given how well known the rumors are.

[SpursTillTheEnd]

WHY CANT YOU SPELL Luck_The_Fakers_Luck_The_Fakers_Luck_The_Fakers_Lu ck_The_Fakers_Luck_The_Fakers_Luck_The_Fakers_ ON HERE?

[objective]

Name me 10 better starting SF than RJ right now? The guy avgd 12ppg 4.5 rebounds and shot 46%. He is also able to give us 20 points any given night.

I gotta agree with the other guy, RJ is nothing to get excited about and there's no logical reason to think he's going to be better next year. If anything he's more likely to be worse as his athleticism continues to slip.

And no, he's not a top 10 SF by any means. He had a below average PER for one. And he wasn't top 10 SF when they traded for him, and that's before he had a terrible year where he played lazy, gutless, soft basketball for the majority of games while being a mediocre defender.

In no particular order, NBA SFs (or SF-capable 2s or 3s) who I would rather have on the roster playing his minutes:

Lebron
Carmelo
Durant
Pierce
Gerald Wallace
Stephen Jackson
Andre Iguodala
Luol Deng
Danny Granger
Kirilenko
Battier
Rudy Gay

Guys that are a toss up with RJ who I still would probably lean towards over RJ:

Marvin Williams
Omri Casspi
Hedo Turkoglu
Tayshaun Prince
Josh Howard
Mike Miller
Grant Hill
Ron Artest
Trevor Ariza
Corey Maggette
Batum
Caron Butler

Not only would RJ not be in my top 10, I doubt he would crack my top 20 all salaries being equal.

[objective]

If Patterson is available at #20, Spurs should pick him. It's a no-brainer.

Memphis pick (#12) is maybe the most difficult to predict in the draft. Memphis has depth at PF/C (Randolph, Gasol, Thabeet, Arthur) an at SG/SF (Mayo, Gay, Brewer, Young, Carroll). They need a backup PG behind Conley but drafting one at #12 will be a big reach. They could also go with a shooter since they are one of the worst shooting team in the league or they could also go after a PF given Randolph off the court troubles and Arthur so-so level. I'm really curious to see what they will do with this pick.

I would guess MEM to draft a bench scorer. They were so desperate for bench scoring that they even considered trading for Mason and settled on Brewer, and neither of those guys were having seasons like The Microwave either. I'm sure they'll try to address it in free agency also but having multiple options is practical.

[objective]

If Splitter comes (I'm dubious), then that is much better than whatever big man project they could draft at 20. Splitter is ready to play and Pop would actually give him a chance to play, something that can't be guaranteed for any young player.

If Splitter doesn't come, then even re-signing Ian Mahinmi would be better than a project at 20, again, Mahinmi would be more ready to play.

RJ is only under contract for one more year, and this draft is deep at SF. You get a guy this year at 20 who is ready to start in year 2, that's a good draft.

, RJ isn't even good enough to be counted on to start next year! Pop benched him for his garbage play for about a 10 game stretch.

And don't knock Grant Hill. Yes, he's old and washed up. But he still outplayed the $15 million dollar man this postseason with much better defense.

[objective]

The spurs have talked about turnover at the 3 and 5 spots being one of the main problems we have had the last 3 years. So now you want more turn over??

Yes more turnover if it means getting rid of they guys who have experience choking (Bonner's entire tenure and Mason's 2 years of disappointment) and guys who are soft, inconsistent, undependable players like Jefferson.

One of the biggest mistakes the Spurs made the last 5 years was the summer of 07 when they had to 'bring them all back to defend their le', which was an insane declaration that they would refuse to improve their roster while other teams got better, even to the point of bidding against themselves to re-sign Bonner even though he wasn't in the playoff rotation and even though he wouldn't even play that first year while Horry finished out his contract. So they crapped out Scola to keep the glory of Bonner, who wasn't even going to get minutes while Horry was still around.