Spurs' future draft picks

[AFBlue]

Early Reports....

In:
DeVon Hardin
Ramon Sessions
JamesOn Curry

Out:
Dominic James (previously mentioned)
Marcellus Kemp

LIKELY In:
Mike Conley Jr.
Dequan Cook
Jason Smith
Spencer Hawes

ON THE FENCE:
Jeff Green
Sean Singletary
Thaddeus Young

[Mr. Body]

Pruitt withdrew from draft....that is, Shaun Pruitt the Center from Illinois...

I had a heart palpitation, damn you. Not that I'm sold on Gabe, but he's one of the better b-u points available.

[Mr. Body]

I'd not be surprised to see Jeff Green pull out of the draft.

[AFBlue]

I had a heart palpitation, damn you. Not that I'm sold on Gabe, but he's one of the better b-u points available.

Had the same reaction when I saw the headline in a listing of articles....

Again, not that he's the next great one, but I would love to have him on this team as a combo guard. Fernandez is my #1 choice at 28, but Pruitt is a close second.

[Mr. Body]

There's a great podcast interview of Morris Almond on DX's frontpage right now. Almond seems like he could talk forever, but Givony talks with him for about thirty minutes. The guy is smart, as you'd expect for a Rice Owl, and has a lot of interesting things to say about the process, even around his 'staying neutral' approach. I was gravitating to putting Almond on my personal short list, but this cements him further. At this point I'd probably take him before Belinelli.

[Darkwaters]

I think Fernandez is a can't miss prospect. I like him that much. But unless we make a trade we won't be able to snatch him away. Is there any chance that we trade the 28 and 33 to move up and grab him (or would that be too expensive)?

Also, just how bad is his buyout next year? Would he HAVE to wait a year before he can come over or is next season not out of the question? If Finley walks we need someone to replace him.

[Mr. Body]

Is there any chance that we trade the 28 and 33 to move up and grab him (or would that be too expensive)?

Maybe. I've long thought a good option for the Miamis and Houstons of the world, who have multiple needs, would be to trade down. Fernandez is gone by the Rox' pick, but Fernandez could be around at #20. Would this be too expensive? Well, if the Spurs think he's head and shoulders above anyone else they could get, then why not?

[AFBlue]

I think Fernandez is a can't miss prospect. I like him that much. But unless we make a trade we won't be able to snatch him away. Is there any chance that we trade the 28 and 33 to move up and grab him (or would that be too expensive)?

Also, just how bad is his buyout next year? Would he HAVE to wait a year before he can come over or is next season not out of the question? If Finley walks we need someone to replace him.

Your question about his buyout is the same question every GM who likes him will ask themselves. It's the same reason that he might be there at #28....because his buyout has probably yet to be negotiated without even a ballpark figure.

I'm not saying he'll be there at #28, but he's got more chance than you give him...

[AFBlue]

Here's a quick nugget from Chad Ford on Draft Rumblings over the weekend. He says Koponen and Belinelli are likely to stay in the draft and that Koponen has received interest from late first round guys (including the Spurs).

I don't know if I like Koponen at #28 or #33, but I guess I'll have to start warming to the possibility....

http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog...CMP=ILC-INHEAD

Koponen, in particular, is a nice story. Even though the Orlando predraft camp selection committee wouldn't put Koponen in the camp, several teams, including the Knicks, Suns and Spurs, are considering drafting him in the first round.

[picnroll]

Here's more on Koponen. Hope the Spurs get him.

http://draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=2121

[AFBlue]

More Nuggets....

The deadline for underclassmen to withdraw from the draft is Monday at 5 p.m. ET.

With Cal center Devon Hardin stating he's staying in the draft and Marquette point guard Dominic James pulling out of the draft, teams around the NBA are really holding their breath on two players -- Georgetown's Jeff Green and Georgia Tech's Thaddeus Young. They are the only two top players still widely believed to be on the fence.

About Hawks @ #3

Our first and second editions of the mock draft had Mike Conley there. Version 3.0 had Brandon Wright.

For our next version, Al Horford will replace Wright. Sources say Horford is the Hawks' favorite at the moment -- though they could still trade the pick.
That news should come as a blow to both Memphis (No. 4) and Milwaukee (No. 6), both of whom also have Horford ranked No. 3 (behind Greg Oden and Kevin Durant).

[Bruno]

Your question about his buyout is the same question every GM who likes him will ask themselves. It's the same reason that he might be there at #28....because his buyout has probably yet to be negotiated without even a ballpark figure.

Fernandez buyout is €1.6M ($2.14M).

[AFBlue]

Fernandez buyout is €1.6M ($2.14M).

That means he would have to be drafted in the mid-first round, because teams can only contribute $500K to the buyout and the rest would come from his salary....he would basically be playing for free, unless he got picked in the lottery.

That is, unless he's got a couple million under his mattress.

Thanks for the info, though.

[Bruno]

^ I guess the nba team, that drafts him, can too pick the options on the third and fourth years of his rookie contract, when he sign it, to help Fernandey to pay his buyout.

[Mr. Body]

Players with buyouts don't have to pay everything all at once - they can pay in installments. Cuban isn't paying Finley's contract all at once, either.

Still, it's ultimately Fernandez's choice to make. If the buyout is lower after this year, he may as well stay out, since it's almost completely out of his pocket.

[Mr. Body]

Word is Thaddeus Young is staying in the draft. No word on Green.

[AFBlue]

Word is Thaddeus Young is staying in the draft. No word on Green.

Green is supposedly meeting with his Georgetown coach today and the decision might come down to the wire....for the Spurs' sake, I hope he stays in.

Young looks like a lottery pick if he stays....no reason not to.

[Mr. Body]

Word is now coming through that both Spencer Hawes and Jeff Green are staying in the draft.

[AFBlue]

Thad Young In....

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2...ory?id=2907896

Georgia Tech freshman Thaddeus Young has decided to stay in the 2007 NBA draft.

The move is expected. Young is projected by most NBA teams as a Top 15 pick. Last week Young was invited by the NBA to sit in the Green Room, a good sign that he'd go in the top half of the draft.

He joins teammate Javaris Crittenton, another freshman who decided to bolt Georgia Tech after one year.

[AFBlue]

Here's the ESPN Article updated just 5 minutes ago, says Green will go in the Draft...

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2...ory?id=2907965

Source: Likely high pick Green to stay in draft
By Chad Ford
ESPN.com
(Archive)
Updated: June 18, 2007, 1:52 PM ET

Green, the Big East player of the year during the Hoyas' run to this year's Final Four, has been going back and forth the last few weeks trying to decide whether to remain in the draft. While most teams have Green ranked anywhere from the fifth pick to No. 12 in the draft, the lure of returning to Georgetown for his senior season and competing for a national championship was tempting.

However, the source said that, at the end of the day, Green got advice from numerous sources that his draft position was too good to bypass.

Green, a 6-foot-9 multi-dimensional forward, is considered one of the more NBA-ready prospects in the draft. The Celtics are considering him with the fifth pick. The Bucks (No. 6), Timberwolves (seventh), Bobcats (eighth), Bulls (ninth), Kings (10th) and Sixers (12th) also have interest in selecting Green.

Green has been conducting workouts at Georgetown for teams the past few weeks. The Celtics, Bucks, Bobcats, Bulls and Sixers have made the trip to see him work out.

Monday is the deadline for underclassmen to withdraw their names from the draft. Earlier, freshman Roy Hibbert decided to remain at Georgetown for his sop re season.

Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider.

[Darkwaters]

Good. Increased depth in this draft means more and more players will slide.

Now I hope that Marco Belinelli and Petteri Koponen stay in. And for that matter, I'm curious about Rodrigue Beaubois.

[Darkwaters]

I've heard in the past that Jonas Maciulis was not interested in coming to the NBA. Is there any truth to that? If hes there at 58 then I think he'd be a great pick...assuming the NBA is of any interest to him at all.

[ThomasGranger]

Draft Express has the Spurs picking Koponen in the first round.

http://www.draftexpress.com/mymock.php?page=official

Hmmm, a white European PG who does well enough in the workouts to get selected in the late first round. Somehow I don't think the Spurs will go down that road again.

What really spooked me about him was the DX comparisons:

Best Case: Beno Udrih

Worst Case: Teemu Rannikko

[AFBlue]

Ouch....yeah like I said, I dunno about Koponen with the 28th pick, but it wouldn't suprise me.

[Darkwaters]

Ouch....yeah like I said, I dunno about Koponen with the 28th pick, but it wouldn't suprise me.

Just hope to God that Rudy slips to us.