Oden, Durant at ease about draft
By Chris Dempsey Denver Post Staff Writer
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated:06/01/2007 03:01:13 AM MDT
Lake Buena Vista, Fla. - If anyone is worried about which draft position Greg Oden and Kevin Durant will be selected, it's not either one of them.
"I'm just soaking up the whole process," Durant said Thursday during the NBA's predraft camp. "It's all a dream."
Said Oden, "It'll be nice hearing my name being called, whether it's one or 20 or two."
Oden, a center from Ohio State, and Durant, a forward from Texas, are the consensus top players in the draft. Durant swept all the college player of the year awards, while Oden, who played with a broken hand for much of the season, wasn't far behind. Both were first- team All-Americans as freshmen.
The Portland Trail Blazers have the top pick in the June 28 draft, with the Seattle SuperSonics next to select. If both teams stand pat, the Pacific Northwest teams could potentially have a rivalry for years to come.
"The Portland-Seattle rivalry has been pretty much nonexistent for as many years as I can remember," University of Washington center and Seattle native Spencer Hawes said. "It's gonna be fun."
Just don't make it personal, Oden quipped.
"I'm not going out there and guarding Kevin Durant," he said. "It can be a friendly team rivalry, but one-on-one, I'm not going out there. He's a great player and all, and if we switch out to him, I'm fouling him."
Law's view
Ohio State guard Mike Conley Jr. is widely considered the best point guard in the draft, but Texas A&M's Acie Law IV doesn't think so. He has a different player in mind.
"I think I'm the best point guard, cut and dried," said Law, who averaged 18.1 points and 5.0 assists, leading the Aggies to the NCAA Sweet 16 this past season. "Conley's a great player, I'm not taking anything away from him. He led his team to the national championship. ... But I think he had a lot more help than I did. We're going to get the chance to work out against each other, and we'll prove it on the floor."
Hawes' decision
Hawes has still not hired an agent, but is likely going to stay in the draft. He said during his recruitment to the Huskies, "we knew that me being one-and- done was a legit possibility. So the whole time we communicated about it."
Asked what would drive him back to school, Hawes said, "Depending on the feedback that I continue to get, and it still eats at me that we didn't make the NIT."
Going back to possibly become a higher pick in 2008, however, is not an option.
"I think that's something that's enticing, but I think if you make that the reason that you go back, I think that shifts your focus," Hawes said.
"Every day you're wondering: 'Did I hurt myself? Did I increase my stock?' I think that would be the wrong reason to go back."
Footnote
An NBA source said some teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, have called the Nuggets to inquire about center Marcus Camby, although nothing imminent is on the table.
Chris Dempsey can be reached at 303-954-1279 or [email protected].
If the Lakers could trade Brown (expiring contract) and a pick for Camby, then complete the deal for O'Neal, resign Walton and sign/acquire a PG, then they'd be pretty strong. I think they'll overpay for O'Neal just to appease Kobe, I actually think Odom is as talented, more efficient and a better option for the Lakers, but I suppose out west you need actual bigs.
No. The Spurs are gonna get Camby. Just wait and see.
Throw in Bynum and the Nuggets might consider it
Don't see Camby going to the Lakers without giving up much. He's the DPOY and the Nuggets can get better offers if they decide to dump him because of the salary cap.
btw. Acie Law seems to be a little bit overconfident, kinda like a Nate Robinson at ude.
The Nuggets have said they are trading him for expiring contracts. Brown fits the bill to the tune of $9 million at year's end. Throw in a pick or two and you have a package that few can/may be willing to match.
Bynum is likely heading to Indiana along with Odom and filler.
If they can make those deals happen Kobe will have a pretty impressive front court for a third of the season.
Man, the paperwork on this Boozer deal is taking forever.
Can I get some of what you are smoking?
When did they say that? The MEDIA has said that Camby will be shipped, but the Nuggets FO have said nothing about it.
It will take more than Brown and farmar to get Camby. People know the Lakers are desperate coz of the Kobe situation. Other General Managers can make the Lakers FO overpay
A package of Brown, Farmar & a 1st and 2nd may get it done, but its not a given that the Nuggets will definately trade Camby yet.
Why do the Nuggets want to trade their DPOY?
If they do, it will be mainly for cap relief. The other reason is that he is the one that can bring a decent return.
There is no way the Nuggets can trade Kmart and they have alot invested in their bigmen. Nene is untouchable and K is untradeable. That leaves Camby, and his value is higher than ever i think.
Id like to see them get bench help through a trade, coz that was sorely missing during the playoffs.
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