The one for Salmons?
And Hickson.
Maybe slightly in terms of playing style, but certainly not on the same elite level Rondo performs at. Marshall has virtually no outside shot and doesn't even drive and finish as well as Rajon did at Kentucky and his earlier years in Boston. On top of that, Kendall lacks first step explosion, NBA defense, and world-class athleticism.
For the Grizzlies? Yeah, probably. The Grizzlies are never going to be a great offensive team, so they might as well ratchet up their defense even more while getting the better all around player on a better contract and higher draft pick.
Juice already has his bags packed for greener pastures.
How did you get your sources so fast?
If the Kings make the playoffs by 2017
Originally Posted by bhzmafia14
How did you get your sources so fast?
Because Royce White is a PF through and through. He has handles but he's built like an ox and would be best served being used in a Odom/Diaw type role causing mismatches. Still the Pacers are 2 deep at basically every position, so going best player available makes sense.
Three NBA draft trade ideas
Tyreke Evans and No. 5 pick for Joakim Noah, plus other suggestions
Updated: June 13, 2012, 12:37 PM ET
By Bradford Doolittle | Basketball Prospectus
Derrick Rose and Tyreke Evans in the same backcourt? The Bulls have the pieces to make it happen.
The first game of the NBA Finals served notice that the Miami Heat versus the Oklahoma City Thunder may be one of the most riveting matchups we've seen in years, but looming just on the horizon is the draft. If the Finals go seven games, there will be just a two-day gap between the crowning of the champion and the de facto start of the 2012-13 season, which will begin after the New Orleans Hornets presumably select Anthony Davis No. 1 on June 28. So we have to keep that in mind as we enjoy some tremendous on-court action.
The draft is the most exciting time of the year for fans who love to break down transactions, and the trade buzz that surrounds that day is the most interesting part of the process. That's when we learn how teams view themselves. Are they trying to fill a need that will allow them to take the next step as a franchise, or are they tearing down while building a new foundation? Successful franchises answer those questions correctly.
With that in mind, let's consider three possible pre-draft trades that would be mutually beneficial to the teams involved.
1. The Chicago Bulls trade C Joakim Noah and the No. 29 pick to the Sacramento Kings for G Tyreke Evans and the No. 5 pick.
The Kings are rumored to want another big man to pair with DeMarcus Cousins, and the unselfish, defense-oriented style of Noah would be a perfect on-court fit. The trade works financially because of the amount of cap space the Kings have, so there are no concerns there. The Kings would still have Marcus Thornton to play the 2 while hoping that Isaiah Thomas or, gulp, Jimmer Fredette turns out to be a long-term answer in the backcourt as well. And, who knows, perhaps the big numbers Terrence Williams put up at the end of last season were for real. It wasn't that long ago that he was a lottery pick.
A starting five of Thomas, Thornton, Williams, Noah and Cousins works well in terms of complementary skills. It's a jumping-off point for a group still searching for some kind of concrete identity. Noah would bring heart and soul to Sacramento, or wherever the Kings end up playing long-term. Frankly, those are qualities the Kings have lacked for quite some time.
The swap of picks is important from the Bulls' standpoint, as they would want to add another center to replace Noah, and Connecticut's Andre Drummond would fit in nicely, either as a starter or as a backup to Omer Asik. If Drummond is gone, then Thomas Robinson or, even, Jared Sullinger could be a possibility, or they could opt for Harrison Barnes as the eventual successor to Luol Deng at the 3.
When healthy, Noah is an All-Star type of player, while Evans has regressed during his NBA career, so the Bulls could hold out for the pick swap. The money the Bulls save from dealing Noah would help them keep Asik, a restricted free agent this summer, as well as Taj Gibson, who can become one next year.
Evans could run the point while Derrick Rose recovers from knee surgery, then play alongside him when he comes back. The Bulls desperately need a second shot-creator, and Evans could be that guy. Evans has underachieved defensively in the NBA, but Tom Thibodeau would cure him of that. He has the physical traits of someone that should be an elite defensive guard.
Evans will be a restricted free agent next year, so Chicago would get a season to evaluate him as an extension candidate, which they could pull off by amnestying Carlos Boozer. He's the kind of high-ceiling player that's going to be difficult for Chicago to obtain going forward, so if, as rumored, he's on the market, it's time to pounce.
Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty ImagesRudy Gay could become the go-to scorer that the Sixers need.
2. The Memphis Grizzlies trade F Rudy Gay and the No. 25 pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for F Andre Iguodala and the No. 15 pick.
Both of these players are rumored to be on the market and this would be a fascinating basketball trade. The Sixers are desperate for a go-to scorer, which Gay would give them. Gay is a better defender than he used to be and any shortcomings he still has on that end would be coached out of him by Doug Collins. If the Sixers amnesty Elton Brand, they'll have the flexibility to add even more to an exciting young core that features Gay, Evan Turner and Jrue Holiday.
Memphis, on the other hand, would have the fiercest defensive wing combo in the league in Iguodala and Tony Allen. They take a hit offensively, but the Grizzlies' attack is built around big men Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol anyway. With Michael Conley controlling the tempo, the Grizzlies could become an even better version of the kind of slug-it-out halfcourt team that would give even the powerful Thunder fits in the West next season.
The trade also would give Memphis some slight financial relief in the short term and more flexibility down the line, as Iguodala has just one year and an early-termination option left on his contract. It's not exactly a cost-slashing move, but that may be less of a factor for Memphis now that the Grizzlies have a new owner. The swap of picks may not be necessary, but Gay is the higher-ceiling player, so giving Memphis the better pick would help mitigate some of that disparity. It would also give Memphis a better shot at finding a bench scorer to replace O.J. Mayo in the draft.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves trade F Derrick Williams and the No. 18 pick to the Charlotte Bobcats for the No. 2 pick.
Williams was the second pick of last year's draft and played well in spurts for Minnesota during his rookie season. To become a true foundation player, he's going to have to improve the consistency of his outside shot, as well as his decision-making on offense. There is no question that the raw athletic ability is there for Williams to eventually become an All-Star-caliber player. But can he reach that ceiling in Minnesota?
Williams spent about half of his court time last season playing small forward, which is appropriate in a sense because he's a bit of a tweener. He needs the ball in his hands more, and that's not going to happen regularly playing alongside Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love.
The Timberwolves need a perimeter player who can score consistently from the perimeter, which makes Florida's Bradley Beal an ideal get. Beal is the exact kind of knock-down shooter you want to pair with Rubio on the backcourt. His size would be an issue on the defensive end for some teams, but the Timberwolves have one excellent backcourt defender in Rubio and with a big three of Rubio, Love and Beal, they could go after a rangy defensive specialist and stand-still shooter to play small forward. It's a combination that would put Minnesota a rim protector away from quickly moving up the ladder in the West.
Charlotte, on the other hand, is more or less building from scratch. They are hoping that Kemba Walker and Bismack Biyombo will evolve into legitimate starters, but Williams would give them another piece of the puzzle if he can become the kind of big-time scorer that he's unlikely to be with the Timberwolves.
The question the Bobcats have to answer is this: Is Williams a more desirable building block than Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, or Thomas Robinson, or anyone else not named Anthony Davis? It's a tough call, but Minnesota could also include the No. 18 pick to sweeten the pot. No matter what happens, the Bobcats will be in the running for the top pick again next year anyway, so the more bodies they get, the better.
Bradford Doolittle is an author for Basketball Prospectus. Follow him on Twitter @bbdoolittle.
Five prospects with star potential
Anthony Davis isn't the only NBA draft prospect with an elite upside
Updated: June 13, 2012, 2:03 PM ET
By Jay Bilas | ESPN Insider
In college basketball, one can often tell the viability of a Final Four contender by "counting the pros." Teams with the most NBA-caliber players on the roster are far more capable of crashing the Final Four than the cohesive units filled with little engines that think they can. We praise the latter during the season, but great talent that plays together will beat lesser talent that plays together every time.
That same kind of thing goes for the NBA, but it is more pronounced. The NBA is a superstar-driven league, where the major talents are the difference between a playoff team and a championship team. Every title team needs "pieces" to go around its superstars, and the NBA draft is the best place to collect those pieces and score a superstar to build around.
The 2012 NBA draft is very deep with good talent. From the first round to the very last pick in the draft, I cannot recall a deeper draft of solid players who can make a roster and help a team win. There may not be a lot of no-brainer, sure-thing superstars, but there are some really good players who have a chance to get better.
Here are five that I believe have a chance to be the best players in this draft class, and six who have potential but also more questions.
Anthony Davis, Kentucky Wildcats
Davis is the only player in this draft who is a sure thing. Even if he never develops as an offensive player, his defensive range and ability to impact the game on the defensive end makes him the consensus No. 1 selection. He gracefully covers ground. With his mobility, length, timing and tenacity, Davis can block and change shots from at the rim to 15 feet out.
He doesn't just block shots, he blocks jump shots, and can move his feet to cover the court like no other big man in this class. Davis has a freaky 7-foot-5 wingspan, and his hands are phenomenal. He catches everything, and he is just scratching the surface of how good he can be on the offensive end. As he gets stronger and more mature, Davis will be a star.
Bradley Beal, Florida Gators
When I first went in person to see Beal play in high school, I asked Florida coach Billy Donovan who Beal reminded him of. "He's a Ray Allen-type player," Donovan said. He was right. Beal is a great kid -- which most of the top picks have in common this year -- and blended into an older Florida team this season, even though he was the best player.
He's just shorter than 6-5, but he has the arms of a 6-8 player and uses them. He is versatile, efficient and can really shoot it. Beal is a very good rebounder for a guard, and he can defend. He's not the best athlete among guards, but he can really play.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky
MKG has very good size and athleticism, but what sets him apart is his will. He just plays harder than his opponent, and it is contagious. Kidd-Gilchrist can guard anyone from an athletic point guard to a power forward, especially with his 7-foot wingspan and 35-inch vertical leap, and he is relentless.
He is at his best in transition, can go off the bounce and will simply outwork people. He needs to work on his shooting, but that is something that he can improve over time to become more reliable and consistent. I'm not sure MKG is an All-Star, but I like his ability to work his way there more than some others who may be more offensively gifted.
Harrison Barnes, North Carolina Tar Heels
I think Barnes can be a better pro than college player, and he was a terrific college player. Barnes has size, length and very good athleticism. I believed he was an elite athlete when I saw him in high school, but I changed my assessment of him in college. At North Carolina, I thought Barnes was a very good, but not world-class, athlete.
At the combine, he tested out as a true world-class athlete. Barnes had a 39-inch vertical leap and a 38-inch "no-step" vertical, which is phenomenal. His agility was equally impressive, to the point of jaw dropping. That tells me that Barnes was thinking too much in college. He seemed very "process-oriented," and I think, as good as he was, he will be better in the NBA.
Barnes is an outstanding jump-shooter and has the ability to handle and drive it, and he should improve in that area in the NBA. He is also long-armed with the tools to be a terrific defender. He's going to live up to our wild predictions of him in high school.
Jeremy Lamb, Connecticut Huskies
Lamb may have a sleepy look on his face, but he has tools. With a 6-11 wingspan and a high release point on his shot, Lamb can get shots off against lengthy defenders, and he can move without the ball and create his own shot. His midrange game is outstanding, and he can pull up and hit contested shots.
He has a 38-inch vertical and is just as fast and agile as Tony Wroten Jr. of Washington. Lamb needs to improve his long-range shooting consistency, but I think he can do that. I like his potential as an NBA player.
Six prospects with tools but more questions
Jared Sullinger, Ohio State Buckeyes
Sullinger is simply a basketball player. He knows how to play, but he may not be athletic enough to be a star in the NBA. He did not test well in Chicago, which was predictable. He had a 31-inch vertical leap and was the slowest player there. But he has a 7-1 wingspan and the ability to rebound and use his body.
However, despite that wingspan, Sullinger does not block or change shots. My question all along has been his ability to score over size in the paint. I think Sullinger's effectiveness will be determined by his ability to step away and hit a face-up jumper up to 20 feet.
Royce White, Iowa State Cyclones
White has all of the physical tools to be a terrific player in the NBA. He is a point guard in the body of a defensive lineman. White doesn't shoot it, and there are question marks on the defensive end, but his offensive versatility and passing make him very attractive. He has had some off-the-court issues and suffers from anxiety, which has affected his willingness to fly, but if a team satisfies itself that White is worth the risk, he is a first-round talent.
Andre Drummond, Connecticut
Drummond is a beast. He has every tool you want in a player -- except shooting. He is huge and can run, rebound and block shots. And if you pitch the ball up near the rim, Drummond can go get it. He is a junior Dwight Howard in that regard, but he does not make free throws and is not a natural offensive player.
However, with those tools, Drummond could be outstanding at the next level. The real question with Drummond is: How bad does he want it? Will he do the work, and do it every night in the NBA? If he does, he can be terrific.
Perry Jones III, Baylor Bears
Jones is a great kid who has every tool you want and is very pleasing to the eye. When he plays well, the sky is the limit for his potential, but when the lights are on and the expectations are high, he can really tease. Jones is young, and we often expect such young players to have it all figured out. I think he is worth the risk in the lottery because of his tremendous talent. But Jones needs to show more toughness, leadership and "want to."
Meyers Leonard, Illinois Fighting Illini
Leonard is another player with every tool one needs to be great, but also has questions about his toughness. I'm not concerned as much about the toughness issue, because Leonard played on a dysfunctional team at Illinois, and he has had the normal maturation for an outstanding big man. An excellent athlete with very good strength, Leonard is a true 7-footer with a 7-3 wingspan. He has a really nice shooting touch and can rebound and block shots. As he matures, I think Leonard has a real chance to be a terrific NBA player.
Austin Rivers, Duke Blue Devils
Rivers is so good with the ball and has such an uncanny ability to get past defenders and get into the lane that I believe he will do very well in the NBA. He is quick with the ball and can get his own shot, and defenders have a tough time staying in front of him.
Put Rivers in the NBA, where the rules will benefit that skill, and you have an offensive weapon. Rivers is a good shooter but can still refine his perimeter shot, and he needs to be a more consistent handler and passer, but he is a willing defender and willingly takes on challenges. Some have questions about his demeanor or "cockiness," but I don't. Rivers competes and will be very good in the NBA.
Draft notes: UNC's Henson out to prove that he's no lightweight
The comparison question is one of the many rituals of draft season, with prospects being asked on a daily basis which current or former NBA player they most resemble.
But in the case of North Carolina power forward John Henson, he may want to call on the name of one of his contemporaries: consensus No. 1 pick Anthony Davis. The 6-11, 222-pound Kentucky power forward has inspired such grandiose projections as a likely franchise centerpiece and defensive difference-maker -- a la Kevin Garnett -- that Henson would be well served to market himself as Anthony Davis lite.
Call it draft stock drafting.
Then again, he may want to settle on a different moniker: There's enough talk about Henson's being light as it is.
The 6-11 Henson weighs 216 pounds -- or, as a colleague noted recently, six pounds heavier than Oklahoma City point guard Derek Fisher.
"That will be his issue until he develops his body," said one executive from a lottery team that is considering Henson, the two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year who averaged 2.9 blocks and 9.9 rebounds to go with 13.7 points last season.
It's not just a matter of size, but also strength and athleticism. Henson managed just five repetitions on the 185-pound bench press at the draft combine in Chicago last week. By comparison, slender Connecticut guard Jeremy Lamb also recorded five reps, while Marquette forward Jae Crowder had a combine-high 20. (Davis did not participate in the strength drills.) Henson's maximum vertical jump of 30 inches was the third-worst mark in an exercise that Marquette shooting guard Darius Johnson-Odom led at 41½ inches.
These are the 11th-hour red flags that run the risk of taking Henson out of contention as a top 10 pick, and they matter because he'll be asked to hold his own against grown men who are both stronger and more athletic than him on a nightly basis. Still, the excitement about Davis speaks to the fact that NBA executives are desperate for dominant defensive players and may be willing to ignore these physical shortcomings. Especially if Garnett is the comparison being made. The future Hall of Famer stood 6-11 and weighed 220 pounds when he entered the NBA as a 19-year-old in 1995, and he still managed to make an impact from the start before eventually adding weight (he's now listed at 253).
For his part, the 21-year-old Henson is confident he'll be able to add to his frame.
"To put on about 15 more pounds is going to come natural," Henson said Monday after his workout in Sacramento, which has the No. 5 pick in the June 28 draft. "I'm going to also help out the process with lifting weights, eating right and hopefully the team that picks me up might get me the strength coach and we can become best friends."
The gene pool offers some hope for teams looking at Henson, whose father is 6-9 and about 240 pounds.
"He's a big dude," Henson said.
While I have Henson sliding to Minnesota at No. 18 in my latest mock draft, he'll have a chance to prove himself with a number of lottery teams (top 14) in the days to come and could certainly wind up there. He worked out with Portland (No. 6) on Wednesday and will visit Golden State (No. 7) on Thursday for a workout that will include Jared Sullinger, another power forward auditioning to be picked that high. Henson said he is also headed for Phoenix (No. 13), Houston (Nos. 14 and 16), Toronto (No., Philadelphia (No. 15), Detroit (No. 9) and Cleveland (Nos. 4 and 24).
"It's going to be a long two weeks, but I'm ready for it," Henson said.
Big week for the Wizards
While Charlotte continues to ponder what to do with the No. 2 pick, Washington has its murderer's row of prospects coming through this week as it analyzes options at No. 3. Kansas power forward Thomas Robinson worked out for the Wizards on Wednesday, followed by Florida shooting guard Bradley Beal on Thursday and Kentucky small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist on Friday. From what I can gather, it's a tight race at this spot that also includes North Carolina small forward Harrison Barnes.
The Bobcats are expected by most team executives to either trade the pick or opt for Robinson or Kidd-Gilchrist, though one source close to the team said Charlotte is continuing to do work on "five or six" prospects. Barnes was a combine All-Star after showcasing his athleticism (max vertical leap of 39½ inches) and speed (top time in the three-quarter court sprint of 3.16 seconds). Barnes has yet to take part in any team workouts. Beal, meanwhile, is limiting his workouts to just the top four teams. Robinson said at the combine that the Wizards were the only team with which he was scheduled to work out and that the others were "in negotiations."
Robinson hails from Washington, D.C., and has made it clear he would love to be a Wizard despite the distractions that playing in your hometown sometimes bring. It sounds as if he made himself at home in Wednesday's workout.
"I was a lot more comfortable than I thought I'd be," he told reporters afterward. The coaching staff, he said, "made me feel as if I was already on the team."
And once again, he reiterated that he sees himself -- and not Davis -- as the prospect who should be picked first.
"As far as being prepared for the league, I think I am the best player in the draft," he said. "That's just me being a competitor. Not to take anything away from Anthony Davis. He's a great player."
Plumlee rising
Duke center Miles Plumlee is one of the big men on the rise, and the notion of his being taken in the first round isn't so far-fetched. Plumlee was the star of last month's group workout in Minnesota, not only playing well but also showing off his hops with the top vertical leap of 41 inches. He followed that up with a strong showing in Chicago, jumping 40½ inches while measuring 6-11¾ with shoes and 241 pounds.
Plumlee was at Duke last season with his two younger brothers, 6-10 Mason and 6-11 Marshall. Mason was the team's fourth-leading scorer (11.1 points) and leading rebounder (9.2) as a regular starter, while Miles was a spot starter who averaged 6.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 20.5 minutes. (Marshall, the youngest, redshirted.) Predictably, teams have been asking Miles Plumlee to explain why he faded so far into the background behind Blue Devils guards Austin Rivers and Seth Curry and his brother.
"It's difficult to say what it [was], but I had a role at Duke and I did whatever it took for us to win," he said at the combine. "I trusted coach [Mike Krzyzewski], had an amazing four years, got a national title, so I wouldn't change a thing.
"But at this point, it's about being selfish and putting yourself in the best position possible and showing everything you've got."
The Plumlee pitch to NBA teams? Great size, athleticism and underutilized skill. In addition to the leaping ability, he put up 15 bench-press reps (for comparison, two potential lottery picks at center, Meyers Leonard and Tyler Zeller, had 19 and 16, respectively) and showed very good speed in a lane-agility drill (his time of 10.64 seconds was better than Leonard's 11.34 and Zeller's 11.13 and much better than Sullinger's combine-worst 12.77).
"Honestly, I feel like my athleticism is top notch," he said. "I don't think there's anyone with my blend of speed, strength, explosiveness. And I have a great skill base that I've worked on since I was little -- my ball handling, all of that. I have a lot more to offer than people know."
Plumlee worked out for Washington (No. 32) on Tuesday. He is scheduled to work out for Chicago (No. 29) on Thursday, Miami (No. 27) on Friday, Charlotte (No. 31) on Monday, Indiana (No. 26) on Tuesday and then Atlanta (Nos. 23 and 43), Houston (Nos. 14 and 16), Dallas (No. 17), Denver (No. 20) and Milwaukee (Nos. 12 and 42).
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