Official 2013 NBA Draft Thread

KCP is perfect there. I wonder if they go CJ if a deal for Marshon Brooks pans out.
 
Ford:
Cavaliers weighing the No. 1 decision

Despite numerous reports to the contrary, multiple sources say the Cleveland Cavaliers have yet to make a decision concerning who they’ll take with the No. 1 pick.

The Cavs continue to mull their options at No. 1.

They are engaged in trade talks with a number of teams. Sources say the Thunder, Timberwolves and Blazers have been the most proactive in trying to get the No. 1 pick -- but so far neither team has persuaded the Cavs to move out of the top pick.

The Cavs have narrowed down their list of prospects, according to sources, and it looks like it may ultimately come down to a battle between Kentucky's Noel and Maryland’s Alex Len. I’m still persuaded, though not convinced, that it will be Noel.

Here’s my thinking:

  • Noel told Louisville's Courier-Journal on Sunday that the Cavs' lead doctor, Dr. Richard Parker, had medically cleared him. I’ve had that confirmed by several sources. The Cavs have no serious issues with his knee.
  • The Cavs are stressing that they’re taking the best talent available, regardless of team needs or development curve.
  • The Cavs believe that given the strength of their roster, it’s unlikely that they’ll draft a starter. They believe their core of Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao is better than anyone they could draft at No. 1. They also believe that while they have a huge hole at small forward, they’ll use their cap space to find a veteran small forward to fill that hole. Regardless of who they draft, he is likely coming off the bench.
  • That means the Cavs are less likely to focus on which prospect will have the greatest impact now. They are free to take the player they think will be better down the road.
  • If history is any guide, the Cavs have a proven track record of taking young, less experienced prospects that show big upside.
  • They also have selected players that have, historically, graded out strongly in the various analytic measures they employ. Irving, Thompson and Waiters all ranked very highly by virtually every analytical tool.
  • All of that suggests to me that Noel, not Len, is likely to be the No. 1 pick. Noel has the most upside of any player in the draft. He tests at the top or near the top of every analytical tool I’ve seen (here’s Kevin Pelton’s WARP where Noel comes out on top). In fact, if I had to put a second player down, I think it would be UNLV’s Anthony Bennett who fits the criteria best.
  • While I know Len is in the picture and is a tempting option, he has a couple of things going against him. One, he has his own medical concerns and may be on a return timetable similar to Noel’s. Two, he rates poorly on most of the analytical tools I’ve read (he came in as the 26th prospect on Kevin Pelton’s WARP). While he might be the “safer” pick, I would be surprised if the Cavs made it just out of fear.
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Magic ready to pounce if Noel falls to No. 2

I just wrote that I believe the Cleveland Cavaliers will likely take Nerlens Noel at No. 1. However, what happens to Noel if he doesn't go to Cleveland?

Will he slide down the draft board? I don't think so.

Sources close to the Orlando Magic told ESPN.com on Saturday that if the Cavs pass on Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel, the Magic are leaning strongly toward selecting him with the No. 2 pick in the draft.

Sources cautioned that things could change in the next five days as the Magic continue to gather information. "If the draft was held today, Noel would be our first choice," one source told ESPN.com.

Noel, a 7-foot freshman from Everett, Mass., is a long, lithe athletic center who led the nation in blocked shots this season with 4.4 blocks per game. While Noel's offensive game is still limited (he averaged 10.5 ppg on 59 percent shooting) many NBA scouts believe he has the most upside of any player in the draft.

The Magic, according to sources, scouted Noel heavily during the season and have been doing exhaustive background work on Noel the past few months. The team believes that, with patience, Noel should end up being the best player in the draft.

Noel certainly fits a need for the Magic. Despite the strong play of second-year center Nikola Vucevic, the Magic ranked 24th in the NBA in blocked shots and 25th in defensive efficiency. Noel made a visit to the Magic on June 2 and sources said he wowed everyone despite the fact that he's still months away from playing basketball because of a torn ACL.
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I'd give you poo poo on a platter for the #1. Like Thabo's ending contract and ability to defend 1-3, Perkins to defend any bigs out East, PJ3, and # 12. I could be convinced to give you Lamb or Reggie Jackson too.

IMO, Ibaka is Noel's optimistic comparitive upside already, so no sense to put him unless I don't like the 4yr 50 million dollar deal he is on.

But no way a negotiation goes anywhere without us at least starting with Ibaka and Lamb or Jackson and #12 on the table, which if they trade Ibaka 1 season after trading Harden it would just further prove they care more about $ than winning

edit: Actually, if you will take Perkins you can have whatever you want other than Westbrook, KD, and Ibaka, I'll even throw Bailee and some of the other Thunder girls in the deal and hell, take Brooks too while you're at it

FWIW, none of Presti;'s trades have ever leaked prior to happening so many feel like if the media is getting ahold of it, it is dead, assuming it was ever really alive. But if it was real probably Ibaka, PJ3 (since they liked Waiters over Lamb), # 12 for # 1
 
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i'd strongly consider Ibaka and #12 for the #1 and a later first. Besides that the Thunder can kick rocks.
 
Ford and Stein:
Flurry of trade talks surrounding draft

As we get closer to the Thursday night's draft, here are some rumblings we're hearing around the league.

  • What are the Cleveland Cavaliers seeking in exchange for the No. 1 pick? Sources say they reached out to the Portland Trail Blazers in an attempt to land LaMarcus Aldridge for the Nos. 1 and 19 picks. The Blazers quickly rebuffed them.
  • The Sacramento Kings are looking to acquire a second first-round pick and are using guard Jimmer Fredette as bait. Sources say the Kings have reached out to a number of teams in the mid-to-late first round in an attempt to secure another pick. Both the Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz are potential destinations for Jimmer. Kings coach Mike Malone is enamored with both Tim Hardaway Jr. and Tony Snell, but the Kings feel that they can get them much lower in the draft.
  • In addition to the Pacers' Jimmer discussions, sources say Indiana has made the No. 23 pick available in hopes that an interested party would be willing to take on the contract of Gerald Green for the right to acquire Indy's pick.
  • The Brooklyn Nets are trying to find a home for their 2011 first-round selection, MarShon Brooks. Sources say the Nets are trying to land a second first-rounder in return. One team to watch is the Minnesota Timberwolves. If the Wolves will give the Nets the No. 26 pick in return, they'll probably have a deal on draft night.
  • The Wolves continue to try to move higher up in the draft to get their hands on Victor Oladipo. They're offering Derrick Williams, the No. 9 and the No. 26 pick to move up, but so far haven't found a taker. New Wolves GM Flip Saunders is enamored with Oladipo.
  • The Houston Rockets are doing anything and everything they can to move Aaron Brooks or Carlos Delfino in conjunction with the draft before they're forced to just let them go in order to create as much cap space as possible for the long-planned pursuit in free agency of Dwight Howard.
  • For all the latest on the Mavs' plans with Shawn Marion, amid constant speculation about Dallas packaging Marion with the 13th pick in Thursday's draft in the name of creating more salary-cap space for its own pursuit of Howard, click this ESPNDallas.com post.
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P, I hate to do this to you, but it's telling me I don't have access. :lol:

Sidebar: I just listened to that entire Locke/Pelton/Ford podcast. This Locke dude is wonderful, man. It's a shame to me that he's doing radio for the Jazz, because, one, he seems to be a great basketball mind that should be doing something more important, and two, who listens to Utah Jazz radio?

And on the Jazz...
Both the Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz are potential destinations for Jimmer.
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Oh god.

I get that numbers are impossible to discern for international players, but how can you watch Schroeder and look at his measurables and question him as a top, like, 8-15 pick in this draft? He's 19, has a 6'7"+ wingspan, would probably be one of the 10 fastest players in the league with the ball right now and knows how to run the pick-and-roll well.

He's thin? Okay. He's 19. Fixable.
Character concerns? Again, 19 years old.
Not a very good shooter? Neither was/is Rondo. Neither are a lot of point guards. He can still be a really good point guard without that skill. And, anyway, it's probably fixable.

I don't get it.
 
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Kev, try this link.

It was a pain trying to figure out how to screenshot and upload the article. :lol:

As for Locke, I can't remember how I stumbled onto his Twitter and subsequent work, but I'm glad I did.

He puts so much work into his craft.
 
Aldridge on Cavs would be awesome... but I don't think it's likely.. sigh

Tristan + Varejao + 19th for Aldridge maybe? Then use 1st pick on Noel

Kyrie
Dion
filler
Aldridge
Noel

Can only dream though..
 
Thornton, (Qualifying Offer) Tyreke, and #7 for (sign and trade) Millsap + #s 14 and 21

Flip that into Salmons, Jimmer + #21 for Danny Granger, Gerald Green + #23

Jazz get a Top 10 pick and a former ROY. Kings get 2 picks and a hardnosed player in Millsap.

Pacers instantly shed $7.5 in cap and dead weight, creating more room to go after Chris Paul. Kings get a badly needed SF and 1st rounder in return, likely to go after Hardaway Jr.

Fair trades all around, at least to me it seems like it.
 
I really believe a lot of teams will regret not drafting Shabazz 2-3 years from now. I like his game. My fav player in this draft.
 
Good news mates, I've decided I will be staying up to watch the draft over here :smile:

9 hour time difference be damned :lol: I essentially missed the NBA Finals, I wanna be up to watch the draft day moves unfold :pimp:
 
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Damn the Cavs offered the #1 for LMA?

If I was the Blazers I'd probably still say no :lol:
 
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