Some Post Draft Day Thoughts

Winners:

Blazers: Everyone is giving Portland an A+. I give them an A-. Yeah they got Oden...but that didn't take a stroke of genius. But they did have a great draft. Rudy Fernandez could be a potential steal down the road. Byars, Kaponen, and Green are late prospects....heck, even McRoberts isn't a bad pick for how low they got him. As far as the Knicks trade....I've never been a huge fan of Zach Randolf, but the guy can really score and is a legit 24/10 guy! His defense and shotblocking are suspect (ok, non-existent) but thats whats so great about drafting Oden. I think they could've been a formidable frontcourt...with Aldridge still getting plenty of minutes. And Francis has a relatively bad contract himself and Frye is overrated. In the end though, I guess they are taking a half step back for now to improve in the future.

Warriors: If this move gets KG, then this is move gets an A+++! However, if it doesn't...its just a B. It's nice to get rid of J-Rich's contract but he's still a good player. I would've liked this move better if it wasn't B.Wright though. He has nice upside....but of all the top 10 guys, this guy has the biggest bust potential. Still, if Wright can thrive anywhere, it might be in G.S.'s uptempo style where his athletcism will outshine his lack of real basketball skills....and they don't really need J-Rich with all their wings. Like the Bellini pick though. Maybe I'll upgrade to a A-.

Celtics: People clown on Ainge no matter WHAT he does. if he drafted for himself, he'd get critcized for keeping the team too young again. now that he finally brings in a veteran star in Ray Allen and he gets heat for not keeping the pick. We have to remember, the Celts play in the JV league called the Eastern conference. Yeah this team isn't a championship team, but its enough to make some noise in the East. People that haven't seen Al Jefferson this year, have never seen him, he's a legit threat in the post. And Rajon Rondo is a PG who I think will have a sleeper of a season (make note: late sleeper pick in fantasy bball!). Jesus Shuttlesworth will spread the defense for Pierce and Rondo and give more room to Jefferson as well, and Jefferson's post play and Pierce and Rondo's ability to slash will give Allen some open looks as well. I honestly wouldn't be shocked if this team not only made the playoffs but won a round or two. Heck, in the East, you can't count anyone out from making the Finals.
And lets not forget, Ainge in the process dumped the bad contract of Wally, who is hurt every year, and also picked up two very nice sleeper picks in the second round in Pruitt and Big Baby. Both have a good shot of making the team which is nice. People are clowning on Ainge but I actually give the guy a B+/A-.

Btw, I like Seattle's move too......cept I don't love Jeff Green. I see how his game might compliment Durant's well.....still, when youre trying to rebuild a franchise, you try to get superstars first, not complementary role players. Corey Brewer has much more upside than Green, and he might even have a higher floor as well cuz of his defense. Good idea....but wrong pick IMO.

Joakim Noah: Most of the lottery picks are going to really bad teams. Noah gets to go to the Bulls and should fit in well. But the real reason he's here is his sweet suit.





Not as great as people think:

Hawks: Can't hate on the Horford pick...he should be a really good one. Still, I have a feeling Conley will be great. And the thing is, the dropoff from Conley to Acie Law is pretty big. I loved Acie in college, but he's not an NBA all-star type talent. I think they get a B, but heck, I'll give em an B+ just for not screwing things up as usual.

Oden's Sense of Humor: Ok, it was a nice surprise that behind that 47 year old face is a young goofy guy with some personality. But since then, its just gone way overboard. Every damn interview, the guy tries to say something funny. I think he's trying to be like Shaq....but he's not as funny as Shaq.

"uh....why did the chicken cross the road?"


"this joke blows."


What Oden needs is a dose of "Jamie Fox" conscience.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=0t8gCtw0ISI


Not as bad as people think:

Knicks: I think people are just used to bashing Isiah without thinking about it now. When you hear Isiah made a trade, you naturally cringe at the thought of his next ridiculous move. But this one isn't bad at all. The Knicks get a LEGIT 20/10 guy that can definitely put up points without giving up much at all. Franchise struggled through injuries and could hardly earn consistent mins even when playing and he still has 2 years of a bad contract. Frye....might be one of the most overrated players in the NBA. He's a soft C that can shoot outside....whoopdeedoo. Curry and Zach sounds very soft in the defense department, but they are very good low post scorers....and Zach has range too. Not a killer move but not deserving of the ridicule Isiah is getting. However, I guess Zach moving to NYC might be dangerous. He could get into trouble, or maybe he gets fat eating at all the nice restaurants and sitting there all night at Scores.


Honorable mentions :

Spurs: Geez, I hate the Spurs organization. They keep getting decent to good finds late in drafts and Tiago might be another one. This guy has semi entered the draft for the past 2-3 years and always talked about as a top 15 pick. The Spurs get him at 28 and then get a decent athletic SF in Marcus Williams.
Sixers: Just a nice draft overall. Couldn't move up....but with where they were picking, they picked up some nice potential with all their picks.
Nets: For taking a risk on Sean Williams. He fits their system perfectly. Yeah he's HIGH risk, but he's also HIGH reward. Considering how many people bust per year, this is a nice gamble at pick 17.


Losers:

Yi Jianlian: The guy and his representatives did EVERYTHING they could to not get drafted by Milwaukee....and they drafted him anyways! haha. That sucks.

"I wonder if they eat Chinese people in Milwaukee?"

Lakers: It pains me to say it....but I think the biggest losers are my very own Lakers. Javaris is a decent pick at 19...but its a loss in the sense that although the top 18 or so had a different order, there was noone that "slipped" to 19. Everyone I wanted was gone and Javaris was the only logical pick. (Though Rudy Fernandez might be the better pick as well.) Still, can't hate on the pick.....but then things get bad, ...SUN YUE? Are you kidding me! His highlight was him standing there dribbling for 5 seconds and then passing it. His scouting report says if he fills out, his upside is Luke Walton. FREAKING LUKE WALTON? Thats sad if your UPSIDE is Luke Walton....oh and btw, we also happen to HAVE LUKE WALTON ALREADY!

"Gimme the ball damnit! I'm the Chinese Luke Walton damnit!"

Then we get Pau Gasol's younger, not as good, less athletic brother. I don't like hearing we got a player LESS athletic than Pau Gasol.

"Gyeah, I'd like to see Pau do this!"

Honestly, both second round picks sounds like a ploy to sell tickets (large asian community in LA and the hype of having Pau's brother). And the other reason the Lakers are a big loser is they did nothing to get significantly better. No trades. Drafted a raw 19 yr old PG and 2 stiffs that likely won't make the NBA. Yeah, thats gotta make Kobe REALLY excited about next year. The Lakers can say goodbye to Kobe now.

2007 NBA Mock Draft v.2

Ok, here's an updated and final mock draft before the real draft later this week!

1. Portland Trailblazers: Greg Oden, C, OSU: The Blazers have one of the best young nucleuses (or is it nuclei?) in the L, with last years rooks Roy, Aldridge, and Rodriguez (aka Spanish Chocolate) and also nice young potential in Webster, Outlaw, and Jack. Pritchard has been high on Durant all year, and hey could use a SF and supposedly Durant had an amazing workout. Still, Oden is the likely pick.

2. Seattle Supersonics: Kevin Durant, SF, Texas: Will go down as one of the best draft consolation prizes ever (yes, even better than Sam Bowie at #2). The most talented and versatile college talent I’ve ever seen. Expect scoring titles and all-star games in the near future.

3. Atlanta Hawks: Al Horford, PF, Fla: After measuring bigger than expected and a series of great workouts, it seems Al Horford is fast becoming the consensus #3 guy in the draft. Although they could desperately use a PG and Conley would be a good pick here, Knight has said repeatedly he will take the best player available.

4. Memphis Grizzlies: Mike Conley Jr, PG, OSU: Memphis seems high on Horford and Conley…so whichever of the two that is here will likely be taken here.

5. Boston Celtics: Corey Brewer, SF, Fla: Ok, this one is pretty speculative. All of a sudden Phoenix is working out players that are going in the top 10. A trade imminent? Boston seems to make the most sense as they have been shopping their pick and it also seems this all may be tied in with Minnesota and KG. My guess is they work out a deal using Marion instead of Amare and draft Brewer who would be a great fit in their system. If there is no trade, Brewer is still a great pick here and a good fit as if they can’t make a trade, they would likely shop Pierce very soon after.

6. Milwaukee Bucks: Brandan Wright, PF, UNC: The Bucks are glad Wright falls into their lap. Though eventually will likely be a PF, with his slight frame Wright can slide right into the starting SF spot and give the Bucks a nice young (though a little on the soft side) frontcourt with Bogut, Charlie V, and Wright.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Yi Jianlian, C, China: Yi is tricky as he is apparently not working out for certain teams (and Minnesota is one of those teams) which makes it difficult to predict where he’ll go. So its hard to say they’ll take Yi when he won’t even work out for them. Jeff Green is the safe pick here but if I’m about to lose KG, I’m looking for some upside here. Yi has a lot more upside than Green and I think he will be the pick here….or at least he should be.

8. Charlotte Bobcats: Joakim Noah, PF/C, Fla: The Bobcats could go for an athletic do it all SF like Wright, especially if they lose Gerald Wallace. But I think Jordan will like that Noah will bring some size and energy to the frontcourt.

9. Chicago Bulls: Spencer Hawes, C, Washington: The Bulls have a ton of young talent, but they need a C, and more specifically a C with some low post scoring skills.

10. Sacramento Kings: Jeff Green, SF, Georgetown: For a team that needs a lot of help, Jeff Green is one of the more polished players in the draft.

11. Atlanta Hawks: Acie Law, PG, Texas A&M: One of my favorite players in college last year. This guy is a clutch gamer that carried his team on his back many times. Since it looks like the Hawks might go for Horford at #3, Acie seems like the logical pick here.

12. Philadelphia 76ers: Julian Wright, SF, Kansas: A do it all point forward type with a ton of skills, intangibles, and a ton of potential. Well, he has all the skills except shooting….but if the gets his jumper down, he will be the whole package. Philly really needs a PF desperately, but with no PF’s in this range, Wright’s versatility is nice and will be a nice complement to more specialists and perimeter oriented SFs Korver and Carney.

13. New Orleans Hornets: Nick Young, SG, USC: I had Young here in my old mock draft predicting his stock would rise. Now a lot of mocks have Nick Young in this exact spot…so no need for me to change my mind now.

14. Los Angeles Clippers: Javaris Crittenton, PG, G.Tech: Cassell is getting old and that Livingston injury looked REALLY BAD. So drafting a PG here makes sense. They could go with Thornton if they can move Maggette, but as that is kinda speculative, I’ll say they take Javaris here.

15. Detroit Pistons: Rodney Stuckey, SG, E.Washington: Another of my secret picks that was exposed. I said Stuckey’s stock would rise and had him going at #16, but now suddenly most mock drafts have him at 15…which makes sense. An explosive combo guard in the mold of Wade, Gordon, Foye, etc. The Pistons could use the scoring and Chauncey is getting up there in age.

16. Washington Wizards: Al Thornton, SF, FSU: Thornton has been moving up the boards due to his athleticism and workouts. This is more a value pick more than anything.

17. New Jersey Nets: Sean Williams, PF, BC: Another guy that I thought would go in this range and now some mock drafts have him here also. The only problem with Williams is his off-court issues….which may be enough to scare off some GMs. Not sure what the Nets think of him…but they could definitely use a player like him.

18. Golden State Warriors: Jason Smith, PF/C, Colorado: The Warriors are a team on the rise and are pretty good at every position. Smith will give them some frontcourt depth and will fit in with the Warriors uptempo style.

19. Los Angeles Lakers: Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech: Ok, this is MY pick. So far all the picks have been what I think each team will do…but as a Laker fan, I’m reserving the right to make this pick myself. I’ve had my eye on Young for a while now. This is really an upside pick more than anything. This guy was a top 3-4 player in his high school class behind Oden and Durant. He has great athleticism and can shoot outside as well. While still very raw both on offense and defense, his athleticism gives him great potential. Anyways, SF is a great area of need for the Lakers and Young is a great compliment to Luke Walton. Young is very raw but has great athletcism, quickness, agility and a ton of upside. Luke is very polished and has great unathletcism, mind-blowing slowness, and no upside whatsoever.
    

20. Miami Heat: Gabe Pruitt, PG, USC: The Heat need to get younger and more athletic at the PG and SF spots.

21. Philadelphia 76ers: Tiago Splitter, C, Brazil: The Sixers need a PF badly and this is a good value pick here.

22. Charlotte Bobcats: Morris Almond, SG, Rice: Bobcats need some athleticism at SG where they play Carroll or Morrison. Morrison is a total bust and Almond is not only more athletic, but a better shooter as well.

23. New York Knicks: Wilson Chandler, SF, DePaul: Almost every mock draft has Dequan Cook here. ESPN thinks Chandler may have gotten a promise from Isiah and the Knicks…..and the thing is…I’m gonna believe it. Say what you will about Isiah the GM, he’s terrible. BUT Isiah has proven himself in the scouting department, having drafted guys like Tmac, Camby, Damo, and promising guys like Ariza, Frye, Nate Robinson, and David Lee late in drafts. Last year everyone clowned on Renaldo Balkman…but even he turned out pretty decent. Chandler is a raw athlete with a lot of potential and to me it makes sense that Isiah would lock him up here.

24. Phoenix Suns: Rudy Fernandez, PG, Spain: For the past 2 years the Suns have been using the draft to cut payroll. I think the Suns will willingly throw their picks into a trade offer to move up to #5. If not, they will likely go international and keep them overseas to save cap space.

25. Utah Jazz: Marco Belinelli, SG, Italy: The Jazz’s only weakness seems to be at SG. Marco seems like the pick, he’s a SG, pretty athletic, can shoot, and most importantly….he’s white.

26. Houston Rockets: Glen Davis, PF, LSU: After the Howard/James trade, the Rockets could use some depth at PF. The Rockets are supposedly high on Nick Fazekas, but I think Davis is the better pick. He has conditioning issues, but also is better inside than Nick and has more upside. A Yao/Nick frontcourt would just be too slow and a defensive liability.

27. Detroit Pistons: Josh McRoberts, PF, Duke: Once considered a lottery prospect, this is not a bad value this late in the draft. Has a lot of skills and talent…and not a bad athlete either. Just doesn’t seem to have “it”. Still would provide good depth backing up the aging Cwebb and Sheed.

28. San Antonio Spurs: Jared Dudley, PF, Boston College: Reminds me of a less athletic, not as good Robert Horry….which isn’t bad. He can be a good role player, especially on a team like the Spurs and he is a smart player with good intangibles, plays hard, and can shoot from outside.

29. Phoenix Suns: Daequan Cook, SG, OSU: Again, I think the Suns aren’t gonna pick here….but IF they do, Cook is a great value pick at this point. Offensively very talented but had an up and down year. If he went back to school and entered next year’s draft he’d likely go much higher. Barbosa and Cook could become a scary backcourt in the future. Or they’ll pick some international guy they can stash somewhere and not have to pay.

30. Philadelphia 76ers: Taurean Green, PG, Fla: Again, the Sixers have so many picks, if they can’t trade to move up in the draft, they will likely have to take an international guy they can stash overseas as well. However, I have them drafting Tiago at 21 who they can stash overseas if need be. Green is a solid pick here as they have no good backup PG.

Kobe don't go!

Kobe had an interview on a sports radio talk show today. And I have to say, I was kinda blown away…..and not in a good way. I thought the interview would be very watered down and political. That Kobe would say what he’s supposed to say and it would be really vague in general. It was the exact opposite.

For those that missed it (or those that don't live in LA) here's the recap:

First, on the recent "ultimatum" thing:

Kobe said that it was NOT an ultimatum or demand for a trade. It was him trying to get the Laker front office (FO) to get aggressive this summer. He said he didn’t mean to throw anyone under the bus. But commented how close he is with West…that he trusts him as a close friend…and how good West is at his job….so it wasn’t a Mitch diss, but meant it as West is the best and if you can bring in the best, you should do it. He said the best thing about West is his sincerity and that he “shoots from the hip”. He mentioned times when West would say “you played like crap”…Kobe likes that he is serious about his job and he gives it to him straight.

On Ric Bucher's article:

Kobe said that Bucher did check back with Kobe and that Kobe did OK the “TV” part. But said the article was totally taken out of context. I don’t think this is hard to believe as Bucher’s article was pretty much paraphrased and really had no real quotes from Kobe. Kobe didn’t seem very happy about the way the article came off.

On taking it public:

It seems that it was a move that he struggled with, if he should take it public or not. He however felt like he had to as he has said the same thing to the FO in private the past 3 years. He mentioned every summer he has sat down with the FO and talked about what they could do to get better. Kobe pretty much feels like those meetings accomplished nothing. Whether you agree with taking it public or not, its not something Kobe did out of complete selfishness or immaturity. He thought about it and felt that was the way to go. Kobe also referred to KG, he said he knows what KG went through and is still going through and he doesn’t want to end up in the same situation as KG.

On his teammates:

Kobe stated it was not his intention to throw any teammates under the bus. He said this team works hard and gave extra props to Lamar who “played through some serious injuries….SERIOUS injuries”. But he also said, its no secret that the Lakers are not contenders…that its not some new revelation or something he’s making up. The point being, the Lakers are far from contending right now.

On the whole Phil/Jim/Jeanne/Rambis thing:

“It’s [the front office] a big mess!”. Apparently, this whole thing might be an indication of the disharmony going on in the Laker FO. I think this is one reason Kobe indicated in the first article about West having full control of player personel. I think he thinks there is too much bureaucracy and politics going on in the FO, so much so, they don’t seem to have a clear vision on how to get better.

On Kobe's alleged ousting of Shaq:

It’s interesting that at the very beginning, on the first question, Kobe answered the question (about the ultimatum) but said in the answer “and I can’t wait to get into the Shaq stuff.”. This is where Kobe’s tone really started to get very serious. He was ESPECIALLY pissed at this supposed “Laker Insider”. He said he let the Shaq stuff go all these years, and that he wanted to focus on the future and not the past. But then now, that this stuff is really starting to piss him off. He didn’t specifically get into the actual beef with Shaq…but talked about his role in Shaq leaving. He seemed VERY adamant that it was NOT his decision. He said that Buss had a dinner with him (at the Four Seasons hotel) and told him BEFORE Shaq demanded a trade and before Kobe was a FA, that he (Buss) was going to trade Shaq…no matter what Kobe decided to do. Of course, Buss is using this as a reason Kobe as extra incentive for Kobe to stay. But Kobe was clear in that Buss was intent on trading Shaq whether Kobe stayed or not! So even if Kobe left, Shaq would NOT have been a Laker.
Again, this is in line with what I've been saying for years. Signing Shaq to the deal he wanted at that time was a clear cut financial mistake. No owner (cept MAYBE Cuban, and even then its HIGHLY doubtful considering he let go Nash who is a hard worker, not yet in decline, and cost a lot less money) would’ve given the declining Shaq that deal. People forget that Shaq actually got in shape when he left…but that he had shown ZERO indication of staying in shape for years as a Laker. If Shaq got his 30 million a year, people don't realize how crippling that would've been to the Lakers. Only Shaq 2000 would be worth that much, cuz Shaq 2000 was SOOO freakin dominant. But giving that kind of money to an overweight, injury prone center on the decline really is basketball suicide. You think the Lakers have cap problems now with Kobe’s 17 million? How’d you like a fat 400lb center in decline who plays only 50 games make 30M and take up more than 1/2 of your cap space by himself?!
Point is though, Shaq was on his way out no matter what. Let’s also remember, Shaq really didn’t help things when calling out to Buss to pay him during an actual game! It’s still amazing to me though that people still blame Kobe for Shaq’s departure when Buss, and even Jackson (back then) has stated on record that it was not Kobe’s decision many times. Now Kobe is going on record, speaking the truth about how it really went down.

Kobe on the Laker’s promise to him:

I don't think many people knew how close Kobe was to becoming a Clipper (or Bull). I didn’t have real evidence, but my evidence is that back then, Elgin Baylor on AM570 said he thinks Kobe will be a Laker. Then right after Kobe re-signed, Baylor was on 570 again and he legitimately seemed stunned. He said (quote): “I REALLY thought Kobe was going to sign with us.”
Today, Kobe reiterated that he loves the Lakers. That he’s been a Laker fan since he was a kid and that his wife is from “here” and his family is here and he wanted to play his whole career here as a Laker. That said, he said he was actually leaning towards signing with the Clippers or Bulls (which explains Baylor’s shock) at the time. He said he thought both teams had a lot of talent, and that he felt like on those teams they would be contenders. But then right before Kobe made his final decision, Buss gave Kobe a call from his vacation in Italy. Kobe said he told Buss he felt it takes 9-10 years to build a real contender under normal circumstances…and wanted to know what the Lakers plan was. He said Buss promised him that they would do everything in their power to build a contender quickly. That they were going to play for the present and not for the long term future. That was enough to keep Kobe a Laker.

Now it gets to the real meat of the interview. Kobe feels like the FO basically lied to him. He said he feels betrayed and feels “like a fool”. The reason is on many levels. First of all, there was his commitment to stay, and FO’s promise to rebuild for the short term. I remember, the Kobe haters saying Kobe never made phone calls. Kobe said every summer he met with the FO and talked about players to get and he said he made a lot of phone calls every summer (part of the reason he feels like a fool for doing so now). Now a part that got me mad was this…..Kobe said Baron, Boozer, and Artest all called him FIRST! He said they all called him and said they would love to play in LA and that is when Kobe talked to FO pushing for these guys. Kobe thought they would make it happen. But he said the FO ultimately didn’t want Baron cuz of his injury history, and didn’t want Boozer cuz he wasn’t a good enough defender. (He didn’t say what the deal with Artest or Kidd was.). Kobe also mentions that many players have told him that they would take less money to play with him. Kobe says “its not that they CAN’T get these players, its that they WON’T get these players.” Now you can see how frustrating this has to be for Kobe who is thinking, “aren’t we playing for now?”.
Another thing that will make some Laker fans angry. Kobe did not know about the Caron Butler trade! He said they called him as soon as Caron was traded (but not before) asking how he felt about it. Kobe’s response was “why are you asking me now if you already did it?!” Kobe said how he was shocked and disappointed cuz he and Caron were working out together that summer. That Caron adopted Kobe’s training regimen and they were both waking up early and working out and practicing every day. Then Caron was traded.
Again, this had to be extremely frustrating for Kobe.

Now for another shocker. Kobe said he never really got into details when reuniting with Phil Jackson. They didn’t talk about Shaq or the past, but wanted to move on and win a championship. However, after all this stuff, Kobe said he talked to Phil TODAY and asked him about what went down in 2004. Phil said that in his exit interview, that the FO said that the Lakers were moving in a different direction. That they had a long term plan in place and that it didn’t make sense, both bball-wise and financially, to keep Phil.
This is when Kobe is like “What the heck is going on?” As he feels this directly contradicts and is opposite of what they told him when they were re-signing him. Now Kobe said he has “trust issues” with the FO. He doesn’t know what’s going on. He doesn’t know if they are on a short term plan or long term plan. But given their recent history of moves (selecting Bynum, trading Caron, and refusing to trade Bynum for a star) I think Kobe is thinking he may have been duped. If you look at the moves…they do shout “long term” to me at least.
Let me say that Kobe’s mood at this point is very somber now. He takes several pauses, and sighs deeply with frustration several times. Which is understandable since this is all hitting Kobe literally TODAY. Kobe says how he’s been working extra hard this summer. Waking up at 4:30am everyday. (He also mentioned he has done nothing but work on his defense so far…which I thought was great. Jordan said every summer he asked himself what he could improve. I love that Kobe still wants to work on his overall game. Perhaps he feels like his defense was weaker. Or maybe he’s out to prove wrong all the people that said he didn’t deserve to be on the all-defensive team. Doesn’t matter but gotta love how driven this guy is and how hard he works.) Kobe then mentions how pissed he was when he found out this morning and how betrayed he felt when he read about the “Laker Insider” article where the “insider” says its Kobe’s fault Shaq left. Kobe then challenges anyone to refute this story. He feels angry cuz he felt he took a lot of unnecessary blame all these years for the Shaq stuff. But he felt the media was just doing it to make it a bigger issue than it was. But now he feels betrayed by the “insider” and the organization and challenges anyone to prove him (Kobe) otherwise.

On the Lakers future: Kobe said he hasn’t talked to anyone in the FO so far this summer and is completely “in the dark” as to what their plans this summer are so far.

When asked about his future with the Lakers, his answer: “ I don’t know.”

I have to say that whole interview was very disheartening for me as a Laker fan. I hope Kobe is just extra frustrated cuz he basically found out a lot of crap just this morning (or yesterday morning by the time you read this). Kobe seemed genuinely frustrated and even borderline sad at times during the interview. I think Kobe feels betrayed and lied to by the Lakers right now. I’d rather Kobe just be plain angry than the mood he was in cuz it really made me wonder if Kobe wants to be a Laker anymore.

Sigh.

---
Update: Argh! It's official. Kobe asks for a trade. Things look really bad right now, with no light at the end of the tunnel. In an interview Stephen A. Smith asks: "Is there ANYTHING the Los Angeles Lakers can do to get you to remain with the organization?"
Bryant responds: "No, bro."

Wiz' 2007 Mock Draft I

So the NBA just had its lottery to decide the draft order for the upcoming draft in June. There were three important things that happened that were especially key:

1. Atlanta gets the #3 pick: As a Laker fan, this was HUGE HUGE HUGE. Had the Hawks not been able to get into the top 3, they would have had to surrender their pick (which would’ve likely been the #4 pick) to the disgusting Suns. This would’ve given the Suns a lot of options. As they are desperate to free up some cap room, they could’ve gotten a player like Brewer who would be perfect for them, and at the same time allow them to trade away Marion. For Marion they could then get another player, cap relief, and extra draft picks. Thus they take only a baby step back but secure many more years of greatness. Even scarier were talks that should the Suns get the #4 pick, of them trading up to the #2 spot for Durant. Now you might think Oden and Durant are untouchable. Oden basically is….and Durant might almost be. But if you are the lowly Sonics with an old Ray Allen and about to lose Rashard Lewis, this could be a great chance to start over. As great as Durant is…and offer of Marion and the #4, 21, and 30 picks starts to look tempting at least. Anways, none of this matters, the Suns lost. Consolation prize, they still have picks 21 and 30 and no cap space haha.
2. Memphis doesn’t get a top 3 pick: Again, for a Laker fan, this was also good news. As there is a lot of talk of the Lake Show making a blockbuster move for KG, Jermaine, or Gasol this offseason. While I would love to see KG or Jermaine in a Laker uniform….Gasol actually might be the best value. KG makes a buttload of $, and Jermaine makes a whole lot as well, while always being an injury risk. So Gasol is the cheapest, the youngest, and has the best back to the basket game of the 3. So Gasol is unhappy and wants out…but perhaps getting Oden or Durant changes his mind? Well, too bad! No top 2 pick for Memphis….and I don’t think Yi Lianjiangdifudijadifjiangijalinagnnananiang is gonna be enough to make him change his mind.
3. The Celtics get the #5 pick. As a Laker fan this is good because…..well, really it has nothing to do with us except that it was pretty hilarious. Every Laker fan still has a deep hatred for the Celts since the 80s and for this to happen to them is just great fun for us. The faces of the Celtic fans as they looked like they were going to jump out the windows….the look on Doc Rivers and Danny Ainge’s face, trying to hold back the tears…hahahaha HAHAHAHA ….priceless.

Doc and Danny the day before the lottery.....

Doc and Danny right after the lottery....

Doc and Danny spotted in public using disguises..... (btw, yes that is Jeff Van Gundy's little brother at the top and yes, that is Phil Jackson's little bro at the bottom.)

Now by now I'm sure you guys are probably wondering "Why the heck are Doc and Danny always wearing matching clothes or color coordinated clothes?!"
I know this question will haunt you all the rest of your lives, and so after much research, I finally found the reason....








"Oooh, his belly button is so nice....."



"Is he feeling my belly button!? .......I like it."









Anyways, now, onto the real stuff….the Mock Draft:

(Note: This Mock Draft isn’t the same as a draft board or who I would pick, but its who I think each team will pick.)

1. Portland Trailblazers: Greg Oden, C, OSU: The Blazers have one of the best young nucleuses (or is it nuclei?) in the L, with last years rooks Roy, Aldridge, and Rodriguez (aka Spanish Chocolate) and also nice young potential in Webster, Outlaw, and Jack. They could use a SF, but GM Kevin Pritchard knows whats up. One of the better GMs in the league, he wont hesitate to take Oden.
2. Seattle Supersonics: Kevin Durant, SF, Texas: Will go down as one of the best draft consolation prizes ever (yes, even better than Sam Bowie at #2). The most talented and versatile college talent I’ve ever seen. Expect scoring titles and all-star games in the near future.
3. Atlanta Hawks: Mike Conley, PG, OSU: It seems the consensus #3 pick is Brandan Wright. But the Hawks have been looking for a legit C and PG for the last billion years. I actually think the Hawks should and will look to trade down a little bit. But after biffing on passing Chris Paul and Deron Williams, and reaching on Sheldon last year, I think if they can't trade out of this spot, they will reach a little for Conley.
4. Memphis Grizzlies: Corey Brewer, SF, Fla: West has been looking for a real C forever and Yi Jianlian might get some consideration here. But I think Brewer will test out as one of the best players in the draft and would give Memphis a ridiculously athletic team overall. (Adding Brewer to the group of freak athletes Gay, Warrick, Stro, and Alexander Johnson.) Plus if West trades Gasol, he’ll likely get a big back anyways. (Maybe Kwame and Bynum???)
5. Boston Celtics: Yi Jianlian, C, China: Noah would be a good fit here as well. But after missing out on Oden, I think Ainge will look to trade Pierce and simply go back to rebuilding with his talented young players. So I think he goes with the upside of Yi over Noah. Most drafts have Wright and Horford as the best players after Durant, but I can’t see Ainge taking a PF after the year Al Jefferson had.
6. Milwaukee Bucks: Brandan Wright, PF, UNC: The Bucks are glad Wright falls into their lap. Though eventually will likely be a PF, with his slight frame Wright can slide right into the starting SF spot and give the Bucks a nice young frontcourt with Bogut, Charlie V, and Wright. (Though if the Hawks take Wright at 3, this pick will likely be Conley here as they could lose both Mo and Bell to free agency.)
7. Minnesota Timberwolves: Al Horford, PF, Fla: Like Wright before him, Horford slips a little in the draft. The Timberwolves are happy to snatch him up and get some toughness to play next to KG…..or will he be a KG replacement???
8. Charlotte Bobcats: Julian Wright, SF, Kansas: A do it all point forward type with a ton of skills, intangibles, and a ton of potential. Well, he has all the skills except shooting….but if the gets his jumper down, he will be the whole package. His all around skill should net him some mins since heck, their “shooter” SF (Morrison) can’t shoot anyways.
9. Chicago Bulls: Spencer Hawes, C, Washington: The Bulls have a ton of young talent, but they need a C, and more specifically a C with some low post scoring skills.
10. Sacramento Kings: Joakim Noah, PF/C, Fla: They’ll take a look at Jeff Green as a replacement for Crazy Ron Ron. Still, the Maloofs are no goofs. Noah is the best player available at this point and they won’t likely let Noah slip by them.
11. Atlanta Hawks: Tiago Splitter, C, Brazil: Knight is cursing Noah went one spot above him. Wait a second, were talking about Knight here, he might have been hoping for another swingman and one of the Wrights to drop. The Hawks reach again a few spots and take the next best 7ftr in Tiago.
12. Philadelphia 76ers: Jeff Green, SF, Georgetown: Could use a PF, but do-a-little-of-everything Jeff Green will be a nice complement to more specialist SFs Korver and Carney.
13. New Orleans Hornets: Nick Young, SG, USC: This seems too high for Young. But this kid got game and I think his stock will rise when he shows off his skills and the Hornets will strongly look at him here.
14. Los Angeles Clippers: Acie Law, PG, Texas A&M: One of my favorite players in college last year. This guy is a clutch gamer that carried his team on his back many times. This is a great pick for the Clippers. Cassell is getting old and that Livingston injury looked REALLY BAD. Who knows what his status is now. Plus Mobley is getting up there in age, and Law could play some SG as well.
15. Detroit Pistons: Sean Williams, PF, BC: Huh? Who? Didn’t I see this guy’s name in the second round of all mock drafts? Ok, this pick is a serious reach….for now. What’ll happen though is GMs will start turning their heads at this guy’s freakish athletcism and he’ll start rising up the boards. This still might be high for him but Dumars isn’t afraid to go against the norm (Darko) and he might have found his Ben Wallace replacement in Williams. (This guy’s shot blocking is straight nasty!)
16. Washington Wizards: Rodney Stuckey, SG, E.Washington: Sorry to my friend Bert who discovered this guy months ago. An explosive combo guard in the mold of Wade, Gordon, Foye, etc. A super athlete and explosive scorer. Since then, we’ve been secretly hoping the Lakers draft this guy….ah woulda been nice. This is another guy that is low in mock drafts, but he’s starting to show up on the map. After GMs get a better look at him, his stock will definitely rise.
17. New Jersey Nets: Al Thornton, SF, FSU: Looks like there’s a good chance Vince isn’t a Net next year. Thornton is likely the best player available at this point. RJ can slide over to the 2 and Thornton should be able to contribute some right away.
18. Golden State Warriors: Jason Smith, PF/C, Colorado: The Warriors are a team on the rise and are pretty good at every position. Smith will give them some frontcourt depth and will fit in with the Warriors uptempo style.
19. Los Angeles Lakers: Thaddeus Young, SF, Georgia Tech: Ok, this is MY pick. So far all the picks have been what I think each team will do…but as a Laker fan, I’m reserving the right to make this pick myself. I’ve had my eye on Young for a while now. This is really an upside pick more than anything. This guy was a top 3-4 player in his high school class behind Oden and Durant. He has great athleticism and can shoot outside as well. While still very raw both on offense and defense, his athleticism gives him great potential. Anyways, SF is a great area of need for the Lakers and Young is a great compliment to Luke Walton. Young is very raw but has great athletcism, quickness, agility and a ton of upside. Luke is very polished and has great unathletcism, mind-blowing slowness, and no upside whatsoever. Ok, for those of you that don’t care about my pick and want to know who the Lakers will pick, here it is: 19. Los Angeles Lakers: Josh McRoberts, PF/C, Duke: Why will the Lakers take him? Is it cuz he was a high school all-american? Is it cuz of his versatility? Is it his Duke pedigree, learning under Coach K? Well, maybe, but how I came to this pick is, I simply asked myself “Who is projected to go in this range that Phil would want and that I would LEAST want? The player who, if the Lakers select him, I will go jump out the window into oncoming traffic while yelling “DAMN YOU MITCH!!!!!”. And that person is Josh McRoberts.
    

Ok, that concludes my Mock Draft #1. I stopped at 19 cuz first, I’m a Laker fan and had to make it to at least #19. Second, its 2am and I’m tired. And third none of you really care whether Ante Tomic gets drafted before Kyrylo Fesenko or not.

Professional Sports Tattoos

This is not a post about tattoos that certain athletes have like Jordan Farmar's "just the two of us" tat with him and his little brother, or Mike Bibby's "team dime on his back", or even AI's hundreds of tats.

But rather, Sports Illustrated is showing how some die hard fans are showing their support to their team. Now I'm one to support your local team by whatever means necessary, but is an entire piece of art all over your back the way to go? Especially when it's a picture of an athletes face? I won't even wear a t-shirt of my favorite athletes face.

In case you're too lazy to point your mouse over that underlined and highlighted link to the article, I'll post the most outrageous and interesting tattoos...

This tattoo is very interesting. Because I have no idea what it is. And it's on his nipple. And he's fat. And he's hairy. So what would possess you to put any sort of tattoo on your nipple?!?!!?

This is really interesting because... ummm .... the Raiders are awesome.

This is by far the best one... because it's 100% real. 50 points to you if you know who this is. Oh, and these points will be awarded every so often and can be redeemed at a special time and place.

random lookalike of the day!


pittsburgh pirate OF jason bay and michael rosenbaum

NBA Refs: Racists???

For those that haven't heard, a study was just released claiming that white referees are biased in their calls depending on the race of the player. That relatively more fouls are called on black players while white players relatively get more calls.

Ok, I'm as tired of hearing the "race card" as much as the next guy...but first I have to say I think this study does have some validity.... though this study has very little value as far as the NBA is concerned. And even then, nothing can actually be done about it.

The point of the study was not to claim that refs are racist but that while many people are not directly racist...these underlying racial biases are very prevalent in every aspect of society...including the NBA. You can dismiss it if you want but if you study any psychology at all, basically any test in this area supports this point. Without any malicious intentions, it is very easy to "favor" someone of your own race, or favor someone you identify with in general. (Or for example take even studies that show how good looking people have a societal advantage in many aspects....heck, if you disagree ask yourself how many drinks you've bought hot girls or how many speeding tickets a hot girl has gotten out of as opposed an ugly one. Then there's the aspect of why there are so few black coaches and even less black GMs. Its not that the owners are racists...but that they probably identify with white interveiwees more than one of a minority ethnicity.)

Of course in any statistical study, it is easy to come to the results you want by manipulating various factors. So until we see the ACTUAL study, we have to consider different factors as to how the data was interpreted. There seem to be certain possible problems with how they gathered their statistics right off the bat. (ie. gathering statistics based on "all white crews" vs "all black crews" rather than individual refs, using boxscores (for this study to be completely accurate, they would actually have to watch every single game played and omit fouls that are committed intentionally, like a player racking up end game fouls.)) [edit: I should add here that new articles that have discussed this issue seem to indicate that many "experts" have looked into the study now and claimed that the study done by the professor and student are actually far superior to the follow-up study done by the NBA.]
But I have to say (only) one statistic did really bother me. That was that white players DRAW more fouls than black players. (According to the study, white players draw 0.64 more fouls per 48 mins). I think this is a very stark result and odd statistic. There are a ton of factors why black players may commit more fouls. Most starters are black. The better defenders in the league are usually black and so they are guarding the best offensive players on the opposing team. These better defenders also carry more defensive responsibility in terms of help defense, and actually their better defensive range may also account for more fouls (much like BJ Upton, though a bad fielder, probably commits even more errors due to having good range.). The players that are in at the end of close games will pick up more fouls for strategic purposes. And lastly, Chris Mihm who accounts for a vast majority of the "white fouls" is always injured! But I can't think of such factors to explain how white players can draw more fouls. Let's face it, in general the black players are more athletic and penetrate and drive a lot more than the average white player, many of whom are outside shooters. Yeah, there are exceptions but this is generally the case, and so while fouls CALLED can go either way and is pretty much dismissible, I really see no reason that white players should DRAW more fouls than black players.

But while I do think there is some validity in the study....I also think this is still a huge waste of time and money. What can a ref even do to counteract what he does subconciously? Start conciously calling more fouls on white players??? I'm sure there are no refs that are actually racist. We've all seen these refs a thousand times each and you see them get mad but you also see them laughing and joking around with black players all the time.

I think the league is much better off spending its time and energy correcting much more relevant officiating issues. Such as ticky-tack fouls, refs taking over the outcome of games, cleaning up the ridiculous amount of traveling by big men (they've already done a good job cleaning up the carrying-over dribble), and kicking players out of a game because they laughed at your call. Also, I feel refs should be able to call a technical foul when they are CERTAIN they see a flop. Of course if they can't see it for SURE they have to go with their regular inclination. But sometimes a player flops so blatantly and a ref can totally see it. They do well to decide on a "no call" , but they should also be able to call a technical foul just like in soccer a ref can penalize a player that attempts to "cheat" by flopping. The "flop" in essense is cheating and further it slows down the game and makes the ref's job all the more difficult forcing them to make difficult decisions about these repeated "bluffs". A technical foul isn't that big a penalty anyways, and wouldn't drastically affect the game, but at the same time a player would have to think twice about blatantly flopping.

I've tried reffing basketball and I can say its not the easiest thing in the world. We watch a ton of games and can tell a good call from a bad call, and for the most part, the refs do a good job. So instead of wondering what racial biases exist in the subconscious of white refs....these people should focus on racial bias studies pertaining to everyday American life, while the NBA should look to fix the officiating issues that actually matter to the game.

The Bloody Sock

he has mustard on his left ankle

One of the biggest "controversies" in sports has been the talk of Curt Schilling's bloody sock incident if it was staged. Now from what I've been watching and hearing, many people are outraged by this alleged publicity stunt. It has gotten so serious to that he might even be a 'maybe' when being considered for the Hall. That is just straight ludacris.

If he did fake it, I applaud him for this. I think people need to remember how awesome it was during that game when Schilling emerged in that game 6 of the ALCS against the Yanks. How much in awe you were at that moment. It's like a scene out of a movie.

*cue inspirational music*

*fog rolls as the camera pans from Big Schill's feet seeing the bloody sock all the way up to his face where he has that "determined to win" look.*

If Doug Mirabelli wasn't being a little snitch, this probably would've been made into a movie in about five years or so. It was an awesome moment for sports.....and I don't even really like baseball that much!! But the drama and the suspense fueled the already heated rivalry between the BoSox and Yankees and made that game 6.2x better. Now, we have all these 'hardcore' baseball fans complaining about it. Complaining about what?

Maybe I'm just a sucker for a good story line, but I wouldn't have minded if Schilling added a little bit of color to that blood. I'm not saying he did or he didn't, but I don't mind if he did either. Say he did pitch with that bloody ankle. That makes him an even greater hero to end nine decades of Red Sox depression. I know all those people in Boston and surrounding cities agree. And if he did do it, then I declare him guilty of making baseball more entertaining and dramatic.....and well, I'd like to thank him on behalf of one of the many people who thinks baseball could use a little pick-me-up.

There is a definite line between fraud and showmanship. We all know what fraud looks like. It comes in a clear substance form that you can either rub or inject into a certain player on the Giants and it comes from the EXCOOOZIE guy in eurotrip. But showmanship recognizes sports are about competition and entertainment.

Schilling understands this. As does MJ with his "flu", Rip Hamilton with his mask, Kirk Gibson and Kareem Abdul Jabbar with his "migrain headaches" EVERY series vs. the Celtics. So let's just enjoy that Curt possibly wanted to add more entertainment to this sport. OR, if you don't want to, then let's remember that this was TWO AND A HALF YEARS AGO!!! so who cares!?!!? haha

One final note: I don't even know why Mirabelli had to pull such a weasel move, but it doesn't surprise me. One time I was at a jersey store with a friend browsing around when an old man tells us that Boston Red Sox jerseys are great. When we turned around to respond to him, he says, "because my son Doug Mirabelli is a Red Sox player"...... Those Mirabelli's. What a bunch of losers.



Well the verdict is out, and apparently it was real. Either way, the bloody sock is awesome. Big props to Schilling.

random lookalike of the day!


ex-florida gator joakim noah and spanish from old school

NFL Draft: Value vs. Need

With the NFL Draft just a few days away, an age old question every draft is….should a team draft a player based on need or should they take the “best player available”.

Of course, it’s the job of a GM during the draft to consider both….but I think ultimately, value wins over need. The reason I ask this is, after looking at some NFL mock drafts, I see that a lot of writers base their picks far too much on team needs. Thus, I’ve seen crazy mock drafts where Peterson is drafted at 10, Quinn at 17, and Calvin Johnson at 6 (the latter being the most ridiculous pick ever.) Why do writers do this when many GMs or former GMs say at the end of the day, you want to take the best player available. Why do you want the best player available? There are a few reasons for it.

First off, the best way to get a true superstar is through the draft. It is difficult or expensive to obtain superstars through trades or free agency. No matter the sport, most successful teams are built through the draft. It is better to accumulate the best players available and build a solid foundation. Then, it is much easier to patch up needs through trades and free agency. If you need a RB, you're not going to get a L.T. or L.J. (at least not while they’re young) as a FA but you can go out and get a Thomas Jones, Tatum Bell, or Jamal Lewis and at least patch up the need.

The second reason that value wins is that you never know whats going to happen to your team in the next few years. Simply, your needs change. However, if you go out and get a guy that you have "ranked" at 15 on your draft board overall, but you draft him at 8 cuz he fills your need. Well, the problem is you still have to pay him #8 money. Now if you happen to be a draft genius you might be able to get away with this once in a while….but if you continue this mentality for years, you are going against the odds and will soon find yourself in salary cap trouble with a team of overpaid players. Thus, this mentality will still improve your team in the short term, but it is very difficult to build a Superbowl contender with overpaid players and limited cap space.

Overall, the most successful GMs know how to weigh value vs. need in their picks. (And tied along with that idea is that they aren't always specifically drafting for the very next year, but keep in mind the near future. Thus they might not have a need now, but forsee that need in 1-2 years and draft for value at that position. The Patriots and Eagles are particularly adept at this.) I've heard GMs say, that although they know they should take the best player available, the "temptation" of filling their need is sometimes too great.

Ideally, you would want to fill a need while getting good value at the same time, but at the end of the day, in theory, value should always win out.

Congratulations to the Golden State Warriors!!

dear golden state warriors organization,

the biggest news in sports yesterday behind buehrle's no-hitter is that the you guys made the playoffs for the first time in 13 years by defeating the portland trailblazers. congratulations to all the players, coaching staff and hot cheerleaders. in fact, the last time was when nelson was coaching the warriors.

this is the guy sitting right above me. what a weird sign.

with the your high-powered, up-tempo offense, i believe that the warriors can compete with any team. that game in march against the suns showed that golden state does have the key ingredients to make a team work with shot blocker andres biedrens, one of the most underrated young talents in the league - monta ellis, and lastly one of the most exciting backcourts in the L, so i'm excited to see y'all in the playoffs. i took a photo and wrote down what baron was saying at that time. hope you don't mind.

that's my hand in the lower right hand corner. just wanted to show you and world proof i was there.

but sad to say, but a lot has changed since 1994. the nba playoffs are a bit different. so before you guys start getting too excited, let me explain to whom it may concern how the playoffs have changed since 1994.

10. we have a new president

it's no longer bill clinton. just so you guys know.

9. remind everyone to rotate their fantasy baseball players regularly

since you guys haven't been in the playoffs in so long, every april and may you're used to having all this time to maintain your fantasy squad. but now you have the playoffs on your mind. just a friendly reminder. or you can not tell your teammates and beat them every week. hehe go felix hernandez!!

8. arnold schwarzeneggar is the governor of california

well he'll be at at least two games at the oracle arena. so don't get too star struck. i think it's his duty being up in norcal attending these type of events.

7. there is a 3 point line

oh that's been there since the 1960's? silly me. sorry about that. of course you knew that. j-rich shoots like nineteen of them per game. don't i look foolish? me telling j-rich there's a 3 point line is like telling hiro to save the world.

6. the first round is a 7-game series

yes, this is a new one. the playoffs, especially the first round are longer. so if you thought that you might be able sneak by and get lucky with three quick games, remember you have to do it for a fourth. but beware, because...

5. players try harder in the playoffs

everybody tries hard for a hamburger.

a good comparison for the regular season is that it's like you or me going down to mcdonald's to get a hamburger versus the playoffs which is like a homeless person seeing a free big mac on the ground. we're just not going to get that burger unless we're hobos. but this means biedrins might not be able to get away with as much since people are going to be muscling their way around in the paint. and that baron might get injured in the first game. just to mentally and physically prepare your players. you might want to remind the coaching staff of that. you also might way to tell them that..

4. the talent level is higher now

look at that picture of nash. he's swimming in a sea of basketballs. hahaha

in 1994, the all-nba first team was john stockton, latrell sprewell, scottie pippen, karl malone, and hakeem olajuwon. times are a bit different. last year's all-nba first team was steve nash, kobe bryant, lebron james, dirk nowitzki and shaq. i'd say this team is a bit better. wouldn't you? as well as the league as a whole. you could make an argument that that team is really good, which they are. but if that 1994 all nba first team was transported into 2007 in a 7 game series, they wouldn't stand a chance because...

3. small ball doesn't work in the playoffs

oops. forgot to add speech bubbles. you get the picture though.

when you guys were last in the playoffs you remember teams like the bulls winning with out a legit big man. for goodness sakes they won the 'ship with bill cartwright and will perdue. stuff like that won't work in 2007. every championship team since the 1960's besides that bulls 'ship team has had a solid big man in the middle. and the bulls winning it is due to the fact that they A) had michael jordan and B) the nba kinda sucked back then. so you can get by with not having a big man in the regular season and i know nelly likes to run small with al harrington in the middle, but that won't work anymore....at least not in the playoffs. and especially now that...

2. the western conference is good

the east was where everything's at. key word - WAS. there was a long drought of good western teams, but the west has been good since the late 1990's. so if you get past the first round which is unlikely, then you will have to play the winner of the utah jazz/houston rockets series(which i think will be the rockets, and you guys don't have a chance against t-mac 'n' yao). but you shouldn't even be thinking about this unless you beat your first round opponents which are...

1. the dallas mavericks

the dallas mavericks your first round opponent are a bit different than you remember. well nelly can tell you. they aren't last in the league anymore. none of these players are on the team anymore. in fact i don't think any of those players are in the nba anymore. ACTUALLY, they have the best record in the regular season. ACTUALLY, they also have the front runner for mvp . ACTUALLY, they also picked up the dominant kevin willis.

so golden state warriors,

WELCOME TO THE PLAYOFFS!!!!



sincerely,
mat

random lookalike of the day!


lakers pg jordan farmar and mistah tumnus