I'm fine with Lawal or Varnado as a late first round pick, I only addressed Harongody, because taking him in the first would be a huge mistake.
I suppose I could have clarified why I added Harangody, and if he's available, I'd probably take him in Rd. 2 if we go a different route in Rd. 1. I do like the idea of trying to acquire a vet SF via trade as opposed to drafting a scorer to come off of the bench. I don't think a SF drafted ~20th is going to have the offensive game to be any sort of consistent bench scorer. As others have posted, Magette would be a nice target. If it's Outlaw vs. Magette, I'll take Magette every time. I just wonder what it would take to get him.
I think a lot would depend on the potential sale of the Warriors on what it might take. With his salary being almost 31 million over the next 3 years, as they currently are, I think they'd be interested in a simple Joel for Maggette swap. The salaries are just slightly off, but could be reached easy enough. If insurance picks up Joel's deal, it makes it mroe enticin for them, but even if it doesn't, it's a savings of about 23 million dollars over the next 3 seasons.
dammit guys quit swaying me on Maggette! I feel like I'm watching Lost going back and forth.. "is Whitmore bad.. no he's good and Locke/Smoke is bad.. no Whitmore went back on his deal with Sawyer.. he is bad and Locke/Smoke is good..."
A perimeter of Miller, Bayless and Maggette would rack up the free throws for Portland. Due to the lack of shooting, you couldn't stay with it for long...but with all the processions to the free throw line, the few minutes they played together would take an hour or so.
Looking at the draft, an off-the-radar guy that Jonathan Givony seems to like a little bit: Dominique Jones a 6'4" combo guard from South Florida that might be useful for his defense, but I doubt you take him because you expect him to be any kind of long term answer to the PG position.
The more I think about it, the more I like Pondexter for us...he's one of KP's "4 year college" guys, he's from a good system at UW that stresses playing disciplined, defensive ball...he'll probably be available at 22...he has the length and chops to guard big 1's, 2's and 3's... If for some reason Rudy goes away (I'm becoming more and more attuned to that idea), or even if Webster does (I'd hate that) I wouldn't mind Quincy. Especially if we can get Nic playing more at the 1. That'd leave us with Jerryd as the primary b/u PG, Webster and Pondexter able to go to the 2 or 3 or maybe 4, DC at the 3 or 4, Pendergraph and Camby at the 4 or 5. I don't like many of the bigs available to us at 22. Yeah, Motiejuans looks interesting, but he's a mid-lotto pick. Same for Monroe, Aldrich, etc.
For a team that can realistically challenge for the title next season, I'd preefr grabbing a vet to counting on Pondexter as a rather significant contributor, personally. I don't mind him, overall, as a 13th, 14th, 15th man, but I hope our bench backcourt isn't Bayless, Quincy, Webster.
That's certainly something that bears watching -- will Nicolas develop the ball-handling ability (which is pretty good now) and does he have enough play-making ability to be a point-forward type player? There's just something really intriguing about that possibility.
I think you are on to something. Ironically, I have been thinking about this too. But I agree, I think you take Martell Webster, Rudy Fernandez and move them for physical, defensive ball players. They don't have to be stars but players that will fit into this system, who will understand their role and go in and do the job of stopping the offensive ball player. Kind of like what Denver has in Aaron Afflalo and what they had in Dahntay Jones. A Bruce Bowen type. Someone that wil fille that role. Acquiring those kind of players will just about do it for this team IMO.
