<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Pick for Walker might slip away When the Hawks traded Antoine Walker to Boston for three veteran players with expiring contracts and a first-round draft pick, the debate raged as to which organization got the better end of the deal. Nearly a month later, it's clear that the Celtics are making out like bandits. They are 11-1 since reacquiring Walker, leading the Atlantic Division by six games and would be the third seed in the Eastern Conference if the playoffs started today. As if that's not enough bad news for the lowly Hawks, an NBA-worst 11-54 heading into tonight's game at Chicago, that coveted draft pick is now in question. Since the pick is lottery-protected, the Hawks could be in danger of losing it until a future draft if the Los Angeles Lakers don't make the playoffs. If the Lakers make the playoffs, the Celtics get L.A.'s pick and the Hawks get the lower of the Celtics' two first-round picks for Walker. But if the Lakers don't make the playoffs, Atlanta will get only its current first-round pick. If the pick gets deferred, it is protected through the first 10 draft slots in 2006 and the first five in 2007. </div> Source
This might be a blessing in disguise. The general consensus is that the 2005 draft is a weak one, and 2006 will be a very strong one barring no age rule. With the way the Lakers are going (down), we could be getting a very good pick next year. I believe it's very lightly protected, something like top six or top eight protected.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting DawgHawk:</div><div class="quote_post">This might be a blessing in disguise. The general consensus is that the 2005 draft is a weak one, and 2006 will be a very strong one barring no age rule. With the way the Lakers are going (down), we could be getting a very good pick next year. I believe it's very lightly protected, something like top six or top eight protected.</div> Actually, they get a future pick from the Celtics, not the Lakers. I wouldn't refer to this draft as weak. The reason it's being called weak is because there are no locks to go number 1. However, the talent in this draft is very deep, and you're going to see players like Salim Stoudamire go in the 2nd round. That being said, I agree, this won't hurt the Hawks. They have a lot of young talent as it is, and they will improve via free agency.
