<div class="quote_poster">Quoting NTC187:</div><div class="quote_post">I think Sheldon has enormous promise, he seems like the kind of guy that is actually willing to work hard and improve himself. I predict him being one of the top rookies next season.</div> I agree. There are others who have the physical tools to catch up,but Sheldon has veteran fundamentals as-is,plus the work habits to add to that. I hate to blow the trumpet because I'd like the GSW's to get him at 9.
It's a win-win situation for the Hawks either way. This rumor has some legs to it, because Shelden has cancelled all of his scheduled workouts. The Hawks put themselves in a great position. I'm sure there are contigencies to the promise, for example if Player A is available, then the Hawks would have the option to take Player A instead of keep to their promise. The Hawks could also have a deal worked out and are drafting Shelden for another team. So they needed Shelden to shutdown his workouts so another team doesn't trade up to disrupt their deal.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post"> The Hawks put themselves in a great position. I'm sure there are contigencies to the promise, for example if Player A is available, then the Hawks would have the option to take Player A instead of keep to their promise.</div> Why would Shelden Williams agree to a promise with contigencies? This is one of the most uncertain draft pictures in years as far as the top five goes. The Hawks could easily wind up in a place to draft Aldridge, Bargnani, or Thomas; so unless Williams or his agent got definite word that this hypothetical 'Player A' was going to be off the board by the time the Hawks picked, then cancelling his other workouts would be too big of a gamble. I think there are realistically four explanations for this promise (listed in the order of their likelihood): 1) Shelden Williams got a promise from the Hawks for the #5 pick, and that's where he'll be drafted. This would make sense because in the past Billy Knight has shown particular disregard for the popular opinion on his draft picks, from his selection of Pau Gasol as the Grizzlies GM in 2001 to his most recent selection of Marvin Williams. If he sees a player he likes who could be available in the #10-15 range, he's not the type to risk losing him by trading down. Not to mention that Williams fills the Hawk's need for interior defense better than any other prospect in the draft could (aside from Tyrus Thomas, arguably). 2) Shelden Williams didn't get a promise from the Hawks but rather got a promise from a team he's already worked out with (Seattle, New Orleans, Utah, etc.). Given his 'draft stock', this would make sense, especially since Seattle and Utah have shown particular interest in him while the Hornets are currently playing in his hometown, Oklahoma City, and could also use some help downlow. 3) Shelden Williams got a promise from the Hawks, but the promise hinges on a trade they have lined up to move down in the draft. This would conveniently explain why the Hawks promised a 'late lottery prospect' a top five pick, but it seems illogical. If they have a trade lined up, why haven't they made it yet? And if the guarantee was made under the assumption that the Hawks were going to just <u>try</u> to move down, then it'd probably be too big of a risk for Williams and his agent to shut down the rest of their workouts. 4) Shelden Williams hasn't gotten a promise and just realized that he had no chance of getting drafted by teams picking as high as the ones he cancelled the workouts with (ex: Minnesota at #6). These workouts can be stressful on the player's body, and Williams could have been overdue for a break in the action, so therefore he cancelled the workouts for the teams he'd be the least likely to go to.
