Ok, it's the day of the draft, how 'bout a little friendly competion amongst Warrior fans. I propose a mock draft competion for the top 9 slots (since that's all Warrior fans really care about). This draft is the most unpredictable since 2000 or beyond, so it doesn't really matter if you're a draftnik or just finding out that the NBA has an annual draft, you have a chance to win. What do you win? Absolutely nothing, except gloating rights for one year. <u>The Rules</u> 1. Post your best mock of the top 9 picks. You can edit the picks as much as you want until 5:00 pm pacific time. 2. 9 points will be awared for each correct pick. 3. For each incorrect pick, you will be awarded 9 points - 1 point for each position above or below the actual draft position. So if you pick Brandon Roy to go #5 and he goes #3, you will be awarded 7 points (9 - 2 = 7). Also, if you pick Ronnie Brewer to go #9 and he goes #14 you will get 4 points (9 - 5 = 4). These are the rules nba.com uses for their draft pick 'em, so if you need clarification either ask me or consult their rules (note that I've modified the rules for their 14 player mock to our 9 player mock). Here's the link to the nba.com rules. Sound good? So here's my mock: 1. Toronto: Andrea Bargnani 2. Chicago: LaMarcus Aldridge 3. Charlotte: Adam Morrison 4. Portland: Tyrus Thomas 5. Atlanta: Sheldon Williams 6. Minnesota: Brandon Roy 7. Boston: Randy Foye 8. Houston: Rudy Gay 9. Golden State: Ronnie Brewer (Warriors will probably trade down or out of this year's draft, hopefully for a 2007 pick). It seems Chad Ford caught wind of my mock draft and changed his top 6 to exactly reflect mine. In light of the Boston trade, I have to modify my 7-9 picks. *Poof* the chances of San Francisco having it's basketball superstar named "Gay" has disappeared.
1. LaMarcus Aldridge 2. Tyrus Thomas 3. Rudy Gay 4. Adam Morrison 5. Brandon Roy (traded to Houston later) 6. Randy Foye 7. Andrea Bargnani 8. Shelden Williams (traded to the Hawks) 9. Ronnie Brewer
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Swish15:</div><div class="quote_post">Mind if I do one of these in the Orlando Magic forum?</div> Of course not.
1. Morrison 2. Aldridge 3. Roy 4. Thomas 5. Foye (I just can't believe the Sheldon promise) 6. Gay 7. S. Williams 8. Barnangi 9. (trade) Brewer
I think Bargnani was a smokescreen all along to explore trades and I think other teams couldn't justify trading a franchise guy to move up in what is perceived as a relatively weak draft. I believe Coangelo doesn't think there's much difference between the first five spots so he could have gotten a player he liked at any position (just not a ready now, more awesome later, true type of center). 1. LaMarcus Aldridge (Best big man of this draft) 2. Brandon Roy (NBA ready for a playoff team in need of a tall guard) 3. Adam Morrison (A possible marquee player for a struggling franchise) 4. Rudy Gay (Good kid, lots of upside, could compliment Martell Webster if Travis Outlaw doesn't work out) 5. Shelden Williams (Classic bruiser, not in between a 3 and a 4) 6. Tyrus Thomas (best athlete in this class, but between a 3 and a 4, did they learn their lesson in last year's draft passing up Granger for Rashaad McCants?) 7. Randy Foye (nba ready, good D, good 1v1 and shooting skills, not a pure point. Could compete with Delonte West and is probably better than Dickau or Orienne Green) 8. Ronnie Brewer (Good defender, can play some point) 9. Patrick O'Bryant (Won't be ready for a while, but good as a pick as any since its a crapshoot)
Bagnani out to 10th and beyond? 1. Bagnani 2. Aldridge 3. Morrison 4. Thomas 5. Williams 6. Gay 7. Foye 8. Roy 9. O'Bryant...
I think this is the first draft I can remember where I actually hope the Warriors don't end up taking anyone at #9. Telfair just got traded to Boston, but Murphy can't be moved until the 1st. I don't anticipate anything spectacular... ho hum (Not going to try to give a Mock because I think a lot of trades will shake everything up.)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kwan1031:</div><div class="quote_post">Bagnani out to 10th and beyond? </div> Hell yeah, why not? I'm going risky here like the NCAA brackets (even though it ain't winner take all and its based on number of names right). I just don't want to be too cautious and boring and I think the whole Barn-yanni thing was a whole scam by Toronto to get other teams running around the globe to see the next Nikoloz Tskitishvilli who either isn't nba ready for a while or will disappear in most of the quarters in a game. The only good I've heard about Barn-yanni is he shoots 3-pointers. That's it? WTF, how is he #1 overall or even top 9? If I'm wrong I'll admit I'm wrong, but I think he was a ploy by Toronto's GM to get something favorable in a swap pick type of situation. Then he could just land whoever he wanted granted he wasn't in absolute love with a player. They've already worked out guys like Rudy Gay and Adam Morrison tons of times. For all we know Rudy Gay could be the real player Toronto is really after if that trade for an all-star vet didn't happen. But I think Toronto will pick Aldridge for at least some other team who needs some big man help. I got tons of scenarios but its all a crap shoot and I figure I don't need to be cautious because last time I did Green and Granger ruined my guessing strategy. Same thing with Jameer Nelson the year before. I think this draft will be the first draft where a lot of experts could be way, way, way off. And I'm counting on Barn-yanni falling passed several teams for guys they've actually worked out. He could stop at Minny but I hope Minny to be scared away from Barn-yanni after they picked up Tskita. Plus, look at it this way: Minny has one of the best players in the entire NBA. Garnett is an MVP candidate, you don't just give up and start over with some guy who may not be even as good as Zarko Cabarkapa (The "defeatist" strategy could just be to draft a guy in the event KG demands out and you don't have to play the guy until that event happens). Still, if I was Minny I'd have try to find ways to improve and keep pushing because big guys are good for a lot of years. And I don't see other teams that could land Barnyanni if their goal was that they were going to be bad for a few years and go for an all or nothing type of risk. Chicago is the only playoff team that could afford to pick him because they already have talent, but they don't need to do a Detroit Pistons type of move. They could get any player like Roy or Aldridge or Morrison that would be ready to go on offense. Any team that is picking Barn-yanni is speculating his ability primarily on offense and his rebounding, shotblock ability, ballhandling is kind of a crapshoot on the NBA level. What makes Dirk so great is because he can blow by people, post up some, shoot over most guys, block shots, steal the ball, rebound like an elite center, and he passes. I guess if teams are as cautious as I they'll probably get the impression too that he is either Zarko Cabarkapa or Tskitishvilli except super hyped because of the media and guys intrigued by all the mystery. I'll just think differently, rather than based on what I think GMs will probably do. I probably will not get this draft right anyway because its all unpredictable and the media is b.s.ing people sometimes.
Bargnani played well in Euroleaugue last season. 11ppg. The level in that leaugue is high. Best you get outside the NBA, better than NCAA. It is a different situation than Tskitishvilli or Milicic. Those players were drafted when they were younger and based on potential only. I do believe in this guy.
We have a trade to announce: Portland has aquired the #7 pick from Boston for Sebastian Telfair. So the Blazers now have the #4 and #7 picks. Interesting...
Damn, Toronto's frontline will get smoked now and years down the road... I hear some Raps fans booing on TV.
Wtwalker is on fire, 5/5 so far while I'm 0/5. As long as we get Gay or Brewer its a moral victory for tonight.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">Wtwalker is on fire, 5/5 so far while I'm 0/5. As long as we get Gay or Brewer its a moral victory for tonight.</div> Don't feel discouraged, I think wtwalker is usually pretty accurate for the first 12 picks or so in any draft.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting chuck.be:</div><div class="quote_post">Bargnani played well in Euroleaugue last season. 11ppg. The level in that leaugue is high. Best you get outside the NBA, better than NCAA. It is a different situation than Tskitishvilli or Milicic. Those players were drafted when they were younger and based on potential only. I do believe in this guy.</div> I guess I just don't believe he'll be a good rebounder enough to play like he's 7 feet tall. We'll see though. I feel he'll be a bust in the making and a wrong fit on the Raptors.
All shall bow down before me. I'd be happy to be wrong from here on out if Houston takes Reddick and allows the Warriors to get Gay.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Run BJM:</div><div class="quote_post">Lol, Rudy Gay looks distraught at the thought of possibly falling to the Golden State Warriors.</div> LOL I was thinking the same thing. Not the Warriors! f no! Meanwhile he's frustrated enough by the announcers criticizing how he's so unaggressive and unassertive in nature. More athletic Dunleavy, perhaps? Will Houston draft brewer? Hmm... Damnit them Rockets are taking too long
