10 Days To Go: Rumors Here & There
by UtesFan89 on Jun 14, 2010 2:49 PM MDT
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PrintThe draft continues to inch closer. And while the sports world (as a whole) seems to be focused on South Africa, where players are running around kicking a ball (and flopping at a spectacular rate) and the NBA world focuses in on the NBA Finals, draft news continues to flow. And while the rumors aren't as confusing as the crap flowing out of the NCAA right now (at least, they're not yet), there is plenty of news out there.
So a look at some of the stuff out there...
Sources say the Kings are also still open to trade possibilities, and Detroit and Utah are two teams eager to move up in the draft. The Pistons’ Tayshaun Prince could be intriguing to the Kings, who are eager to add a veteran small forward to the roster.
That's interesting. The Jazz moving up makes sense... they could have their shot at either Greg Monroe or DeMarcus Cousins. I don't see trading AK doing it though. What else could the Jazz offer? They don't need Boozer or Millsap, Okur's hurt... would AK be enough? And would it be worth it?
Detroit at 7 is probably the furthest Cousins would fall. They would take him in a heartbeat. Golden State needs to do some soul-searching.
As shocking as it might be, that's the way things are looking right now. Big mistake... RT @UtesFan89 So does Monroe go before Cousins then?
This is based on Wes Johnson going #4, Monroe #5 and Cousins #6 or 7. Of course, Cousins did impress in Sacramento, so he could still go #5. And there's an outside chance that Cousins goes #3, blowing all that up. How does this impact the Jazz? Well, not much really. The chance that either Monroe or Cousins is available at #9 is very, very low. If the Jazz want to trade up though, this could be important.
Financial logic would also dictate that the Knicks might have a shot at buying the No. 55 pick from the Utah Jazz, who must pay a luxury tax bill of nearly $2 million for the 2009-10 season.
Its an interesting consideration, and could depend on the Jazz foresee their offseason playing out. If they need players, they could use the 2nd rounder. If not, some extra cash can't hurt since they have to pay the luxury tax.
For now, it's looking like
- Wall
- Turner
- Favors
- Johnson
- Monroe
- Cousins
- Aminu
- ???
Who the Clippers are targeting... I have no idea. Hayward? George? Babbitt? Henry? Udoh? Chances are that even if Golden State throws in a curve-ball (Davis, Henry, Udoh, etc.), letting Monroe or Cousins fall to Detroit, Aminu would go to the Clippers and not be their for the Jazz.
Its starting to look like there's a top 5 (Wall, Turner, Cousins, Favors, Johnson), a next 3 (Monroe, Aminu, Henry) and then you go from there. The Jazz will therefore, barring someone falling, miss out on the top 8 guys. So that leaves them searching for #9... with quite a few different options. Or do they trade up (or down if no one falls)? The team doesn't exactly have a lot of assets, but if they really are desperate, they could dangle AK or Millsap or CJ and see what comes to them.
Who's #9?
Centers: Cole Aldrich, Hasan Whiteside
Power forwards: Ekpe Udoh, Ed Davis, Patrick Patterson
Small forwards: Luke Babbitt, Gordon Hayward, Paul George
Shooting guards: Xavier Henry, Avery Bradley
That leaves you with 10 options. Of these 10, the Jazz have worked out Aldrich, Whiteside, Udoh, Patterson, Babbitt, Hayward, Henry & Bradley. That leaves David & George as being the only guys that the Jazz haven't worked out. That might be useless information, but it could also be worth keeping an eye on.
I still have Xavier Henry atop my list should no one fall (I'd even put him over Aminu).
My (Currently up-to-date) Rankings for #9
- Xavier Henry
- Patrick Patterson
- Luke Babbitt
- Cole Aldrich
- Gordon Hayward
- Paul George
- Ekpe Udoh
- Ed Davis
- Avery Bradley (I'd have him higher, but he's just 6'3 and that will hurt him)
- Hassan Whiteside
All comments are the opinion of the commenter and not necessarily that of SLC Dunk or SB Nation.
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Every time I see a "trade AK" rumor/musing/what-if a part of me dies
It all kind of terrifies me—I see it pop up once and think … okay, just someone pulling stuff out of the ether - but when so many people bring it up, it seems more and more possible that the Jazz FO would do it-regardless of how much that would kill the team.
I got the crap beat out of me in Provo one time
Ignore the strike-throughs
I hate it when they pop up like that.
I got the crap beat out of me in Provo one time
My opinions
Gordon Hayward over Paul George and Ed Davis is a big stretch.
Avery Bradley doesnt impress me at all. He is all potential and did not produce very well in college.
Patrick Patterson is not who we need. He was not a true PF at UK. He drifted around shooting 3 pointers like Memo.
Cole Aldrich is a nice possibility but he only puts us in a bigger Center log jam.
Our solution at the Center position could be Kostas Koufos. He is in need of some true playing time to see what he has.
A guy like Xavier Henry could really make Deron Williams happy. A backcourt mate he could build a bond with.
My ideal offseason would have us getting Al Farouq Aminu or Greg Monroe in 1st and best player available in 2nd round. Signing a couple of veteran guys who know how to play the game. Tough guys.
"One of the teams asked me a running back question," McCluster said. "They said when you have the ball, do you focus on the guy who's in front of you or the next guy.
"I told them 99% of the time, I'm going to make that first guy miss. Then, I'm onto the next."
Don't count on Kosta Koufos. Worst chance of helping the Jazz at center out of Aldrich, Koufos and Fesenko.
The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.
Not counting on him
But he should be given a shot like Fes was given. Koufos has shown that he has some game.
"One of the teams asked me a running back question," McCluster said. "They said when you have the ball, do you focus on the guy who's in front of you or the next guy.
"I told them 99% of the time, I'm going to make that first guy miss. Then, I'm onto the next."
Game enough
to never be able to catch a pass…
For the Love of the Game
Stockton to Malone- The perfect combination!!
"I think he just said, 'Oh my Gosh,' or whatever they say in Provo."- ESPN talking about QB. Max Hall after BYU defeated third ranked Oklahoma (2009).
MonSTARZ forever!
What makes you think he wasn't given the same chance as Fesenko?
The Jazz would play whichever big guy was more ready. In fact, most Jazz fans thought that Koufos would get more minutes last season, but he didn’t capitalize on his opportunities. Fesenko did capitalize on more of them, which is weird when I write that.
As bad as Fesenko has looked at times, he looked a lot better than Koufos when they got time. Koufos is super slow and mechanical.
The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.
And that's saying something
because there were a couple of times where Fesenko was benched for Koufos (as much as you can bench a 12th man).
Koufos just never did anything.
RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09
SLC Dunk
I'm on Twitter
AK
doesn’t get traded for just a Draft pick. IF AK goes, it’s either for another player/s and other assets. Not just a draft pick.
IF we trade with the Kings I think it’s safe to say we are going to grab Monroe.
I hope we don’t sell our 55th pick. We are strapped for roster positions. It’ll be cheaper to just keep the draft pick and sign him than take Cash and try to grab a Vet. Or do you gamble and try to keep an Undrafted? I’d rather package the 55th pick and try to trade up
For the Love of the Game
Stockton to Malone- The perfect combination!!
"I think he just said, 'Oh my Gosh,' or whatever they say in Provo."- ESPN talking about QB. Max Hall after BYU defeated third ranked Oklahoma (2009).
MonSTARZ forever!
It'd be
AK + #9 for #5 (+ someone, I’m assuming).
I don’t know what else the Jazz can package to move up… we aren’t exactly overflowing in assets. Unless someone (like the Wolves, it seems) falls completely in love with Tomic… but I’d like to see what he can bring to the team first.
Re: Monroe. Maybe, but if Cousins falls, I think the Jazz should take him. (Even with the character issues… which probably signal the Jazz wouldn’t.)
RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09
SLC Dunk
I'm on Twitter
If we are trading with the Kings, they would just want us to take on Nocioni's contract. That is who they are trying to dump.
The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.
I can't stand Nocioni. I would have a hard time with that trade.
The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.
Trading up
I think our best trading partner would be minnesota, it’s hard to tell whether either team is interested in cousins, reports are that both teams are down on him, i find it interesting if the jazz could trade up, using millsap and nab cousins, keep boozer, that’s option 1. option 2, reports are orlando might be interested in boozer, and a possible trade for gortat and reddick, which seems like a good trade for both teams, and with another solid asset at the nine pick, ak’s expiring contract, i think the jazz are going to be sitting in the drivers seat if they want to make some deals, as long as orlando has interest in boozer, then things are going to heat up.
Timberwolves
Won’t want Millsap. They already have problems with Jefferson and Love fighting over playing time. They wouldn’t be interested in him.
I dunno if Orlando would be willing to part with JJ after waiting forever for him to come around and he finally did during these playoffs. However, a Gortat + JJ sign and trade for Boozer would be amazing.
For the Love of the Game
Stockton to Malone- The perfect combination!!
"I think he just said, 'Oh my Gosh,' or whatever they say in Provo."- ESPN talking about QB. Max Hall after BYU defeated third ranked Oklahoma (2009).
MonSTARZ forever!
I have said it before and many Jazz fans will still agree, but if you are trying to pair up Boozer and Cousins, you are in for a world of hurt.
Cousins isn’t a great defender. He has the tools to be a good defender, but one of his biggest knocks is that he is disinterested in playing defense. If you bring back Boozer with a multi year (anything more than one) contract and take on Cousins, the biggest risk in the draft, you have two huge risks as your starting frontcourt.
It won’t happen anyway, but that is the truth.
The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.
Well we have the problem right now
(minus the “tools to be a good defender”, but that hasn’t seemed to bug the Jazz brass the last couple of years)
RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09
SLC Dunk
I'm on Twitter
Just curious
where are those reports of Orlando being interested in Boozer? I have been in love with this idea since I discussed it with clarkpojo. Reddick would be an upgrade to korver and Gortat could bring some interior toughness (maybe even rub off a little on Koof and Fes). Perfect trade in my opinion.
From True Hoop
A number of NBA sources are telling me that the Denver Nuggets are in the hunt for a Top 10 pick. Nuggets GM Mark Warkentein has been calling around trying to gauge interest in teams selling the pick. According to sources Warkentein is offering Ty Lawson for the pick. A Nuggets source said the Nuggets are looking for big man to fill up their front line. Several bigs including Cole Aldrich, Ed Davis, Ekpe Udoh, Patrick Patterson, Daniel Orton and Hassan Whiteside could be there at 10.
Butler’s Gordon Hayward is getting serious looks from the Clippers, Jazz, Pacers and Bucks. But could he go even higher than No. 8? The Sacramento Kings (drafting at No. 5) have been pushing to get Hayward in and will have Hayward and Nevada’s Luke Babbitt in for a workout on June 23rd, the day before the draft. Could the Kings take Hayward ahed of the two guys we have highest on their board — DeMarcus Cousins and Greg Monore? Probably not. But the Kings have been talking to several teams about moving down in the draft. The Kings are looking for veterans and have been shopping Andres Nocioni and Francisco Garcia to see if they can get any takers. If they do move down a few notches, both players could be intriguing.
RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09
SLC Dunk
I'm on Twitter
I don't think Denver can get into the top 10, unless we want Lawson badly.
The top 4 teams won’t trade their pick for Lawson. The Kings don’t need Lawson.
Golden State could trade for him, but that would take away their leverage in any Monta Ellis shopping they want to do.
Detroit needs a big man as badly as the Nuggets do.
The Clippers…they could, and probably would be smart to trade their 8th pick for Lawson. That would put the Nuggets taking a big man and help Xavier Henry fall to us, which would be fantastic. At this point, drafting Henry would be fantastic.
The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.
Agreed
Their other option might be to sneak into the top-10 in a trade with the Pacers
RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09
SLC Dunk
I'm on Twitter
Great point. That would be smart for the Pacers to do. But who would be available at 10 to help the Nuggets right away? I don't think anyone.
The more you try to erase me, the more that I appear.
Why do the Jazz never get a decent Center?
Adjutant General, Matty Fan Club
64 "Phinsider Fued" Points..!!
"Official draft Koa Misi bus -- the A.J. Duhe of this decade!"
Mark Eaton?
For the Love of the Game
Stockton to Malone- The perfect combination!!
"I think he just said, 'Oh my Gosh,' or whatever they say in Provo."- ESPN talking about QB. Max Hall after BYU defeated third ranked Oklahoma (2009).
MonSTARZ forever!
Yeah and how many years ago was that?
He was big and defensive. Made players change their shot, but where are the Mark Eatons today? LOL
Adjutant General, Matty Fan Club
64 "Phinsider Fued" Points..!!
"Official draft Koa Misi bus -- the A.J. Duhe of this decade!"
From Ukraine!
FES!
For the Love of the Game
Stockton to Malone- The perfect combination!!
"I think he just said, 'Oh my Gosh,' or whatever they say in Provo."- ESPN talking about QB. Max Hall after BYU defeated third ranked Oklahoma (2009).
MonSTARZ forever!
lol... some even attend American Colleges... lol
But there’s a lot of truth in what you said….
Adjutant General, Matty Fan Club
64 "Phinsider Fued" Points..!!
"Official draft Koa Misi bus -- the A.J. Duhe of this decade!"
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