Quote:
The wild cards in the top half of the draft are international forward Andrea Bargnani and Duke forward Shelden Williams. Sources said that Williams has pulled out of scheduled workouts with teams in the second half of the top 10 - including Minnesota, which picks sixth - indicating that a team in the top five has made a commitment to Williams that it will take him.
Bargnani has been rumored to be Toronto's choice with the top pick, but many teams think that's a smoke screen. They believe that the Raptors don't want to take Bargnani with the first selection. The Raptors would have to convince skeptics who wonder whether Bargnani is ready to play right now - a group that includes Toronto's own all-star forward, Chris Bosh.
|
Philly Inquirer, David Aldridge.
Theory:
BC knows he IS going to trade down to the 3-5 slot. Bargnani is a smokescreen based on all the BS from scouting trips to the ast. GM link. BC knows Shelden Williams is his guy, so through Papa and coach K lets Shelden know he should not workout with anyone wasting his time beyond 5. This keeps other teams from realising he is worth a top pick and trading up to get him. At 5 he is still a "reach" this way. At the time Marion was a "reach" for BC.
Ah, I like my Conspiracy theories.