Mr. Chuck Taylor

Interesting that the Hawks may have promised to take Williams at #5. Doesn't affect Portland much, except there is one less top draft pick available for trade. Also, Ford has us taking Morrison in the preview of his 3rd mock draft. From ESPN Insider:



In our latest mock draft, we first reported that the rumor swirling around the Orlando predraft camp was that the Atlanta Hawks had made a promise to Duke's Shelden Williams to draft him.


We said, "The buzz around Orlando on Friday was that the Hawks had cut a deal with Shelden Williams. However, that makes almost no sense. Why cut a deal with a guy this early in the draft, especially one who has a 99.9 percent probability of being there at No. 5?"


Here in Treviso, we've now had two sources, one close to Williams and one close to the Hawks, confirm that Hawks GM Billy Knight indeed asked Williams to shut down his workouts in return for the Hawks' selection.


Williams, in recent days, has canceled workouts with the Timberwolves and Magic and has no more scheduled workouts before the draft. To date, Williams has worked out for six teams: the Warriors, Jazz, Hornets, Celtics, Sonics and Rockets.


While Williams clearly would give Atlanta something it doesn't have, a big, physical rebounder and shot-blocker to play in the paint, at No. 5 the Hawks would be taking Williams several spots higher than where he was projected to go.


But that shouldn't be an issue, according to one NBA executive here in Treviso.


"If you like a player, it doesn't matter where you draft him," the executive said. "Who cares about where he's projected? Williams could have gone to a team like the Rockets (No. 8) or the Sonics (No. 10) anyway. That's not that far off."


The info that the Hawks are apparently taking Williams at No. 5 creates two interesting subplots.


One, it means that it's likely the Hawks aren't trading their pick this year. There had been some rumblings that the Hawks were willing to trade the pick in return for a veteran. Still, it's conceivable the Hawks would trade down a few spots in the draft and try to nab Williams there.


Two, it means that if the Hawks stay at No. 5, two of the top six players in the draft -- Tyrus Thomas, Andrea Bargnani, LaMarcus Aldridge, Adam Morrison, Brandon Roy and Rudy Gay -- are slipping out of the top five.


Kevin McHale of Minnesota (No. 6) and Danny Ainge of Boston (No. 7) must be licking their chops.


Mock Draft Version 3.0 is coming next Monday after the deadline has passed for underclassmen to withdraw from the draft.


But here's a sneak preview:


1. Raptors: Andrea Bargnani
2. Bulls: Tyrus Thomas
3. Bobcats: Rudy Gay
4. Blazers: Adam Morrison
5. Hawks: Shelden Williams
6. Wolves: LaMarcus Aldridge
7. Celtics: Brandon Roy
8. Rockets: We've had J.J. Redick here for weeks, but with his recent arrest for DUI and the back pain he's been having, he could be in for a fall. We'll do more research this week and try to sort out fact from fiction on Redick.

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Ready, set....G.O.!

blue32

Would love to have ammo here.......it'd be a great boost to Portland to have a guy like him playing for us.

Mr. Chuck Taylor

If the Hawks really did promise Williams I would get on the phone with Danny Ainge and see what he wants for the #7 pick.

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Ready, set....G.O.!

Trader Ed

Like I said before.... you get on the direct line with Atlanta (from previous trades... a Bat phone) and you make adeal for the #5

as this draft is protjected by Ford...

You try and get Ammo and Aldridge.. you have the ability to do it as well.... the pieces are there to make a deal. You just need to sell Atlanta on it.

Sheldon Williams can be had at a later pick

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"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts..."

Heart, desire and hustle! Its the fire within that makes a champion.

Reep

What are you going to give up for the #5 though? Atlanta has to get real value to move down, and whoever's pick you get for Atlanta has to get direct value for their pick.

Something like Zach to [Houston, Boston, Golden State, all over the cap]; #7-9 to Atlanta + [#30 or Blake]; #5 + salary exchange for Zach [LaFrenz, Murphy, ] to Portland. Maybe Boston would take Theo, Outlaw + #31 instead of Zach if you took Raef's salary from them? I'm not sure getting the #5 this way is possible.

Kmurph

Make a deal with Minnesota

They need to be more competitive now...not 2-3 years from now.

It would have to happen after July 1st but Zach, Blake, and the #30 for Jaric and Hassell and the #6 (Aldridge)

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Quit the Webster hate

Ed O

I don't agree with Atlanta's approach (or whomever said it to Ford) that it's best to just take the guy you like, regardless of where he would otherwise go. If Atlanta could acquire anything of value, such as a second rounder or cash, and still get their guy they're coming out ahead.

Portland didn't take Webster last year at #3, in spite of it being apparent he was the guy they really wanted. Passing on Paul was not a good move, but at least they got Webster and additional value, which takes the sting off of it a bit.

With this said, there ARE transaction costs every time you trade. There's risk that you're not going to get the guy you want, and that needs to be accounted for... and value ABOVE that risk premium needs to be received in order for it to make sense.

In order for Portland to get the #5 pick while keeping the #4, AND for Atlanta to get Williams, Portland would need to (a) acquire another lottery pick, and (b) ship that to Atlanta. That's obvious, I know, but the double nature of the transaction means that a risk premium as well as the additional value would have to be paid by Portland twice. And at that point, it probably just gets too expensive to make it worth Portland's while.

Ed O.

Trader Ed

A deal with Minnesota probably would work as well. But wow, we would have guard overload then as well under your deal.

If Aldridge can drop to Minny.. I think they take him. But if they want to win now with KG getting older... getting the #6 may be possible and still get Aldridge.

__________________
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts..."

Heart, desire and hustle! Its the fire within that makes a champion.

Trader Ed

I still think a draft day announced trade of Randolph to Atlanta makes sense... but consumated in July after the moritorium and team salary totals are less for Atlanta and Zach is off his BYC status.

Atlanta needs a PF... just as much as a center.

I do not know if Zach is our future... but getting Aldridge at the price of Zach, and letting go of his bloated contract appeals to me. It puts us a step back in vet experience and scoring. But may be worth it in the long run. It frees up lots of money that Atlanta will be able to absorb

A Morrison and Aldridge draft would be nice for us

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"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts..."

Heart, desire and hustle! Its the fire within that makes a champion.

hoojacks

That's a tremendous under-statement.

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mediocre man

LOL so true.

Actually any two of the top 6 players in this draft would be huge for Portland because it would mean that we got rid of Zach

Gay/Roy would be a great draft as well. I would think Rudy Gay could be the next Shawn marion type with his skill level and athleticism.

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Former Blazer Alaa Abdelnaby on being a student athlete at Duke. "The only way I could get 5 A's at Duke was to spell my name"


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Trader Ed

While those 2 would be good... we need BIG MEN and rebounding even more.. I say draft >= the 3 spot

If Joel goes.. an already slim BIG MEN crew gets even worse

We are pathetic at rebounding and scoring. So addressing those issues with big men help a lot.

__________________
"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts..."

Heart, desire and hustle! Its the fire within that makes a champion.

mediocre man

We are pathetic at many things. gay at 6'9" in shoes could play PF in an up tempo style like Phoenix plays. In my scenereo the team would look something like

Telfair
Roy
Webster
Gay
???

That would be a fun team to watch

__________________
"SHOW ME THE BUFFET!!!"


Former Blazer Alaa Abdelnaby on being a student athlete at Duke. "The only way I could get 5 A's at Duke was to spell my name"


I'm Mediocre Man, and I approve this message.