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**MJG** · 03-04-2004, 08:56 AM

Now that I really think about it, we may not have much of a shot at that number one pick that so many people are so high on come this June. We have 23 games left, and we're already at 20 wins. Just staying pace at our current winning percentage, we'll finish up the season at 28-54, which would probably be ahead of the Bulls and Magic and Hawks. Considering the Suns in last place out west and the Bobcats getting the 4th pick automatically, and we could be looking at getting 5-6th pick in the draft, or even lower if a team moves up! Certainly a far cry from the Okafor talk a lot of people have been having lately.

The point is, don't get too high on grabbing Okafor (or whoever you may want with a top pick) -- unless we have a major collapse and the teams mentioned above have a major surge, we probably won't be sitting pretty on top of this year's draft.

If we did grab a mid level pick, somewhere around 5 or 6, who would we take? I know next to nothing about 95% of the players who'll be in this upcoming draft, so I have no clue. All I know is it'll be a tough sell grabbing a HS kid; maybe this would be the year we go foreign (sorry Navarro, but you don't count until you're on the team)?

**BCH** · 03-04-2004, 09:13 AM

We are definitely not getting the number 1 pick. We are playing our way to our customary 7-11 spot.

MikeDC · 03-04-2004, 09:47 AM

We looked good last night, but we have to keep in mind that the Raptors have been slumping badly. We'd really have to win a lot to change our fate significantly. We're at 20 wins, Orlando at 17, the Bulls at 18, and the Hawks also at 20. Besides Phoenix at 21, the next closest team is at 24 wins, so we'd have to make up 4 games to fall out of the top 6 (at least in terms of lottery balls). With only about 20 games left, that's not out of the realm of possibility, but it is a bit unlikely. To me, that says we're pretty likely going to stay at around the top of the lottery. We might end up with a few more or less balls, but the probabilities don't change that dramatically any way you cut it. So I say, be men and play hard and with some pride.

1 Orlando (17)
2 Chicago (18)
3 Washington (20)
4 Charlotte
5 Atlanta (20)
6 Phoenix (21)

Regarding the draft, so much depends on where the ping pog balls fall. I actually like the high school players in this draft, Howard and Smith. I don't know enough about Livingston.

Okafor is an obvious keeper and so is Luol Deng, even though we already have a million swing players.

Aside from those guys, I'm not too sure. I don't like Pavel the Pod Person at all.

Dualie · 03-04-2004, 09:49 AM

If we get any pick in the top 6 we should trade. This draft is looking weaker than the 2001 draft. I don't even like Okafor. How that Uconn team doesnt win every game with the talent they have is mind boggling. Package the pick with Etan and try to get Erick Dampier or someone like him. And I'll see you in the playoffs.

MikeDC · 03-04-2004, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by <b>Dualie</b>!
If we get any pick in the top 6 we should trade. This draft is looking weaker than the 2001 draft. I don't even like Okafor. How that Uconn team doesnt win every game with the talent they have is mind boggling. Package the pick with Etan and try to get Erick Dampier or someone like him. And I'll see you in the playoffs.

Trade for who?

We can't trade (or trade for) guys that are free agents, so guys like Etan and Dampier are out. And even with trading a pick, you still have to make the deal work under the salary cap.

Dualie · 03-04-2004, 03:52 PM

We could swing a sign and trade. Anything to dump Etan.

**MJG** · 03-04-2004, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by <b>Dualie</b>!
We could swing a sign and trade. Anything to dump Etan.

Etan is a restricted free agent, he won't be with the team next year if they don't want him -- no trade needed (or even possible, for that matter).

JarvisHayes24 · 03-04-2004, 04:02 PM

What about Iguodola? Stackhouse sucks, I hate him.... Iggy next to Jarvis on the wing. Sounds good to me

**Mr. Predictable** · 03-04-2004, 04:24 PM

Washington has too many guards... I think they could go with Rafael Arajuo. Great on the boards, and can score as well. Won't be a franchise player, but could push them into the playoffs.

MikeDC · 03-04-2004, 04:43 PM

Iguodala could be a very good fit. He's not a PG but he's a very good ball-handler, and that might be a nice thing to have with Arenas, who let's face it, isn't exactly your prototypical PG.

If we follow my suggestion in the other thread and leave Stackhouse unproptected, maybe we open up some nice salary cap room and, at the same time, a spot for a player like Deng, Iggy, or Josh Smith.

**BCH** · 03-04-2004, 08:38 PM

I don't care who we get. I want a 6'8"+ SF who can ball.

I don't want a slightly undersized Jarvis Hayes there full time, or the can't shoot to save his life Jeffries. Hayes can come off the bench at the 2/3 and Jeffries can play bench.

This would mean exposing Juan Dixon, Christian Laettner, and Jerry Stackhouse in the expansion draft. If Stackhouse or Laettner go, we get cap room. If Dixon goes, we loosen up the guard heavy rotation.

The 8 we protect:

Gilbert Arenas
Larry Hughes
Kwame Brown
Brendan Haywood
Jarvis Hayes
Steve Blake
Jared Jeffries
Etan Thomas

After the expansion draft we will have at least 2 of the 3 guys we left unprotected, most likely Stackhouse and Laettner. That would mean Blake, Hayes, and SF-to-be-drafted as the backups. If Dixon comes back, he can backup Jeffries. Backup PF would be Laettner (and Jeffries in an emergency) and backup center would be Etan.

I can live with that for now.

I was thinking that even going after a guy like Darius Miles in FA wouldn't be that bad.

twinz2gether · 03-05-2004, 08:06 PM

How bout we trade for a good veteran with the 5th pick, we have enough young guys.

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