Lots of rumors that they will move up. Wonder what is smoke and mirrors and what is not.

Them and the Pistons are supposedly in a bidding war to move up and grab Demarcus Cousins.

I heard they are going to trade up to draft Donald Sloan.

Aggie B-ball board around NBA Draft:

I think <best Aggie player in draft> would be a great fit for <poster's favorite team>. He'd give <poster's favorite team> depth at <player's position> and he adds <Aggie player's best skill> to the team which is what the <poster's favorite team> really really needs to get to <next major milestone for poster's favorite team>.

^

They are trading the pick along with Scola for Bosh.

trading andersen, jeffries, 2012 new york pick, and 14th pick for brand and phillys number 2 overall

Why? So they can get Evan Turner?

not sure but that lineup would be pretty good


yao hayes hill
scola brand hill
ariza battier budinger
martin turner taylor
brooks lowry

I'll take Bosh in a heartbeat, but I think for that to happen, Aaron + Scola would def be in some sort of sign and trade.

I'd miss Scola so much.

The ESPN draft special just showed how they could trade for Lebron.

Give up:
Jeffries
Battier
Brooks
Multiple 1st round choices

Receive:
Lebron

i would do that in a heart beat if i were morey and the cavs actually offered that.

lowry
martin
lebron
scola
yao

these guys would draw the most fouls in the league as a team

Really?

If they trade up, it's certainly for Cousins or Favors. No one else makes any sense.

Our number one need is athleticism on the front line. Both of those guys provide it in spades and both would see a huge beneefit from learning from the likes of Yao and Scola who are consummate professionals.

I would think, in that type of deal, Jordan Hill and/or Buddinger would be part of the package with the 14th. I really don't see the Rockets getting rid of Buddinger, but do think that Hill is expendable for a guy like Cousins or Favors

However, I think that the trade that makes the most sense for both teams if Cousins is there at #4 is the #14 and Buddinger for Cousins at #4. The TWolves need a swing man badly. This draft is light on talent at that position, but Buddinger is highly thought of and sought after. I don't know if I like the trade but I think it is the most plausible possibility for them to move up that I see.

Cousins really makes the most sense. He provides security against Yao not returning to his former glory and eventually could be teamed with Yao as a devastating front line that could very well push the team over the top. He's got alot of baggage, but on a team like ours with guys like Yao, Scola, Battier, etc., I think we could easily handle him.

If they stay at #14 I think it's Patterson, Udoh, Henry or worst case scenario Aldrich

No way the Wolves would make that deal.

First of all, they are supposedly hell bent on trading Jefferson to make room for Cousins. Also, they could get a much better package than that for the #4 pick.

[This message has been edited by ATM9000 (edited 6/24/2010 8:44a).]

1) I'm sure that it would take more than the #14 and Buddinger to move up. I'm just saying those would be the integral pieces to the deal. I'm not sure what else it would take but to trade with the wolves I think you would certainly have to deal Buddinger since they badly want a swingman.
2) I think the reason they are actively shopping Jefferson right now is because they feel, like many others that at #4 you have to take either Cousins or Favors(I actually think they'll take Favors if they stick at #4) and that makes Jefferson expendable. They badly need a wing. If they can get a developing wing (like Buddinger) and a later lottery pick along with another piece (like a first rounder next year) then that changes completely what you're doing with your team.
3) I think you're totally discounting the value of Buddinger as well. You put him in the draft this year and he easily goes in the top 7-8 players. That's not me being a homer.
You're talking about a guy with prototypical size and athleticism to be a superb swingman who has proven he can already be part of an NBA rotations. He averaged 17 pts and 6 rebounds as a starter last year (Granted, small sample size). And he was an invaluable bench player. If it takes a whole hell of alot more that the #14 and Buddinger then it isn't worth it. I'd much rather trade Ariza or Battier than Buddinger but that ain't gonna happen.

quote:

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I'm sure that it would take more than the #14 and Buddinger to move up. I'm just saying those would be the integral pieces to the deal. I'm not sure what else it would take but to trade with the wolves I think you would certainly have to deal Buddinger since they badly want a swingman.

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future picks and/or maybe even a Scola/Landry type. I'm saying that based on the fact that Detroit is pretty ready to offer #7 AND Prince for the pick supposedly.

quote:

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I think the reason they are actively shopping Jefferson right now is because they feel, like many others that at #4 you have to take either Cousins or Favors(I actually think they'll take Favors if they stick at #4) and that makes Jefferson expendable. They badly need a wing. If they can get a developing wing (like Buddinger) and a later lottery pick along with another piece (like a first rounder next year) then that changes completely what you're doing with your team.

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The Wolves need athletes up front as much as the Rockets do. Jefferson and Love are both very good players, but pretty flat as far as getting off the floor is concerned. They like Love more because of his contract and his skillset is tough to find. That's why Jefferson's the odd man out.

quote:

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I think you're totally discounting the value of Buddinger as well. You put him in the draft this year and he easily goes in the top 7-8 players. That's not me being a homer

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I like Buddinger's game quite a bit... but yes... that really is you being a homer.

Buddinger was good last season, but we're talking about a top 5 pick here. Teams in the top 5 need superstar help to get better... it is just the way it is. They aren't going to give up that potential for a package whose top features are a rotational player and the chance to draft what will probably be another rotational player, but no stars.


[This message has been edited by ATM9000 (edited 6/24/2010 9:45a).]

Let me preface this by saying I don't think the Rockets will trade up because I think Morey will decide it's going to cost him too many assets

but:

quote:

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future picks and/or maybe even a Scola/Landry type. I'm saying that based on the fact that Detroit is pretty ready to offer #7 AND Prince for the pick supposedly.

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You really think a 30 year old making 10 million is anywhere close to as enticing as Buddinger for a team like the TWolves??!?!? If they are dumb enough to take that deal then good luck to them. If you aren't going to compete for the next two years taking on Prince makes 0 sense whatsoever. Obviously the #7 pick is more attractive than the #14 but I have a hard time thinking the #7 and Prince is anywhere near as good an offer as #14, Buddinger, and a 1st next year. Besides that, if you extrapolate Buddinger's numbers, or just use the numbers from his starts then Buddinger and Prince are nearly equal players and Buddinger was a rookie with a very appealing contract while Prince is in his Prime making big money. I just don't see how that deal in any way fits the Wolves plans unless they have a third team ready to flip Prince to. Then it makes more sense.

quote:

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Buddinger was good last season, but we're talking about a top 5 pick here. Teams in the top 5 need superstar help to get better... it is just the way it is. They aren't going to give up that potential for a package whose top features are a rotational player and the chance to draft what will probably be another rotational player, but no stars.

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I agree they have to get a superstar, but I'm not sure that Minnesota is convinced Cousins is a superstar. In that case you deal back and get some pieces.
Also I guess we view Buddinger way differently. I don't think Chase is done growing as a player. He proved last year as a rookie that he's capable of being a rotation player and IMO capable of being a starter on most any team. However, I think he'll grow much more, into a possible All Star level player over the next 2 years. By the way Morey's phone rang all year up until the All Star break asking if he was available I would think that I'm not the only one with that view.

I still stand by the statement he would be a top 7-8 pick in this years draft behind Wall, Cousins, Turner, Favors, and maybe Johnson.

I hope the Rockets can trade up. The only player on this entire team that I would not to trade is Budinger. Everyone else is expendable to me (maybe not Yao either assuming he gets entirely health)

Gradin

I feel a bit like you. I hope they trade up for Cousins, and I would be okay with losing anyone outside of Buddinger and Brooks. But I think if we do trade up for Cousins, Buddinger is going to be part of that package. I don't know how I feel about that.

I'm completely okay with sitting back or even trading back a few spots and seeing who drops to you.

Okay, just realized that Prince is an expiring contract, so I guess it is a little more appealing. However I think the idea of trading back two spots with the only thing they would be getting back is an expiring contract is a bit of a tough sell to fans. Although I'm not sure there are any T Wolves fans left, so maybe that's not an issue

Multiple mock drafts have us drafting Cole Aldrich. Boy I hope they are wrong.

Multiple mock drafts have us drafting Cole Aldrich. Boy I hope they are wrong.
***************

good grief that would be awful....... is rudy back with the rockets picking crappy slow white guys?

Don't worry Mazag

Morey has flat out stated we won't be drafting based on need.

If we aren't drafting based on need I don't see any way we end up with Aldrich, we'll probably end up with a swingman since there's a bunch of decent swingmen in that range of the draft available.

whew

I highly doubt we take Aldrich. He has bust written all over him.

I would be okay with trading Buddinger but he is the player I would least prefer nto touch. No one is an untouchable in my opinion, but I would prefer to not lose Buddinger.

[This message has been edited by Gradin (edited 6/24/2010 1:01p).]

quote:

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I highly doubt we take Aldrich. He has bust written all over him.

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If he were a black guy, I guarantee that you wouldn't have just written that.

quote:

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I would be okay with trading Buddinger but he is the player I would least prefer to touch. No is an untouchable in my opinion, but I would prefer to not lose Buddinger.

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I'm in total agreement on that. The Rockets have a lot of very good players that are a lot of fun to watch and play a brand of ball that's great to watch. That said, they need an upgrade in talent in their starting 5 to compete. I think that they actually have a great 2nd unit, but the problem is that the difference between the second unit and the first unit isn't much. What I hope Morey is doing is exploring options to upgrade any and every position outside of center in the first unit and then obtaining a backup center.

Morey's done an outstanding job of grabbing up assets and tradeable pieces, but the real test is what you do with those things. If the Rockets are able to get even the potential of a really elite player (like Cousins), I'm actually ok with them overpaying a little bit for that. Do something to utilize your assets and natural depth of them to make the playing rotation better.

You cannot deny that Cole's game regressed each season at KU.

Yr. 1 Aldrich barely played... and I'd disagree on any sort of really apparent regression between yr. 3 and yr. 4 at KU.

The problem with Aldrich is that his ceiling is way too low for the Rockets right now to consider him. As a Rockets fan I'd much rather them roll the dice with a guy like Hassan Whiteside than take a guy like Aldrich. We have enough rotation players, we need stars. Swing for the fences with this pick. Heck, I can live with David Anderson and Chuck Hayes at backup center if we have to. If Aldrich was a little taller maybe you roll the dice with him, but he's 6'11" and possibly shorter from various reports.

And you can play the race card if you want but White-American Centers have been pretty much nothing but huge busts in the last 15 years of the draft.

Well, I guarantee there is a regression from year 3 to year 4 at KU.

I should clarify too.

I think Cole is at best a good backup center, but I doubt he will be a great center.

[This message has been edited by Gradin (edited 6/24/2010 1:37p).]

he's 6'11" and possibly shorter from various reports.
******************

what is 6'9" and sucks?

aldritch

Draft related: OKC just picked up another first round draft pick and Daequan Cook.

The Miami Heat have traded the 18th pick and guard Daequan Cook to Oklahoma City for the No. 32 pick in the second round. Thunder now have 3 first round picks.

Chicago also is trading their 17th pick and Heinrick to Washington

I overall like the Patrick Patterson pick.

I am a bit surprised that they did not do any trades or get rights (at least that they were successful in doing). Perhaps behind the scenes they tried to move high up, but no go.