I haven't been keeping up with the NBA Draft as much as last year, because they got rid of the Orlando Pre-Draft tournament and most of the news has been related to workouts and physicals, but I put together some news related to the draft on a player and team basis in this post.Boston Celtics: Of all the teams that have been active in trade discussions the past few weeks, the appearance of the Celtics has been the most surprising and the most interesting. While the Celtics have shot down a rumor that they were talking to the Suns about an Amare Stoudemire for Rajon Rondo swap … we keep hearing their name more and more in conjunction with a top-to-mid first-round draft pick -- a sign that Danny Ainge must see someone he likes up high. While various sources have different players pegged, there seems to be some consensus that one player in particular -- Memphis' Tyreke Evans -- is an Ainge favorite. If the Celtics are going to get Evans, they'll have to get somewhere in the top 10, most likely the top five. The Grizzlies, Thunder and Wizards all have picks in the top five and have been open to swapping their picks. While it's doubtful that Rondo is their bait, Ray Allen and his expiring contract could be. (ESPN)
Antone Says: No way the Celtics trade Rajon Rondo, but Ray Allen? Maybe, but I can't see them winning next season with Tyreke Evans instead of Ray Allen and I think that alone is why you don't make that trade.
Blake Griffin: The Clippers brought in Blake Griffin for a public workout and continue to be on the path to select him with the No. 1 pick. Sources around the league say that trade talks with the Clippers are virtually nonexistent when it comes to Griffin. In other words, Griffin will be a Clipper. Meanwhile, the Clippers are focusing on finding a new home for Chris Kaman or Zach Randolph. (ESPN)
Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies continue to be a bit of an enigma right now. They are talking to a number of teams about a potential trade, and teams including the Kings, Wizards, Knicks, Rockets and Celtics have shown interest. The Grizzlies continue to publicly pursue Ricky Rubio, as well, although a well-placed source in the point guard's camp said it's likely (though not definite) that Rubio will skip Memphis when he goes on a three-city U.S. tour next week. There also have been rumblings that Tyreke Evans is in the mix in Memphis. But when the dust clears, it looks as though the most likely scenario has Thabeet in Memphis on draft night if the Grizzlies keep the pick. (ESPN)
Antone Says: I'm convinced Ricky Rubio will be a bust or at least not worthy of being a top 5 pick in the draft. If I was the Grizzlies, I would be taking Thabeet, because I feel like Mike Conley played well for them at PG to end the season, so they don't really need Rubio. They are already a decent scoring team and the addition of Thabeet would help them on the defensive end.
Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder have been their typical quiet selves. GM Sam Presti has told a number of agents that he is interested in their players, but it has been difficult to ascertain the direction toward which the team is leaning. We continue to hear that the Thunder have expressed interest in Rubio, Thabeet, James Harden, Jordan Hill and Stephen Curry. Rubio likely will make a visit to OKC sometime before the draft, but major questions exist about how he would fit there. The team sees Russell Westbrook as its point guard of the future and isn't sure how he would fare without the ball in his hands. Maybe more importantly, Presti is an opportunist. If he can get a couple of good assets in return for the No. 3 pick, he won't be afraid to pull the trigger. But if he doesn't, and if Rubio is off the board, the team will have to make a tough decision. Thabeet would give the Thunder the shot-blocking they desperately need. Harden would give them the savvy of a veteran. Curry would give them shooting. Hill would give them rebounding and energy. Oklahoma City could use all those things, but our guess is that it will settle on Harden. (ESPN)
Antone Says: I'm not convinced Westbrook is a PG, but I don't like Rubio in this spot either. If Memphis passes on Thabeet and OKC isn't in love with any one player, then I think the Thunder should trade down and try to pick up a veteran plus a lower lottey pick then they could choose from someone like Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn, Brandon Jennings, etc.
Brandon Jennings: "I see a lot more of Iverson to Jennings' game than I do CP3's," one veteran American scout who has watched Jennings play in both America and Italy said. "Iverson can dish out assists too, but he controls the tempo of a game with his own game, not by making others better. I see a lot of that in Jennings. He makes the pass if he can make a spectacular one. If he can't, he shoots the shot. Either way his mentality is what makes him look the best, not necessarily the team." I've seen some of what those experts describe in the 10 or so games I've watched of Jennings this season via video. More scouts say they see more evidence of the flashy, selfish Jennings in the practices than in the games. However, I've also seen Jennings make the right decisions for his team when it matters. He may have more work to do in that area, but so do Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose. "He's a smart kid," said one NBA coach who saw him later in the season. "You look at him in high school and now and it's clear to me he's started to pick up the rhythm of the European game. He's never going to be a European-type of player. But neither is Dwyane Wade or Kobe Bryant. No matter how many Europeans you talk to, he's never going to measure up that way. But he's trying and is showing he can be effective in the half-court game. Watch a practice and you see what he can do when that game starts going up and down. I think it's really important that a player learns to play both ways. Jennings has learned that this year." Several veteran NBA scouts, who have been scouting both college ball and the international game for years, rolled their eyes at the criticism Jennings was getting. One scout, who claimed to have watched Jennings in person during "at least a dozen games" and "tons of practices" (the most of any person I spoke with), was particularly adamant. He felt strongly that Jennings was one of the two or three best prospects in the draft. "I ask two questions about every prospect. First, do they have the talent to play in the NBA? Second, have they gotten better? I think Jennings gets two huge check marks on both accounts. "First, Jennings is a crazy athlete. He's as quick as anyone in the draft. No one is going to be able to stay in front of him. He explodes around the basket and he's a clever passer when he wants to be. We saw all of that in high school and if you watched him enough in Europe, you saw it there too. Yeah, he needs to get stronger and work on some stuff. But the raw talent is totally there." (ESPN)
Antone Says: Teams will regret passing on Brandon Jennings if he gets past the 5th pick in the draft. He's catching way too much flack for his play over in Europe.
Sacramento Kings: If they don't trade up and if Rubio doesn't fall to them, they will be in a tough position. The team needs a point guard, preferably a big one, and two players stand out. Jrue Holiday's combination of size and defensive ability is intriguing. However, his lack of production at UCLA is a big concern. Evans was much more productive at Memphis and has terrific upside as a scoring point. The other possibilities here include Brandon Jennings, Jonny Flynn and Curry. (ESPN)
DeJuan Blair: Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair wowed a lot of people with his improved physique on the first day of camp. But one GM scolded Blair in the interviews for the way he was jogging up and down the floor the first day. "It does you no good to lose all that weight and still play like you're fat," the GM told Blair. Blair took the constructive criticism to heart and raced like a guard through the second day of workouts. (ESPN)
Austin Daye: Gonzaga's Austin Daye continued to generate buzz -- both good and bad -- on the last day of the combine. He measured taller and longer than virtually any small forward prospect in the history of the draft. However, he also measured as the skinniest. Kevin Durant clocked in at 215 pounds at the combine two years ago. Daye? 191 pounds. Daye's going to be one of the more difficult players to project. He has the skill set and height of a lottery pick, but his lack of strength and questionable motor are being heavily taken into account.A number of teams in the late lottery to mid-first round -- including the Bobcats, Pacers, Suns and Pistons -- are all giving him a hard look right now. (ESPN)
Earl Clark: Daye's main competition might be Louisville's Earl Clark, who was also very impressive in drills. He measured out at a legit 6-foot-10 in shoes, has a huge 7-foot-2½ wingspan and weighs nearly 40 pounds more than Daye. He definitely has the size to play the 4 in the NBA, and that could go a long way toward securing him a pick in the lottery. While Clark isn't the shooter that Daye is, he is a better rebounder and athlete, and he's getting a pretty strong endorsement from his head coach Rick Pitino, who has told a number of GMs that Clark is a good kid and has limitless potential. He's just a follower. If he's in the right situation with good influences around him, he could be a player in the mold of Lamar Odom. But if he's in the wrong situation with a bad mentor, it could spell disaster. The Nets are giving Clark a long look at No. 11. The Bobcats and Suns are, too. I doubt he slips past the Pistons at No. 15. (ESPN)
Antone Says: Earl Clark = a more physical Rudy Gay without a jump shot.
Tyler Hansbrough: Another player who really seems to have helped himself at the combine was UNC's Tyler Hansbrough. He has been knocked for being too short to play in the NBA, but he measured over 6-8 in socks, had a solid 6-foot-11 wingspan and a standing reach that was an inch taller than Blake Griffin's. While Hansbrough isn't the explosive athlete that Griffin is, he isn't terrible, either. I hear the Bulls are looking at him as high as No. 16. (ESPN)
Antone Says: 16th seems a little high to be going after Hansbrough, but he could surprise and end up like a David Lee type. I'm not convinced though because he struggled against NBA-type big men in college.
B.J. Mullens: Ohio State's B.J. Mullens continued to impress in drills, with a number of GMs comparing him to last year's second-round slider DeAndre Jordan. Jordan, like Mullens, began the year as a projected top 10 pick, but his lack of playing time combined with criticism from his head coach caused his draft stock to plummet all the way into the second round on draft night. Still, Jordan had a very solid rookie season with the Clippers, who believe he could be a Tyson Chandler-esque player in the league. Mullens' so-so play, along with some questions about his background and character, seem to be having the same effect on his draft stock. But a number of teams are now double-checking to make sure they don't let someone with his talent slip through their fingers. In a draft devoid of bigs, it's hard to imagine that Mullens, who stands 7-1 and is a very good athlete, slips as hard as Jordan did. However, his stock is very much up in the air. "You watch him in the combine and it's pretty easy to fall in love," one GM said. "There are a lot of raw tools there to work with. But in the interview you get the sense that it's going to be a project. I think he's a good kid, but he's got issues to work through." Mullens got pretty mixed reviews from his interview process, with one GM saying "He's better than you think," and another one saying "This kid doesn't get it, and I don't think he's going to get it." (ESPN)
Antone Says: I've watched B.J. Mullins play a few times and he seems like a stiff to me. I wouldn't be using my pick on him unless I was picking in the 20's and was a perennial playoff team. At least then he can bes stashed on the bench as a project and backup big man.
Jeff Pendergraph: Speaking of bigs, Arizona State's Jeff Pendergraph received quite a bit of love from GMs. He measured out at a solid 6-10 and 240 pounds and showed a solid offensive game in the drills. A number of teams I spoke with said they thought he was a lock for the first round. He hasn't been in our first two mock drafts, but that might change Tuesday. (ESPN)
Terrence Williams: Speaking of guys all over the map, Louisville's Williams continues to be the toughest guy in the draft to peg. The Warriors are giving him a serious look at No. 7. The Nets also have interest at No. 11 and the list goes on from there. I doubt he slips past Dallas at No. 22, but that's a huge range from 7 to 22, the biggest I've seen this close to the draft in a while. (ESPN)
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