Joe Soriano
O.J. Lewis6/22 NBA: Paul and Draft
June 22nd 2010 16:38
The following paragraph will contain some quick tidbits of basketball news. The New Orleans Hornets have rejected every single offer for superstar point guard Chris Paul. CP3 is currently injured, but has garnered a ton of offers. That is pretty obvious, considering that I ranked him as the best point guard in the league.
Linas Kleiza was given a qualifying offer by the Denver Nuggets. The forward spent last season with Olympiakos in Greece while averaging 17.1 points per game. The problem for the Nuggets; Kleiza wants to stick around in Greece. He's making good money.
Speaking of basketball players in Europe, do you remember Drew Neitzel? Yeah Michigan State fans like me, the star point guard before Kalin Lucas took over. Neitzel was a beast in college. Nowadays, he plays for Trier. For those of you that don't know geography, Trier is the oldest city in Germany. Last year, my friend saw Alonzo Mourning; Penny Hardaway; and others play a charity game in Trier.
The Charlotte Bobcats really want draft picks come Thursday. Now I am going to say this right out, after the first twenty picks in this year's draft; there will be nobody worth targeting in a potential trade. Everybody else is a guy you stick on your roster.
Now the Bobcats want picks, but not for that above reason. See, Jordan and crew don't have any picks in the draft at all. The Bobcats are also nearing the luxury tax. That's not something the money-tight team can afford to pay for at this point.
Nearly every draft board has college star Wesley Johnson going fourth to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Johnson may go third to the Nets. New Jersey's front office is skeptical on the subject of how long it will take Derrick Favors to become a regular contributor. So keep your eye on that.
The Minnesota Timberwolves want the Indian Pacers' number 10 pick. The Wolves are actually willing to trade promising youngster Jonny Flynn- last year's number 6 pick- and their 16th and 23th picks. That is horrible. Flynn also averaged 14 points per last year! Are you going to find as steady a contributor this year at number ten? Who knows?
Anyway, the Pacers are open to trading their first rounder. However, they are also looking at Kentucky center Daniel Orton. My take, I would take Flynn over Orton in a heartbeat. There is no doubt that Flynn is way better. The Pacers should take that deal without a twitch of the cornea because they are also getting other first rounders. Trust me, they can get Orton at 16 or more likely 23 if they really like him. Orton is second round talent. He was a freshman last year, and he was horrible. His basketball IQ is very low as well.
Since May 2007- when GM Daryl Morey took over the Houston Rockets- the team kept their original pick only once. That was that year in 2007 when they picked star Aaron Brooks.
Morey says there is a 50 percent chance they will keep their pick at number 14 this year. The Rockets will draft using the strategy of best talent. So far, the team has tried to get into a top-third spot in the first round.
Linas Kleiza was given a qualifying offer by the Denver Nuggets. The forward spent last season with Olympiakos in Greece while averaging 17.1 points per game. The problem for the Nuggets; Kleiza wants to stick around in Greece. He's making good money.
Speaking of basketball players in Europe, do you remember Drew Neitzel? Yeah Michigan State fans like me, the star point guard before Kalin Lucas took over. Neitzel was a beast in college. Nowadays, he plays for Trier. For those of you that don't know geography, Trier is the oldest city in Germany. Last year, my friend saw Alonzo Mourning; Penny Hardaway; and others play a charity game in Trier.
The Charlotte Bobcats really want draft picks come Thursday. Now I am going to say this right out, after the first twenty picks in this year's draft; there will be nobody worth targeting in a potential trade. Everybody else is a guy you stick on your roster.
Now the Bobcats want picks, but not for that above reason. See, Jordan and crew don't have any picks in the draft at all. The Bobcats are also nearing the luxury tax. That's not something the money-tight team can afford to pay for at this point.
Nearly every draft board has college star Wesley Johnson going fourth to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Johnson may go third to the Nets. New Jersey's front office is skeptical on the subject of how long it will take Derrick Favors to become a regular contributor. So keep your eye on that.
The Minnesota Timberwolves want the Indian Pacers' number 10 pick. The Wolves are actually willing to trade promising youngster Jonny Flynn- last year's number 6 pick- and their 16th and 23th picks. That is horrible. Flynn also averaged 14 points per last year! Are you going to find as steady a contributor this year at number ten? Who knows?
Anyway, the Pacers are open to trading their first rounder. However, they are also looking at Kentucky center Daniel Orton. My take, I would take Flynn over Orton in a heartbeat. There is no doubt that Flynn is way better. The Pacers should take that deal without a twitch of the cornea because they are also getting other first rounders. Trust me, they can get Orton at 16 or more likely 23 if they really like him. Orton is second round talent. He was a freshman last year, and he was horrible. His basketball IQ is very low as well.
Since May 2007- when GM Daryl Morey took over the Houston Rockets- the team kept their original pick only once. That was that year in 2007 when they picked star Aaron Brooks.
Morey says there is a 50 percent chance they will keep their pick at number 14 this year. The Rockets will draft using the strategy of best talent. So far, the team has tried to get into a top-third spot in the first round.
May Be Traded
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