2012 Draft Thursday, June 28th: Raptors select Terence Ross

[ReubenJRD]

NBA Mock Drafts

Might be a very important look. We have picks consisting of Austin Rivers, Jeremy Lamb, Dion Waiters, Kendall Marshall, Damien Lillard, and... Tyler Zeller?

http://www.nba.com/2012/news/feature...s=iref:nbahpt1

Consensus Mock Draft: Rivers rising, Sullinger sliding
By Drew Packham, NBA.com
Posted Jun 14 2012 2:18PM - Updated Jun 24 2012 11:40PM
The Consensus Mock Draft is a compilation of the best mock drafts around the web. We bring them together to come up with a good estimate of how the 2012 NBA Draft could play out.

A few things of note in the latest look at the mock drafts:

• Thomas Robinson is gaining traction as the No. 2 pick to Charlotte. In our previous look, the Kansas big man was pegged there five times. Now, he's going second on 10 of the 11 mocks.

• Bradley Beal has leapfrogged Michael Kidd-Gilchrist as the third pick. Kidd-Gilchrist has slipped in the mocks, with Harrison Barnes also passing him. The UK forward was at one time solid at No. 3, but now sits at fifth overall.

• Austin Rivers continues to surge. In our first look, Rivers was out of the lottery, but now sits at ninth overall. There's still little consensus on where he'll land, but he's now on nine of the 11 mocks and appears to be a lock for the lottery.

• Also gaining ground: Dion Waiters (jumped from 11th to 8th), John Henson (14th to 10th) and Meyers Leonard (16th to 12th).

• Several players have seen their stock drop. The most notable is Jared Sullinger, who was 8th overall last week and falls completely out of the lottery, appearing on just five of the 11 mocks. Also slipping: Perry Jones III (9th to 14th), Tyler Zeller (12th to 13th), Kendall Marshall (13th to 15th).

• Anthony Davis is the only true consensus, going No. 1 on all 11 of the mocks so far.

• Seven players appear in the Lottery on all 11 mock drafts: Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Bradley Beal, Andre Drummond, Thomas Robinson, Harrison Barnes and Damian Lillard.

Out of 11 mocks, the player(s) selected most were all tied with 3 of 11. Jeremy Lamb, Dion Waiters, and Damien Lillard.

Quite frankly, I'm surprised that Austin Rivers was not selected to the 8th, he is climbing and he and the Raptors are high on one another. Tyler Zeller was very surprising, but Kendall Marshall however wasn't.

IMO now, I really hope we draft either Lillard, Rivers, or Lamb. More preferably Rivers because of his game molded perfectly for the NBA. Isolation, pick and rolls, great range, superstar type game (creating a shot). He looks like he has the IT factor that a lot of the players in this draft don't have.

[Chr1s1anL]

Legion Sports @MySportsLegion
Take this rumor with a grain of salt, no confirmed sources: Bulls offer the Warriors- Deng & pick #29 for pick #7, Biedrins & Dorrell Wright

https://twitter.com/#!/MySportsLegion

this would really shake things up

[MangoKid]

https://twitter.com/#!/MySportsLegion

this would really shake things up

I'd probably decline that deal if I were the warriors. Barnes could very well land in their lap if they're looking for an upgrade at the 3.

[ReubenJRD]

https://twitter.com/#!/MySportsLegion

this would really shake things up

Bulls would take a wing. Even though Derrick Rose may be out for the rest of the season, and may not return to his MVP form, but they have two very capable point guards in Cj Watson and John Lucas III. Derrick Rose returning he will still be a solid player.

Dorell Wright would start at the 3, and Rip Hamilton at the two. But because of his injuries and inconsistently playing, I feel they take a guy like Rivers because he plays both positions, a combo guard, or Jeremy Lamb. Just my thoughts.

If not a wing, they take a chance at Lillard, if not on the board. They go after Marshall. Which I don't think trading down to 7 would result of...

[grindhouse]

Something like this should be done on draft night waiters may fall to us at 8 and who knows if we take Houston's pick will harkless be there. But the trade does make sense if everything falls into place. I don't see terrencejones or pj3 fitting in with this team cause they both see the selves basicly as pf.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

Chad ford tweeted not to long ago http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...ng-up-in-draft
Rockets attempting to move up in draft with sources believing talks are with Toronto.

Which changes our big board completely considering we will probably be recieving lawry. Who knows if raptors plan on giving up some bigs seeing as houston lacks in that area meaning toronto could go after one with the 14th pick considering they will be looking at best available talent at 14th

If we aquire lawry nd can snag an off the ball guard like lamb, i would be satisfied with draft night. If we pick at 14 i say our big board consist players like pj3, lamb, rivers, harkless, t.jones, moultrie, nd less then likely waiters.

To sum it up, raptors pick is now even more up in the air.

I would be quite happy with Toronto trading down with Houston. Something like #8 & #37 for #14 & #16. I'm assuming that Houston would love to draft Drummond (or perhaps Henson/Zeller), while Toronto could grab Rivers and Marshall.

Marshall would seem like the ideal pass-first floor-general PG to learn behind Calderon, or Nash if he chooses Toronto. Rivers would be the perfect backcourt mate for Marshall, as he is the penetrator with unlimited shooting range, that would start out as the 6th man sparkplug off the bench next season.

Perhaps Toronto could also acquire Dalembert in the deal, using the TPE. He would allow Valanciunas to be eased along next season, which would be a good thing considering how young he is and how likely he will have foul trouble to deal with at least early on. Dalembert wouldn't be a huge investment, as his $7M contract is expiring, so he'd be off the books after just one season (or at the trade deadline perhaps, if JV has acclimated himself by then).

Even with 3 rookies, I think the Raptors would still be "hitting the ground running", if Valanciunas is only expected to play 20-24 minutes and both Rivers/Marshall are only playing 14-16 minutes each.

I would hope the the Raps find another way to upgrade the starting SF position. They'd still have JJ and Davis as tradeable assets, as well as Calderon, if Nash signs. Plus they'd have #56, the MLE and Vet Exception. Perhaps something like Calderon & Davis & Weems (S&T) & 2013 1st round pick to Chicago for Deng. Bayless (S&T) & JJ & #56 could go to Phoenix in a S&T for Nash.

C: Valanciunas, Dalembert
PF: Bargnani, Amir
SF: Deng, Kleiza
SG: DeRozan, Rivers, Forbes
PG: Nash, Marshall

[Chr1s1anL]

Legion Sports @MySportsLegion
No trade is imminent, but one deal I've heard is the Rockets sending Kyle Lowry & pick #16 to the Raptors for pick #8.

https://twitter.com/#!/MySportsLegion

[ceez]

OHHHHHHH SHIT

(i'll believe it when i see it

[MangoKid]

UPDATE (12:48 a.m. ET): Upon hearing of Sunday night's developments, one rival general manager told ESPN.com that he believes Houston's real aim is acquiring two top-10 picks this week to turn around quickly and offer both to the Orlando Magic as part of a considerable trade offer for Dwight Howard.

The Rockets' willingness to trade for Howard --even without the All-Star center's signature on a contract extension -- is an open secret around the league. But it's believed that two top-eight picks, assuming Houston managed to complete trades with both Sacramento and Toronto, would seriously pique the interest of new Magic general manager Rob Hennigan, who could then quickly start following the same sort of roster-building blueprint relied on by his previous employers in Oklahoma City.

Acquiring those early lottery picks, though, only represents half of Houston's challenge if Howard is indeed the Rockets' target. The other hurdle is convincing Hennigan, who hasn't even been on the job for a week in Central Florida, to part with Howard so quickly. As much as he's been schooled in building through the draft while working alongside Thunder GM Sam Presti, Hennigan could opt to take a more measured approach, make one more run at trying to convince Howard to sign an extension before entering the final year of his contract and then trade him later in the summer if those efforts go nowhere.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...ng-up-in-draft


So, the Rockets would move their two picks in the teens for the Sacramento pick and then move Lowry to Toronto for the number 8 pick and try to entice Orlando with a package that includes the 5th and 8th pick. Hmmm.. interesting.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

https://twitter.com/#!/MySportsLegion

I wonder if that trade is dependent on Nash. I can't see the Raps acquiring both Nash and Lowry, as Lowry seems like too valuable a player to trade for as a backup PG. I wonder if the Raps would pull the trigger on that deal if Nash chooses NOT to sign with Toronto?

[MangoKid]

8 for Lowry and 16? So what's the damn hold up? I'd take that deal all day, everyday and twice on Sunday.

[CalgaryRapsFan]

UPDATE (12:48 a.m. ET): Upon hearing of Sunday night's developments, one rival general manager told ESPN.com that he believes Houston's real aim is acquiring two top-10 picks this week to turn around quickly and offer both to the Orlando Magic as part of a considerable trade offer for Dwight Howard.

The Rockets' willingness to trade for Howard --even without the All-Star center's signature on a contract extension -- is an open secret around the league. But it's believed that two top-eight picks, assuming Houston managed to complete trades with both Sacramento and Toronto, would seriously pique the interest of new Magic general manager Rob Hennigan, who could then quickly start following the same sort of roster-building blueprint relied on by his previous employers in Oklahoma City.

Acquiring those early lottery picks, though, only represents half of Houston's challenge if Howard is indeed the Rockets' target. The other hurdle is convincing Hennigan, who hasn't even been on the job for a week in Central Florida, to part with Howard so quickly. As much as he's been schooled in building through the draft while working alongside Thunder GM Sam Presti, Hennigan could opt to take a more measured approach, make one more run at trying to convince Howard to sign an extension before entering the final year of his contract and then trade him later in the summer if those efforts go nowhere.

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...ng-up-in-draft


So, the Rockets would move their two picks in the teens for the Sacramento pick and then move Lowry to Toronto for the number 8 pick and try to entice Orlando with a package that includes the 5th and 8th pick. Hmmm.. interesting.

Houston was rumored to have been willing to trade for Bosh without him agreeing to an extension, so there definitely seems to be some credability to this sort of rumor. If this were to go down, we'd need to redo our mock draft for sure! lol

I wonder what else Houston would offer Orlando, in addition to the 2 picks?

Houston would need to acquire a 1st round pick either this year or next year though, since you can't trade away all your 1st round picks in consecutive years (Houston doesn't currently own a 2013 1st round pick).

[Nilanka]

8 for Lowry and 16? So what's the damn hold up? I'd take that deal all day, everyday and twice on Sunday.

It's hard to imagine a scenario where we get a better offer for the 8th pick.

I'd be inclined to throw in any combination of Davis/Bayless/37th pick to pry away Houston's 14th pick as well.

[ceez]

8 for Lowry and 16? So what's the damn hold up? I'd take that deal all day, everyday and twice on Sunday.

14, actually.

[ceez]

if Lowry comes on board suddenly Jose becomes a unquestioned trade chip. lets do the damn thing.