A quick look at the NBA pre-draft camp
-
- May
- 29
I believe the NBA was hoping to make the annual pre-draft camp an important place for NBA hopefuls to be when it prohibited teams from conducting workouts until after the festivities in Orlando ended this week.
Based on the list of participants schedule to attend, the agents remain very much in control.
Most of the marquee names are showing up to get weighed and measured, then waiting and working out for hand-picked teams. Essentially, there’s no logical reason for Greg Oden and Kevin Durant to put on a show for any teams other than Portland and Seattle.
College scouting is so advanced, there’s very little that’s unknown about this draft class, but the decision makers like to see how these wannabes react when facing a similar talent.
For those who are likely to be selected a little later in the first round, the goal is to enhance strengths and hide weaknesses. Agents pick a target market for each client and work to move up. It can be a frustrating procedure for teams, like the Knicks, who need to look at numerous candidates.
Anyway, here’s the list of who’s going:
Abukar, Mohamed; Boggan, Mario; Bradshaw, Craig; Brooks, Aaron; Brown, Bobby; Carter, Russell; Collins, Coleman; Cook, Daequan; Covile, Ryvon; Davidson, Jermareo; Doellman, Justin; Dowdell, Zabian; Dudley, Jared; Freeman, Rashaun; Gray, Aaron; Green, Caleb; Green, Taurean; Heath, Brandon; Hill, Herbert; Hosley, Quinton; Hughes, James; Hunt, Jeremy; Ibekwe, Ekene; James, Dominic; Johnson, Trey; Jones, Joseph; Jones-Jennings, Rashad; Jordan, Jared; Karl, Coby; Kavaliauskas, Antanas; Kemp, Marcelus; Landry, Carl; Lasme, Stephane; Lekic, Marko; Lewis, Ron; Martin, Cartier; Mays, James; McGuire, Dominic; Mejia, Sammy; Newley, Brad; Nichols, Demetris; Radenovic, Ivan; Reynolds, JR; Richard, Chris; Salisbery, Dustin; Schilb, Blake; Seibutis, Renaldas; Sessions, Ramon; Shakur, Mustafa; Singletary, Sean; Strawberry, DJ; Sumpter, Curtis; Sun Yue; Tatum, Jamaal; Terry, Reyshawn; Tolliver, Anthony; Traore, Ali; Visser, Kyle; Watkins, Darryl; Wingate, Major; Wood, DaShaun; Wyatt, Avis.
And here’s the list of players who are checking in only for a physical:
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, May 29th, 2007 at 11:16 am by Mike Dougherty.
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Gents,
Skipping around today, I saw a post that had Zeke and Lenny Wilkens sharing a moment in Orlando. Gary Washburn had “sources” talking about a Sign and trade – Seattle’s Crawford and Robinson, for Rashard Lewis.
I would be pretty flexible on that – add Frye if need be – they could use a scoring big with Swift uncertain after surgery – give us Sene back.
I’d be ok with Nate and Crawford for Lewis.
I think that Crawford and Q Rich improved the most under Coach Brown. Crawford has improved his playmaking and shot selection and is now a competent defender. I would not mind giving up Crawford and Nate, but I would rather give up Q and Nate because it looks like Crawford is just beginning to scratch the surface as a team player.Plus, he and Curry do have a nice chemistry. Throwing good ball players together , without chemistry can be a disaster. For some reason , the league still values Frye, lets try to use him to get JO.
Sean Williams is not attending the Orlando Camp. I heard he is working out for the Knicks privately. Danny Ainge is looking at him closely for their 32nd pick.
Williams skips out of NBA camp
By Steve Bulpett
Boston Herald Sports Reporter
Wednesday, May 30, 2007 – Updated: 02:29 AM EST
ORLANDO, Fla. – Just as he was supposed to finish out the season at Boston College, Sean Williams was scheduled to participate in this week’s NBA pre-draft camp. He didn’t play in either case, but this time it was his own choice.
The 6-foot-9 center, dismissed from the Eagles in January for violation of team rules, decided three days before the start of this pre-draft event to skip out, leaving a group of disappointed people from league officials to team personnel.
Among teams with clear interest in the shot-blocker are the Celtics [team stats], who own the No. 2 pick in the second round (No. 32 overall) and would like to add an interior defensive presence.
“We’re definitely looking at him,� said Danny Ainge last night during the first camp session. “We’ll try to evaluate him the best way we can. We’ll research him, background check, talk to his people at Boston College and work him out. We would like to get as much information on him as we can before the draft.�
Asked if he felt comfortable with the circumstances as he understood them, Ainge offered a flat “no.�
“I know some things, but I need to find out more,� he added. “I mean, I don’t think there’s anybody who’s comfortable with a guy getting kicked off his team. I don’t how you can be comfortable with that.�
Teams were, thus, looking forward to seeing him here, and some were shaking their heads that he did not accommodate that wish. Even former Eagles teammate (and pre-draft participant) Jared Dudley said, “It would have been good for him to come here and dominate.�
Fair or not, the speculation among some teams was that Williams either has a promise from a club that it will pick him in a good position or that he’s fallen into problems. But his agent, Charles Grantham, said this is simply a case where a number of teams have expressed interest in working Williams out individually, and he’ll be better served in that forum than among the 60-plus players here. And, the rep added, Williams is of sound mind and body.
“He’s matured a lot,� Grantham said. “He went through a tough time, and I think he’s grown from it. He’s done very well for himself since (the dismissal from the team). He stayed in school and finished out the semester, and I think that says a lot for him. A lot of people would have just left.
“I just know there are a lot of teams who want to look at him, and whoever gets him will be very, very happy with that selection. The teams I’ve talked to don’t seem to be overly worried about him.�
Ainge has seen a lot of Williams.
“But he’s a talented kid. He’s got some NBA skills. I have no idea if he’ll be available or not, but we can’t really be in the predicting business. We’ve just got to research all the guys and be able to make the right decision when it’s our turn.�
I hope we get Williams. Does Isaiah read this board?
Mike Kobe Bryant just went public on ESPN 1050AM and asked to be traded. (I’M SHOCKED RIGHT NOW SERIOUSLY)
Kobe, eh?
Now that’s a player I’d trade for. How about Crawford, Nate, Frye and the #23 pick? Francis too, why not.
Keep Jamal!
Mase in Yo Face that’s not enough , Marbury, Lee, Frye and # 23 pick would raise their eyebrows
Trade anyone for Kobe(or KG). Otherwise, our best 4 are Jamal,Lee,Steph and Eddy. If we trade one of them we create a hole to fill another. Unless anyone thinks Renaldo can be another Lee. I’m not so sure. Top ten in boards as a sixth man. That’s special.
Brandon, you’re right.
I think they’d demand Lee in any trades. The hardest part of this is salary.
Any chance they take Francis to make it work?
Kobe is one of the only players in the league for whom it is worth trading Lee. If the Knicks can actually make this happen, they have to.
Francis, #23 pick, Frye, Crawford, Balkman for Kobe. We need to keep Lee dudes. If we don’t do that we will still be bad.
Fellas, please. The Knicks have nothing the Lakers want. They could probably get Deng, Gordon, Wallace(cap wise) and the #9 pick for Kobe plus. Dont fool yourselves, if NY had anything that the Lakers want, they wouldnt be so bad.Kidd will be a Laker for Bynum and some scrubs to match up the money
kennymo,
We know the reality. Don’t mess with the fantasy.
BRING US KOBE.
kennymo what are you talking about LOL
Why does Kobe want to leave the Lakers?
They lied to him and they are not a contender.
If the Bulls trade Deng, Gordon, Wallace and the #9 pick, who would be the starting line up?
Kurt H, Kobe, Tyrus Thomas, Nocioni and Sweetney?
I would rather stay a Laker.
The Knicks trade Crawford, Balkman, Frye, Francis and #23 for Kobe and maybe Sasha V.
We would still have Marbury, Kobe, Richardson, Lee and Curry. We would also still have Mardy Collins who I think besides Lee is the most valuable Knick.
The Lakers would still compete with Crawford, Odom, Balkman, Frye, Bynum, Brown and Farmer or Francis. With Phil coaching that team, anything is possible.
Everybody is happy with that trade.
If Isiah can some how keep our #23 pick so we can get this kid Williams, that would be great.
You know it kills me everytime I have to come on this blog and correct people all the time. I don’t know why people just type things without researching first.
Maybe I just have a need to make sense all the time.
Peace !!!
(not proof read)
Tell em Davonn The only thing is we might have to give next years first round pick also just to sweeten the pot. Did anyone check Espn. They have 7 trade senarios. Surprise, Surprise none of them involve the Knicks. Dolan needs to let Isaih do what it takes to get this guy.
Kobe changed his mind. I hope he changes it back.
Newsday has a pretty strong statement today that the Rashard Lewis sign and trade deal to the Knicks is being worked. We might have a good chance of making this happen. Seattle would presumably be a lock to take Durant, Lewis has opted out, and Wilkens has a pleasant problem to resolve. Currently they are on the hook for just over 50 million in salary for next year, under what ever the cap will be. They would certainly be taking on luxury tax on any contract they sign with Lewis. Big uncertainty about where they will play, new owners, etc… may make them leery of doing that. I have not yet heard anything to the contrary – Wilkens keeps saying he’s signing Lewis, but if they are drafting essentially the same player, and everybody is convinced they are a rebuilding team, they may opt to just let him go, which means we don’t have a sniff.
However, Lewis’ agent says he is very interested in New York and we do have some decent assets that would fit into a young team rebuilding in Seattle (or Oklahoma city, who knows). I like the idea of Lewis – shooting, post work, and exceptional size and atheleticism at 28 years old. I think we can find a banger at the 4 to help out Curry easier than we can fill the whole at 3 with an All Star. And for that matter, I think Lee needs to start at 4 before we can really say we have a problem there anyway.
The goal is to get an All Star, every night mismatch-creating talent on the squad. Love JO of course, but having that guy at the 3 with Lewis would be ideal.
Vecsey has Jermaine O’Neal going to the Lakers.
http://www.nypost.com/seven/05312007/sports/jermaine__kobe_may_team_up_sports_peter_vecsey.htm
Good stuff Willis…
I would rather have Lewis rather than O’neal. When you have a all star 3 (SF) you have a chance to win any game.
There aren’t to many all star small forwards out there. This is the reason why in the all star game you usually see shooting guards starting at the small forward (VC, T-Mac and so on).
I want to know who we are going to trade for Lewis. I really don’t want to get rid of Jamal but I guess if we have to then we will.
So if we trade Crawford and Nate for Lewis, that means we will have a starting 5 of Marbury, Richardson, Lewis, Frye and Curry.
Here is what I would try to do. I would try to keep Jamal and substitute him for Frye and another player. For you slow pokes that means….I would trade Nate, Frye and another player (Jeffries) for Lewis.
We don’t need Frye !!!
Especially with this kid Williams coming, if we can draft him.
The way I see…..if Frye is still with the team next year…..it’s clear Isiah doesn’t have his eye on the big picture. Frye doesn’t belong in NY.
(not proof read)
DaVonn,
I love Crawford too, and I hope that he continues to develop. Its a tough choice, one that I think becomes clearer as we watch the conference finals and the finals. You look at the Knicks squad and say what are they missing. Granted, the Spurs put on one of the best quarters of play I have ever seen last night, but even with all Utah has done this year, they didn’t have it to go past this level. Alot had to do with Deron’s ankle, but what of Okur, what of Boozer? You see how the composition of teams becomes destiny at these times. No perimeter shooting? Boozer gets dogpiled in the post. Problems defending the perimeter? Ginobili and Parker are spearing the chests of your big men all night and going to the line. No creativity on the perimeter (Deron hobbled) no whiff of the paint. And finally, character and consistency. Williams and Boozer called out unnamed Jazz for early vacations and they were right. Will your guys fight when their pet move is taken away? Will they have the cojones to step into the shot, or will they get tight and throw up junk (Okur). Will they unravel and turn the ball over when the pressure is high? That’s where I have the questions about Crawford. He turns the ball over just because sometimes. Yet he is one of the few truly unguardable perimeter players in the league. And then he’ll try the dipsy doo of the backboard.
Same thing for our lack of elite talent. Utah went about as far as they could with their team game, but lack of talent allowed the Spurs to cheat where they chose. To be honest, who on this squad right now can we count on in this kind of series? Who can actually stand up at those times. I have to say Starbury can – but he can make mental errors. Will Curry take the next step to be one of those guys? I hope so, but are we sure yet? Rashard Lewis is just physically more than anybody else out there at his position, that’s the kind of thing we need, when the other team is scouting and putting in their defensive schemes who’s the guy they can’t leave, who’s the talent you can’t scheme away. For that kind of guy, if we have to, Jamal goes.
I couldn’t agree more Willis.
If he’s available we should get him…..period.
It’s even more exciting to me because the reports are saying that he wants to come to NY.
ok, so if we trade Crawford and Robinson for Lewis…that would give us a starting line up of Marbury, Richardson, Lewis, Frye and Curry.
I don’t think Isiah will settle for that line up.
He’s going to move Frye…..even though he has Lee who can very easily fit into that starting line up.
I think Isiah is going to wait to see if he can draft Williams before he trades Frye. If he’s able to grab Williams at 23, then turn around and package Frye, Francis and maybe Rose or Jeffries for another pure shooter we should be good.
We’ll have Collins backing up Marbury
Balkman backing up Lewis
Williams backing up Lee (or maybe the other way around since Lee is so valuable off the pine)
We won’t have anybody to back up Richardson (Jeffries is not a 2 but I’m sure we can get away with
Morris to back up Curry
If Isiah can make a deal for one of the star PF’s (Garnett, Gasol, J. O’neal) using the same package above with Francis and Frye…we would win the championship.
Marbury, Richardson, Lewis, O’neal or Gasol and Curry.
Lee, Balkman and Collins off the bench.
Am I losing my mind here or is all this really a possibility?
If Isiah can pull this off they should create a new award called Executive of the Decade !!
I’m not crazy am I Mike?
(not proof read)
Sorry for the typo in the above post. I went to answer the door and forgot that I was writing something.
If Isiah can make a deal for one of the star PF’s (Garnett, Gasol, J. O’neal) using the same package above with Francis and Frye…we would win the championship.
Marbury, Richardson, Lewis, O’neal or Gasol and Curry.
Lee, Balkman, Williams and Collins off the bench.
That may be one of the best 9 man rotations in the league. I still think we would lack a pure shooter.
DJ, with all due respect, Have you seen Francis play? If you think the Lakers would take him for anything than you must be drinking the same stuff that Isaiah was when he brought in him, Rose, Rose,Rich…. There is no chance Kobe could come here and youre WAY over estimating the talent that NY has.Francis is HORRIBLE, if he was a free agent , with no ties to anything, it would be hard for him to get a mid level deal.Plus, any team that has seen Frye play knows that hes a 6’10 sweetie pie who wants nothing to do with the paint and wants to shoot 15 foot jumpers. Crawford , I love but Phil would never be able to coach him. Isaiah has let him do what he wants and in that O, you need structure and discipline. And S Williams is a DOPE. He needs a program with a great coach, great GM and strong Vets. The KNnicks have one strong vet in Malik but no one listens to him because he stinks
Anyone remember Jamal torching the Lakers for 50?
I kind of hope the Knicks don’t make a deal unless it’s for a player who’ll be the best player on the team (KG, Kobe). To get Lewis we’ll need to give up Jamal and probably another good player, so it might be a net loss of production. Plus, who knows what bad contracts we may have to take and what draft picks we may need to give up.
Let’s keep the big picture in mind. We need to draft the next Dirk or sign LeBron when he opts out. Otherwise, even if we make the playoffs we’re food for worms.
I’d rather play with our current roster. If we stay healthy we’ll be better. I’m not convinced Frye has been physically right ever since he went out his rookie year. Francis is very good when healthy and so is Quentin.
I also think that if you look farther down the line some of our huge contracts in their last year give us a chance to make that blockbuster without mortgaging the future.
I know it’s NY and we’re all desperate to get back to the promised land but let’s not be hasty.
My feeling on Frye is that he is a good player, but in an impossible situation with the Knicks. Simply put, he’s a duplicate of Curry instead of a complement. All Offense, No Defense and Rebounding. When you have both of your front court players not rebounding or playing D, you lose. Frye on the right squad, playing pick and roll basketball, being the focal point of an offense, would be a very effective big. The only way he can stay here is if he remakes his game and assiduously pursues the ball, learns to block shots, goes after every rebound. Then that sweet 15 ft. + range on his jumper with Curry underneath is a weapon we can afford. He showed signs at the end of last season of more aggression on D and rebounding, especially on the offensive boards. If he stays, I’d bring him in to spell Curry and run teh pick and roll unto death.
Word is Sacramento is shopping Ron Ron down in Orlando, and no takers so far. I wonder if that changes after LeBron’s performance last night. Maybe that was notice that the East has to go through Cleveland before reaching the finals. Time to stockpile the fouls at the 3. I hope ‘Shard has the cojones; should we get him, LeBron will be his nemesis for the best years of his career. This could be fun.
If LB plays like he did the other night, the EAST is locked down for the next 12 yrs. With maybe the Bulls having a slight shot. The West is sooooo good and only getting better. If Boozer stayed with Cleveland , we would be talking about a special team.
Willis brings up a good point regarding Lebron’s effect on the eastern conference. To get to the finals the Knicks will either have to get past Lebron, or try to sign him when he becomes available. I’m ok with signing players so long as it doesn’t mess up our cap situation past 2008-2009. Otherwise, we’ll be signing players who are inferior to Lebron, and we’ll fall to the Cavs anyway, so what’s the point??
We need to be part of the sweepstakes when Lebron hits FA. We’ll have maybe a 5% chance of landing him, but better that then being continually knocked out early in the playoffs with no light at the end of the tunnel.
BTW, all the trade scenarios you guys are netting out are completely ludicrous. The GMs in the league see the same games we see… and those packages you guys are coming up with are not based in reality. No one wants Francis, Frye, or even Crawford for the players you are mentioning. They all shoot a low percentage around 42%-43% (esp. bad since Frye is a FORWARD), and don’t play defense. Why would ANY GM want them??!! Please explain using stats and percentages, not single examples of performance.
Actually Francis shoots 41%, Crawford shoots 40%, and Frye shoots 43%. So they shoot worse than I thought. Robinson shoots the highest at 43.4%. But seriously, they all don’t play defense and shoot a low percentage, which is why Curry is so important. But Curry’s defense is so poor you need to have a shotblocker with him.
I’m crossing my fingers hoping Isiah Thomas drafts Stephane Lasme with the 23rd Pick, Because he’ll certainly be there, And he’ll certainly be a steal.
Everyone is stressing size and shotblocking so much that I think this kid is being rediculously overlooked.
He’s about 6’8 with a 7’2 winspan, LOVES to do the dirty work, Windex’s the glass, Great timing on his blocked shots & Has a nice little arsenal of low-post moves…
I truly do trust Zeke and the Scouts when it comes to drafting and I’m almost certainly expecting to hear Lasme’s name called on the 28th.