Draft (and Bulls) links

Seems like there is going to be a lot of action before/during the draft tonight. I have to assume the Bulls are making moves, because when you don;t here a lot of rumors - those are the teams that make moves. Did anybody here about RJ to the Spurs before it happened? So we'll see what Paxson, er Gar, has in the works.


What options do the Bulls have? -

1) The Bulls trade both first-round picks for the No. 11 pick.

Though there’s been indication of late that the Bulls are going big, if they swing a trade with the Nets for the No. 11 pick, that may free them up to not pick up DeJuan Blair, Tyler Hansbrough, James Johnson or B.J. Mullens, but rather go after a swingman like Gerald Henderson or Earl Clark who can score and might not be available at 16.

Would this mean they’re expecting Ben Gordon not to re-sign and going after offense instead of bigs? Or does this mean they want a guy like Blair who likely won’t fall to 16?

2) The Bulls trade Kirk Hinrich somewhere.

I would assume if the Bulls are looking to dump Hinrich’s contract and his role on the team, that would mean two things: either they’re looking to draft a backup point guard in the draft (Ty Lawson? Eric Maynor?) or they believe they’ll re-sign Ben Gordon. I suppose there is one other option: they’ll trade Hinrich for a backup point guard (Steve Blake?). Since Hinrich is a more of a combo guard, perhaps if they get a backup point guard through a trade for him, the Bulls are also planning on not re-signing Gordon, as they’d want Hinrich to try and fill the scoring hole of Gordon, as opposed to focusing on backing up Rose.

This is confusing, I know.

3) The Bulls hold court at No. 16.

I suppose we’re looking at Tyler Hansbrough here? Or a shooting guard? Or one of the point guards if they fall through? I’m really not sure. I guess it depends on who is still available on the Bulls’ wish list.

4) Something else happens.

The Bulls pull a Jedi mind trick and get the Clippers and Grizzles to give up their picks for a waft of Joakim Noah’s hair. The Bulls select Blake Griffin and Tyreke Evans and we all join hands in triumph.

I like this scenario the best.

Bulls master plan -

Here's my seven-point plan:

1. Draft DeJuan Blair with the 16th pick.
If the Pitt big man is available, this is the no-brainer of the entire draft (including the Clippers' picking Blake Griffin at No. 1 and the Knicks' picking Steph Curry at No. 8). Blair would be the perfect complement to everything Joakim Noah and Tyrus Thomas aren't inside. Blair is a force on the block. Noah is a warrior, and Thomas is a potential All-Star. Together, they could create the best young, three-headed defensive monster in the NBA. Which, if handled with brilliance, could be the missing piece for Chicago to become the most feared team in the East.

Chat with D-Wade -

I know you've been asked about playing for the Bulls a million times, so I won't even bother with it, but from what you've seen what do you think they're missing the most right now?

DW: I think their team got a lot better this year, with the trades that they made and bringing John Salmons in. That really helped their team out. I think what they're missing is & even though Ben Gordon is great and Derrick Rose is great, what I think they're missing is that guy that they can go to, that really & that guy that they can go to, like a Kobe Bryant, like the Lakers have in him, like the championship teams have. I think they have great talent around. I think they just don't have that "go-to" person yet. & But they're a good team, they're probably way ahead of my team talent-wise (chuckles) that I have in Miami. So, we don't want them to get too much too soon.

So you're saying they're missing a guy like Dwyane Wade is what you're saying.

DW: No, I said Kobe Bryant. (Laughs)

Blogabull showing ESPN Draft updates - "Oklahoma City, Detroit and Chicago made assurances early on Thursday that they weren't dealing their top 16 picks."




Latest HoopsWorld Mock Draft.





D-Rose invited to USA minicamp -

Kevin Durant, rookie of the year Derrick Rose and college player of the year Blake Griffin are among the 25 players who have accepted invitations to participate in the USA Basketball national team minicamp.

The roster of players was announced Thursday in Las Vegas, where the Americans will train from July 22-25. The minicamp will be used to identify prospects for openings on the U.S. teams in the 2010 world championships and 2012 Olympics.

Durant nearly made the U.S. team that played in the Olympic qualifier two years ago and is a leading candidate to wear a USA uniform. Griffin was expected to be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft later Thursday by the Los Angeles Clippers.

Also expected at the minicamp are Portland's Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge and Jerryd Bayless; Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green; Memphis' O.J. Mayo and Rudy Gay; New Jersey's Devin Harris and Brook Lopez; Utah's Ronnie Brewer, Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver; Philadelphia's Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young; the Lakers' Trevor Ariza; New York's David Lee; Minnesota's Kevin Love; Atlanta's Josh Smith; Charlotte's D.J. Augustin; Indiana's Danny Granger; and Boston's Glen Davis.