Psycho-T brings the pain
Tyler Hansbrough didn't leave anything on the floor after his workout with the Hawks Sunday morning at Philips Arena. The rugged North Carolina forward is a a player to keep an eye on this week with the Hawks drafting 19th in Thursday's NBA draft.
HAWKSVILLE - The reviews were unanimous.
On 10-point scale, Tyler Hansbrough’s Sunday morning workout for the Hawks at Philips Arena ranks at the very top of anything conducted in the past five days.
It wasn’t any one thing in particular that had the Hawks’ coaches buzzing. It was everything. Hansbrough’s energy, effort and obviously better-than-advertised shooting and athleticism caught more than a few folks in attendance by surprise.
“He kicked the meter up. It was off the Richter Scale,” said Hawks assistant coach Larry Drew, who ran the team’s workouts all week. “That was one of those 8.0s, one of those quick, hard earthquakes. Because his energy is at another level. You just don’t see many players capable of playing with that type of energy and effort and can sustain it through a game, or even a workout. He plays at a totally different level than some of these young guys out here.”
I felt like I needed an ice bath after watching his 90-minute workout. But Hansbrough proved a theory that a wise Eastern Conference executive reiterated to me Sunday night, “effort is a skill in the NBA.” And Hansbrough has it in reserve.
Alade Aminu (Stephenson High and Georgia Tech) and Shawn Taggart (Memphis) were the other bigs on hand Sunday. And they were also impressive in the individual drills and two-on-two work that was done. But Hansbrough’s refusal to go at anything but full bore during the entire workout had everyone buzzing afterwards.
Love him or hate him, and Hansbrough laughed about the fact that he’s inspired the masses to do either one or the other and sometimes both, he’s going to do it his way. And the truth is the Hawks could do a lot worse with the 19th pick. But they probably won’t have to worry about Hansbrough there, as I haven’t spoken to anyone anywhere that believes he’ll still be on the board when the Hawks are on the clock Thursday night.
“If this kid is still there at 19, the Hawks better not hesitate,” another Eastern Conference executive told me Sunday afternoon. “The kid’s a dream for coaches in our league, because he’s going to come in and crank things up automatically. He’s just wired differently than most of these other guys.”
That’s the real problem with a pick that late. You can project who you think might be there and evaluate accordingly, but there’s no way of knowing who will be around by then on draft night. One glitch on the draft board in the early lottery can swing the draft in a totally different direction than projected.
The Hawks sent things sideways in 2004 when they took Josh Childress ahead of Luol Deng and Andre Iguodala – defying most mock drafts that had those other two guys going ahead of Childress.
And anytime one player rises and is picked ahead of projection, someone else falls and lands in the lap of an unsuspecting team like the Hawks (who have no doubt done their due diligence throughout this process by examining all the possibilities).
DaJuan Summers is my sleeper pick for the draft. Too bad he didn't get a chance to workout for the Hawks while he was in town last week (a sprained ankle sidelined him).
Check any mock draft you want and go over the list of names where the Hawks are picking and there are either guys you draft on potential (Wake Forest’s Jeff Teague, who acquitted himself well in his workout Saturday, or Ohio State’s BJ Mullens, who did the same a day earlier) or seasoned college guys that will be needle pushers as rookies (guys like Hansbrough, Pitt’s Sam Young, Louisville’s Terrence Williams and Georgetown’s DaJuan Summers, all of whom the Hawks have had face time with throughout the process).
The usual anxiety surrounding the Hawks at draft time doesn’t really seem necessary this year, at least the way I see it. The Hawks’ heavy lifting is going to come in free agency – and that’s where Hansbrough and all the bigger guys on the short list I’ve detailed above come in handy. Follow me now. When the Hawks lost Josh Childress to Greece last summer, they didn’t have a ready replacement for a 6-8 guy with his skills and seasoning, mostly because they didn’t have a draft pick to use on a player of that ilk. Say, for the sake of my theory, that the Hawks are unable to keep all their free agents. Don’t you think another cat with size and versatility might come in handy next season, even if he’s just a situational rotation player as a rookie?
While I didn’t agree with the notion that drafting 6-8 to 6-9 players ever year now matter what would lead a team from 13-win seasons to the playoffs, I can see the wisdom in taking players that fit that mold if you’re in the best-player-available mode on draft night and picking outside of the lottery. It’s just wise to have your roster well-stocked with a couple Trevor Ariza/Mickael Pietrus/Linas Kleiza types. I think the entire league realizes that now after the playoffs.
FROM THE DO YOUR HOMEWORK FILES …
A quick aside from the Hawks-themed portion of the program requires us to look across the pond fro a moment.
Flooding Europe with scouts from every NBA team has finally caught up to the league and to the crop of talent. The Euro harvest is expected to be extremely thin Thursday night.
Jonathan Abrams of the New York Times had a staggering statistic in his story about the sudden change in philosophy regarding drafting European (and really international) prospects:
“Teams appear to be straying from the recent trend of drafting overseas players because many of them have not lived up to expectations. Of the 39 international players selected in the first round since 2002 with no prior experience playing in the United States, only Yao Ming has surfaced as an All-Star. In that same time, 14 of 171 American players drafted in the first round made at least one All-Star team.”
Math was never my best subject in school, but I know crazy numbers when I see them. And that’s craziness.
OTHER LASTING IMPRESSIONS WERE MADE DURING WORKOUT WEEK, including a stellar showing by a guy not getting any first round buzz. Keep LSU combo guard Garrett Temple in mind in the second round. He’s going to make someone a nice player wherever he is drafted (provided he is drafted, and if not, he’ll be a good free agent pick up for some team). I remember watching him shut J.J. Redick down at the Georgia Dome during LSU’s run to the Final Four a few years back. He’s got NBA height for his position but his frame is need of some bulk to stand up the type of pounding he could endure at the pro level. But he’s got every tool you want in a player and he’ll compete with anyone.
Another guy the Hawks had in that made an impression me was Lester Hudson, a 6-3, 200-pound bull from Tennessee-Martin that refused to let anyone slow him down in his workout. He’s the kind of feisty guard that NBA teams love to have coming off their bench to wreak havoc on opposing defenses and to harass opposing point guards. And you talk about a guy breaking down walls to reach his goals, tell me Hudson hasn’t done exactly that after reading this from my man Chris Low from ESPN.com.
Fearless seems like an appropriate description of Lester Hudson's game.
Jonesboro’s Toney Douglas (Florida State) was by far the most tenacious defender in attendance all week. He didn’t miss an opportunity to mix it up in the drills I watched. I can see why folks have been gushing about him as a potential, Ben Gordon-like combo guard. But he’s a defender like Gordon wishes he was (granted, few guards this size on the planet can score from the distance and in the variety of ways Gordon does). Still, whatever team nabs Douglas on draft night will have happy coaches and fans that will appreciate his in-your-face style.
Summers is my sleeper pick for the draft. I got into a heated debate with my man JB “Beans” Beckett Sunday about Summer and Young. After watching some film clips of both, including some of their head-to-head matchup from the season, we agreed that we were both right and that Summer and Young have a chance to contribute as rookies wherever they go. Now if we could just convince someone to let us draft for them Thursday night.
All joking aside, I have no earthly idea what happens Thursday night. Who does?
Too much can swing things on draft night. And we didn’t even get into the all the crazy scenarios that could happen if the Hawks were to find the right package to move the pick (and whatever else necessary) to shore up their depth issues at certain positions.
Nothing is outside of the realm of possibility right now, my friends. Nothing at all.
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803 comments Add your comment
niremetal
June 22nd, 2009
11:37 pm
Sorry, a final clarification before calling it a night – people have been taking one quote by different people – and the quoted person is usually Sund, but sometimes they seize on a quote by Sekou or an ESPN guy. I wasn’t saying that Sekou has been taking things out of context – Lord knows I’m not trying to get banned from here
Mike is back
June 22nd, 2009
11:42 pm
Niremetal, yeah me too for that last jab…I’m a neophyte on the blog…no harm…no foul broooooooooo.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2009
3:58 am
I still have to hit up Youtube for a couple of hours and check out some videos of some of these players to whom I didn’t pay as much attention. But if I’m Rick Sund, my philosophy is pretty simple. Target players who will give you quality minutes this year and instantly make your squad deeper. What position a guy plays or how tall a guy is should be secondary to whether or not he can come in and contribute immediately. The reason I say this is because a) it’s not as if players like BJ Mullens, who are more potential than production at this point, are THAT great as prospects anyway, and b) with the impending free agent quagmire the Hawks are about to get caught in, they need as much flexibility as they can get.
So in other words, even if Hansbrough doesn’t address the Hawks’ height issue and isn’t going to necessarily be a starter, I’m open to picking him if he is good enough to play 20 minutes a game from the start. Even if Toney Douglas is a tweener who doesn’t directly address any particular issue, I’m open to picking him just because he provides depth and flexibility in the backcourt.
Bottom line is, the Hawks need to come away with quality players in this draft even if they are not filling specific predetermined roles. And in a draft as weak as this one, the odds of finding a quality player at #19 at a given position and height are very slim.
Oh yeah, one more thing: Psycho T and the Shellhead are two completely different kinds of players.
terrell barron
June 23rd, 2009
3:59 am
Steven A. Smith’s twitter page says that we might move Josh Smith for Amare. Phoenix really wants Smith, and Atlanta is going nowhere as constructed. If this happens, I’ll …….
Hey guys, finish this sentence for me, in your own words.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2009
4:01 am
And allow me to co-sign ATCQ for a second: I was completely unimpressed with the Rick Sund hire when it happened and surprised by the two solid free agent acquisitions he made last year, but his draft record is still absolutely horrible and I am waiting to see if he’s even better than Billy Knight in that department. I’m not holding my breath right now that the Hawks will come away with someone good.
vava74
June 23rd, 2009
4:11 am
People, this is very simple.
Tyler seems to be a very nice kid, but he’s not a Larry Bird and we do not need another Adam Keefe.
Ed
June 23rd, 2009
4:17 am
Saw this appraisal of W. Ellington & this part really concerns me as it says he’s not a Woody type of player. He needs plays run for him…good luck.
Ellington’s short-comings lie in his inability to create offense for himself, as he ranks third worst in isolation possessions generated behind two very poor ball-handlers in Paul Harris and K.C. Rivers, and his very related inability to draw fouls–which he did on just 9% of his used possessions. Ellington is obviously a finesse player who needs plays run for him in the half-court in order to be most effective, which means he’ll definitely need to find the right situation in the NBA. Teams should not discount the skill-level he brings to the table as a pure scorer, though, as its clear that he wasn’t such a highly regarded player coming out of high school for nothing.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2009
4:23 am
- Is it possible to have a discussion about Tyler Hansbrough and not compare him exclusively to players of his own race?
- In a structured half-court system like the one the Hawks run, where defense is a priority and front court players don’t get the ball, I wonder if acquiring Amare for Josh Smith would even be that much of an upgrade. Then again, this rumor is a product of Stephen A. Smith’s Twitter, which is only one step ahead on the credibility ladder from Chad Ford talking about Darko Milicic.
- I’ve been paying closer attention to clips of Wayne Ellington ever since Woodson practically had an orgasm over his post-workout wardrobe, and I gotta say the Hawks could do a lot worse than him at #19. He’s not a great athlete, but he’s a guy who can make shots from everywhere (not just 3’s)… kinda reminds me of a mini-Michael Redd, another non-lottery pick who outperformed his draft status. It would be really surprising if he turned into an All Star like Redd, but he is a similar kind of player. With the free agent decisions the Hawks are facing, I could see them picking Ellington to replace Flip Murray so that they can concentrate on Bibby and Zaza as their two major re-signing projects.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2009
4:26 am
If ty lawson is gone and terrence william is there do not pass on him.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
eabrown
June 23rd, 2009
4:27 am
I went to UNC and watched a ton of ACC basketball the past few years. My take on a few UNC and ACC players.
First of all, Hansbrough and Sheldon were two different players in college. Hansbrough has an offensive game that Sheldon only dreamed of. And, I’m not saying that Hans is a great offensive player because he is lacking in areas, such as passing, dribbling, and finding his own shots. However, he will run the floor, get garbage buckets, rebound both ends, and defend his position. Many people forget that he held B. Griffin scoreless for the first 10 minutes before getting in foul trouble this year.
Ellington is a great shooter from anywhere on the court and has improved his playmaking ability every year at UNC. He gives an all out effort on the defensive end, but still has trouble guarding quicker players. But, he rebounded well in spot for his position.
Douglas is a tough tough player, and if he is available in the 2nd round take him. He will bring energy, defense and a quick trigger on offense.
Danny Green in the 2nd is another buy for me. He is not exceptionally great at any one thing, but brings so much to the table as far as defense, rebounding, and shooting that he is worth a pick in the 2nd.
Teague is a sell for me. He has good NBA size, handles, playmaking, and has a decent shot. The problem is that I watched him get challenged too many times and back down. His teammate James Johnson is a better looking prospect right IMO. A 4/3 right now, but Linas Kleiza in another year or two with a better handle.
The problem with the Hawks looking for a center right now is that everyone in the draft is a few years away.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2009
4:38 am
I still say trade the pick 19th horford and marvin for bosh this will be a great business move for asg i believe that bosh would resign with the hawks for about 18mill plus go after lebron for about 22mill that 40mill for 2 player and then the hawks can starte there on dynasty just wishfull thinking thats all.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2009
4:42 am
2009 ATL HAWKS
STARTER ACIE, JOE, CHILL, JOSH, BOSH,
BENCH FLIP, MOE, HAKIM WARRICK, CHARLIE V, ZAZA
RESERVE WEST, SOLO.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2009
4:44 am
If chill dont comeback let hakim warrick starte.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!
Ed
June 23rd, 2009
4:48 am
Well Sekou’s pulled a fast one on us. In his newest mock draft he has the Hawks taking James Johnson.
Ed
June 23rd, 2009
5:15 am
Here’s the link for Sekou’s latest mock draft
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/draft/mock
doc
June 23rd, 2009
7:48 am
mike, have you forgotten the debacle of marvin from unc? if you havent done it you have to learn it. some of this might show up in trials but having seen the impact of such recent stars from the acc of shels, marvin and reddick among others i am suspect at the formula schools of any of their players including lawson. just saying. thad young had out performed all of th recent guys from unc in the last five years. if you dont play defense and have a heart to play defense you rarely learn it, different “dirty” mindset to an offensive player. it is the difference in a wide receiver and corner in football. easier to teach the corner to play offense than the other way around. my emphasis and concern on him is he is very one dimensional. can he compete on the floor or only at the three point contest at the all star game?
doc
June 23rd, 2009
7:56 am
johnson sounds like a facsimile of chills in what he does and brings to the court physically though a bit more meat on him.
Sautee
June 23rd, 2009
8:18 am
ATCQ, Najeh,
Don’t get me wrong here,”cause I am NOT trying to defend Sund, nor do I have ANY idea about the particulars of this, but………
Does anyone know whether his drafting 3 bigs in consecutive years came from ownership leaning on him to “get bigger”?
We (including me) ASSUME that he’s “infatuated”with big projects, but does anybody (other than his staff) KNOW that he wasn’t given marching orders to do what he did?
Just sayin….
mwilltru15
June 23rd, 2009
8:53 am
If it hasn’t happened yet, everyone needs to wake up about Hansbrough and his size. He measured out better than Griffin at the combine and the athletic tests showed better than most give him credit for. He’s going to be a very good pro, especially with his improved shot, his basketball IQ and his work ethic. He will contribute immediately to whatever team drafts him.
combine measurment results……. http://www.nbadraft.net/node/6156
JSS
June 23rd, 2009
9:14 am
For all of you Hawk Speculators… I want to share how the LA Times presents their Blog on the Lake Show…
http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2009/06/mitch-kuphcak-exit-interview.html
Tell me what you think?
By the way, you have to work on setting picks… Hortford screens well, ZaZa at least tries… Marvin, Josh, Solo, and the others are just horrible… Stop blaming the coaches, players must work on their games some times… Enjoy the draft…
Sekou Smith
June 23rd, 2009
9:24 am
Sorry folks, I shut it down before the Twitter revolution started up around here last night.
Someone reporting that the Hawks are interested in Amare on a Twitter page isn’t really worth discussing here. Amare’s name has not come up in any conversation I’ve had with anyone about anything related to the Hawks, Josh Smith or the draft or anything else. But hey, if it’s on Twitter …
There will be another mock draft from me Ed, in Thursday’s AJC. That’s the one you can nail me on if I’m off by a long shot. But wouldn’t it be interesting if a player like James Johnson fell into the Hawks’ lap. When a guy like that falls (projected higher but goes lower for whatever reason), it’s usually a boon for the team that snags him. Guys like Tayshaun Prince, David West, Jameer Nelson, Josh Smith and on and on. Just a thought.
A Tribe Called Quest
June 23rd, 2009
9:54 am
Sautee,
Maybe Sund was given orders, but that still doesn’t mean he’s a capable GM in terms of drafting.
Anyone else see that ludicrous trade rumor reported on Realgm of Rondo and Jesus Shuttlesworth for Stuckey, Rip Hamilton, and Prince? The Pistons “immediately” rejected the trade. LOL. Wtf was Boston thinking?
Mike is back
June 23rd, 2009
9:56 am
Sekou, you caught me…I was just about to respond to that rumor. At lease it sounds like something is going on and I will leave it at that.
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2009
10:01 am
Sautee & Ray, what’s the origin of Sund being pushed by ownership to draft 3 consecutive centers? Is there any history of the Starbuck’s guy being involved in building the roster? Seems like a very strange strategy, even if you get 3 winners. (The Petro pick is easy to explain. It was an awful draft and he was chosen at #25. He probably was the BPA. The other two were lottery picks… hard to explain Swift & Sene).
newkid, you were critical of Sund waiting until the last minute to produce his draft board and suggested that the Falcons would never wait until the 11th hour to do the same. Bradley made a very good point in a subsequent column. The NFL goes through a period of free agency prior to the draft, so TD knew that he had to replace Brooking, Foxworth, Milloy, etc. and that he didn’t need to draft a TE. Unfortunately, the NBA does it differently. An NBA GM can’t pinpoint roster gaps with the same level of certainty. Sund can (and will) build scenarios for life with/without Bibby, but he doesn’t know for certain that he has an issue (like the Jets knew for certain they needed a QB entering the draft). Bottom line, you can’t equate the NBA draft to the NFL draft. Apples to oranges.
Melvin
June 23rd, 2009
10:01 am
Doc,
Do you really consider playing DB part of defense (me being a former DB)? We refer to that position as “Being on an Island”. Although, DB’s are normally the team best athlete, they don’t want any part of tackling (i.e. keep your uniform clean) and the last thing a DB want to see is a linemen coming around that corner on a running play. Rule #1, do not engage with a linemen. Get low when you come in contact with them big fellas….:)
terrell barron
June 23rd, 2009
10:11 am
Celtics offer Rondo and Allen to Pistons. Wow! Lets offer JJ and Acie. We might lose JJ anyway, and Allen’s contract is expiring.
terrell barron
June 23rd, 2009
10:12 am
And then we could build around Rondo, Smith, and Horford.
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2009
10:18 am
Sekou, I’ve been banging on the drum for the Hawks to add a ‘tweener to the bench for about 6 months. So I have some interest in James Johnson. But didn’t dude gain like 25 pounds since the NCAA tournament? (Meanwhile, Blair lost about 20-25 pounds and seemingly has snatched Johnson’s spot in the top half of the draft). Sund needs to change the culture and needs to bring in guys who “get it” and want to compete. Attitude and aptitude. If he drafts Johnson, he better know that dude won’t go down the Hot Plate Williams path.
Marcus Williams fell like a brick in few years ago too. How did that work out?
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2009
10:20 am
tb, do you know why they are reportedly looking to trade Rondo?
G-Man
June 23rd, 2009
10:21 am
terrell barron,
I think rondo is a good player, but I don’t think the hawks could handle the rebellious personalities of rondo and smith on the same team.
jhan
June 23rd, 2009
10:37 am
James Johnson – plays SF/PF – I expect a resounding NO to this draft pick. Most of the blog seems to think Psyco-T would be a horrible pick. Why would this guy be different?
Melvin
June 23rd, 2009
10:40 am
Didn’t Rondo and Josh play together in High School at Oak Hill? Man, i can see those two teamming up on Woody now. Make him grow his hair, just so he could pull it back out…
Melvin
June 23rd, 2009
10:44 am
If the Hawks are going to keep Acie then I wouldn’t mind seeing them pick a guy that can play multiple position like T.Williams, Earl Clark or Johnson. No need for them to pick a PG that’s going to ride the pine or make Acie a permanent fixture on the bench…
A Tribe Called Quest
June 23rd, 2009
10:48 am
I don’t understand these trade rumors at all.
Why are the Clippers shopping around Camby / Kaman? Blake Griffin is a POWER FORWARD. They already have a great power forward in Zach Randolph who Rich Bucher did not mention in any trade rumors. That’s the player they need to trade, not Camby or Kaman. Or they should trade C or K and also ZBO. ZBo is a sick basketball player who people don’t talk enough about.
Cleveland is reportedly interested in Eddy Curry and Kaman. LOL they are banking their whole offseason on shutting down Dwight Howard. They will have a rude awakening next year when they are #2 in the East behind Boston and get bounced by the Celts.
And any team that takes Ben Wallace/Pavlovic for a star/big contract/Shaq should be barred from ever being in the NBA again. Memphis should fall under that list after winning the title for the Lakers this year. That team has to be depressing to play on, since NO ONE thinks they will throw money toward winning. That Smoove contract offer wasn’t too bad
Ariose
June 23rd, 2009
10:51 am
AJ, Brandon Bass is a Free Agent…
Steve
June 23rd, 2009
10:53 am
Anyone but BJ Mullens! Please!
And Lester Hudson in round 2 would be outstanding.
Ariose
June 23rd, 2009
10:54 am
Tribe, the proble is, no one WANTS Zach randolph. He doesn’t play defense, doesn’t run the floor, and he’s overpaid…..HUGE contract, he shoots threes but he’s not even as good as rasheed at it.
Ariose
June 23rd, 2009
10:55 am
*Problem
Ariose
June 23rd, 2009
10:56 am
Can I please get a cookie, HOW LONG have I been telling you guys about Lester Hudson? It’s been Months…
doc
June 23rd, 2009
10:58 am
aj, i saw a blip that said rondo and doc were at odds.
melvin guess i am ole school and showing my age. the db’s i was around in high school were the steeliest and toughest minded of the group. i guess that was pre deion era db’s. you know the type of MEN that hung out at the raiders and steeler facilities. sorry you missed out on some fun if you werent a head hunter.
personally, i got stuck at center so i ran into a lot of linebacker forearms that knocked me silly and i always preferred playing defense whether it was football, soccer or basketball. it was a lot more fun to play d line than o center. guess i even did it in baseball being a pitcher. making the point it is a different mindset to defend than to “create” and score. one is head on the other evasive.
jhan my guess is the guy is more athletic and more of what we need to make up for the zaza and chill loss as he is closer to the mix of the two than tyler. i guess i would vote johnson if given the choice. i also dont think we get a shot at lawson, johnson or tyler where we pick. the only qualifier to that is more teams are going to pick for need just like the hawks so one of the guys might fall and i dont have a clue as to the needs or wants of each 18 teams in front of us. not many real projects except thabeet or mullins who i doubt we have the patience for as fans unless we go back a few steps to lottery again. since the projects are few then we might not get a break.
Ariose
June 23rd, 2009
10:58 am
We Need Chris Kaman! SPeedy+Mo Evans for Kaman…..Draft Danny Geen in the 2nd to replace MO.(or draft Curtis Jerrels hehehe…..)
Ariose
June 23rd, 2009
11:00 am
Where are you guys getting this junk about Ellington not being athletic from? He had some of the best measuremnts at the pre-draft combine. He doesn’t use his athletecisim nearly ehough, but he’s very athletic.
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2009
11:04 am
Ariose, yes, but Bass’ salary will double #19.
Tribe, I’m sure that the Clips would prefer to move Randolph but they won’t find many interested teams. Honestly, the Cavs should go after Randolph. LeBron would likely be able to keep him in his place and teams would not be able to double both Randolph and LeBron. So one of them would be able to score at will on each possession.
terrell barron
June 23rd, 2009
11:09 am
Tribe, the reason they’re trying to trade Kaman or Camby is because THEY CAN. Nobody would deal for Randolph and his outrageous contract.
Astro, I have no idea. Maybe they’re looking for a score first pg? Maybe they have an eye on a player in the draft? Maybe they plan on going after Bibby? Who knows???
doc
June 23rd, 2009
11:10 am
ok ariose, a klondike or carvel for you if he gets taken by the hawks and makes he roster at the next game we hit on.
Melvin
June 23rd, 2009
11:12 am
Doc,
Im the biggest Raiders fan (did I just say that on an Atlanta blog). So I remember Lester Hayes better yet the hard hitting Ronnie Lott on the other side of the Bay area. Those guys would take your head off if you came across that middle. But neon Deion “Prime Time” Sanders wasn’t going to tackle a fly. I learn all of my “Get Low” techniques from him. Besides being quick, he was very strong. He had a heck of a jam technique at the line. However, he was the greatest DB ever. Never seen a man shut down one side of the field like he did. Made the other 10 guys job easier. Good as those guys were, you will never see them engage with a linemen…:)
terrell barron
June 23rd, 2009
11:14 am
Doc, dont forget about Sean May and Juan Dixon. They haven’t exactly set the world on fire either.
Daniel
June 23rd, 2009
11:16 am
Astro Joe- good point on James Johnson. Very strange choice Sekou. I take it that you will back off that pick for Thurs. “official” draft prediction. I am holding out hope that TD is still available in the 2cd round.
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2009
11:23 am
tb, supposedly, Rondo gets on his teammates (and coach’s) nerves. The reports are that he is very moody, runs hot/cold with his co-workers. And so they don’t know if they want to invest long-term in someone with those issues. My guess is that they are floating these trade rumors to expedite his maturity.
Melvin
June 23rd, 2009
11:25 am
“But he was hardly dominant. He started just twice and only played 20 minutes per game.”
I admit I didn’t watch Ohio State play this season but to findout that BJ Mullens only started 2 games out of 33. Really worries me. Marvin i can understand after playing on a championship team but it wasn’t like Mullens was playing behing Oden or the 7 footer (Kosta?) that got drafted by Utah last year. Is he worth the gamble at #19? Again, I haven’t seen him play so I want pass judgement.