? Jun. 10 - Believe it or not, there are teams out there who want Hill. Or, rather, the cap space Hill can potentially create. "I've had four or five teams call about Grant," Magic general manager John Weisbrod said in the Orlando Sentinel. "It's a little surprising."
Of course, the acquiring team would still be on the hook for the remaining $47 million in salary, but it would come off the books if Hill reinjures himself and is forced to retire. The risk, though, is that Hill would refuse to quit and the team would be stuck with him and his contract. "It excites me that teams still want me and are willing to take a risk," Hill said, missing the point. "The bottom line is that I want to play and I want to play here."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Jamal Crawford
Bulls
? Jun. 10 - Officially, Crawford will soon become a restricted free agent, meaning he doesn't work for the Bulls. And if that's the case, then Crawford is refusing the attend summer workouts at the Bulls' Berto Center even if he does want the Bulls to re-sign him. "I don't know if I'll be back," the point guard said in the Chicago Sun Times. "I think about it all the time, and it will be interesting. I'll talk to the Bulls first because I love playing for Scott Skiles, but I'll be prepared for anything. If some team is interested in me, I'll be interested in them."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Vince Carter
Raptors
Raptors
Jun. 10 - The Toronto Star is reporting that Carter isn't asking for a trade and the Raptors aren't involved in any trade talks. However, tension is mounting after the team refused to hire Julius Erving. The paper mentions nothing specific except to say that Carter has privately mentioned his dissatisfaction.
Jun. 9 - Depending on who you believe, Kobe Bryant plans to opt out of his current contract in order to A) secure a longer tenure with the Lakers, or B) because he can't wait to leave the organization. Bryant told the New York Post on Tuesday that he would make a recruiting visit to New York if the Knicks extend an invitation when free agency begins in three weeks. "I'm going to listen to all options. If he (Knicks GM Isiah Thomas) invites me, I'll be there," Bryant said.
The Arizona Republic reported last week that while the Suns would love to land Bryant, they know the risk involved in pursuing him while disregarding other more realistic options. That's why they also have been mentioned in rumors concerning the acquisition of Tracy McGrady or Manu Ginobili, possibly using Shawn Marion and their No. 7 lottery pick to facilitate a deal.
If you subscribe to the theory that Kobe simply wants a better deal in L.A., the Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith proposes a plan that has the Lakers keeping Kobe, shipping out Shaquille O'Neal and preparing to make a run at Yao Ming when he becomes a free agent in 2006, when Bryant will be 28 -- the same age Michael Jordan began his string of NBA titles.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Phil Jackson
Lakers
Lakers
Jun. 9 - Being the daughter of the owner and girlfriend of the coach gives Jeanie Buss some exclusive insight and she says Jackson will be in L.A. next season.
"That's my personal feeling," she said in the L.A. Daily News. "I have not had this conversation with Mitch (Kupchak, the general manager), or my dad, but I feel that, given the way things have been going, I can't see how we can't continue with them the way they are."
But no one thinks it's going to be quite that easy with Phil, Kobe, Malone or Payton when the season ends and contracts expire or are opted out of. "She freelanced that," said Jackson. Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune reports that the Lakers had already offered Jackson one year at $10 million but he turned it down in hopes of getting a two-year deal worth $25 million.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Malik Rose
Spurs
Bobcats
Jun. 9 - Rose can see the writing on the wall. His days in San Antonio appear to be numbered as the team likely won't protect him in the upcoming expansion draft.
"It's like a mathematics problem," Rose said in the Express News. "They have to leave a certain number of players off to protect a certain amount of players. ... They have to protect the guys they think are going to help them the most. And I'm not going to be on that list."
Since signing a long-term deal two years ago, Rose has clashed with head coach Gregg Popovich often. "That was one of the greatest moments in my life," Rose said of his $42 million deal, "and it's turned out to be a huge thorn in my side for certain reasons."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Marcus Camby
Nuggets
Nuggets
Jun. 9 - It's official. Camby opted out of his contract with the Nuggets in hopes of securing a longer deal with the team, which he hopes happens soon. "If they come out correct, I don't have no reason to go with any other cities or any other teams," he said in the Denver Post. "I would definitely want to get (a contract) out of the way as soon as possible."
The move also helps the Nuggets, allowing them protect another player on their roster in the expansion draft. "I see it as a positive for both sides, really," Vandeweghe said Tuesday. "At the end of the day, I think Marcus wants to be in Denver, and we certainly want him back."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Troy Hudson
Timberwolves
Timberwolves Jun. 9 - Rehab on his injured ankle will begin in a month, but free agency began last week for Hudson when he opted out his contract with the Timberwolves. Although he hopes to stay with the team, he also hopes to be getting paid more than the $2.1 million he was due if he had kept his current deal.
"My only concern right now is, I would love to be in Minnesota," Hudson said in the Star Tribune. "I have a house here. I'm type of player who's tired of moving around. It's a Midwestern city, I'm from the Midwest. This is where I want to be. I'm a free agent right now, I'm not denying it, but for me, right now, the Timberwolves are my team. I wish I could sign a contract tomorrow. But it's a negotiating process, they have to do what's best for them and I have to do what's best for me . . . You just get to point where you feel that you deserve a little more."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Alonzo Mourning
Nets
Nets Jun. 8 - The Nets hope Mourning comes back. Jason Kidd said he expects Alonzo to come back. But someone, obviously, forgot to check with Morning. "Barring a miracle, no, that is not my intention," said Mourning in the Bergen Country Record.
"My intention right now is to continue to focus on making sure that this new organ that I have in me stays in me. I don't want to go through that procedure again."
Mourning is still recovering from kidney surgery, though he has made constant appearances behind the Nets' bench. "As far as the possibility of me playing again, that is something that yes, being around the game, obviously I think about," he said. "But it is not an issue. The important issue is making sure that my body keeps its kidney."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Earl Watson
Grizzlies
Timberwolves Jun. 8 - The St. Paul Pioneer Press is reporting that the Timberwolves are trying to work out a deal through the Charlotte Bobcats and the expansion draft that would land them Watson. The paper also reports that franchise player Kevin Garnett would much rather have Troy Hudson back, but Hudson appears set on testing the free-agent market. Hudson, who is expected to opt out of his contract soon, could make $2.1 million with the Timberwolves next year.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Head coach
Hawks
Mike Brown
Del Harris
John McLeod
Dwayne Casey
Mike Woodson
Mike Fratello Jun. 7 - The list of potential head coaches for the Atlanta Hawks continues to grow, with the Indianapolis Star reporting Pacers associate head coach Mike Brown will interview for the job next week. As Indiana's defensive coordinator, Brown was largely responsible for the Pacers improved play on that end of the floor.
He is now on a list in Atlanta that already includes Dallas assistant Del Harris, Denver assistant John McLeod and Seattle assistant Dwayne Casey. Others expected to interview are Detroit assistant Mike Woodson and former Atlanta and Cleveland head coach Mike Fratello.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Antonio McDyess
Suns
Rockets Jun. 7 - The Rockets wanted Antonio McDyess when he was at his peak a few years ago. They might finally have a shot at him now.
"I have had no ... conversations with the Houston Rockets about Antonio McDyess," McDyess' agent, Andy Miller, told the Houston Chronicle. "But Antonio has indicated to me that, one, remaining in his adopted hometown of Houston, Texas, is very appealing to him. He loves the city and community. Two, he has a high regard and respect for the team, its personnel, management and coaching staff. And three, this would provide him the opportunity to win, to contribute to the success they are having, and to go over and above what they've already achieved."
McDyess averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds from 1998-99 through 2000-01 but has played in only 52 games since because of lingering effects of a major knee injury.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Pau Gasol
Grizzlies
Grizzlies Jun. 7 - No one knows better than Jerry West that Memphis needs to make a move to get to the next level, but potential trading partners might as well scratch Gasol off their wish list.
"Every once in a while I hear Pau Gasol's name mentioned in trades," West told the Memphis Commercial Appeal. "The last six champions in the NBA have all had a player who is very good with his back to the basket. And unless somebody is offering us Shaquille O'Neal or Kobe Bryant or a player of that magnitude, I would never be willing to trade Gasol. Another player in my mind is James Posey."
West, however, did say he is trying to put together a deal and wouldn't be opposed to including the team's draft picks.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Vlade Divac
Kings
Kings
? Jun. 4 - Vlade Divac may be a free agent, but he's still a King at heart. "The Kings are my first option," said Divac in the Sacramento Bee. "I feel like a King. I came here six years ago because I believe in Geoff (Petrie) and the things we can do. It would have to be perfect situation for me to leave."
Recently, Divac has considered teams like the Clippers and Lakers (where he started his career) and even retirement. But with the Kings' future in flux, he seems to want to stick around and see it through. "I think we have the best team in the league," he said. "It just has to click together. What really ticks me off is that I saw great talent, I saw opportunity, and we didn't capitalize. I don't know why it happened."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Al Harrington
Pacers
Pacers
Bulls Jun. 4 - Al Harrington may be the odd man out of the Pacers' small forward rotation. "This is an unbalanced roster," coach Rick Carlisle said in the Indianapolis Star. "There are a glut of guys at the small forward spot, and there haven't been enough minutes. I don't think this team will be back in our exact form next year. I just think there will be some changes, through free agency, the draft or trades. There's going to be some things that are different, without question."
Harrington believes he should be starting. Carlisle believes he should be starting. The problem is that there can be only one starting small forward on the team and the Pacers already have Ron Artest. "This has been a tough situation for Al," Carlisle said. "I view him as a starter in this league. As the summer progresses we'll see what takes form. If there was the opportunity for him to be a starter here, that would be great. If there isn't, it may be time for him to move on to another team."
The Bulls are interested in Harrington, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, but likely won't be willing to trade the No. 3 pick in the draft for him.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Gary Payton
Lakers
? Jun. 4 - Rather than change his address and head coach for a second time in two seasons, Gary Payton may, instead, change his mind and his own style of play to stay with the Lakers.
"Let me work at standstill jumpshots if that's what it's going to be," Payton said in the Orange County Register. "In the summer, if that's what I want to do, I'd work on that."
It has been reported in the past that Payton was unhappy with the current Laker situation and would opt out of his contract at the conclusion of the season. He has since softened his stance and linked his stay to Karl Malone. But this is the first sign that he would go to such an extreme to remain in L.A.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Eddy Curry
Bulls
Mavs
Sonics
Blazers May. 28 - According to the Chicago Tribune, both the Grizzlies and SuperSonics have contacted the Bulls about Curry, as both look for a low-post presence to contend in the big-man dominated West. The paper suggests the Grizzlies could offer Pau Gasol and Shane Battier for Curry, Chicago's first-round pick (No. 3 overall) and one of the Bulls' bad contracts.
Or, the paper proposes, Seattle could offer Ray Allen and the No. 12 pick in the draft for Curry, the No. 3 pick and a bad contract of someone like Jerome Williams or Antonio Davis.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Latrell Sprewell
Timberwolves
Wolves
Spurs
Jun. 3 - There's speculation that the Spurs will make another run at Sprewell after losing out to the Wolves last year. Sprewell can become a free agent next month because of an opt out clause in his contract, but Wolves owner Glen Taylor is confident Spree will be staying in Minnesota.
"He's our player right now, so he is assured of $14.6 million," Taylor said in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "I wouldn't think that he would want to play on a team unless it was a winning team. I think that cuts it down pretty much."
Fred Hoiberg and Trenton Hassell can also leave the team for similar reasons, but seem to be staying out of team camaraderie. However, point guard Troy Hudson, who made only $2.7 million this year, is leaning toward testing the market.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Kurt Thomas
Knicks
? Jun. 3 - Knicks head coach Lenny Wilkins mentioned the need for a stronger, bigger power forward, which immediately started speculation that the Knicks might use veteran Kurt Thomas as trade bait despite the fact that he had just signed a four-year extension worth about $30 million. The New York Daily News reports that any deal would have to include a 20 percent trade kicker that might scare off any potential suitors for Thomas. Besides, he is already the team's leading rebounder, second in blocked shots and, "I think everybody saw I could play with the injury," he said. "I don't think that will be a factor or anything."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Scottie Pippen
Bulls
? Jun. 2 - Though Pippen has said he probably will retire, the Arlington Heights Daily Herald reports Bulls GM John Paxson could use Pippen's contract to help balance a trade involving the No. 3 pick in this year's draft.
"To get deals done, you need salaries to match up," Paxson told the paper. "We'll have to use whatever means we have to make a deal. I can't rule out anything or rule in anything."
Pippen has one year left on his contract at $5.4 million.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Ray Allen
Sonics
Nets? Jun. 2 - According to the N.Y. Post, the Nets have contacted the Sonics about a deal for Allen, entering the final year of his contract at $14.625 million, that would send Kerry Kittles and a combination of other players to Seattle. Kittles is scheduled to make $10.2 million next season and is likely to be left unprotected in the expansion draft.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Antoine Walker
Mavericks
? Jun. 2 - The Dallas Morning News reports that if the Mavericks retain Walker for next season, he likely will be relegated to a reserve role. If that's the case, the paper suggests, he might be more open to a trade or to opt out of the final year of his contract, worth $14.5 million.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Steve Nash
Mavericks
Mavericks
Nuggets
Suns Jun. 1 - Nash is among the free agents Denver will be pursuing, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein, but the team with the best (albeit slim) chance of wooing Nash away from virtual blood brothers Dirk Nowitzki and Michael Finley is Phoenix.
Nash never sold the house he bought as a Phoenix youngster -- his family still uses it -- and the early word is the Suns will make Nash their No. 1 free-agent target, not Kobe Bryant, since they see actually landing Bryant as a long-shot fantasy.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Tracy McGrady
Magic
Magic
? May. 28 - McGrady says he's 90 percent sure what he wants to do, but he has yet to tell his current team what that is. "The dilemma for the franchise is, 'Do you want to try and win now or wait two or three years for a guy to develop?' " McGrady told Florida Today, not swayed at all by the team's upcoming No. 1 pick.
"I'm just saying, I'm not trying to wait that long to win. I was in that situation last year, and I just can't see going another couple of years losing and waiting on players to develop. I just don't think I can do that. I just think that it would be best to go get a guy ready to fill a role and contribute right away."
But in the same breath, he states: "I love Orlando, because it's home, and I love the fans. They have been great to me. I don't want to leave, and I'm sure a lot of them don't want me to leave, either. But if we can't change the team this summer, I just think the best thing would be for me to move on."
McGrady mentioned the Spurs and Lakers as places he'd like to go if he does decide to leave Orlando.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Rasheed Wallace
Pistons
Pistons
Knicks May. 28 - Who knows what free-agent-to-be Rasheed Wallace is thinking on a day-to-day basis, but at least, for now, he's got the Detroit Pistons on his mind. "That's definitely a strong possibility," Wallace told the Detroit News about re-signing with the Pistons. "I definitely like it. They're a good bunch of guys."
New York was originally thought to be his destination of choice, but his time spent alongside Ben Wallace in a championship race may have changed that. "They complement each other," teammate Richard Hamilton said. "They know where each other is at all times of the game."
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Mehmet Okur
Pistons
Pistons
Mavericks
Suns
Nuggets
Jazz May. 28 - The Detroit Free Press is reporting Okur may command as much as $8.5 million in free agency. "I'm excited about my future," Okur told the paper. "I'm not nervous about what might happen this summer. I know that if we do well and keep playing that people will pay attention. Everything will be OK."
At that price, though, the Pistons might have to decide if they want to focus on the immediate future with Rasheed Wallace or look down the road with Okur. It has become apparent that they cannot sign both.
"I'm happy here," Okur said. "This is where I started. My friends are here. I'm happy with coaches and my teammates. I have a good time with them. It's a lot of fun. I don't want to talk about (free agency) because we're doing well, and that's what's important right now."
If the Pistons cannot re-sign Okur, the second-year PF/C from Turkey will have plenty of suitors. The Deseret News of Utah indicates the Mavericks and Knicks have joined a list that already included the Suns, Nuggets and Jazz.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Greg Ostertag
Jazz
Jazz
Mavericks May. 27 - Utah may have been his first and only NBA gig so far, but home has always been Texas for center Greg Ostertag. And when he becomes a free agent on July 1, he has no reservations of returning. "I'm hoping they'll bring me in to talk about it at the appropriate time," Ostertag said in the Dallas Morning News. "I'm not a scorer and they don't need a scorer. They need a rebounder and shot-blocker, which I can be. I'm going to look at all my options. But it would be my ultimate dream to play in Dallas."
The paper goes on to note that the Mavs could split their mid-level exception between Ostertag and Marquis Daniels, spend their $1.6 million minimum exception on him or negotiate a sign and trade with the Jazz. But even if Ostertag stays in Utah, he is expected to take a big cut from the $8.6 million he made last season with the Jazz.
WHO INTERESTED THE SKINNY
Brent Barry
Sonics
Sonics
Nets
Nuggets
Cavs
Warriors May. 25 - Expect the Nets, Nuggets, Cavs and Warriors to make runs at Barry in free agency, according to the New York Daily News. The paper indicates Barry will be seeking the mid-level exception of $5 million per year over three to four years. However, the Seattle Times cites sources who say Barry has turned down a three-year, $18 million deal to re-sign with the Sonics and is seeking a four-year contract. The Times indicates the Sonics still hope to re-sign him.
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Thursday, June 10, 2004
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
CHICAGO -- NBA draft forecasters will consult anything -- the stars, chicken bones, changes in barometric pressure -- in an effort to gauge where a guy will go in the draft.
Historically, one of the most interesting and accurate gauges of a player's draft stock is the NBA's confidential "physical only" list.
By now you know that most top prospects do not play at the pre-draft camp. But the NBA still flies in 15 to 20 prospects who aren't playing in the camp to take them physicals and participate in the combine.
The biggest benefit of such an invitation is that every team doctor in the league gets to poke and prod the prospect. Without a league-certified physical, agents must obtain one on their own and often have to submit their clients to numerous medical tests as they go from city to city. Here in Chicago, it's one-stop shopping. Getting official heights, weights, vertical jumps and strength testing also is important.
The league consults a committee of GMs and scouts to produce the invitation list, and if a prospect name is on it, it's a pretty sure sign his draft stock is high. Being left off the list can be the first sign a prospect is slipping.
You can't read everything into a list like this, but it's a pretty decent rule of thumb. Insider exclusively obtained a copy of the secret list Wednesday. While the names on the list are interesting, it's the names that aren't on it that are raising a few eyebrows around the league.
Who's on it?
Andris Biedrins, PF, Latvia
Josh Childress, SF, Stanford
Luol Deng, SF, Duke
Ben Gordon, PG, UConn
Devin Harris, PG, Wisconsin
Dwight Howard, PF, Southwest Christian Academy
Kris Humprhies, PF, Minnesota
Andre Iguodala, SG, Arizona
Luke Jackson, SG/SF, Oregona
Al Jefferson, PF, Prentiss (MS)
Shaun Livingston, PG, Peoria (IL)
Jameer Nelson, PG, St. Joseph's
Emeka Okafor, PF, UConn
Peter John Ramos, C, Puerto Rico
J.R. Smith, SG, New Jersey
Josh Smith, SF, Oak Hill Academy (VA)
Kirk Snyder, SG, Nevada
Tiago Splitter, PF, Brazil
The two big surprises on the list were Splitter and Ramos. Splitter's stock has been all over the board this year. He's in Chicago for a workout on Friday, which may explain why he got on the invite list, but other top international prospects are here too, and they didn't get invited.
Ramos' stock has been on the rise all spring, and this may be an indication the NBA believes he will go fairly high in the draft.
No physical for you
Here's a look at a few notable names that were left off:
Rafael Araujo, C, BYU
David Harrison, C, Colorado
Pavel Podkolzine, C, Siberia
Peja Samardziski, C, Serbia
Donta Smith, SF, Juco
Robert Swift, C, Bakersfield (CA)
Sebastian Telfair, PG, Brooklyn
Dorell Wright, SG, South Kent Prep (CT)
The "physical only" list may be another sign that Sebastian Telfair's stock is sinking.
There were a number of surprises here. Telfair's name stands out because it's the most prominent, and it may corroborate reports that his stock is sinking like a rock in workouts. However, a few other names are even more puzzling.
Araujo is widely considered a top 12-20 prospect in the draft. Why isn't he here? One league source claimed he was left off because he agreed to play in the pre-draft camp and then pulled out. There are some politics involved with the list, and Araujo wouldn't be the first guy who didn't get an invite because he upset someone.
Podkolzine didn't get an invite, according to his agent, because the league told him the physical he took last year at the camp would suffice. Given Podkolzine's medical history and a recent bone break, that's mind-boggling. Podkolzine was willing to come to the combine, but wasn't invited.
Samardziski and Swift are both considered locks for the first round, and both players likely will be off the board before the 20th pick. Again, this may be more politics than draft stock.
Workouts
High school point guard Shaun Livingston had a big workout for the Bobcats on Wednesday. The Bobcats are absolutely the best fit for Livingston, but several NBA sources are claiming Charlotte still is leaning heavily toward Stanford's Josh Childress right now. Livingston shot the ball much better for the Bobcats, but it still sounds like they're afraid of the risk. I think Childress is going to be a good to very good player in the league, but in two or three years the Bobcats will be wishing they took Livingston.
Wisconsin point guard Devin Harris struggled in his workout for the Warriors against Northwestern's Tim Young on Wednesday. Harris didn't shoot the ball as well as he normally does and struggled against Young's physical defense.
Russian forward Viktor Khryapa has been in town and, according to several reports, he's been very good in workouts the past several days.
SFX held a big group workout for every NBA team on Wednesday featuring Sasha Vujacic, Roko Leni Ukic, Ha Seung Jin and Erazem Lorbek. More than 100 people from various NBA teams attended the workout.
Wednesday's workout cemented Sasha Vujacic's place in the mid first round.
The big story there was Vujacic. He has gained a significant amount of muscle since we saw him last year in Chicago. The extra 15 pounds made him look much sturdier. Last year, some teams were worried his slight frame would be a problem in the pros.
A 6-foot-7 point guard from Slovenia, Vujacic shot the lights out in the workout, showed a nice handle and got up and down the floor very well. Last year he was a bubble first-round guy. This year he should be firmly planted in the first round. He's already worked out for the Lakers (they almost gave him a late first-round promise last season) and has a number of workouts scheduled in the coming days. I think he's a very good prospect who could go as high as 17 to Atlanta but likely won't slip past the Lakers at No. 27.
Ukic also looked very good in the workout, though scouts who saw him in Treviso at the Eurocamp got a much better handle on what he can and can't do. At this workout he showed his quickness and actually shot the ball pretty well. Still, it's a crime he's not playing in the pre-draft camp. After watching the point guards on the floor Wednesday, I think he probably would've been the best prospect there. He'll likely pull out of the draft and try again next year.
Ha and Lorbek, meanwhile, beat each other up at the other end of the gym. Lorbek was very good at the Eurocamp in Treviso. Scouts claim he's not athletic enough to play in the pros, but I'm not so sure. He'll never be a star, but I saw enough athleticism to make him, at the very least, a decent rotation player in the league. He'll probably return to Europe, though.
Ha is tougher to figure out. The size and strength are there. He showed some real basketball skills and decent agility for a kid his size. But until someone rolls out the basketball and he starts playing 5-on-5, how can anyone be sure?
The other big workout of the day was that of Western Carolina's Kevin Martin, a 6-foot-7 two guard who ranked second nationally in scoring at 24.9 ppg last season. Martin is tall, athletic and has a good, but not great, jump shot. We walked in a few minutes late, but in the 30 minutes we saw, he didn't shoot the ball particularly well.
Martin's decision to pull out of the Chicago pre-draft camp made waves here. I'm not sure it was a smart decision. Martin's the type of guy who would excel in the pre-draft camp. He's quick, knows how to create his own shot and, most importantly, he's always looking for his shot. There aren't that many guys in the camp who fit that description.
Watching Martin go one-on-one with Purdue's Kenneth Lowe (a two-time Big 10 defensive player of the year) gave you some idea of what he could do, but honestly it's very tough to gauge players in that environment.
Three teams -- Miami, Denver and Boston -- like Martin. I'm not sure Boston or Miami like him as a first-round pick. Boston might. The Celtics are looking for a taller, athletic wing, and Martin fits the description. He may be in the running for one of Boston's last picks of the first round, along with Dorell Wright.
Chances are Martin will stay in the draft. There's talk he has a promise in the 30s, and given that he can't play any better than he's played at Western Carolina, that may be enough to keep him in.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider. Send him an e-mail here.
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Thursday, June 10, 2004
By Chad Ford
ESPN Insider
CHICAGO -- The two most important things for every NBA prospect to do at the Chicago pre-draft camp? Play well and think tall.
The first day of games got underway in Chicago on Wednesday, but the real intrigue went down at around 5:45 p.m., when the league released the official heights, weights and wingspans of everyone in camp.
Despite the spirited play taking place on the court, a quick scan through the gym saw just about everyone's head down reading up on who measured up.
There's an unhealthy obsession with height in the NBA and unspoken rules about minimum sizes for each position. As serious as folks seem to take these things, you'd think the prospects were going to be strapped into a roller coaster. It's only a matter of time before some guy holding a stick with a red line painted on it starts turning away prospects at the door.
Exceed the average heights and your stock rises. Go below the minimums, and your stock plummets. I asked around the gym a little bit Wednesday, and here's the rule of thumb.
Point Guard: Average height: 6-foot-2 Minimum height: 6-0
Shooting Guard: Avg: 6-6 Minimum: 6-4
Small Forward: Avg: 6-8 Minimum: 6-6
Power Forward: Avg: 6-10 Minimum: 6-8
Center: Avg: 7-0 Minimum: 6-10
Notice we're really playing with a two-inch cushion at each position, but it can get even narrower than that. A 6-foot-8 power forward is OK. A 6-7 one is undersized. What's silly about the whole obsession, though, is that other things figure into the mix. A shorter player can play taller if he has a long wingspan. That's why Dwyane Wade, despite standing just 6-3, was tall enough to play the two. Vertical jumping ability and quickness also factor in.
As for the with-shoes vs. without-shoes debate, official heights for NBA players are measured with shoes. The without-shoes measurement, though, is useful to determine whether a prospect is wearing lifts.
Still, we hear the same refrain every year -- when the list comes out, many guys hear their stock crashing to the floor. Here's a look at some guys the janitors had to mop up off the floor at around 5:50 p.m.
Romain Sato | SG | 6-2 w/o shoes | 6-3¼ w/ shoes | 6-11 wingspan
Sato is way undersized to play his only real position in the league -- shooting guard. Some of that's going to be mitigated by an enormous wingspan, a la Wade. Still, for a guy like Sato, the revelation he was only 6-2 was a huge blow.
WestDelonte West | SG | 6-1½ w/o shoes | 6-2¾ w/ shoes | 6-6 wingspan
West is another guy who saw his stock crash quite a bit with the revelation about his size. That's why he's trying to prove to scouts he's a point guard, not a shooting guard. Will it work? He had five assists on Wednesday.
Brandon Bass | PF | 6-6¼ w/o shoes | 6-7¼ w/ shoes | 7-2½ wingspan
Bass missed the coveted 6-foot-8 designation by a mere three-quarters of an inch. However, the fact he has that enormous wingspan will help him with NBA teams. Elton Brand recorded the exact same measurement here, and no one calls him undersized anymore.
Ryan Gomes | PF | 6-6½ w/o shoes | 6-7¾ w/shoes | 7-2 wingspan
Gomes may actually have been helped by this measurement. Some scouts thought he might be as short as 6-foot-6 with shoes. That he almost cleared 6-foot-8, combined with that freaky wingspan, probably means he'll be OK at the four in the league.
PauldingRickey Paulding | SG | 6-2¾ w/o shoes | 6-4 w/ shoes | 6-9½ wingspan
Paulding just snuck over the 6-4 hurdle. That's significant, because he was listed two inches taller in college. His wingspan helps him make up for some of the size he lacks.
Everyone else at the camp pretty much measured in the right range for his position. Bernard Robinson is the shortest, standing 5-7¾ without shoes and 5-9 with shoes. He looks like Gary Coleman out there, but he's measuring taller than most people expected.
The only guy to measure over 7-feet is Seton Hall's Ales Chan. Charlotte's Martin Iti had an amazing 7-foot-5 wingspan, despite standing just 6-8½ without shoes.
The games
Meanwhile, back on the court, the first round of games got under way on Wednesday. While there was no one who really dominated, here's a look at who was hot and who was not at the first day of Chicago.
HOT
Beno Udrih | PG | 6-4 | Slovenia
Udrih was the one real buzz guy after the first day. First of all, he measured at a very respectable 6-3¾ with shoes. That's above average for a point guard. His play was also above average. Playing against Georgia's Rashad Wright, Udrih ended with 13 points on 5-for-7 shooting, handed out a day-high six assists and played with a poise that every GM is looking for in his point guard.
Udrih is 22-years-old and has a lot more European experience than most players in the draft. Several teams liked him before the camp, and the feedback from scouts Wednesday was positive. While he's still firmly planted in the second round, one team, the Pacers, likes him a lot and could consider him with the last pick in the first round.
EmmettAndre Emmett | SG | 6-4 | Texas Tech
Emmett has been helping himself in NBA workouts and now in Chicago. Maybe the fact he played here last year gave him an edge; he scored 20 points on 10-for-13 shooting. He also had a camp-high four steals and played stifling defense on Romain Sato for much of the game. I also saw him lock down J.R. Smith earlier in the month.
His ability to score is unquestioned at the college level. Combine the defense, NBA body and the decent shooting he's shown and he could be a nice second-round pick.
Nate Robinson | SG | 5-9 | Washington
Robinson is the little engine that could. He willed his team to victory in the first game, scoring a camp-high 22 points on 9-for-14 shooting. Many of those points came in the fourth quarter. He also grabbed four rebounds, handed out four assists and was a sparkplug up and down the court. I can't imagine any scenario where he's a first-rounder, but enough teams appear to like him that he might get a look in the second if he stays in the draft.
Jackson Vroman | C | 6-11 | Iowa State
The big guy was decent in Portsmouth and in several NBA workouts, and he was very active on Wednesday, scoring 17 points and grabbing six offensive rebounds. Vroman got to the free-throw line an impressive 17 times and was in constant motion all game. That's the type of thing that helps big guys at these camps.
Jackie Butler | PF | 6-10 | Prep School
The only high school kid in the group played like he belonged here, scoring 13 points and grabbing a Wednesday-high 10 rebounds. Nine of those were on the offensive end, as Butler used his weight (a robust 263 pounds) to bang and jockey for position. He's not bad.
Andre Brown | PF | 6-10 | DePaul
Brown's superior athleticism is showing here again. He was very good at Portsmouth and did a nice job around the basket Wednesday, scoring 10 points and grabbing four rebounds. He has been working out with Tim Grover at Hoops Gym the past few months, and it really shows. His body looks great. Brown isn't the most polished player here, but when you look at how he plays, he just looks like a guy who will make a roster somewhere.
Desmond Farmer | SG | 6-6 | USC
Farmer has an infectious energy to his game that draws everyone in. I'm not sure what kind of NBA player he'll be, but he's the Mark Madsen of shooting guards -- a guy who will work and play so hard, one team is bound to fall in love with him. He had 14 points and six rebounds Wednesday.
NOT
Chris Duhon | PG | 6-1 | Duke
Maybe the journeyman comment by Bernie Bickerstaff has some truth to it. Duhon was basically non-existent Wednesday, scoring just two points and handing out one assist in 19 minutes. Blah.
SatoRomain Sato | SG | 6-3 | Xavier
Was shut down by Texas Tech's Andre Emmett, going only 3-for-10 from the field and grabbing just one rebound in 19 frustrating minutes.
Drago Pasalic | PF | 6-10| Croatia
Pasalic showed a nice shooting touch in the Eurocamp, but over here he has been overwhelmed physically. He went just 1-for-8 from the field and was a defensive liability for the most part.
Rich Melzer | SF | 6-9 | Wisconsin River Falls
A terrible shooting night (3-for-12) wrecked his stock.
Tony Allen | SG | 6-4 | Oklahoma
Word leaked that Allen didn't want to come to the camp and had to be rousted by his agent just to get in the gym. That didn't play well with scouts. Neither did his six-point, four-turnover performance against less-talented competition.
Gonzaga's Blake Stepp, Rutgers' Herve Lamizana and the Ukraine's Sergei Lishouk were all injured on Wednesday and won't participate for the rest of the camp.
Chad Ford covers the NBA for ESPN Insider. Send him an e-mail here.
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Pistons winning free-throw battle
By Terry Brown
NBA Insider
Wednesday, June 10
Updated: June 10
12:08 PM ET
Detroit Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups isn't your everyday draft day bust who was selected No. 3 in 1997 by the Boston Celtics, traded midway through the season to the Toronto Raptors and one more time to the Denver Nuggets before his second season even started.
Because if Kobe Bryant's game-tying 3-pointer with 2.1 seconds left in Game 2 of the 2004 NBA Finals had missed, the Pistons could have very well been the next NBA Champions and Billups would have been their MVP.
Not Shaquille O'Neal, Tim Duncan, Michael Jordan or Hakeem Olajuwon.
And it doesn't even matter that after 58 games with the Nuggets, Billups was traded to the Orlando Magic in a deal involving draft considerations and cash and then signed by the Minnesota Timberwolves as a free agent before that calendar year was up.
Chauncey Billups
Point Guard
Detroit Pistons
Profile
2003-2004 SEASON STATISTICS
GM PPG RPG APG FG% FT%
78 16.9 3.5 5.7 .394 .878
By the end of his third year in the NBA, Billups was playing for his fifth team and shooting 37.5 percent over his career with a dislocated left shoulder that required season-ending surgery.
The following season, he registered his first DNP-CD.
Two years after that, he was playing for his sixth NBA team in six seasons and battling some undrafted guard out of South Florida for a starting position.
Today, the loser of that battle is playing for, ironically, the Boston Celtics and Billups is leading the Pistons in scoring, assists, 3-pointers and free throws while having the best shooting percentage of any starter and committing only 2.5 turnovers and one personal foul per game in the NBA Finals.
In fact, the Pistons are beating the Los Angeles Lakers at their own game even if the series is now all tied up at one game apiece and headed to Detroit for the next three contests.
In the first game, a total of 162 points were scored. In the second game, there were 16 lead changes, seven ties, a last-second shot and overtime. A free throw in either game could have changed either outcome. At one point in the second game, the Lakers were up by 11 and lost the lead. With 36 seconds left in the game, the Pistons were up by six and lost the game.
We're talking one point here or there. A single free throw. A defensive three-second call or technical foul.
And if that's the case in the next three, four, five or six games in this series, then odds are, the Pistons are going to win.
Sure, the Lakers have won three of the last four championships by dominating teams at the free-throw line. O'Neal and Bryant are among league leaders every season in attempts.
This year has been no different. During the regular season, the Lakers shot 28.6 free throws per game compared to their opponents' 23.9 for a 4.7 advantage. Coming into the Finals, they've enjoyed a 6.2 free-throw attempt advantage.
But in these Finals, the Pistons have taken 61 free throws while the Lakers have managed only 43. That's a difference of nine free throws a game in favor of the Pistons.
You heard Jeff Van Gundy complain about the Lakers pushing the Rockets around. You heard Gregg Popovich argue post position with officials. You heard Flip Saunders debate star treatment and MVP status.
The difference is that there is one Piston who isn't yelling and screaming but rather averaging exactly nine free throws per contest after getting only 5.9 per regular-season game, and his name is Chauncey Billups. He went 4-for-4 in the first game and 13-for-14 in the second one. He has beaten Gary Payton off the dribble. He has run the future Hall of Famer into and around picks. He has gone straight to the rim at the most crucial of times.
But more importantly, when the game has ground to a halt and buckets are at a premium, he has forced the Lakers into awkward positions and put himself on the free-throw line for easy points.
Believe it or not, he has made almost half of his free throws, eight to be exact, from fouls that did not involve any kind of shooting. In the last game alone, Payton fouled him on an inbounds play. Kobe fouled him off the dribble. Payton fouled him off the dribble again. In each of those cases, the Lakers were over the foul limit and Billups converted all six of those free throws.
Remember, the Pistons play in the 80s and 70s and, on occasion, the 60s. Six points is everything. And that's six points without taking a shot. That's Billups taking only 29 field goal attempts in this series and scoring 49 points.
The Lakers had Shaq scoring 34 in the first game. They had Kobe scoring 33 in the second. The Pistons have had Billups leading them in scoring in both games as the Celtics, Raptors, Nuggets, Magic and Timberwolves re-evaluate their point guard positions in an offseason that has already started.
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