# Sixers Draft Room..



## Coatesvillain

With the draft currently 52 days away and counting, the Sixers are currently slotted in at the 9th pick in the draft. With a 3.6 chance of winning the lottery, the consensus thought is for us not to hold our breath in terms of whether or not we'll win it. Stranger things have happened, but in Philly sports, something such as that taking place.. I think you get the point.

While this draft doesn't have the star power of this past seasons draft, it has some players involved who after a few seasons might be able to burst out and become the face of the franchise.

Addressing the pure needs of the team, limiting them to looking for assistance in the front court, but looking for the best player available is often-times the best choice in the NBA draft, and opens the door to more talent.

Now in talking about the second round draft choices, looks like this year we might not have any. I've checked a few non-NBAdraft.net places and it seems that their information was erroneous, and that we don't have any picks this season. If possible I'll try and write to someone and see if that's really the case, hopefully it's not.

Now looking at the talent who might be around at #9, who is it that you would love to see suiting up in a 76ers jersey next season?


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## jsa

With the 76ers luck, the choices will be Nelson, who they don't need but can play and is box office, or Euro or kiddie pool. The later two require great scouting and a lot of luck. A team which missed 350+ games with injury last year does not show much luck. 

A Van Horn type, with a bit more speed and defensive energy and a lot more heart, would be the compliment on the front line to Thomas, Dalembert and Jackson. 

this guy needs to be able shoot deep and pass, but can't be 6'6" unless he is a Barkley. They are quite rare. 

As much as I like Nelson, a 12' backcourt would be tough in today's NBA. 

They could go young, but Iverson will get cranky because the guy will not have fundamentals and losses are inevitable. A Euro or World palyer would be ok IF they got the correct one. Can anybody say Rentzias? That guy woulld have been fourth pick in our pick-up games.


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## Coatesvillain

Today:

PF Al Jefferson, SG JR Smith, and PG Shaun Livingston all declared for the draft. Livingston most likely will be in the top four, JR Smith seems to have a chance to be a first rounder. Jefferson would be a great fit, but he might be a reach right now at #9.

I wouldn't mind landing Jefferson at all, but with all this time until the draft many people might have their stock jump.

And I'll say this as quietly as possible, jsa, I don't know if you were around or not, but there was a point where I was actually a Efthimos Rentzias advocate. :dead: So that's a note my judge on talent shouldn't be taken too seriously.


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## Kunlun

I think we should get the other AI, Andre Iguodala.


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## Coatesvillain

I like the idea of Iguodala being drafted by the Sixers, but that's causing a huge logjam in the back court, unless we can somehow move some players.

Now here's a question, say somehow we won the lottery, or finished with one of the top three picks.. Who would you want?

So far the people who have been listed as top four picks have been Okafor, Howard, Deng, and Livingston, of course that could change with workouts. I wouldn't mind getting Okafor, now that I think about it, he'd be able to step in and get quality minutes right away, but it would really hurt to have two players like Dalembert and Okafor on the offensive end together in the front court.

Deng would be a quality fit with some pieces we have, but with that we would have to accept that Kenny Thomas is still a PF, and like with Iggy we'd probably have to make a trade somewhere. I want no part of Livingston.

Now here's another possibility that hit me, is it a possibility to trade down to a team that has multiple first rounders (contingent on us losing the lottery)? It'd be a hard sell since Danny Ainge was so gung-ho about the three draft picks the Celts had, and the Jazz have a bare cupboard in the offseason so they might want their two picks. Just a thought though, since it doesn't hurt thinking..


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## jsa

I suppose a young kid with potential at SF, but a tallish one, would be fine. They need athleticism. amd front court scoring. In essence what Glenn Robinson USED to be. 


If they get the 1/2/3 trading down and dumping bad salary for a star (good salary) would make some sense. But I would want a Nowitski level talent, and probably no one will offer such.

Okafor shows great promise as a stong center on the boards and defensively. Maybe his offense will come. You would have to trade Dalembert, who is undervalued so it would not be great. 

If they trade down and get the shooting Smith high school kid, and can be patient, maybe that works. I have no clue on the the World players. 

My worst evaluation ever was thinking that of two Louisville seniors, Butch Beard would be the star and Wesley Unseld the journeyman. My best might have been strongly believing that two second round guards, Calvin Murphy and Mark Price would be great. I was confident on Charles Barkley as well, despite so many misgivings about his height and weight at that time. 

I strongly feel most drafters in many sports would be much better off putting away tape measures and stop watches and just watching the player.


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## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>jsa</b>!
> I strongly feel most drafters in many sports would be much better off putting away tape measures and stop watches and just watching the player.


:yes: 

That's what I believe in most sports, size gets overrated and people forget about ability. The thing is though, as scouting advances and there's more people watching players out there, it's almost as if the scouts are in a rush to find the most flaws in a players game.

About European players, I basically know nothing about the crop this year, I just see a bunch of names I can't pronounce, but I did read that Billy King was over at the Euroleague Final Four in Tel Aviv. Though, according to what I'm reading there's not really anyone who played in that who's worth our high first round pick.


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## BEEZ

This draft is one I think the Sixers no matter where they are in the lottery should be able to move down. Basically every team has a 2nd round draft pick. Obviously we have none. Also having a 2nd round pick isnt that big a deal anymore because great talent gets left out. See Marquis Daniels. That being said I would trade down no matter where they pick to get to the 14th or 15th pick. I honestly think that no matter what Portland is going to pick JR Smith and I absolutely love this guy. That being said I really feel the sixers are in a win win and please stay away from jameer Nelson. NOt because I dont like him. I am a huge Jameer fan but because he does nothing for the Sixers as far as his lack of height and the fact that its been time for AI to switch over to PG. 

Im not big on Igoduago hes just missing something IMO.

They should take a chance on Eddie Griffin and see where his head and situation is. I am friends with his family or I should say WAS because all numbers have been disconnected and when i do see those close to him I get the cold shoulder if you know what I mean


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## Coatesvillain

If there's a way we could trade down, swap first round picks, and pick up a future first I'd be ecstatic. I'm pretty sure we got back our first round pick from next year, but you can never be sure since they don't have the draft positions out there ahead of time.

I don't know if I'm as high on JR Smith as you are, I don't like the concerns about his handle, it's great to have a lights out shooter and a nice finisher, but will he ever be more than that? It's one of those things that I'm wondering about. I really really like Al Jefferson, he cleans up the glass, and works extremely hard, if we traded down and he was there.. I would be extremely happy about it. Of course his style doesn't exactly compliment that of Kenny Thomas' but I think if he's there he's a talent that's extremely hard to pass up.

Also, if there was someway for us to get a second round pick, I think this guy Cleiton Sebastio is really intriguing. He doesn't have much in the terms of offensive ability, he's not the youngest, but he excels on the defensive end. A guy will might be undrafted that really intrigues me is Anthony Myles, the way he worked on the glass and worked in the A-10 and NCAA tourney showed that he'd provide valuable size to the lineup, or at worst he could be a camp body.



> Originally posted by <b>BEEZ</b>!
> They should take a chance on Eddie Griffin and see where his head and situation is. I am friends with his family or I should say WAS because all numbers have been disconnected and when i do see those close to him I get the cold shoulder if you know what I mean


I love Griffin's ability, but I'd want to see where his head's at before offering him anything. He's definitely not a lost cause, but if it were up to me, I'd rather offer more money to Rodney White right now. Both have untapped potential, but Griffin really scares me.


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## Coatesvillain

In the offseason planning series that Chad Ford of ESPN Insider's been doing he has the Sixers selecting Josh Childress, and he goes on about how it'd be a perfect fit for the team. It might just be me, but I'm not too sold on Childress as a top 15 pick at that a selection at #9.

With the lack of draft picks coming for the 2005 season, the Sixers might have to address the draft with looking for a player who would be more of a project with a high ceiling, than a guy who'll come in right away with a lower ceiling.

Also, if we don't have a top three pick, it might be worth seeing if we can trade down, because as of right now in this draft there are a ton of players who can turn productive, who wouldn't be bad to acquire.

If we stay at 9, maybe we can give LaMarcus Aldrige a look?


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## dcrono3

I don't think LaMarcus Aldridge is worth the #9 pick. We should be able to trade back and pick up picks and still be able to get Aldridge. I kind of wnat to trade down if we don't get a top 3 pick, since I don't see any players currently rated around #9 who I like.


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## Coatesvillain

Well, I was just throwing the name out there, as you don't know how much he could improve his stock in workouts. Here's a little tidbit I found regarding Andre Iguodala:



> According to UA associate head coach Jim Rosborough, Iguodala will soon begin working out for teams including Seattle, Atlanta and Philadelphia.


LINK

If that's the direction we're going, I don't see Eric Snow on the team much longer, and I think we'd have to see what happens with Salmons.


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## Ubonics

Childress could be the next Jarred Jefferies. Which is definetley not something you want at 9. Iguodala could be a Richard Jefferson type player( both 'Zona players too). But we'll have to see does a Richard Jefferson like palyer, need a Jason Kidd like point guard.(not an Eric Snow like PG). Rookie and Sophomore year RJ probably did but this year the guy develop a shot. I think at 9(unless someone drops a little) Iguodala is probably the most solid.


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## Coatesvillain

Major difference between Iggy and Jefferson is that Iggy can run some point. So if we have him, why stick around with Snow when you can see what you can get for him? I'd take on a bad contract, if it meant that contract was a body in the front court. Not an extremely bad contract, but you know one that's bad but has less years than Snow.

All of this would require AI buying into the system, and moving to the PG spot. Now I have to ask you, do you think he's willing to do that?


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## Ubonics

Will AI want to play point...? I would say not right away. But bottom line is that he's going to have to eventually. Now unlike many people, I don't think AI is totally done, he def has quality years left and will always have those big games. But I think eventually to continue to be a positive factor for himself and his team a move back to PG will be it. He played it pretty well back in his early days, so it won't be a huge transition. And even this year he was a bit more Point Guardish, 6.8 assts is right back to his pg numbers. He might not want to at first but it's the best move and eventually he'll prob embrace it.

Phila could prob get something decent for Snow too. A team who doesn't get the PG they want in the draft might look Snow's way. Or if they don't trade him in the offseason, they might deal him before the deadline to a high level team looking for some stability off the bench. It really could turn out to be a great situation if AI starts to officially make his move to point.


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## dcrono3

Philly could probably get something decent for Snow. Snow is a decent PG with great defense (All-NBA Second team last year) and not too old. However, a relatively poor 2003-2004 season may have pushed his stock down a bit. It also just hit me that Salmons was suppose to be a tall PG too when we traded Speedy for him. I remember reading about how he handled the point in college. Does he have any potential as a tall PG? Or at least as a point forward?


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## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>dcrono3</b>!
> Philly could probably get something decent for Snow. Snow is a decent PG with great defense (All-NBA Second team last year) and not too old. However, a relatively poor 2003-2004 season may have pushed his stock down a bit. It also just hit me that Salmons was suppose to be a tall PG too when we traded Speedy for him. I remember reading about how he handled the point in college. Does he have any potential as a tall PG? Or at least as a point forward?


Salmons' handle is way too shaky for him ever to be a primary ball handler. He can relieve a PG from handling the ball, but he can't take the whole pressure. Right now he appears to be a poor man's Aaron McKie in his prime.


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## Coatesvillain

I read that we're giving Jameer Nelson a workout on June 9th. It's a nice thing to get the local fans interested, but I hope we don't give a look in his direction.


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## Coatesvillain

> The Jazz are actively exploring opportunities for trading away one of their three first-round selections in next month's NBA Draft.
> If they did so, player personnel director Walt Perrin suggested Monday, it probably would be so they could pick sooner in the draft's opening round.
> "That's one of the options," Perrin said.
> There are several other options for the Jazz, who will go into the summer's free-agency market well under the NBA's team payroll salary cap — and probably won't have roster room for three rookies next season.
> "We have probably more flexibility to do things than any team in the league. We can do a lot of different things," Perrin said. "That's why Kevin (O'Connor, the Jazz's basketball operations senior vice president) and I are in an ongoing process of talking to teams to see if there is a possibility of moving up."
> If they do not move into one of the draft's top three spots by striking gold in next week's NBA Draft Lottery, the Jazz will own the Nos. 14, 16 and 21 picks in the June 24 draft.


LINK 

As a Sixers fan, you'd have to at least be interested in a deal like this, if all we're doing is giving up our #9 and moving back to get two firsts.


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## dcrono3

I would love to move back. No player really stands out IMO after #5 or 6. There might even be a chance that Nelson is available to us if we move back too. Hopefully we can get something done with the Jazz.


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## Coatesvillain

It might just be me, but if we can get two firsts, I'd really be interested in trying to grab two High Schoolers or a High Schooler and a Euro. Of course if we were to make a trade in this draft, we'd have to make the selection first and then trade since you can't trade draft picks in consecutive years.

If we could end up with Dorrell Wright, and Tiago Splitter, I'd be pretty happy with that. With those moves, our team would have a lot of youth, and a much brighter future.


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## dcrono3

> Originally posted by <b>PhillyPhanatic</b>!
> It might just be me, but if we can get two firsts, I'd really be interested in trying to grab two High Schoolers or a High Schooler and a Euro. Of course if we were to make a trade in this draft, we'd have to make the selection first and then trade since you can't trade draft picks in consecutive years.
> 
> If we could end up with Dorrell Wright, and Tiago Splitter, I'd be pretty happy with that. With those moves, our team would have a lot of youth, and a much brighter future.


That would definately be nice, but if Nelson was available when we pick (if we trade back) I would definately pick him. Have him learn a season under Snow and trade Snow away next offseason. Picking talent would be fine with me though.


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## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>dcrono3</b>!
> That would definately be nice, but if Nelson was available when we pick (if we trade back) I would definately pick him. Have him learn a season under Snow and trade Snow away next offseason. Picking talent would be fine with me though.


I'm definitely not interested in Nelson, I said it in other places, but I just don't see him being a good fit for the Sixers. He's really 5'10 and won't give the team what they desperately need, which is a player with a high ceiling for improvement.

Truthfully, if we can at all afford to, I'd love to avoid drafting guards period, unless the guard is Iggy.

What scares me is Billy King, he pulled out two guys who can play in last years draft, but I wouldn't be shocked to see that they aren't very prepared for this draft. He was at the Euroleague final four, but outside of that I didn't hear of him having foreign scouts out at all during the season. Who knows whether or not he scouted the high school talent.

Truthfully, I'm scared. On that same note, I'm hoping we don't land a top three pick, I like the flexibility the #9 selection gives us.


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## dcrono3

> Originally posted by <b>PhillyPhanatic</b>!
> 
> 
> I'm definitely not interested in Nelson, I said it in other places, but I just don't see him being a good fit for the Sixers. He's really 5'10 and won't give the team what they desperately need, which is a player with a high ceiling for improvement.
> 
> Truthfully, if we can at all afford to, I'd love to avoid drafting guards period, unless the guard is Iggy.
> 
> What scares me is Billy King, he pulled out two guys who can play in last years draft, but I wouldn't be shocked to see that they aren't very prepared for this draft. He was at the Euroleague final four, but outside of that I didn't hear of him having foreign scouts out at all during the season. Who knows whether or not he scouted the high school talent.
> 
> Truthfully, I'm scared. On that same note, I'm hoping we don't land a top three pick, I like the flexibility the #9 selection gives us.


Well, I don't see Nelson as a big a problem. Obviously a (very) short backcourt will hinder the Sixers, but I think both players are talented enough to overcome the height difference. I like Nelson's intangibles anyway. If we move back he wouldn't be such a bad value pick anyway. 

#9 gives more flexibility? How so? If we get top 3 we could get either Okafor, Howard, or Deng, all players who we could definately use. If we don't want any of them I am sure we could trade down too. I would love to get a top 3 pick.


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## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>dcrono3</b>!
> Well, I don't see Nelson as a big a problem. Obviously a (very) short backcourt will hinder the Sixers, but I think both players are talented enough to overcome the height difference. I like Nelson's intangibles anyway. If we move back he wouldn't be such a bad value pick anyway.


With Nelson, we'd be giving up about 40 points a night to guards alone, since Nelson and AI aren't much on the defensive side of things. Nelson is a nice player, but I don't see him as much more than an average player on the next level. If we were more set at the other positions, I'd feel fine with taking him, but we need too much help now and long term to settle for him.



> #9 gives more flexibility? How so? If we get top 3 we could get either Okafor, Howard, or Deng, all players who we could definately use. If we don't want any of them I am sure we could trade down too. I would love to get a top 3 pick.


The reason I said it offered more flexibility, because it'd almost be like we're forced to select one of the top three, and I doubt Billy King would have the foresight to trade or take someone outside of those three. Only other guy I'd see us taking there would be Livingston, and that would be a long term pick, with a short term view. Dwight Howard will probably end up being the best out of those three, but I'm not sure if he'll be able to survive Philadelphia.

Knowing King, he would probably take Deng because of the Duke roots, and he'd be a nice fit on the team, I just don't know what kind of potential for improvement he has. I'm not sure if he'd be able to be a franchise type guy, he would be able to step in immediatley and give stability we haven't had at the SF for a long time.


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## dcrono3

> Originally posted by <b>PhillyPhanatic</b>!
> 
> 
> With Nelson, we'd be giving up about 40 points a night to guards alone, since Nelson and AI aren't much on the defensive side of things. Nelson is a nice player, but I don't see him as much more than an average player on the next level. If we were more set at the other positions, I'd feel fine with taking him, but we need too much help now and long term to settle for him.
> 
> The reason I said it offered more flexibility, because it'd almost be like we're forced to select one of the top three, and I doubt Billy King would have the foresight to trade or take someone outside of those three. Only other guy I'd see us taking there would be Livingston, and that would be a long term pick, with a short term view. Dwight Howard will probably end up being the best out of those three, but I'm not sure if he'll be able to survive Philadelphia.
> 
> Knowing King, he would probably take Deng because of the Duke roots, and he'd be a nice fit on the team, I just don't know what kind of potential for improvement he has. I'm not sure if he'd be able to be a franchise type guy, he would be able to step in immediatley and give stability we haven't had at the SF for a long time.


We might give up points because of Nelson and AI but I think Nelson's offensive skills will be able to make up for the points he costs us. I think he would be a great PG, distributer wise, in the NBA. I might be wrong but I really like Nelson's high basketball IQ. And if you think about it this way, if we draft Nelson we will either trade Snow away and get a decent player (hopefully) in return (so we don't have that many holes) or we can keep Snow and have him tutor Nelson for at least one season and still have pretty good perimeter D.

It is true that if we had a top 3 pick we will probably be forced to take one of the top 4 prospects but really, all 4 would fit needs or semi-needs for the team. PG, SF, or PF/C are basically what we need to improve. I certainly believe that all 4 have as high a ceiling as the rest in the draft. Coack K did call Deng the best athlete on the entire Duke team this season, so it is not like Deng has no room to improve.


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## bballer27

THEY SHOULD DRAFT JAMEER NELSON.


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## BEEZ

> Originally posted by <b>bballer27</b>!
> THEY SHOULD DRAFT JAMEER NELSON.


And why should they? What are your reasons?


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## Dakota

Who does Philly possibly draft now. Philly needs a point guard, and a small forward. Andre Iguodala looks like the reasonable choice, but everyone is making a push for Jameer Nelson. How about Sebastian Telfair?? :laugh: Nah, only in my dreams. 

You know who Philly should really look at?? Josh Childress. He has a smooth calm demeanor to his game, and that is something that really intrigues me. He doesn't get flustered when things are down on his team. He just pulls himself together, and makes the best of the situation. He has a pure stroke from nearly every position on the court. He can handle the ball enough to the point where he can be the backup point guard. Thats a compliment. I really like this kids game, does anyone else agree??


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## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>C-MO 22 LD</b>!
> Thats a compliment. I really like this kids game, does anyone else agree??


Sorry man, if there's anyone I don't want in this draft, it has to be Josh Childress. I don't see him being much of anything on the next level. He would fit with the team, but he's more of a player who's a better fit for a team who don't have many needs, as he is a supporting cast type guy on the next level. The Sixers have to hope, whoever they land has a chance to be the guy to be the teams star when Iverson is in his last few years of his contract.

If all goes as planned, we won't be drafting this high for a long time.


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## BEEZ

> Originally posted by <b>PhillyPhanatic</b>!
> 
> 
> Sorry man, if there's anyone I don't want in this draft, it has to be Josh Childress. I don't see him being much of anything on the next level. He would fit with the team, but he's more of a player who's a better fit for a team who don't have many needs, as he is a supporting cast type guy on the next level. The Sixers have to hope, whoever they land has a chance to be the guy to be the teams star when Iverson is in his last few years of his contract.
> 
> If all goes as planned, we won't be drafting this high for a long time.


I agree. Josh Childress is already on this team in John Salmons. NO thanks. We need an athlete or some athletes and Childress reminds me too much of a commodity we already have in Salmons. Oh the thought that Ronald Murray could have on a Sixers uniform.:sigh:


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## Coatesvillain

LINK 

Here's a link that's almost a week old, but it provides a kind of ranking for the top players in the draft. It's actually a lot more in detail than a lot of other mainstream draft analysis you'll see.


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## Coatesvillain

According to ESPN Insider, European big man Martynas Andriuskevicius is going to pull out of the draft if he's not a top five selection, and allowed to stay overseas for one more season to work with Arydas Sabonis.

Now, a lot of stuff written in Insider can't be trusted, but if this is true, it might effect the Sixers pick. It was well assumed that Marty received a promise from the Suns, to be selected at the #7 pick, now if he's gone who do they go with? They could possibly go the route of Andris Biedrins, or they could surprise people, and address backcourt depth and take an assumed Sixers target in Andre Iguodala.

Iggy to Phoenix would make a ton of sense, since he could back up the 1-3 spots, and considering with the way he's been working out lately top seven might be more his range in this draft.

This isn't a certainty, but it definitely makes things interesting, and is something to toss around during these slow news times with the Sixers.


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## dcrono3

Well, I think we will be able to get at least one of Iggy, Biedrins, or Josh Smith, and I would be fine with either one of them right now.


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## Coatesvillain

*Childress Vs Iguodala*



> A very impressive athlete and player, Andre Iguodala is a guy who NBADraft.net listed as a top 5 player coming out of high school while many publications listed him in the 20's and 30's. So obviously we have been very high on him all along.
> 
> At the beginning of the year many scouts we spoke to felt he would take at least an additional year to become a lottery pick, however our instinct was correct, he progressed tremendously and will be a lotto pick this year.
> 
> So, how high can he go? There are some teams that like him over Josh Smith. And while he isn't quite on Smith's level athletically, he's one of the few who's not far off. Maurer's comment after seeing him at Hoops the Gym was that he had the chiseled physique of a linebacker. Already showing a tremendous body at Arizona, apparently Iguodala has bulked up even more.
> 
> While neither is seen as a surefire NBA star, both have qualities which make them very intriguing to teams. Iguodala as the all around consummate team player ala James Posey, with Childress as the pure shooter/scorer ala Reggie Miller.
> 
> Ben Hansen who covers Arizona basketball for www.GoAZCats.com actually likes Childress over Iguodala. He feels that not only is Childress the more polished offensive player, but is the more aggressive of the two.
> 
> Iguodala and Childress have been rumored as possible top three picks recently. Which is reminiscent of two years back when Caron Butler was rumored as a possibility to go third to Golden State. Shocking sells!
> 
> While top 3 is out of the question for these two, somewhere in the 5-10 range is a strong probability with neither falling past 12.


LINK


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## Coatesvillain

Tomorrow the Sixers have a workout at PCOM, and scheduled to be there are:

David Hawkins SG (Temple), Anthony Frazier SF (Cheyney), Damir Omerhodzic SF (Croatia), JR Smith SG (HS Senior).

Hawkins and Frazier aren't going to be drafted, and are just local bodies who at best will see time on the Sixers summer league and training camp. Omerhodzic is player people say has tons of potential, but is far away from making an impact, he's thought of as a mid first rounder. And I believe we're all pretty familiar with JR Smith, so it'll be interesting to hear how the two first round prospects work out.

If JR Smith can't look outstanding, working against Hawkins, he'll continue to plummet.


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## jsa

If Livingston isa s good as advertised ans were to drop, a 6'7" point is a beautiful thing. He could play behind Snow until he was ready. 

Trading down, perhaps with Utah, which has three choices, could work. Sloan doesn't want three rookies who all need to play to improve, at once. In that scenario, I would look at Humphries out of Minnesota. He could compliment or replace Thomas if Thomas was traded, which I do not suggest.

Childress seems very controversial, but he can shoot. Iguodala gives athleticism, but can't shoot. They don't need a world player center, and Gordon and Nelson, both of whom can play, are small. So trading down might not cost you much difference in young talent and add more youith. 

Perhaps the 76ers could offer the # 9 for the 14th and 21st picks held by the Jazz.. Then you might get Humphries and Snyder and Utah might be able to get a better big man prospect., whoever they favor, and still have the #16.


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## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>jsa</b>!
> Trading down, perhaps with Utah, which has three choices, could work. Sloan doesn't want three rookies who all need to play to improve, at once. In that scenario, I would look at Humphries out of Minnesota. He could compliment or replace Thomas if Thomas was traded, which I do not suggest.
> 
> Childress seems very controversial, but he can shoot. Iguodala gives athleticism, but can't shoot. They don't need a world player center, and Gordon and Nelson, both of whom can play, are small. So trading down might not cost you much difference in young talent and add more youith.
> 
> Perhaps the 76ers could offer the # 9 for the 14th and 21st picks held by the Jazz.. Then you might get Humphries and Snyder and Utah might be able to get a better big man prospect., whoever they favor, and still have the #16.


I like the idea of trading down if one of the "big three" aren't around, which seems almost impossible right now. That big three being Iguodala, Smith, and Biedrins. Of course I have a feeling Iggy will go top five, with his new found jumpshot in workouts, Smith is a possibility to drop so we could still land him at 14 but that's dicey.

The problem I have with Childress, is he's a better fit for a veteran team. I think he'll be a solid pro, along the lines of Battier (in terms of role, not skill set), but he's not right for our situation. Jameer Nelson fits in the same boat, Ben Gordon will probably go in the top eight picks so he won't even enter the picture. If we did address PG, I would love to some how acquire a second rounder and go after Chris Duhon.

I like Snyder a lot, he does a lot of small things to help a team win, and is a O'Brien type player. My question is, is he a SG or a SF? He doesn't have outstanding handle, or a consistent shot, but he makes things happen, and is a great defender. If we could, I'd also like to try and go after Al Jefferson, I think he's going to develop to become a monster and having him would give a solid body in the paint to work alongside Sammy.

Of course, this would all depend on whether or not Utah is interested, I would wish they were.


----------



## Coatesvillain

> FORT MILL - Josh Smith is a tease.
> 
> Great physique, great size, great quickness, decent jump shot ... and spotty work habits.
> 
> Smith, one of 13 high school players turning pro this spring, worked out for the Charlotte Bobcats on Thursday morning. He showed all that he is, and all that he isn't, in those two hours.
> 
> "He is the epitome of athleticism," said Bernie Bickerstaff, Bobcats coach/general manager.
> 
> But what about Smith jogging, rather than sprinting, through drills late in Thursday's workout?
> 
> "If you say, `Are you pleased with the consistent effort?' I would say no, in that situation -- not at all," Bickerstaff replied.
> 
> "In terms of just athletic ability and talent, he can be anywhere from 3 to 10 (in the June 24 draft). When you start talking about the intangibles, it may be different."
> 
> Smith, a 6-foot-8 small forward, has heard this before. He looked bored through much of his senior season at Oak Hill Academy. Then various NBA scouts questioned his effort in some practices leading up to the high school all-star games.
> 
> "I'm trying to work hard, and I'm ready for the challenge," said Smith, who's being trained by former NBA coach John Lucas. "They have high expectations for me and I'll try to fulfill that. I'm going to the gym working early and going at it."
> 
> Gifted and quick as he is on offense, Smith was slow to react on defense Thursday, playing two-on-two with Rutgers senior Herve Lamizana and Bobcats officials Sam Mitchell and Dell Curry.
> 
> Bickerstaff hopes for Smith's sake that expending more effort is just a matter of growing up.
> 
> "I don't know whether it's unique to Josh. I don't know whether any of the young guys understand," Bickerstaff said. "You play 82 games and you get a check on the first and the 15th (of the month), so (teams) expect performance."


LINK (reg. req.)


----------



## Coatesvillain

> FORT MILL - Andre Iguodala has been called the best athlete in this NBA draft. Charlotte Bobcats coach/general manager Bernie Bickerstaff has no dispute with that description after Wednesday's workout.
> 
> A 6-foot-6 swingman from Arizona, Iguodala wowed the Bobcats with a two-hour display of quickness, speed and explosiveness. All those attributes were expected. The surprise, Bickerstaff said, was Iguodala's jump shot.
> 
> "He's really started to help himself in this draft. He's athletic and he shot the ball better that we thought" he would, Bickerstaff said. "The thing was, his mechanics were very consistent.
> 
> "I guarantee you he'll move up in the lottery."
> 
> Iguodala credited Chicago-based Tim Grover, Michael Jordan's personal trainer, with much of his success. Grover annually trains various draft prospects in preparation for these auditions. Likely lottery picks Dwight Howard and Devin Harris have also worked out at Grover's gym this spring.
> 
> "Tough workouts in the morning, then weights, then a couple of hours of rest, and then straight shooting. I'm taking 500-600 jump shots a day," Iguodala said of Grover's program. "His workouts are almost the exact same" as what he did for the Bobcats, the Seattle Supersonics and the Chicago Bulls in the past week.
> 
> Iguodala is similar in size and skills to Stanford's Josh Childress, a strong candidate for the Bobcats' No. 4 overall pick. Iguodala and Childress matched up often in the Pac-10.
> 
> "I don't think he's as athletic, but he's close," Iguodala said of Childress. "I think the difference is I'm a little more like a point guard or point forward. I'm the guy who can run the team, where he's more the guy who comes off the screen and gets it from the point guard."
> 
> Bickerstaff isn't so sure Iguodala is a point guard, but he does place him in the running for the fourth pick.


LINK (reg. req.)

Hearing Bernie Bickerstaff be so open about everything, makes me really happy that the Sixers are currently in stealth mode. Nothing good ever happens, when you're this bad at keeping things quiet.


----------



## Coatesvillain

Just a note:

Josh Childress and Devin Harris are officially in the draft. Since both players, are guys I've seen the Sixers projected to take in mock drafts, I thought I'd mention it so those who weren't aware, would know.


----------



## Allen Iverson

What about Al Jefferson?


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>Allen Iverson</b>!
> What about Al Jefferson?


I'll check to see if I can find any new news on him, if the Sixers don't trade their pick to gain an extra first rounder, I doubt Jefferson is in the picture. Despite his potential, he'd be a huge reach at #9.

More news on workouts:
Josh Childress is scheduled to workout for the Sixers on Monday, June 7th. Not sure who he's working out against.


----------



## BEEZ

If we could trade down and nab Al Jefferson I wouldnt be mad. I am ok with Devin Harris. Not a big fan but not against him either. Josh Smith is becoming my favorite as days pass by. I know I am switching up like a woman in a clothing store but hey what can I say. This is what the drafts all about


----------



## Allen Iverson

I'll take a huge reach but all-star, over Josh Childress any day. Harris would be awesome, but I want no part of Smith


----------



## BEEZ

> Originally posted by <b>Allen Iverson</b>!
> I'll take a huge reach but all-star, over Josh Childress any day. Harris would be awesome, but I want no part of Smith


Why no part of Josh Smith, hes something that doesnt exist on the sixers roster. An athlete that can put the ball in the hole


----------



## Allen Iverson

He will bust under O Brien and I just finished reading how he's lazy, it just rubs me the wrong way. And if I'm wrong then 6'9 athletes with a sweet lefty J just don't fall to the #9 spot


----------



## ucdawg12

the fact that he is "reported" to be lazy would work in our favor seeing as we need a miracle for him to land in our laps.


----------



## Allen Iverson

Even if he drops, O Brien wouldnt give him burn


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Nine of the teams that will have picks 1 through 10 have contacted Buescher about Livingston. Only Phoenix, among the top 10, hasn't requested information and game tape on Livingston.


LINK 

Just common sense, if the Suns were the only team in the top ten picks not to question about Livingston, that means the Sixers were obviously one of the teams who were interested. I'm not a huge fan of the guy (though I won't dismiss him as a bust), the fact that the Sixers sent even the slightest feeler his way, makes me feel good about the work they're putting in.


----------



## Allen Iverson

Well it's their job to.


----------



## BEEZ

> Originally posted by <b>Allen Iverson</b>!
> Well it's their job to.


Yeah it is, but in past years you can tell they dont do the best of jobs


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Washington, which will pick fifth, has shown a lot of interest in Livingston, and Toronto (eighth), Philadelphia (ninth) and Cleveland (10th) also appear interested. The Cavaliers might be the most intriguing of those suitors, if only because of who they already have at one guard position.


LINK 

Yet again, more talk about Philly's interest in Livingston. Now I have to ask, what would you guys think if the Sixers tried to manuever up to grab him?

And BEEZ is right, in the past Billy King didn't do much to convince us he knew how to dress himself, let alone cover all bases with players.


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Josh Smith is a viable possibility should the Suns hang on to their No. 7 pick in the NBA draft. But he is a perplexing talent.
> 
> He's only the second-best high school player from the Atlanta area, behind Dwight Howard. He is listed as the No. 3 U.S. high school prospect. But he's also considered the draft's most athletic player.
> 
> So where does that leave the Suns, for whom Smith, a 6-foot-8 swingman, is working out today?
> 
> The Suns, the NBA's youngest team this season, would have to be comfortable with not only going young again, but with a player whose consistent effort has been questioned.
> 
> "I admit I have some raw potential," Smith said.
> 
> " . . . I think I can be somewhat of an immediate contributor. I know I have a lot to learn, but I have some advantages because of my athleticism."


LINK 

The realization just set in when I read this, there's a possibility that Andre Iguodala, Josh Smith, and Andris Biedrins are all drafted before we pick. Right now, that seems to be worst case scenario, but if it happens I believe we have to see what we can do about trading down and going with a guy like Al Jefferson to be our PF of the future.

Right now these are the guys I see possibly going in the top eight picks: Okafor, Howard, Livingston, Deng, Iguodala, Smith, Childress, Harris/Gordon. 

Okafor and Howard are definitely going top two, Livingston probably won't drop past five, and Deng supposedly has a top five guarantee (Wizards?), the Bobcats seem infatuated with Childress, Bulls are loving Iguodala, Smith is a target of the Suns, and Harris/Gordon because of the PG needs of the Raptors.

Of course, all of that could change because of the rising of Pavel Podkolzine's stock, and others.. this week should really be interesting.


----------



## Allen Iverson

Al Jefferson is our guy. I think with his strength and post presence, it will be very hard for O Brien to keep him off the floor. Year 1 he will mainly serve as a rebounder/dunker role like Amare did, then develop him from there


----------



## Coatesvillain

There were reports on some other messageboards that O'Brien had some comments in the Philadelphia Daily News that said the team might not have the 9 pick and could have the 11, 13 or 14.

The only thing that has me questioning it, is I'm pretty sure the Daily News is a five day a week paper (unless they just don't ship it to my area on weekends??) and the report broke out on Saturday. I checked Philly.com and there was nothing on it, so I'll keep an eye out for anything more on that.


----------



## SixersFan91

Philly Daily News is 6 days a week. No paper on sunday.,


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>SixersFan91</b>!
> Philly Daily News is 6 days a week. No paper on sunday.,


Ah, thanks. Then they must not ship them to Chester County on Saturdays, because I've looked almost every week and failed to find it.


----------



## Coatesvillain

Thanks to DariusMilesDavis for breaking down the Insider article today, click the link to see what Tim Grover said about Iguodala, Deng, Harris, and Livingston.

http://www.basketballboards.net/forum/showthread.php?postid=1282477#post1282477


----------



## Coatesvillain

Now, I went and read the article myself, and now I have to ask.. if Shaun Livingston is in reach what would you guys think about him? I saw the updated picture of him, and he's in a lot better shape than he was. Currently weighing at 189 is great for a guy who was barely weighing 170 at the end of the season. And that was just the amount he added before really getting to work with Tim Grover (because it's against NCAA rules for him to work with Grover if he wants to keep his eligibility open).

Working with Grover, I think he could realistically get to 205 for this season. Might not sound tremendous, but it would be good enough for him to get good minutes on the floor. And it would allow the Sixers to still run sets where Iverson ran point. Size would have to be addressed some other way, and that's the one thing I'm wavering on.

Of course Livingston is basically guaranteed to be a top six pick, and we'd have to give up something to move up into that range. Right now, I'm thinking it could very well be worth it.

Oh geez.. look at me, I'm changing favorites just as rapidly as BEEZ.  His improvement in size, and the fact he goes and works out every day despite the fact he doesn't need to, really impressed me, on top of the times I've seen him play.

So now it's official, I'm on the Livingston bandwagon.


----------



## Allen Iverson

> Originally posted by <b>PhillyPhanatic</b>!
> Now, I went and read the article myself, and now I have to ask.. if Shaun Livingston is in reach what would you guys think about him? I saw the updated picture of him, and he's in a lot better shape than he was. Currently weighing at 189 is great for a guy who was barely weighing 170 at the end of the season. And that was just the amount he added before really getting to work with Tim Grover (because it's against NCAA rules for him to work with Grover if he wants to keep his eligibility open).
> 
> Working with Grover, I think he could realistically get to 205 for this season. Might not sound tremendous, but it would be good enough for him to get good minutes on the floor. And it would allow the Sixers to still run sets where Iverson ran point. Size would have to be addressed some other way, and that's the one thing I'm wavering on.
> 
> Of course Livingston is basically guaranteed to be a top six pick, and we'd have to give up something to move up into that range. Right now, I'm thinking it could very well be worth it.
> 
> Oh geez.. look at me, I'm changing favorites just as rapidly as BEEZ.  His improvement in size, and the fact he goes and works out every day despite the fact he doesn't need to, really impressed me, on top of the times I've seen him play.
> 
> So now it's official, I'm on the Livingston bandwagon.


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Snyder absolutely dominated the workout from the second he stepped on to the court. The scout sitting next to me had a tough time hiding how impressed he was by his explosive first step and the way he gets up in the air. He was measured out here in Chicago at 6-7 ¼, more then an inch taller then what he was listed at in Nevada, which gives him the opportunity to legitimately play (and especially guard) the 3 spot as well if his team needs him to. His shooting was off and on throughout the workout from static positions, but he seemed to improve in the drills where he was asked to shoot off the dribble going left and right, as well as when stepping up and back., which impressed me a lot more then seeing a player hit 8 standstill NBA threes in a row while playing by himself in a gym. He can clearly get his shot off in many different ways and situations, an absolutely must for an NBA shooting guard.
> 
> The 2 on 2 drills was when he really shined in my opinion, especially when he got to show off his nifty playmaking skills while handling the ball. He used his strength and athleticism to get to the hoop whenever he pleased, and finished well at the basket or found the open man when needed. Defensively he is just terrific. He plays with an enormous amount of intensity, again using his strength and great lateral quickness to always stay in front of his man, and not being embarrassed at all to dish out a hard foul on the massive Cleiton Sebastiao to prevent an easy basket. I don’t think Marquinhos was really prepared to take that kind of beating either. This workout was by far the most physical one I’ve seen so far, I’ve heard similar things from other Snyder workouts he’s participated in. Utah doesn’t think he will be around at 14 but they would take him in a heartbeat if he was, 8-13 seems to be the range I was hearing throughout the week inside Moody Bible about him.


LINK 

Kirk Snyder, now coming into the pre-draft camp I was expecting him to measure in at 6'5 and with that I was concerned that he might not have a true position. At 6'7 he's able to play the 2-3, and he's a gritty defender who could become an Artest like player. Of course he's not the best ball handler, or shooter, but neither was Artest who's improved in leaps and bounds recently.

The reason I bring up Snyder is because, there's a huge chance that Josh Smith (had a 37 + vertical in Phoenix), Andre Iguodala, Josh Childress, and Ben Gordon will all be gone. Snyder would bring an enforcer that we haven't really had since Derrick Coleman's first year of his return trip, or even since Rick Mahorn's last year here (the second go round, and yes he was extremely old).

I'll be linking draft news pertaining to the Sixers, or players they're looking at, in the next post.


----------



## Coatesvillain

> 1. Shaun Livingston deserves a long look: Several people -- both scouts and media -- asked me why there isn't more buzz about Livingston in Charlotte.
> 
> The Bobcats are interested in Livingston; they worked out Livingston, a 6-foot-7 point guard, in Chicago and hope to audition him again in Charlotte. But they've also hinted at misgivings about Livingston's skinny body and limited shooting range, and the general idea of choosing a high school kid with the franchise's first-ever pick.
> 
> Here's the alternative view from two scouts I know: Livingston is a unique talent in this draft. Guys this tall, with genuine point-guard gifts and a sophisticated understanding of the game, come along once a decade. So live with his growing pains to capture that potential.
> 
> One of these guys put it this way: Josh Childress and Luol Deng (who will work out for the Bobcats on Tuesday) are safer picks, but players like them are available in every draft. Livingston won't be.
> 
> I hear the Los Angeles Clippers are intrigued by Livingston, so if they trade down from No. 2 to Atlanta's No. 6 pick, he could be their target.


LINK


----------



## Coatesvillain

> When he went up, up and away, Josh Smith jumped out at Suns brass Sunday.
> 
> The America West Arena apparatus that measures prospects' vertical leaps had to be extended for the first time after Smith went above the standard height.
> 
> Smith's vertical leap was 37 3/4 inches, supporting the 6-foot-8 swingman's reputation as the most athletic player available in the June 24 draft. Smith is a Georgian who just graduated from Virginia's Oak Hill Academy, where he played as a senior.
> 
> "Josh Smith is an unbelievable talent," Suns coach Mike D'Antoni said. "Athletically, he's probably one of the best leapers I've seen. He's got a lot of upside and a lot of talent."
> 
> The Suns knew he could jump, but they have plenty of other characteristics to ponder if Smith is still available when Phoenix picks at No. 7. Many of the queries have to do with his effort, something that was not an issue Sunday, as it had been in his previous workout in Charlotte, N.C. When stoked, Smith responded Sunday.
> 
> "That's what they say about high school kids," D'Antoni said of Smith's reputation for inconsistent effort. "When you're so talented and it comes so easily - he's never been pushed - that's something you need to be careful about saying. I've never seen a high school kid have a lot of effort.


LINK 

This is almost a week older, but since I missed it before I had to post it here. To read that Smith came back with fire and worked out hard for the Suns is a good thing, and a bad thing. The Good: He proved he's capable of working hard, the bad thing: He might have impressed them enough for them to draft him. Also with him standing at 6'8 and having a 37 3/4 inch vert is amazing, and in this case it was really off the charts athleticism.


----------



## Coatesvillain

Draftcity: Chicago Pre-Draft Camp Day 1 
Draftcity: Chicago Pre-Draft Camp Day 2 
Draftcity: Chicago Pre-Draft Camp Day 3 
Draftcity: Chicago Pre-Draft Camp Day 4 
Draftcity: Official Measurements

Bulls Draft Central: Prospect Profiles A-H 
Bulls Draft Central: Prospect Profiles I-R 
Bulls Draft Central: Prospect Profiles S-Z 

CNNSI: Kirk Snyder Diary 

ESPN.com: Eurocamp 
ESPN.com: Second class Seniors 

Foxsports.com: Draft Central


----------



## dcrono3

I dunno if I want Kirk Snyder yet. I would take Josh Smith, Iggy, Beidrins, Gordon and Harris over him, and Livingson, Okafor, Deng and Howard are locks to go before us. Childress could go too. I think we could get a better player than Snyder at 9, but I wouldn't object taking Snyder is we trade down.


----------



## Coatesvillain

*Billy King on draft..*



> As for the NBA’s annual Pre-Draft Camp at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, King was disappointed with the prospects.
> 
> "It wasn’t as good as it has been in the past. No one stood out," he said. More so this year it seemed that the projected top picks were not there King recalled. Still, King is looking forward to the Draft.
> 
> "I think it is a pretty good draft. People say it’s weak because there is no LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, but I think there are good players in the draft," said King. "Generally, the top players do not play in Chicago, so generally those are the late first rounders and the second rounders who play there."
> 
> The Sixers staff was working between sessions, conducting private workouts for 6-foot-7 Peoria Central (IL) High School guard Shaun Livingston and Wisconsin's 6-foot-3 guard Devon Harris.
> 
> "Both of them were very impressive," said King about their sessions.
> 
> The 76ers will resume pre-draft workouts in Philadelphia next week on June 16 and June 18 with another eight players. Those workouts, coupled with what the staff has already seen will go a long way towards the 76ers final ranking of players for the draft.
> 
> "I'm not feeling settled yet because we have not worked everyone out yet. By next Friday we’ll have a better idea who we like and who may be there," said King about the upcoming player workouts.
> 
> Before King rolls up his sleeves for the final June 24 NBA Draft preparations, 76ers Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Tony DiLeo and the scouts will sit down and talk to get an initial ranking to show King.
> 
> “I won’t get involved until Tuesday or Wednesday before the draft,” King said. “(They’ll present me with a ranking) and then we’ll go through the list."


LINK


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>dcrono3</b>!
> I dunno if I want Kirk Snyder yet. I would take Josh Smith, Iggy, Beidrins, Gordon and Harris over him, and Livingson, Okafor, Deng and Howard are locks to go before us. Childress could go too. I think we could get a better player than Snyder at 9, but I wouldn't object taking Snyder is we trade down.


Thing is, it's a high possibility that Smith, Iggy, Biedrins, and Gordon are all gone by #9. I actually think it's a lock that Smith, Iggy, and Gordon will be gone by at least #8. 

I like Harris as a player, but I don't really see him fitting in the system we're going to be running here, especially with AI moving to play more at PG. Also, if the option was Snyder, Childress, and Harris, I think I'll go with Snyder, because he's a hardnosed player who makes others better.

I know he's not as sexy a pick, as some of the other guys out there, but he's one of those names that has to be talked about in case the "Tier-one" guys we're looking at are gone.


----------



## BEEZ

IF im at 9 and none of those guys are available. Im on the phone looking to trade down immeidately


----------



## Allen Iverson

This isn't the NFL, they should draft Jefferson


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>BEEZ</b>!
> IF im at 9 and none of those guys are available. Im on the phone looking to trade down immeidately


I see where you're coming from, but if all of those guys are gone, what is there for another team to trade up for? And for some reason I'm scared of Billy King trades, knowing him, he might go and throw another future first rounder into the mix.

Any trades down should involve a future first rounder, instead of trying to get two guys from this draft class. While it's never a bad thing to have two first rounders in one year, you never know what a future first can turn into down the road. Also, as long as we stay in the lottery area, if we do trade down, it'd be fine with me, I just don't want to have the team drop down into the twenties.


----------



## dcrono3

If Iggy, Smith, and Gordon are gone I guess Snyder would be a decent pick. I like his ability now and he could contribute right away if AI really moves to the 1. I would, however, look at Beidrins for sure and maybe Al Jefferson too. All three should get looks now IMO. I still think that we could move down and still get one of the three mentioned above if the top 3 players we want are gone.


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Mr. Livingston, we presume? Not at Duke next year.
> Shaun Livingston has hired sports management agency CSMG, which includes Chicago-based attorney and agent Henry Thomas, to represent him in the upcoming draft, personal trainer Tim Grover and grandfather Frank Livingston both said. By hiring the firm, Livingston formally forfeits his college eligibility and becomes the first Blue Devil commitment ever to declare for the draft out of high school.
> 
> "It was a pretty tough decision," Livingston told ESPN.com. "I told Coach [Mike Krzyzewski] that I never committed to Duke thinking I wouldn't suit up for them."
> 
> Livingston made his decision last week after strong workouts with a host of teams, including the Orlando Magic (first pick), the Los Angeles Clippers (second pick), the expansion Charlotte Bobcats (fourth pick) and the Philadelphia 76ers (ninth pick).


LINK 

It was pretty much well known prior to the deadline, that Shaun Livingston was going pro. The last time a projected top five pick avoided the draft was Jay Williams, and despite not dropping his value he ended up being a lower pick because of the entrance of Yao Ming.

Livingston could go as high as two, and as low as five. He's definitely out of the Sixers reach, and with Billy King targetting another player who he was talking about trading up for, it looks like Livingston won't be a player the Sixers would look towards unless he somehow plummeted down to #9.


----------



## (-) 0 † § I-I () †

Well from recent reading it does seem like Livingston could be the real deal, but it also seems like hes a bit far from our reach.

I like Harris, he is quite an intriguing player, but like PhillyPhanatic said, would he really fit into the new system?

Iggy is the guy I am most interested in right now, I think that type of player is the type of guy we need. Athletic, Exciting, can put the ball in the hoop.

But for some reason I just feel like we need to find a way to get a quality offensive power forward, that will be tough to find.


----------



## dcrono3

According to draftcity Smith had a HORRIBLE workout for us and Jefferson had a GREAT one. Looks like Jefferson will be picked over Smith if they are both available. Hmm... it also says that if Smith gets past the Hawks and Suns he could drop all the way until #17. Any chance that we get the Jazz to trade the 14 and 16 (or 21) for our pick? We could try to grab a slidding Smith and we might still get Jedderson or Synder. Actuallly, that would probably never happen. 

Jefferson measured out at 6'10 with a 9'2 standing reach. Thats good, and he could play PF and move Kenny Thomas to SF, where his height will be less of a issue. I wouldn't be pissed if we got Jefferson. 

I would still like Smith though, even though it looks like it won't happen now.


----------



## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>dcrono3</b>!
> According to draftcity Smith had a HORRIBLE workout for us and Jefferson had a GREAT one. Looks like Jefferson will be picked over Smith if they are both available. Hmm... it also says that if Smith gets past the Hawks and Suns he could drop all the way until #17. Any chance that we get the Jazz to trade the 14 and 16 (or 21) for our pick? We could try to grab a slidding Smith and we might still get Jedderson or Synder. Actuallly, that would probably never happen.


So you're telling me O'Brien was blowing smoke?!  I thought he was the straight shooter, and he was raving about Smith's workout.

Thing about Jefferson I like, is projecting it into the future having him and Dalembert next to one another in the front court is really nice. Their styles would complement one anothers, especially since Dalembert doesn't take up much space on the low post.


----------



## Coatesvillain

> What is it that you have to work on the most to prepare for the NBA?
> 
> Al Jefferson: I feel like I have to work on everything. There is so much that I have to improve on.
> 
> You look to be in good shape, but that wasn't always the case.
> 
> AJ: My junior year I weighed a lot and worked real hard and now I weigh 255 pounds. I feel I'm in pretty good shape compared to what I used to be and I can be in better shape.
> 
> What was your highest weight?
> 
> AJ: I was right at 300 pounds.
> 
> What could you add to the 76ers or any team?
> 
> AJ: Low post, rebounding, anything they want me to do. I will work hard. I feel I can help.
> 
> What would it be like to have the opportunity to play with Allen Iverson?
> 
> AJ: That's even better. I can do one thing, rebounding. He can score. He can take over. I feel I could help.


LINK


----------



## Coatesvillain

> You may have noticed that Devin Harris slipped to #13 on our latest mock draft. That’s not a mistake at all. Harris had been avoiding going up against some of the big name players in recent weeks and was looking very poor regardless. Now that he is meeting up in some of the same places as the other top point guards in this draft, he is looking flat out awful.
> 
> Today there was a high profile workout in Atlanta with Ben Gordon, Jameer Nelson, Shaun Livingston and Devin Harris and that’s the exact order they came out of after that workout. Harris reportedly is very weak and is struggling mightily to make his presence felt on the floor, his jump shot has abandoned him now and defensively he struggles to stay in front of anyone. Gordon and Nelson were both very impressive with the way they combine their strength, shooting ability and athleticism, to go along with a healthy dose of confidence and in Nelson’s case, leadership. Livingston was the third best player at that workout right now, but showed that he has the potential to become the best of the 4. There’s more to where you end up being drafted then just workouts, but Harris doesn’t have any edge on Gordon or Nelson based on his NCAA career either…





> Another guy that has been taking a tumble lately is Latvian power forward Andris Biedrins. His workouts have also been largely unimpressive as documented in this recent article (link). He is getting by on his reputation right now (being considered a surefire lottery pick for most of the year will do that to you) but no one that’s seen him lately has really fallen in love with him. He hasn’t done any workouts for anyone since working out with Chicago, claiming an injury as the reason for that, even though he clearly did not get injured in that workout. He appears to be a lot rawer then everyone initially thought, and his agent probably thinks that teams have seen enough of that for now. His agent’s ties in the Bay Area along with their specific needs could be a good spot for him at 11 to Golden State (rumors of a guarantee already started), we tried to call Bill Duffy to figure out what the story is, but he might be still holding a grudge against us for not jumping on the Ivan Chiriaev bandwagon, as he never returns phone calls from us.





> Josh Smith is someone that rises and falls every day depending on whom you are talking to. Sometimes he looks fantastic (like in Phoenix last week) and sometimes he is downright terrible, like he was today in Philly. His outside shot comes and goes, his ball-handling is not even close to being NBA caliber, and he is pretty clueless when it comes to playing defense. But once he starts throwing down dunks, you tend to forget about all of that. If he falls past #6, its concievable he slips all the way to #17.
> 
> Al Jefferson was also in Philly today, and he really have them something to chew on with the way he played. He has an NBA body already at the age of 18, with the potential to add on a lot more bulk to go along with some of the nastiest post moves you will find out of any big man in this draft. He still has a ways to go in terms of understanding basketball situations, but with his confidence and physical attributes he seems like one of those rare youngsters that could actually get playing time under Jim O’Brien. The fact that he measured out at a legit 6-10 with a massive 9-2 standing reach really helps him, and some NBA people are saying that him playing a bit of Center isn’t out of the question either. Eddy Curry with a mean streak is the comparison that seems to come up most often. Jefferson moved up to 9th spot on our mock on Tuesday night.


LINK 

Here's the article Dcrono3 was talking about. Devin Harris has been plummeting the past week, and might not be the player he seemed to be last season at Wisconsin. I'm not saying that he won't be a quality player, because as was proven in the past, workouts can be misleading. With his stock falling the way it has been, I highly doubt the Sixers would even look his way if he was sitting right there in their lap at #9. Which I don't mind, since I never thought he'd be a good fit for the team.

I still think Josh Smith is going to be one helluva player, and it's sorta puzzling to see people criticizing him for being raw, when the weaknesses they're point out now, are the ones we knew about going in. Sometimes, evaluations puzzle me, and this is definitely one of those cases.

Jefferson is winning people over with his aggressiveness, and post moves. Looking at the team needs, he might just be the best fit for us, especially since guys like Iggy will be gone, and I don't want to talk about Childress.

In the Workout thread, I was excited about the prospects of working out with Biedrins, but if he's dogging it in workouts and blaming an injury that doesn't exist, that's not a good sign at all. Bill Duffy being his agent doesn't help much either, considering the whole Ivan Chiarev fiasco. This leads me to ask, is all the hype surrounding Biedrins produced by Duffy, a lot like with Chiarev? Just a thought.


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## Coatesvillain

> After some tough workouts in Atlanta, Portland and Utah a few weeks ago Smith is finally starting to show why many people think so highly of him. Measuring out at 6-7 was a big boost for him (especially considering that he was listed by some at 6-5) and everyone that has seen him recently has commented what a great body he has despite the fact that he hasn’t spent much time working in the gym. He will be a legit post up threat in the league once he learns how to use it, and he’s been compared by some to Lebron James with the way his body looks at the age of 19. Athletically he is without a doubt a freak, although that didn’t register as well as you might think in the combine because he is a better leaper off one foot just like Andre Iguodala. That combined with his excellent (although extremely inconsistent) range and obvious upside lead scouts to believe that he is too talented to pass up in the 18-26 range, especially with all the players that pulled out. The only real concerns around him that are keeping him out of the lottery at this point is his nonchalant attitude in workouts—sometimes looking as if this process is all just one big hassle for him; combined with the fact that his in-between game is pretty poor, especially his ball-handling and mid-range game. He is a project player, but one that could end up as a homerun pick, which is a thought that will lie very heavily in the back of decision makers minds on draft night.


LINK 

Looks like BEEZ's boy JR Smith finally decided to wake up and get serious in the workouts. It seemed realistic just a week ago, that he might slip out of the first, now it's basically impossible. Not only does he have a lot of upside, it's also the hanging dread of him being the player that teams will regret passing up. He's currently nowhere in the running for the Sixers' pick, but with the possibilities of them wheeling and dealing, you never can be sure.


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## Coatesvillain

For those of you who aren't aware of who pulled out of the draft, and who stayed in, here's a list on NBAdraft.net.

LINK 

53 players pulled out, 41 early entry candidates stayed in. I believe that number is actually down from last year, which is a good sign. It's known that generally the senior (and mandatory draft entry foreign) are "weaker" because they've been raided at an early age. Often there are players who can contribute despite being overlooked for their age, like Manu Ginobili, like Josh Howard. Looking at next year's Senior draft class for college, it's going to be one of the better groups in the past few years.


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## Coatesvillain

> The 2004 NBA draft is three days away and Al Jefferson still hasn't hired an agent. That means the high school senior is the only player projected to be selected in the first round who could still go to college.
> 
> But Arkansas shouldn't expect Jefferson to honor his national letter of intent for next season -- as long as he is drafted in the first round. And Jefferson will be among the top 29 picks. In fact, the 6-foot-10 prep star is projected to go as high as No. 9 (to Philadelphia) and no lower than No. 21 (to Utah).
> 
> Jefferson told ESPN.com Sunday night that he will play next season for the NBA team that drafts him Thursday night -- which means all nine high school players who remained in the draft won't go to college. The other eight had long since signed with agents, which made Jefferson this year's last holdout to possibly use the NCAA's two-year-old NBA draft rule.


LINK


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## Coatesvillain

> King said the Sixers hadn't given up on moving up in the draft. A GM he wouldn't identify called him late Monday night with an offer he initially refused and then consulted assistant GM Tony DiLeo before taking another look.
> 
> King expects to listen to and initiate discussion regarding plenty of other potential deals between now and when the Sixers pick at about 9 p.m. Thursday - assuming they stay at No. 9.


LINK 

If only Billy would blurt out things like Bernie Bickerstaff, at least once in a while.


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## Kunlun

What do you guys think of drafting Andris Biedrins? From what I've read about him he reminds me a little of Samuel Dalembert and imagine a front court with those two in the middle, they could be the new Wallaces with more size.


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## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>KL Dawger</b>!
> What do you guys think of drafting Andris Biedrins? From what I've read about him he reminds me a little of Samuel Dalembert and imagine a front court with those two in the middle, they could be the new Wallaces with more size.


From what I've read, I think Biedrins is going to be a keeper, but the question is how far away is he, and how much of what we heard was empty hype? That's the worries I have right now, and at 18 he's probably three years away from being able to form that dream front court with Dalembert right away. That's understandable, because of his age, and because of the way this draft is. I would only compare it to the Wallaces only on the defensive end of the glass.

And not exactly breaking news, but close enough:

Looks like the Sixers chances for trading up are slimming as the day goes by, making me surely wish Billy King is working the phones. Here are the two moves that took place tonight:

-Dallas acquired the #5 pick, Stackhouse and Laettner from the Wizards for Antawn Jamison.

-Chicago receives the #7 pick from the Suns for the #31, cash, and a future first rounder.

Of course there are still three teams with three picks, who we might be able to trade down to (Blazers, Celtics, and Jazz for those of you not keeping score).


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## Kunlun

> Originally posted by <b>PhillyPhanatic</b>!
> 
> -Chicago receives the #7 pick from the Suns for the #31, cash, and a future first rounder.


I really wish that we could've done something to make that deal possible for us. I'm sure if Billy worked on it we could've gotten it.


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## Coatesvillain

> Originally posted by <b>KL Dawger</b>!
> I really wish that we could've done something to make that deal possible for us. I'm sure if Billy worked on it we could've gotten it.


Truthfully I'm kind of happy we didn't make a trade like that, we've made enough deals where we gave out future first rounders. Next year we don't have a pick at all, we're guaranteed one for 2006 (because a team's first round draft picks can't be traded in simultaneous years prior to it being used). 

What I really would love to do is move back to someone and pick up a future first rounder of our own, because you never know what that could end up becoming. And with guys like Jameer Nelson, Andris Biedrins, and others who we might not be interested in available around #9 it gives us some leverage, especially since all teams know is that we don't want Nelson.

Kudos to Billy King for playing the game really well (so far), he probably makes a great poker player.


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## Coatesvillain

> ESPN.com's Chad Ford reported that Andris Biedrins of Latvia failed to show up for a recent meeting with the Philadelphia 76ers, who pick ninth, because the Warriors have promised to take him at No. 11. Are the Sixers bluffing about wanting Biedrins so the Warriors will trade up? Who knows? Who cares?
> 
> "He jumps pretty well," said a G.M. who scouted Biedrins in Europe. "But don't let that pumped-up ESPN.com picture fool you. He's still pretty skinny. He's a three- or four-year project, at best."


LINK (reg. req.)


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## Coatesvillain

> If you're looking for Sixers clues, think about this: O'Brien is planning an offensive scheme built around, in his words, "three perimeter players, a big man and Allen Iverson.'' He does not necessarily use a traditional setup point guard. Does that mean Eric Snow, the returning point guard and a stabilizing force for several seasons, is available in trade? Neither King nor O'Brien would say.
> 
> But it does sound as if Iverson - a three-time scoring champion and former MVP - has been penciled in for more duty at the point.
> 
> "When you have Iverson, he has to have the ball in his hands,'' O'Brien said.
> 
> O'Brien also freely admits that his defensive approach will be more intricate and demanding, meaning he wants guys who understand rotations, double teams, when to help, when to stay home, etc. With Boston, he insisted on his defensive concepts, but allowed Paul Pierce, Antoine Walker and company to launch a barrage of three-point shots, a weapon that had been eschewed here during the Larry Brown era.
> 
> O'Brien would make regular use of a low-post force, but returning forward Kenny Thomas might more often find himself in a midrange baseline spot and returning center Samuel Dalembert has neither the bulk nor the experience to be a go-to guy down low.
> 
> So, does that mean King or O'Brien would prefer a smaller guard, such as Connecticut's Ben Gordon or Wisconsin's Devin Harris? Or a bigger guard/forward type, such as Peoria, Ill., high schooler Shaun Livingston, Arizona's Andre Iguodala, Stanford's Josh Childress or Nevada's Kirk Snyder? Or even a small forward such as Duke's Luol Deng?
> 
> If they go big, could it be strong-limbed Prentiss (Miss.) High School's Al Jefferson? Or could it even be Latvian center Andris Biedrins, who measured 6-11 ½ barefoot in Chicago? There has been speculation that Biedrins is ticketed for Golden State at No. 11.
> 
> That's where this gets even more fascinating. It turns out that Biedrins spent roughly 6 weeks in town last summer, training with hoops guru John Hardnett in a program that included the Sixers' Marc Jackson.
> 
> What sort of report did Jackson offer O'Brien?
> 
> "Glowing,'' O'Brien replied.


LINK (reg. req.)


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## BEEZ

iggy it is


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