Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Draft Notes: Tyreke Evans Workout, Harden/Thabeet Rumors
Posted by Chris Herrington on Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 11:00 PM
A little late chiming in today, but the Grizzlies held their first significant draft workout earlier at FedExForum and there are a few items that have popped up on the internet or on the radio waves that are worth noting:
Former University of Memphis guard Tyreke Evans became the first of what should be five workouts the Grizzlies will conduct involving the seven players the team would be likely to consider either at #2 or in a trade-down scenario.
Evans went through a roughly hour-long workout conducted by Griz assistant Damon Stoudamire that focused on ball-handling and shooting drills. It's become habit for top prospects to decline competitive workouts, and you can see how this might benefit someone like Stephen Curry, who can wow on-lookers with a solo shooting display. But I think Evans is a prospect that is hurt by a lack of competition. The solo workout format amplified Evans' negatives — his inconsistent slingshot jumper and his erratic ball-handling — but didn't showcase his attributes — the ability to slash past (or through) defenders to finish at the rim or use his strength and wingspan to deny penetration.
I didn't think Evans was at all impressive today, but I doubt his performance really moved the needle either way in relation to the Grizzlies. The team has seen more of Evans than any other prospect in the draft. It will be interested — at least for me — to compare Evans to James Harden, who is scheduled to come in Friday and has a similar physical profile.
Coincidentally, on the day Evans worked out for the Grizzlies, he also ended up at #2 to the Grizzlies on the latest mock draft from CNNSI's Ian Thomsen, becoming the fourth player (along with Ricky Rubio, Hasheem Thabeet, and Harden) to be slotted at #2 in a high profile mock. Thomsen wrote:
The Grizzlies face several options: Deal the pick to any number of teams that covet Ricky Rubio; call Rubio's bluff that he doesn't want to play for Memphis and pick him anyway; fill their need for size with the 7-foot-2 Hasheem Thabeet; or, most likely, use the pick on Evans, who, in addition to being a star from the local college, has the makings of a potentially dominant point guard. They could also swap picks with Oklahoma City or Sacramento and probably still get Evans. "No one knows what they're going to do," said a rival GM with a lottery pick behind Memphis.
That last money quote seems to apply to pretty much everyone — myself included — trying to figure out what the Grizzlies will go in this draft. Thomsen's Griz pick at #27: Josh Heytvelt.
While Thomsen is pushing Evans as an alternative to the Ricky Rubio/Hasheem Thabeet options at #2, his most high-profile fellow draft scribes went in a different direction today. ESPN's Chad Ford, who has been consistent on his Thabeet pick, wrote this:
• Arizona State's James Harden also seems to be in a pretty strong position. In addition to getting a lot of attention from the Thunder and Wizards, two league sources told ESPN.com that Harden is in the mix with the Grizzlies. Apparently, owner Michael Heisley thinks that a three-man rotation of Harden, O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley is attractive for the Grizzlies.
Unlike many Grizzlies fans, I take Ford's reporting seriously even if, like most others, he gets plenty wrong in the mists of conjecture and disinformation that is pre-NBA Draft scuttle. What's interesting about this to me is that he's again tying his Griz info to Heisley (and who better given that Heisley is making the final call?) and this time citing "league sources," suggesting more strongly than ever that Ford's Grizzlies information is coming from Heisley-connected people outside the Grizzlies' current organization. I'm pretty sure Ford was wrong on an earlier report claiming Heisley was pushing Thabeet (who may well ultimately be the pick), but I really have no idea if this Harden report is on target, though I've detected less enthusiasm for Harden in recent conversations with team officials than for Tyreke Evans and Stephen Curry.
Somewhat corroborating Ford's report, however, is Draft Express' Jonathan Givony, who was a guest on The Geoff and Gary Show today. Givony said that he'd be shocked if the Grizzlies drafted and kept Rubio, citing unnamed Heisley-connected sources. He then said that if the team stays put at #2 it will be to either take Thabeet or Harden.
Additionally, Givony reasserted that the Kevin Love rumors are out there, said he thought Love would be a Top 5 and maybe Top 3 pick in this draft if he'd gone back to UCLA (I agree with this), suggested this might be a good deal for the Grizzlies, and made the point that Love and Mayo have a good relationship. You can listen to the Givony interview via the podcasts at 730FoxSports. Gary Parrish, Harry Long, and I peppered Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace with questions on the station this afternoon. That's not up on the podcast player as I write, but should be soon.
In other local radio news, a stronger indication on Thabeet comes with some ricocheting content on the two local sports-talk stations. Geoff Calkins said on his own show that he's heard that head coach Lionel Hollins is enamored with Thabeet. This morning on his own show on Sports56, Grizzlies beat writer Ron Tillery reportedly (I didn't hear it) talked up Thabeet and talked down Ricky Rubio. Given Tillery's widely acknowledge ties to Hollins and Heisley, this is probably a pretty good indication.
Finally, Scott Howard-Cooper's latest draft notebook for CNN/SI doesn't really have much specific Grizzlies content, but does have some good stuff on prospective #2 pick Thabeet, late first/early second contender Derrick Brown, and a word of warning from an unnamed GM.
Comments (25)
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Chris, why isn't Tony Barone running the draft workouts this season? Also as of today what do you see the grizzlies doing?
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Great stuff, Chris - per usual.
If the Grizz must trade Rubio, they better pull off something more than just Kevin Love - that 6th pick HAS to be included, right?
I think people forget how amazing last year's draft was and just how wicked amazing Kevin Love is/was. He would be 1 or 2 in this draft. He kept getting better and better and was already awesome. I am certainly pro-attaining Kevin Love if for no other reason that he brings SOLID starting PF basketball genius to the Memphis Grizzlies. He is a franchise big that can use his basketball ability to bring your team up a notch. I would straight up buy season tickets and someone can hold me to that lol. I would like to see a #2, #27, Conley for #6, #18, Kevin Love, and a bad contract to sweeten the deal (maybe Brian Cardinal back? hehe)
On the flip side of that (judo flip ... lol) if Memphis spends their #2 pick and the amazing leverage they have on Thabeet I will be completely mortified and I would have to abandon my hope for the Grizzlies and go ahead and find another lovable loser to root for. You cannot play Thabeet and Gasol together and drafting Thabeet would be a slap in Gasol's face and a good way to usher him out of Memphis when his contract is up for extension.
Had Kevin Love gone back to UCLA then Westbrook would have done the same along with Mbah a Moute. UCLA would have then won the NCAA NAtional CHampionship - look at their team...and Love would have been the #1 pick. He cost himself and UCLA a lot by coming out early.
The Griz should start a reality show with the winner getting to be GM on draft day.
I wouldn't mind having The Love Train back. I think he is going to be a very good player for a long time but there are drawbacks. First, since we traded KLove to the Wolves we can't get him back until after this draft per league rules. Second, I it might be better to have a taller PF playing beside Marc. I like Jordan Hill in the draft or, of course, Amare via trade.
Javaman are you implying having Thabeet at PF.. because Hill is not taller than Gasol, neither is Amare... and if you are saying Thabeet please stop.
YOU CANNOT PLAY GASOL AND THABEET TOGETHER. It will not functionly work. For the teams that you would be able to play that setup against are the teams you are going to beat anyway, no reason to draft for beating teams you are already beating.
Does anyone really believe that they wont screw this up? I wish Vegas had odds on Chris Wallace. I do.
Leglockfan, I don't think Javaman was implying that at all. What he said was he wouldn't mind getting Kevin Love, but a taller PF (than Love) might be a better option next to Marc. He didn't say that Jordan Hill was taller than Marc, or anything at all about Thabeet. But I do agree with you that any idea that involves playing Thabeet along side Marc is maybe the worst idea of all time.
Marc is a better center than Thabeet... in fact, Darko is a better center than Thabeet. And you can expect that to always be the case. So, drafting Thabeet will end up giving you someone to sit next to Haddadi as another "project". And we all know how often big "project" centers work out. Yeah...
The Grizz should either bite the bullet and take Rubio, or trade down and grab Evans or Harden. I have never been a huge Kevin Love fan. But if they could trade down and get Love AND Evans/Harden, I would consider this a good draft.
If there's any truth to the Kevin Love rumor, it's unrealistic to expect the Wolves to offer Love AND the #6 for the #2. However, if they wanted to make a deal for the #2 involving Love, wouldn't it be fairly simple to get around the one-year rule by making a pre-draft agreement that the Grizzlies would draft for the Wolves at #2 and then merely waiting until the first possible legal calendar day to make the transaction official? I don't understand why that one-year rule is considered such an obstacle.
I apologize then Javaman my bad.
Love is 6'10" right? He is the same height as Hill... seems to be pretty standard for a PF imo.
If Memphis ended up with Love and Evans/Harden then yes Memphis would be the big winner for once.
I hope everyone has their Thabeet jersey preordered though :(
Herodotus -- I agree about Love AND the #6 as entirely unrealistic.
I also agree that the one-year rule is only a minor issue with a potential trade involving Love. You make the deal on draft night and wait three days to sign the paperwork. No big deal.
(1) Are Love's stats inflated by the number of misses a terrible team like Minny-minus-Jefferson throws up?
(2) Can one of you talk radio guys please interview Heisley? I get the feeling all the nice comments by Wallace aren't really as important as hearing the Gospel of not-Thabeet from the Horse's, er Heisley's, Mouth.
(3) Even if we (say) got Love, we'd surely need to add another big guy in FA.
As a Warrior Fan it is good to see a organization more screwed up than ours. If Minnesota wants to include the 6th and 18th picks and take Jaric for the #2 that would be a decent trade. But if Love is so good why it Minnesota trying to trade him for Tabette? Rubio is not going to Minnesota so Minnesota must be looking at Tabette. If Minnesota takes Rubio then Sac is going to take Evans, you maybe get Harden or Derozan from USC, Harden lacks explosion and has very little upside and Derozan cant handle the ball. Dont know much about Tabette but he does have the size and physical talent. Does Tabette really not want to go to Memphis? that is bad. Get Love and the 6th and 18 pick from Minn, get Terrance Williams or Clark with the 18th. Detroit is trying to unload the 15th with Amir Johnson and you could get that also if you add a lottery protect 1st round and the next years L.A. pick. At least you guys im Memphis have options, not like here in S.F. where we are getting our 10th combo guard. Also tell your owner and G.M they are screwed for giving L.A. Gasol. It finally looked like we would pass up L.A. then you guys give L.A. Gasol and destroyed pro basketball for me for years to come. But that is O.K., I can see Stanford for a lot cheaper and get back into college ball. At least with college ball I do not have to watch a free throw shooting contest with guys that cant shoot free throws.
Jeff in San Fran
On Love -- I don't look at per-game stats primarily. I was judging his rebounding by his "rebound rate" (percentage of misses he gathered while on the floor) not his rebounds per game. Love's rookie rebound rate was third overall and 10th defensively.
If Wallace could pull off the following trade, I think it could put to rest the whole Pau deal.
Love, #6, #18
for
Conley, #2, #35, Lakers 2010 1st
Harden has been rated in most mock drafts as between 2 and 5, and the Thunder is going to draft Harden if the Griz don't (the Thunder lacks a SG). So trading down to get Harden is futile.
Grizzle - what if Wallace did this deal?
#2, Conley, Milicic (Minny needs PG and C)for
#6, Love, Mike Miller
The salaries kind of match, I think. Minny drafts Thabeet, we draft a PG. We then get backup SG/SF and C with picks #27 & 35.
New lineup:
#6 PG
Mayo
Gay
Love
Gasol
Or, you could start Mayo @ PG, Miller, Gay, Love, Gasol. Thoughts?
If the Grizz are trading Rubio, they better get Love, the#6 and the number 18 and dump Jaric. Terrance Williams looks good at 18, Evans or others are good at 6, but you need more tha Love and 1 pick and the #2 is worth more than that. Love looks good but if he was so great Minn would not be trying to unload him. Minn does not want Conley they have 2 point guards and they do not want Millicic. Try to trade Gasol, he is too slow and not good defensively. Detroit has had interest, maybe you get the 15th pick and add Johnson or Clark. Then you got cap room and maybe you can get a David Lee, Millisap or Vallero or something of that nature. You can maybe trade Conley for Joe Alexander, Conley if very weak physically and cant see to shoot well. Memphis should just get guys that can play ball and are fun to watch and get rid of the Euro's and the guys that do not want to be there.
not one of you guys have a Clue about NBA ball. talking about this unproven Spainard and this slow dude name Love that we gave away (thank God) last year. ... please keep those lame wishes to yourself. please.
Are there any more great-white-hopefuls out there that y'all can think up? They only come around once in a lifetime and Bird career has been over for years.
The Grizz do not need some great knight to come in as a savior. They have a very good young nucleus in Gay, Mayo, Gasol, & and compliments in Conley & Arthur. If you are going to miss, it is better that you miss big in 7'3 Thabeet. Or else a trade-down for a quality power forward with the potential acquiring Evans still.
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