Thursday, June 25, 2009
The Hour Approacheth
Posted by Chris Herrington on Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 1:37 PM
We're only a few hours away from tonight's NBA Draft. The latest, per ESPN's Andy Katz, is that the Griz haven't reached any trade agreements and are set to draft Hasheem Thabeet at #2:
Memphis and Minnesota talked again about trading the No. 2 pick (Memphis) to Minnesota for the No. 5 and 6 picks or the No. 5 or 6 and Kevin Love. But the price was too high for Minnesota, so Memphis plans on keeping the pick. According to multiple sources, Memphis would pick Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet.
There's also a rumor going around that the Grizzlies have made a promise to Missouri forward DeMarre Carroll at #27. I know that the team likes Carroll and it would not surprise me to see him drafted there, but I do not believe a promise was made. After getting burned with a draft promise in Boston (see: Kedrick Brown), Chris Wallace has been adamant that he is out of the promise business. Additionally, I've talked to one team official who proclaimed that Derrick Brown would be preferable to Carroll and another who speculated about players thought to be safely ahead of the #27 pick who might fall to the Grizzlies, the way Darrell Arthur (almost) did last year.
Don't expect any more here until the draft starts. I'll be making an appearance on The Chris Vernon Show during the 4 o'clock hour. Vernon is broadcasting live from Jason's Deli at Poplar and Highland. Other guest will include the Commercial Appeal's Geoff Calkins, Grizzlies radio voice Eric Hasseltine, CNNSI's Chris Mannix, and hoops legend Sonny Vaccaro, who is scheduled to call in live from the draft in New York.
Vernon will be hosting a draft party tonight at Jason's Deli, but I won't be sticking around. I'll be following the draft from Beyond the Arc's own Vollentine-Evergreen war room, surrounding by fresh-made sangria, barbecue, and friends. After all, the NBA draft rivals Thanksgiving as our most precious national holiday.
I'll set up live draft post later tonight as a template for commentary and any tips I might happen to pick up. I'm not expecting as much activity as last year, but hope to be surprised.
See you all back here later.
Comments (16)
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Here's a tip. Make your sangria really, really strong. We will forgive any and all grammatical/spelling errors tonight, and I'm afraid you are going to need to dull your senses tonight, lest you dream of Tanzanian Devils.
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Thanks for all you've done and all you're going to through the draft tonight Chris! Grizz fans appreciate you.
Have a good evening viewing the Draft Chris. Keep your fingers crossed for a miracle
This is getting more and more depressing. With regards to the #27 pick, what would either DeMarre Carroll or Derrick Brown bring to the table that the Grizzlies don't already have? Aren't Carroll and Brown both essentially undersized and arguably less athletic versions of Darrell Arthur, who is probably too small and athletically limited himself to ever become an effective NBA power forward?
With the 27th pick, I'd much rather see the Grizzlies take a chance on a decent three-point shooter, especially if they draft and keep Ha'Sham' Thabeet at #2.
the idea is that those players could be long, defensive-oriented back-up threes, playing behind Rudy Gay. I believe it with Brown, I don't with Carroll.
Chris - thanks for the superb coverage and insight. There are a lot of places we Griz fans go to read about our stupid, beloved team, but your site is #1. Keep up the good work.
Or if we just draft and keep Thabeet, it's been nice knowing you.
So Chris, what would you say are the real reasons we're not looking at Rubio here?
I hope it's not that silly notion that he and Conley can't "coexist." Rubio is nowhere near ready to play fulltime, so he'd be a 20 min a night player for a couple years anyway.
I'd rather take the risk that he stays in spain just to show that we can't get pushed around, b/c it's going to happen every year until we're fully turned around, which ain't happening in the immediate future.
We should be taking the best talent available, whether b/c that player will contribute to our team or b/c he will be a better asset for future trades. Thabeet is not the best talent and he is not nearly as attractive as trade bait as Rubio.
Chris - Please post a Sangria recipe if you have a good one.....I will need a buzz to talk myself into Thabeet's "upside"
Hasheem Thabeet, C, 7-3, 265, Connecticut, Junior, 13.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 4.2 bpg, please take Thabeet with the 2nd pick. He is rated the 2nd or 3rd best prospect.
Thabeet's upside?
If the Grizz play any college teams with a weak front-court next year, he might block a couple of shots. Maybe.
How's that for upside?
Hasheem Thabeet, C, 7-3, 265, Connecticut, Junior, 13.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 0.5 apg, 4.2 bpg,Please take Thabeet with the 2nd pick. He is rated number 2 or 3 prospect. You must take him.
I don't care that Hollins loves Conley, draft Rubio b/c more than likely Hollins won't be our coach long term. We burn through coaches like crazy - Brown (2 1/2 years), Fratello (1 1/2 years), Iavaroni (1 1/2 years), Hollins (????). I'm just saying that Chris Wallace has always preached take the best available talent - THAT IS RUBIO!!!!!!
Doesn't look like Minny will save us now. I keep hoping that this is all a smokescreen with dabeet and we will pick Rubio anyway but I don't think Wallace/Heisley are that sneaky. Maybe NY will come to the rescue. Maybe the 8th pick and David Lee? Anything would be better than picking dabeet, the heir apparent, to Dsigano Djoop.
does anyone really care? I mean besides the 4-5k "crowds" that sprinkle the forum.
The only sport that is ever going to fly in this town is pro football and thats never going to happen. Maybe change the name, grab a few ex Tiger players and get another 2-3k but sooner than later this to shall pass in to that misty place with tams and rockers, showboats and even the original Grizz football team. Its a pretty crowded place in there.........but always room for one more :)
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