good job
i had fun reading all those
X's Blazers Dynasty (NBA Live 06)
by The X on Thu Mar 16, 2006 4:50 pm
Toxic wrote:X, brilliant work! Can you tell me what lighting patch you used, is it cy's cause it looks tight?!
cheers....can't remember who's lighting patch it is....jing directed me to it, so ask him....
Bosh4 wrote:Sick workouts man cant wait for draft
cheers, couldn't get any draft prep done today so it might not be up for a couple more days, especially with the NCAA Tourney starting....will see what I can do though....
Malfa wrote:good job
i had fun reading all those
cheers, glad you like
Dee Rip wrote:seems like you worked out some pretty good players, hope you get the one you want.
yep, I get my guy....just who is it though
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The X - is
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by The X on Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:00 pm
Jing wrote:yo x, were there suppose to be more nlsc players in this or was this season just you?
Toxic wrote:^Lol, there's more..he did a scout onyou before..
how quickly you forget Jing I just only did pre-draft workouts on players that I'm considering drafting....obviously you're not one of them -
The X - is
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by Jing on Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:05 pm
The X wrote:Jing wrote:yo x, were there suppose to be more nlsc players in this or was this season just you?Toxic wrote:^Lol, there's more..he did a scout onyou before..
yeah man sorry , its 2 AM, i am listening to offspring while trying to do economics homework. so
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Jing - Posts: 9791
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by Fresh8 on Thu Mar 16, 2006 10:46 pm
X wrote:be nice
- If I wasnt nice, I would say this: 'Too bad he cant have a brainfreeeze... hes already braindead!'
Jing, I'm playing wit u bro! i only say it cause ur not online!
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Fresh8 - The poster formerly known as Sit
- Posts: 14872
- Joined: Mon Nov 11, 2002 5:19 pm
by The X on Thu Mar 16, 2006 11:06 pm
Sit wrote:X wrote:be nice
- If I wasnt nice, I would say this: 'Too bad he cant have a brainfreeeze... hes already braindead!'
Jing, I'm playing wit u bro! i only say it cause ur not online!
I'll give you that
zmac|two3 wrote:What prep is their to do?? The real NBA draft doesnt take this long to be shown....
....hmm that doesnt make sense does it?
well I was busy all of today with car & buying a VCR so I can tape the NCAA Tournament games that are on at 3am (as I don't want to stay up & be tired at the pub for St. Paddy's Day)....also my gf is over at the mo....I also have to watch Big Dance games tomorrow then head off to mates....I honestly don't think draft will be up until Saturday, maybe Sunday at the latest....as Sit says, real life comes first....as for why it takes time, I'm doing the draft write-up which does take time, but please be patient
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The X - is
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- Joined: Mon Nov 08, 2004 9:21 pm
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by The X on Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:21 pm
2006 OFF-SEASON COVERAGE
2006 NBA DRAFT
Welcome to the 2006 NBA Draft, one of the showcase nights for the NBA where the league celebrates its stars of the future as they are sent to all corners of the nation. One good pick can change the face of a franchise, and one bad pick can set a team back a few years. However, it’s more than a celebration; it’s also serious business for the teams involved. Without further ado let's cross direct to the Draft as NBA Commissioner David Stern is about to read out the 1st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
1st ROUND
Stern: “With the 1st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select Andrea Bargnani of Italy.”
1. Washington: PF- Andrea Bargnani, Italy
NLSC Insider: “Interesting, another No. 1 overall pick, another international prospect being selected. First Yao, than Andrew Bogut & now Andrea Bargnani.”
Steven E. Smith: “What are the Wizards thinking?!? What are they smoking down there in the war room. Are they crazy?!? They picked some 7-foot Italian guy who likes to shoot the outside shot, when they really needed someone who could bang inside. Why not pick LaMarcus Aldridge?!? It makes no sense.”
NLSC Insider: “It’s not that bad Steve, this Italian kid has great upside & has been compared to a guy in Dallas named Dirk Nowitzki. If this pick nets them anything close to Dirk, then it’s a great pick.”
Steven E. Smith: “This is Kwame Brown meets Darko Milicic all over again. Enough of this, let’s see if the Hornets can take advantage of this, they really could use LaMarcus Aldridge. You hearing me Hornets?!? Take Aldridge.”
Stern: “With the 2nd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets select Vince Dehere of Tunisia.”
2. New Orleans-Oklahoma City: SG- Vince Dehere, Tunisia
NLSC Insider: “I heard he worked out well with the Blazers & was climbing, but no one really figured that he’d go this high. He’s a nice prospect with an NBA body & can rain threes until the cows come home.”
Steven E. Smith: “What’s everyone smoking?!? LaMarcus is on the table. The Hornets have friggin’ P.J. Brown as their starting centre, Brandon “I got a big ass” Bass as their starting PF. They’re completely undersized, so what do they do, they pass on what they really need & fill a position that they’re already stocked in. Do they realize they have J.R. Smith on their roster?!?”
NLSC Insider: “Good point about J.R. Smith, where does he figure into the Hornets’ future equations? Is he gonna slide to SF or is a trade imminent or is this pick on behalf of someone else? More questions than answers with this pick.”
Stern: “With the 3rd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Seattle Supersonics select Keenan Pack of Libya.”
3. Seattle: SG- Keenan Pack, Libya
Steven E. Smith: “Libya? Where the heck is Libya?!?”
NLSC Insider: “This pick really surprises me. With a chance of taking a local product that will help the team’s supporter base & selecting Gonzaga product Adam Morrison, they pass on him for an unknown quantity. Sonics fans are going to be livid with this pick. Pack’s an undersized SG who’ll have to make the transition to PG. They use to have Antonio Daniels & they have Flip Murray, why do they want another one? Something’s not right here.”
Steven E. Smith: “That’s all good & fine, but where the heck is Libya?!? Do they even play basketball there?!? Are you sure he’s not a soccer player or something?!?”
NLSC Insider: “No, he’s definitely a baller. Wow, check out the look on his face, he does not look happy. It looks like his whole family was just shot or something. Guess he wasn’t expecting the Sonics to take him. Word has come in that the Clippers had promised to pick him at 9.”
Steven E. Smith: “Haha, I haven’t seen a guy look this glum since Steve Francis was picked by the Grizzlies. Haha.”
Stern: “With the 4th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select Marty Gartner of the University of Purdue.”
4. Utah: PG- Marty Gartner, Purdue
NLSC Insider: “Another strange pick here Steven. Surely a guy like Adam Morrison would have been a great fit for Jerry Sloan & could have slotted in at the SG spot from day one. Gartner is a Jerry Sloan-type PG but they drafted Deron Williams last year. Obviously they’re going to duke it out or something.”
Steven E. Smith: “My doctor prescribed me some pills for situations like these. I better go have a few. What are these GM’s thinking?!? LaMarcus Aldridge is still on the board at 5, are the Lakers going to hit it lucky or is Rudy Gay, a Pippen-esque type player the right fit for coach Jackson?”
NLSC Insider: “I’m thinking that they will take Rudy Gay. He’s got all the tools & would work in well with Kobe. A great second fiddle to Kobe so-to-speak.”
Stern: “With the 5th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Adam Morrison of the University of Gonzaga.”
5. LA Lakers: SF- Adam Morrison, Gonzaga
NLSC Insider: “Interesting pick by the Lakers, I really thought they’d go with Rudy Gay, but I guess they went with a true competitor in Adam Morrison. Morrison can shoot the lights out & with Kobe taking all the attention, Morrison should be able to have plenty of room to succeed.”
Steven E. Smith: “Somebody shoot me. Players like LaMarcus Aldridge don’t come fall into your lap everyday. I guess it’s Portland’s lucky day.”
NLSC Insider: “You do bring up a good point there. Aldridge is falling further than anyone would have thought. Probably a domino effect as teams picking below the top 3 didn’t expect him to be there & are going with their original plans.”
Stern: “With the 6th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Portland Trailblazers select Severin Harding of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.”
6. Portland: PF- Severin Harding, Arkansas-Little Rock
NLSC Insider: “Wow, this is the first player to rise dramatically, getting picked at least a half dozen spots higher than any expected. Word has it that he nailed his Blazers’ workout & they were considering trading down for him. They obviously didn’t want to take the risk. Portland fans won’t be happy if Aldridge turns out as good as he is expected to be, unless Harding can provide something special.”
Steven E. Smith: “I liken this pick to taking the nice girl to the prom that you know will never put out. She’s nice & all, but she ain’t gonna put out. Take the girl that will put out. Severin is the nice girl, but LaMarcus will put out for the team that decides to take him to the prom.”
NLSC Insider: “What the heck are you on about Steve? Anyway, let’s go back to the Commish, he’s up with the Magic’s pick.”
Stern: “With the 7th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic select Rudy Gay of the University of Connecticut.”
7. Orlando: SF- Rudy Gay, Connecticut
NLSC Insider: “One of the big guns finally gets picked. This is a great pick for the Magic. Hill doesn’t have too many miles left in his gallon & Gay can be the future of the franchise, alongside Dwight Howard & Jameer Nelson. This will become a team to be reckoned with in the future. I thought they might go with Rodney Carney to shore up the starting SG spot, but I think they did the right thing by taking the best available talent in Rudy Gay.”
Steven E. Smith: “Disney won’t like a Gay player playing for the Magic, but all jokes aside, this is a nice pick. Gay has superstar potential, & will have a year or two to learn behind one of the best at his position in the 90s in Grant Hill, before he takes over the reins. Sanity has been restored.”
Stern: “With the 8th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select Rodney Carney out of the University of Memphis.”
8. Toronto: SG- Rodney Carney, Memphis
NLSC Insider: “I thought Aldridge might go here but he continues to slide. LaMarcus & his camp must be in shock right now.”
Steven E. Smith: “Yeah, he almost looks as bad as Keenan Pack did when the Sonics picked him. Hahahaha.”
NLSC Insider: “Raptors probably didn’t take Aldridge because he reminds them a lot of Bosh & didn’t want to stunt Bosh’s development.”
Steven E. Smith: “Although, you know what they say, two Boshes are better than one. Haha.”
NLSC Insider: “That was a shocker Stevo. Haha. As for Rodney Carney, the Raptors haven’t had an athlete like him since they gave Vince Carter to the Nets for peanuts. Fans will like him & this eases the loss of Morris Peterson, who was traded to the Blazers. They sure do have a few swingmen now though. Anyway, enough of that, the Clippers are on the clock.”
Steven E. Smith: “Gulp.”
Stern: “With the 9th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select LaMarcus Aldridge out of the University of Texas.”
9. LA Clippers: PF- LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas
Steven E. Smith: “Steal of the draft right here! Steal of the draft! Can’t believe the Clippers lucked out. It’s criminal that LaMarcus fell this far. He’s gonna have a chip on his shoulder bigger than Nostradamus.”
NLSC Insider: “Steve, I think you mean the ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’.”
Steven E. Smith: “Whatever, Nostradamus, Hunchback, who cares?!? Clippers got themselves another talented big. They can cast aside Chris Wilcox & run with Brand, LaMarcus & that rocker kid, Kaman, for years to come.”
NLSC Insider: “You said it all there Steve, Clippers have picked up a great talent this late in the draft. If you had of told the two or three loyal Clipper fans, that Aldridge would be available at 9, they would have not believed it. But it is true. Chicago is on the clock. They must be disappointed to miss out on Aldridge, but there are still some talented big guys out there on the board.”
Stern: “With the 10th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select Tiago Splitter of Tau Vitoria, Spain and Brazil.”
10. Chicago: PF- Tiago Splitter, Tau Vitoria (Spain)
NLSC Insider: “This pick really makes a whole lot of sense. Splitter doesn’t need the ball in his hand to make an impact & that’s just the type of player that Scott Skiles was looking for. Can’t fault this pick at all.”
Steven E. Smith: “For the first time tonight, you’re making a little bit of sense too. Haha.”
Stern: “With the 11th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns select Tarmo Kozlov, out of Serbia-Montenegro.”
11. Phoenix: SG- Tarmo Kozlov, Serbia-Montenegro
Steven E. Smith: “I know I’m not the only person here who’s gobsmacked by this pick. This guy didn’t even dominate in one of the weaker leagues in Europe. He’s a completely undersized SG at 6’2”. How many guys can the Suns have like Eddie House?!? Wasted pick right here.”
NLSC Insider: “I know a little about Kozlov, I know he can run ‘n’ gun. That’s all the Suns do, so it makes sense to draft players who fit with their system. Playing alongside Steve Nash, he’ll look regardless. He could be All-Rookie Team with the way Nashy makes his teammates better. Although the Suns could have got him with their 2nd Round pick so this is a bit perplexing.”
Stern: “With the 12th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New York Knickerbockers select Garth Robards of the University of Illinois.”
12. New York: PF- Garth Robards, Illinois
NLSC Insider: “At least he’s not an undersized PF, eh Steve?.”
Steven E. Smith: “I really like this pick. I had either Garth or Shelden Williams going in this spot. This Knicks’ team needs toughness & Garth Robards will bring it. He banged in the Big Ten for four years & is NBA-ready. A solid pick for Isiah at this juncture.”
Stern: “With the 13th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select Xavier Hakidawandi of the University of Nevada.”
13. Boston: PF- Xavier Hakidawandi, Nevada
Steven E. Smith: “Just as I thought things were getting back to normal, I should have known that Danny Ainge would screw that up. Hack-a-X was a bubble 1st Round pick, that’s it. He’s got some heart & toughness & is a nice athlete, but this kid is not a lottery pick. Neither is that Kosmo or Kozlov guy or whatever his name is. Teams are not taking the best available talent here. If they want a big, go with Shelden Williams. If they want a big guard, Ronnie Brewer is still on the board. If they want a shooter, J.J. is in the house. If they want a PG, that Kiwi kid & Rand are on the board.”
NLSC Insider: “Settle down Stevie. Maybe Xavier is just what the Celtics need. Ainge did do well drafting Jefferson, West & Allen a couple of years back so it’s not like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Last pick of lottery, Indiana is up.”
Stern: “With the 14th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Indiana Pacers select Will Sit, out of Australia.”
14. Indiana: C- Will Sit, Australia
NLSC Insider: “Another big riser. Rumours had been swirling over the last week that the Pacers had fallen in love with the young, cocky Aussie big man. They liked his ability to take up space & score inside. They think within a year or two, he will be the team’s starting centre, if not sooner. I’m sure Jermaine will be happy with a bit of help inside. Sit was a late riser with many expecting him to be a late 1st Round, early 2nd Round prospect. Just goes to show, you can’t teach height. Steven, why don’t you tell the viewers at home what you know about this confident young Aussie kid.”
Steven E. Smith: “He’s tall.”
NLSC Insider: “That’s it?.”
Steven E. Smith: “That’s it.”
Stern: “With the 15th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select Emmet Smith of the University of Washington.”
15. Charlotte: PF- Emmet Smith, Washington
NLSC Insider: “The Bobcats spurned Dukies Shelden Williams & J.J. Redick which is a real surprise. I guess they didn’t want to mix them with the former Tarheel players. Smith, whose the nephew of famed running back Emmett Smith of the Cowboys, is a solid pick with some upside. The Bobcats needed more beef inside to help out Meka, & Smith will provide that. I didn’t have Smith going this high, but the Bobcats must have seen something they liked in him.”
Stern: “With the 16th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Liu Kuffour of Seton Hall University.”
16. Minnesota: SG- Liu Kuffour, Seton Hall
NLSC Insider: “For the second straight year, the Minnesota Timberwolves have picked an undersized SG. Last year it was Rashad McCants, this year it is Liu Kuffour, from Seton Hall.”
Steven E. Smith: “Kid can get up, that’s for sure. Other parts of his game are still very raw & he’s only 6’2”, so he’s very undersized for a SG. If they wanted an undersized SG, they could’ve gone with Duke’s J.J. Redick, whose taller at 6’4” & a lot better player. Redick would have thrived off Garnett. Hold on, why isn’t anyone talking about Arkansas’ Ronnie Brewer. Kid can flat out play but he’s sliding, he’s sliding man.”
Stern: “With the 17th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks select J.J. Redick out of Duke University.”
17. Milwaukee: SG- J.J. Redick, Duke
NLSC Insider: “Talk about the devil. J.J. gets snapped up by the Bucks. I like this pick for the Bucks as they pick up another outstanding shooter. Imagine having J.J., Michael & Mo on the floor at once, you are not going to double off any of these guys. This team becomes a whole lot more dangerous, that’s for sure & opens it up for Bogut & Magloire inside.”
Stern: “With the 18th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select Cameron Rand of the University of Evansville and Puerto Rico.”
18. Golden State: PG- Cameron Rand, Evansville
NLSC Insider: “This is a good pick for the Warriors. Fisher isn’t getting any younger & Baron Davis is always going down with injury. He’ll be steady, if unspectacular, & is another piece of the puzzle for the Warriors.”
Stern: “With the 19th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select Alex McDonald of the University of Calfornia-Los Angeles.”
19. Memphis: SF- Alex McDonald, UCLA
Steven E. Smith: “No surprise here, ever since Jerry West has been in Memphis, he has a habit of taking 2nd Round guys (Troy Bell & Dahntay Jones) with mid-1st Round picks. This pick is no different, McDonald is not a 1st Rounder.”
NLSC Insider: “They also said that about Derek Fisher & Devean George but they’ve turned out well. West is a guy who got steals in Eddie Jones in 1994 & Kobe Bryant in 1996, so you can’t doubt his ability to draft talent. McDonald is an all-around player who is a good defender. I’d probably liken him to a more polished, but less athletic Trevor Ariza.”
Stern: “With the 20th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select Makis Hassakis, out of Stanford University and Greece.”
20. Dallas: C- Makis “Dweaver” Hassakis, Stanford
NLSC Insider: “This is a very nice pick at this juncture for the Mavericks. The Mavs went international again, selecting the Greek who isn’t afraid to use his elbows. Hassakis added polish & fire to his game as he attended Stanford & became an Academic All-American as a senior. But it was his title as “Elbowman” that got him the attention of the nation, as he led the NCAA in flagrant fouls, technical fouls & fouls involving his elbows. If he can keep his head on straight, then he adds the toughness inside that the Mavericks so desperately need. Nice pick.”
Stern: “With the 21st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Ronnie Brewer of the University of Arkansas.”
21. Atlanta: SG- Ronnie Brewer, Arkansas
Steven E. Smith: “The Hawks just got even better. Easily the best guy available on the draft board. Brewer can play anywhere from the PG to SF position. How many swingmen do the Hawks need though?!? I smell a trade down the line.”
NLSC Insider: “I think that Atlanta could pair both Joe Johnson & Ronnie Brewer in the backcourt & not need to play a true PG. Both are the size of SF’s but both have the handle of a PG & the shooting touch of a SG. They could play off each other & take turns handling the PG duties. This could be the beginning of one of the more interesting backcourts in the NBA. Good pickup for the Hawks.”
Stern: “With the 22nd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Zuka Thiam of the University of California.”
22. Sacramento: PF- Zuka Thiam, California
NLSC Insider: “The Kings stretched with this pick as they took a defensive-minded PF with their 1st Round selection. He’ll be sitting on the pine behind PF’s Reef, Kenny Thomas & Brian Skinner. I think Duke’s Shelden Williams, who is really sliding, would have made a better pick as a defensive-minded PF, with some offensive skills to boot.”
Stern: “With the 23rd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat select Shelden Williams out of Duke University.”
23. Miami: PF- Shelden Williams, Duke
Steven E. Smith: “It’s a conspiracy. There’s no way in two straight years, that two phenomenal senior PF’s from big programs can drop to an already strong Heat squad. First it was Wayne Simien of Kansas, & now it’s Shelden Williams of Duke. Williams is Boozer before Boozer-gate.”
NLSC Insider: “Yes, another very nice pick for the Heat. You can sense that they are slowly starting to stockpile some good young talent up front (Haslem, Simien & Williams) for Shaq’s eventual retirement & ongoing injuries. You can’t do any better than the Heat did with this pick.”
Stern: “With the 24th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets select Mardy Collins out of Temple University.”
24. Denver: SG- Mardy Collins, Temple
NLSC Insider: “I think Mardy Collins is everything that the Nuggets hoped to get when they selected Julius Hodge last year. They did well to snatch a big combo guard like him at this stage. Collins name was linked to the late lottery but it wasn’t to be, as the Nuggets happily snap him up.”
Stern: “With the 25th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select Angelo Craft out of the University of Texas.”
25. Philadelphia: SF- Angelo Craft, Texas
NLSC Insider: “This is a Josh Howard-like pick at this stage. Craft, like Howard, was the Player of the Year in his conference, & whose game is not suited to individual workouts. Word on the street was he wasn’t working out well & he was falling. He should not have fell this far. Craft will make teams pay for passing on him.”
Stern: “With the 26th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets select Travis Toon of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and Australia.”
26. Houston: PG- Travis “Coldsmoke” Toon, UNLV
NLSC Insider: “The Rockets needed themselves some insurance at the PG spot & they got it in Toon. Toon will help to provide defensive intensity & won’t back down from anyone, even if it is in a losing battle. He can’t shoot to save himself, but if he can handle the PG duties, then this could turn out to be a solid pick.”
Stern: “With the 27th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select Jing Xu of the University of Massachusetts.”
27. Cleveland: SG- Jing “jxuusa” Xu, Massachusetts
Steven E. Smith: “This is a prime example of why you should stay in school. If he had stayed in school another year or two, he’d be a lottery pick. Now he’s gonna sit on the bench for the next few years backing up Lebron James & Larry Hughes. The kids coming through need better advice. I don’t know whose giving it to them, telling them they’re lottery picks when they’re clearly not.”
NLSC Insider: “Yes, Xu could’ve used more seasoning, but he’s in the NBA now, & from Cleveland’s perspective, it’s a good pick. Xu will come straight in & be able to backup at both guard positions & be brought along slowly. It’s filled a need for the Cavs, so they did well.”
Stern: “With the 28th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets select Justin Hartley out of Stanford University.”
28. New Jersey: SG- Justin Hartley, Stanford
NLSC Insider: “Looks like the Cardinals sneaked two graduates into the 1st Round, which is an achievement in itself. Hartley’s a good shooter who looks to be no more than a situation player for the Nets, with the depth they have at SG. Justin Hartley is a feel good story as he has worked hard to get where he is today, & that’s now translated into guaranteed 1st Round money.”
Stern: “With the 29th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs select Anthony Chen out of Syracuse University.”
29. San Antonio: C- Anthony Chen, Syracuse
Steven E. Smith: “What are you looking at me for?!? I would never argue with a Spurs’ draft pick, especially with their track record. Chen will fill some space one or two minutes per game. Fills a need. Seems like another good pick by the Spurs.”
NLSC Insider: “We move onto the last pick of the 1st Round, David Stern is at the podium.”
Stern: “With the 30th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select Max McGrady out of Oklahoma State University.”
30. Detroit: SG- Max McGrady, Oklahoma State
NLSC Insider: “Someone finally snaps up McGrady, who looked like he would have to settle for 2nd Round money.”
Steven E. Smith: “This is a can’t miss pick for the Pistons, regardless of what they did with this pick, they’ll still compete for next year’s title. Even though it didn’t matter, they still made a great pick. If McGrady can learn to play PG, similar to how Billups had to in his career, then this could be a huge coup for Joe Dumars & his team of scouts.”
NLSC Insider: “That concludes the 1st Round. Teams now have only two minutes to make their selections so it should move on a little quicker now.”
2nd ROUND
David Stern hands the podium to Vice Commissioner Adam Silver to finish off proceedings.
31. Utah: SG- Aamon Grayer, Guyana
32. New Orleans-Oklahoma City: SF- Rudolf Caswell, Alabama
33. LA Lakers: PF- Walter Choi, Kent
Silver: “With the 34th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Portland Trailblazers select Andrew Watson, out of Australia.”
34. Portland: SG- Andrew “The X” Watson, Australia
NLSC Insider: “The Blazers seem pretty happy with this pickup early in then 2nd Round. They weren’t sure he would be around when they picked, but they snapped him up when the saw that he was still on the board. We all know that Watson can shoot the rock, but he showed toughness & demonstrated the skills to play the PG spot. That’s what got him selected this high.”
Steven E. Smith: “I heard he once did 25 shots of Jim Beam in one sitting. Quite an amazing effort if you ask me. He should fit in well with the other Blazers then. Haha.”
Silver: “With the 35th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic select Cory Camara of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.”
35. Orlando: SF- Cory Camara, Tennessee-Chattanooga
NLSC Insider: “Magic got another steal as Camara was expected to be a lock in the 1st Round, but when guys like Angelo Craft, Ronnie Brewer & Shelden Williams fell, it was a domino effect & caused Cory to slide. Camara should add more depth at the SF & PF positions.”
Silver: “With the 36th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select Paul Watson, out of Australia.”
36. Washington: PG- Paul “PJ” Watson, Australia
NLSC Insider: “Andrew’s older brother gets picked only two spots after he did. Like his younger brother, Paul was expected to go in the late 1st Round, but his lack of height (5’8”) scared away most teams. Without the guaranteed money on the table, the Wizards were more than willing to give Watson a chance to make the team.”
37. Toronto: SG- Samuel Robards, West Carolina
38. LA Clippers: SF- Joshua Hatcher, Michigan
39. Chicago: PF- Jerome Benzer, Kentucky
40. Seattle: SG- Emmanuel Straka, Finland
41. Phoenix: PG- Sam Dorman, Longwood
42. New York: PF- Simon Delk, Michigan
Silver: “With the 43rd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select Mark Moore, out of New Zealand.”
43. Boston: PG- Mark Moore, New Zealand
NLSC Insider: “Hey Steve, wake up.”
Steven E. Smith: “Hey why’d you wake me up? Wake me up when this one is over.”
NLSC Insider: “You’ll want to hear this though. The Boston Celtics just selected Mark Moore, that Kiwi kid you’ve been raving about. You know, White Chocolate Version 2.”
Steven E. Smith: “Hold on a sec, didn’t the Celtics select that African sounding name fella. It was Xanadu or something.”
NLSC Insider: “You mean Xavier Hakidawandi. The Celtics used their No. 13 overall pick on him. This was their other pick, the No. 43 overall.”
Steven E. Smith: “You’re joking?!? How the heck did my man fall so far?!? He shoulda went in the lottery.”
NLSC Insider: “You know how the politics work in relation to draft day. It probably has something to do with the poor agent that Moore picked. Apparently the Atlanta Hawks had promised to take him at 21, if he was still on the board. However the Hawks, nor anyone else, expected Ronnie Brewer to still be available, so they broke their promise & took him instead of Moore. After that Moore just slid & slid as he did not work out for any teams drafting below the Hawks.”
Steven E. Smith: “True, that’s grazy. Moore needs to find himself a new agent, that’s for sure. It cost him a couple of million bucks tonight. Anyway, I’m tired. Wake me up when this one is over.”
44. Indiana: PF- Kim Iwanaka, Malaysia
45. Charlotte: PF- Moses Billings, St. Joseph’s
46. Minnesota: SF- Apollo Carnegie, Syracuse
47. Milwaukee: PG- Lumumba Hammonds, Morocco
48. Golden State: SF- Karl Gill, Louisiana Tech
49. Memphis: PG- Norbert Tamer, Maryland
50. Dallas: Babafemi Valentine, Quinnipiac
Silver: “With the 51st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Rudy Fernandez out of Badalona, Spain.”
51. Atlanta: SG- Rudy Fernandez, Badalona (Spain)
NLSC Insider: “Hawks got another steal & another SG with their final pick of the night. Although how many SG’s do the Hawks need? They’ve got a stockpile now. It was another case of the Hawks taking the best available talent. Apparently Rudy dropped because he has a pretty big buyout on his European contract & that scared a lot of teams off him.”
52. Sacramento: C- Ignatius Tallas, Norway
53. Miami: C- Clarence Aitkin, Arizona
54. Denver: PF- Robin Lopez, Congo
55. Philadelphia: SF- Clement Recasner, Ohio State
56. Houston: SF- Akinlabi Benjamin, SE Illinois State
57. Cleveland: PF- Rolf Earhart, Jackson (MS)
58. New Jersey: PF- Peter Roloson, Ireland
59. San Antonio: SG- Omari Booth, Turkey
60. Detroit: PF: Shawnelle Warren, Kentucky
NLSC Insider: “Back just in time to see forgotten Kentucky senior, Shawnelle Warren, go to the Detroit Pistons with the 60th & final pick of the NBA. Was a surprising day as we have come to expect on Draft Day. Steve, who do you think the biggest steals were on the night?”
Steven E. Smith: “Clippers getting LaMarcus Aldridge. My man Mark Moore going to Boston in the 2nd Round.”
NLSC Insider: “I’m gonna go with four seniors whose games get underrated time & time again. All these guys had a strong case for lottery selection but all fell to the late 1st Round. Ronnie Brewer to Atlanta, Shelden Williams to Miami, Mardy Collins to Denver & Angelo Craft to Philadelphia. These guys will all make immediate impacts to their respective teams in their rookie years. They are all NBA-ready & some teams will really regret passing on them.”
Well that concludes the 2006 Draft. To recap, the Portland Trailblazers ended up drafting PF- Severin Harding (#6) and SG- Andrew “The X” Watson (#34).
Let me know what you think of the draft coverage and who you think won and lost on the day. Some of you might be happy where you ended up, but I know for sure a couple of you won't. Sorry I didn't do the new players in new jersey thing, ran out of time....will post a picture of the Draft Class of 2006 when I get time....hope I didn't bore you with all the words....didn't have time to do pictures for it & want to keep dynasty rolling along....
I'll post Free Agency signings and the trade period when I get the chance....won't be today....
Enjoy
X
2006 NBA DRAFT
Welcome to the 2006 NBA Draft, one of the showcase nights for the NBA where the league celebrates its stars of the future as they are sent to all corners of the nation. One good pick can change the face of a franchise, and one bad pick can set a team back a few years. However, it’s more than a celebration; it’s also serious business for the teams involved. Without further ado let's cross direct to the Draft as NBA Commissioner David Stern is about to read out the 1st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft.
1st ROUND
Stern: “With the 1st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select Andrea Bargnani of Italy.”
1. Washington: PF- Andrea Bargnani, Italy
NLSC Insider: “Interesting, another No. 1 overall pick, another international prospect being selected. First Yao, than Andrew Bogut & now Andrea Bargnani.”
Steven E. Smith: “What are the Wizards thinking?!? What are they smoking down there in the war room. Are they crazy?!? They picked some 7-foot Italian guy who likes to shoot the outside shot, when they really needed someone who could bang inside. Why not pick LaMarcus Aldridge?!? It makes no sense.”
NLSC Insider: “It’s not that bad Steve, this Italian kid has great upside & has been compared to a guy in Dallas named Dirk Nowitzki. If this pick nets them anything close to Dirk, then it’s a great pick.”
Steven E. Smith: “This is Kwame Brown meets Darko Milicic all over again. Enough of this, let’s see if the Hornets can take advantage of this, they really could use LaMarcus Aldridge. You hearing me Hornets?!? Take Aldridge.”
Stern: “With the 2nd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets select Vince Dehere of Tunisia.”
2. New Orleans-Oklahoma City: SG- Vince Dehere, Tunisia
NLSC Insider: “I heard he worked out well with the Blazers & was climbing, but no one really figured that he’d go this high. He’s a nice prospect with an NBA body & can rain threes until the cows come home.”
Steven E. Smith: “What’s everyone smoking?!? LaMarcus is on the table. The Hornets have friggin’ P.J. Brown as their starting centre, Brandon “I got a big ass” Bass as their starting PF. They’re completely undersized, so what do they do, they pass on what they really need & fill a position that they’re already stocked in. Do they realize they have J.R. Smith on their roster?!?”
NLSC Insider: “Good point about J.R. Smith, where does he figure into the Hornets’ future equations? Is he gonna slide to SF or is a trade imminent or is this pick on behalf of someone else? More questions than answers with this pick.”
Stern: “With the 3rd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Seattle Supersonics select Keenan Pack of Libya.”
3. Seattle: SG- Keenan Pack, Libya
Steven E. Smith: “Libya? Where the heck is Libya?!?”
NLSC Insider: “This pick really surprises me. With a chance of taking a local product that will help the team’s supporter base & selecting Gonzaga product Adam Morrison, they pass on him for an unknown quantity. Sonics fans are going to be livid with this pick. Pack’s an undersized SG who’ll have to make the transition to PG. They use to have Antonio Daniels & they have Flip Murray, why do they want another one? Something’s not right here.”
Steven E. Smith: “That’s all good & fine, but where the heck is Libya?!? Do they even play basketball there?!? Are you sure he’s not a soccer player or something?!?”
NLSC Insider: “No, he’s definitely a baller. Wow, check out the look on his face, he does not look happy. It looks like his whole family was just shot or something. Guess he wasn’t expecting the Sonics to take him. Word has come in that the Clippers had promised to pick him at 9.”
Steven E. Smith: “Haha, I haven’t seen a guy look this glum since Steve Francis was picked by the Grizzlies. Haha.”
Stern: “With the 4th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz select Marty Gartner of the University of Purdue.”
4. Utah: PG- Marty Gartner, Purdue
NLSC Insider: “Another strange pick here Steven. Surely a guy like Adam Morrison would have been a great fit for Jerry Sloan & could have slotted in at the SG spot from day one. Gartner is a Jerry Sloan-type PG but they drafted Deron Williams last year. Obviously they’re going to duke it out or something.”
Steven E. Smith: “My doctor prescribed me some pills for situations like these. I better go have a few. What are these GM’s thinking?!? LaMarcus Aldridge is still on the board at 5, are the Lakers going to hit it lucky or is Rudy Gay, a Pippen-esque type player the right fit for coach Jackson?”
NLSC Insider: “I’m thinking that they will take Rudy Gay. He’s got all the tools & would work in well with Kobe. A great second fiddle to Kobe so-to-speak.”
Stern: “With the 5th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Adam Morrison of the University of Gonzaga.”
5. LA Lakers: SF- Adam Morrison, Gonzaga
NLSC Insider: “Interesting pick by the Lakers, I really thought they’d go with Rudy Gay, but I guess they went with a true competitor in Adam Morrison. Morrison can shoot the lights out & with Kobe taking all the attention, Morrison should be able to have plenty of room to succeed.”
Steven E. Smith: “Somebody shoot me. Players like LaMarcus Aldridge don’t come fall into your lap everyday. I guess it’s Portland’s lucky day.”
NLSC Insider: “You do bring up a good point there. Aldridge is falling further than anyone would have thought. Probably a domino effect as teams picking below the top 3 didn’t expect him to be there & are going with their original plans.”
Stern: “With the 6th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Portland Trailblazers select Severin Harding of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock.”
6. Portland: PF- Severin Harding, Arkansas-Little Rock
NLSC Insider: “Wow, this is the first player to rise dramatically, getting picked at least a half dozen spots higher than any expected. Word has it that he nailed his Blazers’ workout & they were considering trading down for him. They obviously didn’t want to take the risk. Portland fans won’t be happy if Aldridge turns out as good as he is expected to be, unless Harding can provide something special.”
Steven E. Smith: “I liken this pick to taking the nice girl to the prom that you know will never put out. She’s nice & all, but she ain’t gonna put out. Take the girl that will put out. Severin is the nice girl, but LaMarcus will put out for the team that decides to take him to the prom.”
NLSC Insider: “What the heck are you on about Steve? Anyway, let’s go back to the Commish, he’s up with the Magic’s pick.”
Stern: “With the 7th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic select Rudy Gay of the University of Connecticut.”
7. Orlando: SF- Rudy Gay, Connecticut
NLSC Insider: “One of the big guns finally gets picked. This is a great pick for the Magic. Hill doesn’t have too many miles left in his gallon & Gay can be the future of the franchise, alongside Dwight Howard & Jameer Nelson. This will become a team to be reckoned with in the future. I thought they might go with Rodney Carney to shore up the starting SG spot, but I think they did the right thing by taking the best available talent in Rudy Gay.”
Steven E. Smith: “Disney won’t like a Gay player playing for the Magic, but all jokes aside, this is a nice pick. Gay has superstar potential, & will have a year or two to learn behind one of the best at his position in the 90s in Grant Hill, before he takes over the reins. Sanity has been restored.”
Stern: “With the 8th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Toronto Raptors select Rodney Carney out of the University of Memphis.”
8. Toronto: SG- Rodney Carney, Memphis
NLSC Insider: “I thought Aldridge might go here but he continues to slide. LaMarcus & his camp must be in shock right now.”
Steven E. Smith: “Yeah, he almost looks as bad as Keenan Pack did when the Sonics picked him. Hahahaha.”
NLSC Insider: “Raptors probably didn’t take Aldridge because he reminds them a lot of Bosh & didn’t want to stunt Bosh’s development.”
Steven E. Smith: “Although, you know what they say, two Boshes are better than one. Haha.”
NLSC Insider: “That was a shocker Stevo. Haha. As for Rodney Carney, the Raptors haven’t had an athlete like him since they gave Vince Carter to the Nets for peanuts. Fans will like him & this eases the loss of Morris Peterson, who was traded to the Blazers. They sure do have a few swingmen now though. Anyway, enough of that, the Clippers are on the clock.”
Steven E. Smith: “Gulp.”
Stern: “With the 9th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers select LaMarcus Aldridge out of the University of Texas.”
9. LA Clippers: PF- LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas
Steven E. Smith: “Steal of the draft right here! Steal of the draft! Can’t believe the Clippers lucked out. It’s criminal that LaMarcus fell this far. He’s gonna have a chip on his shoulder bigger than Nostradamus.”
NLSC Insider: “Steve, I think you mean the ‘Hunchback of Notre Dame’.”
Steven E. Smith: “Whatever, Nostradamus, Hunchback, who cares?!? Clippers got themselves another talented big. They can cast aside Chris Wilcox & run with Brand, LaMarcus & that rocker kid, Kaman, for years to come.”
NLSC Insider: “You said it all there Steve, Clippers have picked up a great talent this late in the draft. If you had of told the two or three loyal Clipper fans, that Aldridge would be available at 9, they would have not believed it. But it is true. Chicago is on the clock. They must be disappointed to miss out on Aldridge, but there are still some talented big guys out there on the board.”
Stern: “With the 10th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Chicago Bulls select Tiago Splitter of Tau Vitoria, Spain and Brazil.”
10. Chicago: PF- Tiago Splitter, Tau Vitoria (Spain)
NLSC Insider: “This pick really makes a whole lot of sense. Splitter doesn’t need the ball in his hand to make an impact & that’s just the type of player that Scott Skiles was looking for. Can’t fault this pick at all.”
Steven E. Smith: “For the first time tonight, you’re making a little bit of sense too. Haha.”
Stern: “With the 11th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Phoenix Suns select Tarmo Kozlov, out of Serbia-Montenegro.”
11. Phoenix: SG- Tarmo Kozlov, Serbia-Montenegro
Steven E. Smith: “I know I’m not the only person here who’s gobsmacked by this pick. This guy didn’t even dominate in one of the weaker leagues in Europe. He’s a completely undersized SG at 6’2”. How many guys can the Suns have like Eddie House?!? Wasted pick right here.”
NLSC Insider: “I know a little about Kozlov, I know he can run ‘n’ gun. That’s all the Suns do, so it makes sense to draft players who fit with their system. Playing alongside Steve Nash, he’ll look regardless. He could be All-Rookie Team with the way Nashy makes his teammates better. Although the Suns could have got him with their 2nd Round pick so this is a bit perplexing.”
Stern: “With the 12th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New York Knickerbockers select Garth Robards of the University of Illinois.”
12. New York: PF- Garth Robards, Illinois
NLSC Insider: “At least he’s not an undersized PF, eh Steve?.”
Steven E. Smith: “I really like this pick. I had either Garth or Shelden Williams going in this spot. This Knicks’ team needs toughness & Garth Robards will bring it. He banged in the Big Ten for four years & is NBA-ready. A solid pick for Isiah at this juncture.”
Stern: “With the 13th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select Xavier Hakidawandi of the University of Nevada.”
13. Boston: PF- Xavier Hakidawandi, Nevada
Steven E. Smith: “Just as I thought things were getting back to normal, I should have known that Danny Ainge would screw that up. Hack-a-X was a bubble 1st Round pick, that’s it. He’s got some heart & toughness & is a nice athlete, but this kid is not a lottery pick. Neither is that Kosmo or Kozlov guy or whatever his name is. Teams are not taking the best available talent here. If they want a big, go with Shelden Williams. If they want a big guard, Ronnie Brewer is still on the board. If they want a shooter, J.J. is in the house. If they want a PG, that Kiwi kid & Rand are on the board.”
NLSC Insider: “Settle down Stevie. Maybe Xavier is just what the Celtics need. Ainge did do well drafting Jefferson, West & Allen a couple of years back so it’s not like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. Last pick of lottery, Indiana is up.”
Stern: “With the 14th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Indiana Pacers select Will Sit, out of Australia.”
14. Indiana: C- Will Sit, Australia
NLSC Insider: “Another big riser. Rumours had been swirling over the last week that the Pacers had fallen in love with the young, cocky Aussie big man. They liked his ability to take up space & score inside. They think within a year or two, he will be the team’s starting centre, if not sooner. I’m sure Jermaine will be happy with a bit of help inside. Sit was a late riser with many expecting him to be a late 1st Round, early 2nd Round prospect. Just goes to show, you can’t teach height. Steven, why don’t you tell the viewers at home what you know about this confident young Aussie kid.”
Steven E. Smith: “He’s tall.”
NLSC Insider: “That’s it?.”
Steven E. Smith: “That’s it.”
Stern: “With the 15th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Charlotte Bobcats select Emmet Smith of the University of Washington.”
15. Charlotte: PF- Emmet Smith, Washington
NLSC Insider: “The Bobcats spurned Dukies Shelden Williams & J.J. Redick which is a real surprise. I guess they didn’t want to mix them with the former Tarheel players. Smith, whose the nephew of famed running back Emmett Smith of the Cowboys, is a solid pick with some upside. The Bobcats needed more beef inside to help out Meka, & Smith will provide that. I didn’t have Smith going this high, but the Bobcats must have seen something they liked in him.”
Stern: “With the 16th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Minnesota Timberwolves select Liu Kuffour of Seton Hall University.”
16. Minnesota: SG- Liu Kuffour, Seton Hall
NLSC Insider: “For the second straight year, the Minnesota Timberwolves have picked an undersized SG. Last year it was Rashad McCants, this year it is Liu Kuffour, from Seton Hall.”
Steven E. Smith: “Kid can get up, that’s for sure. Other parts of his game are still very raw & he’s only 6’2”, so he’s very undersized for a SG. If they wanted an undersized SG, they could’ve gone with Duke’s J.J. Redick, whose taller at 6’4” & a lot better player. Redick would have thrived off Garnett. Hold on, why isn’t anyone talking about Arkansas’ Ronnie Brewer. Kid can flat out play but he’s sliding, he’s sliding man.”
Stern: “With the 17th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks select J.J. Redick out of Duke University.”
17. Milwaukee: SG- J.J. Redick, Duke
NLSC Insider: “Talk about the devil. J.J. gets snapped up by the Bucks. I like this pick for the Bucks as they pick up another outstanding shooter. Imagine having J.J., Michael & Mo on the floor at once, you are not going to double off any of these guys. This team becomes a whole lot more dangerous, that’s for sure & opens it up for Bogut & Magloire inside.”
Stern: “With the 18th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Golden State Warriors select Cameron Rand of the University of Evansville and Puerto Rico.”
18. Golden State: PG- Cameron Rand, Evansville
NLSC Insider: “This is a good pick for the Warriors. Fisher isn’t getting any younger & Baron Davis is always going down with injury. He’ll be steady, if unspectacular, & is another piece of the puzzle for the Warriors.”
Stern: “With the 19th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Memphis Grizzlies select Alex McDonald of the University of Calfornia-Los Angeles.”
19. Memphis: SF- Alex McDonald, UCLA
Steven E. Smith: “No surprise here, ever since Jerry West has been in Memphis, he has a habit of taking 2nd Round guys (Troy Bell & Dahntay Jones) with mid-1st Round picks. This pick is no different, McDonald is not a 1st Rounder.”
NLSC Insider: “They also said that about Derek Fisher & Devean George but they’ve turned out well. West is a guy who got steals in Eddie Jones in 1994 & Kobe Bryant in 1996, so you can’t doubt his ability to draft talent. McDonald is an all-around player who is a good defender. I’d probably liken him to a more polished, but less athletic Trevor Ariza.”
Stern: “With the 20th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select Makis Hassakis, out of Stanford University and Greece.”
20. Dallas: C- Makis “Dweaver” Hassakis, Stanford
NLSC Insider: “This is a very nice pick at this juncture for the Mavericks. The Mavs went international again, selecting the Greek who isn’t afraid to use his elbows. Hassakis added polish & fire to his game as he attended Stanford & became an Academic All-American as a senior. But it was his title as “Elbowman” that got him the attention of the nation, as he led the NCAA in flagrant fouls, technical fouls & fouls involving his elbows. If he can keep his head on straight, then he adds the toughness inside that the Mavericks so desperately need. Nice pick.”
Stern: “With the 21st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Ronnie Brewer of the University of Arkansas.”
21. Atlanta: SG- Ronnie Brewer, Arkansas
Steven E. Smith: “The Hawks just got even better. Easily the best guy available on the draft board. Brewer can play anywhere from the PG to SF position. How many swingmen do the Hawks need though?!? I smell a trade down the line.”
NLSC Insider: “I think that Atlanta could pair both Joe Johnson & Ronnie Brewer in the backcourt & not need to play a true PG. Both are the size of SF’s but both have the handle of a PG & the shooting touch of a SG. They could play off each other & take turns handling the PG duties. This could be the beginning of one of the more interesting backcourts in the NBA. Good pickup for the Hawks.”
Stern: “With the 22nd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Sacramento Kings select Zuka Thiam of the University of California.”
22. Sacramento: PF- Zuka Thiam, California
NLSC Insider: “The Kings stretched with this pick as they took a defensive-minded PF with their 1st Round selection. He’ll be sitting on the pine behind PF’s Reef, Kenny Thomas & Brian Skinner. I think Duke’s Shelden Williams, who is really sliding, would have made a better pick as a defensive-minded PF, with some offensive skills to boot.”
Stern: “With the 23rd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Miami Heat select Shelden Williams out of Duke University.”
23. Miami: PF- Shelden Williams, Duke
Steven E. Smith: “It’s a conspiracy. There’s no way in two straight years, that two phenomenal senior PF’s from big programs can drop to an already strong Heat squad. First it was Wayne Simien of Kansas, & now it’s Shelden Williams of Duke. Williams is Boozer before Boozer-gate.”
NLSC Insider: “Yes, another very nice pick for the Heat. You can sense that they are slowly starting to stockpile some good young talent up front (Haslem, Simien & Williams) for Shaq’s eventual retirement & ongoing injuries. You can’t do any better than the Heat did with this pick.”
Stern: “With the 24th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets select Mardy Collins out of Temple University.”
24. Denver: SG- Mardy Collins, Temple
NLSC Insider: “I think Mardy Collins is everything that the Nuggets hoped to get when they selected Julius Hodge last year. They did well to snatch a big combo guard like him at this stage. Collins name was linked to the late lottery but it wasn’t to be, as the Nuggets happily snap him up.”
Stern: “With the 25th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers select Angelo Craft out of the University of Texas.”
25. Philadelphia: SF- Angelo Craft, Texas
NLSC Insider: “This is a Josh Howard-like pick at this stage. Craft, like Howard, was the Player of the Year in his conference, & whose game is not suited to individual workouts. Word on the street was he wasn’t working out well & he was falling. He should not have fell this far. Craft will make teams pay for passing on him.”
Stern: “With the 26th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Houston Rockets select Travis Toon of the University of Nevada-Las Vegas and Australia.”
26. Houston: PG- Travis “Coldsmoke” Toon, UNLV
NLSC Insider: “The Rockets needed themselves some insurance at the PG spot & they got it in Toon. Toon will help to provide defensive intensity & won’t back down from anyone, even if it is in a losing battle. He can’t shoot to save himself, but if he can handle the PG duties, then this could turn out to be a solid pick.”
Stern: “With the 27th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select Jing Xu of the University of Massachusetts.”
27. Cleveland: SG- Jing “jxuusa” Xu, Massachusetts
Steven E. Smith: “This is a prime example of why you should stay in school. If he had stayed in school another year or two, he’d be a lottery pick. Now he’s gonna sit on the bench for the next few years backing up Lebron James & Larry Hughes. The kids coming through need better advice. I don’t know whose giving it to them, telling them they’re lottery picks when they’re clearly not.”
NLSC Insider: “Yes, Xu could’ve used more seasoning, but he’s in the NBA now, & from Cleveland’s perspective, it’s a good pick. Xu will come straight in & be able to backup at both guard positions & be brought along slowly. It’s filled a need for the Cavs, so they did well.”
Stern: “With the 28th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the New Jersey Nets select Justin Hartley out of Stanford University.”
28. New Jersey: SG- Justin Hartley, Stanford
NLSC Insider: “Looks like the Cardinals sneaked two graduates into the 1st Round, which is an achievement in itself. Hartley’s a good shooter who looks to be no more than a situation player for the Nets, with the depth they have at SG. Justin Hartley is a feel good story as he has worked hard to get where he is today, & that’s now translated into guaranteed 1st Round money.”
Stern: “With the 29th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs select Anthony Chen out of Syracuse University.”
29. San Antonio: C- Anthony Chen, Syracuse
Steven E. Smith: “What are you looking at me for?!? I would never argue with a Spurs’ draft pick, especially with their track record. Chen will fill some space one or two minutes per game. Fills a need. Seems like another good pick by the Spurs.”
NLSC Insider: “We move onto the last pick of the 1st Round, David Stern is at the podium.”
Stern: “With the 30th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select Max McGrady out of Oklahoma State University.”
30. Detroit: SG- Max McGrady, Oklahoma State
NLSC Insider: “Someone finally snaps up McGrady, who looked like he would have to settle for 2nd Round money.”
Steven E. Smith: “This is a can’t miss pick for the Pistons, regardless of what they did with this pick, they’ll still compete for next year’s title. Even though it didn’t matter, they still made a great pick. If McGrady can learn to play PG, similar to how Billups had to in his career, then this could be a huge coup for Joe Dumars & his team of scouts.”
NLSC Insider: “That concludes the 1st Round. Teams now have only two minutes to make their selections so it should move on a little quicker now.”
2nd ROUND
David Stern hands the podium to Vice Commissioner Adam Silver to finish off proceedings.
31. Utah: SG- Aamon Grayer, Guyana
32. New Orleans-Oklahoma City: SF- Rudolf Caswell, Alabama
33. LA Lakers: PF- Walter Choi, Kent
Silver: “With the 34th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Portland Trailblazers select Andrew Watson, out of Australia.”
34. Portland: SG- Andrew “The X” Watson, Australia
NLSC Insider: “The Blazers seem pretty happy with this pickup early in then 2nd Round. They weren’t sure he would be around when they picked, but they snapped him up when the saw that he was still on the board. We all know that Watson can shoot the rock, but he showed toughness & demonstrated the skills to play the PG spot. That’s what got him selected this high.”
Steven E. Smith: “I heard he once did 25 shots of Jim Beam in one sitting. Quite an amazing effort if you ask me. He should fit in well with the other Blazers then. Haha.”
Silver: “With the 35th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic select Cory Camara of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.”
35. Orlando: SF- Cory Camara, Tennessee-Chattanooga
NLSC Insider: “Magic got another steal as Camara was expected to be a lock in the 1st Round, but when guys like Angelo Craft, Ronnie Brewer & Shelden Williams fell, it was a domino effect & caused Cory to slide. Camara should add more depth at the SF & PF positions.”
Silver: “With the 36th pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Washington Wizards select Paul Watson, out of Australia.”
36. Washington: PG- Paul “PJ” Watson, Australia
NLSC Insider: “Andrew’s older brother gets picked only two spots after he did. Like his younger brother, Paul was expected to go in the late 1st Round, but his lack of height (5’8”) scared away most teams. Without the guaranteed money on the table, the Wizards were more than willing to give Watson a chance to make the team.”
37. Toronto: SG- Samuel Robards, West Carolina
38. LA Clippers: SF- Joshua Hatcher, Michigan
39. Chicago: PF- Jerome Benzer, Kentucky
40. Seattle: SG- Emmanuel Straka, Finland
41. Phoenix: PG- Sam Dorman, Longwood
42. New York: PF- Simon Delk, Michigan
Silver: “With the 43rd pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Boston Celtics select Mark Moore, out of New Zealand.”
43. Boston: PG- Mark Moore, New Zealand
NLSC Insider: “Hey Steve, wake up.”
Steven E. Smith: “Hey why’d you wake me up? Wake me up when this one is over.”
NLSC Insider: “You’ll want to hear this though. The Boston Celtics just selected Mark Moore, that Kiwi kid you’ve been raving about. You know, White Chocolate Version 2.”
Steven E. Smith: “Hold on a sec, didn’t the Celtics select that African sounding name fella. It was Xanadu or something.”
NLSC Insider: “You mean Xavier Hakidawandi. The Celtics used their No. 13 overall pick on him. This was their other pick, the No. 43 overall.”
Steven E. Smith: “You’re joking?!? How the heck did my man fall so far?!? He shoulda went in the lottery.”
NLSC Insider: “You know how the politics work in relation to draft day. It probably has something to do with the poor agent that Moore picked. Apparently the Atlanta Hawks had promised to take him at 21, if he was still on the board. However the Hawks, nor anyone else, expected Ronnie Brewer to still be available, so they broke their promise & took him instead of Moore. After that Moore just slid & slid as he did not work out for any teams drafting below the Hawks.”
Steven E. Smith: “True, that’s grazy. Moore needs to find himself a new agent, that’s for sure. It cost him a couple of million bucks tonight. Anyway, I’m tired. Wake me up when this one is over.”
44. Indiana: PF- Kim Iwanaka, Malaysia
45. Charlotte: PF- Moses Billings, St. Joseph’s
46. Minnesota: SF- Apollo Carnegie, Syracuse
47. Milwaukee: PG- Lumumba Hammonds, Morocco
48. Golden State: SF- Karl Gill, Louisiana Tech
49. Memphis: PG- Norbert Tamer, Maryland
50. Dallas: Babafemi Valentine, Quinnipiac
Silver: “With the 51st pick in the 2006 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks select Rudy Fernandez out of Badalona, Spain.”
51. Atlanta: SG- Rudy Fernandez, Badalona (Spain)
NLSC Insider: “Hawks got another steal & another SG with their final pick of the night. Although how many SG’s do the Hawks need? They’ve got a stockpile now. It was another case of the Hawks taking the best available talent. Apparently Rudy dropped because he has a pretty big buyout on his European contract & that scared a lot of teams off him.”
52. Sacramento: C- Ignatius Tallas, Norway
53. Miami: C- Clarence Aitkin, Arizona
54. Denver: PF- Robin Lopez, Congo
55. Philadelphia: SF- Clement Recasner, Ohio State
56. Houston: SF- Akinlabi Benjamin, SE Illinois State
57. Cleveland: PF- Rolf Earhart, Jackson (MS)
58. New Jersey: PF- Peter Roloson, Ireland
59. San Antonio: SG- Omari Booth, Turkey
60. Detroit: PF: Shawnelle Warren, Kentucky
NLSC Insider: “Back just in time to see forgotten Kentucky senior, Shawnelle Warren, go to the Detroit Pistons with the 60th & final pick of the NBA. Was a surprising day as we have come to expect on Draft Day. Steve, who do you think the biggest steals were on the night?”
Steven E. Smith: “Clippers getting LaMarcus Aldridge. My man Mark Moore going to Boston in the 2nd Round.”
NLSC Insider: “I’m gonna go with four seniors whose games get underrated time & time again. All these guys had a strong case for lottery selection but all fell to the late 1st Round. Ronnie Brewer to Atlanta, Shelden Williams to Miami, Mardy Collins to Denver & Angelo Craft to Philadelphia. These guys will all make immediate impacts to their respective teams in their rookie years. They are all NBA-ready & some teams will really regret passing on them.”
Well that concludes the 2006 Draft. To recap, the Portland Trailblazers ended up drafting PF- Severin Harding (#6) and SG- Andrew “The X” Watson (#34).
Let me know what you think of the draft coverage and who you think won and lost on the day. Some of you might be happy where you ended up, but I know for sure a couple of you won't.
Sorry I didn't do the new players in new jersey thing, ran out of time....will post a picture of the Draft Class of 2006 when I get time....hope I didn't bore you with all the words....didn't have time to do pictures for it & want to keep dynasty rolling along....
I'll post Free Agency signings and the trade period when I get the chance....won't be today....
Enjoy
X
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The X - is
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by The X on Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:38 pm
hmm....I don't know about how to score the draft picks....I'm going to have to think about it & change it so everyone doesn't lose ratings due to guys like Ronnie Brewer & Angelo Craft being all over the place....
maybe 0.030 for 1st, 0.020 for 2nd & 0.010 for 3rd....each person gets 0.001 for entering....for each one you get correct, you get 0.010, one each side 0.005, two each side 0.001, three to four each side 0.000, five each side lose 0.001 & six or more each side lose 0.005....
this isn't for certain, but it might bring about some better results....hey Sit, do you want to do me a favour & calculate everyone? after your referencing assignment is done of course
maybe 0.030 for 1st, 0.020 for 2nd & 0.010 for 3rd....each person gets 0.001 for entering....for each one you get correct, you get 0.010, one each side 0.005, two each side 0.001, three to four each side 0.000, five each side lose 0.001 & six or more each side lose 0.005....
this isn't for certain, but it might bring about some better results....hey Sit, do you want to do me a favour & calculate everyone?
after your referencing assignment is done of course -
The X - is
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by Gator on Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:41 pm
The X wrote:Toxic wrote:AMAZING, just AMAZING!
there's no way you could've read all that in 2mins
LOl, that's true..I was kind of pissed because FRAPS wasn't working for my computer (it works now), and I went to dynasty stories to look at stuff..I kind of got cheered up since I saw you update your draft though you said like saturday..so I just decided to post!
- Gator
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by The X on Fri Mar 17, 2006 12:46 pm
Toxic wrote:The X wrote:Toxic wrote:AMAZING, just AMAZING!
there's no way you could've read all that in 2mins
yep, FRAPS can occasionally stop working randomly....it's wierd....glad I cheered you up
I didn't think I would have time to update due to my day, but woke up at 6am to watch the end the last 2 OT's in the BC-Pacific game, then watched UT-Hofstra game & thought I may as well stay up & do the update....probably won't be another update until Sunday now -
The X - is
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