Sam Smith's Draft And Trade Scenarios

[Way Of The Ray <wayray@ix.netcom.com>]

The Celtics, fortunately or unfortunately aren't mentioned...

      NBA Report
      Workouts will be crucial to Bulls draft

      By Sam Smith
      Tribune Staff Writer
      June 14, 1999 
      One longtime Eastern Conference general manager was musing about this 
      year's draft as the NBA predraft camp came to a close last week at Moody 
      Bible Institute.
      "Drafts usually go in tiers," the team official observed. "You have a top 
      tier of players, like with Tim Duncan and Keith Van Horn two years ago, 
      then a dropoff to another tier, than another dropoff to a third tier. This 
      year you start at the second tier."
      Which is why these next few weeks of continuing individual workouts will 
      be crucial for the Bulls, who have the first pick.
      There is not a lot of demand for the top players in this draft in trades. 
      Several teams, such as Cleveland at No. 8, Toronto at No. 5 and Charlotte 
      at No, 3, want to move up, but they aren't making significant offers. 
      However, one deal reportedly being discussed appears appealing to the 
      Bulls.
      According to team officials, the Hornets are trying to trade Anthony Mason 
      to Washington for the Wizards' No. 7 pick in the first round. They then 
      would deal Nos. 3 and 7 to the Bulls for the No. 1 pick and presumably 
      would take Maryland's Steve Francis. That would leave the Bulls with a 
      chance to get Elton Brand at No. 3 and Corey Maggette or Wally Szczerbiak 
      at No. 7.
      Toronto also would like to get the athletic Francis, but has only been 
      offering Doug Christie and its No. 5 pick to move up. Toronto's feeling is 
      it still will get a good point guard--Utah's Andre Miller and Arizona's 
      Jason Terry should still be available--even if it stays at No. 5, so the 
      Raptors don't want to part with much.
      Cleveland is desperate to get Szczerbiak, who played college ball in Ohio, 
      both for the public relations impact and his scoring ability. But the 
      Cavaliers have been offering Wesley Person, who has a big contract through 
      2004, and the often-injured Derek Anderson. Neither draws any interest 
      among the top teams, even with Cleveland's Nos. 8 and 11 picks thrown in.
      So the Bulls still may end up making the No. 1 pick and keeping it.
      In fact, rarely in the history of the NBA has a team with the No. 1 pick 
      not used it and kept the player. It happened in 1993 when Orlando traded 
      Chris Webber to Golden State for Anfernee Hardaway and future draft picks, 
      but no other team has done it in the last 20 years.
      The general consensus of general managers last week was that the Bulls 
      were leaning between Rhode Island's 6-foot-9-inch Lamar Odom and Brand, 
      though don't be surprised if Francis' athletic ability is too tempting to 
      pass if they stay at No. 1.
      Is Odom the best? Most team officials here last week believe that Odom is 
      the most skilled player in this draft.
      "He's probably the most gifted player in this draft," said one general 
      manager. "He's more basketball player than athlete. He has a tremendous 
      skill level for a player his size. But in temperament he's someone who 
      would be served better by setting up his teammates than by being the 
      proverbial 'main man.' You can't expect him to carry a team on his 
      shoulders, but he can enhance a team."
      For the Bulls, the question would be whether he can make Kornel David and 
      Corey Benjamin better.
      Odom also is considered a poor defender, though scouts point out that 
      big-time offensive players in college often are asked to rest on defense 
      and not be too aggressive so they'll stay out of foul trouble. And several 
      liken him to Toni Kukoc, a tall player who is best on the perimeter. He's 
      even left-handed. And comparing the two now, Kukoc is better.
      Plus, Odom appears to want to go to Vancouver, which has the No. 2 pick in 
      the draft.
      Odom studied the team before his workout last week, prompting personnel 
      director Larry Riley to remark, "I would say he knows more about the 
      Vancouver Grizzlies than any other player that ever visited us. He's ready 
      to embrace what's going on here."
      But there appears to be a tug-of-war going on in Vancouver over whether to 
      trade the pick.
      General Manager Stu Jackson says Odom "is the type of player who stirs the 
      drink. He's not necessarily the main course. It's interesting to me his 
      favorite players were Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen. That 
      tells you who he identifies with."
      That being the players who like to pass the ball.
      Jackson foresees moving Shareef Abdur-Rahim to power forward and playing 
      Odom at small forward, where Pippen played for the Bulls.
      But coach Brian Hill prefers to deal the pick for a player such as Miami's 
      P.J. Brown after seeing the success Toronto had after adding Charles 
      Oakley to a young team.
      "I'm more concerned with defending and rebounding," Hill said. "We don't 
      need an All-Star-caliber player. What we really need is somebody who can 
      do what we want done, and that is defend and rebound."
      Given that division, it's hard to imagine that the Grizzlies would offer 
      much to flip positions with the Bulls, who have to have questions about 
      Odom, anyway, given their emphasis on defense for top young players.
      Francis update: With Vancouver unlikely to trade up to No. 1, Maryland's 
      Francis becomes an intriguing prospect. "He's incredibly explosive," 
      marveled one general manager. "He's a player who is the epitome of the 
      term 'upside.' At one point in high school, he was 5-3. He didn't play 
      four years in high school, wasn't a big name, not nationally recruited. 
      But you look at his athleticism and then review his career and it's 
      natural that he could become a heck of a lot better. That's what happens 
      with the influx of young players. It's more projections."
      There's much the same feeling about Bellwood's Maggette, who had a 
      somewhat unimpressive workout for all teams last week. Those workouts are 
      at the player's option, and Maggette did little more than shoot, which is 
      not his strength. For example, Miami's Szczerbiak also had a general 
      workout here last week and said he was disappointed when he hit "just" 35 
      of 50 three-pointers. Maggette's shooting wasn't that good.
      But Maggette is expected to impress more in individual team workouts. It's 
      possible if the Bulls could get Toronto to give up Tracy McGrady and No. 5 
      for the No. 1 pick, they'd select Maggette, who fits the athletic profile 
      of the type of player the Bulls like.
      Szczerbiak doesn't, but he works out for the Bulls this week, and if he 
      should impress them, he also could fit in that No. 5 spot if the Bulls 
      could make a trade.
      Szczerbiak No. 1? One Eastern Conference general manager said last week if 
      he had the No. 1 pick, he'd select Szczerbiak, because a potentially great 
      shooter like Szczerbiak would fit his team the best of the top players.
      If Szczerbiak winds up No. 1, it would shake up the top of the draft.
      Right now, the consensus among general managers is, on talent, the draft 
      should go like this: Odom, Francis, UCLA's Baron Davis, Brand, Szczerbiak 
      and Maggette.
      The next tier of players would include Connecticut's Richard Hamilton, 
      Miller, Terry, Duke's William Avery and perhaps high-schooler Jonathan 
      Bender or Yugoslavian center Aleksandar Radojevic.
      The Bulls have needs at every position.
      But Vancouver has a top guard in Mike Bibby. Both the Hornets at No. 3 and 
      the Clippers at No. 4 favor a guard, though Charlotte could go with 
      Atlantic Coast Conference favorite Brand and try to move Mason.
      The Hornets fear bringing the volatile and selfish Mason back into a good 
      group they had after the trade for Eddie Jones and Elden Campbell this 
      year.
      The Clippers are eager to draft local favorite Davis, whom one general 
      manager labels the best pure point guard in the draft, while Toronto seeks 
      a point guard, and could settle for Miller, who is mature and skilled at 
      running an offense already.
      Minnesota, which could lose free agent Terrell Brandon, also wants a point 
      guard at No. 6, though bad decisions and bad luck have robbed them of 
      talent with which to trade up. Washington, at No. 7 is uncertain because 
      of the possibility of Isiah Thomas taking control, while the Cavaliers 
      yearn for Szczerbiak.
      "Toronto needs a point guard, Minnesota wants one, so does Golden State 
      and the Clippers," notes one personnel director. "If you are on the verge 
      of making the playoffs, once you get past the first few in the field and 
      don't think there is anybody whose upside is so dramatic, then you abandon 
      the best athlete and fill your need."
      First-rounders: At the predraft camp, where mostly lesser-known players 
      vie for a chance to move into the first round, it was generally agreed 
      that players such as Calvin Booth of Penn State, Michael Ruffin of Tulsa, 
      Lee Nailon of TCU, Roberto Bergersen of Boise State and Chris Herren of 
      Fresno State, Melvin Levett of Cincinnati, Lonnie Cooper of Louisiana 
      Tech, Vontego Cummings of Pittsburgh and Kenny Thomas of New Mexico should 
      find themselves in the first round of the draft.

      (C) Chicago Tribune 1999