Celtics To Take Pavlovic, Not Ridnour

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Scroll down, interesting rumors.....

NBADraft.Net
Draft Buzz 6/26/03
By Aran Smith, Justin Young and Matthew Maurer

Operation Draft Day

Check back here for more "Draft Buzz" (up to and during the draft) as it
comes in:


5:22 EST

Denver

A source close to the Nuggets has told us that a trade involving Juwan
Howard for the 23rd pick and Arvidas Sabonis is likely to happen. The
Nuggets would select either Travis Outlaw or Ndudi Ebi in that scenario. 

LA Clippers

While so many mock drafts, including ourselves, have penciled in TJ Ford
as a possible selection for the struggling Clips, keep in mind one
thing; he didnt even work out for the team. This leads to speculation
on Central Michigan bigman Chris Kaman, Jarvis Hayes and Michael Pietrus
of France. 

LA Lakers

Zaur Pachulia is a name that the Lakers would love to add to their
roster if the 19 year old falls to them at pick 24. He has worked out
with the team earlier in the week and has shown the skills that the
Lakers didnt get in aging Robert Horry. Much like Mark Madsen three
years ago, the team may go with another PAC-10 star in Jason Kapono with
their second round pick. Hell be a fan favorite and could replace the
aforementioned Horry as the teams deep threat. 

Miami

The three names most often being mentioned for their pick at 5 are Kirk
Hinrich, Chris Kaman and Dwyane Wade. 

4:20 EST

Boston 

A source close to the Celtics organization has confirmed the rumors that
high school power forward Kendrick Perkins will be taken by the Celtics
at pick number 20. We are skeptical about this and think the Celtics
will ultimately opt for a more NBA ready player at 20. Perkins, who
hadnt blown anyone away with his workouts, has been given a promise by
San Antonio at the bottom of the first. 

Dallas 

The Mavericks have been in every rumor imaginable over the last week.
The first biggest surprise was Jason Kidds stop in the Big D to talk
with Mark Cuban. Immediately the rumor mill began to churn out some
dandy ones. The most notable one was involving a sign and trade deal,
sending Steve Nash and others (players and/or picks) for Kidd. 

The second involved the Mavs and Chicago. This one included Michael
Finley, who is a native of Chicago. The Bulls were to send Marcus Fizer,
Donyell Marshall and the 7th pick to Dallas, who is in need of some
aggressiveness inside. The deal was never a reality according to a
source inside the club. 

We have received word that DII stud Jerome Beasley is atop Dallas wish
list. The 6-10 PF is amongst prep player Kendrick Perkins and Malick
Badiane on their top three. New Orleans is now in the picture for
Beasley as well as Brian Cook. The two both worked out for the Hornets
on Monday.

Raef LaFrenz and another unnamed Mav were supposedly on the block.
Toronto was offering Antonio Davis for the pair but the deal never
materialized or even made sense. Expect Dallas to go international and
letting the player develop overseas as they continue to woo players such
as Kidd and Minnesota center Rasho Nesterovic.

Golden State

Those blasted agents...The Warriors are trying to acquire a pick late in
the first round to select Ndudi Ebi. Ebi shares the same agent (Dan
Fagan) as Gilbert Arenas who the Warriors are desperately trying to
re-sign. There is a good chance Ebi will slip out of the first round but
not if his agent Dan Fagan can help it. There have been rumors floating
around tying Ndudi Ebi to the Warriors at the 11th pick, however the
Warriors wont spend a pick that high. 

There have been several rumors, one surrounding a deal with the Atlanta
Hawks. The Hawks would take Ebi with their 21st pick and in return trade
him to the Warriors. Golden State would likely give up a player and/or
future conditional first round pick for Ebi. 

Also factoring into the equation is whether the Warriors trust agent Dan
Fagan to follow through with his promise. Making matters even more
important for the Warriors to make this happen is that Fagan is also the
agent for Jason Richardson, so building a good rapport with Fagan for
the future is a high priority for the Warriors.



Memphis

Michael Pietrus will be the Grizzlies guy if he is on the board with the
13th pick. We all know that but what we dont know is this: why dont
they have a second round pick yet? The team has worked out several
second round caliber players over the last month and two names come to
mind. JUCO player Richard Jeter and SMUs Quinton Ross, who reportedly
broke Stromile Swifts vertical jump record in his latest workout with
the squad. Ross has had two showcases in Memphis. Atlanta is another
option. 

Minnesota


The T-Wolves were frantically calling all over Hawaii to get references
on shooting guard Carl English. Apparently, the staff of the Honolulu
Advertiser was asked to give their feelings on the Newfoundland native.
Thats always a good sign of future employment. English has an outside
chance to go 26th in the draft.

New Orleans

New Orleans will likely grab Brian Cook at 18 unless someone drops.

San Antonio

With David Robinson retiring from basketball, the San Antonio Spurs are
eyeing several vertically gifted players with their only pick. The World
Champs worked out Zaur Pachulia and Slavko Vranes, a 7-6 Serbian center,
yesterday. High school manchild Kendrick Perkins worked out for the team
twice and is considered high on their draft charts. Look for Vranes to
slip into the mid to late second round area. 

Keep in mind the Spurs are prone to moving their first rounders. Only
Tony Parker, Tim Duncan and Cory Alexander have been kept in recent
years. A move up in the draft is probable if they feel their guy is not
going to be there at their current 28th spot. 

2:33 EST

Kendrick Perkins has a promise in the first round and it's likely from
San Antonio. 

The Mavericks are interested in David West if he falls to their pick at
29. 

2:00 EST

There is a chance that the Heat will take Chris Kaman with the 5th pick.
If that happens, look for the Clippers to grab the best player
available, Jarvis Hayes with the next pick. If Hayes drops to 10, he
will be Eddie Jordan's pick.

Miami has received various trade offers from Seattle, Memphis, Orlando
and Golden State for the fifth pick over the last 24 hours. 

The Knicks are drumming up a lot of attention like they usually do.
There are several rumors surrounding the host team. They are weighing
several options including moving up in the lottery but Mike Sweetney is
becoming a late favorite. The big man out of Georgetown was at Madison
Square Garden yesterday to meet with the Knicks executives. Earlier in
the week, the team flew to DC for a private workout with him, their
second time to watch him. If Kaman is not available, look for Sweetney
to be the Knicks pick.

Reece Gaines flew in for a last second workout with the NY. The team is
in need of a PG especially now that their 2002 second round pick Milos
Vujanic has signed a threeyear deal with Skipper Bologna in the powerful
Italian League. He averaged 26 points per game with his former Partizan
team in Yugoslavia. But it's more likely they will address their need
for a PG with their second round pick. 

Seattle is beginning to give indications that they will go with Ridnour
over Banks at 14. Marcus Banks needs the ball in his hands too much for
the Sonics taste. 

Luke Ridnour will not be taken by the Boston Celtics if he is available.
There are questions concerning his defense and Jim OBrien wants a
defender. Do however pencil in (note the pencil, not the pen) Aleksandar
Pavlovic as a possibility if he is still available at pick 16. 

Maciej Lampe has put out his buyout numbers (we're hearing 3 years left
at 1.2 million) and it seems to have affected his stock to some extent. 

While the Memphis Grizzlies have been expected to go with a shooting
guard at 13, Jerry West has said he wants the best player available. We
still think hes grabbing a shooter regardless. Most sources feel
Mickael Pietrus is the player West wants but there's a chance it's
Lampe. West would likely have to trade up a few picks to get Pietrus.

Torontos GM, Glen Grunwald has stated to the NY/NJ media that no one
has knocked his socks off (with a trade) and he is not interested in
moving the pick and will take Chris Bosh with #4. 

If New Jersey makes a trade it will only be to move down not up,
according to Nets GM Rod Thorn. He has expressed they need a shooter in
the worst way. 

If Zoran Planinic falls past New Jersey at 22, he can fall into the
second round.


At the 50th pick, expect the Philadelphia 76ers to lay low in this
years draft. They have considered moving up in the draft but they
arent planning on any big deals, citing the luxury tax as a major
obstacle. 

The Washington Wizards may be the hardest team to figure out in the
lottery. It could be because of the uncertainty in the front office.
Sources inside the Washington front offices told NBADraft.net theyd
like to go after a PG via free agency and gamble on a point in the
second round. The team made a trip overseas last week to get a peek of
Michael Pietrus and could select him as a replacement for Jerry
Stackhouse. The logical selections would be Jarvis Hayes or Reece
Gaines.