you can have rashard mendenhall

Long and rangy, Rudy needs to add some bulk to his frame this season. He is still very young and has lots of potential, which outside of the top three picks he could be a temping addition.
 

McAdoo could be something of a sleeper in the top of the draft coming into the season. He is super skilled and has a great basketball IQ. He doesn’t necessarily leap off the page as an athlete, but he is very good and if he has a solid season at North Carolina especially with John Henson and Harrison Barnes out of the way, he could really solidify himself as a top-10 talent, maybe even top 5.

If Austin can put together a consistent season of being an aggressor in the paint, he could jump into the top three discussion because he is really that good. The problem is there is just as much game film of him being passive as being aggressive, so he’ll have to showcase that at Baylor.

“I’m going to come in and bring energy, scoring, defense,” explained Henry. “I play an all-around game. That’s what they’ve been looking for me to do. With my knee healthy now, hopefully I can play this whole season healthy and have a great season.”

Brooklyn’s Deron Williams admitted that he was leaving some $40 million on the table with the Nets had they not made the transactions they made this summer.

Damian Lillard – While Selby may have had the most explosive day, Lillard may be the favorite for league MVP.  The Portland Trail Blazers have a steal in Damian, who had 23 points and seven assists against the Denver Nuggets.  He’s a capable scorer and as he develops, his pick and roll game will improve . . . especially with LaMarcus Aldridge.  Lillard’s athleticism should translate well to the NBA.

Festus Ezeli – Golden State Warriors first-round pick (30th) Festus Ezeli had a tough game, going scoreless in 16 minutes.  He missed all four shots, pulled in just two boards while turning the ball over three times and committing four fouls.  On the positive side, Ezeli had three blocks in brief minutes and on the Warriors, he’ll be asked to come in behind Andrew Bogut to provide defense and toughness off the bench.  As a primary big, Ezeli didn’t look up to the task on Friday.

Part of the problem, of course, is that unlike some of the all-time greats McGrady didn’t stay in elite shape during the NBA offseason. Like many players, he would count on being able to play himself into shape in training camp rather than staying ready during the summer, and while he was good enough to survive that way for a while, it did catch up with him fairly quickly.

As he continues to build up his strength, Horford is now working with a new strength and conditioning coach, as the Hawks hired Jeff Watkinson in the offseason. For the previous two seasons, Watkinson owned his own business that helped the physical training, development and conditioning of NBA players. He also had previously worked at Indiana University and a number of other Division I schools.