[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

Who might be selling?

#2 MIN- If Irving is still on board, they might be able to get an offer that they cannot refuse.

#4 CLE- The AP report in the other thread I posted stated that the Cavs might be shopped the No. 4 pick, possibly to add players and perhaps another pick later in the first round.

#5 TOR- If the top four goes some combination of Irving, Knight, Kanter, and Williams, the fifth pick does not carry a great deal of value for Toronto. They already have the giant collection of high energy-low skill big men, so going after Thompson, Valanciunas, or Biyombo makes zero sense. Alec Burks plays the same position and has the same noticeable flaws of DeMar DeRozan. If they do not like Jan Vesely or Kawhi Leonard as a long-term fix at the small forward spot, dealing down might be the best option.

#8 DET- I might be alone on this, but I think the biggest issue with the Pistons is not a center but rather a real point guard. How many big men in this draft class are taking minutes from a front court of Greg Monroe, Jonas Jerebko, Charlie Villanueva, Jason Maxiell, and Austin Daye? It is a group that is not lacking length or skill. A big unskilled backup who defends and rebounds can be found in the second round or even among the undrafted members of the class. They have #33 and #52 if they want one of those. I think they ought to revisit the deal with Cleveland and see whether they can get Ramon Sessions added into the package. If not, dealing down to the middle of the first round and taking Darius Morris would be a better value.

#9, #19 CHA- Armed with both #9 and #19, the Bobcats might have what it takes to move up. If not, they might look to deal one of their picks to get a center who can actually get on the floor and help them win games.

#14, #23 HOU- The Rockets have ten guaranteed contracts on their payroll for next year plus a possible QO for Goran Dragic, and a stated desire to bring back Yao and Chuck Hayes. I think Nikola Vucevic is someone who can step into a rotation right away at the center position, but do not see another center for who that can be said. With Jordan Hill and Hasheem Thabeet, it makes no sense to take another project big man. If they do not identify a point guard that they think can eventually develop into a better player than Kyle Lowry or Goran Dragic, then where could they go with where the end result is not just someone to take a roster spot? How enthralled are they with Mirotic and Bertans?

#20 MIN- Assuming Minnesota keeps #2, the Timberwolves will have fourteen guaranteed contracts on their roster, and nine of them will be first round rookie scale players. Ideally, they would want to package #20 with Flynn, Webster, and/or Pekovic for a center. The trade market for centers might make that difficult. Realistically, they would be looking at Kaman, Haywood, or Biedrins. It would more or less just change names rather than outcomes.

#21 POR- Portland has amassed a ton of bodies. They have ten players with guaranteed contracts plus QOs for Greg Oden and Patty Mills, a team option on Andre Miller, and non-guaranteed deals for Chris Johnson and Earl Barron. While they waived Jeff Pendergraph to open up a roster spot when he got hurt, he also might be someone they bring back. There is no good reason for them to keep the pick just to keep it. I think they try to identify two or three players they feel can step into their rotation, and if none of them are there they either sell the pick off for cash and a second rounder or take someone like Mirotic or Bertans who will stay off the roster.

#24 OKC- Much like Portland and Minnesota, they have a ton of bodies, most of them rookie scale guys. They have eleven players with guaranteed contracts, and the only free agent who was in the rotation was Nazr Mohammed. I doubt that they will find a better alternative to Nazr Mohammed in this draft, and probably not even a long-term option at center than Cole Aldrich. They are not going to find a point guard who can supplant Eric Maynor behind Russell Westbrook. The shooting guard options are not good, and would not see time with Harden and Sefolosha on the roster. Either Nikola Vucevic and Trey Thompkins could offer them a big man with competency on the offensive end, but those two might not be there. Is it really good value to use a first round pick to take a backup small forward who when Kevin Durant is healthy will be playing nine or ten minutes per game? They have the luxury of being able to weight on Mirotic or Bertans, but will they be there?

#25 BOS- This is easy because Danny Ainge went on record and said the draft is weak and he doesn’t want to give Doc Rivers young players who can’t help the team win. Apparently, he learned his lesson with Avery Bradley, Luke Harangody, and Semih Erden.

#28, #30 CHI- The Bulls have nine players with guaranteed contracts, Kurt Thomas has an option if he wants to return, and the team has an option on Keith Bogans for $1.6 million. The likely scenario is that they are going to return their top eleven, which means they are not going to have minutes for rookies. They learned with James Johnson that it really does not do them or the player any good to have a former first rounder in a suit where he cannot develop. Now, given that they already have three horribly bloated contracts in Boozer, Noah, and Deng, they might want to keep the picks and take a few players who agree to play oversees next year. Once Chicago extends Rose, they are going to be in a spot where the payroll is too high to keep Korver, Brewer, Watson, or extend Gibson. Long-term cheap bench bodies are going to be a necessity. If they cannot move the picks this year for a pick or picks in the next year or two, they will have to draft players who will stay off the roster.

Who might be buying?

Lakers- The Lakers do not lack for money, and obviously need to get younger at point guard. If they can identify a point guard who they feel can contribute, then there is no reason for them to gamble he will be there at #41. If they keep their four second rounders, I have to believe they will be for guys who either play in Europe or spend next year with the recently recreated D-Fenders.

Knicks- Much like the Lakers, the Knicks have money. Their mid-season trade for Melo and Billups have opened up spots for cheap bodies off the bench.

Nets- New Jersey has a point guard and center, but not much in between. With the money of Prokhorov and the Brooklyn arena opening in October 2012, they might want to ante up and see if they can come away with a few more keepers.

Spurs- San Antonio might not buy picks, but they have some ammunition to acquire one should they choose to put forth some combination of one of their point guards (Parker or Hill), DeJuan Blair, Gary Neal, James Anderson, Nando DeColo, Ryan Richards, and/or Tiago Splitter?

Hawks- The least respected of the three teams that have gotten to the second round of the playoffs for three straight years needs to bulk up their bench, and as weak as this draft is there are the “blue collar” guys that Joe Johnson mentioned they need.

[royk927Participant]

I can see the Hawks buying a pick. The spurs won’t buy i look for them to draft some guys to stash away. The knicks will buy picks. The Lakers have a lot of second round picks i expect them to be very active in trades possibly buying or trading to go into the first round.

[AKOOParticipant]

The Hawks do not spend money wisely take that from a Hawks homer like myself. They will not buy into the 1st round but they should. They will let Jamal Crawford walk and after trading Jordan Crawford they need a backup SG, they obviously need a starting level C which you are not going to get out of this draft and they need a SF for depth even if they move Josh Smith to SF, lastly, they could use a bigger PG for when Kirk comes off the books next year and they just let him walk. The problem is how much are these guys worth.

SG if they are there

Alec Burks

Marshon Brooks

Klay Thompson

[royk927Participant]

They can buy into the twenties. If they do this i would target Biy. Before everyone goes crazy he fills a need a defensive center. With second round pick they should target a guy like diebler, liggins, lighty or dunn.

[PHILA9Participant]

I always feel like the Raptors get screwed on these draftboards..

Because with this pick the Raptors were projected to get 3rd but ended up with the 5th and the one time they

got 1st was when that new rule came

into affect that highschool players weren’t allowed to join, and we all know greg oden was on the radar.

[SmooveKRYPTParticipant]

With Yao’s health uncertainty…look out for the Rockets as a dark horse buyer moving into the top 4(either Minny, Utah, or CLE) to snag Kanter as insurance in case Yao does decide to call it quits this summer. Dangling Kevin Martin and possibly the 23rd as all these teams are looking for established players/wing scoring. They could snag someone like Jordan Hamilton or Klay Thompson at 14 to ease the scoring blow.

[JNixonParticipant]

I see the Hawks keeping their 48th pick and not trading up, even though I do agree that they will let Jamal Crawford walk. I could see them picking up Scotty Hopson with that 48th pick or even a guy like Isaiah Thomas. Neither of them will be as good a 6th man as Crawford has been, but I just don’t see the Hawks trading up to pick up the likes of Klay Thompson or Marshon Brooks. And I definitely don’t think they have the pieces to trade high enough to trade for Alec Burks.

I agree with BTPH in his thinking that the Pistons would be much better off looking for a PG than a big. Greg Monroe is a pretty underrated defensive big and he has the frame to add on weight to defend most of the C’s in the NBA with enough effectiveness in the future. Darius Morris isn’t really ready to be a starting PG as soon as he puts on a Pistons jersey, but I could see him developing for them into a solid one in time if they were to trade down to pick him and let him develop.

Houston needs a SF, but I don’t think there is a SF that will be available when they pick that’s better than Chase Budinger. Chris Singleton might be able to defend, but I don’t imagine him being able to compete for consistent time on the wing right now on either end. Kawhi Leonard is sliding to the end of the lotto in some people’s mocks, and I could definitely see Houston snatching him up if he falls. He won’t score alot early, but his athleticism and hustle D will be welcomed and he’s get time for them.

[rileymcshea3Participant]

 what if lakers traded the minnesota pick ( to draft Kyrie ) for Bynum

just saying that would be a nice mix up

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