Please sign in to complete your action
 
DONE!
Cheer and debate with
6,000,000+ fans!
My Team:
Charlotte
My Team:
Michael
My Team:
Britney
5/22/07
Trailblazers win NBA Draft Lottery. Suicide watch out for Bill Simmons. Mock Drafts shall commence.
READ MORE:
NBA

DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT mess with David Stern. Ok, that or karma.

You tank, you lose.

The incredible story tonight will be the Celtics unthinkable slide to 5th. 5th! But I really can't feel bad. Danny Ainge doesn't deserve any better. Ok, we'll have plenty more on the Lottery results in the morning. Onto my quick mock draft. This isn't who I think they'll pick, but who I'd pick.

1. Portland - Couldn't be any happier for this franchise. Their fans, arguable the best in the league, deserve better than the Jailblazers. They were run to laugh at, now they're not going to be any fun to play. Durant is an intriguing option here, but you just can't pass on Greg Oden. He's not Sam Bowie. Needless to say, Henry Abbott is pleased.

2. Seattle - Perhaps Kevin Durant can save the franchise? If not, Las Vegas/Oklahoma City has itself another must see event in town.

3. Atlanta - Earlier today I said Al Horford was a must at this spot, but then what would they do with Sheldon Williams. I smell a trade here. If the Hawks don't get themselves a top PG this draft, then they don't deserve to have a team anymore. For the sake of this mock, Mike Conley Jr is the choice.

4. Memphis - That face Jerry West had was definitely, "Ah %&$ it, I'm not going to be here anyway." Have to go with Al Horford at this spot. Versatile, can move up and down the court in their run first offense, but gives the Grizzlies some strength and low post scoring.

5. Boston - Is it wrong, that all I can do is laugh. Laugh at Danny Ainge, laugh at the notion they thought they could tank and Stern would be cool with it. Laugh at the fan who brought the #20 Oden Celtics jersey. I do feel bad, however. I'm just hoping Bill Simmons dad makes it to see the sun rise tomorrow. Hardly a consolation, but Brandan Wright will have to do. If you have a friend that's a C's fan, keep your eye out.

6. Milwaukee - Bucks can't pass up on the versatility of Corey Brewer.

7. Minnesota - I was really hoping KG might get some positive news. Not sure it's what he's looking for, but how about Yi Jianlian to take some heat of the Kevin the paint?

8. Charlotte
- This is a wildcard. The same management that drafted Kwame Brown may be unpredictable. I'd take Jeff Green.

9. Chicago
- Speaking of karma ... all my ripping of Joakim Noah might end with me having to cheer him on. Of course, this is who I'd select and I'm going to go with local boy Julian Wright for some low post scoring.

10. Sacramento
- Noah would make some sense, but something tells me the Maloffs want more flash as would I. I'm taking Al Thornton.

11. Atlanta
- Since they already got their point guard in Conley, Roy Hibbert.

12. Philadelphia -  6'11, work ethic unlike many others. Hopefully Philly will like Joakim Noah.

13. New Orleans - Spencer Hawes would make some sense.

14. Los Angeles
- Sam Cassell is getting O-L-D. Acie Law IV.

There you have it. Those are my immediate reactions and picks. Plenty more in the morning, but first I want to hear what you have to say about the Celtics slide and who you'd take with the top selections.

Happy Trails (ESPN)
(Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images)
16 comments
Vote!
Comment!
Your votes determine top comment

5/22/07
4
I quit watching basketball.

5/22/07
0
Hopefully Billy King and his Sixers don't like Noah.  I'll take Acie Law, Hawes, Hibbery, Thornton, Wright, or Green, but NO NOAH!  I REPEAT NO NOAH!
Then they have 2 more 1st rounders to screw up. 

5/22/07
0
Pat wrote:
I quit watching basketball.
It's about time some good things happened to the Blazers.

5/22/07
0
The Blazers would be foolish to pick anyone else but Oden.

5/22/07
2
This will push the NBA closer to be favored over college basketball on my list with Portland getting the number one pick and if Durant goes to Seattle, but the franchise finds its way to Vegas. Wow.

Of course college basketball will always be the topper for me though.

During the college basketball season, I was hard on Oden and quite frankly, I don't even like him that much and I still think he is overrated. Saying that, I still want him in Portland. He is the safer pick and it seems almost improbable that his presence won't change the franchise around within 3-5 years. Also it is probably impossible to get Oden and Conley on the same thing like they want, but can anyone think of anything just to make me smile? I have been riding that Wright wagon since he came to UNC, probably because of the uniform more than the player, and I thought he should have been the central point of the offense or at least be more involved as the season went along. If Boston does end up with him, I doubt Celtic fans will be disappointed. I kind of like Jianlian in Minnesota.  I haven't seen much of him, but I hear he is supposed to have a very nice mid-range shot and can even spread it to the perimeter.  For the Clippers, I still like Livingston and want to see how he plays back from his injury.

5/22/07
3
woooooooooooo-hooooooooooooooooooooooo. We're excited out here in PDX!!!!

5/22/07
0
(Edited by Todd)
Isabel322 wrote:
woooooooooooo-hooooooooooooooooooooooo. We're excited out here in PDX!!!!
I wonder if the Blazers still have those full season tix for $249 in the nose bleeds?

5/22/07
0
Big night for the Pacific Northwest.  I'm happy for Seattle.  It's a good sports town and it would be a shame if the lost the sonics, maybe Durant can save them.  The West is going to be even tougher.

5/22/07
0
Congrats to Portland, and Congrats to Atlanta, they have a chance to finally draft a Point Gaurd in Mike Conley Jr.  Dont screw it up Atlanta!

5/23/07
1

While everybody has Oden going to Portland (understably so), I think Portland goes with Durant.  The one thing they are really missing is a SF.  Either way Portland comes out a winner.

 


5/23/07
1
I can't believe Jon Barry thinks Portland should trade their pick. Portland needs players to win now because they are young? Umm.. isn't the whole point of rebuilding is that it takes time and you build your young players and draft well until you eventually get a team? This isn't the Lakers a few years ago where Shaq is starting to decline, Malone and The Glove need their ring, and it seems like the team is going to split up very very soon.

5/23/07
4
I'm glad the teams that tanked lost out. Whether it was just luck, or if David Stern has frozen balls, it's still good that this worked out this way. Hopefully now the end of the regular season won't be a joke for teams who are out of playoff spots. It does suck though for the unfortunate fans of those teams, who lost out by seeing their teams tank, then lost out in the lottery. It's not their fault that this happened.

I like the Pacific Northwest as a whole (Seattle is awesome, haven't been to Portland yet but I know it's a great city). Congrats to the fans in both cities.

How stacked is the Western Conference going to be? Seriously... you thought the West/East divide was bad now, now you've just added 2 teams that should at least be able to get into the hunt for the 8th spot (and even higher in future years).

As far as the Suns, even though they didn't get the pick this year, it is unprotected next year. Atlanta isn't going to get Durant or Oden. While they'll still get someone good, I still doubt that they will move out of the top lottery picks next year. If they were going to move up, I'm glad they got the 3 spot. Hopefully Atlanta sucks next year and the Suns will end up with the #1 pick (and I hope someone shines in college this year other than OJ Mayo, I don't like the guy at all). The Suns draft very well, so they can still get 2 quality guys in the 1st round this year. It's not the end of the world, they'll get that pick sooner or later.

5/23/07
0
Jon wrote:
I'm glad the teams that tanked lost out. Whether it was just luck, or if David Stern has frozen balls, it's still good that this worked out this way. Hopefully now the end of the regular season won't be a joke for teams who are out of playoff spots. It does suck though for the unfortunate fans of those teams, who lost out by seeing their teams tank, then lost out in the lottery. It's not their fault that this happened.

I like the Pacific Northwest as a whole (Seattle is awesome, haven't been to Portland yet but I know it's a great city). Congrats to the fans in both cities.

How stacked is the Western Conference going to be? Seriously... you thought the West/East divide was bad now, now you've just added 2 teams that should at least be able to get into the hunt for the 8th spot (and even higher in future years).

As far as the Suns, even though they didn't get the pick this year, it is unprotected next year. Atlanta isn't going to get Durant or Oden. While they'll still get someone good, I still doubt that they will move out of the top lottery picks next year. If they were going to move up, I'm glad they got the 3 spot. Hopefully Atlanta sucks next year and the Suns will end up with the #1 pick (and I hope someone shines in college this year other than OJ Mayo, I don't like the guy at all). The Suns draft very well, so they can still get 2 quality guys in the 1st round this year. It's not the end of the world, they'll get that pick sooner or later.
It's a two hour flight to Portland from Phoenix (I know from going to the Fiesta Bowl).  You should come!

5/23/07
1
Todd wrote:
It's a two hour flight to Portland from Phoenix (I know from going to the Fiesta Bowl).  You should come!
I plan on it sometime. I'll get up there eventually. I had actually looked at going this coming weekend, but I'm going up to Boise in a couple of weeks to see my parents instead (they moved up there a couple of years ago from Phoenix).

5/23/07
0
(Edited by Ryan)

I'm so disappointed that the Celtics tanked all of those games at the end of the year to come in 5th.

 

Actually......I'm not.    HOORAY LOTTERY!!!


 
Notify me by email about comments that follow mine.
Preview


BEST OF THE WEB
SHOP
NBA GEAR
Reebok NFL Equipment New E..
$79.95
New Era New York Yankees N..
$33.95
adidas Los Angeles Lakers ..
$24.95
MEET OUR FANS
Caty
Narada
 more
12,798,192+
ANSWER TODAY'S POLL
 more
PLAY NEVER-ENDING TRIVIA
Seattle v. Portland
Utah v. Houston
New York v. LA
Detroit v. Chicago
 more

TAKE A QUIZ
 more

PREDICT THE SCORE
NFL
NBA
NHL
NCAABB
Soccer
 more
2,555,658+
JCFrench entered the prediction poll Seahawks vs Rams.
1 minute ago
JCFrench entered the prediction poll Buccaneers vs Falcons.
1 minute ago
1 minute ago
ashneetalata joined the Fishing league Fans of Gary Klein.
2 minutes ago
robertpotenski joined the Golf league Phil Mickelson Fans.
2 minutes ago
robertpotenski joined the Golf league Golf Fans.
2 minutes ago
2 minutes ago
2 minutes ago
prttycheerleadr added a new photo One of those days.
2 minutes ago
kmsuki is playing Sports Trivia.
2 minutes ago
 

Join Today
About FanIQ
Terms of Use
Privacy Policy
DMCA Policy
Contact Us
Report A Bug
Help