NBA Draft: Pro Sports Daily

Bucks were smart to take a chance on Jennings

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June 28

Wisconsin State Journal

columnist Tom Oates

"There was one overriding factor in Milwaukee Bucks general manager John Hammond's decision to take 19-year-old point guard Brandon Jennings in the first round of last week's NBA draft. Despite the unknowns surrounding Jennings after he skipped college and rode the bench in Italy for a year, Hammond is convinced the quicker-than-quick former prep scoring machine has a chance to become a special player in the NBA. As we shall see, that was sound thinking on Hammond's part because it takes a special player - or players - to win an NBA championship and right now the Bucks don't have one. Guard Michael Redd is a premier scorer and center Andrew Bogut is a solid all-around player when healthy, ..."

Eyenga eager to play defense

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June 27

Akron Beacon Journal

"Cavaliers first-round draft choice Christian Eyenga will never be accused of lacking confidence. The native of the Congo, who played for CB Prat Juventad of Spain, before being selected with the 30th pick of the first round by Cleveland, suspects that with the aid of a book, he'll be able to understand and speak English in just 100 days. There's little reason to doubt him. It took him just three months to learn Spanish. If being a quick study transfers to the basketball court, the Cavs very well might have found a diamond in the rough. It wouldn't be the first time such a player came from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Current Los Angeles Laker Didier Ilunga-Mbenga hails from that ..."

Hype, rumors didn't sway Thunder GM Sam Presti's draft decision

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June 27

The Oklahoman

"As the clock inched past midnight Thursday, the last place Thunder general manager Sam Presti wanted to be was precisely where he was at that particular moment: In front of reporters, answering questions. For the better part of two months, these media folk who surrounded Presti essentially told him what to think and whom to pick for that night's NBA Draft.Like all good general managers, Presti wisely ignored what was hashed and rehashed."We can't pay attention to that," Presti said of rumor, innuendo and flat-out falsities that arise at the end of each spring. "We have to focus on what we're doing."Presti picked Arizona State shooting guard James Harden with the No. 3 pick; traded up one ..."

Warriors got a keeper in guard Stephen Curry

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June 27

Contra Costa Times

"The question was inevitable. Before Friday's news conference introducing rookie Stephen Curry, word had circulated that the Warriors' trade talks with the Phoenix Suns regarding All-Star power forward Amare Stoudemire were being held up by Curry. The issue? The Warriors wanted to keep him, and the Suns insisted he be part of the deal - leaving the status of the seventh pick in Thursday's NBA draft up in the air. But when asked whether the Warriors would let Curry get away, coach Don Nelson had an answer ready. And it was definitive. "No," Nelson said. "I should be clear about that. He wasn't drafted for somebody else. He is not going to be traded. He was drafted because we think he is ..."

Nuggets find a style that fits

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June 27

Denver Post

"Ty Lawson landed in the Nuggets' hands about an hour and half into Thursday night's NBA draft, but the process of getting the speedy point guard in pro powder blue was more than a year in the making. "Ty was one of the guys that we targeted early in the year to really watch closely," Nuggets director of pro scouting Mike Bratz said. "We felt like his style would fit in perfectly with us. When we went over a few names with Coach (George) Karl and talked about what they could do, he got excited about Ty." Lawson, who was in Denver on Friday to meet with the media, worked out with the Nuggets in May 2008 after he declared for the draft following his sophomore season at North Carolina. The ..."

2009 NBA draft results

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June 26

Tacoma News Tribune

"FIRST ROUND 1. L.A. Clippers, Blake Griffin, f, Oklahoma. 2. Memphis, Hasheem Thabeet, c, Connecticut. 3. Oklahoma City, James Harden, g, Arizona State. 4. Sacramento, Tyreke Evans, g, Memphis. 5. Minnesota (from Washington), Ricky Rubio, g, DKV Joventut (Spain). 6. Minnesota, Jonny Flynn, g, Syracuse. 7. Golden State, Stephen Curry, g, Davidson. 8. New York, Jordan Hill, f, Arizona. 9. Toronto, DeMar DeRozan, g, Southern California. 10. Milwaukee, Brandon Jennings, g, Lottomatica Roma (Italy). 11. New Jersey, Terrence Williams, g-f, Louisville. 12. Charlotte, Gerald Henderson, g-f, Duke. 13. Indiana, Tyler Hansbrough, f, North Carolina. 14. Phoenix, Earl Clark, f, Louisville. 15. Detroit, ..."

Utah tabs VCU's Maynor for point guard depth

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June 26

Salt Lake Tribune

"If Eric Maynor isn't quite ready to contribute as a rookie after a standout four-year career at Virginia Commonwealth, the Jazz's newest draft pick will get up to speed quickly playing behind Deron Williams. "I don't think he's going to play against anybody better in the NBA than he does every day in practice," Jazz general manager Kevin O'Connor said. After bringing in Maynor for an interview on the eve of the draft, the Jazz selected the mid-major college star with the No. 20 pick in the first round Thursday, something O'Connor said he and his lieutenants predicted earlier in the day. "I'm coming in there to work, man, do whatever the team needs me to do," Maynor said. "Deron Williams ..."

Blair: No regrets despite falling to 2nd round pick

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June 26

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Despite being taken in the second round of the NBA Draft last night, Pitt All-American DeJuan Blair has no regrets about turning professional after his sophomore season. "No, this is what I wanted," Blair said this morning on a conference call the day after the San Antonio Spurs drafted him with the No. 37 overall selection. "I think it was a good decision. I couldn't have landed in a better situation than I am in now. [San Antonio] just traded Kurt Thomas, their starting forward. It's a dream come true. I should have been a first-round pick, but God wanted me toto the second round." Blair's agent Happy Walters said it was in Blair's best interest to turn professional because Blair has a ..."

Blazers tweak things on draft day

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June 26

Portland Tribune

"Compared with the whirlwind of activity involving the Trail Blazers in the previous three drafts, Thursday's moves were rather boring. Portland traded backup point guard Sergio Rodriguez to Sacramento, drafted Spanish forward Victor Claver as a future pick at No. 22 in the first round and acquired three second-round selections who will get an opportunity to make the club next season. Breathtaking moves? Hardly. They're a reflection, though, that Portland doesn't want to tinker with its nucleus as it positions itself for a run at an NBA championship in coming seasons. On Wednesday, Portland had traded the 24th pick and two second-round choices to Dallas for No. 22. The Blazers had their ..."

Blazers moving on from Miles

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June 26

Portland Tribune

columnist Kerry Eggers

"Evidently, the options weren't worth pursuing. "At this point, we're taking the approach that the Darius Miles situation is behind us, and we're focusing on moving forward," Miller says. After an independent medical examiner ruled Miles' knee injury as career-ending, Portland was able to excise the forward's salary off its cap figure. Under rules laid down in the NBA's collective-bargaining agreement, if the player sees action in 10 games during the next two seasons, the money goes back on the original team's cap. Portland execs believe Memphis signed Miles for no other reason than to get his salary back on the Blazers' cap. Miles averaged 3.5 points, 1.7 rebounds and 8.8 minutes in 34 ..."

Bigger moves ahead for Blazers

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June 26

Portland Tribune

columnist Kerry Eggers

"Portland gave away reserve point guard Sergio Rodriguez - who was going to have to fight for reserve minutes with Jerryd Bayless at best next season - to Sacramento to save $1.5 million on the salary cap. The Blazers preserved the nucleus of their roster and gave themselves a little more cushion, as they hope to add another important piece or two when free agency starts next month. Their lone first-round pick, Spanish forward Victor Claver, will stay in Europe for at least another season. And the three second-round choices all come at small pricetags and with contracts that are not guaranteed. On July 8, the NBA will set its salary-cap figure, probably at about $58 million. That should ..."

Surprising shooting touch earns ASU's Pendergraph shot with Blazers

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June 26

Portland Tribune

"When Pendergraph, watching the draft on television, saw he had been selected by Sacramento with the first pick of the second round, he was disappointed. "I thought, 'Man, I didn't even work out for (the Kings),' " Pendergraph said. When he realized he had actually been acquired by Portland through a trade with Sacramento, "I couldn't have asked for anything better," he said. The 6-9, 240-pound Pendergraph had been part of a six-player workout for the Blazers before the draft. "That's why I was kind of set on going there in the draft," he said. "I felt I could fit in well with Coach (Nate) McMillan's style of play and what they are trying to do.""

NBA Draft Tracker

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June 26

Portland Tribune

"Portland held the 22nd, 33rd, 38th and 55th picks in the draft. The Blazers, however, have dealt point guard Sergio Rodriguez and the No. 38 selection and cash to the Sacramento Kings for the No. 31 pick, which ended up being Arizona State 6-10 forward Jeff Pendergraph. Here's a pick-by-pick look at the NBA Draft: FIRST ROUND 1. Los Angeles Clippers Blake Griffin, Oklahoma - The Clippers hope the 6-10 super athlete can help lift the NBA's woebegone franchise. It was L.A.'s 20th lottery pick. "He gives you an incredibly powerful athlete," ESPN analyst Jay Bilas says. "He just goes after it, never changes his demeanor." Says Griffin: "I'm not worried about what's happened in the past (with ..."

D.J.'s spin on the NBA draft

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June 26

Philadelphia Daily News

columnist Dick Jerardi

"The Sixers were the sixth seed in the East. The conference finalists (Orlando, Cleveland) got better on draft day before anybody made a choice. When you get perennial All-Stars like Vince Carter and Shaq, you definitely improve. Boston will get Kevin Garnett back. Atlanta got better with Jamal Crawford. Washington got a lot better with Randy Foye and Mike Miller. The Sixers get Elton Brand and the No. 17 pick, UCLA's Jrue Holiday. A point guard, the freshman Holiday played out of position at UCLA because senior Darren Collison played point. Holiday was a phenomenal high school player who may not be NBA-ready next season. The Sixers have to hope he gets ready as their young talent matures, ..."

Unlike division rivals, Miami Heat leave draft with only two second-round selections

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June 26

Palm Beach Post

"While Southeast Division opponents such as Orlando, Washington and Atlanta made moves to strengthen themselves, the Heat could only make two minor moves in the second round of Thursday's NBA Draft. The Heat used its first second-round selection, the 43rd pick of the draft, to take guard Marcus Thornton of LSU. It then traded Thornton to New Orleans for second-round picks in 2010 and 2012. The Heat acquired guard Patrick Beverley, the 42nd overall selection of the Los Angeles Lakers, for a 2011 second-round pick and cash. Beverley is a 6-foot-1, 175-pound guard who attended Arkansas, where he averaged 12.1 points per game in the 2007-08 season as a junior. He was suspended before last ..."

The Lakers got what they wanted in draft

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June 26

Orange County Register

"The biggest news for the Lakers in the 2009 NBA Draft wasn't who they got, but what they got and that was money. The Lakers are looking to trim the luxury tax they expect to face for a payroll that tops $74 million. By trading their draft picks, it not only saved them from paying for a first-round player, but gave them money to re-sign free agents Trevor Ariza, Lamar Odom and Shannon Brown, who become unrestricted free agents July 1. So before the Clippers made Blake Griffin the No. 1 overall pick in Thursday's Draft, the Lakers had worked out a deal that would send the draft rights to their No. 29 pick (Toney Douglas of Florida State) to the New York Knicks in exchange for a 2011 ..."

Nets take Louisville's Williams

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June 26

Bergen Record

"Terrence Williams' sprained ankle and rumored guarantee didn't scare off the Nets. They used the No. 11 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft on the versatile Louisville swingman, who perhaps more than anything brings a defensive mind-set to a team that believes defense is optional. "I can come in right away and help on the defensive end and be an off guard who can help bring the ball up the court with [Devin] Harris, get rebounds, and I love to pass," Williams said after his only workout with the Nets. The Nets wanted to bring in Williams for a second workout Tuesday, but he canceled after suffering an alleged ankle injury in Charlotte the day before. Speculation was that the Bobcats had given ..."

Knicks grab "hair" Jordan

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June 26

Bergen Record

"As the draft dominoes fell Thursday night, the Knicks got within one pick of Stephen Curry and were just about ready to grab him when … Whoa, Nellie. Golden State's Don Nelson, a former Knicks coach, snatched him away with the seventh overall pick and at No. 8, Donnie Walsh declined to go the expected guard route, instead selecting Arizona power forward Jordan Hill. The second Arizona forward picked by the Knicks in the last four drafts (Isiah Thomas chose Channing Frye with the eighth pick in 2005), Hill heard a typical reaction from the New York crowd when his name was announced: "Boooo." The crowd produced the same reaction not only when Curry went to the Warriors, but when Spanish ..."

NBA draft: Pick-by-pick capsules

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June 26

Los Angeles Times

"No. 1, Clippers: BLAKE GRIFFIN, power forward, Oklahoma, sophomore, 6-8 1/2, 248. Outlook: Griffin opted to stay one more year with the Sooners to improve the mental side of his game. It's scary to think he's added to his skill set, considering Griffin already has the physical prowess to impose his will in the paint. Griffin, who posted 30 double-doubles as a sophomore last year, was deemed the consensus No. 1 pick in the draft, thanks to his consistency and work ethic. No. 2, Memphis: HASHEEM THABEET, center, Connecticut, junior, 7-1 1/4, 267. Outlook: Thabeet's shot-blocking (Big-East leading 4.2 blocks a game) and size trigger thoughts of Dikembe Mutombo. Thabeet's raw talent and ..."

NBA Draft: Raptors' pick 'reminiscent' of Carter

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June 26

Vancouver Province

"It is not a name one brings up lightly in this city. Yet, eight minutes in to his nes conference after making the ninth selection in last night's NBA Draft, Toronto Raptors president and general manager Bryan Colangelo threw it out there. "He's got the physical tools reminiscent of the player that everybody likes to say he kind of reminds them of -- and that's Vince Carter," Colangelo said of the newest Toronto Raptor, swingman DeMar DeRozan. "He's got that kind of raw, physical talent that hopefully can be honed and brought together." And with that, a comparison to the most polarizing player in franchise history, the 19-year-old is on his way to Toronto. "I think its very valid," DeRozan ..."

Cavs choose player for future

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June 26

Akron Beacon Journal

"General Manager Danny Ferry made no more bold moves Thursday night. The Cavaliers stood pat at No. 30 and drafted guard Christian Eyenga out of the Congo with their first-round pick in the NBA Draft. Ferry was able to deal for Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal earlier in the day, but there were no deals to be had in the first round. That's not necessarily a bad thing, given the consensus among draft experts that this draft wasn't very good or very deep beyond Oklahoma's Blake Griffin, whom the Los Angeles Clippers promptly chose with the No. 1 overall selection. That doesn't necessarily mean that Ferry didn't take a gamble. Listed at 6-foot-6 and 210 pounds, Eyenga played for the ..."

Pistons address frontcourt with multiple picks

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June 26

Detroit Free Press

"Joe Dumars bit his tongue when explaining his ire toward his team's debilitating lack of character last season. There were young, impressionable ears in the Pistons' draft party audience Thursday, so he spared them the saltier descriptions of the depth of his anger. But he made it clear that he tabbed 6-foot-11 forward Austin Daye 15th overall not only for what he could do on the court, but also for what he won't do away from the court. He won't show up late on game days or late to the airport for flights. He won't show up authority if he disagrees with a coaching decision. "Never again will I allow us to be in a position where we're dealing with issues, where we're dealing with drama," ..."

Pistons take Georgetown's DaJuan Summers with 35th pick

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June 26

Detroit Free Press

"The Detroit Pistons picked Georgetown forward DaJuan Summers in the second round with the 35th overall pick in the NBA draft. Detroit acquired the selection from the Minnesota Timberwolves, completing a 2005 trade for Ronald Dupree. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound Summers led the Hoyas with 13.6 points a game and averaged 4.1 rebounds. The Pistons drafted Gonzaga's Austin Daye with the 15th overall pick and hope the 6-foot-11, 192-pound forward and Summers can bolster a frontcourt that likely will be without Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess next season. Wallace and McDyess are free agents as is Allen Iverson, making the Pistons players this offseason for free agents and highly paid players who ..."

Pistons president Dumars goes for character with Daye

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June 26

Detroit News

"Taking Austin Daye with the 15th pick Thursday was to Joe Dumars as much about character as it was about talent and potential. "Over the last nine years, this past year was probably the toughest in terms of dealing with issues," Dumars said. "As you all know, I put a premium on character and have guys represent us the right way. Sitting back and watching us go through all the issues we went through last year, I said, 'Never again are we going to be in a situation where we go through those issues and drama.' " First-year coach Michael Curry last season dealt with players missing or being late for buses, planes and meetings. Advertisement "I think what Joe was most upset about was us ..."

Clippers ride steady ship in sea of NBA draft madness

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June 26

L.A. Daily News

columnist Ramona Shelburne

"So the Clippers didn't screw it up after all. Not that Mike Dunleavy"

While UCLA product Collison is buzz word in New Orleans, Holiday slips out of lottery

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June 26

L.A. Daily News

"Former UCLA point guard Darren Collison had nothing but time to kill, so as he reminisced earlier this week about his multitude of NBA workouts, several times the conversation turned to the New Orleans Hornets. Chris Paul is one of the NBA's top point guards, but Collison talked about New Orleans' penchant of being outscored when Paul went to the bench. It is now Collison's job to make sure that doesn't happen. While Collison moved closer to the middle of the draft and was selected 21st overall by the Hornets, former Bruins teammate Jrue Holiday slipped out of the lottery and landed in Philadelphia, which snatched him with the 17th overall pick in Thursday's NBA draft."

Lakers sell two draft picks with an eye on free agents

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June 26

Los Angeles Times

"With one eye toward free agency and another toward the bank, the Lakers sold two of their picks in Thursday's NBA draft for a combined $4.5 million. The Lakers sat out the first round for a second consecutive season, selling the 29th overall pick to the New York Knicks for $3 million. Then they sent the 42nd overall pick to the Miami Heat for $1.5 million. In both deals, the Lakers also received a 2011 second-round pick. All told, the Lakers are $6.2 million richer than they were before the draft, raking in $4.5 million while saving another $1.7 million that would have been guaranteed to the 29th pick over the next two seasons. Thursday's cost-conscious activities will only help the ..."

Trades take center stage over draft

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June 26

Los Angeles Times

"In an NBA draft that was criticized for itsin talent, it's fitting that none of the picks Thursday made more of an immediate impact than the trades that took place before the draft. The most notable deal was the Cleveland Cavaliers acquiring Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal, who will play with LeBron James next season. The Suns also received a second-round pick in the 2010 draft and cash in exchange for center Ben Wallace and swingman Sasha Pavlovic. In another big deal, the Orlando Magic traded for Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson from the New Jersey Nets in exchange for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee. As for the draft itself, the class' surplus of guards and shortage of ..."

Fans react to NBA draft

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June 26

Los Angeles Times

"Reactions from fans gathering at the ESPN Zone across from Staples Center to the selection of Blake Griffin as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft. Darrell Bailey, a.k.a. Clipper Darrell, who wears a blue-and-red suit and is a mainstay at Clippers home games: We've all been down; now we're going to rise up. Don't worry about the past; worry about the future. I don't believe in curses; that's superstition." On getting Blake Griffin: "I think he can be the face of the franchise." Heidi Wang, from the South Bay; Clippers season-ticket holder since 1999-2000, who was spending Thursday with her husband and two children: "It's just wonderful that the Clippers got the first draft pick. Hopefully ..."

Sixers take guard Holiday

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June 26

Camden Courier-Post

"The Sixers weren't expecting to get very sexy with the 17th pick of the NBA Draft on Thursday night. Instead, they were searching for dependability, which meant a solid guard - either shooting or point -- that can adapt quickly into new coach Eddie Jordan's Princeton offensive philosophy, which stresses backdoor cuts, spacing on the floor and interior passing. The Sixers hope they found a player that can help shape their direction for the future when they drafted Jrue Holiday, a 6-foot-4 guard out of UCLA, with the No. 17-pick overall at New York City's Madison Square Garden. NBA commissioner David Stern approached the podium at 9:15 p.m. and announced the team's selection of Holiday in a ..."

Holiday pick makes clear future is not now

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June 26

Philadelphia Inquirer

columnist Bob ford

"The 76ers came out of the draft last night confident about the identity of their point guard five years from now.As for the coming season, that's a bit more uncertain."We're still a work in progress," assistant general manager Tony DiLeo said.DiLeo had his head under the hood of this repair job on a nightly basis last season, so he knows better than most how far the team is from being really road ready.As much as the Sixers say they like Jrue Holiday of UCLA, taken with the 17th pick of the first round, they don't think the 19-year-old will make much of a difference immediately.Holiday, whose first name is pronounced "Drew" - it's a long story - becomes the first member of the team to be ..."

Ellington, Cunningham, Nivins drafted

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June 26

Philadelphia Inquirer

"Wayne Ellington first had to watch Episcopal Academy co-star Gerald Henderson and a pair of North Carolina teammates, Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson, learn of their respective NBA destinations.The grueling wait also included Ellington, a standout wing guard for three seasons at North Carolina, standing in nervous anticipation before his hometown 76ers took a pass on him at pick No. 17 and instead selected UCLA freshman guard Jrue Holiday.Ellington's dream of playing in the NBA finally came true at 10:11 p.m., when he was plucked by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the No. 28 choice in the first round. That announcement drew heavy applause from family members and friends who had joined the ..."

Sixers see Holiday as point guard of the future

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June 26

Philadelphia Daily News

"THE 76ERS don't see Jrue (pronounced Drew) Holiday as an immediate impact player. They don't see him as a starter in the coming season. But they made it clear last night that they see him as their point guard of the future.For all the people who thought North Carolina's Ty Lawson or Virginia Commonwealth's Eric Maynor was the right choice at No. 17 in the first round of the NBA draft, the Sixers' boardroom gang secretly was hoping Holiday might slip through the cracks.And once Brandon Jennings went No. 10 to Milwaukee and Indiana opted for big man Tyler Hansbrough of North Carolina rather than a guard at No. 13, they began to think they had a chance.This was somewhat similar to last year's ..."

Hawks draft Wake Forest's Jeff Teague in first round

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June 26

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"The Hawks didn't pass on the sophomore point guard from Wake Forest this time. Four years after taking Marvin Williams instead of Chris Paul early in the NBA draft, the Hawks snagged Jeff Teague with the 19th pick Thursday. If Teague's pro career comes anywhere close to Paul's, the Hawks will have landed the steal of this draft. Paul is a two-time All-Star, an Olympic gold medalist and widely regarded as the best point guard in the NBA just four years into his career with New Orleans. The expectations for Teague won't be nearly as crazy as they were for Paul — there were seven point guards drafted ahead of him Thursday night — but Teague says years from now he expects everyone to realize ..."

Spurs see Blair as steal

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June 26

San Antonio Express-News

"In a different world, with a different medical sheet, Pittsburgh forward DeJuan Blair might have been a lottery pick. Blessed with an instinctive rebounding ability but cursed with two surgically repaired knees, Blair instead slipped to the second round of Thursday night's NBA draft. The Spurs were waiting. And almost salivating. When Blair was still on the board at No. 37, the Spurs — after a long wait just to get on the clock — wasted little time in using their first pick of the night to try and fill their most pressing need. "They were the one team that believed in me," Blair said by phone late Thursday night. "Since they believed in me, I'm going to give them 1000 percent." The Spurs ..."

Jennings points the way for Bucks

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June 26

Wisconsin State Journal

"Scott Skiles was a smart and tough point guard who made up for limited athleticism with his knowledge of the game, which led him to become an NBA coach. Nobody would have described him as "flashy." In his second draft as coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, Skiles selected a point guard who might be the antithesis of him as a player. Brandon Jennings, who the Bucks took in the first round of the NBA draft Thursday with the 10th overall pick, is a flashy highlight-reel type of player, who garnered considerable attention when he skipped college and elected to play in Europe last season. With the 41st overall pick in the second round, the Bucks selected Kentucky shooting guard Jodie Meeks. "I'm ..."

Eager to prove his point

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June 26

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"At the ripe young age of 19, guard Brandon Jennings has already been around the block a few times. Has he ever. The trail-blazing Jennings toured Europe playing professional basketball last season, eventually found his way to the Madison Square Garden stage Thursday for the National Basketball Association's college draft, and now has Milwaukee, and possibly Green Bay, written in as the next stops on his itinerary. Jennings, a 6-foot-1 guard from Compton, Calif., and a former national high school player of the year, was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 10th overall pick in the draft and immediately becomes one of the major building blocks on which coach Scott Skiles and general ..."

Oklahoma's Blake Griffin headed to Clippers as No. 1 pick in NBA Draft

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June 26

New York Daily News

"There's nothing like going from sleepy Norman, Okla., to the bright lights of Hollywood. That's the dream journey Blake Griffin took when he was selected, to no one's surprise, with the No. 1 pick in the 2009 NBA draft, by the L.A. Clippers. "Let's put it this way," Griffin said. "I won't be bored when I'm not playing." When he is playing, he'll just happen to be on the wrong court at L.A.'s Staples Center. The Lakers, once again, are champs. Griffin's new team, the co-tenant Clippers, are perennial chumps. Like that's news to the former Oklahoma star forward. "I'm not competing against the Lakers; I'm competing against 29 other teams," he said in New York on the eve of the draft. "I'm ..."

Nets deal Vince Carter to Orlando, draft Louisville's Terrence Williams

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June 26

New York Daily News

"Months after they first entertained the possibility of shipping Carter out to save money - and nearly one year to the day since they pulled off another draft-day shocker - the Nets sent Carter to the Orlando Magic Thursday for promising but unproven shooting guard Courtney Lee and the expiring contracts of Tony Battie and New York playground legend Rafer Alston. The Nets also sent Ryan Anderson to the Magic and received a pair of trade exceptions. After trading Carter, the Nets took Louisville swingman Terrence Williams with the 11th pick in Thursday night's draft. Williams could compete with Lee and Chris Douglas-Roberts for Carter's starting shooting guard spot, or play small forward. ..."

With Stephen Curry gone, Knicks pick Arizona's Jordan Hill 8th in NBA Draft

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June 26

New York Daily News

"One pick was all that stood between the Knicks and Stephen Curry. Now, they are separated by nearly 3,000 miles. In a matter of minutes, the NBA draft went from buzz to boos for the Knicks after the star-crossed franchise selected Arizona forward Jordan Hill at No.8, just after the Golden State Warriors grabbed Curry with the previous pick. It was a stunning turn of events that seemed to disappoint Curry, while leaving Hill and Donnie Walsh as the two most unpopular people at the Theater at the Garden. When NBA commissioner David Stern announced the selection of Hill, the partisan crowd booed. "I've been through that in Indiana," Walsh said. "They booed Chuck Person. They booed Reggie ..."

Knicks send cash and future 2nd-round pick to Lakers for 29th pick

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June 26

New York Daily News

"The Knicks have acquired the Lakers first round pick - No. 29 overall - in Thursday night's NBA draft, the Daily News has learned. Sources said that the Knicks paid $3 million for the pick and are also giving the Lakers their second round pick in 2011. The Knicks appear to be targeting Georgetown 6-8 forward DaJuan Summers with the selection. The Knicks have made it known over the past few days that they want to add a second No. 1 pick to their No. 8 selection. With Lamar Odom and Trevor Ariza becoming free agents on July 1, the Lakers didn't want to take on a new guaranteed contract and had been actively trying to sell or trade their pick."

The Knicks Deal, but Don't Get What They Want

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June 26

New York Times

"The home crowd serenaded Jordan Hill with its usual patter of disgruntlement. For Hill, a forward from Arizona, it served as both his introduction and initiation into professional basketball in New York. He walked the steps of the Theater at Madison Square Garden to the same soundtrack that many a Knicks draft pick had before. The selection topped a frenzied day as the Knicks continued to purge their recent past and looked to clarify their still murky future. They also shipped the swingman Quentin Richardson to the Memphis Grizzlies for the backup center Darko Milicic and bought the rights to the Los Angeles Lakers' 29th overall selection for $3 million and a 2011 second-round selection. ..."

Minnesota's Plans

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June 25

SI.com

(scroll down)

"By acquiring more picks than any other NBA rival heading into Thursday night's talent fair -- four first-rounders and two second-rounders -- the Timberwolves just might be able to stumble into success in spite of their dreary draft history. And really, no one could blame David Kahn, the team's new president, if he had surveyed all he inherited when hired last month -- a 24-victory team, a roster with significant holes and overlaps, a five-year skid out of the playoffs -- and decided, like Roy Scheider in his most famous movie moment, "You're gonna need a bigger boat." So Kahn got the Wolves a bigger boat, acquiring the No. 5 pick to go with the Nos. 6, 18 and 28 that Minnesota already ..."

Jennings Sliding?

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June 25

SI.com

"As the candidates woke to draft day, the player sliding out of the lottery appeared to be point guard Brandon Jennings, who bypassed his freshman year of college in order to spend last season with the Euroleague club Lottomatica Rome of Italy. By my count, the only top-10 teams considering Jennings are the Knicks at No. 8 and the Bucks at No. 10, and Jennings is unlikely to go to either of them unless one or more trades change the order of the draft. The smart move would be to take Jennings out of the green room, but Jennings and agent Bill Duffy had yet to meet as of Thursday morning. I'm sure Duffy will remind Jennings that the order of the draft is meaningless; what matters is that he ..."

Wizards blow it again

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June 25

Washington Examiner

columnist Rick Snider

"The Washington Wizards blew the draft and they didn't even have to pick. Trading the fifth overall selection in Thursday's NBA draft plus a handful of reserves for two fair players doesn't help this team. It gets rid of worthless backups and saves $3 million, but do you really think owner Abe Pollin cares about money nowadays? The Wiz mostly need Gilbert Arenas to remain healthy for the first time in three years to make the playoffs. Indeed, keeping the top four players intact will advance Washington into the postseason. However, the Wiz were hoping their worst season ever would result in an impact draft pick. Instead, the draft lottery left them with the fifth choice in supposedly a ..."

Miami Heat hopes to find a hidden gem in second round

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June 25

Palm Beach Post

"The Heat doesn't have a first-round pick in Thursday's NBA Draft, but that doesn't mean Miami fans should ignore it. The Heat does have two second-round selections, Nos. 43 and 60 overall, and today's NBA is dotted with second-round success stories. Specifically consider Milwaukee guard Michael Redd and Los Angeles Lakers swingman Trevor Ariza. They both were taken with the 43rd pick of the draft - Redd in 2000 and Ariza in '04. Even more encouraging is that San Antonio guard Manu Ginobili was taken with the 57th pick in 1999 (although he stayed in Europe and didn't join San Antonio until 2001). "We all feel in some ways it's a weak draft," said Fran Fraschilla, former college coach turned ..."

Kahn won't trade 5 and 6 for 2

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June 25

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Highlights from David Kahn's Wednesday news conference confirming Tuesday's trade that sends Randy Foye and Mike Miller to Washington for tonight's fifth pick and front-court players Etan Thomas, Darius Songaila and Oleksiy Pecherov: • He said he definitely will not trade the fifth and sixth picks for Memphis' No. 2. "I want to be really clear on this," he said. "We will not do that under no circumstances." • He said he's not selling the 28th pick to New York for $3 million. For now. He called it one of many options and offers and indicated many teams have called offering the maximum $3 million for a pick. • He said he has talked trade with Memphis the past several days. Asked if Glen ..."

Jazz eye late pick in down draft

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June 25

Salt Lake Tribune

"No matter that he was the Jazz's first-round draft pick in 2007, Morris Almond played in only nine games his rookie season for a total of 39 minutes, though he did set single-game scoring records in the NBA Development League. Kosta Koufos fared slightly better as the Jazz's 2008 first-round pick, playing in 48 games on an injury-ravaged team. But Koufos failed to see action the final two months of the season, last playing in a Feb. 17 game against Memphis. With that recent history as a guide, expectations will be accordingly low with the Jazz holding the No. 20 pick in tonight's NBA Draft. Of the last 10 picks at No. 20, only Orlando's Jameer Nelson has enjoyed a career of note. "If ..."

Eric Maynor visits Jazz for an interview

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June 25

Salt Lake Tribune

"Although Virginia Commonwealth guard Eric Maynor had to pull out of a workout Saturday with back spasms, the Jazz were able to bring in Maynor for an interview on Wednesday on the eve of the NBA Draft. Maynor averaged 22.4 points and 6.2 assists as a senior and helped lead VCU to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years. Back in 2007, Maynor hit the game-winning 15-footer as the Rams upset Duke in the first round. He joins Wake Forest's Jeff Teague among point guards projected to be drafted in the mid- to late-first round to interview or work out in Utah. UCLA's Darren Collison , North Carolina's Ty Lawson and St. Mary's Patrick Mills all passed. The Jazz also made ..."