2009 NBA Draft

Heads-up, head-scratching selections
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June 28
Cincinnati Enquirer
 
"A team-by-team analysis of Thursday night's NBA draft:"
Georgetown's Hibbert more of a classic center
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June 28
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indiana Pacers may have added their center of the future in Georgetown's Roy Hibbert. The 7-2 senior spent his college career as a true back-to-the-basket center, averaging 13.4 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocked shots in his final season."
Grizzlies possibility just fine for Kansas State's Beasley
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June 26
Memphis Commercial Appeal
 
"Assuming the Chicago Bulls take former University of Memphis guard Derrick Rose with the No. 1 pick, Beasley is the logical choice to go No. 2 to the Miami Heat. Numerous reports, however, indicate that Miami executives aren't sold on the power forward from Kansas State and are exploring other options. One of them could be a trade to the Grizzlies, who are slotted at No. 5 but have been mentioned prominently in trade speculation. "I haven't heard that," Beasley said. "I mean, I guess it's cool. Wherever I end up, I'm fine. I just want to play; no matter what team it is, I'll play my hardest and play my best. Obviously it means a lot to go No. 1, but I just want to get drafted. As ..."
Pickings slim at 23
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June 26
Salt Lake Tribune
 
"Even before tonight's first pick is made, the NBA Draft will have a different feel for the Jazz, with general manager Kevin O'Connor and Co. moving from center stage at EnergySolutions Arena to an upstairs conference room at the team's practice facility. With the Jazz owning the No. 23 pick in the first round, the team decided not to host a draft party for fans this year. Instead, the front office and coaching staff will be in more comfortable surroundings as they decide what to do with a most confusing pick. Once again drafting late in the first round, the Jazz have little in the way of expectations for how much any player theywould play next season."
Wolves seem torn between selecting Mayo or Love
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June 26
Minneapolis Star Tribune
 columnist Sid Hartman
"The Timberwolves will have a tough choice tonight, when they are scheduled to make the third pick in the first round of the NBA draft. I believe that if assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg is a good salesman and if the Wolves don't make a trade, they will take Southern California guard O.J. Mayo. Hoiberg played for Southern California coach Tim Floyd at Iowa State, and they are close. Floyd also coached in the NBA with the Chicago Bulls from 1999-2002, so he has a good idea how Mayo will fit in as a pro player. I believe Floyd has sold Hoiberg on Mayo. The one negative is the Wolves already have a Mayo-type player in Randy Foye, but Hoiberg said he believes they could play ..."
Suns can't get off 15th spot in draft
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June 26
East Valley Tribune
 
"Armed with a fistful of first-round draft picks and Kurt Thomas' expiring contract last summer, the Suns worked feverishly to squeeze themselves into the lottery for a chance to draft players like Corey Brewer, Yi Jianlian or Joakim Noah. No sale. The Suns were forced to stand pat and use their own picks to take Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry. The similar scenario could be playing out this year. The Suns have the No. 15 pick - the ultimate remnant of the Joe Johnson saga from the summer of 2005 - but attempts to either move up or add a second pick haven't yielded any fruit."
Suns happy with No. 15 pick
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June 26
Arizona Republic
 
"The Suns' headquarters was as busy as any NBA front office on the eve of the draft Wednesday, when General Manager Steve Kerr cited a league adage to put perspective on the possibility that the team would make a trade, move up or add a first-round pick. "It's always hard to make anything happen," said Kerr, who took on GM duties a year ago. "You talk about 100 deals (discussed) for every one you make, and that's true." Between rumors and how often Kerr and Senior Vice President of Basketball Operations David Griffin are on the phone, it just might seem like there have been 100 proposed deals. The only transaction that appears poised to happen for the Suns is that they will make ..."
Cavaliers are game for draft tonight
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June 26
Akron Beacon Journal
 
"He's Danny Ferry, not Danny Ainge. And the general manager of the Cavaliers has no illusions of matching what his colleague did last summer. With two major trades, Ainge revived the Boston Celtics and turned them into NBA champions. He dumped a few contracts and players on the Seattle SuperSonics to get Ray Allen on draft night a year ago and later acquired Kevin Garnett from the Minnesota Timberwolves for five players and two first-round picks, a bold move that sent shock waves through the league that are still being felt. As he prepares for the NBA Draft tonight, Ferry, whose flawed team pushed the Celtics to a seventh game in the Eastern Conference semifinals, doesn't feel any ..."
Cavaliers coach Mike Brown clear on what he and team need to improve on
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June 26
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 columnist Terry Pluto
"Here's what Mike Brown was thinking on the eve of the NBA draft. I don't necessarily agree with everything the Cavaliers' coach said, but it's worth hearing his view of the Cavs' 45-37 season and their loss to Boston in Game 7 in the second round of the playoffs. The Cavs next year: Even with the current roster, the coach insists the Cavs can win 50-plus games and be a championship contender. He added that he didn't mean the team "should just sit tight." He expects [GM] Danny Ferry to do everything he can to improve the roster. But he thinks "we can get a lot better just from within.""
Cavaliers can trade pick for help now or use it for help which may come too late
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June 26
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"If the Cavaliers use the No. 19 pick in tonight's NBA draft, chances are it is as a last resort. This is not to disparage any individual who might be available at that point, for it's possible they'll be able to get someone who will develop into a solid NBA player, as Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry likes to say. But the fact of the matter is, the Cavaliers don't have time to wait for a player to develop. They are a team one year removed from the finals that came within one quarter of advancing to the Eastern Conference finals and a chance to reach the finals for the second straight season."
The old college try doesn't pay for all
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June 26
Cincinnati Enquirer
 columnist Paul Daugherty
"Draft Day has to be bittersweet for Ovinton J'Anthony Mayo. Sure, he will be up for a two-year guaranteed professional contract that will pay him millions for playing basketball in the NBA and fulfilling a lifelong dream. There is that. But what about all those wonderful campus moments at good ol' USC: Moonlit nights strolling the quad, copy of Plato's Apology in one hand, yearbook in the other, letter sweater protecting him from the cool of the evening. Mayo will be a millionaire, finally doing what he wants to do. He'll have a nice car, nice house, he'll be able to provide for his mom and whomever else. He'll be playing ball in the best league in the world. But man, what about ..."
No way to predict this draft
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June 26
Detroit News
 
"In the easiest years, predicting the NBA draft is a crap shoot. This year, it is futile. Any or all of the first five picks could be shuffled or dealt. Chicago, Miami, Minnesota, Seattle and Memphis all have explored possible trade scenarios. And, New York at No. 6, the Clippers at No. 7, Charlotte at No. 9, Portland at No. 13, Phoenix at No. 15 and Washington at No. 18 also have been linked to trade talks. Even if no trades are made -- highly doubtful -- teams as late as Wednesday were still unsure of whom they would take. With that in mind, all we can hope to do is identify as many of the 30 No. 1 picks as we can. If we match player and team, well, that will be a bonus."
Pistons cangood player at 29
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June 26
Detroit News
 
"Here's the thing about the Pistons and late first-round picks -- they don't generally throw them away. In the past few years the