Sometimes you're just going about your business and then out of nowhere the most crazy thing will sneak up behind you to smack you on the head. Today's example of this is ESPN's Mock Lottery. Admittedly, it was more fun last year when I believe I could hear the painful screams of Cavalier fans each time Cleveland didn't appear at the top of the list. This year I just played it a couple of times for the heck of it and noticed an odd thing. The Bobcats are already slotted at 4 due to the past luck of the Hornets and Orlando Magic and with each role of the dice the selection ESPN gave at that slot was Josh Childress.... Let me repeat that, Josh Childress.
Josh, I played on a mediocre team who ran up a terrific record in a horrible conference, Childress.
Josh, I was player of the year in a conference who was having its weakest year ever, Childress.
Josh, why wouldn't you pick Alabama to beat them?, Childress.
Someone at ESPN must be drinking the juice because someone wrote he's the second coming of George Gervin - not to mention that if George Gervin was coming out today and was 22, he wouldn't be the second coming of George Gervin - and I like George Gervin.
Let me say this now: Josh Childress is not the second coming of George Gervin, Grant Hill, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, or even Ron Artest. If he's lucky, he'll have a nice mediocre career.
This might not be the greatest draft ever, but if you're drafting 4th, you take whoever is left of Okafor, Howard, Deng, and Livingston. The first two will be quality NBA big men, Deng could become what Hill would have been if he wasn't crippled, and Livingston might be the best point guard prospect to enter the NBA since Magic. Childress will be an average 3. Livingston has almost the same body with 3 more years and he can actually play point guard - arguably the most important position in basketball.
I was hoping that this was just ESPN-hype insanity, but Bernie apparently really does like Childress. Bob, please, save the franchise now and forbid him from selecting Childress. Don't force us to have Larry Johnson (post playoff injury) again when we're watching Shaun becoming Magic. PLEASE!! PLEASE!!
Posted by shs4 at May 26, 2004 08:55 PM | TrackBackWell, if it makes you feel any better, nbadraft.net has the Robertcats taking Deng at #4. The gurus there also predict that the Robertcats will take David Harrison with their second pick, which I think would be a great pickup for Charlotte. They've got Childress dropping to #10, where he will be the next brilliant draft pick for...
Jim Paxson and the Cavs. This makes me very angry. Lebron is the first good first-rounder (C-Booz is one hell of a second rounder) that Cleveland has taken in at least 5 years (Dajuan Wagner (perpetually broken), Desagana Diop (at 7!), Chris Mihm (picked up in trade for Jamal Crawford, but granted it was a terrible draft), Andre Miller (not with the team anymore), and--although I love him like a playcousin--Trajan Langdon. I mean, they picked Trajan over COREY MAGGETTE. I repeat, COREY MAGGETTE).
Please, Gordon Gund. You're blind, but I don't think you're stupid. Pick Jameer Nelson.
Other notables--
Dwight Howard to the Bulls at 2: Two words--Eddy Curry. Two more words--Kwame Brown.
Devin Harris to Atlanta at 6: You have to be kidding me. As Samir would say, this is f***.
JR Smith at 13: Apparently, one HS all-star game can make you a lottery pick.
Tim Pickett to the Sonics in the 2d Round: Good for him.
Chris Duhon to Atlanta in the 2d Round: This is not the place he wants to go. He'll never get any PT there.
Lionel "Supernintendo" Chalmers to the Heat in the 2d Round: Whoever gets this guy--especially in the 2d round--will get a steal. Supernintendo Chalmers is really, really good. If the Heat pick him up and can keep the group they have now, they will be hard to stop over the next few years.
Christian Drejer to the Lakers in the 2d Round: Here's a guy that will stick with your team no matter what...oh wait.
Nigel "Big Jelly" Dixon to the T-Wolves in the 2d: Well, that's just great. You have one draft pick in the entire draft and you use it on an--although vastly improved since his FSU days--overweight, barely serviceable center. Sorry, Oliver Miller has that spot nailed down.
Ugh.
Posted by: Mr. Sparkle at May 26, 2004 10:16 PMI'll ignore nbadraft.net since it's a week out-of-date and thus does not have the correct draft order. But if I were the Wiz, I would avoid another high school player after Kwame "The Bust" Brown.
Two interesting ideas circulating about the Bobcats draft.
1. That it's a bad idea for an expansion team to draft a high school player. What? After a veteran NBA championship team, the best place for a high schooler would be an expansion team where they could get plenty of playing team. Besides, if a player has the drive and character to pan out, he'll pan out.
2. "The Bick" claims there is a good chance that the Magic or Clippers will trade their pick for a package of the 4th pick and an expansion draft player. Good idea annoucing it in the press! It does make sense for the Clippers to give up the pick since they don't appear to need Howard or really even Deng (doesn't he duplicate Maggette?). Additionally, Elgin Baylor is insane so perhaps he'll give the Bobcats the pick and a player for the 4th selection.
FWIW, nbadraft.net has now updated. It now has Deng to Chicago at 3 (much better pick), with the Robertcats picking up SL at the 4. Devin Harris has fallen to 8 (still too high) and JR Smith to 17 (see Devin Harris). They still have the Cavs picking Childress, though. Please, Mr. Gund. Jim Paxson has ruined your franchise long enough. JAMEER NELSON.
I don't think that Deng duplicates Maggette, though. I suppose your lineup (with Deng) if you're Mike D Sr. would be: PG Quentin Richardson, SG Corey Maggette, SF Luol Deng, PF Elton Brand, C Chris Kamen (Remember when he was good? Me neither.).
Posted by: Mr. Sparkle at May 27, 2004 05:47 PMQ as a PG? He averages 2.1 assists and 2.2 turnovers in 36 mpg ... not the greatest sounding stats for someone who should be running your team. Only 2 of Q, Hoop King, and Deng should be on the floor at a given time.
Posted by: shs4 at May 27, 2004 06:31 PMSo make Deng a super 6. Obviously the Clips aren't winning with the lineup they've got now...
Posted by: Mr. Sparkle at May 28, 2004 09:07 AMI just read most of the latest Sports Guy piece - and you have to love him because if you are reading his column, you probably know exactly the same amount about sports without the Boston bias.
Well, he proposes the interesting (though mostly in jest) idea of Cleveland and Charlotte trading picks (10 for 4), so he must not have gotten the memo that the Bobcats believe they can trade up, aka they don't feel they need random bodies. Forget the fact that Deng won't actually be available at this pick for a second. Let's pretend that Washington is crazy enough to pick Livingston - because they do need a point guard, they just need another high school player even less. The question is - what player should be included?
At first blush, it has to be between the 4th and 6th best player on their roster. You can't move up to the top 4 and give up some guy riding the pine (unless he's a future All-Star (because of circumstance) like Jermaine O'Neal). Hence, 'Bron, Z, and Booze are off the table, so what is left? Wagner has some excitement, but he's just not the next AI. I don't see him starting on a real NBA team. Diop is fragile, but oh so young! Could he possibly become a more powerful Jermaine O'Neal? Now, I didn't watch any NBA basketball last year, but Kedrick "the Celtics promised they'd pick me" Brown may have the most utility now and in the future and do the Cavs want to label Wagner a bust already?
This is all theoretical since I really don't see the Bobcats moving from 4th unless a creative deal is made with a team dumping salary.
Posted by: shs4 at May 28, 2004 02:00 PM