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16th June, 2009 - 10:18 pm

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| Current Features |
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TEAM RANKINGS: NBA Team Rankings For The Week Of November 4th
Kevin Garnett is back, Rajon Rondo is signed, Rasheed Wallace has arrived and Paul Pierce is as bad as ever. The Celtics are very, very easily ranked first in our first rankings of the 09-10 season. How do the other 29 teams compare?
SCOOP DU JOUR: Statistical Analysis Board, Rondo, Yankees On The Verge & More
Rajon Rondo's surprising extension, RealGM's new forum, locker room wresting, Brandon Jennings and more.
STANDING 10: PER Makes Offseason Decisions By Detroit Look Odd
The Pistons had a positive net PER at three positions during the 08-09 season, which were the three positions Joe Dumars attempted to improve in free agency and the draft.
LOCKER TALK: Nash, Cleveland, & Orlando
Steve Nash could draw trade interest this summer and Cleveland isn’t overlooking Orlando…
PLAYER RANKINGS: The Final NBA Player Rankings For The 2008-09 Season
The 2008-09 season is in the books and how did players rank individually?
CLASSICS: Hakeem Vs. Ewing: Who Was The Better Center?
Born within six months of each other in opposite corners of the world, two seven footers who are finalists for the Basketball Hall of Fame this fall are two of the best ever to play the center position.
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By Christopher Reina
If it wasn't clear already, this is shaping to be the draft filled with smokescreens, question marks and uncertainty in spades.
Opinions, draft boards, team needs and variances in the kind of culture certain GMs are looking to create has fostered a draft that will throw out the standard prognostications as soon as Blake Griffin clears out of the way with the first overall pick.
Power Forward. Oklahoma
No real news coming out of Los Angeles is good news for the Clippers at this point. There have been no red flags on Griffin and no second guessing on the part of the Clippers.
Point Guard. DKV Joventut
This is more about slot than team, as I still expect Memphis to find some way to capitalize on a team that greatly values Rubio and accurately projects him as the undisputed second best player in this draft.
Center. Connecticut
Like Memphis, the Thunder would surprise nobody if they ended up trading down to improve their backcourt. There are a few dozen ways Sam Presti can go to add to his core and selecting Thabeet doesn't look like one he has settled on.
Combo Guard. UCLA
Evans looks like the other option for the Kings, but I prefer combining Holiday with Kevin Martin.
Power Forward. Arizona
Like the Grizzlies and Thunder, there is an excellent chance that the Wizards don't draft in the fifth slot. If they do, Jordan Hill would be the most sensible pick.
Shooting Guard. Arizona State
There is a clear divide in how Harden is perceived. There isn't anyone who doesn't see a very capable shooting guard, but there is a growing belief that he will end up ranked in the second half of players at that position.
Power Forward. Wake Forest
There are several guards that make sense for the Warriors, but the sentiment that Monta Ellis doesn't want a playmaking guard to be drafted would clearly pave the way for Johnson as the only remaining big who could fit in Golden State's system.
Combo Guard. Davidson
Jeff Teague remains the better option for New York to me, but Curry should develop into a nice complementary player if their 2010 plans materialize as they hope.
Combo Guard. Memphis
If Evans drops this far, it would represent an ideal scenario for Toronto. He is much closer to contributing immediately than DeRozan, can play either guard position and can score off the dribble, something the Raptors haven't really had since they traded Vince Carter.
Point Guard. Syracuse
Flynn would put an end to Milwaukee's point guard merry-go-round and would amplify the games of their three fringe stars.
Combo Forward. Louisville
Clark is high on talent and given his face-up skill set, he would pair nicely in the frontcourt with Brook Lopez.
Shooting Guard. Duke
The Bobcats could go for the home run with DeRozan still on the board, but if there ever was a team that absolutely needed to make the playoffs, it is the Larry Brown-led Charlotte Bobcats.
Point Guard. Roma
Similar to how Jerryd Bayless fell to Indiana's slot last season, Jennings could experience a similar slide. This time, Indiana looks like they would welcome a young, talented point guard.
Point Guard. Wake Forest
Teague might not be Rajon Rondo in waiting, but if he falls much further than this, there could be a similar revisionist history to 2006.
Guard/Forward. USC
DeRozan can go as high as nine to the Raptors and this represents his basement. Just on the edge of the lottery represents his appropriate value and expectations on his true potential.
Power Forward. Pittsburgh
The Nets, Bobcats, Pacers and Pistons could all grab Blair ahead of Chicago, who have been searching for their low post solution for what seems like an eternity. Blair would fit in nicely and his defensive liabilities will be negated by the help defense of Noah and Tyrus Thomas, if the latter remains in Chicago.
Point Guard. North Carolina
Lawson should be able to run the point immediately for Philadelphia and his improved perimeter shot would be a welcomed addition as well.
Combo Forward. Gonzaga
Daye is probably the purest shooter in the draft and when the purest shooter is nearly a seven-footer, there is a lot to like and plenty of time to wait for that physical development to catch up with everything else. Minnesota can afford to wait on that for a player that should be in the top-5 on the offensive end when this draft is called upon six/seven years from now.
Shooting Guard. Louisville
Williams is one of my favorite players in this draft, but he is neither a true point guard or a true shooting guard and his perimeter shot needs a lot of work. Being paired with Joe Johnson could create a similar to situation for Atlanta as when Ron Harper was Michael Jordan's running mate.
Power Forward. North Carolina
There is too much first round smoke surrounding Tyler Hansbrough for me to keep out of this slot. Utah will almost certainly lose either Boozer or Millsap and will need to replace him via the draft and it is a lean crop at the power forward position.
Center. Ohio State
The Hornets need immediate help before Chris Paul eventually lose it on the front office and it will be a long time before he can execute in games the way he can when working out against phantom defenders. But Paul has a way of suddenly making 7-footers with athleticism into dangerous finishers.
Point Guard. VCU
Given Maynor's versatility at either guard position and what he will be expected to do in Dallas, he will be an excellent fit and is likely to have a similar kind of immediate rookie impact as Courtney Lee had in Orlando.
Small Forward. Maccabi Tel Aviv
The Kings have a great history of tall European scorers in Peja and Hedo; Casspi will follow in that tradition and given how he is much more athletic, he could even have a more productive all-around career.
Small Forward. Georgetown
The Blazers are unlikely to stay put at 24, but in terms of getting some toughness and someone who can mix it up inside, Summers represents that perfectly for the KP. His skill level is underrated and though he is a need based pick, this will be considered a steal for Portland.
Point Guard. Florida
Calathes is a pure point guard and would complement Russell Westbrook whenever they share floor time in the backcourt.
Point Guard. St. Mary's
The Bulls are eager to find a point guard that can allow Rose to sometimes play off the ball and Mills would be a perfect fit for that role. He is explosive off the dribble and should be one of the game's better spot-up shooter. When Mills and Rose are on the floor together, opposing team's will need highly athletic defenders at both guard positions.
Shooting Guard. North Carolina
Ellington isn't going to be an NBA starter at shooting guard, but he is the kind of off the bench player a lot of teams would like to have at their disposal.
Point Guard. UCLA
Minnesota is far from set at point guard and having a steady general who will be elite defensively represents a great addition for a team without a real identity. With that said, it is unlikely Minnesota will still have this pick when the night is over.
Small Forward. Arizona
Budinger has gone from projected lottery pick as a freshman to being on the cusp of the second round in a less than spectacular draft. He would fare much better if he ended up on an established playoff team where he could slide into a supporting role.
Shooting Guard. LSU
The Cavaliers need some help up front, but they also need some dynamic shotmaking from the wing and Thornton would provide that. Similar to the way LeBron maximizes the value of players like Delonte West and Mo Williams, Thornton is good enough to take advantage of that type of situation.
Second Round
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Point Guard. Florida State
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Point Guard. Cholet
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Power Forward. USC
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Small Forward. Pittsburgh
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Power Forward. Arizona State
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Combo Forward. Spain
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Small Forward. Sweeden
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Point Guard. France
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Shooting Guard. Central Florida
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Power Forward. Gonzaga
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Shooting Guard. Syracuse
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Combo Forward. Missouri
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Combo Forward. Xavier
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Point Guard. Gonzaga
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Power Forward. St. Joseph's
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Forward/Center. Netherlands
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Small Forward. N.C. State
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Combo Forward. Memphis
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Power Forward. Texas
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Shooting Guard. Temple
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Small Forward. North Carolina
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Power Forward. Georgia Tech
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Point Guard. UConn
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Point Guard. Boston College
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Small Forward. Australia
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Shooting Guard. Kentucky
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Shooting Guard. Alabama
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Power Forward. UConn
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Power Forward. LSU
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Combo Guard. Miami
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