Could Falling Stars Wind Up With Pacers?
In some scenarios, stars like Duke's J.J Redick (L)
or UConn's Marcus Williams could be available when the Pacers pick at No. 17.
(Getty Images)
Monday, June 26, 2006
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QUESTION
OF THE DAY
Conrad Brunner
Q. Last year, somehow Danny Granger slipped all the way down to Indiana and I think everyone was surprised with his incredible fall down the draft board. Obviously, that doesn't happen every year, an incredible player slipping down all the way to the mid-section of the draft. Do you see any players' stock falling and ending up at pick No. 17 even though they are said to go higher? Players like Cedric Simmons, Ronnie Brewer, Patrick O'Bryant and Rodney Carney are all said to go higher than No. 17, but is there any chance they slip? If not, who do you see the Pacers drafting? (From Quinn in Richmond, Va.)
A. This certainly looks like a year when a prominent name or two could slide down the draft board for a variety of reasons. There is a general lack of dominant players at the top of the first round. Though the top 8-10 players are generally regarded as very strong prospects, none are considered franchise-changers, so it wouldn't be surprising for a someone selecting in that range to bypass what would appear to be the obvious choice for another player they believe has better long-term potential, or who might better fill their particular needs. And beyond that top group, a player could be selected anywhere from 14th to 40th without much of a surprise because the ratings in that range are very, very close.
The potential for volatility in this draft, then, is very high. The names you mentioned all are projected to be gone before the Pacers pick, but a couple could be on the board at No. 17. Simmons, a power forward from N.C. State, seems to be climbing. I've seen him projected as high as No. 7 overall as his athleticism and potential are captivating teams. Because he is the highest-rated pure center on the board, O'Bryant (from Bradley) also has been moving up as the draft draws nearer.
Carney, the Indianapolis native who starred at Memphis, is a highly rated talent that could slip because his skills are best-suited for a wide-open offensive team, and there aren't a lot of those in the league outside of Phoenix and Dallas.
There appear to be divided opinions of Brewer, the Arkansas swingman, and he could be a key player in the first round. Orlando (at 11) and Utah (14) both have a primary need for a shooting guard and might prefer Brewer to Duke's J.J. Redick. If that happens, Redick could slip to the Pacers.
Though I personally find it hard to believe Redick would slip that far, there is evidence to support the theory's plausibility. It's a strong draft for shooting guards, with Brandon Roy (Washington), Randy Foye (Villanova), Brewer, Carney, Thabo Sefolosha (Switzerland), Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager (both of Michigan State) and James White (Cincinnati) all first-round prospects.
Combine that with concerns over a back injury that caused Redick to fail his physical at the NBA's pre-draft camp in Orlando, as well as his recent drunken-driving arrest, and the Duke shooter could well be a falling star.
One of the most prominent and respected draft projections (by Chad Ford of ESPN.com NBA Insider) has UConn point guard Marcus Williams slipping to the Pacers at No. 17. To this point, I've not seen any other projection that offers the possibility of Williams sliding out of the lottery, but Ford's opinion must be considered.
In Ford's scenario, both Williams and Redick would be available to the Pacers. Now that would offer the Pacers a difficult decision between a pair of can't-miss prospects, which is the kind of scenario you generally don't envision with the 17th pick.
Pacers.Com
In some scenarios, stars like Duke's J.J Redick (L)
or UConn's Marcus Williams could be available when the Pacers pick at No. 17.
(Getty Images)
Monday, June 26, 2006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
QUESTION
OF THE DAY
Conrad Brunner
Q. Last year, somehow Danny Granger slipped all the way down to Indiana and I think everyone was surprised with his incredible fall down the draft board. Obviously, that doesn't happen every year, an incredible player slipping down all the way to the mid-section of the draft. Do you see any players' stock falling and ending up at pick No. 17 even though they are said to go higher? Players like Cedric Simmons, Ronnie Brewer, Patrick O'Bryant and Rodney Carney are all said to go higher than No. 17, but is there any chance they slip? If not, who do you see the Pacers drafting? (From Quinn in Richmond, Va.)
A. This certainly looks like a year when a prominent name or two could slide down the draft board for a variety of reasons. There is a general lack of dominant players at the top of the first round. Though the top 8-10 players are generally regarded as very strong prospects, none are considered franchise-changers, so it wouldn't be surprising for a someone selecting in that range to bypass what would appear to be the obvious choice for another player they believe has better long-term potential, or who might better fill their particular needs. And beyond that top group, a player could be selected anywhere from 14th to 40th without much of a surprise because the ratings in that range are very, very close.
The potential for volatility in this draft, then, is very high. The names you mentioned all are projected to be gone before the Pacers pick, but a couple could be on the board at No. 17. Simmons, a power forward from N.C. State, seems to be climbing. I've seen him projected as high as No. 7 overall as his athleticism and potential are captivating teams. Because he is the highest-rated pure center on the board, O'Bryant (from Bradley) also has been moving up as the draft draws nearer.
Carney, the Indianapolis native who starred at Memphis, is a highly rated talent that could slip because his skills are best-suited for a wide-open offensive team, and there aren't a lot of those in the league outside of Phoenix and Dallas.
There appear to be divided opinions of Brewer, the Arkansas swingman, and he could be a key player in the first round. Orlando (at 11) and Utah (14) both have a primary need for a shooting guard and might prefer Brewer to Duke's J.J. Redick. If that happens, Redick could slip to the Pacers.
Though I personally find it hard to believe Redick would slip that far, there is evidence to support the theory's plausibility. It's a strong draft for shooting guards, with Brandon Roy (Washington), Randy Foye (Villanova), Brewer, Carney, Thabo Sefolosha (Switzerland), Shannon Brown and Maurice Ager (both of Michigan State) and James White (Cincinnati) all first-round prospects.
Combine that with concerns over a back injury that caused Redick to fail his physical at the NBA's pre-draft camp in Orlando, as well as his recent drunken-driving arrest, and the Duke shooter could well be a falling star.
One of the most prominent and respected draft projections (by Chad Ford of ESPN.com NBA Insider) has UConn point guard Marcus Williams slipping to the Pacers at No. 17. To this point, I've not seen any other projection that offers the possibility of Williams sliding out of the lottery, but Ford's opinion must be considered.
In Ford's scenario, both Williams and Redick would be available to the Pacers. Now that would offer the Pacers a difficult decision between a pair of can't-miss prospects, which is the kind of scenario you generally don't envision with the 17th pick.
Pacers.Com
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