"Who's up for Pacers? Perhaps 1 of these 5 players
By Mike Wells
Mike.wells@indystar.com
Adam Morrison will be long gone. So will Brandon Roy, Tyrus Thomas and Randy Foye, all players who could provide immediate help to the Indiana Pacers.
Barring a last-minute trade, the Pacers won't be in the running for any of those lottery picks.
Whom the Pacers will pick in tonight's NBA draft is anybody's guess. With no clear-cut top choice, there's always the possibility of a shakeup that causes players to fall.
Team president Larry Bird hopes his favored mystery player is still on the board when the Pacers pick at No. 17. Bird said last week they will likely stick with their pattern of drafting players with at least three years of college experience.
The Pacers have a number of positions -- shooting guard, power forward and point guard -- they can look to draft.
Here's a look at five possible picks for the Pacers at No. 17:
Cedric Simmons
North Carolina St., PF, 6-9, 223
Simmons, who left school with two years of eligibility remaining, has been projected as high as a lottery pick and as low as No. 17 in mock drafts.
Simmons is an athletic, solid defender who could give the Pacers the frontcourt help Jermaine O'Neal spoke of at the end of the season. Simmons averaged nearly three blocks a game last season. His defensive game is ahead of his offensive game. He averaged 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds.
Rajon Rondo
Kentucky, PG, 6-1, 171
Like Simmons, Rondo could be a mid-lottery pick. Taking a point guard might raise some eyebrows; the Pacers already have three players under contract at that position. The Pacers need to get quicker at the position and Bird said they would take a point guard if he's better than what they have on the roster.
Rondo's athleticism, quickness and long arms allow him to be an exceptional perimeter defender, an area in which the Pacers struggled last season. His biggest flaw is outside shooting. Rondo made just 27 percent of his 3-pointers at Kentucky last season.
Maurice Ager
Michigan State, SG, 6-5, 203
Some consider Ager to be undersized to play shooting guard, but he makes up for it with NBA 3-point shooting range and exceptional leaping ability.
Although he's primarily a shooting guard, Ager has the ability to handle the ball. He averaged more than 19 points a game last season with the Spartans.
Alexander Johnson
Florida State, PF, 6-9, 240
Johnson is another strong, athletic defender in the post. He has a 40-inch vertical to go with his 6-9 frame. Johnson, who dealt with weight issues early in his career, has the ability to hit the midrange jump shot. He averaged 13.2 points and 7.4 rebounds during his junior season at Florida State.
Shannon Brown
Michigan State, SG, 6-4, 205
Brown has been projected to go as high as late in the lottery to deep in the first round. He is a tough, quick player who is solid on defense and has improved his jump shot.
There are questions about his position. He was primarily a shooting guard at Michigan State, but may have to switch to point guard because of his size."
Montieth adds:
"Concocting the perfect pick
They've been scouted, measured, tested and worked out like rats on a treadmill. And, wouldn't you know it, not a single one of them has turned out to be perfect.
Tonight's NBA draft will bring as much risk as opportunity for even the teams with high picks. More so than in most drafts, there are few certainties. Some players are too young and unproven. Others are a step slow. Others can't shoot. Others are too frail.
In a perfect world, however, there would be a perfect player. Someone, perhaps, who has all the best qualities of this year's draft pool:
• Shooter: J.J. Redick, Duke: Hit 42 percent of his 3-pointers as a senior. Has quick release and excellent range.
• Defender: Hassan Adams, Arizona: Freakish athlete with great work ethic and stamina, with size (6-4) to defend multiple positions.
• Jumper: Rodney Carney, Memphis: State high jump champion at Northwest High School. Now has 40-plus inch vertical.
• Speed: Rajon Rondo, Kentucky: Gets up and down the court in a flash, and penetrates at will. Had 31 assists in a prep school game for that reason.
• Competitiveness: Adam Morrison, Gonzaga: Here's where the comparisons to Larry Bird make the most sense. Averaged 28.1 points despite lack of athleticism.
• Passing: Marcus Williams, Connecticut: Shows great court awareness. Led the nation in assists last season (8.1).
• Rebounding: Shelden Williams, Duke: Only 6-9, but arm length allows him to play like 7-footer. Strong, aggressive and blocks out well. Averaged 10.7 rebounds last season.
• Shot blocking: Tyrus Thomas, LSU: Great leaping ability and timing allows him to play bigger than 6-9. Averaged 3.1 blocks last season.
-- Mark Montieth"
link: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...606280401/1088
Source: Indianapolisstar.com
Regards,
Mourning
By Mike Wells
Mike.wells@indystar.com
Adam Morrison will be long gone. So will Brandon Roy, Tyrus Thomas and Randy Foye, all players who could provide immediate help to the Indiana Pacers.
Barring a last-minute trade, the Pacers won't be in the running for any of those lottery picks.
Whom the Pacers will pick in tonight's NBA draft is anybody's guess. With no clear-cut top choice, there's always the possibility of a shakeup that causes players to fall.
Team president Larry Bird hopes his favored mystery player is still on the board when the Pacers pick at No. 17. Bird said last week they will likely stick with their pattern of drafting players with at least three years of college experience.
The Pacers have a number of positions -- shooting guard, power forward and point guard -- they can look to draft.
Here's a look at five possible picks for the Pacers at No. 17:
Cedric Simmons
North Carolina St., PF, 6-9, 223
Simmons, who left school with two years of eligibility remaining, has been projected as high as a lottery pick and as low as No. 17 in mock drafts.
Simmons is an athletic, solid defender who could give the Pacers the frontcourt help Jermaine O'Neal spoke of at the end of the season. Simmons averaged nearly three blocks a game last season. His defensive game is ahead of his offensive game. He averaged 11.8 points and 6.3 rebounds.
Rajon Rondo
Kentucky, PG, 6-1, 171
Like Simmons, Rondo could be a mid-lottery pick. Taking a point guard might raise some eyebrows; the Pacers already have three players under contract at that position. The Pacers need to get quicker at the position and Bird said they would take a point guard if he's better than what they have on the roster.
Rondo's athleticism, quickness and long arms allow him to be an exceptional perimeter defender, an area in which the Pacers struggled last season. His biggest flaw is outside shooting. Rondo made just 27 percent of his 3-pointers at Kentucky last season.
Maurice Ager
Michigan State, SG, 6-5, 203
Some consider Ager to be undersized to play shooting guard, but he makes up for it with NBA 3-point shooting range and exceptional leaping ability.
Although he's primarily a shooting guard, Ager has the ability to handle the ball. He averaged more than 19 points a game last season with the Spartans.
Alexander Johnson
Florida State, PF, 6-9, 240
Johnson is another strong, athletic defender in the post. He has a 40-inch vertical to go with his 6-9 frame. Johnson, who dealt with weight issues early in his career, has the ability to hit the midrange jump shot. He averaged 13.2 points and 7.4 rebounds during his junior season at Florida State.
Shannon Brown
Michigan State, SG, 6-4, 205
Brown has been projected to go as high as late in the lottery to deep in the first round. He is a tough, quick player who is solid on defense and has improved his jump shot.
There are questions about his position. He was primarily a shooting guard at Michigan State, but may have to switch to point guard because of his size."
Montieth adds:
"Concocting the perfect pick
They've been scouted, measured, tested and worked out like rats on a treadmill. And, wouldn't you know it, not a single one of them has turned out to be perfect.
Tonight's NBA draft will bring as much risk as opportunity for even the teams with high picks. More so than in most drafts, there are few certainties. Some players are too young and unproven. Others are a step slow. Others can't shoot. Others are too frail.
In a perfect world, however, there would be a perfect player. Someone, perhaps, who has all the best qualities of this year's draft pool:
• Shooter: J.J. Redick, Duke: Hit 42 percent of his 3-pointers as a senior. Has quick release and excellent range.
• Defender: Hassan Adams, Arizona: Freakish athlete with great work ethic and stamina, with size (6-4) to defend multiple positions.
• Jumper: Rodney Carney, Memphis: State high jump champion at Northwest High School. Now has 40-plus inch vertical.
• Speed: Rajon Rondo, Kentucky: Gets up and down the court in a flash, and penetrates at will. Had 31 assists in a prep school game for that reason.
• Competitiveness: Adam Morrison, Gonzaga: Here's where the comparisons to Larry Bird make the most sense. Averaged 28.1 points despite lack of athleticism.
• Passing: Marcus Williams, Connecticut: Shows great court awareness. Led the nation in assists last season (8.1).
• Rebounding: Shelden Williams, Duke: Only 6-9, but arm length allows him to play like 7-footer. Strong, aggressive and blocks out well. Averaged 10.7 rebounds last season.
• Shot blocking: Tyrus Thomas, LSU: Great leaping ability and timing allows him to play bigger than 6-9. Averaged 3.1 blocks last season.
-- Mark Montieth"
link: http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...606280401/1088
Source: Indianapolisstar.com
Regards,
Mourning
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