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The Rules of Pacers Digest

Hello everyone,

Whether your are a long standing forum member or whether you have just registered today, it's a good idea to read and review the rules below so that you have a very good idea of what to expect when you come to Pacers Digest.

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Why do we do this? So that it's more difficult for spammers (be they human or robot) to post, and so users who are banned cannot immediately re-register and start dousing people with verbal flames.

Below are the rules of Pacers Digest. After you have read them, you will have a very good sense of where we are coming from, what we expect, what we don't want to see, and how we react to things.

Rule #1

Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

"Anyone who __________ is a liar / a fool / an idiot / a blind homer / has their head buried in the sand / a blind hater / doesn't know basketball / doesn't watch the games"

"People with intelligence will agree with me when I say that __________"

"Only stupid people think / believe / do ___________"

"I can't wait to hear something from PosterX when he/she sees that **insert a given incident or current event that will have probably upset or disappointed PosterX here**"

"He/she is just delusional"

"This thread is stupid / worthless / embarrassing"

"I'm going to take a moment to point and / laugh at PosterX / GroupOfPeopleY who thought / believed *insert though/belief here*"

"Remember when PosterX said OldCommentY that no longer looks good? "

In general, if a comment goes from purely on topic to something 'ad hominem' (personal jabs, personal shots, attacks, flames, however you want to call it, towards a person, or a group of people, or a given city/state/country of people), those are most likely going to be found intolerable.

We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

Also please be aware that you will not be given a pass simply by claiming that you were 'only joking,' because quite honestly, when someone really is just joking, for one thing most people tend to pick up on the joke, including the person or group that is the target of the joke, and for another thing, in the event where an honest joke gets taken seriously and it upsets or angers someone, the person who is truly 'only joking' will quite commonly go out of his / her way to apologize and will try to mend fences. People who are dishonest about their statements being 'jokes' do not do so, and in turn that becomes a clear sign of what is really going on. It's nothing new.

In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

Rule #2

If the actions of an administrator inspire you to make a comment, criticism, or express a concern about it, there is a wrong place and a couple of right places to do so.

The wrong place is to do so in the original thread in which the administrator took action. For example, if a post gets an infraction, or a post gets deleted, or a comment within a larger post gets clipped out, in a thread discussing Paul George, the wrong thing to do is to distract from the discussion of Paul George by adding your off topic thoughts on what the administrator did.

The right places to do so are:

A) Start a thread about the specific incident you want to talk about on the Feedback board. This way you are able to express yourself in an area that doesn't throw another thread off topic, and this way others can add their two cents as well if they wish, and additionally if there's something that needs to be said by the administrators, that is where they will respond to it.

B) Send a private message to the administrators, and they can respond to you that way.

If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

Rule #3

If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

When you ignore a user, you will unfortunately still see some hints of their existence (nothing we can do about that), however, it does the following key things:

A) Any post they make will be completely invisible as you scroll through a thread.

B) The new addition to this feature: If someone QUOTES a user you are ignoring, you do not have to read who it was, or what that poster said, unless you go out of your way to click on a link to find out who it is and what they said.

To utilize this feature, from any page on Pacers Digest, scroll to the top of the page, look to the top right where it says 'Settings' and click that. From the settings page, look to the left side of the page where it says 'My Settings', and look down from there until you see 'Edit Ignore List' and click that. From here, it will say 'Add a Member to Your List...' Beneath that, click in the text box to the right of 'User Name', type in or copy & paste the username of the poster you are ignoring, and once their name is in the box, look over to the far right and click the 'Okay' button. All done!

Rule #4

Regarding infractions, currently they carry a value of one point each, and that point will expire in 31 days. If at any point a poster is carrying three points at the same time, that poster will be suspended until the oldest of the three points expires.

Rule #5

When you share or paste content or articles from another website, you must include the URL/link back to where you found it, who wrote it, and what website it's from. Said content will be removed if this doesn't happen.

An example:

If I copy and paste an article from the Indianapolis Star website, I would post something like this:

http://www.linktothearticlegoeshere.com/article
Title of the Article
Author's Name
Indianapolis Star

Rule #6

We cannot tolerate illegal videos on Pacers Digest. This means do not share any links to them, do not mention any websites that host them or link to them, do not describe how to find them in any way, and do not ask about them. Posts doing anything of the sort will be removed, the offenders will be contacted privately, and if the problem becomes habitual, you will be suspended, and if it still persists, you will probably be banned.

The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

Rule #7

Provocative statements in a signature, or as an avatar, or as the 'tagline' beneath a poster's username (where it says 'Member' or 'Administrator' by default, if it is not altered) are an unwanted distraction that will more than likely be removed on sight. There can be shades of gray to this, but in general this could be something political or religious that is likely going to provoke or upset people, or otherwise something that is mean-spirited at the expense of a poster, a group of people, or a population.

It may or may not go without saying, but this goes for threads and posts as well, particularly when it's not made on the off-topic board (Market Square).

We do make exceptions if we feel the content is both innocuous and unlikely to cause social problems on the forum (such as wishing someone a Merry Christmas or a Happy Easter), and we also also make exceptions if such topics come up with regards to a sports figure (such as the Lance Stephenson situation bringing up discussions of domestic abuse and the law, or when Jason Collins came out as gay and how that lead to some discussion about gay rights).

However, once the discussion seems to be more/mostly about the political issues instead of the sports figure or his specific situation, the thread is usually closed.

Rule #8

We prefer self-restraint and/or modesty when making jokes or off topic comments in a sports discussion thread. They can be fun, but sometimes they derail or distract from a topic, and we don't want to see that happen. If we feel it is a problem, we will either delete or move those posts from the thread.

Rule #9

Generally speaking, we try to be a "PG-13" rated board, and we don't want to see sexual content or similarly suggestive content. Vulgarity is a more muddled issue, though again we prefer things to lean more towards "PG-13" than "R". If we feel things have gone too far, we will step in.

Rule #10

We like small signatures, not big signatures. The bigger the signature, the more likely it is an annoying or distracting signature.

Rule #11

Do not advertise anything without talking about it with the administrators first. This includes advertising with your signature, with your avatar, through private messaging, and/or by making a thread or post.
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Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

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  • Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

    http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/draft...ckDraft-110517

    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Cleveland
    (via L.A. Clippers)

    Kyrie Irving
    Position: PG
    Height: 6-foot-2
    Weight: 180 pounds
    Age: 19
    School: Duke

    Analysis: What a big win for Cleveland -- it trades away Mo Williams and gets back No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving. Yes, the Cavs have Baron Davis, but he's not a big part of their future plans. Irving can come in and immediately give them a backcourt foundation to fit with J.J. Hickson and the No. 4 pick.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Minnesota


    Derrick Williams
    Position: SF
    Height: 6-8
    Weight: 241
    Age: Turns 20 on May 25
    School: Arizona



    Analysis: Minnesota GM David Kahn can breathe a sigh of relief -- we think. With Irving likely off the board, Kahn won't have to put up with all those point guard jokes. Unless, that is, he reaches for Brandon Knight or Kemba Walker here.



    I think this pick will be a three-way race among Williams, Enes Kanter and Bismack Biyombo. Of the three, Williams has the strongest pedigree and ultimately should be an upgrade over Michael Beasley. But don't be surprised if Kahn trades the pick. I'm already hearing from sources that Minnesota has told people it's very open to moving the second pick. Kahn really wants to add some veteran help to the team.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Utah
    (via New Jersey)


    Brandon Knight
    Position: PG
    Height: 6-3
    Weight: 185
    Age: 18
    School: Kentucky



    Analysis: The Jazz could go in a number of directions. They have a need at small forward (and would love it, by the way, if Derrick Williams fell to them) and at center. And while they like Devin Harris at point guard, they're not sure he's the long-term answer.



    For that reason, I think Knight has a good chance of being the pick. Knight might not have the NCAA pedigree of Kemba Walker, but he is a high-character player, has good size for the position, defends well and can really shoot.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Cleveland



    Enes Kanter
    Position: PF
    Height: 6-10
    Weight: 255
    Age: Turns 19 on May 20
    Country: Turkey



    Analysis: Few teams watched Kanter play during the past year unless they saw a Kentucky practice, so they are projecting Kanter's potential largely on the strength of a stellar performance at the 2010 Nike Hoop Summit. But if Kanter plays the way he did at the Hoop Summit and in workouts in Chicago (where I saw him for several days last week), he's a good fit for the Cavs and worthy of this pick.



    Kanter is tough, can play inside and out, rebounds the basketball and has a higher basketball IQ than most other players his age. While a bit undersized for a center, his toughness in the paint would be very welcome in Cleveland.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Toronto


    Jonas Valanciunas
    Position: PF
    Height: 6-10
    Weight: 230
    Age: 19
    Country: Lithuania

    Analysis: Many NBA scouts insist Valanciunas could be the best international player in the draft. While Raptors president Bryan Colangelo hasn't been afraid to gamble on European players in the past, there are concerns about the buyout terms of Valanciunas' contract -- some teams are skeptical that he'll be in the NBA for the next few years. Still, he appears to be the most likely choice for the Raptors.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Washington


    Kawhi Leonard
    Position: SF
    Height: 6-7
    Weight: 225
    Age: 19
    School: San Diego State



    Analysis: The Wizards changed their uniforms, and by taking Leonard, they can begin to change their image as a soft, defenseless team. Projecting Leonard this high might be a stretch for some, but looking at who's available and what the Wizards need, he's a really good fit.



    Leonard can guard multiple positions, would fill a hole at the 3, plays with a motor and toughness the Wizards often lack, and has enormous upside if he continues to improve his jump shot (he was shooting the lights out in Vegas workouts). The comps to Gerald Wallace don't seem out of order, and if his jumper truly improves, he has a chance to be really special. Pairing him with John Wall could be the start of something in Washington.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Sacramento


    Kemba Walker
    Position: PG
    Height: 6-1
    Weight: 172
    Age: 21
    School: UConn



    Analysis: As I noted in our first mock draft, the Kings have finally come to two realizations in the past year. One, Tyreke Evans isn't a point guard. Two, character and leadership matter.

    No one in college basketball showed more heart, leadership or desire to win than Walker this past season at UConn. He has his weaknesses, but he should give the Kings something they need -- a winner.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Detroit


    Tristan Thompson
    Position: PF
    Height: 6-8
    Weight: 225
    Age: 20
    School: Texas

    Analysis: Last week we had Bismack Biyombo here, but a number of GMs consider him a risky pick this high. The Pistons could still go in Biyombo's direction, but they may not need to if they fall in love with Thompson.



    Thompson isn't quite as long and bouncy as Biyombo (few players are) but is more of a proven commodity; Thompson is a terrific offensive rebounder in his own right and a much better scorer right now. Like Biyombo, he would be a perfect complement to Greg Monroe on the Pistons' front line.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Charlotte


    Bismack Biyombo
    Position: PF
    Height: 6-9
    Weight: 243
    Age: 18
    Country: Congo



    Analysis: The Bobcats are desperate for a big man who can defend the paint. Enter Biyombo. How much do we really know about him? Not much. But the Bobcats desperately need his length, athleticism, rebounding and toughness. Michael Jordan has never been afraid to take risks, and if he is sold on Biyombo, he won't be afraid to do it here either.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Milwaukee


    Alec Burks
    Position: SG
    Height: 6-6
    Weight: 195
    Age: 19
    School: Colorado

    Analysis: The Bucks are set at center and point guard but could really use help at the 2, 3 or 4 position. Of the different needs, the 2-guard position may be the most pressing. Burks still needs to improve his shooting, but he is a very athletic guard who can get to the basket.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Golden State


    Jan Vesely
    Position: PF
    Height: 6-11
    Weight: 240
    Age: 21
    Country: Czech Republic



    Analysis: The Warriors have a lot of frontcourt needs, so why Vesely? Because he could be special. He runs the floor, is explosive athletically, and could provide a running partner for Steph Curry and Monta Ellis.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Utah
    (0.7% chance of winning lottery)

    Chris Singleton
    Position: SF
    Height: 6-9
    Weight: 225
    Age: 21
    School: Florida State

    Analysis: With Andrei Kirilenko heading into free agency this summer, the Jazz are set to lose their most versatile defender. Enter Singleton. He's not the most polished offensive player in the world (sound familiar, AK-47 fans?), but his ability to guard multiple positions and his size for his position are intriguing for the Jazz. If Alec Burks is off the board here, I think they'll look seriously at Singleton.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Phoenix


    Jimmer Fredette
    Position: SG
    Height: 6-2
    Weight: 195
    Age: 22
    School: Brigham Young



    Analysis: I continue to believe Fredette would be a great option for Phoenix. His shooting ability combined with the Suns' free-flowing offense are a very good fit. Fredette's terrible defense raises concerns, but at least he is a fit on a team that has been willing to overlook Steve Nash's weakness in that area for years.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Houston


    Marcus Morris
    Position: PF
    Height: 6-9
    Weight: 235
    Age: 21
    School: Kansas



    Analysis: The Rockets traded away Shane Battier in February, and Morris wouldn't be a bad long-term replacement. His ability to stretch the floor and rebound, combined with a high basketball IQ, should be welcome in Houston.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Indiana


    Kenneth Faried
    Position: PF
    Height: 6-8
    Weight: 225
    Age: 21
    School: Morehead State

    Analysis: The Pacers' two biggest needs are an athletic guard who can create his own shot off the dribble and a long, athletic big man who can block shots and rebound. Of the guys left on the board, Faried seems to fit the latter bill the best. He is undersized for his position, but his length, explosive leaping ability and motor make up for much of that.



    The Pacers have had luck with high-energy guys like Jeff Foster and Tyler Hansbrough in the past. As they continue to try to improve on the defensive end, I think Faried would be a terrific choice.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Philadelphia


    Markieff Morris
    Position: PF/C
    Height: 6-10
    Weight: 245
    Age: 21
    School: Kansas

    Analysis: The Sixers really need a big man, and Morris, a Philly native, is the best one left on the board. Morris has a rep as a good defender, shot-blocker and rebounder, but he also proved at Kansas that he can step out and hit the 3. He's a bit rawer than his brother, but he's a good get at this point in the draft.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    New York


    Josh Selby
    Position: PG
    Height: 6-2
    Weight: 183
    Age: 20
    School: Kansas

    Analysis: GM Donnie Walsh may have made the biggest mistake of his career when he passed on a number of terrific, young but unproven point guards in 2009 so he could draft Jordan Hill. Brandon Jennings, Ty Lawson and Jrue Holiday -- and even Darren Collison, Eric Maynor and Jeff Teague -- each appears to be on his way to a long NBA career. Don't expect the Knicks to make the same mistake again.



    They've been looking long and hard at Selby for a while, thinking he'd thrive in Mike D'Antoni's system, which allows guards much more freedom than they get at Kansas. Selby has lottery talent, but a shaky résumé. It may be a risk taking him this high, but he has a very high upside.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Washington
    (via Atlanta)

    Klay Thompson
    Position: PG
    Height: 6-6
    Weight: 202
    Age: 21
    School: Washington St.

    Analysis: Nick Young is heading into free agency, and the Wizards could use another shooter in their backcourt to complement Wall. Thompson rivals Fredette as the best shooter in the draft and would be a great fit for the Wizards.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Charlotte
    (via New Orleans)

    Jordan Hamilton
    Position: SF
    Height: 6-7
    Weight: 220
    Age: 20
    School: Texas

    Analysis: Landing Hamilton here would be a steal. Not only is he a terrific shooter with size, but he may be one of the two or three best scorers in the draft. Yes, his shot selection can be a little wild, but he should be a very good fit in Charlotte as it begins the rebuilding process.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Minnesota
    (via Memphis)

    Marshon Brooks
    Position: SG
    Height: 6-5
    Weight: 190
    Age: 22
    School: Providence

    Analysis: While the Wolves are stacked with young talent at multiple positions, 2-guard has been an ongoing need for the past two years. The Wesley Johnson at the 2 experiment didn't really go well this past season -- he's been a forward his whole life and will likely stay that way.



    Enter Brooks, the second-best scorer in college basketball. Brooks' dynamic ability to create his own shot off the dribble, combined with solid shooting numbers, should be a big help to Minnesota.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Portland

    Donatas Motiejunas
    Position: PF
    Height: 7-0
    Weight: 220
    Age: 19
    Country: Lithuania

    Analysis: The Blazers have been looking for a point guard -- Reggie Jackson, Darius Morris and Nolan Smith will get a look -- but the team also needs depth on its front line. Motiejunas provides that and, at No. 21, he's a big-time bargain.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Denver


    Tobias Harris
    Position: PF
    Height: 6-8
    Weight: 226
    Age: 18
    School: Tennessee



    Analysis: Harris may be one of the more underrated players in the draft. He can play both the 3 and 4, and he has a very high basketball IQ and an NBA body. Harris doesn't do any one thing at an elite level, but he is one of the most well-rounded players in the draft.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Houston
    (via Orlando)

    Reggie Jackson
    Position: PG
    Height: 6-3
    Weight: 208
    Age: 21
    School: Boston College

    Analysis: Kyle Lowry is coming of a career year, but Jackson would give them a very different look. Jackson is a terrific athlete, has a ridiculous 7-foot wingspan and shot the lights out his junior year. He has virtually every quality you look for in a modern NBA point guard and would likely be a good complement to Lowry.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Oklahoma City


    Nikola Mirotic
    Position: SF
    Height: 6-10
    Weight: 226
    Age: 21
    Country: Serbia

    Analysis: Sam Presti is an opportunist, and he is patient -- two critical traits in a great GM. Mirotic, based on talent, is a lottery pick. But a massive buyout means he won't be playing in the NBA anytime soon. If he stays in the draft -- a big "if" at this point -- someone will gamble on him. If it's Presti, he could be getting a major steal down the road.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Boston

    Jordan Williams
    Position: C
    Height: 6-10
    Weight: 260
    Age: 20
    School: Maryland

    Analysis: The Celtics miss Kendrick Perkins, who was drafted (by Memphis) late in the first round of the 2003 draft. Williams could be another potential sleeper. He is big and physical and was one of the best rebounders in college basketball this past season. If he can stay in the sort of shape he displayed in Las Vegas, he could be a steal at this juncture in the draft.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Dallas


    Davis Bertans
    Position: SF
    Height: 6-10
    Weight: 210
    Age: 18
    Country: Latvia



    Analysis: It's unfair to compare any young European player to Dirk Nowitzki. But after watching Bertans shoot the lights out in the practices at the Nike Hoop Summit, that's how some scouts were referring to him. Bertans doesn't have Nowitzki's size or strength and looks to be a pretty serious project. But long term, he could be a really nice addition for the Mavs.





    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    New Jersey
    (via L.A. Lakers)

    Justin Harper
    Position: PF
    Height: 6-10
    Weight: 225
    Age: 21
    School: Richmond



    Analysis: Harper fits a need for New Jersey. He is big and athletic and can shoot the ball with range. After experimenting with guys like Yi Jianlian and Troy Murphy in this role over the past few years, Harper is cheaper and has more upside.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Chicago
    (via Miami)

    Tyler Honeycutt
    Position: G/F
    Height: 6-8
    Weight: 188
    Age: 20
    School: UCLA

    Analysis: The Bulls continue to look for long-term answers at the 2, and Honeycutt could be a really nice steal here if he slides this far. He not only has a great basketball IQ and the ability to handle the ball, but is also a good shooter who can stretch the defense.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    San Antonio

    Lucas Nogueira
    Position: C
    Height: 6-11
    Weight: 218
    Age: 18
    Country: Brazil

    Analysis: The Spurs have done a good job over the years of finding young international players and stashing them overseas for a few years until they are ready. Nogueira seems like another good candidate.



    He is long, athletic and a terrific shot-blocker. He just needs more experience and about 30 pounds of muscle. A few years in Europe should help prepare him.






    PICK TEAM PLAYER VITALS

    Chicago


    Charles Jenkins
    Position: SG
    Height: 6-3
    Weight: 220
    Age: 22
    School: Hofstra

    Analysis: The Bulls need scorers in their backcourt and ultimately need to find a backup for Derrick Rose at point guard. Jenkins' ability to play both backcourt positions is intriguing. He is big, strong, a very good shooter and one of the best pure scorers in the draft. He is a real sleeper.





    Next Five In: Next Five In: Nolan Smith, G, Duke; Darius Morris, PG, Michigan; Trey Thompkins, PF, Georgia; Travis Leslie, SG, Georgia; JaJuan Johnson, F, Purdue






    ESPN Insider Chad Ford
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    Last edited by Trophy; 05-17-2011, 11:21 PM.

  • #2
    Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

    Anyone think trading up to 2 could be worth it?

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    • #3
      Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

      Originally posted by PurduePacer View Post
      Anyone think trading up to 2 could be worth it?
      The only thing they'd want is Granger. Of course they could absorb some of his contract. Granger for #2 plus a few more million in cap space?

      Meh, I dunno.

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      • #4
        Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

        Nothing wrong with getting Faried in this draft. I'd rather get someone like him, who is very good at something (Rebounding), than someone who is good at nothing, but okay all around.

        I want a 'safe' pick if we don't trade it. Morris twins, Jimmer, Singleton, or Faried are fine picks by my standards. I don't know enough about Reggie Jackson to see if he's got potential as a point guard or not, so I am not going to comment.

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        • #5
          Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

          There's no way Biyombo slips past Detroit if he's still available.

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          • #6
            Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

            PS- If/when Minnesota drafts Derrick Williams, who do you like out of the following to pursue; Michael Beasley or Anthony Randolph? Any interest in either?

            I'd take Beasley for our first rounder.. The risk is worth it, in my opinion.

            Randolph for Rush/2nd rounder. Nothing more, nothing less.

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            • #7
              Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

              Faried would be a great pick for us at 15. I don't think he'll be available there, but it'd be very nice.

              Vesely at 11 would be a freakin' steal for Golden State.

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              • #8
                Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

                If Markieff Morris is there at 15th you take him.
                @WhatTheFFacts: Studies show that sarcasm enhances the ability of the human mind to solve complex problems!

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                • #9
                  Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

                  On the ESPN Cavs forum they are debating on whether or not they would trade #1 and 4 for Durant or Rose or not. Some fans would trade one but not both picks haha

                  http://boards.espn.go.com/boards/mb/...8605349&lid=13

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                  • #10
                    Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

                    personally i would like to package our 15th pick and say a player like Rush for any teams first rounder in 2012.

                    One of the weakest positions of this draft is the SG position. I think if we could package our 15th pick with Rush we could help a team address their need for depth at the 2 spot as well as give them another pick in this draft. We could move out of the 15 spot, in a weak draft, and obtain a pick for next year, in a draft loaded at the 4/5 spot.

                    Golden State Warriors - give them Rush with our 15th pick, for their 2012 pick, with maybe top 3 pick protection. They address their need to get deeper at the 2 spot and can add more depth which is much needed with the 15th pick. The Pacers get a 2nd pick in the 2012 draft which will most likely be in the 5 to 14 range, based off this years performance. The Pacers will be picking in the 5 to 14 range as well as around the 16th spot, assuming we stay the same. We could add two players in a very very very deep draft.

                    Warriors are the first team i saw but it could work with a number of teams.

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                    • #11
                      If we come out of this draft with Faried I will be ecstatic.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

                        Originally posted by BringJackBack View Post
                        PS- If/when Minnesota drafts Derrick Williams, who do you like out of the following to pursue; Michael Beasley or Anthony Randolph? Any interest in either?

                        I'd take Beasley for our first rounder.. The risk is worth it, in my opinion.

                        Randolph for Rush/2nd rounder. Nothing more, nothing less.
                        I like Randolph more then Beasley .
                        Beasley is a cronic adict & a tweener, & an under-acheiver.
                        Randolph is also an under-acheiver (so far), but has the length to lay the 4/5, I long & athletic as heck. Larry was rumored to try for him once, so I could see it again.

                        As for dealing Danny for the #2 (as suggested by another poster below)?
                        I'd want more then just the pick for Danny, & Kahn wouldn't give it.
                        "Larry Bird: You are Officially On the Clock! (3/24/08)"
                        (Watching You Like A Hawk!)

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                        • #13
                          Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

                          I'd love for us to get either of the Morris brothers. Both look to be solid NBA pros.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

                            Another undersized PF?

                            Trade it, Larry.
                            This space for rent.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Chad Ford Mock Draft 2.0

                              What about maybe trading Hibbert + 15 to Minnesota for #2 and drafting Knight or Irving? Could then trade Collison for some big help somewhere. Maybe its just my preference for a bigger PG coming out
                              "It's just unfortunate that we've been penalized so much this year and nothing has happened to the Pistons, the Palace or the city of Detroit," he said. "It's almost like it's always our fault. The league knows it. They should be ashamed of themselves to let the security be as lax as it is around here."

                              ----------------- Reggie Miller

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