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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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6/24 - Final Mock Draft

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  • 6/24 - Final Mock Draft

    Nearly Every Pick Now Up for Grabs

    By Chad Ford
    ESPN Insider

    Chat with NBA Insider Chad Ford, 1 p.m. ET

    The warning shots have been fired, but the full cannon blasts might be coming today.

    Two big trades went down Wednesday night, dramatically altering the face of the 2004 NBA draft (7 p.m. ET, ESPN). However, numerous NBA sources claim Wednesday was only the beginning. Almost every pick in the first round is up for grabs right now.

    "I've never seen the trade-talk activity so hot," one GM said. "I think there is going to be a record number of trades (Thursday) night."

    What has happened and what will happen? Here's Insider's take and our updated mock draft -- at least as they stand some eight hours before the first pick.

    The Bulls acquired the Suns' No. 7 pick Wednesday, giving them two picks in the top 10. The team was talking to numerous teams Wednesday night in an effort to deal at least one of those picks for a veteran or two.

    Who's interested? The Pacers are talking about sending Al Harrington to the Bulls for the No. 7 pick. With it, the Pacers would select Luke Jackson.

    The Celtics and Sonics were talking to the Bulls about the No. 3 pick. There's talk the Bulls could swap Tyson Chandler, Jerome Williams and the No. 3 to Seattle for Ray Allen and the No. 12.

    The Heat and Rockets aren't out of the hunt, either. Miami is offering the No. 19, Caron Butler and Eddie Jones for Chandler, Williams, Pippen and the No. 3. The Rockets have talked to the Bulls about a swap of either No. 3 or No. 7 for Cuttino Mobley. This could be part of a three-way deal with the Magic for Tracy McGrady (with the pick going to Orlando), or it could just be the Rockets moving up in the draft and gaining assets to sweeten the pot for the Magic.

    The Mavericks moved into the lottery by swapping Antawn Jamison for the Wizards' No. 5 pick, Jerry Stackhouse and Christian Laettner. Washington badly wanted out of the first round, preferring to get an experienced player in return. While Jamison is awfully expensive for what he produces, the deal is a good one for the Wizards. They dumped two bad contracts and picked up a guy capable of scoring 25 points per game.

    Dallas' move into the top five has created enormous speculation that the team plans to move the pick to the Lakers or another team as they try to collect assets to trade for Shaquille O'Neal. However, with Mark Cuban claiming he won't trade Dirk Nowitzki, I think the debate is pointless. The Lakers won't trade Shaq to the Mavs unless Nowitzki is included.

    So, who will the Mavericks take at No. 5? My hunch says it's Pavel Podkolzine. I was with Donnie Nelson in Italy when Pavel played at the Reebok Eurocamp. He impressed everyone there, but no one more than Nelson. The Mavs need someone big and tough. If they can't get Shaq, they might make a run at Erick Dampier (who just announced he'll opt out of his contract) in free agency. With all the assets the Mavs have, surely they can work out a sign-and-trade with the Warriors that makes sense. If not, Dampier still may be lured by the mid-level exception. Podkolzine is the perfect young player to put in his place.

    What else is going on? The mock draft has the answers:

    1. ORLANDO MAGIC

    Dwight Howard
    SW ATLANTA CHRISTIAN H.S. | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-10¼ | WEIGHT: 240 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    Magic GM John Weisbrod remains tight-lipped about who he's selecting. Okafor's agent, Jeff Schwartz, and Howard's agent, Aaron Goodwin, told Insider on Wednesday they still were waiting to hear from the Magic. There is a definite split in the Magic front office. However, over the past two days it appears Howard has gained a slight edge. With the direction the Magic are going, they feel more comfortable with the fact that Howard would need more time to develop. The fact they have concerns, however minor, about Okafor's back also factors into the decision. After the Grant Hill fiasco, they are understandably a little sensitive on the subject of injuries.

    Alternative pick: Emeka Okafor.

    2. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

    Emeka Okafor
    CONNECTICUT | JUNIOR | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-10 | WEIGHT: 257 | AGE: 21
    Insider scouting report

    GM Bernie Bickerstaff is doing backflips if Okafor falls to him here, because the Bobcats prefer Okafor to Howard. Bickerstaff is old school. He likes tough players with heart and experience. Okafor is a great young face for the franchise. If Howard falls here, they'll take him and still be happy. But Okafor is Bernie's guy.

    Alternative pick: Dwight Howard.

    3. CHICAGO BULLS

    Ben Gordon
    CONNECTICUT | JUNIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-2¼ | WEIGHT: 192 | AGE: 21
    Insider scouting report

    Word around the league is Chicago will take Gordon here. But be careful what you believe. The Bulls fooled everyone last year when they selected Kirk Hinrich at No. 7. Could they do it again? GM John Paxson wants impact players and believes Gordon has the best chance of being one next season. How a Gordon-Hinrich backcourt will fare is anyone's guess. The Bulls also have a strong affinity for Andre Iguodala. He's a tough backcourt defender who appears, on paper, to be a better long-term fit with Hinrich.

    However, there also is a lot of talk the Bulls are looking to trade this pick. Shaun Livingston also is a possibility here. Several teams have been trying to move up to get him, and the Bulls might be willing to facilitate a trade. The Pacers, Sonics, Sixers and Celtics have been aggressively pursuing a high lottery pick. The Bulls, who are in the market for veterans, are talking about scenarios that would bring Al Harrington or Paul Pierce to Chicago.

    Alternative picks: Andre Iguodala, Luol Deng, Shaun Livingston.

    4. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

    Shaun Livingston
    PEORIA H.S. (ILL.) | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-7½ | WEIGHT: 186 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    Among the top 10, this may be the toughest pick to project. L.A. wants a point guard, and Livingston is the best prospect on the board. But Devin Harris is the most NBA-ready, and Gordon, if he's still on the board, is the most NBA-ready, period. The word is coach Mike Dunleavy prefers Harris or Gordon to Livingston. However, the Clippers' brass knows, in the long run, Livingston could be the best player in the draft. If Harris or Gordon goes here, you know Dunleavy has some serious juice. If it's Livingston, Dunleavy's hold on the Clips isn't as strong as folks believe. This is a real toss-up between these three.

    Alternative picks: Ben Gordon, Devin Harris.

    5. DALLAS MAVERICKS

    Pavel Podkolzine
    RUSSIA | CENTER
    HEIGHT: 7-5 | WEIGHT: 300 | AGE: 19
    Insider scouting report

    Clearly the first preference is to move this pick to L.A. as part of a deal to land Shaquille O'Neal. However, with Mark Cuban claiming he won't trade Dirk Nowitzki, and with ESPN.com colleague Marc Stein reporting the Lakers won't trade with Dallas without getting Nowitzki, where does that leave us? I believe Stein. I don't think the Mavs can get Shaq without giving up Dirk.

    Mavericks president Donnie Nelson loves Podkolzine. I was with him in Italy when Nelson got his first chance to get on the floor and put Pavel through a workout, and that was before Dallas even owned a first-round pick. Nelson fell hard for the kid. Some people claim this is too high to take him, but that's nonsense -- if you like him, take him. There's no guarantee he'll be on the board lower. Toronto will look at him at No. 8. Golden State at No. 11. Seattle at No. 12. Utah with either No. 14 or No. 16. If he's the guy the Mavs' want, and this was the spot they could work a deal to trade into, take him.

    With that said, one source in Dallas said Wednesday night that Livingston definitely was in the mix here, as well, should he still be on the board. Livingston has enormous trade value and could facilitate another deal down the road.

    Alternative pick: Shaun Livingston.

    6. ATLANTA HAWKS

    Josh Childress
    STANFORD | JUNIOR | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-7¼ | WEIGHT: 196 | AGE: 20
    Insider scouting report

    Another tough call. I've been told the Hawks are all over the board here. Why does Childress get the nod? According to sources, GM Billy Knight has taken a liking to him. He believes Childress has the versatility to play multiple positions. If Childress doesn't get picked here, he could free-fall. If Livingston were available here, they'd have to give him a serious look. Iguodala, Deng and Josh Smith also are possibilities, in that order.

    Alternative picks: Livingston, Iguodala, Deng, Smith, Harris.

    7. CHICAGO BULLS

    Luke Jackson
    OREGON | SENIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 212 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    The Bulls really like Jackson here. However, they may not be keeping this pick. The Pacers may be targeting the Bulls here in an effort to get Jackson. Larry Bird loves him, and he makes some sense in Indiana. A trade of Al Harrington for Pippen and the No. 7 works under the cap. If the Bulls keep the pick, they'll face a tough decision between Jackson and Deng or Iguodala, two guys they really like. Jackson brings the offense. Iguodala brings the defense. Deng is something in between. Depending what they do at No. 3, one may make more sense than the other.

    Alternative picks: Iguodala, Deng, Childress.

    8. TORONTO RAPTORS

    Devin Harris
    WISCONSIN | JUNIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-3 | WEIGHT: 170 | AGE: 20
    Insider scouting report

    This is a best-case scenario for Toronto. They could use a point guard, and Harris is the most NBA-ready point in the draft. Luol Deng and Jameer Nelson also are under consideration here, but if Harris is on the board, he's a slam dunk.

    Alternative picks: Jameer Nelson, Luke Jackson, Luol Deng, Josh Childress, Rafael Araujo.

    9. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

    Luol Deng
    DUKE | FRESHMAN | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 220 | AGE: 19
    Insider scouting report

    Another slam dunk. Philly has been talking about moving up into the top three to get their hands on Deng. Under this scenario, though, he falls into their laps at No. 9. The Hawks at No. 6, the Bulls at No. 7 and the Raptors at No. 8 all seriously would consider Deng. However, his stock appears to be slipping a bit based on fears that his rawness and lack of athleticism will keep him from being the impact player many thought he would be.

    If Deng is off the board, the Sixers will focus on three players -- Iguodala, Josh Smith and Andris Biedrins. Biedrins is the most interesting name of the three. He refused to work out for Philly, however, the team is very high on him.

    Alternative picks: Iguodala, Josh Smith, Andris Biedrins.

    10. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

    Andre Iguodala
    ARIZONA | SOPHOMORE | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-6¾ | WEIGHT: 217 | AGE: 19
    Insider scouting report

    This is Jim Paxson's dream scenario. They love Iguodala, and he'd be a great fit alongside LeBron James. His ball-handling ability could give the Cavs the biggest backcourt in the NBA. However, Iguodala obviously isn't a lock to be here. He could go as high as No. 3 and will get consideration at Nos. 6, 7 and 9. If he's off the board, Kirk Snyder could be the pick. He's a lot like Iguodala, but doesn't have quite the upside.

    Alternative picks: Robert Swift, Kirk Snyder, Luke Jackson.

    11. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

    Andris Biedrins
    LATVIA | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-10 | WEIGHT: 235 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    The Warriors made a promise to Biedrins a few weeks ago. So, if he's here, they have to take him. If he's off the board, the Warriors may opt for high school center Robert Swift, who has been rising on everyone's draft boards by ... doing nothing. He hasn't worked out for anyone, and yet his stock has risen every week. At one time he was supposed to be the 25th pick in the draft. Now some teams claim he's a lock for the top 10. The Celtics are trying to move up to get him. This may be where they have to go.

    Alternative picks: Swift, Podkolzine.

    12. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS

    Al Jefferson
    PRENTISS H.S. (MISS.) | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-9¾ | WEIGHT: 263 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    This is a bit of a surprise. After hearing for weeks the Sonics were trying to decide between Luke Jackson and Kirk Snyder, it appears Jefferson has moved to the top of their list. The Sonics drafted Nick Collison, who plays the same position. However, Jefferson is likely a few years away, so there won't be a big-time crunch right now.

    Robert Swift and Snyder also are options here. The Sonics are looking at moving Ray Allen, and Snyder would be a nice replacement. The Sonics may also explore trading down with Utah. The Jazz want to get up to No. 12 to ensure the player they want is still on the board. They're offering No. 16 and No. 21 to the Sonics in an effort to get it done.

    Alternative picks: Jackson, Swift, Snyder.

    13. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

    Kirk Snyder
    NEVADA | JUNIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-6¾ | WEIGHT: 228 | AGE: 21
    Insider scouting report

    The Blazers are looking for a few swing players who can contribute immediately, and Snyder is the best player left on the board. They may be tempted to take Sebastian Telfair here, fearing he may not be on the board when they draft again at No. 22. But the chances of that happening are slim. They're better off with Sndyer, anyway.

    Alternative picks: Telfair, Swift, Sergey Monya.

    14. UTAH JAZZ

    Sergey Monya
    RUSSIA | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 220 | AGE: 20
    Insider scouting report

    The Jazz will have to decide between Monya and Swift here. They love both players and know that whoever they don't select will be nabbed by the Celtics with the next pick. While Swift appears to have a huge upside, Monya is the safer pick. He's the most NBA-ready Euro in the draft and just so happens to be close friends with Andrei Kirilenko. Given that the Jazz just lost Aleksandar Pavlovic, this makes a ton of sense.

    Alternative picks: Rafael Araujo, Swift, Podkolzine.

    15. BOSTON CELTICS

    Robert Swift
    BAKERSFIELD H.S. (CALIF.) | CENTER
    HEIGHT: 7-1 | WEIGHT: 260 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    Danny Ainge breathes a huge sigh of relief here. The Celtics have been rumored to be after Swift for months and may be the team responsible for keeping him from working out with other teams. They believe he won't fall this low, but given the current shake-ups, Swift dropping here is a possibility. If the Jazz select him, Boston likely will grab Monya. If both guys are off the board, BYU's Araujo or Minnesota's Kris Humphries likely are the next guys on the Celtics' list.

    Alternative picks: Monya, Humphries, Araujo.

    16. UTAH JAZZ

    Rafael Araujo
    BYU | SENIOR | CENTER
    HEIGHT: 6-11 | WEIGHT: 280 | AGE: 23
    Insider scouting report

    The Jazz need a center, and if Swift is off the board, Araujo makes the most sense here. Araujo is ready to contribute right away. He's tough and plays with passion. He'll be a Jerry Sloan favorite. His only real competition comes from Kris Humphries. The Jazz were blown away with Humphries' workout, and he'd be a great fit too. They'll cross their fingers that he's still on the board at No. 21.

    Alternative picks: Humphries, J.R. Smith, Josh Smith.

    17. ATLANTA HAWKS

    Josh Smith
    OAK HILL ACADEMY | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-8¼ | WEIGHT: 221 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    This is a tough call for the Hawks. They already took one swingman at No. 6. Do they do it again at No. 17? Smith is a steal if he falls this low, and given his local ties, the Hawks have to go with the best player on the board. Childress has the ability to play the two. Smith, with more time and strength, also could play some four. Humphries will be a big temptation here. He fills a need at the four and looks like he's ready to play now. Also, don't sell Viktor Khryapa short. The Hawks like him and can stash him overseas if they want.

    Alternative picks: Humphries, Jameer Nelson, Viktor Khryapa.

    18. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

    J.R. Smith
    ST. BENEDICT PREP (N.J.) | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-6¾ | WEIGHT: 227 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    The Hornets would like to address a need at the two, and Smith may be the most NBA-ready high school player in the draft. His deep shooting and huge hops will be be popular in New Orleans. A Smith-Baron Davis backcourt could be terrific down the road. They also like Nelson and Humphries, but neither player has the upside of Smith.

    Alternative picks: Nelson, Humphries, Sasha Vujacic.

    19. MIAMI HEAT

    Kris Humphries
    MINNESOTA | FRESHMAN | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-9½ | WEIGHT: 238 | AGE: 20
    Insider scouting report

    This is another tough call for Miami. Pat Riley loves Jameer Nelson and has a need at the point. However, the Heat really could use some more size, especially an athletic kid like Humphries who can score with his back to the basket. Brian Grant spends most of his time at center, and Lamar Odom isn't really a four. This will be a tough one, but the edge goes to the kid with the size -- Humphries.

    Alternative pick: Nelson.

    20. DENVER NUGGETS

    Dorell Wright
    SOUTH KENT PREP (CT) | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 215 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    There's no one left on the board that makes perfect sense for Denver. They hope one of the Smiths or Snyder falls to them. But that's unlikely to happen. The choice is between Wright and Kevin Martin. Wright has the bigger upside, but Martin, one of the top scorers in the NCAA last year, is more ready to step in and play now. I think the Nuggets are forward-looking enough to take Wright, but there are people in Denver pushing for Martin. Neither pick would surprise me.

    Alternative picks: J.R. Smith, Kevin Martin, Vujacic, Anderson Varejao.

    21. UTAH JAZZ

    Jameer Nelson
    SAINT JOSEPH'S | SENIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-0½ | WEIGHT: 199 | AGE: 23
    Insider scouting report

    Utah wanted Humphries to fall. But if he's gone, look for them to nab Nelson here. Several teams are talking to the Jazz about trading up to 21 and one, the Pistons, loves Nelson. If Nelson still is on the board, expect a deal to go down. The Jazz also like Varejao and could pick him and leave him in Europe for another year.

    Alternative picks: Varejao, Humphries

    22. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

    Sebastian Telfair
    LINCOLN H.S. (BROOKLYN, N.Y.) | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 5-11 | WEIGHT: 170 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    All the rumors of a Blazers' promise to Telfair appear to be true. Besides, Mo Cheeks loves him. If they believe he's going to be off the board before 22, they may use the No. 13 pick to grab him. If that happens, Western Carolina's Kevin Martin could be the guy here.

    Alternative picks: None.

    23. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

    Anderson Varejao
    BRAZIL | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-10 | WEIGHT: 230 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    Look for the Blazers to take an international prospect with this pick and keep him overseas. They don't need three rookies on their roster. Of the group that's left, FC Barcelona's Varejao has the most upside. If he's off the board, Ramos and Khryapa will get a look. There's also a rumor floating around the Blazers may have promised this pick to Ha Seung Jin.

    Alternative picks: Peter John Ramos, Viktor Khryapa, Ha Seung Jin.

    24. BOSTON CELTICS

    Kevin Martin
    WESTERN CAROLINA | JUNIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 185 | AGE: 21
    Insider scouting report

    The Celtics take a beating here. They like Wright and Varejao, and both are off the board. Martin has impressed several teams in workouts. He has great size and athleticism for his position, and he knows how to score.

    Alternative picks: Khryapa, Vujacic.

    25. BOSTON CELTICS

    Peter John Ramos
    PUERTO RICO | CENTER
    HEIGHT: 7-3¼ | WEIGHT: 266 | AGE: 19
    Insider scouting report

    The Celtics like Ramos, but, given that they landed Robert Swift earlier in our mock, they probably would use him as trade bait if they picked him here. They don't want three first-round picks, and there are enough teams below them who like Ramos to make a pick like this a slam dunk.

    Alternative pick: Khryapa.

    26. SACRAMENTO KINGS

    Donta Smith
    SOUTHEASTERN ILLINOIS CC | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 230 | AGE: 20
    Insider scouting report

    Putting Smith here may be old news. The Kings like him, but he's been rumored here so long, is he really the pick? It's believed this pick is down to Smith or Beno Udrih, who has been in to visit twice and has the Kings intrigued. Ricky Minard is the sleeper. A few people in the Kings' front office have been on the bandwagon lately. He's an interesting pick -- think of a Ronald Muray clone.

    Alternative picks: Khryapa, Martin, Ricky Minard, Beno Udrih.

    27. LOS ANGELES LAKERS

    Sasha Vujacic
    SLOVENIA | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 210 | AGE: 19
    Insider scouting report

    Vujacic impressed scouts with his phenomenal shooting touch and extra 15 pounds of muscle in workouts in Chicago. He's not a pure point guard and not the quickest guy in the world, but the way the Lakers play (as long as they keep Shaquille O'Neal, that is) he'll be a great fit, planting himself on the NBA 3-point line and waiting for Shaq to kick it out.

    Alternative picks: David Harrison, Kevin Martin, Jackson Vroman.

    28. SAN ANTONIO SPURS

    Viktor Khryapa
    RUSSIA | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-9 | WEIGHT: 235 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    The Spurs are shopping this pick. If a team like Memphis or Detroit gets here, a totally different player may be taken. If the Spurs keep it, look for them to take a Euro to stash. They love Varejao, but it looks like Khryapa will be the guy who falls. He's a good fit for the Spurs.

    Alternative picks: Varejao, Harrison, Tony Allen.

    29. INDIANA PACERS

    Beno Udrih
    SLOVENIA | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-4 | WEIGHT: 185 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    The Pacers obviously are trying to move up into the lottery to get Shaun Livingston or Luke Jackson. If they stay here, they're crossing their fingers Ramos may fall. If he doesn't, it will come down to Delonte West and Udrih. Udrih is older and more established at the point, so look for them to go that direction.

    Alternative picks: Ramos, Delonte West, Harrison.

    Second Round

    If you think projecting the first round was hard, try reading the minds of NBA personnel guys when it comes to the second round. Most teams have no room for second-round picks on their roster, meaning many of them tend to be meaningless.

    To preserve some value in the second, many teams like to take international players to stash overseas for a few years. Lately though, many of them, including Mehmet Okur, Manu Ginobili, Marko Jaric and Gordan Giricek, have started to pan out.

    Here's our first stab at what the second round might look like:

    30. ORLANDO MAGIC

    David Harrison
    COLORADO | CENTER
    HEIGHT: 7-0 | WEIGHT: 260 | AGE: 21
    Insider scouting report

    He's a great pick in the second round. The Magic need a center, and Harrison is an absolute steal here.


    31. PHOENIX SUNS

    Trevor Ariza
    UCLA | FRESHMAN | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-8¼ | WEIGHT: 201 | AGE: 20
    Insider scouting report

    Ariza had a great workout for the Suns. Some feel he'd be a lottery pick had he stayed in school an extra year or two.


    32. WASHINGTON WIZARDS

    Jackson Vroman
    IOWA STATE | CENTER
    HEIGHT: 6-11 | WEIGHT: 226 | AGE: 23
    Insider scouting report

    With Christian Laettner gone, they need size. Vroman was awesome in the predraft camps.


    33. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

    Delonte West
    SAINT JOSEPH'S | JUNIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-2¾ | WEIGHT: 183 | AGE: 21
    Insider scouting report

    If he can turn himself into a point guard, he's the steal of the second round.


    34. ATLANTA HAWKS

    Ha Seung Jin
    SOUTH KOREA | CENTER
    HEIGHT: 7-3 | WEIGHT: 325 | AGE: 19
    Insider scouting report


    The Hawks need size, and the big fella has plenty of that.


    35. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS

    Andre Brown
    DEPAUL | SENIOR | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-9½ | WEIGHT: 245 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    He's a great athlete and has the size to play the four. Could be a decent spark off the bench.


    36. ORLANDO MAGIC

    Antonio Burks
    MEMPHIS | SENIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-0 | WEIGHT: 195 | AGE: 23
    Insider scouting report

    Burks is a good athlete with an NBA body. The former Conference player of the year would be a nice pickup in the backcourt for Orlando.


    37. ATLANTA HAWKS

    Albert Miralles
    SPAIN | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-11 | WEIGHT: 220 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    The Hawks have two first-round and three second-round picks, so they're going to need to send several of these guys overseas. Miralles was one of the stars of the Reebok Eurocamp -- a big, active four with a nose for the ball.


    38. CHICAGO BULLS

    Tony Allen
    OKLAHOMA STATE | SENIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-4¼ | WEIGHT: 214 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    Allen was one of the best on-the-ball defenders in college basketball. He got consideration in the first round, so he's a nice pick up here.


    39. TORONTO RAPTORS

    Nigel Dixon
    WESTERN KENTUCKY | SENIOR | CENTER
    HEIGHT: 6-11 | WEIGHT: 325 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    The Raptors need size in the worst way, and Dixon is brimming with that.


    40. BOSTON CELTICS

    Sergei Lishouk
    UKRAINE | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-11 | WEIGHT: 232 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    With three first-round picks, the Celtics use their second-rounder on a Euro they can stash overseas for a few years. Lishouk is high on several teams' radar screens, but an injury at the pre-draft camp sunk his stock a bit.


    41. SEATTLE SUPERSONICS

    Viktor Sanikidze
    GEORGIA | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-8 | WEIGHT: 196 | AGE: 18
    Insider scouting report

    He's one of the few young Euros still in the draft without a guarantee. Scouts claim he's got a great perimeter game and will hit the boards on occasion. The Sonics will leave him in Europe.


    42. ORLANDO MAGIC

    Christian Drejer
    F.C. BARCELONA | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-9¼ | WEIGHT: 210 | AGE: 21
    Insider scouting report

    At one point, Drejer was considered a lottery pick. He eventually could be an answer for them at the three.


    43. NEW YORK KNICKS

    Ricky Minard
    MOREHEAD STATE | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-4¼ | WEIGHT: 198 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    He's moving up the charts. A good athlete who can defend and score from either position in the backcourt.


    44. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

    Romain Sato
    XAVIER | SENIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-3½ | WEIGHT: 204 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    Big-time athlete with long arms and great defensive skills.


    45. CHARLOTTE HORNETS

    Andre Emmett
    TEXAS TECH | SENIOR | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-4½ | WEIGHT: 216 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    Athletic two guard defends, knows how to score and is improving his jumper.


    46. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

    Mo Ke
    CHINA | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-10 | WEIGHT: 230 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    A pretty good prospect out of China who won't be allowed to come to the U.S. for a few years. The Blazers have the time to wait on him.


    47. MIAMI HEAT

    Vassilis Spanoulis
    GREECE | POINT GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-4 | WEIGHT: 188 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    A sleeper who could sneak up even higher. The Pistons, Blazers, Rockets and Kings are all high on him. As far as point guard prospects go, he's better than many of the Americans.


    48. SACRAMENTO KINGS

    Misan Nikagbatse
    GERMANY | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-4¾ | WEIGHT: 223 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    Former German national team point guard has great size and athleticism for a combo guard. Kings can stash him overseas for another year or two.


    49. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

    Zbigniew Bialek
    POLAND | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-9 | WEIGHT: 245 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    An athletic forward who can run the floor or set up for open 3s. The Grizzlies and several other teams have had their eye on him for a while. With such a full roster, they can stash Bialek overseas for another year or two.


    50. DALLAS MAVERICKS

    Simas Jasaitis
    LITHUANIA | SMALL FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 192 | AGE: 22

    A big time scorer from Lithuania. Don't forget the Dallas-Lithuanian connection. He'll stay in Europe.


    51. NEW JERSEY NETS

    Tim Pickett
    FLORIDA STATE | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-4¼ | WEIGHT: 207 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    The Nets need perimeter shooting in the worst way, and Pickett has the best stroke of anyone left on the board.


    52. SAN ANTONIO SPURS

    Lionel Chalmers
    XAVIER | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-0 | WEIGHT: 180 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    Made a name for himself in the NCAA Tournament. A good playmaker who can score when his team needs him to.


    53. MIAMI HEAT

    Luca Garri
    ITALY | POWER FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-9 | WEIGHT: 181 | AGE: 22

    Interesting big man who really started coming on before an injury.


    54. DETROIT PISTONS

    Marko Jovanovic
    SERBIA | CENTER
    HEIGHT: 7-0 | WEIGHT: 220 | AGE: 22

    Once considered one of the top young players in Serbia. Has been stuck on a bad team in Germany. Not a bad guy.


    55. HOUSTON ROCKETS

    Chris Duhon
    DUKE | POINT GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-1½ | WEIGHT: 193 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    Duhon's poor performance in Chicago hurt his stock, but his experience and toughness would be a nice fit in the Houston backcourt, especially if Steve Francis and/or Cuttino Mobley are traded.


    56. LOS ANGELES LAKERS

    Bryant Matthews
    VIRGINIA TECH | SENIOR | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-7 | WEIGHT: 206 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    Athletic forward is a bit undersized, but does everything well.


    57. SAN ANTONIO SPURS

    Nick Jacobson
    UTAH | GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-4 | WEIGHT: 206 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    Another sharpshooter out of the Steve Kerr mold.


    58. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

    Blake Stepp
    GONZAGA | SENIOR | POINT GUARD
    HEIGHT: 6-4 | WEIGHT: 194 | AGE: 20
    Insider scouting report

    Was one of the best 3-point shooters in college last year. Can play the point, which will be attractive to Minnesota.


    59. INDIANA PACERS

    James Lloreda
    LSU | SENIOR | FORWARD
    HEIGHT: 6-8½ | WEIGHT: 247 | AGE: 22
    Insider scouting report

    A big bruser who can rebound and defend.
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