if it’s not at the same time as the other year… I think the Knicks could trade Utah their ‘10 pick and us their ’09 pick, potentially. I’d rather go for the Grizzlies or someone similar though.

Big deal.

The fact that you, me and about a million other people predicted an obvious top 3 pick would go number 1 doesn’t mean anything. He was being talked about as being a possible #1 pick in high-school.

I’m not saying that Rubio won’t go in the top 3, but I thinks it’s unlikely. His European numbers won’t look as good compared to college point guards and his Olympics performance will be a distant memory.

Again, I think he’s great, but you can’t really talk about him in the same breath as Rose. Not yet at least.

He’s basically going to cost you LaMarcus Aldridge at minimum.

I just think that’s way off base. Rubio is special, but not that special. His value is probably a little above where Bayless was at this time last year.

He needs to shoot much better for that to happen. The comparisons of him to Pistol Pete are ludicrous.

im with you. i think rubio is top 3.

they sit on the pine for 5 years waiting for their shot. He plays 30 minutes a game from day 1. When he’s 24 years old, he’ll have done enough for that 2nd contract to be larger than 3 or 4 million per year. The economic decision is pretty cut and dry to make it into the NBA as soon as possible.

stuff is really bad for that guy.

If they already have the rest in place, a guy like LMA would be the perfect add on. This draft is maybe the weakest of all time at PF after Blake Griffin. If a team needing a PF has a pick outside of the top spot (assuming Griffin goes #1), and they already have their PG and defensive C, LaMarcus Aldridge becomes just about as good a value as you’re going to get. A team like Washington, who assumes they have their long term answers at the other spots (Arenas, McGee, Butler, Young) would more than likely be willing to deal the #2 pick for LaMarcus.

2008 draft- Beasly is 42nd among power forwards with a PER of 14.3.
2007 draft- Durrant has a PER of 17.6 (same as Aldridge)
2005 draft- Marvin Williams is ranked 25th among power forwards with a PER of 16.48
2004 draft- Emeka Okafor is ranked 11th among center (behind Pryzbilla) with a PER of 18
2003 draft- Darko Milicic is ranked 54th among power forwards with a PER of 11.76
2002 draft- Jay WIlliams is out of the league.
2001 draft- Tyson Chandler has a PER of 12.7 and is ranked 34th among centers.
2000 draft- Stromile Swift is(was) terrible. He has a PER of 8.99 and is ranked 70th among power forwards.
1999 draft- Steve Francis won the slam dunk contest. That’s pretty neat.

There are only four #2 picks in the past 9 years who are on the same level as Aldridge, but none of them are a more valuable player. ALdridge is arguably the BEST 2nd overall pick since 1998. I’m going to have to revise me previous statement.

Aldridge is a #2 pick who is playing BETTER than most #2 picks.

I hope that’s true, because it could really shake things up and lead to more team based successes around the league.

Since most NBA players don’t know who any of the big Euro coaches would be, it’d have to be a special situation for it to work since the coach would be starting from scratch without the ability to rely on his reputation to get the player’s respect. They’d really have to EARN it.

Many NCAA coaches fail when trying to be NBA coaches and can’t adapt to having to treat players like men and not boys, and I wonder how a Euro coach who is used to every player doing exactly what he says would adapt to having to convince his players to do what he says, and not just expect them to do it automatically.

The Raptors, with their mix of smart guys like Bosh, Euros like Calderon and Bargnani, and guys with Euro-ball experience like Anthony Parker, seem to be the best bet for it to get a fair shot at working in the beginning… and then other teams will catch on and a mini-revolution happens.

I really do hope it’s a cool success, because mixing the Euro high-skill team-ball with the athleticism and superstars of the NBA could be an unstoppable combination.

Mortimer