Loaded draft a rarity: Uncovering impact players not a problem for GMs
Mark Murphy / Boston Herald
LeBron James? Check. Darko Milicic? Spoken for. Carmelo Anthony? Calling real estate agents in Denver, presumably.
But look out below, where there is an absolute voracious group of general managers scrambling to make sense out of what will follow in tonight's NBA draft (ESPN, 7 p.m.).
There's always been confusion at this stage, though before the international revolution took firm hold over the last two drafts with Yao Ming, Tony Parker and Pau Gasol, the puzzle was always paired with mediocrity.
Never enough talent. Never enough impact from first-round picks these days.
"Only five first-round picks made real contributions to their teams last year," said Danny Ainge, the Celtics' director of basketball operations. "And there's some who question whether Jay Williams had a good rookie year."
Painfully enough, the Chicago point guard's career may be over as the result of brutal injuries, including a fractured leg, suffered in a motorcycle accident last week.
The Bulls have subsequently revised their thinking with the seventh pick -- though it may land them in the exact same place with Marquette's Dwyane Wade -- and the draft picture is only murkier for those teams lower in the lottery.
But this time it's not because of ennui from a shallow talent pool. Indeed, with as many as 11 foreigners tagged for the first round tonight, this could potentially be the deepest NBA draft in memory.
But consider the plight of someone like New Jersey general manager Rod Thorn, who has enough to do, now that reports of Jason Kidd's dissatisfaction with coach Byron Scott have resurfaced.
While straining to keep the prized free agent in Continental Airlines Arena, Thorn also has to figure out what will fall to him with the 22nd pick. And unlike others, he's not convinced that the prize will be a player worthy of the NBA.
"We've had a lot of guys in, and few of them can play," Thorn said crustily. "A lot of guys canceled their workouts with us, or wouldn't come in, because they all felt they were going to go higher."
Like Jarvis Hayes, an exciting 6-foot-7 wing scorer from Georgia, who several mock drafts actually have going to the Celtics.
"He wouldn't come in," said Thorn. "He's getting mentioned up there now with (Mickael) Pietrus and Wade. Those guys all seem to be in the same group.
"It's all just getting jumbled right now," he said. "With two days to go you'd normally have a good fix on what's about to happen, but that's not the case.
"But if we could find another shooter, I'd love that. But you also can't ever have enough big guys."
That statement leaves Thorn, like everyone else, with about 10 different possibilities, including the knowledge that one of those guys who wouldn't come in could very easily slide into that No. 22 slot. That could mean a trip to the general manager's office.
Across the river, the Knicks are also confusing everyone, possibly including themselves. As of yesterday, they were running dual workouts with Toronto management, which has spent more time attempting to trade the No. 4 pick than settling on the best post-Big Three candidate -- largely considered to be Georgia Tech power forward Chris Bosh.
The Knicks, after spending most of the week attempting to trade up for T.J. Ford, are now said to prefer center Chris Kaman of Central Michigan. The Bulls and Heat, with the No. 5 pick, have also made attempts to trade down, thus far without success.
But if this year's rookie talent even comes close to matching expectations, then the most satisfaction may actually go to those who are the most patient, and wait for what the board produces.
"I think we're going to get a really nice player (at No. 13)," said Memphis general manager Jerry West, who has probably taken the sanest route.
He's looking for the best available basketball player, reportedly not a problem in this draft.