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JSM
Clublakers Site Manager
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 Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:28 am Post subject: Early-Entry Withdrawal Deadline; Who's In & Who's Out |
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Updates are coming in frequently, but here's the latest...
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Draft Express: -According to Danilo Gallinari's official website:
"After some workouts and having carefully evalued any opportunity for his career, Danilo Gallinari decided to attend the 2008 NBA Draft. In this very moment Danilo and his father are in Los Angeles, waiting to be joined by the rest of the family."
Gallinari will work out for the Minnesota Timberwolves later this week, according to sources close to the situation.
-Rodrigue Beaubois- French point guard Rodrigue Beaubois will pull his name out of the draft, according to his agent Bill McCandless. Beaubois did not receive a promise in the first round, and thus preferred not to risk anything considering his excellent situation in Cholet next year. He canceled his workouts with Seattle and Cleveland. Fellow French early-entry prospect Luc Louves has withdrawn as well according to McCandless.
-Jonas Jerebko- Has withdrawn his name from the draft, according to his agent Doug Neustadt.
-C.J. Giles will keep his name in the draft, agent Bill Kent told DraftExpress.
- Chris Douglas-Roberts of Memphis will reportedly keep his name in the draft and hire agent Leon Rose.
-Ty Lawson will be returning to North Carolina, according to a source close to the situation.
-Ante Tomic is staying in the draft, according to his agent Marc Cornstein.
-Jeremy Pargo has withdrawn his name from the draft, according to a source close to the situation.
-Alexis Ajinca and Nicolas Batum will keep their name in the draft, according to agent Jeremy Medjana.
-Richard Hendrix will be keeping his name in the draft and signing with an agent, according to sources.
-Serge Ibaka will be keeping his name in the draft according to agent Andy Miller.
-Robert Vaden has decided to return to school, according to an NBA scout.
-According to Jeff Goodman of Fox Sports, Bill Walker is in, while Ron Steele, Robert Dozier and AJ Abrams are out.
-Ryan Anderson is staying in the draft, according to a source close to the situation.
-Giorgi Shermadini has pulled his name out of the draft, according to his agent Todd Ramasar.
-Lester Hudson will be returning to school, according to his friend Ruben Webber. Webber said that teams told Hudson he would be drafted anywhere from 35-50, but that he preferred not to roll the dice and instead opted to return and get his degree. In Hudson's mind, the worst-case scenario is he goes in the same range next year, and there is always the upside of being able to crack the first round of a weaker draft with his degree in hand. Tennessee-Martin will be playing stronger competition next season than they did this year, including games against Southern Cal and Tennessee.
-Chase Budinger has withdrawn his name from the draft, according to an NBA executive with knowledge of the situation. Budinger conducted the process strangely from what we could gather, opting to work out for numerous teams who were well ahead of his draft range, such as the Knicks (#6), Clippers (#7) and Kings (#15)—and thus likely did not have the type of information he needed to make an informed decision. He will be returning to a situation in Arizona where he will have no chance but step up and have a great year, which puts a lot of pressure on him, but also will tell us a great deal about the kind of player he is. He will likely start off the year as a projected lottery pick and preseason All-American.
-Luke Winn of SI.com is reporting that UCLA’s Luc Richard Mbah a Moute is surprisingly keeping his name in the draft, despite the fact that he may not hear his name called in either rounds of the draft on June 26th.
-Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Omri Casspi has withdrawn his name from the draft, likely after not finding a promise from any team in the first round. Casspi is in a great situation to excel in the Euroleague with Maccabi next year, and should make a strong run to be drafted in the first round.
Turns out that Derrick Caracter withdrew his name from the draft a few days ago, as he told the Louisville Courier-Journal. Caracter is in summer school and wants Coach Pitino to give him another chance. If anything, this should be an interesting story to follow, as it’s hard to pass up on a player with Caracter’s size and skill, but it’s also difficult to put up with the head-aches he brings.
-Jeff Goodman, the man who never sleeps, is reporting that Josh Akognon is going back to school.
-The Spanish website Solobasket is reporting that Pamesa Valencia forward Victor Claver has withdrawn his name from the draft.
-Arturs Kakstans tells us that Ronalds Zakis of Ventspils has removed his name. |
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ESPN's Chad Ford: The deadline for NBA draft underclassmen came and went at 5 p.m. ET Monday. Ninety-one players originally declared for the draft ... and almost all of the top players decided to keep their names in.
Every underclassman in Insider's top 20 is in the draft: Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo, Jerryd Bayless, Anthony Randolph, Eric Gordon, Brook Lopez, D.J. Augustin, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Darrell Arthur, Joe Alexander, Donte Greene, DeAndre Jordan, Marreese Speights, Kosta Koufos, JaVale McGee, Brandon Rush and Robin Lopez.
And a number of other underclassmen also are in for good, despite not being projected in the top 20 picks, including Bill Walker, Mario Chalmers, J.J. Hickson, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Ryan Anderson, Richard Hendrix, Trent Plaisted, Davon Jefferson, George Hill, Jamont Gordon and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute.
Of the underclassmen who stayed in the draft, Walker was the biggest surprise. He hurt his knee in a workout this past weekend, again raising concerns about the long-term health of his knees. While his advisers say they are confident he'll go in the first round, I've talked to a number of executives with picks late in the first round and all of them swear they haven't promised Walker they'll draft him. That includes the Detroit Pistons -- a team that has been rumored to have great interest in Walker at No. 29.
Anderson is another interesting case. He has worked out well for teams, but I couldn't find a team in the 20s that is certain Anderson is a first-round pick. He didn't sound certain either after announcing he was entering the draft. However, there's no question he'll get the call, at the very latest, early in the second. For a lot of players these days, that's enough.
The two other surprises were Mbah a Moute and Gordon. Mbah a Moute hasn't dominated, but a number of teams see him as a Bruce Bowen-like player. That alone could get him into the late first round. Gordon's strong showing at the large Golden State workout in front of 21 teams seems to have given him the confidence that he's on the first-round radar. Teams love his athleticism, but there are questions about his playmaking ability and jump shot.
On the flip side, a handful of talented young prospects on the original list dropped out of the draft and are returning to school. The two most notable were Arizona's Chase Budinger and North Carolina's Ty Lawson.
Budinger came into the draft projected as a potential late lottery pick. However, after workouts, he couldn't find a team in the top 20 that would guarantee him a spot in the draft. He finally withdrew just before the 5 p.m. deadline. Budinger will return to an Arizona roster loaded with two other potential lottery picks for 2009: Jordan Hill and freshman Brandon Jennings. It probably is a smart move for Budinger, who with a strong junior season projects as a potential lottery pick in the weaker 2009 NBA draft.
Lawson also made the right call. There were bogus reports that Lawson had a promise with the Denver Nuggets at No. 20. But clearly he didn't. Lawson was looking for any guarantee in the first round and couldn't get one. An arrest for driving while drinking during the workout process didn't help his cause. However, he worked out well for teams and is returning to a loaded North Carolina squad. If he can lead the Tar Heels to an NCAA title, he has a chance to crack the lottery in 2009.
Other underclassmen who decided to return to school include: Antonio Anderson, Josh Carter, Lee Cummard, Robert Dozier, Alonzo Gee, Danny Green, Lester Hudson, Stefon Jackson, Leo Lyons, Jerel McNeal, Jeremy Pargo, John Riek, Josh Shipp, Ronald Steele, Lorenzo Wade and Robert Vaden.
On the international side, the draft's top foreign player, Italy's Danilo Gallinari, stayed in the draft, his agent, Arn Tellem, told ESPN.com via text message. Over the weekend, sources from two teams told Insider that Tellem was telling teams he would withdraw Gallinari's name if he didn't have a guarantee from a team drafting in the top 10 by Monday.
Does this mean Gallinari has received a promise from a team? The New York Knicks and the New Jersey Nets -- the two teams Tellem has been targeting -- got private workouts with Gallinari last week, and both were impressed with his size and shooting ability. But as of Monday, two sources, one close to each team, said they told Tellem they were not willing to commit to drafting Gallinari.
Two other teams -- the Clippers and the Memphis Grizzlies -- also got looks at Gallinari in Los Angeles, but a source said neither team got as much access as the Knicks and the Nets. The Clippers are high on Gallinari, but I don't think Gallinari is targeting them. There are rumblings the Minnesota Timberwolves got or will get a look, too. But I think the No. 3 pick is too high for Gallinari to get a guarantee. Plus, Minnesota is talking with a number of teams about trades right now.
So where did the promise come from?
Knicks president Donnie Walsh doesn't give promises, especially this early in the draft. So it's conceivable the Nets have made a promise, despite their denials.
Clearly, Tellem wants Gallinari to avoid a situation similar to that of Yi Jianlian last year. Yi wanted to go to a big-market team but ended up being drafted by the Bucks, and it took protracted negotiations to get Yi to Milwaukee. That leads you to believe someone told him something that makes him comfortable with Gallinari's draft position.
Meanwhile, four other international players projected in the second half of the first round -- Nicolas Batum, Alexis Ajinca, Serge Ibaka and Ante Tomic -- are staying in the draft, according to their agents.
Ajinca's stock is on fire right now, so he's safe. Batum also is likely to hear his name called somewhere between 15 and 25.
Ibaka and Tomic are taking more of a calculated risk -- one that could pay off down the road. Many international agents now believe getting drafted in the second round is preferable to getting drafted in the first round because international players can actually make more money going in the second round since teams are no longer encumbered by the first-round rookie salary cap.
Several other top young international players -- including Omri Casspi, Victor Claver, Giorgi Shermadini and Rudy Mbemba -- withdrew from the draft before the deadline. |
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ESPN's Andy Katz: Quick hitters on the early-entry withdrawal deadline Monday:
• Cal sophomore forward Ryan Anderson said in a text message that he would be interviewing agents Sunday in case he decides to stay in the draft. But he said he was using the day to think over his decision and that none had been made.
Anderson was one of 24 players being viewed by reps from 21 teams at weekend at the Golden State Warriors' practice facility in Oakland. According to a source at the workout, Anderson was trying to secure a commitment from someone in the first round.
• UAB coach Mike Davis said junior guard Robert Vaden would sleep on the decision Sunday night. Davis said he wasn't sure what Vaden would decide on Monday.
• UCLA junior forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute said in a text message that he had not made up his mind as of Sunday and that the decision was "a tough one."
• The workout in Oakland was designed for potential first-round picks. And there were plenty of good vibes coming out of the workout. According to a source at the workout, Kansas' Brandon Rush, Western Kentucky's Courtney Lee and France's Alexis Ajinca played well and appear to be locks for solid first-round selections.
The workout apparently did wonders to improve the impression of Mississippi State junior Jamont Gordon (who is staying in the draft), Memphis senior forward Joey Dorsey, Anderson and France's Nicolas Batum.
• One theory coming out of the workout was that Kansas junior guard Mario Chalmers must have a guarantee he'll be selected in the first round since he has decided to stay in the draft and turned down an invitation to the workout.
• Don't be surprised if Kevin Love's drop spot is No. 5 Memphis. The Grizzlies could be another interested party in the first-team All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year. |
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Last edited by JSM on Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:59 am; edited 3 times in total |
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JSM
Clublakers Site Manager
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 70472
Location: Atlanta
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 3:06 pm Post subject: |
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Updated with the latest from Draft Express.
Gallinari staying means he got the top 10 promise he was looking for. Interesting.
I'm surprised the entire UNC trio pulled out. Lawson must have dropped out of the first round.
I thought Ibaka would have pulled out. He would be in much better position next year.
As a Tigers fan, I'm glad Dozier is returing to Memphis for another year.
I have no clue what Mbah a Moute is thinking.
As I figured, Rodrigue Beaubois pulled out. He wanted to get on the the radar for next year. Since the Lakers had him in for a workout, it should be worth monitoring to see if we show interest in him again next summer.
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JSM
Clublakers Site Manager
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 70472
Location: Atlanta
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 4:37 pm Post subject: |
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Updated with Chad Ford's latest.
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JSM
Clublakers Site Manager
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 70472
Location: Atlanta
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| Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 6:43 pm Post subject: |
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Another Draft Express updated added.
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Radner
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:35 am Post subject: |
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Well, that sucks about Lawson. A team like the Spurs could have used him.
It looks like Mario Chalmers is the only point guard left in the first round.
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"The best way to understand the future is to learn about the past." |
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JSM
Clublakers Site Manager
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 70472
Location: Atlanta
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 10:49 am Post subject: |
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| Radner wrote: |
Well, that sucks about Lawson. A team like the Spurs could have used him.
It looks like Mario Chalmers is the only point guard left in the first round. |
He has to be giddy as a school girl, because if any team outside of a lottery that wants a PG in the first round, he's really their only option.
Really I think he's an early 2nd round pick but since there are no PGs past 11, he's going to be a first round pick.
After him there's a decent drop off to the 2nd round PGs. There's about 5 of them, all mid-late 2nd rounders. None capable of running a team. As a backup?...Possibly.
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SignPippenNow
Joined: 10 Mar 2007
Posts: 2265
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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| JSM what are your thoughts on Mbah a Moute as a player? What would you think of Lakers drafting him? To me he wouldn't be a bad one to take considering his upside is probably pretty good. Your thoughts and thanks in advance. |
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JSM
Clublakers Site Manager
Joined: 28 Apr 2003
Posts: 70472
Location: Atlanta
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| Posted: Tue Jun 17, 2008 4:46 pm Post subject: |
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| SignPippenNow wrote: |
| JSM what are your thoughts on Mbah a Moute as a player? What would you think of Lakers drafting him? To me he wouldn't be a bad one to take considering his upside is probably pretty good. Your thoughts and thanks in advance. |
Camp invite. He's really raw right now. He can be turned into a good defender at this level (wouldn't be shocked to see the Spurs give him a look), but he hasn't improved any other aspect of his game and that has to concern teams. I don't think he'll get drafted by anyone. Sticking in the draft and hiring an agent was incredibly stupid and that's putting in kindly.
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