Jun 24, 2010

NBA Draft Day

Happy NBA Draft Day! Growing up, I was a big basketball fan, but then again that was when we were watching guys like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Clyde Drexler, Dominique Wilkins, Charles Barkley, Karl Malone, Shawn Kemp, Hakeem Olajuwan, Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, and on and on and on. In other words, the NBA was in great hands and fans ate it up.

Anyway, I'm less of an NBA fan nowadays, but I do follow the Hornets and enjoy having a local team to follow. Over the years, the NBA Draft has slacked off as a must see event, but I still enjoy watching it (I enjoy any draft though).

The trouble in recent years is that fans don't know most of the players. With all the high school, one-and-done college and international players, fans didn't have a chance to learn about the new prospects. At least now, there aren't high schoolers in the draft, but that doesn't mean I'll know a whole lot of the players picked. But who cares, the NBA Draft is a good time. There's the pundits drooling over upside and length, the crazy suits, the international guys picked late in the 2nd round who happen to be in the audience and they make their way to the stage for a photo with the deputy commissioner, even though they are the 51st pick. What's not to love?

Anyway, the Hornets pick 11th and could go in many different directions, including trading Chris Paul. I'd put the likelihood of a Chris Paul trade at about 1 percent, but there could be some moves involving the Hornets whether its trading down (please don't trade completely out of the draft for financial reasons), getting rid of some contracts like Peja, Mo Peete or Emeke Okafor (I know Okafor is due a lot of $, but I'd like to see him stay), trading away backup point guard Darren Collison ... or some combination of all of these.

If the Hornets stay pat at #11, here's a look at what a few mock drafts have them doing:

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