Draft update #3

Yes I know, I really need to get a REAL LIFE. This is it for now. Aside from the Chris Paul rumors, there hasn't been much of note in the last 24 hours. Of course there is a lot of talk. I like this Corey Maggette rumor.

We will pick right up where we left off with the Detroit Pistons. This is the part of the draft where teams really start to see what players are available and who is planning on doing what with their upcoming picks. The Pistons are going to be a hard team to nail down going into draft. As always, the Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince rumor mill is in full force. I think if they trade either of those players, they are likely to package this pick with the players in the trade. If they don't trade this pick away it appears as though they would draft whatever the best big man available at the point is. I would guess that they would take Ekpe Udoh from Baylor here, although it wouldn't completely shock me to see Demarcus Cousins or Greg Monroe to slip into the Pistons lap here. If that happens, I doubt they are trading this pick away. I would rather wait to see if they make any trades before I speculate on what the Pistons will do in the free agency period.

Most people know about the Clippers poor draft history. When I heard the rumor that David Geffen might try to buy the Clippers in order to recruit Lebron James this summer, I laughed. While they were getting close when Elton Brand was beasting, I just can't see the Clippers ever becoming a respectable NBA franchise, not at least as long as donald Sterling is owner. Who would be all of our collective punch lines at that point? Anyway, the Clippers have the eighth pick in this year's draft. Theoretically, one would assume they are going to be all set with their current backcourt (although this is Baron Davis we're talking about here) for at least the next couple seasons. I don't know how much Donald Sterling will spend this offseason, but the Clips will have around 20 million to work with two sign around four or five players after the draft. With all of that in mind, I think they will go the route of taking a wing player. I would think that would be Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest, is it just me or has his stock slipped) or Luke Babbit (Nevada player whose stock in contrast to Aminu's seems to be rising.). While this team has the financial means to be much improved for next season, I would be suprised if they sign any of the top four or five free agents. Another season around the 34 win mark is a reasonable goal for this franchise as always.

The Utah Jazz got this unprotected gift from the Knicks at the ninth spot. It appears as though they will take whoever is the best available player here (Aminu or Babbitt would fit the bill here) but I could also see them thinking more long term in Xavier Henry or size in Cole Aldrich. I bet the Jazz officials wish that Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur were going to be free agents this summer and not Carlos Boozer. Even though Paul Millsap has emerged as a valuable commodity over the last few years, I think they should still be trying to keep Boozer. If they don't sign him, they will be a 45 win team with little cap room to work with until next offseason. They already have one of the best point guards in the NBA, it would only make sense to keep one of the better rebounders in the league as well.