Action: The Warriors (CPU pick) select Carlos Delfino with pick #19
Reaction: I think we're now to that point in the draft where "can he shoot the three" becomes the overriding factor in how picks are made (see last season's liveblog).
Action: The Hawks select Andres Nocioni with pick #20
Reaction: Nocioni's most marketable skill is... huh... shooting the three. Look at that. In other news, we're now more than 2/3 of the way done with the draft!
Action: The Timberwolves select PF Nick Collison with pick 21
Reaction: (Let's see, I can either admit I was wrong about this being the point in the draft where three-point shooting becomes the dominant factor or I can claim "the run on bigs continues" and hope nobody's paying attention). The run on bigs continues. What big man is going to be next off the board? The Wolves will hope Collison can shoulder some of the rebounding load so Bosh can go to the bench for 6 minutes a game.
Action: Rockets trade Antonio Danels and 2006 1st round pick to the Lakers to Jason Kidd and Austin Croshere
Reaction: Now THIS is a blockbuster. The Rockets clearly think they have a shot to chase a championship (and will have to hope Big Z doesn't re-sign elsewhere) but the Lakers make out okay in this deal as well - they'll still be an elite squad. But with rumors of a KG sign-and-trade and that Keith Van Horn is on the block, the Lakers are looking like a team that may be ready to forge a new direction. This tips the balance of power in the West a little bit away from the Lakers, and now KG and Big Z's free agency decisions are going to be huge.
Action: The Mavericks select Damien Wilkins with pick #22
Reaction: Wilkins' biggest skill? You guessed it, three-point shooting. Mama, teach your kids how to shoot the three and he might grow up to be a late first-round pick!
Action: Grizzlies select Chris Duhon with pick #23
Reaction: Duhon's biggest skill? Ballhandling... and three point shooting! He looks like Eric Snow with a three-point shot, and Eric had a nice career. Duhon will mostly be asked to get the ball to Pau, Marion, and VC and get the heck out of the way, so it's not like he'll be under a ton of pressure this season anyway.