ACTION: The Hornets buy the #23 pick from the Nuggets for cash (points)
REACTION: The trade action is coming fast and furious now. Clearly the Nuggets are nonplussed with the talent on the board and Hornets, ever the optimisits, see the piles of crap and decide with that must crap there must be a pony in there somewhere.
REACTION: Powe is a super athletic big body who can rebound but not much else. Given the Knicks are almost certain to bring back Yao, the best he can hope for is a few minutes per game backing up Yao and Brand. Which, come to think of it, is about right for a 19th pick.
ACTION: The Hawks trade Balkman to the Heat for cash (points)
REACTION: Makes sense. The Hawks had an overload at wing and the Heat could use some warm bodies. Balkman is a willing defender and won't take shots away from LeBron.
REACTION: Word out of pre draft workouts is that Josh Boone literally has no jump shot. Like, they put him in a gym and had him play Around The World and two hours later he was still on the left block trying to make a two footer. On the plus side, he can rebound the ball and is another guy who won't take shots away from LeBron. Or Rose. Or Kemp. Or the water boy.
ACTION: The Heat purchase the #22 pick from the Lakers for cash (points)
REACTION: After a free agent period that made them look like winners, the Lakers lost a lot more games than most thought they would last season. I have to think they are enamored of their free agent success and would like to try it again - and any cash that goes to marginal bench players is cash they can't spend on Free Agents. The Heat, by contrast, still need more warm bodies.
ACTION: The Heat select Shelden Williams with the #22 pick.
REACTION: Like Josh Boone, Williams is a rebounder with limited offensive game. Unlike Boone, he was able to complete an Around The World game in pre-draft workouts in under 2 hours.
ACTION: The Magic select PF Alexander Johnson with pick #25.
REACTION: We're STILL at that point in the draft where teams are drafting unskilled big men because "you can't teach height." Also, when they use their 6 fouls, they hit hard.
ACTION: The Celtics select PG Lynn Greer with pick #26
REACTION: After using the Celtics' Francis/Terry backcourt to illustrate teams going with two undersized combo guards in the backcourt multiple times in this liveblog, I have to say it's satisfying to see them double down with another combo guard... or is it triple down?
ACTION: The Mavericks select Chris Quinn with the 28th pick.
REACTION: He's definitely not in the Penny/Miller mold that has defined this franchise for so long. Don't expect him to get much in the way of minutes.