SSBA

Since I am well out of the lottery, I can try and predict the lottery without too much manipulation and deception...   :wink:  So here is a go at it...

1. Atlanta Hawks - Tanner  Houbreg - no brainer here, and Swift and Tanner will be a devastating combo...  Best starting frontcourt in the league???

2. New Jersey Nets - Garrett Pettit - another no brainer here, and will be devastating in combo with Emeka and Boozer.

3. Toronto Raptors - Emmanual Griffin - Mihm is talented and Ostertag is a nice rotation player... With Finley, Carter and Daniels in starting spots already, Raptors are looking good.

4. Chicago Bulls - Bob Diddle.  SG is a big need, and both Meyers and Diddle are good choices.  Diddle gets by being the best shooter in the draft combined with very good defense.

5.  Toronto Raptors - Lorenzo Ellis.  Daniels is a good PG, but is a free agent next year.  Ellis will fill in nicely.  Could also look at SG for Finley's impending free agency.

6. San Antonio Spurs - Ferry.  needs up front and at SF here, with Cassel and Ginobli set.  Ferry can come in and give a huge boost immediately.

7. Indiana Pacers - Phillip Meyers. Set at SF and PF, and SG is a need.  Meyers could be the next Reggie.

8. Chicago Bulls - Jamal Del Negro.  Deng is a good player, but Del Negro has serious potential at the SF spot.  Sets the posiiton for 3+ years.

9. Cleveland Cavs - Alvin Schenk.  PG is a position of need here.  Schenk does not have great potential, but he can slide in and start immediately, and by a top 20 pg.

10. Detroit Pistons - Ivan Litwick.  SG is the weakest position in Detroit, but the best are realy gone at this point.  Ltwack is a nice backup PF for now, and already a half decent rebounder with A potential

11.  Grizzlies - Marques Baly - C and SG are big needs here.  And a 7'0" 300 behemoth with A potential can be tough to pass up...  Curry, Cosic, and Kundla also possibilities

12.  New York Knicks - Hayden Strickland.  Needs at SF and scoring PF, but the offense at the PF in this draft is a limited commodity.  Terpening also a possibility here.

13.  Denver Nuggets - Andres Gervin.  SF and PG are needs here, with Andre Miller not resigning…  Even though he is way undersized, Mercer is the best PG in the draft.  Will it be Mercer or the potential of Kieta or Gervin?  With Boykins already on the roster, we go with the bigger point here.  Heavily depends on free agent plans though.

Hey my first one for SSBA...  Of course, about 5 of these picks will likely be traded.. lol

Updated due to my miss of the Pistons having the Suns pick.

Good job. But I'm torn between Griffin and Ferry at the 3rd pick :)

Nice job.  It'll be interesting to see who the bulls pick.  Right now I think they're the big wildcard.

Yeah, the bulls are a wildcard. They do need a SG though, and Diddle is a great player.

Understandable...  I always give the edge to potential though.
Griffin could be the next Ben Wallace.

Although, if the potential rating for the 18 year old Ferry is off, he could be just as good as Houbreg.  It is a tough pick for you... One I wish I had, however... lol

Not sure if Griffin could be Big Ben, since he only has B- defense.

With the A potential...  I guess he might be more likely to be B+ in inside, defense, and rebounding...  great all around player, if he improves...

Wallace was an exageration.. lol

I think for me Stromile compliments Tanner greatly....althougth his big time stats this year, Stromile isn't really a 1st option, beside Tanner he can block shots and rebound, and can do it w/o expending all his energy on offense...I expect about 15/10/2.3 from Stom next season, the blocks would be higher but Tanner is gonna get a # of blocks also...now what to do w/Darko???

What are your stat predicitons?

I predict:

Tanner: 25ppg, 13rpg, 3bpg

Petit: 25,5,5

Griffin: 17,7,1

Ferry: 20, 8,3.5

Ellis: 15,8,4

I think your predictions are real good, but I don't think that Petit will average 25 if the Nets keep Emeka and Boozer, not enough shots...

Yeah, I didnt factor in what team they were going to.

Yea cause with my lack of offense on my team Tanner could put up 30 a game

30 a game is pretty steep for a Rook.

He's only B+ inside.

If he puts up 30, Vince better put up 50 :)

lol, yea you're probably right...but don't forget that C+ outside, that's better than my starting PG :cry:

C+ is nice, means he's a great FT shooter.

Mihm is a C-, and he shoots 69% FT's, so Tanner could shoot 80%.

At 7'4 he should get to the line 9-12 times a game, at 80%, that would be pretty nice to have

FYI: Pistons have the #10 suns pick...

Well, then maybe you'll get Terpening :)

And have him back-up Rashard Lewis???  :?   I should be able to get a starter with the #10 pick...

You could probably get starting PG. But I dont know if a starter anywhere else will be left.

I have Steve Nash...  My starters are Dalembert, Murphy, Lewis, Nash and any decent SG i can find(in FA or in the Draft)...

Ah well, then Diddle might fall to you, you never know.

I updated the predictions with that info...

Since the SG class gets pretty weak by that time, I had you picking Litwack, who fills out your frontcourt rotation very nicely...

Plus, he deserved to be higher anyway...

If Diddle fall that far, I would be shocked...  He is the best shooter in the class, easily, and still has B potential.

Hmm..wonder who will be around at 14.

I can honestly say, that in my draft predictions, 5 players you have going in the Lottery, I would barely put in the Top 20...

Who?

Hope one of them floats down to me then.  I have a couple in mind ;)

I may place a higher priority on potential then most, or less...  Since I have never been through a draft or even a training camp, I am not quite sure how much potential really affects a player's development...

Great job to the original poster, twas a good analsys.  And yes, I am the wildcard, I honestly do not know what I'm goin to do with both my picks.  I was banking on getting Pettit but that won't happen.

I think all of those are pretty high, outside of Ferry

Tanner: 22 ppg, 11 rpg, 2 bpg (remember, stro's there)
Pettit: 19 ppg, 4 rpg, 4 apg (not enough balls for him to score 20+ this year, although he'll do so at a great effeciency)
Griffin: 15 ppg, 8 rpg
Ferry: 20 ppg, 8 rpg
Ellis: 13 ppg, 4 rpg, 7 apg

You are forgetting someone. You know, arguably the best PG in the draft. Mason Mercer. And Ladon Curry, Ethan Terpening? If this is how it turns out, I'd be thrilled. I'd love to get Mercer.

Oh, I didn't forget them, I just only commented on the ones in the original post.

I think Mercer could go for 16/7 this year.  You just have to wonder how the height will affect team defense.

I'm talking about the predictions. How in the world are they not going to be in the lottery? I mean, I wouldn't expect Mercer to go beyond #6. And the other two are also very good. Although I wouldn't be angry if Mercer does slip. :)

Man its gonna be hard to choose between Griffin and Ferry.

I want to win now, AND in the future. With Ferry, it helps me to win now, but maybe not in the future. With Griffin, maybe not now and maybe yes in the future. Oh, Snap.

I might just have to go after 5'6 Troy Havlicek. He's Canadian :):)

Lucky for you, you don't have to worry about that anymore.

Whew. Sigh of relief. I chose Boozer instead :)

And one of those guys could still drop to me. Or i have my choice between second best SG in the draft or top PG in the draft.