Playing Fact vs. Fiction with Latest 2013 NBA Draft Rumors and Buzz

During this time of year, NBA draft rumors seem to surface in the many nooks and crannies of the interweb. Not all of the statements made are accurate, though. 

Always remember to treat rumors as exactly what they are: rumors. They aren't guarantees, and they certainly aren't all true. 

That's what makes playing fact vs. fiction with them so important. We have to differentiate what makes sense from what doesn't. 

After sifting through all the buzz—so much of it that it would make a beehive quite jealous—I've picked out eight of the most prominent recent rumors. 

Are they valid? Do they make sense? 

We won't know for certain until June 27, but, treating them all with a healthy dose of skepticism, let's take a look. 

Boston Celtics Like Dennis Schroeder

Go ahead and picture Ricky Rubio in your head. 

Got it? Good. 

Now, give that image significantly more range on his jumper and take away just a bit of the flashiness. At this point, you're working with Dennis Schroeder. 

The 19-year-old point guard from Braunschweig, Germany, began the year with relatively little hype in draft circles, but he's quickly enjoyed a meteoric ascent up the big boards. His increased proficiency running pick-and-roll sets, as well as his consistency from behind the arc, has seen to that. 

Now, Schroeder is guaranteed to go in the first round, at least if you listen to NBADraft.net: 

"

Sources have indicated that the rumored promise to German PG Dennis Schroeder is with the Boston Celtics at the 16th pick.

— NBADraft.net (@nbadraftnet) May 31, 2013"

Until we hear otherwise, I see no reason to doubt this rumor.

Given his passing skills and Danny Ainge's penchant for point guards who believe in the traditional definition of the position, he'd be a natural fit for the Boston Celtics. 

The only problem is that it's a rather empty promise. I'd be shocked if Schroeder was still on the board at No. 16 because the Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz, two franchises looking for a point guard, are lurking with the 13th and 14th picks.

It's highly unlikely that he drops out of the lottery.

In fact, a move in the opposite direction has a significantly better chance of occuring. As he gains more traction in the states and shows off his skills for scouts, he could continue rising until he's considered a top-10 prospect. 

Still, there's no need to question the validity of this rumor. Although it's an ultimately empty promise, it's a logical one that won't end up limiting Ainge's options when it's his turn on the clock. 

Verdict: Fact

Alex Len at No. 1?

In Chad Ford's latest big board (subscription required), he dropped an interesting nugget about Alex Len, the big man coming out of Maryland: 

"

If he could work out, I think he'd have a shot at going No. 1. However, from what I'm told, he's still in the mix with the Cavs for that top spot anyway. It's hard to imagine him falling out of the top 10.

"

One part of this quote is correct, and it's the last sentence.

You can go ahead and pencil Len in for one of the spots in the top 10, but let's refrain from doing so in the space reserved for No. 1 picks. 

This is the only place where you'll hear anyone piecing together the Cleveland Cavaliers and Alex Len, and it's a blend that just doesn't sit well. Why would the Cavs use a No. 1 pick on a guy who's A) not the best player at his position and B) would still be available if they traded down? 

The answer is simple: They wouldn't. 

Nerlens Noel is the clear-cut best center in the draft, even though he only has one functioning ACL and won't be ready for the start of his rookie campaign. But it's not like Len is healthy either; crutches and a stress fracture in his ankle are preventing him from working out. 

In fact, Len can only boost his stock through interviews and pre-draft measurements. Those can push you only so far up the board, especially when starting so far behind Noel in terms of general perception. 

Just five players have a realistic shot at becoming the latest top selection in the NBA draft: Noel, Ben McLemore, Victor Oladipo, Otto Porter and Anthony Bennett. Trey Burke could join that group if Cleveland trades the pick to the right team, but he's on the outside looking in. As is Len. 

The problem is, Len won't join the group no matter who ends up making the first pick. 

Verdict: Fiction

C.J. McCollum Love

It's not hard to understand why scouts are starting to develop man-crushes on C.J. McCollum. 

The Lehigh superstar is looking to become the next guard to make a transition from a second-tier Division I program to a starting role in the NBA, much as Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry have done in recent years. 

McCollum is a natural scorer, possessing the ability to finish creatively around the basket and a proclivity for knocking down long-range jumpers. In the past few draft classes, few players have displayed betters shots off the dribble, and it's not like he's a bad spot-up shooter either. 

Now Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com is reporting that McCollum is generating some interest from teams drafting in the mid-teens: 

"

• The Jazz would love to see C.J. McCollum slip to them at 14, but if he doesn’t seem okay with Michael Carter-Williams or Dennis Schroeder and will look to add a big later in the first round to replenish their depth with Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap both free agents.
• While Oklahoma City has mostly been linked to bigs in the draft, a source insists the Thunder are intrigued by McCollum and think he could be an upgrade over Kevin Martin in their system. 

"

Sure. Both of those make perfect sense. You'll hear no gripes from me as to the logic of those potential selections. 

It's fairly common knowledge that the Utah Jazz are looking for a guard at No. 14, and the Oklahoma City Thunder wouldn't mind replacing Kevin Martin with McCollum at No. 12. Even if Sam Presti views grabbing a big as the top priority, McCollum would be too great a value to pass up in the low end of the lottery. 

However, he's not going to be available, so this rumor ends up quite similar to the Dennis Schroeder-Boston Celtics one. 

McCollum won't make it past the Detroit Pistons at No. 8, and there's a good chance he goes before that. So yes, the Jazz would love to see him slip and the Thunder are intrigued by the former Mountain Hawk. 

It just won't matter. 

Verdict: Fact

General Managers Falling in Love with Victor Oladipo

Victor Oladipo fared well during the interview portion of the pre-draft workouts, and he skied 42 inches into the air when scouts were looking at his vertical jump. Neither of those should be surprising to anyone who followed Indiana basketball during the 2012-13 season. 

When Chad Ford (subscription required) revealed that NBA general managers love this prospect, it was basically confirming what we already knew: 

"

A number of GMs told me Oladipo was their favorite player in the draft. That doesn't mean they'll draft him No. 1, but, as one GM said, "I know he's the one guy in this draft that my head coach would love to have right now. He's an impressive young man on and off the court." GMs were impressed by Oladipo's mixture of candor and intensity in the interviews. Although there still are legitimate questions about his upside offensively, and it's unlikely the Cavs will select him at No. 1, Oladipo now looks like a lock to go in the top 5, with Orlando, Charlotte and Phoenix his most likely landing spots.

"

The beauty of Oladipo's game is that it makes him one of the safest prospects in this draft class. In a recent article, I wrote that his best-case comparison was Andre Iguodala, while his worst-case comparison was Tony Allen. 

If you're viewing that as lofty praise, you're correct to do so.

At worst, Oladipo will settle into a starting lineup or become the first guard off the bench, simply because his athleticism and defensive intensity indicate that he'll be a lock-down perimeter defender for a long time. 

However, if his explosiveness and long-range shooting abilities can translate from the collegiate level to the professional one, Oladipo could be a star. 

In a draft fraught with question marks, it's no surprise that general managers are falling in love with a safe pick who also possesses high upside. 

Verdict: Fact

Orlando Magic Leaning Away from Trey Burke

If it were up to me, the Orlando Magic would take Trey Burke at No. 2. 

He's a natural fit for the roster: a point guard capable of handling a heavy scoring burden, but not at the expense of creating looks for his teammates. Ever since I started watching him play at Michigan during his freshman year, he's reminded me of Chris Paul.

I still can't get his 17-point, nine-assist game against Duke out of my head, especially since the precocious young guard performed so admirably while matching up against the No. 6 team in the country just five games into his collegiate career. 

However, the Magic aren't so sold on Burke, according to ESPN's Chad Ford (subscription required): 

"

Despite their need at point guard, sources say the Magic aren't sold on Trey Burke as the second-best player in the draft.

While they certainly haven't ruled out Burke with the No. 2 pick, Orlando is also eyeing Indiana's Victor Oladipo and Kansas' Ben McLemore. 

"

There's not much of a point in disputing Ford's report, especially because he acknowledges that the Magic are still at least considering the talented floor general at No. 2. Ford does typically have some inside knowledge, and his claims are usually sensible and accurate. 

Plus, the Magic are in a spot where they just need to add talent. Even if the players they draft overlap with other guys on their roster, they're searching for future stars across the board. That's what happens when you plummet into the NBA's basement. 

Burke is the best fit for this team, but there's no reason to question the validity of Ford's rumor. The other picks make sense too, after all.  

Verdict: Fact

Trey Burke to the Pelicans?

If Trey Burke makes it past the Orlando Magic at No. 2, he could be in for a bit of a fall. Not a Jared Sullinger or Perry Jones III-level fall, but a fall nonetheless.

Of course, there's a still a chance that the Michigan standout follows in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist's footsteps as the draft's latest second pick. But, if Chad Ford is to believed, as covered on the previous slide, it's looking increasingly unlikely. 

The next three teams on the clock after the Magic would be the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Bobcats and Phoenix Suns. With John Wall, Kemba Walker and Goran Dragic in place at the 1 for those three squads, they have bigger needs to focus on. 

Unless Burke does manage to go at No. 2, expect to see Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, Otto Porter, Anthony Bennett and Victor Oladipo come off the board first. Probably in that order. 

Burke won't fall past No. 6, according to both my logic and the sources of The Times Picayune's John Reid: 

"

Sources say the Pelicans like Burke because he has the potential to get them in their offensive sets quicker and he could provide more versatility in their backcourt that could include starting point guard Greivis Vasquez playing off the ball.

"

Of the prospects likely to remain available to the New Orleans Pelicans at No. 6—Burke, C.J. McCollum, Alex Len, Shabazz Muhammad and Cody Zeller, among others—the Michigan product is both the best fit and the most talented. 

There's just one thing: Can he handle calling himself a Pelican after two years of being a Wolverine? 

Verdict: Fact

Kevin Love for the No. 1 Pick?

If you're looking for a rumor that's just completely absurd, don't worry. I've got you covered. 

Well, Joe Kotoch of SheridanHoops.com is going to help me out as well: 

"

And if the Timberwolves are willing to surrender Kevin Love, the No. 1 pick is available to them, sources tell SheridanHoops.com.

"

Obviously this is true from the Cleveland Cavaliers perspective. Of course they'd trade the No. 1 pick for Kevin Love!

Which would you rather have: the top selection in a historically weak draft, one in which the expected No. 1 pick is a 206-pound center with one working ACL, or the league's most dominant power forward?*

This makes total sense for the Cavs, but allow me to quote from my more fulsome take on this bogus rumor: 

"

I'm not so sure we needed sources for that one. Why exactly wouldn't the Cavs be interested in doing that? I'd be much more intrigued if the rumor was coming from the other direction and saying that the Minnesota Timberwolves were interested in trading Kevin Love for the No. 1 pick. 

My anonymous sources tell me that Cleveland would swap the top overall selection for LeBron James. Hell, they'd probably move it for Kevin Durant too, although my sources haven't confirmed that one yet.

I mean, if you're going to go big, why not go really big? 

"

Things get even worse as you progress through Kotoch's article. Here's one more paragraph from it: 

"

Also, the Wolves are stacked with picks, holding No. 9, 26, 52 and 59, but they do not have a first-rounder next year in the loaded 2014 draft.  Would an offer of Love and a ’14 No. 1 pick, along with picks 9 and 26, in exchange for Cleveland’s No. 1 constitute overpaying? Depends on how new GM Flip Saunders feels about Noel, the kid from Kentucky with the torn ACL who may become the first overall No. 1 draft pick to walk to the podium using crutches to shake commissioner David Stern’s hand.

"

So it's not enough just to give up Love for the No. 1 pick in a weak draft. Minnesota would also have to include two more first-round picks this year, as well as a 2014 first-rounder. 

However, the T'Wolves don't have a first-rounder next year. Wait, what? I'm confused. 

From start to finish, this is a rumor that just doesn't make any sense. 

Verdict: Fiction

*Note: Tim Duncan is not a power forward. 

DeMarcus Cousins for the No. 1 Pick?

We're not done looking at ways that the Cleveland Cavaliers could unload the No. 1 pick. ESPN's Bradford Doolittle (subscription required) has another scenario for us, although it should be noted that this is merely speculation: 

"

The Cleveland Cavaliers trade the No. 1 overall pick, Dion Waiters and Tyler Zeller to the Sacramento Kings for DeMarcus Cousins.

Let's say the new regime taking over the Kings decides that in order to turn the page from the Maloof years, it has to begin by moving on from the Cousins-Tyreke Evans years. Evans will be a restricted free agent, and that is a separate issue. Cousins is entering the last year of his rookie deal, making him eligible for an extension in October. If the Kings are ready to pull the plug on the talented but undisciplined center, then no team could offer a package of young assets more attractive than what Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant could send their way. And doing so would likely further strengthen Cleveland's position when it comes to re-signing James.

"

I presented this scenario earlier in the week, and it was met with almost universal disapproval from Cavs fans. In fact, 62.9 percent of the voters as of this article's publication had determined that it was a bad deal for Cleveland, and the majority of the comments indicate that Dion Waiters is the dealbreaker. 

Sorry, but that's just illogical. 

Yes, he can still develop tremendously, and he's quite adept at creating his own shot. Yes, it's too soon to give up on him, but at some point you have to let objectivity take over. 

DeMarcus Cousins is a game-changer and a borderline All-Star, even if his head isn't always screwed on straight. Waiters is a game-changer as well, just not in the positive direction:  

"

Dion Waiters had a pretty solid rookie season and looks to possess a good deal of potential, but he's an inefficient volume scorer at this stage of his career. During his rookie season, Cleveland was worse with him on the court, per NBA.com's statistical database. 

When the Syracuse product was in uniform and out on the hardwood, the Cavs scored 103.3 points per 100 possessions and allowed 109.6, giving them a minus-6.3 differential. However, when Waiters sat, that differential rose to minus-5.9.

"

If you have the ability to trade Waiters for more talent, especially more established talent with a higher ceiling, you do it. 

The trade also makes sense from the Kings' perspective, so expect this to gain traction as we draw closer and closer to June 27. 

Verdict: Fact