The Denver Nuggets have the 20th selection in the 2008 NBA Draft and are leaning towards several candidates. How many people reading this thought that they have a chance of landing Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, or O.J. Mayo?
Not many.
Several Mock Drafts have the College Stars drafted as this:
1. Michael Beasley-Miami Heat
2. Derrick Rose-Seattle Supersonics
5. O.J. Mayo-New York Knicks
Allow me to remind you, crazy scenarios and trades have happened.
In the event of the Nuggets acquiring Michael Beasley:
Miami selects Michael Beasley with the #1 pick
Denver selects Roy Hibbert with the 20th pick and trades him to the Heat along with Linas Kleiza for Michael Beasley.
Roy's presence is desperately needed on a Miami club that has no solid center to balance out their front line. He is also needed on a team that will be making adjustments this off-season with the hiring of Eric Spoelstra.
Who were the Heat's Centers last season?
Earl Barron, Mark Blount, and Alonzo Mourning who's knees buckled on him right before the All Star Break and possibly ending his career in the league.
Blount was a solid contributor last season averaging over 8 points a game, but his rebounding is horrible, averaging 3.5 RPG (rebounds per game) last season.
Earl Barron did his best to step into the role of center, but his 4.3 RPG aren't exactly a major improvement from Blount's and his dismal 40.4% FG percentage certainly isn't too grand either.
The position is wide open for Hibbert.
In the event of the Nuggets acquiring Derrick Rose:
Seattle selects Derrick Rose with the 2nd pick
Nuggets select Mario Chalmers with the 20th pick and send Allen Iverson to Seattle for Derrick Rose and the 32nd pick.
Look how the first year of forcing together inexperienced rookies got the SuperSonics: 62 losses and the second worst record in the NBA.
Iverson is a veteran guard that they could use to steer the team in the right direction and produce points. Seattle also comes out okay getting point guard Mario Chalmers, the defensive specialist out of Kansas. Chalmers was great during the Jayhawks championship run, highlighting it with his clutch three pointer with 7.2 seconds left to send the game against Memphis into overtime.
In the event of the Nuggets acquiring O.J. Mayo:
New York selects O.J. Mayo with the 5th pick
Nuggets draft Roy Hibbert with the 20th pick, send J.R. Smith, and Linas Kleiza for O.J. Mayo.
The Knicks starting Center last season: Eddy Curry.
One word describes Curry, underachieving. Curry's inability to rise to the high expectations stemming from his state championships at Thornwood High School in Illinois, has led to the label underachiever sticking with him since his days as a Bull and now as a Knickerbocker.
Hibbert would be a great fit for New York. Roy being placed in the Eastern Conference would be great for his confidence and will give him time to develop his game in the weaker conference. Hibbert also automatically becomes the 2nd tallest center in the East at 7'2. Only Zydrunas Illgauskas at 7'3 in Cleveland is taller.
I would be ecstatic if any of these three get traded to the Nuggets.
Preferably, Derrick Rose, but O.J. Mayo makes an excellent consolation prize.
The 2008 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 26, 2008
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5 months ago
I'm just going to let know now, that there is no way Denver can get either one of these guys. I know you're a Nuggets fan, but you gotta be realistic sometimes.
Miami is not going to trade Beasley just to get Hibbert and Kleiza. Nice fantasy, but it's not going to happen.
from 5 months ago
What about the proposed deal involoving the New York Knicks and the Seattle Supersonics, those were solid deals.
I'll give it to you that the Heat deal was a stretch, but the other two seem to be legit.
5 months ago
allen iverson for derrick rose? no way the sonics want an aging iverson, especially when they have durant to carry the scoring load for years to come
from 5 months ago
The Supersonics have no veteran leadership and no decent shooting guards. Iverson would be lovely for P.J. Carleismo, and if you remember I threw in Mario Chalmers.
5 months ago
If the money is right, I'm sure Mayo will step up.
Just keep it on the down low.
from 5 months ago
Mayo already has proven himself Southern California and he wasn't getting paid anything.
I agree that O.J. will be a good pro at the next level.
from 5 months ago
Here you go, Sean. Enjoy:
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3390695
5 months ago
I don't think there's any way the Nuggets end up with one of those three. Also, I'm a stickler for stuff like this more than others, but you gotta edit these articles man. In the headline, the "Nuggests." The new Miami Heat coach is Erik Spoelstra, not Eric Spolestra. You spelled Michael wrong at least once that I saw. Your analysis is definitely thought-out and above all, wishful, but if you want to add credence to your articles, you have to show that you can at least spell things right. Not ragging on you, just trying to help you out with believability in your articles.
from 5 months ago
Gary,
I actually spelled it correct but someone edited and misspelled Nuggets wrong.
The Michael mistakes were mine.
5 months ago
To everyone, I plan to publish my own NBA Mock Draft once the lottery picks are determined May 20th.
5 months ago
no chance Denver gets any of those guys....sorry
from 5 months ago
How do the Nuggets have no chance of getting any of these players?
Mayo is the most obtainable for Denver, as some scouts around the league are saying that his stock has dropped since his first round defeat by the hands of K-State and Michael Beasley.
5 months ago
he isn't going to drop to #20, Denver is going to have to include more then a #20 pick and Kleiza to get anywhere near a top 10 selection. Beasley, Mayo and Douglass-Roberts are all top 10 even top 7 picks this year.
from 5 months ago
CDR is in no way a top 10 or top 7 pick in the draft. No shot.
5 months ago
and Derrick Rose is a top 2 selection on his own I believe so its gonna be tough.
from 5 months ago
If Denver selects the right player in the draft, throws in Kleiza, cash, and J.R. Smith I believe its a done deal for Mayo.
Now Beasley or Rose will take the 20th pick and Allen Iverson.
In many Mock Drafts, Douglas Roberts has shown as dropping as far as to the Orlando Magic, which is pick #22, or to the Spurs, pick #25.
If the Nuggets were smart, they would walk away with CDR and call it a day.
5 months ago
No sane person trades Beasley or Rose for the 20 pick and A.I.
from 5 months ago
If the Miami Heat, Seattle Supersonics, and the New York Knicks were all sane, they wouldn't be volleying and jocking for postition to get the #1 pick.
5 months ago
i agree.. no team on their right minds would give up potential-francise-player-caliber guys like Rose or Beasley for A.I. and #20 pick... A.I.'s getting old.. and he's not exactly a "leader" for the young dudes in the bottom 1-5 teams... miami, seattle, NY, etc.. are looking to rebuild.. and A.I. does not equal rebuild. your "analysis" is way to bias and not thought out well enough...
from 5 months ago
How would Iverson not be a great fit for the Supersonics?
After a season with 60+ losses, changes will be made.
Its obvious that P.J. Carleismo and Clay Bennett are going to pursue a veteran free agent this offseason and lure him to Seattle to influence the current younger players and take them all under the player's wing.
A.I. is just the man for the job. What if the Supersonics don't get Derrick Rose, and they take Beasley, who's their point guard?
Yes they have several but each one was in a fight for the starting job last season, thus throwing off team chemistry.
5 months ago
Simply, you're young an naive! you obviously don't know how the NBA trading works!
from 5 months ago
Actually, stranger trades and events have happened in the NBA then what I'm suggesting.
Who thought that Seattle would deal away Ray Allen on draft day?
Who thought the Boston Celtics would be Eastern Conference Champions and have the best record in the NBA?
Who thought Boston would have Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce all on the same team?
Who thought the Miami Heat would trade Shaquille O'Neal?
5 months ago
There's something called a Collective Bargaining Agreement. Read it. You'll find out that most of what you're proposing is simply impossible by the rules. Yeah, I'd love to trade Allen Iverson for draft picks and few used condoms, but the NBA doesn't, and so forces teams to match salaries (within limits) when trading.
*yawn*...next trade?
from 5 months ago
If you read everything, that was only one of the scenarios I pointed out. Its a shame that you only chose that one to comment on and depict and you still got it wrong.
Also, the trade was Allen Iverson and Mario Chalmers
for Derrick Rose and the 32nd pick.
Rose will command top dollars and the 32nd pick at least 5 million.
How do you figure the trade to be uneven?
[flag as offensive]
5 months ago
If you read everything, that was only one of the scenarios I pointed out. Its a shame that you only chose that one to comment on and depict and you still got it wrong.
Also, the trade was Allen Iverson and Mario Chalmers
for Derrick Rose and the 32nd pick.
Rose will command top dollars and the 32nd pick at least 5 million.
How do you figure the trade to be uneven?
5 months ago
I'm not exactly sure that the Nuggets are even looking towards trading up to get one of these guys. On the other hand, wouldn't mind the Bulls getting their hands one of them.
from 5 months ago
I think Derrick Rose or O.J. Mayo would be the best fit for the Bulls.
Kirk Hinrich hasn't panned out the way Chicago would've liked.
Mayo can take the place of Ben Gordon at a cheaper price.
5 months ago
this is a stupid article which is completely unrealistic....first off they havent even done the lottery yet so none of these ideas are possible yet.....second ai has a no trade clause in his contract which he waved in philly to get to denver... why would he wave it to go to the second worst team in the league? third oj mayo wont go lower than 4......and probably the most important thing is that these three players are players that dont come along every year they are three unique players and any team drafting them will be keeping them u can count on that....this is one of the most uninformed, thoughtless articles i have ever read and im surprised this type of complete guessing is considered writing.....
from 5 months ago
Here's where your wrong:
1. Iverson can opt of his contract and restructure his deal by agreeing to a new deal with Denver
Seattle also needs and lacks a strong veteran presence and a combo guard
2. Check NBA Mock Drafts Database where over 10 Mock Drafts have Mayo bouncing around the Top 5
3. Let me give you last year's version of Derrick Rose, O.J. Mayo, and Michael Beasley to show you just how unique they are
Michael Beasley-Kevin Durant
Derrick Rose-Mike Conley Jr.
O.J Mayo-Daequan Cook
5 months ago
also iverson makes 20 mill a season there is no combination that any of these teams could make with a rookie and a veteran to have matching salaries with the nuggets unless the knicks if they have the pick.. could use steph's contract and a rookie but the nuggets wouldnt do that...and like i said before iveron would never leave denver unless it was to a more competitive team....if u r a nugs fan like myself and u want them to do sometihng smart they would fire george karl and find a coach that wants his players to play a little defense.....especially one that could get carmelo to play defense because hes the worst defender in the nba hands down cause he doesnt try....its sad someone with that much talent and the coach is letting him slide in the category of biggest waste of talent.... the nuggets need help but beasley rose or mayo arent the answer they hae enough talents its called defense it seems ot work for teams like the spurs lakers celts....
from 5 months ago
I definitely disagree that Carmelo is the worst defender in the league. Here are several others worthy of that title:
Steve Nash
Tony Parker
Rashard Lewis
Secondly, I have a mixed opinion on the firing of George Karl. I believe Karl is a good coach, he just has the tendency to let the players do the coaching and talk soft when he should be shouting and getting in player's faces.
Also, Derrick Rose would help because he solves the Nuggets point guard problem and he has the makings of a shutdown defender.
5 months ago
I agree tha Hibbert could certainly be a solid NBA center, but there is no way in hell that anyone would trade Beasley for Hibbert and Kleiza...unless they are complete morons!!!!
from 5 months ago
Miami will have to get a big man at the center position one way or another.
Or do you believe Earl Barron and Mark Blount will rebound from last season or that Alonzo Mourning comes back from a damaging knee injury?
5 months ago
A trade to get derrick rose, the least they would have to give would be A.I. and all their picks..at least
5 months ago
Oh...tahts what you said...my bad
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