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1Greg Oden |
Center
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Ohio State (Jr.)
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7-0
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245 lbs.
|  VIDEO |
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No surprise. All other things being equal, you've got to go with the 7-footer. But if those wrist and back injuries flare up, it will be another (Sam) Bowie knife to the heart of Blazers fans.
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2Kevin Durant |
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Forward
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Texas (Fr.)
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6-9
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215 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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New owner Clay Bennett gets the perfect drawing card for his potential move to Oklahoma City: a scoring machine from the University of Texas. Not a bad consolation prize for finishing second in the lottery.
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3Al Horford |
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Forward
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Florida (Jr.)
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6-10
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245 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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GM Billy Knight fills his team's need for a rebounding big man with this son of a former NBA player, Tito. But will he keep him, or use him in a later trade? And will he regret passing on point guard Mike Conley Jr.?
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4Mike Conley Jr. |
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Guard
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Ohio State (Fr.)
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6-1
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180 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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They would have loved to nab Horford to provide some beef to go with Pau Gasol, but they will gladly settle for this smooth, smart point guard in the Tony Parker mold. He should fit well in new coach Marc Iavoroni's system.
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5Jeff Green |
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Forward
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Georgetown (Jr.)
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6-8
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225 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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The Georgetown standout is headed to Seattle, along with Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West, as part of a blockbuster trade that will send Ray Allen to Boston. Green is a smart, unselfish passer who should join with Durant as another piece in the Sonics' rebuilding effort.
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6Yi Jianlian |
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Forward
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Southern Tigers (China)
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6-11
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240 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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Big risk. Yi's handlers had said this offensively skilled big man only wanted to play in a major market and declined to invite the Bucks to his private workouts. Is a future trade in store?
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7Corey Brewer |
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Forward
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Florida (Jr.)
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6-9
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185 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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A safe pick. The T'wolves need help at small forward, and Brewer is a Scottie Pippen-type who can score and defend -- though he needs to bulk up. Still, Kevin Garnett should enjoy having this winner from Florida on his side -- assuming KG is still around next season.
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8Brandan Wright |
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Forward
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North Carolina (Fr.)
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6-9
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200 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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He's headed to the Warriors in return for Jason Richardson. Wright might have great upside, but he's years away and plays the same position as Sean May. Richardson is a proven talent who can help Michael Jordan achieve his stated goal of winning now.
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9Joakim Noah |
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Forward
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Florida (Jr.)
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6-11
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230 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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GM John Paxson follows his pattern of selecting proven winners from big-time college programs. Noah doesn't address their need for a scoring big man in the low post, but he's an energetic hustler who should fit well in Scott Skiles' team-first system.
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10Spencer Hawes |
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Center
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Washington (Fr.)
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6-11
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235 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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New coach Reggie Theus needed a backup for Brad Miller, who is coming off a subpar, injury-marred season. The track record for centers this low is not good, but the rangy Hawes has extraordinary offensive skills and could prove an exception with a bit more seasoning.
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11Acie Law |
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Guard
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Texas A&M (Sr.)
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6-3
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175 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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An insurance policy in case the Hawks can't land a legit starting point guard via trade. Even if they do, this lefty combo guard can make plays and should be a respectable backup right away. But passing on Javaris Crittenton here won't endear Knight to all those Georgia Tech fans.
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12Thaddeus Young |
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Forward
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Georgia Tech (Fr.)
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6-8
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210 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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GM Billy King tried hard to move this pick, hoping to land a veteran who could contribute right away. Young is an athletic lefty with potential, but he's just 19 and he won't provide much help immediately for Andre Iguodala. Al Thornton would have seemed a safer pick, unless his wrist issues scared them off.
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13Julian Wright |
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Forward
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Kansas (So.)
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6-8
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218 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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With Desmond Mason a free agent, they needed to add an athletic perimeter player. Wright is a tremendous athlete with a diverse skill set, but he is raw and will need time. Like the Sixers, they might regret passing up the more-ready Thornton.
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14Al Thornton |
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Forward
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Florida State (Sr.)
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6-8
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220 lbs.
| VIDEO |
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Too good to pass up. This 23-year-old man-child is an exceptional athlete with long arms and a polished player who should be able to step in as a backup and help Elton Brand and Co. immediately. Assuming his wrist is OK, he could be a steal.
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