From the stacks of mock draft & workout info I've recently read, I'm convinced that we aren't going to land exactly what we want at number 7. The top 5-6 picks (Davis, MKG, Robinson, Beal, Barnes, Drummond) seem to be pretty well locked-in. There is a slight chance that Drummond falls to us at 7 (if Portland take Lilliard), but not likely from what I'm reading.

After the first 5-6 picks, it then starts to thin-out pretty quickly (in-terms of difference makers) & in comes the uncertainty. For example: Perry Jones III seems to have too many Q marks to be a 7th pick; Sullinger's value varies from 6th to 16th & he may well be "just average" in the NBA; and the likes of Henson, Zeller, Meyers Leonard & T Jones could all probably be had mid-draft.

So with all that in mind, consider this possibility. We hold out til 7 to see if somehow Drummond, Barnes or Beal magically drop to us. If they are gone, then we have an arrangement in play with Houston for a trade down with them. They possess 2 x first rounders which are mid first round draft (#14 & #16) remember.

I'm thinking a deal that looks something like this: our 7th, 30th & 52nd picks for Houston's 14th & 16th picks. It’s of note that presently Houston doesn’t possess a 2nd round pick in 2012, so they may well be interested. (Houston would probably try & grab another 2nd round pick from us in this deal, but giving up those 3 picks could be enough. Maybe throw in a future 2nd rounder if necessary.)

With #14 & #16 we could grab 2 players with the following names possibly in play if they slip down the board a bit: Terrance Jones (SF or PF?, championship pedigree), Myers Leonard (has apparently looked pretty good in workouts), Tyler Zeller (7 foot centre, good backup for Bogey perhaps), Dion Waiters (supposedly a poor man's Duane Wade, but he may be on a promise to Phoenix already), Terrance Ross (6'7' SF athletic shooter, who can rebound), Perry Jones III (he could slip this far possibly), Arnett Moultrie (another big body), Moe Harkless & Royce White.

This trade could also be varied up by asking Houston to put in Kyle Lowry & we'd give them Dorrell Wright + our 2nd rounder in 2013. They might not bite on this additional component though, but there is strong mail that Lowry wants out & this frees up their passage to resign Dragic (whom they love apparently).

Thoughts?