Will Jason still be a Warrior after the draft?
Is Monta being shopped for a higher pick?
We're just about to get this whole NBA draft thing underway. Finally, the Warriors are not in the lottery, but apparently from all the rumors they're trying to fight their way back in. This time it's by trade and it seems like it's going to take either Monta Ellis or Jason Richardson to make the move up. I doubt Mullin and Nelson stay put at #18, so they will try to move up. Tune into ESPN at 4pm to catch the draft. But before we get there, at GSoM we're bringing you the latest mock drafts from around the web. Make sure to check out the last 2 mock drafts to see how things have changed: We're Mocking You Part I and We're Mocking You Part II.
So without further ado, here we go with a highlight reel of the top players in the draft as well as part III.
Hoopsworld.com: #18 Jason Smith
NBA Draft.net: #18 Thaddeus Young , #36 Petteri Koponen , #46 Quinton Hosley
Koponen? Hosley? Who are these guys?
Strengths: Has crept from under the radar to become one of the most hyped players in Nordic countries ever ... Great court vision, able to find the open guy no matter how narrow the passing agle is ... "Houdini" in the open court ... A classic "pass first, pass second, shoot third" point guard when is fully adapted to team's system
Weaknesses: Although he takes good care of his body and has improved significantly during last two years, lacks the NBA athleticism ... Struggles in 1-on-1-defense against quicker, more physical point guards ... Still shows inexperience against top competition: Gets a fair share of bad pass turnovers against defensive-minded teams
Strengths: Possesses big time physical tools to develop into a elite defender due to his lateral quickness, long arms, anticipation skills and mental toughness ... Hosley is an impressive athlete capable of some impressive plays ... Has three point range shooting capability ... His huge wingspan allows him to play much bigger than his 6-6 height
Weaknesses: His perimeter defense will need to be improved upon ... Not the best shooter off the dribble as Hosley is more comfortable when his feet are set. Creating offense off the dribble has shown some improvement this past season but remains inconsistent
Draft Express: #18 Jason Smith, #36 Dominic McGuire, #46 Marc Gasol
RealGM.com: #18 Jason Smith
HoopsHype.com: #18 Tiago Splitter
ESPN (Chad Ford): #18 Gabe Pruitt,
If they can't get Yi, then look for them to start thinking about a backup for Baron Davis. Pruitt's athleticism and shooting touch would endear him to Don Nelson.
#36 Reyshawn Terry
#46 Jermareo Davidson
About.com (Dennis Velasco): #18 Josh McRoberts
*Tiago Splitter had been mentioned here, but McRoberts makes too much sense here.
MyNBADraft.com: #18 Jason Smith
Inside Hoops: #18 Josh McRoberts
Hoopsaddict.com: The Great Blogger Mock Draft: #18 Thaddeus Young
Pro Basketball news: #18 Julian Wright, #36 Marc Gasol, #46 Trey Johnson
CBS Sportsline (Tony Meija): #18 Thaddeus Young
CBS Sportsline (Gary Parrish): #18 Rodney Stuckey
CBS Sportsline (TSX): #18 Acie Law
CollegeHoops.net: #18 Jason Smith, #36 Alando Tucker, #46 Ali Traore
This next mock draft is a little different. Instead of picking the top college and foreign talent, these guys were taking the top blogging talent and how each person fit into their respective teams.
Winning the Turnover Battle: The NBA Blogger Draft: #18 Atma Brother #1 of Golden State of Mind
Now we're ready for the 2007 NBA Draft. Anything can happen tonight and with Don Nelson around, you never know what will go down. Maybe Kevin Durant will be a Warrior? Okay maybe not, but it could be Yi Jianlian or Al Horford. It's a great time to be a Warrior fan and we're excited about the draft even now that we don't have a lottery pick.
What are the Warriors going to do? Trade up, down, or just stay put?