LATEST NEWS + RUMORS ON THE NBA DRAFT

SONICS FANS PLAYERS NAMES YOU WANT TO HEAR BEFORE THE #25
• CJ Miles
• Monta Ellis
• Roko Ukic
• Marko Illic
• Chris Taft
• Wayne Simien
• Audray Blatche


LIKELY PICKS
• Luther Head is being talked about at 19 to Memphis or 24 to Houston and is unlikely to get to Seattle.
• Roko Ukic is still strong talk going 16 to Toronto
• The Clippers at 12 will likely take either Rashad McCants or Raymond Felton. This means that they will pass on Yaroslav Korolev who many had thought they promised.
• Charlotte wants to leave the draft with Charlie Villanueva and Raymond Felton. Therefore, they may take Villanueva at #5 to secure him.
• Talk is the Spurs have made a promise to a French Power Forward that will surprise people with their first round pick. Will this be another Spurs special.
• Boston will not be taking Monta Ellis as many people have speculated.
• Nate Robinson’s name is strong in Phoenix at #21.
• Ike Diogu is slipping but most people think he can’t get by the #21 pick at Phoenix.
• Hakim Warrick likely will go #9 to Golden State but if he slips he won’t get by the #15 pick of New Jersey.

RUMORED DEALS

• Denver has both #20 and #22 and is talking with the Clippers about acquiring the #12 pick of the draft. IMPACT: The Clippers have reportedly promised Yaroslav Korolev with the #12 pick. It would be unlikely that Korolev would get past Indiana #17.
• Portland will move the #3 pick of the draft. There are two options that seem most likely. According to a good source in the NBA the most likely is the Jazz acquiring the #3 pick and Ruben Patterson. Patterson has said he won’t report. The Blazers would get the #6 pick and Gordan Giricek and Kirk Snyder. Under this scenario the Jazz would take a point guard. Most people believe it to be Deron Williams, but I have heard from inside the league that it would be Chris Paul. The Blazers at #6 would take either Martell Webster or Andrew Bynum
• The other Blazers scenario is that Charlotte moves the #5 and the #13 pick for the #3 pick. I will be surprised if Charlotte makes this deal as an expansion team two first round picks would seem more important than one player. The Bobcats would take either Paul or Williams at the #3 pick and the Blazers would take Martell Webster at the #5 and see if Bynum would slip to #13 which seems unlikely with the Lakers at #10.
• Every indication I have is that the Utah/Portland deal is the one that will happen.


DRAFT POSITION ISSUES
• Ike Diogu cancelled workouts with Boston who sits at #18 and Memphis would sits at #19. He cited fatigue, however it leads you to believe he has been promised above #18 in the draft. However, Locked on Sports latest projection has him at #21 to Phoenix.
• Chris Taft’s, power forward from Pittsburg, final two workouts were with Seattle and Houston. Taft has not been impressive and is likely to slip out of the first round.