Choosing names for the NBL’s newest franchises

It was announced this week that the NBL commission are in the final stages of approving two new teams for the league’s 2012-13 season. It’s hoped that by the end of January a new team from Melbourne and a team returning to the Brisbane market will be approved.

Despite in-depth financial and marketing planning already being done, it’s known that the Melbourne team is yet to choose a name. So lets get to the all important naming process, and while we’re at it let’s consider the Brisbane team as well.

Brisbane:

Considering the rich history associated with the Brisbane Bullets, it’s a sure thing that the returning team will take up the old name. As much fun as it would be to think of some new creative idea, I just don’t think it’s going to happen. Though I could see the Brisbane Blackhawks, Barons, Bats or Bluebottles.

Verdict: Brisbane Bullets

Melbourne:

Unlike the Bullets, the new Melbourne team has no history to speak of, save for its many failed predecessors (Not associated with the new bid).

For the first time, the secondary Melbourne team will play out of an arena other than Hisense Arena, instead at the new State Basketball Centre in Wantirna South (South Eastern Suburb, 25kms from CBD).

Set in what is undeniably Australia’s basketball homeland, the team is not likely to be short of supporters, even if the arena can’t fit more than 3,200 spectators (a good 2,000 less than should be the minimum.

In the past, Melbourne teams have sported ‘South Melbourne’ (Dragons), ‘North Melbourne’ (Giants), ‘South East Melbourne’ (Magic) and ‘Victoria’ (Titans/Giants) as their titles.

Considering the new backers, I think it unlikely that they’ll take an old name, making a straight up ‘Melbourne’ team my preferred choice for naming.  Other options could include ‘Wantirna South’ and ‘Knox’ (Suburb names) or possibly a return to ‘South East Melbourne’ or just ‘East Melbourne’.  Despite all the other choices available, a simple Melbourne title does two things.

• Opens the entire Melbourne area for a fan base, even allowing them to stake claim to the occasional marquee game played at Hisense Arena.
• It asserts their equality with the Melbourne Tigers. Anything other than a ‘Melbourne’ title would show that they are fearful of the Tigers’ brand.

With the nickname in mind, there’s no doubt that a new name is 100% necessary, to move away from the failed past’s of former franchises.

If the team adopts the ‘Melbourne’ title, options could include the Melbourne Marlins or, riding off the success of the Dallas NBA team, there would always be a market for the Melbourne Mavericks. No matter how many times I look at alternate names, I’m certain that, should the team be a ‘Melbourne’, ‘East Melbourne’ or ‘South East Melbourne’ team, then the nicknames must be ‘Mavericks’.

If however, the team opts for a suburban title (Wantirna or Knox), then the most obvious choices are the Wasps and the Knights respectively.

Verdict: Melbourne Mavericks

No matter where they’re based out of, or who’s playing for them, the return of a Brisbane franchise and a cross town competitor in Melbourne can only be good news for fans in two of Australia most basketball crazy areas. Let’s hope that the league approves the bids and we can all look forward to the Melbourne Mavericks facing off against the Brisbane Bullets in season 2012-13.

Mills leaves NBL and Tigers, heads for China

Australian Boomers point guard Patty Mills has announced that he will be terminating his contract with the Melbourne Tigers of the Australian NBL, and instead taking a lucrative offer in China. Despite leading the league in points per game (18.6) in nine appearances for the Tigers, the lure of a pay increase was too much to refuse.

Mills said via Twitter,

“Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you all know that I got an unbelievable opportunity to play in China”

He went on to thank those involved in his Tigers experience,

“Just want to thank all the basketball fans in Australia for their support while I’ve been here. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity!”

“I want to thank everyone involved with the Tigers including my teammates, the ownership & all you fans for making this an awesome experience “I certainly look forward to supporting the team from China over the coming months. Keep the hard work up!”

The news comes on the back of recent developments with the NBA lockout, after the players union disbanded last week, and hope of a 2011-12 season slowly fades.

Without out an opportunity to resign with the Portland Trailblazers this season (in the range of $600k AUD), the 23 year old St Mary’s graduate went in search of a similar contract elsewhere.

As with all Chinese Basketball Association contracts, the deal will be in place for the entire season, regardless of the outcome of the NBA lockout, meaning Mills wont have a chance to re-sign in the U.S. until free agency in July next year.

Meanwhile the Melbourne Tigers will be in search for a replacement player, with considerable salary cap and Player Points room now available.

NBA cancels first two weeks

It was announced Tuesday that NBA Commissioner David Stern has officially cancelled the first 2 weeks of the 2011-12 NBA regular season. The cancellation is a result of continued difficulties in negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement between the 30 owners and the NBA players association.

A total of 100 games have been cancelled. For each team, that means around to 6 games each, with some, like the Miami Heat, missing as many 8 key match-ups.

Sources close to the situation say there are still major differences between the two negotiating parties, so much so, that there is little optimism that even more games won’t be missed.

Among the major disagreements is the possible introduction of a ‘hard’ salary cap system, as opposed to the current ‘soft’ cap (which teams can exceed with the use of certain exceptions.)

The payers association are aggressively opposed to a new cap system, saying that it will see the end of guaranteed contracts for the majority of players.

Additionally discussed are the length of contracts, rookie salaries, annual raises and most of all, the total guaranteed split of Basketball Related Income (B.R.I). Under the last deal players would receive a total 57% annual share. The owners have pushed for a figure as low as 45% but have recently informally proposed a 50-50 split of B.R.I. The players have dropped to a 53% offer but have said that that figure will not go any lower.

Despite losing games, the majority of players will not lose any pay as a result of cancellations. The majority of layers only get their first pay check on November 15, a single day after the revised season opener. The hardest hit will be the operators and workers at arenas around the U.S., who will miss pay for games that aren’t payed.

It is the first time since 1998-99 that regular season games have been missed due to collective bargaining.

Commissioner Stern has publically stated that if no deal is signed by January 7 that the entire season, including post-season games, will be called off.

For more information on the details of the bargaining, refer to my earlier breakdown and analysis. 

TEN Sport negotiations a worry for NBL

News arose this week that the NBL is still in discussions with TEN network negotiators about the status of their NBL broadcasting for season 2011-12. Up until these negotiations became public, it was believed that TEN was contractually obligated to play at least 3 live games a week until the completion of the 2014-15 season, on either Ten, or its digital channel One. Its now believed that a secret clause is contained in the NBL agreement. The clause is said to allow the live games to instead be broadcast "near-live" (within three hours of tip-off), presumably this clause is invoked due to the collapse of the all sport OneHD channel.

The problem for fans, and those not yet attracted to the league, is that TEN, once thought to be a key saviour of Australian basketball, is now stabbing the NBL, and the state of basketball in Australia, right in heart.
Without live television coverage this season the league will be hamstrung, unable to properly capitalise on the introduction of Patty Mills and (possibly) Andrew Bogut to the league.
Whereas there was a 298% rise in television viewership last year, it's now likely that we will see a contraction of viewership.
Tuning out on the television will mean tuning out across the whole league. For those potential fans that will never be exposed to the league and for those fans that once turned off but may have otherwise returned, this is a big hit.

The impact will be felt most of all though, by the die-hard fans. With no internet streaming available and non live TV, they will be forced to watch box scores and twitter feeds for live game info.

There is still a glimmer of hope remaining though. The negotiations are on-going and there is talk that One may show 1 live game and two delayed each round. Even if this compromise does shape out, its still going to mean a massive blow for the sport of basketball in this country.

For those interested in helping the fans plight, you can put your name to a petition here ( http://anzballaz.com/blog/2011/09/25/how-you-can-help-get-nbl-live/ )to show the people at TEN your support for live NBL coverage in 2011-12.

Luke Nevill returns home

Western Australian born center Luke Nevill has signed with the Perth Wildcats. After a stint with the Melbourne tigers last season, the 218cm player closed out the season with Triumph Lyubertsy in Russia.
Nevill had been training with the team for several weeks and all indications were that he would eventually be signed.
With the reactivation of Shawn Redhage in the coming weeks, the teams roster will be complete, ready for their first round match up with
The move effectively fills the team’s last real void, giving them legitimate grand finals aspirations.

Jennings an NBL possibility

Milwaukee Bucks guard Brandon Jennings has expressed interest in the possibility of playing in the NBL during the NBA lockout. Jennings said in a tweet late Saturday night that he was “Seriously thinking about going to Australia to play with (Andrew Bogut)”.

If he is serious about this then it’ll be a great boost for basketball fans and teams all around the country. The earlier the league offices hit the phones and show Jennings what the have to offer, the earlier we could have the young star down under.

The tenth overall selection in 2009 led his Bucks to a 7 game series with Atlanta in 2010, without center Andrew Bogut.

After a twitter based campaign by Bogut, Jennings’ twitter account name (@bl00dline3) was trending in major Australian cities throughout the afternoon.

Jennings is a supreme talent, the likes of which the NBL has never had, even compared to Andrew Gaze. Consider Patty Mills to be a 12 year old little brother to Jennings. That is the kind of skill the “Young Buck” possess.

Along with his considerable talent, he also possesses a personality comparable to Corey Williams, which would really help with the national attention that would be given to such a move.

To have him play even a handful of games in the country would be a huge positive for hardcore basketball fans, as well as the casual follower.

Tigers need to be careful with Mills

On Monday the Melbourne Tigers announced the signing of NBA backup guard Patty Mills. Formerly of St Mary's College and the Portland Trailblazers, Mills is the biggest name to hit the NBL since Andrew Gaze. Only problem is, he probably won’t even play for a whole season.

 As with all NBA players playing abroad (except Wilson Chandler in China), Mills' new contract contains an NBA Out. Meaning, should the NBA lockout end, Mills' Tigers contract will be voided and he will be free to return to Portland.
 
On the upside, Mills is sure to increase the ticket sales and viewership across the whole country. After all Mills is the second best Australian player there is, if you don’t count Kyrie Irving.

Unfortunately, Tigers veteran Daryl Corletto was collateral damage in the Mills singing. The Tigers were forced to drop the 29 year old two-guard in order to fit Mills under the NBL Salary Cap and Player Points system. According to sources close to the situation, Corletto will remain available to the team in the case of an early end to the NBA lockout.

If the lockout extends late into the year however, there’s no saying if Corletto may fancy game time somewhere else.

The biggest problem for the Tigers though? Mills’ eventual departure.

As dire as the situation U.S in the NBA is, it’s still highly likely that a some kind of shortened NBA season will go ahead.

So when January comes around, and Patty gets on the first plane to Oregon, where is that going to leave this Melbourne squad? If Patty is used as the full time starting point guard then import point Ayinde Ubaka will be forced to contribute major minutes at the two spot, not his natural point guard role.

When Patty eventually leaves, will Ubaka be able to fill his role? And will Corletto be ready to comeback and fill Ubaka’s.

That is the key problem for the Tigers, and if they don’t figure a way around it, they could risk blowing a series championship contending season.

The Tigers are now a virtual Finals lock. Even if Patty only contributes for half the season, the Tigers should still get to around 11 wins of the 14 pre-Christmas games played. Then again, Mills or no Mills, this team is a real Finals threat.

As exciting as Mill’s signing is, the Tigers must make sure not to lean on his play too much. If they do, they’ll jeopardise their finals chances and could risk losing out on what could otherwise be, a championship season.

Andre Drummond to join UConn

Andre Drummond was a premier talent for the 2013 NBA Draft. Now he’s a premier talent for the 2012 NBA Draft. Assuming the draft eligibility rules do not change with a new CBA, the recently turned 18 year old will be a top 3 choice come next June.

Originally headed for a prep school, the 6-10 local grown big man instead has decided to join the Connecticut Huskies in their 2011-12 NCAA title defence.

Joining championship returnee Jeremy Lamb, Drummond will be hoping to lead the Huskies to back-to-back national championships.

Drummond is a major talent. Possessing a ready made NBA body and a true inner flame, he could likely make an impact in the NBA right now.

His game play style has drawn comparisons to the Knicks’ Amare Stoudemire.

Drummond is a beast on the glass at both ends on the court as well a solid shot-blocker. He also posses a good passing eye and strong post defence as well as developing post game.

Drummond comes with the most hype we’ve seen in a Center since the Trailblazers’ Greg Oden, who has been derailed from an impressive NBA start by a string of injuries.

Along with the likes of Kentucky’s Anthony Davis, Duke’s Austin Rivers and North Carolina’s Harrison Barnes and James McAdoo, Drummond leads the best NBA draft class since 2008.

Plans for NBA exhibtion in Melbourne

Multiple Australian sponsors are behind a plan to bring an NBA exhibition team to Melbourne.

Interested players include Oklahoma’s Kevin Durant, L.A.’s Pau Gasol, New Orleans’ Chris Paul and reigning MVP Derrick Rose.

If the plan goes ahead the team will be flown in to Melbourne for 3 games at Rod Laver Arena later in the year.

The team would likely square of against the Australian national team, who are warming up for their Olympic qualifier against New Zealand and perhaps other teams with young Australian talent.

A similar exhibition series was held in the Philippines capital of Manila last month, with a team of NBA stars squaring off against the local U21 national team and a team from the local professional competition.

NBA players in attendance included Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Derrick Fisher, Tyreke Evans and Javale McGee.

The 3 game series would be a very expensive ordeal however, with insurance costs for the “locked out” players easily in the millions of dollars.

If the move is successful, it will be a major coup for Basketball in the country, with it being the first time an NBA exhibition team has player here.

There is no official word from Basketball Australia on the plans thus far.

The Next Big Thing

Andrew Gaze, Leroy Loggins, Larry Sengstock.

These are the names synonymous with NBL greatness.

These days, household NBL names aren’t as easy to come by, despite a 50% rise in TV viewership and a 12% increase in attendance last season.
As the league heads into a new age, we consider the players that will be the new stars and the new legends, as well as the one man who will be 'The Next Big Thing'.
 
With the league’s last three MVPs either unsigned (Corey Williams) or inked overseas (Kirk Penney and Gary Ervin) it's time that a new NBL star emerges.
 

A steady stream of Aussie and Kiwi talent is progressing through youth leagues, American colleges and NBL rookie programs.

Unfortunately for us, the majority of the locally bred stars will find professional work overseas, owing to the higher salaries available in European and Asian leagues.

Young players like Jackson Aldridge, Anthony Drmic and Matt Dellavedova are unlikely to be playing in the NBL any time soon.

Excluding the international imports (Who usually don’t stay for long enough to make an impact) only the local talent in the league remains.

To find “The Next Big Thing”, we need only look to the top of the list, Kings centre Julian Khazzouh. Second best in the league’s MVP voting last year, the 25 year old post presence was a standout talent all season long. With career highs in FG%, FT%, assists, points and a league-best 10 rebounds a game, Khazzouh’s 2011 campaign was a well rounded star performance.

When it comes down to it, basketball greatness is judged on two things. Championships and talent. With their recent import additions of Kevin Ratzsch and Jarai Grant, and their crop of young talent around Khazzouh, including Rookie of the Year Ben Madgen, the Kings are primed to make the playoff jump this season and are sure to make some post-season noise into the future. Khazzouh has shown us in his last few seasons the true star talent that he is. With the combination of his considerable skill, and that of the team around him, he and the Kings should be winning in the league for many years to come.

All things considered, there should be no doubt that Julian Khazzouh is, and will continue to be, a superstar in this league as well as the true “Next Big Thing”.

Gary Ervin signs in Ukraine

NBL MVP Gary Ervin will be taking his talents to Ukraine for season 2011-12.

The 27 year old guard from Brooklyn, New York announced yesterday that he has signed to play with BC Kyiv.

Although terms of the deal have not been released, it’s likely his new salary will be a significant improvement on what was offered in Wollongong, owning to the teams recent financial struggles.

Ervin’s new team finished the season in 4^th place in the Ukrainian SuperLeague and were swept 3-0 by eventual league runners ups BC Budivelnik in the semi-finals.
The league is celebrating its 20^th season in 2012 with Ervin sure to make a big impact on the local stage.

Ervin’s departure leaves a big roster hole to fill for the Wollongong Hawks, with both international roster slots now open.
The Hawks will no doubt aim to secure an explosive scorer to fill Ervin’s scoring shoes.

Aside from the loss of Ervin, the team maintains the same roster that lead them to a 5^th placed 15-13 record in season 2010-11.

Atlanta Hawks sold to new owner

The NBA’s Atlanta Hawks have been sold.

Michael Gearon Jr. and Bruce Levenson, heads of the Hawks’ ownership group have agreed to sell the team to Los Angeles based business man Alex Meruelo.

Also included in the transaction will be Phillips Arena, the teams’ 11 year home.

Despite recent team success, the local support for the team was below standard with attendance numbers at 15,648 per game, 22^nd lowest in the league last season.

Meruelo is the founder of a Southern California pizza franchise, with over 50 stores located in the L.A. area.

The new owner has already committed himself to the team’s success, saying

“I'm a person who doesn't give up. I want to bring a championship to the city of Atlanta."

The deal is yet to be approved by the league, but should be pushed through in the next 36 hours.

There is no news yet on how the sale may affect the teams’ WNBA affiliate, the Atlanta Dream.

Coming off a 2^nd round playoff defeat last season, the Hawks are once again looking to make a deep playoff run. With the current lockout in place there is no telling how successful their offseason will be, but they will likely have limited financial flexibility, having the leagues 6^th highest team salary.

Breakers lose Penny, Wilkinson to return

The NBL champion New Zealand Breakers have re-signed center Gary Wilkinson.

The US import bigman was a 1^st team All NBL player last year and a key cog in the Breakers title run.

Terms of the contract are not yet official but it is reported to be a two year deal.

The Breakers will however be without 1^st team All NBL guard Kirk Penney after the New Zealand native this week signed a deal to play for Fuenlabrada in Spain’s prestigious Liga ACB.  Widely recognised to be the second best league in the world, Penney will have his work cut out for him in both Spanish national league and Euroleague play next year.

The Breakers still have an import and a local roster sport remaining with import Kevin Braswell not expected to return.

In other Breakers news, the teams’ front office is looking into the possibility of hosting some games in Auckland’s 12,000 seat Vector Arena. Increased season ticket sales and local interest has lead the team’s business staff into considering moving 2 or 3 home games to the arena next season.

The move would be a positive one for both the team and the league. Allowing more locals in the area to see the championship team whilst boosting revenue as well as improving the spectacle of the game.

Still no progress in NBA labour talks

The NBA commissioner, some league owners and Players Association heads met in New York today to hold a 3 hour collective bargaining meeting.

The first of its kind since the lockout began a month ago; the session had all high profile representatives in attendance including Players Association head Billy Hunter, President Derek Fisher and NBA Commissioner David Stern.

Although the talks were relatively cordial no real progress has been made to resolve the dispute.

According to Commissioner Stern, the league and owners feel that the players are not negotiating in good faith, being unwilling to concede loses on their current 57% basketball related income (BRI) split.

The players have again rejected the league’s latest offer despite not presenting an offer of their own since late June.

Despite the little progress being made, both sides have agreed in principle to meet at least 2 or 3 more times this month.

Most analysts agree their will be little movement by the players or owners until November 15, the first scheduled pay day for the players.

It’s expected that once the players begin to lose money from the lockout they may soften their current stance.

The season is scheduled to start on November 1^st, though if the current talks are any indicator it could be much longer before we get any more NBA action.

   

See here for a breakdown of the CBA Sticking points

Pistons choose Lawrence Frank

In the coming days the Detroit Pistons are expected to announce Lawrence Frank as their new head coach. Frank, a former Nets head coach and lead assistant for last year’s Celtics squad is expected to have an offer presented to him in the next 2 days.

A defensive specialist, Frank posted a decent 225-241 record during his 7 year tenure with the New Jersey Nets.  

His experience in coaching at the top level combined with his relative youth saw him snatch the opportunity above other candidates including former Hawks head coach Mike Woodson and current NBA assistants Kelvin Sampson, Bill Laimbeer and Patrick Ewing.

With the Pistons finally in the hands of a new owner after a 2 year search, it’s expected that GM Joe Dumars will begin rebuilding as soon as the season begins. The team is likely to build around young big man Greg Monroe and lottery pick Brandon Knight.

Frank had been in consideration for all 5 head coaching openings this off-season despite missing out on the opportunities in Houston, Golden State and Toronto.

Meanwhile the Celtics will now officially begin the search for a new assistant with no shortage of possibilities. It’s likely that coach Doc Rivers will once again seek a defensive minded coach somewhat like Frank and former assistant Tom Thibodeau.

NBA stars to play in Manila exhibitions

NBA superstars Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul will play in two exhibition games in the Philippines capital of Manila next weekend.

The event has been coined “Ultimate All-Star Weekend” and will see multiple NBA players compete against local Philippines talent.

According to reports, Sacramento's Tyreke Evans, Oklahoma City’s James Harden, Minnesota's Derrick Williams and the Los Angeles Clippers' DeAndre Jordan will also be participating. The organisers behind the event are reportedly also closing in on deals with Oklahoma’s Kevin Durant and Chicago’s Derrick Rose, with Darko Millicic, Mario Chalmers and Russel Westbrook also being linked to the game. Bryant will act as player/coach for the two games

In the first of two games to be played at the Araneta Coliseum in Manila, the Kobe lead US squad will face off against the national Philippines team. The next day the team will play a team of Philippines basketball association All-Stars. The games will be played on Saturday and Sunday the 23^rd and 24^th of July.

Tickets for the game are priced between $7 and $120 AUD.

Players to receive $160 million in owed salary

The NBA players association will, at the end of the month receive $160 million in escrow funds. The NBA today confirmed that the players will receive the money earned from last season despite threats they would withhold the funds until the end of the labour stoppage. Split between the player’s union members, the money will allow the players to dig their heels in for the long run in this labour lockout.

During each season the NBA players are entitled to a guaranteed 57% of all basketball related income (BRI). To ensure the salaries and percentage split equate correctly each season, the NBA withholds 8% of every player’s salary in an ‘escrow’ fund.

The league then redistributes a percentage of this money each August until the salaries paid equates to 57% BRI.

In most cases the total league salary comes in above the 57% mark, even with escrow deducted. When this occurs the league keeps the money collected in escrow funds.

Owing to the financial uncertainty of the looming lockout this season, team owners were reluctant to spend, resulting in salaries coming in under the percentage split point.

The result is that every member of the NBAPA will receive thousands of dollars in lost salary next month, a first time occurrence since the concept was initiated in 1999.

The added pay for the players will help them finance their living for the remainder of the lockout, perhaps resulting in a temporary power shift in negotiations towards the player group.

Unfortunately for fans, this means the players will be more willing in to sacrifice salary come spring time and will almost certainly mean a prolonged lockout.

Williams’ Turkish move opens international floodgates

Just days ago New Jersey Net’s all-star point guard Deron Williams announced that, should the NBA lockout extend to the spring, he will take his talents to Turkey to play for the Turkish league team, Besiktas.

Besiktas, the team the former NBA star Allen Iverson played for last season, has reportedly inked Williams to a one year $5 million deal. The deal is contingent of course upon the time he actually spends with the club, which, should the labour negations resolve soon, could be nothing at all. A clause in the contract states that, should the labour negotiations be resolved, the contract will become void allowing Williams to return home to play for the Nets.

A multitude of league players over that last year have toyed with the idea of allaying overseas during the lockout. Williams of course is the first to officially commit,

The biggest issue with him playing overseas? Should he sustain an injury he could void his NBA contract. With more than $16 million owing to him over the next year, that’s a big gamble to take. An injury would mean not only loss of money to the player, but a serious loss in personnel for the New Jersey Nets.

Williams is the team’s major building block and a big lure to bring free agents to the new Barclays Center in Brooklyn, come season 2012-13.

With Williams’ contract now inked, even more professional players have toyed with the idea of playing abroad, with international born players the most likely to consider a move.

Former NBA players Zaza Pachulia and Darius Songalia have already inked multi year deals with European clubs, understanding that an NBA lockout could cost them millions of dollars in salary, not only this season but in salary rollbacks and cuts in the coming years.

Closer to home it is no secret that many NBL clubs, including Adelaide, Cairns and Townsville are actively pursuing Australian born NBA role player, Patty Mills.

Mills has spent the last 2 years with the Portland Trailblazers and speculation is, he may want to return home for a brief stint this spring.

Under FIBA rules no player can sign a contract with another team if they already have one agreed to with a team in a FIBA member country. Current NBA contracts do not apply however as the current NBA lockout effectively voids all player contracts leaving players free to pursue other options abroad.

There’s no doubt that if the NBA negotiations fail to improve, the league could see countless more players gamble on current contracts to earn a few extra bucks, and play the game they love, overseas.

Understanding the NBA lockout

For the second time in 13 years the NBA has imposed a lockout on their players. The decision by NBA Commissioner David Stern comes on the back of serious differences in the views of the NBA owners and administration and the NBA Players Association (NBAPA).

To fully understand the issues facing the two sides we must first have an understanding of the history of CBA negotiations in the NBA and of the previous deals signed by the two sides.

History:

Compared to the other major professional sports in the US, basketball has had a relatively quite history with CBA negotiating. Prior to 1998, the NBA had never lost a game due to issues with Collective Bargaining.

In 1998 the CBA of the current day expired and the players and owners began negotiating on a new deal. The two sides could not come to an agreement before the expiry of the previous deal though, and owing to the severe differences between the two sides, the NBA decided to impose a lockout.
Unlike previous lockouts, which all ceased before the start of the regular season, this one was much longer.

For 204 days between July 1 1998 and January 6^th 1999 the league was without its normal activity. This of course meant that no games were held in the early months of the season and as result the season was shortened from 82, to 50 games.

The deal that was eventually agreed to in 1999 lasted until 2005 and a new deal was promptly signed thereafter.

That deal, the last effective one, contained some of the following basic agreements.

• The players would receive 57% of all Basketball Related Income (BRI) (equates to about $2.1billion in 2010-11)
• A “soft salary cap” system was used in which could spend an unlimited amount of money over the cap with the use of a few crucial “salary cap exceptions”
1. Bird exception- Teams may exceed the cap to resign a player that has not changed club via free agency in the last 3 years.
2. Mid level exception –during free agency each team over the cap is allowed to spend up to 5.8 million dollars on acquiring new players.
3. Bi-Annual exception – every 2 years teams receive a $2 Million exception fro the use of signing free agents mid season.

• The “Luxury Tax” is a point in which a tax of $1 for every dollar spent is enforced. This occurs above the current cap. (currently sits at $70.3 million)

• Player salaries are capped depending on their league experience. For veterans this cap is around the $17 million mark for the first year of a multi year deal.
• Player contracts could be no longer than 6 years for a player returning to a club and 5 years for a player joining a new club

Negations today: What the league wants

The previous deal for league expired at the end of last month. Commissioner Stern acknowledged that the two sides are extremely far apart on some serious sticking points in the negotiation and so decided to impose another lockout.

The league claims that 22 of its 30 teams have lost a combined $300 million in the last season alone. It’s claimed that most teams outside the major cities of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and Dallas have a disadvantage in the current system, losing money while also having a significantly smaller shot at maintaining a quality roster and competing for championships.

According to the commissioner, the league’s major aims are to secure a guaranteed profit for all franchises and increased competition between all 30 teams.

It’s primary way of reducing costs? Cut the players income.

The league hopes to reduce the current 57% BRI share of the players by up to a third, in turn reducing max contracts from around $17 million to a much more modest $11 million in the first year.

Teams also aim to remove or reduce guarantees on contracts, making it so payment by the team is contingent upon month by month and year by year performance of the player, a concept that hasn’t been used in the NBA in decades.

On top of all this the league hopes to put a firm cap in place, effectively ending the age of guaranteed contacts and many of the current exceptions. Under the current proposal, teams would get up to 3 years to get below this hard cap figure.

A major way they would do this could be the introduction of an Amnesty Clause.

With this in place teams could pay off the remaining money due to a player immediately and remove them from their cap figure. This rule would be great fro teams burdened with bad deals like Orlando (Gilbert Arenas), Washington (Rashard Lewis) and Los Angeles (Ron Artest).

Most analysts are doubtful a true hard cap will come into effect though, considering the amount of change that would occur to every team.

What the Players want:

Compared to what the owners want, the player’s demands are quite simple, yet no less difficult to achieve. The players essentially want the same deal, with very little concessions on their part.

They want a 5 year deal that will ensure they get a good a shot at negotiating for money from the new TV deal that will come into effect in 4 years time. They want to keep the current soft cap system, enabling them to keep their current guaranteed contracts an most of all they want no less than 53.5% of BRI (a concession of 3.5%).

How long will it go:

Compared to the league imposed lockout of 1998, this year’s lockout is many times worse. The owners are completely unwilling to budge without achieving nearly every one of their goals.

The majority of players only get payed between November 15^th and late January and so their wont be much financial toll for them until November.

If the lockout extends to August the league will seriously consider cancelling pre-season games and if it comes to September or October, we could miss regular season games. Most likely the earliest their will be an agreement is late November. We’re likely to see a serious number of games lost and perhaps, a whole season missed. I don’t think that this is the likeliest of scenarios by any means however.

The only thing we can be sure of is that until the players and owners come to an agreement on the % split of income, there will be very little movement on other issues surrounding the CBA. As fans of the game, we can only hope that negotiations continue to move well and an agreement comes quickly.

Mock Draft #3

Just over 24 hours remain till the NBA Draft on Friday.

This years draft is a very weak one with very few of the players expected to become solid NBA starters.

My Lottery Mock Draft

1. Kyrie Irving PG - Cleveland Cavaliers

Freshman/Duke, 6’3” 191 lbs– 17.5ppg, 4.3ast, 3.4rpg

Hands down a top two player in the draft Irving is almost a lock for #1. Cavs GM Chris Grant is set on Irving despite owner Dan Gilbert’s interest in Derrick Williams.

This pick will have huge ramifications for the first 4 spots depending on which way the Cavs swing.

Irving’s solid Chris Paul-like-game leaves it almost impossible for Irving to be a bust. He will start immediately and may end up being an all star one day.

2. Derrick Williams PF– Minnesota Timberwolves

Sophomore/Arizona, 6’9” 248 lbs – 19.5ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.1ast

Williams, like Irving is the only other sure thing in this draft. Projected to be a borderline all star and with little chance of becoming a bust, Williams is the safe bet.

Although not filling a need (Love, Randolph, Beasley and Johnson all at the forward already) the wolves will almost definitely go in this direction.

3. Brandon Knight PG -  Utah Jazz

Freshman/Kentucky, 6’3” 177 lbs – 17.3ppg, 4.2ast, 4rpg

A combo guard with great shooting skills, Knight is a high risk pick. He’ll likely pan out but there is a chance that he will have great difficulty adapting to the NBA PG role. If this is the case Knight may end up underwhelming most people.

Knight had a pretty slow year in Kentucky but has a solid outside game and an NBA PG body. He was a great teammate at Kentucky and this should help him going forward.

4. Enes Kanter C Turkey– Cleveland Cavaliers

19 YOA/Turkey, 6’11” 259 lbs, DNP 2010-11

Not much is known about Kanter. Having played just 2 games in the last 18 months (ruled ineligible for Kentucky) we don’t know how much he has improved since early last year. KAnter is a good kid who seems extremely devoted to his goal, having picked up solid English skills in just over a year. He should have little competition for minutes next year but would do well to learn from long time Cavalier Anderson Varejao.

5. Kawhi Leonard SF -  Toronto Raptors

Sophomore/San Diego State 6’7” 227 pounds - 15.5ppg, 10.6rpg, 3.5ast

Having signed former Mavs defensive assistant Dwayne Casey as the head coach for next year the Raptors will be looking to improve defensively. That will either mean they take Bismack Biyombo or this man Kawhi Leonard.

A defensive combo forward with great rebounding ability, Leonard will fit well with the Raptors.

Although an unlikely star, if Leonard develops a jump shot and continues to develop he his skills in the gym he may yet be a key player moving forward with Toronto.

6. Jan Vesely SF – Washington Wizards

21 YOA/Czech Republic 6’11” 240 lbs - 10.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.3ast

Short of acquiring the number 2 pick for Derrick Williams, Vesely is exactly what the Wizards need from this draft.

His strong transition game and explosiveness around the rim will make him an exciting running mate for second year guard John Wall.

Like Leonard he lacks a true shooters touch but may have a chance to develop it in the NBA.

7. Jimmer Fredette PG – Sacramento Kings

Senior/BYU 6’3” 195 pounds - 28.9ppg, 3.4rpg, 4.2ast

If Leonard and Vesley are both off the board I don’t see how the Kings go past Jimmer. Owners Joe and Gavin Maloof are said to be very high on Jimmer despite the fornt office’s interest in Kemba Walker. With GM Geoff Petrie’s job security low, the owners figure to have a big say on this pick.

Jimmer would fit well off the bench for the kings splitting minutes with Marcus Thornton and Tyreke Evans in a three guard rotation.

Easily the riskiest pick in the lottery, Jimmer could end up being a total bust.

8. Kemba Walker PG – Detroit Pistons

Junior/Connecticut 6’1” 184 pounds - 23.5ppg 5.4rpg, 4.5ast

Walker had a stellar year at UConn, leading the Huskies to a national championship.

He was one of the top scorers all season and at times carried the team on his back.

His size could be an issue at the next level as most guards are an inch or two taller.

The Pistons will be hoping he can overcome these obstacles and take over the reigns from long time guard Rodney Stuckey.

Like Jimmer, Kemba has a fairly high chance of not working out as a star calibre NBA guard.

9. Alec Burks SG– Charlotte Bobcats

Sophomore/Colorado 6’6” 193 pounds - 20.5ppg 6.5rpg, 2.9ast

Burks is the top shooting guard in the draft and one of the most solid scorers. His jump shot isn’t all there, but he is a solid athlete and is decent on defence.
He would fit nicely in Charlotte with Stephen Jackson moving over to play more minutes at the 3 spot.

Most shouts figure he’ll take a good 2 or 3 years to really find his feet and a lot hinges on his ability to acquire a solid jump shot.

10. Klay Thompson SG– Milwaukee Bucks

Junior/Washington State    6’7” 206 pounds – 21.6ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.7ast

If Burks isn’t available here the Bucks will almost certainly go for Thompson.

A really solid shooter with NBA range he is a true commodity in this draft.

The biggest danger however is that he made most of his moves in workouts over the last few weeks. There are some doubts about his maturity and his ability to handle an 82 game season.

11. Bismack Biyombo PF– Golden State Warriors

18 YOA/Spain (from Congo) 6’10” 240 pounds - 6.4ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.3bpg (17.1mins)

Biyombo splashed onto the scene a few months ago after a spectacular showing at the Nike Hoops Summit. Scouts are hoping he can turn into an impressive shot blocker and defender.

He lacks much of an offensive game but can be a huge presence on defence. He may not even be available here with the Raptors apparently taking a keen interest in him.

12. Chris Singleton SF - Utah Jazz

Junior/Florida State 6’9” 230 pounds – 13.1ppg, 6.8rpg, 1.2 ast

Singleton is a defensive player who could contribute straight away. He’s a real worry on defensive though, having the second lowest offensive efficiency of any one in class.

He does have a decent catch and shoot game though and that should bump up his efficiency at the next level.

13. Tristan Thomson PF – Phoenix Suns

Freshman/Texas 6’9” 227 pounds - 13.1ppg 7.8rp 2.4bpg

The Suns have a hole at PF and Thomson may just be able to fill it. A solid role player or borderline starter, Thomson does his best work off the ball. Thomson is a raw offensive talent but should develop well with Steve Nash delivering him the ball. He could move up as high as the 9^th spot or slide all the way out of the lottery.

14. Jonas Valanciunas C – Houston Rockets

19 YOA/Lithuania 6’11” 240 pounds - 7.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 0.6bpg (14.9mins)

Most mock drafts have had Valanciunas high as the 4^th spot over the last month or so. A problem arising from his current European contract means he will almost certainly not be available to play next season.

The Rockets should be his lowest possible falling place.

They’ll be hoping that come 2011-12 he should be able to compete and contribute to a potential playoff team.

Irving says he wants to represent Australia

Likely number 1 overall selection Kyrie Irving says he wasn’t to represent Austraoia

Born in Melbourne, Kyrie spent his first 2 years growing up “down under”.

Irving, whose father Drederick played fro the Bullen Boomers in the NBL in the 90’s holds dual Australian and American citizenship.

Realising perhaps the unlikely hood that he will ever represent the US at the highest level, Irving has instead expressed interest in donning the green and gold for the upcoming Olympics.

Irving would become the team’s second best player behind Bucks center Andrew Bogut.

The combination of Bogut and Irving with fellow NBA players David Anderson and Patrick Mills may be enough to see Australia’s chances in the tournament rise significantly.

Speculation earlier this year had Irving firmly aiming to play USA basketball, but there is little chance he will be given that opportunity, considering the wealth of young PG skill in the USA. NBA PG’s Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, John Wall, Stephen Curry and Russel Westbrook are all considered stronger talents than the Melbourne born Irving.

Although FIBA rules say that once a player chooses to represent a country after their 17^th birthday they cannot change, there are certainly exceptions. If authorised by the FIBA secretary general on the proviso that it “is in the interest of development of basketball in the country” a player may indeed switch teams.

Piston PF Charlie Villanueva is one such example. After representing the US at junior level he was bale to represent the Domican Repubklic.

Even he is cleared to play for the Boomers this year it is unlikely he will join the squad immediately, considering an impending lockout leaves him unsigned and without NBA health insurance.

The Boomers will compete against New Zealand in a 3 game series this spring although the young aussies on the squad will likely be without all of their NBA team mates.

The Australian squad will have training camp next week before playing a two match series against china later this month.

Mock Draft #2

With just over two weeks until draft night, here is my second Mock Draft for 2011

My Lottery Mock Draft

1. Kyrie Irving PG - Cleveland Cavaliers

Freshman/Duke, 6’3” 191 lbs– 17.5ppg, 4.3ast, 3.4rpg

Irving has solidified his position as the number one prospect over the last few weeks despite working out for only a select few teams. Baron Davis, the Cavs current guard seems to be enjoying his role as a mentor through the offseason, so the Cavs should have no hesitation bringing in Irving for next season.

Irving has a pure point guard’s game and the potential to be a borderline All-Star down the road. His game compares loosely to Chris Paul’s but without the superstar abilities.

2. Enes Kanter C Turkey– Minnesota Timberwolves

19 YOA/Turkey, 6’11” 259 lbs, DNP 2010-11

The Wolves locked up Ricky Rubio during the week and so shouldn’t consider taking a PG with this selection. Although I had Williams of Arizona in here last time, I'm leaning towards the T’Wolves picking on need.

Darko Milicic was the starting C for the wolves last season and so they will be looking for an upgrade.

A strong back-to-the-basket game and a true center’s body are assets for Kanter.

3. Derrick Williams SF– Utah Jazz

Sophomore/Arizona, 6’9” 248 lbs – 19.5ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.1ast

The Jazz should pick Williams if he is available at number 3. Some consider him a power-forward with others putting him at the 3. It’ll be interesting to see how he adjusts to the NBA style and just where he’ll fit into the Jazz roster. With Andrei Kirilenko coming off the books this off-season and Gordan Hayward the only other SF under contract, management will be hoping to have him start from game 1.

5. Jan Vesely SF – Cleveland Cavaliers

21 YOA/Czech Republic 6’11” 240 lbs - 10.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.3ast

With the Cavs already having a young point guard in Kyrie Irving they would likely go toward the athletic European wing.

Vesely is explosive around the ring and thrives in transition. Despite his length he is best served at the Small Forward position.

The Cavs have very little in terms of depth at the 3 so he should be able to contribute early.

5. Brandon Knight PG -  Toronto Raptors

Freshman/Kentucky, 6’3” 177 lbs – 17.3ppg, 4.2ast, 4rpg

Knight had a pretty slow year in Kentucky but was highly regarded out of high school. Scouts and GM’s are hopping he can get back on track and continue to develop in the league. He has a solid outside game and is one of the smartest players coming out.

His size and quickness are great qualities hard to come by in young guards.

6. Kawhi Leonard SF -  Washington Wizards

Sophomore/San Diego State 6’7” 227 pounds - 15.5ppg, 10.6rpg, 3.5ast

Although not a huge upside guy, Leonard is still a decent catch at #6. Leonard’s best work is done on the glass and on defence and that’s where he thrived last year at SDSU.

Like Derrick Williams, Leonard is a combo forward without a true position. After playing PF in college the Wizards will be hoping he can contribute at the 3 and the 4 next year. Perhaps if he transitions well to the 3 spot he could move into a starting role late in the season.

7. Kemba Walker PG – Sacramento Kings

Junior/Connecticut 6’1” 184 pounds - 23.5ppg 5.4rpg, 4.5ast

Walker had a stellar year at UConn, leading the Huskies to a national championship.

He was one of the top scorers all season and at times carried the team on his back.

His size could be an issue at the next level as most guards are an inch or two taller.

The Kings will hope to slot him into the starting line-up early, sharing minutes with Tyreke Evans and Marcus Thornton (should they re-sign him) at the guard spots.

11. Bismack Biyombo PF– Golden State Warriors

18 YOA/Spain (from Congo) 6’10” 240 pounds - 6.4ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.3bpg (17.1mins)

Biyombo splashed onto the scene less than a month ago after a spectacular showing at the Nike Hoops Summit. Scouts are hoping he can turn into an impressive shot blocker and defender.

There are concerns about his age however, with reports saying he could be closer to 24 than 18.

9. Alec Burks SG– Charlotte Bobcats

Sophomore/Colorado 6’6” 193 pounds - 20.5ppg 6.5rpg, 2.9ast

Burks is the top 2 guard in the draft and one of the most solid scorers. His jump shot isn’t all there, but he is a solid athlete and is decent on defence.
He would fit nicely in Charlotte with Stephen Jackson moving over to play more minutes at the 3 spot.

10. Klay Thomson SG– Milwaukee Bucks

Junior/Washington State    6’7” 206 pounds – 21.6ppg, 5.2rpg, 3.7ast

Thomson’s stock has jumped considerably since my last mock with great workouts around the league. His long range shooting and good ball skills have impressed teams.

He sees himself as a good off-ball scorer and a really solid shooting threat.

The Bucks would probably rather have Burks, but Thomson still fits their need well.

8. Jonas Valanciunas C – Detroit Pistons

19 YOA/Lithuania 6’11” 240 pounds - 7.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 0.6bpg (14.9mins)

Valanciunas is pretty limited offensively but that shouldn’t be a problem on this stacked Warriors squad. The Warriors recently signed rookie head coach Mark Jackson so there’s no telling what direction they may go.

Valanciunas likes to bang the ball inside and does well on the glass.

There are rumours of a Monta Ellis-Andre Igoudala swap in the works and if so, the team may target a more offensive minded player.

The buyout for Valanciunas increased to almost 4 million last week so there are serious concerns about whether or not he will even be able to come across next season

12. Jimmer Fredette PG – Utah Jazz

Senior/BYU 6’3” 195 pounds - 28.9ppg, 3.4rpg, 4.2ast

Assuming the Jazz haven’t already selected a PG, I think “The Jimmer” will be too good to miss. He played college ball at BYU which is close to Salt Lake City and so the home town crowd may do him good.

He was a stud scorer at college though his defence was well under par. He is probably the best and most confident shooters in the college game.

Fredette projects well as a bench scorer but could have serious problems if too much is expected of him next year.

13. Tristan Thomson PF – Phoenix

Freshman/Texas 6’9” 227 pounds - 13.1ppg 7.8rp 2.4bpg

The Suns have a hole at PF and Thomson may just be able to fill it. A solid role player or borderline starter, Thomson does his best work off the ball. Thomson is a raw offensive talent but should develop well with Steve Nash delivering him the ball. He could move up as high as the 8^th or 9^th spots or slide a little further than 13^th.

14. Chris Singleton SF  - Houston Rockets

Junior/Florida State 6’9” 230 pounds – 13.1ppg, 6.8rpg, 1.2ast

The Rockets are in need of some depth at forward with long time 3 man Shane Battier traded to the Grizzlies mid-season. Singleton has a strong post game for a combo forward and makes good decisions down on the block. He’s also a good defender both on ball and in the post.

Singleton will compete with Chase Budinger and Terrence Williams for time and will likely have a spell or two in the D-League next year.

Falling Out

Marcus Morris PF

Junior/Kansas 6’9” 230 pounds - 17.2ppg, 7.6rpg, 0.6bpg

14. Jordan Hamilton SF  - Houston Rockets

Sophomore/Texas 6’8” 225 pounds - 18.6ppg, 7.7rpg, 2.1ast

Lakers close to deal with Mike Brown

According to reports coming out of Los Angeles on Thursday, the Lakers are nearing completion in their head coaching search.

Currently in the lead for the job is 2009 Coach of the Year Mike Brown.

Brown was formerly the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2005-2010. His tenure included a trip to the Finals in 2007 and a trip to the Conference Finals in 2009

Brown has been working as an analyst for ESPN this season after being fired by the Cavs in mid 2010.

Also believed to still be in the running are former Rockets head coach Rick Adelman and 7 year Lakers assistant Brian Shaw.

Should the talks with Brown collapse in the coming days the team is likely to instead sign Adelman. Brian Shaw had previously been backed by multiple Lakers players including Kobe Bryant. Team officials seem to think an experienced hand would serve the team more productively however.

The vacancy opened up juts weeks ago as Phil Jackson announced his retirement from coaching.

Jackson was the head coach of the Lakers for 12 years between 1999 and 2011 (one year break in 2004-05 and the Bulls from 1989-98. His career was arguably the best of any NBA head coach, racking up a record 11 championships.

There are suspicions that Jackson’s retirement may only be short one however, with some believing he could return after one season off. Highest on the possible list of destinations is the New York Knicks, for whom Jackson played for 11 seasons from 1967-78.

Coincidently, current Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni’s current contract expires at the end of next season.

The head coaching vacancies in Golden State and Houston are still currently open, with both teams nearing decisions on the matter.

Brown is believed to be in play for the Warriors if the Lakers deal collapses and TV analysts Kevin McHale and Mark Jackson are also possibilities. Boston assistant Lawrence Frank and Mavericks assistant Dwayne Casey are also believed to be in play for both teams.

Mock Draft #1

The NBA Draft will take place late June in New Jersey. A month out from the draft, this is my first mock draft.

My Lottery Big Board

1. Kyrie Irving PG - Cleveland Cavaliers

Freshman/Duke, 6’3” 191 lbs– 17.5ppg, 4.3ast, 3.4rpg

Irving is almost unanimously thought to be the best player in the draft. The Cavs have a very shallow roster at all positions and as such, need should not be a factor in this selection.

Irving has a pure point guard’s game and the potential to be a borderline All-Star down the road. He is coming off a food injury last season with Duke but it probably won’t hurt his stock come draft night.

2. Derrick Williams SF– Minnesota Timberwolves

Sophomore/Arizona, 6’9” 248 lbs – 19.5ppg, 8.3rpg, 1.1ast

The only player other than Irving to be considered a top 3 lock, Williams is a very solid player. Although not possessing the upside that Irving has, Williams does have potential to be a 2^nd or 3^rd option on a good team.

The Wolves have a pretty decent rotation at SF and so Williams probably won’t fit well. This would likely lead to at least one of Michael Beasley, Wes Johnson or even Williams himself to be traded on draft night.

If the Wolves were picking on need they might selected Enes Kanter or trade down for Bismack Biyombo.

3. Brandon Knight PG -  Utah Jazz

Freshman/Kentucky, 6’3” 177 lbs – 17.3ppg, 4.2ast, 4rpg

Although Knight wont be the best available at the 3^rd pick the Jazz probably wont want to gamble on Kanter.

Knight, a scoring point guard had a slow start to the season for Kentucky, but performed strongly in the tournament in March.

He is one of the best shooters in the draft and thrives from behind the 3pt line.

He has plenty of upside and should equate to a solid guard in the mould of Jason Terry or a weaker Chauncey Billlups.

4. Enes Kanter C Turkey– Cleveland Cavaliers

19 YOA/Turkey, 6’11” 259 lbs, DNP 2010-11

Kanter didn’t play a game in 2010-11 but despite that he should still make the top 5.

A non-traditional euro big-man, Kanter makes his money in the paint. A strong back-to-the-basket game and good floor running ability make him an asset to any team.

There were concerns over his attitude this week, after he refused to interview with Utah, instead saying he wants to play for the Washington Wizards.

Despite the trouble, the Cavs should pick him for his high talent level if he is available.

5. Jan Vesely SF - Toronto Raptors

21 YOA/Czech Republic 6’11” 240 lbs - 10.3ppg, 4.4rpg, 1.3ast

Vesely has been the best young talent in Europe for a while now. Really hitting his stride in December and January Vesely is pushing hard now while it matters.

Vesely does his best work above the ring and loves to get out in transition.

The Raptors would really like a center to allow Bargnani to move to the 4. This could mean they’ll make a trade, possibly involving this pick.

6. Kawhi Leonard SF -  Washington Wizards

Sophomore/San Diego State 6’7” 227 pounds - 15.5ppg, 10.6rpg, 3.5ast

It’s no secret that the Wizards would much rather take Enes Kanter here. They’ll probably have to settle for Leonard though, as the other big options are likely to fall before the 6^th pick.

Leonard was great all year for the Aztecs, thriving in his scoring power-forward role.

There are problems though, with most suggesting his lack of height will lead him to push over to the SF spot.

The adjustment is likely to be a difficult one, and he could have a tough first year in the league.

7. Kemba Walker PG – Sacramento Kings

Junior/Connecticut 6’1” 184 pounds - 23.5ppg 5.4rpg, 4.5ast

There were true concerns about his height pre-combine but he surprisingly measured up at a true 6’1”.

Walker was impressive all year at UConn and led the Huskies to a national championship on the back of his impressive scoring and floor running abilities.

The Kings have needed a better playmaker than Tyreke all season and it looks like they should get him.

8. Bismack Biyombo PF– Detroit Pistons

18 YOA/Spain (from Congo) 6’10” 240 pounds - 6.4ppg, 5.1rpg, 2.3bpg (17.1mins)

Biyombo splashed onto the scene less than a month ago after a spectacular showing at the Nike Hoops Summit. Scouts are hoping he can turn into an impressive shot blocker who could compare loosely to Serge Ibaka.

There are concerns about his age however, with reports saying he could be closer to 24 than 18.

9. Tristan Thomson PF – Charlotte Bobcats

Freshman/Texas 6’9” 227 pounds - 13.1ppg 7.8rp 2.4bpg

Undersized at the 4, Thomson is still a good talent.

In the mould of a poor man’s Josh Smith, Thomson is still very raw. He does his best work off the ball and so won’t find it too hard in the league.

There are rumours that Toronto may take him, being a native of the region.

10. Alec Burks SG– Milwaukee Bucks

Sophomore/Colorado 6’6” 193 pounds - 20.5ppg 6.5rpg, 2.9ast

There have been rumblings about Burks going to Milwaukee for weeks. He fits their need for an off-the-dribble creator well and could fit nicely into the rotation.

It’s rumoured that Bucks PG Brandon Jennings is on the block, and if it’s true it could mean the Bucks package this pick with him, or else possibly move up in the draft.

They still would like to get deeper at the backup point and center positions.

11. Jonas Valanciunas C - Golden State Warriors

19 YOA/Lithuania 6’11” 240 pounds - 7.6ppg, 5.6rpg, 0.6bpg (14.9mins)

Valanciunas is both the best player and also a need filler for the Warriors at this pick.

There are concerns about his lack of a rounded post game and his slow development.

If he can be a decent contributor on defence and a part time offense player he could start for the Warriors and help them make a playoff run next season.

12. Marcus Morris PF – Utah Jazz

Junior/Kansas 6’9” 230 pounds - 17.2ppg, 7.6rpg, 0.6bpg

One of the two Morris twins, Marcus has recently taken a step above his brother Markieff.

Marcus is a little undersized for the 4, but has a solid offensive game. He could look to be a sold role player for a few years and maybe eventually turn into an NBA starter.

13. Jimmer Fredette PG – Phoenix Suns

Senior/BYU 6’3” 195 pounds - 28.9ppg, 3.4rpg, 4.2ast

Jimmer was the best scorer in the college game last year and almost single headedly led his team to the round of 16.

He’s not particularly strong or fast but is one of the best shooters in any league in the world. The Suns would be hoping that with some guidance from Steve Nash and a bit of luck he could be their PG for the future. Most scouts think that Jimmer will be a sixth man at best for the rest of his career.

14. Jordan Hamilton SF– Houston Rockets

Sophomore/Texas 6’8” 225 pounds - 18.6ppg, 7.7rpg, 2.1ast

The young forward from Texas is a solid talent who could compete for minutes right now on the current Rockets squad.

A potent offensive threat, Hamilton compares somewhat to a much less talented Joe Johnson.

Hamilton has been the number 1 scorer for Texas all year and so might have some troubles sliding into an off ball role alongside Kevin Martin.