The Thunder take Rubio as trade bait or make a deal with T-Wolves?

"The growing league-wide sentiment is that the Grizzlies won’t select Rubio, but by their own choice rather than being scared off. Adding size is simply more pressing and Conley still has promise. Trading out of the spot is possible. If not, Connecticut center Hasheem Thabeet is the logical choice. "That’s who they’re taking," a rival personnel boss said. "The rest is smoke. Bet on it."

It seems like the Grizzlies are leaning towards not taking Rubio. Since they desperately need a big man, my bet is they won’t trade back either since the draft is guard heavy. Thabeet is probably the best fit for them.

if the Thunder take Rubio, they’ll be the NBA’s most popular team overnight

I have a bad feeling about him and the circus that will follow. On the flip side his popularity will surely make OKC some big money and will get us even more nat’l attention.

Rubio’s are guy.

I like WBrook at the point. As many have said, he needs to have the ball to be an effective scorer.

Let’s say we take Rubio and the offers start to roll in. What offers would you accept as a gm?? I’ll throw out the Rubio for Bynum deal. I don’t want any part of Bynum no way no how but hey let’s discuss.

I started at Rubio, went to Thabeet, was at Harden for awhile, and now I’m back at Rubio.

Curry, but we could probably trade down a couple spots and get him. He’s a lights out shooter and a hard worker. I’m big on character.

My preference is Harden.

Not a fan of Thabeet.

I’m intrigued by Tyreke Evans.

Basically, I like a guard with our first pick.

Hearing a lot of crazy stuff – like maybe Rubio isn’t a lock 4 Sac and that NY might still have a shot at him somehow. But nothing concrete.

Before we even start thinking of who to draft, what possible trades are out there we have to see what Memphis will do. Here’s what we know…

• All the top prospects don’t want to go there (Rubio, Thabeet, Harden, maybe Curry).
• Owner & GM aren’t on the same page (owner likes Thabeet, GM likes Rubio).
• They’re receiving more trade offers than any team right now (mostly for Rubio).

I foresee Memphis drafting Rubio only to trade him for the best offer to god knows what team, so many to choose from. I can now see Minnesota offering a swap for the 6th & a player like Rodney Carney (from Memphis) to get their PG of the future in Rubio & trying to snag Thabeet at #5. Which leaves OKC with their guy all along, Harden & Sacramento gets bold & takes Jonny Flynn, who killed everyone in workouts. Memphis takes Jordan Hill to put next to Marc Gasol & their starting 5 is pretty solid.

Back to the important team in OKC. I think Presti is too talented & creative to just settle for the #3 & #25. I see them keeping #3 for Harden but definately depending on how the chips fall, players slipping (DeJuan Blair, BJ Mullens, Terrence Williams, Ty Lawson) they then trade up with a team like Phoenix #14, Minnesota #18 or New Orleans #21 (Detroit is out now). Thats not where it’ll end though. It may be during the draft or shortly after but Presti will make another move with Earl Watson + pick or player to fill our other gap which will most likely be in the middle. Potentially someone like Camby who he can use and dispose of later in season or get a younger center with potential (could use a little of the cap too) such as Gortat.

I’m not really saying anything that hasn’t been said or thought of but thats how I see it playing out logically, team-by-team needs & current draft buzz.

2009 NBA Mock Draft (6/23)

Explained in previous post, here’s how I see it going as of Tuesday night after Spurs/Bucks trade & Wolves/Wiz trade pending…

1. LAC – Blake Griffin: Best player in draft hands down. Too bad it’s the Clippers.
2. MEM – Ricky Rubio (traded to MIN): Wolves make splash & big name PG of future.
3. OKC – James Harden: Top SG & NBA ready player next to Griffin, starts next season.
4. SAC – Jonny Flynn: Owned workouts vs. other PG’s & is a leader.
5. MIN – Hasheem Thabeet: Solidifies their frontcourt & doesn’t have to produce now.
6. MIN – Jordan Hill (traded to MEM with #28 & Rodney Carney): fits at PF next to Gasol.
7. GS – Stephen Curry: typical Nelly pick creating his fave backcourt with Monta Ellis.
8. NY – Jrue Holiday: Great potential at PG with added scoring & defends.
9. TOR – DeMar DeRozan: Need SG bad & he’s a highlight reel but needs time.
10. MIL – Tyreke Evans: Slipped due to team needs but can run PG & is not undersized.
11. NJ – DeJuan Blair (hopefully trading with OKC): Needs post presence & rebounding.
12. CHA – Gerald Henderson: Hometown pick & is well coached & a great defending SG.
13. IND – Brandon Jennings: Energenic PG of the future.
14. PHO – Earl Clark: Matrix-like & will love running w/ Nash & can play 3/4 like Odom.
15. DET – BJ Mullens: Supposedly promised him, need size in post w/ Sheed gone.

Thoughts? There will probably be a trade or tons of rumors disproving all of this tomorrow so what can you do.

But it seems like it would be fun to be a Minnesota fan.
They could get Curry, Jordan Hill, and Chase Budinger or something like that.
Or Harden (if he falls past 4), Jennings, Hansbrough?

The Wolves could have a bright future depending on how this draft works out for them but the GM should’ve really had a coach in mind when they fired McKale. Drafting players without any coaching philosophy is hard.

However, they (Minnesota) might be willing to do 5 and 18 for two or three. That may not be enough for Memphis, but it could be for Oklahoma City. The Thunder might be content to go to five and get either James Harden or Stephen Curry and then, at 18, get another player they covet, Ohio State’s B.J. Mullens.

One rumor that won’t go away has the Suns and Thunder talking about a draft-day swap that would give Oklahoma City the 14th pick and land the Suns the Thunder’s 25th pick and, more importantly for Phoenix, the return of their first-round pick in 2010. Sources say the Thunder have an eye for Ohio State center B. J. Mullens and would likely take him if he’s there at 14.

As much as I’ve dogged Thabeet, Mullens is 10 times worse. He wasn’t even productive in college.