What do you want to see happen tonight?

@Engelwood
we need a shooter ... and yet harden is worthless. ok then.

Harden is worthless...I would take the Evans before I looked at Harden. He's younger and is more athletic. We do need a shooter! Definately don't want Thabeet.

@Kev
Harden did poorly in this year's tourney- on a team where opponents could entirely focus on him. Other than that poor two game run, I have no reason to question his heart at all. He is bigger, stronger, and I believe faster than Curry. Don't get my wrong, I truly think Curry is going to be a bad-ass, but we are in greater need of a pure SG than a tweener PG/SG.

my concerns with Harden (versus the other two) are with his heart . . .

I won't cry a bit if we come away with Rubio, but my preference is for Harden. We have an excellent idea what we land with Harden (high percentage shooting,passing,good decision making, team first guy), and that is exactly what we are looking for in a starting 2. Guy could be Brandon Roy good. Rubio could be an all-star playmaker who "lifts all boats", but he brings a lot more uncertainty. Presti should take the rolls-royce in the hand over the Ferrari in the bush.

@Vega
I think the Magic read our exchange as the Nets tossed in Ryan Anderson alongside Vince Carter in the deal, which changes everything.

I actually love this trade for Orlando now, as Anderson is a solid combo-forward who posted some good numbers for a rookie. The Nets had to do this for cap space reasons as Alston and Battie have expiring contracts, otherwise it just doesn't make a lot of sense in terms of star potential and immediate impact.

One mock had us taking Ellington at #25, I really like that pick. I have a hunch about Ellington... that is all!

@J.G.
Good grief, they know zero.

Jordan Hill at three. I think Traber still thinks it's March.

By the way, Traber still wants Hill and Eschbach wants Thabeet.

Ladies and Gentleman, our local sports radio analysts!

Ugh.

@Kev
I'd prefer them not go after a steal at all unless they know they can get it, but when you're beat you're beat. But yeah, if you saw him jogging more than busting tail to get back, then I can see an issue with that. I personally never saw him take plays off to that degree, but perspectives can vary.

We can't get Thabeet...we just can't.

@J.G.
both guys have to be selective when gambling, and they HAVE to race back after the ball passes them, you can't leave your teammates hanging like that . . .

@Kev
Rubio is a bigger gambler than anyone on the Thunder roster, both offensively and defensively. I'm fine with it, but if you think Westbrook creates too many turnovers and blows assignments going after steals, man are you in for a fun season next year. :)

J.G. :@Steve H@Kev
I think you’re both vastly overrating the Grizzlies. They’re terrified of looking like fools ever since the Pau Gasol trade and the easiest way NOT to screw up is to stay put and simply pick the guy you think can help.
I see them picking Thabeet straight up unless something unbelievably one-sided comes along.

that wouldn't bother me - as long as we don't get Thabeet :)

I respectfully disagree - it doesnt bother me if he tries for a steal and then races back . . . usually, when he attempted a steal, he'd jog back . . . that is unacceptable . . .

@Steve H

@Kev
I think you're both vastly overrating the Grizzlies. They're terrified of looking like fools ever since the Pau Gasol trade and the easiest way NOT to screw up is to stay put and simply pick the guy you think can help.

I see them picking Thabeet straight up unless something unbelievably one-sided comes along.

King, that's one of MANY reasons why Rubio is good for this team . . .

energy is contagious . . . Thabo does it already, but he appears to be quiet and a non leader - nothing wrong with that.

@Kev
I'll disagree with the "a lot" stance since that's what I figured you meant. I don't think he "coasts", I think his problem in transition is that he is looking to poach a pass or gamble on a steal and loses track of his man. Is it

"Coasting" to me means he simply doesn't get back through a lack of effort or desire, which is far worse.

good point steve . . .

I just can't imagine Rubio slipping past Memphis. Why pick Thabeet if they can be confident he would still be on the board for Minny's offered 5th pick? They are just playing chicken in hopes of the Wolves-or Kings- improving their offers. Push comes to shove, they will take Thabeet AND something else instead of just Thabeet.

@Kev
Well we all know Senor Rubio could definitely help him with that...

come on JG - I've documented that at length during the last fifteen games of the season . . . he coasts alot on defense, especially in transition . . .

Kev :the “never coasts” comment is incorrect on multiple levels . . .

Explanation?

I wish I could watch this right now.

Gah! What's with all this regular life crap getting in the way of my Thunder devotion?

the "never coasts" comment is incorrect on multiple levels . . .

yeah kev and xpress, you put it better than me but that's what it sounded like to me as well.

BigVessXpress :@Alex
Westbrook is backing way off the anti-Rubio stuff. Still sounds hesitant about someone else playing the point but it definitely sounds like someone talked to him about the situation.

agreed . . .

@Alex

Westbrook is backing way off the anti-Rubio stuff. Still sounds hesitant about someone else playing the point but it definitely sounds like someone talked to him about the situation.

he said "I don't recall saying it"

he sounded like Oliver North . . .

Westbrook just said he didn't say "you trippin" and said things along the line "i'll do whatever is best for the organisation" etc etc.

But then again that's kinda what he has to say, who knows what he's really thinking.

@J.G.
Presti has some plausible deniability, in my opinion. Even if he plans on trading Rubio, he can reassure the Wolves, or Kings, or whomever, that he's looked into Rubio's contract and legal situation.

But I still have a gut feeling that we're gonna take Rubio and keep him.

Westbrook on Rome in 10.

@Vega
Wilcox is a PF, not a C. Mikki Moore showed he is on his way out in the playoffs and are you really comparing Nesterovic and Sean Marks to Marcin Gortat? Anthony Johnson is not as good as Earl Watson, let alone Rafer Alston and Courtney Lee was light years ahead of Redick as a rookie, not to mention that Pietrus and Redick are both SG's.

And where is all this money going to come from for them to sign free agents? Wilcox will demand around $4-6 million on his next contract and they're already over the cap and will have to re-sign Turkoglu, which will put them even more over the cap. They don't have the money to sign anyone in free agency.

This was a desperation move by the Magic and, honestly, Vince Carter is just not worth sacrificing depth and guaranteed defensive contribution anymore. They got to the Finals because they were one of the top three defensive teams in the league last year. Good luck with that now.

@Jax Raging Bile Duct
the second theory is lame -

I don't think any GM worth his salt will cave to the agent of a player who isn't even the best player on the team . . .

@J.G.
Orlando could probably sign a backup center like Chris Wilcox, Mikki Moore, Rasho Nesterovic, or Sean Marks for cheap. They will still have Anthony Johnson as the backup PG, and J.J. Redick will still be with them.

@Royce
I would have gone with the, "it was just actually a leak" idea since a trans-continental secret is harder to keep than a local one (too many moving parts to keep silent)...but that could just be Occam's Razor speaking.

The Super Duper Double-Smokescreen is a lot more interesting, for sure!

@Jax Raging Bile Duct
Or MAYBE Presti is pulling a double smokescreen and knows that everyone will think that by hiring the law firm people will assume he was interested, but then people would think that Presti was doing that just as smokescreen but in reality, he was just throwing everyone off a second time and is making them think he's not interested when he really is.

Make sense?

@Vega
And the depth chart for the Magic would be...?

Pietrus can't sub in at all five spots and Gortat will be gone, along with a HUGE asset in Courtney Lee. That's a panic trade if I've ever seen one. I love Orlando's starting five now, but it takes 9 deep to win a championship (you'd think they would have figured that out, you know, when they were playing the Lakers in the Finals).

ESPN Draft-buzz roundup: What we're hearing
POSTED: June 25 -- 3:03 p.m. ET
Chad Ford:
There are two theories in play that explain why the Thunder might not be taking Ricky Rubio after all.

The first is the smokescreen theory. It says that the Thunder are very tight-lipped and all of the recent leaks about Rubio are uncharacteristic of a Sam Presti team. They say that the Thunder are leaking Rubio in the hope that a team like the Wolves who are hot for him would trade an asset to move up two spots.

The second theory is the Arn Tellem theory. Tellem is the agent for Russell Westbrook, and some believe that he's been exerting major pressure on Presti not to take Rubio. Westbrook wants to be a point guard and would be unhappy if he was moved to the 2.

I'm not sure I buy the second one at all. It is a tough position for Presti to be in, but in the end I think Rubio would make Westbrook a better player. As for the first one, that one does scare me a bit.

I love that proposed Magic-Nets trade for both teams. Vince had a bit of a resurgence last year, and if the Magic can add him for expiring contracts and one good player, then I say they should do it. On the Nets side of things, they get rid of some salary and get a promising young Vince replacement in Courtney Lee. Great trade. Pull the trigger.

The Mayo trade happened near midnight on draft night last year. We may be celebrating over our new player for less than 24 hours before he's swapped for different ones.

I'm on the Rubio bandwagon... dont know why... just am.

I'm cool with Harden and the extra pick as well though. 6:30 just cant get here soon enough.

The Magic and Nets are talking about sending Vince Carter to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Courtney Lee.

I'm trippin!

it looks good for Rubio right now . . .

I like rubio, i like harden, i like curry. Cant we just take them all?

If Presti chooses Thabeet his vaunted rep will slip then probably crash within a year or two.

@Mike
"If he picks Thabeet…there’ll be a big inhale [from the Thunder reefer] and everyone will look around [stoned out of their minds]..."

There. Fixed it for ya.

@Mike
Exactly.

@Royce
If he picks Thabeet...there'll be a big inhale and everyone will look around nervously, then all together we'll exhale and remember who's running the show.

@daniel
Best joke of the day. I'm chuckling as I type.