Wednesday Insider

[Admin]

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Sleepless. Cranky. And doped up on caffeine.

The rest of the NBA waited restlessly Tuesday night as the Rockets, Cavs and Clippers threatened to dramatically rock the draft.

It's the day of reckoning for the Rockets, and Tuesday night many teams weren't convinced that when David Stern calls out the No. 1 pick, it will be Yao Ming.

Don't panic. The Rockets have given every indication that Yao is their guy. But panic is what general managers do this time of year. And the Rockets' getting cold feet as they step to the alter with Yao is a GM's worst nightmare.

They want the Rockets on that wall. They need the Rockets on that wall.

Are their fears unrealistic? Sure. Are they real? Absolutely. Six different league executives told Insider Tuesday evening that they felt the Rockets would not select Yao with their No. 1 pick.

They cited all of the usual suspects. Red tape with China, a blockbuster trade offer, concerns about Yao's ultimate ability to succeed in the league.

However, things have never looked more optimistic than they do this morning. Agreements with the China Basketball Association were finally reached overnight, assuring that the Rockets would begin tonight's draft by selecting Yao, the Houston Chronicle reported.

An exchange of letters also brought written promises from the CBA that Yao would be available for the duration of the Rockets' regular-season and postseason schedules.

Things were a bit hairier Tuesday night as Rockets brass huddled to discuss worst-case scenarios. The rest of the NBA waited with bated breath. If the Rockets did falter, Jay Williams would likely be the No. 1 pick, Mike Dunleavy would have gone No. 2 and the rest of the draft would have faced considerable chaos.

Take a deep breath. Yao will be a Rocket. From all indications Williams will be a Bull. After that . . . well read on.

Here's Insider's FINAL Mock Draft. If the Rockets don't select Yao No. 1, Insider will self destruct in 5 . . . 4 . . . 3 . . . 2 . . . 1 . . .

Nuggets, Cavs, Clipps, Wizards threaten to shake up the draft

The rumors were flying fast and furious late Tuesday night as teams rounded into the home stretch and the Nuggets, Cavs, Clippers and Wizards threatened to make just about every mock draft irrelevant. We're pretty sure that Mike Dunleavy will end up in Golden State. And Drew Gooden remains that popular pick at No. 4, though a source in Memphis seemed to think everyone would be surprised by who Jerry West ultimately anoints as the savior or the Grizz.

After that? More curves than Anna Kournikova in a thong.

Sources in Denver told Insider Tuesday night that they had not decided who they would draft. There is still a split in the organization among Caron Butler, Nikoloz Tskitishvili and Nene Hilario. Gooden would also be in the mix if he fell to them.

With several teams offering the Nuggets draft picks for the No. 5 and several others targeting James Posey, the Nuggets could go a number of directions. It appears that talks about Posey with the Wizards and Nuggets broke down Tuesday night.

Still, the possibility that Posey will be gone has given Butler, a tough small forward who is ready to play right away, the edge.

Nothing got more attention Tuesday than the Cavs' ongoing talks with the Clippers about Andre Miller.

Miller's agent, Lon Babby, flew to Cleveland Tuesday to talk things over with Miller and the Cavs. With Cleveland seemingly leaning toward blowing this team up and increasing its chances in next year's LeBron James power ball lotto, everything was murky from No. 6 down.

If the Cavs keep their pick, sources told Insider Tuesday night that they'll likely select Dajuan Wagner. Even if Miller isn't traded tonight, the drafting of Wagner would signal an impending deal this summer.

While the Cavs had calls from numerous teams Tuesday about Miller, including the Pacers, Magic, Bucks, Knicks, Wizards, Hawks and Timberwolves, the Clippers remained the odds on favorites to get the deal done.

A Clippers spokesperson told the L.A. times that there was a 50 percent chance that something could get done. However, GM Elgin Baylor didn't seem so sure. He told the L.A. Daily News that "nothing that has been written has any truth to it."

The holdup is the Cavs' insistence that either Lamar Odom or Darius Miles be included in the deal. The Clipps are offering Corey Maggette or Keyon Dooling. If the Clipps were to give up Odom or Miles, they would also grab the Cavs' No. 6 pick in the draft.

Other rumors involving the Cavs also abounded Tuesday. There was talk of a three-way trade that would send Miller to the Hornets, Baron Davis to the Clippers and the usual suspects to the Cavs. The Clipps prefer Davis to Miller and the Hornets are struggling to keep Davis on board with their move to New Orleans.

The Magic are also in the fray, offering Mike Miller, Darrell Armstrong the No. 18 and a future first-rounder for Miller. The Wizards would give the Cavs their No. 11 and No. 17 for Miller. And, the Pacers reportedly offered Jamaal Tinsley, either Jonathan Bender or Al Harrington and the No. 14 for Miller. According to the Rocky Mountain News, the Nuggets offered the No. 5 and Posey for Miller.

The situation in Washington also remained unsettled late Tuesday night. The Wizards thought they had a deal for Posey when they traded Courtney Alexander to the Hornets Tuesday. However, sources say the deal fell through.

The Wizards have a few more tricks up their sleeve. They've talked to the Magic about a deal that would give them Mike Miller for the No. 11 and Jahidi White, the Washington Post reported. With the 11th pick, the Magic would pray that either Amare Stoudemire or Nene Hilario fell to them.

The Magic however, told the Orlando Sentinel that they haven't seen anything to knock their socks off for Miller. "If there's a 'Baby Shaq' available, then we'll do it," Magic coach Doc Rivers said of dealing Miller. "I haven't seen one."

GM John Gabriel concurs: "We have no intention of losing Mike Miller."

If the Wizards stay put, they'll draft a point guard and a small forward.

Options left wide open

Marc Spears / Denver Post

Clippers Say It Is 50-50 They'll Get Miller in Trade

Elliott Teaford / Los Angeles Times

Cavs could have changing of the guard

Chris Tomasson / Akron Beacon-Journal

Clips ponder Miles for Miller

Joe Stevens / Los Angeles Daily News

Wizards Pocket 17th Pick for Alexander

Steve Wyche / Washington Post

Options left wide open

Marc Spears / Denver Post

Posey trade fizzles

Marc Spears / Denver Post

Writers Bloc: Mock Draft Mania

It's mock draft mania time. They're rarely right. Blindfolded monkeys have done a better job than I have in years past. But everybody loves them. They're like a bad car wreck that you just can't stop staring at. Insider scoured the net this morning for the most interesting mock drafts from local papers.

We start with the Chicago Tribune's Sam Smith, who predicts that the Knicks will take Jared Jeffries and Juan Dixon will go No. 14.

The L.A. Times's Mark Heisler has the Clipps taking Dajuan Wagner and Melvin Ely, and has Juan Dixon landing with the Lakers.

The New York Daily News's Mitch Lawrence has the Knicks opting for Jeffries at pick No. 7 and Smush Parker landing to the Nets at No. 24.

The Orlando Sentinel's Tim Povtak and Jerry Brewer do a joint mock draft. Povtak has the Magic taking Frank Williams while Brewer thinks they'll grab Marcus Haislip. Both mocks have Casey Jacobsen slipping into Round 2.

The Boston Globe's Peter May has the Magic taking center Jason Jennings and Freddie Jones going to the Blazers at No. 21.

The Philadelphia Inqurier's Stephen Smith has Caron Butler slipping all the way to No. 11. As for the Sixers' pick? He thinks it's going to the Warriors.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Tom Enlund has Amare Stoudemire falling to the Bucks at No. 13. Wishful thinking?

The Akron Beacon Journal's Chris Tommason is probably the best NBA beat writer you've never heard of. He has the Cavs grabbing Dajuan Wagner at No. 6.

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[Blunt91]

At least we know Hawks management are trying to bring in a big time player like Andre Milller, although we don't have what it takes to get him.

[Admin]

Honestly I would trade JT to the Cavs in a heartbeat to get Miller.......IF it were a straight up one for one deal, but that wouldnt help the Cavs at all. I love JT, but to be able to get a guy with the old school natural PG skills of Miller would be great for this team. Still though, it aint gonna happen. Too bad we cant trade some of our high paid junk to get him though and just move JT to the 2guard......what a backcourt that would be.

[Guest]

Jt is the heart and soul of the Hawks. I dont think Jt was involved in the talk. I think it was more like Nazr,Dj,future first.

We would ONLY move JT from point to off-guard if we could acquire a very significant NBA point guard....which is not likely to happen. What I tell everyone is that defining JT's position is not all that important....he is simply a real NBA player who can score 20 pts per night and there are not many players who can do that. We will make sure he is on the floor with the best possible players around him....if we can get a upgrade at the point then we move JT over, if not then he stays put. Thanks for your interest....by the way, Yarbrough cancelled out of his workout today at the last minute and even his agent could not find him...who knows why. But he and Humphrey are very good athletes at their respective positions.

Pete Babcock

I read one transcript from your most recent interview on Nba.com. You were asked about Jt playing the point and you said if you could find a tall point you would move Jt to off-guard. My question is why would you move Jt from the point guard when he was averaging 20 points and 7 assists [all-star numbers for a point guard]. Hopefully a Vincent Yarbrough will be there at 37 because he could be a real impact player or even a Ryan humphrey even though he dosn't have the size he plays bigger because of his athletiscm and is great defensively.

[DJ_Money]

From that, it sounds like Babcock isn't looking to replace JT at the point with Dickau, Salmons, ect. I love the draft. We don't have a 1st Round pick, and I don't really expect us to get one, but it still may be the most exciting day of the year.

Yarbrough goes AWOL? I guess people really don't want to play in Atlanta. It's like Francis getting drafted by Vancouver. Oh well, if we get Humphrey, I'd be happier anyway.