[外電] Best scouts? The players
Best scouts? The players
By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 03/03/06
NBA teams spend millions of dollars scouting players around the
globe in search of the next superstar. But why not listen to the
people who'll have to face these projected talents on the floor?
Sure, it sounds crazy. But who better to evaluate talent than the
players who will face these draftees.
Second-year Bulls guard Ben Gordon has already finalized his
report on Connecticut swingman Rudy Gay, projected by many
earlier this year to be the top pick in the June draft. And his
verdict isn't what you might expect for a player from his alma
mater.
"He would give us another long, athletic [player]," Gordon told
the Chicago Sun Times. "Rudy's very mobile on the perimeter. With
his length and athleticism, he kind of reminds me of [second-year
Bulls forward] Luol Deng.
"I never got a chance to play with him, but right now it would
really help us if we got another post player. If we got another
athletic wing, is he really going to beat out Luol or [Andres
Nocioni]? I don't know. There might be too much overlapping."
2003 draft looking better by the day
After LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were taken at the top of
the 2003 draft, the thought was the drop-off would be pronounced.
Instead, Raptors power forward Chris Bosh, the No. 4 pick that
year, and Heat guard Dwyane Wade, the No. 5 pick, spent the
All-Star break as Eastern Conference teammates.
"Bosh? I didn't envision this and I didn't envision Dwyane,
either. Nobody did," Miami Heat coach Pat Riley told the South
Florida Sun Sentinel. "We all thought these kids could be good.
This class has turned out to be extraordinary - LeBron, Carmelo,
Dwyane, Bosh, (Chris) Kaman. There's a lot of players in that
particularly draft, T.J. Ford, they're the next wave of stars
and superstars."
You gotta love New York
Nuggets general manager Kiki Vandeweghe called a published
report "ridiculous" that he expects not to return to the club
next season. The New York Daily News reported last Sunday that
Vandeweghe, in the final year of a five-year contract, has
confided to friends that Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke will not
meet his salary demands.
"I've never commented on it," Vandeweghe told the Rocky Mountain
News. "The only thing I will say is I'm very appreciative of what
has been done for me and I like (Denver) a lot."
Responded Nuggets owner Kroenke via e-mail, "As I've maintained,
our policy is to address contract matters at their conclusion."
There has been much speculation Vandeweghe will not return next
season. Director of player personnel Mark Warkentien has been
called a possible successor, with the New York Post reporting
last Sunday that Warkentien is "all but definite" to replace
Vandeweghe.
"Kiki hired me and it's Kiki's name at the bottom of my contract,"
said Warkentien, saying any further comment would be "inappropriate."
Ellis gets last laugh
He was supposed to be a first-round pick in last June's draft,
one of the top guards in a deep crop headlined by college stars
Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Raymond Felton. But 20-year-old
Golden State rookie Monta Ellis slipped to the second round when
questions arose about his health and lack of strength. He wasn't
even a lock to make the Warriors' roster.
After barely playing the first two months of the season, Ellis
joined the playing rotation in January when Jason Richardson and
Calbert Cheaney were sidelined by injuries.
Now he's pushing for extended minutes with his play and Baron
Davis' injury.
Ellis led the Warriors with a career-high 16 points at San
Antonio. He made his first three jumpers and nearly finessing
in a short layup over Nick Van Exel after a nifty fake move. It
took him just two minutes to score his first eight points.
And even more impressive for a player so young; he actually plays
defense.
"You're talking about a guy last year that played in a high
school state tournament," Warriors coach Mike Montgomery told the
San Francisco Chronicle. "He doesn't seem to get nervous. He just
thinks he should be out there."
What would you do?
Even with a sparking new arena the Memphis Grizzlies have seen
their attendance dip for a second consecutive year.
"It's down pretty good. I'm concerned; I'm disappointed, more
than concerned," team owner Michael Heisley told the Memphis
Commercial Appeal. "Obviously, somehow or another, we've got to
do a better job of selling ourselves.
"I'm a capitalist. I believe the market tells you what kind of
a job you're doing. Quite frankly, we're not getting the entire
job done. But I don't go around complaining about the people that
have to buy. I mean, that's sorta like General Motors or somebody
complaining they're not buying their automobiles. If you want to
get your automobiles sold, you've got to put a better product out
there."
資料來源
http://www.ajc.com/hawks/content/sports/hawks/stories/0305nbanotes.html
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