Looks like JamesOn knew what he was doing afterall. The Bulls just took him at 51. I think a lot of people, including myself, thought he would have a hard time getting drafted. Maybe there was something to that rumored promise from the Bulls. Only it was two spots later instead of at 49. Congratulations to JamesOn. I hope he can prove his critics wrong. But it’ll be tough to do in Chicago, where Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Chris Duhon and Thabo Sefalosha seem to have that backcourt on lock.
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MJ is already taking a lot of heat for making this trade — sending Brandan Wright to Golden State for Jason Richardson and Alabama’s Jamareo Davidson. Richardson is a big time scorer, but Wright is said to have tremendous upside. Looks like MJ is trying to win now just like he said. He doesn’t want a young player, and J-Rich has the potential to be an All-Star.
Meanwhile, it looks like the Hornets got their shooter, Adam Haluska from Iowa. He’s a 20.5 point scorer, learding the Big Ten in that department. Well, Jay Bilas just said he needs to work on his consistency shooting the ball. He was in town for a workout recently. All I know is the guy looks pretty goofy based on his profile picture ESPN just threw up.
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I was in training for two hours this morning on how upload audio files to our Web site NewsOK.com. Let’s see how good I listen. I’ll try to post my interviews with Bennett and Durant shortly. They should be somewhere either in the sports section of the Web site or maybe even on the front page.
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That’s a lot of good big men in Portland…Oden, Aldridge, Frye, McRoberts. Good grief.
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The Sonics did indeed deal one of their picks — the 35th along with Ray Allen in the earlier trade that landed the Sonics Jeff Green, Wally and Delonte West. I was wondering about that trade. It certainly looked like Boston was giving up an awful lot to get Ray Allen. So Glen “Big Baby” Davis will go to Boston. I don’t think he’s all that good, even if he is in shape. I just think he was bigger than everybody in college and bulled his way through people. Just my thoughts.
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I just centered my Wednesday story on Carl Landry, the angle being how important second round picks are and how they can be steals. Don’t know if Seattle will indeed hold on to Landry, but he seemed like a very likable person when I talked to him during his draft workout with the Hornets. Very mature. Very motivated. Let’s see if he’s a Sonic next season.
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I’m hearing that Seattle might deal one or both of their second rounders.
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Kevin Durant
“It’s a different situation than I thought because Ray Allen is not a part of the team anymore unfortunately,” Durant said in a telephone interview from New York. “But I really never got to meet Ray, so it really doesn’t hurt as much as if I would have known him.
“I thought he was going to be there. He’s a great player, and I would have loved to learn from him. But now I’m on the team and I can’t wait to be a part of it.”
“I don’t think I’m ‘The Man,’” Durant said. “I would say that I’m willing to work hard and hopefully one day I could be a key contributor to the team. But as far as ‘The Man,’ I don’t think I’m the man.
“I’m just going to go in there and work hard, and whatever my coaches need me to do I’ll do. It really doesn’t matter. I know my teammates are going to help me out. I just can’t wait to start.”
“I’ve known Jeff for awhile now, and I really didn’t expect him playing with me,” Durant said. “Jeff is very versatile. He can play (small forward, power forward, center or shooting guard). I just can’t wait to get out there and play with him.”
Clay Bennett
“It may very well (add more pressure),” said Sonics chairman Clay Bennett. “That’s certainly an issue. But we’re going to do everything we can to support him and teach him, help him and respond to his needs. We’ll do all that we can as a complete organization to enhance his play and enhance his experience and to help him become the professional that we all know he can be.”
“We’re interested in keeping Rashard,” Bennett said. “What (the move) does is allows us flexibility and allows us to remain in the mix for Rashard, and we’re interested in doing that.”
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Houston just took Aaron Brooks from Oregon with the 26th pick. He’s the same player as John Lucas III. Uh oh.
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Geez. Kevin Pritchard loves draft picks….Meanwhile, I’m on deadline, trying to file a story for tomorrow’s paper.
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