- Blake Griffin is either on steroids or was weaned on Muscle Milk
BASELINE READERS: Tell us what you’d do if the Bobcats won next Tuesday’s NBA Draft Lottery.
Would you automatically select Blake Griffin (who is not, I am told, a gene-spliced clone child of Rihanna and John Cena) or would you explore trading down for other players in the draft like James Harden or Ricky Rubio? Or trade the pick altogether for an established star in the League?
Keep in mind that the odds are overwhelmingly against the Charlotte Bobcats – they don’t even have a 1% chance of winning. More than likely the ‘Cats will be selecting 12th thanks to their relatively strong season. Still, this is the mysterious draft lottery and stranger things have happened. Longtime Charlotte NBA fans might remember the ’98-99 Hornets finishing 26-24 in a strike shortened season and then landing the #3 overall pick in order to select Baron Davis.
The more interesting question for me is not if we get the number one pick, but if we land in the top three at all.
Number one has to be Blake Griffin. It's not about need, but it's the pick you have to make. In a relatively weak draft class, he looks like the closest thing to a sure fire can't miss prospect.
We really need a 2 guard, but there really aren't any worth drafting in the top three IMO. If I had to pick though, with the second or third pick I would love to see the Bobcats pick up Tyreke Evans from Memphis. He showed in the tournament that he could be a go to scorer like we need.
If the Cats have a pick between 2-10, they need to trade it with Nazr Mohammed for one of their definite needs – Starter or Backup PG / Backup Shooting Guard / Backup Power-Forward.
If they land the No. 1 pick – Blake Griffin's the pick and he's going to have a great career. No one else in the draft is going to help the team as much as a trade could benefit them financially and addressing their roster needs.
Additionally, locking up Griffin would make the release of Sean May an easy decision (if it's not already).
Then again, we have to face it – THE BOBCATS ARE HORRIBLE AT DRAFTING. Watching them on Draft Day is like watching them play the Magic. It just hurts.
I don't know if a team would take on Nazr's contract in exchange for the 12th selection alone. Maybe if the 'Cats beat the odds and pickup the 2nd pick, then you trade Rubio for another solid NBA player (along the lines of Monta Ellis) and Nazr. That would be enticing.
The problem is is that the Bobcats desperately need good young players on rookie contracts who can become rotation players right away. That's the only proven way a small market franchise like CLT can succeed.