NBA Draft Update - Ty Lawson, Trades, & More

Ty Lawson: The biggest rumor circulating about the NBA Draft this past week is that the Denver Nuggets have given a promise to select Ty Lawson. I had speculated that Denver would be a possible landing spot for Lawson last week during the Orlando Pre-Draft Camp, so this does not surprise me at all.

Denver certainly has a need for a point guard but I do have a couple of issues with this selection if Lawson does end up on the Nuggets. While Lawson is extremely quick and should be a benefit to the Nuggets offense, he is also rather small at 5'11 175lbs. Now normally this wouldn't be an issue but the Nuggets also have a small shooting guard in Allen Iverson. If you pair Lawson with Iverson, you probably have the smallest back court in the league.

So why does that matter? Well, we already know Denver is an awful defensive team and having a small back court of Iverson & Lawson is not going to help that out at all. Sure they will be great on offense but that really isn't their problem. I don't have a problem with them drafting Lawson because they definitely need a point guard but it still doesn't address their defensive needs.

If I were the Nuggets, I would seriously think about drafting a defensive minded player instead. Perhaps someone like Robin Lopez from Stanford would be a good fit there at # 20. Lopez is considered to be a Anderson Varejao type and is in the mold of a defensive minded role player the Nuggets could really use. Their offense has been one of the better units in the league despite the lack of a point guard, so I think they can get by with what they have been using at that position.

Now maybe Lopez isn't the answer to that and they might have some trades in the works to address their defensive issues. Maybe George Karl will get the boot for a more defensive minded coach like Avery Johnson. Either way these issues need to be addressed or else the Denver Nuggets will end up in the same place they did this year: Gone Fishin'

Philadelphia 76ers: Word on the street is that the Philadelphia 76ers are looking to move up in the draft and could find a potential trading mate with the New York Knicks. One rumor is that the Knicks would give up the # 6 Pick AND Zach Randolph for a player on the 76ers with a smaller contract and the rights to the 76ers pick at # 16. Randolph would help the 76ers who have no low post scoring at this point and the Knicks would get some cap space.

However, I wouldn't be surprised to see the 76ers swing a deal with the Memphis Grizzlies at # 5 because Memphis is having a terrible time trying to bring in players for workouts. Basically, nobody wants to play for Memphis and their horrible ownership, so they won't even schedule workouts with them, so Memphis is looking to move down in the draft. Since the 76ers are looking to move up, I see this as a good fit.

They could then target whoever is left from this group: O.J. Mayo, Jerryd Bayless, Eric Gordon, Kevin Love, Brook Lopez, & Anthony Randolph.

Joey Dorsey: Dorsey seemed to be the forgotten man all week at the Orlando Pre-Draft camp and it didn't see much feed back on his performance but NBADraft.net through up some player evaluations including Dorsey's:

Joey Dorsey 6-7 265 PF/C Memphis Sr. -- 6.3 ppg, 63% fg, 4.7 rpg, 5 blk
If you’re looking for a scoring post player, than Dorsey isn’t your guy, as he may never develop any sort of reliable game from the blocks. However, that doesn’t mean that he cannot be a vital player at the next level. His athleticism, toughness, work ethic and on court demeanor are all things that almost any team would welcome to their organization. He is satisfied doing the dirty work and contributing in any way necessary in order for his team to win. Although he is undersized, he is a force to be reckoned with, both defensively and on glass. He has great energy and speed allowing him to be in great position against the much slower big men that he faces, also his anticipation is good enough to allow him to block a good number of shots from the weakside. Dorsey is a lock to be taken in the early to mid second round and should get some looks in the late first round. (NBADraft.net)

Chris Douglas-Roberts: Minnesota is reportedly looking at packaging their two early 2nd round picks (#31, #34) for a late first round pick, due to roster spot concerns. Chris Douglas-Roberts may be one of the players they are targeting. (DraftExpress)

Orlando Pre-Draft Measurements: The Orlando Pre-Draft measurement and combine results have been released and you can view the complete Orlando Pre-Draft Measurements but here are some of the highlights, via DraftExpress:

Michael Beasley measured at 6-7 without shoes, and 6-8 ¼ with. His wingspan in 7-0 ¼ and his standing reach is 8-11. He did fairly well in the combine, lifting the 185 bar 19 times, jumping 35 inches on the max vert, but measuring a slightly high body fat at 7.7%

Derrick Rose came out a bit shorter than advertised, at just 6-1 ½ in shoes and 6-2 ½ in. He has a 6-8 wingspan, a 40 inch vertical and ran the 3/4 court sprint very fast at 3.05.

Joey Dorsey measured in at only 6’6.25 without shoes, and 6’7.25 with shoes, but had a +7.5 wingspan and managed a very respectable 19 reps off 185 on the bench.

Josh Duncan put up 26 reps of 185 on the bench, recorded a 32” max vertical leap, is 6’8 without shoes, and recorded a body far percentage of only 5.4%. Patrick Ewing Jr. recorded the highest max vertical leap on the day recording 42”, but struggled on the bench, finishing with only 2 reps. His is 9.4% body fat was surprising for a player of his build as well. At only 6’6 without shoes, he’s between positions with his measurables and game very much in conflict.

Lightest Player: Mike Taylor- 166 pounds, followed by D.J. Augustin at 171.
Heaviest Player: Kentrell Gransberry- 290 pounds
Lowest Body Fat: Lester Hudson- 3.4%
Highest Body Fat: Kentrell Gransberry -17.4% body fat
Best no-step vertical: Patrick Ewing- 35 inches
Best Max-Step Vertical: O.J. Mayo- 42 inches (tied with Ewing)
Bench Press: Josh Duncan 26 reps
Fastest Lane Agility: Sonny Weems- 10.58 seconds
Fastest ¾ Court Sprint: Sonny Weems- 2.96, (Joe Alexander 2.99)

Previously:
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 2
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 3
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 4
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Workouts

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - First Team

More Orlando Pre-Draft info, this is from DraftExpress, as they pick the First Team selections for the camp and give some more analysis:

Gary Forbes, 6-7, SG/SF, Senior, UMass

21.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 2 turnovers, 46% FG, 3-5 3P, 27-33 FT, 23 minutes

No player has done more for their stock in the pre-draft camps than Gary Forbes. The physically imposing swingman rode on the momentum he picked up from the Portsmouth Invitational to an MVP performance at this year’s Orlando Pre-Draft Camp. While he stood out amongst his peers at both venues, he was one of the few players here that showed an ability to carry his team when it mattered. That won’t be a skill that necessarily will need to translate to the NBA for him, but there is something to be said for stepping up and being a leader in a setting like this one where everyone is trying to earn a job.

There is very little that Gary Forbes didn’t do offensively in Orlando, and he provided one of the most impressive scoring performances in the Camp’s history—averaging nearly a point for every minute he played (21.3 in 23 minutes). In his second game, Forbes put up an incredible 30 in 25 minutes. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Forbes’s performance was the sheer volume of free throws that he accumulated throughout the course of the game, and that Camp for that matter (11 attempts per game). Of the 30 points he scored, 15 came at the line in only 16 tries. He has a knack for attacking angles and getting his man on his shoulder to draw fouls or finish with contact.

Forbes may not be known for his jump shot, but the rotation he puts on the ball is immaculate, and if he can learn to shoot the ball with the same touch from the perimeter as he does from the line, he’ll be a tremendous offensive role player. He only hit 29% of his 3-pointers at UMass, but has definitely shown much more potential in that area at Portsmouth and Orlando. Forbes has already proven himself to be a capable slasher, and while he lacks elite athleticism, he’s got tremendous court savvy and is a very solid ball handler for his size. His instincts are really what separates him from the pack, as he has terrific timing and footwork knowing when and how to attack his matchup, which is how he was able to make a living at the free throw line the way he did in Orlando.

On the other end of the floor, things weren’t quite as pretty for Forbes. His lateral quickness is already underwhelming, and he didn’t do himself many favors with lack of intensity he showed on this end, giving his man too much space and not really getting into any kind of low defensive stance at times. For someone who projects as more of an off the bench type in the NBA, this is something he’ll have to shore up if he wants to get minutes in the league.

Though he’s a year older than many of his counterparts in this year’s draft at 23, Forbes has solidified himself as an early second-round selection, and if he continues to improve his defense and perimeter shooting, may surprise a lot of people with his ability to contribute at the NBA level. (DraftExpress)

Mike Taylor, 6-2, PG/SG, 1986, Idaho Stampede

14 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3.3 turnovers, 50% FG, 3-11 3P, 11-13 FT, 21 minutes

After being kicked out of the Iowa State basketball program for academic reasons, Mike Taylor opted to play last season for the Idaho Stampede in the NBA's D-League. He showed off his intriguing, yet inconsistent basketball skills throughout the course of the season, and was able to make a pretty nice splash throughout the week in Orlando. Few players helped their stock as much as Mike Taylor did with his week at pre-draft camp, going from being a player very few people had seen or even heard of, to someone that could very well get drafted when it’s all said and done.

Offensively, Taylor excels in transition, where he is always looking to push the ball, and was the quickest player up and down the floor throughout the course of the week. In the half-court, he displayed an incredibly quick first step and an explosive vertical leap that will allow him to finish effectively at the rim against bigger players in the NBA, despite his lack of bulk. His jumper falls quite effectively at times, and he shows range out to beyond the NBA three point line. He remains streaky in this area, as he showed throughout the D-League season (34% 3P, 71% FT), and his shot selection from deep could also stand to improve. Taylor also shows a nice mid-range game, with a very nice 10foot floater driving to the basket.

Taylor’s biggest drawback as a prospect at the moment is that he’s undersized for an NBA two-guard, but lacks the true point guard skills to handle the one full time. He did show good vision on the pick and roll a couple times during the week, and can find the open man on the dribble drive as well. At times he might get a little individualistic, though. He tends to force the ball into the paint occasionally, and leaves his feet with no place to go with the ball, which leads to very high turnover numbers (3.4 in 28 minutes in the D-League).

Defensively, Taylor also has a great deal of work to do. He has the lateral quickness and wingspan to become an effective defender, but loses focus easily when it comes to man to man defense. As a help defender, he tends to try and gamble in the passing lanes for steals, which leaves his team at a disadvantage. Taylor has the explosive scoring ability and athleticism to make an impact at the NBA level, but he must overcome his mental lapses on the court over the next few seasons.

His aggressive nature on the offensive end allowed him to stand out throughout the week in Orlando, and he moved himself solidly into second round conversations with the way he played. NBA teams have been moving more and more in the direction of combo guards like Mike Taylor over the past few years, and they could view him as a Louis Williams/Jannero Pargo type sparkplug to bring off the bench. He surely has the athleticism and offensive instincts to warrant that, even if he’s not a very polished player at this point.

Teams will do the research they need into his background to see if there are any additional red-flags after he was arrested twice last year and booted off the team, but his head coach Bryan Gates speaks very highly of his character and recommends him strongly. There is an argument to be made that he played against stronger competition in the D-League this year than almost any NCAA player, and has a championship on his resume (scoring 27 points in 28 minutes to go along with 7 turnovers in the championship game). It doesn’t look like he’s a finished product right now either. (DraftExpress)

Malik Hairston, 6-6 , SF, Senior, Oregon

13.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 turnovers, 22 minutes, 59% FG, 60% FT

A player no one fathomed would step foot on this setting (besides possibly to conduct a physical) when he entered the NCAA four years ago as a top-10 player in an incredible class, Malik Hairston did a pretty good job reminding people in Orlando why he was so highly regarded to begin with.

Smart, efficient, unselfish, skilled and sporting much sleeker physique (credit Joe Abunassar for helping him lose 20 pounds) than he did two months ago, Malik Hairston quietly, but effectively showed that he has every right to be considered one of the top players at the pre-draft camp. His court vision and all-around feel for the game was the most noticeable thing here comparing him with other players, as he repeatedly found his teammates with beautiful bounce passes off the dribble in every game he played in (even if for some reason he wasn’t credited with at least a half-dozen assists in the box-score).

His ball-handling skills look better than we remembered, as he’s extremely effective picking his spots and blowing past his man with his surprising first step, even if he tends to struggle a bit with his left hand and some of his advanced moves. His excellent strength helps him out considerably in this area, and he was getting much better lift elevating around the basket than we recalled. He rarely turns the ball over, which is a big plus considering what his role will be in the NBA.

Hairston is a good shooter, as evidenced by the 53% he shot from the field and 43% from behind the arc at Oregon, even if he didn’t really make it a focal point to show off NBA range here. He does a good job moving without the ball and is capable of coming off short screens and getting his shot off. He’s extremely dangerous with his feet set, but is just average at best shooting off the dribble. To his credit, though, he knows how to pick his spots and rarely will take bad shots. He will have to improve his mid-range game considerably if he intends on becoming a legit offensive option for his team in the NBA.

Defensively, Hairston has good length and knows how to play solid on-ball defense when he puts his mind to it. He has excellent timing and strength, but is slightly undersized to play the small forward position, and doesn’t bring fantastic lateral quickness to the table to compensate. He is also not the most aggressive or aware player you’ll find in terms of his team defense.

Hairston probably didn’t blow anyone away with what he showed at the pre-draft camp, and thus is still most likely a second round pick at this point, but he did show that he clearly has what it takes to make it in the NBA, particularly in terms of his aggressiveness, which has always been a question mark. Teams aren’t going to have to teach him how to play basketball, and he still has room to continue to improve on his all-around skill-level, as he’s a very young senior at just age 21. He’ll never be the star he was once billed as, but he definitely has a chance to be a very good role player. (DraftExpress)

Othello Hunter, 6-9, PF, Senior, Ohio State

11.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 60% FG, 50% FT, 25 minutes

Othello Hunter has done everything he can to help his stock in this draft process, consistently playing well in all the games at both Portsmouth and Orlando. In addition to showing the things he’d already shown at the college level, he’s also displayed an improved mid-range jumper and looked a little better with his back to the basket. He hasn’t hurt himself in the measurements either, (6’8 ½ in shoes at Portsmouth with a 7’2 ¾ wingspan) while also looking to be amongst the best here in Orlando in the vertical leap department by our naked eye.

Hunter showed a consistent motor and ability to impact the games with his length and athleticism. The first thing that stands out is his mid-range jumper, which actually improved for him as the season went on at Ohio State. Looking at video from the first few games of the year and the last few games of the year, some noticeable changes occurred with his shooting form. The most obvious change is more deliberate mechanics in general and more consistency holding his follow through. He also altered his mechanics themselves slightly, bringing the ball up over his forehead before the release. He doesn’t get much elevation off the ground, but his length compensates for that as release point is high. These changes have increased his effectiveness significantly on spot-up jumpers from the mid-range, which he’s shown at both camps and towards the end of the college season. He’s done a good job knocking down 15 footers when getting open off pick-and-pops or drive-and-dishes, while even showing flashes of college three-point range in the NIT Tournament Finals. His skill-level isn’t anything to write home about at this point, but it may give NBA teams some room for optimism regarding the future.

Hunter also has looked better in the post, showing slightly crisper execution and footwork along with better accuracy on his hook shot and turnaround jumper. He also seems more comfortable in the post in general, not really rushing much, and making better use of countermoves. A lack of strength and balance, along with still undeveloped footwork, definitely gives him problems at times, especially when establishing position, but he’s making improvements.

On the defensive end, Hunter benefited here by not being matched up with many powerful post players that could take advantage of his slight frame, something that has hurt him in the past. He also only blocked two shots on the week, but contested quite a few more. Hunter did really well on the boards, though, and actually was the 10th ranked offensive rebounder per 40 minutes pace adjusted in our database on the season.

Hunter’s performance here, along with his physical tools and the learning curve he’s shown over the past two years, has made a decent case for him as a late second round pick in the draft, despite his less than ideal size for a power forward. The fact that he’s only played competitive basketball for six years definitely helps his case, as does the way he came out here and distinguished himself from other players with similar stocks heading in, while also showing strides in some of his weaker areas. He still has to add a significant amount of weight to his frame to compete effectively in the NBA. While not a lock at all, Hunter should get some consideration late in the draft. (DraftExpress)

Brian Roberts, 6-2, Senior, Point Guard, Dayton

13.7 points, 5 assists, 1.7 turnovers, 24 minutes, 58% FG, 57% 3P, 100% FT

Knowing how to take advantage of opportunities that are presented to you is what professional basketball is all about, and Brian Roberts did exactly that this week in Orlando. With his teammate Ty Lawson deciding to shut it down after just one game, Roberts stepped up to the plate and delivered in a big way, showing more versatility as a player than he may have been able to at Dayton.

Roberts is a slender point guard whose main calling card has always been his perimeter shot. He has beautiful mechanics and range that extends well beyond the 3-point line, allowing him to shoot a stellar 45.5% from that range in college on six and a half attempts per game. He looked excellent in the drills and hit a high percentage of the shots he took in the actual games, particularly with his picture perfect pull-up jumper from mid-range.

He was able to show off ball-skills in Orlando too, though, displaying a good feel for the game and a knack for pushing the ball up the floor and playing at different speeds. He is excellent on the pick and roll and makes good decisions with the ball in his hands, even if he clearly isn’t what you would call a pure point guard. He executes well offensively and is clearly not a selfish player, but doesn’t have incredible vision or playmaking instincts. He played very aggressive basketball, though, not hesitating in anything he did and showing a great deal of confidence in his offensive abilities, which helped make a lot of good things happen for his team. At times he lacked the strength or explosiveness to get all the way to the rim or finish strong in traffic, but he seemed to know his limitations and did not turn the ball over at all, posting a solid 15/5 assist to turnover ratio in the three games.

Watching his film from college, it’s hard not to be shocked at how heavily his team relied on him to handle the ball and create offense for them virtually all game long. Roberts seemed to enjoy the freedom he had here, which partially explains why he was so effective.

Defensively, Roberts is just average at best, as he often lacks the strength to fight through screens defending the pick and roll. This clearly wasn’t something he was asked to do a great deal of in college, but it will be very important for him at the next level.

Roberts is drawing a lot of Daniel Gibson comparisons these days, as both are slender, smooth 6-2 combo guards with great intangibles and phenomenal perimeter shooting skills. Roberts is a better ball-handler than Gibson, but is not quite as good a defender, though. Like Gibson, he will have to find the absolute ideal situation (likely playing next to a big point guard) to make and stick in the NBA. If he doesn’t find that, he will have a great career in Europe, where he can play a Louis Bullock-type role at a very high level as he continues to develop. (DraftExpress)

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 2
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 3
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 4
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Workouts

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp

I came across some more feedback of the Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp, via ESPN's Chad Ford, and thought I would post it up.

Gary Forbes: UMass forward Gary Forbes continues to be the talk of the camp. Forbes had a stellar 30 points in just 25 minutes of play. He was 7-for-16 from the field and 15-for-16 from the free-throw line. Forbes is a bit of an oddity in this year's draft. He got virtually no buzz from NBA scouts despite averaging nearly 20 points and eight rebounds a game in the Atlantic 10. Forbes was seen as a tweener, a power forward who's just too short to play the position in the pros. However, he had already started to make the transition to the wing his senior season and continues to give scouts hope he can be a wing in the pros. He was excellent in Portsmouth, averaging 15.6 points. But he's been even better in Orlando, using his strength and athleticism to attack the basket. Forbes has solidified his place as a legit second-round pick with the camp.

Forbes was great at the Portsmouth Invitational and here in Orlando. He scored a camp-high 30 points in the second game and, for a big man, showed a unique ability to put the ball on the floor and get to the line. Forbes also has shown enough shooting ability to play on the perimeter. I think he, too, has solidified himself as a second-round pick.

Josh Duncan: Xavier's Josh Duncan is coming off an excellent NCAA tournament where he averaged 18.5 points in four games in the tournament. Duncan showed excellent athleticism and shooting for a big man. He even nailed seven 3-pointers in the tournament.
Duncan had 20 points on 5-for-8 shooting on Wednesday. He also grabbed six rebounds in 20 minutes. "I think everybody looks for a big guy who can shoot the basketball," one NBA scout said. "He's interesting. I'm not sure why he wasn't more productive in college, but he's putting it together now."

Ty Lawson: One day after Ty Lawson's strong performance he sat out Game 2 because of a hip pointer. NBA GMs were a little skeptical after watching him warm up. More than one player, over the past few years, has decided to sit out the rest of the camp after having a good game. Jamal Crawford did it a few years ago. Ditto for Jason Maxiell. Was Lawson up to the same shenanigans? No one was talking for sure, but a couple of NBA sources said that his performance on Wednesday was enough to push him into the draft for good.

Lawson looks like the only guy with a real shot at the first round. He had about 10 minutes of aggressive defense against Lester Hudson, then shut it down. Teams were impressed, but how impressed? The word is that Lawson is leaning toward staying in the draft and that a few teams in the 20s are interested. If he makes the first-round cut, his play here was a success.

Wayne Ellington: UNC's Wayne Ellington responded to a terrible first game with a solid 17 points on 7-for-13 shooting. One GM said Ellington looks more like a NBA player than anyone in the camp. "Whether you are or aren't making your shots here, we are looking for basketball IQ, athleticism and making the right plays," he said. "If you take the right shots here, we know. Making them is great, but it isn't mandatory. Ellington knows how to play. He tried too hard on the first day. He showed he has a chance today."

Malik Hairston: Oregon's Malik Hairston has quietly established himself as one of the more solid players here. His 12-point, eight-rebound performance (with six offensive rebounds) was one of the best of the day. "Hairston doesn't do anything that jumps out," one scout said, "but he knows how to play. I'm not sure he'll be a superstar, but he's got a chance to be a valuable role player in the league."

DeVon Hardin: Cal's DeVon Hardin is tough to evaluate. He looks great in drills and warm-ups. He's the most athletic big here and has an excellent NBA body. He looks like a player. He moves like a player. He should be a player. On the court it's something else. He's played hard in both games, but doesn't seem to have any real feel how to play. With his size and athleticism, he should be dominating. Instead he's just been OK. I wouldn't be shocked if Hardin went in the first round. He doesn't deserve it, but you want to love him.

Hardin's numbers won't wow you. But his size and athleticism are really impressive. In drills, he looks like a lottery pick. He also played hard. Some teams are wondering whether, with the right coaching, he can be an impact player in the league. He has all the physical tools, but does he have the mental ones? If another player from this camp cracks the first round, it likely will be Hardin.

Mike Taylor: Taylor had two excellent performances here. His quickness and athleticism really stood out, as did his ballhandling and improved shooting ability. Taylor was kicked off the Iowa State team last year and spent this season in the D-League. He has all the physical tools to be a good NBA combo guard and played with enough poise here to generate significant second-round buzz. Taylor had 17 points in Game 1 and 24 points in Game 2. He struggled in Game 3, but no one was watching to see it happen. His performance in the drills today, right next to Westbrook, showed what a quick, athletic guard he is.

George Hill: Hill was this year's sleeper. He had a great stat line in college and showed himself to be a potential point guard in the pros. He has good size, a good shooting touch and a lot of poise. I don't think he's going to crack the first round, but I do believe he'll be drafted.

Workout Only Players:

Michael Beasley, PF, Kansas State

Beasley was the first player on the floor but the last to go through the workout. While other workouts were going on, we all watched in awe as Beasley drained NBA 3-pointer after NBA 3-pointer. That continued in the workouts, in which Beasley shot as well as any prospect here. Deep or midrange, Beasley can shoot the lights out.
I also caught a sneak peek of Beasley's vertical jump test. He touched the 11-foot-9 mark on his running jump. Assuming he has a standing reach of about 8-foot-10, that's a 35-inch vertical. Not off the charts, but not too shabby, either.

Derrick Rose, PG, Memphis
Rose won't look especially great in these drills. His jump shot is his weakness, though it's not as bad as some people make it out to be. He hit a respectable number of shots in the workouts and showed his value with his speed, leaping ability and ballhandling.

O.J. Mayo, SG, USC
Mayo's fundamentals really showed here. He looked as smooth and as comfortable as any of the prospects in the gym. His shot was falling from everywhere, and he showed great poise.
It was interesting to watch one front-office team -- from the Heat -- zero in on Mayo. Many times, NBA executives and scouts spend as much time talking as they do watching the action. When Mayo was on the floor, he had the undivided attention of Pat Riley and GM Randy Pfund.

Jerryd Bayless, PG, Arizona
Bayless also looked good in workouts. He ran the floor well, shot the ball well and looked like an all-around good prospect. He's slighter than most of the players he's competing against in the draft, but his skill really showed.

Anthony Randolph, PF, LSU
I thought Randolph really helped himself in this workout. He moves incredibly well for a big man, showed great quickness and leaping ability, and shot the ball much better than expected. Randolph also looked as if he has gained some weight, which should really help his cause. I think Randolph is one of the five top prospects in this draft.

Brook Lopez, C, Stanford
Lopez was one of the few prospects who didn't look great. These types of drills aren't really tailor-made for big men -- especially ones who don't have elite athleticism. Lopez did show some nice touch around the basket in some big man drills, but he wasn't going to stand out here.

Eric Gordon, SG, Indiana
Gordon is the strongest and possibly the biggest of the combo guards vying for a lottery pick. He seemed a little more tentative than some of the other prospects and shot some air balls and some eyebrow-raising jumpers at times. However, he calmed down as the workout went on and ended with a much more solid shooting performance in the final minutes.

D.J. Augustin, PG, Texas
Augustin showed his ability to shoot the basketball. He doesn't get to do a lot of point guard things here … and those are Augustin's forte. He definitely looked really small out there and doesn't have the explosive quickness or athleticism that some of the other prospects had, but overall, I thought Augustin looked good.

Russell Westbrook, PG, UCLA
Westbrook was another prospect who really helped his cause here. His quickness, explosiveness and ability to change direction were scintillating in workouts. He also shot the ball extremely well in a number of drills, answering the critics who claim he's not a good shooter. If you compared Westbrook and Augustin head-to-head in just the drills, Westbrook would win hands down. However, it's his ability to be a floor leader in the game that teams still question.

Kevin Love, PF, UCLA
Love also performed well here. He continues to slim down, and a number of scouts mentioned that he's in as good shape as they've ever seen him. Although Love doesn't run the floor the way some of the other top athletes do, he hustled up and down the floor and showed good athleticism. Just as important, Love shot the ball very well in the workouts. At times, he looked like a guard out there. Love also did well in the strength training, bench-pressing the 185-pound bar 18 times.

DeAndre Jordan, C, Texas A&M
Jordan also has dropped some weight and looked in much better shape than we've seen him in the past. Although he runs the floor well, he struggled a bit in the skills portion of the workout. No real surprise here. He worked pretty hard … but there's no one with more questions swirling around him. Everyone loves him and hates him at the same time.

Darrell Arthur, PF, Kansas
I thought Arthur looked as skilled and athletic as any big man here. He exploded in some of the footwork drills, showed an excellent 15- to 18-foot jump shot and really flew up and down the floor. Arthur's ability to score, both inside and out, makes him a really intriguing choice. I think he could rise as we get closer to the draft.

JaVale McGee, C, Nevada
McGee came in a little bulked up. He clearly has hit the weight room. However, McGee struggled in the workouts. He looked really uncomfortable shooting the ball and looked a bit out of shape. He was breathing awfully heavy just a few minutes into the workout.

Joe Alexander, SF, West Virginia
Alexander showed off his elite athleticism. He drew a few oohs and ahhs from the crowd with his dunks. His jump shot was more of a mixed bag. He gets great elevation, but didn't shoot it as well as his workout partner, Love. Alexander also wowed people with his strength. He bench-pressed the 185-pound bar 24 times and, according to one source, is going to show a vertical jump of 40-plus inches.

Donte Greene, SF, Syracuse
Greene wasn't great in the workouts, either. He is a good athlete, but his shot wasn't falling as well as some other prospects' and he didn't do anything to stand out the way some of the others did.

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 1

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 1

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 2

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 3

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 4

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Workouts

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 4

The Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp concluded yesterday and here is the player analysis for Day 4, courtesy of DraftExpress & NBADraft.net, with my final comments thrown in:

(Note: I have updated this post adding some players and analysis.)

Gary Forbes: The day started at 9:15 AM with a game between Team three and Team two, giving us another chance to take a look at camp standout Gary Forbes. The UMass senior was not quite as impressive as he was in the first two outings, but still ended up having a solid game with 17 points and 4 rebounds on 4-11 shooting in 24 minutes. Forbes put more emphasis on showing off his long-range game today, which he did quite successfully by knocking down both of his 3-point attempts. He again made smart decisions with the ball and showed a very advanced ability to create his own shot from the perimeter, looking aggressive as usual taking the ball to the basket, and getting to the free throw line at a great clip once again (this time 10 times). Defensively, he again looked below average at best thanks to his underwhelming lateral quickness. Regardless, he’s clearly the MVP of the pre-draft camp by a fairly large margin, and has helped his stock considerably from being projected as a late second round pick on our board. You would think that he’d have a chance to maybe get some looks in the late first based off what we’ve seen here at the pre-draft camp in years past, but most NBA people we spoke with did not agree with that. We will have to wait and see… (DraftExpress)

Talk of the camp continues to be Gary Forbes (17pts, 4 reb, 4-11fg), while he didn’t have the same scoring game as the previous night, he still played aggressively and got to the line 10 times. Forbes seems to be a personal favorite of the referees, as looking at him the wrong way is considered a foul. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Interesting to see that most of the NBA people felt that Forbes does not have a shot at the end of the first round. I'm sure that could change once they seem him workout against some of the other prospect trying to get into the end of the first round. Either way Forbes should be an early second round pick at worst and he really has made a name for himself and solidified that he will be getting drafted.

Brian Roberts: Brian Roberts might have had the best single game of anyone in day three, scoring 13 points to go along with 13 assists and no turnovers. He pushed the ball extremely well in transition, found open teammates spotting up and cutting the basket all game long, and shot the ball beautifully from mid-range and behind the arc. He’s emerged at this camp as a player that teams need to seriously consider on their draft boards. (DraftExpress)

Brian Roberts (13pts, 13 ast) had an impressive game as a result he is the recipient of our player of the day award. We had questions about his ability to distribute the ball but with such an efficient performance, some of those questions have been answered. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Roberts definitely impressed me with this performance having 13 assists. The play-making ability is probably the one thing he needs to show the NBA scouts he can do because he has solid scoring ability already but not great size. He will probably get strong look in the second round but the problem is there are so many other players just like him that can score but don't have great size, so is going to have to hope there is a team that specifically likes him.

Othello Hunter: Othello Hunter again put his impressive physical tools in display, to the tune of 11 points and 14 rebounds (7 offensive) in 25 minutes. His length and athleticism allow him to make plays that other big men here aren’t capable of, and he’s made a strong case for himself to be drafted or get a long look in summer league/training camp. He still has a lot of upside to continue to improve. (DraftExpress)

Comments: I believe that Hunter definitely deserves a look in the second round. I think he could be a productive bench player in the NBA for sure and he still has room to improve his game. I would be a little shocked if he did not get drafted as this point because he has impressed at both Pre-Draft Camp's he has participated in.

Wayne Ellington: Wayne Ellington (10pts, 4-10fg) has not been able to find his grove for most of the week and not much was different in his final game. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: I think it would be wise for Ellington to go back to school and work on his game. Maybe develop some off the dribble type of game and work on his all-around game in general.

Joe Crawford: Joe Crawford (11pts) has become a regular member of this worthy report and rightly so with his impressive play throughout the week. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: I think Crawford is going to get drafted somewhere in second round and could potential help a team right away with his scoring off the bench.

Josh Duncan: Waiting for a highlight play from Josh Duncan (13 pts, 4 reb) is like waiting for back to back championships from the San Antonio Spurs, it just doesn’t happen. However, he is able to consistently put together good games and is the type of glue guy that every team needs. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: I don't know if Josh Duncan will get drafted but I feel pretty strongly about him at least making a roster out of summer camp.

Reggie Williams: Reggie Williams capped off what has been a terrific camp by dropping in another 15 points in 20 minutes. Although not the most impressive prospect you’ll find here on paper, he’s just a super-crafty guy with an excellent feel for the game. (DraftExpress)

Reggie Williams (15pts) continued to showcase his versatility and nice scoring touch. The lefty wing has put his name on the map and into the minds of basketball GMs as a worthy prospect. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Williams did well for himself in Orlando and he is another guy who I feel should get a strong second round look. Seems as though he is a smart player who understands the game, so he is probably worth a late second round pick.

Malik Hairston: Some of the more interesting things we saw in the last two games was the fantastic play of Malik Hairston (who we’ve spoken at lengths about)—with 20 points on 9-14 shooting in 26 minutes. (DraftExpress)

Malik Hairston (20 pts, 4 ast, 2 stl) capped off a nice week with a good scoring game, he may be a little undersized but he knows how to get the best of his ability. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: I would not be surprised to see Hairston drafted in the second round at this point. He probably helped himself the most of any player who I thought wasn't getting drafted, so I'll keep an eye out to see what teams are saying about Hairston the next few weeks.

DeMarcus Nelson: DeMarcus Nelson (13pts, 4 reb) continued to play well showing a bit of his outside range mixed in with some nice drives to the hoop. (NBADraft.net)

Richard Hendrix: Richard Hendrix (8pts, 7rebs) was plagued by foul trouble, but was still able to have a decent game in limited action. (NBADraft.net)

Mike Taylor: Mike Taylor had a very poor performance with just 1 point and 6 turnovers on 0-6 shooting in 20 minutes, but luckily for him, very few people were watching. His tendency to force the issue was extremely evident, and the opinions about him here at this camp are clearly mixed. Some people like him, and a lot of people don’t. It will be interesting to see what ends up happening with him. (DraftExpress)

After exploding yesterday, Mike Taylor (1pt, 0-6fg, 4TO) came back to earth with an inconsistent performance. Many times his gift becomes his curse, his reckless style seems to be a turnover waiting to happen (he averaged 3.4 this season) and he does not seem to have his team’s best interest at heart as he becomes immersed in his showboat act. (NBADraft.net)

George Hill: George Hill showed why so many scouts have been saying positive things about him throughout the course of this camp, scoring 15 points to go along with 6 assists and a lone turnover in 24 minutes of action. He ran his offense smoothly and effectively, looking comfortable executing his team’s sets and finding the open man confidently. He shot the ball very well from behind the arc (3-7) as well. (DraftExpress)

George Hill (15pts, 6ast, 8reb) came back well after an off day, leading his team to a victory, he showed that his versatility is difficult to match up with on offense and his defense can alter plays on the other end. (NBADraft.net)

Davon Jefferson: Davon Jefferson (16pts, 6-9fg) was finally able to have an above average game, proving that his body in fact is not made of feathers and that he is actually willing to use his athletic prowess to get to the hoop and take some contact. (NBADraft.net)

Jeremy Pargo: Jeremy Pargo had a game-high 20 points (7-16 FG, 5-7 FT) to go along with 4 assists. Unfortunately, he also had 6 turnovers and missed three of his four 3-pointers. He pushed the ball up the floor extremely well, showed terrific explosiveness getting by his man and giving himself options in the half-court, and also flashed some glimpses of solid court-vision, but his poor decision making led to way too many turnovers, which has typically been his problem. Going back to school and improving his decision making skills looks like a very good option at this point. (DraftExpress)

After a shaky start, Jeremy Pargo (20pts, 4ast) has come on strong to finish the camp. He was able to use his speed in the open court and dribble penetration in the half court to go by people. A big problem has been his decision making and trying to do too much, we saw that again today to the tune of 6 turnovers. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: The consensus on Pargo seems to be that he needs to work on limiting his turnovers, so I would expect him to go back to Gonzaga next season and try to work on that. He is definitely someone to look out for in next year's draft, assuming he pulls out of this draft.

Sonny Weems: Sonny Weems also had the breakout game he needed (16 points, 6-13) after showing more offensive aggression than we had previously seen. A player with great tools who could surely get drafted, Weems needs to continue to improve his skill level with the ball and his perimeter defense to keep teams interested in him over the next few years. (DraftExpress)

Sonny Weems (16 pts, 3 reb), even though not scoring off the charts, has been impressive the whole week. Today, he was able to put it all together and show that he has some bake to his shake. We were worried that his impressive moves would continue to be endless misses, but he proved otherwise today. (NBADraft.net)

James Mayes: James Mays had another solid, but unspectacular game doing the dirty work for his team, finishing with 10 points and 6 rebounds and 21 minutes. His strength, length and athleticism were on full display once again, as were his toughness and activity level inside. He did a good job facing up and attacking his man off the dribble, looking fairly aggressive and finishing well at the rim. (DraftExpress)

James Mays (10pts, 6reb) was finally able to break through and put together a decent performance after being disappointing week. (NBADraft.net)

Robert Vaden: Robert Vaden finished off the camp with another fairly solid performance, scoring 11 points in 21 minutes to go along with 3 assists and no turnovers. He’s really impressed with his ability to move off the ball, read screens and find open shots for himself, elevating sharply and creating separation from his defender and throwing the ball in the basket with machine like efficiency, despite his violent leg kicks. He’s really strong and has clearly worked on his body since the season ended, and did a much better job playing within the offense and setting up teammates than he did earlier in this camp. On the negative side, he’s not the most athletic or creative player you’ll find in terms of his ball-handling skills, favoring his right hand strongly and struggling to finish that at times around the rim. It appears that he’ll be returning to school, and it will be interesting to see what kind of year he has next season. (DraftExpress)

David Padgett: David Padgett put on a passing clinic, rebounding from two underwhelming performances to show NBA executives in attendance just what he can bring to the table as an extremely heady high-post center who makes everyone around him better. He finally played a bit more aggressively looking for ways to make his presence felt offensively, not just looking to pass the ball unselfishly on every possession like he did previously. He showed nice footwork in the post to go along with his crafty head-fakes and ability to finish with either hand. He often lacks the athleticism to finish many of the moves he creates for himself, but hopefully he will be able to improve on that as his body gets healthier. He’s a really interesting player who would be well served to develop a deadly jump-shot teams need to respect from 16 to 18 feet. (DraftExpress)

David Padgett (11pts, 6 reb, 4ast) showed some nice moves in the post, but was also able to make some nifty passes to open teammates. (NBADraft.net)

J.R. Giddens: JR Giddens (9 pts) was much more aggressive today after sitting out a big part of yesterday’s game. He was able to come off screens and show his nice looking jump-shot. (NBADraft.net)

Bryce Taylor: Bryce Taylor may not have shot the ball all that well (just 4-16 on the day), but in his case, it’s nice to see him continuing to show that aggressiveness that he so sorely lacked in college. He’s a versatile player who can shoot, pass, defend and play smart basketball, and at the end of the day it wouldn’t be a shock to see a team pick him up when it’s all said and done. (DraftExpress)

Longar Longar: Longar Longar (15pts, 6 rebs) came back nicely from his injury even showed some nice footwork and coordination on a couple post moves. (NBADraft.net)

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 2
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 3

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Workouts

Here is some feedback on the player workouts that took place at the Orlando Pre-Draft Camp on Day 4, courtesy of DraftExpress and NBADraft.net :

(Note: I have updated this post with more info and added some player analysis)

Derrick Rose: Clearly the most impressive workout of any of the 15 players belonged to Derrick Rose. Not so much for what he showed, but mostly just for what he is. He got up and down the floor fluidly and smoothly, covering tons of ground with each and every stride, and looked excellent changing speeds and operating skillfully with both hands in the ball-handling drills. His athleticism is nothing short of stunning, starting with his phenomenal first step, his ability to change gears, and his incredible explosiveness finishing around the basket. He came out with a business-like approach, and left no doubt about just how unique his talent-level and physical tools are. A nice bonus was the way he shot the ball, hitting more than one NBA 3-pointer and looking solid from mid-range as well. (DraftExpress)

Derrick Rose looked great getting up and down the court, he showed some of his explosiveness on a few finishes and handled the ball very well on dribble moves. In the shooting drills he was decent, but looking at his form it is no secret that he still has ways to go before becoming a consistent shooter. As he brings the ball into the shooting pocket, he holds it too close to his head, shooting it almost right off of his forehead. Another problem is that his elbow is not under the ball, but rather to the side, which may cause some problems with consistency and effectiveness shooting the long ball. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Seems like Rose continues to impress everyone and I have a feeling that the Bulls are going to go with Rose and try to deal Kurt Hinrich. I still think they should draft Beasley but my drafting Rose they are getting a great player and I don't think he will disappoint. Rose to me right now is a more explosive Deron Williams, with a slightly worse jumpshot.

Michael Beasley: Michael Beasley looked super fluid and athletic getting up and down the court, finishing with either hand and looking to be in pretty good shape. He attacked the drills with a lot of competitive fire, but most definitely was clowning around way too much throughout the day right underneath the noses of the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls. There were a few people that expressed concern with some of his antics over the past few days. He shot the ball just decently. (DraftExpress)

Much talk was going on in regards to Beasley’s actual height; while he is listed at 6-9, some believe he might only be 6-7 (without shoes). This lack of size could adversely affect his draft status as he is considered more of a 4 by some and could struggle to fit a position to a degree without the height to measure up. Michael Beasley had a decent workout, not really shooting the ball or impressing too much in any of the other drills. He seemed more interested in talking to the media and his fellow draftees rather than showing what he can actually to in front of the NBA brass. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: It seems like this whole Beasley likes to goof around thing is going to turn some teams off. It's quite possible at this point that Beasley might be passed over by a few teams in this draft and if that happens, I'd have to say it would be a mistake. The guy can straight up ball when he's on the court and I don't think criticism of his fun loving ways should happen. It seems like people can't make up their minds, in the past players have criticized for being an asshole or a "thug", and now Beasley comes along as this fun loving kid and he's catching heat? It smells like a crock of shit to me but hey whoever is smart enough to draft him won't be disappointed. I still think Beasley has a Carmelo Anthony type outside game with a little worse jump shot right now, plus he is better inside and defensively than Carmelo. I also see him as a more physical Antwan Jamison, who can finish around the basket, rebound, and defend better than Jamison.

O.J. Mayo: O.J. Mayo was very smooth and very confident in everything he did, barely missing in the perimeter shooting drills. He’s clearly not on the same level athletically as Derrick Rose or Russell Westbrook for example, but already has the looks of an NBA player with the way his body looks and how he conducts himself out on the floor. (DraftExpress)

Comments: O.J. appears to be "safe" pick in the draft because he is NBA ready but probably doesn't have as great as an upside that Rose and Beasley do. Make no mistake about it though, I believe he will be a very solid pro and a star in this league. He will probably be a more subtle star though, more like a Chauncey Billups type talent than a Kobe Bryant type talent.

Kevin Love: Kevin Love was said to measure 6-8 1/4 (without shoes), which considering his lack of great athleticism is not a great result. (NBADraft.net)

Brook Lopez: Speaking of lukewarm impressions, Brook Lopez didn’t do a whole lot to ease the concerns NBA people have about him, not moving all that well up and down the floor and showing a very average skill-level in most of the drills. (DraftExpress)

Brook Lopez looked awkward running the floor, he has some very stiff legs and at times he had people in the crowd worried he might get hurt by continuing to run in this manner. The rest of his workout was nothing out of the ordinary as he did little to impress or hurt his stock. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: I'm not high on Brook Lopez as an NBA talent and his workout certainly doesn't change my mind on that. I guess in the best case he could be a Pau Gasol type, though it seems like he is not as agile as Pau. I definitely don't think he is going to be a big time rebounder in the NBA. I would not draft him in the top 5 because I believe there are better options that high.

Anthony Randolph: The same can be said about Anthony Randolph, who showed up with a long undershirt intended to hide just how incredibly skinny he still is at the moment. He looked great dunking the ball in the transition drills and handling the ball fluidly in the open floor, but was completely unable to hit a mid-range or long-range jumper in any of the drills, not even coming up close on many of his attempts. (DraftExpress)

Anthony Randolph was sporting a long sleeved shirt, which may be a display of his formidable fashion sense, but more likely a good way of concealing his rail thin frame. As expected, his wingspan and athleticism were on full display as he was able to finish in emphatic fashion. His jump shot was off, but his form and release are pretty much textbook. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Whoever picks Randolph will be drafting him on potential alone and I doubt he will have much impact in his first year in the NBA. He could be a project for a few years. He just reminds me a Tyrus Thomas/Stromile Swift type draft pick. I would probably pass on him early on too.

Jerryd Bayless: Jerryd Bayless went through the workout fairly well and didn’t shoot the ball too bad. There has been some mention of his shooting mechanics being flawed and there’s no better time to see than when he is shooting from beyond the NBA 3. His pre-shot stance is balanced, elevation and release point are good, but as he follows through, instead of having his arm just stay there for a second (ala MJ vs. Bryon Russell) he pulls it back almost immediately after the ball leaves his fingertips. He also shoots a bit of a fadeaway every time, with his body going backward, which leaves him offbalance and short on some of the shots. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Bayless can definitely shoot the rock whether his mechanics are flawed or not. The question is what else will he be able to do on the court to contribute? It is possible he could just be a Ben Gordon type of player who can give you instant offense but not much else. He is supposed to have some decent point guard skills to go along with his shooting ability but it's hard to tell at this point.

Russell Westbrook: Also catching our eye was Russell Westbrook, who came out very seriously and didn’t seem to be taking anything for granted. He was fantastic in the transition drills, flying up and down the court with his terrific athleticism, and also shot the ball fairly well after starting off slowly. His ball-handling skills are just OK at this point. (DraftExpress)

Russell Westbrook didn’t disappoint with his high flying array of moves and showed a much improved jump shot which he converted at a great percentage. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Westbrook is going to be a solid player at the next level but I'm not sure he will be a star. At the worst, I think he will be a great bench player able to provide instant offense. He would be a solid pick in the second half of the lottery. I think if he develops his jump shot then he could be a legit starter in the league. He could have a Monta Ellis type game if he picks up a better jump shot.

D.J. Augustin: D.J. Augustin brought both a high skill level in the drills and excellent quickness, making him a pretty impressive workout player to take in in a setting like this. It really seems like his size is the only thing that can hold him back. He also had an unbelievably fast run in the ¾ court sprint. (DraftExpress)

Comments: I am not sold on Augustin as a franchise point guard. His size is a problem, not so much his height, but his weight. Defensively, I can see him getting abused by bigger point guards. Chris Paul can hold his own despite his small size because he has such a strong body but Augustin is not built in that mold. His strengths are his quickness and play-making ability, which will help any team that drafts him. I would see him more as the TJ Ford type, then the Chris Paul type of small point guards.

Darrell Arthur: Darrell Arthur looks like someone who is going to impress mightily in workouts based off what we saw here. He passes the eye test and then some on first glance, and then showed really nice athleticism to go along with a fairly high skill level in the drills, although oddly attempting to bank every 3-pointer he took. He struggled a little bit remembering what to do in some of the drills, though. (DraftExpress)

Comments: Darrell Arthur is probably a more solid pick than Brook Lopez or Anthony Randolph but I'm sure a couple teams will pass on him in favor of those two. He seems skilled and athletic enough to be a solid NBA player and he has drawn comparisons to Antonio McDyess, which is probably pretty accurate.

Donte Greene: Donte Greene looked big and very smooth, making an effort to dunk every ball he could as hard as possible, while also shooting the ball well from the perimeter. He still has work to do on toning up his body, though, and is clearly just an average ball-handler. (DraftExpress)

Donte Green looked skinny, but has strong legs and a frame that has potential to fill out and become very refined. He was pretty impressive finishing at the rim and it is always exciting to see a player of his size handling the ball and shooting a very smooth jump-shot. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: Donte is definitely a raw prospect but believe me when I tell you, this kid can shoot the rock. He could be deadly in the NBA because he has great height at 6'10 and he is basically a Rashard Lewis type player. He will struggle early on in the NBA because he doesn't have great strength but he is only 20 and he will develop as he gets older. He is long term prospect but he more than likely is going to be a solid NBA player, with the potential to be a great one.

DeAndre Jordan: It was interesting to see DeAndre Jordan working out alongside DeVon Hardin, as the two look shockingly similar in terms of their physical tools and all-around skill-level, but are projected around 20 spots apart on most mock drafts. Considering that only two years separates them age-wise, you have to wonder whether Jordan would still be considered a better prospect than Hardin if we fast-forwarded things two years ahead, as there is really not that much separating them at this point. Jordan showed questionable ball-handling skills and shooting ability and didn’t seem to get out of the third gear for much of his workout, leaving a fairly lukewarm impression. Still, you can’t ignore the physical tools and upside he brings to the table. (DraftExpress)

Comments: This guy is definitely a risky pick and any team that drafts him has to know he will not contribute right away. He didn't even contribute much in his freshman year at Texas A&M. He probably has the most bust potential of any of the projected lottery players. I saw him play a few times and was not impressed, however, he is still young and he does have great size and athleticism, so he probably deserves to get drafted in the lottery just based on potential.

JaVale McGee: If a player was able to hurt himself here (a pretty questionable concept considering the setting), it probably would have been JaVale McGee for what he showed. He came out looking like a deer in the headlights, air-balling shots from the perimeter, blowing wide open layups and being stuffed repeatedly by the rim, appearing extremely unconfident and getting down on himself very quickly. This wouldn’t be that much of a concern if these things weren’t already a very big concern considering the way he projects long-term, although you always have to go back to his age, immaturity and overall rawness to begin to explain things. He seems to have added weight to his frame and is incredibly impressive with just how long he is, looking good finishing around the basket when he was able to convert his moves. (DraftExpress)

JaVale McGee seems to have put on a little weight, but with his incredible length it is hard to not look skinny. He looked a bit uncomfortable, struggling to finish some near the basket shots. The rim rejected a few of his dunk attempts and in order to get even he decided to punish it by shooting numerous bricks. All in all, he is still very intriguing and if he’s put in the right system and given time to develop he could become a very effective player in the NBA. (NBADraft.net)

Comments: We could be looking at another Patrick O'Bryant here because while this guy does have height, he is really skinny at only 237 lbs. He is still young and may be able to fill out but again NBA teams will drafting him because of his height and potential alone. He has at least shown more at the college level than DeAndre Jordan has.

Orlando Pre-Draft Camp - Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon, & More

Here is a rundown of the Michael Beasley & Derrick Rose interviews that took place at the Orlando Pre-Draft Camp yesterday and some other draft news, via ESPN writer Chad Ford's Orlando Notebook. With my comments thrown in as usual.

Michael Beasley: Beasley was loud, boisterous and playful. "I hear a lot about I have 'character issues,' but I've yet to hear what those 'character issues' are," he said. "Until somebody can tell me what my 'character issues' are, I don't feel the need to change. "I just turned 19 in January. How mature do you want me to be? I'm still a kid. I'm not legal. I can vote, but that's about it. On the basketball side of things, I'm 30 years old. Off the court … I'm going to live my life. I'm going to mess up." As far as entertainment goes, Beasley stole the show. He answered a question about his height or lack thereof by saying, "I didn't know there was a height requirement for the NBA. No matter if I'm 5 feet or 8-1, I'm the same player. I'm going to work as hard as I can." And when asked about whether he'd like to play in Miami he said, "I've heard some great things about Miami … there's a little beach there I hear." Of more concern may be the perception that Beasley has more than just basketball on his mind. While Rose kept all of his comments on the game and the teams he might play for, Beasley answered a question about Miami not by talking about Pat Riley, Dwyane Wade or Shawn Marion … but by referencing the beach. That one factor could kill Beasley's chances of landing in Chicago -- or Miami for that matter. Pat Riley continues to insist that the draft is not a two-man race. With O.J. Mayo and Dwyane Wade becoming fast friends working out together in Chicago … Beasley better be on his best behavior. (ESPN)

Comments: I'm really loving Beasley's personality and the way he thinks. Many people might not like to hear things like "I'm 19 and I'm gonna mess up" but he's telling the truth and I have to commend him for realizing it. As long as he steers clear of the law, then he should be alright and so far Beasley hasn't had any brush-ins with the law, so I think he should be alright. He seems like a fun loving kid, who just likes to have a good time. Now on the court, he is a beast and nobody can deny that and as long as he can keep himself on the court by not getting into trouble, then that is all that matters.

Derrick Rose: Rose was quiet, humble and focused. "He's way better than me," Rose said when asked about Beasley. "He's versatile. He's a great player." When asked whether that reply was humility or a lack of confidence, Rose said meekly, "It's just me." While Beasley was playful, Rose treated the press conference like a job interview. When asked about his credentials he pointed to the one thing that will be hard to ignore: he's a winner. "My whole thing is about winning," he said. "I don't care about points." When asked how many games he's lost in the past three seasons his response said it all, "I think it was four or five games." Five losses in three years? Now you know why Rose is pegged as a franchise-type leader. Bulls GM John Paxson is a no-nonsense guy. He likes players who are focused and professional. Rose fits the bill. Still, Paxson doesn't always go in that direction. Last year he took Joakim Noah, a guy who, in personality, seems to be a kindred spirit with Beasley. (ESPN)

Comments: It's still not very clear what the Bulls are going to do with the top pick. Right now I would say it seems like they are leaning towards Rose but I still think they should go with Beasley. I'm sure alot of this depends on who the next coach is as well. If it is indeed Doug Collins, I have to think the pick would be Beasley because I'm thinking that Collins would rather have a veteran like Hinrich running his team than a rookie like Rose. Beasley can come right in and he's going to be productive right away. Plus, as I have stated before, I think a Beasley/Hinrich combination trumps a Rose/and whatever they could get in a trade for Hinrich combination.

Eric Gordon: I spent some time with Indiana's Eric Gordon on Thursday night at the ESPN Zone in Orlando. Gordon is in town to participate in the combine portion of the pre-draft camp on Friday. Prospects are testing for strength, speed, agility, size and for medical red flags. The NBA has invited 15 players for this part of the camp and Gordon is one of them. Gordon has been working out in Indiana, rehabbing a wrist that was broken, working on his ball handing and regaining that sweet shooting stroke that abandoned him in the second half of the season. Gordon said his wrist is totally healed and he's back to being a dead-eye behind the arc. The thing that stuck out to me about Gordon was his size. He is so wide for a guard. He looks like a 6-foot-4 power forward. Given his athleticism and quickness, that size will serve him well in the pros. He's significantly bigger than Mayo or Jerryd Bayless. Sources say that Gordon will likely fall to either Seattle at No. 4, the Knicks at No. 6 or the Clippers at No. 7. On potential, he could be the third- or fourth-best player in this draft. If his jumper is falling in workouts, his stock will be quickly repaired. (ESPN)

Comments: I think Gordon could be a sleeper in this draft and I would not be surprised if he moves up as high as the 3rd pick. If his shooting struggles at Indiana at the end of the season were due to his wrist and if that wrist is now healthy, then he could be a deadly shooter again. I think many people were down on Gordon because of those struggles but I'm pretty sure it was because of his wrist and if he shoots the ball well in workouts and shows that he is healthy, then I definitely agree that his stock is going to rise in this draft.

Workouts: NBA agents have long controlled the draft process and this year is no different. More and more agents are targeting certain teams in the draft for their clients and are ignoring draft position. That means a few players make actually refuse to work out for teams drafting higher in the draft, content to slip a few spots to a team they'd prefer to play for. The team struggling the most to get players into workouts is the Memphis Grizzlies. Two league sources said that the team is having a hard time getting the top prospects in the draft to agree to individual workouts. The Grizzlies look like a young team on the rise … so what's the issue? "Some of it is geography," according to one source. "A lot of players would prefer to go to New York or LA at six or seven than to a city like Memphis, Minneapolis or Oklahoma City. That's part of it. And part of it is just prestige of certain teams. Everyone wants to play for the Knicks. Very few kids grow up dreaming of playing for the Grizzlies." While refusing to work out for a team can dissuade a team from drafting a prospect, sometimes it backfires. Last year Yi Jianlian refused to work out (or divulge his physical) for the Milwaukee Bucks, but the team selected him anyway. After a long, protracted negotiation, Yi eventually signed with the Bucks. If no one works out for the Grizzlies, they still have to sign with someone.

Speaking of workouts, both Beasley and Rose said they haven't scheduled workouts yet.

Kevin Love said he had scheduled workouts with the Timberwolves, Sonics, Knicks and Nets.

Brook Lopez said he has scheduled workouts with the Wolves and Sonics. (ESPN)

Comments: Interesting that players are avoiding the Grizzlies. That could significantly affect the draft because the Grizzlies might choose someone they worked out rather than the best talent available. I'm sure once guys realize they won't be getting drafted before the 5th pick that they might change their minds about working out for the Grizzlies though or could the Grizzlies reach and take someone who isn't slated to get drafted until the 10th pick or so? This is something to keep an eye on for sure.

Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 3

Here is the latest from the NBA Pre-Draft Camp, courtesy of NBADraft.net & DraftExpress, with my comments thrown in:

Gary Forbes: If there was to be a player of the day award, then without a doubt it would have to be given to Gary Forbes (30pts, 15-16ft, 2stl). Even though his team lost, it was no fault of Forbes, who almost singlehandedly brought his team back from a large deficit. In the early going Forbes looked to set his teammates up, yet when he realized they weren’t capitalizing, he took it upon himself to put points on the board. He may have forced the issue too much at times, looking a bit selfish, but nobody can argue with his effectiveness and results. He scored in a variety of ways: hitting tough shots right out of the triple threat, showing his touch with soft floaters and even some athleticism by getting to the hoop and absorbing contact and still having enough body control to give the ball a chance to go in. Although he was very impressive scoring, he may have been just as good on the defensive end, where he chased Richard Roby (3-9fg) off screens and forced him to put the ball on the floor and settle for difficult shots. He can get overaggressive and get cheap fouls sometimes as he does lack great lateral speed, but one has to respect the effort he put in on this end. (NBADraft.net)

The best player on the floor (and likely of the day) was clearly Gary Forbes, stringing together one of the best single-game performances (30 points, 7-16 FG, 15-16 FT, 26 minutes) we’ve seen in the last five years of the pre-draft camp. Forbes was incredibly aggressive putting the ball on the floor with either hand and making very strong moves to the basket, being very physical once there and in turn getting to the free throw line at will. His scoring instincts might be the best of any wing player at this camp, as he makes up for his lack of freakish athleticism with phenomenal footwork and body control, being able to quickly read and exploit angles, or move intelligently without the ball, in turn showing a very good basketball IQ that impressed many people here. Although his perimeter shot wasn’t a huge part of his game once again, he knocked down one of his two attempts from NBA range, which leaves optimism in that regard. He’s making a strong push for consideration in the early second round or possibly higher. (DraftExpress)

Comments: Forbes has been great so far in Orlando and I agree that he has played his way into the beginning of the second round at the worst. I would not be surprised to see him sneak into the end of the first round because he definitely has NBA size and talent. I am interested in seeing what team Forbes ends up with and how well he plays next season.

Mike Taylor: One of our early sleeper choices seems to be the talk of the camp and there is absolutely no doubt that Mike Taylor (24pts, 8-12fg, 2-5 3fg) has played himself into serious draft contention. Considered to be undersized and not a natural point guard, Taylor more than makes up for it with his length, quickness, open court speed and tremendous leaping ability. He goes a hundred miles per hour and as a result gets out of control at times, but today his handle looked very smooth and he only committed 1 turnover. He showed that his range can go well out to the NBA 3 and even though he does hang in the air a bit too long before releasing the ball, his great elevation allows him to still shoot the long ball effectively. The fear with Taylor could be his somewhat troubled past and inconsistent play that he showed this season in the D-league. As a result these great performances may have to be taken with a grain of salt in fear that they are not just a flash in the pan. (NBADraft.net)

Mike Taylor continues to help his stock by showing possibly the most athleticism of any guard in this camp. He was simply a blur in the open floor, weaving his way in and out of traffic being impossible to stay in front of even in the half-court, a looking relentlessly explosive finishing around the basket. He was a man on a mission today, making emphatic plays that clearly left a strong impression in the eyes of decision makers who had never seen him before. His perimeter shot comes better than advertised, as he displayed by pulling up off the dribble from mid-range and killing his defender for going underneath a screen, while also knocking down 2 of his 5 attempts from behind the NBA arc. He also made two very nice reads in the half-court, in back to back possessions, making good reads to slashing cutters moving off the ball for easy finishes. He’s clearly more of a shooting guard than a point, but seems to have the instincts for that not to be as much of a factor these days as it may have been a few years back. He needs to continue to be unselfish and maybe bring it up a notch on the defensive end, but you can’t argue with how well he’s played here so far. He definitely has a chance to get drafted. (DraftExpress)

Comments: Taylor has been great so far but I have to wonder how much having played against NBDL competitors for part of last season is helping his performance here. Either way he has been great and it looks like he will get drafted or at the very least get a strong look as a undrafted free agent.

Ty Lawson: One of the first day’s top performers, Ty Lawson sat out today for what was cited as a hip pointer. Is it possible that he felt his performance last night was enough to solidify his position in the 1st round and that by sitting out, he will be able to keep his stock high? It will be interesting to see if he gives it a go on the last day. (NBADraft.net)

Still no sign of Jamar Butler, who is out with a hamstring injury. Joining the injured list is Ty Lawson, fresh off a breakout performance last night—with a supposed “hip pointer.” Some NBA people we spoke with wondered whether hip pointer is actually code for “first round promise,” considering how well he played in the first day and how few point guards there are in this draft once you get past D.J. Augustin. Let’s see if he comes out and plays in the final day. (DraftExpress)

Comments: It is definitely possible that someone has given Ty Lawson a first round promise but you would think that promise would have to be pretty high for him to just not play at all. I speculated that Cleveland at # 19 and Denver at # 20 would be good fits for Lawson but I wonder if someone that high up in the draft has given him a promise to be drafted. I guess the Celtics could have given him a promise as well but they have the last pick of the first round so there is no guarantee he would even be there, so my guess is it is a team much higher than that if a promise was given.

Wayne Ellington: His teammate Wayne Ellington (17pts, 7-13fg) was a different story, many felt he would go with the injury card and pull himself out of fear of digging himself a further hole after a subpar performance. However, he showed some character and decided to fight it out in order to gain his reputation back. In the early going he was on fire from the outside, hitting shots off the dribble, running off screens and spotting up. (NBADraft.net)

Wayne Ellington bounced back in a big way after his disastrous performance yesterday, starting off extremely hot on his way to a 7-13, 17 point outing in 20 minutes. His shot simply fell for him at a much better clip, as he did a great job moving off screens and being aggressive using fakes and utilizing his strong one-dribble pull-up. On the negative side, he again did not look very good putting the ball on the floor and making his way to the rim, not standing out that much in terms of his size, quickness, toughness at the rim or ball-handling skills. He still needs to have a strong showing in the last day of the camp if he’s truly serious about making a run at the late first round. (DraftExpress)

Comments: Ellington played much better here then his first game but I still think he will be headed back to UNC. He just doesn't do enough other than shoot the ball well and even then he can sometimes be inconsistent. He could stay in the draft but I don't think he'd have much impact in his rookie season.

Josh Duncan: A solid game was had by the ever fundamental Josh Duncan (20pts, 6rebs, 9-10ft) who was able to score inside as well as step out to the top of the key and convert on a reliable spot up jumper. (NBADraft.net)

Josh Duncan continued the trend of Portsmouth Invitational Tournament standouts who were able to translate their excellent performance from the all-senior pre-draft camp in April to this setting as well—scoring 20 points (5-8 FG, 9-10 FT) and pulling down 6 rebounds. Duncan knocked down a number of open shots from the perimeter, scored a bit in the post off good feeds from his guards Ramel Bradley and Jeremy Pargo, made some nice passes himself, and was extremely aggressive getting to the free throw line. His lack of athleticism was evident at times, particularly with his attempts to face-up and put the ball on the floor, and he struggled staying in front of quicker forwards defensively. He is a very good basketball player, though, there is no question about that. (DraftExpress)

Comments: I think we can officially put Josh Duncan in the Ryan Gomes/Craig Smith category of players who were great in college but are tweeners on the NBA level. While I'm glad Duncan did well here, I still think he either will not be drafted or he will go very late in the second round just like Gomes did. I do expect him to be on somebody's roster during the season though. He seems like one of those players who everyone knows is solid but goes undrafted because he doesn't have that wow factor that other players do and eventually makes a team as an undrafted free agent.

Joe Crawford: Another impressive game was had by Joe Crawford (15pts, 6-11fg), who despite his size, has been able to show his ability to score in a variety of ways. (NBADraft.net)

Last, but certainly not least, Joe Crawford again had another very strong game (15 points, 6-11 FG) as the go-to scoring option for his team. He got to the rim very effectively, shot the ball well from mid-range and long-range, was excellent coming off screens and played fairly well in transition. His defensive effort was good, particularly in terms of pressuring the ball, and he showed absolutely no hesitation in anything he does, which people here have to like. He needs to become a little bit more efficient with his ball-handling (he pounds the ball a little too much), but it’s hard not to like what he brought to the floor today. (DraftExpress)

Comments: From what we have seen of Joe Crawford so far at Orlando and what I know of him from watching him at Kentucky, I definitely think Crawford should get drafted. Now, I don't know if he will get drafted but this guy is a big game player who knows how to score and hits big shots. I think there has to be a place for a guy like this in the NBA. My guess is that somebody will draft him in the second round if they have been paying attention. I think he has a Chauncey Billups like quality to him when it comes to making big shots.

Malik Hairston: Malik Hairston (12pts, 8rebs) was much more aggressive today, looking to mix it up in the paint on his way to 6 offensive rebounds and 6 free throw attempts (although he only made 2). (NBADraft.net)

It was indeed Hairston that strung together his second straight impressive performance, not so much in terms of the boxscore (12 points, 8 rebounds, 5-11 FG, 2-6 FT) but more in terms of the talent, versatility and all-around feel for the game he displayed, putting him a cut above pretty much any other prospect in this game. He was again always around the ball, doing all the little things his team needed in order to come away with the victory, whether it was executing his team’s half-court sets as the defacto point guard, posting up inside, creating his own shot from the perimeter, pulling up off the dribble and rebounding the ball extremely well. His ball-handling skills look a lot better than we may have given credit for—as he was very effective facing the basket, making some powerful strides to the rim and using his excellent body to shield the ball from his defender. He had four turnovers in this game, a product of spending so many minutes at the point, but it was hard not to come away impressed with the way he played in this game and in the camp as a whole. (DraftExpress)

Comments: Right now it seems like Hairston is impressing but I still think he needs to do more in order to get drafter. At this point, I think he has just gotten his name into the discussion.

Lester Hudson: Hudson (13pts, 4stls) came into camp with some hype, but a lot of his weaknesses have been exposed as he has trouble getting by people with his subpar quickness and only decent ball handling. With his size he must play PG at the next level, but the necessary skill and savvy to man that position is lacking from Hudson’s package. (NBADraft.net)

Lester Hudson had yet another uneven performance in game two, alternating between displaying fantastic scoring instincts and creativity and forcing the issues badly at times and making bad decisions. He clearly is an A+ shooter, both from the perimeter and especially creating separation from his defender with smooth body control from mid-range, but needs to show better patience deciding when to shoot. He can throw the ball in the rim from a variety of different angles, but has not been very judicious with his decision making. He finished the game with 13 points, 2 assists, 4 steals and 4 turnovers in 23 minutes. (DraftExpress)

Pat Calathes: Pat Calathes wasn’t quite as good as he was yesterday, but he continued his pattern of impressive play dating all the way back to Portsmouth where he showed a terrific ability to fit in quickly on a team and both make himself look good as well as others around him. He had some excellent plays putting the ball on the floor and even going coast to coast, and also knocked down an NBA 3-pointer. He finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 20 minutes. (DraftExpress)

Richard Hendrix: Richard Hendrix (11pts, 8rebs, 3stl) has had a bit off a disappointing week thus far, as he has yet to show any reliable back to basket post moves. He did convert on a mini right hook, but aside from that most of his points came strictly of scramble plays and offensive rebounds. He is a very effective rebounder, but one has to be troubled by his stiffness and the slow manner in which he runs the floor. (NBADraft.net)

Richard Hendrix again did his best Paul Millsap impression, doing yeomen’s work on the offensive glass, picking up 6 rebounds on that end in just 22 minutes. He struggled to finish most of his shots inside, though, being unable to elevate quite high enough in traffic. He did have a nice move on the block in which he finished with a pretty jump-hook, and also did his typical work in transition and with simple finishes around the rim. Again he impressed with his passing ability and overall unselfishness, something that you rarely see out of any of the big men here. (DraftExpress)

Brian Roberts: Brian Roberts (17pts) had a good outing, but he seemed to be more focused on getting points instead of setting teammates up. His odds of ever playing in the NBA will depend on his ability to run a team and if his sole focus is on getting his, then his chances will decrease significantly. (NBADraft.net)

Brian Roberts had a very strong performance as well (17 points, 5/7 FG, 1/1 3P), doing a great job mixing up his mid-range game with his dribble-drives, either finishing strong at the rim or getting to the free throw line (6-6 in this game). He seems to have significantly improved his ability to smoothly change speeds and keep his defender off-balance, which we just happened to watch him work on a few weeks back when we saw him with David Thorpe and co. at the Pro Training Center at IMG Academy. He did a solid job distributing the ball and playing under control as well, even though he didn’t finish the game with even a single assist. His game is extremely text-book and attractive to the eye, and he surely helped himself with the way he played today. (DraftExpress)

DeMarcus Nelson: A very good stat-line was had by DeMarcus Nelson (22pts, 8-14fg, 5rebs) who was able to do some nice things offensively and be his usual aggressive self on the defensive end. (NBADraft.net)

Duke senior Demarcus Nelson made a number of plays around the basket, again being extremely aggressive putting the ball on the floor and moving off the ball, taking it strong to the rim again and again and getting a good amount of calls in the process. He took mostly high percentage shots and converted at a solid rate, finishing the game with 22 points in 20 minutes. (DraftExpress)

Comments: I'm confident that someone will draft Nelson in the second round. Nelson has both an NBA body and athelticism and he could most definitely be a strong contributer off the bench.

Marcelus Kemp: Marcelus Kemp (14pts, 7-10fg) had a nice game, coming back well from a tough shooting game the previous night. He looks much more comfortable and has found his shooting stroke converting on some nice midrange shots. His strong body gives him a nice advantage when getting to the hoop as he can take contact well. (NBADraft.net)

James Gist: James Gist had a worse stat-line today (6 points, 3-10 FG) than he did yesterday, but in our eyes played better this time around. He looked very active defensively in the passing lanes and did a great job getting out in transition, using his athleticism well around the rim and even knocking down a long-range perimeter jumper. The energy he brought to the floor was exactly what the doctor ordered for his draft stock. The 7 rebounds he pulled out in 20 minutes definitely stands out. (DraftExpress)

DeVon Hardin: Although we’re still waiting for a true breakout performance from DeVon Hardin, today was another solid outing from the Cal senior. He was again aggressive with his post-moves, converting on two very nice moves, one a drop-step and another a hook shot, and also blocked two shots on the defensive end. He did show again his poor hands by bobbling a few passes and also blowing a dunk, which may have taken away a little bit from his performance. It was nice to see how aggressive he was, though, and you certainly can’t argue with his NBA body or superb athleticism. (DraftExpress)

Davon Jefferson: A player that cannot say the same is the fairly soft Davon Jefferson (7pts, 3-5fg), who for the most part was satisfied with settling for 17 foot jumpers and completely shying away from contact on the few drives that he did attempt. (NBADraft.net)

Davon Jefferson continued not to show the type of effort or fire you would expect to see from a player who is currently fighting for his professional future, after having prematurely hired an agent following an average freshman season. His conditioning looks poor, he’s dribbling the ball excessively, and he’s yet to make use of the terrific athletic ability that made him a prospect to start with. This is turning into a very disappointing pre-draft camp for him. (DraftExpress)

Sonny Weems: Sonny Weems (11pts, 4rebs) continues to showcase his improved skill and better feel for the game. Although he does have a very nice midrange pull-up, it would be nice to see him use his athleticism to get to the hoop more. (NBADraft.net)

Darnell Jackson: Darnell Jackson (8pts, 6rebs) is proving that his workhorse mentality is something to be expected from the former Jayhawk. (NBADraft.net)

Shan Foster: Shan Foster played slightly better than he did yesterday, shooting 4-10 from the field for 9 points, but still has some ground to make up tomorrow if he’s going to end up helping himself here. (DraftExpress)

Jeremy Pargo: Jeremy Pargo (11pts, 5ast, 6reb) stepped up today and showed that he can do some good things on the floor. He has a nice build and he is able to use it to body people and get into the lane. One of the concerns is his PG efficiency as his decision making at times was questionable en route to 5 TOs. (NBADraft.net)

Underclassman Jeremy Pargo had a stronger performance in game two (11 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 turnovers) than yesterday’s outing, doing a fantastic job showing off his incredible physical tools and getting into the paint time after time. He showed nice footwork and a terrific first step, being extremely aggressive pushing the ball up the floor in transition, but also again being typically feast or famine in regards to his distribution skills. On one hand he is able to find his teammates with decent creativity, as evidenced by his five assists, but he also seems to struggle over-handling and trying to make very high degree of difficulty passes, which resulted in five turnovers. This is nothing new from Pargo. He does seem to be separating himself from most of the other point guards, though. (DraftExpress)

Drew Nitzel: A pleasant surprise this week has been the play of Drew Nitzel (11pts, 4ast), who has continued to show his touch from the outside, but has also been able to get into the lane and finish or find the open man. He was patient, waiting for his turn, but when he found his grove he was able to make some nice moves in transition to get by people and also some crafty no-look passes. (NBADraft.net)

Mark Tyndale: Mark Tyndale stood out for the second straight game with the excellent versatility he brings to the floor. He can really do everything except shoot the ball effectively, whether it’s distribute, defend, get to the rim or play his typical energetic and heady style of basketball. He might not get drafted, but could have a chance to stick on some team as there is a lot to like about the way he plays the game. (DraftExpress)

Sean Singletary: Sean Singletary (15pts, 8ast, 3 rebs) had a good game running his team, showing that his subpar performance in game 1 was just an off night and a question of comfort. He has fairly good form on his jumpshot, but it seems that his inability to hit from the outside consistently may hold him back some because it allows people to play off of him. His size also hurts his effectives on the offensive end, but it does not seem to be an issue on defense, as he was able to stay in front of Lester Hudson for the most part. (NBADraft.net)

Sean Singletary also had a nice showing, displaying excellent creativity and court-vision distributing the ball, and also being very aggressive as a scorer, finishing the game with an impressive 15 points and 8 assists. He may have over-dribbled at times and is likely kicking himself for missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc, but it was good for him to break out of his shell here finally. (DraftExpress)

Trent Plaisted: Plaisted struggled to make his impact felt on the court consistently, just floating up and down aimlessly at times and not using his athleticism to finish particularly strong around the basket. You can’t ignore his physical tools, but at the same time, you’d like to see him make more use of it on the glass or defensively. He’s in this draft for good, so he really would serve himself well to bring the intensity level up a notch and having a strong showing in the last day of the camp. (DraftExpress)

Previously:
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 1
Orlando NBA Pre-Draft Camp - Day 2 - Part 2