2011 NBA Draft Live Blog

Greetings all... we're taking this live starting at 7:00 with the NBA Draft... I'll be posting every few minutes and you can refresh as you wish!

• 4:55 PM - Breaking News before we even get started!.... Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo reporting that there's a 3-team deal in place to send Beno Udrih, Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston and the 19th pick to Milwaukee; John Salmons and the 10th pick to Sacramento, and the #7 pick and Corey Maggette to Charlotte... wow... I like the deal initially for Milwaukee in that they get 2 decent guards, an upgrade over Salmons in Jackson, and while they swap 10 for 19, that shouldn't kill them in this draft... I hate it for Sacto, moving down 3 picks AND giving away Udrih just to get the overrated Salmons... and Charlotte obviously has a target at 7 they felt was big enough to justify swapping Jackson for Maggette... we'll see about that.... alright then, see you at 7:00 when we can fully evaluate this...
• 7:05 PM - Coming to you live from an unknown locale... accompanied by my confidants Ryan and Josh... One note before we get started with draft stuff... gotta address to rumors about an impending Hawks sale... I have no idea if it's legit, but it DOES make some sense of the Josh Smith fire sale rumors... hear me out... say, you were a new Hawks owner, would YOU be the one that wanted to have to unload salary? or would you want to pin it on the previous guy? Just a thought when considering Smith makes 8 figures and a potential high draft pick makes $4 million or so... file that away...
• 7:17 PM - There's no way Irving doesn't go #1... right?... I can't see a scenario... maybe if Kanter was proven and you went "big over small" but with Williams as a tweener, I think you go best available and take the sure thing in Irving... worry about flipping Baron and/or Sessions later and hope/pray that Baron's work ethic doesn't impact Irving from the jump.... 11 minutes until start time...
• 7:27 PM - Fascinated to see what David Kahn does at #2... is it weird that I'm thinking about that already with #1 "not certain"?... I'd be pretty shocked if they didn't take Irving... snooze fest until Kahn shows his face....
• 7:30 PM - We have no audio at the establishment we're at... and I'm going to say that's a blessing... no Stu Scott... no use of the word "upside" or "length".... all positives...
• 7:34 PM - We went with the purple tie, Commissioner?.... Bold choice... that's all I got on that one... no audio limits what I can make fun of about the intro speech... how 'bout a pick?...
• 7:39 PM - We have a pick... and it's Kyrie Irving!.... shocker... anyway, I really, really like his game from what I've seen... no holes... seems to lack the athletic explosion of a Wall or Rose, but then again, so does Chris Paul, and that's the hope of every Cleveland fan... more Chris Paul comps....
• 7:41 PM - Sidenote after watching the Irving highlight package... how is Nolan Smith not a lock 1st-rounder? is it because he's a tweaner? How many times are we going to need to underrate the proven college senior guy before they realize it's gone too far?
• 7:45 PM - Minnesota takes Derrick Williams... I don't get it... is he the #2 player? probably... but I don't see the fit with Kevin Love.... like, at all... and there's already a logjam of tweeners with Beasley and Anthony Randolph... there's gotta be a trade there somewhere, but I would've moved the pick or taken Kanter... not to say I don't like Williams, because I do, but I think he's a 4 and they're pretty set there...
• 7:50 PM - Utah takes Enes Kanter... 2nd straight "fit" question... like everything I hear about him... but why go with Kanter when you already have Jefferson, Millsap AND prized young guy Derrick Favors?.... They must've been wholly underwhelmed with Brandon Knight... but this does set them up for the Jimmer sweepstakes when they pick again at 12...
• 7:55 PM - I have no idea what Cleveland does here... or what I'd do if I was Cleveland... that's always entertaining...
• 7:57 PM - The Cavs take Tristan Thompson.... pretty big surprise here... but he's actually my favorite guy of the remaining top tier... really like his game, and feel like he's a lower-risk guy than the Euro contingent... most experts thought Valanciunas was the pick, but Cleveland deked everyone... I like it
• 8:02 PM - I laughed aloud just now... Toronto takes Jonas Valanciunas... I'm still laughing... another Euro? and not even the physical one in Vesely... I don't get it... at all... would've gone with Knight, Leonard, even Biyombo over the Euro with the buyout issue... I look forward to the Bargnani/Jonas frontcourt tandem of terror!.. I heart Bryan Colangelo...
• 8:07 PM - Jan Vesely to the Wizards... this was the consistent theme all week, and a surprise to no one... not your typical Euro as he's more of an athlete/finisher type... interesting to see how he fits next to McGee and Blatche... yeah... that's always entertaining... I think I would've gone Leonard, but ho-hum...
• 8:09 PM - Remember that trade I talked about in the first post of the day?... it rears it's ugly head at #7... the NBA has Sacramento picking here, but this is reportedly heading to Charlotte, so we'll act as though it's their pick... and they go with?.... Bismack Biyombo!... probably the guy we know least about in this draft, but he's an explosive athlete from the Congo with reported freakish defensive upside... I don't know who scores the ball for Charlotte next year... but yeah... for now? I don't mind it... they have a lot of holes...
• 8:16 PM - Detroit is a calamity... had an interesting convo with Ryan about their perceived lack of holes... before settling on point guard... and who do they take? Brandon Knight... nicely done Joe D... he's a nice fit for them because he's about 6'4 which allows him to play with Ben Gordon and guard 2 guards (because Gordon can't)... I like Knight's game... and esp. his basketball IQ... decent young foundation with him and Monroe...
• 8:21 PM - Charlotte (picking for themselves this time) goes with Kemba Walker.... Not in love with the fit because, well, I'm not loving the whole scoring/combo guard thing that Kemba provides... but the value is decent at 9, and I'm not sure where I would've gone elsewhere...
• 8:27 PM - Back to the trade from earlier... #10 has Milwaukee picking for Sacramento (we think)... it's Jimmer time!.... I'm actually a fan of his at the next level... but playing alongside Tyreke Evans? Leery... but it'll certainly be interesting... no other point guard available and with that being the GLARING need with the trade of Beno, it makes sense here... Jimmer a top-10 pick... wow... do have to wonder if this was an owner-driven pick to sell tickets...
• 8:31 PM - Jimmer looks ridiculous in the suit he's wearing... and THEN they add the hat?... good luck with that... also hilarious to see them use "capable passer" as a trait to assign to a lottery pick point guard... that's epic...
• 8:34 PM - The Commissioner re-appears... and Golden State Klay Thompson.... as I scream (literally) OLE!!!!... yet another pick for Golden State that can't guard a chair... alas, I actually like Thompson, and have all year... he's the best scoring wing in this draft and probably presents good value, but I can't possibly see a scenario where it'd be beneficial to play Curry, Ellis, and Thompson as your perimeter... you're giving up 140...
• 8:39 PM - Finishing an argument about whether Kawhi Leonard can be classified as a wing... I say yes.... These are the tirades we go on.... at any rate... Utah on the clock... consensus at the table is that they need to take a wing...
• 8:41 PM - The pick is in... consensus best 2-guard available in Colorado's Alec Burks heading to Utah... sound pick... fills a need... didn't reach too much... that's not a bad roster at all when you think about the corner that D-Will backed them into...
• 8:47 PM - Markieff Morris goes to Phoenix.... that's weird.... Marcus was the higher rated prospect all year... anyway, he's the twin I like more of the 2... better rebounder, better defender... better fit for Phoenix for sure... kinda like that front-line going forward with Gortat, Lopez, and Morris... they're long...
• 8:51 PM - Houston on the board... always interesting to see what Morey does... that's a team with so many assets that it's hard to monitor... they kinda need a point guard with Brooks on his way out (although I like Lowry) but there isn't one to take... I'd go Leonard or Singleton....
• 8:55 PM - Houston takes Marcus Morris... I hate that pick... there, I said it... Morris is a 4 who thinks he's a 3, and they have a logjam at the 4 (Scola, Patterson)... not a fan.... and I usually loves Houston's stuff...
• 9:01 PM - Indiana picks up Kawhi Leonard... one of my favorite guys in the draft... can't believe he fell this far, and it's a nice add for Indy... they were somehow "need-less" so they went best available, and he should take some minutes away from Brandon Rush (mercifully)... love that pick...
• 9:05 PM - Breaking news from Yahoo! that San Antonio may be swapping George Hill to Indiana in a package for Kawhi Leonard... of course they are... San Antonio usually likes guys that I like... I'll update when and if this goes through...
• 9:09 PM - Philly locks up the biggest player in the draft in Nikola Vucevic... the 7-footer from USC... a bit of a project, but their biggest hole is in the middle and that's a worthy flier in the mid-1st...
• 9:11 PM - Ohhhhhh the Knicks.... always an adventure... the worst pick of the draft so far in my opinion is Iman Shumpert at 17... he can't shoot, he's wildly inconsistent, and his only discernible skill (athleticism/defense) is replicated by Toney Douglas... I honestly had visions of Isaiah...
• 9:16 PM - Pick number 18... what's the significance you ask? Oh... this is the spot that the Hawks would occupy had they not dealt it to Washington... 2 guys I like are still available in Christ Singleton and Kenneth Faried... just putting that out there... I like Kirk Hinrich still...
• 9:18 PM - Washington takes Chris Singleton... I like that for them.... he's maybe the best defender in the entire draft, and they'll need all the help they can get with guys like Nick Young, Blatche, and Crawford... plus, he doesn't need the ball... solid from them
• 9:20 PM - Looks like the George Hill-to-Indiana deal is done... Kawhi Leonard and the #42 pick heading the Spurs way... leaves the Spurs without a backup point, but Leonard gives them some valuable athleticism and defense in the front court.... gonna be very very interesting to see how that roster looks... and a coup for Indy in that Hill is a proven starter-caliber PG that can play some 2 behind Collison...
• 9:27 PM - I'm officially wearing down on the live blog... anyway, Milwaukee takes Tobias Harris (via Charlotte)... not a big fan of his work, but that's suddenly a position of need for Milwaukee who's done a total overhaul today... John Hammond has been busy....
• 9:30 PM - It's David Kahn time again!.... Donatas Motiejunas is the pick... I know absolutely nothing of his work... but that seems about par for the course for Mr. Kahn... I absolutely would've taken Jordan Hamilton here... I don't understand why he's still available
• 9:34 PM - Ryan's on pins and needles with Portland on the clock... this ought to be entertaining...
• 9:36 PM - Nolan Smith! Im really glad he went this early... like the fit for Portland... he's ready to play right now and won't kill them anywhere... best guard available... that's, as usual, a very good roster...
• 9:37 PM - Reading about a deal where Houston would send Brad Miller and the 23rd pick to Minnesota for Donatas Motiejunas and Jonny Flynn.... a steal for the Rockets IMO... they need another guard with Lowry, and Flynn is a great buy-low candidate once he gets out of the triangle...
• 9:42 PM - Denver takes Kenneth Faried.... love, love, love him... best rebounder in the draft, unlimited motor, and he can play right away... not a ton of upside, but that's a steal at 22... only one guy from the upper tier left for me (Hamilton)... may shut it down once he goes...
• 9:48 PM- Kinda shocked at Hamilton's freefall... gotta be all those bad shots from this year catching up with him... only explanation, but in his defense, it was team-based why he was jacking IMO... and Rick Barnes never helped anybody
• 9:49 PM - Nikola Mirotic to Minnesota (via Houston).... that makes no sense at all... so why wouldn't Kahn be involved?!.... the last thing they need is a 6'10 forward...
• 9:54 PM - Reggie Jackson to OKC.... interesting non-fit situation there where he'll be sitting behind WEstbrook and Maynor... weirdest pre-draft situation there was in that Jackson basically shut it down 2 months before the draft and didn't work out... getting killed for it, but gets the guaranteed contract
• 9:56 PM - Mirotic is actually going to Chicago... that makes a little more sense than Minnesota but I digress... Boston just picked Marshon Brooks ahead of Jordan Hamilton... I'm shutting it down for the night... its been a pleasure... stay tuned in this space for updates later tonight and into tomorrow...