NBA Rumor Mill (6/30/07)

Kevin Garnett to Boston. Kevin Garnett to Phoenix. Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles.

Now, Dallas and Golden State have been rumored to have interest in KG. On Friday, reports surfaced that both the Warriors and Mavericks have begun discussions with the Timberwolves. The Dallas rumor might be fluff. But the Warriors freed themselves $10 million by trading Jason Richardson to Charlotte on draft night which makes them a major player in landing Garnett.

According to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle written Friday, Chris Mullin has acknowledged talking to the Wolves. Though Mullin insisted that he wouldn't trade fan-favorite Richardson, he did so anyway. "I'll miss Jason of course," Mullin said. "He's one of my favorite guys, my favorite players. It's a hard thing to see him go. But when you need to improve your team, sometimes you got to make tough decisions."

Richardson played great and helped lead the Warriors over the Mavericks in first round of the playoffs. As good as he was in the post-season, he played in just 51 regular season games. He is injury-prone and relies heavily on his jumping ability - something that will deplete with age.

Rumors surrounding Monte Ellis swirled on drafted night as some suspected that GS would try to move into the lottery so that they could pick Yi Jianlian. If Ellis is still on the block, the Wolves need a point guard and would love to have the most improved player in the NBA.

The Warriors have as good a chance of landing KG as any team. With the parts and cap space - trade talks should get serious. It seems like Mullin wants to keep Brandan Wright, who would make a great replacement for Garnett in the T'Wolves line-up. Mullin might have to package the Minnesota (Blaine) native Patrick O'Bryant (9th overall in 2006) with Monta Ellis and another player for Garnett.

The Warriors drafted great talent on Thursday which could open up the opportunity to move some of their current players. Marco Belinelli will be an immediate help which makes Monta Ellis expendable. Andris Biedrins and Brandan Wright will take up all of O'Bryant's minutes which makes Patrick expendable. Kelenna Azubuike, Matt Barnes, Michael Peitrus, Stephen Jackson and Josh Powell all play realitvely the same position which gives the Warriors options of who to deal and who to keep. They also drafted Jemareo Davidson and Stephane Lasme who can fill in for Brandan Wright and Al Harrington.

The Warriors are young and improving as they age. Adonal Foyle is the oldest and most experienced player on the roster. The Warriors took advantage of Indiana prior to the trade deadline last season and stole away Harrington and Jackson. If Mullin can figure out a way to make Garnett a Warrior, he could make a run at Brian Colangelo for executive of the year.

NBA DRAFT: 1 Day To Go, Drafting 1st (6/27/07)

1 DAY TO GO, DRAFTING 1st

1st Overall: Portland Trailblazers

Back in February I was lucky enough to be able to witness the #2 overall Ohio State Buckeyes in person. Oden's team came to visit the Barn to face the Gophers. At the time, current #1 Florida had just lost and the Buckeyes were in line to claim the top spot.

After seeing Oden in person I was able to gather a few things about him. Greg is a physical specimen. I seriously had goose bumps the entire warm-ups, and recorded his introduction on my camera. I'm actually really excited to tell my grand-kids I saw Oden in person in college.

Even though you can just tell by watching he's going to make a perennial All-Star, he didn't seem engaged. Granted Minnesota was the worst Big 10 team, he often looked like he wasn't even trying. It appeared that he lacked a high level of involvement and effort. His team was good enough where they might have won the Big 10 and made it to the Final Four even without Oden, but it appeared Oden was destined for greater things than playing against Dan Coleman and Spencer Tollackson.

I understand Oden's lack of involvement during college - Oden wouldn't have even played in the NCAA if it wasn't for the age rule. He would have been playing in the post-season for the Raptors this past season (instead of Bargnani).

At Oden's age, LeBron and Dwight Howard were playing for a paycheck and working on their point per game averages during the time when Oden was boxing out Gophers and working for his grade point average. Oden didn't exactly get the entire season like Durant did. Oden spent the first part of his season on the bench and at first when he did play, he had a bulky cast and shot left handed.

Oden wasn't meant to play with the boys in college, he was meant to play with the men in the NBA. Just look at him - Oden looks the part of an NBA legend and it's only a matter of time before he becomes one. I thought that I would add what I wrote about Conley after seeing him in person in mid-February: "The player who impressed me most out of both Wisconsin and Ohio State was Mike Conley. Conley is Dee Brown and Deron Williams combined. Conley is smart, he penetrates and dishes so well. I would compare Conley to any of the best point guards in America."

NBA DRAFT: 2 Days To Go, Drafting 2nd (6/26/07)

2 DAYS TO GO, DRAFTING 2ND

2nd Overall: Seattle Sonics

Kevin Durant.

I don't even have that much to write about this. It is hard to argue that there will be any other selection made #2. I just don't see the NBA Draft coming out like the 2006 NFL draft when everyone thought that Reggie Bush would be the first pick, but the Texans shocked the world and took Mario Williams.

The Blazers will draft Greg Oden, meaning that GM of the Sonics, Sam Presti, will have little to no choice but to take the long and lanky Texas Longhorn freshman sensation and National Player of the Year. Kevin Durant has an exceptional upside - but he's not worthy of being picked over Greg Oden.

As was evidence in the NCAA tournament, the Longhorns were not as good of a team as the Buckeyes. Texas was bounced much earlier than expected by potential lottery pick Nick Young. Despite individual success during the season, Durant's team lost in the 2nd round.

Keep in mind, it was Durant that made Texas a playoff team. He led them not only in statistical categories, but on the floor as well. When his team needed a hoop, or was in need of a spark, they could count on KD to come through (many performances were displayed on ESPN for all to see).

The Longhorns lost LaMarcus Aldridge (2nd overall), P.J. Tucker (35th overall) and Daniel Gibson (42nd overall) to last years draft and needed the point production from Durant to even contend in a deep Big 12 conference. Durant made the most of his role as leader scoring over 25 points per game and averaging over 11 rebounds. He not only won the AP Player of the year, but he took home the Naismith and Wooden Awards as well.

Durant's most obvious and hyped NBA comparison is to All-Stars Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett. The fact that Durant took care of competition in college and he doesn't turn 19 until September makes the Sonics salivate and instills fear in current NBA players. A lot of people think that if McGrady or Garnett had gone to college they would have had similar seasons as Durant. I knew the decision of Durant and Oden was coming for a long long time.

They basically declared themselves the two best draft prospects back in December, January and into February. I wrote a lengthy post comparing the two at the time, here is the link: http://www.protrade.com/content/DisplayArticle.html?sp=Sf1664cac-bba6-11db-adc0-f5747a60336d

I declared the 2007 NBA draft one of the most anticipated in decades. I said that the mid-May NBA draft lottery show would be the most watched since the first ever in 1985. At the time I wrote that having the top the pick would be more of a burden than a blessing and I still feel that way. To quote myself "Having the #2 overall pick will allow a team to receive one of these great talents without having to decide the NBA future. Determining whether Oden or Durant should be taken first is a debate for the ages".

As the draft approaches, the debated doesn't seem as heated. It doesn't seem like much of a debate at all. At the time I said that whichever player's team went furthest in the NCAA tournament would be drafted first.

I wrote on February 13th: "Oden will need to prove he is a winner and a leader in March to get the edge over Durant on draft day." Ohio State went to the title game while Texas couldn't get past round 2, Durant will be selected 2nd.

NBA DRAFT: 3 Days To Go, Drafting 3rd (6/25/07)

3 DAYS TO GO, DRAFTING 3RD

3rd Overall:

Atlanta Hawks As it is almost certain that the top two overall picks will be Kevin Durant and Greg Oden - the 3rd overall pick is the first place where a GM will have to make a decision.

The question of which Florida player will be taken first might be answered when commissioner David Stern reads off the Hawks choice. At 6'10" almost 250 pounds, Al Horford possesses the perfect big time power forward body.

Horford might turn out to be the best Gator on draft night, but he'll still be 2nd best to Neal Walk. With the #1 and #2 picks being locked up, Walk will remain the highest Gator ever drafted (2nd overall). Walk's career was good, in his best season he averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds. NBA GM's think that Horford could produce similar numbers, next season.

The Hawks are young and have great potential - especially with the 3rd and the 11th overall picks. Being young means they are in the "waiting to be good" mode. This waiting has gone on so long that some people think that the Hawks could trade either or both of their picks tied with a young player to bring in a veteran (Gasol, Garnett, Kobe?). But right now, with a bunch of shooting guards and small forwards, what the Hawks really need is a point guard.

The last two drafts they've needed a point guard. Last year they passed on Randy Foye and took Shelden Williams (5th overall). Williams contributed 5 points and 5 rebounds a game while Foye looks to be the future in Minnesota. What is even worse is that they didn't even need Shelden because the year before they passed on Deron Williams and Chris Paul (Won Rookie of the Year) to take Marvin Williams. Marvin hasn't lived up to the hype while Deron was posting triple doubles in this years playoffs.

Marvin and Shelden will turn out to be fine players - but neither is Al Horford. Horford is beastly, he's serious, experience and sharp. What's good about Horford is that he is ready to play now, and he has a winners mentality.

The reason why Atlanta will go with Horford over Mike Conley Jr. is because the Hawks will have the opportunity to take the 2nd best point guard when they pick at 11. Very suitable to run the point is Texas A&M's floor leader Acie Law. Law led the Agies to an impressive 25 win season and like Horford has the ability to contribute right away - something that Atlanta is desperate to do.

Although selecting Conley third is thought to be too high to take him, the Hawks could finally draft their point guard. If Atlanta doesn't pick Horford the reason could be because he did struggle guarding NBA talent in college. He matched up twice against Greg Oden - so I'm sure the Hawks GM Billy Knight (and probably every GM) endlessly studied that game film not only for Horford, but Conley Jr as well. During the meetings (1 time for the title), Oden was able to use his size and body to bully his way to the basket against Horford's style of defense.

I haven't heard any problems about Horford during his work-outs. In fact, most GM's feel that Horford is the total package. Al could turn out to be the 2007 version of Dwyane. When LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were touted as sure things (Oden & Durant), Wade slipped under the radar. Horford would make a great addition in Boston, Memphis, Milwaukee and Minnesota. Most people expect Horford to be the first Gator leaving the green room and I wouldn't doubt it being to Atlanta.

NBA DRAFT: 4 Days To Go, Drafting 4th (6/24/07)

4 DAYS TO GO, DRAFTING 4TH

4th Overall: Memphis Grizzlies

Statistically the worst team in the NBA last year, the Grizzlies hope the 4th overall pick helps turn the franchise around. Memphis will try to please their current centerpiece Pau Gasol by selecting a future centerpiece.

The more I have covered and researched this draft, the higher I think that Mike Conley Jr will get drafted. As pretty much the only solid true point worth taking in the first round, Conley could find himself being picked 4th or even 3rd. Atlanta at 3rd, Memphis at 4th and Milwaukee at 6th all need help at point. If Mike Conley Jr doesn't get taken 3rd or 4th, I can't imagine he'd slip past the Bucks at 6.

Earlier today I read a rumor on RotoWorld.com that suggested the Bucks Mo Williams could sign with Memphis. If the Grizzlies find their point guard in free agency, they may look to draft the freakishly long and talented Brandan Wright. His game isn't exactly polished, he looks like he's still getting used to having those praying mantis arms. Today he isn't an NBA ready center, but B Wright could be the right fit for Memphis.

After googling NBA draft about 100,000 times over the last month or so, I've discovered that some draft sites are better than others. DraftExpress is the spot on the net that I prefer. Right now DraftExpress.com has Wright falling past Memphis and even past Boston. Wright has been compared to current NBAer Chris Bosh because of his position and size as well as for his shot blocking ability, athleticism, and quickness. Both Bosh and Wright have length and are able to use their long wing-spans to shoot over defenders.

DraftExpress has Boston passing on Wright and drafting Jeff Green. Green's Georgetown team took out Wright's Tar Heels in the Elite 8 of this past NCAA tournament. During the game Wright showed flashes of potential after throwing down on a few fast breaks, posting up, taking good shots and hustling down rebounds. One thing that was evident from that game was Wright's struggle to keep up with Jeff Green. Wright didn't appear to be in the best shape as he committed silly fouls, allowed easy baskets and looked exhausted down the stretch.

Wright is listed at 6'10". He is also listed at 200 pounds. Now, I'm not a weight-watcher, but this kid needs to eat something. NBA GM's might pass on Wright because he lacks bulk to bang with the big boys. The Tennessee native is only 19 so he has plenty of time to grow.

The Grizzlies might not take Wright because they already have Brian Cardinal, Alexander Johnson, Lawrence Roberts, Stromile Swift and Hakim Warrick who all play Wright's position. Conley would make the most sense because right now Memphis is relying on old guys Chucky Atkins and Damon Stoudamire to run things. It doesn't seem likely that a team looking forward to the future (Rudy G, Gasol, Miller, Lowry, Warrick) would want to pass on an almost certain sure thing in MCJr.

NBA DRAFT: 5 Days To Go, Drafting 5th (6/23/07)

5 DAYS TO GO, DRAFTING 5TH

5th Overall: Boston Celtics

The Celtics symbol is a clover, the symbol for luck. When it comes to the draft, the Celtics have been anything but lucky. Boston has picked good players and has drafted well. But the illustrious NBA Lottery ping-pong balls have not been on Boston's side.

Boston had only 15 wins in 1997 and was pretty much a lock to grab the top pick. Wake Forest's Tim Duncan was being touted as a sure thing, and the best bet. San Antonio wound up winning the lottery and winning much more by picking Duncan.

This past season, the Celtics, Grizzlies and Bucks had the best odds of landing in the top overall spot, while Portland had just a 5% chance of getting number 1. Boston fans were primed for what they thought was due to them - Greg Oden. The Celtics had flashbacks of '97 after the Boston logo was opened at 5th. In 1997, Boston drafted Chauncey Billups 3rd (who they traded away) and Ron Mercer. The Rick Pitino era (1997-2001) might have been a little different had the ping pong balls bounced in the Celtics favor.

With just 5 days until the draft, I don't think KG is going anywhere and I think that the Celtics are going to have to swallow pride and use their "should have been #1" 5th pick to draft Jeff Green. I think that the Celtics have a chance of drafting Yi Jianlian, Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah and even Brandan Wright. If Horford goes 3, Conley goes 4, the Celtics will have a very difficult decision.

NBADraft.net and DraftExpress.com both have the Celtics taking Jeff Green. DraftExpress has Conley going to the Grizzlies with Wright falling to the Bucks. Celtic head coach Doc Rivers likes Green, he's been able to watch him closely because Rivers' son Jeremiah played on Green's Georgetown team. Green does pretty much everything on the court. He is long, is big enough to get rebounds, he has a pretty jump shot (shoot 50% from the floor and 75% from the line) and he's a great leaper. Green also has a great attitude and personality - he never had the outrageous box score games but his unselfishness is one reason why his team went to the Final Four.

Boston might pass on Green, might not even need Brandan Wright and could draft Yi Jianlian or Joakim Noah. Wright has plenty of upside, he's only 19. And Yi Jianlian could make for a faster, more athletic Yao. But the Celtics don't have as much to go on for Wright and Yi as they do for Noah and Green. Noah could be a good choice because Boston has Brian Scalabrine, Kendrick Perkins and Michael Olowokandi playing center.

The Celtics could draft Brandan Wright and hope he develops into a Chris Bosh type of center. The Boston Herald wrote that the Celtics were impressed by Noah's court enthusiasm, floor communication and energetic play. Rotoworld.com reported on June 12th that Rivers was also complimentary of Noah's unparalled energy on the floor. "It was probably the loudest workout we've had in some time." Coach Rivers said. "Noah naturally talks and points things out defensively, and those are good traits."

"I speak my mind," Noah said after working out for the Celtics. "Sometimes that's good, sometimes not, and sometimes people think I have a big mouth." Boston might not draft Noah 5th overall, but there could be a trade with whatever teams does select him. "I'm just being me," he said. "A lot of people will have their opinion, but at the end of the day, I'm just being me."

No doubt about it, the Celtics will have a tough decision when it comes to who to select. The C's are in need of a C, but they'd take anything after having the 2nd worst record in the NBA last season. Boston has a lot to look forward to. If Danny Ainge can't get a trade worked out to bring people in, we might be talking about Paul Pierce being moved out because it seems like they are in rebuilding mode in Boston. At least the Celtics have a good foundation to build on - they shouldn't be appearing in the draft lottery next year.

NBA Rumor Mill: (6/22/07)

So with Garnett refusing to go to Boston, it appears that the Suns will now entertain a deal.

Well, maybe that isn't going to happen either. According to the Arizona Republic, a trade between the Timberwolves and Suns is unlikely. The Wolves are trying to get Amare Stoudemire and that isn't something that Phoenix will do.

Next up in these rumors is something that was bounced around prior to the trade deadline in February. The Wolves and Lakers could make a trade that would pair Kobe and KG.

According to the New York Post, Nets GM Ed Stefanski has no plans on breaking up the three headed monster of Kidd, Carter and Jefferson. If there is no chance to bring in Kidd, and no shot of getting Arenas, the next superstar on the Laker radar might be Garnett.

A Kobe video of him bashing Andrew Bynum has a lot of people thinking that Bynum will be part of a trade if they make one. Andrew Bynum was drafted 10th overall and hasn't appeared to grasp the NBA game as fast as expected. His 7 foot body and potential for success could make trading for KG a possibility.

On ESPN.com you can plug in teams and players in the "trade machine" to come up with proper salaries and combinations of players. Here is a link : http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/trademachine .

The best for both worlds trade between LA and Minnesota involving KG and Bynum looks like this:

LA Gets:

Kevin Garnett

Craig Smith

Minnesota Gets:

Andrew Bynum

Lamar Odom

Vlad Radmanovic

The Lakers could take a solid PF who showed a lot of upside in Smith and also get rid of Radmanovic who lied to the team about an injury last season. The Lakers would lose a chunk of their line-up, but with Kobe and KG - they'll have immediate star power. They will fill their line-up with Kwame Brown, Luke Walton and Smush Parker or Jordan Farmer would run the point.

The Wolves would replaced Smith and KG in the line-up with Odom and Radmanovic and use Bynum and Mark Blount at center. The Wolves could use the 7th overall pick to draft a small forward and have a pretty bright future with McCants and Foye.

Regardless, Kevin Garnett is still holding onto the fact that he will finish his career in a Timberwolves uniform. Kobe moving out of LA might be more likely than Garnett moving anywhere.

LeBron James might be getting a sidekick. Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry is looking into trying to acquire Jason Richardson, Rashard Lewis, Zach Randolph and Shawn Marion.

NBA DRAFT: 6 Days To Go, Drafting 6th (6/22/07)

6 DAYS TO GO, DRAFTING 6TH

6th Overall: Milwaukee Bucks

After a disappointing season, Milwaukee has much to look forward to. The Bucks get a return and full health to Charlie Villanueva, Bobby Simmons and Andrew Bogut to go along with their 6th overall pick.

Villanueva was acquired for T.J. Ford deal after he put up 13 ppg and 6.4 rpg his rookie season. Charlie sat out 43 games last year and is looking forward to bouncing back. Bobby Simmons was a big free agent signing following a 16 ppg, 6 rpg season with LAC in '05. Simmons played 75 games with Milwaukee in the '06 season but was sidelined for all of '07 due to ankle surgery. The Bucks will also get a more mature, more experienced and healthy Andrew Bogut next year. Andrew played just 66 games because of a sprained left foot that ended his season in early March.

Health doesn't seem to be a worry as the Bucks decided to exercise options to re-sign Bogut for the next two years and Villanueva for at least another year past 2007.

The Bucks traded for Earl Boykins, but his 14 ppg and 4 apg was overshadowed by Steve Blake's success with the Nuggets. Mo Williams and Earl Boykins are in charge or handling the point next year, which could be a slight concern for GM Larry Harris. With the 6th overall pick, Harris might look to draft Mike Conley Jr.

Bucks current point man is Mo Williams. Mo is young and talented and he played great last season. Williams goes into next year with extra motivation, he's playing for a new contract. The Bucks might want to draft Conley in the event that they can't afford or get outbid trying to re-sign Williams. It's been reported by the LA Times that in an effort to appease Kobe, the Lakers are trying to get a point guard and both Williams and Boykins have come up (among many names).

It's not just the point guard that concerns Larry Harris. Former #1 overall pick Andrew Bogut is 7 feet tall, but doesn't play the center position. Brian Skinner, Dan Gadzuric, Ersan Ilyasova and Damir Markota are not good enough to help the Bucks make the post-season, even in the Eastern Conference.

Joakim Noah would have been a perfect fit and could have instantly given the Bucks a much needed personality. Too bad he declared himself too good to play in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If Boston grabs Jeff Green, and Mike Conley goes to the Grizzlies, Yi Jianlian could be the Bucks selection.

Even though I think that the Bucks will take Jeff Green or Mike Conley Jr, Jianlian could be the final puzzle piece. His athleticism is pretty decent, he looks 100 times better than the first time I saw Yao. I've been following Yi for more than a year - I first heard about him on PTI and Rivals.com. YouTube.com has plenty of videos of Yi where you can see firsthand that his talent compares with Yao. See for yourself, he takes Pau Gasol off the dribble in this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-nfAJJJV_M&mode=related&search= . Regardless of the small-town market - Yi Jianlian would develop and grow with a talented young team (the average age of the Bucks roster is 27).

One problem with drafting Yi if you are Milwaukee is that you could be drafting another Andrew Bogut. Yi isn't exactly a true center and he hasn't gained the strength needed to back down defenders. He also doesn't shoot the highest percentage from outside which could hinder his ability to play small forward in the best league in the world.

Other players that the Bucks could draft at 6th are Jeff Green or Corey Brewer. Even though Milwaukee saw good production from Ruben Patterson, they would love to upgrade in the small forward position. Charlie Bell's 34 minutes per game could get drastically decreased if the Bucks draft Green or Brewer.

NBA DRAFT: 7 Days To Go, Drafting 7th (6/21/07)

7 DAYS TO GO, DRAFTING 7TH

7th Overall: Minnesota Timberwolves

The Number 7 pick is the biggest mystery in the top 10. By draft day, the Wolves might be going to the podium twice during the first ten picks - that is if Minnesota unloads KG to Boston for the 5th pick. The Wolves 7th in '07 is critical because Minnesota is going to miss the draft the next two season. Minnesota has obligations to give up first round picks to both the Clippers for the Marko Jaric deal and to Boston for the Ricky Davis deal.

With this upcoming draft, it feels like NOW or NEVER for the Timberwolves. As a Minnesota native - I choose now, rather than never.

For the very first time since I saw that young, skinny kid grab the white 21 and smile all silly, it is the right time to cut ties with Garnett. The only way that the Timberwolves are going to do anything with Garnett on the roster is if the number 7 overall pick is a superstar. I don't see that happening next year, and by that time, it'll be too late. I've read hundreds of quotes from Garnett that declare his bold dedication to the state of Minnesota and that he will stay for his career. Recently, Garnett's been silent.

Trade rumors own radio waves in the Twin Cities, some even talking about bringing in Amare Stoudemire. The best case scenario for Minnesota is that Boston wants to give up Al Jefferson, Gerald Green and the 5th pick. If the T'Puppies have two top 10 picks in one of the deepest drafts ever - Garnett's 1 MVP and 1 Western Conference Finals will be an afterthought.

The latest mock drafts have the most outstanding player in the Final Four going somewhere between 6th-9th overall. Corey Brewer finds himself in the same group as Jeff Green, Joakim Noah, Mike Conley and Julian Wright. The Bucks and Wolves have both expressed interest in selecting Brewer. During a work-out in Minneapolis Brewer recalled that he hasn't ever lost in Minnesota and also brought to mind his Elite 8 win over Randy Foye's Villanova team (I was there). Brewer said, "I wouldn't mind being up [in Minnesota] with KG and Foye and those guys. But we won't know until June 28."

Most people think that the Wolves will have the 5th overall pick and no Garnett on draft night. As Bill Simmons writes, "If I were running Minnesota, I'd grab Jefferson, Green and the No. 5 for KG in a cocaine heartbeat." - I've never had a cocaine heartbeat, but I imagine it is fast and I couldn't agree more.

The Timberwolves could end up taking home Mike Conley or Yi Jialian at 5th and then Corey Brewer, Jeff Green, Joakim Noah or Spencer Hawes at 7th. I haven't the slightest clue why, but rumors are that McHale likes Hawes. Don't question McHale, he's the #1 GM in Sports according to some terrible magazine. As a Wolves fan, it wouldn't surprise me if I saw Hawes get called 7th. He'll turn out to be the worst pick in the top 10. Just to recall some of the past T'Wolves first round picks: 1997 - Paul Grant, 1998 - Radoslav Nesterovic, 1999 - William Avery, 2003 - Ndudi Ebi.

The top 2 are decided, but beyond that it's a mystery. I think the Wolves should avoid trying to fill the void for a big man at 7th overall, unless Yi is available. They should go with either Brewer or Green to form a solid young core along with Foye and McCants. FoxSports.com and Sportsline.com show mock drafts that have Timberwolves picking Brandan Wright - that would be the best day in Wolves draft history. DraftExpress and CollegeHoops.net have the Wolves taking Hawes, which could turn out to be another name to add to the list of poor draft choices. Kevin McHale and the Timberwolves will be busy during this final week before the NBA Draft.

Going Traveling, Travelers Championship (June 20, 2007)

Tiger, Phil, Scott, Ogilvy, Goosen, Furyk and Els are all too good to play for a measly $6 million purse and $1.08 million for a win ($288,000 more than last year).

Who needs those chumps anyway. The Travelers Championship still has Vijay Singh, David Toms, Zach Johnson, Stewart Cink, Justin Rose and Padraig Harrington.

I guess I'll let Mickelson slide considering he was the winner in 2001 and 2002 - he's got a wrist injury. And Tiger has a new baby and a billion dollars, he can chill. But where are these other guys? Els and Goosen used to be good, they need to come in and take over these tournaments with big names sitting out.

Cromwell, Connecticut is supposed to have great weather this weekend. There is a 30% chance of rain Thursday night, but Friday, Saturday and Sunday all are projected to be clear and sunny.

Stewart Cink seems to be the sexy pick this week. He's #1 on RotoWire.com's Greg Vara's "Players to Consider". Greg is taking Cink because he's "due" and "he's played well at this event, won it in '97". I would like to remind Greg that it is 2007 and that Cink's win was 10 years ago.

Greg does mention David Toms and Vijay Singh which are obvious "should win or finish in the top 10" golfers. These two guys should be watched closely on Sunday. If they are expected to win, and don't - you can predict a big drop in price.

Justin Rose is a great look for the weekend. He controlled himself well at Oakmont but finished T10 after a final round 76. Rose wants to cleanse his sour taste at The Travelers. Rose has been perfect this season making the cut in all 6 tournaments he's entered. He's also finished in the top 10 in 4 of the 6. Rose, who finished tied for 5th at The Masters, is my favorite for the win. The winner of the Travelers Championship earns 25,000 FedEx Cup points.

NBA DRAFT: 8 Days To Go, Drafting 8th (6/20/07)

8 DAYS TO GO, DRAFTING 8TH

8th Overall: Charlotte Bobcats

Last summer, the Bobcats drafted college standout Adam Morrison with the 3rd overall pick. This past season the team improved, but it wasn't because of Morrison. Compared to the #1 and #2 overall picks, Morrison's 11.8 ppg bettered Andrea Bargnani (11.2) and LaMarcus Aldridge (9.0). But since expectations were so high for the magical mustache - Morrison's rookie season was considered a bust.

The Bobcats find themselves in the top 10 for the 4th straight year. Although draft picks are nice, the Bobcats hope this is the last year being among the leagues ten worst teams. Morrison will be much better next season, and the Bobcats are looking forward to another great year from Matt Carroll. Carroll got more playing time in '06 and had the best statistical year of his career. Former 2nd overall pick Emeka Okafor grabbed 11.3 rebounds per game last season, but missed 25 games. Raymond Felton, a former 5th overall pick, dished 7.0 assists per game last season - but didn't play every game.

Having played only 58 games since coming into the league, Scott May's boy hasn't put together enough time on the floor to show anyone he's a stud. Big man Primoz Brezec missed 24 games last season, 25 year old Gerald Wallace missed 10 games and veteran floor leader Brevin Knight missed almost half the season. If Charlotte can stay healthy, they will easily compete for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.

The Bobcats are young, 8/15 players on their roster were born in the 1980's. Come draft day, it will likely be 10/17 (along with the 8th pick, the Bobcats have the 22nd overall as well). Joakim Noah was born in 1985 and has plenty of strengths. Even at 7 feet, he's athletic and coordinated, has great energy and a long wingspan. Noah absorbs contact and finishes well with both hands, he has good quickness and fluidity because he grew over a foot during high school.

The fact that Noah morphed into a center and is not a natural center makes him valuable. He is able to get the ball up the court and he can help spread the defense by playing on the perimeter. Noah plays just as well on deffense as he does on offense.

If Noah isn't drafted by Boston with the 5th overall pick, he won't go 6th. It was reported on RotoWorld.com that Noah recently refused to work-out with the Bucks, he apparently doesn't want to be drafted by Milwaukee. This refusal gave Noah-haters more reason to not like the 2-time NCAA Champion. I don't know why people don't like him so much. Is it because he's cocky? You must be jealous of him, his accomplishments or his abilities then. Do you hate because of his hair? Appearance does not make or break talent. Is it because he's out-spoken? I personally enjoy when athletes have a personality.

However you feel about Noah, he will make a great pro and he will be a good pick if he falls to 8th overall.

The Bobcats will likely have to choose between whoever isn't taken out of Noah, Jeff Green, Corey Brewer, Spencer Hawes, Julian Wright and Al Thronton. NBADraft.net has Noah going to the Bobcats, while DraftExpress.com has Charlotte taking Corey Brewer. I can't imagine that Brewer's half-way decent work-outs would plummet his stock to 8, but it's possible. Corey Brewer or Jeff Green would make a pretty good fit on the Bobcats roster between Okafor/May/Brezec and Wallace/Morrison/Carroll.

NBA DRAFT: 9 Days To Go, Drafting 9th (6/19/07)

9 DAYS TO GO, DRAFTING 9TH

9th Overall: Chicago Bulls

Last year Chicago drafted LaMarcus Aldridge and Rodney Carney - neither played for the Bulls. This year they might again decide to draft a player that they'll end up trading.

Even though the Bulls have a solid back-court of Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich and Chris Duhon - Chicago worked out Mike Conley Jr. Saturday. This might mean Bulls GM John Paxson could draft Conley and deal Gordon or Duhon or both. The Courier News reported on Monday, "if the Bulls opt for a more traditional point guard by drafting Ohio State's Mike Conley, it could pave the way for the move of Hinrich to off guard, which would reduce the demands on him as a floor leader. In turn, Gordon could be expendable in a trade for an inside scorer."

Since Atlanta, Memphis, Boston and Milwaukee all need a point guard, Mike Conley's stock has risen - it is speculated that he won't be around at 9. The Bulls are no longer known as babies after sweeping the Heat from the playoffs, but they are still one star away from having a shot at the title. Before the February trade deadline, the Bulls were trying to trade for Kevin Garnett and Pau Gasol.

If the Bulls have any thoughts of bringing in a Kobe, KG or Pau type player, they will have to give up Thomas, Deng, Gordon or Duhon if not all four. A trade could open up more playing time for last year's 13th overall pick Thabo Sefolosha.

If the Bulls decide to keep their pick and use it - they should draft Julian Wright. Wright is the type of player, like Deron Williams or Chris Bosh, who have obvious NBA game while playing in college, but have little hype coming into the draft. DraftExpress.com has the 76ers taking Wright at 12th and NBADraft.net actually has him going 9th to the Bulls. Julian Wright's shooting ability was overlooked during his time in Lawrence. It has been reported that Wright has shown good range. Wright, who only shot a total of three 3's in all of last season, has been shooting well from NBA 3-point range during work-outs.

Before the so-called draft experts decide what the general population should think about each player, I personally thought that Wright was comparable to Brandan Wright (predicted to go as high as 3rd). I would not be surprised if NBA GM's take Wright in the top 10. His off the court personality makes him an easy player to draft. Wright has a great attitude, is very coachable, polite and respectful. If the Bulls decide to keep the 9th pick and Conley's not available, choosing Julian Wright could turn out to be a great decision.

Other players that the Bulls could possibly choose are Spencer Hawes the 19 year old 7 footer from Washington. They'll use Hawes to replace minutes lost on veteran P.J. Brown. DraftExpress has international sensation Yi Jianlian going 9th to the Bulls, but my feeling that he won't be around by the time Chicago drafts. Joakim Noah has been running his mouth recently and if his stock falls, the Bulls would get a steal drafting Noah. Josh McRoberts could also be an interesting pick for the Bulls. He fits their needs (6'10", 240) as a scoring big man, but no mock drafts have McRoberts in the top 10. Stay tuned from Wednesday's: 8 Days To Go, Drafting 8th.

NBA DRAFT: 10 Days To Go, Drafting 10th (6/18/07)

With just 10 days before the future of the NBA is decided - I decided that I would cover the top 10 picks one by one each day over the next 10 days.

10 DAYS TO GO, DRAFTING 10TH

10th Overall: Sacramento Kings

NBADraft.net has the Kings taking Florida State forward Al Thornton, while DraftExpress has Jeff Green falling all the way to them. I don't think either will happen. The Kings have been trying to deal Ron Artest because as HoopsWorld.com suggests - some coaching candidates have expressed concern over having to take on the role of taming Artest. The Kings also don't expect to have Mike Bibby on next year's roster either. I

f the Kings deal away Artest and Bibby - the 10th overall pick will have a big role to fill. Artest will likely leave, but Bibby, who makes $12.5 million per season, doesn't want to be traded. Bibby claims that he doesn't want the Kings to "give up on him." Regardless, the Kings might be looking to grab a point guard in the draft.

This year, the list of point guards is very short. A number of names have been brought to the spotlight that were expecting to play in college, but could improve their stock by leaving earlier.

Mike Conley Jr has been dubbed as this years best overall point guard. If he is available when the Kings pick at 10th, Mike C could be the future Mike B. Conley didn't look like a Freshman last season when he led the Buckeyes to the National Championship game. His calm demeanor on the court allows him to control the tempo and play mistake free.

NBA GM's have been able to get a great look at Conley because most of them have spent a lot of time studying Greg Oden. Oden and Conley have been teammates since High School and won State titles in Cleveland together. In most of the footage of Oden scoring, he is being assisted by Conley.

Other point guards that could get drafted in the first round include Acie Law, Javaris Crittenton, Taurean Green, Aaron Brooks, Petteri Koponen or Gabe Pruitt.

If the Kings are thinking that Bibby is staying in Sacramento - they may try to get a big man or power forward. After having just signed a multi-year deal with Kevin Martin and recently drafting Francisco Garcia - the Kings will likely look for a rebounder.

Center Spencer Hawes would be a great pick for the Kings if he falls to 10th. The Kings could use Hawes to bail Brad Miller or become him when Miller sits with his annual injury. Jason Smith, a 7-foot center from Colorado State is projected to go middle first round, but could find himself getting drafted higher because of his size.

The Kings have a lot of money tied up in aging players with limited ability. This draft choice is vital to the future success of the franchise.

MLB Teams: Winning Is Everything (June 17, 2007)

In order to remove the element of luck, baseball writer, historian and statistician Bill James invented a formula to estimate how many games a baseball team "should" have won based on the number of runs they scored and allowed.

Back in the middle of April, I put together a post that used RS and RA from this year and last year along with James's formula to predict the number of wins that each team would finish with.

Right now there are 5 teams with 40 or more wins. The Angels and Red Sox lead the MLB with 44 victories. Even though Boston and LA have the most wins in baseball, Bill James would call them lucky. Boston has scored 78 more runs than they've allowed, the Angels have outscored their opponents by 67. The Red Sox have allowed the 2nd least runs (Oakland 255, Boston 270).

In the NL East, the standings show a direct relationship to the amount of runs scored and allowed by each team. The NL East leading Mets have been able to outscore their opponents by 29. The other teams in the NL East haven't been so lucky and fall in line accordingly. Atlanta has 37 wins but has been outscored by 6, Philadelphia has been outscored by 2 runs, Florida by 10 and Washington by 67.

The Cardinals have almost the same record as the Cubs but have been outscored by 72 - they will likely get more wins as they get better luck.

The White Sox haven't gotten run support, they have a league worst 254 runs scored. This lack of production is one of the reasons that the White Sox have dropped to more than 10 games back in the AL Central.

Here are my predictions of how many wins each team would finish the season with using Bill James's formula (slightly adjusted with off-season moves):

1. New York Yankees - 97
2. New York Mets - 95
3. Detroit Tigers - 92
4. Minnesota Twins - 90
5. Los Angeles Dodgers - 89
6. Boston Red Sox - 88
7. Cleveland Indians - 88
8. Toronto Blue Jays - 87
9. Texas Rangers - 86
10. Oakland Athletics - 85
11. Philadelphia Phillies - 84
12. Chicago White Sox - 84
13. Chicago Cubs - 83
14. Los Angeles Angels - 83
15. San Diego Padres - 82
16. Houston Astros - 82
17. St. Louis Cardinals - 82
18. Florida Marlins - 81
19. Colorado Rockies - 80
20. Atlanta Braves - 79
21. Arizona Diamondbacks - 79
22. Cincinnati Reds - 78
23. San Francisco Giants - 78
24. Seattle Mariners - 77
25. Milwaukee Brewers - 73
26. Baltimore Orioles - 70
27. Pittsburgh Pirates - 70
28. Washington Nationals - 66
29. Tampa Bay Devil Rays - 63
30. Kansas City Royals - 60

As of Monday, June 18 - the season is about 41% over. Here is the projected number of wins teams would finish with if they have the same win % at the end of the season:

1. Boston Red Sox - 105
2. Los Angeles Angels - 102
3. San Diego Padres - 95
4. Cleveland Indians - 95
5. Detroit Tigers - 93
6. Arizona Diamondbacks - 92
7. Los Angeles Dodgers - 91
8. New York Mets - 89
9. Milwaukee Brewers - 89
10. Oakland Athletics - 88
11. Seattle Mariners - 86
12. Atlanta Braves - 85
13. New York Yankees - 84
14. Philadelphia Phillies - 84
15. Minnesota Twins - 82
16. Colorado Rockies - 82
17. Toronto Blue Jays - 78
18. Florida Marlins - 76
19. Chicago Cubs - 74
20. St. Louis Cardinals - 74
21. Tampa Bay Devil Rays - 72
22. San Francisco Giants - 71
23. Pittsburgh Pirates - 70
24. Houston Astros - 70
25. Washington Nationals - 70
26. Chicago White Sox - 70
27. Baltimore Orioles - 68
28. Kansas City Royals - 64
29. Cincinnati Reds - 62
30. Texas Rangers - 61

With the element of luck eventually evening out, you can be certain that the season won't end the way it is projected as of today.

NBA Draft Rumors (6/17/07)

NBA Draft 2007: June 28

The NBA Draft is just 11 days from Sunday. Greg Oden has all but locked up the number 1 pick, but you can bet there will be some drama on draft day. A first-round contract carries a guarantee of two years and $1.8 million.

Here is a quick look at the top 10:

1. Greg Oden
Draft Express: 1
NBADraftNet: 1

Oden has been blogging at Yardbarker.com/users/gregoden. I've been reading it, you can tell he's young, but he's chill. I especially like "I was on the plane when it happened, but as soon as I landed I had 22 messages that all said 'Portland 1 Seattle 2.' It was a total shock to me not to be funny, but I forgot those two teams where even in the lottery."



2. Kevin Durant
Draft Express: 2
NBADraftNet: 2

Headlines screamed "Durant Can't Bench Press 185". With a 7-5 wingspan, I chalk this up to Vince Young's score on the wonderlic test. Durant would be a perfect replacement for Rashard Lewis in Seattle. Seattle was 31-51 last season, but had injuries to its main stars Ray Allen and Lewis, they also have promising young big men in Johan Petro and Robert Swift.



3. Al Horford
Draft Express: 4
NBADraftNet: 3

Horford was a powerful force for the Gators repeat national championships. Horford continues to prove he's worked hard to get to where he is. Horford or Brandan Wright could go 3 to the Hawks. Atlanta has drafted forwards with the past 5 first round picks. Horford has "the total package" and is being highly considered to go #3.



4. Brandan Wright
Draft Express: 3
NBADraftNet: 4

Wright has a freakishly long wing-span and was the catalyst in the most recent Tar Heel title run. The Bucks have the 6th pick and appear very ready to select Wright with their pick. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel wrote that the team said the 19-year-old needed to add strength but is just a young pup with room to grow. Wright work-out with the Bucks was only his second, after auditioning in Boston on last Monday. He will work out for Memphis and Atlanta next week - expect Wright to go 3 or 4, but no team should pass on him after that.



5. Yi Jialian
Draft Express: 9
NBADraftNet: 5

Are you wondering why Celtics GM Danny Ainge is trying to trade away his #5 overall pick? It's because he doesn't want to be the guy who gambled on Yi Jialian. Although Yi could turn out to be a better version of Yao - which after studying many YouTube videos, I think he's got serious Yao potential - gambling on foreign players is sometimes hit or miss (Dirk vs Darko). Draft Express has Joakim Noah at 5th, but I don't see Boston drafting Noah. The Celtics could take Yi, but the next best choices are swing-forwards Corey Brewer, Jeff Green or Julian Wright.



6. Corey Brewer
Draft Express: 8
NBADraftNet: 6

Mock drafts have put Brewer at 6th-9th overall in the same group as Jeff Green, Julian Wright and Joakim Noah. Brewer is a skinny, 6-foot-9 defensive forward who was the most outstanding player of the Final Four. The Bucks and Wolves have both expressed interest in selecting Brewer. If Jeff Green doesn't go 6th, Brewer would make a great fit in Minneapolis. "I wouldn't mind being up [in Minnesota] with KG and Foye and those guys. But we won't know until June 28."



7. Jeff Green
Draft Express: 8
NBADraftNet: 10

Green was picked as pre-season all Big East, but didn't become a household name until the Hoyas run at the Final Four this past season. Green has explosive speed, is a great defender and has an all-around game. His potential is great and could make a nice fit for the Wolves at #7. If the Wolves cant get Brewer, they might go Noah or Green. Of the 5 different draft experts on HoopsWorld.com - there are 5 different players for who the Timberwolves are going to pick.



8. Joakim Noah
Draft Express: 5
NBADraftNet: 8

Noah might have been the first overall pick if he had left college for the pros last season. Instead, Noah has another NCAA championship and another year of experience and confidence. Noah, the most vocal of the "Gator Boys", would immediately be a media darling for whichever NBA city he lands in. At #8, Noah could make a great addition to the Baby Bobcats.



9. Spencer Hawes
Draft Express: 7
NBADraftNet: 12

Hawes is a young 7-footer with a lot of potential. The Bulls already have good guard play in Hinrich, Gordon and Duhan so they'll likely pass on the best PG in the draft Mike Conley and draft a big man. If Noah somehow falls to the 9th, the Bulls will be laughing their way to the Eastern Conference Finals next season without a doubt. Expect Chicago to draft Hawes for his size if they can't get Noah. They'll use Hawes to replace minutes lost on veteran P.J. Brown. Hawes still needs to declare if he wants to go back to school for his sophomore season - the deadline to withdraw from the draft and return to school is Monday. All signs point to Hawes making arrangement with an agents soon. According to The Sporting News Hawes has worked out for Philadelphia (No. 12 pick), Chicago (No. 9) and Minnesota (No. 7), and he was in Sacramento (No. 10) on Friday. Boston, who owns the No. 5 pick, also attended his workout in Philadelphia.



10. Mike Conley Jr.
Draft Express: 6
NBADraftNet: 11

Mike Conley Jr has been declared this years only point guard worth drafting. Lack of quality guards has opened up the chance for younger players like Javaris Crittenton to get drafted earlier in this years draft than they would in next years draft. Conley still hasn't signed with his agent (his father), but is expected to do so after Monday's return to college deadline. Conley could get drafted even higher than 10th, but could fall further. There are quality players like Julian Wright, Al Thornton, Nick Young, Thaddeus Young and Acie Law that could find themselves as top 10 picks.


NBA Draft Rumors (6/17):

Phoenix has the 24th overall pick and are looking to move up. Trading away Shawn Marion is one way to do it, but they might need to think of different ways because it doesn't appear The Matrix is going anywhere.

The Knicks and Nets both worked out Florida guard Taurean Green recently. As much publicity as the Gators forwards get, Green has a good shot and good court vision. New York has shown interest in Taurean despite his small size (6-1, 170). The Knicks need 3-point shooting help and have also been rumored to be considering drafting Rice forward and scorer Morris Almond with their 23rd overall pick.

The Magic don't have a first round pick, but want one. They are trying to deal one of their two 2nd round picks or perhaps both for a pick in the top 30.

One team that could entertain Orlando's draft wants is Philadelphia who currently owns 4 first round picks (12th, 21st, 30th, 38th). If the Sixers don't use one or all of these to acquire Kobe Bryant or another big name star, Sixers president Billy King has said that he wants to package two picks for a higher pick. King also told The Delco Times that he would consider drafting a European player and let him develop overseas.

NBA Rumor Mill (6/16/07)

The season is over - but NBA action hasn't ended. Teams that got bounced from post-season play are looking to upgrade and teams who missed out are trying to get back in the hunt.

Saturday afternoon the LA Times reported Kobe Bryant told Jerry Buss to trade him. One month ago Kobe demanded a trade, 2 weeks ago Buss told Kobe he'd build around him and now Kobe appears serious about leaving LA.

Where could Kobe end up?

The Knicks president and head coach Isiah Thomas has said that he will be active in trying to land a big free agent (Jermaine O'Neal and Rashard Lewis) or trade for Kobe. Other teams that could use Kobe are Boston, Philadelphia or Atlanta.

LeBron James obviously needs better support if he wants to overcome a clearly superior Western Conference in the NBA Finals. Mike Bibby's name has been brought up since Thursday's Game 4. A shake up in Cleveland might be necessary.

Magic free agent Grant Hill could re-sign with Orlando and play his 13th season in the NBA under new head coach Stan Van Gundy. Other possibilities include joining the NBA Champion Spurs, Phoenix Suns or Detroit Pistons. It's been reported by the Arizona Republic that Hill favors Phoenix.

Pau Gasol was trying to get out of Memphis before the February trade deadline, but injuries and no takers kept Gasol from departing. Since he's staying, he's demanding that the front office bring in better players. According to PauGasol.com, Gasol himself wrote "If they are desperate to keep me, then they have to make the necessary effort to get players around me that can compete at the maximum level."

Trade talks involving Shawn Marion have been halted by Suns coach Mike D'Antoni. There have been radio people talking about Marion being an equal trade for Rasheed Wallace - I can't even imagine Phoenix believes that. Marion is a stat stuffer, extremely unselfish, a great teammate and perfect for the Suns high-flying system. Trading him would be a mistake. D'Antoni knows this. It's going to take a three headed monster (Nash, Marion, Stoudemire) to take down a three headed monster (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili).

The Denver Nuggets landed AI before the trade deadline. This summer they hope to land a three point threat. Conversations have been with Miami for Jason Kapono, Toronto for Mo Peterson, LA for Luke Walton and Charlotte for Matt Carroll.

Coach Rumors:

P.J. Carlesimo, fresh of his run with the Spurs, has interviewed for the head coaching job with Seattle. The Kings also need a coach and are looking very closely at Scott Brooks. Brooks was a former player and has been an assistant from the Kings and Nuggets.

Tiger Woods: Age Appropriate to Win the US Open (June 13, 2007)

The way to win on a course as tough as Oakmont is by keeping it on the fairway, hitting the greens in regulation and putting well. Having one of those skills might help you make the cut, having two of the three could boost you to the top 10, but a golfer who has all three can rise to the top.

The US Open has been historically won by Americans. But over the last three years the winner has been from another country. Before South African Retief Goosen started a streak of foreign winners in 2004 (New Zealander Michael Campbell - 2005 and Australian Geoff Ogilvy - 2006) only 9 non-US born players were able to win the Open in the previous 89 years.

The only way a player from Europe has a shot of holding the trophy is if the winner let's them carrying it to their car. No European player has won this major since Tony Jacklin of England in 37 years.

Since Jacklin won in 1970, 29 different golfers have been named winner of the U.S. Open. The average age of the winners has been 32.

Out of this year's field, who was born in 1975? Tiger, first and foremost. Do you know this guy? He's pretty good. He's the #1 player in the world and 3rd in finding the green in regulation. If Woods controls himself on the tee-box and finds the fairway more than the tall stuff, he could easily capture his 13th Major and 3rd US Open.

David Howell, another 32 year old, has struggled in 2007 after appearing in the world rankings top 10 during 2006. He was 16th in last year's US Open and now is the perfect time to get back on track after not having played since early May.

Arron Oberholser was born in 1975 and like Howell has not played as well this season as he did in 2006. Last year Oberholser finished 20th or better in 12 tournaments. Oberholser might be a sleeper to win the US Open, but his 9 straight cuts and 3 top 10 finishes make him a contender.

John Rollins is ranked 9th in the FedEx Cup standings and was also born in 1975. Age appropriate to win this weekend, Rollins is ready to break out on the scene. He's been really active this season playing in 15 events (13 times making it to the weekend). Rollins finished 20th at The Masters and has placed 2nd twice. Rollins missed the cut at The US Open last year and hopes to use his driving accuracy (65%), GIR (64%) and his 28.5 putts per round to get past the 156 player field.

Zach Johnson, born in 1976, ranks 4th in driving accuracy and 22nd in putts per round. Ian Poulter, 31, finished T13 at The Masters and T28 at the PGA Championship.

Notable nearly 32 year olds:

Stewart Sink - 34

Brett Wetterich - 34

Chad Campbell - 33

Rory Sabbatini - 31

Vaughn Taylor - 31

Henrik Stenson - 31

Geoff Ogilvy - 30

Luke Donald - 30

Paul Casey - 30

Multiple winners of the US Open to consider: Tiger, Furyk, Els.

The first winner took home a purse of $150. Last year, Geoff Ogilvy won $1,225,000. Not only the does the winner cash in, but champions get the automatic invite to play The Masters, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship for the next five years and they are exempt from qualifying for the U.S. Open for ten years.

Home Sweet Home for LeBron and the Cavaliers (June 11, 2007)

Winning at home is a must in a best of seven NBA playoff series. But winning on the road is the way to succeed. The Spurs are 5-2 on the road in the playoffs. The Cavs are 5-5.

Cleveland will try to prevent the Spurs from continuing their road success in the next three games at home. The Cavaliers were 30-11 this season at home and have a 9-1 record during the post-season. LeBron & CO. need to shake their "happy to be here" face and will try to get back on track at Quicken Loans Arena.

I would assume that "The Q" will be a lot like Oracle Arena was during the opening round of the playoffs. The Warriors fans hadn't had a playoff game since '94. The Cavs fans haven't had a Finals game in their 37 year history.

The Spurs have played brilliantly, and it's no question they have a historic roster. The Spurs have almost been perfect (up 29 points at a point during game 2) which is why they have the commanding series lead. But it is far from over.

As a fan of the NBA, it is always a shame when the end of June comes and the NBA goes away. As a basketball fan, I am aware that following the NBA Finals basketball will disappear for four long, hot, baseball filled months. So as a fan of the game, I want to make the case that this is still a series (even though we all know that the Spurs are just too damn good).

The Cavs were just recently down 0-2 to the Pistons before using home court to throttle themselves back into the driver's seat. It was in James' "biggest game of his life" that LeBron had 32, 9 and 9 to give Cleveland another breath. The Cavs won the series despite the Pistons record of 18-0 in previous series with a 2-0 lead.

The 2006 NBA Champions had to go down 0-2 before they figured out how to win. It was Dwyane Wade who exploded with 42 points and 13 rebounds in game 3 to slice the Maverick's lead in half. Wade decided to take care of business at home with 36 points in Game 4 and 43 points in Game 5. He finished off the Maverick's with 36 points, 10 boards and 5 assists in Game 6.

The first 0-2 Finals comeback was a series for the ages. Laker legend Jerry West put on a show (42pts,13reb,12ast) and was named MVP despite losing in Game 7 to Bill Russell's Celtics. West, a member of ProTrade's board of advisors, is the only player in NBA Finals History to win the NBA Finals MVP without playing for the winning team. His Game 7 performance was ranked 9th on NBA.com's All Time Playoff Performances. The Celtics were the first ever team to come back 0-2 in the NBA Finals and win.

In 1977, Bill Walton's Portland Trail Blazers mounted an 0-2 deficit in the NBA Finals against the 76ers. The Blazers blew the first two games before winning 4 straight. In Game 6, Walton recorded the 10th best performance of playoff history, according to NBA.com, when he clinched Portland's first ever title with 20 points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists and 8 blocked shots.

Even after the Cavaliers lose the series, LeBron will have plenty of people to point the finger at. First and foremost, Larry Hughes. Hughes was supposed to be the Robin to El Bron. Injuries have slowed him down over the last two games, but if you are going to be on the court, play decent. Hughes is 1/10 with 2 points so far in The Finals. Maybe the Cavs are more distracted with in between gmaes eye-brow styling (Drew Gooden). Or maybe the Spurs are too good, I mean, the "Big 3" of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili did outscore the collective Cavs by 10 at half yesterday.

During last years NBA Finals we witnessed Dwyane Wade average numbers that were better than Jordan's first Finals appearance. Of course Wade had Shaq and Bron has Varejao. But regardless, Bron needs to do like Wade did and take advantage of the opportunity.

The biggest game of your life, LeBron, is Game 3. You've struggled in games 1 and 2 - but you're back home now. It's time to step up, LeBron.

LeReign Is Here... NBA Finals First, World Next. (6/7/07)

Before capturing the world, LeBron needs to capture an NBA crown.

Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant all won titles in their first finals appearances. Granted all of those stars were on favored teams and all had better supporting casts - James wants to match his predecessors.

Cleveland has been losers - the Cavs, Browns and Indians. The last time a Cleveland sports franchise competed for a championship was when the Cleveland Browns beat the Baltimore Colts 27-0 in the 1964 NFL championship game. Before breaking the huddle every game this season the Cavaliers have chanted "Championship" hoping it would put the team in the proper mindset. "Championship" is something that the Spurs are familiar with. Tim Duncan has won Finals MVP in the Spurs three titles. Duncan averages 24 and 15 in Finals games and is often described as one of the most efficient players in the NBA. His movement is effortless and he wastes no energy expressing emotions. Duncan rarely makes an unnecessary movement or motion. This makes Duncan not only boring to watch, but extremely frustrating to root against.

LeBron has managed to get the best of the Spurs in 2 of the last 3 match-ups and has done it in different ways. On Nov. 3, Cavs won by 7 and LeBron scored 35. On Jan. 2, Cavs won by 4 getting 19 points from LeBron.

LeBron is averaging ridiculous numbers in the playoffs. His numbers are so good that I never again want to hear the argument that he's overrated, or he hasn't done anything - because he has proved it this post-season. Regardless of his eye-opening 48 in 50 mins - Bron has averaged 25.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game on his way to the Championship series. He truly is "Video Game" James.

The Cavs could be the easiest match-up that the Spurs have had to face so far this post-season. The Nuggets, Suns and Jazz contain much deeper and more talented rosters than the Cavaliers and were all handled easily by San Antonio. The Spurs are favored by 7.5 in game 1. LeBron isn't supposed to win, in fact the best odds for Cleveland is Cavs in 7 at 15-2. But James is trying to keep up with history by winning a title in his first attempt.

It took Oscar Robertson 10 seasons before he landed on a team good enough to make it to the Finals. His Bucks swept the Baltimore Bullets in his Finals series debut - but he was getting help from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Magic Johnson also debuted with Abdul-Jabbar as a teammate, but it was an injury to Kareem that allowed Magic to become Magic. Johnson, at the tender age of 20 (2 years younger than LeBron), single handedly won a deciding game 6 with KAJ out of the line-up. As center, Magic recorded one of the greatest performances ever scoring 42 points, pulling down 15 rebounds and dishing 12 assists.

Larry Bird made his debut in the Finals in his sophomore year in the league. Bird produced what Red Auerbach called, "the greatest play I ever saw" in his first ever Finals game after tracking down his own rebound and laying it in all in one fluid motion. Bird was champ in his first try. Larry would use Robert Parrish and Kevin McHale to help him win 3 NBA titles in 5 Finals appearances.

Michael Jordan dribbled on the Finals logo for the first time after 7 season in the association. Michael's first Finals appearance was Magic's last. Jordan nervously lost his premiere, but started his dynasty in game 2. His lay-up where he starts right and switches left is one of his greatest plays of Jordan's career. MJ's Bulls won the series in 5 games and Jordan took his first of 6 finals MVP awards. Jordan was helped by the services of Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant.

Kobe Bryant appeared in the NBA finals behind the enormous shadow of Shaquille O'Neal. Like James, Kobe was in his fourth year in the league when he made it to the Finals but his star-impact wasn't felt until late in Game 4. The Lakers held a 2-1 series lead against Indiana and were in a close OT game when Kobe cemented himself on the scene. With the Pacers threatening to tie the series and Shaq on the bench having fouled out, Kobe scored 28 including 6 of the Lakers last 8 to lift Los Angeles by 2.

Even Tim Duncan's Finals debut was a success. Reaching the Finals for the first time at the age of 23, Timmy scored 31 and grabbed 9 rebounds in the clinching game. Duncan also led the Spurs to a 15-2 post season record (tied for best post-season mark of all-time). But it wasn't like Duncan didn't have help either (David Robinson).

LeBron doesn't have the help that these previous stars had. LeBron's help is nowhere near Kareem, McHale, Pippen or Shaq. Then again, LeBron might be better than Oscar, Magic, Bird, Jordan or Kobe. And Larry Hughes has already been compared to Scottie Pippen. Who knows, Daniel Gibson could be BJ Armstrong and Drew Gooden could be Horace Grant.

"Someday..." LeBron says he wants to be the first ever billionaire-athlete and a global icon. At 22, James has plenty of time to accomplish his goal. But by winning the Finals series against San Antonio - who has had recent NBA Finals success and a roster full of globally known stars - "Someday..." could be soon.