The Jazz will be bringing in a host of players to workout on Monday. It will be the first pre-draft workout of the season... and a big workout indeed! Twelve players will be in attendance - divided into two sessions of six. Of the players perhaps most notable will be the one many call... "Psycho-T from UNC."
Monday Morning:
Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina)
Dante Cunningham (Villanova)
LeVance Fields (Pittsburgh)
Taj Gibson (USC)
Jeff Pendergraph (Arizona State)
Tyrese Rice (Boston College)
Monday Afternoon:
Gary Wilkinson (Utah State)
Marcus Landry (Wisconsin)
Gani Lawal (Georgia Tech)
Taylor Rochestie (Washington State)
Kevin Rogers (Baylor)
Ben Woodside (North Dakota State)
This particular workout should be very intriguing. The morning session provides a host of story-lines. Hansbrough, Pendergraph, Gibson and Cunningham will all most-certainly be drafted. Three of which (Psycho-T, Pendergraph & Gibson) could be vying for the 1st Round. Gani Lawal from the afternoon session will also have some "looks" for the 1st Round. Each of these players could be considered for the pick at #20 for the Jazz.
The Headliner: Psycho-T
Has been moving up draft boards, to the point where he may not be available at #20. If he's there at 20, consider him selected. Jerry Sloan will love him.
The Contenders: Pendergraph, Gibson, Lawal
Lawal is the youngest, most unproven, and yet has the most potential. Gibson is a fantastic shotblocker (2.9 bpg) with great size (6'10") and length... he's a borderline first rounder but could definitely be utilized on the Jazz frontline (short of defenders). Pendergraph is a better version of Jarron Collins... more athletic and very fundamental, shooting 66% from the field at ASU. All of these guys will go somewhere between #20 and #50... where the Jazz select. Perhaps we should obtain another pick or move back/forward in order to secure one of them.
The 2nd Rounders: Rice, Cunningham, Woodside
Tyrese Rice could be a solid 2nd Round selection. A little undersized and primarily a score-first PG, he very easily could be available @ #50. Cunningham was the star of his Final Four team... he's a combo-forward, willing to scrap and score around the rim. And Woodside is the 2nd Round sleeper. He's quick as a cat and plays the game with incredible savy. Check out what he did against Kansas in the tourney... scored 37 points! He reminds me of Barea from the Mavs.
The Underrated Match-up: Ben Woodside vs Taylor Rochestie
If ever there was a match-up of competitive, hardnosed, Stockton-esque point guards... it's this one. I hope to see one of these guys in summer camp.
My Two-Weeks Out Prediction: Chase Budinger or Terrence Williams
We may need to replace Kyle Korver (immediately) and Matt Harpring (eventually). Budinger is a lights-out shooter, and TWill is an AK47-like stat-stuffer with defensive-stopper ability. We could use either guy.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
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4 comments:
Not only could Buddinger replace Korver on the floor, but in the hearts of many female Jazz as well. A real plus for him as we consider our selection.
And it's nice to see we've invited our obligatory Utah State/Weber State/SUU/SLCC player to camp this year. sadly, if history is any guide, Gary Wilkinson won't be around for long.
I've heard rumors that the Jazz are trying to move up to get Hansborough. Not my favorite choice.
I'm cautiously optimistic about Hansborough. There's no doubt that Sloan would love him.
To me, Hansborough's ceiling appears to be: 15 minute energy guy off the bench.
I see no reason to move up in a draft to find that.
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