DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia — At first glance, James Harden's $32 million contract with the Sunnyvale Slayers looks great. Same goes for the second glance. And the third. And, really, no matter how many times you look at it, it's attractive as hell.
Any team in the league would be more than pleased to build around Harden's relatively low cap number, given that he just finished second in the MVP race and has earned six consecutive first-team All-COMO nods. He's been a tank, and does not figure to slow down in 2019-2020. Despite all this, Slayers general manager Matthew Quammen is hellbent on moving Harden during the Summer Trade Window, which runs from July 22 until the final pick of the draft July 28. "I'm going full LaVar Ball this offseason," Quammen said, nodding to his current head coach. "Winners only." The idea that Harden is not a "winner" has permeated the Slayers facilities since a stunning beatdown in the semifinals. Following a 65-win regular season (the fourth-most in league history), Sunnyvale face-planted against the dynastic Shorewood Show, losing four games to one. Harden was noticeably flat during the series, but — on paper, at least — was set to be the Slayers' centerpiece for the foreseeable future. Now, he can turn another franchise into an instant contender. Teams such as Colorado, Duval United, Manhattan and St. Louis seem like natural landing spots (especially, the Hornets, which possess the No. 2 overall pick — and four total first-rounders — in the forthcoming COMO Draft). Simmons, Booker might also be available There figure to be a few other stars on the move next week, as well. Shorewood — bloated with attractive contracts after another title run — has been trying to move Ben Simmons ($24M) per sources. Rumors have swirled that Devin Booker ($15M) is also available, but general manager Alex Smith has publicly denied them. Elsewhere, Minnesnowta might be able to turn its influx of All-COMO candidates into more cap-friendly pieces, and teams such as Colorado (Kemba Walker) and Duval United (Blake Griffin) will likely make overtures to other front offices.
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NASHVILLE — No matter the setup, the COMO Draft Lottery seems to engender significant controversy on an annual basis. Monday night was no exception, as the Chaska Moose — making their first-ever lottery appearance — appeared to benefit from a last-minute change of plans. As commissioner Alex Smith was about to announce the No. 2 overall selection, he paused and stated that the next envelope would instead receive the No. 1 overall pick. The precedent for such a move is almost non-existent. Smith called it a "spur-of-the-moment decision to increase drama." So, instead of being given the No. 2 pick, the next envelope — Chaska — got No. 1 and a chance to draft generational talent Zion Williamson in late July. The other team: St. Louis. General manager Aaron Connolly was beside himself, screaming, "Zion was taken from me!" After reviewing the video footage, he asserted, "Each time I watch it, I am more convinced that there are some shenanigans going on." Never mind that some pundits see projected No. 2 pick Ja Morant as a future Hall of Fame selection. Every team that entered the lottery (a six-team group that included expansion franchises Hamburg and Scranton) had its sights set solely on Williamson, a Duke phenom whose 6-foot-7, 285-pound frame and seemingly impossible vertical leap have carried him to near-mythical status before he's even set foot on the professional hardwood. So it's understandable that Chaska general manager Joseph Fafinski unleashed several exclamation points after securing the right to draft Williamson. "Zion!!!!!!" Fafinski shouted. "He was born to graze!" Hamburg and Scranton each had a 10 percent chance of snagging the No. 1 pick, while Chaska, St. Louis, Paisley Park and Colorado all had a 20 percent chance. Colorado was the biggest loser of the night, winding up at No. 5 (though the Top-5 status allowed the Hilltoppers to keep their pick away from St. Louis for one more season). Hamburg was first off the board at No. 6, then Colorado at No. 5, Scranton at No. 4, and Paisley Park at No. 3 before the real drama commenced. Video shows Chaska's envelope being opened by the commissioner's wife, Bridget, before the commissioner decides to change the format of the lottery. In his defense, Smith stated, "I never looked at the envelope until after I announced the change. What you saw on the screen was what I saw. You can even see my left hand covering the slip of paper until the announcement was made." "Furthermore," he said, "I had no incentive to swing the lottery toward or away from St. Louis. This is a championship franchise with an excellent young core and some bright seasons ahead. I'm proud of the work Aaron has done in resurrecting the Hornets from Curt Clauss' trash mountain of squandered potential." Connolly was unswayed. He'd seen multiple other COMO lottery attempts go sideways (Paisley Park general manager Brendan Halleron referenced the 2017 lottery, when the commissioner placed slips of paper inside an acoustic guitar and Kansas City won by virtue of getting stuck inside the instrument for more than a year). "Sure looks like Chaska's envelope was opened prior to that decision being made," Connolly said. Did it remind him of the infamous 1985 NBA Draft Lottery, in which commissioner David Stern allegedly used a frozen envelope to send Patrick Ewing to the New York Knicks? "This might actually top that," he said. "I will not forget this." 2019 COMO Draft order
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After two years of swapping assets, Manhattan Spiders general manager Alex Krause entered draft night with four of the top nine picks in the first round. He still wasn't satisfied. He snagged Michigan State's Jaren Jackson Jr., at No. 3, and then — as Duke's Marvin Bagley fell down the board — sent his No. 9 and Newport Beach's 2019 protected first-round pick to Minneapolis in exchange for No. 6. So, when, the middle of the first round arrived, Krause claimed ultra-rare back-to-back-to-back picks. The haul: Texas big Mo Bamba at No. 5, Bagley at No. 6 and Oklahoma sharpshooter Trae Young at No. 7. Krause was "ecstatic" afterwards, saying, "we now have five rookies [No. 16 overall selection Lonnie Walker included] that can help shape the future of this franchise." The Spiders made their first-ever playoff appearance last season but fell victim to a first-round sweep by the Shorewood Show. Krause is sure to be a major player in free agency, as his team currently leads COMO in cap space. Alongside the new draftees, Manhattan's über-young nucleus also features recent first-round picks Lonzo Ball, D'Angelo Russell, Jaylen Brown and Buddy Hield. Kansas City surprises at No. 1 Paisley Park Rainmakers general manager Brendan Halleron was so certain Kansas City would use its No. 1 pick on Arizona's DeAndre Ayton or Michigan State's Jaren Jackson Jr., that he texted the league office hours before the draft to announce his pick: Either Ayton or Jackson. Whichever one was left. Monarchs GM Jack Nowland surprised the league with his choice: European star Luka Doncic. The 19-year-old guard is still somewhat of an unknown commodity, but Nowland is counting on him to star in western Missouri for several years to come. If not, Nowland might be out of a job. The Monarchs also had the No. 1 selection last summer, and Markelle Fultz suffered through a disastrous first season. While some might consider Doncic a bit of a reckless decision, Nowland saw him as the "safer" one. "Going into the draft process, Luka was No. 1 on my board," Nowland said. "But Ayton was right there. He is just more polished, and with the book still out on my No. 1 pick last year, I went with what I felt is the safer option." He said he saved his risk-taking for the second round, which he opened by selecting high-risk, high-reward players Mitchell Robinson (Western Kentucky) and Michael Porter Jr. (Missouri) with the No. 13 and 14 picks, respectively. Regardless of those players' success, this era of Monarchs basketball will likely be defined by the two No. 1 selections, Fultz and Doncic. "I was shocked," said Halleron, the Rainmakers GM who happily took Ayton at No. 2. "Doncic has potential, but those Euro dudes are always a roll of the dice. I wouldn't Rubio myself at that spot. Ayton, in the words of Rick James, is a super freak." 2018 COMO Draft results1. Kansas City: Luka Doncic, Slovenia
2. Paisley Park: DeAndre Ayton, Arizona 3. Manhattan [from St. Louis]: Jaren Jackson Jr., Michigan State 4. Shorewood [from Colorado]: Kevin Knox, Kentucky 5. Manhattan: Mo Bamba, Texas 6. Manhattan [from Minneapolis]: Marvin Bagley III, Duke 7. Manhattan [from Minnesnowta via Sunnyvale]: Trae Young, Oklahoma 8. Duval United: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kentucky 9. Minneapolis [from Shorewood via Manhattan] [swapped w/ Sunny]: Collin Sexton, Alabama 10. Chaska: Wendell Carter Jr., Duke 11. Sunnyvale [swapped w/ Manhattan]: Miles Bridges, Michigan State 12. Colorado [from Newport Beach]: Mikal Bridges, Villanova 13. Kansas City: Mitchell Robinson, Western Kentucky 14. Kansas City [from Paisley Park via Shorewood]: Michael Porter Jr., Missouri 15. Paisley Park [from St. Louis]: Issuf Sanon, Ukraine 16. Colorado: Zhaire Smith, Texas Tech 17. Manhattan: Lonnie Walker, Miami 18. Minneapolis: Donte Divincenzo, Villanova 19. Minnesnowta: Elie Okobo, France 20. Duval United: Kevin Huerter, Maryland 21. Minnesnowta [from Sunnyvale]: Josh Okogie, Georgia Tech 22. Chaska: Grayson Allen, Duke 23. St. Louis [from Shorewood]: Aaron Holiday, UCLA 24. Newport Beach: Kostas Antetokounmpo, Dayton NASHVILLE — The 2017 COMO Rookie Draft was held at league offices near Vanderbilt University on Sunday night. Washington guard Markelle Fultz and UCLA guard Lonzo Ball were the first of 24 picks, going to Kansas City and Manhattan, respectively. Paisley Park selected Duke forward Jayson Tatum No. 3 and Sunnyvale made the first surprise move of the night by taking North Carolina State guard Dennis Smith Jr. at No. 4. Defending league champion St. Louis was the most active of any team, using a trio of first-round picks on Kentucky guard De'Aaron Fox, Louisville forward Donovan Mitchell and Wake Forest post John Collins. The Hornets had stockpiled these assets — and more — during July fire sales that shipped COMO Finals MVP Jimmy Butler and All-COMO players Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and John Wall around the league. Here were some thoughts from the GMs on Sunday: Kansas City's Jack Nowland on the No. 1 selection: "We rated Fultz and Ball very closely on our board, but in the end we had too many question marks on how Lonzo's shot translates to the pro game. There is lots to like about Markelle's game, and he will fit into our roster seamlessly." Manhattan's Alex Krause on Ball: "Lonzo at No. 2 was one of the easier picks to make. He has the great ability to make players around him better. His offensive versatility was too tough to pass up. If Fultz and Ball were both on the board for our pick, though, it would've been pretty tough. Fultz is an exceptional player and has a wide variety of ways to score the basketball. But we would've stuck with Ball. Right after the lottery, we immediately looked into him extensively and loved what he could bring to our team. Because of this, we weren't seriously considering anyone else at the No. 2 spot." Sunnyvale's Matthew Quammen on his surprise pick at No. 4: "In short, he can play basketball and he chooses not to hit girls. Plus, he's a pick-and-roll star playing for the best pick-and-roll coach in the league with huge opportunities to play big minutes early." 2017 COMO Draft results: 1. Kansas City: Markelle Fultz (Washington) 2. Manhattan: Lonzo Ball (UCLA) 3. Paisley Park: Jayson Tatum (Duke) 4. Sunnyvale: Dennis Smith Jr. (N.C. State) 5. St. Louis: De'Aaron Fox (Kentucky) 6. Duval United: Josh Jackson (Kansas) 7. Minneapolis: Malik Monk (Kentucky) 8. Chaska: Jonathan Isaac (Florida State) 9. St. Louis: Donovan Mitchell (Louisville) 10. Sunnyvale: Lauri Markkanen (Arizona) 11. St. Louis: John Collins (Wake Forest) 12. Manhattan: Zach Collins (Gonzaga) SECOND ROUND 13. Kansas City: Justin Jackson (North Carolina) 14. St. Louis: Kyle Kuzma (Utah) 15. Paisley Park: Frank Ntilikina (France) 16. Sunnyvale: Luke Kennard (Duke) 17. Colorado: Edrice "Bam" Adebayo (Kentucky) 18. Duval United: Justin Patton (Creighton) 19. Minneapolis: OG Anunoby (Indiana) 20. Chaska: Harry Giles (Duke) 21. Kansas City: Jarrett Allen (Texas) 22. Sunnyvale: Jonah Bolden (Australia) 23. Newport Beach: Aleksandar Vezenkov (Cyprus) 24. Paisley Park: D.J. Wilson (Michigan) NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After sitting out last summer's draft, Hollywood owner Aaron Connolly Nutting promised to "#BreakTheWheel" on Sunday, a Game of Thrones reference that he followed up on by making two major draft-night trades. After Colorado went with LSU forward Ben Simmons at the No. 1 spot, Hollywood selected Duke swingman Brandon Ingram at No. 2. With Manhattan on the clock at No. 3, things got entertaining. Hollywood swooped in to draft Providence guard Kris Dunn, trading Kenneth Faried ($8 million), Dante Exum ($2 million), a 2017 first-round pick and a 2018 first-round pick (top-two protected in 2018, top-one protected in 2019, unprotected in 2020). Then, Hollywood sent Ingram — the No. 2 overall pick — and center Gorgui Dieng to Newport Beach in exchange for point guard John Wall ($22 million), center Nikola Vucevic ($12 million) and a 2017 first-round pick (top-five protected). The successive swaps made the Hornets an instant playoff contender, and Hollywood still has some cap space to add to its "Core Four" (Jimmy Butler, Hassan Whiteside, Wall and Vucevic). "This organization was mocked for last year's trades, but here we are, ready to blow s*** up," Nutting said. "Hop aboard, people. It's time to #BreakTheWheel." Sunnyvale, unhappy with its draft position but unable to find any trade partners, rounded out the lottery by snagging Oklahoma sharpshooter Buddy Hield at No. 4. Here are more thoughts from around the league (with summary below): Colorado GM Collin Atkinson: "When we thought about the potential value of a player like Simmons in comparison to trading the pick for a player with NBA experience, we decided that we are going to try and build our team around the No. 1 pick. Simmons will be able to contribute on the floor right away, and bring hope to a fanbase that has been rightfully disappointed. We are excited to rebuild this team with Simmons, and think his addition provides playoff potential." Manhattan GM Alex Krause: "As tempting as it was to draft Kris Dunn, we felt that this trade allowed us to improve the most ... Faried fills a great need for us in the frontcourt and has a reasonable salary for a guy that has averaged 19 bones/game the past three years ... We still view Exum as a work in progress, especially considering he missed all of last season due to an ACL injury, but are still very high on him ... The two first-round picks are the most intriguing parts of the deal. They obviously give us potential to add additional talent over the next few years, but they also give us flexibility for some potential trades down the road ... the 2017 unprotected first-round pick looks like it could be the most valuable asset in this trade." Newport Beach GM Peter Mayer: "Unfortunately, John was going to be a salary-cap casualty this season, so we decided to get the best return possible. We felt that Brandon was an excellent return, and we're incredibly excited to bring him into the fold. Prospects like him don't come around very often, so the opportunity couldn't be wasted. Gorgui has shown his potential to be a star in this league, and his motor is unmatched. As for that f***boy Renfro, his trade analysis would be worth something if he won every once in a while." Statement from Hollywood PR: "Storm's a brewin' over Hollywood. Get your popcorn ready. One year after taking control of the Hornets franchise, management has put them in a position to make a championship run. Using pieces assembled from last year's Anthony Davis trade, we were able to bring in two seasoned veterans with great contracts and a future star point guard. All was done in a 15-minute span of the draft, surely giving Chris Broussard a headache." 1ST ROUND
2ND ROUND
With the 2015 COMO Draft in the books, it's time to grade the performances from each GM. The analysis — sorted alphabetically — is below: Chaska Moose No. 9 Kristaps Porzingis (PF/C, Latvia) No. 20 Bobby Portis (PF, Arkansas) The Moose stood by silently and waited for the Top 8 to unfold before plucking Porzingis, a project big who might be ready to challenge for a starting spot in two seasons. Chaska is arguably the most talented squad in the league, so they can afford to let ‘Taps progress slowly. This was a perfect fit. Portis stood out in spurts this summer, and could worm his way into minutes if he’s able to do the small things well. Chaska will likely hang on to Tim Duncan on Cut Day, leaving them out of the larger free agent picture. This is good for Portis, whose roster spot depends on the Moose standing pat financially this October. B Colorado Hilltoppers No. 5 Justise Winslow (SF, Duke) No. 16 Kelly Oubre, Jr. (SF/PF, Kansas) There’s expected to be a lot of turnover in Greeley before the season starts, with James Harden functioning as the lone centerpiece of a roster that will struggle to make a serious dent in the playoff race. The jury is still out on last year’s No. 5 (Doug McDermott), but GM Collin Atkinson appears to have added two pretty talented options on the wing this time around. B+ Duval United No. 6 Myles Turner (C, Texas) No. 17 Willie Cauley-Stein (PF/C, Kentucky) Here we have the best draft night of any team. Duval landed Turner — a surefire COMO stud — and then turned around and scooped up Cauley-Stein, who fell roughly 10 picks below his projected slot for reasons unknown. While the team is hurting for guards much more than frontcourt talent, the fine folks in Jacksonville made talent-based picks that are pretty inarguable. A Hollywood Hornets No picks Thanks to ex-GM Curt Clauss’ lack of day-to-day control, the Hornets had to forfeit both picks in this year’s draft. Consider it karmic retribution for somehow landing the second slot in the lottery last summer, a stroke of luck that allowed the team to add Andrew Wiggins and Aaron Gordon. How will Hollywood screw up its championship run this year? That’s up to new GM Aaron Nutting. F Kansas City Monarchs No. 10 Frank Kaminsky (PF/C, Wisconsin) Having traded their second-rounder to Shorewood for Jared Sullinger last fall, the Monarchs had but one selection on Sunday. The 10th slot was not favorable for a team that needs small forward help (and watched Mario Hezonja, Justise Winslow and Stanley Johnson fly off the board before picking), but GM Jack Nowland made the most of his situation by picking up one of the more intriguing prospects in the pool. The former Wisconsin Badger will be competing with last year’s lottery pick (No. 4 Julius Randle) for time in the frontcourt. There will be plenty of minutes available behind Sullinger and Marc Gasol, as Serge Ibaka is likely headed for free agency. Kaminsky is a strong addition, both for depth and for his offensive potential. B- Manhattan Spiders No. 3 D’Angelo Russell (PG, Ohio State) No. 13 Sam Dekker (SG/SF, Wisconsin) No. 22 Justin Anderson (SG, Virginia) Manhattan was the odd man out of the Towns/Okafor sweepstakes, but Russell is not a bad consolation prize (nor is the No. 1 overall pick in October’s expansion draft). While Dekker does not elicit much excitement, he could potentially provide some pure offense for the Spiders as they push for the No. 8 seed this season. Anderson was a nice addition at 22, but is a long shot to still be on the squad by tipoff in 2016. B- Minneapolis Player Haterzz No. 1 Karl-Anthony Towns (PF/C, Kentucky) No. 18 Tyus Jones (PG, Duke) If GM Dan Renfro can coax LeBron back to Minneapolis this October, he will have officially capped the best year ever for a general manager that oversaw a 10-win team. He scored a pick-flip clause that allowed him Towns instead of a B-level prospect, and he played the trade deadline well by picking up some young talent (DeRozan, Dieng, etc.) with no repercussions. That’s a big “if,” though. Newport Beach appears to be the favorite for Bron — but then again, I guess that’s not necessarily a horrible thing. Minneapolis would then be in the driver’s seat for Chris Paul. Team him with Blake Griffin and the playable scraps on the roster, and the Player Haterzz will find themselves right back in the postseason. Sunday night, Towns (via pick flip) was enough to merit a strong grade, even with the homerest of homer picks at No. 18. A- Minnesnowta Chill Traded to Shorewood: No. 8 (Stanley Johnson), No. 19 (Nikola Milutinov) and rights to a second-round pick swap in both 2016 and 2017. Received: PF/C Mason Plumlee This trade had everyone talking hours before the draft began, but there’s no use in declaring a winner (league sentiment: Shorewood) until Plumlee shows what he has in a new environment. Can he be a 22-bone workhorse? Absolutely. But he could also remain slightly below the 20 mark until he fizzles into a bench player. This has the feel of a win-win for the parties involved, unless Johnson and a couple other players in that general vicinity pan out in a big way. Still, ‘Snowta needed another body in its eight-man lineup, and Plumlee is a stronger addition than the waiver wire was likely to provide. C+ Newport Beach Grizzlies Traded to Shorewood: No. 12 (Jerian Grant), Top-8 protected first-round pick (indefinite) Received: PG Trey Burke, No. 7 overall pick No. 4 Mario Hezonja (SG, Spain) No. 7 Emmanuel Mudiay (PG, China) No. 15 Rashad Vaughn (SG/SF, UNLV) Newport didn’t really need point guard help with John Wall and Russell Westbrook on the roster for years to come, but it gave up quite a bit (No. 12, protected first) for the right to take Mudiay at No. 7. That’s not exactly a problem — talent is talent — but they might’ve paid a bit too much to the backcourt when Nikola Vucevic will be the only healthy big on the roster after Cut Day. It’s tough to argue with the haul, though. Hezonja, Mudiay and Vaughn could all be start-worthy soon. B+ Rio Rainmakers No. 11 Trey Lyles (SF/PF, Kentucky) Thanks to his savage lineup management this year, GM Brendan Halleron blew a high lottery pick and lost Rio’s second rounder in the process. The team ended up closing out the first round with a solid pick in Lyles, but no one left the draft with more of an empty feeling (save Hollywood). For Halleron and owner Prince, the draft was simply a long reminder of this past year’s transgressions. C Shorewood Show Traded to Minnesnowta & Newport Beach: PF/C Mason Plumlee, PG Trey Burke, No. 7 (Emmanuel Mudiay) Received: No. 8 overall pick, No. 12 overall pick, No. 19 overall pick, Top-8 protected first-round pick (indefinite), rights to second-round swap in both 2016 and 2017 No. 8 Stanley Johnson (SF, Arizona) No. 12 Jerian Grant (PG, Notre Dame) No. 19 Nikola Mulitinov (PF/C, Greece) No. 21 Cedi Osman (SF, Turkey) No team was more active than Shorewood, which flipped No. 7 and two assets for a treasure trove of future assets. There are two names that could come back to haunt the Show (Plumlee and Mudiay), but they won’t exactly be hanging over GM Alex Smith’s head given the return. Johnson was perhaps the best player in Summer League, and he — along with fellow Summer star Jerian Grant — will be given plenty of time to grow on the bench. Milutinov and Osman join Dario Saric in Shorewood’s ever-growing stable of overseas talent. Then, there’s another first-rounder for Newport Beach floating around, and the opportunity to flip second-rounders with Minnesnowta — twice. If assets are king, then Shorewood is Kong. A- Sunnyvale Slayers No. 2 Jahlil Okafor (PF/C, Duke) No. 14 Joseph Young (PG/SG, Oregon) No. 23 Devin Booker (SG, Kentucky) The Slayers added their first three players, snagging a surefire producer in Okafor with No. 2, a big question mark in Young at No. 14, and a huge value pick in Booker at No. 23. The results are nice: Two potential stars (Okafor and Booker) with a high-risk, high-reward snag in the second round (Young). I’m inclined to declare Sunnyvale the early winner over Manhattan, but things will get mighty interesting when the Expansion Draft rolls around this October. Several possible strategies will be in play, but the No. 8 seed could definitely be in play in the two squads opt for big contracts over potential. B+ NASHVILLE -- It's not often that a draft begins at No. 4, but that's what happened Sunday night. The first three picks went by without incident; Kentucky big man Karl-Anthony Towns to Minneapolis. Duke post Jahlil Okafor to Sunnyvale. Ohio State guard D'Angelo Russell to Manhattan. Victims of a 1-to-4 switch after Minneapolis triggered a trade clause, the Newport Beach Grizzlies were ready to shake things up. "Since that d--kbag [Minneapolis GM Daniel] Renfro triggered the pick swap, we knew we were essentially on the clock with Towns, Okafor and Russell guaranteed to go one, two and three," general manager Peter Mayer said. "Because of that, Mario has been our guy since Day 1." That'd be Mario Hezonja, a Croatian-born guard who most recently played for Barcelona. The Grizzlies scooped him up, and then traded into the No. 7 slot to draft 19-year-old Emmanuel Mudiay. The trade was made possible after Colorado took Justise Winslow (No. 5) and Duval United took Myles Turner (No. 6), stealing away Shorewood's top player remaining. The Show then decided to flip No. 7 to Newport in exchange for No. 12 (Notre Dame's Jerian Grant) and a Top 8-protected first-round pick in 2016. Hezonja and Mudiay are now part of a crowded Newport backcourt that already includes Russell Westbrook, John Wall, Kemba Walker and Trey Burke (whom Mayer acquired from Shorewood on Sunday). "We felt that Manny Mudiay was a must-have," Mayer said. "And yes, the backcourt is certainly filling up, but it allows us to focus solely on bolstering the frontcourt in free agency." For the Sunnyvale Slayers and Manhattan Spiders, the night marked a major milestone. Each added its first-ever players. While Sunnyvale GM Matthew Quammen was more interested in talking smack to other owners ("S--- my c--- from the back"), Manhattan GM Alex Krause elaborated on why Russell was the easy choice in the third spot. "We had a pretty good guess that Russell was going to fall there," Kraus said. "But it becomes truly exciting when it actually happens. Russell is a flashy player, and incredibly smooth when leading the half-court offense -- and in transition. This being a point guard-dominated league, we felt Russell was our guy to build our team around." Sunnyvale added Oregon's Joe Young (No. 14) and Kentucky's Devin Booker (No. 23) in the second round, while Manhattan went with Wisconsin's Sam Dekker (No. 13) and Virginia's Justin Anderson (No. 22). "We felt that we got the main guys that we were targeting," Kraus said. "We have some nice pieces that can help lead this franchise. We've liked Dekker from the get-go, and had to go with our gut. If he gets a consistent jumper, he could be a huge steal. Anderson was actually one of the guys we debated on with the previous pick. He'll have some work to do finding a niche in the offense, but could definitely find himself contributing as a rookie." So who will rise above the rest and snag Rookie of the Year? Minneapolis' top selection might find some good playing time on a depleted roster. "Karl-Anthony is a stud," Player Haterzz GM Dan Renfro said. "He bends the game in a way no one can. His development will be quick and obvious on his way to being a superstar. In the meantime, he'll be a solid contributor on this championship contender." Renfro added Duke point guard (and Minneapolis native) Tyus Jones at No. 18. "Tyus has been scouted since he was 13," Renfro said. "Even though he opted to not attend my high school grad party, I trust him to be a solid backup." Here's a rundown of Sunday night's action:
1.1 (1). Minneapolis Karl-Anthony Towns, PF/C, Kentucky (Minnesota) 1.2 (2). Sunnyvale Jahlil Okafor, PF/C, Duke (Philadelphia) 1.3 (3). Manhattan D'Angelo Russell, PG, Ohio State (Los Angeles Lakers) 1.4 (4). Newport Beach Mario Hezonja, SG, Brazil (Orlando) 1.5 (5). Colorado Justise Winslow, SF, Duke (Miami) 1.6 (6). Duval United Myles Turner, PF/C, Texas (Indiana) 1.7 (7). Newport Beach (from Shorewood) Emmanuel Mudiay, PG, China (Denver) 1.8 (8). Shorewood (from Minnesnowta) Stanley Johnson, SF, Arizona (Detroit) 1.9 (9). Chaska Kristaps Porzingis, PF/C, Latvia (New York) 1.10 (10). Kansas City Frank Kaminsky, PF/C, Wisconsin (Charlotte) 1.11 (11). Rio Trey Lyles, SF/PF, Kentucky (Utah) 2.1 (12). Shorewood (from Newport Beach) Jerian Grant, PG, Notre Dame (New York) 2.2 (13). Manhattan Sam Dekker, SG, Wisconsin (Houston) 2.3 (14). Sunnyvale Joseph Young, PG/SG, Oregon (Indiana) 2.4 (15). Newport Beach (from Minneapolis) Rashad Vaughn, SG/SF, UNLV (Milwaukee) 2.5 (16). Colorado Kelly Oubre, Jr., SF/PF, Kansas (Washington) 2.6 (17). Duval United Willie Cauley-Stein, PF/C, Kentucky (Sacramento) 2.7 (18). Minneapolis (from Shorewood) Tyus Jones, PG, Duke (Minnesota) 2.8 (19). Shorewood (from Minnesnowta) Nikola Milutinov, PF/C, Greece (San Antonio) 2.9 (20). Chaska Bobby Portis, PF, Arkansas (Chicago) 2.10 (21). Shorewood (from Kansas City) Cedi Osman, SF, Turkey (Cleveland) C.1 (22). Manhattan Justin Anderson, SG, Virginia C.2 (23). Sunnyvale Devin Booker, SG, Kentucky Last summer, the No. 1 overall pick came down to two budding swingmen: Duke's Jabari Parker (No. 1, Rio) and Kansas' Andrew Wiggins (No. 2, Hollywood). But the field has grown in 2015. Among the three contenders for the top pick are two big men with disparate offensive approaches — Kentucky's Karl-Anthony Towns and Duke's Jahlil Okafor — and a firecracker guard who has the scoring tools to be a consistent COMO All-Star: Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell. Positional needs don't come into play at the very top of the draft. It's all about talent, and decisions rest on a combination of late night game-tape sessions and "gut" feeling. But building a team is equal parts substance and flash. You want to win, but you want to win with "your kind" of players. Based on projected roster movements later this summer and fall, here is a first-round mock draft that will project where the chips land on Aug. 2. Everyone knows Towns is a multi-threat beast who has the power to change the culture of a lowly franchise. So why would Minneapolis overthink this one? True, there's a great option sitting at No. 2, but Towns provides a consistent defensive approach, as well as a tantalizing array of skills on the offensive end. The Player Haterzz are likely to sell out for LeBron James in free agency this fall, leaving them with very few salvageable pieces besides Blake Griffin. Towns is an excellent addition to a minuscule core. Most seasons, Okafor would be a surefire No. 1, and he still might snag the top spot this August. A dominant offensive player with the tools to be an All Star early in his career, the 7-footer won't need much time to adjust before getting his numbers at the pro level. He's a solid tool to build around for the expansion Slayers. After being discussed as perhaps the most tantalizing offensive option in this draft, Russell's stock took a bit of a hit during Summer League, where he turned the rock over at a frightening pace. Some teams will see those TOs as growing pains, while others will think long and hard about spending a high selection on him. Could he fall out of the Top 3? It depends on how much stock new GM Alex Krause puts in Vegas basketball. Few players impressed as much as Johnson did in Summer League. The former Wildcat showcased an all-around game that included an instinctive ability to get to the basket. While drafting for position is frowned upon this high in the order, Johnson to the Grizzlies does make a ton of sense given the team's projected SF depth (zero dudes) before a LeBron chase in free agency. The Hilltoppers are in an odd position heading into Year 2. James Harden is one of the league's best stars to build around, but Kevin Love is probably gone in free agency, Dirk Nowitzki is likely toast and there's still that stinky midseason swap (Kyrie for MCW) looming over Greeley. While all of this carnage will likely net Colorado another big free agency catch (Chris Paul?), the team isn't exactly following a traditional path to expansion success. We can't call the Doug McDermott pick at No. 5 a dud yet, but GM Collin Atkinson can atone for the Dougie with a rock solid Winslow selection here. Duval is constantly looking for players with a certain level of swagger, and Hezonja certainly embodies that ideal. You'd be hard-pressed to find a cockier player in this class. But unlike most boisterous prospects, this Brazilian might be able to walk the walk. Hezonja threw down some nasty dunks in the Summer League, and embodies the "athletic 2/3" combo that teams have such a tough time locking down. To be blunt: Shorewood is loaded, and there's no need to add another mouth to feed this season. Porzingis makes a lot of sense at this spot, because the Show have so much young talent that it honestly doesn't matter if the Latvian big man pans out or not. Porzingis will have at least two or three seasons to learn from the bench, and he might collect a championship ring while he's at it. While it's tough to watch Emmanuel Mudiay slip too much further down the board, Minnesnowta doesn't need any help at point. Kyrie Irving, Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight (not to mention last year's No. 3, Dante Exum) are all expected to be back, which means GM Matthew Taylor will be looking for help in other spots. Small forward is a need, but the best options are already off the board, so Kaminsky -- a safe offensive option -- seems to be the play here. The most talented team in the league doesn't need much help, so Mudiay is the perfect boom-or-bust prospect that won't sink the Moose if the latter scenario unravels. He was once touted as a possible No. 1 in this class, and the raw ability is obvious. Point guard depth (Ty Lawson, Kyle Lowry) isn't a big issue for GM Joseph Fafinski, but the position could use some shoring up with one of those two guys leaving via free agency in 2016. Another Summer League darling, Turner would be a bit of a project for the Monarchs, a team that will need as much production as possible during what figures to be Marc Gasol and Damian Lillard's final year together in Missouri. It's tough being a "playoffs or bust" squad when you have never made the postseason, but KC should be one of the league's primary beneficiaries of an expanded playoff field. This pick could be a legitimate trade target for teams willing to give up an established vet. After picking No. 1 overall last year (Jabari Parker), the Rainmakers find themselves at the opposite end of the first round. Pickings are a bit slim this deep in the draft, but Cauley-Stein has the potential to be an elite defensive player. Offensively, there's not a ton to work with, and it's going to be tough to break into a Rainmakers' lineup that's already littered with big men. But Cauley-Stein's athleticism gives him a shot. REMAINING DRAFT ORDER
12. Newport Beach 13. Manhattan 14. Sunnyvale 15. Newport Beach (from Minneapolis) 16. Colorado 17. Duval United 18. Minneapolis (from Shorewood) 19. Minnesnowta 20. Chaska 21. Shorewood (from Kansas City) --- 22. Manhattan 23. Sunnyvale LOS ANGELES -- When the results from the 2015 COMO Draft Lottery were broadcast worldwide on Sunday afternoon, Newport Beach owner and general manager Peter Mayer gave a virtual "thumbs up" to the rest of the league. Several thumbs, in fact. His Grizzlies (17-65 last season) had just won the lottery despite possessing the fourth-best odds entering the ceremony, beating out the lowly Minneapolis Player Haterzz (10-72) and the two yet-to-be-named expansion teams. The winning lottery card was the final step in a tanking plan that began almost immediately last fall. Mayer kept star players Russell Westbrook and John Wall glued to the bench while a ragtag team of hacks slowly descended the standings. "My hard work tanking paid off," Mayer said. "Russell was upset with me when I benched him so much, but John Wall was chill with taking a year off. I think Russ will be happier when we use our cap space on a proven superstar and our first-round pick on [Duke center] Jahlil [Okafor], [Kentucky center] Karl [Anthony-Towns], or [Ohio State guard] D'Angelo [Russell]." While Mayer's plan to land a top free agent will likely work out this summer, drafting a star will be much harder than it seems. That's because Minneapolis holds the right to swap first-round spots with Newport Beach either this year or next, and the time seems ripe for Player Haterzz general manager Dan Renfro to pull the trigger. "He might," Mayer said. "Who knows? I'm moving forward and preparing as if the pick is mine to use how I want to use it. If he wants to trigger the clause, we'll deal with it." Dropping from No. 1 to No. 4 (where Minneapolis currently sits) is a bummer this off-season, as Okafor, Towns and Russell have become consensus Top 3 picks. Unsurprisingly, Renfro seems ready to move up. "This is a pretty perfect situation given the deal," he said, referring to last August's draft day trade between the teams that netted the clause. "(Mayer) didn't even think twice about it, if I remember correctly. He was so desperate to get in to the first round plus I don't think he planned to be awful so it double worked out against him." Renfro is expected to make a decision well before the June 25 deadline. Mayer is ready for it, saying 19-year-old Emmanuel Mudiay would be the primary option at No. 4. "We would also look into moving the pick if the right deal came across the table," Mayer said. "Other players could move up our board as well. All we know is we want to bring a championship to Newport Beach." How soon? "This year." Official 2015 Post-Lottery Draft Order 1. Newport Beach* 2. Expansion A 3. Expansion B 4. Minneapolis* 5. Colorado 6. Duval United 7. Shorewood 8. Minnesnowta 9. Chaska 10. Kansas City 11. Rio ----- 12. Newport Beach 13. Expansion B 14. Expansion A 15. Newport Beach (from Minneapolis) 16. Colorado 17. Duval United 18. Minneapolis (from Shorewood) 19. Minnesnowta 20. Chaska 21. Shorewood (from Kansas City) ----- 22. Expansion B 23. Expansion A SHOREWOOD, Minn. — With the inaugural COMO Rookie Draft in the books, it's time to analyze what went down on Sunday night. It's up to you how much stock you put into these grades, but they're all we've got to go on until the games begin counting in late October.
RIO (A) SF Jabari Parker (No. 1 overall) SF/PF Noah Vonleh (No. 11 overall) We’ve been talking for a year about how talented this class is, and the Rainmakers’ draft night was a great example. Parker was the semi-obvious choice at No. 1 – he’ll contribute immediately and will probably be Rio’s starting small forward by season’s end. He’s the backbone of an exciting young roster that will certainly add a couple important free agents with an ass-ton of projected cap space. The real steal was Vonleh at No. 11. Given the way the COMO GMs have talked about him for most of the spring and summer, it’s crazy that he fell out of the first. Vonleh probably won’t make much of an impact this season, but he has as high of a ceiling as you can get for a guy in Round 2. General manager Brendan Halleron was gifted these studs, but draft night couldn’t have gone any better in Brazil. SHOREWOOD (A) Let’s take a look at the Show’s draft-night trade with the Player Haterzz. Assets given up: No. 10 overall (SF T.J. Warren) 2015 2nd Round Pick Assets gained: SF Trevor Ariza ($2 million) Also drafted: PG Elfrid Payton (No. 6 overall) C Dario Saric (No. 20 overall) Sunday was best-case scenario for the reigning league champions. They shored up the only serious hole on their roster (small forward) by trading for Ariza, a dirt-cheap starter who is projected for multiple 20-bone seasons. While No. 10 was a bit of a steep price in this year’s draft, Shorewood desperately needed small forward help in 2014-15, which wasn’t available at that point (and likely won’t be a strength in free agency). At No. 6, Payton helps another need (point guard depth) and will perhaps even be able to contribute by season’s end. Saric is a draft-and-stash guy who won’t count against the team’s high roster number until he signs with the NBA’s Sixers (likely next summer). Now, Shorewood will head into free agency with money for at least one top-shelf player on the market to add to their solid lineup. MINNESNOWTA (A-) PG Dante Exum (No. 3 overall) SF K.J. McDaniels (No. 13 overall) Minnesnowta is the only team that made off with two players who can help the squad this year. Exum will be getting serious minutes with the NBA’s Jazz. Ditto for McDaniels, a second-round NBA pick who will be given plenty of chances to pile up bones in Philadelphia. As we witnessed Sunday night, the top of the second round was full of great talent, and McDaniels is a perfect example. Call it lottery luck or simple draft positioning, but owner Matthew Taylor hit both picks on the head while shoring up depth at SF (a serious need). HOLLYWOOD (A-) SF Andrew Wiggins (No. 2 overall) PF Aaron Gordon (No. 12 overall) Wiggins was the obvious choice at No. 2, but that doesn’t mean he’s not an outstanding haul. If he is traded to the NBA’s Wolves, he will be able to play some minutes in Hollywood this year behind Gordon Hayward, and could even supplant Hayward in the starting lineup. Gordon fell into the Hornets’ lap on Sunday. He’s more of a long-term project, but his potential is outstanding for a second-rounder. General manager Curt Clauss fielded several trade offers for his picks in the weeks leading up to the draft, and he reaped the benefits of standing pat. NEWPORT BEACH (B+) Let’s take a look at the Grizzlies’ draft night trade with the Player Haterzz. Assets given up: PF/C Zach Randolph ($4 million) No. 16 overall pick (PF Adreian Payne) Assets gained: No. 7 overall pick (C Joel Embiid) 2015 2nd Round Pick *Note: Newport Beach also gave Minneapolis the right to swap first-round picks in either 2015 or 2016 (not both). Ever since dumping his team’s first-rounder in a February deal with Shorewood, owner Peter Mayer has been dying to get back into the first round. On Sunday, we found out why: He’s obsessed with Kansas product Joel Embiid, whose injury issues kept him from being the No. 1 overall pick. This was a risky trade, but not one that will bite Newport too badly if Embiid doesn’t pan out. The second-round picks are basically a wash, and the only upper hand Minneapolis has is if they are able to swap picks with Newport – essentially, the Grizzlies need to avoid a really high lottery position in ‘15 and ‘16 or they will get burned by Player Haterzz GM Dan Renfro. That’s contingent, of course, on Minneapolis continuing to be a contender – a likely scenario with LeBron James still on their books. In the end, the Grizzlies nab a player with more upside than any other without giving up an arm and a leg (Randolph will go back to the scrap heap after this year). KANSAS CITY (B+) PF Julius Randle (No. 4 overall) PG Shabazz Napier (No. 14 overall) This is a rare case where a team’s second-round pick might make more of an immediate impact than the first-rounder. Randle was a ceiling-based pick early in the draft. He had serious potential to win Rookie of the Year this season before the NBA’s Lakers signed Carlos Boozer to steal his starting minutes. But Napier was an excellent value pick in the second. He’ll be given almost every opportunity to play good minutes for the NBA’s Heat, and he will make a nice addition to a Monarchs roster that already includes young guns Damian Lillard and Trey Burke (who could be moving to shooting guard for the NBA’s Jazz this year if Dante Exum plays out of his mind). With Monta Ellis manning the two-spot, KC has one of COMO’s elite backcourts. CHASKA (B) SG Nik Stauskas (No. 9 overall) SF Cleanthony Early (No. 19 overall) The Moose still need some serious help at shooting guard. As the roster currently stands, Wes Matthews and Stauskas are the only options. And with Matthews ($3 million) likely on the chopping block come September, the Moose will likely need to explore other options until Stauskas starts getting more opportunities on the crowded Kings roster. Early isn’t exactly a long shot to make the roster thanks to a lack of depth at small forward after Andre Iguodala gets the ax. Chandler Parsons has that spot locked down, but Chaska will get into some serious trouble if he has injury issues this winter. DUVAL UNITED (B) PG Marcus Smart (No. 8 overall) PG/SG Zach LaVine (No. 18 overall) Rumor has it that Duval was very interested in Doug McDermott, and was taken aback when Doug E. Fresh flew off the board at No. 5. But Smart is not a bad consolation prize. The pick handcuffs him to starting point guard Rajon Rondo, and Smart could see huge NBA minutes this year if Rondo is hurt or traded. LaVine at No. 18 was a good find. He will likely make the roster given a complete lack of shooting guards outside Arron Afflalo. Don’t get it twisted, though; the rookie is not expected to make any sort of impact this season. But anytime a late second-rounder sticks into the winter, it was an excellent choice. COLORADO (B-) SF/PF Doug McDermott (No. 5 overall) PF Jarnell Stokes (No. 15 overall) PG Jordan McRae (No. 21 overall) Coming into the draft as an expansion team with zero players to its name, Colorado made a big splash with Doug McDermott at No. 5. That selection wasn’t poor, but McDermott isn’t likely to make much of an impact this year. The real curveballs came in Round 2. Drafting slots that he will need to help fill the final roster, owner Collin Atkinson reached for Stokes and McRae, two players who were not rated highly after the NBA Draft. This was a rather extreme method of grabbing flyers when other talent was still readily available (most notably Rodney Hood, who went No. 17). But McRae was especially good in Summer League (19.7 ppg), and will at least make the NBA’s Sixers with ease. Don’t call Atkinson crazy yet. MINNEAPOLIS (C+) First, let’s take a look at how the Player Haterzz’ two trades shaped their future. Assets given up: SF Trevor Ariza ($2 million – to Shorewood) No. 7 overall pick (C Joel Embiid – to Newport Beach) 2015 2nd Round Pick (to Newport Beach) Assets gained: PF/C Zach Randolph ($4 million – from Newport Beach) No. 10 overall pick (SF T.J. Warren – from Shorewood) No. 16 overall pick (PF Adreian Payne – from Newport Beach) 2015 2nd Round Pick (from Shorewood) Also drafted: SF Rodney Hood (No. 17 overall) From the outset, the combination of deals looks unfavorable for Minneapolis. Having Ariza (a no-doubt starter at one of the league’s shallowest positions) and Embiid (an A+ prospect who is a hangnail’s difference between a washout or a Hall of Famer) on the other side of the glass puts a lot of pressure on general manager Dan Renfro. But he knew what he was doing – he gets one year of frontcourt labor from Zach Randolph and then stuck his neck out for Warren at No. 10. That’s really the crux of the deal: if Warren pans out, everybody goes home happy. But that’s a pretty big risk considering the short-term production lost at SF and the loss of three slots between picks in the first round. Two bright spots: Rodney Hood at No. 17, who was leaps and bounds better than most of the other prospects in the back end of the draft. Second, the clause that allows Minneapolis to flip first-rounders with Newport Beach in '15 or '16 (but not both). That could be a real payday if the Grizzlies fall apart during one of those seasons. |
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