T-Wolves president insinuates draft lottery is rigged

But Beasley was to be the better player so the lottery would have been fixed to get Beasley.

 

True.

Stern should have thought of that.

 

If it's rigged, Blake Griffin would've gone to the OKC Thunder, his hometown.

 

fixed.

I like a good conspiracy theory. I'm all in on the Kennedy conspiracy.

I don't for a minute think the NBA draft is fixed.

 

Even if there have been riggings, Stern and company are FAR too smart to do it every year and make it that exceedingly obvious. Not a chance in hell they'd orchestrate a second straight hometown hero the year after Rose. That would've invited WAY too much obvious suspicion.

And, besides, Griffin on a mega-market Los Angeles team that's long been in desperate need of star power was a pretty nice result from the League's perspective anyways.

 

So how good will the Cavs be next year with Derrick Williams and either Knight or Kanter?

 

They are taking Irving...need a point guard. But it would not surprise me to see them end up with Irving and Williams. Minnesota does not need a PF (they have Love and Beasley) and Utah has Millsap. I could see Minnesota taking Kanter and Utah taking either Knight or Walker. If the Cavs ended up with Irving and Williams, they could possibly entice a top-flight free agent (Howard???) with their 15.4 mill trade exception and would instantly become contenders. However, if they end up with Irving and Kanter I think they could improve maybe 10-15 games and end up in the lottery again. Then, two years from now, be in the hunt (Davis and Jamison off the books). Then again, why are we even talking about this? The lockout will cost us at least one season.

 

And the Hawks should have gotten the first pick in 04 to draft Dwight Howard.

 

Not that good.

 

You think Williams will fall to No. 4?

 

Probably not, but it is a possibility if the Timberwolves and Jazz are drafting to fill a need instead of going for the best player available. Millsap sat behind Boozer for two seasons before finally getting his shot, and I don't know if Utah will want another logjam at PF, especially when they could use a point guard. Minnesota doesn't need a power forward, either. However, I think Utah is too smart to pass on Williams. I do think there is a chance Cleveland tries to get Minnesota's pick in a trade (they have an abundance of picks in the next few years...could give up the #4 overall, Sessions and Miami's 2013 #1 to Minny...that would probably get it done. I am not saying it is going to happen, that Cleveland will end up with both Irving and Williams...but I am saying it would not surprise me.