Williams or Felton

felton's not half the player Hart is.

 

Felton doesn't half Hart at all?

 

It's not that I dislike May. I do think he's a fatass, but that won't stop him for the early part of his career. I just think it's a waste.

What we need is a 2G that can score (assuming we get a PG, and Deron is unquestionably my guy). The only way that we work out other guys is if we do some trading. In that scenario, maybe we end up with May. He's the one Tarheel who would help the Cats some. Drafting Felton, in my book, would mean we'd have to re-sign Knight. Whereas, Deron, IMO, can go from day 1 and we can sign any serviceable PG to back him up. I really, really like Deron's size, composure, and playmaking over Felton's & Paul's speed.

I dunno if you folks saw it, but Paul & Felton measured at 5'11 1/4 & 5'11 3/4, respectively. Felton is listed at 6'1 on the UNCCH website... Both of those guys are too small & not named Iverson, IMO.

If we don't go Warrick at 13, Antoine Wright is fine, like I've said before. He's a better shooter & ballhandler than Warrick (better 2G). Both guys are a little bit redundant if we keep Wallace. Warrick is a damn beast though. Hate passing him up because his game has holes in it.

 

Great point guards are one of the rarest commodities in any NBA draft. Only a great center is more uncommon.

In the last 10 years, only one draft, in 1999, had three legit point guards taken in the top 10 picks (Steve Francis, Baron Davis and Andre Miller).

This year, that feat likely will be matched again as Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Raymond Felton are all expected to be taken in the top 10.

For months, scouts argued that Paul was at the top of the class, with Williams and Felton fighting for second place.



Deron Williams' stock is soaring. Could he be going ahead of Marvin?
Until Monday, that was speculation. None of the three point guards had worked out against each other. Nor had they all worked out for the same team.

Now, however, Bobcats GM and head coach Bernie Bickerstaff can claim that he's the only guy to get up close and personal with all three.

On Friday, Paul worked out individually for the Bobcats. On Monday, Williams and Felton went head-to-head for the first time in draft workouts (Williams previously had refused to work out against Felton, in a stop in New Orleans).

How did they compare? Chances are the Bobcats will select one of the three on draft night. Always-candid Bickerstaff talked with Insider on Monday evening to give us the lowdown.

Monday's workout "was about as competitive as it gets," Bickerstaff said. "Nobody stepped back. Both guys were really impressive. They worked really hard, and they competed."

Bickerstaff sounded especially impressed with Williams. Williams has lost 15 pounds and is in the best shape of his career, and it clearly has helped. Bickerstaff said he didn't have any concerns about Williams' quickness on either end of the floor.

"He stayed right with Felton, who may be the fastest player in the draft," Bickerstaff said. "On the defensive end, he really plays with a purpose. I like how he talks on defense. He's real strong. There won't be any problems."

Scouts have known for some time that Williams will be able to hang defensively. The big question is whether he'll be able to get by anyone offensively. Point guards who are unable to create their own shot or get to the basket struggle in the NBA. Bickerstaff isn't worried there, either.

"Yeah, he can get by," Bickerstaff said. "He's real strong with his first thrust. If he touches you, he creates space. His real quick to his peak on his jump shot. Both guys [Williams and Felton] also have a real nice in-between game."

But wouldn't Williams be better in a slower-paced, half-court offense? And Felton in a run-and-gun situation? Bickerstaff isn't so sure.

"I think they'll both be effective in the transition game," Bickerstaff said. "Felton is great advancing the ball with the dribble. Williams advances it with the pass. The key is having someone to throw it to."

"I think the key for Deron is that he has great size and a great basketball IQ. Now he also has a good body. I think that's why the consensus is that he might be a little ahead."

Bickerstaff also had kind words for Felton.

"Felton will play in this league," Bickerstaff said. "He's strong; he's a great athlete; and he's a better shooter than people think. He does a great job of using his body around the basket. He just needs to slow down a bit. Felton's not far behind those other guys."

Bickerstaff then went through a laundry list of attributes on each player. Williams has the size. Felton has the quickness. Paul has the shooting and ability to play both styles of basketball.

What went unsaid was that both Paul and Felton are local products. That also will factor into the Bobcats' decision. All things being equal, the local guy will sell more tickets.

"They're all pretty damn good," Bickerstaff said. "I don't think there's a big gap between those three. They all have their own strengths and are really contrasting point guards."



Deron Williams still on the rise?
If Bickerstaff sounds as though he's gushing a bit about Williams, he isn't alone.

The Hawks and the Hornets also have fallen in love with Williams  to the point that they might take him over Paul if both players are on the board. Clearly, Williams' superior size and strength, combined with revelations that he's more athletic than scouts had believed, are fueling his meteoric rise.

There's even been talk that the Hawks might select Williams with the No. 2 pick in the draft over Marvin Williams if Andrew Bogut goes No. 1.

In fact, that's partly why the Hawks have been reluctant to deal the No. 2 pick to the Bobcats for the No. 5 and the No. 13. It isn't that they're afraid to pass on Williams. It's that they don't believe Williams will be on the board at No. 5  they think the Hornets would grab him at No. 4 if he ended up still being available.

That's somewhat at odds with what Marvin Williams told us during the Chicago predraft camp media day. Williams told Insider then that the Hawks had told him they'd select him with the second pick if he were available. Williams is scheduled to work out in Atlanta later this week.

Although it's doubtful the Bobcats would select Deron Williams at No. 2 if they moved up in the draft, you have to wonder after Bickerstaff's talk Monday.

For Insider's purposes, we still have Paul rated one spot ahead of Williams on our draft board. His combination of speed, shooting ability and an uncanny feel for the game make him the best overall point-guard prospect in the draft.

It's pretty clear, though, that it's no longer the consensus opinion.



Hodge v. McCants, Part 2
There were two other participants in the Bobcats' Monday workout  UNC's Rashad McCants and North Carolina State's Julius Hodge.

Hodge and McCants worked out against each other once before -- in Toronto several weeks ago. McCants came down with an intestinal illness during the workout and was unable to continue.

Hodge, under the impression that McCants quit, didn't hesitate to take a shot across his bow.

"We started the workout, and I was working with Rashad," Hodge said. "We were doing shooting drills, and I was hitting everything. I think it was getting discouraging for him and, near the end, he decided to go to the sidelines in an attempt to say that he was hurt. Once it was found out that he wasn't hurt, he then tried to say he was sick. That was unfortunate. He was free and able to show his stuff, and he shied away from it."

Fast-forward to Monday. Hodge and McCants were working out together again in Charlotte when McCants came up lame with a hamstring pull just minutes before the two would begin playing two-on-two with Felton and Williams. McCants missed the rest of the workout.

Hodge didn't miss another opportunity to get in a dig.

"My body is aching right now, but I'm going to work out no matter what," he said. "I don't know about any other guys, but I'm going to work out."

Bickerstaff had nothing but praise for Hodge after the workout.

"He's helping himself," Bickerstaff told Insider. "He's very tough mentally. And don't be fooled by his body. He's also very tough physically. He really stays at it. I think he's going to be able to play two or three positions in the pros, including point guard."



Promises, promises, promises
This whole idea of teams promising players they'll draft them in the first round is getting out of hand. There have been so many bogus promise rumors the past few weeks, it's out of control.

The only legit one we've heard (and been able to verify) is for Russian forward Yaroslav Korolev. But even that one is a bit shaky. Although Russian sources are claiming it's the Clippers, and the Clippers, off the record, are admitting that they like the kid, the team issued a classic nondenial for the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday morning.

"Of course we're not going to commit; we're not going to mention anything," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said. "We commit to everybody in the draft, and whoever we get, we get."

With that said, a couple more rumors began floating to the surface Monday. Some make some sense, while others are ridiculous.

Big high school center Andrew Bynum canceled a Wednesday workout in New Jersey, a Nets source told Insider. His representative claimed that Bynum had a promise in the lottery and was shutting down the rest of his workouts. Speculation has run rampant that either the Lakers at No. 10 or the Timberwolves at No. 14 have made the deal.

High school guard Monta Ellis also canceled a workout Monday with the Bobcats. His adviser also is claiming, according to the Bobcats, that he has a promise and will stop working out.

There continues to be talk that Ike Diogu was given a promise by the Suns at No. 21. That one is wrong, according to sources. Diogu is still wrestling with whether to stay in the draft after spending two days working out for the Suns. That doesn't sound like a guy who just got a promise from a team.

An Internet rumor had the Celtics promising Roko Ukic they'd pick him at No. 18. That one's also bogus, according to his agent, David Bauman. When a player gets a promise, he usually shuts down his workouts. Ukic is scheduled to work out for Memphis and Phoenix this week, according to Bauman. Both teams select after the Celtics.



Bad trade rumors floating around, too
A rumor flying around the league Monday had the Pacers and Lakers ready to consummate a trade that would send Jonathan Bender and the No. 17 pick to the Lakers for Devean George, Stanislav Medvedenko and a second-round pick.

Insider talked to Pacers president Donnie Walsh about the rumor Monday, and he quickly shot it down.

"I don't know where this stuff is coming from," Walsh told Insider. "There's absolutely no truth to it. I've never even talked to the Lakers about a trade. I asked Larry [Bird, Pacers president], and he hasn't, either."

 

Which team was the last to win it all with a great PG?

 

Pistons maybe with Isaih

 

yep, big men are much more valuable IMHO...you don't need a great one at all

 

So go ahead and get one that will be good and have the potential to be great.

 

Paul??

 

I don't know. It's between Williams or Felton.