2012 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Prospect Profile: Dion Waiters

June 1st, 2012 at 6:45pm CST by Alex Lee

If you've been following the fluctuating draft stocks of potential lottery picks, one name you've probably heard a lot is Syracuse guard Dion Waiters. Waiters was initially thought to be destined to go in the second half of the first round but lately his prospects are on the rise. Chad Ford recently bumped Waiters all the way up to eighth on his top 100 which probably was at least partly due to an NBA general manager telling him that outside of Anthony Davis, Waiters may have the most star potential in the draft.

With that in mind, over the past few weeks I have heard more than one Dwyane Wade comparison for Waiters. While surprising, this comparison isn't that far fetched. Like Wade, Waiters is an excellent penetrator and ball handler whose aggressive play makes those two strengths stand out. Waiters has yet to develop a consistent jump shot and at 6-foot-4, 215 pounds doesn't traditionally fit into either guard spot – both of which were questions about Wade. That said, let me say that I think that a Wade-type player is the absolute utopian progression for Waiters.

Waiters' best attribute is his ability to score. As previously mentioned, he relentlessly penetrates and will aggressively attack the basket despite his size. Like many scorers, Waiters has a short memory and plays with confidence. As a sophomore, he nearly doubled his freshman scoring average to finish at 12.6 points-per-game on a loaded Syracuse team. Perhaps most impressive about that jump was that it was accompanied by a rise in shooting percentage (47.6 percent this year after 41.1 percent as a freshman). On the other end of the floor, Waiters' athleticism and tenacity make him a solid defender.

What could make Waiters is an intriguing option to many teams is the thought of him playing point guard. While he probably could never be a traditional point guard, he has shown flashes of being a very good passer (similar to Wade). But as we all know, being a good point guard goes beyond just being able to pass – things like leadership and unselfishness are arguably just as important. If scouts decide Waiters has a future as point guard, he could end up in the top 10.

Like every player, Waiters has his warts. Waiters has the ability to get open jump shots at will, but can he make them? In today's NBA, unless a guard can bring something else incredible to the table ala Rajon Rondo, he better be able to shoot. Waiters doesn't have the prettiest jump shot and he will probably need to work on his form to shoot consistently at the next level. He did shoot 36.3 percent from three as a sophomore, which is encouraging. Like any scorer, he shows flashes, but in the NBA consistency is the name of the game.

Not the ideal height to play shooting guard and lacking the instincts to play the point, many project Waiters as an "instant offense" type player on a NBA bench. While there is nothing wrong with that, those types of players don't usually crack the top 10. Expect him to go between 10-15, but if teams think his scoring abilities outweight his tweener status or that he can in fact play point, expect him to go in the top 10. Anything beyond 15 and he is a steal.

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Wizards Notes: Wittman, Draft, Robinson

June 1st, 2012 at 1:50pm CST by Luke Adams

So far this week, we've heard that the Wizards will shop Andray Blatche and Rashard Lewis before the draft and that they intend to retain coach Randy Wittman. We've also seen the team land the third overall pick in the lottery, and heard owner Ted Leonsis say it won't be traded. What other news is coming out of Washington as the week approaches its end? Let's round up today's Wizards updates….

2012 Draft Picks By Team

June 1st, 2012 at 12:25pm CST by Luke Adams

With the 2012 draft order finalized, rumors have already started to swirl on which teams might trade in or out of the draft, or which clubs could move up or down. Teams that hold more than two picks are prime candidates to be involved in a draft deal — the Cavaliers, Warriors, and Trail Blazers, for instance, each have four picks, and figure to be at the center of trade rumors in the coming weeks. For a quick rundown on how many picks each club currently owns and where they're situated in the draft, check out our full list below:

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2012 NBA Draft

Draft Rumors: Bobcats, Cavs, Kings, Blazers

June 1st, 2012 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

Following the Hornets' lottery win, ESPN.com's Chad Ford published his newest mock draft, which includes a handful of interesting scenarios, including Dion Waiters jumping to eighth overall and Austin Rivers slipping to 18th. With less than four weeks until draft day, Ford continues to talk to sources and visit workouts to get a better sense of how things will play out on June 28th. His latest draft blog (Insider link) explores potential options for the top 10 picks and is chock-full of interesting tidbits. Let's round up some of the highlights….

Draft Links: Cavs, Bobcats, Bucks, Raptors

May 31st, 2012 at 3:22pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this week, Anthony Davis refused to acknowledge that he would definitely be the first overall pick in this year's draft, calling that just a "rumor" for now. But after the Hornets won the draft lottery and the right to pick first overall in June, Davis sounded like he was fully expecting to be the first pick, as Andy Katz of ESPN.com writes.

"I won a national championship in New Orleans," said Davis, referring to the site of Kentucky's NCAA title in April. "So why not win another one in New Orleans?"

Davis at #1 may be a lock, but there are plenty of questions surrounding the rest of the draft order. Here are a few draft-related items for Thursday afternoon….

Mock Drafts: Ford, Givony, Goodman, Kyler

May 31st, 2012 at 11:11am CST by Luke Adams

With the 2012 draft order now finalized, barring further trades, mock draft season begins in earnest. We'll be publishing our own mock draft in the coming days, but until then, there are plenty of post-lottery mocks out there to hold you over. Check out the mock drafts below to see who a few prominent NBA scribes and draft experts think your favorite team will select….

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2012 NBA Draft

2012 NBA Draft Order

May 31st, 2012 at 9:58am CST by Luke Adams

The 2012 NBA draft lottery is behind us, which means the official order for the June 28th draft has been established. Listed below is the complete order for the first and second rounds of the 2012 draft, including traded picks. You can find the list at any time under the "Hoops Rumors Features" section on the right sidebar.

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2012 NBA Draft

Warriors Rumors: Draft, Iguodala, Gay, Batum

May 31st, 2012 at 9:17am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors were one of a few teams to benefit from Wednesday night's draft lottery results, hanging onto their lottery pick for another year. According to Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle, GM Bob Myers doesn't intend to use all four picks the Warriors hold, but views them as valuable trade assets. Myers also aims to land a starter with the seventh overall pick, pointing out that "I don't think anyone would accept the thought of drafting a backup" with a top-10 pick. Here are a few more of the morning's Warriors updates:

Teams Affected By The Lottery Results

May 31st, 2012 at 8:30am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA's draft lottery played out nearly exactly as expected last night, given the odds. Only one team, the Hornets, moved up into the top three, with the top-ranked Bobcats, Wizards, and Cavaliers each sliding down a spot and the rest of the order holding to form. Despite the lack of drastic movement, the lottery results had major ramifications for a number of clubs besides the Hornets. Let's take a brief look at the teams whose fates were most affected by the ping pong balls….

Hornets: Of course, no team was a bigger winner on lottery night than the Hornets, who not only moved into position to snag Anthony Davis with the first overall pick, but have another top-10 pick that remained in place at #10. Davis will be the franchise-changer, but the Hornets' opportunity to add another lottery talent shouldn't be overlooked.
Bobcats: Charlotte went from potentially having the easiest decision of the draft to having one of the hardest, with the number two overall pick. Thomas Robinson and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are probably the favorites to fall to the Bobcats, but players like Andre Drummond and Bradley Beal could be in the mix too. Whoever they pick with Davis off the board, the Bobcats will be adding a solid contributor rather than a franchise player.
Trail Blazers: Because the Nets failed to jump into the top three, the Blazers snagged their pick and now have the sixth and 11th selections. Considering the team has talked about wanting to contend immediately, it wouldn't be a shock to see one or both of those picks shopped for veteran help. Either way, Portland's trade of Gerald Wallace paid huge dividends last night.
Nets: On the other hand, the evening was a disaster for the Nets. While they had dreams of landing the number one overall pick and moving to Brooklyn with Davis on their roster – or trading him for Dwight Howard – now they're left without a first-rounder.
Magic: If and when the Magic trade Howard, they're not going to land an asset better than Davis, so I'd imagine Orlando was holding out hope that the Nets could luck into that top pick. After all, Brooklyn is probably the one lottery team that would be willing to give up a 19-year-old potential superstar for a big man on an expiring contract coming off back surgery.
Warriors: Holding onto the top-seven-protected pick was a win for Golden State, but the team will want to make sure it uses that asset to improve the roster in the short-term. After all, it's not like the Warriors' debt to Utah has been extinguished. Next year, they'll owe a top-six-protected pick to the Jazz, and could risk going through this same song and dance again.
Jazz: While the Jazz would've loved to see the Warriors slip a spot or two so that they could land Golden State's lottery pick, it's not a disaster for Utah to wait another year. With a ton of expiring contracts in 2012/13, the summer of 2013 will be a big win for the Jazz, and having a pair of first-rounders will give them even more flexibility to go along with their presumed cap space.

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Odds & Ends: Hornets, Jazz, Mavs, Jeff Van Gundy

May 30th, 2012 at 10:43pm CST by Daniel Seco

The NBA draft lottery brought good fortune to the Hornets organization, robbed the Bobcats of a chance to quickly advance in the rebuilding process and saw teams like the Nets and the Jazz miss out on securing lottery picks. The Cavs will have to use the fourth pick in the draft to build around Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson and the Warriors should simply be happy they were able to keep their spot at seventh. Beyond the Hornets, count the Trail Blazers as the second biggest winner Wednesday night as Portland will make two selections among the first 11 picks.

As the talking heads put together their latest mock drafts, let's take a look around the NBA to catch up on the the news and rumors making headlines as Hurricanes and Hand Grenades flow freely on Bourbon St…