- Check out our summary of 2008 draft prospects and vote for your current favorite. We'll try to have polls every week or so and keep track of how guys' imaginary stock rises and falls leading up to the draft.
- Sparky Fifer has another good interview with John Hammond over at WSSP, this time focusing on the draft. Hammond didn't sound crazy about Danilo Gallinari when pressed, but then again he also compared him to Tayshaun Prince, which is high praise from Hammond. He also said that the Bucks wouldn't necessarily pass on a player just because they played the same position as Bogut or Yi, which might be significant should a guy like, say, Kevin Love be available.
- Dan Labbe at Cleveland.com is campaigning hard to bring Michael Redd to Cleveland. In response, WaitingForNextYear debates whether the Cavs should go after Redd. While Cleveland fans might prefer a big-time post-scorer, they're unlikely to find any who are available. That's in contrast to Redd, whom the Bucks have begun to shop in recent weeks. While the number of teams interested in taking on Redd's salary will probably be limited, Cleveland can't offer much more than expiring contracts (Anderson Varejao being the most attractive) and middling draft picks at the moment. Is Redd really that out of favor? I'd guess that Dallas, Chicago and Toronto would all be better trade partners at this stage, but none of them are likely to be as interested as Cleveland.
- As noted on BDL, The Dallas Morning News' Tim McMahon reports that while Mark Cuban kind of, sort of defended Josh Howard in a recent radio interview with Dan Patrick, the out-of-favor small forward is still on the block.
Maybe Howard has said the right things to the Mavs' brass in recent weeks, but he sure didn't sound like he'd learned a lesson the day after the season ended. Cuban, however, insists that the Mavs aren't putting a priority on getting rid of Howard.
"If someone makes me an offer I can't refuse, just like anybody else, you have to consider it," Cuban said.
The hunch here is that the Mavs will work hard to find an offer they can't refuse. - Chad Ford chatted today and reasserted the availability of Michael Redd, Charlie Villanueva and Mo Williams. Perhaps more intriguingly, he also alluded to the Bucks making an offer for Carmel Anthony.
There will be lots of interest in Melo ... the Nets obviously have interest. I think the Bucks will too. Knicks for sure. The Nuggets want to cut payroll and obviously get a higher pick in the draft. The Nets have some pieces to make that happen. The Bucks may be in a better position to do it.
Both Denver and the Bucks would reportedly prefer to lighten their luxury tax load--Denver is already in trouble there, while the Bucks might be close in 2009 if the current roster is maintained. But neither team can help themselves much given neither the Bucks nor Nuggets have expiring deals (unless Allen Iverson is involved). Then there's the further question of whether the Bucks can put together a package of players and picks compelling enough to make Denver give up on their 23-year old star. Some combination of Redd, Mo Williams, Yi Jianlian, Charlie Villanueva, Ramon Sessions and picks would have to be involved, but whether there's a mutually agreeable combination is another question.
Melo's recent DUI arrest coupled with yet another first-round exit have justifiably raised questions about the validity of his superstar status, but in fairness he's also a 23-year old that has been the best player on a playoff team in each of his five seasons. He's unquestionably a bigger impact player than Redd, and in a league that revolves around stars, that's important. - Ersan Ilyasova helped Barcelona surprise DKV Joventut 93-90 in the first game of their best-of-three Spanish semifinals, scoring 16 points and grabbing a season-high 14 for a crucial road win. Check out the video highlights of Ersan here.
- The Big Lead ponders if Michael Beasley could be the next Andrew Bogut. And like, not in a good way.
- Charles Gardner profiles Wisconsin native and new Bucks' assistant Joe Wolf.
"To get a call from a guy you have great respect for and have known for a long time, and to get an opportunity with a team in your home state, a team you grew up watching games in the MECCA, it's just a fantastic time in my career," Wolf said on Thursday.
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