CB Draft '09 Mock Press Conference: Atlantic Divison

[Donoghus]

Here, each of the GMs representing a team in the Atlantic Division will provide an introduction / summary of their team, draft strategy, etc.  Other members should ask questions (directed to one or more GMs), and those GMs should attempt to answer the questions as well as they can.

For those participating, the opening blurbs can include some or all of the following:

1. Roster / depth chart
2. Statistics
3. Pictures
4. Statement regarding drafting philosophy (building for the future, contending now, etc.)
5. Toughest decision
6. Best move (trade, pick, etc.) / worst move
7. Your outlook for this coming season

It can be as substantial or as abbreviated as you want it to be.  These threads are open to all members, not just those posters who participated in the draft.  The more participation we get, the better.

==============================================================


Boston press conference: Link.

New Jersey press conference:  Link.

New York press conference: Link.

Philadelphia press conference: Link.

Toronto press conference: Link.

[Kwhit10]

Philadelphia 76ers
Starters

Center
Andrew Bynum
Height   7-0
Weight   285 lbs.
Age 21
14.8ppg; 8rpg; 1.8bpg; 56%FG
Scouting Report:
Bynum is a huge center with soft hands and a nice touch around the basket, and that combo is a killer in the post.  What makes it even more devastating is that he's a skilled and willing passer out of double teams who should only get better with more experience against doubles.

As a defender, Bynum is great around the basket because of his size -- he can block shots, controls the defensive glass and is difficult to post up against, though one would like to see him throw his weight around a bit more.

Power Forward
Emeka Okafor
Height   6-10
Weight   255 lbs.
Age 26
13.2ppg; 10.1; 1.7bpg; 56%FG
Scouting Report
Okafor's defensive numbers weren't as dominating as they were a year earlier, but the Bobcats again were better with him on the court than off it. His rebounding was a huge reason, as he ranked eighth among centers in defensive rebound rate, and his shot-blocking was also above par.

Offensively, once he catches around the rim his strength and athleticism allow him to finish strong. Okafor has also developed a preference for short-range bank shots, using them from either side and with either hand.

Small Foward
Carmelo Anthony
Height   6-8
Weight   230 lbs.
Age 25
22.8ppg; 6.8rpg; 3.4apg; 1.14spg; 44%FG; 37%3FG
Scouting report:
A matchup nightmare for opposing forwards because of his equal comfort posting up or driving off the dribble, Anthony is a natural scorer who can get his points in a variety of ways. He's at his best from the left mid-post area, where he can either face up for a midrange jumper or overwhelm an opponent with a quick move and a strong finish. Anthony is also accomplished at taking opponents off the bounce, and is unusually good for his size at handling the ball in tight spaces with spins and crossovers.

Anthony remains one of the league's most enthusiastic cherry-pickers. He'll often leak out early to get easy buckets in transition, leaving the D exposed in the process. He's good in more traditional transition situations, too, with a nifty finishing move where he does his shuffle step left with his left foot and then goes in for a right-handed layup.


Shooting Guard
Ronnie Brewer
Height   6-7
Weight   227 lbs.
Age 24
13.7ppg; 2.2apg; 1.7spg; 51FG%
Scouting Report:
A defensive stopper, Brewer is quick, athletic and has great hands, plus at 6-7 his length is a major factor for opposing shooting guards.

He gets almost all his points on layups. He's a killer in transition with his size and finishing skill, and he seemingly gets more buckets off putbacks than any guard in the league. When he's not doing that he's running the baseline on the weak side, looking for backdoor cuts and/or alley-oops to get him finishes near the basket. He's extremely active off the ball, so he can get points without plays being run for him.

Point Guard
Baron Davis
Height   6-3
Weight   215 lbs.
Age 30
14.9ppg; 7.7apg; 1.7spg
Scouting Report:
At his best, Davis is one of the top defensive guards in basketball. Because of his size he can easily cross-match against shooting guards, he also excels at pressuring the ball and creates havoc in the passing lanes.

Offensively, Davis is a wondrous talent who makes head-scratching decisions. He's a good 3-point shooter with his feet set but mediocre at best off the dribble. He's amazing pushing the ball in the open court and with his size and athleticism he can finish over much bigger players, plus he's capable of abusing smaller guards in post-ups from the left block. Davis also sees the floor well and is a good passer when he puts his mind to it.


Bench
Anthony Parker- SG
10.7ppg, 3.4apg, 1.25spg, 39% 3FG, 43%FG
Scouting report:
He can shoot accurately from pretty much every spot on the floor. Parker ranked in the top 10 in shooting on non-layups from both the left side (10th) and the right side (5th), and was, by a wide margin, the best in the league from straight on.
Overall, Parker made 50.2 percent of his long 2-pointers -- ranking fifth in the league --and he was also among the best at shooting the 3 from the corner, where his 46.6 percent mark ranked fifth overall and first among players with at least 150 tries.
Parker is no ballhandling whiz, so creating a shot is a chore for him unless he's coming off a pin-down, but he's a good passer and he doesn't turn it over.

Renaldo Balkman- SF
5ppg, 3.9rpg, .9spg, 56%FG
Scouting report:
A 6-8 leaper who excels in transition, Balkman's athleticism and energy makes him an excellent bench player.
Defensively he has the ability to be outstanding, has a knack for steals and blocks creates turnovers and run-outs.

Joe Smith- PF/C
6.6ppg, 4.6rpg, 47%FG
Scouting report:
Smith is phenomenal at taking charges. The rest of his defense isn't quite as accomplished, he's an active help defender and gathers his share of rebounds.
Smith is a low-mistake offensive player who is a strong shooter for his size. He's very comfortable shooting jumpers from either elbow and can also shoot short-range jump hook shots with either hand.

Jannero Pargo- PG/SG
8.1ppg, 2.4apg, 39%FG
Good shooter... Above average quickness... Very active defender

Tim Thomas- PF
8.5ppg, 3.1rpg, 41%3FG
An outstanding outside shooter for his size, Thomas's main skill is his ability to pull opposing big men away from the hoop and open up the middle. He's fantastic on catch-and-shoot tries, and at 6-10 he can get his shot off against most close-outs.
Defensively he's seemed to do better as a power forward than he did earlier in his career on the wings, as he has the size to bang with most post players and holds his own on the defensive boards.

Will Solomon- PG
5ppg, 2.5apg, 43%FG
Played well filling in for Calderon, avg 6.5ppg, 4.4apg in 19mpg.

Francisco Elson- C
3.4ppg, 3.9rpg, 50%FG
A lanky 7-footer who can run the floor and hit an open 15-footer, Elson makes a contribution at the defensive end because he can guard the pick-and-roll and will give up his body, and despite his thin frame he's a decent rebounder. His build gives him some trouble in post defense and is an equal liability at the offensive end since he can't get deep position on the blocks.
________________________________________________

Lindsey Hunter- PG/SG
2.6ppg, 1.3apg
Tough defensive player... Good shooter... Not a brilliant playmaker... Still in very good physical shape.

Steve Novak- PF
6.0ppg, 1.8rpg, 44%FG, 42%3FG
Outstanding shooter with good size

Joey Graham- SG
7.7ppg, 3.6rpg, 48%FG,
aham's offense is heavily dependent of midrange jumpers, as he lacks the creativity to get to the rim and doesn't move well enough without the ball to create easy baskets.

This team has a bit of everything.  I feel that our strong defense will lead to many fat breaks and lots of transition scoring.  Bynum and Okafor will block their share of shots and grab rebounds, while have good post skills as well. 

Melo speaks for himself, he's an elite scorer and a force to be reckoned with.

Ronnie Brewer, is a stud defender, he gets his steals, and is awesome at driving the hoop.

Baron Davis, is a larger guard who can post up smaller players, and he can hit his share of 3's, and can be a great team leader when put in a good situation. Which we feel this team is.


As for our bench Anthony Parker and Joe Smith are savy veterans who will do what is necessary to help a team succeed.  Parker has a fantastic shot, and shoots at a very high clip on his jump shots.  Joe Smith can step back and hit his share of jump shots too.  Parker is also another great defender where he can fill in at the 2 and sometimes spell Melo at the 3.

Balkman is an energy guy who can create turnovers on the defensive end.  He can play the 4 as well if the team decides to go small.

Pargo can light it up when he is on.  He may not be the best back up PG but he can play it if needed.  If not Solomon can take some minutes at the backup 1 if he can beat of Lindsey Hunter who can make his share of shots and is a pesky defender as well, especially hounding players as they bring the ball up.

At backup PF we have two similar players in Steve Novak and Tim Thomas.  Both are deadly shooters from 3 land.  As of now Thomas will get the nod as he is a better defender and is more a veteran.  With the players we have around him committing to defense we fell he will too.

Elson is a serviceable backup center who can put in a few minutes a game, or put in to foul some opposing bigs.

We love how the team can play some tough defense which will lead to many transition and fast break points.

Rough Minutes break down for the regular season:
Andrew Bynum: 33
Emeka Okafor: 34
Carmelo Anthony: 36
Ronnie Brewer: 32
Baron Davis: 32
Anthony Parker: 17
Jannero Pargo: 17
Joe Smith: 13
Renaldo Balkman: 9
Tim Thomas: 7
Francisco Elson: 5
Will Solomon: 5

My Draft philsophy was at first with the 4th overall pick to go young with Durant.  However, my second best move I felt was moving down from the 4th pick to the 9th pick overall, so I could select a superduperstar and pick up some additional picks this changed my philosophy to contend now. No this was a good move to help the rest of my team out, but based on how the draft went, I missed out on Chris Paul due to a missed pick.  I'm still very happy with my selection of Melo though.  Another great move which I think helped both teams was my trade with the Orlando Magic, that sent out Jason Richardson and picks for Emeka Okafor and picks.  This helped me get a nice defensive PF.

My outlook on this coming season is we will be contending and think we are definitely one of the top teams in the league and can contend with anybody.

I am ready to hear all incoming questions.

[Rondo2287]

Toronto Raptors Roster
PG:Miller   35 Minutes
SG:Garcia  30 Minutes
SF:Artest   35 Minutes
PF:Garnett 30 Minutes
C:Camby  30 Minutes
6th Man:Big Z 25 Minutes
Bench
Finley      18 Minutes
Warrick   15 Minutes
Barea   13 Minutes
Belinelli   9 minutes
Maynor  Garbage Time
Griffin   Garbage Time

How the Rotation will work- I feel as though my starters will definitely be able to play the allotted minutes throughout the year.  They have all played this many minutes or more in their past years.  Big Z will be my first guy off the bench and if he comes in because Garnett is in foul trouble or something similar, Camby will then slide over and play the PF position. 

One of the greatest luxuries that my team has is being able to play two key guys at two positions.  Finley can play both the SG and SF position and Warrick can play both the PF and SF position if the matchups call for it.  This versatility gives us the ability to match up favorably against most teams.  Also I am very excited that we are able to give an aging Finley a reduced minute load.  He is a veteran who is getting up there in years and started the majority of the games last year for the Spurs.  We plan on using him about 18 minutes a game but using him in big spots because of his experience and ability to hit the big shots. 

Barea and Belinelli will play roles on in our rotation as well but they will be more controlled rolls.  We know that Barea played about 20 minutes a game last year but that was because he was backing up Jason Kidd who needed more rest, we believe that with Miller playing 35 minutes we can use Barea in the remaining minutes filled by Miller and then Maynor will play the point in garbage time or emergencies.  Belinelli will be in a limited roll until he can improve his defense and prove to the team that he is worthy of more playing time.  We love his shooting but also have the luxury of not needing him to play a great amount of minutes. 

Stats
                                 
Miller:   16.3 PPG   4.5 RPG  6.5 APG   1.5 SPG 
Garcia:  12.7 PPG   3.4 RPG  2.3 APG   1.2 SPG
Artest:  17.1 PPG   5.2 RPG  3.3 APG   1.5 SPG
Garnett:  15.8 PPG 8.5RPG  2.5 APG   1.1 SPG 1.2 BPG
Camby: 10.3PPG   11.1RPG  2.0APG   .8  SPG  2.1 BPG
Big Z:    12.9 PPG   7.5 RPG   1.0 APG   .4 SPG  1.3 BPG
Warrick:   11.6 PPG   5.0 RPG   .8   APG    .6 SPG
Finley:  9.7 PPG     3.3 RPG   1.4 APG   .5 SPG
Belinelli: 8.9 PPG   1.7 RPG  2.1 APG   .9 SPG
Barea: 7.8 PPG   2.2 RPG   3.4 APG   .5 SPG
Maynor(VCU STATS):  22.4 PPG  3.6 RPG  6.4 APG  1.7SPG
Griffin (OKU Stats) : 9.6 PPG   5.8 RPG  1.3 APG  1.3 SPG

Key Players

PG:
Andre Miller is without question one of the better point guards in the league.  This is evident by the number of offers we have received on him from other teams.  We really like his distribution and rebounding abilities, and his scoring is just a bonus.  He will be running the team and will be pleasently surprised to have good scoring options around him after the past couple years in Philly. 

SG:
Obviously this is our weakest position but my hands were tied when it came to drafting because of the Arenas move.  We drafted Brooks in the 5th round and then moved arenas and needed a 2 guard. 

Garcia: We went out and picked up a guy that shoots the three ball well, is athletic at getting to the bucket and plays solid defense.  Hes not a start but is exactly what we needed here

SF:
Artest: I think we all know the deal on this guy, elite defender, decent scorer and passer.  One of the big criticisms we heard was that our problem would be when Ron trys to score too much himself.  We believe that having great passers and facilitators at the PG and PF positions will benifit Ron greatly, he wont have to force to create his own shot and on most occasions it will be created for him. 
Pf:
Kevin Garnett: Not sure what exactly I can say about this guy that everybody on this board doesnt already know.  I guess the only thing that we ask voters to consider is that we expect him as one of the main go to guys on this offense to average closer to 20 points a game on this team as well as get his Assists back up to around the 4-5 per game mark. 

C:
Marcus Camby:  People have been saying that his defense is overrated and thats a respectable opinion.  What I want people to consider is how many rebounds per game do you think are going to be available when KG, Ron, and Afflalo are forcing thier players into bad shots.  Also its always been said that a team needs to commit to defense in order for it to work.  He has always been the guy doing it on his own and putting up the great block numbers as a result.  But imagine that shot blocker as part of a defensive system that is dedicated to playing great defense 100 percent of the time.  I am not saying he is going to return to his 20 year old form, but I do think that he will have a very effective and somewhat reguvinated year playing in this defensive system

Key Rotations

Big Z:  Towards the end of the year Big Z was looking older and that is a fact.  What people dont consider is that who doesnt look old trying to cover Dwight Howard.  The other facts are that the guy averaged 13 points and 7.5 rebounds this year.  He is still a very effective Center in this league and will embrace the backup role for the very reason that he is getting older.  We feel that his Jumpshot game will be a great compliment to KG's.  We are using similar logic to the, "Who does Shaq cover away from the basket, Rasheed or KG?" argument that we have seen  on this board so many times.  This isnt targeted at shaq in this case, but also some of the bigger (fatter) centers that Camby may not match up with so favorably.
Finley: This guy is the Wiley Vet on our team.  He started 71 games for the spurs last year however we dont plan on wearing down the tires on him that much.  He brings championship experience and solid team play.  We love that he is going to come from the Spurs tough D system and think he will be a solid player for us as well as mentor too our shooting guards.  He will be splitting time between the back up 2 and 3 this year for us where matchups permit. 

Drafting Philosophy
My Drafting Philosophy was to build a team that is meant to win now.  I believe that I have done that.  With my first pick I drafted Kevin Garnett because I believe that he can be a team leader, the cornerstone of a championship Defense as well as an offensive threat.  Once Garnett was in place I decided I really wanted to draft for Defense because I thought it would be something most other teams would overlook in their quests for PPG and 3pt%.  I really wanted to draft Artest with my second pick but he was scooped up before I had an opportunity, I then selected Gilbert Arenas which proved to be a huge mistake.  Thankfully I was able to move Gilbert and trade for Artest.  Camby was the guy that I really wanted as my starting center and I was able to pick him up in the third round. 
The Biggest problem I had with my Draft was when I traded Gilbert Arenas.  I traded Gilbert for  Miller, but in the previous round had selected a PG with the intent of starting Arenas at the 2 guard.  This put me in the whole when it came to having a quality starting SG.  I had a couple of good young players and a solid vet that could all fill the spot, but I was constantly reminded that SG was my weak point.  I ended up making a move to fill the spot with Garcia who is a player that I have liked for a long time. 

Toughest Decision
My toughest decision throughout the draft came when I made the deal to acquire Francisco Garcia.  The problem with the deal is that I believe I definitely overpaid for Garcia, but I was dealing from a position of strength.  Moving both Varejao and Afflalo was for Garcia was more than I wanted to pay but I knew if I didn’t make this move, SG would constantly be a question for my team throughout the process.  So I had to decide, should I have arguably the best frontcourt in the league, and a young unproven SG or downgrade my depth up front to solidify the SG position.  Obviously I decided to trade for Garcia and believe this was the correct decision because even though I think Afflalo could have been very serviceable for my team this year, if nobody else share d my opinion he didn’t do me any good. 

Best Move
The best move I made was trading for Ron Artest.  I ended up trading Josh Howard and picks for Artest.   Before this move, my roster was Gilbert, KG, Howard, and Camby.  Howard and Gilbert didn’t really fit, but I was able to move Howard to bring in an All Star and third Defensive Player of the year. 

Worst Move
Since I already said that Gilbert was a really bad mistake, I’ll go with another move here for worst move.  I would say my worst move was antagonizing so many people in the league.  I mean sure I had fun, and I think some of them enjoyed the playful taunting and back and forth but some also don’t really care for me as a result and I think this will probably hurt me in the voting. 

Outlook
My outlook for the season is to hopefully win the Atlantic Division.  Even if the voting doesn’t go my way, I am confident that my team can win any playoff series.  I believe that with my teams defense, we should be a favorite in any series.  Especially due to our half court offensive style and with guys that have solid playoff experience including, Artest, Garnett, Miller, Finley, Camby, and Big Z. And some of our untested guys have had solid NBA experience and college championship experience.

[Rondo2287]

So what time is this thing supposed to start?

[Roy Hobbs]

So what time is this thing supposed to start?

The Atlantic conferences go from midnight last night to midnight tonight.

I'll be asking some questions a little later in the morning (hopefully after the other GMs weigh in.)

[Rondo2287]

does somebody have NY's Press conference opener, I assume he wont be here to answer questions

[Kwhit10]

does somebody have NY's Press conference opener, I assume he wont be here to answer questions

He hasn't been online since last year, I also don't think he posted a press conference last year as well.

[Rondo2287]

Well Philly your release looks very professional with pics and everything, TP

[Kwhit10]

Well Philly your release looks very professional with pics and everything, TP

Thanks, a lot of people will be doing this.

[nickagneta]

To Knicks ownership: As the New York Knicks apparently have a GM that appears to be a general manager who does not make his own picks, does not appear to show up at league mandated press conferences, does not make trades, does not sign free agents and does not cut players, how is it that he still has a job?

Is his protracted absence and lack of anything resembling a proper work ethic in the CBNBA really in the best interest of the New York Knicks, the CBNBA, and the fans of New York and CB basketball around the world?

I understand being a brother of a powerful CBNBA Mod board member has its advantages, but in the future is it possible that his job will be in jeopardy if New York does not make the playoffs?

[nickagneta]

My compliments to the Public Relations Director and the Philadelphia 76ers sports information personnel on an outstanding press release. The Philadelphia scouting department also appears to have a great handle on their teams and players strengths and weaknesses.

[Kwhit10]

My compliments to the Public Relations Director and the Philadelphia 76ers sports information personnel on an outstanding press release. The Philadelphia scouting department also appears to have a great handle on their teams and players strengths and weaknesses.

Having John Hollinger and other NBA websites on your scouting team has it's benefits. 

[KCattheStripe]

I really like the look of the Philadelphia 76ers, but I have one question. Are you worried that neither Bynum and Okafor will be ineffective without a big who can space the floor ( Pau and Diaw). Bynum and Okafor are both good low post players and may get in one anothers way offensively. Also, are you worried this might hinder your excellent driving guard's ability to get to the basket?

[GaBerkowitz]

also, Philly your team seems to have a real dearth of outside shooting.  I don't really think of any of you starters as being really efficient outside shooters.  does that concern you at all?

[Roy Hobbs]

Questions for Philly:

1) I've asked this before, but for the benefit of folks who haven't seen your response, how do you prevent teams from collapsing their defense on you when you have two close-to-the-basket bigs, and only one shooter from the outside who stretches the floor? 

2)  Many people are concerned about Bynum's health.  How do you answer those worries?

3)  How do you match up against the other teams in your division?

Questions for Toronto:

1) Can you address concerns that you don't have a "go to scorer"?

2) What was your pre-draft strategy?  At one point, you had the third pick in the draft.  You also held, at different points, the 16th, 19th, 25th, and 26th pick in the first round.  Do you think you're in a better position now than if you'd chosen CP3, while perhaps surrounding him with another star? 

3)   How do you match up against the other teams in your division?