http://espn.go.com/sportsnation/chat/_/id/50741/nba-insider-chad-fordQ: You have Exum going to the Jazz at 5 as a "no brainer" decision for them. But he won't work out for them, and they just took Trey Burke. What are the odds he falls to Boston?
Chad Ford
Exum is a better prospect than Burke. Burke is undersized for the position while Exum is huge for a PG. They also can play together on the floor. A few years ago the Blazers traded away the No. 3 pick to Utah (with both Chris Paul and Deron Williams on the board) because they had a small, young point guard namerd Sebastian Telfair that they liked. How did that work out for them? I think the Jazz would be crazy to pass on Exum just because they had Burke. Burke would be a mid first round pick in this draft.
Q: Why is Stauskas working out for only 4 teams: Hornets, Celtics, Lakers and Suns? Is his stock really that high?
Chad Ford - Partly. But also because he sprained his shoulder and had to postpone workouts last week that he's not rescheduling. Most agents prefer that their players just do a couple of workouts a week if they can get away with it. Allows them to be fresh and at their vey best. If his agent isn't confident that those four teams will take him, he can always schedule another workout or two the week of the draft.
Q: You (and others) are pushing Smart as an option for the Celtics; if Smart is there for the C's and they take him, that presumably means they're moving Rondo, right? At least Exum can be slotted at 2, but Smart is 1 or bust, right?
Chad Ford - No. In fact a surprising number of GMS see Smart more as a 2 than a 1. He can play both positions. I think Aaron Gordon may be ahead of Smart on their board right now. But he is in
Q: Hi Chad. What do you think the chances are of the Sixers moving up from 10? Wouldn't a swap of Thad/10th pick to the Lakers for Nash's Contract/7th pick make a lot of sense for both sides?
Chad Ford -Yes. I think this might be a good scenario for the Sixers. Allows them to add an elite power forward at 7 (one of Randle, Gordon or Vonleh should be on the board at 7) and gives the Lakers a player who can impact the game right away along with another pick. If the Sixers can't get the Cavs to bit on Young + 10 for No. 1, then this might be a very good option for them. Ditto for the Celtics at No. 6.
Q: Kristaps Porzingis. Has he passed Saric on most teams boards? What is his ceiling?
Chad Ford - No. Saric is ahead of him. But he's not far behind. I think he's the third international player to go after Exum and Saric and could go as high as 12 to the Magic. The Suns are looking at 14. The Hawks at 15. The Celtics are also fans at 17. I don't think he slides past the Thunder at 21. He's got a ton of potential, but he's a major work in progress. He lacks the strength or experience to play right away. But then again, we said that about Giannis Antetokounmpo last year.
Q: At this point, how many top ten picks do you think will be traded?
Chad Ford- At least 2. Celtics, Lakers, Kings are the top 3 candidates.
[Next Q I included for idea that CHI is looking to trade 2 mid-round picks that have been projected to be necessary for Love trade]
Q: How serious are the talks between the Bulls and Nuggets? Are there any other teams the Bulls are talking to?
Chad Ford - The Bulls are trying to get up into the mid to late lottery by pairing the 16th and 19th picks. They really want a lights out shooter to pair with Derrick Rose -- think Nik Stauskas or Gary Harris.The Nuggets offer a good opportunity. I'm not sure they could get higher than that. Not sure if Denver will pull the trigger however. The team already has 12 roster spots filled.
[Next Q I included for poster who thought PHI?s 5 2nd rounders could get them into the lottery]
Q: How high could the Suns move up if they package all 3 of their first round picks?
Chad Ford - Maybe 11 to Denver. All 3 of those picks won't buy them much.
Topic: Celtics Questions from Chad Ford's chat today (Read 6379 times)