getting ready for the draft

Still trying to decide if it’s worth going out for dinner in this rain.

The NBA draft is just over two hours away. I think everyone expects Cleveland to take Kyrie Irving #1, but what about at #4? ESPN was reporting that Lithuanian center Jonas Valanciunas, age 19, may be their choice. The story said the Cavs think he’ll be as good as Pau Gasol. (If so, then they ought to take him.)

It might not seem like the Bulls will do anything tonight, but they do need a better shooting guard to team up with Rose in the backcourt, and maybe they’ll put together a trade tonight. Draft night is always great for trades.

It was unbelievably fantastic when Portland passed on Michel Jordan in 1984 and he fell to Chicago at #3. They thought they were already covered at that position with Clyde Drexler. Imagine how NBA history would have changed if Portland had taken Jordan. (I’m giving Houston a pass for taking Olajuwon. Respectable choice, and he was the tallest star player available and played for the University of Houston. Can’t blame them.)

But an even more exciting draft for the Bulls was when they picked up both Pippen and Grant in 1987.