The draft is finally upon us. With only a few hours left til David Stern walks to the podium beneath Madison Square Garden, draftniks are in denial. Trades are coming hot and heavy, rumors even heavier. Execs and scouts are spending 12 to 15 hours in their respective warrooms...catering bills are climbing, carbs mounting. But they're sticking to the order, no matter how outdated it is and certainly will be.
Still, The Nets have had their discussions, with the list reportedly topped by Eric Gordon of Indiana and Danilo Gallinari of Italy. Brook Lopez is also ranked high, as is Jerryd Bayless and then there is the unrequited Love.
A survey of 15 mock drafts--out of the more than 100 on the web--shows that Gallinari of AJ Milano is firmly in the top spot for the Nets' first pick at #10, with eight of the 15 putting him at that spot. Two of the top four mocks--Draft Express, NBADraft.net, ESPN and Sports Illustrated--have the Nets taking Gallinari.
At #21, it's JaVale McGee of Nevada with three mentions. There's a consensus at #40...Joey Dorsey of Memphis getting three votes out of the nine that project second rounders.
Here are the latest picks...as of Thursday morning.
10 - Eric Gordon
21 - JaVale McGee
40 - Jamont Gordon
10 - Danilo Gallinari
21 - JaVale McGee
40 - Damjan Rudez
10 - D.J. Augustin
21 - Ryan Anderson
40 - Joey Dorsey
10 - Danilo Gallinari
21 - DeAndre Jordan
40 - N/A
10 - Danilo Gallinari
21 - Robin Lopez
40 - Jamont Gordon
10 - Danilo Gallinari
21 - J.J. Hickson
40 - Joe Crawford
10 - Russell Westbrook
21 - J.J. Hickson
40 - N/A
Hoopsworld
10 - Danilo Gallinari
21 - JaVale McGee
40 - Joey Dorsey
10 - Danilo Gallinari
21 - Mario Chalmers
40 - Nikola Pekovic
10 - Danilo Gallinari
21 - Alexis Ajinca
40 - N/A
10 - Anthony Randolph
21 - DeAndre Jordan
40 - Joey Dorsey
10 - Joe Alexander
21 - Robin Lopez
40 - N/A
10 - Danilo Gallinari
21 - Brandon Rush
40 - Richard Hendrix
10 - Anthony Randolph
21 - Nicholas Batum
40 - N/A
10 - Brook Lopez
21 - Donte Greene
40 - N/A