"We don't want to get too high and mighty," O'Neal said. "Job's not done yet." Yeah Shaq, no kidding…How did the Pistons win Game 5?The Heat shot 6-20 from the line…if they shoot their regular 70% they get 16-20 and finish the game with 86 points making the 91-78 final score a lot closer at 91-86…that’s all you need to know…Oh and Tayshaun Prince is all of a sudden the best player on the Pistons who scored a career playoff-high 29 points on 11-for-17 shooting covering for poor shooting performances from Chauncey Billups, who scored 11 of his 17 points from the line and shot just 3-for-12 from the field, only slightly worse percentage-wise than Richard Hamilton's 7-for-21…

Wow…University of Miami PG Guillermo Diaz cleared 42 inches with no step and over 48 inches on the one-step vertical test respectively…read that again…48 freakin’ inches with 1 step…Wow…

This is too funny http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=snibbe/060531

Ouch…Michigan State SG Shannon Brown measured out at closer to 6’1” instead of the 6’4” he was listed at MSU in a workout in Philly yesterday…

1) Mike Kahn of FOXSports.com reports the Pistons have survived for now:

We knew the Detroit Pistons weren't about to go down without kicking and screaming. They've already done that, and mostly at each other, the coaching staff and the game officials. Wednesday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills, they actually decided to throw one more haymaker of "Dee-troit basketball" at the Miami Heat. Playing with their best defensive energy of the Eastern Conference finals, the Pistons showed all the urgency of impending last rights as they out-quicked, out-smarted and certainly out-shot the Heat on the way to a 91-78 victory Wednesday night. The win cuts the Heat advantage to 3-2, with Game 6 slated for Friday night back in Miami at American Airlines Arena. Chauncey Billups finally showed all the toughness and leadership he had previously shown the past two seasons when the Pistons won the East, scoring 17 points, doling out 10 assists and grabbing five rebounds. And the recipient of so many of those assists was the versatile Tayshaun Prince, who was scoring from all over the floor. And although Rip Hamilton had yet another rough shooting night (7-of-21), he did add 10 rebounds to go with those 16 points, and Antonio McDyess was huge coming off the bench with 12 points and six rebounds. But really, it was more about demeanor than anything else. With Ben Wallace setting the tone by going aggressive after Shaquille O'Neal, the Pistons were back to grabbing all the loose balls, long rebounds and consequently shot more free throws for only the second time in the series. At one point, Wallace actually blocked an O'Neal shot so clean and strong, the 325-pound, 7-footer went down hard onto the hardwood as the officials signaled jump ball. Although Wallace's eight points, seven rebounds, three blocks and a steal were hardly eye-popping, his attitude was back. It prevented O'Neal from ever really getting into an offensive rhythm, despite 19 points, six rebounds and three blocks, and for the first time all series, Dwyane Wade didn't reach double-figures in the fourth quarter. He still finished with 23 points on 11-of-20 shots, but he didn't just take control of this game and leave everybody in the dust. Wade had averaged 10.5 in the fourth quarter of the first four games, but managed only one field goal the final nine minutes-plus of this game. Besides the overt aggressiveness in the Pistons, the Heat were frighteningly bad from the free throw line, making just 6-of-20 ... 30 percent compared to the 23-of-26 for the Pistons. And yet, the Heat were still sticking around in the fourth quarter, within five midway through. But McDyess scored eight in the final period, Billups continued getting to the free throw line, and Prince added five more. The good news was the trademark energy was back, led by Big Ben. The diehards say the Pistons came back from 3-2 last year against the Heat and won the clincher in Miami. Well, the Pistons are headed back to the AAA with their backs pinned into a corner. Something seems to indicate that it won't matter this time around. It's hard to fathom O'Neal and Wade not ready to take them out swiftly and cleanly in the first half before the Pistons get delusional and start believing they are back in the series. Unless, of course, they do win Game 6 and prove they really are.

The stud - Pistons forward Tayshaun Prince came out ready to light up the Palace and did just that with 29 points on 11-of-17 from the field, with seven rebounds, three assists and a block. But that's not to minimize the leadership of point guard Chauncey Billups, who contributed 17 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.

The dud - The Heat bench of James Posey, Alonzo Mourning and Gary Payton was 3-for-9 from the field and 3-for-8 from the free throw line with 10 points, nine rebounds and eight fouls. They need a lot more than that to win at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

The quote - "We can't ask for better shots," Heat guard Dwyane Wade said. "They came out the way we knew they would come out, with a lot of energy. We took their first few punches. They played hard. They beat us to a lot of loose balls. They played like a desperate team."

This and that - Not that anyone doubted him, but Suns swingman Raja Bell made it official Wednesday afternoon that he will play in Thursday night's Game 5 in Dallas. Leaving Game 1 in the fourth quarter with a tear in his left calf, Bell made a surprise return in Game 4, responded with nine points, four rebounds, three assists and untold levels of defensive energy that lifted the entire team. As if the Mavericks didn't have enough problems with their 20-point loss at Phoenix Tuesday — only the third loss all season of 20 or more points — Cassandra Johnson, wife of coach Avery Johnson got into a fracas with a couple of fans she believed were standing too often and inhibiting her view. Reports have witnesses saying she took a couple of swings at the woman and actually made contact with the man, then sought out security. The couple filed a misdemeanor assault charge against Mrs. Johnson. In the process, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, Mavs director of security Jim Colleran, strength and conditioning coach Bob Hackett and reserve center D.J. Mbenga also entered the stands — which could prompt consequences from the league pending investigation. Interesting how Suns owner Robert Sarver responded to questioning from the East Valley Tribune regarding the prospect of championship rings and whether or not the team would include Bryant Colangelo, the former president who left the organization in February for the same job but with more money and security with the Toronto Raptors. Colangelo had been involved in the organization, hiring, signing, drafting and trading for virtually every member of the staff. At halftime of Game 4, Sarver told the Tribune: "It seems to me that the people that are with the team when they win the title, those are the people who win and get the rings. I'd have to think it through. I might have to talk to his dad (Jerry Colangelo) about it. But for my perspective, Bryan doesn't work for the organization, so it wouldn't seem to make sense." Actually, any conversation about rings at this point is ridiculous. Sarver should have been savvy enough to respectfully decline to discuss the matter because it very well could be moot anyway. With 2:11 left in the first quarter of the Heat-Pistons Game 5 Wednesday night, Tayshaun Prince finished a slamdunk for the Pistons when he inadvertently swung his legs and bumped Heat center Alonzo Mourning, who responded by shoving Prince while he was still hanging on the rim. Mourning and Rasheed Wallace were pointing fingers, but cooler heads prevailed and no technical fouls were issued.

The statbook - The Heat were took 47 free throws in Game 4, making 28 compared to 12-of-22 for the Pistons. Wednesday night, the Heat attempted sank but a horrific 6-of-20 (.300) from the line, while the Pistons were 23-of-26 (.885), led by Chauncey Billups, who sank all 11 of his attempts. ... The Heat had 30 points in the paint in the first half alone after averaging 28.5 points in the paint in the first four full games. The Heat tightened up in the second half and they finished with 36. ... The Pistons missed their first 10 shots from 3-point range before Tayshaun Prince drained one from long range with 1:42 remaining in the third quarter. They finished 2-of-15. Not only was Tuesday's game the first time in 42 games — Feb. 21 — that Mavs All-Star Dirk Nowitzki failed to reach 20 points, his 3-for-13 and 11 points marked the first time since Dec. 1 that he had been held to three field goals. Fourteen points (twice) marked his low point total since the outset of the regular season until Tuesday. ... Suns guard Leandro Barbosa was 4-of-22 from field in the first two games of the series, averaging 5.5 points; in the second two games, he's been 16-of-27 and scoring at a 20.5 clip. ... Tim Thomas had a series low five points for the Suns in Game 4, averaging 9.5 points in Games 3 and 4 after averaging 18.5 points in Games 1 and 2. In Kurt Thomas' first action for the Suns since fracturing his right foot on Feb. 25, he played nearly six minutes with one point, one rebounds and two fouls. .

2) Chad Ford of ESPN.com with more pre-draft drivel:

Energy, shooting will boost Brown

CHICAGO -- On my way out of town, I got a chance to catch up with former Illinois guard Dee Brown. Brown is a favorite of NBA scouts because of his heart, leadership abilities and basketball skills. But is he an NBA player? He is 5-10, is more a scorer than a point guard and shot a miserable 35 percent from the field this season. None of that has NBA player written on it. Despite Brown's limitations, he impressed the Grizzlies at a workout in Memphis and also wowed the Raptors staff at a workout in Toronto. With the exception of his first workout with the Lakers (where Brown struggled against Juan Jose Barea, another little engine that could), Brown has generated a significant amount of draft buzz. Why? A few things were evident in his workout. First, despite his abysmal shooting numbers this year, he's actually a good shooter. He shot 43 percent from 3-point land his sophomore year and an impressive 49 percent from the field. He showed his shooting stroke in the workout, sinking shots effortlessly from everywhere on the floor. It was 10 minutes into the workout before he missed his first shot. So why did he shoot so poorly at Illinois last year? I think defenses focused on Brown, and he lacked the size to get great shots. As a role player in the NBA, he should be able to knock down an open jumper if the defense gives it to him. The second quality in his favor is his motor, which runs nonstop. When Tim Grover would call time out for a water break, Brown would start running laps while everyone else stopped to rest. He never stopped moving in the two-hour workout. Third, he's a leader. Brown is vocal on the court, encourages his teammates and really ramps up the energy in the gym. That workout was the fastest paced, most intense workout I saw all week. Everyone benefited from Brown's presence. After the workout, Brown ran five more laps and then got Gatorade for all of his teammates. He's going to be a great locker room guy. Brown's limitations are pretty clear. He's always going to be undersized. And despite his solid point guard play this year at Illinois, he's going to fare better scoring the ball rather than distributing it. But given the dearth of quality point guards in the draft, Brown should have a great chance of landing with a team in the early second round. If Earl Boykins can make an NBA roster and a significant contribution on the floor, so can Brown. Other workout notes: Ronnie Brewer of Arkansas heads to Chicago this week to get in some training with Grover before a whirlwind workout tour after the Orlando camp. A number of teams are trying to schedule Brewer, but he's not going to have time to work out everywhere. He did have his first NBA workout on Tuesday in Houston against Rodney Carney and Marcus Vinicius. Brandon Roy was also scheduled to work out there but canceled. Given the Rockets' need for a two guard who can play defense and also swing to the point, Brewer could be a good fit in Houston. The only feedback I've gotten on the workout so far is from Hank Thomas, Brewer's agent. Thomas said the Rockets told him that Brewer was good, and played great defense, but tired out a little at the end -- understandable for a guy who's been working out with his Dad for the past few weeks trying to decide whether to go pro or not. Shannon Brown worked out in New York on Tuesday. Brown has been a Knicks' favorite this year so it should've been a big workout. I was told on Wednesday it wasn't his best, however. For his sake, I hope not. I've been writing for years that the biggest factor in a draft prospect's success has nothing to do with college pedigree, vertical leap or basketball IQ. It has to do with fit. If a prospect finds a team with a coach that likes him and can provide a little playing time and an offense that suits him, he's likely to thrive. If he doesn't, he better start ordering a passport. It's hard to believe any scenario where Brown would be a good fit in New York. The team is loaded with guards and has a coach, Larry Brown, who hates rookies. This is why Brown needs to hire an agent now. No way I'd send my client to work out for the Knicks. No way. The initial impression of Sergio Rodriguez in NBA workouts? He shot the ball very well and he tested quicker than what some scouts thought he would. However, his body and overall strength were below NBA standard. "He's just young, he'll get stronger with time," one NBA exec said who saw Rodriguez this week. "The real problem in a workout with Sergio is that he can't show off how well he runs the point. There's no real workout you can run a guy through that shows off court vision or basketball IQ. Sergio's got that." We all know draft prognostication isn't an exact science. Exhibit A: Tayshaun Prince, who scored 29 points in an elimination game against the Heat on Thursday. Prior to the 2002 NBA Draft, NBA GMs and scouts had Prince ranked as a bubble first-rounder despite a stellar career at Kentucky. Meanwhile, Duke's Mike Dunleavy was widely considered to be the No. 3 guy in the draft, behind only Yao Ming and Jay Williams. Today, the Warriors would love to unload Dunleavy while Prince has become the Pistons' go-to guy. Prince was longer, more athletic and a better defender. Dunleavy was considered a better shooter and passer but really was boosted by the fact that his dad was an NBA head coach. In retrospect, it was a silly reason for Dunleavy to be drafted 20 spots ahead of Prince. As I said, it's not an exact science.

Raptors have options, dilemmas

People around the league are still trying to figure out what the Raptors are up to. Are they drafting Andrea Bargnani? Are the really after UConn's Marcus Williams? Are they trading out of the draft altogether? The latest intel is all pretty inconclusive at the moment. The fact that GM Bryan Colangelo has sent his staff, including Wayne Embry, to Italy to watch Andrea Bargnani is significant. A source in Toronto claims that no one in the organization is as high on Bargnani as Colangelo is. In order to build a consensus on draft night, Colangelo wanted to make sure they had seen Bargnani enough to come to an educated decision. He probably should've sent forward Chris Bosh as well. Bosh publicly said last week that he didn't think the Raptors needed Bargnani and seemed to be campaigning for LaMarcus Aldridge, a fellow Texan and former workout partner. Personal ties, more than basketball, are probably influencing Bosh. Aldridge is actually much more similar to Bosh than Bargnani is. Still Bosh's complaint is significant. He's the one guy the Raptors don't want to tick off. If the Raptors did draft Bargnani, they could trade Charlie Villanueva (whose trade value is very high at the moment) for a player who plays the one or the five. Or they could decide to play a little like Phoenix and put Bosh at the five, Villanueva at the four and Bargnani at the three. The team would be long and athletic and could really score. Defensively they'd have some problems, but the league seems to be moving away from its obsession for bruising, physical centers. Another option for the Raptors is to trade down a few spots in the draft and grab a player who fits a need. Numerous sources around the league are saying the Raptors are very open to trading the pick. Bill Duffy, the agent for Williams, told me on Tuesday that Raptors loved Williams in his workout and had told him that Williams was in the mix at No. 5. The Raptors moved up to No. 1, and wouldn't consider taking Williams with the top pick. But if they swapped picks with a team like the Blazers, they could be in a position to draft him. Here's why I think that scenario is unlikely. While Williams is the best pure point guard in the draft, he has a number of question marks that make his selection by the Raptors doubtful. One, he went to Toronto out of shape. Duffy didn't deny that Williams was overweight, saying that Williams got a late jump on his draft training because of school obligations. Still, a point guard with a weight problem is the last thing a NBA coach or GM wants. Deron Williams overcame those objections last year by slimming down considerably before the draft. Marcus Williams, in contrast, put 15 pounds on top of his playing weight of 205. Two, his lack of athleticism is going to be troubling to a GM like Colangelo, who had speedy point guards during his tenure on the Suns. Williams has great court vision, but his lack of speed makes him a poor comparison to Jason Kidd or Steve Nash. Three, questions about Williams off the court, including those about his involvement in selling stolen laptops at UConn, have raised a red flag for NBA teams. I'm not piling criticism on Williams. I've had him ranked as the best or second-best point guard in the draft all year and believe he's got a chance to be an excellent NBA player. He has an amazing feel for the game. And unlike many of this year's other prospects, he's ready to play now. But all of those question marks, I believe, will hurt his draft stock a little. If the Raptors do trade down to No. 4 or No. 5, I'd still expect them to target Bargnani or Brandon Roy. Another scenario may be more plausible -- the Raptors could trade way down or out of the draft and grab a veteran player who could contribute immediately. Sources claim that Colangelo doesn't want to delay the rebuilding process any longer than he has to and would be open to trading the pick to a team willing to give the Raptors a veteran he covets. What makes some sense in this scenario? The Pacers seem to be a team that might have to rethink how they're going to play in the future. Would Larry Bird trade Jermaine O'Neal for the No. 1 pick, Villanueva and cap relief? The Grizzlies are another team that can't seem to get over the hump, and they are having financial difficulties. If the Raptors really want to go international, would the Grizzlies part with Pau Gasol for the No. 1 pick, Villanueva and cap relief? The Knicks are the other obvious suitors, though it's hard to believe anyone on their roster could help them pry the Raptors No. 1 pick away. It would probably take Channing Frye, the one guy the Knicks seem to want to hold onto. The Sixers are another team that would like to deal. Samuel Dalembert is on the block, and the Sixers likely would be willing to take back a player like Alvin Williams or Eric Williams, even if it meant swallowing a bad contract. The question is whether the Raptors would really take on Dalembert's huge salary ($55 million) for the next five years. One more Raptors note: Jay Williams' agent, Kevin Bradbury, told me that Williams will be in Toronto on Wednesday and Thursday working out for the Raptors. He'll then do a workout a week for select teams, trying to land a one-year guarantee on a roster. Williams has been rehabbing in Chicago all year and according to Bradbury is looking "100 percent better than he did last year."

Chicago report: Brown wows again

CHICAGO -- I spent Memorial Day weekend in Chicago watching prospects work out with Tim Grover at A.T.T.A.C.K. Athletics and at the gym formerly known as Hoops. Here's a look at four interesting prospects I checked out this weekend. (Previous Chicago report here.) Shannon Brown, Michigan State: Brown was considered a bubble first-round prospect when he entered the draft, but a series of stellar workouts have boosted his stock considerably. Brown wowed GMs and scouts from 18 NBA teams in a group workout in Chicago several weeks ago, and he's since garnered strong reviews in his workouts with the Pacers, Celtics and Nets. This week he'll be working out with the Knicks, 76ers and Bulls. The response has been so encouraging that Brown is leaning strongly toward staying in the draft. He told me on Monday that he wouldn't be playing in the pre-draft camp in Orlando this year, a sign that he believes he doesn't need to prove himself in Orlando. Why are teams suddenly so high on Brown? It wasn't hard to see why in his workouts on Monday. He is very strong for a guard, and his athleticism, big hands (even bigger than Rajon Rondo's) and intensity are other qualities that set him apart. Brown measured 6-3 in shoes with a 6-8½ wingspan. While that's a little undersized for a two guard, his long arms and athleticism make up the gap. On the court Brown does everything at full speed. Every drill, every move, every dunk is a total commitment. His shot has really improved over the past yeat. He improved his 3-point percentage to 39 percent last season, and he shot a career-high 47 percent from the field and an impressive 83 percent from the line. Sources in Chicago and Boston were impressed with his shooting in previous workouts, and he continued that streak on Monday. Both his midrange shot and his 3-pointer were falling with regularity.
Brown has excellent shot mechanics and gets a lot of lift on his jumper. In a drill Grover runs where players must shoot over huge foam dummies with nine-foot reaches, Brown was able to elevate and see over the "defender" to hit his jump shot. Few guards his size can duplicate that feat.

His most impressive quality is his explosive athleticism. On full-court drills, Brown finished every downcourt sprint with a spectacular high flying dunk. He gets off the floor very quickly, has great hangtime and finishes with power. His handle is probably his biggest weakness right now. While his ball-handling isn't awful, he bobbles the ball a lot, which is surprising for a guy that has enormous hands. That could pose some problems for Brown at the next level. Not only could it prevent him from playing the point, it could also hinder him from penetrating to the basket. I spoke with Shannon and his father a little after the workout and was impressed with both of them. Shannon's father is a police officer in suburban Chicago. He's been paying for all of Shannon's workouts out of his own pocket to protect his son's college eligibility -- an impressive feat given how little police officers are compensated. "I've always said that if Shannon put in the work, I'd make sure he had every opportunity," his father said. "Shannon's lived up to his end of the bargain, so I'm living up to mine." Brown said it wasn't easy growing up with a cop for a father. He had to live a disciplined life and his friends didn't always trust him. But Brown said it's paid off in the long run. "My father taught me that you got to sacrifice for what you love," Brown said. "I love basketball. Honest to goodness. I don't care where I play as long as I get a chance to play. I just love the game and want to get better. I've been working my whole life to get to this spot and I'm just excited to be here." Brown has an impressive set of tools that should make him an excellent NBA player. Given the new defensive rules that limit hand-checking, a player like Brown should be difficult to contain. If he can continue to hone his jump shot, he could become a big scorer in the league. His draft range right now is No. 14 to No. 26, but he's the type of player who will probably turn out better than the five to 10 guys taken immediately ahead of him in the draft. To put it another way: If he were two inches taller, he'd be a lock for the top 10. Paul Davis, Michigan State: Brown's Spartan teammate Paul Davis is also working out with Grover in Chicago. Davis has earned a little buzz from both the Raptors and Rockets after individual workouts. He played against Duke's Shelden Williams, UConn's Hilton Armstrong and UCLA's Ryan Collins. I saw Davis work out with Grover on Saturday. In his drills, he showed some impressive footwork in the paint and excellent range on his jump shot. Davis stepped back to the NBA 3-point line and drained roughly half of his shots -- not bad for a 6-10 guy. Scouts have worried a bit about Davis' lack of athleticism and explosiveness around the basket. But he was a little better than advertised. He moved well up and down the court and showed that he can get off the floor. Grover's conditioning and explosiveness training may have had something to do with Davis' improved showing. More troubling will be his overall size measurements. While Davis looks like he probably measure out as a legit 6-10 in shoes, he has fairly short arms, which will create problems for him in the paint. Davis said that the feedback he's gotten in workouts is that teams are looking at him as a pick-and-pop four and have focused workouts on his 18-foot jump shot. To increase his chances of moving into the first round, Davis might want to think about taking his girlfriend, Diana Rosebush, along for workouts. Rosebush is a model who was recently voted the winner of FHM's monthly "Hometown Honey" pinup contest. When she walked in the gym, the reaction she received reminded me of the scene in "Rocky 3" where Apollo Creed takes Rocky into the grimy gym in East L.A. and everyone stops what they're doing and stares. Look for Davis to land somewhere in the late first round or early second round. James Augustine, PF, Illinois: Augustine was under the radar during his four years at Illinois. Last season was his best statistically, and he put up 19 points and 8 rebounds in his last game. But Augustine's contributions at Illinois were never measured in the stat sheet. Augustine is a Red Bull big man who runs the floor like a small forward. He is very athletic, and explosive off the floor. He looks like he's a legit 6-10, with long arms. He's a junk player, not the kind of guy coaches run plays for, but Augustine finds ways to get involved. He dives for loose balls and will compete against anyone. What surprised me on Monday was his jump shot. Augustine was stroking shots from the NBA 3-point line -- and this was a guy who attempted a total of two college 3s last season. Scouts started warming to Augustine toward the end of the season, and a solid workout in front of 18 teams in Chicago and workouts with the Raptors, Clippers, Warriors, Kings and Blazers now have him as a bubble first-rounder. He's got workouts scheduled with the Grizzlies, Cavs and Rockets this week, and then he'll play in the pre-draft camp in Orlando. Augustine is one of those hustle guys, like Florida's David Lee last season, who could surprise people in the camp and perhaps sneak into the first round. There aren't a lot of top-quality big guys in this draft, and given Augustine's intangibles, he should be a guy coaches like. Chris Quinn, Notre Dame: He looks like he just finished the ninth grade, but on the court Quinn has proven his looks are deceptive. Quinn had a fantastic senior season at Notre Dame and made first-team Big East along with guys like Rudy Gay, Randy Foye and Allan Ray. That's not bad company. Quinn is a dead-eye shooter from long range and a great ball handler, and he knows how to find a nice balance between running a team and finding his own shot. Quinn's strong follow-up performance at the Portsmouth Invitational earned him another shot at the pre-draft camp in Orlando. He's measuring a 6-2 in shoes, and he's a better athlete than generally thought. While Quinn's shot was not falling with any regularity on Monday, that's the least of scouts' worries. He proved at Notre Dame he's a big-time shooter. So what's the problem? To handle big minutes in the NBA, Quinn is going to have to get much stronger physically. He's going to need a strong performance in Orlando to move into the second round. However, given the dearth of point guards in the draft, he's got a shot.

Why players are skipping school- With the revelations that underclassmen Cedric Simmons and Ronnie Brewer have hired agents and are staying in the draft, the pool of college underclassmen still pondering whether to stay or return to school is getting pretty shallow. Patrick O'Bryant, Shawne Williams, Quincy Douby, Alexander Johnson, Will Blalock and P.J. Tucker also announced recently that they are in the draft for good.
Several other top underclassmen, including Shannon Brown, Kyle Lowry and Jordan Farmar, are leaning heavily toward staying in the draft and could announce their intentions shortly. Daniel Gibson, Aaron Gray and Aaron Afflalo are also leaning toward staying in. Is anyone going back to school? Why has there been such a rush to hire agents so early in the process? A couple of reasons:

One, players are finding that the new NCAA rules on keeping your draft eligibility are too stringent. Players are now forced to pay for any workout expenses up front. In the past, they could reimburse teams for expenses after the fact. Players are also finding, in the wake of the Randolph Morris scandal last year, which arose over the question of whether he had hired an agent, that it's almost impossible to simply have an advisor for the draft anymore. The rules create a lot of chaos, because players need agents to gather information for them from teams on the draft, workouts, and the like -- and yet hiring an agent ends a player's college eligibility. So, a player like Brewer or Simmons, before hiring an agent, had almost no ability to get the type of training and prep he needed to work out well, and he was cut off from getting detailed information from teams. While college coaches can fill that role, they are often biased about wanting players to return. Two, this is one of the weakest drafts in recent memory. Players will go 15 to 20 places higher in some cases than they normally would. That's a great incentive to be in the draft this year. Next year's draft, on paper, looks like one of the best ever. We could name 10 guys who would be ranked ahead of the top four or five prospects in this draft.
No one wants to go back to school, have a great year, and slip 10 or so places in the draft. And those 10 spots could be the difference between success and failure. So for some, it's literally now or never.


4) Brad Rock of the Deseret Morning News is signing my tune:

Time to give A.D. his due respect

In spite of missing the playoffs — or rather because of it — the Utah Jazz have considerable offseason business. First is to decide whom to choose in the draft with the 14th pick. Then, through drafting, trading or signing free agents, they need to meet their goal of finding a reliable shooting guard. They also must get some help in the middle, improve Andrei Kirilenko's jump shot and nudge C.J. Miles from summer league favorite to regular-season contributor. Somewhere amid all the planning, though, they should also take time to schedule a night to retire Adrian Dantley's number. Before someone launches a congressional investigation. It's time to give A.D. — sullen and selfish though he might have been — his due. The mystery of Dantley's situation has been around for 15 years since he retired. In spite of a career that spanned 14 seasons — half of them in Utah — and a 24-point scoring average, his number (4) doesn't hang in the rafters of the Delta Center. It's all rather strange, considering Darrell Griffith's, Mark Eaton's and Jeff Hornacek's numbers are already there. They have only two All-Star appearances among them, and Hornacek's lone invitation came when he was playing in Phoenix. Dantley was on six All-Star teams, all as a member of the Jazz. He appeared in 461 games for the Jazz, 11 more than Hornacek. Reasons vary as to why Dantley's number hasn't been retired. Stories of him disrespecting Miller and his selfish play and dour attitude have lingered. It's true Dantley wasn't exactly Mr. Bright Smiles. Even now he can be aloof and distant, especially with strangers. But those traits shouldn't figure in when it comes to honoring one of the best players in team history.If a sparkling personality mattered, Ty Cobb wouldn't be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Miller, who says he hasn't ruled out retiring Dantley's number, claims one obstacle is that Dantley didn't play his entire career in Utah. Which seems reasonable until you consider some players have had their numbers retired in two and even three cities. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's number has been retired by Milwaukee and the Los Angeles Lakers. Others to have their numbers retired by two franchises: Charles Barkley (Philadelphia and Phoenix), Julius Erving (New Jersey and Philadelphia), Clyde Drexler (Portland and Houston), Oscar Robertson (Sacramento and Milwaukee), Pete Maravich (New Orleans and Utah), Nate Thurmond (Golden State and Cleveland) and Bob Lanier (Detroit and Milwaukee). Wilt Chamberlain's number was retired by three teams (Philadelphia, Golden State and the Lakers). Thurmond played only part of two seasons with the Cavaliers (114 of 964 career games), but it was enough to get him honored. Robertson spent just three of his 13 seasons in Milwaukee. Barkley played 280 of his 1,073 regular season games in Phoenix, while Drexler played only 184 of 1,086 career games in Houston. Sometimes a person can get in the rafters without playing at all. The Jazz have a banner for former coach/president Frank Layden. The Miami Heat retired Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino's number, even though he never played pro basketball. Miami also retired Michael Jordan's number, despite his never having played for the Heat. Broadcasters Chick Hearn (Lakers), Johnny Most (Boston) and Bob Blackburn (Seattle) have been honored by their teams with retired microphones. Even a public address announcer — Philadelphia's Dave Zinkoff — is in the rafters. If announcers, general managers, coaches and even football players have been so honored, it's no stretch to retire Dantley's number. Were it an award for being a good guy, Walter Palmer's, Andy Toolson's, Adam Keefe's, Ty Corbin's, Thurl Bailey's, Jacque Vaughn's and Raja Bell's numbers would be retired. If strictly for longevity, Bryon Russell and Greg Ostertag would be up in lights. But it's an award for the greatest names in franchise history. Through those early years in Utah, the greatest was Dantley's.