Crystal Ballin' takes a team-by-team look at what should, could, and probably will happen in the June 26th NBA Draft.NOW AUDITIONING: Kevin Durant's back-up singers. REQUIREMENTS: Must be cheap, not prone to angry bouts of choking, love Oklahoma!.
Picks: #4, #24, #32, #46, #50, #56. Send thanks to Otis Smith and Steve Kerr.
Needs: Cheap talent at every position, except the one Durant happens to be playing any given year. Point guard and center are the biggest needs, however.
Best case scenario: An aim including trades might involve thievery of Michael Beasley. That looks difficult considering the lack of food in Seattle's cupboards (beyond picks upon picks). As such, Jerryd Bayless -- a guard in the mold of Gilbert Arenas who will certainly be on the board -- appears to be the pinnacle of opportunity for Sam Presti.
More likely scenario: Bayless looks to be the fellow, lest Minnesota snub its lovers (O.J. Mayo, Kevin Love, Brook Lopez) at #3. Now about all those picks ... you figure Presti will either package a few to move up into the teens from #24, trade them for future picks, or invest in high-potential guys who may or may not be of non-native blood. Also: if Vegas took bets on "will Seattle trade at least one of its second-round picks to San Antonio?" I'd be a betting fool. S.A. needs bodies, Seattle needs not to have six rookies on its roster.
Please don't take: I'm secretly nervous about Mayo here. If he gets past #3, he has so much value one could see Presti boldly scooping him in order to pry assets out of New York or whomever. And a small slice of me thinks Presti might be getting a little cocky based on his early success. And a small slice of that slice of me wonders what becomes of this team should Mayo be forced to exist in Durant's world.
Trade possibilities: Plentiful opportunities. Everyone but Durant and Jeff Green should be up for bidding, with Luke Ridnour and Chris Wilcox leading the charge. Also, don't expect all these picks to stay in Seattle's hands.
