[Note by Scott Schroeder, 06/26/10 12:57 AM CDT ] Check below the jump - lots of Summer League invites out already that I found for you.
Thursday night's NBA Draft featured what was probably the most ridiculous second round anyone could have ever predicted. Not only were there players that were picked way too high (what up, Andy Rautins) or way too low (sorry about lupus or whatever you have, Solomon Alabi), but it was just a really confusing second round.
I mean, seriously, what's a Ryan Reid (a linebacker that plays basketball, apparently).
Anyway, let's get to the title of this post - expanding to a third round. Does it sound ridiculous due to all of the penny-pinching teams are currently involved in anyway? As we sit half-hungover this morning from overdosing on draft coverage over the past month, it does - yes. But let's pretend the third round picks would just be used a la baseball - straight to the D-League, but the team that drafts a player gets to keep their rights.
Now it makes sense, baby.
But Scott, you're ridiculous! There aren't nearly enough players that would make 30 more draft picks worth the trouble of us listening to that awkward guy talk about socks and blisters with Derrick Favors! Oh but there are, young child, and a third round would make those "eh, he's barely average right now but maybe he will be great someday" picks make more sense while proven players could fill the second round.
After the jump I've listed the players I wouldn't have been shocked to be drafted (like I was when Ryan Reid was drafted) that will more than likely get a chance at a Vegas Summer League team. Notice there's more than 30 and it doesn't include European players (due to my assumption that they probably won't come over for Summer League, not because they wouldn't be drafted).
PG
- Sherron Collins - Okay, he's fat, but he was a stud at Kansas and can run a basketball team. He has a Summer League invite with the Charlotte Bobcats.
- Jon Scheyer - He's from Duke! What more could you want!? Oh, yeah. He's also 6'6", has range and a high basketball IQ. He'll play for the Miami Heat in Vegas according to Jeff Goodman, but Jonathan Givony says he'll be there with the Washington Wizards. He can't do both.
- Jerome Randle - Diminutive Cal guard did about as much as one player can do in college without being drafted. He'll play for the Washington Wizards in Vegas.
- Jeremy Wise - He played well in the D-League against NBA competition. Lots to like. He'll play with the Golden State Warriors in the Vegas Summer League.
- Mikhail Torrance - A 6-foot-5 self-described pure point out of the SEC is intriguing already. Factor in his length and the 5.1 assists he averaged this past season at Alabama and we have a legitimate snub on our hands. He went undrafted due to a heart issue. He's currently weighing his options.
- Matt Bouldin - He's from Gonzaga, has shaggy hair and Michael Levin loves him. That's enough for me. He'll play for the Chicago Bulls Summer League team.
- Scottie Reynolds - I wasn't surprised to see Reynolds go undrafted after looking abysmal for Villanova in the NCAA Tournament, but he'd definitely be worth a flyer if it were a three round draft. We're 99% sure he'll be on the Suns Summer Summer League roster.
- Ben Uzoh - He's an athletic scorer out of Tulsa, but at 6-foot-3 and without a true point guard pedigree he went undrafted. Still, he averaged 15-5-5 this past season while playing with newly-drafted Jerome Jordan. He'll play for the Nets this Summer.
- Jeremy Lin - I didn't see enough of him this season, but his Asian heritage and studly play (albeit at Harvard) would make him worth a look from an NBA team. He will attend a mini-camp in Dallas in hopes of making their Vegas Summer League team. UPDATE: Mark Cuban tweets that Lin will definitely be playing for the Mavs in Vegas.
SG
- Manny Harris - The combo-guard out of Michigan has the talent to play in the NBA, but not so much the head. Regardless, he was one of the surprise players that went undrafted. He appears headed to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
- Sylven Landesberg - He played two seasons in the ACC and averaged over 16 points and five rebounds as a 6-foot-6 shooting guard. I realize he might not be the top character guy, but at 20-years-old there's no reason he went undrafted. He'll play for the Sacramento Kings in Las Vegas.
- Denis Clemente - The Kansas State shooter is pretty undersized, but he also has a pretty sweet stroke. I'm surprised his NCAA Tournament performance didn't get an NBA decison-maker excited. Clemente will play for the Charlotte Bobcats in Vegas.
- Aubrey Coleman - Coleman enough holes in his game that I can understand GM's not being high on him. But then I look at the Houston senior and remember he averaged 25.6 points and 7.4 rebounds as a 6-foot-3 shooting guard. Give the streetballer a chance. Coleman is expected to play for the New Orleans Hornets in Vegas.
- Ryan Thompson - You know what I know about Thompson? He's Jason Thompson's brother. And after averaging 15+ points and 5+ boards the past three seasons at Rider, you'd think that'd be enough. He'll play with his brother on the Sacramento Kings Summer League team and for the Boston Celtics in Orlando.
SF
- Elijah Millsap - Remember how so many NBA teams are disappointed in missing out on Paul Millsap? They're going to think the same thing about his younger brother. His agent, Ara Vartanian, says Millsap will be playing for the Detroit Pistons in Vegas.
- Tyren Johnson - Johnson stood out at the Portsmouth Invitational and averaged 18 points and 8 boards on his way to becoming the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year. Johnson will play for Charlotte in Orlando and Sacramento in Las Vegas.
- Tyler Smith - Got kicked off the Tennessee basketball team after being caught with weapons and such, but then buggered off to Turkey where he averaged 16.8 points, 6.8 boards and 4.1 assists while shooting 53% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc. There's some talent there if the off-the-court stuff can be reined in.
- DeShawn Sims - Another undrafted player out of Michigan, but it wasn't because of lack of production in the Big Ten. Sims averaged 16.8 points and 7.6 boards as a tweener. Sims will play for the Celtics in Orlando.
- Raymar Morgan - I might only pay attention to Raymar Morgan because one of my friends is a huge Michigan State fan, but he did do the dirty work on some pretty good Michigan State teams. He will play for the Washington Wizards in Vegas.
PF
- Charles Garcia - After being so hyped to begin the season, the pride of Seattle U's stock plummeted to the point of undrafted. Garcia will go to Vegas with the New York Knicks.
- Samardo Samuels - The Louisville big man was formerly the top prospect out of high school, but it seems his being a little short to play inside led to him going undrafted. This could be a big mistake. He will play for the Chicago Bulls in Vegas.
- Deon Thompson - I'm surprised he got so little after being a solid role player at North Carolina. He doesn't have great size, but he has a good pedigree.
- Michael Washington - Washington probably would have been in the discussions as a first round pick after averaging 15.5 points and 9.8 boards as a junior at Arkansas. His rebounding dropped significantly this season, though, and finds himself on the outside looking in following the draft. He'll play for the Knicks in Vegas.
- Mac Koshwal - Mac "The Pride of DePaul" Koshwal averaged 16.1 points and 10.1 rebounds this past season. With legitimate NBA size at 6-foot-10, 255 pounds, you'd think that'd be worth something.
- Wayne Chism - There's gotta be room for a guy that wears his headband like that, right? He'll play for the New Jersey Nets in Orlando and the Sacramento Kings in Vegas.
- Lance Thomas - I don't know enough about the Duke bigman, but longtime RU contributor Aisander D kept texting me during his bachelor party Thursday night asking if the Bobcats had drafted him.
C
- Brian Zoubek - I guess we really know the Duke bias is gone if there were three potential players out of Durham and none of them got drafted. With Zoubek's size and... size, I thought he'd hear his name Thursday night. He's apparently 'leaning toward' playing with the New Jersey Nets.
- Miroslav Raduljica - I doubt he'll come over to play Summer League, but I decided to include him here so we could go back and remember this.
- Artsiom Parakhouski - The 7-footer out of Radford had a lot of good buzz around him, but I guess the NBA wasn't interested in big men that seem to have reached their potential. Parakhouski will play for Boston in Orlando.
- Omar Samhan - The most overhyped prospect this side of ever, Samhan had a few good NCAA Tournament games that he capitalized on by being personable. Jeff Goodman said he will play for the Atlanta Hawks Summer League team, but Samhan seems to think he's playing for Dallas.
- A.J. Ogilvy - Ogilvy is a skilled big man out of Vanderbilt with an old school game. However, his numbers declined every year in college and scouts worried about his lack of athleticism leading to the current predicament.
Rookies not on the initial list that I put together that have Summer League Invites:
- Rodney Green - The LaSalle guard will play for the Boston Celtics in Orlando.
- Ryan Brooks - Temple's finest will play for the Philadelphia 76ers Summer League team.
- Tweety Carter - He'll take his sweet name and decent game to Orlando to play for the New Jersey Nets.
- Marquis Gilstrap - Will be playing for the Charlotte Bobcats.
- Damian Johnson - Will be playing for the Miami Heat in Orlando and somewhere in Vegas.
- Marqus Blakely - Will play for the Los Angeles Clippers in Vegas.
- A.J. Slaughter - Western Kentucky guard will play for the Detroit Pistons in Vegas.
- Kevin Palmer - Has been invited to play for the Washington Wizards in Vegas.
- Donald Sloan - Expected to play for the Sacramento Kings in Vegas.
- Bryan Davis - Has an invite to play for the San Antonio Spurs.
- Tasmin Mitchell - Will play for the Cleveland Cavaliers in Vegas.
- Matt Janning - Will play for the Oklahoma City Thunder in Orlando.
- Ryan Wittman - Will play for the Boston Celtics in Orlando.
- David Kool - Will play for the Toronto Raptors in Vegas. I profiled him here!
- Eric Hayes - Will play for the Washington Wizards in Vegas.
- Landon Milbourne - Will play for the Atlanta Hawks in Vegas.
- Kelvin Lewis - Houston guard will play for the Houston Rockets in Vegas.
- Edgar Sosa - Will play for the Detroit Pistons in Vegas.
- Tony Crocker - Will participate in a mini-camp for a spot on the Dallas Mavericks Summer League team.
- Mouhammad Faye -Will participate in a mini-camp for a spot on the Dallas Mavericks Summer League team.
- Reggie Holmes - Will play for the Memphis Grizzlies in Vegas.
Recommended by Outbrain