N.J. Nets looking forward in draft auditions
The Nets will bring in more than 40 prospective draftees over 19 days starting Wednesday, and if they subscribe to the love-at-first-sight school of scouting, they may not have to work very hard after that first morning of workouts.
That's because Darrell Arthur, the 6-9 power forward with the championship pedigree from Kansas, is among the first group of collegians going through the paces at the practice facility, where he'll be matched up with first-round hopeful D.J. White of Indiana.
According to league executives, who requested anonymity so as not to spill the Nets' secrets, Rod Thorn's focus for the No. 10 pick in the June 26 draft will be on three big men: Arthur, Kevin Love of UCLA and Anthony Randolph of LSU. Love and Randolph are scheduled to work out against each other on June 12.
Among those who have not been scheduled for a workout is a fourth target, Danilo Gallinari, the Italian forward whom Thorn would probably place at the top of his wish list. Most general managers, however, expect him to be snatched by the time the Knicks pick at No. 6.
Regardless, the Nets president is talking less and less these days about moving the pick as part of a trade.
"My inclination is that we'll keep it,"
Thorn reiterated from predraft camp in Orlando, Fla. "I think there's going to be a good player at 10, so that's how I'm thinking right now. You never know if there's a trade coming up, or a case you may have to use it, but I'm pretty sure we'll keep it."
The agents for four of the top picks in this draft -- Michael Beasley, Derrick Rose, Brook Lopez and Jerryd Bayless -- have indicated to the Nets that their clients will not work out for them. Shooting guards O.J. Mayo and Eric Gordon have also not been scheduled, and likely won't be.
The Nets will bring in many others who could conceivably crack the top 10, including Nevada center JaVale McGee (June 5), Florida forward Marreese Speights (June 5), West Virginia forward Joe Alexander (June 11), Texas A&M center DeAndre Jordan (June 16) and UCLA guard Russell Westbrook (also June 16).
There is also an army of bigs whom the Nets could conceivably take with the No. 22 pick, including Jersey product Jason Thompson of Rider (June 9 or 11), Robin Lopez of Stanford (June 5), and Donte Green of Syracuse (June 11).
Notes: Thorn's peers say he is taking as many calls as anyone, but he insists his team is immersed in draft mode. "We've got nothing,"
Thorn said of trade talks. When asked if that included Denver, he stressed, "There's nothing happening with that, not at all."
... Vince Carter continues to rehab his right ankle and has begun bike work and strength exercises. He has been told he can't play basketball until August. ... NBA Coach of the Year Byron Scott and the New Orleans Hornets agreed in principle to a contract extension.
