With the draft two days away, trade rumors are flying like crazy. One bit that might have some substance is a possible deal between the Atlanta Hawks and the Houston Rockets.
The Hawks would draft Brandon Roy with their #5 pick and trade him to the Rockets, who would select Shelden Williams for the Hawks with the #8 pick. The Hawks would also get Luther Head in the trade. Logically speaking, the deal makes sense. For a few weeks now, the Hawks were rumored to have promised Williams they would pick him. Williams didn’t confirm the rumor, but shut down his workouts indicating that he received a promise from a team that he wants to play for. Only Williams wasn’t expected to go in the top 5, so why would the Hawks make a promise to a player that would most certainly be there when they pick? If the trade goes through, it would all make sense. If Williams wants to play for the Hawks, he doesn’t care if he goes #5 or #8, so the Hawks can get some compensation for “moving down” in the draft. Considering that both players have Arn Tellem as their agent, the rumors just might be true.
The only problem is that that Roy may not be there at #5. He did pull out of a workout with Charlotte (#3), making it difficult for new-Prez MJ to select someone he hasn’t seen in person. The Bobcats have a giant hole at shooting guard and Roy would be a great fit. Toronto (#1) and Chicago (#2) seem to be going other directions (Andrea Bargnani and LaMarcus Aldridge or Tyrus Thomas, respectively), which leaves Charlotte looking at Aldridge or Thomas, Adam Morrison, Rudy Gay and Roy. If the top three teams pass on Morrison, the Blazers will almost certainly take him. If they don’t, they’ll have to face the wrath of their fans.
The Bulls could take Roy. He’d be a great fit with Kirk Hinrich, but Chicago is already loaded in the backcourt. Given all of this, Roy just might slip to #5 and the trade would likely go forward as planned.
