But if the targetted player is a #3 value and NJ is probably drafting out of the already well-known/highly-analyzed pool, is Portland just jockeying for position against us to draft the mystery player? I don't know that we would be drafting someone with more upside than Bosh, given the transition any new player into the league would have to go through, but it doesn't cut against Morey's displayed philosophy of accumulating cheap, quality assets — and great rookie scale contracts are most definitely cheap, quality assets.

Morey's willing to bide his time this summer if Bosh doesn't pan out, and we might see another stunning miracle mid-season. I think it's safe to assume this action (if true) would just be another hedge in Morey's spreadsheet. Would the #3/#4 player necessarily play the same position as Bosh? No, we'd still have Scola and Hill. But how undervalued would someone have to be to require a #3 pick to get him?

Instead of Wall and Turner and everyone else, both Houston and Portland have identified a third prospect that's head and shoulders above the rest of the pack and makes this draft top 3 heavy instead of top 2 heavy.

We are quite certain that both Portland and Houston are using quite similar draft choice criterias as they have been basically targeting the same player and the same draft position in the past number of years.

We know that neither team has a big glaring hole in their roster that HAS to be filled by the draft this year.

We know that both team are all about accumulate assests and are the leading “moneyball” managements in the league.

and now both of them are pushing hard on the 3rd or 4th draft position? The only logical explaination I can see is that they believe there's such a player (likely currently predicted to go somewhere between 3rd to 6th) who's worth significantly higher than the likely asking price of the draft position itself.

the question now becomes… who is this player?

BTW,I find it hard to believe NJ intends to trade their #3 pick. They can draft both for talent and need and get a PF to go w/Lopez.

Minn,that's another story. The last thing they need is another PF,so unless they want to take a chance on Cousins or go for a SF project they may be amenable to a trade,but they have no bad contracts-other than Jefferson-and plenty of cap room,so they're prob looking for young players. I don't see a good match for Rockets here,but I wouldn't be suprised to see the teams talking trade on one of later Minn picks.
Portland could offer up Rudy,maybe Martell Webster or Cunningham and that may be a deal done to help bring over Rubio.
Crazy trade idea-Brooks,Bud,rights to LLull,next yr's First and a swap of the #14 for the #24 in exchange for the #4 and rights to Rubio.

But the team I think the Rockets are really targeting is Sacremento. GMs have traded together twice now and the Kings don't need a PF or SF. While they could certainly draft one of the Centers and hope for the best,that makes Hawes available-just the kind of nice passing,outside shooting Adelman likes.