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Time to get this thing started. Draft starts at 7:30

Lebron James, of Akron, Ohio, smiles before the start of the 2003 NBA Draft Thursday, June 26, 2003 in New York.
James is expected to be drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers as the overall first pick.
(AP Photo/Ed Betz) AP - Jun 26 6:51 PM

I'll wait for the new season of "Cops". It's always more fun to see them as they really are than what they could be.

Thursday, June 26
Updated: June 26, 5:31 PM ET

Be on the lookout for these 13 things
By Andy Katz
ESPN.com

NEW YORK -- Promises occur in the first round of the NBA draft every season. A promise means an NBA team has told a player's agent that he won't slip past its spot in the first round and into the second round. The player could certainly be picked ahead of the team doing the promising, but at least the player knows he won't lose out on that guaranteed first-round money.

Promises are usually given to high school seniors or international players to keep them in the draft. Not every team does it in the NBA, but enough do to ensure that it occurs nearly every draft. The benefit for the team giving out a promise is that an agent could favor the team when a free agent he represents comes up for negotiation.

Mark down Kendrick Perkins and Carlos Delfino as two locks to go in the first round, according to multiple sources in and outside the NBA with knowledge of their draft status.

Perkins, a 6-foot-10 center from Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas, signed with Memphis but chose to stay in the draft. Perkins could end up as the No. 28 pick with San Antonio, where he worked out twice. But the Spurs could be a last stop for Perkins in the first round. He could go higher (No. 25 to Detroit?). Regardless, sources said Perkins is a lock for the first round.

So, too, is Delfino, the 6-6 Argentinean guard who wouldn't have stayed in the draft without a first-round promise. Delfino has a hefty contract situation that could lead him to stick with Skipper Bologna (Italy) for another season. Delfino has one year left on a contract that could cost him nearly $700,000 to get out of it if he chose to play in the NBA next season. NBA teams are only allowed to pay $350,000 toward a buyout.

Perceived promises being made to Perkins and Delfino are one of 13 moves or discussion points to keep an eye on during Thursday night's draft. Here are the others:

2. Trades. There will be deals, possibly a few blockbusters. There always are on draft night. Portland and Denver are talking. A number of teams are trying to get Toronto's No. 4 pick. Seattle had conversations. Memphis wanted to move up. New York would like to entertain the idea of moving higher. Regardless, there will be at least a few occasions where a player will announce how pleased he is to be playing in, say, Toronto but then will have to wear a different hat and give a different answer an hour later after he has been traded to another team. The problem is the NBA can't officially announce the trade until all the pieces have been moved. That means if a second-round pick is part of the trade, it won't be announced until that pick is made -- even though it could affect the No. 4 pick in the draft.
3. No suspense in first three picks. For the first time in years, the NBA draft lacks drama until pick No. 4. The big question is whether LeBron James (Cleveland), Darko Milicic (Detroit) and Carmelo Anthony (Denver) can add any entertainment to the first 15 minutes of the draft. All eyes, millions of them, will be watching how James handles himself in those first few minutes of being selected. He is confident but his composure, so far, has been in check, deferring to Anthony almost in reference to his game. Anthony remains the more finished product and a potential All-Star. James has the potential to be a franchise player and a Hall of Fame talent. No one is quite sure what Milicic will become. Anthony said of Milicic on Wednesday that he had never seen Milicic play, let alone heard of him until recently, but added, "Obviously he must be good. They put him in front of me as the No. 2 pick."
4. The Jay Williams factor. The mood will be subdued when Chicago picks. Williams' recovery from a horrific motorcycle accident that could cost him his career will be the prevailing theme for the Bulls. But the rest of the league is waiting to see if it affects the Bulls' draft pick. Chicago probably wouldn't have looked at a point guard at No. 7 and was seeking a trade. But Williams won't play next season and his career is in jeopardy. That means the Bulls could take a point guard and affect the rest of the lottery if they were to grab T.J. Ford, if he falls, Kirk Hinrich if he's still available, or someone else that isn't being discussed as high as No. 7.
5. Maciej Lampe, Leandro Barbosa and Zarko Cabarkapa. These three international players are the unknowns in the draft who could have a dramatic effect on the order of picks. Lampe is being discussed as going as high as No. 5 to Miami, or he could slide down to the 20s. The 6-11 native of Poland has crisscrossed the country the past week and worked out for the Knicks as late as Wednesday. But no one is quite sure how high the 18-year old forward will go in the first round. One team official told ESPN.com that Barbosa will be discussed in every draft room Thursday, but could easily go from the lottery to the second round. The 6-4 Brazilian point guard is long and wiry and one of the top athletes in the draft. But his English is poor and he might be too much of a risk to go too high. Cabarkapa is the old man in the draft by international standards. He's 22 years old, but the 6-11, 235-pound small forward is rising and could land as high as No. 11 to Golden State or fall to the 20s.
6. Last one sitting in the "green room." The NBA no longer puts the players and their families behind a curtain. Instead, the players are in front of the stage sitting around tables. But there is always one player who goes lower than the NBA expected and is left to sit there as other picks not in attendance get selected. The candidates for that lonely seat in this draft are Cabarkapa, Lampe, Georgetown's Michael Sweetney, Georgia's Jarvis Hayes and Louisville's Reece Gaines. The NBA did a good job of getting the right players so they won't get embarrassed. None of these players will last to the second round.
7. Chris Marcus. The 7-1 Western Kentucky center would have been the No. 3 overall pick in the draft two years ago. Instead, he'll likely be selected in the second round Thursday. Marcus had two surgeries on his left foot after injuring it five times in college. He finally was cleared to work out for teams last week and he's a near certainty to go in the second round. Teams would be more than willing to take a chance on him because of his ability to dominate inside when he's healthy. Marcus was invited to Chicago for the NBA's physicals, but not for the New York draft.
8. The New York fan reaction. Jets and Giants fans make their feelings known during the NFL draft. Knicks (and sometimes Nets) fans always seem to vent their frustration at the pick when his name is announced. The Knicks fans will cheer if Ford gets to them. If names like Lampe or Chris Kaman are announced, then cover your ears.

Kirk Hinrich could be headed to Chicago to help replace the injured Jay Williams.
9. Seniors. Kansas' Hinrich will likely be the first senior taken in the draft. He could go as high as No. 5 to Miami. Last year, the first senior taken was Fresno State's Melvin Ely at No. 12. None of the seven seniors selected in last year's first round, save Tayshaun Prince with Detroit in the playoffs, made an impact. Hinrich isn't speaking for his classmates, but is confident that won't occur again. The other potential lottery seniors are Hinrich's teammate Nick Collison and Louisville's Gaines.
10. International players. There were a record six drafted in the first round last season, 14 overall in the two rounds. There could be nearly as many in the first round this year and possibly 20 or more overall. Expect the foreign invasion in this draft to occur in earnest from picks 16 to 29. The second round could be littered with foreign players. Teams like to draft foreign players so they don't have to take on a contract next season. They can keep the players overseas, have them develop for one to three seasons, and then get them back without having to take a hit financially. Taking on a player in the first round means three seasons, and usually four, of guaranteed money, let alone a chance to push a team over the salary cap and suffer a luxury tax. That's why stashing a first-round pick means more cap space for the coming free-agent frenzy.
11. Chicago pre-draft camp players. Boston College's Troy Bell has the best chance of going from the Chicago pre-draft camp to the first round. Don't be shocked if BYU's Travis Hansen, North Dakota's Jerome Beasley, Duke's Dahntay Jones or Hawaii's Carl English slip into the back end of the first round. Hansen and Beasley also played at the Portsmouth Invitational. Agents kept players away in droves from Chicago, but these players didn't shy away from the competition. In a sense, they could get rewarded for their toughness and aggressive style of play with a guaranteed deal.
12. High school players. Perkins would join James as two high school seniors in the first round. Multiple sources in the NBA say Mississippi State signee Travis Outlaw of Starkville High has a promise to Portland at No. 23 (although that pick could be traded). There is talk that Arizona signee Ndudi Ebi out of Westbury Christian High in Houston may also have a promise. If that were the case, then four high school seniors would be selected in the first round. The only one who seems a lock for the second round is James Lang of Birmingham. He was a solid presence in Chicago at the pre-draft camp, but didn't do enough to distinguish himself to earn a first-round spot.
13. Second-round gems. Arizona senior Luke Walton, Maryland senior Steve Blake, the aforementioned Bell, Hansen, Jones, English and Beasley (if they slip), UCLA senior Jason Kapono, Marquette senior Robert Jackson and Ohio's Brandon Hunter would be solid second-round picks who could stick on a roster. All of these players would end up working extremely hard in the summer league to make the roster. They have been humbled during the draft process and are exhibiting a passion to earn a living playing basketball.

ESPN

The Big Story in Milwaukee tonight is that Jordan has or will soon buy the Milwaukee Bucks. Jordan will take over the draft picks tonight. This is from a ESPN sports online subscription service. Also the Brewers General Manager will go to the Washington Wizards per WTEM radio in Washington.

Sports media here is spastic at this time but they are too afraid to ask the tough questions to get to the bottom of this.

Can anybody add or subtract to these reports?

1-2 weeks after the season ends....it's back to basketball. The perpetual 12 month season. Pathetic...give it a rest.

Wednesday, June 25
Updated: June 26, 8:55 PM ET

Pick-by-pick analysis
By Chad Ford
ESPN.com

Follow along as ESPN Insider Chad Ford provides analysis of each team's draft selections in the first and second rounds.

1. Cavaliers

SELECTION

LeBron James | SF | 6-8, 240 | St. Mary/St. Vincent (Ohio) H.S.

Ford's Take: The party actually started in Cleveland weeks ago. Will he be the Cavs savior? It depends upon who GM Jim Paxson gives him to play with. As good as Lebron is, he can't play one on five. Are Ricky Davis, Darius Miles and Dajuan Wagner the right running mates? Can LeBron handle the pressure of turning around the franchise? The interviews? The hype? The large target placed squarely on his chest? No one in recent history has come into the league with more talent and more expectations. If he actually lives up to it all, then we actually had him underrated as a human being.

2. Pistons

SELECTION

Darko Milicic | PF | 7-0 | Serbia

Ford's Take: Darko is really one of a kind. He runs the floor, handles the ball, shoots the NBA 3 and plays with his back to the basket, so you can slot him in at the 3, 4 or 5 positions. OK, a few other guys can do that too; what sets Darko apart is his toughness in the post. You have to love a guy who has the footwork to spin by an opponent but still prefers to lower a shoulder and bang. Fact is, Milicic plays in attack-mode at both ends of the floor. The more you push, the more he pushes back. While he won't be asked to carry the Pistons, he's capable earlier than you think.

3. Nuggets

SELECTION

Carmelo Anthony | SF | 6-8 | Syracuse

Ford's Take: Of the top three, Carmelo is the most accomplished. He will be a dominant NBA scorer. Every time scouts begin talking about him, the names of Antoine Walker and Glenn Robinson are evoked. That's not bad company. But is he the guy to turn the Nuggets around. Combine him with Nene Hilario and you have a start. But the Nuggets need a lot of help. Carmelo can score 20 points a night, but the team won't win unless guys like Gilbert Arenas and Corey Maggette decide to join him in free agency this summer.

4. Raptors

SELECTION

Chris Bosh | PF | 6-11 | Georgia Tech

Ford's Take: The Raptors tried to trade this pick, but couldn't find any takers. Bosh was the next best player on the board. At his size and with his skill set, his upside is Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett. The Raptors have to be patient, but he'll be worth it. He exceeded expectations during his freshman year and several NBA GMs think he'll do it again. He's already gained 15 pounds of muscle since he left his school. Once he gets stronger physically, I think the Big Three of the draft will be the Big Four.

5. Heat

SELECTION

Dwyane Wade | SG | 6-5 | Marquette

Ford's Take: The first big shocker of the draft. Pat Riley really wanted a player who could contribute right away. Wade can play in the backcourt with Eddie Jones. He's got a good handle and can play point at times. He's got a great first step and is a solid defender. He's one of the most mature players in the draft. The biggest issue? The Heat desperately need a good shooter in the backcourt. For all of Wade's strengths, he isn't a good long range shooter. Interesting pick. Obviously, by passing on Chris Kaman and Maciej Lampe, Riley doesn't like projects.

6. Clippers

SELECTION

Chris Kaman | C | 7-0 | Central Michigan

Ford's Take: Not a surprise. The Clips know Michael Olowokandi is leaving, no free agents are coming in and Kaman was the only guy who could play center on the board. Great. But what will they do with him? Kaman didn't really want to play there and his style of game doesn't really fit the players they have there. I understand the pick, but I don't agree with it.

7. Bulls

SELECTION

Kirk Hinrich | PG | 6-5 | Kansas

Ford's Take: Interesting. Did the Bulls make this pick because they're convinced Jay Williams is done. Or did they make this pick for someone else. There's no other real explanation. Hinrich has the ability to play alongside Jamal Crawford, but is he better than Mickael Pietrus? Pietrus is a better defender, a better athlete and has more upside. Hinrich could be a great player. But the fit is weird especially if Williams comes back.

8. Bucks

SELECTION

T. J. Ford | PG | 6-0 | Texas

Ford's Take: Ford is the best playmaker in the draft. The big question of the night? Does Ernie Grunfeld like him? Or is it Michael Jordan that's in love? Either way this has to signal that at least one of the Bucks guards, either Gary Payton or Sam Cassell is gone. Ford's shooting won't be an issue in Milwaukee since several other players shoot it so well. And his defense? Does anyone in Milwaukee play that?

9. Knicks

SELECTION

Michael Sweetney | PF | 6-8 | Georgetown

Ford's Take: Just what the Knicks need, another undersized center. Sweetney joins Antonio McDyess, Kurt Thomas, Clarence Weatherspoon and Othella Harrington in the crowded Knicks front court. If McDyess's injury is still a problem, this pick makes more sense. If he's healthy, why did they pass on a big kid like Maciej Lampe who could play the three, four or five.

10. Wizards

SELECTION

Jarvis Hayes | SG | 6-7 | Georgia

Ford's Take: We've heard this for the past 24 hours. The Wizards felt they needed a shooter and Hayes is one of the best shooters in the draft. He's got the NBA body and he's a great athlete, but he's a little one dimensional. Obviously this pick signals that the Wizards plan to do something with their backcourt. Jerry Stackhouse, Larry Hughes and Juan Dixon also play the same position. There isn't enough room for all four.

11. Warriors

SELECTION

Mickael Pietrus | SG | 6-6 | France

Ford's Take: Typical Warriors. Every year they draft someone who happens to play the same position of one of their best players. Last year it was Mike Dunleavy who played the same position as Antawn Jamison. Pietrus was one of the best players on the board, but where does he fit in with Jason Richardson, Jiri Welsch and Mike Dunleavy. He is a good defender and is great in the open floor, but without a trade, he's stuck in a pretty long line in Golden State.

12. Sonics

SELECTION

Nick Collison | PF | 6-9 | Kansas

Ford's Take: Ugh. We knew they loved him, but I know more than one Sonics fan hoped he was off the board. They needed a low post banger or someone with great size in the post who could also run the floor. Collison has none of that. He was one of my favorite college players, but I really wonder how he'll translate that into a good pro career. Who does he guard? Can he back down anyone? Will he command double teams in the post? The Sonics love him. I'm not sure I do. I would've preferred Illinois' Brian Cook.

13. Grizzlies

SELECTION

Marcus Banks | PG | 6-1 | UNLV

Ford's Take: O.K. What's going on? The Grizzlies need a two and a low post player and they take their fourth point guard in the lottery? Some folks love Banks because of his athleticism and his ability to get to the basket. But does he beat out Jason Williams and Earl Watson (West's favorite last year)? If he doesn't I'm not sure how you justify this pick. At this time you've got to believe that there are either a lot of trades we don't now about or everyone is playing Noah this year -- stockpiling on two of everything.

14. Sonics	SELECTION
	Luke Ridnour \| PG \| 6-1 \| Oregon Ford's Take: They took Ridnour for his offense, but he can't guard anyone. Neither can Collison. His upside is interesting, but his lack of size, strength, and defensive ability makes you really wonder if Ridnour can handle starting duties next year. Remember, Kevin Ollie is the only other real point guard they have on the roster.

15. Magic	SELECTION
	Reece Gaines \| PG \| 6-6 \| Louisville Ford's Take: This is the guy they wanted all along. Doc Rivers loves big point guards, especially ones that can shoot the rock. This is the first pick that has made sense since the Raptors took Bosh at No. 4. Great pick for Orlando.

16. Celtics	SELECTION
	Troy Bell \| PG \| 6-2 \| Boston College Ford's Take: Who's taking the crazy pills? I know the Celtics need a point guard and in their system he doesn't need to be a pure type of point guard, but this is a pretty big reach here at No. 16. Bell is a good player and ranked as the top athlete in the draft. He can shoot and he'll put up numbers, but couldn't they have gotten him at No. 26?

Have any black guys been drafted yet...just kidding!


	Kirk Hinrich could be headed to Chicago to help replace the injured Jay Williams.