NBA Free Agency Rumors 2012: Iona's Scott Machado To Play For Houston Rockets' Summer League Team

Former Iona guard Scott Machado will play for the Houston Rockets' summer league team, according to a report from NBC's Pro Basketball Talk.

Machado surprisingly went undrafted in last week's 2012 NBA Draft after leading all of NCAA Division I with 9.9 assists per game as a senior at Iona. The 6-foot-1 point guard added 13.6 points while leading Iona's high-paced offense. He was hurt during the draft process by an inability to stand out in individual workout settings, but still drew plenty of interest after the draft from teams looking to add a playmaker.

Machado will now have to earn his spot in the NBA the hard way, as an undrafted free agent. He should have plenty of opportunities to rack up assists while playing for the Rockets' Summer League team, which is also expected to feature first-round draft choices Jeremy Lamb, Royce White and Terrence Jones.

Get news, analysis and updates from SB Nation New York in this StoryStream.

Dion Waiters Wants To Be Better Than Dwyane Wade

2012 NBA Draft Rumors: Iona's Scott Machado Top Undrafted Free Agent

Former Iona guard Scott Machado went undrafted in Thursday night's 2012 NBA Draft, but is still desired by several teams as an undrafted free agent.

It was a surprise that Machado, who averaged 13.6 points and 9.9 assists as a senior, was not selected in the draft, but Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that he now has no shortage of suitors.

Undrafted Iona guard Scott Machado has Bobcats, Cavaliers, Hawks, Hornets, Raptors, Rockets calling for summer league, sources tell Y!

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) June 29, 2012

SB Nation's Jonathan Tjarks lists Machado as the top undrafted free agent available.

I'm not sure what UNC's Kendall Marshall did, besides have much better teammates, to be viewed as such a better prospect than Machado. At 6'1'' and 205 pounds, Machado is athletic enough to be an NBA PG while putting up absolutely absurd statistics in college: 13.6 points on 49.5-percent shooting and 40.4-percent from deep, 4.9 rebounds and 9.9 assists on 2.6 turnovers a game.

He's a pure point guard who did a magnificent job running Iona's uptempo offense. Last year was a good year for lightly regarded young point guards (Jeremy Lin, Isaiah Thomas). Machado, if given the right opportunity, could follow in their footsteps.

Get news, analysis and updates from SB Nation New York in this StoryStream.

NBA Draft: The New York Knicks' Rousing History With International Picks

The Knicks' selection of Kostas Papanikolaou in Thursday's NBA Draft is the team's most recent foray into international basketball on draft night. Here's a history.

2012 NBA Draft Grades: CBS Sports Gives Fab Melo And Dion Waiters High Grades

In his instant grades analysis post on CBSSports.com, Royce Young gave out mostly high grades for the regional area prospects.

First up is Syracuse G Dion Waiters, who went to the Cleveland Cavaliers with the fourth overall selection. While he is a risk at that spot, he'll be a good fit for the Cavs:

Analysis: The Cavs seemed to be determined to get Beal and worked on a deal to move up to get him right until the end. In failing, they decided to reach a bit and take the second best thing behind Beal. With Harrison Barnes on the board, it's a risk.

GRADE: B

St. John's wing Maurice Harkless went to the Philadelphia 76ers with the 15th pick, and although he does have great potential, the 76ers already someone with his exact skill set in Andre Iguodala:

Analysis: The Sixers just added another player that can't shoot and needs to get to the rim to score. He can defend, but isn't this just Andre Iguodala lite? You have to assume he's a future replacement for Iguodala who the 76ers have been trying to trade for forever. If so, not a bad pick. If not, curious.

GRADE: C+

St. Bonaventure forward Andrew Nicholson was selected next by the Orlando Magic at No. 19. While he has the potential to be a steal this late in the draft, the Magic have someone similar on the roster and had more glaring needs coming into the draft:

Analysis: Nicholson could be a serious sleeper in this draft, but in terms of fit, it doesn't seem to make a lot of sense for the Magic. Is he really all that different from Ryan Anderson, who the Magic intend to re-sign? Couldn't the Magic have used a swingman or a point guard much more? With Tony Wroten and Marquis Teague on the board, the Magic had a chance to help themselves a lot more than they did. This isn't an indictment on Nicholson -- he could be great -- but more about what Orlando needed.

GRADE: C

C Fab Melo from Syracuse went three picks later to the Boston Celtics at No. 22 and Young thinks Melo was exactly the type of player Boston needed and should contribute right away defensively.

Analysis:The Celtics had their eye on size in this draft, and they've landed a pretty good amount with their back-to-back picks. I'm sure they would've preferred the versatility of Royce White, but Boston needed desperately to restock on big men. Melo needs a bunch of work to contribute offensively, but he's a big body that can screen, defend and rebound. Maybe their new Kendrick Perkins?

GRADE: B+

2012 NBA Draft Analysis: Dion Waiters A Winner, New York Knicks And Brooklyn Nets Are Losers

The 2012 NBA Draft is history. Now, the judging and grading begins. With that in mind let's look at the regional winners and losers from Thursday, including the New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets and players from regional colleges.

Winners

Dion Waiters -- From not starting at Syracuse University to being picked fourth overall in the draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. That's a huge rise for a player who the Cavs hope will be a dynamic scorer they can pair with point guard Kyrie Irving to make an exciting young backcourt Cleveland can rebuild around.

Fab Melo -- The 7-foot center from Syracuse was taken 22nd overall by the Boston Celtics, a perfect landing spot for the former Orange big man. Melo is a defensive presence and could develop into a solid rebounder, and those are skills Boston desperately needs. Melo's offensive game is mostly non-existent right now, but he has landed with a terrific organization and should get minutes because of his defense while his offense -- hopefully -- develops.

Kris Joseph --The 6-foot-7 small forward from Syracuse seemed like a player on the bubble as to whether or not he would be drafted.Joseph ended up joining Melo in Boston when the Celtics nabbed him in the second round, 51st overall. That's a win for Joseph.

Andrew Nicholson -- The 6-foot-9 power forward with the well-rounded game worked his way into being the 19th overall selection in the draft, landing with the Orlando Magic. Good for him.

Losers

Scott Machado -- The Iona guard led the nation in assists, and there was a good deal of buzz around him leading up to the draft. Yet, his name was never called Thursday night. Still, Machado will now get to choose a team to try out for as a free agent, so things might not be all bad. Yet, the 'undrafted player' label will make it tougher for him to make a team.

New York Knicks -- The Knicks had only the 48th pick, and used it on a European player who isn't likely to play in the NBA for at least a couple of years. Kostas Popanikolaou, a small forward from Greece, has a cool name. The Knicks, though, won't get help from him soon -- if they ever do.

Brooklyn Nets -- The Nets did a nice job collecting players at the end of the second round, throwing around a little money to make two trades. They ended up getting three players in the second round. Unless the Nets, however, were able to somehow deal their way into the lottery portion of the draft they were destined to be losers here. After trading a pick to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Gerald Wllace, a pick that ended up No. 6 overall, nothing they could accomplish in the second round could make up for not having a lottery pick.

On The Fence

Moe Harkless -- The former St. John's star went 15th overall to the Philadelphia 76ers. Right now I can't decide if this is good or bad for the 6-foot-8 small forward. Problem is the 76ers already have a stud small forward in Andre Iguodala. If Iguodala is there Harkless has no spot. There is, however, speculation that Philadelphia might trade Iguodala. If they do that you can probably push Harkless to the winners category. If they don't, he ends up as a loser.

Fashion Police

Below, the important stuff. Amy K. Nelson of SB Nation YouTube sits down with Walt 'Clyde' Frazier to discuss draft night fashion winners and losers.

2012 NBA Draft: Draft Fashion with Clyde Frazier (via sbnation)

2012 NBA Draft: Kris Joseph Of SU Selected 51st Overall By Boston Celtics

Kris Joseph, formerly of Syracuse University, was selected 51st overall by the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft on Thursday night. Joseph, a 6-foot-7, 210-pound forward, averaged 13.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game for the Orange last season. He will join former Syracuse teammate Fab Melo, selected 22nd overall in the first round by Boston.

At one time the 23-year-old senior was considered a possible first-round pick.There are apparently, though, questions about his age and consistency.

NBA.com says Joseph has the "size and explosiveness needed to play at the next level." From his NBA.com scouting profile, here are his strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths:

• Great athlete
• Explosive finisher
• Well-rounded game
• Improved his 3-point shooting

Weaknesses:

• Needs to be consistently aggressive
• Not a great rebounder

SI.com said:

"Joseph showed flashes during the season of why some scouts felt he had first-round potential, but those projections have since faded."

2012 NBA Draft 1st Round Recap: Picks 1-30 From Thursday's Draft

The first round of the 2012 NBA Draft is in the books Thursday night at the Prudential Center in Newark. Unsurprisingly, Kentucky's Anthony Davis was selected with the New Orleans Hornets' first overall pick. Plenty of solid talent was there for the taking late in the draft, however. You can check out all of the players taken so far below.

Picks 1-30, Round 1 of the 2012 NBA Draft

1. New Orleans Hornets - Anthony Davis (Center - Kentucky Wildcats)
2. Charlotte Bobcats - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Forward - Kentucky Wildcats)
3. Washington Wizards - Bradley Beal (Guard - Florida Gators)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers - Dion Waiters (Guard - Syracuse Orange)
5. Sacramento Kings - Thomas Robinson (Forward - Kansas Jayhawks)
6. Portland Trail Blazers - Damian Lillard (Guard - Weber State Wildcats)
7. Golden State Warriors - Harrison Barnes (Forward - North Carolina Tar Heels)
8. Toronto Raptors - Terrence Ross (Guard - Washington Huskies)
9. Detroit Pistons - Andre Drummond (Center - Connecticut Huskies)
10. New Orleans Hornets - Austin Rivers (Guard - Duke Blue Devils)
11. Portland Trail Blazers - Meyers Leonard (Center - Illinois Fighting Illini)
12. Houston Rockets - Jeremy Lamb (Guard - Connecticut Huskies)
13. Phoenix Suns - Kendall Marshall (Guard - North Carolina Tar Heels)
14. Milwaukee Bucks - John Henson (Forward - North Carolina Tar Heels)
15. Philadelphia 76ers - Maurice Harkless (Forward - St. John's Red Storm)
16. Houston Rockets - Royce White (Forward - Iowa State Cyclones)
17. Dallas Mavericks - Tyler Zeller (Center - North Carolina Tar Heels)
18. Houston Rockets - Terrence Jones (Forward - Kentucky Wildcats)
19. Orlando Magic - Andrew Nicholson (Forward - St. Bonaventure Bonnies)
20. Denver Nuggets - Evan Fournier (Guard - France)
21. Boston Celtics - Jared Sullinger (Forward - Ohio State Buckeyes)
22. Boston Celtics - Fab Melo (Center - Syracuse Orange)
23. Atlanta Hawks - John Jenkins (Guard - Vanderbilt Commodores)
24. Cleveland Cavaliers - Jared Cunningham (Guard - Oregon St. Beavers)
25. Memphis Grizzlies - Tony Wroten Jr. (Guard - Washington Huskies)
26. Indiana Pacers - Miles Plumlee (Forward - Duke Blue Devils)
27. Miami Heat - Arnett Moultrie (Forward - Mississippi St. Bulldogs)
28. Oklahoma City Thunder - Perry Jones III (Forward - Baylor Bears)
29. Chicago Bulls - Marquis Teague (Guard - Kentucky Wildcats)
30. Golden State Warriors - Festus Ezeli (Center - Vanderbilt Commodores)

For more 2012 NBA Draft coverage check out SB Nation's live pick-by-pick analysis, as well as SBN New York's StoryStream for a larger focus on the region.

2012 NBA Draft: Fab Melo Selected 22nd Overall By Boston Celtics

Fab Melo, the former Syracuse University center, was selected in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft on Thursday night by the Boston Celtics. Melo, a 7-foot, 274-pound sophomore, was the 22nd overall selection.

The Celtics, quite obviously, were looking to improve their frontcourt. Using the 21st pick overall Boston took Ohio State power forward Jared Sullinger one selection prior to tabbing Melo.

SI.com offered this instant analysis:

"Celtics president Danny Ainge went for the risk pick with Sullinger, and now he takes the big man whose value is easy to assess. Melo is huge, and he defends the rim. If he develops an offensive game, that will be a bonus. But he's the sort of paint-clogging big man who would come in handy for any team."

Melo improved dramatically in his sophomore season with the Orange. After playing just 9.9 minutes per game and averaging 2.3 points and 1.9 rebounds per game as a freshman, Melo played 25.4 minutes per game last season, scoring 7.8 points per game, grabbing 5.8 rebounds and blocking an average of 2.9 shots per game.

NBA.com says "Big man is a project for sure, but has considerable payoff."

Strengths:

• Huge and physical
• Good shot blocker
• Can shoot a face-up jump shot

Weaknesses:

• Could be a better rebounder
• Still learning the game

2012 NBA Draft: Andrew Nicholson Selected 19th By Orlando Magic

Andrew Nicholson of St. Bonaventure University, the tiny Western New York school that produced NBA great Bob Lanier, was selected 19th overall by the Orlando Magic in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft on Thursday night. Nicholson, a 6-foot-9, 240-pound power forward who averaged 18.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and two blocks per game for the Bonnies.

SI.com says this in an instant analysis of the pick:

"Whether or not Dwight Howard remains in Orlando, Nicholson should boost the Magic's frontcourt. He's a safe pick who can score from inside and out as well as rebound. Nicholson led the Bonnies to their first NCAA tournament in 12 years."

St. Bonaventure coach Mark Schmidt called Nicholson "a special talent."

Here is Richmond coach Kevin McGeehan on Nicholson:

"He's really terrific. He's so, so good in the post. He can score every which way. And if you worry about all the damage he can do to you in the post, they'll run a play outside the foul line, and he can make that shot every time. He's also really improved as a 3-point shooter. Tough, tough kid to guard."

SI.com says:

"Nicholson is a versatile forward who can step out and make a 3-pointer, as he shot 23 of 53 (43.4 percent) from beyond the arc as a senior after not taking a 3 in his first two seasons and making six of 23 attempts as a junior. One knock on Nicholson is his lack of upper-body strength and bulk, which was good enough to get him by in the A-10 but may prevent him from planting himself in the lane in the NBA."

Here are Nicholson's strengths and weakness from his NBA.com prospect profile:

Strengths:

• 7-foot-4 wingspan
• Good shot blocker
• Good rebounder
• Variety of post moves
• Has face-up jump shot past the 3-point line

Weaknesses:

• Scouts want to see him make corner 3-pointer consistently
• Has to continue to get stronger
• Can cut down on turnovers
• Some scouts have questioned the consistency of his intensity level

2012 NBA Draft: Moe Harkless Selected 15th Overall By Philadelphia 76ers

Moe Harkless, who left St. John's University for the NBA after his freshman season, was selected 15th overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft on Thursday.

Harkless, a 6-foot-8, 208-pound small forward, averaged 15.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for St. John's in the 2011-2012 season. The 76ers entered the draft looking for front court help.

In an instant analysis, SI.com voiced approval of the selection:

"I love this pick by Philadelphia. Harkless was a front-office favorite in recent weeks, and it's his combination of scoring ability, rebounding and athleticism that has executives thinking he is going to be "really, really good," as one such source said. The 76ers might have made it easier to trade veteran small forward Andre Iguodala with Harkless as an option for coach Doug Collins."

SI.com summarized Harkless this way in its player profile:

"Harkless is a smooth player with great athleticism and length, possessing a quick first step which enables him to beat his defender and get to the rim. Shooting from the perimeter, though, is an area he needs to work on. Harkless only made 17 of 79 3-point attempts (21.5 percent) and often struggles to create his own shot or make baskets when pulling up off the dribble. He is a solid rebounder due to his ability to attack the rim but is slight and may need to bulk up in order to bang down low with the bigger bodies in the NBA - especially if he is going to be used at one of the forward positions."

Here, from NBA.com's prospect profile, are Harkless' strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths:

• Great athlete
• Length
• Good rebounder
• Good shot blocker
• Great in the open court
• Attacks the rim
• Gets in the passing lanes for steals

Weaknesses:

• Has to get bigger and stronger
• Perimeter shot has to become more consistent
• Ball handling can use tightening

2012 NBA Draft: Dion Waiters Selected No. 4 Overall By Cleveland Cavaliers

Dion Waiters, the former Syracuse University guard, was selected fourth overall Thursday by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. Waiters, 6-foot-5, 215 pounds, had been expected to be selected anywhere from fourth overall to 13th.

The fourth pick is a stunningly early selection for Waiters, who did not start for the Orange last season. Waiters, though, fills a need for Cleveland, which was looking for a scorer to pair with last year's top pick, point guard Kyrie Irving. Waiters averaged 12.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game.

SI.com offered this instant analysis:

"The Cavs were as tough to gauge as any team in recent weeks, but they pull off an early shocker here by taking the talented combo guard who came off the bench for Syracuse. They were believed to be high on Harrison Barnes early, and then Bradley Beal became the flavor of the week. Waiters' appeal is in the fact that he is a tough, fearless scorer who was far more efficient than many of his fellow guards. The Warriors are sure to be disappointed because they wanted Waiters at No. 7."

NBA.com's prospect profile says "Waiters is known as a guy who can put points on the board in a hurry." Here is more from Waiters' NBA.com prospect profile:

Strengths:

• Great athlete
• Attacks the rim
• Instant offense
• Can handle the ball
• Good passer

Weaknesses:

• Doesn't have ideal size
• Jump shot has to get more consistent

2012 NBA Draft: Anthony Davis Goes No. 1 Overall To New Orleans Hornets

Surprising no one, Kentucky Wildcats big man Anthony Davis was selected with the No. 1 overall pick of the 2012 NBA Draft by the New Orleans Hornets. Davis has been the consensus top pick in the draft since the Wildcats ended their season with a national championship in the NCAA tournament.

SB Nation's Tom Ziller is extremely high on the supremely athletic, 6'10 Davis:

A superlative defender with surprising offensive ability, the big man will allow coach Monty Williams to lean on his versatility while providing the stability all young franchises need. Davis is the surest bet since, well, Greg Oden and Kevin Durant in 2007. (There is no such thing as a "sure thing.") Barring catastrophe, he'll be in the All-Star discussion before his rookie deal ends, and is the overwhelming favorite to be the best player from this draft class years down the road, even if dice-rolls like Andre Drummond pay out.

2012 NBA Draft: Nintendo Edition (via sbnation)

For more 2012 NBA Draft coverage check out SB Nation's live pick-by-pick analysis, as well as SBN New York's StoryStream for a larger focus on the region.

2012 NBA Draft: Is Fab Melo Better Than Andre Drummond?

For years, NBA franchises all worked under the same philosophy when it came to the NBA Draft -- if a center is there and you need one, take'm. However, for the past four seasons there's been a different trend as only one true center -- UConn's Hasheem Thabeet -- has been taken in the top 5.

(Today's recent trend followed a four-year span where Dwight Howard (2004), Andrew Bogut ('05) and Greg Oden ('07) were all selected No. 1 overall, respectively.)

However, the '12 NBA Draft will switch back to the historical norm a bit, as collegiate center Anthony Davis -- who will more than likely be a forward at the professional level -- will be the No. 1 overall selection by the New Orleans Hornets. From there, two more top-center prospects, UConn's Andre Drummond and Syracuse's Fab Melo, will try to prove their worth when they become first-round selections.

Overall, projections have Drummond going ahead of Melo, however, we believe that would be a huge mistake by a NBA GM. Melo isn't just the next Thabeet, instead, we think he's going to be a very productive pro for a long time.

Fab Melo 2012 NBA Draft Video (via TheMikeSchmitz)

What They've Said

"Fab did a fantastic job, he put in the time, energy and effort in the last offseason," Ross said. "He dropped 35 pounds, cut his body fat from 14 to 8 percent. He became much more agile and more mobile and that really paid off. I think his shot-blocking will translate. Offensively, I think most NBA teams think he is a work in progress, but they will be surprised by his ability to shoot the 12- to 15-foot jumper," -- Melo's high school head coach Adam Ross to Miami Herald, June 27.

What They Are Projecting (Mock Drafts):

ESPN.com's Chad Ford: No. 24 to Cleveland Cavaliers.
NBADraft.net: No. 25 to Memphis Grizzles.
CBSSports.com's Jeff Goodman: No. 21 to Boston Celtics.
CBSSports.com's Matt Moore: No. 26 to Indiana Pacers.
DraftExpress.com: No. 24, Cavaliers.

Nugget:

If picked in the first round, Melo will be the first Syracuse center taken in the first round since Ethan Thomas in 2002. Thomas went on to play nine years in the NBA.

What We Think:

Over the course of the 2011-12 season, Melo and Drummond matched-up a few times and each of those times it was apparent about which player was not only more important to their team's success but a better player overall -- Melo.

The Brazilian was not only more of a physical presence inside but held the mental edge over his counterpart.

Now, we understand head-to-head match-ups at the college level doesn't lead to professional success and Drummond showed a lot of promise in a Feb. 25 performance (17 points and 14 rebounds) at Syracuse. However, defensively Melo' ahead of Drummond as he anchored the 2-3 zone and, by the end of the season, was the most important piece in SU's lineup.

The knocks on Melo will be two-fold, as many front office brass will be scared away from his academic issues that forced the 7-footer to miss parts of the regular season and all of the NCAA Tournament. Thus, making a risky pick.

Melo will be also criticized for his mediocre rebounding numbers, which could be attributed to playing a 2-3 zone defense, and his lack of inside moves on the offensive end. Many will say, Drummond has much more potential on offense than Melo does -- we will agree.

However, ask Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim about Melo's work ethic, personality and abilities, and he will tell you he's worth the risk -- if there really is any.

Melo was able to improve leaps-and-bounds from his freshmen year -- which basically featured him being one of the biggest McDonald All-American busts in recent history -- to sophomore season -- which he won the Big East Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Not only is Melo a better defensive threat (right now) than Drummond, but offensively Melo has shown that he's aggressive with the ball when needed, does have a mid-range shot which will develop and can make free throws.

Don't get us wrong, Drummond had a lot of upside as he's more of a "basketball athlete" than Melo -- don't forget Melo has been playing hoops for just a few years, so he looks a bit awkward out there at times, while Drummond has been doing this his whole life -- and is a few years younger -- Melo improved drastically from year one of college to year two.

All-in-all, however, we're betting on Melo to be the better prospect for all the reasons listed above.

For more on Syracuse basketball draft prospects, make sure to check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream or the SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Syracuse's Dion Waiters Projected To Toronto Raptors, Fab Melo To Boston Celtics

In his latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft at SB Nation, Tom Ziller projects former Syracuse star Dion Waiters to go No. 8 to the Toronto Raptors and his college teammate, Fab Melo, to go No. 22 to the Boston Celtics.

Waiters has jetted up draft boards as the NBA Draft approaches, with reports saying that he could go as high as No. 3. The 6-foot-4, 221-pound guard, who averaged 12.6 points off the bench as a sophomore, has been called "an animal" and "one of the sleepers in the draft" by fellow expected lottery pick Andre Drummond.

Melo would provide the Celtics with a much-needed interior presence. With Kevin Garnett deciding whether to retire, and a free agent if he chooses to play another season, the only Celtics big man currently under contract is JaJuan Johnson.

For more on Syracuse basketball draft prospects, make sure to check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream or the SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. Meanwhile, for everything on the Knicks visit Posting And Toasting.

2012 NBA Draft Rumors: Dion Waiters Still Climbing Board, Leaving Behind Dizzying Wake

The NBA Draft always brings a frenzy of maneuvers and misdirections, and Syracuse's Dion Waiters is reportedly providing his share.

Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated reported Thursday that Waiters is involved in a dizzying set of movements from three teams drafting among the top seven picks in Thursday night's 2012 NBA Draft.

The Portland Trail Blazers -- who already have pick Nos. 6 and 11 -- might consider moving up to No. 3 to select Waiters. The Golden St. Warriors are also interested at No. 7, and the Cleveland Cavaliers may or may not be misguiding everyone by giving signals that they could draft Waiters at No. 4.

Confused yet? Amick explains:

While Waiters is known to be in the Cavs' mix, sending out the message that he's their guy at No. 4 could lead to (Bradley) Beal's landing in their lap.

Here's that scenario: The Bobcats select Kansas power forward Thomas Robinson, as many expect them to do if they keep the No. 2 pick. Then the Trail Blazers, if successful in obtaining the third pick, take Waiters there, leaving Beal to Cleveland.

Meanwhile, Golden State (No. 7) is known to have Waiters on its short list. All this chatter could inspire the Warriors to be more aggressive in an attempt to move up.

For more on Syracuse basketball draft prospects, make sure to check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream or the SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. Meanwhile, for everything on the Knicks visit Posting And Toasting.

2012 NBA Draft Rumors: Andrew Nicholson Unlikely To Drop Past Boston Celtics, According To Report

Former St. Bonaventure star Andrew Nicholson is "unlikely to get past the Boston Celtics at Nos. 21 and 22" but could be selected earlier in Thursday night's 2012 NBA Draft, according to a report from Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.

Wojnarowski reports that the Houston Rockets (Nos. 12, 16 and 18) and Denver Nuggets (No. 20) are also interested in the 6-foot-10 power forward, and that both teams will consider Nicholson with their picks.

The Celtics are reportedly interested in packaging both of their first-round picks to move into the lottery, so they might not even have the 21st and 22nd selections with which to choose Nicholson.

Nicholson averaged 18.5 points and 8.4 rebounds during his senior year at St. Bonaventure, leading the school to its first NCAA tournament berth in more than a decade. He added a three-point shot to his repertoire, hitting 23 of 53 triples (43.4 percent) as a senior after attempting just 23 combined during his first three years.

Get news, analysis and updates from SB Nation New York in this StoryStream.

NBA Draft Rumors 2012: Will Cleveland Consider Dion Waiters With 4th Overall Pick?

Syracuse guard Dion Waiters has been flying up draft boards as the 2012 NBA Draft gets closer. A Thursday report from Adrian Wojnarowski says that the Cleveland Cavaliers are giving some consideration to drafting Waiters with the fourth pick.

From Wojnarowski's report:

The Cleveland Cavaliers' intrigue with selecting Syracuse guard Dion Waiters with the fourth overall pick in Thursday's NBA Draft has gathered significant momentum, league sources told Yahoo! Sports.

The Cavaliers haven't been able to get Waiters to visit Cleveland for a workout and meeting with officials, but it hasn't extinguished management's ever-evolving fascination with choosing Waiters at No. 4 - especially if the Cavaliers are unable to secure Florida guard Bradley Beal.

Just how much of the Waiters to Cleveland talk is smoke screen will be revealed on Thursday night when the draft gets underway at 7:00 p.m. Eastern. Rumors of a potential Cleveland deal to get Charlotte's second overall pick in the draft, which they could use for Bradley Beal, have also circulated.

For more on Syracuse basketball draft prospects, make sure to check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream or the SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. Meanwhile, for everything on the Knicks visit Posting And Toasting.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: What Can The Knicks And Nets Do With Late Picks?

Excitement around the 2012 NBA Draft has been limited for fans of the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets. Neither team has a pick until late in the second round of the draft, so free agency has dominated the conversation for both teams. Nevertheless, they will have the chance to add a some young talent to the mix on Thursday night.

The latest mock draft from Jeff Goodman at CBSSports.com goes two rounds deep. The Knicks picking at No. 48 go with Florida State forward Bernard James in this scenario. Goodman's rationale for the pick:

The Knicks need a rebounder -- and that's what James does best.

The Nets take IUPUI shooting guard Alex Young in Goodman's mock draft. The explanation:

He's not George Hill, but this IUPUI product can make a team.

The draft starts at 7:00 p.m. Eastern on Thursday night, and the event will be broadcast on ESPN.

Get news, analysis and updates from SB Nation New York in this StoryStream. For more on the Knicks, check out Posting and Toasting. For Nets coverage, visit Nets Daily. For more news and analysis from around the league, visit SB Nation's NBA hub.

2012 NBA Draft: Time, TV Schedule, Draft Order, Online Streaming

A new crop of players will officially make the jump to professional basketball when the 2012 NBA Draft gets underway on Thursday night. For all the rumors and speculation about how the draft will unfold, there has been no suspense as to the New Orleans Hornets will take with the first overall pick. New Orleans will go with Kentucky's Anthony Davis, a consensus top pick. The selections after that are harder to predict and are likely to fluctuate as trades happen.

The draft starts at 7 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, June 28, at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ. Both rounds will be broadcast on ESPN. Additional coverage starts at 5:30 p.m. on NBA TV. The event will be streamed online at ESPN3.

Here is the order of the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft:

1. New Orleans Hornets
2. Charlotte Bobcats
3. Washington Wizards
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Sacramento Kings
6. Portland Trail Blazers
7. Golden State Warriors
8. Toronto Raptors
9. Detroit Pistons
10. New Orleans Hornets
11. Portland Trail Blazers
12. Milwaukee Bucks
13. Phoenix Suns
14. Houston Rockets
15. Philadelphia 76ers
16. Houston Rockets
17. Dallas Mavericks
18. Minnesota Timberwolves
19. Orlando Magic
20. Denver Nuggets
21. Boston Celtics
22. Boston Celtics
23. Atlanta Hawks
24. Cleveland Cavaliers
25. Memphis Grizzlies
26. Indiana Pacers
27. Miami Heat
28. Oklahoma City Thunder
29. Chicago Bulls
30. Golden State Warriors

Get news, analysis and updates from SB Nation New York in this StoryStream. For more on the Knicks, check out Posting and Toasting. For Nets coverage, visit Nets Daily. For more news and analysis from around the league, visit SB Nation's NBA hub.

2012 NBA Draft: What Are New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets Fans Going To Do?

2012 NBA Draft: Will Moe Harkless Be A One-And-Done Boom Or Bust?

One-and-done: a strategy or career decision used by a NBA Draft prospect who declares for the draft after playing just one year of collegiate basketball (because of an age restriction set by the NBA).

For now and until his basketball career ends, that term will be used to describe former St. John's University forward Moe Harkless. However, whether the descriptor is used in a positive or negative way, for the rest of Harkless' life, is only known by the future.

For some -- like Carmelo Anthony, who helped lead Syracuse University to its first and only National Championship in 2003 before leaving to become a top 3 NBA pick, Chris Bosh (a seven-time All-Star and newly crowned NBA Champion), Derrick Rose ('11 MVP) and Kevin Durant (back-to-back NBA scoring champion) -- the term is used as a special asterisk. Not only does it say they were so good they didn't need any more years of development at the collegiate level, but also it says they were of a special breed that defied the odds.

However, for most others -- like former St. John's player Omar Cook or Syracuse's Donte Greene, who's careers could have been drastically different if they were patient and develop at the collegiate level -- the term one-and-done gives ammunition to so-called NBA and college hoops experts who'd like to see the NBA rule be extended or go away completely.

Harkless, the 6-foot-8, 207-pound prospect who earned the Big East Conference Rookie of the Year after averaging 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, is hoping his seemingly limitless potential can help him defy the odds and join the ranks of those current NBA stars.

Moe Harkless 2012 NBA Draft Video (via TheMikeSchmitz)

What They've Said

"Each workout Moe Harkless competes in helps bridge the imagination gap between "he's got potential" and "we want to use our pick and invest money to develop him". Bridging that gap is the key to guaranteed money. Harkless made plays on the college level, but as a projected wing in the NBA, he needs to prove that he can shoot well enough to play the position," --- SB Nation's Rumble In The Garden, May 31.

'With considerable size (6-9), supreme length and jumping ability, Moe Harkless has all the physical tools that teams covet, and at only 19 years of age is an ocean of untapped potential. Harkless is in the Paul George/Rudy Gay/Kawhi Leonard/Ariza mold—a freakishly athletic wing who can defend the 2 and 3. He is built like a small forward, has a little shooting guard in him, and has traits of a power forward, the position he played on an undermanned St. John’s team this past season," -- Eldon Khorshidi, SLAM Magazine (June 23).

What They Are Projecting (Mock Drafts):

ESPN.com's Chad Ford: No. 16 to Houston Rockets
NBADraft.net: No. 16, Rockets.
CBSSports.com's Jeff Goodman: No. 18 to Orlando Magic.
CBSSports.com's Matt Moore: Not in first round.
DraftExpress.com: No. 16, Rockets.

Nugget:

If Harkless goes in the first round of the draft, he will become the first Red Storm player selected in the first round since Erick Barkley in '01 (No. 28 to Portland Trail Blazers).

What We Think:

If there's one thing that NBA scouts love, its a player who can score and help their team put points on the scoreboard. Despite having a group of very young players around him, and basically being the only option, Harkless did just that at St. John's.

For us, Harkless' offensive game reminded us a lot of former Providence guard Marshon Brooks, who had a very good rookie season with the Brooklyn Nets. However, Brooks spent four seasons with the Friars and slowly developed into a offensive juggernaut. The same can't be said about Harkless, who was very streaky in his freshman season.

At times, Harkless played at an All-American level netting 25-30 points per game and collecting double-digit totals in rebounding. Other times, he would disappear -- sometimes against very beatable opponents.

Over the course of the 2011-12 season, we saw a lot of potential with Harkless which is probably why many NBA mock drafts have him going in the first round. But, if you're spending a first-round selection on a guy you'd probably want him to either: develop over a few years or want him to play right away.

Harkless probably won't play right away, so unless he finds himself with a franchise stocked with veteran talent then we'd stay away from him.

For more on Moe Harkless and the NBA Draft, check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream. For everything on St. John's basketball, visit the SB Nation blog Rumble In The Garden.

2012 NBA Draft: Can A Humble-And-Hungry Attitude Propel Dion Waiters To NBA Stardom?

A year ago, at about this time, nobody would have predicted former Syracuse guard Dion Waiters as a 2012 NBA Draft lottery pick. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound prospect was coming off a frustrating freshman season which ended with he and legendary head coach Jim Boeheim pitted against each other.

Boeheim, the headman at SU for 36 seasons, was basically at his the end of his rope with the cocky, yet, undecorated 19-year-old and -- as the story goes -- basically gave the youngster a choice: change your ways or transfer, I don't care either way.

Waiters, a product of the entitlement generation, first thought about taking the second option -- to move on and find a coach that wasn't such a headache. However, after talking with his mother -- who basically told her talented son she didn't raise a quitter -- Waiters stayed, took responsibility for his immature actions and found a fire to prove his doubters wrong.

The result was a brand-new motto, "humble and hungry", which forced Boeheim to play his "sixth-best player" for 24.1 minutes per game and eventually admit the best player during his most successful regular season in program history was, indeed, Waiters.

When ask about whether or not the sophomore was ready for professional basketball, almost a year after asking the same player to change or leave, the outspoken Boeheim replied, "He's more ready for the NBA than any other guard I've ever had."

Dion Waiters Scouting Video - NBA Draft Insider (via nbadraftinsider)

The highlights speak for themselves. Waiters' potential is seemingly limitless, as he had probably the quickest first step in all of college basketball last season, a solid jump-shot, which showcased a NBA-level step-back jumper, and the fire and confidence of somebody who knows they can be better than everybody else.

Waiters' Syracuse career didn't end with an NCAA Championship or a trip to the Final Four -- the Orange were knocked out in the Elite 8 by the Ohio State Buckeyes -- but it ended well enough that it was very clear the Philadelphia native wasn't coming back to the 'Cuse for another season.

In the end, Waiters will be remembered for his thunderous fast-break dunks, transition spin moves (shown below) and a cockiness, humbled by confidence, not seen since Carmelo Anthony.

Dion Waiters (via srhatch)

There seems to be no limits of where Waiters' offensive game can go, but his NBA career will be determined by his ability to play point guard -- he doesn't move very well without the ball -- and improve his jump shot.

Regardless of Waiters' future as a pro, nobody would have thought he'd be here so fast. Well, everyone besides Dion Waiters.

What They Are Saying

"In one of the ever-so-famous Draft Day dramas, it appears that Waiters is the most highly touted player in the Draft to receive a promise. He shut down all workouts and did not even interview with teams at the NBA Draft Combine in early June in Chicago. Since then, mum’s been the word on Waiters," -- Rodger Bohn of SLAM Magazine.

What They Are Projecting (Mock Drafts):

SB Nation's Tom Ziller: No. 13 to Phoenix Suns.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford: No. 8 to Toronto Raptors
NBADraft.net: No. 8 to Raptors.
CBSSports.com's Jeff Goodman: No. 7 to Golden State Warriors.
CBSSports.com's Matt Moore: No. 7 to Warriors.
DraftExpress.com: No. 7 to Warriors.

Nugget:

If Waiters goes in the NBA Draft Lottery, he will become the third Syracuse player to go in the top 14 since Carmelo Anthony in '03.

What We Think:

Waiters was a very pleasant surprise during the 2011-12 season, and I think the trend will continue during his professional career. What will separate Waiters from other draft prospects such as Perry Jones III or Jeremy Lamb is his tenacity and fire.

If given one more year at Syracuse, Waiters could have vaulted himself into the top 3, as he could have been the best guard prospect in the '13 Draft. However, since Waiters was never given a chance to start and be "the man" at Syracuse it hurt his pre-draft stock a bit.

Now, NBA scouts and front office brass are seeing what Orange fans saw all season long -- a potential NBA All-Star.

With that said, the last two SU players to go in the Draft Lottery -- Wesley Johnson (No. 4 to Minnesota in '10) and Jonny Flynn (No. 6 to Minnesota in '09) -- haven't lived up to their selection status. And if history of the lottery has provide anything, it's that no player is a sure thing.

But if we were forced to bet on a player to break the recent disappointing trend of Syracuse professional players, we're not betting against Dion Waiters.

For more on Syracuse basketball draft prospects, make sure to check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream or the SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. Meanwhile, for everything on the Knicks visit Posting And Toasting.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Moe Harkless Projected To Houston Rockets, Andrew Nicholson to Boston Celtics

In his latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft, Sam Amick of Sports Illustrated projects Moe Harkless of St. John's to the Houston Rockets with the 18th pick and Andrew Nicholson of St. Bonaventure to the Boston Celtics at No. 21.

Amick writes that Harkless' stock "has been on the rise in recent weeks." The Rockets are hoping not to keep their No. 18 pick, as they have reportedly acquired a stable of first-round selections in hopes of enticing the Orlando Magic to part ways with Dwight Howard.

Nicholson might not still be available when the Celtics select at No. 21, according to Amick, but he's considered a solid pick wherever he goes. His inside-outside game helped St. Bonaventure to the NCAA tournament for the first time in more than a decade.

For more on Moe Harkless, please be sure to check out SB Nation's St. John's blog Rumble In The Garden and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Moe Harkless Projected To Houston Rockets, Andrew Nicholson To Cleveland Cavaliers

In his latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft at Draft Express, Jonathan Givony projects Moe Harkless of St. John's to the Houston Rockets with the 16th pick and Andrew Nicholson of St. Bonaventure to the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 24th pick.

Harkless, a 6-foot-9 wing, has been climbing draft boards as the 2012 NBA Draft approaches. Scouts are impressed by his combination of size and athleticism, and he has come across well during interviews. The 19-year old won the Big East Rookie of the Year award this past season after averaging 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds during his lone season at St. John's.

Nicholson, a 6-foot-10 big man, has an inside-outside game that some scouts have compared to David West's. The 22-year old averaged 18.5 points and 8.4 rebounds as a senior at St. Bonaventure, leading the school back to the NCAA tournament for the first time in more than a decade.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Fab Melo A Boston Celtics Target At No. 22

The 2012 NBA Draft is just two days away, and expert mock drafts are beginning to shape into form. For those former Syracuse basketball player hoping to have their name called by the commissioner there's nothing better than seeing your name in an expert's projections, and that's what center Fab Melo saw on Tuesday.

According to the latest mock draft by Comcast SportsNets Boston's A. Sherrod Barkley, the 7-footer is going to go to the Boston Celtics with the No. 22 overall pick:

22. Boston - Fab Melo, C, Syracuse: Maturity issues aside, the best shot-blocking big man gets scooped up by a team that's desperate for more defensive-minded bodies in the post.

Melo, the 2011-12 Big East Defensive Player of the Year, would be a good fit for any team trying to upgrade its physical presence inside.

Despite some off-the-court issues, Melo, officially listed at 7-foot-0, 255-pounds, is a solid prospects says DraftExpress.com's Jonathan Givony.

"He's a legit 7-footer, and he's a pretty mobile one at that," said Jonathan Givony, president of DraftExpress. "That automatically puts him in a pretty unique class of prospects. There aren't that many guys like him out there."

Melo's mobility at center and potential upside has him as a first-round selection according to SB Nation.com.

For more on Syracuse basketball draft prospects, make sure to check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream or the SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. Meanwhile, for everything on the Knicks visit Posting And Toasting.

2012 NBA Draft: Scoop Jardine Breaks Foot, Will Have Surgery Tuesday

After months of working out for NBA teams and seemingly making an impression on scouts, former Syracuse guard Scoop Jardine's dreams of becoming a professional basketball player took a serious hit this past weekend as he broke his right foot in a workout in Los Angeles.

The injury, which happened when the 6-foot-2 guard landed on the foot of Mississippi State's Dee Bost, willl force Jardine to have surgery in LA on Tuesday and then undergo six to eight weeks of rehabilitation. The recovery time will force the Philadelphia native to miss the NBA's Summer League, which is vital in a rookie development.

"I’m trying to stay positive,’’ Jardine laughed when he talked to the Syracuse Post Standard, "I’ll probably be able to jump after this.’’

According to Jardine, who thanked SU fans via Twitter on Tuesday, he will begin his rehab in LA and then return to the Syracuse area to work out with SU trainer Brad Pike.

Judging from ost prospect rankings board, it seems Jardine was unlikely to be drafted. Before the injury, however, Jardine said he had positive workouts with many different NBA teams, including the New York Knicks.

For more on Syracuse basketball draft prospects, make sure to check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream or the SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. Meanwhile, for everything on the Knicks visit Posting And Toasting.

2012 NBA Draft: Syracuse's Dion Waiters Gets Green Room Invite For NBA Draft

Former Syracuse University guard Dion Waiters has reportedly been invited to the Green Room on draft night for the upcoming 2012 NBA Draft on Thursday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey (Draft Express' Twitter).

Waiters was one of 13 players getting a Green Room invite from the NBA. Here are the other invitees:

Anthony Davis, Thomas Robinson, Bradley Beal, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Harrison Barnes, Damian Lillard, Jeremy Lamb, Andre Drummond, Austin Rivers, John Henson, Tyler Zeller, Meyers Leonard.

Waiters getting an invite to the Green Room is a good sign that he could be a Top 15 pick in this year's draft. Waiters stopped his pre-draft workouts early this month which led to speculation that a team had made him a promise. The Raptors with the No. 8 selection have denied that they were the team to make the promise. Waiters has been projected to the Warriors (No. 7), Trail Blazers (No. 11) and Suns (No. 13) in recent mock drafts.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Draft: Moe Harkless Works Out For Sacramento Kings

Moe Harkless is considered a lottery pick by quite a few experts. However, not too many people have him going in the top five picks of Thursday's 2012 NBA Draft.

The Sacramento Kings are picking fifth overall and had Harkless in for a workout according to Tom Ziller of SB Nation's Sactown Royalty.

Harkless only spent one year at St. John's before deciding it was time to go pro. It's tough to blame him, considering the type of year he had. Head coach Steve Lavin missed most of the year battling cancer and almost his entire supporting cast consisted of freshmen.

The youngster is a rare blend of power and athletic ability. Harkless isn't much of a three-point shooter (he shot 21 percent in college), but at 6-foot-9 he can shoot from a good distance and attack the paint with fury.

There has been speculation the Kings want to move down in the draft and stockpile picks. If that's the case, Harkless could be moving across the country in short order to join forces with Tyreke Evans.

For more on Moe Harkless, please be sure to check out our blog Rumble In The Garden and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

2012 NBA Draft: 4 More Players To Workout For Knicks

The New York Knicks will hold workouts with four more prospects on Monday in advance of the 2012 NBA Draft, Knicks PR tells Knicksblog. The four prospects are:

• Oscar Bellfield, G, 6-2, 190, Nevada-Las Vegas, Senior
• Marcus Denmon, G, 6-3, 185, Missouri, Senior
• Harouna Mutombo, G, 6-4, 200, Western Carolina, Senior
• Erving Walker, G, 5-8, 177, Florida State, Senior

Denmon may be the most interesting prospect of the four. Here's Draft Express on the shooting guard:

Though he is responsible for 20 percent of Missouri's offensive possessions and 22.6 percent of Missouri's total field goal attempts, he has continued to play the same brand of extremely efficient basketball, shooting 53 percent from 2-point range and 42 percent for 3, while coughing the ball up on just 9 percent of his possessions and averaging only 1.3 turnovers per 40 minutes pace adjusted. This is particularly impressive given his expanded role as Missouri's primary scoring option.

The Knicks have been working out quite a few draft prospects. Whoever they end up selecting they only have one pick, so fans hope they make the most of it. The Knicks pick 48th overall, having dealt away their first-round pick some time ago.

For more on the 2012 NBA Draft, stick with this storystream. For all things New York Knicks, Posting and Toasting has you covered.

NBA Draft 2012: Plenty Of New York Talent Available On Thursday

Although the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets don't have a first-round pick, there is plenty of local talent that will be selected in the NBA draft. At least eight New York-area players figure to have their name called on Thursday, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The best of those players is Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who went to school at St. Patrick High School in New Jersey.

Kidd-Gilchrist won an NCAA national championship with the Wildcats in April, and finished the season averaging 11.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. "Great motor, physical defender, he's got a high basketball IQ and he's the youngest player in the draft," NBA college scouting director Ryan Blake said of the 18-year-old. "He's going to come in and he'll earn minutes defensively from his maturity."

Also included in the list of players were St. John's forward Moe Harkless, Kansas guard Tyshawn Taylor, Kentucky guard Doron Lamb, Norfolk State power forward Kyle O'Quinn, West Virginia forward Kevin Jones, Iona guard Scott Machado and Xavier guard Tu Holloway.

For more on these teams, visit Knicks blog Posting and Toasting and Nets blog NetsDaily.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Moe Harkless, Andrew Nicholson Projected At No. 23, No. 24

In his latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft at SB Nation, Tom Ziller projects that Moe Harkless of St. John's and Andrew Nicholson of St. Bonaventure will be selected with the 23rd and 24th picks, respectively, in the upcoming NBA Draft.

Ziller projects that Harkless will land with the Atlanta Hawks at No. 23 and Nicholson will go one spot later at No. 24 to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Harkless performed very poorly in John Hollinger's statistical-based pre-draft rankings, but scouts realize his game needs a lot of development. His upside is considerable based on the combination of his skill level and his prototypical size for a wing.

Nicholson is considered more NBA-ready, though his average athleticism causes some concern. He has an inside-outside game that some scouts liken to David West's, and his stock took a boost when he brought St. Bonaventure to the NCAA tournament this past season for the first time since 2000.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Syracuse's Dion Waiters, Fab Melo Both Projected Among Top 16

Tom Ziller released his latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft at SB Nation, projecting that two former Syracuse Orange stars will be selected among the top 16 picks.

Ziller has Dion Waiters going 13th to the Phoenix Suns (from whom Waiters has reportedly received a draft day promise) and Fab Melo going three picks later at No. 16 to the Houston Rockets.

Waiters has drawn considerable hype after winning the Big East Sixth Man of the Year Award during his sophomore season. John Hollinger of ESPN has a statistical model to project how well college players will adapt to the NBA, and it ranks Waiters as the top perimeter player in the entire draft.

Melo was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year this past season, but there are questions regarding how well he will translate to the NBA level. In college, he was bigger and just as athletic as almost every opponent he faced. In the NBA, he will need to rely on more than just his impressive physical attributes.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Chad Ford Projects Andrew Nicholson, Moe Harkless To Boston Celtics

In his latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft, ESPN analyst Chad Ford projects that two stars who played their college basketball in the state of New York will be selected by the Boston Celtics.

Ford projects that the Celtics will use the 21st and 22nd picks to choose Andrew Nicholson of St. Bonaventure and Moe Harkless of St. John's, respectively.

Nicholson, a 6-foot-10, 234-pound forward, finished his college career by leading St. Bonaventure into the NCAA tournament. He averaged 18.5 points on 57.1 percent shooting to go along with 8.4 rebounds as a senior. Though his athleticism isn't elite, his skill level as a stretch forward intrigues scouts.

Harkless, a 6-foot-9 small forward, won the Big East's Rookie of the Year award after averaging 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds during his lone season at St. John's. The 19-year-old is still raw and his jump shot needs plenty of work, but he has a prototypical build for an NBA wing.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Chad Ford Projects Dion Waiters to Golden State Warriors, Fab Melo To Minnesota Timberwolves

In his latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft, ESPN analyst Chad Ford projects two former Syracuse Orange stars to go in the top 20.

Ford projects that Dion Waiters will be selected by the Golden State Warriors with the No. 7 pick, and his teammate Fab Melo will go to the Minnesota Timberwolves at No. 18.

There have been many reports that Waiters, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound guard, has a promise to be selected in the lottery. He was named the Big East's Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 12.6 points in 24.1 minutes per game off the bench.

Melo was selected as the Big East's Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 7.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.9 blocks last season. He has a lot of improving left to do on the offensive end, but projects to be capable of protecting the rim.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

NBA Draft Rumors 2012: Moe Harkless Could Go Anywhere From Late Lottery To No. 25, According To Report

Former St. John's forward Moe Harkless is "a bit of a mystery" entering the 2012 NBA Draft, a scout told the Boston Herald.

Harkless is a skilled, 6-foot-9 forward with perimeter talent, who possesses a desirable package of length and athleticism which intrigues NBA scouts. After averaging 15.3 points and 8.6 rebounds during his freshman season at St. John's, he was named the Big East Rookie of the Year. He's also young, just 19 years old, but still largely undeveloped, which leaves teams wondering whether he'll live up to his vast potential.

The confusing nature of Harkless' draft stock leaves his place in June's draft difficult to project. According to CBS Sports, he is drawing interest from certain lottery teams but could fall to considerably later in the first round.

There's interest from the likes of Milwaukee (12), Phoenix (13), Houston (14 and 16). Several NBA executives told CBSSports.com he could go anywhere from the late lottery to No. 25.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Andrew Nicholson, St. Bonaventure, Projected To Cavaliers

Andrew Nicholson will be looking to make the jump from St. Bonaventure to the NBA next season. The 2012 NBA Draft is less than two weeks away, and Jonathon Givony of Draft Express recently published a mock draft for Yahoo! Sports. He has Nicholson going in the first round, to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

24. Cleveland (via LA Lakers)
Andrew Nicholson PF/C
22 years old; 6'9"; 220 lbs., St. Bonaventure, Senior

"The Cavs seemingly need everything except a starting point guard at this stage, and adding some size to the frontcourt wouldn't be a bad idea. Nicholson is big enough to operate alongside Tristan Thompson and a good enough shooter to play with Anderson Varejao."

Another local player, Moe Harkless, from St. John's, is projected to go in the first round as well. Givony has him going three picks earlier to the Boston Celtics.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Moe Harkless, St. John's, Projected To Boston Celtics

In the latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft at SI, St. John's guard/forward Moe Harkless is projected to be selected by the Boston Celtics with the No. 22 pick.

Here's how SI's Sam Amick breaks down the selection:

"With Mickael Pietrus heading into free agency, the athletic, versatile Harkless could slide into the backup small forward spot behind Paul Pierce. The Big East Rookie of the Year averaged 15.3 points last season, but he shot just 44.5 percent overall and 20.2 percent from three-point range. His impact elsewhere entices front-office types who watched him average 8.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and 1.6 steals. Numerous executives told me he helped his cause at the combine." (via SI)

Harkless has also recently been linked in a mock draft to the Denver Nuggets who have the No. 20 pick in the first round.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Syracuse's Fab Melo Projected To Boston Celtics

In the most recent SI 2012 NBA Mock Draft, Sam Amick has Syracuse center Fabricio Melo slotted to go to the Boston Celtics at the No. 21 pick of the first round.

Here's what Amick says about the selection of Melo (7-0, 255):

"At different points in the Celtics' inspired season, they publicly lamented the losses of reserve big men Jermaine O'Neal and Chris Wilcox to injury while also reportedly exploring the possibility of re-signing retired big man Rasheed Wallace. More depth down low, in other words, would be welcome. O'Neal, Wilcox and reserve center Ryan Hollins will be unrestricted free agents (not to mention Kevin Garnett), and reserve center Greg Stiemsma will be a restricted free agent. Melo is an enormous defensive presence who could find a significant reserve role." (via SI)

Melo could go higher in the draft as the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 12 pick are reportedly considering the big Brazilian.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Syracuse's Dion Waiters Projected To Portland Trail Blazers

In the latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft from Sam Amick at SI.com, Syracuse shooting guard Dion Waiters was projected to be selected by the Portland Trail Blazers with the No. 11 pick of the first round.

Here's what Amick said about the Waiters pick:

"The supremely confident Waiters is an efficient and versatile scorer who could help replace Jamal Crawford, who is expected to opt out of his contract this summer. He may have passed the likes of UConn's Jeremy Lamb, Rivers and Washington's Terrence Ross in the shooting guard category. Waiters is believed to have a promise from a lottery team, and many suspect that it's Phoenix at No. 13. (Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo has made it clear he did not give Waiters a promise.) Pass-first North Carolina point guard Kendall Marshall could be in play as well." (via SI)

Waiters stopped his pre-draft workouts last week which led to speculation that an NBA team had already made him a promise. At the time, Portland was not one of the teams linked to Waiters. One of those teams, the Phoenix Suns, have the No. 13 pick in this year's draft. The other team (Toronto) has the No. 8 pick. However, as Amick points out, the Raptors have said they did not make Waiters a promise.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Moe Harkless Selected By Denver Nuggets

The 2012 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 28 – in less than three weeks. Although the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets both surrendered their first round selections, via trade, the New York region will still be interested in the first round – where local prospects, Moe Harkless and Andrew Nicholson, are projected to be selected.

Draft Express came out with another edition of their mock draft on Saturday. Here's where they have Harkless and Nicholson being drafted:

20. Denver Nuggets: Moe Harkless

24. Cleveland Cavilers: Andrew Nicholson

Harkless, the freshman small forward from St. John's, averaged nearly 16 points per game for the Red Storm in 2012, along with nine rebounds, two assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. DX says his best case scenario, in NBA terms, is Trevor Arizia.

Nicholson is compared to Ryan Anderson, of the Orlando Magic.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Nets And Knicks Picks

The 2012 NBA Draft is less than three weeks away, and although the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets both surrendered their first round picks, via trade, both teams will be looking to add depth in the second round.

Draft Express recently published a mock draft, and here's who they have slotted to the Knicks and Nets in the second round:

Knicks

18. Darius Johnson-Odom, Guard, Marquette

Nets

27. Mike Scott, Power Forward, Virginia

The Knicks traded their 2012 first round pick to the Houston Rockets in the Tracy McGrady trade. The Nets traded their first round pick to the Portland TrailBlazers, in exchange for Gerald Wallace. The pick would have remained with the Nets if they finished in the top three in the Draft Lottery.

-- For more on the Nets, please be sure to visit our blog Nets Daily. For more on the Knicks, visit Posting and Toasting and SB Nation New York for all the latest news and updates.

2012 NBA Draft: Syracuse's Dion Waiters Stops Pre-Draft Workouts, Which Team Made Him A Promise?

Former Syracuse Orange guard Dion Waiters has stopped his pre-draft workouts ahead of the 2012 NBA Draft (via Pro Basketball Talk).

Waiters is a projected first-round pick in the draft. He abruptly shut down his workouts on Thursday after initially meeting with teams at the NBA Draft combine in Chicago. The fact that he is done working out for teams means that a team has made him a promise. It is uncertain which team made the offer, but it was apparently not the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors have the No. 8 pick left in the draft but Waiters agent reportedly told Toronto general manager Bryan Colangelo that his client has a promise with another team (via Pro Basketball Talk). Another rumor had Waiters linked to the Phoenix Suns at the No. 13 spot.

Waiters had 12.6 points and 1.8 steals in 24.1 minutes per game last season for Syracuse and was named the Big East's Sixth Man of the Year.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Moe Harkless Projected To Orlando Magic

In Yahoo! Sports latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft, draft expert Jonathan Givony projects former St. John's wing Moe Harkless to be selected with the 19th pick by the Orlando Magic.

The 6-foot-8, 208-pounder averaged 15.5 points and 8.6 rebounds this past season to become the Big East Rookie of the Year. Though scouts consider him a work in progress, he has a large upside thanks to his impressive combination of size and athleticism.

Writes Givony:

Orlando has no coach and no general manager at the moment, making it difficult to pinpoint exactly which direction the team might head in at this early stage. The evolution of Dwight Howard's status with the team will surely play a major role in future plans. It's safe to say that small forward was the weakest position on the Magic last season, and Moe Harkless could very well be deemed the most talented prospect on the board here, even if he'll need time to contribute.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Syracuse's Dion Waiters Projected To Dallas Mavericks

In Yahoo! Sports latest 2012 NBA Mock Draft, draft expert Jonathan Givony projects that Syracuse guard Dion Waiters will be selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the 17th pick.

Waiters was named the Big East Conference's Sixth Man of the Year after averaging 12.6 points and 1.8 steals in 24.1 minutes per game while leading the Orange into the Elite Eight.

The 6-foot-4, 210-pounder has been compared to Dwyane Wade for his explosive scoring potential. One NBA general manager told ESPN's Chad Ford that beyond Anthony Davis, Waiters is the only other potential superstar in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Writes Givony, Waiters would have good value if he falls to the Mavericks.

The Mavericks are a team in transition, with a large amount of cap space coming up this summer and serious needs in the backcourt. Dion Waiters duplicates some of what sparsely used second-year combo guard Dominique Jones offers, but has good value at this point in the draft. Considering their flexibility, the Mavericks could go in many different directions here.

For more 2012 NBA Draft speculation and analysis, stay tuned to this StoryStream.

2012 NBA Mock Draft: Potential Picks For The Knicks And Nets

The Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks will not be picking in the first round of the 2012 NBA Draft. Which players could they consider in the second round?

2012 NBA Draft: Doug Gottlieb Top 30 Has Five From New York Schools

Five players from New York colleges are among the top 30 2012 NBA Draft prospects on the Big Board released Wednesday by ESPN college basketball expert Doug Gottlieb [ESPN Insider only]. Dion Waiters (No. 10) of Syracuse, Moe Harkless (No. 17) of St. John's, Fab Melo (No. 21) of Syracuse, Andrew Nicholson (No. 22) of St. Bonaventure and Scott Machado (No. 25) of Iona are on Gottlieb's list.

Below is what Gottlieb had to say about each player.

Dion Waiters (No. 10) -- With no position per se, Waiters should have the same role in the pros as in college, where he came in and changed the tempo. He is a dynamic Dwyane Wade-type of driver who will be a streaky shooter from NBA range, but he can get to the rim and is ideal for playing the role of an off-the-bench dynamo.

Moe Harkless (No. 17) -- I'm not totally sold on taking Kidd-Gilchrist ahead of Harkless, as Harkless has the scoring skill and perimeter ability that MKG lacks. Harkless does need to continue to improve his range, but as a 3 he has size, can rebound and definitely can score.

Fab Melo (No. 21) -- Melo made a magical improvement jump from Year 1 to Year 2, and he continues to improve his body. Melo is huge, he can shoot from 15, he can catch and is a basket protector.

Andrew Nicholson (No. 22) -- Nicholson is super bright, skilled as a shooter and passer. He has tremendous feet and gigantic hands, but he is not really a great athlete in transition and his game has some small forward to it. Nicholson is a good shot-blocker who probably is best with a winning team where he can just fit in.

Scott Machado (No. 25) -- Machado is an athletic point guard who can really create in transition or off of penetration. He changes the tempo of the game quite quickly and is a better shooter and athlete than Kendall Marshall, a better shooter than Tony Wroten and far more consistent a ball handler than Marquis Teague.

2012 NBA Draft: Scoop Jardine Works Out For Knicks, Tries To Showcase Defensive Skills

Former Syracuse basketball point guard Scoop Jardine worked out with the New York Knicks Wednesday, as he tries to improve his 2012 NBA Draft stock and catch the eye of scouts and front office brass, who will hopefully select him on June 28.

As expected, because of Jardine's proven track record of being a hard worker, the 6-foot-2 floor general showed up eight pounds lighter than his playing weight at SU and was trying to prove to the Knicks he can play man-to-man defense after playing four years in the 2-3 zone.

"I think I showed my defensive ability improve. I think that's one thing the scouts want to see. We (played) a lot of zone, I've done that in a man to man set, shown my awareness on both ends of the court, and I think that's gonna help me in the next level."

In the end of his workout, Jardine said if the Knicks were to select him with their second-round selection (No. 48 overall) he said his job would be easy:

"I mean, it would be the easiest job in America," said Jardine through a smile, "throw a pass to Melo and get out the way! It would be a dream come true, actually going to Syracuse, he was one of the reasons (why I went), so to actually play along side him would be a dream come true, an opportunity to show what I can do, because I'm with one of the best players in the world."

Currently, Jardine is on the bubble to be one of the 60 players selected in the two-round draft. Right now, the Knicks own just one pick, a second rounder -- about where Jardine could go -- which they could use to try an bolster a thin group of guards.

For more on Syracuse basketball draft prospects, make sure to check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream or the SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. Meanwhile, for everything on the Knicks visit Posting And Toasting.

2012 NBA Draft: Syracuse's Scoop Jardine To Work Out For Knicks

While most top NBA Draft prospect will participate in the upcoming Combine, June 7-8, former Syracuse point guard Scoop Jardine will be working out for the New York Knicks on Wednesday. Jardine, a non-Combine invitee, is a low-tier prospect by the opinion of many draft experts and for him to get his named called June 28th at the NBA Draft, he will need to impressive scouts with these types of individual workouts.

Currently, the Knicks do not have a first-round pick but do have a second-round selection (No. 45) overall, which would be about where Jardine would go if his name is called.

However, there's some good news for Jardine, as it seems New York is interested in him and they need depth at the point guard position.

The executive called Jardine "real clever and crafty and very good at using angles and has good vision.’’ However, Jardine is not considered particularly athletic or possessing the kind of speed Lin showed during his breakout two months.

Still, NBA scouts see Jardine as a potential backup, after he averaged 8.3 points and 4.7 assists for the Orange as a senior.

In his final season at Syracuse, Jardine tallied 8.9 points, 4.9 assists and 2.3 turnovers per game, while averaging 25.2 minutes a game.

However, Jardine's biggest attributes are shown through his intangibles, which feature a solid character, strong leadership skills and the confidence to take the big shot and make it. As much of a passer as Jardine is, with the game on the line he's not afraid to put his team on his back.

Jardine's negatives revolve around his scoring ability, which features a solid inside game but needs a lot of work from the outside. His biggest question, though, will be his defense, as Syracuse plays a 2-3 zone and never shifts into a man-to-man defense. Can Jardine man-up on other back-up point guards in the league?

If the Knicks are looking for a somebody to fill a bench spot and play well in limited time, Jardine would be a good selection, but the Philadlephia native does come with some question marks that will need to be worked out on Wednesday.

For more on Syracuse basketball draft prospects, make sure to check back to this SB Nation New York StoryStream or the SB Nation blog Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician. Meanwhile, for everything on the Knicks visit Posting And Toasting.

NBA Draft Combine 2012: Dion Waiters, Fab Melo, Kris Joseph Expected To Attend From Syracuse

Dion Waiters, Fab Melo and Kris Joseph will all represent the Syracuse Orange at the 2012 NFL Draft Combine in Chicago on June 7-8.