NBA Draft Notes
By Bovada.lv
Bet on the 2012 NBA draft now at Bovada.
The betting options for the 2011-12 NBA season didn't end with Miami's NBA Finals victory over Oklahoma City. The final official event of the NBA season comes Thursday night with the 2012 NBA Draft, and Bovada has released several props for that.
There hasn't been much drama about which player would go No. 1 overall in the draft since the Greg Oden/Kevin Durant debate in 2007. Portland, picking at the top, chose very unwisely in taking Oden. And there's no drama this year, either, as Kentucky big man Anthony Davis, considered the best center prospect since Oden if not before that, will go at the top of the 2012 draft to New Orleans, which won the NBA Draft lottery last month.
The big storyline heading into Thursday appears to be whether the Orlando Magic finally rid themselves of the Dwight Howard headache and trade the All-Star center. It's going to happen sooner or later. That Howard is traded before Thursday's draft ends is at even money for yes and -140 for no.
Howard wants to play in Brooklyn, but the Nets likely don't have the assets to get him and Orlando can trade him wherever it wants. The most aggressive team right now is Houston, which now has picks No. 14, 16 and 18 in the draft after agreeing to trade Chase Budinger to Minnesota for the Wolves' No. 18 pick. It's expected that Houston will try and package those picks to get into the Top 5, and then offer that and a group of players and future picks to Orlando for Howard even though Howard won't agree to sign a long-term deal with Houston as things currently stand.
Will there be a trade in the Top 5 picks of the draft? Yes is even money there and no at -140. Three teams with picks in the Top 5 could be active: Charlotte at No. 2, Cleveland at No. 4 and Sacramento at No. 5.
The Bobcats, devastated they didn't win the lottery and the chance to take Davis after finishing with the worst winning percentage in NBA history, have let it be known they would be willing to trade down for extra first-round picks. With no franchise-changer at No. 2, Charlotte wants to acquire as much talent as possible. If the Bobcats can't find a trade partner to their liking, they are expected to take either Kansas' Thomas Robinson or Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. Robinson going at No. 2 overall (by any team) is the -200 favorite, with any other player at +150.
Florida's Bradley Beal is the top shooting guard prospect in this draft and isn't expected to last past No. 3 overall, where Washington sits. Beal going at No. 3 overall is the -200 favorite, with any other player at +150.
Cleveland would love to add Beal and could offer the Bobcats the Nos. 4 and 24 picks to move up two spots and get ahead of Washington to take him. If the Cavs stay put, they are expected to choose between Kidd-Gilchrist and North Carolina's Harrison Barnes at No. 4. Kidd-Gilchrist is the -150 favorite to go No. 4, with Barnes at +150 and any other player at +150.
Sacramento, meanwhile, seems the most likely spot for Houston to move up to. If not, the Kings would love to get Kidd-Gilchrist. Two years ago, a record five Kentucky players were chosen in the first round. The over/under for first-round Wildcats this year is 4.5, with under a -200 favorite. Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones and Marquis Teaque all should be first-rounders this year. The only chance for a fifth is likely Doron Lamb, who has an early second-round grade. Darius Miller also could get taken in this draft, although likely deep into the second round.
It's one of the deepest drafts in years, so deep that a senior may not get taken in the lottery. North Carolina center Tyler Zeller is the top-rated senior on the board and likely to go around the end of the lottery. The over/under for seniors taken in the first round overall is 4.5, with over a -150 favorite.