---

TRADES, RUMORS, DRAFT … YOU NAME IT

Orlando’s Tracy McGrady is headed for Houston, Houston’s Steve Francis is on his way to Orlando, and the Lakers’ Shaquille O’Neal just might be back in Los Angeles and playing in the Staples Center, after all -- albeit wearing a new uniform.

It’s all happening so swiftly, my head’s spinning faster than a basketball that was just released from Kobe Bryant’s fingertips.

Ah, yes. Kobe Bryant. He’s an unrestricted free agent, but we all know he’ll re-sign with the Lakers. Won’t he?

It’s hard to tell in this wild and wonderful off-season -- which, by the way, is barely a week old.

And oh, yeah. The NBA draft is Thursday. That’s what this newsletter was supposed to be about -- the draft. Actually, it was supposed to be about the same thing my draft edition is about every year -- ME. It was supposed to consist of the same old ramblings, like how I’m working on my jump shot, how I’m pumping iron and running to get shape, how I’m still waiting for commissioner Davis Stern to step to the podium and say, “With the first pick in the NBA draft, the Orlando Magic select Sam Amico, a 5-foot-9 guard from Northeastern Christian Junior College who’s on the wrong side of 30.”

But there’s no time for that this year. There’s simply too much business to be discussed, too many questions to be answered.

Such as:

Is it possible Shaquille O’Neal will end up playing in Dallas for Don Nelson, who just happens to be the same coach who invented the Hack-a-Shaq line of defense a few years back?

Or what about McGrady? Will he become the first player to get traded after leading the league in scoring since it happened to Bob McAdoo of the Buffalo Braves 28 years ago? If so, will T-Mac and Rockets center Yao Ming become the next edition of Shaq and Kobe? Most importantly, have any of my readers even heard of the Buffalo Braves?

The trade gossip doesn’t stop there. The latest reports have Shaq going to the Clippers for Elton Brand, Corey Maggette, Melvin Ely, and the No. 4 overall pick. Before that, he was on his way to the Mavericks, who supposedly would offer Antawn Jamison, Antoine Walker, and Michael Finley or Steve Nash -- but NOT Dirk Nowitzki.

Other reported deals have Indiana trading big man Al Harrington to Cleveland for the No. 10 pick, Memphis shipping swingman Bonzi Wells to the Pacers for forward Ron Artest, and New Jersey sending guard Kerry Kittles and forward Aaron Williams to Portland for forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim.

Heck, even All-Star guards Allen Iverson and Vince Carter aren’t untouchable -- as MSNBC.com reported Philadelphia and Toronto just might swap the two players for each other.

Of course, all of this pure speculation, and right now, that’s about the only thing you can be sure of. That, and by the time you read this, something else will have happened. So buckle up and get ready for the pro basketball ride of your life.

It’s the NBA off-season, when fans of every team are allowed to dream. And yes, that still holds true even if your favorite team drafts someone other than me.

AND NOW, THE DRAFT

Here is how the first-round of the NBA draft would go if I were the general manager of every franchise. Keep in mind that if I’m a GM, I’m not real big on high school players -- because it takes most high schoolers three-to-five years to develop. And if I’m a GM, it’s pretty unlikely that I’ll hold the same job in three-to-five years. That’s just the ugly side of the industry. So the majority of my draft picks are based on players who could provide IMMEDIATE help, rather than those who offer only potential. (In other words, this is not a standard "prediction" mock draft. For the actual InsideHoops.com NBA Mock Draft, click here).

1. Orlando: Emeka Okafor, 6-10, PF, Connecticut. The most NBA-ready guy available. He’s strong, athletic, a proven winner, and clearly a quality individual. With his shot-blocking skills and willingness to bang underneath, Okafor will be an All-Star someday.

2. Charlotte: Dwight Howard, 6-10, PF, Southwest Christian (Ga.) Academy. The expansion Bobcats can afford to take a player who will grow with the club. And Howard has all the tools -- not to mention an outstanding work ethic -- to grow into something special.

3. Chicago: Luol Deng, 6-8, SF, Duke. Deng is athletic and crafty with the ball, and is the best Dukie since Elton Brand and Corey Maggette. Consider him a more passionate and disciplined Darius Miles.

4. L.A. Clippers: Andre Iguodala, 6-6, SG, Arizona. Arguably the draft’s best natural athlete, as Iguodala slashes to the basket with a greatest of ease and possesses the wingspan of a 7-footer. Granted, the Clippers need a point guard -- but with talented swingmen such as Corey Maggette, Quentin Richardson, and Iguodala, they could trade for a veteran.

5. Washington: Ben Gordon, 6-2, G, Connecticut. As long he’s not forced to play strictly point guard, Gordon could develop into a scoring-machine off the bench. Has great shooting range and is another good character guy.

6. Atlanta: Shaun Livingston, 6-7, PG, Peoria Central (Ill.) H.S. It will take some time for Livingston to come around, but with veteran Jason Terry already on the roster, that’s OK. Most scouts believe Livingston will develop into a young Penny Hardaway -- making him a steal if it actually happens.

7. Phoenix: Devin Harris, 6-3, G, Wisconsin. Owns an explosive first step and is a good mid-range jump shooter. Overall competitiveness would most likely land him a starting job as a rookie.

8. Toronto: Josh Childress, 6-7, SF, Stanford. Smart, a hard worker, a team-first guy who can create his own shot. Mostly, the best all-around player available.

9. Philadelphia: Jameer Nelson, 5-11, PG, St. Joseph’s. Damon Stoudamire without all the off-court nuisances. Nelson is a local guy and a great all-around kid. The 76ers would be crazy to let him slide.

10. Cleveland: Luke Jackson, 6-7, SG/SF, Oregon. His quick release on his shot, athleticism, and strong individual workouts have his stock rising. Jackson needs to be more aggressive, but trying to guard LeBron James every day in practice would take care of that.

11. Golden State: Andris Bledrins, 6-11, PF, Latvia. I’ve never seen him play, but the scouts love his size, hustle, and passing skills. Too good to pass up at this point.

12. Seattle: Kirk Snyder, 6-6, SG, Nevada. A great slasher who is extremely versatile. Another example of taking the best available athlete, as opposed to drafting for need.

13. Portland: Pavel Podkolzine, 7-5, C, Russia. Slow, with bad feet. Other than that, he’s great. The Next Mark Eaton.

14. Utah: Kris Humphries, 6-9, F, Minnesota. Humphries is heady, a good rebounder, and an underrated jump shooter. A perfect fit for Jazz coach Jerry Sloan.

15. Boston: Rafael Araujo, 6-11, C, Brigham Young. A banger with a soft touch near the basket. One scout called him, “An EXTREMELY poor man’s version of Dave Cowens.” I’m assuming that’s a compliment.

16. Utah: Sasha Vujacic, 6-7, SG, Slovenia. If Vujacic and Gordon Giricek were in the game at the same time, it’s lights out for opponents. Vujacic doesn’t do much other than shoot -- but he does so with great range and accuracy.

17. Atlanta: Ricky Minard, 6-4, SG, Morehead State. Minard is a tough kid who gave great showings in the Portsmouth and Chicago pre-draft camps. Reminds scouts of Seattle’s Ronald Murray.

18: New Orleans: Josh Smith, 6-8, SF, Oak Hill (Va.) Academy. A high-flying high schooler who might develop into something special in three years.

19. Miami: J.R. Smith, 6-7, SG, St. Benedict’s (N.J.) Prep. Miami can afford to gamble on a spectacular natural athlete, which as of right now, is all Smith is.

20. Denver: Segei Monya, 6-8, SF, Russia. Monya is good at everything, great at nothing, and would be a nice backup for Carmelo Anthony. Could also play alongside Anthony at times.

21. Utah: Delonte West, 6-2, G, St. Joseph’s. My favorite player in the draft is an old-school basketball player who doesn’t really have a position. He does have lots of skills, though, and his dedication, outside shot, and winning mentality will make him a late first-round steal.

22. New Jersey: Tony Allen, 6-4, G, Oklahoma State. When it comes to helping a team right away, the strong and underrated Allen is the best player left. A true sleeper.

23. Portland: Al Jefferson, 6-10, PF, Prentiss (Miss.) H.S. He already has an NBA body, so all Jefferson needs to learn to do is get good position.

24. Boston: Robert Swift, 7-0, C, Bakersfield (Calif.) H.S. Another physical teen with promise, many see Swift becoming a Jason Collins-like pro.

25. Boston: Beno Udrih, 6-4, PG, Slovenia. Udrih was the top point guard at the Chicago camp, and has the potential to become a starter someday. Should immediately be a solid backup.

26. Sacramento: David Harrison, 7-0, C, Colorado. Harrison is a true 7-footer who played three seasons in the Big 12. In other words, he’s worth the gamble.

27. L.A. Lakers: Sebastian Telfair, 5-11, PG, Lincoln (N.Y.) H.S. A natural point guard with good decision-making skills and lots of promise -- but won’t be ready to contribute for at least two years. Kobe Bryant, assuming he’s back, could help Telfair learn the preps-to-pros ropes.

28. San Antonio: Kevin Martin, 6-7, SG, Western Carolina. Division I’s second-leading scorer last season, Martin has been impressive in individual workouts. Another sleeper.

29. Indiana: Bryant Matthews, 6-7, F, Virginia Tech. A little undersized for his style of play (close to the basket), but a hard worker who led the Big East in scoring.

Second-round help:

Peter Ramos, 7-3, C (Puerto Rico); Victor Kryapa, 6-9, F (Russia); Dorell Wright, 6-7, SG (South Kent, Conn., Prep); Andre Emmitt, 6-5, SG (Texas Tech); Chris Duhon, 6-1, PG (Duke); Donta Smith, 6-7, SF (So. Illinois JC); Matt Freije, 6-9, SF (Vanderbilt); Antonio Burks, 6-0, PG (Memphis); Lionel Chalmers, 6-0, PG (Xavier); Rickey Paulding, 6-5, SG (Missouri); Romain Sato, 6-3, SG (Xavier); Desmon Farmer, 6-6, SG (USC); Josh Allen, 6-6, SF (Alderson-Broaddus); Bernard Robinson, 6-6, SG (Michigan); Damien Wilkins, 6-6, SF (Georgia); Anderson Varejo, 6-10, PF (Brazil); Tim Pickett, 6-4, SG (Florida State); Nigel Dixon, 6-10, C (Western Kentucky); Darius Rice, 6-10, SF, Miami; Jackson Vroman, 6-10, PF (Iowa State).

FINAL NOTE

Well, this is good-bye … for now. I’m on vacation next week, and as you know, will be joining the ranks of parenthood shortly after that. As kind reader John Fike promised, “Being a father is one thing in life that’s NEVER overrated.” I am very much looking forward to it.

But all of it means the newsletter will be on hiatus. For how long? Not even I know the answer to that. I’m guessing it will be e-mailed sporadically throughout the off-season, then be back on a regular weekly basis in October. All I really know for sure is I will keep your e-mail address on file, so that when I finally do send out the next Amico Report, you’ll be sure to receive it. It could be two weeks from now, it could be the end of August, it could be the middle of September. We’ll all just have to wait and see.

In the meantime, please know that I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read. It really does mean a lot to me.

Also, I still hope to hear from you, so we can casually chat about the NBA. I’ll continue to follow the league closely and enjoy it as much as ever.

So … thanks. And I’ll talk to you soon.

Until next time, have a wonderful summer!

READ ME IN BT

If you enjoy reading this newsletter, you might want to check out my columns in Basketball Times. I write about anything and everything involving the game for the publication, which also includes columns by real experts such as Dick Vitale and Bob Ryan. You can subscribe to Basketball Times by calling 910-295-5559 or sending an e-mail to hoopgroup@aol.com.

CONTACT ME

You can e-mail your thoughts to me at amicoreport@hotmail.com. Please include your name and hometown in your e-mails. I will not publish unsigned letters, or letters from people who only use nicknames. I also like seeing where the e-mails are coming from. Also, don’t feel bad if I don’t reply. I rarely have the time. But I do read every last word of your e-mails, and am very grateful that you take the time to write.