Chicago Bulls general manager, Gar Forman and head coach, Vinny Del Negro fielded questions from the media following the Bulls’ first round selections in the 2009 NBA Draft. Here is a recap of what each said.

Gar Forman

• They targeted James Johnson during the season.
• It was a consensus among their staff that James was a top 5-7 player in the draft.
• They love his versatility.  He can play the 3 and the 4.  He can play inside and outside.  At his size, 6′8″ 250 pounds, he can put the ball on the floor, rebound, push it out in transition, and penetrate.  He’s a very good passer for a big man and can make plays for both himself and teammates off the dribble.
• They got to see him for three straight days at a tournament in Anaheim, in which he showed an effective post game.
• They had talks with teams the last week about moving up in the draft, and James was the guy who they were targeting to move up and get.  They were really excited that he was there at 16.
• Taj Gibson is also a versatile guy.  He has great length.  He’s 6′10″ with a 7′4″ wingspan.  He runs the floor, which is important for the Bulls’ bigs to do with Derrick.  USC ran a lot of their offense through him.  He can make a 15 footer.  He plays extremely hard.  They were surprised that he was there at 26, as they heard he might be taken in the late teens or early twenties.
• It was a funny draft.  If certain guys went at certain spots, the whole order could be different.  The first 6-7, maybe 8 picks were set in stone.  After that, the same guy that went 9th could go 20th.
• James and Tyrus are nice complements.  James, in certain matchups, could guard inside and out.

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The 2009 NBA Draft has come and gone. We did three mock drafts on our site, the final version which can be found here. How did our mock draft stack up against the big three’s mock drafts?  (The big three being Draft Express, Nbadraft.net, and Chad Ford’s mock draft for ESPN.com).

Dabullz.com

Correct Picks: 8/30 (26.7%)
Average Deviation: 4.7
Lottery Picks: 6/14 (42.9%)
Lottery Deviation: 1.07

Draftexpress.com

Correct Picks: 14/30 (46.7%)
Average Deviation: 5.03
Lottery Picks: 8/14 (57.1%)
Lottery Deviation: 1.43

Nbadraft.net

Correct Picks: 10/30 (33.3%)
Average Deviation: 5.5
Lottery Picks: 7/14 (50%)
Lottery Deviation: 2.71

Chad Ford

Correct Picks: 12/30 (40%)
Average Deviation: 3.77
Lottery Picks: 9/14 (64.3%)
Lottery Deviation: 0.57

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According to Chad Ford of ESPN, it is unlikely that Amare Stoudemire will be traded to the Golden State Warriors.

Chad Ford: Just talked to a source inside the Warriors who said that an Amare Stoudemire deal with the Phoenix Suns was “way off, if it ever happens. It’s nowhere close to being done.”

Suns sources have said the same thing. While the two teams could continue to hammer it out, the Warriors say that they are keeping their No. 7 pick, Stephen Curry. Sorry Knicks fans.

I am not too surprised that these trade talks fell apart. Golden State was rumored to be offering way more than anyone else was being rumored to be offering. There were rumors that the Bulls and Suns pretty much agreed to a trade of Drew Gooden, Tyrus Thomas, Thabo Sefolosha, and draft picks for Amare Stoudemire at the trade deadline, but Phoenix reportedly backed out at the last minute.

That package is a far cry from the Golden State package, which was rumored to feature Andris Biedrins, Brandan Wright, Marco Belinelli, and the 7th pick, which became Stephen Curry.

I don’t think Amare Stoudemire would have ever agreed to a trade to Golden State either. He would get there, and there would be very little talent around him. They couldn’t make the playoffs in Phoenix with far more talent than what would be left in Golden State. Amare doesn’t have a no trade clause, but just him telling them through his agent that he doesn’t want to go to Golden State would probably have been enough to halt the trade. Would Golden State really want to give up Biedrins and Curry for a player who is likely to leave their team after just one season? It wasn’t going to happen.

Bulls fans can now go back to hoping and praying that the Bulls somehow strike a deal with the Suns for Amare Stoudemire.

The Chicago Bulls have selected James Johnson, a sophomore power forward out of Wake Forest, with the 16th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.

There was strong hints that the Bulls would select Johnson coming into the draft.  There were rumors that the Bulls would move up to 11th in a trade with the Nets in order to secure Johnson, but he fell to them at 16.

This past year, Johnson averaged 15.0 points, 8.5 RPG, and 1.5 BPG for Wake Forest.

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin (Oklahoma, Sophomore)
2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut, Junior)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Harden (Arizona State, Sophomore)
4. Sacramento Kings - Ricky Rubio (DKV Joentut) (Tyreke Evans)
5. Minnesota Timberwolves - Stephen Curry (Davidson, Junior) (Ricky Rubio)
6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Tyreke Evans (Memphis, Freshman) (Johnny Flynn)
7. Golden State Warriors - Jordan Hill (Arizona, Junior) (Stephen Curry)
8. New York Knicks - Johnny Flynn (Syracuse, Sophomore) (Jordan Hill)
9. Toronto Raptors - Demar DeRozan (USC, Freshman)
10. Milwaukee Bucks - Brandon Jennings (Lottomattica Roma)
11. New Jersey Nets - Gerald Henderson (Duke, Junior) (Terrence Williams)
12. Charlotte Bobcats - Terrence Williams (Louisville, Senior) (Gerald Henderson)
13. Indiana Pacers - Ty Lawson (North Carolina, Junior) (Tyler Hansborough)
14. Phoenix Suns - Earl Clark (Lousville, Junior)
15. Detroit Pistons - B.J. Mullens (Ohio State, Freshman) (Austin Daye)
16. Chicago Bulls - James Johnson (Wake Forest, Sophomore)
17. Philadelphia 76ers - Eric Maynor (VCU, Senior) (Jrue Holiday)
18. Minnesota Timberwolves - Austin Daye (Gonzaga, Sophomore) (Ty Lawson)
19. Atlanta Hawks - Jrue Holiday (UCLA, Freshman) (Jeff Teague)
20. Utah Jazz - Tyler Hansborough (North Carolina, Senior) (Eric Maynor)
21. New Orleans Hornets - Jeff Teague (Wake Forest, Sophomore) (Darren Collison)
22. Portland Trail Blazers - DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh, Sophomore) (Victor Claver)
23. Sacramento Kings - Omri Casspi (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
24. Dallas Mavericks - Sam Young (Pittsburgh, Senior) (B.J. Mullens)
25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Chase Budinger (Arizona, Junior) (Rodrigue Beaubois)
26. Chicago Bulls - DeMarre Carroll (Missouri, Senior) (Taj Gibson)
27. Memphis Grizzlies - Nick Calathes (Florida, Sophomore) (DeMarre Carroll)
28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Jonas Jerebko (Angelico Biella) (Wayne Ellington)
29. New York Knicks - Jack McClinton (Miami, Senior) (Toney Douglas)
30. Cleveland Cavaliers -Jeff Pendergraph (Arizona State, Senior) (Christian Eyenga)

Ric Bucher just talked about a potential trade between the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors on ESPN.

The trade would include Amare Stoudemire being sent to the Golden State Warriors and Andris Biedrins, Marco Belinelli, and potentially the 7th pick going to Phoenix.

Amare has maintained that he would like to go to a contender and win a championship.  Golden State does not fit that criteria, especially if they’re giving away their only good defensive player in Biedrins.  Stoudemire could potentially put a stop to the trade if he says he doesn’t want to go to Golden State.  This may be why Don Nelson is downplaying the possibility of a trade.

If Amare does agree to go to Golden State, it’s hard to fault Paxson or Forman for not getting an Amare trade done, as Phoenix will have gotten a great package of talent and picks in exchange for Amare.

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin (Oklahoma, Sophomore)
2. Memphis Grizzlies - Hasheem Thabeet (Connecticut, Junior)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder - James Harden (Arizona State, Sophomore)
4. Sacramento Kings -Ricky Rubio (Joventut)
5. Minnesota Timberwolves - Stephen Curry (Davidson, Junior)
6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Tyreke Evans (Memphis, Freshman)
7. Golden State Warriors - Brandon Jennings (Lottomatica Roma)
8. New York Knicks - Johnny Flynn (Syracuse, Sophomore)
9. Toronto Raptors - Jordan Hill (Arizona, Junior)
10. Milwaukee Bucks - Ty Lawson (North Carolina, Junior)
11. New Jersey Nets - James Johnson (Wake Forest, Junior)
12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson (Duke, Junior)
13. Indiana Pacers - DeJuan Blair (Pittsburgh, Sophomore)
14. Phoenix Suns - Earl Clark (Louisville, Junior)
15. Detroit Pistons - B.J. Mullens (Ohio State, Freshman)
16. Chicago Bulls - Tyler Hansborough (North Carolina, Senior)
17. Philadelphia 76ers - Darren Collison (UCLA, Senior)
18. Minnesota Timberwolves - Terrence Williams (Louisville, Senior)
19. Atlanta Hawks - Eric Maynor (VCU, Senior)
20. Utah Jazz - Sam Young (Pittsburgh, Senior)
21. New Orleans Hornets - DeMar DeRozan (USC, Freshman)
22. Dallas Mavericks - Jrue Holiday (UCLA, Freshman)
23. Sacramento Kings - Austin Daye (Gonzaga, Sophomore)
24. Portland Trailblazers - Omri Casspi (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
25. Oklahoma City Thunder - Chase Budinger (Arizona, Junior)
26. Chicago Bulls - DeMarre Carroll (Missouri, Senior)
27. Memphis Grizzlies - Nick Calathes (Florida, Sophomore)
28. Minnesota Timberwolves - Victor Claver (Pamesa Valencia)
29. Los Angeles Lakers - Jeff Pendergraph (Arizona State, Senior)
30. Cleveland Cavaliers - Jeff Teague (Wake Forest, Sophomore)