It’s virtually impossible to keep up with all the draft rumors flying around as the clock ticks down to Thursday night’s draft. But when has the impossible ever stopped us from chiming in?

(And speaking of the impossible, my mock draft was quite impossible because there aren’t enough teams crazy enough to pass on Conley. At least I hope there aren’t. He’s still my favorite cat in this draft for the Hawks and I’m not changing my mind. If I had the controls on Thursday night and could pick the guy I wanted to at No. 3, I’d take Conley. He has a chance to be a superstar with his package of skills, charisma and world class athleticism - not to mention he’s a winner and arguably the most impressive pound-for-pound specimen the draft has seen in a while. Again, if I were in charge of picking at No. 3, I’d take him without hesitating. I don’t believe in this “can’t take a little guy that high” nonsense that so many NBA types live by. I just don’t.)

Back to the rumors and assorted drama, and there is plenty, most of what has been tossed out there has either been discussed or is still being discussed.

A potential deal with Golden State - the main cogs being the 11th pick for Monta Ellis - is dead and gone, squashed by the Warriors from what I understand.
A potential deal with Seattle for my man Luke Ridnour - the 11th pick for Ridnour - is still out there. All the Hawks have to do is call and make it happen.
A rumored deal that involves swapping draft picks and a package of players with Phoenix for Amare Stoudemire - the most no-brainer deal of the century and one that was hinted at on the front of the AJC sports section a couple weeks back - is still a remote possibility. But most likely not going to happen in your lifetime (which is a kind way of saying never going to happen). Since the Suns have let several lottery prospects know that they are trading up into the top 10, guys have been flocking to Valley of the Sun for last minute workouts. So something has to be in the works. I’m just not certain it has anything to do with the Hawks, though a reliable contact in Phoenix said to keep an open mind on this one.
Any other potential deal you can think of, have read about or dream up in the next 24 seconds is a possibility only because the last 24 hours before a deep draft is easily the most schizophrenic time of the year for all 29 of the teams that didn’t win the NBA title. Everyone is desperate to get better. Everyone wants to be a part of whatever is going down. And everyone wants to fleece someone else in the process. So the foolish and totally impossible, if only for a day or two, becomes possible (even if it’s only in the minds of the guys making the decisions for all those teams).

The dilemma for the Hawks is the same one I wrote about after the draft lottery. Do they use these picks as leverage to get immediate help or roll with their scouts and basketball people and finally work some draft magic that helps get them off the NBA scrap heap and back into the postseason?

You can’t take a sucker’s deal if you choose the first option. And you better have done your research and be sure about your decisions if you choose the latter.

I know it seems like the room is spinning right about now. But isn’t this what everyone wanted anyway - the possibility of something huge taking place on draft night?

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