Summer Hot Takes: NBA Draft Preview and More Basketball Talk

Do you have any predictions as to where Bobby Portis ends up and/or do you have a place you're hoping he ends up? Also, do you think Michael Qualls will be drafted?

Ryan: I'm actually of the belief that I hope Qualls goes to the crappiest team possible so he can win a job and get playing time. We've seen people like the 76ers trade Michael Carter-Williams in the middle of his rookie contract. Also, if he can do big things for a crappy team, he may get a better shot with a better team when his second contract rolls around. It basically the exact opposite of what I would want for Bobby Portis, who could go to a good team and grow into his role.

Jamie: I think anywhere in that 15-18 range is where the experts expect him to fall, anything higher would be a bonus anything lower would be a disappointment.  I’d love to see him land at a quality organization, Boston at 16 would be great.  Even thought they’re stocking talent right now, you’d hate to see him land in Milwaukee and disappear.  I hope Qualls gets drafted, but I don’t think he will now.  He’ll pick up as a free agent, but I can’t see him getting drafted with needing to sit out so long.  I wonder if he’d have come back had this happened before the withdrawal deadline.

Robert: Whatever team gets Bobby is going to say it's a big steal. I would love to see him in a Grizzlies Uniform, but that would be terrible for his draft stock if he falls that far. Qualls probably won't get drafted after the ACL tear, but you never know.

Scottie: Personally, I hope Bobby goes to Phoenix, but I'm a Suns fan. Realistically, I think he goes to Atlanta and helps bolster their rebounding, which was a problem when they ran into Cleveland in the playoffs. As far as Qualls goes, I hope a team he's made an impression on – and I'm sure he did with multiple teams along the way – takes a chance on him. The guy deserves a shot despite his injury. He could be a really solid asset for a lot of teams right now.

Mark: No predictions, just hope he goes to the best situation and I'll end up pulling for whatever team gets him. Same with Qualls, although don't know if he'll get drafted now. But hopefully someone is thinking big picture where he's concerned.

Adam: After Qualls injury, I just don't know. Talk about bad timing. As far as teams to NOT go to, please don't be the 76ers or the Bucks, for all that is holy, please dear God, no!

Doc: I'm a Celtics fan so I'm hoping he ends up in Boston with the 16th pick. I feel like most of the buzz seems to be around Atlanta at 15, but that probably doesn't mean anything. A few people have him going higher than that but not too many. If he goes to Milwaukee, he'd follow in the draft footsteps of Moncrief, Day, and Mayberry, which really would be kind of weird.

As for Qualls, originally I thought he wouldn't be drafted after the injury. But like I mentioned in his draft profile yesterday, the 76ers have five 2nd round picks and there was buzz about him to Philly before he got hurt, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if Philly takes one of those 2nd round picks and takes a chance on him. Now, will he still make the roster? That would be a bigger question, but you'd think if they draft a guy knowingly injured, you'd at least keep him on the team until he heals unless other players come along.

Sorry, Adam. Bucks and Sixers isn't impossible.

What are your thoughts on the new "permanent" basketball double opponents in LSU and Texas A&M? Are you disappointed Arkansas didn't get Kentucky?

Scottie: It's a crying shame Arkansas and Kentucky weren't made permanent rivals. Aside from maybe Florida-Kentucky, Arkansas-Kentucky is the marquee game SEC basketball fans want to see, regardless of alliance. Arkansas-LSU may be good for one year with Ben Simmons coming in, but if the league is serious about wanting more people to respect SEC basketball and draw more viewership, UA-UK has to be a staple.

Mitchell: I kinda hate it. The league robbed the fans of some really fun games. Sure, TAMU and LSU could be fun, but we all wanted Kentucky. On the flip-side. No double Kentucky likely means a better chance for 1 more SEC win.

Robert: You want a chance at Kentucky on your home court every year, especially when that home court is BWA.  I don't think Kentucky would've allowed themselves to be put in a position where they had Florida, Tennessee, and Arkansas every year.  I feel like having to play in College Station will result in an inexplicable road loss to a bad team way too often though.  LSU is a great every year opponent.  Thanks for the nod to Geography!

Mark: I do wish we'd drawn UK, but otherwise I like the 3 we got. LSU, A&M and Mizzou represent our biggest hoops rivals outside of UK, and really, if taken as a whole, and assuming Mizzou becomes one, LSU and A&M are our biggest "traditional rivalries" in the SEC with the likelihood of Mizzou joining them.

Jamie: Love it.  Rivalries are alive and well in football and the SEC has done a very poor job of fostering anything in basketball.  year-in-year-out rivalries in basketball should help create some storylines that will add eyeballs to certain games and set up some match-ups that will catch some attention.  Pre-March basketball is already fairly weak, this will definitely help.

Chase: I'm not disappointed Arkansas didn't get Kentucky, but I think LSU should have been our only double opponent. That's like saying every team has three rivals.

Ryan: I don't know how someone couldn't be disappointed that the Hogs didn't get Kentucky. If you're a SEC basketball fan, you have to be disappointed. This isn't just a nostalgic anymore. Theses are two of the top teams in the conference that are there to stay. I really don't feel the hatred for LSU basketball like there was during the Dale Brown/John Brady years. I hate that they beat us in Bud Walton this year, but I hate that Ole Miss did too.

Josh: Really would have liked to see that Kentucky matchup more often.

Graham: It was a poor decision out of SEC headquarters. That game features the two biggest and most passionate SEC basketball fans and historically the two best programs in the league.

Adam: Oh yes, I want Kentucky every year, twice a year. Just kidding. This is great news. Nothing makes me more happy then defeating Ashlee Judd, but a win is a win, and an easier win, I'll take it.

Doc: The league screwed up another basketball decision, but that shouldn't be a shock to anybody. The Cats already had Florida, and were definitely getting Kentucky out of this, but Arkansas should have been the other team for UK. In addition to usually being one of the better teams in the league, our fan base actually genuinely cares about basketball. You put those two programs together. Shouldn't even be a tough decision. Sports is supposed to be fun. Arkansas and Kentucky is fun, more fun than most.