Inside the NBA draft: Floor generals — point guards/combo guards

Editor's note: Last in a three-part series

Cream of the Crop

Three point guards are expected to go among the top eight or 10 picks in Thursday's NBA Draft: UConn's Ben Gordon, Wisconsin's Devin Harris and Peoria, Ill., high school star Shaun Livingston, who stands 6-foot-7 but is a true point. One is expected to go as high as No. 4 to the Los Angeles Clippers. Other first-round points picked should be St. Joe's Jameer Nelson and Brooklyn high schooler Sebastian Telfair. Nevada's Kirk Snyder plays both guard spots and could be a lottery pick. Another combo guard of note: Slovenian Italian Leaguer Sasha Vujacic, compared to Brent Barry.

Jazz Time

Big men are priorities for the Jazz, but that won't preclude them from taking a point or combo guard — maybe not at 14 or 16 at in the first round, but perhaps at 21. They like Synder, but he could be gone by 14. Nelson had a great workout in Utah, and could go at 21. Telfair seems unlikely, but stranger things have happened. The wildcard: Vujacic? Taking him at 21 would be taking him quite high.

Utah Now

Starter Carlos Arroyo is a free agent, as is No. 3 point/combo guard Mo Williams. The Jazz did not expose either for Tuesday night's NBA Expansion Draft, meaning they wanted to keep open the option of re-signing both. Under-contract backup Raul Lopez has blown the same knee twice, but played all 82 games as a rookie last season. Still, there are concerns. If the Jazz draft a point and he is not someone who can be stashed overseas, take it as a sign that one of the aforementioned three will not be back next season.

Local Ties

No point guard or combo guard with local ties will be drafted.

Fantasy Pick(s)

John Stockton's sons all declare themselves as early entrants for the draft, and the NBA doesn't tell anyone except the Jazz.