So Who Are we Taking?

[irish2u2]

In the past few weeks the following names have been bandied about as possible Knick targets for Draft Day.

Stephen Curry

Ricky Rubio

Jordan Hill

Jrue Holiday

So who is it? Curry may go before our #8 pick and certainly Rubio and Hill will be gone by then. Holiday projects further down in the draft though the Knicks have requested a second workout from him. I have heard some harsh things about Holiday (attitude, me first approach to game, less than impressive play, etc. ) so I am less on board with him than anybody else we are looking at and I am surprised Tyreke Evans, who has had some impressive workouts, doesn't appear to be on our radar.

I think the Knicks are working hard and closer to getting that #2 pick and having all the options not named Blake Griffin available to them. Note Hasheem Thabeet isn't mentioned at all by the Knicks. Draft Day misdirection given our needs? Or we really so enamored of Rubio? Walsh did see him workout in Europe and so far Ricky hasn't worked out for anybody in the states. He cancelled a scheduled Kings session because he was sick.

The plot thickens and mystery shrouds the Knicks braintrust as we creep closer and closer to the draft.

So who do y'all want if we get the #2 pick?

Keep the #8 pick?

Maybe have both picks?

I still think Rubio is the PG of the future even given the fact his shooting needs some work and he is a skinny 18 year old kid. He's got panache and he's got vision and most of all he has cajones. He is not afraid of the big stage. He's my #2 pick.

My #8 pick depends on a lot of factors but right now with the jury seems to think Curry and Hill will be gone by #8. Either guy works for me but if they are gone Tyreke Evans and Demar DeRozan are my choices depending on their availability.

I don't want Brandon Jennings.

If we have #2 and #8 picks than Rubio and Evans works great for me. Evans is a classic combo guard and this could be a dynamite backcourt in a few years.

[jbnewyork162]

Most of last year I was lukewarm on Stephon Curry and wanted to wait on where the lottery took us before I made a decision on anyone else.

Since the season has been over and i got a geeneral sense of his desire to be here and that his combine stats are pretty good, NOW he is mainly(S.curry) who I want. I am not overly impressed with Rubio even though he was good in the olympics. I'd rather have a homegrown american talent this draft. I even want a second mid first rounder VIA a Nate sign and trade to take Terrence Williams or Danny Green with it.

This draft aside from Thabeet and Griffin do not have good bigs in it except for maybe James Johnson or Hansborough and both can be had in the late first or early second perhaps. Jordan Hill is ok but we would be remiss to be the only one to grab a PF when there is a slew of better skilled PG's and combo guards.

Secondarily, I'd like to see Tyreke evans over this Jrue Holiday everyone keep stalking about.

So Curry first despite him being overhyped, you cannot teach long distance accuracy like that. And evans because he reminds me of a taller Latrell Sprewell, probably with the same instincts on and off the court and dependding on if you liked Spree when he was here that is either a good thing or a bad.

[irish2u2]

Great analysis Jeff and I concur. I was not on the Stephen Curry bandwagon till he showed up in the pre-draft camps and started showing impressive skills in the individual workouts. I always loved how smart and mature Curry was and I know he is the best shooter in the draft but his willingness to work to improve and sneaky athleticism have enamored me. I would not be unhappy adding Curry to the Knicks.

Rubio is a bigger stretch but his upside is off the charts because of his age. In the Olympics he didn't back down to the USA stars. I like that (shades of Frederic Weiss, oh my! ; ) and the big factor is he is only just 18 years old. Lots of room to grow there and improve his shooting which besides strength is his only weakness.

Thabeet is the best "quick" fix. Jordan Hill may be the most complete player outside Griffin. Evans just has that size, skills, athleticism thing going for him and he is young too.

BTW, Curry is a much better shooter than Spree. ; )

[pearl]

Irish:

There are more talented players than Hasheem, however, due to a glaring defensive need at Center, the Knicks in my opinion would need to draft him, if available.

I am so disgusted with the layup fest every opponent has versus the Knicks. Hasheem is a raw talent, however, he would be my first choice. Provided that David Lee is packaged to Memphis for their number 2, lets get the big guy here and draft the next best athlete at number 8.

Pearl

[irish2u2]

Pearl

There is no way I would package Lee for the #2 even if we could do it which we can't. One is a known quantity who has displayed expertise in one area of the game on the pro level while the other is a gamble. We both know the list is long of big man busts. Thabeet has some ability but I'd rather concentrate on developing Saer Sene and getting a skilled player we need be it Rubio, Curry or Hill.

FYI, Memphis is hurting for money. Mobley's contract, 80% of which is paid for by insurance, is becoming more and more attractive by the day. It might not take as much as we think to swing a deal.

[mercury]

If Memphis does swing a deal with the knicks it will have to be mobley and the 8th pick for Darko and the 2nd pick. To add if the Grizz are straped for cash we can add 3 million in cash to the deal while they throw in the 27th pick. This would make the trade from last year ZBO for Rubio and Hughes, not bad. The next step would be to sign and trade DLee. Not only is Lee a very good player, he is very marketable and this is useful for teams. The same can be said for Nate. I would see if the Kings are still intrested in taking Nate along with Jefferies. This next seek is going to drive me crazy with anticipation.

[kgooglog]

I am with Pearl. If NY ships Mobley's contract and #8 to Memphis, Walsh has got to select Hasheem Thabeet. I admittedly know nothing about this Rubio kid, know next to nothing about Tyreke Evans, and have a myopic view of college basketball in general. That being said, I've seen Hasheem Thabeet play and believe that he is worthy of being a #2 pick in this year's draft, and will be selected by the team with that slot.

The Knicks have a serviceable PG in Chris Duhon. If Walsh can reel in the #2 pick, he would go for the massive Thabeet, IMHO. Remember, Donnie had a huge Indiana team with Lurch Smits, the Davis boys, and Reggie Miller. I think the Knicks are putting up some smokescreens with all of these guards and swingmen workouts. Hasheem Thabeet will alter the entire spectrum of the Knicks' defensive breakdowns. Like my colleague Pearl, I cannot stomach the swiss cheese defense that the Knicks displayed last year.

I also think that King James negates the need for a potential-laden 18 year old PG, and I am looking squarely at summer 2010 for the solution to any PG deficiencies that currently exist. Duhon did have an excellent first half of last season and was one of the few Knicks to actually admit to his faults. He is not a great PG by any stretch of the imagination, but he is better than Charlie Ward, and is not signed to an exorbitant asinine contract. NY may sign Steve Nash to a reasonable vet contract, or even J-Kidd. This serves NY as bait for other FA's in 2010 and will be enough juice for 2009-2010 season.

Maybe I'm nuts, but I see Hasheem Thabeet as an NBA threat. A 7'3 defensive center who, with better conditioning and a big man coach, may end up actually being better than his projected Dikembe Mutombo comparison. Dik wasn't a bust. Hasheem is where I go if the #2 is there.

[mercury]

Kgooglog, I see where you are coming from. Personally I dont have great knowledge about college basketball or Euro ball either. I figure if the Knicks do get the 2nd pick Walsh will pick the best player for our team. I remember reading an article a few weeks ago where Walsh was intrested in Thabeet and mentioned how he liked having a true giant like Smits. If we do get Thabeet he can come in and help this team in its weakest area shotblocking.

[irish2u2]

It's funny, in a very, very sad sort of way, but the Knicks need players at 4 positions so it's not so much need as talent that should dictate who we pick. All the guys mentioned are elite college players and Rubio is one of the best players in Europe. Who we pick should be based on who is going to project out as the best player 5 years from now. Who are we looking at that can be an All-Star type player in that time period.

Only because center is such a weak position in the NBA does Thabeet have a chance at being a star within 5 years but even with the built in edge of overall lack of quality at the position it's still a stretch.

Rubio has a good shot at being that kind of player.

Because he is well rounded Jordan Hill can also be a star in that 5 year time frame.

Curry has a shot too and the rest of the top 15 players in the draft not mentioned here are all possible future All-Stars but the odds are a lot longer. Who is the mortal lock? That is the weakness of this draft. There is no mortal lock after Blake Griffin. My money is on Rubio followed by Hill and Curry. My opinion on all that could change especially this week as more details about the workouts get out.

I am looking for a potential star player for the Knicks. I know we have needs. I know we have areas of extreme weakness especially around the basket. I just hope we don't draft a player based on the most pressing need and pass on a potential star player. We "need" a Pippen.

[pearl]

Irish:

Drafting the most talented players actuallw was red Holzman and Eddie Donovan's strategy back in the day. I cannot argue with the GM who traded Walt Bellamy and the recently departed Howard Komives for my idol, Dave DeBusschere.

However, with Orlando magic having Superman for the next 10-12 years and Orlando being a relatively young team, I believe the pick of Hasheem becomes more strategic and fills a tremendous hole that the Knicks need filled immediately. I don't want to get rid of David Lee either, he is a strong rebounder and tremendous effort player, but I believe getting a Mutombo-like player here is more pressing.

Pearl.

[axios]

How about derozen @ 8, trade Lee to Memphis for next year's 1st rounder?

[jbaer10314]

<< Great analysis Jeff and I concur. >>

Actually, Bill, you concurred with Jason, not me. If you recall, I said I don't follow the NCAA, so I can't analyze college players. And I just discovered this topic right now, long after you put it up. Jason and I both have the same two letters to begin our screen names, so I can see why you mixed us up. Thanks for the extra publicity, though. ; D

[kgooglog]

Jun 18, 2009 22:46:18 GMT -5 mercury said:

Kgooglog, I see where you are coming from. Personally I dont have great knowledge about college basketball or Euro ball either. I figure if the Knicks do get the 2nd pick Walsh will pick the best player for our team. I remember reading an article a few weeks ago where Walsh was intrested in Thabeet and mentioned how he liked having a true giant like Smits. If we do get Thabeet he can come in and help this team in its weakest area shotblocking.

Merc...

I remember that article--it was in the NY Post, I believe, and Walsh was waxing wistfully about having a "giant" defensive presence in the middle.

I don't think NY needs any more "scorers", what with Al Harrington, Wilson Chandler, Gallo, Nate (if he remains) and the plethora of guys like Larry Hughes, who are drooling like Eddy Curry at an all-you-can-eat lobster fest, to shoot the pill more and more.

I agree with Bill that we need help at 4 positions, but I just have all of those memories of lay-up drills most NBA teams had against us. Sadly, David Lee had to bare the brunt of the criticism of paint defense, but he isn't exactly Oakman when it comes to help defense. BTW. Oak was rumored to be considered for the Knicks in some sort of consultant/big man coach capacity...

My #2 pick is Thabeet, unless he drops to us at #8, which I did read somewhere, is a distinct notion.

[kgooglog]

Of course, if NY is truly dedicated to developing Saer Sene, a player who I liked in his cameo appearance, as well as Chris Hunter, or Courtney Sims, I will be happy with a PG upgrade at #8. I just am starting to get the Thabeet itch, which I know is a long-shot to scratch. Unless Memphis is in poverty land and would want not have to deal with a guarenteed first round pick salary--another consideration which makes Cuttino's contract "manna" from NBA heaven.

[irish2u2]

Jun 19, 2009 8:31:06 GMT -5 jbaer10314 said:

<< Great analysis Jeff and I concur. >>

Actually, Bill, you concurred with Jason, not me. If you recall, I said I don't follow the NCAA, so I can't analyze college players. And I just discovered this topic right now, long after you put it up. Jason and I both have the same two letters to begin our screen names, so I can see why you mixed us up. Thanks for the extra publicity, though. ; D

My bad! Great job Jason. Bad job Bill. Nice catch Jeff. Book 'em Dan-O. ; )