I'm manning the heck up! I think taking Balkman (Am I the only one who think he's Rolando Blackman changing his name a little and trying to get back into the NBA? ) is the smart choice, he is a great defensive player. I love the fact that the exact same people who are screaming blue murder at Isiah for not taking Williams, 25 minutes later are making snide remarks when we select Collins because we ha too many guards. Remarkable. I love how when BRIGGS doesn't like someone he changes from a 6'8 sf to a 6'5 pf. Remarkable.

I regard Isiah as the best drafter in the NBA at the moment, and even if you don't, most other GM's in the league passed on Mrcus Williams, but BRIGGS is right. Remarkable.I love the fact the BRIGGS is a hardcore UConn fan, and noone thought to wonder that he might just lack a little objectivity in his drat perferences. Remarkable. I love how most guys on this board agree that we have enough offensive players, yet when Isiah selects a defensive possible gem, you're all up in arms. Astonishing.

In all, we got what we needed. I'm not a blind Isiah follower, and I can identify all the mistakes he's made in trades, and general team management, but he is a good if not great drafter, and his choices last night did nothing to disuade me of that.

Isiah couldn't have drafted Williams without causing even more discontent within the Knicks. My biggest concern is and will always be the Knicks. I don't care who fixes it. I will support the man in charge, because at this time, he is the only one who can make things better. Hearing people say they want Isiah to fail makes me sick. Something about not seeing forests for trees comes to mind.

We needed defense, we got defense.

As side note, this shows to me, that Isiah will not be following LB's cunning plan of changing Lee into a SF. Lee will be the defensive PF and Balkman will be at the SF spot.

Based on what we need, and where we drafted, I give this draft an A. Who knows whether Balkman and Collins will fully pan out, but Isiah did the right thing for the Knicks,for both the long and short-term.

Here's a direct quote from a popular Nets board:

We have to thank one guy tonight..
« on: June 28, 2006, 11:45:25 PM »
Reply with quote
And let me be the first one to do it...

Dear Isiah,

Thank you for passing up on the best PG prospect in the draft. You have given us Nets fans million reasons to smile but this one takes the cake. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the most incompetent GM in the history of the league. We love you and we hope you stay as the GM of the New York Knickerbockers for the rest of your life. Have fun with Renaldo Balkman.

Thanks.

Posted by Solace:

Here's a direct quote from a popular Nets board:

We have to thank one guy tonight..
« on: June 28, 2006, 11:45:25 PM »
Reply with quote
And let me be the first one to do it...

Dear Isiah,

Thank you for passing up on the best PG prospect in the draft. You have given us Nets fans million reasons to smile but this one takes the cake. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the most incompetent GM in the history of the league. We love you and we hope you stay as the GM of the New York Knickerbockers for the rest of your life. Have fun with Renaldo Balkman.

Thanks.

Ok, Ill bite. Youre so smart, and you know, KNOW that Marcus Williams is going to be the greatest thing since Magic, then what exactly does Isiah Thomas have to do with the Nets getting him? He was projected to go top 5! Nets fans, an unimaginative bunch at the best of times, have decided to go with general media direction, which seems to be be kill Isiah as much as possible. All fair and good. So why are they not thanking all the other GM's who passed on him? Isiah has nothing to do with Marcus Williams dropping to the Nets. He was the last in a long line of, according to you, far more qualified GM's to pass on him.

Well done the Nets fans for bringing the average IQ of the tristate area down to beetle level. Lets quote them and join their sad fraternity of patheticdom.

Kool Aid has nothing to do with this. I know were my team is, and I know there is much to do to make them better. In my opinion, drafting a Frank Williams lookalike to make "fans" like you happy has nothing to do with it.

Before the draft, everyone was saying Isiah will draft the BPA in an effort to save his job. Well, he didnt. He drafted someone who he thinks will help the team be more rounded. You know, try and balance offense and defense. But noooo, lets listen to the Nets fans, who dont even have the sense to support a team who are actually good!

Just because BRIGGS says Marcus Williams wil be good, does not make it gospel. Sounds to me like a guy who cant even keep a little weight problem in check before the biggest day of proffessional career. Ah, but Curry sucks.

Generally, I'm finding that people who demand that Isiah drafted Williams are either UConn fans, or in serious need of a little sit down and prioritize time. Whats mote important to you, that Isiah sucks, or that the Knicks grow?

Originally posted by firefly:

Originally posted by Solace:

Here's a direct quote from a popular Nets board:

We have to thank one guy tonight..

on: June 28, 2006, 11:45:25 PM

Reply with quote
And let me be the first one to do it...
Dear Isiah,
Thank you for passing up on the best PG prospect in the draft. You have given us Nets fans million reasons to smile but this one takes the cake. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being the most incompetent GM in the history of the league. We love you and we hope you stay as the GM of the New York Knickerbockers for the rest of your life. Have fun with Renaldo Balkman.
Thanks.

Ok, Ill bite. Youre so smart, and you know, KNOW that Marcus Williams is going to be the greatest thing since Magic, then what exactly does Isiah Thomas have to do with the Nets getting him? He was projected to go top 5! Nets fans, an unimaginative bunch at the best of times, have decided to go with general media direction, which seems to be be kill Isiah as much as possible. All fair and good. So why are they not thanking all the other GM's who passed on him? Isiah has nothing to do with Marcus Williams dropping to the Nets. He was the last in a long line of, according to you, far more qualified GM's to pass on him.
Well done the Nets fans for bringing the average IQ of the tristate area down to beetle level. Lets quote them and join their sad fraternity of patheticdom.
Kool Aid has nothing to do with this. I know were my team is, and I know there is much to do to make them better. In my opinion, drafting a Frank Williams lookalike to make "fans" like you happy has nothing to do with it.
Before the draft, everyone was saying Isiah will draft the BPA in an effort to save his job. Well, he didnt. He drafted someone who he thinks will help the team be more rounded. You know, try and balance offense and defense. But noooo, lets listen to the Nets fans, who dont even have the sense to support a team who are actually good!
Just because BRIGGS says Marcus Williams wil be good, does not make it gospel. Sounds to me like a guy who cant even keep a little weight problem in check before the biggest day of proffessional career. Ah, but Curry sucks.
Generally, I'm finding that people who demand that Isiah drafted Williams are either UConn fans, or in serious need of a little sit down and prioritize time. Whats mote important to you, that Isiah sucks, or that the Knicks grow?

If Isiah drafted Bonn1997, half the board would say it was a good move and defend it. Sip the kool aid slowly... slowly...

Just be honest and call this what it is: Isiah's massive ego.

But as we have learned with Curry and anyone else Isiah works in a vacuum. He could care less what he pays or what the circumstances are, so long as he gets his guy

That's how I feel too, and past precedence proves it, which is why he's a poor GM. If we had the #43 pick this year, we would've made the same pick. Hell we could've packaged the #20 for two second rounders. But, not in Isiah-land. One of the posters made a joke that he was no longer upset about losing the #2, because if we had that, Isiah would've taken Balkman at the #2. I'm starting to think there's some truth to it.

To make the kool-aid issue worse, if Isiah took Balkman at the #2, the same posters would be saying it was a good move.

I do like the pick for a few reasons :

1- we needed defense
2- we needed help at SF
3- we needed somoeone who woulndt need the ball to be effective

Other than that, trading another pg would have :
1- weakened our possibilities to tarde one for good value, as other gms would just have to say : "look, i know you' re ****ed with tha many pgs...", you see what I mean ?
2- disrupted even more the chemistry. Nate, marb, francis... this is the core of our issues, the PG spot. we don't need to add another one to make that mix even more unbearable

I picked that he should have taken Williams although I would have liked a player like Boone at the #20 pick and then taking Balkman at #29. I think Balkman could be an interesting prospect, I do think Zeke jumped the gun a little, but whats done is done. As many people stated - there wil probably be some trades this summer. I highly doubt Francis will be returning so lets see what we can get on the open market. I have a feeling some teams will be willing to take a chance on Mr. Franchise (just dont let them protect their picks if they give us any Isiah!!!!).

Originally posted by oohah:

Bump. So we are virtually split on this.
oohah

Depends on how many times you voted on this one, ooh. :p

if Balkman turns out to be a better version of JYD & Collins turns out to be an Aaron McKie type player as was being discussed, i have no problems w/either pick... we weren't going to take Marcus Williams anyway... not w/Marbury being Isiah's boy.

Posted by Killa4luv:

I don't understand you guys. We have a team with 4 players for whom PG is their position. And all of you clamor for another PG?
I truly don't get it. I guess LB and his "true PG" mantra has you all convinced that thats what we need.

Neither of the teams in the finals had a true PG and it didn't seem to matter.

If you want to be mad at the Balkman pick thats one thing. But to do so in favor of Marcus williams is really crazy to me.
Aren't you guys like all in love with Jamal Crawfords 2 and a half weeks of excellence?

I have a wait and see approach. I remember the exact same problems people had with Frye last year, and I think its clear Frye is the real deal. He deserves the benefit of the doubt, in this area.

nobody is upset about us having balkman. but when a guy drops, you have to adjust your strategy. at #20, you get the BPA. even if marcus sits for 2 years, that's OK. this guy is not going to get minutes this year. isiah has to win now so he's going to be sitting also. as will mardy probably. so if the guy is going to sit, then you take the BPA and groom him over time.

again, nobody is upset about balkman, just that isiah had an opportunity to get a better player. and if we get al harrington, or dmiles, or lewis, or any other SF (which we probably will), and david lee backing him up, this guy may not get ANY minutes.

and i think it's safe to say that qyntel is gone.