Posted by PresIke:
Briggs' point that the need for a good shot blocker to help weak front-line defense (guards) is exactly what is missing from the Knicks. This is a major problem for the team because our guards are not good defenders, and then we don't have a real intimidator in the paint to help erase mistakes.
The Knicks don't necessarily need a Dekembe Mutombo in his prime kind of defender to improve (although that would be great) but someone like Hilton Armstrong (who seems to me like a young Ratliff) would help us SIGNIFICANTLY.
That's one of the reasons the Jerome James signing, in hindsight, seems odd with the Knicks having guys like like Frye and Curry who are not really good/consistent shot blockers or defenders. I say "in hindsight" because at the time he was signed, despite his inconsistent play over his career, James was meant to be our starting center when we had ZERO big guys (other than drafting Frye). But because we went for Curry James became even less valuable because he's only going to come in handy against slower Centers and one's who rely more on a post up game, like Yao Ming (who he did well against), Duncan, Shaq. That's the only value I really see in James, but most teams don't have big time centers. What seems to work well for several teams is to have an athletic big man who can block shots, like Camby, Amare or Dalembert (who's team isn't great, but that's not all his fault, and the Sixers are still better than us).
I REALLY HOPE we can get Hilton Armstrong with one of our picks because we DESPERATELY need a guy like him to help us fill a major hole, especially if we make no significant improvement in acquiring guards who play defense. With Marbury, who's gotten better but is still a so-so defender that is often inconsistent, and Crawford who has guys fly by him all of the time, what other practical answer in the near future (barring other moves made by Isiah or some miraculous turn around defensively by our guards, Frye and/or Curry and maybe Lee) do we have for solving our defensive inefficiencies?
[Edited by - PresIke on 02-18-2006 5:09 PM]
I have to think that both Armstrong and Boone are evenatually going to go into the lottery. Ive pushed Hilton all the way up to 6 and Josh to 12 on my own mock list. there is another athletic shot blocker of their ilk who is 6-10 from NCST by the name of Cedric Simmons who I have top 20, but still has more upside. These are your 3 6-10+ athletic shot blockers with good bodies. Tyrus Thomas is also a good player, but he is under-developed in terms of being 6-9 215. Im looking for athletic 6-10 245+ with long arms+ tough. Not necessarily a guy who will score 20 points every night[although has the ability to get you points] but more as a lane intimidator/rebounder/big man defender/shot blocker
Now there are a couple of other guys, but they are in mid majors. Id prefer to stick with larger schools with players who play against the best competition.
I think with the draft positioning we will have, its not likely we will be able to get anything that we really want i.e a full-sized 2 guard or an athletic long.
Ive been a fan of Mike Gansey from day 1 and I would love for him to be around with our second #1.
