Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by crzymdups:

6 - Anthony Randolph

crz you are not wrong with that pick
Maybe the Knicks find another pick and maybe the Knicks just take Randolph---I like 3 guys in a way = if we do stay at 5-6 so there is less likely to be dissapointed. each of randolph westbrook and randolph would bring something we dont have. Im not interested in bayless or gordon because of our make up and Im not taking a euro this high unless he is Yao Mings brother.

I think my thinking has come to the point where if we can't get Rose, I want a big who can defend in some way. I want a shotblocker, I want someone who will set picks and defend the post. If Walsh feels Brook Lopez is that guy, I'd be on board. If he sees something in Randolph, I'd be on board. Of the young PFs like Green, Randolph and such I've seen play, I like Randolph's game best.

I would love to get two picks and take Randolph and Westbrook - I like Westbrook, he's super competitive and athletic, but to me he's definitely an undersized two. Can you play him at 2 and Crawford at 1 next year? Probably, but I don't think that solves too many of our problems.

Posted by crzymdups:

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by crzymdups:

6 - Anthony Randolph

crz you are not wrong with that pick
Maybe the Knicks find another pick and maybe the Knicks just take Randolph---I like 3 guys in a way = if we do stay at 5-6 so there is less likely to be dissapointed. each of randolph westbrook and randolph would bring something we dont have. Im not interested in bayless or gordon because of our make up and Im not taking a euro this high unless he is Yao Mings brother.

I think my thinking has come to the point where if we can't get Rose, I want a big who can defend in some way. I want a shotblocker, I want someone who will set picks and defend the post. If Walsh feels Brook Lopez is that guy, I'd be on board. If he sees something in Randolph, I'd be on board. Of the young PFs like Green, Randolph and such I've seen play, I like Randolph's game best.

I would love to get two picks and take Randolph and Westbrook - I like Westbrook, he's super competitive and athletic, but to me he's definitely an undersized two. Can you play him at 2 and Crawford at 1 next year? Probably, but I don't think that solves too many of our problems.

Niether Craw or Westbrook have the ability to consistantly make players around them better. With that said, I wouldn't pair them two together in the backcourt.

While I love Westbrooks athletic ability, and his ability to guard 94 feet, his size worries me. Guarding 94 feet, however is usually reserved for pg's as he can pester them and disrupt an offense. I worry about Westbrook trying to guard stronger 2 guards in a half court set. He isn't strong enough at this point to body up on 6'6 220 lbs 2 guards.

In order to bring in a Westbrook, the Knicks need to identify a style of play. Westbrooks athletic ability and speed would translate best in an open court offense/defense ala Monte Ellis. If putting together an open court team is Walsh's vision, then I'm all for drafting Westbrook. The plan must also be to pair Westbrook with a big/strong pg who could guard some 2g's if need be. Also a playmaking SF would be help alleviate some of the playmaking responsibilities of a Westbrook.

If there is a way to turn Westbrook into a Rondo/Devin Harris type player where he learns gradually how to play some point, then I think he can turn into a monster in this league. But the few times I did catch him play, I really didn't see him play the role pf playmaker much, so I'm not sure how he would work out at the 1.

Westbrook is the pick if he can play the point. If he does not have that ability, then we need to pass on him. Another option is to trade Lee for 9-10 pick and get D.J. A draft of Randolph and D.J. would be pretty solid but would leave us small at pg.

Tough call. Perfect world, we finish 6th record-wise but get lucky enough with the lottery ping-pong ball raffle and move up to say 3. With that pick I definitely grab Bayless. I think he's the best of these freshman combo. guards coming out - and I've seen them all. He'll come in and contribute right away and he's far from his ceiling. Right off the bat, he's a scorer deluxe. I couldn't care less who does the scoring for us as long as they're scoring consistently and at an all-star level. We don't have anything remotely like that right now. If we do, then tell me. I must be missing something. Who?
--Curry? Overall, he just doesn't take the game seriously enough for me - commitment, conditioning, defense, no improvement in his game whatsoever. AND, I think he's actually quite limited offensively to be honest - no effective pet moves after all this time in the league, needs someone to give him the ball before he can do anything and everything's got to be perfect or else he'll make a mistake (turnover, offensive foul - no margin for error by the entry passer or Curry himself), can't shoot out of 2-3' and cannot make his FTs. If I see him throw up another air ball at the line.... Plus he's in foul trouble ALL THE TIME - before the game's even 5 mins. old, he's on the bench with 3 fouls. Enough already with this guy...
--Randolph? Can't stand his game. Remarkably, he is a plus rebounder with no jumping ability at all, so he gets credit for that, but the rest of his game sucks. No defense & although a capable scoring option he's an absolute black hole on offense. You know it's going up FROM ANYWHERE as soon as he gets it. Too many low % jumpshots that he has no right taking. And I don't think there's another PF in the entire league that gets his shot blocked more than him.
--Crawford? Can be exciting at times but he's low % basketball. Has gotten slightly better over the past couple of seasons but still prone to God-awful droughts - for every good game he'll have, he'll have countless other 5-19, 7-24 from the field games. 40.9% from the field this year, 40.2% career. And he doesn't get to the line nearly as much as he should to take advantage of his fine stroke at the line. Not his fault really - he's playing over 40 minutes a night on a lousy team when he really should be a 20-25 minute spark off the bench for some team a-la Vinnie Johnson. If he's hot, he stays on the court. If he's cold, he sits. Period. Only problem, on our pathetic team, we have no such luxury. The more minutes he plays, the more he's exposed. Never gonna be what Isiah expected when he got him.
--Richardson? I'm not even gonna waste any time here.
--Lee? Does a ton, but never gonna be a big-time offensive player.
--Robinson? Can score a little, sure. But if he's playing big minutes for you, you've got problems. Needs to be used the way he is being used. The way Crawford needs to be used. Hardly lead guard material.

Well, did I make a case for Bayless yet? When you take into account the fact that we really aren't that talented an offensive team after all and the fact that we really don't have a point guard (check that, by today's NBA standards a LEAD GUARD) at all anyway, the choice to take Bayless becomes clear. He's the best offensive player on the board after Michael Beasley. Better than Derrick Rose. Better overall player imho. And no question in my mind, after being thrust into a huge role in Arizona's backcourt this season after the program lost their starting PG to injury, he showed me A LOT. Only a freshman, he took on the bulk of the scoring load & clearly showed me that he can develop into a decent enough playmaker in NBA. Sure, he's not your prototypical old-school POINT GUARD like a Jason Kidd but who is? No question he can develop into a Dwayne Wade/Tony Parker-type, and you know what, I'll take that in a heartbeat. LEAD GUARD=Jarryd Bayless.

Further, I do believe we should trade David Lee for as high a pick as we can get. If we're ever lucky enough to get a pick in the 10-15 range or higher in exchange for David Lee (something I have trouble seeing) and JaVale McGee is still on the board - YOU GRAB HIM!!!! No brainer if ever there was one. I'm with Briggs on this kid 100%. I haven't seen a 7 footer with that kind of ability since Camby. We're not talking Slavko Vranes or Fredric Weis here that's for sure. Huge talent that just needs to continue his development. And for that, I'm fine with giving up a role player. And no way do I take Westbrook "for defense" with the 6th pick in this draft. Not when we have Balkman and Collins already on the roster for that sole purpose. Plus defender. Yes. Athletic. Very. But clearly (to me anyway) the least talented out of any of these combo. guards coming out. That's all we need is another role player. I could be wrong (and I probably will be because I usually am) but I can actually see Westbrook sliping way down in the first round on draft night a-la Marcus Williams. We'll see.....

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Things I'd consider if it were up to me:

(1) Draft Bayless if he's still there. I'd give him a guarantee with the 3rd pick.
(2) Trade a Lee package for a draft pick 8-10 and draft McGee if he's there. If we ever acquired a high enough draft pick, I'd give McGee a guarantee.
(3) Look into working a smaller trade with Utah for Morris Almond, maybe Balkman/Nate but if they were interested in Chandler I'd consider it --OR say we just grab McGee at #6-- look into getting Martell Webster and/or Sergio Rodriguez from Portland if the price isn't too steep.
(4) Consider JR Smith with the MLE. Size, youth, plenty of ability.

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Sorry Briggs, I guess I didn't really answer your question (just rambling on, killing time at work). So, pick 6 with all those guys gone huh? I go JaVale McGee.



[Edited by - finestrg on 04-14-2008 01:51 AM]