earthmansurfer wrote:Worth saying here again for those worried about Farieds height:

If he has the same standing reach as a 7 footer (9ft) and a long wingspan, then what is the problem? Being shorter gives you better leverage and mobility due to a lower center of gravity and having the long arms and VERY quick hops (not to mention high) means that his height won't even be a hindrance, but rather be of benefit.

sometimes you get Ike Diogu, sometimes you get Paul Millsap (or dare I say Charles Barkley?). As long as the guy can take up space with his reach, there is a chance he can turn out to be very good. Drafting just because someone has a great length or reach is just as stupid, as plenty of busts have measured well.

The pinnacle is to draft someone with great measurements AND great ability (polish and athleticism). But the questions have always been "can he *play*" and "does his ability translate to the NBA"? In the case of Faried, I say YES to both.

Can he play? No.

CrushAlot wrote:Ryan Russillo attended the combine that ESPN U televised. He said the two players that really impressed him were Kantner and Faried.

I watched the show and commented about it. I saw what they saw in Faried, a very hyper, energetic guy who was quick athletic and gave 110% on every drill.

I also saw him shoot an airball brick, and an airball another time.
I also saw Jajuan Johnson score over him and his 9 ft standing reach like he wasn't even standing there.

Killa4luv wrote:Can he play? He can rebound. Really well.
He can't dribble.
He can't shoot.
He's not a serious shot blocker.
He's not a grea passer.
He isn't a lockdown defender one on one.

Can he play? No.

Yea, not a serious shot blocker.

Killa4luv wrote:Can he play? He can rebound. Really well.
He can't dribble.
He can't shoot.
He's not a serious shot blocker.
He's not a grea passer.
He isn't a lockdown defender one on one.

Can he play? No.

franco12 wrote:

Paladin55 wrote:I like Faried, but he is a player for a pretty good team with a quality roster looking for some intensity, rebounding, and help D for 15-25 MPG. At 17 I would hope we would draft a potential starter. If you are looking at Faried as a starter you are looking at a barefooted front line of SF-Anthony at 6'6.5", PF-Faried at sub 6'6" and a 6'8.5" Amare at C.

Not the size you need to win in the NBA.

I don't see us getting anything but a role player at 17.

I thought we had a quality roster, and we need intensity, rebounding and help D.

How is playing Faried at the five any different from Shawne Williams?

The roster you saw at the end of last year is not an established and quality roster... sorry, my friend.

I don't see why you should not be drafting at #17 with the hope of finding a future starter.

Faried is a better rebounder and probably a better help defender, but his offensive game is in its infancy, and his total lack of size does nothing for a roster which cries out for some height and shotblocking ability.

FistOfOakley wrote:there is no reason to not grab him while he's there.... height does matter but you cannot overrate it... there are a lot of stiffs in this draft and if you can find someone with a NBA ready skill then you go grab him esp at 17..

BigSm00th wrote:it seems to me that some people would advocate passing on dennis rodman if he were in this draft because he was not taller.

not saying that faried is rodman, but i'd caution getting too obsessed with the height measurements. knicks need serviceable players, if they can get one at 17 they should take regardless of how tall he is, how big his feet are, etc. JJ barea gets it done at like 5'9, rodman @ 6'6 barefooted was the best rebounder in modern NBA history, etc. there are plenty of guys who make up for a few inches by playing hard and bringing an edge.

faried may do that. he was the hardest working guy at the draft camp based on everything i saw and read, having a hustle guy like that would be a boost for a team that came out lackadaiscal so often. is there a measurement for motor? no. is there a measurement for how bad a guy wants it or for effort? no. faried is the best rebounder in NCAA history at 6'6, that tells you a little something about his intangibles.

intangible (adjective) - unable to be touched or measured.

... and this is why Donnie will probably draft Morris, Reggie Jackson or Charles Jenkins. No Jimmer Fredette please! KNicks need a future starter not a future backup to Amare.

If the Knicks can somehow get a second first round pick, I see them going with Jeremy Tyler or Justin Harper.

I hope the Knicks can hold on to Derrick Brown.

BigSm00th wrote:

martin wrote:

FistOfOakley wrote:there is no reason to not grab him while he's there.... height does matter but you cannot overrate it... there are a lot of stiffs in this draft and if you can find someone with a NBA ready skill then you go grab him esp at 17..

BigSm00th wrote:it seems to me that some people would advocate passing on dennis rodman if he were in this draft because he was not taller.

not saying that faried is rodman, but i'd caution getting too obsessed with the height measurements. knicks need serviceable players, if they can get one at 17 they should take regardless of how tall he is, how big his feet are, etc. JJ barea gets it done at like 5'9, rodman @ 6'6 barefooted was the best rebounder in modern NBA history, etc. there are plenty of guys who make up for a few inches by playing hard and bringing an edge.

faried may do that. he was the hardest working guy at the draft camp based on everything i saw and read, having a hustle guy like that would be a boost for a team that came out lackadaiscal so often. is there a measurement for motor? no. is there a measurement for how bad a guy wants it or for effort? no. faried is the best rebounder in NCAA history at 6'6, that tells you a little something about his intangibles.

intangible (adjective) - unable to be touched or measured.

... and this is why Donnie will probably draft Morris, Reggie Jackson or Charles Jenkins. No Jimmer Fredette please! KNicks need a future starter not a future backup to Amare.

If the Knicks can somehow get a second first round pick, I see them going with Jeremy Tyler or Justin Harper.

I hope the Knicks can hold on to Derrick Brown.

why do you hope the knicks hold onto derrick brown?

young, solid big man off the bench with plenty of upside. Bouncy. Needs work on jumper and playing within team environment, but we only saw him for scant minutes.

Bippity10 wrote:The Knicks need a lot of things

We need interior Defense
We need size
We need a back up PG that can run the offense
We need a starting 2 if Landry does not improve. A back up if he does.
Most importantly we need quality depth everywhere

We probably will grab whoever is top on our board when our pick comes. Size, position won't matter. We need it all and will address everything via the draft or free agency.

The 1 big factor I keep thinking about is Billups, and invariably: what the Knicks will do with him over the draft weekend, during upcoming season or at end of next season. Obviously the collective bargaining will have an impact as to what happens, but lets say it remains structurally the same.

The best way the Knicks can get better over the course of this next year is to 1) Trade Billups for players 2) watch him come off cap and sign some players with cap space.

For #2, there is a slim possibility that CP3 or Deron would be available, but I got a feeling that both Stern and Prokhorov will do their darn'est to keep their prize PGs, in which case the Knicks will need a new PG or will need a super-solid backup for an aging Billups (possibly resigned for less $).

For #1, the Knicks forgo targeting the big 3 coming possibly coming on the market in 2012 and go all in, trading Billups to a team looking to dump contracts of serviceable guys (OK4 if they think Aaron Gray is a cheaper long term fit?). With a young PG at #17, the Knicks don't have to over-worry about trading their starting PG.

Who knows though. But I bet Donnie is thinking along those lines about what to do long term with Billups, especially if his knee doesn't get better sooner.

nykshaknbake wrote:Faried would defeinetly help us rebounding wise but he's short as many have said and he's pretty light in the pants. Opposing big men will still have their way with us. You only draft him to back up Amare and only if you are signing someone at our positions of need.

Is there a big man that will be available at 17 that will completely stop other teams big men from killing us??? We aren't drafting to stop opposing big men. We are drafting to fill the depth that we lost when we traded for Melo. Height, position at this point does not matter. We need rebounders, PG's, two guards, size, shot blocking etc. I think you fill any of those needs and you improve the team.

As Martin said, the PG position may be our most pressing need. What if Billups doesn't recover?