FistOfOakley wrote:there is no way he played point... he has 40 assists in his entire career and he has a dribble higher than nate robinson...

it's dangerous to assume that the gap in skill level will fill itself in when players who have already demonstrated that skill level are already on the board.... nba gm's fall for it every year and so does the internet...

the reason darko was picked #2 was because he blew away his workout also... billups was at the workout and he was raving about him too but by the time the first practice rolled around he knew he wasn't gonan be the player everyone thought he was...

picking him this high would be a mistake of epic proportions and i just hope we don't get duped...

What skill level gap are you talking about??

Look at all the top picks.

Towns won't work out, and he seems to have an effective Jumper, for instance, but when has he used that in a game? He also played with Stein, who might have hidden some of his defensive deficiencies. Love his post game and shot blocking, but...

OK4 has little outside game, and questionable D, along with the best post game in the draft.

Russell died a quick death in the tournament, and who knows if he is quick enough at the point or good enough to defend at the 2

Porzingis has not gotten a lot of assists, and clearly needs to get stronger.

Mudiay showed a questionable jumper, and only played a handful of games this past year, and that was in a league where NBA castoff Von Wafer was averaging 30PPG, and Marbury is the MJ of that nation.

Stein never hit a 3 in his college life or had an offensive play run for him in 3 years at UK.

Kaminsky's D has been questioned, as well as his strength and quickness

Go down the line- you can find issues with each player.

But you may not have to worry- he might be picked up before we draft, so LA or Philly will get "duped," and we get a good player who they have passed on, probably OK4.

Win/Win situation, IMO.

CrushAlot wrote:^^^^^In regards to an alleged gap in skill level, here is what Begley wrote about the league he was in last year,

SI.com reported that Knicks adviser Clarence Gaines Jr. scouted the 19-year-old Porzingis in person during his season with Sevilla in the ACB, arguably the best domestic league outside of the NBA.

Porzingis hit 54 percent of his two-point shots and 38 percent of his 3-point shots for Sevilla. Scouts believe he’s capable of duplicating or surpassing those shooting numbers in the NBA.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-knicks/post/_/id/62261/phil-jackson-watches-porzingis-in-person

The poster is also the guy bringing up the 3 or 4 month age gap. He's looking for excuses.

Should stick to his less than impressive passing (at least as far as assists), limited post game at this time, and weight/muscle, if you want to be critical of him, which are fair points, in some way.

We are getting a really good player at #4 no matter what now happens at this point.

You posted the new DraftNet order- which reacted to the Russell cancellation and Porzingis workout, I assume. In their wildest dreams, did anybody on UK think OK4 might be in play at #4?

Only pick set in stone at this point, IMO, is Towns.

We're in good shape at 4.

WaltLongmire wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:^^^^^In regards to an alleged gap in skill level, here is what Begley wrote about the league he was in last year,

SI.com reported that Knicks adviser Clarence Gaines Jr. scouted the 19-year-old Porzingis in person during his season with Sevilla in the ACB, arguably the best domestic league outside of the NBA.

Porzingis hit 54 percent of his two-point shots and 38 percent of his 3-point shots for Sevilla. Scouts believe he’s capable of duplicating or surpassing those shooting numbers in the NBA.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-knicks/post/_/id/62261/phil-jackson-watches-porzingis-in-person

Interesting. Strange that we here this stuff all of a sudden.

The poster is also the guy bringing up the 3 or 4 month age gap. He's looking for excuses.

Should stick to his less than impressive passing (at least as far as assists), limited post game at this time, and weight/muscle, if you want to be critical of him, which are fair points, in some way.

We are getting a really good player at #4 no matter what now happens at this point.

You posted the new DraftNet order- which reacted to the Russell cancellation and Porzingis workout, I assume. In their wildest dreams, did anybody on UK think OK4 might be in play at #4?

Only pick set in stone at this point, IMO, is Towns.

We're in good shape at 4.

CrushAlot wrote:

WaltLongmire wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:^^^^^In regards to an alleged gap in skill level, here is what Begley wrote about the league he was in last year,

SI.com reported that Knicks adviser Clarence Gaines Jr. scouted the 19-year-old Porzingis in person during his season with Sevilla in the ACB, arguably the best domestic league outside of the NBA.

Porzingis hit 54 percent of his two-point shots and 38 percent of his 3-point shots for Sevilla. Scouts believe he’s capable of duplicating or surpassing those shooting numbers in the NBA.

http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york-knicks/post/_/id/62261/phil-jackson-watches-porzingis-in-person

Interesting. Strange that we here this stuff all of a sudden.

The poster is also the guy bringing up the 3 or 4 month age gap. He's looking for excuses.

Should stick to his less than impressive passing (at least as far as assists), limited post game at this time, and weight/muscle, if you want to be critical of him, which are fair points, in some way.

We are getting a really good player at #4 no matter what now happens at this point.

You posted the new DraftNet order- which reacted to the Russell cancellation and Porzingis workout, I assume. In their wildest dreams, did anybody on UK think OK4 might be in play at #4?

Only pick set in stone at this point, IMO, is Towns.

We're in good shape at 4.

I saw something where a philly reporter said he heard a scout say this kid is better than Towns. Not sure but it certainly means either he or one of the big three will be there at 4.

We might get a guy-Porzingis- with freaky ability and crazy upside, WHO ALREADY HAS A GAME, or one of the guys we NEVER thought we could get once we got slotted at #4- PROBABLY OK4- the guy with the most advanced post game in recent years.

I think most are more fearful that he won't go earlier than 4, and that we will take him, rather than believing he will knock one of the big three out of their presumed position.

Not going to argue as much now, because we are getting a good player at 4. I have to say I'm not a Mudiay fan anymore, but if Phil and Fisher feel he is the guy- I can live with that.

yellowboy90 wrote:My problem is people jumping the gun and getting all excited about this workout video. Why are you getting excited now when draftexpress had actual game highlights against real people? I could see if you liked him then but this shouldn't change your mind at all imo.

Kristaps could be the real deal but then again so could everyone else. The only thing impressive about the interview was how well he spoke english. lol. I barely noticed an accent.

The weight listed for Porzingis is intriguing, to say the least.

Two of Knicks’ biggest targets won’t slip to 4: source

If the Knicks expect center Jahlil Okafor or point guard D’Angelo Russell to fall into their laps with the fourth pick in the NBA draft, they should think again.

According to a league source, the Sixers, who pick third, still have a firm Big 3 of Karl-Anthony Towns, Russell and Okafor and won’t let any of the trio slip to Phil Jackson. Despite their young, marquee depth up front, the Sixers would take Okafor even if it’s to collect an asset to trade later.

Speculation that Russell is trying to avoid being picked by the moribund Sixers escalated when he canceled workouts with them this weekend. There also were rumblings that perhaps the Lakers, after working Russell out, had given the Ohio State combo guard a guarantee at No. 2. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported he was just “real sick’’ and a Sixers workout could be rescheduled. Russell has told reporters he also has agreed to work out for the Knicks.

Even if the Lakers gave Russell an endorsement and Okafor is dangling at No. 3, the Sixers, as of now, would choose him over the flavor of the day, 7-foot-1, 195-pound power forward Kristaps Porzingis, the young Spanish leaguer who reportedly dazzled at his only pre-draft workout in Las Vegas on Friday.

Point guard Emmanuel Mudiay has not yet worked out for the Sixers, but he would have to be superb, because many league executives are concerned with the level of competition in the Chinese Basketball Association, where he most recently played.

Jackson and coach Derek Fisher were at the Porzingis workout, but it’s also a long shot for the Knicks to take the Latvian sharpshooter.

They are trying to increase their defensive grit this offseason and not so much worrying about shooters in the triangle offense.

Still, Porzingis reportedly made shot after shot and a series of dunks in the workout, put on by agent Andy Miller. He has drawn comparisons as a future Dirk Nowitzki at best, Danilo Gallinari at worst.

“The body’s a long way off so he’s couple of years away from impact,’’ one NBA scout said. “He’s going to look great in a workout but he’s a young European who hasn’t played much. Too much risk at [No.] 4 for the Knicks.’’

Many NBA personnel men can see the Knicks taking the surer bet in Duke freshman swingman Justise Winslow over Mudiay at No. 4 because of his championship pedigree, defensive knowhow and ability to play shooting guard and complement Carmelo Anthony, an acquaintance.

Kentucky’s sophomore defensive big man Willie Cauley-Stein is considered the wild-card pick.