nixluva wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

nixluva wrote:

mreinman wrote:

Jmpasq wrote:

mreinman wrote:Great!

We will league the league in wingspans

Wasn't Williams the worst defensive forward in the NBA last year? Why is his wingspan all of sudden going to help his defense.

good question

The idea is to have him be influenced by his teammates good work habits, effort and dedication to play D. He's athletic and long enough to be a better defender. The peer pressure to defend will be much better with this team. We want to get DWill to want to challenge shots as a help defender too. He's got to be challenged and held accountable for giving better effort on D.

We're not the Spurs. We bring out the worst not the best in players.

But the cultures changed

Getting rid of JR doesn't reverse 15 years of bad culture. We're currently a .200 team. We're now going to be bringing out the best in players? I'll believe it when I see it.

No I think there has been a definitive course to change some character issues that have plagued the tam for years. I like both rookies--they seem to be great guys and they both have talent. You listen to Oquinn Affalo and Lopez--they sound like good guys--I dont think they are tier 1 basketball players--so we also have to wait and see how they play together. Good character doesn't change foot-speed. Im just looking for a professional improvement. I think we have some guys to root for now. There is some good that has taken place here.

It's possible we aren't a culture that brings out the worst in players anymore but it's a big leap to say we're actually going to be bringing out the best in players.

I think the Knicks have a very solid organization now. It's only the stench of last season that is warping the view of this leadership group. Once we got rid of JR and the others things were different. I think the influx of talent and character will make an even bigger impact this season. It's no longer a situation where the team has guys who are going against the grain. Now the preponderance of players are Team oriented and high character guys. That is now the Culture of the franchise and not the clown show we've had before. With almost everyone pulling in one direction it will create an environment where players should get better.

BigSm00th wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

BigSm00th wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:I dont know who will start 4--I think thats putting a lot on Porzingis--my hope for him was maybe by game 60 that we could give him 25 minutes--maybe up from 18-22. But I also think Porzingis will eventually be our 5 in 2 years. I think hes to big for any other position. Hes going to gain weight and his natural position will be 5.

Porzingis played 50 regular season games last year in the second best professional league on the planet. he averaged over 20 minutes a game in those contests (11 points 5 rebounds 1 block 1 steal; 50% from FG, 36% from 3, 75% from FT). for comparison, Towns played 39 games in college basketball and averaged 20 minutes a game as well (10 points 7 rebounds 2 blocks 1 steal; 57%/25%/81%); Okafor played 38 games and averaged 30 minutes a night (17 points 9 rebounds 1 block 1 steal; 66%, 0 3's, 51% FT).

Okafor and Towns are both expected to start and play significantly from the get go, yet KP isn't? i don't understand.

throw KP into the fire and see what happens, i think he'll more than hold his own. he should start at the 4 from day 1 and be playing at least 20 minutes a game.

I dont think KP should be over used in year 1. He has a different body type than OK4 or Towns--those guys are men-hes a boy. Id let him find his way off the bench against 2nd tier players the first 41 games at a minimum.

Okafor and Towns played against kids last year, KP held his own against professionals in Europe. why do you discount that?

KP was able to contribute in the ACB by being highly mobile and understanding how to find the open space on the floor and get his shot off. He's actually amazing how mobile he is. Obviously he was just as weak then if not more than he was during SL. It's going to be up to the Knicks to figure out how best to use KP.

We also have DWill on the roster and i'm sure they'd like to see what they can get out of him. There is a lot of untapped talent in Williams. He has the physical talent to do a lot more than he has. PF isn't really going to be an issue IMO. We have enough bodies for that spot. The PG and C spot is where the Knicks need to add a little more support.

newyorker4ever wrote:

BigSm00th wrote:

Rosey wrote:I agree. If Calderon starts at point guard then they're going to get killed on perimeter defense. He's too slow. If that's the case, he would have to funnel opponents into the middle and Knicks would need to load up with more mobile shot-blockers. That presents a case for Ndour making the team. Hope they see Calderon, not as a long-term starter, but as a mentor to help Grant transition into guard who can organize the offense. Everyone was talking up Elliot Williams...I'm not familiar with his game. Could he help? I don't see Galloway as anything more than a fourth guard. N. Powell did look good in summer. Not sure how that will translate into meaningful playing time with Raptors.

Robin Lopez was top 5 in rim protection last year. just because he doesn't block a ton of shots doesn't mean he can't/doesn't protect the rim. that said, would be nice to add a C off the bench who could alter shots. i was in favor of signing BIYOMBO - 2 yrs $6 mil for a guy who can protect the rim is a good deal, even if he does nothing else right.

Biyombo would of been a great addition especially at that price. I think Jeff Withey could be a good addition as well and he's still out there.

TOR already scooped up Biyombo at that price.

BRIGGS wrote:

BigSm00th wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:I dont know who will start 4--I think thats putting a lot on Porzingis--my hope for him was maybe by game 60 that we could give him 25 minutes--maybe up from 18-22. But I also think Porzingis will eventually be our 5 in 2 years. I think hes to big for any other position. Hes going to gain weight and his natural position will be 5.

Porzingis played 50 regular season games last year in the second best professional league on the planet. he averaged over 20 minutes a game in those contests (11 points 5 rebounds 1 block 1 steal; 50% from FG, 36% from 3, 75% from FT). for comparison, Towns played 39 games in college basketball and averaged 20 minutes a game as well (10 points 7 rebounds 2 blocks 1 steal; 57%/25%/81%); Okafor played 38 games and averaged 30 minutes a night (17 points 9 rebounds 1 block 1 steal; 66%, 0 3's, 51% FT).

Okafor and Towns are both expected to start and play significantly from the get go, yet KP isn't? i don't understand.

throw KP into the fire and see what happens, i think he'll more than hold his own. he should start at the 4 from day 1 and be playing at least 20 minutes a game.

I dont think KP should be over used in year 1. He has a different body type than OK4 or Towns--those guys are men-hes a boy. Id let him find his way off the bench against 2nd tier players the first 41 games at a minimum.

regardless of his lack of strength relative to more physically-mature players, he remains long and agile. if he and his trainers are patient he will have the next 3 months to work on strengthening his core, shoulder girdles, and most importantly his quadriceps, while remaining lean. right now he is skinny but he should develop only into a wiry-- not bulky-- player. he is a kevin garnett type of physique-- and what wonderful thing that he studied garnett growing up overseas. it is within reason that kp can add 8 pounds or so in the next 3 months but anything more than that would be counterproductive and in my opinion dangerous.

garnett is 6'11" and as a rookie he weighed somewhere between 215-220. now he is closer to 250.

notice the size of his calves... they are not the calves of a weakling.

BigSm00th wrote:

newyorker4ever wrote:

BigSm00th wrote:

Rosey wrote:I agree. If Calderon starts at point guard then they're going to get killed on perimeter defense. He's too slow. If that's the case, he would have to funnel opponents into the middle and Knicks would need to load up with more mobile shot-blockers. That presents a case for Ndour making the team. Hope they see Calderon, not as a long-term starter, but as a mentor to help Grant transition into guard who can organize the offense. Everyone was talking up Elliot Williams...I'm not familiar with his game. Could he help? I don't see Galloway as anything more than a fourth guard. N. Powell did look good in summer. Not sure how that will translate into meaningful playing time with Raptors.

Robin Lopez was top 5 in rim protection last year. just because he doesn't block a ton of shots doesn't mean he can't/doesn't protect the rim. that said, would be nice to add a C off the bench who could alter shots. i was in favor of signing BIYOMBO - 2 yrs $6 mil for a guy who can protect the rim is a good deal, even if he does nothing else right.

Biyombo would of been a great addition especially at that price. I think Jeff Withey could be a good addition as well and he's still out there.

TOR already scooped up Biyombo at that price.

JrZyHuStLa wrote:When it comes to the Knicks, past performances are a great indicator of future results.

Is this a serious statement or are you just joking? I think this season will take on a life of it's own and have nothing to do with the past seasons. To the degree that the young players are able to step up and take on more of a role. The vets like Melo, Afflalo, RoLo, Jose, Thomas and Amundson are pretty much known quantities. They're the reason we can expect some degree of a solid performance. The upside for the season comes from the young players and how much they're able to contribute. If we can get some good contributions from the youth on this team that will push this team closer to a playoff birth.