ANALYSIS: Udrih is a good backup point guard whose salary is a steal. He's a younger, more athletic version of Prigioni who can break down a defense and make plays off the pick-and-roll. Udrih is quick enough to get into the paint and heads-up about making passes, but he's not a great shooter, especially from 3-point range. He also won't have many blow-by drives on defenders, so his passing and court vision will be critical.

It was likely down to Udrih and Bobby Brown, who worked out for the third time with the Knicks on Wednesday, for the third point-guard spot. Udrih, a nine-year veteran, was likely preferred because of his NBA experience, ability to facilitate and make plays for others. Brown has been more of a scoring point guard in his overseas career who was looking to prove he can be more of a pass-first point guard on the NBA level.

With jump shooters Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith and Andrea Bargnani leading the Knicks' offense next season, the team needed another veteran point guard who could keep the offense moving for better shots. It stalled at times last season with too many outside shooters. That's why Udrih was their guy.

Also with Udrih in the mix, Mike Woodson can run a two point-guard backcourt, which he went to many times last season to keep the offense flowing. The extra pass in New York is always needed with their perimeter-style offense.

-Jared Zwerling, ESPN

Yes.

tkf wrote:I think beno will be better than prigs... which is why I didn't like giving prigs a dime more..

Prigioni will sell more knicks Jersey's in Argentina, nice financial trade off for Dolan and his marketing guru's

playa2 wrote:I like Beno and all , but if he caves in and continues the Iso mentality instead of looking it off there is no drastic change just more durability with NBA experience.

Playa - what makes you say that about a player with such spicy assist numbers?

Udrih averaged 9.1 points and 3.6 assists per game for his career, but upon being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Orlando Magic last season, his production increased to 10.2 and 6.1, respectively, to close out the season.

Please, why the whining?

Udrih knows how to play the right way.

World Peace and Carmelo need to develop the love connection that Amare and Carmelo missed. Up front, Bargnani and Chandler need the telepathy of the dearly departed Marcus Camby and Kurt Thomas.

Can Tim Hardaway Junior get along with Earl Smith Junior?

And what about Jeremy?

It don't mean a thing if the ball don't swing.

playa2 wrote:

misterearl wrote:

playa2 wrote:I like Beno and all , but if he caves in and continues the Iso mentality instead of looking it off there is no drastic change just more durability with NBA experience.

Playa - what makes you say that about a player with such spicy assist numbers?

Udrih averaged 9.1 points and 3.6 assists per game for his career, but upon being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Orlando Magic last season, his production increased to 10.2 and 6.1, respectively, to close out the season.

Please, why the whining?

I'm not whining Mista, we have to have a pg who sac up and looks off the Iso sometimes when things get tight(be unpredictable).

You and I were so excited when we played the right way early on last season when Iso was limited to late shot clock possessions, not early on the shot clock where the defense rest most of the shot clock.

I 100% agree with your assessment. Woody cannot be predictable with his ISO sets. He needs to be more than Melo/JR ISO or High Pick and Roll with Chandler/Amare.

Good defensive teams are already on to the Knicks playbook, gotta diversify. More motion, more screens, back cuts, backdoors, and run outs for easy baskets.

He already knows how to use Melo/JR. He's gotta use Bargnani in Pick n Pop, perhaps with Beno. He's gotta use Shumpert in give and go's or backdoors to allow Shumpert to attack the basket. He's gotta post up Artest, when he's got a skinny small forward on him. Etc, etc.

He's gotta utilize all his weapons for the Knicks to be successful.

playa2 wrote:

misterearl wrote:Playa - I hear you. The player we need to buy into moving the rock is Artest.

Udrih knows how to play the right way.

ROFL @ your answer. Remember Prigs knew how to play the right way too and he caved into our Iso players later in the season/playoffs.

The last 2 years Woody's playoff playbook consisted of 3 pages.

1st page: Does melo have the ball? If the answer is yes turn to page 3. If the answer is no turn to page 2.

2nd page: Pass the damn ball to melo now! Turn to page 3.

3rd page: Play complete

misterearl wrote:

playa2 wrote:I like Beno and all , but if he caves in and continues the Iso mentality instead of looking it off there is no drastic change just more durability with NBA experience.

Playa - what makes you say that about a player with such spicy assist numbers?

Udrih averaged 9.1 points and 3.6 assists per game for his career, but upon being traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Orlando Magic last season, his production increased to 10.2 and 6.1, respectively, to close out the season.

Please, why the whining?

you may have an eye after all. my impression was brief but my assessment is that he is a very good passer and perhaps a good decision maker on top of that.

perhaps, if he is permitted to make decisions over the course of say... 6-minute intervals, we can find out how good he can truly be as a knick-- big "if" given coaching and personnel here as part of the "established order"-- he will bestow a lot of good things for the investment.