2. CHICAGO BULLS (traded to Portland)
F LaMarcus Aldridge, Texas

SCHRAGER ON THE SCENE: The Knicks fans are in a real pleasant state right now. I look behind me, and see a furious 12-year old chanting "F-Dolan". His parents must be proud. He's not the only one. A grown man wearing a Jamal Crawford jersey (with no tee shirt underneath) is hoisting BOTH his middle fingers in the air. At who? Nobody knows for sure. When ESPN shows the Eddy Curry trade details on a Madison Square Garden big screen, the place explodes. "Fire Thomas" is now mixed in with "F-Dolan". Everyone's really peaceful. Like Woodstock, really. The Bulls take Aldridge and David Stern looks like a Skittle next to him. The Aldridge pick makes sense. After all, Luke "Napoleon Dynamite" Shenscher was getting big minutes for the Bulls last year. Then again, 2-14 in an Elite 8 game versus LSU isn't exactly what you want to see out of a #2 pick overall.

20. NEW YORK KNICKS
F RENALDO BALKMAN, SOUTH CAROLINA

SCHRAGER ON THE SCENE: Yikes. The roof's going to come off of this place. Personally, I don't think Isiah meant to take Balkman. I'm convinced he thought he was taking former Dallas Maverick and Knick great, Ronaldo Blackman. He probably remembered Blackman lighting him up in the 80s, saw the draft board, and decided, "Yes, yes that guy's good! Let's take him!" Charles Dolan then likely ate a $100 bill, took a bath in Poland Spring water, and said "Go For it!" The Knicks fans are beyond outraged. There's an "F-Dolan" chant going at full force, which I'm sure is really delightful for the ESPN sound crew. So the Knicks have Balkman. I can't wait until Isiah realizes it's not the guy he thought it was. And I can't wait until Nate Robinson hazes him next year. What a disaster this team is.

22. NEW JERSEY NETS
G MARCUS WILLIAMS, CONNECTICUT

SCHRAGER ON THE SCENE:The Nets make possibly the best pick of the night, snagging Marcus Williams out of UConn at 23. This selection will haunt Knick fans for..eh…about a decade or two. As Jason Kidd mentors and guides Williams, he'll mature and develop into a phenomenal pro. Meanwhile, across the Hudson, Knicks fans will be enjoying the fantastic "intangibles" of the great Renaldo Balkman. Williams will be playing with a chip on his shoulder, and will make an immediate impact on the Nets. Balkman? Well, I'm still convinced Isiah thinks he just got a 52-year-old shooting guard who used to play for the Mavs.

29. NEW YORK KNICKS
G MARDY COLLINS, TEMPLE

SCHRAGER ON THE SCENE: So, let me get this straight. The Knicks PASSED over Marcus Williams at 20, but took ANOTHER point guard at 29? Were they that worried someone else would snag Renaldo Balkman? The NBA handed out a "Media Draft Guide" with more than 80 players in it. Renaldo Balkman's not one of them. The Knicks fans don't even seem mad after the Collins pick. They seem depressed, defeated. I just saw the Jamal Crawford guy put his head in his hands. Poor Jamal Crawford guy. Tonight was supposed to be his night. It wasn't.

[Edited by - djsunyc on 06-29-2006 3:31 PM]

Yup, that about sums it up word for word.