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Queeniepop
Posts: 20640
Alba Posts: 0
Joined: 12/29/2006
Member: #1233
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Sleeper Hits Snooze Bar on the Knicks
So we're told Wilson Chandler does not expect to work out for the Knicks before next week's NBA draft. The Knicks invited the DePaul sophomore to come in during the past few weeks, but Chandler declined because of the ankle injury we told you about previously.
However, Chandler has re-scheduled workouts with a few other teams. Just not the Knicks. And Chandler doesn't plan to.
"I don't foresee us working out for the Knicks," Chandler's agent, Chris Luchey told Newsday's Ken Berger on Thursday.
Luchey did go as far as telling Berger that he re-scheduled with teams that have late-first, early-second round picks. Chandler's schedule is apparently full from now until draft day. Perhaps the Knicks could squeeze him in the morning of the draft.
If the Knicks were as high on this kid as previously reported, do they not need to see anything more from him? Do they not want to look too interested in bringing him in, thus avoiding tipping their hand to anyone selection ahead of them in the first round?
Or are they just not interested? Maybe they already know who they want and Chandler isn't it.
Or perhaps, as one person suggested to me recently, the Knicks already know they won't be using the pick. Perhaps they'll be picking for someone else in what will be a post-draft trade.
So much for the report in the Chicago Daily Herald, which quoted a source that said the Knicks had already promised Chandler they'd take him at No. 23. But Luchey, of course, has no idea where that report came from.
"I would assume that something like that would have to come from Isiah Thomas," Luchey said. "I haven't spoken with Isiah Thomas. I don't know where that story came from."
No one ever does. But if it helped get a few teams picking higher than the Knicks to put more emphasis on Chandler, then Luchey's work -- I mean, whomever's work -- was perfectly executed.
And, of course, if Chandler does happen to be there . . .
"You can print this," Luchey then said, "We wouldn't be mad at the Knicks taking him at 23."
Ugh, agents.
Click.
UPDATE from this morning: Seems another blog, read by a notably different crowd (judging by the superior intelligence, not to mention poignancy, of the comments we get here as compared to theirs...and 50 comments by the same five guys doesn't mean it gets more traffic, by the way) got the callback on the Sean Williams thing before we did. The Knicks attended. We got scooped.
Like Denis Lemieux, the goalie in Slapshot, I feel shame.
And just like that, I'm over it.
* * *
Jon, you're right, Al Jefferson had a great second half this past season. By the end of the year, he was just as dominant in the paint as Eddy Curry. In fact, I recall the game in Boston late in the season where Jefferson had a terrific game. The No. 5 pick also has great value for a team that obviously is preparing for a major rebuild (and already has their own lottery pick at No. 7). I guess my question wasn't posed as if I thought the Knicks could offer more, it was more in disbelief that the Knicks couldn't come up with better.
I know KG, Jermaine O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Gilbert Arenas are sexier names, but 've maintained that the Rashard Lewis situation will be the one to monitor. Just don't expect it to happen at the draft, where there will be some movement. Lewis will go on the open market on July 1 and there will be some teams that can afford to try to sign him as a free agent. But no one will be able to give him the max other than the Sonics, who then could flip him to a team that can afford to add that kind of hefty scratch to their payroll.
And thanks Jason, for your input on Sean Williams and how to keep Jamal Crawford (and thanks for shamelessly promoting your columns on realgm.com..as if you guys needed any more pub from Newsday). I don't think the Knicks would have to give up Jamal in the Lewis deal because the Sonics already have Ray Allen and I'm not sure Crawford fits. The Sonics desperately need a point guard (no, they won't take Steve Francis), but I doubt Sam Presti would be high on Nate Robinson, despite his Seattle roots. I think the Sonics would want Channing Frye and/or David Lee in anything they do. I would watch for a third team in this process.
Have a great first weekend of summer.
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