Posted by earthmansurfer:

I'm intrigued by having a shot blocking presence. As the article states it's not how many shots he blocks but how many he also alters. Frustrating the other team really turns the game plan around.

I just wonder if he would hurt us on offense. I haven't seen his game and wonder if it's going to be a few years of Dikembe like offensive output before he actually can have a shot. Clearly, he can help teams at the defensive end, but now we are talking the pro game. I'm sure he is not like Sean Williams who can block shots but does it with athleticism. Thabeet is big period, that is different than Tyrus or Sean like athleticism. (And those guys so far are agreed on to be knuckle heads).

Briggs, how do you think he would help/hurt us on offense, cause that is really the question that people in the draftroom are going to ask???
How is he upstairs? Does he have that fierce mentality? (I'm sure he's not Charmin soft)

I do miss having a force inside.

Posted by Ira:

I think Thabeet should be and will be the first center taken. If he were there when we pick, we should take him. However, if our pick is around 10-12 which is what I expect, Thabeet will be long gone. There is an unheralded sophmore center who plays for Kansas who I think would be good value around there named Cole Aldrich. Aldrich isn't spectacular in any one area of the game, but he's good in many aspects. He's averaging 15.4 ppg at 64% (80% from the line), with close to 10 boards and 2.7 blocks.

Draft Express lists him at 6'11", 250 with a 'great wingspan'. He scores facing the basket or in the low post and gets to the charity stripe often. He's a good, but not great athlete with the timing and skills to rebound well, play inside d and score.

I don't know if he's coming out this season. If he does, he'll be good value for when we pick and be a good fit for the team.

Posted by Ira:

Briggs, I don't know about Mullens. He's big, strong and athletic, but I'm not sure if he has the quickness, the smarts and the heart to be a special player. Maybe he does, but I don't think he's shown it yet. It's easy to be fascinated with players who have that special combination of size and speed. If he does develop the skills and the personal qualities you like to see in an nba player, he could be great. Or he could be another guy who makes you wonder why.

Posted by BRIGGS:

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Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by 4949:

Posted by BRIGGS:

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I'd like to kill you for not putting it into the damn brackets!
http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/thabeet-helps-connecticut-shut-down-notre-dame/

If you took out Jefferies and put in Hasheem--I wonder how this club would do? You don't need a C to average 20 points on this team--you just need to shut down the expressway to the goal. We don't use the word shut down when talking about the Knicks anymore--than was 1990's. With this new system they want a hybrid in there. They want the differential but they want to do it by scoring 113 to your 105

Nonetheless take it to the bank--NY is looking for a 6-10 240 pound agile skill guy who can help the middle but has more skills--guys like Griffin Hill Monroe Patterson etc..

I've always been a huge fan of Thabeet and believe his game will translate better to the pros because he won't face 3-4 guys hanging all over him every time he catches the ball. I think his defensive presense is elite -- and his impact at that end of the court would be awesome for the Knicks.

On the offensive end his hands are worrisome as his passing and lack of assists at UCONN. That said the UCONN guards are terrible at ball distribution and feeding the post. There are numerous times in each UCONN game where Thabeet has outstanding position and the ball is never entered.

I wish he was showing more maturity and awareness but I'd still be very happy if we picked Thabeet in June. That would be huge.

Posted by TheGame:

IF we had taken Lopez last year we would not even be having this discussion. I don't think Thabeet has the offensive skills to work in MDA offense honestly. Thabeet looks to me to be another Diop, a decent center but not a franchise center. If we can get him around 11-13, then I would pick him, but if we end up with a top-5 pick, we should probably go in a different direction.

Posted by SupremeCommander:

Thabeet doesn't do it for me... the Knicks need help pretty everywhere and while a 13/10/3 player is nice, he's also a junior. I'd rather take a guy like Aminu who's a freshman that's getting 12.5/8.5/1.5, even though he plays the same position as everyone else on the Knicks (SF).

Posted by Uptown:

Posted by TheGame:

IF we had taken Lopez last year we would not even be having this discussion. I don't think Thabeet has the offensive skills to work in MDA offense honestly. Thabeet looks to me to be another Diop, a decent center but not a franchise center. If we can get him around 11-13, then I would pick him, but if we end up with a top-5 pick, we should probably go in a different direction.

Now all of a sudden the knicks should have taken Lopez last year. I dont remember too many people on here endorsing a Lopez pick. I remember people calling him slow-footed and pointed out that he shot a porr FG% in college. Most everyone here wanted Mayo, Alexander (how has he worked out so far?), Bayless, Westbrook and Randoplh. Not much mention of Lopez......until the last few weeks.