Vmart wrote:That is why I want the Knicks to go all out and make the move for Dante Exum. I feel this player in Phil Jackson's hands can be great.

Since Orlando fell, I'm pretty sure that he'll end up there. Can't see the Magic trading that pick, considering how well he fits next to a weird match in Oladipo. I love Exum's game though. How ironic that he'll end up there and is a carbon-copy of a college-aged Anfernee Hardaway?

NardDogNation wrote:

Vmart wrote:That is why I want the Knicks to go all out and make the move for Dante Exum. I feel this player in Phil Jackson's hands can be great.

Since Orlando fell, I'm pretty sure that he'll end up there. Can't see the Magic trading that pick, considering how well he fits next to a weird match in Oladipo. I love Exum's game though. How ironic that he'll end up there and is a carbon-copy of a college-aged Anfernee Hardaway?

Agreed I think when the dust settles Exum will be one of the best players in this draft and a team or two will be kicking themselves for passing on him.

knicks1248 wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:I go back to this--its the epitome of why this franchise went south. We dedicated to a retool but did not put the essential work in. We had picks 18,19,21. We couldve moved up and taken a Kobe Bryant who went 13 BIG Z was drafted between our 3 picks. Steve Nash Predrag Stojakovic and J Oneal were 3 of the 4 picks just before us, we passed on Derek Fischer 3 times. We went bust with franchise players and all stars all through the round. Its the foundation of our culture. If we had traded Charles Oakley into the drfat and brought back Kobe Big Z and Derek Fischer---ah??????

Nobody really thought 17 yr old kobe was going to be a first ballot HOF, and it was phil that turned kobe into a champion. Who knows if he has the same success under another coach.

Briggs you can't just believe that drafting a talented player will solve all the answers, kobe is a great player, but under phil he was an MVP and champion, who to say he reaches that level under JVG.

It's not all bout talent, it's about the coach and the system, make no mistake that if phil coaching JR Smith from day 2 of his NBA career, he would be a great player and probably a champion

Kobe was an all-star before Phil ever came into the picture and was already considered the heir apparent to Jordan.

knicks1248 wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:I go back to this--its the epitome of why this franchise went south. We dedicated to a retool but did not put the essential work in. We had picks 18,19,21. We couldve moved up and taken a Kobe Bryant who went 13 BIG Z was drafted between our 3 picks. Steve Nash Predrag Stojakovic and J Oneal were 3 of the 4 picks just before us, we passed on Derek Fischer 3 times. We went bust with franchise players and all stars all through the round. Its the foundation of our culture. If we had traded Charles Oakley into the drfat and brought back Kobe Big Z and Derek Fischer---ah??????

Nobody really thought 17 yr old kobe was going to be a first ballot HOF, and it was phil that turned kobe into a champion. Who knows if he has the same success under another coach.

Briggs you can't just believe that drafting a talented player will solve all the answers, kobe is a great player, but under phil he was an MVP and champion, who to say he reaches that level under JVG.

It's not all bout talent, it's about the coach and the system, make no mistake that if phil coaching JR Smith from day 2 of his NBA career, he would be a great player and probably a champion

Kobe was an all-star before Phil ever came into the picture and was already considered the heir apparent to Jordan.

I said he was a great player before phil made him into a champion, same goes for Jordan..

It's the same reason why melo continues to put up major #s but can't truly figure what it takes to win it all..

What is your point? In your initial post, you seemed to suggest that Kobe's success was circumstantial and was defending our decision to not pursue him. Because even if Kobe didn't become a first ballot HOF and was instead just a perennial all-star, isn't that still better than Walter McCarty and John Wallace?