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What About Knox?
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WaltLongmire
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6/17/2018  3:24 PM
Also from Pompey...


by Keith Pompey, STAFF WRITER

We’ll find out in the coming days if the 76ers will keep the 10th overall pick in Thursday’s NBA draft.

A league source has said the Sixers are definitely interested in Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard, who reportedly wants out of San Antonio. They would most likely have to include the No. 10 pick in any type of package for the two-time defensive player of the year.

Assuming they keep the pick, Kentucky’s Kevin Knox II believes he’s the best draft option for the Sixers. And he believes the team has mutual interest based off its feedback following Friday’s workout at the facility.

“They are really interested in me,” Knox said. “They love my game. They love the way that I can shoot the ball. That’s something they really like what I can do – shoot a lot of threes.

“My versatility, being able to take guys off the dribble, is something that will complement very well with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.”

He said they also talked about how he plays with tenacity, fire and energy – three Sixer trademarks.

So the 6-foot-9, 215-pounder put his shooting, tenacity, fire and energy on full display while working out with Cincinnati swingman Jacob Evans, Kentucky forward Wenyen Gabriel, Missouri forward Jordan Barnett, guards Tre Holden of Arizona State and Rhode Island’s E.C. Matthews.

Evans is a candidate for the Sixers to select with the 26th overall pick.

But there was no confusion to who was the best player on the court. Knox, who doesn’t turn 19 until Aug. 11, dominated players that were, in some cases, 4 years older. He converted a three-point play while posting up, buried a three-pointer and assisted on layup during a short stretch of a scrimmage that was open to the media.

Sixers senior director of basketball operations Vince Rozman said Knox’s touch stood out the most.

“For his size, he can shoot,” Rozman said. “He can handle it a little bit. He’s really mobile. He’s a talent.”

Knox averaged 15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists in his only season for the Wildcats. He shot 34.1 percent from three-point range. A 2017 McDonalds All American from Tampa, Fla. with a 7-0¼ wingspan, he led the Wildcats in scoring 12 times.

He and Alabama’s Collin Sexton were named the SEC’s co-freshmen of the year. Knox also was named first-team all-SEC and received all-SEC tournament honors.

He would initially be looked upon to add depth off the bench, but could develop into a key NBA starter in a couple of seasons. Knox would also be a solid candidate to spend some time in the NBA G League this coming season.

“Coach [Brett] Brown asked me that,” he said of playing for the Delaware Blue Coats, the Sixers’ G-League. “I told him I was perfectly fine. Go down there and dominate. Go down there and prove why I should be up on the regular team; just go down there and try to kill everyone and work hard.”

If that’s his route, Knox plans to learn everything he can in the G-League so he’ll be able to dominate in the NBA. He said there’s no need to whine and cry about playing in that league.

Knox realizes that he’ll have to work for everything he gets.

But the Sixers aren’t your average team with a 10th overall pick. They won 52 games this past season and reached the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. They need to acquire a player like Leonard in a trade or Cleveland’s LeBron James and Oklahoma City’s Paul George in free agency to increase their chances of contending for an NBA title. A No. 10 pick would be basically a rotation player, at least for the upcoming season.

That’s why Friday’s news of Leonard wanting out of San Antonio is so intriguing to the Sixers. He is reportedly even willing to turn down the $219 million “super-max” extension he could get this summer with the Spurs.

Leonard, who reportedly wants to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers, stayed away from San Antonio for most of the season while dealing with a quad injury. He played in only nine games.

Leonard has a great relationship with Brown from their days together in San Antonio. Philly would probably have to submit the No. 10 pick, Markelle Fultz and Robert Covington in exchange for a package that would include the two-time all-star. However, trading for him would be risky without first getting a guarantee that he’ll agree to a contract extension. Leonard is set to become a free agent on July 1, 2019.

But Knox believes he’ll be a good fit should the Sixers keep the pick.

“I still got a lot to learn,” he said. “Eighteen years old, I mean I got the highest upside in the draft. That’s what everybody keeps telling me that with my potential, the sky is the limit.”

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nixluva
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6/17/2018  5:53 PM
I've been up and down on Knox. Kid didn't look like he added any muscle since he end of the season, which bothered me. If you already have Motor concerns I would think you'd go hard to build your conditioning and come out like a beast. That said he's got a ton of upside. I think we have a much improved Developmental Staff that might be a much better environment for Knox to learn in.
rpknicks
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6/18/2018  1:27 AM    LAST EDITED: 6/18/2018  3:36 AM
knox is probably the hardest guy in our range to pull the trigger on. Even before this late push up the mock drafts, you can see the talent and potential, but there were plenty of question marks.

I still lean back on my original evaluation that he just seemed too soft and too quiet in games, and his demeanor in these interviews and videos does not contradict that impression.

In private workouts, teams get to see a lot more than we do. That's the only page missing in the scouting report.

Maybe he crushed miles bridges. Maybe outside the UK system, he's showing a lot more. Maybe teams are seeing what they want to see. Maybe teams are pumping him up so someone else falls.

All the maybe's lead to a pass for me.

TheGame
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6/18/2018  2:30 AM    LAST EDITED: 6/18/2018  2:43 AM
I want the Knicks to take mikal Bridges. But honestly, if you compare Knox's freshman year to mikal's sophmore year, you would probably think Knox is the better player. So you then have to think what is Knox going to be like in 2 years. Does he have the work ethic and upside to grow his game like mikal did. If he does, then this kid is going to be a 20+ scorer in the NBA. The other thing is his defense and offense did improve as the season went on. That shows he is coachable and learns from his mistakes. Knox is growing on me.
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rpknicks
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6/18/2018  3:45 AM
I want mikal too and I think his upside is being somewhat deprecated by his age and because he actually has improved so much in 3 years. People seem to be thinking that he's reaching his peak when the record only shows steady progress.

Now that he's got his shot and his defense, it's time to work on his handle, his body, play-making and all the other bits he can improve on to get to the next level.

smackeddog
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6/18/2018  4:54 AM
rpknicks wrote:I want mikal too and I think his upside is being somewhat deprecated by his age and because he actually has improved so much in 3 years. People seem to be thinking that he's reaching his peak when the record only shows steady progress.

Now that he's got his shot and his defense, it's time to work on his handle, his body, play-making and all the other bits he can improve on to get to the next level.

Hmm, I think maybe we're ready for a Knox vs Mikal thread...

wargames
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6/18/2018  7:51 AM
ccinflushing wrote:If Knox is our guy, I wouldn't be surprised if we traded pick #9 to the Sixers for #10 and #26 and used #10 on Knox.

There are a number of reasons why I think this could happen:

1. Sixers have 6 drafts picks in this draft - don't really have that many roster slots available
2. As they've already maxed out on receivable cash for 2017-18, they can only realistically sell one or two of their draft picks ($5.2Mn max cash receivable can realistically get you picks #38 and #56) and complete this transaction in early July after agreeing to the trade in principle
3. They may have a strong preference for Mikal or Miles and want to pre-empt the Knicks choosing those players
4. Trading #10 and #26 for #9 is fairish value based on historical precedence. It also saves them about $0.9Mn in cap space.
5. The international draft and stash pool this year is pretty poor

Anyway take that for what it's worth even if you don't take that for data!

Rumor is philly, Hornets, and the Clippers have made him promises too..... He'll the Ringer has the Bulls taking him, though I think they are deadest on Porter. If the Knicks want him they got to take him at 9.

The algorithm gives and the algorithm takes away
TheGame
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6/18/2018  9:01 AM    LAST EDITED: 6/18/2018  9:02 AM
I trust the scouts for the Knicks. If they think Knox has more potential than Mikal, I am all in. I like Mikal a lot but I recognize that Knox has the look of a big time scorer once he gains strength. The deciding factor to me is whether Knox is showing in workouts that he can defend. I know they are running limit scrimmages.
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reub
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6/18/2018  9:30 AM
I like Knox' offensive arsenal but his low blocks and steals scream motor/head issues and a lack of defensive acumen. He had 0.3 blocks per 40 minutes last season, the same block percentage as diminutive Trae Young.
smackeddog
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6/18/2018  12:16 PM    LAST EDITED: 6/18/2018  12:17 PM
reub wrote:I like Knox' offensive arsenal but his low blocks and steals scream motor/head issues and a lack of defensive acumen. He had 0.3 blocks per 40 minutes last season, the same block percentage as diminutive Trae Young.

His motor is the number one concern for me. I think the Knicks might be wanting to try out their new development coaches and culture though, which is why I think they're more likely to go for a potential/project than a player who's pretty much ready now.

Could all be smoke and mirrors though- it wouldn't surprise me if they went for Sexton (who they released no info about, following his workout).

TPercy
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6/18/2018  2:35 PM
What about Lonnie Walker fellas? The boy is a shooter; explosive first step that makes him amazing at attacking closeouts, and has immense defensive potential. I think he could be one of The best players in the draft like Mitchell last year.
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smackeddog
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6/18/2018  2:45 PM    LAST EDITED: 6/18/2018  3:36 PM
TPercy wrote:What about Lonnie Walker fellas? The boy is a shooter; explosive first step that makes him amazing at attacking closeouts, and has immense defensive potential. I think he could be one of The best players in the draft like Mitchell last year.

I liked him a lot until someone compared him to Shumpert! I liked Shumpert pre-ACL tear but not as the number 9 pick. If we land a second first round pick then I’d be happy to draft him

WaltLongmire
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6/18/2018  3:19 PM
TheGame wrote:I trust the scouts for the Knicks. If they think Knox has more potential than Mikal, I am all in. I like Mikal a lot but I recognize that Knox has the look of a big time scorer once he gains strength. The deciding factor to me is whether Knox is showing in workouts that he can defend. I know they are running limit scrimmages.

At the very least, you can see the lateral movement of a player, even in a scrimmage. You can see the footwork, stance, and recovery movements of a player.

Knowing if they can play team D is something else... Did not really watch Kentucky play much, but Calipari's teams usually pay decent team D, no?

If he can defend at the 3, we might very well take him, because he'll be able to compete at 4 given his length, and after his body fills in.

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BigDaddyG
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6/18/2018  3:38 PM
smackeddog wrote:
TPercy wrote:What about Lonnie Walker fellas? The boy is a shooter; explosive first step that makes him amazing at attacking closeouts, and has immense defensive potential. I think he could be one of The best players in the draft like Mitchell last year.

I liked him a lot until someone compared him to Shumpert! I liked Shumpert pre-ACL tear but not as the number 9 pick.


I compared their bball IQs. Lonnie makes questionable decisions with the ball. He might be a better athlete than rookie year Shump, which is saying a lot. Better first step, too. Shump might have had a better dribble.
Always... always remember: Less is less. More is more. More is better and twice as much is good too. Not enough is bad, and too much is never enough except when it's just about right. - The Tick
KnixinSix
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6/18/2018  3:46 PM
On KEVIN KNOX I attribute the supposed 'lack of motor' and bouts of inconsistency to his youth and 1st year playing in a bigtime program . I still think he is finding himself as a player. He is the second youngest entry in this entire draft. Nothing is guaranteed, but This is the type of 'find' that goes top 3 next year because you actually start to see the immense upside with 1 extra year in College.

We also did a 3hr wine and dine dinner with Walker so he is firmly in the convo at 9

Of the guys who have more than a 10% chance to fall at 9:

Porter,Young,Carter,Knox,Walker, Mikhal.... roughly in that order....the top 3 of that list are likely gone so its very likely either Knox or Walker

fishmike
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6/18/2018  4:06 PM
KnixinSix wrote:On KEVIN KNOX I attribute the supposed 'lack of motor' and bouts of inconsistency to his youth and 1st year playing in a bigtime program . I still think he is finding himself as a player. He is the second youngest entry in this entire draft. Nothing is guaranteed, but This is the type of 'find' that goes top 3 next year because you actually start to see the immense upside with 1 extra year in College.

We also did a 3hr wine and dine dinner with Walker so he is firmly in the convo at 9

Of the guys who have more than a 10% chance to fall at 9:

Porter,Young,Carter,Knox,Walker, Mikhal.... roughly in that order....the top 3 of that list are likely gone so its very likely either Knox or Walker

wow you think they would take Knox/Walker before Mikhal?
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KnixinSix
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6/18/2018  4:18 PM
fishmike wrote:
KnixinSix wrote:On KEVIN KNOX I attribute the supposed 'lack of motor' and bouts of inconsistency to his youth and 1st year playing in a bigtime program . I still think he is finding himself as a player. He is the second youngest entry in this entire draft. Nothing is guaranteed, but This is the type of 'find' that goes top 3 next year because you actually start to see the immense upside with 1 extra year in College.

We also did a 3hr wine and dine dinner with Walker so he is firmly in the convo at 9

Of the guys who have more than a 10% chance to fall at 9:

Porter,Young,Carter,Knox,Walker, Mikhal.... roughly in that order....the top 3 of that list are likely gone so its very likely either Knox or Walker

wow you think they would take Knox/Walker before Mikhal?

Yes just about 100% on this too.

Look at Mikhals numbers as a fresh/soph. Lonnie and Kevin light years better at same point of development. Further was the boost Mikhal got with all the open looks in the highest octane offense in all NCAA basketball last year.

Knox was very good at hitting long range even with a guy in his face. Knox should round out as a much better player overall (and the big key is defensive improvement with him but he has the tools for it). He just needs some time to develop and we have one of the better player development coaches in Fiz.

BigDaddyG
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6/18/2018  4:23 PM
KnixinSix wrote:
fishmike wrote:
KnixinSix wrote:On KEVIN KNOX I attribute the supposed 'lack of motor' and bouts of inconsistency to his youth and 1st year playing in a bigtime program . I still think he is finding himself as a player. He is the second youngest entry in this entire draft. Nothing is guaranteed, but This is the type of 'find' that goes top 3 next year because you actually start to see the immense upside with 1 extra year in College.

We also did a 3hr wine and dine dinner with Walker so he is firmly in the convo at 9

Of the guys who have more than a 10% chance to fall at 9:

Porter,Young,Carter,Knox,Walker, Mikhal.... roughly in that order....the top 3 of that list are likely gone so its very likely either Knox or Walker

wow you think they would take Knox/Walker before Mikhal?

Yes just about 100% on this too.

Look at Mikhals numbers as a fresh/soph. Lonnie and Kevin light years better at same point of development. Further was the boost Mikhal got with all the open looks in the highest octane offense in all NCAA basketball last year.

Knox was very good at hitting long range even with a guy in his face. Knox should round out as a much better player overall (and the big key is defensive improvement with him but he has the tools for it). He just needs some time to develop and we have one of the better player development coaches in Fiz.

If you go down that train of thought, you can make the case that Miles had a better freshman season than all of them.

Always... always remember: Less is less. More is more. More is better and twice as much is good too. Not enough is bad, and too much is never enough except when it's just about right. - The Tick
CrushAlot
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6/18/2018  4:37 PM
BigDaddyG wrote:
KnixinSix wrote:
fishmike wrote:
KnixinSix wrote:On KEVIN KNOX I attribute the supposed 'lack of motor' and bouts of inconsistency to his youth and 1st year playing in a bigtime program . I still think he is finding himself as a player. He is the second youngest entry in this entire draft. Nothing is guaranteed, but This is the type of 'find' that goes top 3 next year because you actually start to see the immense upside with 1 extra year in College.

We also did a 3hr wine and dine dinner with Walker so he is firmly in the convo at 9

Of the guys who have more than a 10% chance to fall at 9:

Porter,Young,Carter,Knox,Walker, Mikhal.... roughly in that order....the top 3 of that list are likely gone so its very likely either Knox or Walker

wow you think they would take Knox/Walker before Mikhal?

Yes just about 100% on this too.

Look at Mikhals numbers as a fresh/soph. Lonnie and Kevin light years better at same point of development. Further was the boost Mikhal got with all the open looks in the highest octane offense in all NCAA basketball last year.

Knox was very good at hitting long range even with a guy in his face. Knox should round out as a much better player overall (and the big key is defensive improvement with him but he has the tools for it). He just needs some time to develop and we have one of the better player development coaches in Fiz.

If you go down that train of thought, you can make the case that Miles had a better freshman season than all of them.

I think Miles might be the best pick at 9 if he is there with Mikhal and Knox.
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GoNyGoNyGo
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6/18/2018  5:30 PM
Something abuot Knox scares me. It is probably not fair but he reminds me of Melo. A bit aloof and a low BBall IQ. I also think he is a few years away.
What About Knox?

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