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Knicks Draft 2020: The Case for Kira Lewis
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smackeddog
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I enjoyed this series of threads running up to the draft a few years ago. I'm all over the place on who we should draft, but if people pick a player or two and add a poll, we can share info about the prospects and see which are popular on the board and which aren't.

The case for Kira Lewis:

We are desperate for a PG- next years draft is meant to be stronger, but there seems to be few PGs in the top 10 in the 2021 draft (seems to be dominated by SF's at the moment) or free agency. If we don't sign VanVleet (don't see Toronto letting him walk), we have another 2 seasons of likely no PG to look forward to.

Kira's highlight vids are ridiculous- he's so fast and it looks like he can shoot. I think Spencer Pearlman said he would compliment RJ perfectly. He's very young so has lots of room for growth too. the knock on him is feel for the game and he's so light . Personally, I think if you're as fast as he is, weight doesn't matter as much. Plus we've had Fox and Morant have great success with similar frames.

I know the eye test isn't popular these days, but watching Kira, I'm wowed, where as watching the clips of Hayes I feel like I did when I watched Frank before we drafted him (liked the idea of him, but had misgivings when watching him play). As well as his speed, look how shifty he is too.


Though undersized, Lewis plays with an intensity that would endear him to coach Brad Stevens. Lewis was also impressively productive down the stretch of the 2019-20 campaign. Over the final month of the season (nine games), he averaged 23.2 points, 6.7 assists, 3.7 boards, 1.8 steals and 2.8 made 3-pointers, while shooting 49% from the field and north of 46% from downtown.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/tommybeer/2020/08/21/2020-nba-mock-draft-post-lottery-edition/#77c1e7752419

Kira Lewis is a speedy mad man who can change directions, get to the hoop and create his own look. As scouts have told me, he's sometimes too quick. Learning how to stop and go and control tempo is his next growing point. But the physical tools, solid shooting mechanics and creation abilities are worthy of a flier for the Suns who need depth at guard to pair with Devin Booker and an intriguing young core.

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/2020-nba-mock-draft-timberwolves-take-anthony-edwards-with-no-1-pick-after-winning-nba-draft-lottery/

Oh yes!
Hell no!
Maybe...
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BigDaddyG
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8/23/2020  12:36 PM
He still needs to polish up his decision making and step it up as a finisher. Cole is more polished. That said Kira's athletic upside is really strong. Not looking at him at 8, but he's around that area. Maybe 4 to 6 slots down.
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
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smackeddog
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8/23/2020  12:54 PM
BigDaddyG wrote:He still needs to polish up his decision making and step it up as a finisher. Cole is more polished. That said Kira's athletic upside is really strong. Not looking at him at 8, but he's around that area. Maybe 4 to 6 slots down.

I've seen mocks put him from 8 all the way down to the 20s. Improving his finishing and decision making isn't beyond the realms of possibilities as he is so young. I'd definitely take him over Cole. I don't know, he just seems to have the it factor when you watch him.
BigDaddyG
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8/23/2020  1:12 PM
smackeddog wrote:
BigDaddyG wrote:He still needs to polish up his decision making and step it up as a finisher. Cole is more polished. That said Kira's athletic upside is really strong. Not looking at him at 8, but he's around that area. Maybe 4 to 6 slots down.

I've seen mocks put him from 8 all the way down to the 20s. Improving his finishing and decision making isn't beyond the realms of possibilities as he is so young. I'd definitely take him over Cole. I don't know, he just seems to have the it factor when you watch him.

He's definitely got that athletic pop. He reminds me of Colin Sexton in terms of play style.

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
Chandler
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8/23/2020  1:24 PM

I suck at projecting college talent but i'd be worried about his frame. he will get bounced around trying to get past screens and going to the lane. 82 games....

goes like Lillard and McCollum are the same height and 35 lbs heavier, for example

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smackeddog
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8/23/2020  1:34 PM
Chandler wrote:
I suck at projecting college talent but i'd be worried about his frame. he will get bounced around trying to get past screens and going to the lane. 82 games....

goes like Lillard and McCollum are the same height and 35 lbs heavier, for example

Is his frame really that much different from Fox and Morant's? Plus he's young, can easily put on some weight. I also am horrific at projecting college talent
mikesknicks
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8/23/2020  1:58 PM
I voted Yes, there is just something about him that I love to have in my lead guard. This is a guard league a we need to find ours and the rest will work out.
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wargames
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8/23/2020  2:12 PM    LAST EDITED: 8/23/2020  2:13 PM
I would draft him and see if we can move up to #23 by taking Conley, maybe send them back #27. I think a year playing behind Conley to learn would set Kira up for a better career. Conley would come off the books in 2021 and that money could be used on a long term FA.
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xblvdels3
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8/24/2020  7:19 AM
is he better than Jared Harper or Lamar peters?
xblvdels3
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8/24/2020  7:22 AM
I think Kira gives us the same thing as Jared Harper.
Lamar peters shot 40 percent from nba 3 range.
xblvdels3
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8/24/2020  7:28 AM
I think the Knicks were excited to pickup Harper. They are looking forward to seeing what he can do. similar to Nate Robinson and Nate Robinson did well with thibs.
Allanfan20
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8/24/2020  7:59 AM
That shot form is something that bothers me. His release is waaaay out in front of him and he seems to release the ball befoRe the apex of his jump. A taller guard can get away with that but I don’t think it will work with him. Not right away at least.
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Chandler
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8/24/2020  8:25 AM
smackeddog wrote:
Chandler wrote:
I suck at projecting college talent but i'd be worried about his frame. he will get bounced around trying to get past screens and going to the lane. 82 games....

goes like Lillard and McCollum are the same height and 35 lbs heavier, for example

Is his frame really that much different from Fox and Morant's? Plus he's young, can easily put on some weight. I also am horrific at projecting college talent

He's listed at 165!! (which i suspect means he's actually lighter)

putting on weight might seriously affect the quickness we're all fascinated with

fox and morant are 20 and 10 lbs heavier, respectively -- to put how skinny 165 at 6' 3" is in perspetive. Steph has 25 lbs on him

He might be a fabulous player but it would take some brass gonads to make the pick. NBA has a lot more beef than college and 82 games of contact for a guy who drive to the lane.

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rpknicks
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8/24/2020  8:50 AM
Between lewis and anthony, knicks have a good chance to pick up a guard who can eventually take over the starting role. I could care less about whether 8 is too early for either. Donovan mitchell just dropped 50 last night and the same sort of ( "it's all about value" thinking prevailed leading up to that draft. If you like a player and you have no other way of getting them later in the draft, then you go for it. Had we gotten gotten 4-6 in the lottery, I could see the knicks over-thinking it, but we may have finally lucked into the right spot.

What lewis has is speed and a set of skills that while still in development mode, project well in the nba...and no bright red flags anywhere. I have no idea what kind of intangibles he may have or not, and that's what leon has to figure out.

If we go in another direction of need and take a 3 and D guy like vessel for example, it's not that its a waste of a pick but adding another player
who can't create their own shot or get to the rim is not going to really help us until we address the need for shot-creation. There will be a lot of
perimeter passing and contested shots, yet again.

If we take a falling big man "because it was just too much value to pass up", then you know we're going nowhere with this front office.
xblvdels3
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8/24/2020  9:02 AM
Jared Harper can collapse the defense. Same speed and he sticks the 3.
xblvdels3
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8/24/2020  9:10 AM
I think people are trying to find donavon mitchel and ja morant again With Kira. Maybe he can be that or maybe he will be useful to us As a 27th pick and not an 8th.
xblvdels3
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8/24/2020  9:11 AM
If you really want Kira put toghethor our best package and move up from 27 to get him.
Jimbo5
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8/25/2020  3:44 AM
I think for the 8th pick the knicks can gamble with drafting Okoro, hopefully the new coaching staff can help develop his shooting, the same way im hoping we see Frank, RJ and knox next year with a much improve shooting percentages.I do think we can try to package the 27th and 39th to move up to the late teens to draft a PG- kira, Terry, Anthony or Humpton. I hope 27 and cash can make us move up to the late teens so we can draft a center or PF at 39.
xblvdels3
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8/25/2020  4:49 PM    LAST EDITED: 8/25/2020  4:52 PM
I agree.

At center I’m thinking Udoka Azubuike or nick Richards. They both need a year or two in the g league.

I’m m also thinking of mason jones as a future backup SG. This is if we lose the qualifying Ofer to Dotson. Send jones to g league also. He seems to have similar numbers as Dotson in college and has good attributes that need refinement.
Sangfroid
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8/25/2020  9:18 PM
Jimbo5 wrote:I think for the 8th pick the knicks can gamble with drafting Okoro, hopefully the new coaching staff can help develop his shooting, the same way im hoping we see Frank, RJ and knox next year with a much improve shooting percentages.I do think we can try to package the 27th and 39th to move up to the late teens to draft a PG- kira, Terry, Anthony or Humpton. I hope 27 and cash can make us move up to the late teens so we can draft a center or PF at 39.

Not to complain, but I need someone with a jump shot at the 8th pick. EVERYBODY is going to play defense next season. It's a Thibs mandate. After some strong D, somebody still has to make a shot.

"We are playing a game. We are playing at not playing a game..."
TripleThreat
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8/25/2020  11:19 PM
smackeddog wrote:I've seen mocks put him from 8 all the way down to the 20s. Improving his finishing and decision making isn't beyond the realms of possibilities as he is so young. I'd definitely take him over Cole. I don't know, he just seems to have the it factor when you watch him.


He's being projected consistently to the Miami Heat. Which makes sense given Lewis probably range and where the Heat are picking.

Goran Dragic can help this kid quite a bit. Dragic has a full arsenal of moves, counters, fakes, and gimmicks. If you add Lewis' explosive ability with even half of Dragic's magic bag, that would be pretty lethal. Plus Spo as the best coach in the NBA working this kid over. He needs a lot of work. To start, his handle. His footwork is a bit shaky but its probably because he's literally outrunning his shoes most of the time.

No one in the league gets better gear than than the Miami Heat. I think the weight thing will take care of itself in a few seasons. Kids hat size might jump up three notches though.

Very disciplined offensive play style for his age. Still does rookie mistakes but appears to level up as an efficient modern player.

Narrow margin of error. He's durable but a collection of injuries will spiral him. His decline phase, when it happens, will be steep, he'll fall off a cliff pretty hard, but his drafting team won't have to worry about that for a while. Fit is critical here. With the Heat, he's very projectible. With the Knicks? Yeah, maybe not so much. Hard to learn when you rocket around while Randle has tea and crumpets for 20 seconds with the damn ball.

On an aside, he might be in the wrong sport. This guy could have been an elite NFL cornerback.
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Knicks Draft 2020: The Case for Kira Lewis
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