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Insider Report - 1/24
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martin
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1/24/2002  3:06 PM
The one year the Knicks may get a high draft pick and the draft is shallow. Here is Chad's report and the potential future Knick players.

Bracing for a weak draft
by Chad Ford


With trade talk stagnant, Michael Jordan looking weary and the NBA hitting the mid-season mark, many scouts and GM's are shifting their focus away from the pro hardwood to the college court.

At least 19 NBA scouts and front-office types will be in Lawrence, Kan., Monday to watch the Kansas Jayhawks and standout Drew Gooden play the Missouri Tigers and standout Kareem Rush. Knicks president Scott Layden will leave behind the woes of the Knicks for a day to watch Duke's Jason Williams duel with Boston College's Troy Bell. High school star Amare Stoudemire has his own pro posse following him wherever he goes.

And while there has been much written about this year's bumper crop of point guards, after that, early indications are that this could be a very thin draft. As trade talks continue to rage, some of the best trade currency, first-round picks, are losing their value faster than the Argentina peso.

"Good first-round picks aren't carrying a lot of weight this year," a Western Conference GM told Insider. "Unless you need a point guard, most teams are shying away from the draft this year. It's early, but after Jason Williams, the talent level plummets real fast."

Early indications show only one college senior, Western Kentucky center Chris Marcus, as a lock for the lottery. Gonzaga point Dan Dickau, depending on what underclassmen declare for the draft, also might sneak into the lottery.

The list of underclassmen heading for the draft is already growing. Williams has already said he'll likely declare for the draft, foregoing his senior season at Duke. Insider talked to four NBA scouts, two directors of player personnel and three GM's. All of them agreed emphatically that Williams would be the No. 1 pick in the draft, regardless of who else declares.

"He has the complete package," one GM told Insider. "He's smart, quick, strong, a great shooter, excellent passer and a good ball handler. He's fundamentally sound and a great kid. He's Tim Duncan as a point guard."

Illinois junior point guard Frank Williams has also indicated he's going pro. KU's Gooden and MU's Rush, both juniors, have indicated they'll do the same. All would be likely lottery picks -- and all have big flaws in their games. Frank Williams isn't a true point guard and doesn't have the size to make the transition to an NBA two guard. Gooden is fundamentally solid, but he's a tweener. His outside shot isn't strong enough to play small forward and his frame won't allow him to bang down low. Rush has a myriad of skills, but a mid-season slump had two different scouts questioning his outside shot.

Still, that won't stop them from declaring. Gooden recently told the Kansas City Star that the lure of the NBA is hard to pass up, especially when people are calling you the best power forward in the country.

"I saw about two guys sweating," Gooden remarked after watching an NBA game. "It seems like the NBA is just pickup ball until the playoffs start. They're getting paid, so they're fat and happy."

CBS commentator Billy Packer tried to put Gooden's status as a college elite into prospective.

"Unfortunately, we elevate guys to a status that's unrealistic, so they leave," Packer told the Star. "There are 55 guys in the NBA that could still be in college. Do you think Drew Gooden would be up for the Wooden Award if Dirk Nowitzki were in school? Is Drew Gooden a finished college player? No. But is he better than any of the guys that are left? Sure he is."

The list of other top potential prospects hasn't created a sellers market for first-round picks. The list includes seniors such as Fresno State power forward Melvin Ely and USC power forward Sam Clancy Jr.; juniors such as BC's Bell and Alabama's Rod Grizzard; sophomores such as Indiana's Jared Jeffries and Miami's Darius Rice; freshmen such as Memphis point guard Dajuan Wagner, and high school seniors such as Stoudemire, a 6-foot-9 power forward playing in central Florida this year, and DeAngelo Collins, a 6-foot-9 power forward from Ingelwood, Calif.

Bell said all the attention is impossible to escape. Between the media, scouts and agents, it's tough to focus on what he's supposed to be doing -- playing college basketball.

"It's been on my mind a little bit," Bell told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. "At the end of the season, I'm going to evaluate it. I'm definitely going to think about it after the season. Sometimes you can't help but think ahead. It's good to have that option."

How desperate are scouts to find talent for this year's draft? Two high school juniors, shooting guard LeBron James from Akron, Ohio and center Kendrick Perkins from Beaumont, Tex., have received more scouting attention than any of the other top potential prospects. Though James in particular has scoffed at speculation that he may try to enter the NBA draft as a junior, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that James did meet with a NBA Players Association representative on Tuesday.

And what about the draft's big mystery, 7-foot-5 Chinese center Yao Ming? There's still no definitive word on whether he'll be available for the draft. Even if he is, the reviews are mixed. While Sixers coach Larry Brown said Yao may be the next Bill Walton, at least one NBA front office type had a very different assessment of Yao.

"He plays so soft, he'll get eaten alive here," the source told Insider. "He's a huge, huge risk. If I had one of the top five picks in the draft, I wouldn't take the risk."

That seems to be the very early assessment of a lot of the NBA's top talent evaluators. This year's draft, with the exception of Jason Williams, might not be worth the risk.
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Knixkik
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1/24/2002  3:26 PM
I think for the most part there is some good talent at point guard and with big men, two places the Knicks will look into. We probably won't get Jason Williams or Dejuan Wagner if he declares, but players like Dan Dickau, Frank Williams, and Troy Bell make the point guard class fairly strong and most likely worth-while for the Knicks. For big men, Yao Ming is definetly worth the chance in my opinion, and if we can grap him, we need to do it. Chris Marcus, Melvin Ely, and Amare Stoudemire also keep this year's class of big man decent for the Knick's chances. Drew Gooden is this year's Eddie Griffin if not better. Griffin is playing well so i can see Gooden being a good ball player. When you look at it this way the draft class is pretty solid for what we are looking for so hopefully we can pick up something good. I would really love to get Yao Ming, whether it's a risk or not.
BigSm00th
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1/24/2002  7:24 PM
I would definitely love to get my hands on Troy Bell. My dad went to BC and I go to a ton of games and saw him last year in the NCAAs and I personally believe Bell has tremendous potential and upside, the only problem is he's the only real scorer, (other then Ryan Sidney, who only shows up every few games) on BC so he gets double and many times even tripled teamed. You put him with Houston and Spree @ the wings and you could have a standout PG. Yao Ming is a Chinese Freddy Weis, in my mind. Until he proves himself, I woulnd't go near him.
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Caseloads
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1/24/2002  9:53 PM
Posted by BigSm00th:

I would definitely love to get my hands on Troy Bell. My dad went to BC and I go to a ton of games and saw him last year in the NCAAs and I personally believe Bell has tremendous potential and upside, the only problem is he's the only real scorer, (other then Ryan Sidney, who only shows up every few games) on BC so he gets double and many times even tripled teamed. You put him with Houston and Spree @ the wings and you could have a standout PG. Yao Ming is a Chinese Freddy Weis, in my mind. Until he proves himself, I woulnd't go near him.

I don't know about Bell, he might be a NBA bust - i mean, against ST JOHNs of NYC - he shot 3 for 17! That's my dad's school.
Caseloads
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1/24/2002  9:55 PM
Posted by Knixkik:

I think for the most part there is some good talent at point guard and with big men, two places the Knicks will look into. We probably won't get Jason Williams or Dejuan Wagner if he declares, but players like Dan Dickau, Frank Williams, and Troy Bell make the point guard class fairly strong and most likely worth-while for the Knicks. For big men, Yao Ming is definetly worth the chance in my opinion, and if we can grap him, we need to do it. Chris Marcus, Melvin Ely, and Amare Stoudemire also keep this year's class of big man decent for the Knick's chances. Drew Gooden is this year's Eddie Griffin if not better. Griffin is playing well so i can see Gooden being a good ball player. When you look at it this way the draft class is pretty solid for what we are looking for so hopefully we can pick up something good. I would really love to get Yao Ming, whether it's a risk or not.
Chris Marcus - we need to grab this guy if we get one of the top 5 picks - we need to find out how his leg is healing though... Or I'd take DuJuan Wagner. Interesting about LeBron James trying to enter the draft after his Junior Year of HS...
Insider Report - 1/24

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