I mean im pretty sure Zeke saw the hustle and athletism and hard work & advanced understanding of the game for his age during the predraft workouts. But im pretty sure that he didn't expect him to contribute anything for yrs. Ariza most likley was probably not even in the plans for this season or the future. It was said that Zeke tried to move up for him so I could be wrong. But I doubt that when he drafted him he was thinking he had a 19yr old with a ton of potential to be a stud down the line. This is all according to at the draft. I know after the summer league the interest in him increased.

You can't go wrong with drafting the guy with the best work ethic as Bippity used to say or most hustle & atheltism. But is it fair to expect gold from Zeke every draft.

He has a history of drafting well. He did draft Tracy.

it isn't "fair to expect gold from Zeke every draft" but as a NY gm in the post-layden era, it is fair to not expect busts, especially with higher round picks. But obviously you need luck in any draft to get a good player. do you think the lakers got lucky trading for kobe? do you think chicago got lucky drafting mj? of course.

yeah well that draft was kind of crazy, look how far jameer Nelson fell. I wish we had him, I think hwe is gonna be a good player. It would be nice to bring him in to backup Steph too. Steph could play maybe 35 minutes a game.

i think he said that they thought ariza was a first round pick and when they saw him on the board in the 2nd round, they had to take him.

there's always some luck with picks in that area. Its not luck if you draft an imapct player in the lottery... your supposed to, thats just good planning. But anytime you get an impact player in round 2 there is some luck. Lets face it... there's a reason these guys fall. What you get is some GM/scout willing to take a shot on them because there is something about their game they like, skills, toughness, athleticism, etc

Lets see what happens this year. Isiah has talked about having a #1 for some time.. time will tell. Maybe he wants it to be a lottery pick :)

there are some VERY good GMS/scouts and many organizations draft well every year, yet there are only 2 or 3 second rounder that have an impact each year.

You cant undervalue great scouting and talent evaluation... lets face it, if we are going to see this team turned around its a must, but you cant expect a player like Ariza every year in round 2. Heck if you get 1 every 4 years your WAY ahead of the game

Gilbert Arenas, Gazurich, Flip Murray and of course... Slavko Vranes

Posted by gunsnewing:

spree!!

Spree was a first round pick, Redd was a second round pick.

Can we please stop with the zeke drafted tracy, it was a nice pick, the other drafts he was right there in toronto in the top few spots, Ariza was a nice pick up, without question, but the league is all about luck

If Another Carter reknews his contract last year Miami doesn't get Odom, and then they stink and don't get shaq

If Layden wasn't so stupid he could have amare, camby and possibly wade or bosh (if he moves spree to minny a year earlier), but he chose to get mcdyess instead of letting the knicks rebuild and go at it with a young player....

GM's fight to give players bad contracts and teams end up better for it....

Ariza is a great pick-up and zeke deserves his credit, as does the scouting department...