If the Knicks stick at the eighth spot after the lottery, they will have a crack at 6-8, 185-pound Syracuse senior forward Hakim Warrick, who will work out for this morning at their Westchester campus. Warrick is an athletic power forward/small forward being projected as a possible lottery pick, anywhere from eight to 15.

"He's lottery material," one personnel director said. "He's athletic, a quick jumper, can block shots. He uses his agility well and if there's one thing about him, he's made drastic improvements with his perimeter shot."

The Knicks will also bring in today former St. Raymond's star, shooting guard Julius Hodge of North Carolina State. Hodge could be available with the Knicks' other first-round pick, at No. 30, as Isiah is hunting for a shooting guard.

Posted by Bonn1997:

Warrick's 6'8" 185 pounds?? That can't be right

Posted by gunsnewing:

lets get this straight.... Warrick will play SF in the NBA not PF

Posted by VDesai:

Eddie Badsen is a better player than Hodge if he is looking full sized SG at 30. He's a more athletic version of Bruce Bowen, a real powerful athletic shut down defender who also has an offensive game.

Julius Hodge is a more diversified player than Badsen, because he does play PG and can handle the ball like he was 6-0, but Badsen, I believe his game is catered towards the nBA, especially towards a team that lacks D. He has first team all NBA type defensive abilities. Hes a fringe 1 as is Hodge.

I agree with you on Basden. I started talking him up on this forum weeks ago. I believe he is the best perimeter defender in the draft, and a guy we have to consider at pick 30. I love Hodge too...I think he can be a guy like Marquis Daniels in the NBA, but defense might be more of a need right now.

As far as Warrick, the thing that makes him different from Marion and even a guy like Granger is that Warrick doesn't have the perimeter game of those two. I think Marion is a little underrated as a shooter, and I don't believe you can count on Warrick to be able to hit 35-40% of his 3's, 75-80% FT's or be the threat from the outside the way Marion does and the way Granger can doe IMO. Granger also gives you steals, blocks, can set up his teammates...I think he has more all around skill than Warrick. The one reason I think Warrick gets more love is he played for national darling Syracuse vs. New Mexico, and that rightly is an advantage in Warrick's favor. However, I don't think that means he's a better player than Granger.

I do like both of them, but would still rather get a pick in the 15 range to take one of them. I'd rather go big or go for a major talent/upside player like Green or Webster at our pick right now.

Posted by crzymdups:

The difference between Warrick and Granger to me is that Warrick played in the tougher conference. He beat a stacked Uconn single-handedly this year (McNamara was the only decent player on that squad and he was wildly inconsistant). He's played four years against guys who are already playing in the NBA: Emeka, Ben Gordan, Sweetney. The one year he had another NBA caliber star on his team, he won the title (with Melo).

Players who are very good in the Big East usually end up being players who are very good in the NBA: Iverson, Artest, Okafur, Gordon, Ray Allen, Melo, even Sweetney has shown flashes.

To put it another way, in the 1999 draft everyone agreed Artest would be good, but thought he might be a tweener and because of that he should be drafted in the mid-first round. Now, how many teams would go back and take him with the 8th pick if they could? Warrick is a sure fire bet to be good, possibly very good.

Look, Warrick fills a HUGE need. To my mind, there are two HUGE needs on this team: SF and C. PF is held down by a decent, deep crew. There are no centers other than Bogut who would be worth the 8th pick. Why not solve the SF problem with a potential all-star?