One of the first mock drafts of the year was released by sportsline.com yesterday.

http://www.sportsline.com/u/partners/aol/frameset.htm?

I think it seems accurate for the most part, but we definitely don't need Butler unless we want to make Sprewell expandable or trade him to chicago for their pick so we can draft Yao Ming or something like that. Hopefully we can either move up a pick or Wilcox can slip down one so we can take him with our pick.

I think the link is incorrect...try this:
http://www.sportsline.com/u/ce/feature/0,1518,5249732_54,00.html

I'd draft by potential rather then position. Butler is better then most selected after him.

Posted by Andrew:

I think the link is incorrect...try this:
http://www.sportsline.com/u/ce/feature/0,1518,5249732_54,00.html

My bad i don't know what happen to the link. Thanks for fixing it.

That's Layden's job to find out. Both are solid prospects so Knicks should be fine either way they go.

Yes, but is Butler that much better than the predicted next pick - Curtis Borchardt, C, 7-0, 230 lbs?

He's thin but i think he has a shot to be the next Raef Lafrentz.

Amare the Nightmare, that's catchy. I like it. I'm not sure about Amare, Butler seems to be more of a sure thing when you talk about potential. Good size for a 3 @ 6 7, good outside shot, can slash, NBA body. Amare really has no bball skills, is just athletic. If we're picking that low we go with Butler. If we want Amare, trade down, get a 2nd rounder, and then pick him.

If Wagner plays in the NBA, according to most reports he'd play 2-guard. But that being said, I think you have to draw a line at passing on a guy like Caron Butler just because there is someone taller then him. Who would you rather have, Paul Pierce or Shawn Bradley? The most explosive player in the game or the tallest. Now, I'm not saying Borchardt is going to be a Shawn Bradley, I'd take Borchardt if Butler and Wagner were gone. I think they should stay away from Chris Marcus, who looks like Felton Spencer in the making. Butler has good size for a 3 anyway. But even Borchardt is getting Raef LaFrentz like comparisons, and I'm not sure since I haven't seen him play. But if you have to choose between Paul Pierce, who Butler is comapred to, or Raef LaFrentz, every member of this message board takes Pierce. But I don't know if Butler will live up to that billing. Either way it goes, picking Borchardt allows us to trade Camby and picking Butler allows us to trade Spree. A PG in the 2nd puts Ward on the block, and a Camby/Ward combo or a Spree/Ward combo would appeal to both Riley/Miami and Grunfeld/Milwaukee, so it looks like either pick will help.

[Edited by - bigsm00th on 04/22/2002 23:46:03]

Posted by VG:

damn I'm liking the Butler-Pierce comparisons. God I really hope we don't screw this one up...

butler is NOT like pierce at all. pierce is a slashing 2 guard at 6'6".

butler is closer to a chris mills, corliss williamson blend... not pierce at all. the player in the draft closest to pierce is kareem rush, same size, less aggressive.

Also, nbadraft.net has updated their site and they have Mybyner Hilario in as the 6th pick with Chris Wilcox at the 5th. He are projected to take Qyntel Woods which would be nice, but it won't happen. Thats the type of player to would take if he slips just because he's clearly the best available, regardless of position. Hilario might be worth considering, but hopefully someone solid slips to us, like Wilcox.

Kareem Rush's whole game is based on his shot. He isn't a slasher by any stretch of the imagination. And Butler is 6 ft. 7, he can't be one inch taller then Pierce? That being said, I've seen Pierce and Butler play live and I personally think they play similar. Both have good inside/outside games, both have good range, both are leaders, and both are strong going to the basket. Put it this way, if he's going to turn out like Corliss the Knicks are wasting their pick.

[Edited by - bigsm00th on 04/23/2002 18:12:26]