While I'd love Bynum, I still think when the chips are down, Isiah is going to go with the type of player he likes to build with: fast, agile guys who are long and lanky and can jump out of the gym.

I just have a feeling we're going to see a Frye, Warrick or Graham with the 8th pick on 6/28.

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Hakim Warrick's workout

The Chicago pre-draft camp doesn't start until tonight, so I took the chance to go back into Tim Grover's gym to catch Hakim Warrick's workout.
Warrick worked out for the Knicks, Hornets, Blazers, Clippers, Lakers, Raptors and Bobcats.

The reviews have been mixed. Teams love the athleticism and pedigree, but he plays so effortlessly that it often looks like he's coasting. He worked out vigerously for an hour alongside the 76ers' Andre Iguodala on Tuesday -- and barely broke a sweat. Despite the appearance, Grover says Warrick's one of the hardest workers in the gym.

Warrick was in Charlotte on Monday working out for the Bobcats. After the workout GM Bernie Bickerstaff complimented Warrick on his improved mid-range jumper. He wasn't kidding.

Warrick barely missed from inside 18 feet today. His shooting mechanics are silky smooth. He gets such great lift on his jumper that its going to be hard to stop at the pro level. The only real knock is that he hasn't developed real NBA 3-point range ... yet.

Warrick's been working out with Grover for eight weeks in an attempt to work on his perimeter skills and add weight to his super-thin frame. The shot looks great, but his body is still a work in progress.

Grover had him up to 228 before workouts began. But he's already dropped back down to 220. That's still an 18-pound improvement from when he came in. That's right -- he came into Grover's weighing 202 pounds.

Grover believes Warrick eventually will weigh around 235, but Warrick has to keep drinking his protein shakes.

"They're terrible," Warrick said. "Worst thing I've ever tasted. It takes me two-and-a-half hours to drink one. It's pink and tastes worse than Pepto Bismal."

The reason his weight is such as issue is that teams are still trying to figure out his position in the pros. Warrick has the length and leaping ability to be a dominant 4, but he's going to have to keep packing on the weight if he's going to guard NBA power forwards.

That's why the focus, for now, is on highlighting his skills as a 3. He still needs to work on his ballhandling and his long-range shooting, but he's improved dramatically in a short time. And in a few years, if the pounds ever come, he could be a big-time 4.

"Hakim's just a player," Grover said. "When you roll out the ball in a game situation, he produces. I think he'll be a lottery pick based on what I've seen."

If he keeps hitting that jumper and packing on the pounds, Grover might be right.
http://insider.espn.go.com/insider/magazine/magBlogArchive?id=2039748&month=jun#June7,200510:45:44AMPDT

I dont want him tho, but I am glad he sounds like he improved. But it rather get a bigger player who is a 4-5 than a 3-4. If we're getting a 3-4, he should be skilled not just atheletic.

Man.. what kind of protein shakes are they giving him? All the ones I buy taste fine, especially with milk.

I'm probably too big a fan. I wanted him to come out the year Carmelo did. I think this is a guy that we could really call part of a core and moving towards a style of play.

Posted by Killa4luv:

I dont want him tho, but I am glad he sounds like he improved. But it rather get a bigger player who is a 4-5 than a 3-4. If we're getting a 3-4, he should be skilled not just atheletic.

What he is:
uber-athletic
great rebounder
tough defender
a gamer. Good in big spots
MUCH improved perimeter jumper from the KT range
possibly best dunker in college
explosive
has a REAL set of post moves, not just the TT jump and flick crap
solid mentally
What he isnt:
great ball handler
great passer (call him average)
big, he's 6'7 or 6'8. He's got good length but he's and NBA 4 like Marion is. You dont want to start him there
great shotblocker

I would say I have seen him play 10-12 times.. maybe 15 games if you count pieces

its hard to say he doesnt have an upside. He was just a run jump guy when he got to Syr.
He's worked as hard as anyone in the pros or CBB to become a complete player. He pushes himself. No reason to think he wont continue to get better at the next level based on his work ethic.

Based on his skills and how dedicated he is to getting better no reason he couldnt be a 20 point 10 reb and tough defender at the SF. A real inside outside guy.

Posted by franco12:

sounds a little bit like amare

I agree. Guys like Amare and Wade have done better in the league then expected because they are great athletes. Whether or not they have skills isn't as important. You can develop skills, but not natural athletic ability. Whoever passes him up will probably be sorry. I would love to take him 8th. He will produce right away and has tons of potential.

I like Briggs post, I can't add much more then that list that he composed but being a big Syracuse fan (after crappy Rhode Island first, of course) I got a chance to see Hakim play a ton and I think his game is going to have a nice transition into the NBA. The easy way out for Hakim would be if he were drafted by a team like the Suns or the Nets who each have a offensive system that is just waiting for a guy like Hakim to come into because he would be absolutely perfect for them but his game wouldn't progress as much. I'm really glad to see that he is working with Tim Grover, we all know how much Jordan relied on him so thats a good sign and I'm also very happy that he has taken it upon himself to get that 18 foot jumper down. I don't think he's ever going to be better then a 30% 3pt shooter but it'd be nice to see him improve that a little bit. On the defensive side, if he gets up 235 then the NBA will truly have gone under a transformation in the NBA big man department, guys like him and Amare are going to be the posterboys for the "new" NBA powerforwards.

I don't want to take Warrick at 8 but it would be extremely nice if Isiah were able to pick up another pick in the 14-17 range, like some of you have suggested, so he can take Warrick, because he really does fit right into Isiah's mold and would be a hometown kid with unlimited potential on the Knicks and thats sorely needed right now.

Posted by nyk4ever:

I like Briggs post, I can't add much more then that list that he composed but being a big Syracuse fan (after crappy Rhode Island first, of course) I got a chance to see Hakim play a ton and I think his game is going to have a nice transition into the NBA. The easy way out for Hakim would be if he were drafted by a team like the Suns or the Nets who each have a offensive system that is just waiting for a guy like Hakim to come into because he would be absolutely perfect for them but his game wouldn't progress as much. I'm really glad to see that he is working with Tim Grover, we all know how much Jordan relied on him so thats a good sign and I'm also very happy that he has taken it upon himself to get that 18 foot jumper down. I don't think he's ever going to be better then a 30% 3pt shooter but it'd be nice to see him improve that a little bit. On the defensive side, if he gets up 235 then the NBA will truly have gone under a transformation in the NBA big man department, guys like him and Amare are going to be the posterboys for the "new" NBA powerforwards.

I don't want to take Warrick at 8 but it would be extremely nice if Isiah were able to pick up another pick in the 14-17 range, like some of you have suggested, so he can take Warrick, because he really does fit right into Isiah's mold and would be a hometown kid with unlimited potential on the Knicks and thats sorely needed right now.

Im not really worried about Warrick because we dont have a mid range pick. I dont even think he would be my third pick at SF but thats another matter. We deal with reality, we have pick 8 and 30. Until we have pick 18 or whatever[not going to happen] we deal with what we have. I just think Channing at 8 is a real reach. His legs, his arms, hes going to be knocked off the block by the ben wallace's, emeka oakfor's, eddie curry's he would get knocked off by nazr! when those proten shakes are gone, and frye drops back down to 235-240, well, hmmmm.....................