Too Earl to Talk Draft but..

[moocow007]

Here's Towns playing for the Dominican team going up against Anthony Davis and team USA after his freshman year in high school...he's 16 in the 1st video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLOQWTaD7i0[/youtube]

Towns during the Nike Hoop Summit.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_U_k1X4irQ[/youtube]

You take those clips (2 years apart) and imagine natural progression and...with the size, feel for the game and offensive skill set, if/when he fills out, add muscle and mature physically he could be a monster in the NBA (probably topping out at 7', 250 or so). By most accounts he's also an extremely smart, good character kid, well spoken (which I know is real important for some of yall).

[JBreezeNY]

Holy crap this Towns kid is nice Moo

His demeanor & the way he talks reminds me of Tim Duncan, seems incredibly humble. I really wasn't expecting his passing game or his offensive skills. Hooks, jumpshot, driving ability, fantastic footwork, just wow.

If he adds muscle physically & mentally, good lord.

[moocow007]

Holy crap this Towns kid is nice Moo

His demeanor & the way he talks reminds me of Tim Duncan, seems incredibly humble. I really wasn't expecting his passing game or his offensive skills. Hooks, jumpshot, driving ability, fantastic footwork, just wow.

If he adds muscle physically & mentally, good lord.

Yeah Duncan was the guy I was hinting at. It would be unreal if he could get anywhere close to Duncan but it's very Duncan like in Duncan's early stages.

[kingquan316]

U think Mudiay fits the triangle though? I feel like the knicks will draft a big man instead of a guard, cause there isn't an emphasis of having an elite pg with the triangle offense. Although I like Mudiay the most out of everyone next year. If knicks do get the first pick, that will really see how good Phil is being president, cause always a lot of pressure not to mess up when picking number 1 in the draft.

[moocow007]

U think Mudiay fits the triangle though? I feel like the knicks will draft a big man instead of a guard, cause there isn't an emphasis of having an elite pg with the triangle offense. Although I like Mudiay the most out of everyone next year. If knicks do get the first pick, that will really see how good Phil is being president, cause always a lot of pressure not to mess up when picking number 1 in the draft.

I think he has the skillset to be an elite player in the NBA. Those guys generally are skilled enough to fit any system. Mudiay is an offensively diverse player who can be your lead scorer but also who can handle and pass the ball well enough to make him your complimentary (Robin) type to a guy like Anthony. You need guys who can create his own shot as well as have a natural feel for passing to his teammates. I think Mudiay would be a fit yes.

If the Knicks get the top pick I think Jackson will go for the one he thinks that can offer him the greatest value either in terms of being an elite player early on for the Knicks or that he can flip to another team for a proven elite player. I think Mudiay and Towns fit better in both regards (higher upside and greater value for teams wanting to swing for the fences instead of trying for a double which is what guys like Okafor and Cliff Alexander are).

The benefit of Mudiay over Towns is that Mudiay is more ready to step in immediately and make an impact (due to his refined offensive game). Towns, as most bigs are, probably will take some time to mature. Jackson is no spring chicken and would want now over later.

[kingquan316]

U think Mudiay fits the triangle though? I feel like the knicks will draft a big man instead of a guard, cause there isn't an emphasis of having an elite pg with the triangle offense. Although I like Mudiay the most out of everyone next year. If knicks do get the first pick, that will really see how good Phil is being president, cause always a lot of pressure not to mess up when picking number 1 in the draft.

I think he has the skillset to be an elite player in the NBA. Those guys generally are skilled enough to fit any system. Mudiay is an offensively diverse player who can be your lead scorer but also who can handle and pass the ball well enough to make him your complimentary (Robin) type to a guy like Anthony. You need guys who can create his own shot as well as have a natural feel for passing to his teammates. I think Mudiay would be a fit yes.

If the Knicks get the top pick I think Jackson will go for the one he thinks that can offer him the greatest value either in terms of being an elite player or that he can flip to another team for a proven elite player. I think Mudiay and Towns fit better in both regards (higher upside and greater value for teams wanting to swing for the fences instead of trying for a double which is what guys like Okafor and Cliff Alexander are).

Yea I was thinking the same. I keep thinking there is a huge hole next year wit the pf position, and a big man is the more pressing need. But I never want to draft based on needs, but on talent, so maybe knicks will get a pf during free agency. So how would u rank Mudiay, Towns, and Okafor if you were Phil?

[JBreezeNY]

If I'm Phil:

1. Mudiay
2. Oakfor
3. Towns

If we didn't have Melo & we were trying to find our next franchise player Towns would definitely be the guy you get with your #1 pick. So much damn potential.

[moocow007]

U think Mudiay fits the triangle though? I feel like the knicks will draft a big man instead of a guard, cause there isn't an emphasis of having an elite pg with the triangle offense. Although I like Mudiay the most out of everyone next year. If knicks do get the first pick, that will really see how good Phil is being president, cause always a lot of pressure not to mess up when picking number 1 in the draft.

I think he has the skillset to be an elite player in the NBA. Those guys generally are skilled enough to fit any system. Mudiay is an offensively diverse player who can be your lead scorer but also who can handle and pass the ball well enough to make him your complimentary (Robin) type to a guy like Anthony. You need guys who can create his own shot as well as have a natural feel for passing to his teammates. I think Mudiay would be a fit yes.

If the Knicks get the top pick I think Jackson will go for the one he thinks that can offer him the greatest value either in terms of being an elite player or that he can flip to another team for a proven elite player. I think Mudiay and Towns fit better in both regards (higher upside and greater value for teams wanting to swing for the fences instead of trying for a double which is what guys like Okafor and Cliff Alexander are).

Yea I was thinking the same. I keep thinking there is a huge hole next year wit the pf position, and a big man is the more pressing need. But I never want to draft based on needs, but on talent, so maybe knicks will get a pf during free agency. So how would u rank Mudiay, Towns, and Okafor if you were Phil?

I think in that order...Mudiay, Towns and then Okafor. Mudiay IMO is the best fit as he is an athletic guy who can create his own shot quickly and who can pass (two critical aspects for a Triangle). Jackson will figure out a way to fit Mudiay's talents in. I think Towns would be an option more likely as a trade component though Towns is a smart kid with a lot of skills that also fit the Triangle extremely well (if it can be harnessed in time). I don't see Okafor, who is more of an old school back to the basket type big body as someone that Jackson will see as really that great of a need to take with an no.1 overall pick. Just my opinion.

[Marty McFly]

Knicks are not winning the championship this season and the only way to maximize the knicks investment of Melo is by getting as much talent around him as possible. an off season consisting of Drafting Mudiay (if he lives up to the hype) and signing Marc Gasol, gives me enough confidence to say the knicks should win a championship in the next three years.

personally, that's all i want. just one. I'd take more, but I'm not greedy.

Like I've been saying someone has to take one for the team and make sure Melo can't play that many games this season. Melo's ego will not let his team miss the playoffs back to back. We need to be awful so we get a top 5 pick.

i personally, don't think much of this team outside of melo. couple that with the time it's going to take in order to implement the triangle and the mental midgets with seniority on this team, i don't think it's out of the realm a possibility that this team is really bad next season. i don't want melo to get run into the ground this season either, so i hope they have the foresight to see it's likely that this will be a down season and that preserving melo is the essential thing.

Mudiay is really the only one that interests me in this draft, so I'm hoping with okafor and towns being college bound and Mudiay playing overseas, that both towns and okafor come out the consensus 1 and 2 so that with a little luck, the knicks can get mudiay at three.

[NOOB77]

My guess is we will pick around 15 so all those guys will be gone.

[NOOB77]

If we are signing Marc Gasol then I would like to look at a Cliff Alexander from Kansas.

[moocow007]

My guess is we will pick around 15 so all those guys will be gone.

This upcoming draft isn't projected to be a particular deep one but you can find some talent. Someone like Myles Turner may be worth a look. Turner is going to be a freshman at Texas this season and he may be somewhat a project but he's a super athletic 7 footer with pogo sticks for legs and the ability to make outside shots. Turner may not get much playing time as a freshman at Texas (they have a lot of productive big men ahead of him in the depth chart) which may keep his stock down enough for him to drop to about 15 if he declares. But he could be special in the NBA down the road (as a Lamar Odom level player). DX currently has him ranked in their preseason mock at 17 (but not sure if he'll remain there). I'm a huge fan of Louisville PF Montrezl Harrell so if he gets drafted by the Knicks (unlikely since he'll probably be "da man" at Louisville this season), I'd be ecstatic beyond heck (he's currently at 12 in the DX mock). Harrell is a beast physically, plays real intense, has great hands and super light on his feet for someone that is built like a freakin NFL defensive end. He's not the talest but honestly he plays taller than his height due to the springs in his legs and his giant wingspan. Those would be the 2 bigs that I'd focus on in the tail end of the lottery to mid teens.

[StephNYKurry]

Montrezl Harrell or die

He is literally the PERFECT guy to put in between 'Melo and presumably Marc Gasol. He's an absolute TERROR on the glass and on defense. Plays with a motor like Faried and has more potential than him offensively in my opinion. If that kid finds his way around a 15 foot jump shot, he'll be an All-Star for the next 10 years.

Calderon
Hardaway
Melo
Harrell
Gasol

Championship