Towns or Okafor or Mudiay or Russel?

[Luv those Knicks]

Towns is really growing on me also. The kid is very fundemental in his game. Hopefully he continues to play well. As much as people say Okafor is the clear #1, I actually don't think it's that clear cut. His biggest issue is foul trouble. If he can stay out of foul trouble he will be a great player in the NBA.

I will say this if we get the #1 pick and Philly is interested in making a deal, I would trade down or pick swap with them to get Towns, and also ask for the rights to Dario Saric, who would we could possibly buyout and bring over next year, or stash him until 2016 when his contract over seas is done

I'm saying the same thing about if we do get the #1 pick we should definitely look into trading down with Philly or someone in the top 5 and try to get us a #1 pick in the 2016 draft which we don't have. There's gonna be teams that covet OK4 so if Phil isn't 100% sold then we could really come out of this draft with some good assets.

If it works out just right, that could be interesting. Bit of a Webber for Hardaway or . . . Barry Carrol for Parish swap - could work out well, but if Oak goes 1 and Towns 2, which could happen, then things would have to land just right for that swap to take place.

Anyone remember Olowokandi, the consensus #1? I get scared just thinking about him and drafting a big man. What an absolute waste of a pick. There was also Sam Bowie #2, but Bowie could play, he just had a bad knee that he tried to hide and I don't think a player gets away with that today.

I'm still leaning Okafor, unless a swap with Philly works out - which might be fun. What's the story with Saric anyway? Does he not want to play in Philly? Don't know much about him.

[siar617]

So far no one from the Knicks has said anything about Towns. Should that be good news?

[Fat Kat]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/herringwsj/status/571391737236750336[/tweet]

[mpharris36]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/herringwsj/status/571391737236750336[/tweet]

anyone who thinks we are trading this pick are nuts. Phil putting in that work

[TrueWarrior]

Phil will be at the Kentucky/Arkansas game tomorrow too. The old man is gettin around. Should be a good one against Portis.

[King of Canada]

Getting excited for the draft! Should be fun as long as we are top 4.

[knickstape21]

He only took the job for the money!!

Anyway, I'm stoked that he's there at practice getting some inside info!

[DickGrayson]

Mudiay reminds me of Reggie Jackson, so many similarities.

Okafor is a cross of Boozer and Aldridge.

But if I was Phil and we had 1st pick, I'd take Towns over Okafor. He's the next Boogie! 24ppg, 13rpg... I would be concerned with Okafor's size against bigger NBA players. Will his post moves still work as effectively? Towns is already big and thick.

D'Angelo is like Kareem Rush.. **** him

Mudiay is basically waaaaaaaay more pass oriented compared an undersized SG like Jackson. Jackson has a jumper, Muiday doesn't.
A lot of scouts are comparing Mudiay to John Wall or an athletic Rod Strickland.
Okafor got a better post game than both Boozer and Aldridge RIGHT NOW, which is scary. He's 6"11 260lbs I believe. His post game is the real thing, but his rebounding and defense will be at question. He doesn't look like an intense defensive player.

You're the only person that's ever seen it.

You're the only person in the world who doesn't know Jackson has a good mid range shot.

[Luv those Knicks]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/herringwsj/status/571391737236750336[/tweet]

anyone who thinks we are trading this pick are nuts. Phil putting in that work

Trading a pick for a pick on draft night can work. Antoine Jamison for Vince Carter. Joe Barry for Parish and the Pick that turned into Mchale. Webber for Penny.

Trading a pick for a vet - I'd be more skeptical.

[Jeff Van Gully]

Towns is really growing on me also. The kid is very fundemental in his game. Hopefully he continues to play well. As much as people say Okafor is the clear #1, I actually don't think it's that clear cut. His biggest issue is foul trouble. If he can stay out of foul trouble he will be a great player in the NBA.

I will say this if we get the #1 pick and Philly is interested in making a deal, I would trade down or pick swap with them to get Towns, and also ask for the rights to Dario Saric, who would we could possibly buyout and bring over next year, or stash him until 2016 when his contract over seas is done

I'm saying the same thing about if we do get the #1 pick we should definitely look into trading down with Philly or someone in the top 5 and try to get us a #1 pick in the 2016 draft which we don't have. There's gonna be teams that covet OK4 so if Phil isn't 100% sold then we could really come out of this draft with some good assets.

If it works out just right, that could be interesting. Bit of a Webber for Hardaway or . . . Barry Carrol for Parish swap - could work out well, but if Oak goes 1 and Towns 2, which could happen, then things would have to land just right for that swap to take place.

Anyone remember Olowokandi, the consensus #1? I get scared just thinking about him and drafting a big man. What an absolute waste of a pick. There was also Sam Bowie #2, but Bowie could play, he just had a bad knee that he tried to hide and I don't think a player gets away with that today.

I'm still leaning Okafor, unless a swap with Philly works out - which might be fun. What's the story with Saric anyway? Does he not want to play in Philly? Don't know much about him.

i'm glad you acknowledged that. bowie was no scrub. he didn't even have a bad start. his knees gave out. no one could have seen that as much as they could have seen jordan becoming what he did. that 84 draft was amazing. olajuwon was the clear-cut #1, but you had HOF players littered throughout that what would become lottery area.

bowie put in some solid years DESPITE his debilitating injury that robbed him of his athleticism at his size. he deserves a lot more respect than being little more than a jay-z punchline to many. i watched him thug it out on those nets teams alongside derrick coleman, kenny anderson, drazen petrovic, terry mills, and chris morris

[Jeff Van Gully]

in an era where we have players walking away from their posts with cash in hand, it's kind of heartbreaking to think of bowie, who could have said to heck with it. no one would have faulted him. i bet he was in pain the whole time too.

[TrueWarrior]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/herringwsj/status/571391737236750336[/tweet]

anyone who thinks we are trading this pick are nuts. Phil putting in that work

My bruh pay me 12 million a year to trade half the team for 2nd round picks and fly around the country a bit to watch some entertaining basketball games for free with sorority b*tches waiting in my private jet to get a taste of my wise buddha juice. Sheiiiiiiiiiiiiiit it's not like Phil has anything better to do right now. I hope he tampers the f*ck out of Towns and they do some peyote in the woods.

[Fat Kat]

Here's some Mudiay highlights from his last game. Can't say I see the fascination.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhCfO_2mGuM[/youtube]

[BeagleBoss]

Here's some Mudiay highlights from his last game. Can't say I see the fascination.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhCfO_2mGuM[/youtube]

15 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists. Kid can play. Very strong, can finish with either hand with contact, good change of pace dribble, funky looking jumper but he can make them. He's a top 5 pick.

[Greenie]

IDK who I want anymore. OK4 does NOT play defense. That bothers me. We had STAT and Lee here before. Will Russell translate to the NBA? The dude in China I have not heard from. What position is Towns in the NBA and can he continue to improve?

[Johnny Hoops]

Here's some Mudiay highlights from his last game. Can't say I see the fascination.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhCfO_2mGuM[/youtube]

15 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists. Kid can play. Very strong, can finish with either hand with contact, good change of pace dribble, funky looking jumper but he can make them. He's a top 5 pick.

I see OJ Mayo and that worries me.

I want this kid to be great but he doesn't look nearly as big as I've heard --- 6'5" --- I'd say he's about 6'3". He doesn't look super explosive either. I've seen some great highlights of him but game film is a bit less complimentary.

If we were to get the #3 pick I could definitely see Phil passing on both Mudiay/Russell for a bigger player --- maybe Porzingus.

[DowNY]

IDK who I want anymore. OK4 does NOT play defense. That bothers me. We had STAT and Lee here before. Will Russell translate to the NBA? The dude in China I have not heard from. What position is Towns in the NBA and can he continue to improve?

But no worries, Phil wouldn't dare trade the pick because he's out at these schools gauging value of each player, with a 1 track mind of drafting only.

[Juco24]

Honestly would not hurt my feelings if we get the #2 pick... as I think JO & KT will go 1-2.

Sidenote - I think Kaminsky reminds me a lot of Christian Laettner as far as big man with nice outside touch who will have a 'nice' career as a pro but not a game changer.

[E-Balla]

IDK who I want anymore. OK4 does NOT play defense. That bothers me. We had STAT and Lee here before. Will Russell translate to the NBA? The dude in China I have not heard from. What position is Towns in the NBA and can he continue to improve?

OK4 doesn't play defense and it is an issue but there's always the possibility of him improving once in he league. Russell will translate - people said the same about Harden, Curry, and Roy - he's big time. Mudiay missed a lot of the season but when he's played he's been good and he was #1 prior to the start of the college season. Towns is a C and I'm not sure where this PF thing comes from. He can shoot but he's nowhere near quick enough on either end to ever be a PF (unless he's a PF in the way Tim Duncan was).

With these guys I'm focusing on the positives to separate them because all of these guys are the best prospects over the last 5 years other than anyone not named Jabari, Embiid, and Davis.

Seriously I just don't want to end up with the Darko/Perkins/OJ Mayo of the top 5 (I won't mention Bowie or Beasley because with Bowie's injuries he's a special case and Beasley is the most talented player to ever be a scrub).

TO me the player with that bust potential is Mudiay since he seems to have the same play style as guys that are constantly hurt, we never saw him in the NCAA, and his jumper is broken (lifts his legs, way too much arm movement... looks like an uncomfortable shot).

[NBA Fan 1234]

Here's some Mudiay highlights from his last game. Can't say I see the fascination.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhCfO_2mGuM[/youtube]

15 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists. Kid can play. Very strong, can finish with either hand with contact, good change of pace dribble, funky looking jumper but he can make them. He's a top 5 pick.

I see OJ Mayo and that worries me.

I want this kid to be great but he doesn't look nearly as big as I've heard --- 6'5" --- I'd say he's about 6'3". He doesn't look super explosive either. I've seen some great highlights of him but game film is a bit less complimentary.

If we were to get the #3 pick I could definitely see Phil passing on both Mudiay/Russell for a bigger player --- maybe Porzingus.

Measured in at 6'5 with sneakers on at the Hoop Summit. It's not inconceivable to think he's 6'6 in sneakers now (grew another inch). He's got nothing in common with Mayo. Mayo was a chucker; Mudiay is a scoring point guard with fantastic vision and a good understanding of how to play in the half court (relative to his age, at least -- can obviously get better). Needs to work on turnovers/decision making and his jumper, but those can improve.

I've been on the Porzingis bandwagon for a while, but I don't think Phil takes him even at 3 because I think it'll take him a year or two to start producing in a positive way. Love his game, though.