OT: Zion Prophesized?!

[DOLPHIN2020]

Hypothetically if we get the top pick, would you go for a swap like the Celtics and 76ers did in the Fultz / Tatum draft?
we could get reddish / barret plus future picks and players?

[magnumt]

Hypothetically if we get the top pick, would you go for a swap like the Celtics and 76ers did in the Fultz / Tatum draft?

Not if it risks Zion.

--Mags

[Jeff Van Gully]

i don't see zion ushering in an era because it is very unlikely he could be a prototype. who else has had or will have his combination of size, athleticism, and skill? the only players i think of still aren't quite exactly like him.

of course there's lebron, but he's bigger, possibly more athletic, less skilled.
i've heard shawn kemp, but he's bigger (than prime kemp ) and more skilled.
barkey, but zion is bigger, more athletic, and a better passer and defender.

i don't have a great comparison for what i'm seeking in zion.

we're currently in an era of long freaks, a la AD, KP, giannis, embiid.

unless kane is talking about the league becoming zion's like... like a jordan era. i don't know about THAT. that's a lot to put on the kid in a league with clear HOF talent in the prime of its own era.

Zion is listed as 6" 6...is he tall enough to play PF or fast enough for SF? Dont want to get stuck with a tweener.

he is def a tweener. play him at 4 tho.

[MaseInYourFace]

Im not high on him as others. Its why I very rarely talk about him. I have said this before, Only thing he has shown me is that he is a generational athlete, not a generational player. There is a difference. I dont get lost in the Dunks and highlights.

Yeah I brought it up because I'm noticing he's already being hyped and talked about like a generational can't miss type of player. I think people need to pump the brakes a little...

I’m not in awe of him as a basketball player right now. I think there’s a long way to go there. The physical tools however are undeniably special. I think that’s an automatic problem for nba players to have to deal with.

What really impresses me is his competitive drive. His focus. His emotion. I can see it just looking at a still image. There’s fire there. A self assurance and confidence that just isn’t common in a young man.

Take Knox for example. Better yet mudiay. This year I’m seeing that beginning to develop in mudiay. I don’t think he’s changed as a player. I think he’s changing as a young man. He’s more aware of himself. Now he can focus a little more. And employ his talents. Knox is totally lacking that. Until recently. But there’s still a ways to go there.

It’s completely normal for a young man to lack that. It takes time to become comfortable with yourself and to realize your strengths.

To see that already present in a player months removed from childhood is very impressive.

I look at that and ask myself. What the hell is this going to look like in 5 years? When there’s experience. Repetition. When the skill set is expanded beyond simple physical dominance.

I guess the best way I can put it is I see a special young man. That also happens to be a physical phenomenon that plays basketball. And I like the odds of rolling with him.


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You make a compelling argument for him.

[RHODEY]

Watch on YouTube

[Knicksfan1992]

Hypothetically if we get the top pick, would you go for a swap like the Celtics and 76ers did in the Fultz / Tatum draft?

Not if it risks Zion.

--Mags

Yup spot on. Zion for me is much more of a sure thing than Fultz ever was. My only worry with him is long term injury and frame concerns. I think he walks into the league a top 35-50 player immediately.

[DOT]

Hypothetically if we get the top pick, would you go for a swap like the Celtics and 76ers did in the Fultz / Tatum draft?

Not if it risks Zion.

--Mags

Yup spot on. Zion for me is much more of a sure thing than Fultz ever was. My only worry with him is long term injury and frame concerns. I think he walks into the league a top 35-50 player immediately.

What's the point at which you think it's okay to trade out of getting Zion, though?

Like, is it worth it to give him up for say, Barrett and Culver or Garland? Or do you think we need one A-Class prospect more than two B-Class prospects?

[cuyankees]

Legit curiosity, Zion is a tweener, which starting 4s is he dominating physically? And which starting 3s is he blowing by?

He's gotten by HS & college thx to physical gifts, different in NBA.

[Knicksfan1992]

Not if it risks Zion.

--Mags

Yup spot on. Zion for me is much more of a sure thing than Fultz ever was. My only worry with him is long term injury and frame concerns. I think he walks into the league a top 35-50 player immediately.

What's the point at which you think it's okay to trade out of getting Zion, though?

Like, is it worth it to give him up for say, Barrett and Culver or Garland? Or do you think we need one A-Class prospect more than two B-Class prospects?

I always think having the A class talent is better than having the B class talent. I would maybe make an exception for Barret or Cam because if were going by letter grades I would put those guys at like B plus level...if we were getting another higher level young proven nba level player with them then maybe I would consider jt

So like for example let's say the Wiz start to really falter and they desperately want Zion to start fresh and get a legit top 5 player potential guy. If they end up with 2 or 3 while we get 1 then I would heavily consider taking Beal and Barret or Reddish for Zion. Something along those lines...

Theres not a lot of viable examples of that naturally because tanking teams are generally devoid of legit proven NBA talent so it's hard to come up with a realistic construct like that.

[robillionaire]

Legit curiosity, Zion is a tweener, which starting 4s is he dominating physically? And which starting 3s is he blowing by?

He's gotten by HS & college thx to physical gifts, different in NBA.

And he shoots 16% from 3 with a closer ncaa 3pt line and will be entering a league that analytics prove is dominated by the ability to shoot 3s and his shooting form looks like a preschoolers bad drawing of someone shooting a basketball

It’s not Lebron people

[Da_Mane_Man]

Read on Twitter

Damn b....

idk why no one has seemingly picked up on this, but by watching that clip, he's obviously throwing MAD shade on the Knicks. He backtracked on it afterwards and said some nice PC things, but his initial reaction says it all I think. At least that's how I interpret it.

That being said, it doesn't matter what he thinks. If we're in position to draft him, he's gonna learn to like it.

[DOLPHIN2020]

Watch on YouTube

LoL about Jay William's taking about Fizzy being great at player development and would be ideal for Zion.

[DOT]

Yup spot on. Zion for me is much more of a sure thing than Fultz ever was. My only worry with him is long term injury and frame concerns. I think he walks into the league a top 35-50 player immediately.

What's the point at which you think it's okay to trade out of getting Zion, though?

Like, is it worth it to give him up for say, Barrett and Culver or Garland? Or do you think we need one A-Class prospect more than two B-Class prospects?

I always think having the A class talent is better than having the B class talent. I would maybe make an exception for Barret or Cam because if were going by letter grades I would put those guys at like B plus level...if we were getting another higher level young proven nba level player with them then maybe I would consider jt

So like for example let's say the Wiz start to really falter and they desperately want Zion to start fresh and get a legit top 5 player potential guy. If they end up with 2 or 3 while we get 1 then I would heavily consider taking Beal and Barret or Reddish for Zion. Something along those lines...

Theres not a lot of viable examples of that naturally because tanking teams are generally devoid of legit proven NBA talent so it's hard to come up with a realistic construct like that.

That's a fair viewpoint

It's kinda hard to judge what a trade might look like cause there are so many variables still in play, like we have no idea who's gonna be picking top 5, if there's gonna be a team with a top 5 and top 10 pick, or if anyone else distinguishes themselves as the year goes on

I think it's not totally blasphemous to say trading back might be a good idea, even if it means losing Zion. To me, he's like I said, and A-class prospect, I've comped him to Larry Johnson, maybe Barkley at his absolute peak if everything goes right, but more realistically he's a Larry Johnson type. That's not an insult, he's clearly the best prospect at this moment and worthy of a #1 pick (unlike say, 2013 when there really wasn't anyone worthy of a #1 pick at the time), but he's not good enough for me to say there's no package that I'd trade him for

[cuyankees]

Legit curiosity, Zion is a tweener, which starting 4s is he dominating physically? And which starting 3s is he blowing by?

He's gotten by HS & college thx to physical gifts, different in NBA.

And he shoots 16% from 3 with a closer ncaa 3pt line and will be entering a league that analytics prove is dominated by the ability to shoot 3s and his shooting form looks like a preschoolers bad drawing of someone shooting a basketball

It’s not Lebron people

In his defense, he's had 0 reasons to learn to shoot and most importantly, you can't teach 270 w those hops. You can teach a jump shot especially to a lefty.

[Kampuchea]

New Draft Lottery Odds

http://www.tankathon.com/pick_odds



The team with the worst record (now the Bulls) has a 48% chance of dropping to 5th pick.

[Kampuchea]

Even if we can drop to worst record, we only have a 14% shot at Zion. Would be nice to say we will draft 5th at worst, but the new lottery is not so kind to tankers

[K_ick_God]

Zion, Knox, KP. Could that be better than Philly, Boston?

[NoLayupRule]

Not if it risks Zion.

--Mags

Yup spot on. Zion for me is much more of a sure thing than Fultz ever was. My only worry with him is long term injury and frame concerns. I think he walks into the league a top 35-50 player immediately.

What's the point at which you think it's okay to trade out of getting Zion, though?

Like, is it worth it to give him up for say, Barrett and Culver or Garland? Or do you think we need one A-Class prospect more than two B-Class prospects?

I think you would have to be very strong stomached to pass on Zion

it would be like if NY got the #1 and Phx got the #2
you might be able to move down to 2 and get Barrett and Phx's pick next year, which would still be a top 10 pick at least

you'd have to consider it as Barrett is not a bad consolation prize at all

[NoLayupRule]

Zion, Knox, KP. Could that be better than Philly, Boston?

not without a serious vet like KD or Kawahi or Kyrie to lead

[NoStatsGuy]

we are going to end up with the 6th to 9th pick. its better to not get the hopes up. because its pretty unlikely zion ends up with the knicks, unless we trade up.