Countdown to NBA Draft: Prospect Talk

[And100]

The anxiety that this draft isn't going to produce a generational star runs deep.

[captvict]

He's 5th on my list after
Okafur
Towns
Russell
Turner
WC Stein

Scrappy dude....will do well in the NBA

[C-Skillz]

Watching this UConn SMU game got me wondering about SMU's potential if Mudiay would have came to College and played for Larry Brown. They already #20 in the country without him. Sheeeeesh

[Zooropa]

Dropping a prediction here: Kris Dunn will be a big, big name in two weeks.

[nykballa2k4]

He's 5th on my list after
Okafur
Towns
Russell
Turner
WC Stein

Scrappy dude....will do well in the NBA

He is also the only one in the draft capable of being labeled a defensive anchor (potentially) and he has had improvements on offense. If he learns a few more post skills and attends the Hakeem summer camp he could be the best big man from the draft. He also could stagnate and develop into Brendon Haywood.

[Workforce250]

There are a few fans here who like Kaminsky, I'm one of them.
While he may not be in conversation for top 1-4 pick, why he's not in the group of 5-10, is confusing me.

[Anotha Knicks fan]

At this point, I'd do the same thing with whoever he chooses. I'd avoid knee jerk decisions we are known to make, and see how things shape out during the Season. The original premise is if he had the top pick. You've got to take that into consideration with everything. That means he passed on the consensus top three... I'd imagine if he did that, then it's becUse he either had reason to, or
he believed different than what the media is trying to lead you to believe.

That I. Itself, while shouldn't be the only reason for me to judge, should weigh some... It means he's looking for things that aren't a given, and accessible to every other GM. IT gives him balls... Which is a double edged sword... And it means he did homework... Whether it was erroneously completed of not.

Based on how the other cats do.... In relation to the systems they are playing, I think that would be a huge determining factor in how I'd feel.

Honestly the easiest way to judge his decision would be to have 4-5 teams with similar situations as is, and use them all in a comparable fashion.

I think he is trying to implement a hugely triangle biased playbook, so that's got to factor in his decision as well.

While I applaud out direction in that we actually have a defined direction rather than swaying to the capabilities of whoever is ready... I'd be remiss to not mention that we could potentially miss out on a generational, amazing player, Becuase he didn't fit the system well enough.

One things for sure, whoever he picks better be damn good. Wouldn't want to be in Phil's shoes the closer we get to offseason/draft.

[JBreezeNY]

There are a few fans here who like Kaminsky, I'm one of them.
While he may not be in conversation for top 1-4 pick, why he's not in the group of 5-10, is confusing me.

There's actually a lot of people who like Kaminsky, me included, he just isn't a top 5 pick kind of player.

I think he's working himself to be a top 10 pick to be honest.

[el13adnino]

Watching this UConn SMU game got me wondering about SMU's potential if Mudiay would have came to College and played for Larry Brown. They already #20 in the country without him. Sheeeeesh

thats what i said ... larry brown in a interview said they would be the #1 team in the country if he had mudiay.

[Meat]

Soooo Knick fans what happens if PJax gets the first pick, passes on OK4, KAT, Russell and Mudiay and picks WCS?

I frankly wouldn't be disappointed at all.

give him a little beneifit of the doubt, he's at least shown an eye for talent based on lgal and schved

[Meat]

i havent watched too many wcs games, are we talking chandler or noah?(the difference is the former being a lazy bitch and the latter being a workaholic always improving his game)

[Dr. Detfink]

Basketball is a sport dependent on size and you can't teach height. This is why big men get vastly overpaid. Yea, looking at YOU, Amar'e.

So I'd be disappointed but not necessarily upset. It means the Knicks will be doing the SAME thing they did under Donnie.

[melo mvp 15]

No one is that stupid. Especially not Phil, who is incredibly smart. I could see someone thinking WCS is the best prospect in the draft, even though I disagree and think it's highly unlikely Phil values him over Okafor/Towns/Russell... it's a reasonable opinion that I'd respect. But even if you did, it'd be beyond moronic to pick him #1. Basically what Cleveland did with Bennett at #1. And the biggest problem of that is there's no way you couldn't get a pick at like 3-5 (to get WCS) AND at least another pick (if not multiple assets) for Okafor/Towns/Russell. AAAANNNDDD we'd save capspace by picking him lower in the draft.

[siar617]

Well then what about Blackfeet's idea? Grab OK4, trade down for assets including WCS? Would PJax still be fired?

Depends on the assets. Better be really good.

Then please give us some ideas as to what you mean by "really good." Enumerate a couple good scenarios that would please you.

Cousins and thier first (fith overall) for our number one Calderon and 2018 first.

Draft WCS

[kane2021]

2 pages and I still dont know what a wcs is.

[dakomish23]

The team that gets the #1 pick will have a lot of sleepless nights until draft night. The masses will end up forcing them to take Okafor whether they want to or not.

I don't know about that. That was the original thinking with the whole Okafor / D12 debate. That was the last time two bigs were the consensus #1 / #2. Also happens to be the last time the worst team got the #1 pick. Andrew Sharpe compared Towns to a Howard with shooting. I'll consider a non bitch version of Diva12 with shooting well worth the season we just had.

I was hoping that Okafor would continue to get next unparalleled hype, we'd land the #1 pick, and be able to trade back to steal away Towns & Stein. A lot of Horford & Noah comparisons and they're not far off. Tie it up by getting Christian Wood and I'd sit back and let the bigs develop and become our future 3 man PF-C rotation.

[DickGrayson]

Its a 50/50 thing. Jahlil can't afford to foul and he certainly can't be a great interior defender with how often their guards allow people to attack the rim (I know a sports writer that has access to the NCAA synergy stats and he told me Jahlil contests nearly 10 shots a game at the rim. An extraordinary amount) but he can afford to play a little harder on small attacking guards (maybe not wings who will get the call more often).

On the other hand with Towns he can afford to foul as much as he wants. Kentucky can do without him. Actually the team has a better scoring margin per minute without him on the floor than with him on the floor (that largely has to do with how much stronger the Kentucky bench is than other teams).

Now does that mean I don't care about his fouls? No. He should be able to play defense without getting all those dumb fouls he gets and in the NBA teams will attack him if he's foul prone.

Where are your sources?

For what? The scoring margin thing? statsheet.com keeps NCAA +/- numbers.

EDIT: Actually they update the numbers real time and after today that statement is no longer true.

I'll embed the charts on his +/- and on/off (they call it Roland Rating) game to game if you guys want.

I never knew they had this.

[newyorker4ever]

2 pages and I still dont know what a wcs is.

Willie Cauley Stein

[DickGrayson]

It would be him getting rid of Tyson to then bring in the same player months later.

lol, I see so much Tyson Chandler in Cauley Stein. I think Cauley Stein will be better than Chandler however. Better rim protector, help defender and will do more offensively. Chandler came so raw to the NBA people forget how bad he was earlier in his career, he had to learn on the fly and it took him some time. WCS looks ready to go.

[malik959]

I wouldn't like that at all.
The perception of who Okafor/Towns can become would suggest you snag either if available and move them for a package of assets if you see Stein as your target. Stein would likely be drafted no earlier than number five overall.

Even Phil knows that this would be a mistake and one NOBODY would make. If you want Willie than you trade down to get him.