BugginOut wrote:DickGrayson wrote:I support Toppin, but I spent 10 minutes watching this
now I deeply understand why the Knicks will never see any kind of championship.
It's bonehead moves passing up on a professional basketball technician who's an underrated athlete, has insane agility and balance and underrated strength. I was going to make a thread about this but, I'll save it here.
Passing up on Ty will haunt us like how we passed up on Donovan Mitchell over Frank.
I think Toppin will be a good player. But I see him having Aaron Gordon level impact. Great dunker, can play the forward position and stretch, but isn't a master of anything. I do hope Toppin can surpass Gordon who has had lackluster FG% and to me isn't physical to the expectation you have for someone who is so athletic. I want Toppin to be a guy who can get to the FT line at will, and at 220lbs, he may need to add mass to compete with the best.
Tyrese isn't brolic by any means, but at his position and his wiry strength, I've seen him absorb contact well and make contested shots. Great defensive awareness, has great feet, timing, stop and go, basically all the tricks you can think of, a lot of flash to his game....it's like Tyrese would was made to steal the show in NY, make the Nets look like has been and give us 15 years of all star basketball. I think LaMelo is rookie of the year but I would not protest at all if Ty wins it. Kings look competitive every game and Ty is emerging as a leader for that team that they needed for years. DeMarcus Cousins was not one, and Fox/Haliburton in the backcourt is one of the best young foundations in the NBA. Fox is a great defender and tbh, I was imaging what the hype would be like if we had both Haliburton and Quickley in the backcourt. The impact would mirror Fox/Haliburton which would answer the Knicks biggest problem, backcourt issues. Thank god we got Quickley and I'm sure people will say "Hey if we drafted Haliburton at 8, we wouldn't have drafted Quickley". I don't know. In this era of the NBA, you need guards. Just fantasy thinking, I'll stop.
TEAM TOPPIN ALL THE WAY.
just hate how good Tyrese is.
Tyrese is good, but lets pump the breaks a little bit. Does anyone actually see him becoming an allstar especially in the west? Tyrese will be a good role player, but he's not going to be a star by any metric. You talk about Obi not getting to the FT line, but Obi has 3 less total FTA than Tyrese on the season and Tyrese has played 400 more minutes than Obi. Tyrese is not attacking the rim like that, he's had 12 made FG at the rim all season and half of them have been dunks.
Tyrese also doesn't create his own shot 90% of his 3s are assisted, in comparison only 50% of Quickley's 3s are assisted. Tyrese can't "take over a game." He will make the open shot and make the right pass, but he isn't breaking anyone off the dribble. One of the reason's he is playing so well is cause he plays next to Fox who can break down the defense for him.
Finally even the thing he is applauded for, "defense," seems suspect. While he might pass the eye test every defensive metric has him as a negative defender. I don't know if this is because he gambles for steal or is just a bad help defender, but the team performs worse defensively with him on the court.
I don't want to sh*t on Tyrese, because he is a good and efficient player, but he isn't a can't miss guard like Ja, Shai or Mitchell.
It's unclear what Obi will turn into.
And we should be aware he was still only a 2 year college player, so there is some "project" to his game. (1 year in prep school, 1 year redshirt freshman academically ineligible"
BUT
I think it was a bad pick.
For the following reasons.
Centers and PF's are like running backs to the NFL, comparing 70's,80's,90's to today's games.
Back in the days of yore, an NFL team would use real, high, draft capital on a RB - 1st round picks, 2nd round picks. Lots of teams.
NBA teams would look for that dominant C, that true PF.
Of course they are different leagues. And of course OT's went high, or QBs or even DE or WR.
And the NBA, if there is a really talented guard/wing - that guy went or is going as high as a C.
But now, the C and even the "PF" is devalued. In effect, teams are playing 3 guards, a SF and a C
Knicks drafted Frank, a guard, who hasn't been that good. Trading for a guard, DSJr, who isn't that good.
Wasted a pick on Knox, who can play backup stretch 4, and that's about it. So, basically 1/2 the 2nd least valuable NBA position.
And then double down by taking ANOTHER 4, when they have a 4 in Randle. So that's draft capital twice on the 2nd least valuable roster spots, IMHO.
TLDR: Teams should be drafting guards, wings and more guards and wings.
Knicks should have drafted a guard or wing at #8. And at 25 and again at 33.
Next year, they should draft 3 guards.
Cheap, decent C's are available. FA money could be spent on the stretch 4, but if any aren't any good just go 3 guard and your SF at "4"
Nothing against Obi, but the NBA is more of a guard/wing league than ever. Load up on guards/wings. If you have a glut, make trades.
