6th pick

[ilovenewyork]

The draft is only a week away...
Ever since the season has ended I've been jumping on bandwagon to bandwagon which im sure most of us have....but im finally decided on one person...since its more than likely Mayo, Bayless, and Rose will all be gone...the next five on our radar would be Randolph, Gallinari, Gordan, Westbrook, and Augustin...and with all this talk about potential and this and that i think we should select DJ augustin...

This guy lead his team to a great year with no one, Kevin Durant gave him credit for making him a better player and i think we'd be crazy to pass on a pure pg with his potential and proven success

Randolph, Gordan, Gallinari, and Westbrook is a hit or miss...and we'll either be very surprised or really disappointed while with DJ i think we know what were getting to a better degree...

As for height and all that...he's no smaller than chris paul and has strength...AND...he was the fastest player at the combine this year...he is flying way under the radar right now and i think we should capitalize...

I am officially rooting for DJ to NY

[Mecca]

we should trade down 6 if Mayo is gone and take Augestine

[the bizness]

this is from the oregonian:

I've got one word to sum up Wednesday's predraft workout at the Trail Blazers' practice facility: Wow.

Joe Alexander was impressive on Tuesday in displaying exceptional athleticism, leaping ability and raw potential. Russell Westbrook made a strong case to become a Blazer last week when he showed better-than expected shooting ability, versatility and athleticism. But I've been to every one of the Blazers' nine workouts thus far and no prospect has revealed a more polished, NBA-ready game than D.J. Augustin did today.
........
But nonetheless, I left impressed with Augustin. And I doubt I was alone. Here's a snippet from a story that will appear in Thursday editions of The Oregonian:

... Augustin was equally, if not more, impressive than (Westbrook and Alexander).
Toward the end of the workout, when the media was allowed to watch, Augustin displayed a polished, NBA-ready game that featured accurate shooting, smart play and natural ability to navigate through defenses -- particularly on pick-and-roll plays. He faced very little resistance in penetrating toward the basket and always seemed to find the open man, which often resulted in easy jump shots or layups.

During a three-on-three half-court drill, Augustin once knifed through two perimeter defenders and dished a pretty no-look pass to a teammate for a wide-open layup. Moments later, during an almost mirror scenario, he sliced through the middle of two defenders, darted right, stepped back and swished a midrange jumper.
Such displays were commonplace on Wednesday, when Augustin competed against five other prospects, including Oregon's Malik Hairston, Atlantic 10 Conference defensive player of the year Stanley Burrell of Xavier and guard Jason Rich, a four-year starter from Florida State. And even though McMillan values taller, more physical point guards, he discovered that Augustin could "hold his own" against bigger NBA guards.

"I tried to put a physical guard, a quick guard and a big guard on him just to take a look at all that ... and he did a nice job of getting where he needed to be," McMillan said. "The one thing he has is the ability to handle the ball very well. Even though some of the guards were trying to pressure him and get to the ball, his ability to handle the ball forced them to have to back off. But also his ability to shoot the ball forced them to stay pretty close. He's a guy who can get where he needs to go on the basketball floor."

Augustin also showed tremendous shooting ability, draining 37 of 50 shots (74 percent) -- including 26 of his first 30 attempts -- during a three-point shooting drill at the end of the workout.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazer ... aft_w.html

[Mecca]

PATRICK EWING JR AS A UDFA

[ilovenewyork]

i dont really see the logic in trading down, a lot of teams like DJ and some mocks have him going anywhere from 5 to 13...he is a top 10 talent and its not worth it to run the risk of trading down to 10 and ending up with roy hibbert or whoever...if you like a player at six thats top 10 then you take him and move on...teams need a pure pg and Dj has been a favorite for many scouts with the knock that he may be too short...which i think is dumb b/c you don't have to be 6'5 to play the point ...besides kidd and deron most other big pg's end up scrubs or stuck in between pg/sg...everyone is so fascinated with having the next magic johnson....last time i checked chris pual and steve nash do just fine at their respected heights....back to trading down, we dont do it and maybe buy a mid second rounder and select ewing jr...I have a feeling our team will look a lot different after next thursday...im talking no randolph, balkman, or even lee

2008 draft selections
DJ Augustin
Patrick Ewing Jr.

btw ewing would be a perfect complimentary player in D'antoni's offense...he can shoot the mid range, defend, run, rebound, and most importantly pass...I imagine this kid kind of like what nelson imagined when he got webber for the warriors this year but actually working, like a orchestrator for the offense...he's big body with good fundamentals and plays a team game...not only do i like him b/c he's pat's son but he's also a hell of a player

[Mecca]

i dont really see the logic in trading down, a lot of teams like DJ and some mocks have him going anywhere from 5 to 13...he is a top 10 talent and its not worth it to run the risk of trading down to 10 and ending up with roy hibbert or whoever...if you like a player at six thats top 10 then you take him and move on...teams need a pure pg and Dj has been a favorite for many scouts with the knock that he may be too short...which i think is dumb b/c you don't have to be 6'5 to play the point ...besides kidd and deron most other big pg's end up scrubs or stuck in between pg/sg...everyone is so fascinated with having the next magic johnson....last time i checked chris pual and steve nash do just fine at their respected heights....back to trading down, we dont do it and maybe buy a mid second rounder and select ewing jr...I have a feeling our team will look a lot different after next thursday...im talking no randolph, balkman, or even lee

2008 draft selections
DJ Augustin
Patrick Ewing Jr.

btw ewing would be a perfect complimentary player in D'antoni's offense...he can shoot the mid range, defend, run, rebound, and most importantly pass...I imagine this kid kind of like what nelson imagined when he got webber for the warriors this year but actually working, like a orchestrator for the offense...he's big body with good fundamentals and plays a team game...not only do i like him b/c he's pat's son but he's also a hell of a player

Yay some on the draft ewing junior board
I mean if we trade 6 Lee and Balkman Malik Exp for Okafor Nazzr and 9



But yeah i hope what you say comes true

[Luv those Knicks]

Mostly I don't want to trade the pick, and I want the BPA. I wouldn't mind Augustin. He wouldn't help us next year so 2009 might be another lotto season, which wouldn't be that bad in the long run.

[ilovenewyork]

Mostly I don't want to trade the pick, and I want the BPA. I wouldn't mind Augustin. He wouldn't help us next year so 2009 might be another lotto season, which wouldn't be that bad in the long run.

one of the commentators on espn said something that made a lot of sense when discussing if rose of beasley was a better pick...he said rose is the safer pick thus he was the better pick...to me Dj is a safe pick at 6 which actually lead me to stick with Dj as my favorite pick at 6 besides mayo, which i doubt we'll even have a shot at unless he gets caught dogfighting or something

[F N 11]

I would mind Augustine, Its on his height that worries me.

[GuyverADL]

The ONLY team I would be trading down with is the Nets for Sean Williams and the 10th and 21st for the 6th and Balkman.

[jayknicks]

The ONLY team I would be trading down with is the Nets for Sean Williams and the 10th and 21st for the 6th and Balkman.

The Nets wouldn't give us Williams, 2 picks for Balkman and the 6th..there'll definitely be bigs on the board by the time their pick comes up.
I'd look into getting Felton and the #9. They're high on Westbrook anyway..we'd get our PG and then we can draft a big or even Alexander.

[NoLayupRule]

I see us ending up with Gordon, Augistine or Westbrook - in that order

[GuyverADL]

The ONLY team I would be trading down with is the Nets for Sean Williams and the 10th and 21st for the 6th and Balkman.

The Nets wouldn't give us Williams, 2 picks for Balkman and the 6th..there'll definitely be bigs on the board by the time their pick comes up.
I'd look into getting Felton and the #9. They're high on Westbrook anyway..we'd get our PG and then we can draft a big or even Alexander.

Hell I'd do Williams and the 10th for the 6th.

Williams running in D'antoni's offense could be a block party.

Plus Williams showed he has a little jumper.

Curry
Williams/Lee
Chandler
Crawford
Augustin/Robinson

Im loving that lineup. Shot blocking and a real PG

[jayknicks]

The ONLY team I would be trading down with is the Nets for Sean Williams and the 10th and 21st for the 6th and Balkman.

The Nets wouldn't give us Williams, 2 picks for Balkman and the 6th..there'll definitely be bigs on the board by the time their pick comes up.
I'd look into getting Felton and the #9. They're high on Westbrook anyway..we'd get our PG and then we can draft a big or even Alexander.

Hell I'd do Williams and the 10th for the 6th.

Williams running in D'antoni's offense could be a block party.

Plus Williams showed he has a little jumper.

Curry
Williams/Lee
Chandler
Crawford
Augustin/Robinson

Im loving that lineup. Shot blocking and a real PG

Yea i'd be happy w/ that move..Williams is gonna be a beast

[JAX]

Williams is exactly what we need. And they have a number of hustle/defensive big men, so if they really wanted to move up they might do 6 for 10 an Williams. Balkman and the 21 added in, not quite as sure. Interesting though. And you are right, how do we know LAC, MIL, CHA don't take Augustine? Smart $ is they probably won't, the only one that even needs a point is LAC but I see taking Westbrook b/c he is a local or Gordon as BPA and moving Maggette for a point.

Ewing Jr.---sign me up. Especially if we move Balkmania and need to replace him.

[GuyverADL]

Augustin is not going top 10 so Im wouldnt be worried about that.

I wanted Williams since last year. The guy runs the floor and plays D and doesnt play soft around the basket. He'd be great next to Curry or Randolph(if we keep him)

Worse case if Augustin or Westbrook goes early I'd do:

Marcus Williams and Sean Williams and the 21st for the 6th and Rose

Now this deal wouldnt be that bad either. Marcus Williams is in the dog house anyway but he is still a decent PG prospect.

We could take that 21st pick and package it with Lee and Balkman and see how high we can go if we like another guy in the late lottery.

[douggood]

no way nets give up williams just to move up 4 spots. Bulls traded with portland(tyus tomas/aldrdgie) and it only cost portland vicktor kyphra. Portland then traded with twolves roy for foye and it cost them a million dollars. Bulls traded with sixers, carney for thabo, and it cost some cash and a 2nd round pick.

[GuyverADL]

no way nets give up williams just to move up 4 spots. Bulls traded with portland(tyus tomas/aldrdgie) and it only cost portland vicktor kyphra. Portland then traded with twolves roy for foye and it cost them a million dollars. Bulls traded with sixers, carney for thabo, and it cost some cash and a 2nd round pick.

Why are you comparing moving around at the top of the lottery to moving from late lottery to mid lottery. They are two different things.

[Dan Z]

I don't see the Net trading Sean Williams even if it was the 6th pick straight up.

[DE FENSE]

Sean Williams? Are you people on drugs? Nets aren't trading him, and certainly not to us for the friggin #6 and garbage.

And the whole trade down idea is a huge risk and I hope Walsh doesn't go for it. Thinking any dude is a 'stretch' can come back and bite us in the ass if he's gone when its our turn because we undervalued him.

If there's someone out there that they love and that will definitely be available at 6, take him at six, don't try to maximize and work trades out, too much of a risk. I'd rather see some trades at the trade deadline instead of during this summer. All the guys on the squad deserve to show what they have under this new regime before they start cleaning house. Who knows, Balk could become the monster a lot of us thought he would become his rookie year.