Countdown to NBA Draft: Prospect Talk

[mpharris36]

I have to agree with you. While I have no problem with a C that can hit an occasional jumper, or jump shooting C's in general, I'm not sure I want to spend my no.1 overall pick on one. And I also have concerns about Towns ability to really be proverbially "the man" on a winning team. Can he? Sure. Is it a reasonable certainty? I'm not sure. And yes, one of the concerns about Towns, was his ability to be the guy that can dominate around the paint area.

It's definitely hard to gauge. Him being on that Kentucky team makes it hard to judge how good he really can be in various aspects of the game because he's rarely ever by himself and the sole focus of the opposing team.

He doesn't have to be the main though. That is Melo's job.

While I prefer my center to have a great low post game. I also think its just as important to have a center that can change the game defensively.

[Zooropa]

For second round sleepers, I like Kris Dunn of Providence. The kid can ball. Worth taking a flyer on if we come across a second round pick or three.

[moocow007]

I have to agree with you. While I have no problem with a C that can hit an occasional jumper, or jump shooting C's in general, I'm not sure I want to spend my no.1 overall pick on one. And I also have concerns about Towns ability to really be proverbially "the man" on a winning team. Can he? Sure. Is it a reasonable certainty? I'm not sure. And yes, one of the concerns about Towns, was his ability to be the guy that can dominate around the paint area.

It's definitely hard to gauge. Him being on that Kentucky team makes it hard to judge how good he really can be in various aspects of the game because he's rarely ever by himself and the sole focus of the opposing team.

He doesn't have to be the main though. That is Melo's job.

While I prefer my center to have a great low post game. I also think its just as important to have a center that can change the game defensively.

I question his overall physicality and intensity in terms of NBA impactfulness is the issue. I'm not just talking about offensively. It would be a whole lot easier if he was on just about any other team but Kentucky to guage.

And yes, I question Okafors defensive ability in the NBA.

[Marty McFly]

Ill give you that Jah is stronger/bigger now and has more experience dealing with double teams this year. The rest is dubious. Towns just grabbed 6 offensive rebounds and had 0 fouls today.

Towns contests a lot more shots than OK4 too. Like my coach in high school always told me if you left the game with no fouls you weren't playing any defense.

I think they are equally good offensive rebounders (both very strong at this).

if he had sec defensively player of the year next to him, he probably would contest more shots.

[mpharris36]

I question his overall physicality and intensity in terms of NBA impactfulness is the issue. I'm not just talking about offensively. It would be a whole lot easier if he was on just about any other team but Kentucky to guage.

And yes, I question Okafors defensive ability in the NBA.

he cleans up the board and is one of the best shot blockers in the country. Those are two qualities that require huge amounts of will and intensity.

Brook Lopez lacks intensity
Eddy Curry lacks intensity

KAT is competitive as sh*t his problem is he wants to block everything which sometimes gets him into foul trouble.

100% he needs to get stronger but so did Anthony Davis and if the work is put in the weight can be put on.

[TrueWarrior]

Towns wont be the man offensively at first and we dont need him to be. Just look at him as a great all around FA big man pickup for now. In a few years as Melo starts to decline Towns will be ready to take over/share the scoring load, and hopefully by that time the team around them is good enough to truly contend.

Of course, assuming we get the top pick here, you could just go with Okafor who's ready to score now and pray the rest of his game catches up. Either one is going to take a couple seasons. Its a matter of do you want to go with Towns who will be a nice 2 way player out of the gate but has to improve as a go-to scorer or ride with Jah who will post fools up out of the gate but has to improve defensively. The choice is yours and yours alone. Good luck.

[moocow007]

I question his overall physicality and intensity in terms of NBA impactfulness is the issue. I'm not just talking about offensively. It would be a whole lot easier if he was on just about any other team but Kentucky to guage.

And yes, I question Okafors defensive ability in the NBA.

he cleans up the board and is one of the best shot blockers in the country. Those are two qualities that require huge amounts of will and intensity.

Brook Lopez lacks intensity
Eddy Curry lacks intensity

KAT is competitive as sh*t his problem is he wants to block everything which sometimes gets him into foul trouble.

100% he needs to get stronger but so did Anthony Davis and if the work is put in the weight can be put on.

He's got A LOT of guys in the paint that other teams bigs have to keep an eye on which gives him a lot better looks at the basket when it comes to rebounds. They (the announcers, can't recall whom, the last game I watched) were actually and repeatedly pointing that out...that it's impossible for any team to keep bodies on every one of the Kentucky bigs to prevent at least one from getting real good position around the basket (which includes rebounding, getting into position for blocks, close shots at the baskets, putbacks, etc., etc.).

[NBA Fan 1234]

For second round sleepers, I like Kris Dunn of Providence. The kid can ball. Worth taking a flyer on if we come across a second round pick or three.

If we get one, I'd be happy. Two, thrilled. Three, I'd go nuts.

[Zooropa]

For second round sleepers, I like Kris Dunn of Providence. The kid can ball. Worth taking a flyer on if we come across a second round pick or three.

If we get one, I'd be happy. Two, thrilled. Three, I'd go nuts.

Honestly, that's what we need to be focusing on: stocking up on second rounders. We have to assume we're going to hit a home run with our #1––that's a prerequisite to everything we're trying to do--finding a steal in the second round would change our plan entirely.

[bigfnjoe96]

Towns or any of the potential people we draft, don't have to come in and be "The Man"

They just have know they're role and play it the best they can.

For what it's worth. Anyone we draft 1st round will come into a good situation as we will probably have a nice mix of vets to help him get acclimated to the NBA grind.

What might with against them is how many new faces we bring who need to learn the triangle.

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[DickGrayson]

Hezonja is the best fit with the most upside to me who should be able to play right away. Athletic with skill and size, and hes got some spunk too, so I go with him. Porzingis is a ways off and is scared of the paint. Turner is also scared of the paint while he runs like an old man and has the strength of a 12 year old. WCS is Tyson 2.0, which is great for some teams but clearly not what we need. Winslow, Johnson, and Oubre all look like solid starting role playing SFs down the line but they havent shown enough to be picked top 5. Looney is meh and a tweener. Harrell not worth a top 10 pick. Bobby Portis and Christian Wood seem a little underrated to me, but theyd be reaches. Kaminsky..... nah. Lyles Im not a fan of for us. The PGs Grant, Wright, Jones, and Dunn all look pretty good but we could get one of em with a later pick.

I still really like Russell but I question if he can get to the basket, finish, and defend in the pros. Plus I want to build around a big man, so we're going to need a top 2 pick if we want Towns or Jah. Picking past 4th will likely set this team back years. This rook needs to become a bonerfide stud. Yes bonerfide.

Porzingis bangs the paint, he averages a lot offensive rebounds for a stretch 4 and finishes around the rim. Definately not a soft player. He just needs to add muscle.

Porzingis does not "bang in the paint". He is to weak to do any effective work there against europeans. Im thinking its gonna be worse here. His only post move is the turnaround jumper

He attacks the rim with force, so I don't know who you've been watching because it hasn't been Porzingis. He's not a soft kid and you're 100% mistaken.

Gasol and Dirk came into the NBA as skinny kids too. People grow in weight and mass as they get older you know that right?

[Zooropa]

What might with against them is how many new faces we bring who need to learn the triangle.

I know it didn't work out last year, but I really hope we bring back Metta. Now that his buddies (Phish) are in the cockpit, maybe he'd jump at a second chance with his hometown team.

[NBA Fan 1234]

For second round sleepers, I like Kris Dunn of Providence. The kid can ball. Worth taking a flyer on if we come across a second round pick or three.

If we get one, I'd be happy. Two, thrilled. Three, I'd go nuts.

Honestly, that's what we need to be focusing on: stocking up on second rounders. We have to assume we're going to hit a home run with our #1––that's a prerequisite to everything we're trying to do--finding a steal in the second round would change our plan entirely.

100% agreed.

A few guys I'd target in the second round (based off a DX mock)
-Terry Rozier, Delon Wright, Dakari Johnson, Ron Baker, Guillermo Hernangomez, Rashad Vaughn, Oliver Hanlan, Kaleb Tarczewski, Mouhammadou Jaiteh, Aleksander Vezenkov, and Timothe Luwawu. I think a few of them can go late first / might go late first (Rozier, Wright, Hanlan, Hernangomez, and Jaiteh) but they're all listed as second rounders as of now on DX's most recent mock.

Last two I know nothing about, but look interesting.

[TrueWarrior]

Porzingis bangs the paint, he averages a lot offensive rebounds for a stretch 4 and finishes around the rim. Definately not a soft player. He just needs to add muscle.

Porzingis does not "bang in the paint". He is to weak to do any effective work there against europeans. Im thinking its gonna be worse here. His only post move is the turnaround jumper

He attacks the rim with force, so I don't know who you've been watching because it hasn't been Porzingis. He's not a soft kid and you're 100% mistaken.

Gasol and Dirk came into the NBA as skinny kids too. People grow in weight and mass as they get older you know that right?

I'm not going to act like i'm sitting around staying up til 5 in the morning or whatever to watch Porzingis , but his new draftexpress video isn't exactly very flattering. Looks like he can shoot and is athletic for a 7 footer but they say only a tiny fraction of his shots have been post ups, is way too skinny/weak, isnt a good passer or rebounder, doesn't have a great feel for the game, awareness on D is poor, and he just doesn't seem to have a position right now. He can be good if he lands with the right team in a few years but I don't think that's us. The potential is there of course but he's not even on my radar.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWOjHoJ-U6A[/youtube]

[GONYK]

For second round sleepers, I like Kris Dunn of Providence. The kid can ball. Worth taking a flyer on if we come across a second round pick or three.

I don't think he's even coming out this year, but if he does, I don't see him falling out of the first round.

[JBreezeNY]

Came in this thread to say fu*k Porzingis.

Hezonja>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

If we drop out of the top 4 I would LOVE for us to get him.

[Triple C]

Can someone link to me the latest highlights videos of Okafor and Towns games?

[moocow007]

Towns or any of the potential people we draft, don't have to come in and be "The Man"

They just have know they're role and play it the best they can.

For what it's worth. Anyone we draft 1st round will come into a good situation as we will probably have a nice mix of vets to help him get acclimated to the NBA grind.

What might with against them is how many new faces we bring who need to learn the triangle.

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The problem with that is not only are the expectations going to be through the roof but the actual player has to prove he's worth having been picked there. There's no way around that. The pressure is going to be tremendous and any failure will be thrown into the spotlight for everyone and their moms to see. That is the reality of being a NY Knicks top lottery pick during the current sorry state of the franchise and with Carmelo Anthony in tow. If the Knicks traded Anthony and was going through a rebuild and/or they weren't such a laughingstock and/ir the great Phil Jackson wasn't hired to save the franchise then sure the pressure would be less. But not here, not now. Not now with the stage primed and glowing with all cameras drawn and ready to flash. Whomever we pick will have to justify in the eyes of the masses why we suffered through the worst season in franchise history. Whomever they pick needs to turn into an absolute stud. An OK player will be a failure. A good player will be a failure. A pretty good player will be a failure. This is what whomever we pick has to look forward to. Such is the expectations that will be placed on his shoulders the second Adam Silver announces his name.

[moocow007]

If I was a prospect and didn't have balls for steel, that didn't love the challenge, that didn't like the spotlight the last team I'd want to be drafted by is the Knicks. Now if I was confident, loved to be challenged and relish the spotlight, absolutely, give me blue and orange.

[bigfnjoe96]

Moo, that type of expectation comes from those fans who know nothing about the development of a player.

If we sign a couple of real good FA or at least 1 MAX CAT, the pressure for the pick to come right in and contribute is lessened IMO.

Note if we strike out in FA that's another story. Our pick will need to contribute right away.

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