Poll: Who do you want with #3? (VOTE AGAIN)

[BowlRips]

i'm scared that the lakers are taking him and promised him they'd select him at #2

I doubt that. Because the Lakers don't know who is going to be available. He can't take their promise, seriously, because there is a chance that Towns would be available. And although forcing his way to NY would make sense, it doesn't mean anything, because the 76ers have picked guys they haven't worked out, in both of the last two drafts. It's not like they haven't seen him live.

Agree with you.
But definitely makes the sixers think twice about taking Russel when an equally good prospect in Mudiay is sitting on the board.
Dont take this the wrong way, but I'd imagine the agents of any of these top 4 picks wants their player to end up in New York. The potential of saving the franchise? The marketing opportunities that come with it?
Not far-fetched at all.
Will it make the sixers pass on him? No clue - if sixers think he's better than Mudiay than they will take him. But if Hinke views Russel as 3a and Mudiay as 3b, makes sense for him to pick Mudiay

[BowlRips]

i'm scared that the lakers are taking him and promised him they'd select him at #2

I doubt that. Because the Lakers don't know who is going to be available. He can't take their promise, seriously, because there is a chance that Towns would be available. And although forcing his way to NY would make sense, it doesn't mean anything, because the 76ers have picked guys they haven't worked out, in both of the last two drafts. It's not like they haven't seen him live.

i dont see how forcing his way to NY makes sense especially with his relationships with embiid and noel

Um marketing?
If he blows up in New York as the Knicks savior - endorsement deals for life.

[Kobblehead]

That marketing stuff is nonsense. If he blows up, he has endorsements deals for life, regardless of location.

Edit: As I type this, a Kevin Durant Sonic commercial comes on.

Name the last Knick that was a global icon like Iverson was in Philly.

[Sixersftw]

Um marketing?
If he blows up in New York as the Knicks savior - endorsement deals for life.

If only Allen Iverson was drafted to NYC. We aren't Minny or the Griz. We are the 4th biggest market in the nation.

[BowlRips]

That marketing stuff is nonsense. If he blows up, he has endorsements deals for life, regardless of location.

Edit: As I type this, a Kevin Durant Sonic commercial comes on.

Name the last Knick that was a global icon like Iverson was in Philly.

No offense to you guys at all, i love the true rebuild and what Hinkies doing
But for a prospects point of view, if he could have a say in either going to NYK with Melo and Phil and be the face of the franchise with the opportunity for more lucrative endorsement deals then going to Philly and being part of Hinkie's experiment, I think he would choose the former than the latter.

[sixers23]

I doubt that. Because the Lakers don't know who is going to be available. He can't take their promise, seriously, because there is a chance that Towns would be available. And although forcing his way to NY would make sense, it doesn't mean anything, because the 76ers have picked guys they haven't worked out, in both of the last two drafts. It's not like they haven't seen him live.

i dont see how forcing his way to NY makes sense especially with his relationships with embiid and noel

Um marketing?
If he blows up in New York as the Knicks savior - endorsement deals for life.

I dont think these guys care as much about that as you guys think. Thats why they think theyll get all the top free agents and they never do

[LofJ]

The Lakers might be planning to take Russell to tempt Hinkie to return their 2016 pick in exchange for swapping Russell and Okafor. That said it's a big risk to take because I don't see any good free agent centers signing with them in the near future.

[76ciology]

The Lakers might be planning to take Russell to tempt Hinkie to return their 2016 pick in exchange for swapping Russell and Okafor. That said it's a big risk to take because I don't see any good free agent centers signing with them in the near future.

That's a bad risk.

Sixers would then draft Jahlil or Mudiay. That 2016 pick or Jahlil has high probability to be better than Russell.

[sixers23]

he was already in town so you really think he just suddenly said hey you know what Id rather bully my way to new york? cmon

[76ciology]

Maybe Russell is on a shooting slump right now (as shown in his lakers shootaround vid), so he is cancelling those workout for the mean time.

[bmsmcr]

This is odd. Maybe an emergency came up or something? I'm hoping it's nothing and that it gets rescheduled for another day.

[Sixerscan]

The "strong-arming to NY" narrative just doesn't make sense to me.

- His twitter activity was very positive towards the Sixers
- He scheduled the visit/workout, in the first place
- His history/friendship with Embiid
- His friendship with Noel

I just think he got a promise from L.A. They wanted him to shut it down and not risk getting hurt in the following weeks.

Or he is hurt.

Or we're rescheduling.

Lot of options

...Or the 76ers have already seen him workout, and don't want to create the same circus that Wiggins visit caused.

Probably shouldnt have scheduled it in the first place then, because this will create a circus.

[Sixerscan]

That marketing stuff is nonsense. If he blows up, he has endorsements deals for life, regardless of location.

Edit: As I type this, a Kevin Durant Sonic commercial comes on.

Name the last Knick that was a global icon like Iverson was in Philly.

No offense to you guys at all, i love the true rebuild and what Hinkies doing
But for a prospects point of view, if he could have a say in either going to NYK with Melo and Phil and be the face of the franchise with the opportunity for more lucrative endorsement deals then going to Philly and being part of Hinkie's experiment, I think he would choose the former than the latter.

I really doubt Hinkie would pass on a guy just because he didn't work out for us. He's already seem him play a bunch, interviewed him etc.

This is more about the Lakers than the Knicks, if anything.

A guy like Phil Jackson on the other hand, a guy that probably that hasn't done 1/5 of the due diligence Hinkie has already done, I could see this turning him off from a guy.

[Kobblehead]

This is exciting stuff, though.

[wickedwrister]

That marketing stuff is nonsense. If he blows up, he has endorsements deals for life, regardless of location.

Edit: As I type this, a Kevin Durant Sonic commercial comes on.

Name the last Knick that was a global icon like Iverson was in Philly.

No offense to you guys at all, i love the true rebuild and what Hinkies doing
But for a prospects point of view, if he could have a say in either going to NYK with Melo and Phil and be the face of the franchise with the opportunity for more lucrative endorsement deals then going to Philly and being part of Hinkie's experiment, I think he would choose the former than the latter.

I really doubt Hinkie would pass on a guy just because he didn't work out for us. He's already seem him play a bunch, interviewed him etc.

This is more about the Lakers than the Knicks, if anything.

Completely agree about HInkie. Likely scenarios are Lakers promise, Russell is hurt and doesn't want to work out and hurt stock or agent trying to force way to Knicks.

The last scenario is essentially moot because Hinkie will take whomever he wants to take. Just have to hope this doesn't mean the Lakers promised him at 2.

[BNelley24]

Lol @ people thinking teams promise players. Why would you lay your cards on the table, what if a trade scenario appeared hours before the draft. There's no reason to make a promise to a player unless you have the first pick. I'm sure he cancelled for a mundane reason, either he's tired or schedule conflict, wouldn't read too much into it, he's had nothing but positive things to say bout 76ers.

[Kobblehead]

Lol @ people thinking teams promise players.

I don't get what you're laughing at. It happens on a yearly basis...

[HartfordWhalers]

Speculate away(?) on the cancellation here with a poll for those that want to -- viewtopic.php?f=26&t=1392321

[Eyeamok]

I doubt that. Because the Lakers don't know who is going to be available. He can't take their promise, seriously, because there is a chance that Towns would be available. And although forcing his way to NY would make sense, it doesn't mean anything, because the 76ers have picked guys they haven't worked out, in both of the last two drafts. It's not like they haven't seen him live.

i dont see how forcing his way to NY makes sense especially with his relationships with embiid and noel

Um marketing?
If he blows up in New York as the Knicks savior - endorsement deals for life.

Endorsement deals. That should be the least of Russell's concerns. NY wants to win and they want to win now. There will be no easing in process there will be no taking it easy with the kid. NY signs you and they expect you to deliver. You are going to have to have a thick skin when things go wrong for you, and as a rookie they will, because the NY media, fans and expectations are relenting and high. Good luck to any 18-21 year old that thinks they are going to go there and take the basketball world by storm.

To tell the truth the only player in the top 4 that I see that has the mental makeup to go to NY today and not be effected by all the glitz and expectations is Mudiay. As I have stated before that guy seems to have a lot of poise for a young man.

Hubbie Brown says the NBA means No Babies Allowed. You have 3 big market teams picking in the top 5 spots of the draft. As an agent I would want my client to go with the team that has shown that player development is big on their list. Starting is nice, but player development helps your game improve and helps get you closer to that Max or near Max money when you finally understand how the game/business is played. It's good for the players and it's good for the agents too.

[76ciology]

Most logical one is a promise from other team. And if I have to guess, it's the knicks. Because they'd be damned if Russell doesn't end up there.

Maybe Hinkie and Phil are playing a psychological war where Phil is preventing Hinkie to "Hennigan" him by trading picks and robbing assets for Sixers favor to get the player they need and want.