2019-2020 College/Draft thread (Part 4)

[3toheadmelo]

Berman dropping more breadcrumbs. He knows

“Are Rose’s Knicks interested in Lonzo Ball? What would it take to pry him from the Pelicans? — Matthew Lau

The Knicks revered the playmaking point guard in the 2017 draft and rated him higher on their board than No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz. The Knicks were willing to put up with his eccentric father, LaVar Ball. After his coach-killing behavior in Los Angeles, LaVar behaved after his son was traded to New Orleans. The father focused more on his younger son, point guard LaMelo Ball, playing in Australia.

The Knicks would have more interest in LaMelo, who probably will be a top-three pick in the upcoming draft despite playing Down Under. The Knicks seek a scoring point guard in the draft and the 6-foot-7 LaMelo has the most upside despite a shaky delivery on his perimeter jump shot. Lonzo Ball also had struggled with technique but rebuilt his shot and is on the rise.”

https://nypost.com/2020/05/09/knicks-mailbag-directional-choice-leon-rose-will-have-to-make/

Highly doubt we can get Lonzo. He started playing very well to end the season and was building some nice chemistry with Zion. Rather have Lamelo anyways.

[RHODEY]

Yep. I called Flynn as a none PG as well before the draft. I'll admit I wasn't that high on Curry but at least with Curry you knew he could score like the dickens. Flynn? He was neither a PG nor a SG. He was a very aggressive guard that wore his emotions on his sleeve and that was able to use his real nice combination of strength and quickness to impact college games.

Sounds very similar to this guy....





Hope we don't repeat that mistake.

Flynn didn't pan out mainly because of injury though. He actually had a solid and promising rookie year. Then he got the same surgery on his hip that IT had and was never the same.

Right but doesn't Cole also have injury/durability issues?

[Chanel Bomber]

Lamelo Ball
Jalen Green
RJ Barrett
Julius Randle
James Wiseman

Brazil
Russia
India
China
South Africa

[HEZI]

Sounds very similar to this guy....





Hope we don't repeat that mistake.

Flynn didn't pan out mainly because of injury though. He actually had a solid and promising rookie year. Then he got the same surgery on his hip that IT had and was never the same.

Right but doesn't Cole also have injury/durability issues?

Based on what? He tore his meniscus and came back in less than 2 months. Lamelo Ball got a bruised foot and left the country

[HarthorneWingo]

#Bermie2020

https://nypost.com/2020/05/10/nba-mock-draft-2-0-knicks-get-tyrese-haliburton-lamelo-ball-no-1/

[RHODEY]

Flynn didn't pan out mainly because of injury though. He actually had a solid and promising rookie year. Then he got the same surgery on his hip that IT had and was never the same.

Right but doesn't Cole also have injury/durability issues?

Based on what? He tore his meniscus and came back in less than 2 months. Lamelo Ball got a bruised foot and left the country

Im concerned that with his playing style he'll get hurt again.

From Slymuke

Put plain and simple, dude doesn’t make the game look easy. It seems like he has to put every ounce of energy and athleticism into his moves to just barely score against college defense. He’s the age of most sophomores. He doesn’t play make or shoot efficiently, I don’t know how he’s a projected top 10 pick.

[HEZI]

Right but doesn't Cole also have injury/durability issues?

Based on what? He tore his meniscus and came back in less than 2 months. Lamelo Ball got a bruised foot and left the country

Im concerned that with his playing style he'll get hurt again.

From Slymuke

Put plain and simple, dude doesn’t make the game look easy. It seems like he has to put every ounce of energy and athleticism into his moves to just barely score against college defense. He’s the age of most sophomores. He doesn’t play make or shoot efficiently, I don’t know how he’s a projected top 10 pick.

That sounds like a description of RJ Barrett not Cole Anthony

[HarthorneWingo]

#Bermie2020

https://nypost.com/2020/05/10/nba-mock-draft-2-0-knicks-get-tyrese-haliburton-lamelo-ball-no-1/

Seth Greenberg wrote up a piece in the Post on Tyrese/Ball.

https://nypost.com/2020/03/19/the-point-guard-who-could-be-knicks-safest-nba-draft-option/

On Halliburton:

“The best of the group is Haliburton,” Greenberg said. “He’s a pure point guard who will end up being able to shoot the ball, does have a runner. He’s got really, really good vision. He sees plays develop, has tremendous size, will be an excellent defender. He could potentially be Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.”

“He’ll be an adequate scorer eventually,” Greenberg said. “I like his feel, presence. He’s got to get a little more bounce into his 3-point shot. I like that he comes with absolutely no baggage.”

On Ball:

“LaMelo is a freak with his size, vision and speed,” Greenberg said of Lonzo’s youngest brother. “But he doesn’t shoot it well and his decision-making is not great in terms of shot selection. His creativity is at another level.

“But I think LaMelo in New York would either be feast or famine. I’d only draft LaMelo in New York if there was a promise LaVar wouldn’t come with him. If you have a new Knick front office, do you want to deal with that? The second-guessing from a guy who doesn’t know what he doesn’t know. He’s a disaster.”

[Mecca]

Haliburton is a winning player but will suffer in the half-court.

LaMelo moves on the court like a Queen on a chess board.

[HEZI]

Only one player worth trading up for and that's Anthony Edwards

[robillionaire]

Haliburton is a winning player but will suffer in the half-court.

LaMelo moves on the court like a Queen on a chess board.

is he a winning player, iowa state wasn't winning, 9-13 when he got injured

[blueNorange]

Haliburton is a winning player but will suffer in the half-court.

LaMelo moves on the court like a Queen on a chess board.

lamelo is trash.

[Deeeez Knicks]

And at PG at 6-7 from Chino Hills, California...#1....LaaaaaaMelllloooooo Balll!!!

[Zenzibar]

My gut feeling is that Anthony Edwards is going to be a disappointment and if he goes #1, it'll be major.

[mpharris36]

My gut feeling is that Anthony Edwards is going to be a disappointment and if he goes #1, it'll be major.

I haven't been more unsure about a draft class in years. I wake up one day hoping for one guy and then settle on another later in the day. There isn't one sure fire lock in this draft class.

[robillionaire]

My gut feeling is that Anthony Edwards is going to be a disappointment and if he goes #1, it'll be major.

well, he was somewhat of a disappointment at georgia. went from consensus #1 pick to.. still in the conversation for #1 but arguably could take several players over him. he did show some nice flashes of talent though. percentages and advanced stats not too great. I still think he'll have a solid career but maybe not live up to the kind of hype and expectations that goes with being picked #1

[WargamesX]

My gut feeling is that Anthony Edwards is going to be a disappointment and if he goes #1, it'll be major.

I haven't been more unsure about a draft class in years. I wake up one day hoping for one guy and then settle on another later in the day. There isn't one sure fire lock in this draft class.

I lowered my expectations and it’s made my opinion of this class better.

LaMelo Ball,Tyrese Haliburton, Killian Hayes, Cole Anthony, Devin Vessell, Saddiq Bey, Kira Lewis, Jadmi’us Ramsey, Obi Toppin, James Wiseman, Aaron Nesmith, Jalen Smith, Anthony Edwards, Onyeka Okongwu, Isaac Okoro, Deni Avdija and Patrick Williams

I think the above 17 would be first rounders in a stronger class. There is probably a few more. So let’s say 20 in total. If you compared those names to names of people drafted in other classes 10-30. You would say these kids are likely better

So I don’t think the class is weak overall, it’s just weak in that the top prospects don’t compare well to other classes top prospects. It doesn’t mean a few stars are not in the cut. In fact I would say outside of last’s years top 3 this class is deeper and better.

[Zenzibar]

My gut feeling is that Anthony Edwards is going to be a disappointment and if he goes #1, it'll be major.

well, he was somewhat of a disappointment at georgia. went from consensus #1 pick to.. still in the conversation for #1 but arguably could take several players over him. he did show some nice flashes of talent though. percentages and advanced stats not too great. I still think he'll have a solid career but maybe not live up to the kind of hype and expectations that goes with being picked #1

Absolutely, I'm just as bad. Been going from Obi Toppin to drafting 3 point guards no matter what. Having said that, last night while having problems falling to sleep my mind was on the draft (not a bad option, if the mind is not restful jj).

What I was contemplating was, what gives a player All-Pro status? To me, in order to reach that level a player HAS to have no less that 2 ELITE talents. Now these ELITE talents can include but limited to:
- ELITE athletic aggression, combined with ELITE techniques, think Mike Tyson, Ray Lewis, Kobe, Lebron
- ELITE handle, combined with ELITE shooting, Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving.
- ELITE vision for passing visionand ELITE knowledge of the game, Lebron,Tom Brady.
- ELITE athletic aggression, ELITE defense, Dick Butkus, Ronnie Lott, Michael.
- ELITE clutch gene, ELITE knowledge of the game, Michael, Lebron, Steph, Brady, Ali
- Elite quickness, technique, clutch,, Ali, Brady, Michael, Kobe

As a few examples. Some players can ONLY be in GOAT conversation if they posses more than 2. Michael Jordan, Lebron, Magic and few others had that. While some like Reggie Miller/Ray Allen/Pistol Maravich/Dan Marino had ELITE talents, but didn't have more than 3 ELITE traits, hence not in the GOAT conversation.


On the current Knicks, while still developing:
Frank has ELITE defensive skills but nothing else.
Mitch has ELITE athleticsm but lost his ELITE timing from his rookie season.
RJ has ELITE athletic agression, but nothing else.

In this draft, to me, only 3 players have ELITE anything;
Obi Toppin has ELITE athletic aggression but that's it for now.
LaMelo has ELITE passing vision but his handle is unknown.
Saddiq Bey has ELITE 3pt shooting but that's it.

Who else has ELITE anything? Remember it has to be standout against competition (WIseman is out of consideration because of this).

[Knicksfan1992]

Haliburton is a winning player but will suffer in the half-court.

LaMelo moves on the court like a Queen on a chess board.

You know i'm lock-step with you my guy.

Knicks have to pray that either they move up or a team who doesn't need a lead guard lands at number 1. Finally make a move up in the draft and get their man Lamelo. The shot in the arm this team and this city needs.

[WargamesX]

Haliburton is a winning player but will suffer in the half-court.

LaMelo moves on the court like a Queen on a chess board.

You know i'm lock-step with you my guy.

Knicks have to pray that either they move up or a team who doesn't need a lead guard lands at number 1. Finally make a move up in the draft and get their man Lamelo. The shot in the arm this team and this city needs.

It depends on what they want. No LaMelo isn’t worth a future knicks pick, nor do I think he’s worth the Mavs 2021 pick, or the Knicks taking Wiggins contract. He’s really good, I don’t think he is Luka Doncic change your franchise good.