Knicks draft Georgia Tech’s Iman Shumpert
June 23rd, 2011 by Jim Cavan | @JPCavan | Comments | Permalink |
With the 17th pick in the Draft, the Knicks nabbed the uber-athletic guard from Georgia Tech. Rumors began circulating before the pick that the Knicks were targeting either Shumpert or Florida State swingman Chris Singleton.
There will be more (much, much more) to come shortly. In the mean time, share your thoughts on the newest Knick. How does he fit our long-term plans? What does this mean for TD and Fields?
Beyond his work for KnickerBlogger, Jim is a contributor to the New York Times Off the Dribble NBA blog, ESPN.com, and The Classical. He is currently working on a biography of Robert Silverman, titled "Clownin' and Astoundin.'" Follow him on Twitter @JPCavan.
I like the pick
I know he’s 6′ 6”, but can someone explain why Kenneth Faried is not the pick there? He was the best rebounder in the draft. The Knicks were among the worst rebounding teams in the league. How much better is Shumpert than Douglas on defense (cause it sounds like he has no idea how to run an offense)?
Wanted singleton but will trust the front office on this. We needed a guard more than a forward anyway. At least we have someone who can potentially guard the Derrick rose’s and John wall’s of the conference.
Wait, the Lakers have our 2nd round pick today? Is that from the Toney Douglas trade??
Isn’t that what Douglas is for? And if it’s not, what the hell IS Douglas for? Streaky three-point shooting?
Gotta wait till the smoke clears. See how it all fits together. What does this mean for Andy Rautins?
Yes, thats definitely the biggest question to answer :-)
I think it’s bedtime for Bonzo on Andy, much as I enjoyed his comedic stylings.
Look at the landscape of the east. You need someone who can guard:
Wade
Rose
Wall
Rondo
Etc. Here’s a guy who can hopefully do that. Singleton plays the same position as Melo, Faried plays the same position as Amare. Iman is better fit.
I think he gets traded for a real backup pg. Sorry it wont be flynn. And frankly he wasn’t very good at defending those guys
Charles Barkley and Dennis Rodman were 6’7″. I don’t see how height has anything to do with productivity, here. No correlation.
Dear James D.,
Turn down the lights, turn down the bed
Turn down these voices inside my head
Lay down with me, tell me no lies
Just hold me close, don’t patronize – don’t patronize me
Cause I can’t make you love me if you don’t
You can’t make your heart feel something it won’t
Here in the dark, in these final hours
I will lay down my heart and I’ll feel the power
But you won’t, no you won’t
‘Cause I can’t make you love me, if you don’t
Sincerely,
C.J., #1 Faried Fan
I recognize that Faried is a Power Forward (and an undersized one at that), but aren’t we just looking for a rotation player with the 17th pick? He and Singleton seemed to fit the bill, no? And how does a point guard who can’t shoot at all fit into a Mike D’Antoni offense? Also, isn’t the plan to get an elite point guard in free agency next year? I’m not panicking (OK, maybe a little), but I’d love someone to clear my head. Keep going, New Guy.
Seriously. This has to put him out of the rotation, well outer of the rotation.
Brooks going to NJ, not staying with Celtics.
The 18 Nets fans that are here are very excited.
Mavs trading their pick to Denver for Rudy Fernandez. That pick going to Denver in the Felton-Miller trade.
The kid’s big enough and athletic enough to be a 2 guard, I imagine he’ll compete with Landry there while bill ups and whoever we get to back him up by trading TD man the 1. Can’t see this kid being a PG for MDA
But he can’t shoot! Isn’t this offense designed for shooters?
I’m cool with the pick. Has potential and they seemed to love him based on asking him to stop working out for other teams.
Since I don’t know much about Iman, I’d probably have taken Faried. Motiejunas 2nd choice.
Why didn’t we just keep Brewer?
Don’t ask me why we gave up brewer!
Cole going to the Heat.
It also worked well for raja bell. Bruce Bowen couldn’t shoot when he entered the league either.
This is not helping my image of you as a cool statistically based evaluator, nor is it affirming the power of your convictions. In fact, it’s making me think NYK might have made the right choice. Don’t get me wrong, I like Bonnie Raitt. But not this thread, not now.
Nobody is selling picks!
Wait til the 2nd round.
Hope we can buy Chicago’s pick and buy Harper.
On the bright side, I expect Jimmer in Sacramento to play out something like Dave Chapelle’s Real World sketch. Should be fun to watch.
Selby didnt even go in the 1st round.
Maybe Melo will calm down.
THCJ,
I know that Barkley and Rodman were 6’7″, but they didn’t play center. If we had Faried and he played with Stoudmire, who would defend centers? Also, I worry about Faried’s conference. I think secondary conferences have a harder time recruiting size, so maybe Faried’s stats weren’t piled up against the tallest competition. So they may not translate well to the pros. On the other hand Shumpert was the best player and had good stats on a weak team in a strong conference. That’s got to have affected his stats and not in a positive way. So have hope.
Norris Cole seems like a savvy pick.
Here’s one of the reasons I like the big: with Melo and Amar’e at the 3 & 4, there aren’t a lot of minutes for Singleton or Faried to make an impact. In the backcourt, however, there’s lots of minutes up for grabs. So Iman has a great opportunity to make more of an impact than either of the other two would.
He needs to develop his jump shot to stay in the league. If he does, I think we found our backcourt defensive specialist. And we REALLY need someone to guard those guys I listed above.
meant pick, not big
jimmy butler – what a great story.
marquette – maybe best uni’s in college hoops
we got the best athlete in the draft, known for something we need – perimeter defense. all 2 guards set personal records against us. no more.
After seeing Georgia Tech play the past three years, I’m wondering if Donnie and Co. are judging Shumpert solely on his workouts and not on the fact that he played for a terrible coach. Because, from what he’s shown, he’s just not anyone I could see D’Antoni ever playing under any circumstance. NBA athlete, not an NBA player.
Or maybe they just couldn’t get their hands on any game tapes.
That’s how I’m justifying.
Did we just select a point guard (in Shumpert) for New Orleans as part of future Cp3 trade?
By your logic, the Knicks would have to trade both Douglas and Fields because the former can’t run the point and the latter doesn’t shoot well enough.
Wait, the Nets just bought the 31st pick? Get on that shit, Dolan!
we didnt need a guard. we needed a big. fareid was the most logical player at 17. he does 3 things that we need. he hits the boards, he plays d, and he doesnt need the ball. amare doesnt hit the boards. neither does melo. fareid may be a bit undersized, but so were rodman and barkley. sorry, but this was a dumb pick. when people say we need to guard the d rose and walls, theyre right. the problem is, nobody can guard those guys. i like shumpert, but this was a stupid pick.
I wouldn’t mind buying Jeremy Tyler right here and stashing him in the D League. Or just buy Selby and make Melo happy. Do something.
Melo doesnt hit the boards?? 7 reb/g for a SF aint too shabby. Averaged 10 reb/g in the series vs Boston.
Donnie Walsh’s reasoning behind the Shumpert pick actually makes sense. They must be convinced that Melo has become a legitimate three point threat.
Where did you read Donnie Walsh’s reasoning?
I look at our depth chart and I see:
F Stoudemire
F Turiaf
F Anthony
F Williams
We needed a CENTER, not a forward. None available, so we went with the guard over the guys at our deepest position.
yeah, melo hit the boards in that series. but that’s that series. plus, nobody else did anything. unless you count jeffries passing on an easy layup. cmon bigblueal…tell me honestly you’re happy with this pick. do it. say “im really happy we drafted a guy at 17 whos a legitimate second rounder.”
Tyler and Selby need to be grabbed by the knicks soon. Even if just so they could do a spin off of the Andy & Landry show only more tantrums and pouting between them.
Check out Alan Hahn’s twitter feed.
OK, the Kings are bankrupt, how are we not buying this pick?
What guards do we already have that can be counted on next year day in day out?
all I’m gonna say is this: by all accounts Shumpert is a really good defender with some scoring ability. But I can’t believe we drafted him with singleton on the board. Singleton is pretty much Jeffries with some offense. I see singleton checkin 2′s 3′s and 4′s..a la JJ. Whereas Shumpert can maybe guard 2′s and 1′s. I don’t have a problem with drafting Shumpert, as It’s problee a sign that Walker’s about to be moved for Sessions hopefully.
I haven’t seen 2 much of Shumpert..I hope he’s as good as the “experts” say.
OK thanks
At #17 in this draft I couldve cared less who the Knicks picked. I have no problem with Shumpert and I wouldve had no problem with Faried. As long as they didnt make some pick out of nowhere that everybody wouldve made fun of Im cool with it lol.
Kings draft tyler honeycutt. I feel like he could be aron afflalo. Long, good defensively, solid perimeter shooter, plays within himself. They are desperate for cash… Think we could buy the pick?
New Jersey quietly having an excellent draft.
none. we have no guards we can rely on next year, with the exception of chauncey. so you’re right vin. now you gotta pick your poison. a lot of this conversation is based on dantoni being our coach past next year. if he is, then go shumpert. if he’s gone, then i think a “big” makes more sense. damnit im happy to talk to other knicks fans.
I’m fine with the pick. Shumpert won’t be the first option anymore so presumably his efficiency will get better. Big difference between being the guy everyone focuses on and being the outlet guy asked to hit open 3s or drive to the hoop off a closeout.
Russian bought 2 picks while Dolan’s money is burning a whole in his saxaphone.
I want Tyler and or Selby. Stash em in the D League. Use my cable bill money for something good, please.
look. lets just build the team around renaldo balkman. he’s….he’s a good player. i’ve needed a reason to jump off a building.
My opinion means nothing. You should hear when I say Kobe’s overrated at the Y. Relatively, I’m a tinfoil hat wearer.
I was gonna say maybe the Knicks were looking at Jeremy Tyler as a Center, buying the pick but then Charlotte just picked up their second Center of the night after trading for Biyombo.
I’m a little disappointed with our inability to buy picks in this second round. I guess it could be revealed later like it was last year with Jerome Jordan.
I hope when I wake up tomorrow I find out we bought that pick. No reason not to.
Long live Iman. Get off the ledge, fellas, the guy is going to work out. In Donnie we trust.
tyler would’ve been a good pick. youth, size, and does all the wrong things the right way. anyway. i’ve got a building just begging me to jump off it. i’m thinking of coming back as a zombie if we sign cp3….
I’d love us to buy up 3 picks, take Selby, Malcolm Lee, and Keith Benson. Seems unlikely to happen.
Golden State just bought Tyler. What are the Knicks waiting for???
Damnit, GSW just bought upTyler. What are we sitting on our hands for?
Fucking hell. THAT makes me angry. We’re the richest god damn team in the league at the very least Tyler is a fucking trade chip how the fuck are we sitting on our ass not buying a pick? Fuck you, Dolan.
Damnit, why didnt the Knicks buy the rights to a high-school drop put bust!!!!
I’m not really feeling the Iman Shumpert pick. I’m guessing the Knicks brass thinks he’s a great athlete and that his weaknesses (poor outside shooting, lousy discipline, poor B-ball IQ) can be hidden or somehow corrected. I’d rather have had Faried, Motiejunas, Singleton or even Selby, who I am not very high on.
Mark Jackson doing nice job tonight – Tyler and now Jenkins in the 2nd round.
Sheridan article with Donnie Walsh quotes on Shumpert:
http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nba/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&id=6698667
im 90% sure dolan reads these posts and just likes to fuck with the fan base. thats why we aint bought a pick.
Knicks buying 45th pick which will be Josh Harrelson.
Of course he’s a project, but we don’t even have THAT on the Knicks right now as a center. He’s in no way the answer for what we need but right now it just seems as if the Knicks are sitting on their hands watching the draft like we are. I’m all for the Shumpert pick when all is said and done too. I think it was an un-popular but smart choice.
Truth is, just about everyone left in this draft sucks. But still, it’d be nice to see the FO take a flyer on SOMEONE. Is must be what it feels like to be a Grizzlies or Suns fan, with a cheap owner.
I repeat, Knicks just bought Josh Harrellson pick.
knicks buying pick 45 – harrelson
Avery Johnson just said the Nets were 15th in defense which wasnt good enough. In Hollinger’s defensive efficiency rankings they were 22nd, one spot worse than the Knicks.
I think Avery Johnson doesnt realize how much better they really have to get defensively lol.
Meh. I guess we needed a big so why not take the guy with the great motor. Fine. 10 min per game to foul Dwight Howard 6 times. Works for me.
If Melo was a real friend, he’d front the money for the Knicks to buy Selby’s rights.
Don’t know much about Harrelson except that he was crazy funny in “Cheers!”,but I’m hoping the Knicks buy another pick to snag Selby.
Championship.
Never seen Harrellson play, but his photo suggests he has excellent Billy Zabka potential.
I deserve a -1 for channelling Simmons.
I got really excited until I heard “Harrellson”
How is selby still on the board? I mean, at some point in the last month, we considered picking him at 17!!!
Why not Benson?
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Josh-Harrellson-6381/
Sounds like a decent 2nd round pick that can potentially develop into something solid
spoke too soon. I blame myself for not being able to just pick him up in FA
And there goes Selby to the Griz
I would think Josh Selby, for all of his flaws, would be a wiser pick than Generic Slow White Guy Center #1004234, but hey, what do I know.
I’m really just shaking my head right now
I’d have been as happy taking Selby at 17 as Shumpert. I know he had some red flags but it’s weird he fell *that* far.
Faried would have been a good choice if only to even out the offensive boards but I liked Shumpert better than Singleton. Singleton also wasn’t a good fit next to Carmelo.
The times I’ve seen Shumpert play, his defense was legitimate. Quick active hands and feet. What surprised me was how solid his point guard skills were. Based on his reputation as a combo guard who takes bad shots, I expected a lot of ball pounding, disregarding of teammates, failures to throw the ball ahead but I didn’t see that. Another impressive thing was how during their blowouts–and Georgia Tech was routed often–Shumpert still kept trying to play his role. I think he has a decent head on his shoulders and is capable of behaving like a professional. He could be the backup point.
Shumpert also wasn’t well served by the slow pace Paul Hewitt favored at Georgia Tech. They weren’t a talented team and really struggled to score in the halfcourt yet Hewitt never tried to speed them up. I think Shumpert is more suited to playing in a 7SOL offense myself.
92nd St. Y? I used to play there before I moved to VT. I do have a soft spot for that song. Just thought NYK fans may be feeling Rage Against The Machine more than Bruce Hornsby. Not sure what you mean by tin foil hat wearer. Watching LBJ in the finals gave me more respect for Kobe.
I’m fine with this pick. It’s not like we bypassed someone I really like, as was the case in the Weis/ Artest debacle. Anyone at 17 is going to come with some question marks. Amazing how basketball skill is less of a commodity than athleticism. Seems like, if you’re not lightning quick and can’t jump out of the gym you have no chance in the NBA. So, teams pick athletes and teach them basketball. The fact that Donnie chose him is ultimately why I have faith. So sad he’s leaving.
You mean the Weis / Metta World Peace debacle?