[NYTimes] Lindsay Whalen Juggles Jobs as a W.N.B.A. Player and an N.C.A.A. Coach (Friday, May 18, 2018 10:23:07 AM)
Whalen has taken on dual duties this year: point guard for the W.N.B.A.’s Minnesota Lynx and coach of the University of Minnesota women’s basketball team.
[NYTimes] Sports of The Times: Rockets vs. Warriors: The Dead Live Again in Houston (Thursday, May 17, 2018 4:55:54 PM)
The Rockets were shirt-sticks-to-your-back hot in Game 2 behind James Harden and Chris Paul, complicating Golden State’s supposedly foregone stroll to the N.B.A. finals.
[NYTimes] Not at the Game: In Alaska, Watching Moose Commercials and the Rockets Stomp the Warriors (Thursday, May 17, 2018 4:24:19 PM)
Many high school coaches try to play like the Golden State Warriors. The coach of Alaska’s powerhouse high school champions thinks the key is to play like the Houston Rockets.
(Thursday, May 17, 2018 8:33:14 PM)
CHICAGO — Michigan State’s Miles Bridges believes he’s made for New York and he can fit in David Fizdale’s system.
(Thursday, May 17, 2018 5:54:17 PM)
CHICAGO — David Fizdale’s main priorities this summer are to connect with Kristaps Porzingis and create a winning culture and environment that brings out the best in the Knicks’ franchise player.
[NYDN] David Fizdale on what he’ll tell Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis (Thursday, May 17, 2018 8:49:18 PM)
David Fizdale has set his priority for the beginning of his Knicks tenure: make Kristaps Porzingis believe in the Knicks again.
[NYDN] Michael Porter Jr. declares himself ‘best player in this draft’ (Thursday, May 17, 2018 4:12:37 PM)
A day after he met with the Knicks, Michael Porter Jr. declared himself the greatest prospect.
(Thursday, May 17, 2018 7:02:58 PM)
Last July, after Phil Jackson’s firing, it was evident the Knicks had a new developmental philosophy: making the lottery wouldn’t be the worst predicament. “Plummet for Porter” was to be the unofficial motto. Incoming Missouri freshman small forward Michael Porter Jr. was touted as the potential No. 1 pick in the draft. And despite an…
(Thursday, May 17, 2018 3:13:59 PM)
CHICAGO — Knicks coach David Fizdale doesn’t want to make just one trip to Latvia – but multiple, in a push to establish a strong rapport with Kristaps Porzingis. Indeed, Fizdale, appearing at the draft combine here, said that connecting with Porzingis is his “biggest goal” this summer. Porzingis is rehabbing a torn ACL in Europe,…
(Thursday, May 17, 2018 9:00:42 PM)
David Fizdale discusses how he’ll begin to build a relationship with Knicks star Kristaps Porzingis.
(Thursday, May 17, 2018 7:45:32 PM)
Michael Porter Jr. interviews with the Knicks at the NBA Combine and says he’s the best player in the draft.
(Thursday, May 17, 2018 6:40:40 PM)
In Gary Parrish’s NBA mock draft, he has the Knicks taking Duke F Wendell Carter Jr. instead of Villanova F Mikal Bridges.
(Thursday, May 17, 2018 4:10:32 PM)
The Knicks are in need of help on the wing.
(Thursday, May 17, 2018 11:05:26 AM)
It has been a question for more than a decade: When will the Knicks be good again?
81 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2018.05.18)”
So the Knicks like MPJr and MPJr likes the Knicks. I would be so happy if we drafted him because he’s going to kill. I imagine he’ll be a lot like Jabari Parker except a better rebounder, and Parker is a player I still like a lot despite the knee issues.
One thing I caught from a Fizdale interview at the combine, and it’s the most important thing he’s said since he got the job, was that the Knicks were looking for a wing “3-4” type of player ideally. If you want a 3-4 wing and not a 2-3 wing, it’s because you want to play KP at the 5 long term. The 3-4 guys in this draft are MPJr, Miles Bridges, and Kevin Knox. Mikal Bridges is a pure 3 to me that can guard 2s, and I think his defense and shooting make his floor the Cavs at 8.
I really like Michael Porter Jr’s chances of falling. When I mock out the draft, I see:
PHO: Ayton
SAC: Doncic
ATL: Bamba
MEM: Bagley
DAL: Jackson Jr
ORL: Young
CHI: Carter Jr
CLE: Mikal Bridges
NYK: Michael Porter Jr
I could see Memphis, Dallas, and Chicago as potential landing spots for Porter Jr ahead of us. People think Cleveland is a place he could end up but I doubt that they take the risk on him. Dallas worries me, but they need a big to pair with DSJr long term. Memphis also worries me, but there’s so much top flight talent at 4 still available there’s no point to take that risk. If you want a scorer just grab Bagley.
MPJr to the Knicks will happen, people. We just gottac believe.
My prediction: Portrr and Mikal would be gone and the Knicks would choose between Young and Miles, whoever is more impressive in workouts.
Just for the record, Larkin played for the Knicks under Phil and Fisher. The reason he wasn’t kept was that he was more of a P&R point guard that wasn’t effective in the triangle. He was also undersized. Phil was looking for tall defensive minded PGs that could play in a 2 guard front (hence drafting Frank). There was also some crazy story about the size of his hands, but I’m guessing Phil was smoking those funny cigarettes when he said that. 🙂 It was good for both player and team that he moved on.
I agree with @2 that we will likely be picking between Tre and Miles. I see it going down like this:
PHO: Ayton
SAC: Doncic
ATL: Bagley
MEM: Jackson Jr
DAL: Bamba
ORL: Carter Jr
CHI: Porter
CLE: Mikal Bridges
NYK: Tre Young
*whispers*
I’d be sort of excited if Trae Young ended up on the Knicks. Trae/KP PNRs with shooters on the wings and corner would be pretty fun.
*in normal voice*
If we’re really in a spot where we’re choosing between Trae and Miles Bridges, I might consider trading down. But who knows what kind of offers there would be.
Re: Trae – it probably comes down to workouts with him — if he shoots the lights out in workouts I think it’d be pretty hard for Orlando or Cleveland to pass on him. Orlando needs some juice out there and so I would guess if the board falls the way ess-dog wrote, I think they would take Trae or Porter and not Wendell Carter, who is a bit redundant with Aaron Gordon + Isaac etc.
Trae honestly would fit pretty well in Cleveland regardless of whether Lebron stays or goes. Taking over the Kyrie role would work if Lebron stays, and if Lebron leaves, they will definitely need a shot creator.
If one of Trae\Bamba\MPJ fall then I think we have to take them. Those are the potential franchise changing talents in our range.
It would be nice think that Luka possibly not coming to the NBA next season would drop his stock enough for us to snag him somehow. But I think either Phoenix or Sacramento grabs him and doesn’t let go.
https://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/249911/Luka-Doncic-Undecided-On-Joining-NBA-Next-Season
If Bamba or Wendell Carter slides, what about a trade with Boston for Rozier, Yabusele, #27 and a future Boston first? Rozier is probably not enough to keep you guys out of the lottery next year but him, KP, Frank and next year’s pick would be a pretty decent core going forward.
Mike
We should be pumped if Trae drops to us. At this point, we really need bites at the apple to get another star. Of the guys who could be available at 9, Trae and MPJ have by far the highest upsides. The potential reward vs. risk there far outweighs the value of drafting another role player.
I think Carter is worth moving up for, if possible.
Duke actually played better when Bagley was out with an injury because Carter became more of a focus on offense while the defense improved in Bagley’s absence. Carter’s a much better passer out of the block and always finds his three-point shooters, unlike Bagley.
Miles Bridges
At the lower weight, he may be more of an NBA small forward and more of what we are looking for. (good rebounding will help also)
I love Carter as a prospect, but I question his defensive fit with Porzingis, especially post-ACL. Can either of them really guard 4s? What do we think?
@1 MPJ, Bridges, or Knox would be my pick. I’m very skeptical that any of these big men are quick enough to defend on the perimeter, nor do I want another guard.
Guarding quicker stretch 4s is the question mark in my mind also. That’s what makes me lean towards Mikal Bridges a bit even though some might argue he has less upside on offense and he isn’t much of a rebounder (which we could use if KP eventually plays C). I’ve had a similar worry about Miles Bridges. He seems to be more of a PF, but he’s undersized for that position in the NBA and some questioned his quickness at SF. But if he legitimately lost 20 pounds, I’m going to guess he knows his future is at SF and he’s getting in good enough shape to guard SFs.
carter was never really put in a position to showcase his perimeter guarding abilities… duke played zone for most of the year… and i think it was mainly to hide bagley on defense….
guarding the pnr tho is a skill that all big men have issues with… the ball handling in the nba is unmatched anywhere in the world which is why trae young ran circles around college defenses…
so its an unknown with carter.. but he does have quick twitch ability and awareness with anchoring the duke defense… hes not like jahlil okafor where hes wide and groundbound which is probably the main concern…. his body and athleticism remind me a lot of elton brand so to the extent that he can guard non lebron or giannis or durant pfs i think he can be fine…
This is the kind of thinking we need teams in front of us to have.
Amar’e Stoudemire notwithstanding, it’s hard to find a superstar at 9. But you can definitely find a good player. We should be happy getting a good two-way player who isn’t a star but can be a plus NBA starter on both sides of the ball for his first two contracts.
Memphis is apparently aiming to trade down from pick #4.
NYK Receives:
#4 pick
Chandler Parsons
MEM Receives:
#9 pick
Tim Hardaway Jr
Who says no?
Just in the last 20 years there have been 4 likely (or should be) HoFers drafted at #9:
Shawn Marion
Dirk Nowitzki
Tracy McGrady
Andre Iguodala
Hayward, Derozan, Drummond, Kemba, Joakim Noah also. There is tons of talent at the #9 position historically…
@18 – that’s sort of an interesting offer. Would depend on who is there at #4. Parsons’ contract is super-awful but one can imagine that he might be able to eventually recover enough to earn at least some part of that. He plays a position of need. And Memphis could definitely use more wing scoring.
As of now it seems like the top 9 will be Doncic, Ayton, Bagley, JJJ, MPJ, Mikal Bridges, Bamba, and Young (not necessarily in that order).
The guys who could realistically slip to us are Bridges, Bamba, MPJ, and Young. I’d rank them this way as of now:
1) Bamba–there are legitimate concerns about his mobility and offensive game, but the upside is just too high to not grab him and be delighted. I think his floor is higher than the conventional wisdom suggests too. 4.9 (!!!) BLK/40 is no joke. I think he’s the least likely of this bunch to be here after measurements though.
2) Young–I also think the floor with him is higher than people think. Someone who can shoot and pass like he can will find a role in the NBA. I know he took tons of defensive plays off but 1.9 STL/40 suggests there’s some hope on that end too.
3) Bridges–I’m not sure what position he’ll wind up playing between the 2 and the 3. I think his rebounding will be an issue if he’s at the 3 but he might not have the playmaking chops to be a guard. Still, it’s hard to believe someone who can competently guard 3 positions and shoot threes at a high clip won’t find a place on just about any team.
4) Porter–I just get a bad feeling. Back injuries don’t tend to go away and I’m not exactly blown away by the limited footage/numbers we have. I won’t be mad if we take him after due diligence but I’d probably prefer Brown or Williams.
Huh?
McGrady
Nowitzki
Marion
Amar’e
Iguodala
Noah
DeRozan
Hayward
Kemba
Drummond
In 20 years, the #9 pick has produced 10 All-NBA/All-Star players. If you put that team together in their primes, it wins a title or four.
I’m not saying that the #9 pick is better than the #8 pick — it’s just that NBA teams are fucking awful at evaluating prospects. Like how-are-you-still-employed bad.
we should try to moveup for carter… and any non kp or frank player should be included…
Bamba just recorded a 7’10” wingspan. I would be shocked if he dropped to us. I bet he goes top 5.
In my previous post I forgot to include Carter in the top 9. He’ll definitely be there and I used to think there was a chance of him slipping to us at 9 but I think his late season push with Bagley injured all but precluded that. If he were to be available, I’d take him over any of the guys I mentioned.
Even though we have lots of guards Young falling to us would be amazing. He had a truly historic season. He had the second most points behind Durant, in 3 fewer games, and the most assists ever for a freshman. He had plenty of steals and had solid efficiency when you consider his usage and his teammates. His turnovers were high but with his usage and assist rate the turnovers while concerning aren’t a huge red flag. He also did it all while playing in a major conference. It’s unprecedented. End of the day while measurements and workouts are important, nothing trumps production and Young had it in spades.
Curry had similar defensive red flags and also has a short wingspan and he turned out okay. Young is twice the prospect Curry was as a freshman, once you factor in the difference in competition between Oklahoma and Davidson.
@22 – that list gives us some hope
We should forward it to Perry and Mills with the admonishment not to fuck it up
Ok, so there have been an usually high number of stars taken at 9!
But that list isn’t a list of equals. Nowitzki is a Hall of Famer. Iggy, Marion, DeRozan, Hayward, Noah are not, but they’re great basketball players.
My point was at 9 I would rather go for someone is likely to be an Iggy/Marion/DeRozan/Hayward/Noah than to swing for the fences because “we need a star” and take Trae Yoiung who is unlikely to be the next Steph Curry.
I’m a “NO” on Young.
I think he’s going to be a worse version of Trey Burke next year and a better version at his peak, but always a significant liability defensively and maybe never such an efficient scorer we can overlook the defense.
I’m sort of hoping he gets selected before us just so we aren’t temped to take him.
Iggy and Marion were incredibly good players in their primes. That’s the type of upside we should be hoping for at 9 best case. It is exceedingly unlikely that any of the safer prospects in this year’s draft will ever be as good as Iggy or Marion. Their’s is exactly the sort upside you’re hoping for out of guys like Trae or MPJ. Anything above that is gravy.
How many of those guys would you consider “superstars” (what I said we shouldn’t be targeting) vs “really good two players” (what I said we should be targeting). I mean, I *love* Shawn Marion, but I don’t think people considered him a superstar.
I think you get my point. Actually, you’re kinda making it when you say:
Let other teams pass up the really good players because they think Trae Young might be a superstar. That way we can benefit from their stupidity and find ourselves a Marion or an Iggy or a Noah. That’s how all those players fell to 9 to begin with.
My preferences that have some chance of actually occurring
1. Carter Jr.
2. MPJ
3.Young falls and L.A. swaps picks (though I’m sure the Knicks would have to include 37)
4. Young falls and we take him
5. Mikal Bridges
Sadly I think the Knicks will be choosing between Sexton and Miles Bridges/Knox- none of which excite me. If Young shoots well in workouts he’ll go before the Knicks can take him but if he doesn’t then Mikal’s probably gone and Sexton passes Young as “BPA”. If the Knicks go for need then Miles and Knox are the two top 3/4s once Porter is gone.
I think Carter and Bridges are the guys likely to have close to an Iggy/Marion kind of impact in the league because they can impact both sides of the ball. Young and Porter are scorers and I don’t want to go back to building around one-way players. Those are the guys you want someone else to take because they think they need a superstar.
Young is certainly worth a long look if he’s there. His offensive numbers don’t look great but he created almost every shot he took by himself and he’s a terrific passer.
It’s funny with all these #9s how they each got passed up for different reasons.
Drummond had the supposed attitude problem, which unless illegal activities are involved, should usually be ignored. That was good luck for the Pistons.
With Haward, he just didn’t look like an NBA athlete, but by all regards was the hardest-worker anyone had seen in a long time (that gift probably shouldn’t be discounted). He just kept growing and improving.
Personally, I would worry about anyone that “takes plays off”, “doesn’t have a love of the game”, etc., but you never know, I suppose.
When the knicks say “BPA”, being tough, gritty, and hard working is part of it. I think they’re looking for a certain kind of guy, beyond skills and talent.
Shawn Marion was a major starter on a championship team, but earlier, a guy who played a ridiculous 47 MPG in the 2003 playoffs for a Phoenix team about to swap out Starbury for Nash and turn into a title contender. If Robert Horry doesn’t hip-check Nash into the mezzanine and Amar’e doesn’t leave the bench, Marion probably has another chip (and Amar’e probably never leaves Phoenix, and the Knicks throw $80M at Joe Johnson or Carlos Boozer, so the Knicks missed out on a chip too!).
If you get Shawn Marion with the #9, you have won the draft. I am always about BPA, and I don’t care who they are or what position they play. If it means getting a Robert Covington (solid player on a contender) instead of the Ben Simmons (soon-to-be superstar) you wished for, that’s fine. The important thing is consistently making good decisions with the hand you’ve been dealt.
I mean, they have Kyle O’Quinn, and they played him just 18 MPG last season.
If Trae Young is still on the board and the Knicks draft Collin Sexton I’m going to personally go to MSG and punch Scott Perry in the dick
I think I’m the only one but I’m not completely convinced bt Carter Jr. I think his lack of quickness will be a problem. I foresee him really struggling in the PnR and he is a pure center in a league going away from pure centers. I want KP to be the biggest and slowest player we have out there and would much rather have a more modern 4 next to him than plodding center forcing KP out on the perimeter on defense.
“When the knicks say “BPA”, being tough, gritty, and hard working is part of it. I think they’re looking for a certain kind of guy, beyond skills and talent.”
i.e a Rough Rider ??
Yeah the Collin Sexton thing scares me. He has been the Knicks pick by ESPN/DX every single mock draft. Of course they thought we were drafting Malik Monk last year so maybe they don’t have great sources in the organization.
Thing is – I think Collin is ok especially defensively. But Trae has the chance to be an amazing offensive player – gotta take him over Sexton if PG is the pick.
You’re making my point. We both love Shawn Marion, and I think with the 9th pick in this draft you’re more likely to find a guy like him than than the next superstar. What I don’t want to do is end up with DeJuan Wagner because we think we need to make a high risk selection because we need a superstar
The original statement I replied to was:
Every year teams take a guy who has a 5% chance of being a superstar over a guy who has a 65% chance of being a really good NBA player. That’s why so many good players fall. I don’t want to be the team that takes a bust because if you squint real hard he looks like he might be Steph Curry or Kevin Durant. I want to be the team that walks away from the draft with a guy who is could be the 3rd or 4th best player on a really good team for a really long time. I know you agree with this logic, so I’m not sure why you’re arguing.
Carter isn’t that slow footed tbh. He’s certainly not fast, but he’s not plodding either. He also has very good defensive awareness, which makes up for a lot of his mediocre foot speed when defending
Why? Whats the scouting report on the 2? I heard that Young didnt really have an NBA game and Sexton did. I didnt follow college this year
Agree 100%. Young played with awful teammates, opposing teams keyed on him the 2nd half of the season and his stats fell off a cliff. But the guy is an amazing passer and his release reminds me of Steph Curry’s (and no, I’m not saying he’s the next Steph Curry)
I just have a hunch he’s going to be lighting up arenas around the NBA next season when he actually plays with capable teammates.
facehumper, re: Lonnie I hear you and agree that there’s something missing in his game, probably between the ears. But is it that he’s young and needs to develop or that he’s just dumb and will never develop?
The guy is incredibly talented, maybe the most skilled player in the draft other than Trae and has good size for a 2, but it seems he’s more Ben McLemore than C. J. McCollum. Is that what you see?
I’m seeing a decent amount of mocks with the Bulls taking Miles Bridges. That would be swell.
I would not be shocked if we lock into Sexton and take him no matter who else is on the board. Even if a guy like Carter or Bridges fell, I could see Perry taking Sexton.
@44 Plodding was probably unfair but his foot speed was a liability in college. It’s going to be a real problem in the NBA. My worry with Carter is he will be Hernangomez with a 3 point shot which is a solid player but not an ideal pairing with KP.
@43 Comparing Young to Wagner is absurd. Young isn’t a maybe he’s a superstar lets roll the dice type prospect. He is the best passer in the draft and every bit the passer that Ball was last year while showing a much more rounded offensive game and projects to be a poor defender but still better than Ball and everyone was flipping out for Ball last year.
As for potential star vs role player Young has just as high of a floor as Bridges, Carter Jr, or Sexton while also having the highest ceiling. With the season he just had I cannot see him being a bad offensive player in the NBA, and his steal numbers give some hope he might not be completely hopeless defensively.
After watching these playoffs, I don’t believe it’s going to be possible to play two true bigs at the same time anymore. I think is hard enough playing one. We need a good 3/4.
Meanwhile, another school shooting today.
“Thoughts and prayers”
“This isn’t the appropriate time to be talking about guns”
“We need more secure schools”
This country is mightily fucked up.
@48 I’m pretty sure you have no reason besides “lolknicks” and “lolMudiay” but Scott Perry had a lot to do with the Jarret anti-tank Jack and Trey Burke additions to the team. I don’t think it’s even half fair to assume the Knicks are going to lock onto Collin Sexton when every indication is that we want a wing.
Miles Bridges, Mikal Bridges, Michael Porter Jr, and Kevin Knox. The Knicks are going to end up with one of these four players at pick #9.
From Cole Zwicker, whose draft opinion I respect a lot, on twitter:
That seems pretty spot on to me.
Sweet, let’s make a “need” pick when we fucking suck and have almost no good young talent! BPA, schmee PA.
Knicks, bitches!
Not drafting Wendell because he’s not a good fit with our best young player =/= making a need pick.
First of all, yes that does make it a need pick. But more importantly, while KP is our best young player he’s not that good (yet) and he really hasn’t made any improvement since we drafted him. We shouldn’t be moving forward assuming that he’s going to be the centerpiece of a championship caliber team.
Not picking Carter is not making a need pick, it’s passing on a player who is not necessarily BPA because he doesn’t fit with the one important player, a player who is much better than Carter, that the Knicks have. It wouldn’t be passing on LeBron because we have Tim Thomas.
That’s why I’m okay with taking Young even though we have Burke and Frank. Because they are not who we are building around and Young has a much higher upside than Carter. The only thing we need to think about moving forward is how to maximize KP, his potential, and his fit with other players. Drafting someone who fits badly with KP will hurt their development because they will be forced into suboptimal roles.
Is KP one of these guys who needs the *just right* player to play next to him? He rebounds like shit for a 5, so you need a 4 who is a stellar rebounder, but the rebounder also has to be quick footed, fast enough to guard stretch 4’s. That’s really kind of threading the needle, no? Kind of limits how valuable KP actually is.
@59 You don’t need a stellar rebounder just a good one. KP’s rebounding is better than his numbers suggest. The on/off for KP for defensive rebounding shows a player that doesn’t hurt the Knicks too much rebounding the ball. You can’t have Lance Thomas next to him but any 9-10 rebs per 36 type 4 is probably good enough.
I’d love to see someone like Larry Nance next to KP.
When you turn down a player’s super cheap third year option before he plays a minute for you, thus making him a free agent when he doesn’t need to be, you are giving up on said player, plain and simple.
KP is great, but we are nowhere near the level of team that drafts on need, and KP is nowhere near the level player we that teams build around. We have such a dearth of talent that outside of KP there is no young clear cut NBA player on the damn team.
We suck. Best player available. Whoever the f that is.
Passing on a player because of fit is different than reaching for a player based on need. Carter will not be clearly the BPA at 9 so passing on him to take Bridges wouldn’t be a need draft it would be simply taking a different similarly rated player because of fit. Reaching for Knox because we want a 3/4 would be drafting based on need, because he is clearly inferior to other players available at #9.
Carter seems like KOQ with a polished post game and more range on his jumper- that’s a really good player. He’s 6’10, 250, like Kyle he should fine against most centers but will occasionally have trouble in the post against the biggest 5s. KP has faded after hot starts every season and is coming off of a major injury- he’s no sure thing as a franchise building block so if Carter drops, unless MPJ is also available he’ll almost certainly be the best player available and should be taken.
If Mikal Bridges offered anything in the way of rebounding, playmaking or shot creation he’d be right there with Carter (he’s no Iggy- who is a terrific playmaker- or Marion who was a fantastic rebounder) and given his age I think he’s a lesser prospect but still would be a better pick than Sexton IMO.
Carter is definitely the better prospect to either Bridges imo. It would be foolish for a crap team like the Knicks to pass on him for a lesser player at a “need” position. You could argue Porter or Tre is as good or better than Carter, though.
I’d take Carter without hesitation but it’s an interesting discussion.
Watching Doncic highlights, such a doughboy. He and Ayton a definite contrast in the physique dept.
But it’s also hard to believe he can put tho numbers up in Euro ball that he does when most kids his age are playing in the second division.
He’d play in Phoenix right?
Sounds like Phoenix wants Ayton though.
Wow so DiVincenzo got the best standing and max vert leaps. Good for him. He’s definitely moving up. It also sounds like a lot of teams are interested in Mikal, as high up as #5. I think Carter is the one that is most likely to drop to us because PPG, but it could be Porter.
Dang, I really wish we could get Doncic. It would definitely take our 2 firsts though. Maybe #9 (Wendell) and Frank, though I’d hate to give up Frank bc he’s a good fit with Doncic. We just don’t have enough assets.
I’d be fine with Carter, but I’m fine with KP at the 4. He doesn’t seem dramatically better than Mikal though. KOQ with a 3 point shot is a very good player, but serviceable bigs are relatively inexpensive in FA.
Doncic has really impressive stats for a guy who may have been born without deltoids
How long would Doncic have to stay in Europe to avoid a rookie contract after being drafted? That might be his biggest money move.
@70 I believe its 4 years.
I think that drafting a big is a mistake unless that big is freakish in some way and is guaranteed to be on the floor against short, dynamic lineups. I this draft, I see a few players like that, but Carter is not among them.
I don’t even know how you can have a strong opinion on Porter. He was good in HS I guess, but he’s not an overwhelming physical specimen like Lebron or Dwight Howard and he’s coming off back surgery
Yeah. I could see a scenario where Carter is obviously the BPA in a vacuum, but you need to weigh fit in a ‘can they be effective in the NBA as it exists or will forseeably exist’ way. Just cause someone dominates in college doesn’t mean their skill set is relevant to the NBA.
It sure seems to me like we’re getting carried away with this idea that bigs are useless in the modern NBA. It’s not hard at all to imagine Wendell Carter turning out to be a similar player to someone like Al Horford. They’re not identical players so spare me the bit about “yeah but Horford is better at blah blah blah.” Horford is a thick front court player who can shoot threes, set pulverizing screens and rebound well. Carter is not some totally different kind of player. That’s not a guy you want at 9, because that kind of player is obsolete? I don’t buy that.
I guess maybe? But how many guys project that way and end up useless? The draft is a crap shoot. The best drafting teams miss more than they hit. Makes more sense to bet on a skill set you know can be impactful than one that might work contrary to what most of that type does. It’s not like Carter looks to have a stratospheric ceiling.
doctor says I need a backiotomy
I don’t think Carter is totally useless, but he is pretty redundant with what we already have. He and KP are not a good fit. Why spend a top 10 pick on him? It really depends on whether you believe KP is worth building around. I think he is and I believe the Knicks do as well.
Thing is though, he really isn’t redundant with KP. He’s a plus rebounder, which KP ain’t. And he can pass out of the post and find the open man, which KP can’t. And he can set solid screens, which KP can’t.
I think Carter and KP would be fine together, although I would prefer someone with quicker feet that could allow KP to be at the 5 full-time eventually. If the idea is to have a guy that can play with KP, protect him from all the banging inside, and be the rebounding/rim-protecting center while KP chases dudes around the perimeter, I’d rather pay KOQ 3 years $21MM and spend the pick on a wing.
(side note – I solidly believe that KOQ should be able to become at least an average 3 point shooter given how good he is from midrange and that he’s a 77% FT shooter for the last 4-5 seasons – at least good enough that teams would have to come out and guard him a little).
Relatively small sample but lineups with Frank, KP, and KOQ had a DRtg of 98.1 (98th percentile) in 266 possessions.
I think KOQ would thrive in the Marc Gasol role — honestly they are pretty similar players, and KOQ’s defensive metrics are better than Gasol’s in many respects.
By showing up at Fizdale’s press conference (and saying over and over he wants to be a Knick), he’s basically begging to give a hometown discount to stay. I’d take him up on that.
The reason to draft Mikal Bridges if he is available is that while he is old for this draft class, he’s still only 21 years old. He WILL get stronger in an NBA strength/nutrition program. If he can put on 5-10 pounds of muscle he would basically be Jaylen Brown size and be able to play the 4 in spots. So by age 24-25 he could guard 1-4 and play anything from SG-PF on offense, whereas someone like Carter (who I really do like) would be basically pigeonholed as a 1 or 2 position player.
RE: his rebounding – a fair amount has been made of how Jay Wright used Bridges as the head of his 1-2-2 zone, so basically he was always guarding the dude farthest from the rim. I can imagine that would impact his rebounding stats.
I would be “fine” with either Mikal or Wendell. Miles, less so, but would trust that the current scouts and Perry did their due diligence. A trade with the Clips would be OK too. Somehow I feel that we’re gonna wind up with Sexton. Porter and Young are not falling, no way. Neither is Bamba.