After looking at scouting videos, I may have changed my personal take slightly in favor of Mudiay over Russell, but for those who I have been down on Russell, I encourage you to take a look at the the video I posted. There is also a weaknesses video for Russell and for Mudiay as well.
Russell may not be the athlete Mudiay is, but to say he cannot create his own shot is borderline disrespectful. This kid's feel for the game is unreal.
So give me whoever is left on the board, Russell or Mudiay. I think both of them are going to be better players than Okafor and maybe even KAT. The importance of the big man down low is why those two guys are going first, not because of pure talent. They are turning into the QBs of the NBA draft.
D Russell Strengths - (
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What I like most is he clearly has the physical tools to be very good and then you read about his bball intelligence and work ethic and I think he's be a great pickup for the Knicks. Maybe he ends up a bust but I'm not seeing any major red flags.
TTH in the other thread i started there are full games of him if you want to watch him rather than just highlights...
I wanted KAT, but that's out the window. Now I kinda want Mudiay because he seems to have the highest upside, but I have a small feeling that Russell might fit the profile of a kid that goes undervalued in the draft, but ends up having the best career of the guys in front of him.
@Italianju I honestly see alot of Harden in him. He doesn't have the same penchant of getting to the line as Harden, but thats something Harden got over time. Russell has better pure PG skills than harden IMO.
@ny16 haha my apologies on the threads coinciding. I want to see those games when I get a chance today though.
Out of all the prospects i think Mudiay can hit the ground running, i also think him and Calderon or him and Galloway can play together in the backcourt...
@ny16 haha my apologies on the threads coinciding. I want to see those games when I get a chance today though.
No worries i think we posted at the exact same time...
From watching Mudiay in a couple of these games i think he can play with Calderon if that is what it comes to...he can guard 2's and Calderon can play off the ball and spread the court..
I was just thinking of that this morning. It's kind of excruciating to see the talent that came through the Knicks in the past decade that needed time and play to develop now winning playoff games for other teams.
Trevor Ariza, basically. He's had a real nice NBA career.
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people dont expect him to be a star from day 1. These guys all are going to take time. I wouldnt even be shocked if Calderon starts (wouldnt be my choice, but it wouldnt shock me).
I was just thinking of that this morning. It's kind of excruciating to see the talent that came through the Knicks in the past decade that needed time and play to develop now winning playoff games for other teams.
Trevor Ariza, basically. He's had a real nice NBA career.
Can thank Larry Brown for that one
Has to be, no pick next year have to make the playoffs...
I'm NOT killing the team at all. But it's a little bittersweet when you think about how the Knicks lack talent.
Last night all anyone talked about was how the Knicks took another Loss because JR had a good game...really where were you during his suspension or the past couple of games where he has not shot well..give me a break...
Shumpert and THJR have certainly surpassed pre-draft expectations. Prigioni, Lin and Galloway were solid undrafted signings. Landry Fields was more than serviceable in his tenure here given where he was taken. Fans gave the Knicks a lot of crap for the Gallinari pick but he was able to play up to his hype well enough to be appealing to Denver for Melo. Same goes for Wilson Chandler.
Not many people remember but Kostas Papanikalou was a late 2nd round pick of ours in 2012 and he has shown some flashes in Houston.
Since 2011 the knicks have had a good track record. I am confident that they will seek the right player.
18.6 4.8 boards on 44% from the field, 40% from 3. Dropped 47 and 9 on the Mavs
Towns, Okafor, Mudiay (Sixers love upside), and then Russell is what I expect
Okafor is 8th seed material. The fact is every contending team has a dominant big man DEFENSIVE presence. If we get Okafor, who is going to be that presence? Okafor got DESTROYED by Frank Kaminsky in the championship game. He can't defend his own position, let alone anchor a defense.
What if I told you we could get a 17 and 10 guy entering his prime with an elite post up game, fantastic big man passing skills, can defend his position, AND he can hit free throws in free agency?
His name is Greg Monroe.
Towns, Okafor, Mudiay (Sixers love upside), and then Russell is what I expect
It will be interesting who Mudiay works out for first, i wnder if he is in with the Knicks and they love him if they tell him to shut it down and not work out for any other team...
Of Course it may not matter because Hinkie scouted him in China personally...
But something interesting the Sixers were apparently in love with Mudiay early in the season when he was playing and as the season went on according to reports it turned and they fell in love with Russell, so who knows...
I actually think Russell is the better fit for the Sixers and it is not because i want Mudiay
I see him as being Washington's consolation prize when they realize they cannot get KD.
I see him as being Washington's consolation prize when they realize they cannot get KD.
Oh I don't expect his return. I just meant hypothetically he'd probably do quite well in the triangle.
Okafor is 8th seed material. The fact is every contending team has a dominant big man DEFENSIVE presence. If we get Okafor, who is going to be that presence? Okafor got DESTROYED by Frank Kaminsky in the championship game. He can't defend his own position, let alone anchor a defense.
What if I told you we could get a 17 and 10 guy entering his prime with an elite post up game, fantastic big man passing skills, can defend his position, AND he can hit free throws in free agency?
His name is Greg Monroe.
I think the plan is check in with Aldridge and Gasol and see if they have a chance, if they do obviously they will have them in for visit or go to them and give them their pitch....
If not i think they go after Monroe, which personally i think is wrapped because of the relationship with the agent and i think Mills and Jackson got word through backchannels that Gasol and Aldridge are unattainable...both said they will not waste their time on players they know they can not get and move on....
after Monroe i think they want to add a defensive SG, i think they want Matthews, the question is how much does he want, does he take a smaller 2 year deal and wait for the big money...entirely possible coming off an injury...
So say you max Monroe-15 million
Say Matthews take a 2 year deal with opt out first year: 6 million
leaves you with 6-8 million left give or take depending on if Calderon is still here and Hrdaway...
Mudiay/Russell
Matthews
Melo
Monroe
I think a guy like Amir Johnson would be a good fit next to Monroe and Melo....
Johnson can block shots and he can also step out and hit a jump shot almost to 3 point range...
Mudiay or russell/Calderon
Matthews/hardaway/Galloway
Melo/Ledo
Monroe/Thomas
Johnson/Amundson/aldrich
You would also have the 2.5 million exception to add a vet for the bench...
If you're a center in the NBA and you want to win at any sort of level, you have to play good D. Who is the last championship team that had a poor defensive center?
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way too extreme. Does he have to play both PF and C? Cant you put a defensive guy next to him (gasol next to Randolph). Al Jefferson is not a bad NBA player, not sure why the idea that he is Al Jefferson means he is a bum. Jefferson hasnt exactly been on the best of teams which hurts the perception of him. A guy who steps on the court and goes 16 and 9 like you say is a pretty good player. Im fine not getting him, but id be pretty happy to get him.
If you're a center in the NBA and you want to win at any sort of level, you have to play good D. Who is the last championship team that had a poor defensive center?
I'd argue historical center defense isn't that relevant because there are so few good centers. I think you need 1 rim protector/good defender. 4 or 5 doesn't matter.
Look at the east: Cavs are playing their best playing small with Thompson at Center...
the league is getting smaller and smaller...
What did they have in common? They all start stretch 4s. Draymond Green, Terrence Jones, Milsap, Love (look how inefficient Lebron has been since Love went down), Josh Smith and D-Mo. Horford is even a stretch center.
I'm not crying for a stretch 4, but if we got Monroe that would solidify rebounding, passing, and a post game.
Al Jefferson and Randolph can at least hold their man down, Okafor can't give you anything defensively.
Al Jefferson, Greg Monroe, Brook Lopez, and Enes Kanter will all be free agents and can already do what Okafor is expected to 3-4 years from now. The supply is so high for an Okafor-type big in free agency and while the supply for an elite guard is virtually nonexistent in the next few years, why waste a 1st round pick, which we do not have many of in the coming years, on something that can be gotten for $10-$15 million a year in free agency, which isn't much given the upcoming cap increases.
If you have good 3 point shooting, that means wing defenders need to play up front more.
When wing players play up more, that means shooters then have to get into drive mode.
When wings are driving against defenders that are playing up close, they have a much higher chance of getting beat.
When the defender gets beat, who needs to rotate over to stop an easy 2?
The big.
Who are the top rim protectors in the league?
Gasol, Jordan, Mozgov, Howard, Gortat, Bogut, Duncan, Splitter, Robin Lopez, Chandler.
Look at where their teams finished this year.