- West still viewed as "very likely"
- Wade-2. The Knicks (Chance: 10 percent). You hear the Knicks name bandied about some because of their approximate $27 million in cap space and Wade's friendship with Carmelo Anthony. But, again, would a rebuilding team sink big money into an aging Wade? The Knicks would be more apt to go after Detroit free agent Greg Monroe, 25. But if they don't get him, Wade could be a short-term stop-gap and provide some sizzle in Madison Square Garden.
Raissman-Collins critique of Jackson was a spool of cotton candy compared to the tirade Adam Schein launched on SXM radio. This got personal. He called all Jacksons soliloquies cringe inducing, adding that even one more day of Jax as Knicks prez will be disastrous for the franchise.
Phil Jackson needs to resign, Schein demanded on SXMs Mad Dog Radio. He has been an horrendous executive.
Schein appeared to soften a tad when he described Jackson as absolutely tone deaf, clueless and irresponsible.
Phil Jackson cashes a check from Jim Dolan, Schein said. Other than that, he does nothing. On the contrary, being a condescending jerk takes enormous energy. Its a lot more than doing nothing. Please, give Phil credit for something.
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/raissma-moves-change-image-phil-jackson-knicks-article-1.2272073
I was disappointed how they booed him when drafted. I hope the NY fans embrace him.
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Q: What do you want Knicks fans to say about you when they watch you play?
A: That this guy belongs here. He loves the organization, he loves the team, so we accept him and were gonna cheer for him from now on.
Steve Serby Q&A with Kris Porzingis - ( New Window )
Agree.
Here are some clips.
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That's funny - he is the tallest.
Phil Jackson was a tall, lanky, geeky 4/5 as well, although about 5" shorter than Zinger - but those were different times.
Any word on Cliff Alexander?
I hope we start Gallo and Grant together. Throw them both into the fire and let them get accustomed to playing against starters. Gallo is a good defender and Grant, though not extremely quick laterally, was an active defender in college. I think he will be able to keep up with many of the 2s in the east.
Any word on Cliff Alexander?
The Nets signed Cliff much to my dismay :(
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Porzingis, Grant, Early, Thanasis, Galloway, Labeyrie, Alex Kirk and Maurice Ndour... Who else has committed? We have a lot of free agents.
Any word on Cliff Alexander?
The Nets signed Cliff much to my dismay :(
Well, we got 8 players so far on the summer league team and the former 6 will be central players for us or the Westchester Knicks this year and for years to come. I forgot Labeyrie too.
Did not have many games against top level competition, but scored 12 points against Nebraska this past season. Two years ago, he played against Ohio State, Umass (#16 that year), and Northern Iowa (who I'm pretty sure was in the top 10 at some point that year). He scored 10 against OSU, 16 against Umass, and 20 against Northern Iowa.
Played many of the same teams Early did at Wichita State. Hopefully shows something at summer league.
Ndour highlights - ( New Window )
He didn't show much in college, and he's not that good of an athlete. His skills just aren't there, everyone is blinded by him being a top recruit out of high school, but he just wasnt that good in college, and then he got suspended
Agree with Aldrich. He showed up at the end of the year and is a decent option as a backup rim protector/rebounder.
I like Shved as a backup. You can probably tell I'm obsessed with per 36 #s, which Shved averaged 20.1 ppg and 5.1 apg this past year (albeit in 42 games). He'd be solid if he could ever find consistency with his 3 point shot, but I still think hes a better player than THjr (certainly more versatile).
Acy is at a team option at $1 million; you could do worse with a high energy guy deep in your bench.
I'm confused as to how Larkin is a free agent. Was he not a 1st round pick? Shouldn't he be under contract for 2 more years? Anyways, I don't see him anything more than a 3rd PG. Wouldn't be mad if another team snagged him. Would rather take a gamble with someone like Kendall Marshall who has upside as a passer and 3 point shooter.
I'd retain Ledo as well. I remember he had a lot of hype as a scorer coming out of college in a weird situation at Providence. Had some decent games, he's worth it at a minimum contract.
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He didn't show much in college, and he's not that good of an athlete. His skills just aren't there, everyone is blinded by him being a top recruit out of high school, but he just wasnt that good in college, and then he got suspended
Huh, I'll admit I did not watch too much of Kansas and I haven't seen much out of him aside from his DX video. Yeah, I guess I am just in disbelief someone who was ranked up there with Okafor could have fallen off so quick. I wouldn't think it would be risky to get him on a summer league team though. Maybe I am blinded by his HS status but I can't get myself to believe he really is that bad until he fails at the professional level. But you're probably right/
Yeah, I'm more of a Big 10/ACC guy when it comes to college hoops. The Big 12 was solid this year but no team really excited me that much compared to other years, so didn't catch too much of it. I've always liked Perry Ellis, but boy did he define the word "inconsistent". At one point it seemed like he could make it as an early 2nd rounder on that Wiggins/Embiid team but he could not take over the reigns by himself. Selden also dissapointed in his 2nd year.
Lol.
Hey what do I know. I might end up being dead wrong.
From the videos I've seen, he looks like he can kill it rolling to the basket with the ball. I hope he won't just be a spot up shooter, I'm just thinking that matched up against NBA 4s and 5's, what's his success rate going to be? I can visualize him playing a Gallinari-like game. I'm not sure if I can visualize him facing up or backing down in the post unless he gets bulkier. Would be crazy if it happens.
Kid speaks like perfect English and might as well be an American kid. That makes me feel a whole lot more okay with it, strangely.
http://youtu.be/9znwIJov3F8
I don't think he's gonna have a problem fitting in in this country.
Stats: 16.0 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.7 assists, 48.4 FG percentage, 43.5 3-point percentage (27 of 62), 78.5 FT percentage.
Notable: From Mbour, Senegal and went to high school in Japan. Speaks five languages. Second-team All-MAC.
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Wow. I'm just going to take the L for today.
Lol.
Hey what do I know. I might end up being dead wrong.
From the videos I've seen, he looks like he can kill it rolling to the basket with the ball. I hope he won't just be a spot up shooter, I'm just thinking that matched up against NBA 4s and 5's, what's his success rate going to be? I can visualize him playing a Gallinari-like game. I'm not sure if I can visualize him facing up or backing down in the post unless he gets bulkier. Would be crazy if it happens.
And he will get bulkier-he's only 19! Also,with all the alleged negativity from Melo about KP's experience, the 3 drafted ahead of him are also 19 & didn't play the last 2 years in a professional league against men. KP's best may not be for another couple of years but his size & shot will make a definite contribution this year!
Grant
As good as KP looked, Grant's workout, I think, was more impressive.
1)Darko did not played before he got drafted in ACB league which is the 2nd best league in the world, he played in Serbian league, which I consider even not a TOP 5 league in Europe.
2) Porziņģis was coached in Sevilla with ex-NBA player/assistance coach Scott Roth who was the main reason why Porziņģis got bigger minutes in ACB league last season, and Roth in one interview said, that his main focus on Porziņģis was to make sure that Porziņģis translate as soon as possible to NBA game when he gets there. (Scott Roth was with Mavericks, when they got Dirk and with Grizzlies when they got P.Gazol.) Darko did not had this type of coach in his Serbian club...
3) Darko English was not great when he got in the league and he was with championship contenders Pistons and he did not had a passion for a game like Porziņģis had, he is gym rat!
4) And final point Porziņģis have great people around him-his family. His brother was a Latvian National team member and decent player in Europe, he is next to him and is with him for past 2-3 years, that is big + for him, cause New York is big city, and easy it can become like when our last NBA player from Latvia Biedrins, got big contract for 5 seasons and did not wanted to play anymore... his brother will be there and just will not allow him to stop from his dreams. Darko did not had people around like Zinger.
About Porziņģis attitude, he have learned a lot in a MONTH! You have seen that TMZ Interview before the draft? Where he said that learning Latvian is a waste of time and he said f*cking Latvia? He was trying to say joke, but in Latvia it was a very big deal, everybody was so angry about that and a lot of his fans were just disapointed. But what he do in next few hours? Apologize on social networks to all the fans, and in Morning news in Latvian National television via Skype apologize to all the fans again, one thing is to apologize in social networks, but other thing is to apologize again online in National television morning news, where thousands of people are watching! That is impressive.
About his weight he has put 10 lbs from May and now he is over 230 lbs, he have deadly jumper, he like to jump/dunk over peoples (that one dunk what he did on Tavares in ACB league, I was like what the hack), he is excellent off rebounder, with all the put backs and he use his height to get those boards, only thing is that he is not that great def rebounder in numbers(maybe because in Europe there is a slow game and no one in ACB average more than 10 or even 9 rebounds), other thing why he doesn't not get def rebounds is because when he usually try to get his position, he lost it, because of his lack of strenght, but it can be fixed in near time. He has range, he can shoot from anywhere three ball with high %, not that great of a passer, but usually are trying to find teammates for easy basket, if I could find that one video, where he made a no look pass in last seasons ACB game, to show that he can make great pass to teammates. He is big time prospect with a lot of upside, and few guys are saying he don't have a post move? Yes he can't get really close to the basket because of his lack of strength, but he is comfortable turning over either shoulder to get to his jumper or fadeaway shot. He have a potential to be a great player. And imo he can contribute faster than a lot of guys think. Great pick by Phil Jackson.
P.S.
Porziņģis will have a big summer, first of all summer league, then Eurobasket 2015 in Rīga, then after that he will go to New York to training camp, busy summer for him.
Have some questions about Kris I can answer, have following him for a long long time.
In April on Latvian TV sports show, there was five people who are really close to basketball, and they were talking about his frame, and there was a debate, if he can be able to add muscle and one person who is close with few NBA scouts said to him (especially Grizzlies scout was one of those, because there is Latvian player in their system Jānis Timma, who was before drafted by Grizzlies and before this years draft traded to Magic), that his shoulder structure can add a lot of muscle like 20 or more lbs, and one more interesting thing, when Biedrins went from Latvia to Warriors he was even thinner than Porziņģis, but after two years was from that skinny guy to muscled center in NBA, and they both frames are pretty similar right now, so if Knicks personal trainers will work with him right, it will not be so much of a problem.
Biedrins weight gain (listed as 250 on wiki):
My friend text me and told me about it, i didnt hear it
I think the chances Deandre leaves are very slim, and even if he does, I think he heads to Dallas because he is from Texas.
Robin Lopez could be overpaid by Portland since everyone there seems to be a free agent. He's also from West Hollywood so I think the lakers are going after him since Gasol said he has zero interest with the Lakers.
I'd be shocked if it was revealed that either one of these guys were seriously considering the Knicks.
According to the New York Post, Phil Jackson would like to re-sign Jason Smith this summer.
Smith surprisingly managed to play in all 82 games last season, averaging 8.0 points, 4.0 boards and 1.7 assists in 21.8 minutes per game. Phil Jackson would like Smith to be his backup center next season, but his playing time would depend on who the Knicks bring in this summer during free agency. In terms of fantasy, Smith is more of a deep-league asset.
Source: New York Post Jun 28 - 9:33 AM
Look at LeBron now - one great player does not make a team.
So all these guys like Schein who can sit in the clouds and judge Jackson can KMA - because Jackson gets points from me for making the moves that need to be made and taking the heat for it. It's not Jackson's fault he didn't get Picks 1-3 - Jackson is right to go raw upside over conventional talent imho - and Porzinga looks like the real deal to me.
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Gordon is pretty washed up but can hit a 3.