2015 NY Knicks offseason thread, Los Almighty appreciation thread

[ny mavurs]

The Sixers missing out on Okafor and Russell would be a big win in my book

 

[nick.]

counting down the days till the lottery drawing & draft

a team i like hasn't had success since 2012 if you consider a playoff series win "success"

scressful :x :x

 

[pmatic]

Can we trade our draft pick on draft day to lets say move up/down?

Yes the Knicks can trade the pick. It would technically have to be made after they announce the pick.

 

[nick.]

^true, doubt we'd trade whoever we pick unless we get a package too good to be true

 

[nick.]

@Complex_Sports: These travel aliases for the 2012-2013 New York Knicks are the best thing you'll see today http://t.co/PQczldO80m

 

[8pm at msg]

Felton got some nerve picking that name.

 

[harlemtothebronx]

Steve Novak just jumped into the top 10 on my swag list with Bud Wiser.

 

[flyeed]

Nucky Thompson

 

[hsalem]

Tommy Bunz 

 Bud Wiser 

That roster won 52 games, yo

 

[arrjae2]

just came here to post that alias list lol


hope Bud Wiser gets some shine in OKC.
Russ/KD drive and kick out to the corner... yakyak

 

[onewearz]

hurts to see my man JR


Lebron's gonna wipe his *** wit us today

 

[the gr8est]

The Sixers missing out on Okafor and Russell would be a big win in my book

Word is that Emmanuel Mudiay is #1 on Philly's big board, which makes all the sense in the world considering their style of play. 

Mudiay looks like a ******* beast, just dont see him high on the Knicks' big board come draft day because he wouldnt be a great triangle fit for a PG like Russell would be. But it makes sense that Philly wants him because they like to put the ball in a PGs hands and run up and down the floor all game.

And they will most likely get him also. Philly will almost certainly be picking in the top 3 of this draft, and I dont see them taking anybody but Mudiay even if they get the #1 pick. They just drafted Nelens and Embiid so I highly doubt they take another center and word is the reason they were so willing to trade MCW is because they plan to give the keys to the franchise to Mudiay. So yeah, if Mudiay is really who they are thinking they will most likely get him because every other team picking as highly as them will probably be looking for Okafor or Russell or maybe even Towns. So if Philly is all in on drafting Mudiay, im sure they will end up with him.

I take this news as good news for us Knicks fans. Basically this means that the team that is probably our biggest threat of snatching away the #1 pick right now really isnt even competition for us considering that they are all in on a player who isnt even top 3 on our draft radar because we run completely contrasting systems of basketball.

As I have said many times on here, I still hope that we draft Russell over Okafor if the time comes. **** id even be happy with Towns over Okafor. Really not in love with Okafor's style of play, and I would be REALLY nervous about not only acquiring but handing the franchise over to ANOTHER big man who doesnt play defense. Because that has worked out sooo well for us in the past (STAT, Curry, Bargs, Z-Bo) 

Again, as good as a fit as I see Mudiay being in Philly (he basically looks like a bigger John Wall who is a pass first PG like Wall is), I see Russell being that pick for us. He may not be the trendy pick come draft day but I could definitely see him becoming a Steph Curry like player in this league and I would feel much more comfortable drafting him, handing him the keys to the whip as this team's de-facto quarterback moving forward, and then surround him with Melo and other quality forward/center free agents. Especially since I see free agency offering us a lot more attainable quality options for bigs then for PGs, especially with Dragic now likely to resign with Miami and maybe Reggie in Detroit also. Only other PG I can see fitting really this team is Brandon Knight and idk how we would get him. D-Lo would get the job done here.

He has the game an the attitude to do so. Very skeptical about Okafor having either. My draft order remains 1. D-Lo 2. Towns 3. Okafor. Say what you will.

EDIT: Also, I never quite understood why Okafor has shot on to the radar as the consensus #1 prospect like he has. Is it because he is a big man? Is it because he plays for Duke, I mean stat wise, Russell has been the best freshman in the country.

Russell is averaging 19.1 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 5.5 apg, 1.7 apg while shooting 47% from the field and a ridiculous 43% from 3 as a college freshman, all while single handedly carrying a weak *** Ohio State team. On the other hand, Okafor is averaging 18.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.4 apg, 1.5 bpg on an (admittedly) ridiculous 66% shooting playing for a powerhouse Duke team across the board. Very good indeed, but I think Russell's stats are more impressive all things considered. 

But it is also worth mentioning that Okafor's stats are more inflated than most as the focal point of Duke's entire offense and being the biggest body in the game at all times. Because of this, he is able to physically dominate NCAA bigs when Duke gives him the ball. He will not be able to dominate the NBA game in the same way, and his superb footwork in the post will only take him so far. Okafor will need to develop more athleticism and more range on his jump shot if he wants to be a DOMINANT offensive big in the NBA... and as ive said before any team drafting Okafor that high will expect him to not be a good, but a DOMINANT offensive center in the NBA because he is not great in other areas so in order for him to justify his #1 draft status he will have to dominate offensively.

On the other hand, Russell's game and stats are much more translatable to the NBA IMO. Unlike Okafor, whos shooting % is probably enhanced due to the level of talent he plays against in the NCAA, Russell's ridiculous shooting from the field is all the more impressive considering that defenses always gameplan solely for him given that the rest of his team is subpar at best. So for him to be knocking down 43% from 3 as a college freshman drawing the kind of defensive attention that he does is impressive to say the least. Not to mention that he is also one of the top assist players in the entire NCAA despite a weak supporting cast. Give Russell a quality NBA supporting cast and more time to develop I would only see his assist #s and even his shooting % improving. 

Also, while Okafor's size/athleticism is more of a concern than a strength for his NBA potential (compared to Towns, where it is a MAJOR strength area), Russell is a true 6'5 PG with solid athleticism and great all around scoring ability and passing vision. He will be a very tough player to guard for any NBA point guards given his size, speed, passing ability, and ability to score in a number of ways.

I get that a lot of people on here say "you cant pass up on Okafor if you get the chance to draft him because he is the best player available." All im saying is that I am a bit confused as to why he has become the consensus "best player available." Maybe because he started the season stronger than D-Lo? Duke? Idk...

... Yeah, sorry for the mini thesis paper/rant... Honestly didnt mean to do it, but once I start typing I just cant stop until I get everything out... If you dont want to read it, of course just skip over it 

 

[onewearz]

kyrie's having fun out there now

 

[nick.]

 

[onewearz]

me and my wife were cracking up with the dude snatching the mic , i didn't even hear him line step

and yeah, smith acted like kyrie vanished in front of him


bron startin to bully now ...

 

[Arthur Shelby]

Bargnani

 

[johnnyredstorm]

chapelle show > this game

 

[Arthur Shelby]

Dude from The Hangover was wylin

 

[you big dummy]

 

[johnnyredstorm]

 

[onewearz]

JR

 

[8pm at msg]

My man was on something. He was all over the place there

 

[onewearz]

tank steams along ....

 

[lver of jordan]

Yikes

Only right Bron passed AI on scoring list in the Garden


That Shump to JR oop :x good times

 

[Hahahaha]

That dunk by Earl and then staring down Dolan :x :x :x