OFFICIAL NEW YORK KNICKS OFFSEASON THREAD: TRAINING CAMP

[flatbushfiyah23]

I feel like we really need to acquire Artest this off-season. He would be a great addition to this team right now.

 

[the gr8]

Originally Posted by FlatbushFiyah23

I feel like we really need to acquire Artest this off-season. He would be a great addition to this team right now.

All yall know how i feel bout Artest and i would love him on this team i have been saying this since his rumors in Indiana. But my only thing against thatis that it may hurt us for getting Bron. They play the same position and thats $ being spent. Is there any chance we could work out a sign and trade cause ithink that would be better for us than straight up signing him for the MLE.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

My mind has been made, if May is off the board, keep the pick and draft Westbrook. That's my pick and the future of this team. I rather keep Z-bo foranother year than to pass up Westbrook.

 

[flatbushfiyah23]

Originally Posted by THE GR8

Originally Posted by FlatbushFiyah23

I feel like we really need to acquire Artest this off-season. He would be a great addition to this team right now.

All yall know how i feel bout Artest and i would love him on this team i have been saying this since his rumors in Indiana. But my only thing against that is that it may hurt us for getting Bron. They play the same position and thats $ being spent. Is there any chance we could work out a sign and trade cause i think that would be better for us than straight up signing him for the MLE.

The key to" getting Artest is all about whether he opts out or not. He has one year left on his deal at 7.5 mil I believe. If he really wants tocome here and is serious about what he said t= the Daily News ("its not about the money") then he may just sign for the MLE. That would serve usbetter...I would rather acquire him for the MLE without having to give up anything. Ron Artest for the MLE is a steal!

 

[al3xis]

Artest is a step backwards.

We need no part of him.

...and I don't want Westbrook, yall seein somethin I didn't.

He's a role player.

 

[the wizard]

I say take a chance and draft one of the bigs.

Trade down and draft Arthur or Randolph.

 

[al3xis]

If we could move down and deal ZBo's contract..

I'd love to land Arthur.

 

[flatbushfiyah23]

Originally Posted by Al3xis

Artest is a step backwards.

We need no part of him.

...and I don't want Westbrook, yall seein somethin I didn't.

He's a role player.

Care to explain how adding artest who brings some toughness and passion to this team is a step backwards?

 

[Mister Meaner]

It's really hard for this team to take steps backwards. We're soft as haagen daaz in our starting front court, and can't assemble a functioningsquad, even without glaring personalities the likes of an Artest. And truthfully, dude has been on some good behavior in Sacramento. Yea, he spazzed a fewtimes there, but nothing extra.

 

[harlemtothebronx]

I don't want Artest right now. I'd rather just try to move Zach and play next season with the roster as is.

I don't think he'll be a step back...I just don't see him making much of a difference. Maybe he helps us win 5 more games, but 5 more games = alower seed in the lottery. I want to have as good a chance as possible of drafting a franchise player next year.

I've really prepared myself for 2-3 more seasons of 20-25 wins. How sad is that?

 

[worldbeefreeg]

I love artest but not in this situation and this team.

 

[nycknicks105]

I say we trade down and try to move Zach Randolph. We need cap relieve more than anything else right now.

 

[big j 33]

I wouldn't be against that at all. I think the main goal right now is to shed our bad contracts, and hopefully pick up a decent player with whatever pickwe trade for.

 

[the lowa]

Originally Posted by HarlemToTheBronx

I really hope so.

Hell, I'll take any deal that allows us to shed that contract for a shorter one.

I feel the same way

 

[the gr8]

Originally Posted by Al3xis

If we could move down and deal ZBo's contract..

I'd love to land Arthur.

If we only come up with Arthur in this draft that is this important than

. Arthur is a good later pick for a winning team but he is not a frachisechanging type of pick. I mean he has role player written all over him. I mean i think Wesstbrook could be great there arent too many lock down defenders thatcan run the point that are "role players" and i believe he has a potential to become a decent scorer as well. his shot isnt bad its just streakywhich is fixable for a young player cause at least you got something to work wth. If we trade down the man is Augustine not Arthur.

and i say id rather do a sign and trade for Artest (if we get him) than to sign him because we could potentially shed a contract like curry or someone in atrade for Artest. If we signed him, sure it would be a steal but we would just keep on piling on more contracts.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

You really hate Curry huh?

I think we're going to be stuck with Curry and I'm kinda curious to see Curry play. Maybe I'm more interested inseeing him suffer than be happy.

 

[krisp kicks]

^ If we trade down lower than 12 though, there is no way we could get DJ because he will be gone by then. At that point we are looking at the crop of SF/PFplayers that will be available in the mid-teens. If thats the case, I wouldn't mind Arthur, because I think he could excel as a PF in the Run-n-Gun.

Other players I think we would be looking at are Alexander (if he lasts, but its looking like teams like him in the top 10

), Randolph (he could be a stealif he slips past 10), Green (not sure, might take a few years to produce but has high ceiling), Galinari (I don't see him falling out of the top 8 though),or possibly Rush (I really like him as a 2, I think he'll be a good scorer).

So who knows, if we trade the pick, the main goal will be shedding cap. There are a bunch of players who COULD be good, but it's sort of a roll of thedice. Hopefully Donnie will make the right choice.

 

[the lowa]

Is six to high to take D.J?

 

[flatbushking]

Originally Posted by The Lowa

Is six to high to take D.J?

Nope

�

Here's a video of Russy's workout wit the Blazers....

Russell Westbrook looked great. He seems a lot taller and thicker in person than he does on tape. I assume he's put on some muscle since the end of the collegiate season and it really shows, especially in his arms. He's got some seriously long, wire-like arms. His body looks like it was made for playing perimeter defense in the NBA.

Westbrook did everything that you would expect from a Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. He's fast, active, instinctive and crazy athletic. Pritchard commented after the workout that "Russell does a great job of getting into that midrange and shooting it, jumping over people. He's so athletic that way."

Really quick at getting off his feet. Vocal on defense. What I found the most interesting was that while on defense, he would call out "ball" and "shot" despite it being a one-on-one drill. That's a sign of a well-drilled, instictive defender. He also really seemed to enjoy working out.

Here's a bit more of what KP had to say about Westbrook's performance:
"Russell did great. He's a talented young kid. He's a great kid. He works hard and he did some good things. He shot the ball really well in the shooting drills and, you know, that's kind of been his knock that he won't be able to knock down shots. Obviously with us having Brandon, LaMarcus and Oden, shooting is of paramount importance for us."
Maybe the most surprising part of Westbrook's workout was his outside shooting. He knocked down a lot of long-range shots. By my count (I think I missed one of his stations), he went 30-for-40 during the three point drills. As Pritchard said, long-range shooting has been a facet of Westbrook's game that some have called into question, but he looked like a dead-eye shooter today.


http://trailblazerscentercourt.blogspot.com/2008/06/draft-workout-report-beaubois-lawson.html

My draft board....

1a. Eric Gordon
1b. Russell Westbrook
2a. DJ Augustin
2b. Anthony Randolph

 

[the lowa]

On a side note My dude from the Boys Club of New York(Guys from New York will know this program it is big in the city)Dante Milligan had a workout with theKnicks and it was a good experience. Though he will not get drafted by the NYK it is just to see a home town kid getting the opportunity to play for NY. Dantedid not play a lot at Pitt but he showed that he was a good all around player at UMASS this past season. I went to camp with Dante when I was younger and it isgood just to see him taking his game to the next level. Maybe one day him and another BCNY star Carl Elliot(played ball at GW) will be playing in the NBA oneday may be on the hometown Knicks. Good luck on your path to playing professional basketball Dante your brother Alonzo will be proud of you.

 

[the gr8]

^^and i will rephraise what i have said. Russel Westbrook will be a good scorer in the NBA as well. Streaky shooting for a young player is nothing that cant bedealt with. Hes top after Mayo IMO

 

[flatbushking]

DJ Augustin workout w/ Trailblazers

D.J. Augustin looked great. He had his game going today, showing off just about everything that you'd like to see from an NBA point guard. He's 6-foot, but he's got good length and decent size in general. He shot the ball extremely well, going 38-of-50 during the 3-point shooting drill. His jumper is about as pretty as they come: smooth, compact and fluid. He went 9-for-10, 8-for-10 and 10-for-10 on the first three 3-point stations. He faded a little at the end, but that's to be expected after going full speed for an hour.

Augustin ran the pick and roll to near perfection. Super quick off the dribble. Displays a great pump fake that defenders bought just about every time. Pull up jumper was on the money (which obviously helps the pump fake). Knows what to do when he gets into the paint, be it finishing or finding the open man after drawing a defender. Likes to drive the lane and kick out to the open man on the perimeter. He also likes to cut and move without the ball. Adept at splitting double teams. He got to the basket numerous times by cutting in between two defenders

 

[the gr8]

^^ma man

 

[nycknicks105]

Minn is loving Brooke Lopez right now
Portland is loving Westbrook
Grizzles is loving Kevin Love (pun not intended)
OJ Mayo only working out with the Heat and Knicks

.

 

[woodside718]

we are due some kind of luck and i think mayo will be it