Back to the Knicks Pick...Wilson Chandler

I am looking at how the draftboards (nbadraft.net, draftexpress.com) look and I getting nervous about the Knicks pick. I only worry because, in this draft, there may be a future all-star at this stage, and I don't want to see Isaiah not nab him. Isaiah is a good drafter, and he claims he is going to take the best prospect this year, maybe a guy who is going to take a couple of years to come along. That's good news, because Thomas is already looking to the post Marbury/Francis era (not sayin' i wanna see Steph go, but...). The Knicks claim to be looking for a shooter, but Thomas says there are no "Allan Houston's" in the draft. It's hard to ignore my first prospect ,for the pick at 23, Morris Almond:

He has a sweet stroke, and it's hard to ignore his shooting percentage, his shooting volume, and his scoring average in college (26.4 ppg, .456 3pt FG%). He has flawless mechanics, too (I wish he played for a better program than Rice, because I can't find any thing on YouTube about him. It looks like Belinelli may go higher, so the only other prospect, at this point, that I would consider is Almond. Isaiah may be playing possum in saying there are no good shooting prospects, but is ceiling may not be as high as Wilson Chandler:

I was going to go into other guys, but as soon as I though about who Wilson Chandler is, and who he gets compared to, I want to end with the best possible talent availible at 23. When I say who Chandler is, I say a guy who is a sophmore who played in a crap program. I think the GMs in the NBA are looking for the winning intangible that has translated to some of the leagues good, young stars (Boozer, Hinrich, E. Brand, Deron Williams, etc.). That's probably the easiest way to draft; draft a good guy, from a good program. When you're in the lottery. At the 23, Isaiah knows he needs to be agressive, and hit the lottery.

When people describe Chandler's athleticism, there is one name they associate, comfortably, with him. Shawn Marion. Nuff said. I envision an athletic, gritty, defensive team, when this roster hits its peak. Lineups with Balkman, Jeffries, Chandler, Lee, etc. in them. I see matchups problems, for other teams. It would also soften the blow when the Knicks lost Trevor 'Da Riza' Ariza. I now, officially, have changed my pick endorsement to Chandler.



Wilson Chandler #22

Draft News, Trade News - NBA

I'm a huge fan of the NBA Draft for several reasons...the fate of my team (NY Knicks, stop laughing) can be decided on this night for the next 5 years...all the anticipation after the college season is over, because we know where these guys will end up, and it's fun to see new faces, in a new city...the suits that some of these guys wear will be funny to look at ten years from now, and the idiotic trades some G.M.'s/Presidents of Basketball Operations make...I'm going to open the forum for the latter...in ESPN Insider today, Chad Ford mentioned there were trade talks with the Warriors being the ones who are trying to trade up:

The talk here in Italy is that the Warriors are trying to move Jason Richardson and the No. 16 pick to move up higher into the draft to grab Yi Jianlian. Their targeted trade partners appear to be the Grizzlies (for Stromile Swift, Damon Stoudamire and the No. 4 pick), the Celtics (for Theo Ratliff and the No. 5) and the Bobcats.

Ainge is going to be in every rumor, because he has two commodities, Theo Ratliff's huge expiring contract, and the fifth pick in a loaded draft...I don't think he will pull trigger, but let's assume that Josh McRoberts will be the number 16 (probably the best available at that spot)...the Celts could have a rotation the looks like this:

1. Rondo

2. J. Rich

3. PP

4. McRoberts

5. Jefferson

6. Delonte West

7. Wally World

8. G. Green

9. Kendrick Perkins

10. Ryan Gomes

This would be one of the most formidable rotations in the east, one the most athletic teams in the league, and they wouldn't have an issue regarding scoring, and rebounding...I imagine that Ainge could turn around and trade for a couple of of his excess parts (Delonte West and Gomes) for Phoenix's 24 and 19, which they desperately wanna get rid of...

Next would be Memphis...who has Pau, and Mike Miller...I think they should draft, and wait for the money of Stoudamire to come off the cap, and go from there...but if they were to do the trade:

1. Terrance Kinsey

2. J.R.

3. Mike Miller

4. McRoberts

5. Pau

6. Gay

7. Hakim Warrick

In the west, I would look get a Brandan Wright or Yi, and see where the young core takes me...

The Celts seem to have the best scenario, as long as they make the right pick at 16, and Danny Ainge's karma doesn't get in the way...