This Knicks Draft Season

FrazierVocab said:

We can't buy any other picks if im not mistaking. Btw a good point guard with court vision is Scott Machado check him out when you can.

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gmf1369 said:

Standing over 6'9 in shoes with a solid 7'0 wingspan, Mitchell Watt is a very good athlete for his size, possessing high levels of mobility, quickness, and coordination, to go along with solid explosiveness and power as well. While he doesn't have the greatest frame, it appears as if he could add some more strength to his 220 pound build without sacrificing much athleticism, specifically in the lower body. Regardless, he has at least good physical tools for a power forward or undersized center in the NBA, and very likely could do more to maximize his body as a pro down the road.​

On the offensive end, Watt served as his team's leading scorer and first offensive option this season, despite seeing most of his possessions in traditional role playing situations. While Watt's back-to-the-basket game was the most featured aspect of his offense on the whole, he saw plenty of action spotting up for jumpers and finishing on cuts at the basket, which is beneficial for a potential transition to the NBA in the future.​

Watt's jump shot may actually be his most attractive quality on the offensive end projecting to the NBA, as he has a very capable stroke from the mid-to-long range, while he saw nearly 25% of his field goal attempts in the half court coming in the jump shot variety this season. Watt hit for nearly 1.0 points per shot on jumpers this year according to Synergy while attempting very few three-pointers (he went 11-for-34 from deep on the season), which is certainly good efficiency for a big man specializing in the mid-range game. Watt boasts a solid stroke with consistent mechanics and backs it up at the free-throw line, where he hits for 74% on 5.0 attempts per game, more evidence of his strong shooting ability.​

While Watt wasn't consistently featured in the pick-and-roll game this season (just 15 of his 465 possessions logged by Synergy were tagged as pick-and-roll), he certainly has an intriguing set of tools to play the pick-and-roll game in the NBA, being a more than capable finisher both hitting jumpers and diving to the basket.​

As far as finishing in the paint goes, Watt did a good share of getting to the rim off the ball this year, be it in pick-and-rolls, cuts, or attacking the offensive glass. He shows good hands catching the ball on the move, very good coordination, nice extension to go under the rim, and good touch on finesse finishes. Watt also shows nice reactive athleticism elevating around the rim, especially when unguarded, but shows more trouble utilizing his athleticism when having to deal with contact. He doesn't show much propensity for finishing through defenders and seems to be lacking in his power game both with his upper and lower body, something he'll definitely need to work on to have continued success in this area in the pros. ​

The other intriguing aspect of Watt's offense is his surprising ability passing the ball, as he shows good vision and feel operating out of the high and low post with the ball. He does a good job being patient with the ball and is capable of finding teammates either spotting up or cutting to the basket, serving as an effective cog in this area of the game. Watt also does a solid job contributing in other little areas on the offensive end, making flow-of-the-offense passes on the perimeter and being active setting screens to free up teammates, being a solid team player in general showing a decent overall feel for the game.​

Read in its entirety by DraftExpress: http://www.draftexpress.com/article/Finding-a-Niche-For-Mitchell-Watt-3916/​

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With my colleague Ryan Feldman, an ESPN Stats & Info college hoops researcher and co-founder of The Hoops Report, I've pinpointed five power forwards the Knicks could pick at No. 48 (for offense and defense).

1. Yancy Gates (Cincinnati): Gates' draft stock dipped after his involvement in an ugly brawl with Xavier in early December, which resulted in a six-game suspension. He plays aggressively, but sometimes needs to tone it down. He also needs to change his scoring mentality, as he tends to play 15 feet away from the basket and shoot midrange jumpers. But when he plays inside, he's a beast and double-double threat. He's a strong four at 6-9, 260 pounds, and can do lots of work down low offensively and defensively.

2. Kevin Jones (West Virginia): Jones is a natural four who is a creative scorer in post-up situations, even hitting tough, turnaround jump hooks. This past year, he became more of a versatile scorer, refining his pull-up and dribble-drive game, but he's still an average outside shooter. At 6-8, 260, he's strong and has great timing on the boards, including the offensive glass. Defensively, what may be most impressive is that after he scores, he hardly ever celebrates, but almost always runs back to get into defensive position.

3. Cameron Moore (UAB): Even though Moore (6-10, 230) played four years in college, he's still a bit raw. At this point, his game is almost confined to the paint area, and he doesn't have many skillful post moves. He's also not a good passer out of double teams. But what he does have is a tremendous motor, which helps him score quickly and get into positions early to rebound and block shots. If he develops his down-low game -- not just being a highlight reel -- and refines his midrange jump shot, he'll be a surprise prospect.

4. Andrew Nicholson (St. Bonaventure): Nicholson (6-9, 240) plays with a lot of confidence, as he constantly demands the ball in the post and likes to go to work quickly. He can shoot the turnaround and score with either hand, and his long stride gets him to the basket faster. But he tends to use the same combination to score -- a spin, hesitation and then layup. From outside, he has a quick release and has range. He just needs to play more aggressive offensively; he doesn't dunk a lot. He may get drafted higher, but could slip.

5. Wesley Witherspoon (Memphis): Witherspoon (6-9, 207) has always had potential, but he hasn't shown up yet consistently. As a senior, he would sometimes go from two points in one game to 15 the next, or vice versa. He actually has a lot of guard skills and when his jumper is on, he's dangerous. He's also effective attacking the basket in face-up situations and shows a commitment to D. He just needs to develop more of an interior game, but with the right NBA coaching, he could make a decent impact in his rookie season.

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There's no question the Knicks have vacancies at the guard position with Iman Shumpert and Baron Davis out long term, Mike Bibby an unrestricted free agent, and Toney Douglas with no defined role.

But don't overlook the team's need to upgrade their frontcourt off the bench, especially because Carmelo Anthony doesn't have a lot of backup and the injury-prone Jared Jeffries is an unrestricted free agent. Even if Jeffries returns, which is likely at the veteran's minimum of $1.4 million, the Knicks will need more youth, size, scoring, athleticism, rebounding and defending in the second unit.

In addition to Jeffries, while Josh Harrellson is a big body, he's not athletic enough; he's more of an outside shooter. Also, Steve Novak is strictly a shooter and Jerome Jordan is still a developing talent. The Knicks could use another player, whether it be a rookie or veteran, who can shoot, be an interior presence and make plays on both ends of the court.

With my colleague Ryan Feldman, an ESPN Stats & Info college hoops researcher and co-founder of The Hoops Report, I've pinpointed five small forwards and five power forwards who the Knicks could pick at No. 48 (for offense and defense).

First, for small forwards:

1. Jae Crowder (Marquette) -- The consensus on Crowder is that there isn't an exact position for him. But that's because he's viewed as a very good all-around player who has the size (6-6, 235) to play inside and out. He was basically a double-double machine this past season and he would likely become a fan favorite in New York for his intensity, toughness, active motor and unique style (he has long dreadlocks). Perhaps most impressive is that he has an NBA-needed quick release and range to 3-point territory.

2. Draymond Green (Michigan State) -- While Green is the same size as Crowder, he's not as athletic and his release is a bit slower because he takes more time to set up. Crowder is better on the catch-and-shoot. But Green is more skilled on the block on offense and defense. He makes strong moves, has good footwork, an effective spin move and a nice touch around the basket. He can also initiate the fast break, handle the ball a bit in the half court and pass well to teammates from the wing and out of the post.

3. Kris Joseph (Syracuse) -- The Knicks could have two Orangemen to choose from with the 48th pick. One is point guard Scoop Jardine; the other could be Joseph (6-7, 207), who can drain the outside jump shot and finish with authority. However, he needs to add more creativity to his drives in half-court sets. He's more of a linear penetrator who likes to rely on his long strides to get to the basket. But in the NBA that won't cut it. Defensively, he plays passing lanes well and has the ability to be a one-man fast break.

4. Khris Middleton (Texas A&M) -- Middleton (6-7, 215) could have been a lottery pick if he didn't suffer a partially torn right meniscus in November, which required surgery and him to miss about four weeks. When he returned from the injury, he looked out of sync. For example, his 3-point shooting dropped from 36.1 percent as a sophomore to 26 this past year. But the potential is there because of his skills and athleticism. He's a solid isolation scorer, creative dribbler and locked in on D, but he needs to work on his rebounding.

5. Kostas Papanikolaou (Greece) -- The lefty Papanikolaou (6-8, 225) is a little bit of a cross between foreign NBA players Manu Ginobili and Carlos Delfino. He has some craftiness like Ginobili -- he has crossover moves, can split defenders and knows how to finish -- but he's not as good of a passer. Papanikolaou is a pure scorer, who also demonstrates defensive intensity like Delfino. In fact, he'll hustle back and make blocks in transition. Like both of the current NBA players, Papanikolaou's best asset is arguably his 3-point shot.

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After an impressive junior season that saw Andrew Nicholson average 24.4 points per-40 minutes pace adjusted and emerge as one of the most versatile scoring big men in college basketball, he has struggled to take the next step as an all-around prospect individually, and has been unable to help his St. Bonaventure team get over the hump in the Atlantic-10 as well. 16 games into the season, Nicholson has seen his production drop to 21.5 points-per-40 pace adjusted while his true shooting percentage has dropped substantially, from 57.1% to 51.7%.

Nevertheless, standing 6'9” with excellent length and big hands, Nicholson has some intriguing aspects of his game, both in terms of his physical profile and from a skills perspective—and is almost certainly not a finished product yet.

Offensively, Nicholson relies heavily on a very refined post game that's tough to defend at this level, particularly when paired with the improving perimeter game he showed last year. With good footwork, counter moves, and an ability to finish with either hand, Nicholson has plenty of moves in the low post. According to Synergy Sports Technology, Nicholson is shooting 54% in post-up situations, while doing a solid job of drawing contact and getting to the line.

Turnovers tend to be a problem for Nicholson, and his 3.8 turnovers per 40 minutes pace adjusted is one of the worst numbers in our top 100 ranking. This is especially troubling considering how infrequently he creates for his teammates, with a pure passer rating of -7.97, which is the worst in our top 100.

The overall talent level at St. Bonaventure leaves a lot to be desired, and as such he's probably asked to create more for himself than he optimally would. Despite that, he doesn't do a very good job of recognizing double teams and could continue to improve his ball-handling and decision making skills.

On the perimeter is where Nicholson differentiates himself from other big men prospects in this draft in terms of his talent-level. While not an exceptional athlete at the NBA level, Nicholson is a fluid and mobile big man with a long first step and an intriguing skill-level that gives him the ability to make very impressive plays at times. Although he's not terribly polished or consistent at this point in his career, his ability to face up opponents off the dribble, pull-up off the dribble from the mid-range or take the ball all the way to the basket and finish with his length is very impressive at his size.

Nicholson did a good job last year of extending his range out to mid-range, something he didn't have prior to his junior season. While he's attempting more 3-pointers this season, he hasn't taken a major step forward with this part of his game, only converting 35% of his jumpers, down from 45% last year. He has decent form on his jump shot and a high release, but hasn't been able to get these shots to fall consistently this year.

With his slight build it appears likely his post-up game will be less of a weapon in the NBA, so having a consistent catch and shoot game will play a crucial part in his ability to carve out a role for himself.

On the offensive glass, Nicholson's 3.1 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted is significantly better than the 2.0 per 40 minutes pace adjusted he averaged last year, but still towards the lower part of our database in terms of power forward prospects. Nicholson isn't all that physical of a player, nor is he all that active in fighting for position for offensive rebounds, leading many to question his toughness as a prospect. When he does grab an offensive rebound, he has solid touch and converts them at a decent clip.

From a defensive standpoint, Nicholson's physical profile presents some potential problems, which are further increased by his inconsistent effort on that end of the court. Nicholson has the length and timing needed to contest and block shots, and because of that can be a useful defender at the collegiate level. At a wiry 220 pounds, he lacks the lower and upper body strength to hold his ground at the next level, and he doesn't do a good job of fighting for position early in the shot clock to make up for that. Again, showing more of a mean streak would greatly benefit him in this regard, but that simply does not appear to be his disposition.

On the perimeter, Nicholson doesn't move all that well laterally, being very upright in his stance and showing average quickness and fundamentals. He compensates this on pick and rolls by giving a copious amount of room to the ball handler on pick and rolls, something that will likely be exploited at the next level, where he'll be forced to guard NBA power forwards as opposed to collegiate centers.

On the defensive glass, his 6.7 defensive rebounds per 40 minutes pace adjusted are in the middle of the pack in our rankings. His length helps him in this regard, but he doesn't show great anticipation or technique, and he once again doesn't appear to consistently put in the effort or have the toughness to dominate that facet of the game. Perhaps more than anything this is the part of his game that may be hard to overcome and get playing time, particularly early in his career while he tries to adjust his post game to NBA defenders.

Andrew Nicholson has an interesting set of physical tools with his size and length to go along with an offensive skill-set that shows plenty of room for growth. On top of that, he appears to be an extremely intelligent person off the court (he's a physics major), and didn't start playing basketball until his junior year of high school.

Nicholson came into this season with huge expectations, both individually and team-wise, but hasn't taken the step forward some had hoped he would. NBA decision makers will need to figure out why in trying to evaluate how much better he could become in the next few years, to decide if he's a project worth investing in.

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BananaSauce said:

it would be great and a steal, but i'm not holding my breath if we can land machado. he's on a high radar.

another steal would be this very VERY impressive kid...
http://youtu.be/L66QmiB0xj4

massive potential and i would love to see knicks develope this kid.

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Andrew-Nicholson-5518/

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finestrg said:

If we stand pat at 48 (even if we move up slightly, say to the top portion of the 2nd round 30-40), Kim English continues to be my guy. I still think he's the best fit for us and when you're a win-now team like we are, you go for a need, esp. when picking all the way down in the 2nd round...Just my opinion... English is a 6'5"+ natural 2G that can really shoot the ball from the arc, plus he can handle it a little bit and he's a pesky defender. We need a bunch of different role players all up & down our rotation -- A sniper-type 2G is the one element I'm having trouble finding elsewhere on the cheap (Ryan Wittman can certainly shoot it but I look at him as more of a backup SF. Jamelle Horne same thing. I like Sylven Landesberg & Scotty Hopson for us too but those 2 aren't pure shooters like English). That's why I'd use the draft pick at 48 on that type of player. I already know we could find PGs, wings, a very promising center with skills and a few PFs that are as good if not better than anyone we could take at 48.

Starting to give 6'8" SF/SG Hollis Thompson outta G-Town a real look now, though. That kid can shoot it too and at that size (good for a SF, excellent for a 2G), he's real intriguing. Pretty good in all other areas too -- good athlete, pretty good rebounder, etc. And his length could give the opposition problems when he's out defending on the perimeter. Was unhappy with his role on the Hoyas during his soph. season, declared for the draft last year before pulling out and going back to school -- went on to have a better junior yr. where he showed steady improvement. Any Big-East/G-Town fans out there that have a good feel for this kid? Is he a late bloomer that could make it in the NBA?

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Pearl15 said:

I like English also and hope he is the Knicks pick at 48. The guy has good range and can fill it up.

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BananaSauce said:

i think i'm liking orlando johnson more than kim english. but looking at his TO ,wtf?

i'll give it a pass, though. since, he doesn't have to be the premier go to guy.

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The NBA Draft is on June 28, one week from today. Currently, the New York Knicks still only hold one draft pick: the 48th, which puts them in the position of once again looking for a steal in the second round. While they could potentially try and move up in the draft by making a trade, there hasn’t been any definitive word, so as of now, it seems that they Knicks will stay put.
DraftExpress’s Mock Draft currently has the Knicks taking Marquette’s Darius Johnson-Odom with the 48th pick. Johnson-Odom is a 6’2″ shooting guard coming off an impressive senior campaign in which he averaged 18.3 ppg, on 44.7% FG, and 38.5% 3FG. Johnson-Odom is a sharp-shooter off catch-and-shoots and pull-up jumpers. To add to his dangerous outside game, he is equipped with a 215 lb frame, a 40″ vertical, and a jawline that would make Marlon Brando blush. Offensively, Johnson-Odom has the perfect game to complement the myriad Knicks scorers who do their work inside the arc.
But back to the elephant in the room (or, really, lack thereof): Johnson-Odom is just 6’2″, some say 6’3″. If Johnson-Odom was a combo guard, a la Jason Terry, the problem would be negated. Players of Johnson-Odom’s stature have typically carved out fairly successful careers in the NBA, at times playing the role of scoring point guards, at times playing like undersized shooting guards. However, Johnson-Odom, despite his point guard frame, rarely plays as a point guard. Over his three seasons playing at Marquette (he didn’t play his freshman year), Johnson-Odom never averaged more than 2.7 apg, but had a usage percentage (USG%) of 27% his junior and senior years.
Likewise, the problem is compounded by the Knicks’ (potential) depth at the shooting guard. While much of the roster remains up in the air, J.R. Smith may opt into the second and final year of his contract, Landry Fields (who despite being a natural small forward, has been fairly productive as a two-guard in the NBA) may be re-signed this offseason, and Iman Shumpert will be returning from a torn ACL in December or January. If the Knicks were to draft Johnson-Odom, they would potentially have three or four shooting guards all trying to earn a spot in the rotation.
But the upside for Johnson-Odom is undeniable. Not only could he have immediate impact as a reliable catch-and-shooter on the perimeter, Johnson-Odom is a tenacious, physical defender who rebounds well for his size, and was impressing scouts and GMs during workouts because of his defensive presence, according to Jared Zwerling on the Buckets Over Broadway podcast.
Of course, given all of the positives of Johnson-Odom, it’s quite possible that a team could select him earlier in the draft. The only real deterrent is that Odom is undersized and may struggle in the bigger NBA.
So, like all draft prospects, there are pros and cons, and all we can do is wait to see how it turns out

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Wargames said:

^^^ considering that in the last few years the knicks drafted or traded for Novak, Shump, Lin, and Fields who were all off the grid guys. I do think they have a moneyball guy in the Knicks FO. I mean honestly has anyone done more with less the last few years than the knicks.

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Wargames said:

^^^ considering that in the last few years the knicks drafted or traded for Novak, Shump, Lin, and Fields who were all off the grid guys. I do think they have a moneyball guy in the Knicks FO. I mean honestly has anyone done more with less the last few years than the knicks.

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