The 2015 NBA Draft

tiger0330 said:

There are some restricted FA's that the Knicks would be very interested in, whose clubs might not want to pay max dollars to, like Butler and Draymon Green despite what their clubs say about being willing to pay them max dollars. They might be interested in the number 1 pick rather than lose them for nothing.

It will be an interesting off-season, first the lotto in May, the draft and then spending that cap space.

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You can't trade for impending FAs Tig. They have to have an existing contract on draft day without any Options binding on contracts.... including POs, TOs, and QOs.

Not in case you're talking of selecting player and then doing a S&T well after the draft is over(like a month after) and ask yourself when has this ever happened? Like never and if this were pulled off, you're borderline walking around in the territory of collusion.

Free Agency starts July 1st and the draft happens like a week prior to. Most decisions on impending Free Agents happen after the draft has transpired.

Broadway that's what I was talking about taking a guy like Towns and trading him like the Cavs did with Wiggins. I bring up Green and Butler because many think paying max money for either of them is overpaying. Giving them a top pick might make them blink about matching.

Rumors are saying Phil may trade the first pick .. to who? n for who in return?

Would u be happy if Phil trade the pick to Philly for last yr 3rd pick 7.0 C-Joel Embiid?

Kiyaman said:

Rumors are saying Phil may trade the first pick .. to who? n for who in return?

Would u be happy if Phil trade the pick to Philly for last yr 3rd pick 7.0 C-Joel Embiid?

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I'm wondering if we get Durant? With cap skyrocketing in 2016... OKC may trade KD, ala Hardin trade, if they believe KD wont re-sign. Why lose him for nada? D-Cousins? D-Favors? I would love to get Cousins + a pick (draft Cauley-Stein or Frank Kaminsky).

mafra said:

I'm wondering if we get Durant? With cap skyrocketing in 2016... OKC may trade KD, ala Hardin trade, if they believe KD wont re-sign. Why lose him for nada? D-Cousins? D-Favors? I would love to get Cousins + a pick (draft Cauley-Stein or Frank Kaminsky).

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Right now, Phil Jackson are being pressured from all four sides of the business because of the 2014-15 Knicks season (13-51)
Phil has to make a drastic 360 change for the new improve 2015-16 Knicks season, it will start on draft night.
1) a change where national televised games networks will accept to promote Knicks organization games next season
2) where top sports media will stop refusing to cover the Knicks team and games next season
3) where next season Knicks will be able to sell more than half the seats on road games
4) The Knicks corporate season-ticket buyers, has had the owner of the Brooklyn Nets change his mind about selling the Brooklyn organization.

How bad was the plan for tanking the Knicks 2014-15 season? real-real bad! when the big $$$ network refuse Knicks games.

Phil has to bring in a BIG MARKET player from the FA-market, and one thru TRADE .. that will bring the 2015-16 Knicks season consistent WINS to make-up for having the poorest-effort season in Knicks history.
In March, rumor has two names (Embid & Cousins) of Phil trading the Knicks pick for, how many more names will be added from now to June or July???

D'Angelo Russell came up small in Ohio's loss to Arizona. Really think he dropped with his performance yesterday. He was touted as a possible number 1 a couple of weeks ago but now I think no better than 4th with Mudiay the first PG chosen.

I'm liking Towns over Okafor myself though its hard to tell this early in the tourney because Dukes and Kentuckys opponents are totally overmatched by them so far. But Okafor looks a little soft physically and Towns is a way better athlete. It wouldn't actually surprise me if WCS gets drafted ahead of Okafor. SDSU is way bigger and older and will be a better test for Okafor, he can expect a lot of defensive pressure, looking to see if he has the poise to handle it it.

Okafor looked good. They doubled and tripled him all game long but he still scored 26 pts. Impressive arsenal of offensive skills, only thing I didn't see is a 3 pt shot but he's not going to be drafted as a stretch four right now. Kid is only 19 and the comparisons to Timmy aren't unjustified.

tiger0330 said:

Okafor looked good. They doubled and tripled him all game long but he still scored 26 pts. Impressive arsenal of offensive skills, only thing I didn't see is a 3 pt shot but he's not going to be drafted as a stretch four right now. Kid is only 19 and the comparisons to Timmy aren't unjustified.

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Nothing has changed IMO as Okafor was always the clear #1, yes Towns is very good but he plays on a vastly talented and team full of depth. Russell proved his worth all yr and showed in many cases during the tourney why he's a clear Top 5 pick. As I said a page back or so...

What we have to hope for, we land the #1 overall pick and that Mudiay blows everyone away with his workouts because look at what Russell WestBrook has done the past couple months. So in the event we want to trade down we make a trade to remain in the top #5 while getting another 1st rounder and maybe something else. Philly IMO probably wants Mudiay. Not saying I'd pass at drafting Mudiay if he blows workout onlookers away but with Philly having a bevy of picks this draft they are the trade down partner along with the Lakers. All this aside a straight up pick for 1 player all signs point to drafting Okafor.

If you haven't made up your mind about Okafor here's something to chew on. Dave Odom, Timmys coach when he played at Wake Forest said Okafor reminds him of Timmy and Okafor is better than Timmy was at 19.

tiger0330 said:

If you haven't made up your mind about Okafor here's something to chew on. Dave Odom, Timmys coach when he played at Wake Forest said Okafor reminds him of Timmy and Okafor is better than Timmy was at 19.

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Maybe offensively and it's a reach but defensively he's not. I think these kind of comparisons are kind of corny too as you can have cases where guys peak too soon. He's the best offensive talent with incredible physical tools who has upside and can get better defensively if someone pushes him to be great and not settle.

His attitude supposedly is another intangible about Okafor, his desire to constantly improve. It shows on the offensive side, I think it's only a matter of time before he becomes better on the other end. He does look a little soft physically and needs to work on his conditioning and strength.

tiger0330 said:

If you haven't made up your mind about Okafor here's something to chew on. Dave Odom, Timmys coach when he played at Wake Forest said Okafor reminds him of Timmy and Okafor is better than Timmy was at 19.

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Tim Duncan was drafted to David Robinson household throughout his rookie season.
u dont get a better player, coach, tutor, and bigman leader than David Robinson throughout your rookie contract.
After 17 years in the NBA Timmy is still the best Super-Star Bigman in the NBA!!!!
Timmy only know one headcoach, and two starter PG in his 18 seasons with the Spurs.

Okafor will be drafted by some BUM team that change their roster every two years, and change headcoaches every 3 years.

Here's everything we might want to know about draft considerations present and future while fluid

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/basketball/DraftTrades/Years/index.htm

You can pick the Yrs or the Team

tiger0330 said:

His attitude supposedly is another intangible about Okafor, his desire to constantly improve. It shows on the offensive side, I think it's only a matter of time before he becomes better on the other end. He does look a little soft physically and needs to work on his conditioning and strength.

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Okafor offensive-level reminds me so much of the 2012 Kentucky freshmen Anthony Davis defensive-level before the draft.
Davis shouldve stayed at Kentucky until his sophmore season .. whatever .. The Pelicans did a great job developing Anthony Davis bigman-Game throughout his 3 season in the NBA .. he grabbed my vote for the 2014-15 All-Star Game.

Will Okafor or Towns receive the same development as Anthony Davis from any 2015 LOTTO teams???
Wolves .. Hell NO! .... the Wolves need to be banned from using the draft again.
Lakers .. NO!
76ers .. Maybe?
Knicks .. Mi$$management? .... If Phil Jackson cant fix the Knicks .. the next GM got a great excuse for failure

Okafor finished his college career with a fizzle statistically, but hit a couple big shots down the stretch. If all you watched was the tourney, you'd swear that Kaminsky is the best player in the draft, but he couldn't get his team the win and I still don't think he goes in the top 10. Will we pair Melo with another NCAA champ (Okafor)? Not sure at this point, regardless of our pick. Not sure how any frontcourt player can fit our current roster.

htr10 said:

Okafor finished his college career with a fizzle statistically. If all you watched was the tourney, you'd swear that Kaminsky is the best player in the draft, but he couldn't get his team the win. Will we pair Melo with another NCAA champ (Okafor)? Not sure at this point, regardless of our pick. Not sure how any frontcourt player can fit our current roster.

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Anthony Davis was a bust his last game before he turned pro and he turned into a spectacular player so one game tells you nothing about a rookies potential but if the Knicks pick either Okafor or Towns you have to wait a few years for them to develop into players that can help you.

PJ has a gargantuan task ahead of him, he's got to fill 10 roster spots and he may only bring back 3 players of the existing team so he'll be getting 7 new players and judging by what happened this season the triangle is not an easy system to integrate players into. Remember what Melo and JR said in the pre-season that it would take time before the team got the hang of the triangle and I don't see how with 7 or more new guys it gets any easier particularly when your starting PG is Calderon.

I might be a little bias being a Duke fan but even though Okafor didnt have a good game yesterday he did come up big late in the game with 2 big scoring plays and then that block on Kaminsky. The game before against Michigan State he was fantastic and people need to remember throughout the tournament before the last couple games he was being double and triple teamed cause he is that good offensively.
I think its a no brainer, we should be taking Okafor with the 1 pick if we have it.

htr10 said:

Okafor finished his college career with a fizzle statistically, but hit a couple big shots down the stretch. If all you watched was the tourney, you'd swear that Kaminsky is the best player in the draft, but he couldn't get his team the win and I still don't think he goes in the top 10. Will we pair Melo with another NCAA champ (Okafor)? Not sure at this point, regardless of our pick. Not sure how any frontcourt player can fit our current roster.

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Defense first. PJ biggest mistake was trading Tyson. Tyson not only anchored our defense but was relentless on the offensive glass. Remember all the second and third shots we got from Tyson's tap outs? I don't know what Phil was smoking when he made that trade but he needs to be sharing. I like Okafor's offensive skill set, but I think either one of the Kentucky pair would be better on the defensive end.

Pricey said:

I might be a little bias being a Duke fan but even though Okafor didnt have a good game yesterday he did come up big late in the game with 2 big scoring plays and then that block on Kaminsky. The game before against Michigan State he was fantastic and people need to remember throughout the tournament before the last couple games he was being double and triple teamed cause he is that good offensively.
I think its a no brainer, we should be taking Okafor with the 1 pick if we have it.

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Pretty sure Phil is going with Towns if both are there when we pick. The draft, cap space and PJ running the show make this the most interesting off-season in my memory.

tiger0330 said:

Pretty sure Phil is going with Towns if both are there when we pick. The draft, cap space and PJ running the show make this the most interesting off-season in my memory.

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Do you clearly see Towns as head and shoulders better than any other prospect entering the draft? You could apply this question to the other prospects too. What advantage does Phil have in regards to the draft?