Tommy Dee just brought the serious intel over at The Knicks Blog regarding the Knicks’ draft plans and other draft-related buzz. In the main, this is what Tommy is hearing about the Knicks’ plans:
We’ve learned that the Knicks have Holiday and Curry ahead of Evans, because they feel that they are more suited at the point guard position, but the Memphis product will work out for the Knicks as well as the Kings, Wizards and Raptors with Toronto keeping their fingers crossed that he falls to 9. No chance he gets past the Raptors, who have all but guaranteed.
But our sources confirm the Knicks have been doing some serious homework on Evans and like what they are hearing and he should be the pick if both Holiday and Curry are off the board.
Can’t say I’m surprised that Evans has secured a virtual guarantee from the Raptors as we had him going there in our last mock and he fits what they need to a T. But while I recognize that he represents good value at 8 in certain scenarios, from the Knicks’ perspective I think Evans is a poor fit.
At any rate, over the past several days I’ve come to believe that Evans’ stock is rising to the point where it’s unlikely he’ll be there at 8. Should Memphis and Sacramento make a very obvious and necessary swap of the second and fourth picks, several outlets are reporting that the Grizzlies would target Evans with the 4th pick. In addition, several mocks (including DraftExpress’) have Evans being selected by the Timberwolves at 6 and he’s obviously a fit with Nellie and the Warriors at 7.
Not surprisingly, with three weeks to go until draft day the lottery is in a state of flux and our third mock draft (which will go up this weekend) is going to look quite a bit different at the top than the last one did.
Dan L adds:
Tommy also picks up on reports that the Grizzlies are surely looking to trade their second pick, as Rubio doesn’t want to play there and the Grizzlies don’t love Thabeet. The only way for the Knicks to get Rubio is for Rubio to say he’ll only play for the Knicks, since the Kings are undoubtedly interested. Even if he does make such an ultimatum though, Knicks fans will have to come to terms with the notion that any trade will likely cost them Wilson Chandler, since it is unclear that David Lee, who is a restricted free agent, would agree to play for Memphis.
Related posts:
- Memphis really wants Evans, not Rubio? The latest rumor off Yahoo! Sports suggests that Memphis really...
- And with the 8th pick… UPDATE: Check out part 1 of our mock draft! Ok....
- Knicks Pick Picture Clear As The East River Only two days until the draft and projections are all...
- Handicapping the Knicks' Pick In my opinion, here are the odds of the Knicks...
- Knicks Locked in on Steph Curry? Tommy Dee linked this morning to a radio interview conducted...
Loading ...
I guess we could use a shooter at the 2 spot, but then I wonder, how important would Chandler be considering Gallinari will probably be our 3 when and if he gets healthy and plays to the potential most project him at. It’s interesting to say the least.
Does Gallinari play the 4, Chandler the 3, Lee the 5 and Evans at the 2? We’d still be playing small ball if we do that and I don’t know how many games better we will be. And I just remembered that Al Harrington plays the 3/4 spot. So where does that put Chandler?
Am I completely off with my concern about this?
@Dan – regarding your comment about us fans having to accept Chandler going to Grizzlies in any deal for Rubio because Lee might not be amenable to the idea of relocating to Memphis I still am uncertain as to how any player – even David Lee – can have so much veto power absent a non-trade clause in his contract.
Surely, David Lee and his agent understand that this is a business, right? You go where you’re traded to unless you’re some mega-star named Kobe or Lebron which David is neither.
Can someone explain this to me? How does David have so much power?
And, yes, i’d take a potentially transcendant PG in D’Antoni’s system any day of the week over a PF/C who can’t block a shot if a million dollars was on the line. Oh, and i’d also trade Chandler for Rubio too. With a 33 win team no asset is “untouchable”.
In order to trade Lee, you have to sign him. If he knows you are going to trade him to Memphis, he can threaten to not sign and wait to become a RFA.
Stallion’s exactly right. Since Lee’s a restricted free agent, even though the Knicks have a right of first refusal, he’s not technically under contract and doesn’t have to agree to participate in a sign and trade with any team he doesn’t want to play for.
Yea that’s why.
Looks like Bosh is going to opt-out by the way. Tommy Dee has a link. We’ll post an entry on it soon.
I think I’m starting to suffer from information overload.
Between trying to evaluate some of the draft prospects using their college stats alone, thinking about the needs of the Knicks, thinking about the needs of the teams ahead of us in the draft, trade possibilities etc… I think my head is going to explode.
Maybe I should take a deep breath for the next couple of weeks and let Walsh/D’Antoni do their job and then decide whether I am happy or not.
It’s not like my opinions are likely to impact their decision anyway. My opinions usually just annoy other bloggers or get me barred because I am willing to be contrarian without doing it in a politically skilled way.
Glad to still be on good terms here because I am wearing out my welcome on another blog.
You’re definitely a member in good standing here, Stallion. Keep offering your opinions, even if DW and D’Antoni only swing by this blog a couple times a week.
Where is it this time Stallion?
The symptoms you’re describing remind me of this past October/November, when about 5, 6 days before the election I couldn’t deal with any more information, and was just so ready for the day to finally arrive.