NBA  > New York Knicks  > With the 8th Pick we have a trade
May 31, 2009, 06:54 PM
No player after Griffin, Thabeet, or Rubio is really that distinguishable from the next. This means if your drafting at 4 or if your drafting at 14 whats the difference? Want a point guard? You have the option of Brandon Jennings, Stephan Curry, Jonny Flynn, Ty Lawson, etc. All of the PG's have one thing they excel at, but don't really stand out from the pack. If you want an athletic SG you have the option of Henderson, Ellington, Tyreke Evans, Demar Derozan, or even Chase Buddinger or Terrence Williams. None of those guys are head and shoulders above the others.

The question I have is, if your going to draft at #8 like the Knicks are, why draft any of these guys when you really don't need to? The problem with a perimeter team like NY is they have no inside to go with the outside. No substance. No bangers, shotblockers, or grinders. Defense is an afterthought, and because of that wins are an afterthought. You don't win games playing Jared Jeffries at Center. You just don't.

This team needs to attempt to trade down out of this spot to get a different type of player. Either trade up and get Hasheem Thabeet, or more realistically trade back. Minnesota has picks 2, 18, and 28. Why not trade pick 8 to the T'wolves (they don't want 3 players anyway), and get Minnesota's 18th and 28th picks in the draft.

With the 18th pick the Knicks have the flexibility to grab BJ Mullens ( a legitimate 7' center that they can groom). This guy is better athletically, as well as in the post than Jared Jeffries if he had to start tommorow. If he is by some chance not available you would still have the ability to get a SG or PG to replace Duhon or Larry Hughes. PG's available at 18 would be Lawson, Teague, Flynn, Holliday, or Darren Collison. SG's still available may be Tyreke Evans, Wayne Ellington, Chase Buddinger. Point is this, not all of these guys can be drafted by then and any one of those PG's is a pretty good option.

At pick 28, the Knicks still have the option to draft the best player available. If they are able to get BJ Mullens with the 18th pick, they can look at drafting Darren Collison, or Ty Lawson. Collison should be available and is a very talented PG. Then the team has an additional PG should Nate Robinson or Chris Duhon leave after the season, and a pretty good center in BJ Mullens to add to the front court. Another possibility at 28 is PF Taj Gibson from USC. This guy destroyed UNC's pF's Hansborough, and Brandon Wright 2 years ago. He's a consistent PF that grabs a ton of rebounds and blocks shots (something David Lee cannot do). For this past season he averaged 14ppg, 9 rpg, and 3 blocked shots. If the team wants to sign and trade David Lee when the season is done ( he may want a large contract), they will have insurance and a rebounding defensive minded PF to groom. If you think pick 28 is too late to get a good player the Knicks grabbed David Lee at 30 a few years ago.

These are just the thoughts of an educated NY basketball fan. Dump the 8th pick and pick up Minnesota or some other teams. When there is not that much distinguishing the players in this draft, why get 1 project player when you can get 2? Anyone think they should keep the 8th pick, I welcome your draft thoughts.

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