Lottery Countdown

by Tommy Dee on May 20th, 2008 at 3:44 pm

Getting ready to head over the GWB and into NJ and I have to say, very few things would inspire me to do this and the lottery is one of them. Like all fans I have to say I am ridiculously amped to hear about where the Knicks draft. Say what you want about the NBA, David Stern could turn a knitting convention into “Must See TV.”

I shall return in a couple of hours and give you the scoop of what’s happening. The cocktail hour goes waaay long so we’ll keep you up to date on any rumblings. But as we know the “real” news happens after 8.

Update 4:37

Keep in mind, as Marty Burns points out, that in each of the past two lotteries, the No. 5 team has moved up into the top two. But, as Burns also notes, if the Knicks follow the trend, the conspiracy cries will be so loud that David Stern will need earplugs.

Update 6:45

This place is hilarious. Just got a text from a fellow writer who said he can’t move because of Jay-Zs entourage. That’s right Jigga Man’s got Secaucus on lock down. Anyway everyone’s here, just saw Johnny Hoops telling jokes, he reminds me of my aunt’s boyfriend at a holiday party. Gotta love Johnny Hoops.

Anyway, D’Antoni has a very happy look on his face, not sure if it’s celebrating the new contract or he knows something we don’t… I’m just saying.

And we do take requests so, here are TKB’s Top 10 Prospects.

1) Rose

2) Beasley

3) Gallinari

4) Gordon

5) Mayo/Bayless

6) DeAndre Jordan

7) Anthony Randolph

8) Love

9) Lopez

10) Arthur

Update 7:50 PM

I’m sitting two rows behind Charles Smith and Howard Eisley. I am trying my best to resist saying “Dunk It,” for fear of ejection. If you want to know what they are doing…yup, you guessed right… nothing.

Update 8:05 PM

Ahmad Rashad is being way too loud and is getting shushed. He has a woofin’ beard and looks like he’s been stranded on a desert island for the last 3 months. Welcome back to civilization bro…

Jay-Z has the crowd buzzing. He just told D. Burke in an ESPN interview that he is personally very interested in O.J. Mayo. Did he just get the Nets a fine?? ESPN did steal our thunder with a “99 Problems” joke… but in standard ESPN fashion they butchered it by saying it five times in a two-minute span.

8:11 pm…

A well-respected NBA writer is complaining that the Sacramento Kings’ representative is not hot enough. But apparently she is for Larry Bird, who is currently hitting on her.

8:16 pm…

Some guy in the crowd just yelled to Jay-Z that he had the best seat in the house sitting next to Larry Bird. This is just weird….

8:20 pm….

There you have it. 6th pick. Devastation. A huge groan from the crowd as the Bulls are the lucky ones…. yet again. Stern is obviously mad at the Sonics new ownership and punishing them out of the top 3.

8:24 pm…

ARE YOU SERIOUS????? Rose is from Chicago, this is easy. Beasley and Wade in Miami. What a joke.

….Andrew Smith writes….

First thoughts are, I guess we have to hope that Gallinari slips to 6. But, I am not so sure if that is possible. As reader Double B points out, “Does this mean we can trade for Hinrich?” If it does, let’s jump on that. His down season last year may have lowered his trade value, but he would be perfect for this team.

Any thoughts on what we would have to give up for Hinrich?

Maybe Randolph, Lee and the 6th pick for Hinrich, Tyrus Thomas and Ben Gordon?  If my memory serves me right, D’Antoni is a huge fan of Thomas. What do you guys think?
  • krumbledkookie

    ***Saying my (atheist) prayers***

    Derrick Rose, welcome to NY, Derrick Rose, welcome to NY, Derrick Rose, welcome to NY…

    Call it wishful thinking, call it delusional, but I’m a Mets and Knicks fan… what other way is there?

  • reddog2669

    our luck and the knicks will get #3.

  • Maseinyourface

    C’mon guys bring home a top-two pick!

  • Double B

    With the 3rd pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks select….Brook Lopez…ugh. I can see it now

  • Maseinyourface

    I’m trying to be optimistic but to play into it… dude you think we’d even get three. I can see it now we’ll drop to 8th. Hey KB guys can you post the projected top ten players in the draft. That is if you are not too sauced already =)

  • vino

    I must say that I will be upset if we do not get into the top 2, but if we slip past five, then I am going to be pissed! At least if we don’t move up it would not be too surprising.

  • mross

    anyone know where a decent Knick chatroom is?

  • vino

    Damn!

  • gbaked

    *sigh*

  • http://myspace.com/droseatwork droseatwork

    maybe we can trade eddie curry for some lottery pics

  • Maseinyourface

    UGH! Not only do we drop a slot but the bulls get the 1st pick. I wanna vomit. Well I don’t know who I’d want with the 6th or who would even be there. If the Kid from Italy is there I am all for it. I’m going to wash this foul taste out of my mouth.

    BTW thanks for the list. I’m with you guys on Gallinari I think he’s the most NBA ready after the the top two. Mayo is up there but with his off the court troubles I can see him dropping significantly. I see you guys are down on him. He’s not what we need anyway.

  • Maseinyourface

    I’m not a big Hinrich fan but I can live with him. Im just not big on his D or lack of. Would loooove to have Ben Gordon on this team even if he is undersized (money earnin’ mount vernon). Thomas I was big on in college but he hasn’t shown me much in the NBA.

  • Maseinyourface

    Hopefully G-nari can slip ESPN didnt even have him in the top 10. I think they had him @ 12. I dont know if League GM’s would be that dumb. Also do you guys know what his contract status is and if it would. be a factor. I wonder if he would drop if he’s not readily available to play.

  • Maseinyourface

    hello anybody else out there?…lol

  • http://theknicksblog.com Andrew Smith

    Mase – I agree about Gallinari. Despite the current rankings around the internet, I don’t see him falling to us. IMO, once teams get an opportunity to meet Mayo, Bayless, Gordon, etc. and discover they have no clue how to play defense and that they have never been controlled by any of their coaches their stocks will fall.

  • Maseinyourface

    So the “experts” are already projecting us to take Mayo with the 6th pick. I like Mayo but don’t feel like he’s a good fit for us. Unless you want to continue the trend of having tweeners with no real position and poor shot selection. OJ would be good for somebody. Just not us. Those same “experts” have the G-man going to Milwaukee @ 8. Keep hope alive!

  • Maseinyourface

    Did I also mention turnover prone.

  • Maseinyourface

    Yea I’m with you on those guys. Bayless is considered ‘selfish’ (last thing we need). Gordon is more of a 2 and an undersized one @ that. Other guys I like that probably wont drop to us are. Brooks Lopez (then we can deal lazy eddy); Kevin Love. I like A. Randolph also (think that he has great upside). DeAndre Jordan is intrigiuing but I dont see him as D’antoni’s type of player. Lastly I want no part of Augustin, he’s wayy too small.

  • vino

    Mase, you are all amped up here and I love it.

    First off, I do not see us being able to trade for the Bulls guards, nor would I necessarily want both of them. It is not a guarantee that the Bulls will take Rose. I think they will, but they need a scoring power forward. They also need a great point guard, so I guess we will not know who they will take until we get closer to the draft.

    As for the Knicks, I am not sure about Gallinari. I am not saying that I am against him, but I have never actually seen him play. I do not want to base my judgement off of YouTube clips because those do not really tell you the story about a guy.

    I like Bayless and he comes from a great program. Generally Arizona puts out pretty good point guards (Arenas, Bibby, and Stoudamire to name three). Bayless is a crazy athlete and can score well. I think he can develop into a pretty good point.

    However, the Knicks biggest move leading up to the draft will not be the pick they make. I have a strong feeling that they have a big trade that will go down in the next month (maybe even on draft night).

  • Maseinyourface

    I hope we make a big trade. From your keyboard to Donnie’s ears.

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