Are Two Bodies Better Than One?

by Ben Kopelman on May 31st, 2009 at 3:51 pm

We all know that DW & Co. are going to do everything in their power to shed as much of last year as possible and unveil a decidedly different lineup come Opening Night 2009.  The first step in this back-breaking process comes on draft night, and by this point we are pretty well versed in the different directions in which Walsh could go.

With our position on the draft board, it is clear that no matter who we snag, he is going to be expected to contribute immediately and play up to the role he will be asked to fill.  Be it a big man to hang out with Eddy Curry play defense and block shots, or a point guard to quarterback this team back into the playoffs, the goal of June 25 is to start patching up the holes in our 2008 roster.

Yet with the number of leaks in our ship, one player is going to be hard pressed to clog them all.  While there will undoubtedly be a couple experienced, veteran additions through some trades and free agency, draft night has the potential to be more than a “I really really hope Stephen Curry pans out” kinda night.

Now don’t get me wrong: with the Knicks on the clock, I’d actually love to use #8 on Curry.  I think he has the chance to be a real deal point gaurd in this league given a coach and a system that play to his strengths (shoot a lot, then shoot some more).  Throw in a dash of “I stay late at the gym every night because I care about getting better” and I think Curry could be a true prize within the next 24 months.  

But I also truly believe that they can find that later in the draft while also taking advantage of a few quality 2nd Round talents who could step in to fill voids for the ‘Bockers this year as well.  A mid-first round point guard (Flynn, Lawson, Manor, Teague) along with an early second rounder (Darren Collison, Marcus Thornton or even Danny Greene, who may be able to contribute immediately on defense) might make less of a splash but more of an impact right now.  

Would Detroit entertain the idea of swapping their 1st and 2nd rounders (#15 and #36) for our #8?  How about the Bobcats swapping their #12 and #40 for the Knicks #8 and a player (Jefferies? Am I delusional?)?

While there are a plethora of plausible options for the Knicks where they currently stand, what two-man draft night package would make you most happy?  Even if you’d prefer to see the team stay where they are, I am interested to know what mid first / early second round combo you are most intrigued by…
  • Mucha

    No disrespect but that’s a terrible idea in MY opinion.

    We need to draft a stud, period. The talent from #2 to #8 isn’t that great of a drop-off, but it is from #8 to #15 in my opinion. There’s star potential in the top 8 (Curry, Holiday, Rubio, Evans, Harden, DeRozan) but you’ll get a role player at best with a mid-first round draft pick.

    Trading down would be turrible.

  • Chris Alvino

    I agree. If teams are willing to move their later picks for cash, that is one thing. But a second round pick is not worth dropping down to get.

    That said, if a player like Jordan Hill drops to us at 8 and th Nets want him, I would not be averse to trading down to the 11th spot to get another asset like Yi. I doubt that Larry Brown is sold on Curry. Imagine how badly the Cats would get torched with Augustin at PG and Curry at SG. If Curry is on the board at 8, then he should be there at 11 as well.

    Imagine using our 8th pick to potentially get Curry and Yi. That would be good value at 8.

  • CircleLimit4

    Ideally I would want a late first rounder on top of our #8 pick. If it was packaged right do you think the Pistons would take Harrington for the 15th pick?

  • paulempson

    First comment from Rubio

    Basic Translation is ” If there is NOT a god project n the NBA , I am not going there. If I go there its because there is a good future”

    Hoopshype.com

    Ricky: “Si no hay un buen proyecto no voy a la NBA”
    Rubio tiene claro que sólo iría a la mejor liga del mundo si es para jugar en un buen equipo
    30/05/09 – 20:18.

    Ricky Rubio habló por primera vez de su futuro después de que se produjese el sorteo del draft. El base del DKV Joventut afirmó con rotunidad en ‘El Punt’ que “si no hay un buen proyecto no voy a la NBA”.
    “Hay que ver cuál es la mejor opción para mí. Memphis tiene el dos, pero eso no quiere decir nada”
    En Estados Unidos se sigue especulando sobre el futuro de Ricky. El español ya ha confirmado que su agente ya está hablando con algunos mánagers de la NBA. “Hay que ver cuál es la mejor opción para mí. Memphis tiene el dos, pero eso no quiere decir nada”, afirmó el base.
    Y es que para el joven fenómeno lo más importante es el proyecto: “El número es importante porque quiere decir que tienes mejor status, pero también se tiene que valorar si el equipo que te escoge tiene un buen proyecto y los jugadores que hay”.
    “Hay posibilidades de continuar en el DKV Joventut”
    Rubio no descartó su continuidad en la ACB otro año. “Hay posibilidades de continuar en el Joventut. Depende de qué número salga y la negociación final, pero sobre todo de la cláusula que está negociando mi agente con el club”.
    Y es que Ricky tiene claro que sólo iría a la mejor liga del mundo si es para jugar en un buen equipo: “Si no hay un buen proyecto en la NBA no voy. Si voy es porque hay un buen futuro”.

  • CircleLimit4

    Unfortunately for us, with a core of OJ, Gay, M. Gasol and Conley (or whoever they could get for him) the future looks not so bad in Memphis. At least it wouldn’t for me.

  • Ben Kopelman

    my point is, I’m not sold that Curry is going to develop into a stud PG more so than a Lawson or Flynn type. So for me, with the main goal getting a new quarterback to run the team, I think the Knicks could still accomplish priority #1 and pick up some extra shwag on the side…

  • Bart

    Curry and Budinger would be a good draft and realistic, we would just have to buy the pick from whoever drafts Budinger.

  • Jeff Cykiert

    I’ll start off by saying i would never trade away our 8th for 2 lower ones. We have a chance to get a great player, and there’s no reason to trade down. We can acquire other draft picks in other ways.

    For the spirit of the article though, if we were to move down to mid-first round, i would definitely be interested in Lawson, but he might not even slide that far at this point. He’s super fast, very smart, an on-court leader, unselfish, a good shooter, great decision maker… etc…

    But i would never be happy if we passed up on curry for maynor, teague, or someone else like that and a second rounder.

    I really think curry can be a special player. He is the same type of player nash was when he entered the NBA, but hes more athletic. Our PG needs to have a great shot – i think people underestimate the importance of that. And its not as if that is all curry has. he is a brilliant player with a very high IQ and great PG skills, even without his unbelievable shot.

  • paulempson

    a lot will depend on whose on the board

  • The_Guy

    Trading down might have been a good idea LAST year, but this year? No way. This draft is not very deep. After the first 15 picks or so, there’s a serious dropoff in talent. I rather a pretty good player @ # 8, than 2 so-so ones. Now if we can BUY another pick that’s a different story.

    But it wouldn’t make sense to trade down this year.

    Least year you could’ve gotten Mario Chalmers in the second round. This year, Marcus Thornton? That’s a HUGE dropoff.

    I’d love for the Knicks to buy a pick in the 15-20 range so we can target Sam Young, T Will, or Chase Budinger??

  • Cheech

    I agree with the original comments by Mucha and Chris Alvino.
    No way would i trade the 8th pick for a mid-late first rounder and a second rounder! especially if we could quite possibly buy a pick in the late first round.
    I mean i understand the idea that we need alot of pieces. But when you really think about, a core of Lee, Wilson, Dannilo, and Curry (Steph of course) would be pretty bright. And if we could add a budinger/vernado with a late first round pick that we buy then we’d really be in business. How many teams have a core of young players like that with, potentially, alot of money available in 2010? Not to many. I mean that group of young players plus al harrington, duhon, and maybe just maybe “the large lazy one” (aka Eddy Curry) would be close to a playoff team in my opinion…and would be pretty enticing to a perspective 2010 big free agent…

  • BiggieSmalls

    agreed on not flipping the 8 for two lower picks.

    We can grab a mid/late 20′s pick in a number of ways.

    Im hoping Pat Ewing Jr is a part of the roster next year (he’s still out there>? no?)

    We need to get bigger in the back court and more athletic over all. Younger, hungry players who want to play D and show some spark.

    Im all for finding a new home for Duhon, Q and JJ this off season.

    Ill consider moving Hughes and Al Buckets at the deadline if it turns into a super stud from a team that is out of it.

    Next year is about showing Lebron all of what he doesnt have in Cleveland. They have no roster flecibility and will likely return the rotation in tact. And the coach there has been exposed badly.. what a joke that Coach of the Year award was.

  • The_Guy

    @ Ben Kopelman – I agree the Knicks have alot of holes they need to fill, but:

    1) They don’t all have to be filled this summer.

    2) They don’t all have to be filled via the draft.

  • BiggieSmalls

    we have holes to fill.

    primarily,

    more size in the back court

    more shot blockin in the front court

    young players who can stick it on defense and run all day

  • bob knick slave

    i trade our #8 for two first rounders ,and take ERIC MAYNOR and B.J MULLENS.we get a great point guard ,plus a legit 7 footer for the future(maynor will be better all around than curry)

  • bob knick slave

    or trade our pick all together for an establihed defensive minded big man,and then sign RAMON SESSIONS as our point guard and get rid of CHRIS DUHON.THEN trade WILSON CHANDLER and some expirings (HARRINGTON,HUGHES,DUHON OR RICHARDSON) AND A FUTURE PICK FOR CHRIS BOSH.
    SESSIONS PG
    DONT KNOW SG
    GALLO SF
    BOSH PF
    DEFENSIVE CENTER C
    HEY,ITS A START

  • KBT1615

    Its Only Two Defensive minded centers available Tyson Chandler and Marcus Camby. And If we trade Duhon we will be back in the same problem as last year no backup PG running our starter dry.
    I think we should Buy Two Late Round Picks And Keeping Our 8th Pick.
    Getting Demar Derozan (Steph Curry, Ty Evans and Jennings May Be Gone), And Using The Later Picks For Jeff Teague (If He Stays In) And BJ Mullens.
    A Draft Of Derozan, Teague, Mullens.

  • cragganmor

    I agree, it will depend who is on the board. Both Curry and Holiday are getting pretty good reviews and could be gone by #8. If those 2 are gone and Derozan does not impress in workouts, I’d be happy to swing a 2 for 1.

    Danny Green will thrive in a D’Antoni system, has the size, athleticism, can play D, pass, rebound and shoot, plus he’s a smart player. I think you combine Danny and a PG prospect like Maynor or Teague and that’s a draft that I can live with.

    There are also some potential diamonds in the second round rough like Rod Beaubois, Jeff Adrien, Alade Aminu and Dante Cunningham, don’t sleep on these guys, all of them are worth a look, if we can score some second round picks for cash.

  • KBT1615

    If Derozan Gets Taken Earlier And Thabeet Falls I wouldn’t Be Surprised If We Scooped Him Up. All This Hype Has Risen Steph Curry’s Stock And Almost Every Team In Front Of Us Needs A PG. Just Our Luck Right. But If We Buy Picks Later On And We Have Thabbet I will Be Very Happy With A Teague/Thabeet Draft Day.

  • Cheech

    I like adrien alot. that guy is a beast. the only thing is like 6’6″….but his arms are the biggest out of any guy i have seen since Larry Johnson.
    What the deal with Mullens. I know hes super athletic, but where is his projection? is he even coming out? And what about that kid Vernado? any word on him? (i think both of them should be considered for a late first rounder)

  • paulempson

    A lot of PG’s will allow us to get one at 8 . Who is another question

    I feel Walsh will flip Mobley’s deal for another pick . Probably late teens-20′s

    Trade the dead weight in expirings he knows dont work for players that do. Then give the season the best shot they can because one thing is for sure , you dont win , you lose in the FA market

    I expect to see 2 S & T’s to really bolster the team

    I hope its only one, Nate