Jordan Hill and The Nets

by Myles A. Mills on June 13th, 2009 at 7:44 pm

Rod Thorn and Kiki Vandeweghe have made it clear that with the 11th pick in the 2009 draft, the Nets will be looking solely at bigs.  James Johnson, the Wake Forest sophomore, seemed like the favorite early on.  His combination of athleticism and toughness seemed like it would fit perfectly with Lawrence Frank’s offense which is predicated on attacking the basket and either finishing or kicking the ball out.  Then, Dejuan Blair burst onto the Nets radar after an impressive NCAA tournament, even though he was inconsistent offensively.  Against Villanova, Blair put up 20 and 10 on 9/9 shooting with two steals and two assists.  Blair looked like the ideal big, albeit undersized, to pair with Brook Lopez and have a tough, young front court that would be defensive stoppers for years to come.  Some mocks have the Nets taking Ty Lawson to fulfill the void they have at the backup point guard spot ever since they dropped Marcus Williams, but the hole at the power forward position for the Nets is much greater.  The Nets platooned Sean Williams, Josh Boone, and the oft injured and painfully soft Yi Jianlian alongside Brook Lopez, and the power forward position is the second most deep in the draft, after the point guards of course.  Last year, Thorn sat back on draft night and watched several teams foolishly pass on Brook Lopez, because of fear of his “bust potential” and disappointing workouts.  Jay Bilas had him as the third most talented player in the draft, and he might have been the second, but he somehow dropped to 10.

It looks like this years Brook Lopez will be Jordan Hill, the 6’10, 235 pound junior out of Arizona.  His buddy Chase Budinger might also be a steal in the mid first round and carve out a very good NBA career.  If you would have asked me two weeks ago, I would have predicted Jordan Hill to go at 5 to the Wizards.  It seemed like he would fit in perfectly with their young front court of Andray Blatche and Javale McGee.  But then, thanks to the Knicks public displays of affection towards Stephen Curry, his stock rose.  Now most mocks have him going at 5 to the Wizards.  Consequentially, Jordan Hill’s stock has taken the biggest hit.  Hill recently commented on his predicted decline down the draft board.

“I really don’t care about that, man,” Hill told the San Francisco Chronicle. “What you read are what people who aren’t around think. They’re not with the coaches or the GMs or with the people who make the decisions.” 

Not true.  Guys like Jonathan Givony and Chad Ford are with the GMs, coaches, and scouts, and that’s why their opinions are so valued.  I’ve been a fan of Jordan Hill for a while now, and other than Blake Griffin, I thought he was the second best fit if the Knicks were to go big in the draft, after Cole Aldrich.  He’s a big body who can really rebound and block shots.  He’s working on his mid range game and workout reports show that he has made vast strides in that area.  He only shot 54% from the stripe this season, so that is obviously a glaring concern, but he went from 5 points to 13 points to 18 points each year during his time at Arizona.  This shows he has a proclivity to improve each year and work on his game.  He has the potential to be a great two way power forward in the league.  He’s been compared to Chris Wilcox, but not only is he a much better rebounder, but he has much better footwork, post moves, and a far superior mid range game.  His worst case scenario is Ronny Turiaf, and not just because of the dreads.  I can see him being a starter for many years and a franchise cornerstone.  I just can’t see him being a bust because of his work ethic and attitude.

If a guy that averaged 18, 11, and 2 blocks in the Pac-10 drops to 11, the Nets would be ecstatic.  If he slips past 5, he very well may drop to the Nets spot.  Picks 6, 7, 8, and 9 look like they may all be guard picks, and depending on what the Bucks do, the Nets may end up with their dream pick falling into their laps.  To the dismay of several Net fans, Tyler Hansborough has skyrocketed up the Nets board, and Chad Ford has them taking him in his Mock 4.0, which would easily be the biggest reach the draft.  At the draft combine, Hansbrough surprisingly impressed.  Jordan Hill could only lift the 185 -pound bar 11 times, while Hansborough lifted it 18 times.  Hill is also only three quarters of an inch taller than Hansbrough, and his vertical is only an inch bigger.  If Hill is gone by the time the Nets pick, they’ll choose between Hansbrough, Earl Clark, James Johnson, and Dejuan Blair, but if Jordan Hill falls, the decision is a no-brainer, and Brook Lopez, Jordan Hill, Devin Harris, and Vince Carter is scary.

About Myles A. Mills

Myles is a sophomore at The Browning School, an all-boys private school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He's been a Knick fan as long as he can remember, and 02-03 was the last season he could remember in entirety. He hopes to one day see the Knicks in the playoffs. Myles is also fond of the Mets, and follows them vehemently, but his the bulk of his time goes to the Knicks. Myles wants to be a radio hosts on WFAN or ESPN 1050 radio, and he hopes to write for theknicksblog.com for years to come. View all posts by Myles A. Mills →
  • KBT1615

    I like Jordan Hill But The Knicks Are Like The Jets…Bear With Me, A Talented Team Close To Making The Playoffs who need two more things to be a threat
    Receiver Threat-Shot Blocking, Good Quaterback-Good PG Floor General.
    And Draft Day When The Jets Had To Pick Between Crabtree or That Possible Great QB They Picked That Great QB and thats what I expect us to do pick that QB.
    I would be happy with every top 10 PG in this draft but my favorites are

    1. Brandon Jennings- All That Talent
    2. Jonny Flynn- Heart, Talent And He Loves The Knicks. Hey Can’t Go Wrong There.
    3. Ty Evans- He is three because he will need a Steve Nash To Help Him Develop.

  • dino2008

    If Jordan Hill is there and holiday, curry, and rubio are gone, why wouldn’t we take him and then buy a pick and land either eric maynor or ty lawson? Hill is extremley athletic and would be a nice fit for our system. IMO you take the best player available and early on mocks had him going number 3, so theres absolutely no reason to not select him and then buy a pick if curry, rubio, holiday, or jennings r not there. I would even take hill over jennings. Hill seems to me to be a real class act and NO1 can say that he isn’t loaded with so much potential. There is no reason to select a guy like johnny flynn at 8, when we could get both lawson and hill.

  • Myles A. Mills

    that’s the point i want to bring up. if hill is there at 8, and say curry is gone at 5 and holiday at 4, and the warriors swoop in to take flynn at 7.

    do we go with hill? He blocks shots, and to me has more upside than Thabeet. he’s also more of a risk

  • KBT1615

    Myles I guess it would depend on how much the Knicks like Jennings and Ty Evans to run the Point right?

  • bob go knicks

    I take HILL in a minute,he could turn out to be another CHRIS BOSH,except he wouldnt cost as much.BUT the KNICKS really need a TWO-guard,and nobody seems to bring that fact up.if we could get a late first rounder and take a defensive minded 2,like TERRANCE WILLIAMS,after we take HILL,sign RAMON SESSIONS and center GORTAT
    SESSIONS-PG
    WILLIAMS-SG
    CHANDLER/GALLO-SF
    HARRINGTON/HILL
    GORTAT/CURRY

  • Myles A. Mills

    yeah I love Jennings potential KBT, but his attitude is iffy.

    I am not a Tyreke Evans fan in the least. As a two guard, I like him, but the Knicks would try to convert him to the 1 and I don’t like him in that role.

  • KBT1615

    I agree Jrue has a lot of potential too but if we had to pick between Hill and Holiday.
    I pick Hill especially if the Knicks feel Steve Nash is getting ready to leave.
    Now Jennings and Hill thats hard but I pick Jennings and I can’t pick between Evans and Hill.

  • CircleLimit4

    Hill makes JJ and Harrington that much more expendable and Harrington wuo,d be our ticket to that elusive 2010 pick.

  • CircleLimit4

    could*

  • bob go knicks

    Name one team,that would give us a first round pick for FRGGN AL HARRINGTON!jeeziz,he couldnt even crack the starting lineup for DON NELSON,and as soon as we get better players ,he wont be starting for us either!he scored 20 pts per foir the first time in his carreer with us cuz he hoisted up 25 shots per

  • CircleLimit4

    Teams whose windows are closing. Teams who wanna make moves now. Pistons, Spurs, Mavs, Rockets, maybe even Orlando.

    Harrington is more valuable than you think. He takes a lot of shots but his percentages aren’t bad from the field or 3 point land. He can shoot, he can drive. Most importantly, he doesn’t need anyone to create for him. Remember Lebron’s monster night at the garden? Remember the guy who single handedly kept us in the game? Al. Harrington is probably our most valuable asset outside Wilson and Galo.

  • Chris Alvino

    He’s a big scorer though. He is worth a first round pick. He didn’t crack the starting rotation, but he was a key piece in GS. He was a 20 and 6 guy in NY last year. He is worth a pick, but maybe not a lottery pick next year.

  • joetheknick

    A TRADE: Donnie trades Nate, Jared, etc. to Memphis for the #2 pick (Rubio) and Darko and then we take Jordan Hill with the 8th pick. Can you think of a better days work then that.

  • Chris Alvino

    The problem….. that “etc.” will be the 8th pick.

  • joetheknick

    Chris: you are probably right about etc meaning the 8th pirk. I am basing my opinion on economic necessity compelling Memphis to avoid an expensive draft project. A high draft pick means an expensive rookie contract. Getting rid of Darko for some useful pieces may be enough. They have other later picks. We shall see.

  • KBT1615

    Guys Don’t Pick On Me Or anything but what about Shaq? He blocks some shots but he clogs the lanes and when the threes aren’t falling hey run the system through him, As we saw this season he can still do it.
    The Cavs were offering two expirings Pavlovic and Ben Wallace we can counter that easy.

  • Knicks4lyfe8

    I think Walsh is going to take Curry.
    In Indiana Walsh was criticized for picking Reggie Miller and he turned out a hall of famer. I think he will pick Curry because it is a similar situation.

  • Cheech

    I agree completely. I really like Hill. And how many good players from arizona are in the NBA??? ALOT! But i think we can only take him if we are for sure trading David Lee (which i hope we dont), but if we are trading Dave and Rubio/Curry/Holliday are gone. I say u have toconsider him. If Flynn is also gone, I say u have to take him.

  • Cheech

    We are not signing sessions. Sorry. its just not happening. Especially if we sign Gortat too.

  • Cheech

    Nate will make more for the next 4 years than rubio.

  • Cheech

    THeres no doubt that if curry is there we will take him. But right now it doesnt seem like he will be there. I pray he is tho.

    And Bob go knicks said earlier that the knicks need a 2-guard. I agree bob. So if we can get a later pick, please can we take Buddinger!!!

  • bob go knicks

    YES WE ARE (GORTAT TOO)

  • bob go knicks

    where can i find an idiot to give us the 2nd pick.(cant trade nate before july)no team is gonna give us the #2 pick for a bunch of scrap! plus no way JORDAN HILL lasts till 8th pick.(still say NO WAY we get a first rounder for HARRINGTON,2ND ROUNDER AND A BODY MAYBE)..does anyone here remember that WE STINK!? i mean whoi the hell in their right mind is trading us all this good stuff for a bunch of dead wood?if you were an opposing G.M.,(and your job is at steak)would you make these moves?

  • bob go knicks

    CURRY isnt even gonna be there at 8

  • http://www.theknicksblog.com/2009/06/17/mills-mock-draft-v3/ The Knicks Blog » Mills Mock Draft V3

    [...] stock has dropped, and TKB has been on top of that.  First, let me say that I fully endorse the idea of picking Jordan Hill at 8, and if he’s [...]