“Hill has been a default Top 5 pick for the past few months. No one thinks he’s good enough to go that high, but when you look at who else is out there, he kind of floats to the top. His high-energy game and his terrific rebounding numbers have given NBA scouts hope. But the tournament really brought out his weaknesses, as well. Hill’s limited offensive repertoire, coupled with a pretty low basketball IQ, makes him a bigger reach than most top 5 picks.”

So we’re playing 4-on-5 on offense unless this guy is open for a dunk? In an offensive system? We better pray that we never play a ton of grind-it-out games against the Celtics of the league, because they are going to run the kid ragged.

Look, I really hope that he can improve. I’m a Knick fan after all, it’s in my team’s best interest if he does. I’ve just seen this backward logic way too much in both the NBA and the NFL, where guys who are pure athletes are drafted on the hope that they can learn the fine points of playing a sport. The highest level of play is not where that happens. But I hope I’m wrong.

I think Hill gives us most of what Lee has to offer (primarily rebounding) plus tougher defensive presence and some shot blocking.

On the offensive end, Lee is a very good finisher with either hand around the basket and a better free throw shooter. So he’s a more efficient scorer, but he’s not a high usage scorer, doesn’t score much unassisted, and typically disappears at the end of games because he can’t create a lot for himself. Hill already probably has a better mid range game, seems more athletic, and has more offensive upside. In the end, it would not shock me if Hill develops into the version of Lee we have all been hoping that Lee developed into.

Rodriguez was traded to Sacramento before the draft.