Category Archives: 2009 prospects
With the rumors with Washington on full speed, the Post’s Peter Vecsey adds some fuel to the 
fire in saying that the Knicks are angling for 5 so they can trade up to 2 to snag Ricky Rubio.
“…Some of the immoderately mesmerized queued up include the Timberwolves, Kings and Knicks, who are angling to acquire No. 5 from Washington for Larry Hughes (but must take the expiring contracts of Mike James and Etan Thomas) and parlay the pick with No. 8 for No. 2.
Disregarding the 6-foot-3 Spaniard’s contract tribulations for the moment, Rubio doesn’t take a possession off competitively, has improved his 3-point shot whenhe’s able to set his feet, a la Jason Kidd, and sees the court like a nun saw a crowded classroom, minus the mistakes.
At the same time, Rubio’s flaws scare numerous talent scouts more than just a little bit.
“Ricky has a big upside,” a Western Conference coach concedes. “Nevertheless, he’s very light, like Steve Nash only without the offense. He has no mid-range game, never gets to the free throw line and is a defensive liability due to his lack of strength and size.
“Ricky makes sense for a team loaded with great outside shooters, because he can make plays,” the coach continued. “He would’ve been a perfect fit for the Suns under Mike D’Antoni, and he could play for him with the Knicks because they don’t worry about playing defense…”
Now I have two problems with this assessment.
First, I’m still trying to understand why on earth the Wiz would give up the 5th pick for Larry Hughes. I know Gil runs the show in a lot of ways down there, but Big Ern is smarter than that. I’m sure 5 is in play, but it would take bringing back contracts and giving up Chandler, which we hear the Knicks are not completely sold on yet.
Secondly, I’m not sure the team trades two picks to 2 if they give up Chandler. Walsh was adamant yesterday in saying that if you bring in a rookie you have to make sure their are play makers around them, and if the Knicks deal Hughes and/or Chandler, then they have to get two picks back to fill roster spots as they head into free agency. In other words, if they move too many existing players, who will Rubio, or any other guard make plays for? That would expose them and possible hamper their development.
Either way you can smell the wood burning in Washington and we love all the momentum that has surrounded Rubio since we went out on a limb last week.
Just finished the radio show with Rice Balls and came upon this nugget from Hahn. 
“…The best opportunity may come with the Wizards’ pick at No. 5, though it would come at a very steep price. Multiple sources confirmed that the Knicks have discussed a potential blockbuster trade between the teams that would land the fifth overall pick and allow the Knicks to keep their spot at No. 8. The deal likely would have to include one of the team’s most valuable assets, swingman Wilson Chandler, which would be a difficult decision.
This scenario also might include Larry Hughes going back to Washington in exchange for guard Mike James, a Long Island product, and a big man such as Etan Thomas or Brendan Haywood. All of the players involved have expiring contracts.
The bold move by the Knicks, however, would not be to target Thabeet or even Spanish guard Ricky Rubio. It appears more likely that Davidson’s Stephen Curry or Memphis’ Tyreke Evans are the more coveted prospects.
The Knicks then could use their own pick at No. 8 to land Arizona power forward Jordan Hill, if he still is on the board. If not, there is Duke’s Gerald Henderson or USC’s DeMar DeRozan to consider as potential replacements for Chandler…”
Interesting. And Rubio could very well be there at 5, after what you heard from the blonde haired guy who’s always at Laker games for ESPN.
Haywood makes sense, (not Thomas if they are targeting Hill) as does Mike James and if the Knicks could bring both of them in AND pick 5 and 8 that would be the serious play I was expecting from Walsh. Guess it would be too much to include Jared Jefferies.
Let’s see. We’ll do some digging too, time to head down the Beltway to my old stomping grounds. See you Thursday!
Donnie Walsh admitted that he has never seen Ricky Rubio in person but has seen him plenty of times
on tape and of course in the Olympics where Mike D’Antoni got to see him up close. He knows what type of player he is and he trusts his scouts in Spain.
Walsh also admitted there are Plans B,C, D and E to go along with plan A because you always have to be prepared. Where staying put at 8 is as part of those plans is anyone’s guess.
Walsh talked about plenty of prospects in depth, and was sure to try and distinguish them so I’ll pass it to my boy Zags, who has listed Walsh’s thoughts on each prospect including Holiday.
“…ON RICKY RUBIO: “I think there are other players that are on his level. He’s got experience. He’s got a great game. He’s got a flair. Like most of the players in the draft, he’s got some things he does better than others, and he’s got some things that he doesn’t do well. He’s 6-feet-4, 6-feet-5, that’s a big guard.”
ON STEPHEN CURRY: “You have to have a system for all these players. To me a guy like Curry’s smart enough to figure it out and learn how to play in the NBA defensively.”
ON JONNY FLYNN: “He is a really great athlete. If you catch him on the right day at a workout, I can see where teams that want a certain type of point guard, they would go for him.”
ON TYREKE EVANS: “He’s powerful. He’s got a great handle. If he gets an opening, he’s very strong so he gets there [to the rim]. There’s a couple who get there on quickness, he gets there on strength. And he can pass, too. If you help off on him, he’ll get it to the open guy. I think he can play both [guard positions], but I think he’ll be a point guard eventually in the NBA. And you can post him, too, so that’s even better. I think he’s weigh 215…His shooting form isn’t that bad. He shot it well when he was here. He shot it very well.”
ON JRUE HOLIDAY: “He is a good player and he’s a good defensive guy.”
ON BRANDON JENNINGS: “They [he and Rubio] aren’t here [in the U.S.] so you don’t hear a lot about them. In Rubio’s case he didn’t work out so he’s not in the news as much as some other players…”
So as we draw closer, expect Walsh to gauge the trade market and pounce if Rubio does slip past the first 4. I asked him about Flynn specifically because there are rumors that the Kings were high on the Syracuse product. I think Flynn could be had later, which may allow for the Kings to move down offering up Kenny Thomas’ contract in exchange for Cuttino Mobley’s relatively valuable deal.
You’d think the Kings would want the Knicks to take back the remainder of Andres Nocioni‘s $21 million that extends to 2011. Not sure Walsh would deviate from the 2010 plan even if he were able to offer Jefferies in exchange for Nocioni in addition to the Thomas and Mobley swap. And there in lies the problem with the Kings. Shipping out Thomas and gaining back Mobley’s deal is a financially desperate move, and it maybe just too much of a risk for a little return should Flynn somehow not be there at 8. The Kings would love to dump Nocioni, but would Walsh be willing to take his 6 million average on?
And Hahn did a nice job digging the Wizards interest, to which Walsh in a way concurred in saying that teams have called about his players. Sure, you’d expect him to say that, but he seemed sincere that there have been inquiries. How serious they have been, we’re not sure.
I get the idea of fans not wanting to get their hopes up, but let’s be real. There are moves that can be made, Mr. Walsh just has to be cautious that they don’t impact 2010 and that they ensure he gets the player he wants. I really feel being in the 4 or 5 position would accomplish both.
We shall see.
Just finished yapping with Donnie Walsh as he addressed the media at the team’s practice 
facility in Greenburgh and there were some important points of note.
First and foremost, Walsh is looking for a prospect who can “play at fast tempo, and a guy who can defend.”
Smokescreen or not Walsh didn’t seem overly optimistic about the prospects of moving up Thursday, but felt that he may not need to seeing that two intriguing prospects, Ricky Rubio and Hasheem Thabeet, could find their way to the Knicks at 8. Walsh was clear in saying the Knicks have not worked out Rubio, refuting a report today. (Our apologies to Marc Berman who said they were trying to interview Rubio, not work him out). Walsh told reporters that he had not seen Rubio in person, but is confident that he knows him as a player.
“…I’m not confident they (Thabeet or Rubio) be in the top 4, Walsh said. “It’s possible (one or both slides to 8). I’m not saying it’s going to happen but your hearing all this stuff and reading all this stuff. It could happen.”
But if it doesn’t happen there is the opportunity to trade up, which Walsh said was a long shot based on the history of the NBA Draft. He pointed out the actual number of trades and used that number as the chances of it happening.
There haven’t been that many.
When I pushed him on if he thought, as most media outlets do (including this one), that Rubio was the top point guard in the draft Walsh was coy in saying:
“…I don’t know, you have to ask the guy who has two,” referring to Memphis GM Chris Wallace, but then added later, “I think there are players on his level.”
He also noted that Rubio will be good as who he has around him, which may be an overriding factor in not wanting to move up, especially if they have to give up an asset to do it.
So as we inch closer to Thursday, Walsh will be exhibiting his classic patience because he does sense the players will slip, or teams may be desperate to trade and he won’t know that until the phone rings Thursday. He admitted that there has been some interested in his players but that he probably values them more that the other teams do.
Walsh would not commit to taking a guard, but did talk a lot about Jrue Holiday’s ability to defend and to play at a fast pace, which is the biggest thing he’s looking for, not necessarily one who can score. We’ve been talking about Holiday’s two-way ability since January when he wasn’t on anyone’s radar, and it appears that Walsh loves the kid out of UCLA. He even went as far as to say that his first workout, he’s here today, was very good, and that he shouldn’t have been dejected.
He talked glowingly about Tyreke Evans and, of course, Stephen Curry, saying that Curry is smart enough to figure a way to become a good NBA defender.Walsh feels both are definitely point guards, with Evans’ advantage being that he can also post up.
But perhaps the most interesting nugget was the idea that Walsh felt that Jonny Flynn being taken at 4 was not a reach. Walsh feels that Flynn’s athleticism makes him a very attractive prospect, and can see him being taken by the Kings with the fourth position. That posturing is obviously smart on Walsh’s part because if Flynn jumps up then a player he really likes may fall in his lap and 8 without having to give anything up.
So as we draw closer, I now believe that Walsh will keep an eye on the guys dropping and is not ready to commit just yet, meaning he’ll head into the draft ready to make adjustments on the fly based on what happens before hand.
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Let’s put it this way, I’m not buying this talk that the Blazers are hunting for Rubio, based on the fact that it completely opposes what I’ve been hearing out of Portland. The Blazers want a vet quarterback, and wouldn’t bring in Rubio to compete with him. Period. All signs still point to Andre Miller or Jason Kidd, but the aforementioned Hinrich wouldn’t shock me either.
“…The Knicks have not given up hope on Ricky Rubio and are still trying to interview the 18-year-old Spanish point guard phenom this week before Thursday’s NBA Draft, according to a source. Rubio will be in New York for the draft but hasn’t worked out for teams.
Rubio visited Sacramento, but did not work out.
Rumors are circulating that Rubio could fall because of the complexity of his $6 million buyout and the Kings are no lock to take him at No. 4. Rubio has sued his Spanish club and a court hearing is scheduled for tomorrow. A Spanish source said he would not be surprised if Rubio starts the preseason in Spain.
If the Kings pass, Rubio, some people in the league predict, could fall as low as eight to the Knicks, who are trying to trade up for Stephen Curry or the Spaniard.
I’ve told you all along that I feel Rubio is the target and that they both seem to be on a collision course. I still think the Knicks will move up as Rubio won’t last till 8 based on a report from the Sac Bee that Rubio’s buyout has been reduced.
“…The thought of drafting Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio may have become less risky to NBA teams.
The $6.6 million buyout of Rubio’s contract with his current team, DKV Joventut, was reduced on Sunday, according to a source close to the guard.
The source claims that the agreement was reduced to an amount where Rubio “knows he’ll be able to make the payments.”
If the rumors are true, it clears a major obstacle for teams in position to draft Rubio on Thursday night. It’s possible that he’d be able to join whatever team drafts him by the time summer league play starts if the buyout has in fact been reduced…”
“…Holiday didn’t have a great workout last Thursday at the Knicks’ Westchester campus — the same day Davidson guard Steph Curry was there.
New York will work out the following group of players Monday after GM Donnie Walsh speaks with the media.
The players expected to work-out tomorrow are:
Rodney Alexander – Forward, 6-7, 227, Oklahoma City University
John Bryant – Center, 6-11, 275, Santa Clara, senior
Josh Heytfelt – Center, 6-11, 260, Gonzaga, senior
Jrue Holiday – Guard, 6-3, 180, UCLA, freshman
Jack McClinton – Guard, 6-1, 185, Miami, senior
Lorrenzo Wade – Guard, 6-6, 225, San Diego State, senior…”
From today:Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry, Jonny Flynn, Toney Douglas, Nick Calathes, Patrick Mills…
Everyone is talking about the Washington Wizards and 5, how about the idea of moving up to the Kings at 4. They apparently love Jonny Flynn.
Sam Amick, who does a bang up job for the Sac Bee’s Kings Blog, gives some insight as to where the prospects including Flynn and 
Ricky Rubio sit in the eyes of Kings brass.
“…While Rubio remains high on the Kings’ board, it is believed the in-house opinions vary greatly. Syracuse point guard Jonny Flynn has many fans in the team’s scouting department and front office, and Memphis’ Tyreke Evans will have another chance to establish his position as he has a second Kings workout Sunday.
He will be joined by a potential dark horse in the race, as Davidson guard Stephen Curry is already gaining ground in the Kings’ conversation and could greatly improve his chances with a good showing. Curry, who has drawn comparisons to former Kings point guard Mike Bibby, averaged 28.6 points per game in his junior season while shooting 45.4 percent overall and 38.7 percent from three-point range…”
Apparently, the Knicks and Kings were close to a deal last deadline, which would have sent Nate Robinson and Jared Jefferies to Sac Town for Kenny Thomas’s contract. The Kings were said to want Nate because he is a fan favorite. But as we know, Nate can’t be moved in a deal until July and if they want Flynn, do they really want Nate too?
If the team is enthralled with Flynn, do they risk moving down to 8 as means to shed contract and still have the chance to land the Syracuse guard? Flynn at 4 would be too high in my opinion when you can get him a few spots down, but it’s a giant risk. Hey, the Maloof’s do own hotels with casinos.
Let’s assume that the Grizz take Thabeet and the Thunder take James Harden (or Rubio), would the Kings take Curry (or Rubio) and then work out a deal with the Knicks if Flynn fell to 8? Let’s face it, Rubio is not going to the Grizz or the Thunder.
Memphis: Thabeet
Thunder: Harden
Kings: Curry (or Rubio)
Wizards: Harden Holiday
Wolves: Evans
Warriors: Hill, Jennings
Knicks: Flynn
I think this is a possibility, but the safest way to get Rubio is to move up to 2 to block any other team from moving up, although who else IS going to move up for Rubio?
Either way, the Kings could be a great target as well.
So many moving parts…discuss.
I’m puzzled why people believe that Jrue Holiday could possibly be a potential bust. What I 
also have trouble believing or understanding is that a good portion of Knick fans have openly complained that this team needs defense and that their coach doesn’t teach it. So, how about bringing in a good prospect who actually WANTS to defend?
And as I’ve said all along, the reasons why I love Holiday is his ability to want to guard, his physical attributes and skills at the point guard position. To me, he is one of the top 2 or 3 all-around prospects in the entire draft.
But don’t worry about me, take David Thorpe’s word for it. Thorpe, who doesn’t buy my “lefty big men have the advantage” stance, (we’ll agree to disagree) has as strong a scouting eye as there is. As Executive Director of the Pro Training Center at IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida, he has been working potential picks for nearly two decades.
Thorpe is also a contributor for ESPN and he was recently asked about Jrue Holiday, a guy who I’ve been all about since January when he was barely a first round pick. Thorpe has Holiday even with Stephen Curry and below Ricky Rubio in terms of potiential at the point guard position,
“…He’s fantastic really,” Thorpe said of Holdiay. “Very, very mature kid, really has all the tools. He’s a terrific shooter that didn’t shoot great this year, mostly because he was playing off position and being a freshman in a great program. But from the minute he walked in our gym he shot it really well, I almost didn’t adjust anything with his shot.
He loves to guard and as we’ve seen the way point guards in the NBA are just killing people off the dribble, to able have a lead guard on defense to actually guard those guys and at least slow them down some is attractive to a lot of teams…I’d put him pretty close to even with Curry and a little behind Rubio… “
Where Holiday ends up is anyone’s guess and if the Knicks can’t land Rubio or Curry, then you’d think Holiday is the guy.
I have a feeling that the Knick boo birds will be out if Holiday is taken. I think we know those people embarrassed themselves with the Gallinari overreaction over sheer ignorance at last year’s draft.Might have helped if you actually saw him play.
Don’t make the same mistake again, Holiday is good.
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There are several things in sports that always grab a fan’s attention. ESPN sideline reporter Erin 
Andrews, for example, is someone who’s been known to stop any and all bar conversations mid-rant. But from an actual informational standpoint, there is a serious fascination with mock drafts. I like the mocks as much as the next sports junkie, but as we look toward the NBA Draft next week, and even well into July, it appears that there will be so much movement that mocks will be pretty useless.Players that I have talked to in and around Knicks camp feel that a bevy of trades are coming, and the shuffling has them all on edge.
“It’s wide open,” Tyreke Evans told reporters the other day following his workout at the Knicks’ facility in Greenburgh. “One minute they are looking at looking at someone else, then another guy. Hopefully you end up in a good place where you want to be.”
Even a player who has been lobbying to end up at 2 Penn Plaza went on record yesterday saying that he’s not so sure what to think either.
“I hear different stuff every day so it’s hard to keep up with it,” Davidson’s Stephen Curry, who’s unlikely to be there when the Knicks pick at 8, told Dan Patrick on his online radio show. When asked if he knew less now about his future NBA team than before, Curry responded, “Definitely … you don’t know who to believe when you hear stuff from general managers.”
This should come as no surprise. The top eight or nine players in the draft are all very similar in terms of talent level. After Blake Griffin, there’s no real sure-fire stud. And the consensus is that five, maybe six point guards will go among the first ten picks. But what separates Brandon Jennings from Jonny Flynn or Flynn and Jrue Holiday is anyone’s guess at this point. They are all talented in their own way.
So as far as the Knicks are concerned, there has to be a target. Sources have confirmed published reports that New York is very high on Arizona forward Jordan Hill. Hill is a physical specimen who could certainly help the Knicks on the post, both offensively and defensively, and would be a great pick at No. 8. Would adding Hill mean the end of David Lee? Well, that’s a question for another day. More
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