Draft Preview: What do the Knicks need at the No. 8 spot?

Knicks great, and current assistant to the President of Basketball Operations, Allan Houston represented the Knicks on draft day, and brought along a special lucky charm –– Mr. October himself, Reggie Jackson.

Although grabbing the eighth spot wasn't as high as they would have hoped, the spot isn't bad at all, especially with the talent at the guard position in the pool.

And if history proves itself again, just like it has oh so many times, the eighth spot is golden. Since 1985, current NBA stars drafted eighth include Andre Miller, T.J. Ford, Rudy Gay, former Knicks Jamal Crawford, current Knicks Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox. Former player, Vin Baker, who was also taken at No. 8, was an All-Star with the Milwaukee Bucks in 1993.

While Knicks GM Donnie Walsh is confident that the Knicks will get a starting-caliber player, recent history has suggested against it. In the last five drafts, the No. 8 selection has been: Joe Alexander, Brandan Wright, Rudy Gay, Channing Frye (Knicks draft pick) and Rafael Araujo. There are no All-Stars among that group, while only Gay is a starter.

So we can only hope that the No. 8 slot will bring fortune to the Knicks. Upon looking at the roster, the team is in desperate need of a lot of things, but mainly at the guard and center positions.

New York has great potential building up at the forward positions. Power forward David Lee is coming off 16 points and 12 rebounds per game total this season, which, in his third year are all career high’s. A double-double machine, he finished the regular season with 65 of them, two more than Dwight Howard. I like Lee and his hard work, so I hope the Knicks do not trade him.

I don’t like Al Harrington, but he was productive in a Knick jersey. He averaged 20.7 points per game in 68 games played. The thing with him is that he will already be entering his 11th season next year. How much longer can he go at a high level? Is he trade-able?

Pending that he comes back strong from his ankle surgery, Wilson Chandler should be due for an All-Star caliber season if only he could stay consistent. One game he would have 25, but in the next, he goes 4-11 from the field for only 11 points. If he can improve his mark from three-point land, he will be a force for head coach Mike D’Antoni.

Also thickening the position is Danilo Gallinari, Quentin Richardson and Jared Jeffries. I’m sure Richardson or Jeffries could be traded if it absolutely needs to happen.

Now, at the center position, this is a position that has been tough to replace since the departure of Patrick Ewing. And with this year’s draft, there only appears to be anywhere from two to three players even worthy of making a first round appearance. So no pick there, unless UCONN’s Hasheem Thabett magically falls to No. 8, which I’m not sure if the Knicks would even take him considering he never worked out for them.

Currently, New York has Eddie Curry, Mouhamed Sene and Chris Wilcox, who are all undersized centers. Combined, the three went on to average 10 points per game. It’s possible to move Lee to center, or even Jeffries, but it is already shrinking a short-played position.

Curry, hopefully, is getting his weight under control and potentially has the potential to be a force inside. If he comes back strong, the Knicks will make the playoffs, regardless what else happens this summer. I truly feel that.

Moving over to the guard position, it’s not that the team is short of one, they just don’t have a consistent one. Nate Robinson did a fantastic job this season coming off the bench, but has had issues with his emotions taking over the game. He is a good fit for the Knicks off the bench, and should be kept there.

Chris Duhon, oddly enough, was a victim of playing too many minutes, and was not productive on the offensive side of the court. Duhon is a solid point guard, but averaging just 11 points per game the team needs just a little bit more, especially in D’Antoni’s system.

Left at the position are Joe Crawford, Larry Hughes, and Quentin Richardson. Richardson lost his starting role a few times this season. Hughes, entering his 11th season, seems to always battle injuries and Crawford is still in the beginning stages of his game.

So the guard position is definitely the way to go. This has to be a good pick, because the Knicks do not have one next year. Talk about pressure.

Considering that the Knicks don’t make a move to trade up, here are the Top 4 players that the Knicks should really consider getting in the draft this year, pending availability. (I’m considering that Ricky Rubio will not be available)

1. Brandon Jennings – Jennings is a lefty, which already makes him unique. He is flashy, can score, and passes better than most in this draft. He played in the euro-league last year and plays fast, which will be the exact style of play the Knicks would like. He has yet to prove himself at the highest level, but with some work, he has the potential to become an All-Star if he keeps his mind right.
   Problem: He is small and a bit of a light weight. Can he hang with the Jason Kidd’s and Chauncey Billups of the league?

 

 

2. Stephen Curry – Curry is the fan favorite to hopefully be brought in, mainly because it helps in the 2010 bidding of landing LeBron James. He has a lot of talent, but the big question is if he could make the transition from shooting guard to point guard. Curry didn’t always have to score much for his team to win, but when the competition got tougher, his point total was heavily relied upon. Obviously, scoring is not an issue with this guy.
   Problem: Curry is a shoot-first, pass-second sort of player, which may not suit D’Antoni too well. Can he be a true point guard? Is he strong enough?

 

 

3. Ty Lawson – Lawson is one that doesn’t appear to be getting much recognition, but I feel he has the talent to lead a championship-calibur NBA team. Just look at what he did at North Carolina. Lawson, only standing six feet, is tough, quick and demonstrates great leadership on the floor. He can take over a game when he needs to, and also has the ability to make big plays in big moments.
   Problem: He is undersized. He has also been called soft defensively, although he has made improvements over the year. Can he stay healthy?

 

 

4. Jonny Flynn – Flynn is a product of Syracuse, so playing at Madison Square Garden would be just like home for this guard. He has proven himself in clutch situations and is an above average free-throw shooter. He is short, but plays long, and can get to the basket with ease.
   Problem: While considered as a clutch player, he does have a tendency to turn the ball over. He will also have to improve his outside shot. He thinks big, but can he play big?