2014 NBA Draft Recap

Knicks Trade into the Second Round

            The Knicks were one of many teams to enter this draft with no picks in either the first or second rounds. However, a trade with the Dallas Mavericks sent Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas in exchange for Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Shane Larkin, Wayne Ellington, and Dallas’ two second round picks (numbers 34 and 51).

            With the 34^th pick, the Knicks selected Wichita State’s Cleanthony Early. Leading up to the draft, Early seemed to be a mid to late first round selection but, for unknown reasons, dropped to the second round. When the 34^th pick came up I was hoping the Knicks would select one of two players. Spencer Dinwiddie out of Colorado was one of them and Early was the other. Anyone who leads their team to an undefeated season entering the NCAA tournament should get serious consideration and I think Early was a great pick at the top of the second round. He is not going to be the focal point of an NBA team like he was at Wichita State, but his scoring ability and aggressiveness could keep him in the league for a while. He is going to bring a lot of energy to the Knicks and I think New York will embrace him soon after he steps foot on the court.

2013-2014 NBA Preview: Atlantic Division

Boston Celtics

2012-2013 Record: 41-40 (7th in East)

Key Additions: Kelly Olynyk, MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace

Key Losses: Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Jason Terry

Projected Starting Lineup: Rajon Rondo, Courtney Lee, Gerald Wallace, Brandon Bass, Vitor Faverani

The Celtics have gone head first into rebuilding mode, the team has been almost completely stripped down and sold for parts. Future Hall of Famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were traded within the division to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for mostly expiring contracts and draft picks. Coach Doc Rivers

2013 NBA Draft Recap

Knicks Pick a Rival

As a recent University of Wisconsin graduate (wow, still not used to that), I am horrified at the thought of watching a Michigan man wear a Knicks jersey. As a Knicks fan, I am very happy with Tim Hardaway Jr. as the 24^th pick in the 2013 NBA draft. As a Badger, I was able to watch Hardaway Jr. play many times throughout his career at Michigan and I think he fits in very well with the Knicks. Hardaway Jr. seemed to drop in this draft because he was overshadowed this past year by his Wolverine teammate Trey Burke, the national player of the year, but Hardaway Jr. is a very good player who clearly has no problem deferring to a better player (something he will have to do as a teammate of Carmelo Anthony).

2010 NBA Draft

Knicks

          Let’s start with my favorite team of all time, the New York Knicks. A team I have waited loyally for year after year to make any kind of splash. They may not have had a 1st round pick this year and may be living and dying on this year’s free agency, but that doesn’t mean they couldn’t have drafted decent players with their two consecutive 2nd round picks, but they blew it...BIG TIME. I waited 3.5 hours anticipating their pick, and they could not have let me down any more. There are 2 positions the Knicks desperately need, and it just so happens that those 2 positions are not available in free agency. They need a point guard and a center. Maybe Bosh and Amar’e can play center, but they are true power forwards, and the best point available is Raymond Felton, which isn’t much. Donnie could