The Knicks Fix

Curtis Sumpter is a Brooklyn kid, a star out of the city CHSAA and he has a tattoo of the Twin Towers to memorialize his uncle, who was among the victims of 9/11. There's so much New York about him it's impossible not to think he'd be worth a shot at No. 23 in the draft. Bum knee (he's had two major surgeries on his ACL) and all, Sumpter wouldn't be a bad pick. He's got explosiveness, slashing, scoring ability....and you could sit him on the bench and let him develop in practice or elsewhere, such as the D-League......

Then again, you have Derrick Byars, the late-bloomer from Vanderbilt, who won the SEC player of the year award. He's got some maturity. He understands what it takes to work hard to achieve. He's got more talent than what his late first-round status suggests......

Whatever man, it's way too early for this. The Knicks have more players to watch on Wednesday and in the coming weeks. I still say if Florida's Taurean Green is on the board when the 23rd pick comes up, Isiah Thomas will grab him up. Green comes in for a workout next week. Note the number on his jersey in this picture.

A player you've been reading a lot about in connection with the Knicks is Sean Williams, the 6-9 pogo stick from Boston College. Williams has been that player everyone acknowledges is an intriguing risk, but who will take the chance on a kid who was thrown off his college team? And then he blows off the Orlando pre-draft camp at the last minute? And now he's turning down invites for private workouts? The Knicks were among the teams he declined.

But no fear, reclamation expert John Lucas is on the case. Lucas has been brought in to assist Williams as he prepares for the draft.
Now, as reported in the Boston Herald, Williams has announced that he will conduct his own workouts for NBA teams to come and see him in his own controlled environment. That would be in Houston, where Williams is from and, coincidentally, where Lucas also lives,

Williams will hold two workouts on June 11 and 18. The Boston Celtics, who were among the teams who had invited Williams in for a workout, have already said they plan to go. A person with knowledge of the Knicks plans said they are holding their own workouts those days and, as of now, don't plan to go. Plans, of course, can change. But the source told me that the Knicks, despite the reports from other media outlets, are really not that high - no pun intended - on Williams.

With Randolph Morris already in the mix, you have to believe Thomas plans to take a guard/swingman type. Byars, if he's still there, would be the safest pick. Sumpter would be a decent risk. But Green, who after the Orlando camp was starting to make his way up the ladder from being projected as a second-round pick to possibly a late first-rounder, would be a solid pick for the future.

More on him later...

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The Rashard Lewis situation in Seattle likely won't be figured out until after a series of events first takes place, starting with the hiring of a general manager and a coach. The Sonics are likely to take Kevin Durant with the No. 2 pick and, as of now, Lenny Wilkens wants everyone to believe he thinks Durant and Lewis can co-exist in the lineup. But don't believe a word of it. Wilkens knows he'll lose Lewis on July 1 to free agency unless he finds a sign-and-trade deal, which the Knicks are interested in doing with Seattle. What Wilkens needs, of course, is some competition with the Knicks bid to get the most out of the deal.

I was told things probably won't happen until after the draft on June 28 and before the start of free agency on July 1. By then the Sonics should have a GM and coach in place and know the direction of their team.

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I've seen the Rasheed Wallace-to-Knicks scenarios suggested and, like some of you, I find it both tantalizing and yet alarming. With his game, he would be a great fit, but does anyone want to deal with his antics? I guess if it gets you to the Conference Finals for the first time in 9 years, you would. But I wonder how ultra-image conscious James Dolan would feel about seeing one of his veteran players drawing negative attention from both the NBA and the officials.

If I'm dealing with Detroit, I'd rather have Mad Maxiell.