The conventional approach to the latter stages of the first round
of any pro draft is to take the best player available. But considering
the past, and Isiah Thomas' penchant for the unexpected, don't for a
moment think the Knicks will follow conventional thinking when they
make their choice tonight in the NBA draft.
"We could possibly pass on the best player to get the thing that we need," Thomas said recently.
After a 33-win season, one could argue the Knicks have a lot of needs.
But with 14 players already under contract, there's room for only one
more on the roster. Though Thomas recently has toyed with the idea of
adding another pick via trade, he publicly has maintained that in
tonight's draft, when the Knicks select 23rd overall, he is looking to
get a player to fill a need down the road. He even specifically
mentioned a two-year window.
Coincidentally, that's when Stephon Marbury's contract expires.
If you follow this theory, and the hints that Thomas has dropped over
the past few weeks, you might be convinced that Thomas - despite
apparent interest in baggage-heavy big man Sean Williams or
relative-unknown swingman Wilson Chandler - will be looking for a
future franchise point guard.
Meet Taurean Green, the junior from Florida who was Billy Donovan's floor general for consecutive NCAA championship teams.
Green is by far the most unheralded of the four Gators - along with
Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah and Al Horford - expected to hear their names
called tonight. And yet everyone from Green's teammates to anticipated
No. 1 pick Greg Oden - who lost to Florida in this year's title game -
to Thomas himself has raved about Green over the past few weeks.
At the Orlando pre-draft camp in late May, Green said Thomas "loved the way I played."
That wasn't the first time they met. Green was just a toddler when his
dad, Sidney, a power forward, was Thomas' teammate on the Detroit
Pistons in 1986-87. Sidney then had a two-season stint with the Knicks,
from 1987-88 to 1988-89, as part of his 10-year NBA career. As Taurean
grew up in the game, Sidney encouraged his son to emulate the best
point guard he ever played with: Isiah Thomas.
"He learned the Isiah Thomas philosophy from me," Sidney Green said
yesterday from his Orlando home, where the family, including Taurean,
will watch the draft together. "He wears No. 11 for a reason."
Thomas and the Knicks had Green in for a workout earlier this month,
but Green also has received attention from several other teams looking
for point guard depth, such as the Seattle SuperSonics and Phoenix Suns.
Sidney said he's "like any parent, you want the best for your child,"
but didn't hesitate to admit it would be extra special to see his son
in a Knicks uniform. The connection with Thomas, along with the
connection to New York - Sidney was born in Brooklyn and starred at
Thomas Jefferson High School - would make it a comfortable fit.
"I feel he can complement what they are trying to do," Sidney said of the Knicks' rebuilding process.
Green would fit easily into an understudy role with plenty of time to
develop his game in practice (and no pressure to get playing time)
while Marbury remains a fixture at the point. In two years, Green could
be ready to take over, though some scouts don't consider him to have
big-time NBA potential.
Green has mostly been considered a second-round pick, at best, though
his stock has risen since the Orlando camp. Some believe Green's 6-foot
height will be detrimental in the NBA.
"He loves proving people wrong," Sidney said of his son.
Notes & quotes: Thomas has considered acquiring another pick
in the first round. He also is believed to be shopping Jared Jeffries
and is paying very close attention to the Kevin Garnett/Jermaine O'Neal
situations. It is believed that Thomas is determined to either do
something big or nothing at all this offseason. A sign-and-trade for
Seattle's Rashard Lewis seems to be the most likely scenario ... Allan
Houston is considering a comeback, according to a report in the Daily
News. However, a person with knowledge of the situation said it is
unlikely the Knicks would have an interest . . . The Knicks will once
again go with the NFL-style "war room" approach and bunker down at the
MSG Training Center in Greenburgh during the draft. Along with ESPN's
exclusive coverage, MSG Network will run a special NBA draft edition of
the MSG, NY show from 10 to 11 p.m.
NBA Draft
Tonight, 7:30, ESPN
WaMu Theatre at Madison Square Garden
Knicks: 23rd overall selection
Newsday's pick: PG Taurean Green, Florida
Second guess: SG Daequan Cook, Ohio State
Slipper: PG Javaris Crittendon, Georgia Tech
Sleeper: SF Wilson Chandler, DePaul
Nets: 17th overall selection
Newsday's pick: C Jason Smith, Colorado State
Second guess: PF Josh McRoberts, Duke
Slipper: PF Brandan Wright, North Carolina
Sleeper: PF Sean Williams, Boston College
