2015 NY Knicks offseason thread, Los Almighty appreciation thread

he'll get better with time but this was what i anticipated from him initially

he may be better off playing off the ball, coming off screens. sort of like rip hamilton.
 
JonnyBlazeNyc said:
I still can't get over how wack Russell looks. Coupled with reports that he's a bit of a diva, if I were LA I'd be kicking myself for not picking Oakey.
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what "reports" say he's a diva 
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? and dont just say something like "you can just tell" some **** along those lines. not coming for anyone but yall are so quick to judge by summer league games. GIVE IT TIME! (d'angelo my favorite player in the draft too so i dont tolerate the bashing 
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NYTimes3 said:
JonnyBlazeNyc said:
I still can't get over how wack Russell looks. Coupled with reports that he's a bit of a diva, if I were LA I'd be kicking myself for not picking Oakey.
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what "reports" say he's a diva :lol: ? and dont just say something like "you can just tell" some **** along those lines. not coming for anyone but yall are so quick to judge by summer league games. GIVE IT TIME! (d'angelo my favorite player in the draft too so i dont tolerate the bashing :smh: )
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the cuts in his brows b

but on the real, his issues are what i spoke about leading up to the draft. he's just not physically ready or explosive enough. he'll carve out a niche and more time/player friendly system is needed to gauge a final opinion, but this is what i expected from him initially.
 
Is Porzingis someone for Knicks to believe in?
22h
Ian Begley, ESPN Staff Writer

Most of the NBA is getting its first look at Kristaps Porzingis this week in Las Vegas, but Kyle Lowry, Jared Dudley, C.J. Watson and a few other pros already know his game fairly well.

They got a firsthand look at the rookie 12 months ago in pickup games at Impact Basketball Academy, not far from the gym where the 19-year-old Latvian made his summer league debut Saturday afternoon.

“Sometimes, the NBA guys, they’ll come out a little lax when they see a guy like him,” Joe Abunassar, the founder of Impact, said of Porzingis. “But they couldn’t do that with Kris. He came right at them. There was a sequence where he blocked a shot, came down and hit a 3 and then blocked another shot.

“Everyone in the gym was like, ‘Wow, this guy is going to be a major player.’ Lowry wanted him on his team every day, but no one really knew who he was at that point.”

Depending whom you ask, Porzingis is now either the perfect building block for Phil Jackson’s Knicks or another European big man destined fall short of expectations.

The No. 4 pick got to the free throw line seven times Saturday in his summer league debut against the San Antonio Spurs. He also set solid screens and showed good instincts when guarding the ball. But he had just three rebounds in 18 minutes.

If Porzingis falls short of expectations, many will likely point to the example set by other European big men employed by New York -- Andrea Bargnani, Frederic Weis, Maciej Lampe -- as reason to doubt him. For what it’s worth, Porzingis is aware of the label he carries because of their failures.

“I’m conscious that there is a stereotype of Europeans -- white European big men who are skilled,” Porzingis said recently. “But the thing about me is that I have a passion for the game. I love to be in the gym. I love working.”

Those who know Porzingis believe his work ethic and passion will separate him from those sort of labels.

“There are some tall players who come into the NBA and aren’t in love with the game," said Scott Roth, who coached Porzingis the past season at Sevilla. "They got put in that position because of their height, and they ended up developing some skills and figured that this was a great way to make some money. But they didn’t really love basketball; that’s not Kris at all."

Roth knows a thing or two about European prospects transitioning to the NBA. He was a member of the Dallas Mavericks coaching staff during Dirk Nowitzki’s first two seasons in the NBA. He also coached with the Memphis Grizzlies during Pau Gasol’s first season and worked with both Jonas Valanciunas and Bargnani while on the Toronto Raptors staff.

“I coached Andrea for two years, and he’s one of my better friends," Roth said. "I’m probably one of the few guys he ended up trusting as a coach. They [Porzingis and Bargnani] are different players. [Bargnani] is a good player, but I think Zinger’s desire to be great, the work to fight through adversity, his toughness, is what will separate him."

Roth first saw Porzingis’ “toughness” in one of his early practices. The teen corralled an offensive rebound, which is nothing special when you’re 7-1. But then ...

“In the past, I’ve been around players of that size, and they try to finesse it in, pump-fake you or take a fadeaway,” Roth said. “This kid, nine times out of 10, would just the take ball and try to dunk it through you. That showed me that there wasn’t any fear.”

Abunassar saw the same approach from Porzingis the previous summer against Lowry & Co.

"Being here, being the fourth pick or whatever, it doesn't matter. Now everybody starts from zero, and I have to prove myself once again. It's a huge challenge, so I'll just have to keep working." - Kristaps Porzingis

“He wasn’t backing down. He wanted to compete right away,” Abunassar said. “He was out there to dunk on guys.”

Like Roth, Abunassar has seen the best and worst of European -- and American -- prospects, having worked with several top-10 picks the past few seasons. Abunassar didn’t see the same red flags with Porzingis.

“His dedication, his willingness to work is different,” Abunassar said. “His desire to be physical is there. The guys who didn’t pan out, they didn’t have that same passion.”

Of course, there are more questions than answers surrounding Porzingis as he enters his first season in the NBA. Will he be able to rebound? Create his own shot? Play in the post? Defend the rim? All are valid concerns for a Knicks team coming off the worst season in franchise history.

But if those who’ve worked with Porzingis are correct, one thing the Knicks won’t have to worry about is the rookie’s desire to improve.

“Being here, being the fourth pick or whatever, it doesn’t matter,” Porzingis said. “Now everybody starts from zero, and I have to prove myself once again. It’s a huge challenge, so I’ll just have to keep working.”
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I don't like the Russell/Clarkson backcourt. Russell looked trapped last night and tried to force the issue. Lake Show just need to give D Lo the rock and let him do his thing at point. It will serve him and others best.

Like when the Lakers traded Norm Nixon to benefit Magic 
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JohnnyRedStorm said:
the cuts in his brows b

but on the real, his issues are what i spoke about leading up to the draft. he's just not physically ready or explosive enough. he'll carve out a niche and more time/player friendly system is needed to gauge a final opinion, but this is what i expected from him initially.
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he definitely needs to get stronger. I just feel he need's to get adjusted to the speed of the game. I see your points tho for sure 
 
THE GR8EST said:
I don't like the Russell/Clarkson backcourt. Russell looked trapped last night and tried to force the issue. Lake Show just need to give D Lo the rock and let him do his thing at point. It will serve him and others best.

Like when the Lakers traded Norm Nixon to benefit Magic :lol:
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see i'm actually the opposite. i like the pairing cause it allows russell to not need to be the main guy. he can play off the ball, curl some screens, and occasionally be the playmaker.
 
JonnyBlazeNyc said:
I still can't get over how wack Russell looks. Coupled with reports that he's a bit of a diva, if I were LA I'd be kicking myself for not picking Oakey.
Click to expand...


NYTimes3 said:
what "reports" say he's a diva :lol: ? and dont just say something like "you can just tell" some **** along those lines. not coming for anyone but yall are so quick to judge by summer league games. GIVE IT TIME! (d'angelo my favorite player in the draft too so i dont tolerate the bashing :smh: )
Click to expand...


JohnnyRedStorm said:
the cuts in his brows b

but on the real, his issues are what i spoke about leading up to the draft. he's just not physically ready or explosive enough. he'll carve out a niche and more time/player friendly system is needed to gauge a final opinion, but this is what i expected from him initially.
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its his demeanor.

he looked extremely unathletic. he had a couple of nice moves but 8 TOs though? yeah its SL, but most of those passes/TOs were just horrible. grant was definitely looking like the superior PG. lakers are gonna be kicking themselves for not picking okafor. a lot can happen during the SEASON, but russell doesnt look like he belongs in the league yet.
 
Lakers should trade Clarkson for Derrick Williams, have him play the 3 alongside Randle/Hibbert, move Kobe back to the 2, have DLo run point full time and call it a day.

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2 roster spots left? Hurry up and sign Shvedy Wap.

Carlos Boozer for the minimum too.
 
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Last night Grant looked like a better pick than D Russ.. Maybe all the Zingis da great hype distracted me from paying attention to grant..
 
THE GR8EST said:
Lakers should trade Clarkson for Derrick Williams, have him play the 3 alongside Randle/Hibbert, move Kobe back to the 2, have DLo run point full time and call it a day.

:pimp:
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if we didnt trade THJR for grant, i wouldve suggested trading him for clarkson. i wouldve bought his jersey haha.
 
Ian Begley ‏@IanBegley 9m9 minutes ago
Alexey Shved isn't ruling out a return to the #Knicks or another NBA team at this point but a return to NY is unlikely as things stand today
 
Not to derail from the awe and greatness of Kristap, but what is wrong with Ty Lawson? Like, I think dude may legit have a problem, if he doesn't get his drinking under control, I can see another Steve Francis in the making.
 
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