http://www.hooplog.com/nba/zach-randolph/index.php NBA basketball news, rumors, insider analysis and more from around the country. Updated hourly by Team RxSN. Copyright 2009 Wed, 26 Apr 2006 08:32:35 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Who knows where this is coming from, but as Jeff from CelticsBlog pointed out to me by e-mail, this is the story on some Celtic message boards: Zach Randolph to Boston for maybe a youngster to be determined, a draft... http://www.hooplog.com/nba/zach-randolph-to-the-celtics.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/zach-randolph-to-the-celtics.php Zach Randolph Wed, 26 Apr 2006 08:32:35 -0800 Zach Randolph had 19 points and 13 rebounds, and the Portland Trail Blazers held off the Minnesota Timberwolves 89-85 on Friday night. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/blazers-edge-twolves.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/blazers-edge-twolves.php Zach Randolph Sat, 04 Feb 2006 12:40:36 -0800 With most teams having played somewhere between 12 and 14 games so far, we’re still only about 15-18% of the way through the season. What that means for your fantasy team is that it’s still early. Really early. Early enough that with all the trades (both in real life and in your fantasy league), injuries, PT battles, and other factors still to come, it’s not yet time to really take a look at your standings to find statistical categories that you think you can make a run in. Remember, your goal is to be in first place at the end of the year, not the middle. And no, I’m not just saying that just because I’m not in first place right now in my league.

Anyhow, the biggest part of fantasy basketball, obviously, is getting the best players on your team, keeping up on who’s worth picking up, and all the other things that we talk about here at FBB on an almost-daily basis. But another important part is managing the standings with an eye on the end of the year. And that’s what we’re going to talk about today, and we’ll revisit the subject every couple of weeks as the season progresses.. And despite it being really early in the year, some teams might be in position to take advantage of some things going on in the standings.

Some teams are right now dealing with some extremes. Some might be woefully far behind and thinking about punting a category (which is a whole different article). Others, though might be way far ahead in a category. How do you play this situation? For example, if you’re dominating the field in blocks, is it worth having Alonzo Mourning on your team? After all, if you’re really that far ahead in blocks, his value is really being wasted on your squad.

But, how much is enough? How far ahead do you have to be in a certain category before you can start trading for other concerns? Well, it’s different in every situation and I’m sure there’s some crazy algorithm to figure out an exact number, but instead, let’s look at some things to keep in mind:

Look at averages, not totals.
Sure, your standings are generally in rotisserie-style totals, but it’s just a quick cut-and-paste into a spreadsheet and you can turn your total numbers into averages. This will give you a much better idea of just how much leverage you have. For example, if your team as a whole is averaging 10 blocks per “night” (with a “night” being defined as all of your starters playing one game), and the guy behind you is averaging 8 blocks per game, you can trade away 2 blocks and still maintain your lead.

Where’s the “bunch”?
In a lot of statistical categories, you’ll notice bunches of guys in the same area. Now, as I said in the beginning, these bunches will shift as the season progresses, but nonetheless you have to be worried if the category you’re dominating has a bunch at the next tier, for a couple of reasons. One, the more teams there are somewhat near you, the more teams there are with a chance to make a move and pass you. Two, if you suffer an injury to a contributor in that category, you’re now at risk of moving really far down the standings there. If the bunch is further down in the standings, you’re at far less risk if you do decide to trade a contributor.

Who’s ready to make a move?
Remember, this early in the season, some teams’ current output is not necessarily representative of what they will do over the course of the year. Just like an injury can bring your team down, a player returning from injury can boost another team’s numbers. A great example is the return of Samuel Dalembert. If you’ve got what seems like a great lead in blocks, but the guy behind you has Dalembert, your lead really isn’t as good as it seems, because Dalembert will help the other team catch up to – and quick.

Now, if you take a look at all of these things and still decide that you can give up some of your advantage in that category, don’t just look to trade one-category guys. For example, if you’re dominating boards, don’t just try to trade players like Zach Randolph or Ben Wallace. Trading strong-rebounding PG’s like Jason Kidd or Andre Miller is just as helpful for your team if you can get quality guys who don’t rebound like Chauncey Billups or Steve Nash in return.

Remember, this early in the year, it’s dangerous to make moves like this, but making the right call could have huge benefits for your fantasy squad down the line. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/standings-management-how-much-is-enough.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/standings-management-how-much-is-enough.php Chauncey Billups Tue, 29 Nov 2005 09:22:14 -0800 Zach Randolph and Darius Miles were back to playing the way the Portland Trail Blazers expect them to. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/blazer-defense-leads-way-in-defeat-of-grizzlies.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/blazer-defense-leads-way-in-defeat-of-grizzlies.php Zach Randolph Wed, 23 Nov 2005 16:42:25 -0800
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The Blazers have been hot of late. After starting 0-2, they have won 3 out of 4 at home led by Darius Miles and Zach Randolph, both averaging over 20 ppg. Even though the wins were against Atlanta, New York, and Chicago, the team is still playing well as evidenced by their 3 point loss to the undefeated Pistons.

The Warriors defense has been keeping them in games. The offense was supposed to carry this team but it has been the defense that has stepped it up. Once the offense starts clicking like it was at the end of last year, look out. The Warriors will need to shoot better than the 36% they shot last game to post a win tonight. This should be a close game. Look for Pietrus to get some more minutes as the struggles of Mike Dunleavy continue. Also, Pietrus will provide better defense on the improved play of Darius Miles. Additionally, they'll have to rotate in Taft and Biedrins more often to help play defense on Zach Randolph because Murphy won't be able to contain him. Perhaps they can switch Adonal onto Randolph and have Murphy guard Przybilla since Przybilla is not much of an offensive force. If they can limit the damage done by Randolph and Miles and make the rest of the team beat them, the Warriors will have a great shot at winning.

Go Warriors! ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/preview-warriors-blazers.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/preview-warriors-blazers.php Chicago Bulls Fri, 18 Nov 2005 17:38:09 -0800 1 to 30

31. Chauncey Billups – We love PGs here at FBB, and they don’t come more rock solid than this one.
32. Jason Terry – No, seriously, we love PGs, especially ones who were able to finish 30th on the player rater while only getting 30 mpg. The FG% will go down (way down), but everything else will go up.
33. Jason Richardson – J-Rich has only improved during his four years, and the Warriors are primed to be this year’s version of the Suns.
34. Kirk Hinrich – News that Duhon and not Gordon will be his starting backcourt mate is a bit of a buzzkill.
35. Zydrunas Ilgauskas – He’s proven he can stay healthy, but there are many weapons on Cleveland, whereas last year he was one of just three.
36. Ben Wallace – That FT% hurts more than you think and he’s not the same as he was three years ago; still, there’s hope for a contract year rebound. Literally.
37. Dwight Howard – It’s easy to get too excited about “what might be,” but he’s a stud in the making, no doubt.
38. Emeka Okafor – Hope for a few more blocks than last year and that his back doesn’t get too cranky.
39. Shaquille O’Neal – And even this might be too high. Let’s talk about Shaq for a moment. It’s near impossible to win with him on your team, that’s why you can’t do it unless he’s your fourth rounder, because you need that many studs to help you finish near the top in the other seven categories. Because kiss FT% goodbye. And for the love of god, don’t do something stupid and draft someone like Ray Allen or Chauncey Billups to “offset” Shaq. That’s just about the worst thing you can do, because it won’t even come close to bringing you out of the cellar, and you are wasting the value of a player like that. But therein lies the problem. Since you have to wait until the fourth (maybe third) round to realistically draft Shaq, unless you have already drafted players that compliment him, you probably can’t even afford to draft him anyway.
40. Lamar Odom – Could be primed for a huge year, but this is his seventh season, so time might be running out; just not enough 3s, steals or blocks to be truly great.
41. Larry Hughes – The steals and assists will go down, but he’s a solid all-around contributor.
42. Andre Igoudala – Absolutely love his all around game; he’s an Artest in the making. That’s a compliment, by the way.
43. Manu Ginobili – If only the Spurs weren’t so deep that he was limited to just 30 mpg.
44. Corey Maggette – His FT% dominance can’t be overlooked, but other than that he’s an oft-injured, points-only swingman.
45. Richard Jefferson – Like Odom and Maggette, lack of help in steals, blocks and 3s hurts his value.
46. Michael Redd – Not a favorite around here, but he is top dog in Milwaukee, which counts for something.
47. Andre Miller – Has missed three games in his career and averaged 8.2 apg after the break last year; that’s a nice and steady mid-round pick if there ever was one.
48. Marcus Camby – Injuries are already bothering him; has the talent to justify being taken here (much earlier, actually), but he will always be a risk.
49. Zach Randolph – If he can go 20/10 with percentages of 50 and 80, you can look past the rest of his game; he’s certainly The Man in Portland, which is mostly good, but might hurt his FG%.
50. Rasheed Wallace – Center eligibility, 3s, blocks, durability make for a nice package.
51. Cuttino Mobley – Bombs away. And away, and away, and away; could be back to old 40 mpg self.
52. Donyell Marhsall – Have to think he’ll get his minutes once the rotation shakes out; fantasy God with enough PT.
53. Rafer Alston – Moves into a perfect situation, especially if Sura won’t be available.
54. Carlos Boozer – Not much at all separating him from Randolph.
55. Richard Hamilton – Don’t take him any higher, but he’s durable and consistent.
56. Tyson Chandler – We think he’ll be a better guy to have on your team than Camby this year.
57. Josh Smith – If you can deal with some ups and downs, you’ll likely have a first place blocks finish to show for it.
58. Chris Webber – Could be the steal of the draft at this spot … but probably not.
59. Josh Howard – If Avery plays him as much as he says he’s going to, this will end up being low.
60. Bobby Simmons – Going for steady, all-around contributors in the middle rounds isn’t a bad strategy. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/overall-rankings-31-to-60.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/overall-rankings-31-to-60.php Orlando Magic Tue, 18 Oct 2005 09:59:37 -0800 Taken early, a power forward can really help shape your draft. Taking a center-esque PF like Elton Brand in the first couple rounds means you can hold off on a center for a good while. Taking a PF that can step outside and knock down a three like Dirk Nowitzki early means you can wait a bit before taking a SG or SF, and concentrate on the scarcity positions.

Taken late, though, your options drop pretty dramatically. Power forwards don’t go terribly deep, mostly because anybody listed as a F/C is undoubtedly going to be played as a center. Luckily, there’s only one PF spot on your roster. Still, it’s nice to have a couple of options at every position, so try to grab two of these guys:

Tier One:
Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki

These guys should be off the board after four picks – maybe three. Garnett is up there with LeBron for the top player in the game, while Nowitzki might not qualify at center anymore, but still is an incredible value as a 7-category player.

Tier Two:
Elton Brand, Jermaine O’Neal, Chris Bosh.

These are your faux-centers. They block. They rebound. They score. If they qualified at center (as they all once did), they’d have incredible value. But they don’t. Still, with centers being at such a premium, guys who act like centers are pretty useful. It may be the difference between reaching for a guy like Zydraunas Ilgauskas in the 4th and being able to wait for someone like Nenad Krstic in the 7th or 8th.

Tier Three:
Dwight Howard, Rasheed Wallace, Pau Gasol.

Admittedly, Chris Bosh likely belongs in this group. But we here at FBB really like him this year. Also, Rasheed Wallace probably belongs with the Centers, but seriously, he’s not a center. We had to take a stand. Anyhow, these guys all could end up with top-25 value, but could also end up somewhere in the 40’s on the player rater at the end of the year. You can’t be terribly excited about any of them, but at some point they do become the best pick.

Tier Four:
Carlos Boozer, Kenyon Martin, Chris Webber, Zach Randolph

I’m not a huge fan of any of these guys. All of them are injury risks, all of them have question marks on the court, and a two of them (Randolph and Boozer) are really 3-category guys, and that’s it. Still, if they slip late enough and you can grab any of these guys in the 5th or 6th round, they could be great value.

Tier Five:
Antawn Jamison, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Tyson Chandler.

These are some small tiers, huh? But that’s just because this position is so thin and varied. Here are the guys that you know you can have on your team and they’ll produce as long as they stay healthy. They might not produce a ton, but they’ll at least have marginal value.

Tier Six:
Donyell Marshall, Drew Gooden, Al Jefferson, Kurt Thomas, Darius Songaila, Troy Murphy, PJ Brown.

This tier are guys who really have an outside chance of being really valuable, but could just as easily be terrible, but JUST good enough that you can’t drop them. Every position has this tier – with Small Forwards it was the third tier. Here, it’s the sixth. DM is a huge fan of Donyell Marshall and he wants him to be much higher, but too bad! I think Troy Murphy could just as easily be a Tier 4 or 5 player.

Tier Seven:
Nick Collison, Eddie Griffin, Joe Smith, Kwame Brown, Vladimir Radmanovic, Udonis Haslem.

This tier could really be broken into high-risk high-reward guys (Kwame, Griffin) and low-but-solid value (Radmanovic, Smith). But we’re tired of all these three-person tiers. Given injuries, playing time, etc., all of these guys might end up with mid-round value, but some things are going to have to fall into place before that happens. Still, they’re all worth late-round flyers.

Tomorrow, we’ll wrap up positional tiers, with Centers. ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/2005-fantasy-tiers-by-position-power-forwards.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/2005-fantasy-tiers-by-position-power-forwards.php Nick Collison Thu, 06 Oct 2005 08:54:32 -0800 insane fight between Ha Seung Jin and Nedzad Sinanovic earlier this summer, and now we find out that Joel Przybilla is taking boxing lessons? Actually, that's probably a good call.

I'm not surprised that Shaq helped the Miami Beach police arrest someone, but I think it's pretty cool that the guy he caught was arrested for gay-bashing. First Kanye spoke out on MTV, now Shaq's arresting gay-bashers. Maybe we're finally starting to eradicate homophobia, especially among African-Americans.

Finally, I'm happy to report that Freedarko favorite Yuta Tabuse appears to have found a home with the Toronto Raptors. He'll likely have to beat out a couple other free agents, but the Raptors already have made it known they prefer him to former St. John's star Omar Cook. Cook was part of a legendary class of NYC high school point guards, along with eventual national champion Taliek Brown (UCONN) and the diminutive Andre Barrett (Seton Hall). I'm surprised that none of them has done much of anything in the Association to date, but maybe I shouldn't be. Not all hyped high school players are the truth, especially when they come from the Rotten Apple. Felipe Lopez, anyone? ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/its-the-offseason.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/its-the-offseason.php Miami Heat Wed, 14 Sep 2005 09:45:20 -0800 This is either the basketball blogosphere at its best or worst. No way of knowing if this is a total fabrication, a case of mistaken identity, someone who thinks he can recognize drug use when he really can't, or just... http://www.hooplog.com/nba/zach-randolphs-trip-to-the-mall.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/zach-randolphs-trip-to-the-mall.php Zach Randolph Wed, 31 Aug 2005 15:32:19 -0800
by Associated Press

Philadelphia 76ers: The Philadelphia 76ers signed undrafted free agents Shavlik Randolph and Deng Gai on Friday.

Randolph, a 6-foot-10 forward, played in 92 career games with Duke and averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds. He also averaged 1.4 blocks... ]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/friday-roundup-76ers-sign-exduke-player-randolph.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/friday-roundup-76ers-sign-exduke-player-randolph.php Zach Randolph Fri, 05 Aug 2005 09:31:16 -0800 Here's a scary thought: The oddest chapter in the ongoing Randolph Morris-Kentucky saga might have yet to be written. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/nba-could-pluck-morris-midseason.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/nba-could-pluck-morris-midseason.php Zach Randolph Sun, 10 Jul 2005 21:36:24 -0800 Martynas Andriuskevicius Chris Taft Wayne Simien Roko -Leni Ukic Ryan Gomes Andray Blatche Ronny Turliaf Randolph Morris Matt Walsh David Lee Ersan Ilyasova http://www.hooplog.com/nba/update-12-it-should-come-from-here.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/update-12-it-should-come-from-here.php Zach Randolph Tue, 28 Jun 2005 22:01:45 -0800 Petro goes, one of the centers, which we really didn't need. Fabulous Four Martynas Andriuskevicius Chris Taft Wayne Simien Roko -Leni Ukic At this point I should mention that Ronny Turiaf or Randolph Morris would be just fine with me. With only one pick, who cares if it is early or not? Also, ... http://www.hooplog.com/nba/update-11-johan-petro.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/update-11-johan-petro.php Zach Randolph Tue, 28 Jun 2005 22:01:40 -0800 Randolph Morris continues to test the waters regarding his NBA draft status. The 6' 10" Center who just finished his Freshman year at the University of Kentucky was working out for the Memphis Grizzlies today. http://www.hooplog.com/nba/morris-works-with-grizzlies.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/morris-works-with-grizzlies.php Zach Randolph Sun, 05 Jun 2005 14:40:59 -0800 [If you missed Episode I click here.

David Crockett is an Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of South Carolina, and can be reached at dcrockett17@yahoo.com.]

I the previous Episode I identified the backcourt as the team's highest priority heading into the off-season. Whether through the draft, a sign-and-trade, or with the mid-level salary slot the Knicks must find a way to improve their perimeter defense as well as shave Marbury's and Crawford's minutes. To that end, let's take a look at the frontcourt. First up: the big guys.

The Knicks ended the season with perhaps the highest percentage of power forwards on any roster in the league. Consider that the team started essentially two power forwards, Kurt Thomas and Mike Sweetney. Herb Williams also played Jerome Williams at both forward positions regularly. Isiah then traded for Malik Rose and Mo Taylor, placing Tim Thomas a mere heartbeat away from 4th string power forward.

The team's ostensible center, Mike Sweetney, put together a solid (at best) campaign, especially considering that he played out of position. It was the kind of season that probably didn't change many minds among his supporters or detractors. On offense, his PER (from 82games) at center was a very nice 18.8. As always, he shot a solid efg (53.5%), rebounded well (13.5 per 48), and got to the free throw line (7.9 per 48). However he struggled on the defensive end, giving up an opponent's PER of 17.7. Though he managed to outshoot and out-rebound opposing centers per 48 minutes he also slightly out-fouled them (7 per 48), which meant that much of his potential offensive productivity went unrealized as he sat on the bench. That he struggled with fouls and offered essentially no shot-blocking against opposing centers is not necessarily surprising. He played virtually every game at a significant height disadvantage. Even conceding this, I still maintain that "Sweets," as he is commonly known, would do well to lay off the sugary treats and slim down. He may be a bit young to remember that once upon a one time "The Thing that Ate" Ollie Miller was more than a punch line for a would-be sports writer.

Miller was an even better version of Sweetney, a rising young player with promise, fresh off the toughest Finals series the Jordan-led Bulls ever played. But basketball is an unforgiving profession on tendons and joints, even for the most finely tuned bodies. So ultimately Miller's inability to keep off the extra 35-40 pounds made him less effective on the floor, kept him on the injured list with an endless assortment of ankle and knee ailments, and eventually forced him from the league. His problems were exacerbated - if not caused outright - by his obesity; and I won't even get into the John "Hot Plate" Williams cautionary tale. (Note: "Hot Plate" is mentioned in this Washington Times column by Tom Knott on the end of the Bullets/Wizards futility. I defy you to read the article and NOT laugh out loud. It's hysterical.)

Interestingly, backup center Mo Taylor is this season's biggest defensive surprise. Ignoring for the moment that his acquisition is Isiah's least defensible roster move to date, Taylor was a genuine surprise. After expecting to see Marburyesque indifference I recall watching games this season and being genuinely stunned at Taylor's defensive effort. The numbers appear to bare it out. On offense Taylor was pretty much what I'd come to expect: an accomplished (though streaky) scorer and a turnover machine. His PER of only 13.1 at center was a tad lower than I'd expected but not altogether shocking. I would expect that with a full training camp we'd see Taylor move into the 14-15 range. The big stunner was on defense where Taylor held opposing centers to a fantastic 14.3 PER. Obviously the Knicks would love to see this kind of defensive production off the bench. Even should Taylor regress a bit on defense an opponent's PER just around league average would be tremendous production from the backup center over a full season.

At power forward, Kurt Thomas is limited in what he can contribute on offense as a spot-up jump shooter and rebounder. Though his PER at power forward is below league average (14.4) he remains a decent shooter from field (46% efg), and superb in the 15-20 foot area off the screen-roll. He also still rebounds quite well (13.7 per 48). On defense he's pretty awful, allowing opposing power forwards a 19.1 PER. Among the backup forwards perhaps the biggest surprise is Malik Rose. His defense, which is his calling card, was generally quite good (13.7 opponents PER). His aw-fense was awful. His PER of 9.7 is the unsightly fate of undersized power forwards with limited perimeter skills; they rarely age gracefully. But, such is the price of the additional first round pick. He better be good, whoever he is because watching Rose jack up shots has been painful. I knew that it seemed like he shot the ball an awful lot to me but when I went to 82games.com I was dumbfounded. For all the talk of his selfless professionalism no one mentioned that this guy is a bona fide ball hog. Rose took almost 13 shots per 48 minutes at power forward, hitting at an abysmal 40% efg. Sweetney and Thomas both took just under 15 and JYD took only 10.3 shots per 48. These players all shot over 50% efg.

Wherever it comes from the Knicks most certainly need better overall play from the frontcourt. I compared Sweetney's and Thomas' PER and opponent's PER with center/power forward tandems from the league's five most efficient defensives. (I also included the same comparison for backcourt players - just for kicks and giggles.)

Name	Pos.	PER	Opp. PER
Sweetney, M (NY)	C	18.8	17.7
Thomas, K (NY)	PF	14.4	19.1
NBA Top 5 Teams in Defensive Efficiency
Duncan, T. (SA)	C	28.6	13.8
Muhammed, N. (SA)	PF	6.8	15.8
Nesterovic, R. (SA)	C	13.1	13.2
Curry, E. (Chi)	C	17.4	13.3
Davis, A. (Chi)	PF	13.1	14.6
Chandler, T (Chi)	C	19.1	12.8
Wallace, B. (Det)	C	18.7	15.8
Wallace, R. (Det)	PF	17.7	15.3
Ming, Y. (Hou)	C	24.9	14.6
Howard, J. (Hou)	PF	13.9	16.9
Wright, L. (Mem)	C	15.4	16
Gasol, P. (Mem)	PF	25.7	17

Name (Team)	Pos.	PER	Opp. PER
Marbury, S. (NY)	PG	23.3	16.4
Crawford, J. (NY)	SG	16.8	18.2
NBA Top 5 Teams in Defensive Efficiency
Parker, T. (SA)	PG	19.6	13
Ginobili, M. (SA)	SG	22.7	10.8
Duhon, C. (Chi)	PG	10.8	15.2
Hinrich, K. (Chi)	SG	17.6	13.8
Billups, C. (Det)	PG	20.4	12.9
Hamilton, R. (Det)	SG	17.5	13.8
Sura, R. (Hou)	PG	16.1	17.3
Wesley, D. (Hou)	SG	12.4	15.7
Williams, J. (Mem)	PG	16.7	16.2
Battier, S. (Mem)	SG	18.3	14.1

* Non-starter

Although this comparison hardly qualifies as scientific it aptly illustrates how far the Knicks are behind the best defensive teams. Nonetheless, there is hope that at least Sweetney can lower his opponent's PER into the 15.5-16.5 range next season. Entering his third season he should begin to catch an occasional break from the zebras on the "nickel-dime" type fouls that put him on the bench with regularity. Hopefully, his summer will be spent working on his conditioning so he will be less prone to such fouls. More importantly, the Knicks must make the commitment to put him at his natural power forward spot and keep him there. This of course means the team must acquire or develop a center.

Should the Knicks look to the draft to address the frontcourt presumably they'll be in the market for a player who can log many if not most of his minutes at center, preferably providing some shot blocking. Given the paucity of quality true centers available in the draft in the table I combine centers with power forwards who play both positions. I leave out high school and international players as well as true power forwards that would have a difficult time helping the team immediately (e.g., Sean May, Ike Diogu, Wayne Simien).

Centers/Power Forwards

Name/College	Availability?	Comment
Andrew Bogut, Utah	Top five	Bogut is a consensus top 5 pick. He is a good – not great – athlete who can control a game with his skill and passing, particularly for a team who could play him in the high post. I hope he likes Atlanta.
Chris Taft, Pittsburgh	Anywhere from #8 to #15, based on workouts/interviews	The size and willingness to use it are all what you’re looking for in a big 6’10” pf/c, yet he has never dominated. People keep waiting for the light to come on. The interviews may be as important to this kid as any in the draft, including the high schoolers. It’s unlikely he falls far out of the top 10, if at all. If the Knicks remain at #8 this will likely be the guy slotted to them.
Charlie Villanueva, UConn	Anywhere from #8 to #20	There is much to like about Villanueva. He runs the floor well. He shoots a high percentage. He rebounds and blocks shots. Unfortunately, he also likes to play like a small forward at times even though he is 6’11”. Does he want to play center?
Channing Frye, Arizona	Anywhere from #15 to late first round	Disclaimer: I’m an Arizona grad. Channing Frye may be the Shane Battier/Josh Howard of this draft. He doesn’t have superstar potential but he also doesn’t have a lot of holes in his game. He should be a very good pro PF/C for a lot of years. It would be highway robbery if the Knicks pick him up at the end of the first round. More likely they’d have to move into the 16-20 area.
Randolph Morris, Kentucky	Anywhere from #15 to mid-second round	I know the league is starved for big players but if this kid doesn’t pull out and go back to Kentucky for at least one more season something is dreadfully wrong with the NBA. I can understand over-estimating the potential of high schoolers but this kid staying on the floor at Kentucky and he was basically the only center in the entire SEC.
Jared Homan, Iowa State	Second round	If you’re looking for a backup center that ONLY rebounds and blocks shots in the second round he’s your guy.

Adding to the depth at this position are some talented international players: Johan Petro from France, Fran Vasquez from Spain, and Tiago Splitter from Brazil, as well as two schoolboy 7-footers Andrew Bynum and Andray Blatche. Although no David Robinsons or Tim Duncans populate this draft, some pretty serviceable centers are available. Most - after Bogut - will likely go off the board in the 8-20 range. If the Knicks remain at #8 in the draft lottery they could conceivably move down and still get a pretty decent player.

Small Forward
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Looking at New York's roster today, small forward does not appear to be a position of need. Of course, things change in the off-season. The Orlando Sentinel is reporting that Penny Hardaway is pushing for a buyout in order to re-sign with the Magic. Tim Thomas is also entering the final year of his deal. So those two contracts may indeed be moved this off-season. If they are, Trevor Ariza may be the incumbent at small forward unless Allan Houston can come back. Consequently, the Knicks cannot afford to ignore the swingmen in the upcoming draft. I've included swing players, who play in the backcourt, as well as 'tweener types that play up front but handle the ball.

Of the small forwards I see the Knicks as most interested in a swingman than a power-three. Should the Knicks wind up in the top 3 certainly Williams would have to be one of the names they'd consider, along with Bogut and Paul. Should the Knicks remain at #8, irrespective of who is on the board the team should strongly consider Granger. He's a do it all swing player. He could play in the backcourt, with Ariza at the small forward, and all of a sudden the Knicks could be looking at cutting off much of the penetration that plagues the defense.

Name/College	Availability?	Comment
Marvin Williams, UNCC	Top 3-4 pick	Honestly, I didn’t see him play enough to do anything but parrot what everyone else is saying. “This kid is the greatest thing since snowshoes. He’s much better than Cats. I’d go see him again and again.” They must know what they’re talking about, right?
Danny Granger, New Mexico	Late lottery to end of first round	I doubt Granger lasts until the end of the first. I think he’s the best “true” small forward available but that tends to be the deepest pro position. His points per shot each year at New Mexico: 1.29, 1.41, 1.55, 1.62. His rebounds: 7.1, 7.9, 9, 8.9. He hurt himself with an awful game in the NCAA though.
Joey Graham, Oklahoma State	first round	The athletic comparisons to Corey Maggette I have yet to see. Like Maggette he’s going to have to move his game outside to play his pro position. Coming out of OSU, he’s not surprisingly a good defender.
Ryan Gomes, Providence	Late first/Early second	Gomes re-made himself from a post-up only player into a “power” 3, with a lot more skill than Graham. He dramatically improved his ball-handling and his perimeter shot.
Linas Kleiza, Missouri	d/undrafted	Kleiza is quality rebounder with a decent offensive repertoire. He probably lacks the quickness to defend SF’s in the NBA. He may go to Europe.

]]> http://www.hooplog.com/nba/brrra-is-there-a-draft-in-here-episode-ii-the-frontcourt.php http://www.hooplog.com/nba/brrra-is-there-a-draft-in-here-episode-ii-the-frontcourt.php Chauncey Billups Fri, 27 May 2005 10:54:14 -0800