So we're told Wilson Chandler does not expect to work out for the Knicks before next week's NBA draft. The Knicks invited the DePaul sophomore to come in during the past few weeks, but Chandler declined because of the ankle injury we told you about previously.
However, Chandler has re-scheduled workouts with a few other teams. Just not the Knicks. And Chandler doesn't plan to.
"I don't foresee us working out for the Knicks," Chandler's agent, Chris Luchey told Newsday's Ken Berger on Thursday.
Luchey did go as far as telling Berger that he re-scheduled with teams that have late-first, early-second round picks. Chandler's schedule is apparently full from now until draft day. Perhaps the Knicks could squeeze him in the morning of the draft.
If the Knicks were as high on this kid as previously reported, do they not need to see anything more from him? Do they not want to look too interested in bringing him in, thus avoiding tipping their hand to anyone selection ahead of them in the first round?
Or are they just not interested? Maybe they already know who they want and Chandler isn't it.
Or perhaps, as one person suggested to me recently, the Knicks already know they won't be using the pick. Perhaps they'll be picking for someone else in what will be a post-draft trade.
So much for the report in the Chicago Daily Herald, which quoted a source that said the Knicks had already promised Chandler they'd take him at No. 23. But Luchey, of course, has no idea where that report came from.
"I would assume that something like that would have to come from Isiah Thomas," Luchey said. "I haven't spoken with Isiah Thomas. I don't know where that story came from."
No one ever does. But if it helped get a few teams picking higher than the Knicks to put more emphasis on Chandler, then Luchey's work -- I mean, whomever's work -- was perfectly executed.
And, of course, if Chandler does happen to be there . . .
"You can print this," Luchey then said, "We wouldn't be mad at the Knicks taking him at 23."
Ugh, agents.
Click.
UPDATE from this morning: Seems another blog, read by a notably different crowd (judging by the superior intelligence, not to mention poignancy, of the comments we get here as compared to theirs...and 50 comments by the same five guys doesn't mean it gets more traffic, by the way) got the callback on the Sean Williams thing before we did. The Knicks attended. We got scooped.
Like Denis Lemieux, the goalie in Slapshot, I feel shame.
And just like that, I'm over it.
* * *
Jon, you're right, Al Jefferson had a great second half this past season. By the end of the year, he was just as dominant in the paint as Eddy Curry. In fact, I recall the game in Boston late in the season where Jefferson had a terrific game. The No. 5 pick also has great value for a team that obviously is preparing for a major rebuild (and already has their own lottery pick at No. 7). I guess my question wasn't posed as if I thought the Knicks could offer more, it was more in disbelief that the Knicks couldn't come up with better.
I know KG, Jermaine O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Gilbert Arenas are sexier names, but 've maintained that the Rashard Lewis situation will be the one to monitor. Just don't expect it to happen at the draft, where there will be some movement. Lewis will go on the open market on July 1 and there will be some teams that can afford to try to sign him as a free agent. But no one will be able to give him the max other than the Sonics, who then could flip him to a team that can afford to add that kind of hefty scratch to their payroll.
And thanks Jason, for your input on Sean Williams and how to keep Jamal Crawford (and thanks for shamelessly promoting your columns on realgm.com..as if you guys needed any more pub from Newsday). I don't think the Knicks would have to give up Jamal in the Lewis deal because the Sonics already have Ray Allen and I'm not sure Crawford fits. The Sonics desperately need a point guard (no, they won't take Steve Francis), but I doubt Sam Presti would be high on Nate Robinson, despite his Seattle roots. I think the Sonics would want Channing Frye and/or David Lee in anything they do. I would watch for a third team in this process.
Have a great first weekend of summer.
Comments (16)
Alan, great scoop on the Chandler thing. And you really do have the best blog/and do the best Knicks reporting here in NYC. Isola, Vescey, Lawrence et al, can't hold a candle to your reporting and you don't come across with the same nasty, pessimistic, sarcastic voice that many of the Knick reporters seem to use constantly.
Thank you!
I second that - of all the local newspaper Knicks beat-bloggers, Newsday is the best.
Seattle may not want Crawford, but it makes sense for the Knicks to move Jamal if they acquire Rashard Lewis. The Knicks would be better moving Q-Rich to the SG, and starting him alongside Lewis, than keeping all three of them. And salary cap wise, moving Crawford (who has the longest contract on the Knicks) makes sense, if they are serious about making a run at the 2009/2010 free agent classes.
Yea, what he said !
What salary would move in a sign and trade for Lewis if not Crawford?? Frye for Lewis won't work cap wise. Would the Kings do Crawford for Ron Artest?
If we give up on Jamal you better have someone in the draft to replace him. Because Q will not last a 3rd of the season.
In addition to that who else on the team can get his shot off with the shot clock winding down, play the two man game with Eddy and if he has to he can bring the ball up, Q can't.
So before you start shitting on Jamal tell me also why the season crash once he went down? And don't give me David Lee crap either. We had a nice thing going, then Jamal went down a we only had Marburry and Eddy on the court who can put the ball in, then Marburry after going all out to fill the void got hurt.
Stop crying about what he can't do and the shot selections, his percentage crap. Jamal is a young Knick that with a personal coach on the bench the way Eddy has ten of them will be alright.
If we give up on Jamal you better have someone in the draft to replace him. Because Q will not last a 3rd of the season.
In addition to that who else on the team can get his shot off with the shot clock winding down, play the two man game with Eddy and if he has to he can bring the ball up, Q can't.
So before you start shitting on Jamal tell me also why the season crash once he went down? And don't give me David Lee crap either. We had a nice thing going, then Jamal went down a we only had Marburry and Eddy on the court who can put the ball in, then Marburry after going all out to fill the void got hurt.
Stop crying about what he can't do and the shot selections, his percentage crap. Jamal is a young Knick that with a personal coach on the bench the way Eddy has ten of them will be alright.
I say the trade for Lewis should include a package of Crawford/Jefferies plus another player to line-up the salaries & a possible swap of the Knicks pick & Seattle's 1st pick in the second round, where the Knicks SHOULD try to get their hands on Sean Williams. This will give the Sonics a nice 3-man guard rotation & a defensive-minded forward to play behind Durant... while the Knicks get a MUCH NEEDED dose of outside shooting (Lewis) & shot blocking (Williams).
Hey Henry: I wasn't saying give up on Crawford - I think he's a decent SG. But if we get Rashard Lewis, they have similar skill sets and roles, but Lewis is undoubtably better. And since both make too much coin for essential the same skill set (outside shooting, mid range game, 2-man game ability), I think Crawford has to be moved if you bring in Lewis.
Agree that counting on Q-Rich for the entire season isn't the best plan, but you have to count on him for at least 60-75% of the season; the Knicks can get by with Stephon at SG and Mardy Collins (or Francis, if he is still around) at the 1 for stretches of the seasons, especially if you still have Curry and Lewis to provide offense and stretch the defense.
The season went down last season because of all the injuries that occured all at once, not just one - Crawford was killer, but so was losing Lee almost the same time; even then the Knicks played some close games against the Mavs, and hung in there, but then Q-Rich went down. That stretched the Knicks backcourt thin, forcing Steve Francis to return to the team and ruining the chemistry (see Curry complaining about Francis not getting him the ball enough). Then you end up with Marbury and Collins playing big minutes (both were among the leaders in minutes in March), and not surprisingly Marbury went down. Point being that saying Crawford is the reason the Knicks' season collapse is only partially true.
Also, I second the idea of swinging Crawford for Artest if the Knicks sign or trade for Lewis. Also a good pickup that should be available for cheap - Kirilenko. If the Raptors almost got him for Mo Peterson, the Knicks might be able to get him for Crawford and, say, Rose (salary cap relief). Both can play the PF position, and provide the needed blocking and defense the Knicks sorely need....
As exciting as Crawford is as a player, and as good a guy as he seems to be, it probably is worth also remembering that he has never made the playoffs. In fact, he has the second longest streak of any player in the nba in terms of games played NOT making the playoffs. Let's not over-rate him.
I hear red flags in the evaluatuions of Morris Almond. We hear things like 'one of the best shooters in the draft' and 'smart player who knows how to play, not the greatest athlete but knows where to get his shot'.. Sounds like Hubert Davis again. He was supposed to be pure shooter the Knicks needed (to replace streak shooting John Starks at SG) but he lacked the other skills needed to make a difference. Both Lee and Frye will be better in this their 3rd year. Nate may not be around opening Day
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