2010 CelticsBlog Draft: Atlantic Division Press Conferences

[Lucky17]

What's the Knicks' roster like?

As someone else mentioned, I think this is a pretty weak division, though not for the efforts of the GMs. I just don't like the lack of depth and injury issues for a lot of these teams.

[Roy H.]

What's the Knicks' roster like?

As someone else mentioned, I think this is a pretty weak division, though not for the efforts of the GMs. I just don't like the lack of depth and injury issues for a lot of these teams.

Guards: George Hill, Nate Robinson, Dwyane Wade, Gerald Henderson, Christian Eyenga
Forwards: Grant Hill, Paul George, Earl Clark, Kenyon Martin, Jordan Hill
Centers: Greg Oden, Kurt Thomas, Hilton Armstrong

Presumably, that looks something like:

G. Oden / K. Thomas / H. Armstrong
K. Martin / J. Hill
Grant Hill / P. George / E. Clark
D. Wade / G. Henderson / C. Eyenga
George Hill / N. Robinson

That team could be a division champion or a lotto team, based upon the health of a handful of injury-prone players.

[Fafnir]

What's the Knicks' roster like?

As someone else mentioned, I think this is a pretty weak division, though not for the efforts of the GMs. I just don't like the lack of depth and injury issues for a lot of these teams.

The Knicks Roster is pretty strong:

Guards: George Hill, Nate Robinson, Dwyane Wade, Gerald Henderson, Christian Eyenga
Forwards: Grant Hill, Paul George, Earl Clark, Kenyon Martin, Jordan Hill
Centers: Greg Oden, Kurt Thomas, Hilton Armstrong

I think they're the best team in the division by far if Oden can play.

[indeedproceed]

What's the Knicks' roster like?

As someone else mentioned, I think this is a pretty weak division, though not for the efforts of the GMs. I just don't like the lack of depth and injury issues for a lot of these teams.

Guards: George Hill, Nate Robinson, Dwyane Wade, Gerald Henderson, Christian Eyenga
Forwards: Grant Hill, Paul George, Earl Clark, Kenyon Martin, Jordan Hill
Centers: Greg Oden, Kurt Thomas, Hilton Armstrong

Presumably, that looks something like:

G. Oden / K. Thomas / H. Armstrong
K. Martin / J. Hill
Grant Hill / P. George / E. Clark
D. Wade / G. Henderson / C. Eyenga
George Hill / N. Robinson

That team could be a division champion or a lotto team, based upon the health of a handful of injury-prone players.

Does Dwayne Wade made anyone nervous as the next 'elite scoring 2 guard' to fall to the Allan Houston injury curse?

He just plays so physical, and he missed 31 games each in 06/07 and 07/08, then only missed 3 and 5 games respectively the last 2 seasons.

I have a hard time pegging how he's going to continue.

[Fafnir]

Hard to say IP, but I think two years of relative health is evidence in his favor.

I'll say this though, Wade is far better than Houston ever was.

[StartOrien]

There are a lot of people on this board that are a lot higher on D-Wade than I am, but I don't see him going the way of Allan Houston all that soon.

[Who]

What's the Knicks' roster like?

As someone else mentioned, I think this is a pretty weak division, though not for the efforts of the GMs. I just don't like the lack of depth and injury issues for a lot of these teams.

Guards: George Hill, Nate Robinson, Dwyane Wade, Gerald Henderson, Christian Eyenga
Forwards: Grant Hill, Paul George, Earl Clark, Kenyon Martin, Jordan Hill
Centers: Greg Oden, Kurt Thomas, Hilton Armstrong

Presumably, that looks something like:

G. Oden / K. Thomas / H. Armstrong
K. Martin / J. Hill
Grant Hill / P. George / E. Clark
D. Wade / G. Henderson / C. Eyenga
George Hill / N. Robinson

That team could be a division champion or a lotto team, based upon the health of a handful of injury-prone players.

Does Dwayne Wade made anyone nervous as the next 'elite scoring 2 guard' to fall to the Allan Houston injury curse?

He just plays so physical, and he missed 31 games each in 06/07 and 07/08, then only missed 3 and 5 games respectively the last 2 seasons.

I have a hard time pegging how he's going to continue.

Wade is only 28 and has been healthy for two years. I don't think he'll age well but I'd expect him to go on strong for at least another 4-5 seasons.

[indeedproceed]

Hard to say IP, but I think two years of relative health is evidence in his favor.

I'll say this though, Wade is far better than Houston ever was.

No question, he's one of the best players in the NBA, way better than houston in his prime. I just used him as an example because of the way injuries derailed his career. I could've said Tmac too I suppose.

[Roy H.]

What's the Knicks' roster like?

As someone else mentioned, I think this is a pretty weak division, though not for the efforts of the GMs. I just don't like the lack of depth and injury issues for a lot of these teams.

Guards: George Hill, Nate Robinson, Dwyane Wade, Gerald Henderson, Christian Eyenga
Forwards: Grant Hill, Paul George, Earl Clark, Kenyon Martin, Jordan Hill
Centers: Greg Oden, Kurt Thomas, Hilton Armstrong

Presumably, that looks something like:

G. Oden / K. Thomas / H. Armstrong
K. Martin / J. Hill
Grant Hill / P. George / E. Clark
D. Wade / G. Henderson / C. Eyenga
George Hill / N. Robinson

That team could be a division champion or a lotto team, based upon the health of a handful of injury-prone players.

Does Dwayne Wade made anyone nervous as the next 'elite scoring 2 guard' to fall to the Allan Houston injury curse?

He just plays so physical, and he missed 31 games each in 06/07 and 07/08, then only missed 3 and 5 games respectively the last 2 seasons.

I have a hard time pegging how he's going to continue.

Two years ago, I had those concerns.  Since then, Wade has stayed healthy, and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

His style of play definitely makes him susceptible to injury, but the same can be said of a lot of players who have, thus far, been relatively injury free.

In terms of injuries, I'd be more concerned about Oden, Martin, and maybe Grant Hill.

[indeedproceed]

What's the Knicks' roster like?

As someone else mentioned, I think this is a pretty weak division, though not for the efforts of the GMs. I just don't like the lack of depth and injury issues for a lot of these teams.

Guards: George Hill, Nate Robinson, Dwyane Wade, Gerald Henderson, Christian Eyenga
Forwards: Grant Hill, Paul George, Earl Clark, Kenyon Martin, Jordan Hill
Centers: Greg Oden, Kurt Thomas, Hilton Armstrong

Presumably, that looks something like:

G. Oden / K. Thomas / H. Armstrong
K. Martin / J. Hill
Grant Hill / P. George / E. Clark
D. Wade / G. Henderson / C. Eyenga
George Hill / N. Robinson

That team could be a division champion or a lotto team, based upon the health of a handful of injury-prone players.

Does Dwayne Wade made anyone nervous as the next 'elite scoring 2 guard' to fall to the Allan Houston injury curse?

He just plays so physical, and he missed 31 games each in 06/07 and 07/08, then only missed 3 and 5 games respectively the last 2 seasons.

I have a hard time pegging how he's going to continue.

Two years ago, I had those concerns.  Since then, Wade has stayed healthy, and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

His style of play definitely makes him susceptible to injury, but the same can be said of a lot of players who have, thus far, been relatively injury free.

Well the difference being that Wade actually was injured, as opposed to being merely susceptible.

Eventually everyone loses a year to injury somehow, and since Wade is 28 with already 2 bad years behind him, I do think its a legit concern. I also think it shouldn't be discounted though that he's stayed healthy for the last 2 seasons and has seemingly but subtlety adjusted his style of play, which might lead you to believe that he'll remain healthy barring freak injury or his knees exploding at age 33 or 34.

[Donoghus]

I like that Knicks team a lot in the Atlantic IF they can stay healthy.  I think the health of their center, Oden (where have I heard that before?) is the lynchpin for the success of that team. 

I also wonder what the minutes would look like for Hill starting at the SF position.  Specifically for the regular season.

It's an interesting bench also.  Its a "question mark" team.

[Lucky17]

I'll preface my rankings with this caveat: I'm assuming that there will be no catastrophic injuries to any team. However, every team has the very real potential to lose a player to injury, and with it, the very real chance to finish as a lottery team.

1. New York Knicks: best player in the division in Wade, and a nice supporting cast around him. Would prefer some veterans on the wings, rather than a collection of first and second year players.

3A. New Jersey Nets: perhaps the best roster, in terms of flexibility. A strong and nicely fitting seven-man rotation (counting Williams and Collison off the bench), covering all positions. Decent frontcourt depth, questions on the wings.

3B. Boston has a great tandem in Bogut and Rondo, and nice complementary players in Landry and the volatile Smith. Some questions about the SF position, however. Is Outlaw a legit starter? Is Kapono still a rotation player? What can Ebanks bring? And is Rush a starter in the league?

3C. Toronto has great talent in the starting lineup, but the questions regarding Perkins' comeback cannot be so easily dismissed. The starters will need to play 40 minutes a night, and due to a lack of depth (why only 11 players?), they'll burn out during the last 20 games of the season.

5. Philadelphia's roster seems to be terribly imbalanced. Three undersized bigs at the backup PF slot, leaving Anderson the only legit C option on the team. Green the only rotation-worthy SF, yet Philly carries two young backup PGs behind Watson. I think this is a lottery team, even as best-case scenario.

[KCattheStripe]

Hard to say IP, but I think two years of relative health is evidence in his favor.

I'll say this though, Wade is far better than Houston ever was.

No question, he's the best players in the NBA, way better than houston in his prime. I just used him as an example because of the way injuries derailed his career. I could've said Tmac too I suppose.

fixed.

[Edgar]

3C. Toronto has great talent in the starting lineup, but the questions regarding Perkins' comeback cannot be so easily dismissed. The starters will need to play 40 minutes a night, and due to a lack of depth (why only 11 players?), they'll burn out during the last 20 games of the season.

 

 

ok.

I wonder how to manage a 13 player rotation

NBA Games for 30 teams last year


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP

From NBA TV.

League is about your first 11 players
rest is gravy

[Lucky17]

3C. Toronto has great talent in the starting lineup, but the questions regarding Perkins' comeback cannot be so easily dismissed. The starters will need to play 40 minutes a night, and due to a lack of depth (why only 11 players?), they'll burn out during the last 20 games of the season.

 

 

ok.

I wonder how to manage a 13 player rotation

NBA Games for 30 teams last year


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
DNP
DNP
DNP
DNP

From NBA TV.

League is about your first 11 players
rest is gravy

True, but three of your eleven players (Udoka, Ellington, Pondexter) are rookies/fringe players. As such, their contributions will be inconsistent, at best.

You also have a player who will be suspended for the first 10 games of the season, and has a documented mental health issue. Another infraction with the league office could result in longer suspension.

Lastly, Perkins will not return until February, at the earliest, and even then may need some time to get back into playing shape.

So you have maybe 7 players tops who will need to play all available minutes. That's doable, but given those players' ages, I think they run out of gas right when you're hoping for a playoff push.