Par Exampla:
New York Knicks
PG Deron Williams / Jameer Nelson / Mario Chalmers
SG Jodie Meeks / Wes Johnson
SF Austin Daye
PF David West / DeJuan Blair
C Al Horford / Rony Turiaf / Jonas Valanciunas
Knicks Pros:
Deron Williams has nothing here, if not a balanced offensive attack. Two 40% 3pt shooters on the wings, a capable and well versed pick and roll man with a lethal jumper in David West (picture KG now, but only on offense), and a freakin manchild in Al Horford to roll to the basket to finish and grab offensive rebounds (are you still a man-child at 25? Best to just call him a grown man.)
Considering that Deron Williams is built like a linebacker with the quickness of the Flash and the passing instincts as good as anyone in the NBA, its no surprise that he's made sure 3pt shooters and pick and pop PF's have great stat lines throughout his career. Memhet Okur, Gordon Giricek, Carlos Boozer, they all went on to nice contracts or extensions based on the production Deron Williams gave them by getting them the ball in a place where they could do damage. The situation is no different here, and the entire starting 5 should get significantly better than they have been previous in their careers with Williams passing them the ball.
And the hits don't stop there folks. This team might be (checking imaginary speadsheet I pretend to have)..yes..the ONLY team with 3 starting NBA point guards on its roster. Not a big deal though, because Superintendent Chalmers can easily switch to the 2 and be just as effective. On top of that, they've got great depth at the 4 (DaJuan Blair), 5 (Rony Turiaf, who is on my list for 'Guy best fitted to play 15 minutes at the 5 spot and give the other team fits of shame at how much they don't hustle'), and even the 2, where Wes Johnson could be a significant difference maker, as he won't have to compete with Beasley, Love, and _____ ____ for shot attempts, and can stick to doing what he does and just hit shots and smile crooked.
Another asset that shouldn't be considered next season but should be mentioned is Jonas Valun....Jonas Valen..Jonas Val...well whatever his name is. He's not going to be making an appearance next year, but when he does by all counts he'll be worth waiting for. He should step in as a competent backup immediately, and if the scouting reports are true, he should be good enough to allow Horford to move over to the 4 spot and supplant him in the starting lineup.
Cons:
This team will only go as far as Deron Williams can take them. If Jameer Nelson played the point full-time, this would likely be a lottery team. Deron Williams makes everyone better, and that's fortunate because everyone else on their own isn't all that good. You ever have a buddy in college or highschool who was only tough when there was a gang of other allies around him? That's basically what this team is (excepting Al Horford, who could start for nearly any team in the NBA at the 4 or 5 position and be a win). And, on the defensive side of the ball, I think they're going to feel it the most.
Aside from Horford and Williams, there aren't really any competent or above average defenders in the starting lineup. David West's defense has been criticized for years, and Meeks and Daye are no better (probably worse). Meeks scoring helps the first unit, but his defense hurts it. Philly was better defensively when Meeks was on the bench. Daye, while built in the mold of Jared Jefferies (6'11, paper-thin), doesn't have the latter's defensive accolades in the least. His length will be a problem for some SF's, but the vast majority of them will treat him like a younger little brother in a wrasslin' match and throw him around.
On the bench, Blair has a reputation as a good defender, but much like Glen Davis, his schtick works best when height isn't the main advantage. He needs to keep his man away from the inner circle to be truly effective, and aside from his brute strength offense and rebounding, he doesn't offer many other skills to help out. Consider also that he plays next to the smartest team defender in basketball (Duncan) for most of his minutes, and its not inconceivable to see him be considerably less effective here.
Recommendation:
GC is far from done with this roster. If you have ANY significant depth at the 3 position, he will be PM'ing you with either Jameer Nelson or Mario Chalmers, depending on how good he thinks the player is. That's smart, because his most easily moveable assets are at the PG position. I get the sneaking suspicion that the team he has now is not the team he'll end up with by a longshot.
Ending Synopsis:
The Knicks should be fun to watch offensively. The pieces fit nicely together, the depth is there (except at the 3), and Deron Williams is in my mind, still the best PG in basketball.
Defensively they honestly might be a bit of a trainwreck. Horford can only do so much to compensate for his teams' short falls, and when 3 of the 4 other guys out there with him in the starting 5 are liabilities, that won't be enough.
But, like I said, this team won't be the one that finishes the draft. Right now, I don't see them as a playoff squad. But with a significant solidification at the 3, I think they will probably squeeze in, and rightfully so.
Topic: 2011 CB draft: How does my team look?/division rankings (Read 590284 times)