The Knicks Don’t Need the Number 1 Pick

The NBA Draft Lottery is tonight. 14 teams will test their luck against one another in a random drawing to see if they can come away with the number 1 overall selection in June’s NBA Draft. The holder of the first pick will most likely select Oklahoma Forward Blake Griffin. Griffin, the John Wooden Award winner, averaged 22.7 points, 14.4 rebounds and over 1 block and steal a game last season. He is explosive to the basket, standing at 6’9”, 250lbs, with a solid, yet developing, jumpshot.

Griffin would fit seamlessly into Mike D’Antoni’s running full-court offense. His particular skill set is something the New York Knicks need. Another big, fast, efficient body would enhance the Knicks on offense. Not to mention, Griffin can turn out to be a good defender as well. Defense was a problem for New York in D’Antoni’s first season as head coach. However, Griffin must acclimate himself to playing against NBA talent before he can be referred to in the same breath as Ron Artest. Regardless, there is a great deal of upside.

This appears to be a perfect fit for New York. Everything they need, in terms of the frontcourt, is there. But one problem would arise if the Knicks end up with Griffin.

There is an ongoing deliberation on which restricted free agent the Knicks should sign. Will the team choose the walking double-double David Lee or the spark off the bench Nate Robinson? The decision has been lingering over the organization since the beginning of last season and the first suspicions surrounding LeBron James surfaced. And months later, there is no definitive answer. The organization will not announce a verdict and the Knicks’ fan base is as torn as ever.

The decision is clearly a tough one, given both players’ production in the 2008-2009 season. However, the choice would become much easier if Blake Griffin comes to play for the Knickerbockers.

He would take David Lee’s spot as the Power Forward, creating less of a need at that position. The team would not ideally want Lee to play center again, as they want someone bigger, faster and cheaper. The Knicks would then be able to cut Lee without losing any bodies in the frontcourt. While they won’t technically lose bodies, they will lose David Lee’s elite production.

Lee set career highs in points with 16 a game, and rebounds with 11.8. He was the team’s most consistent performer and was an incredible offensive threat running the pick-and-roll with Chris Duhon.

He also led the league with 65 double-doubles. Dwight Howard was close behind with 63. Third place was a far off 50. The double-doubles are very impressive. When a player can run away with a statistical category, battling only the league’s most dominant center, that player is special.


David Lee was also the one of the top power forwards in the Eastern Conference, along with Chris Bosh and Antawn Jamison. While both Bosh and Jamison averaged over 20 points a contest, Lee topped them both in rebounds.

Robinson had his career year as well. He bested his career mark in points with 17.2 in only about 30 minutes a game. To compare, Derrick Rose of the Bulls and the Bobcats’ Gerald Wallace were starters last season. They played a significant amount more than Robinson and still scored less. Robinson also had 4.1 assists per game. He provided an invaluable burst of energy and excitement off the bench for New York.

While Nate Robinson did add an exhilarating dimension to the Knicks, he comes with an array of problems. Most notably, Robinson is extremely streaky. He would have stretches where he’d score 30 points a night and seem unstoppable. But he also had periods where he would be beside himself, launching bad shots and turning the ball over.

His game is reminiscent of Jamal Crawford’s. The only difference is that Robinson is 5’9”, much smaller than Crawford, and is bound to get his shot blocked. The future will be bleak for Robinson. As he ages, his unbelievable speed and jumping ability will diminish, causing him to be a shell of himself.

Robinson also had some difficulty agreeing with Mike D’Antoni. Last season, he was seen arguing with D’Antoni on the sideline several times. The team would be better off relinquishing an malcontent like him.

The true need for New York lies in the backcourt. Chris Duhon began the year as one of the best point guards in the league. In the second half, he came crashing down hard. Also, Larry Hughes is not the answer at shooting guard and we’ve heard all of Nate Robinson’s issues. Any guard in this draft would be a better selection than Griffin. The Knicks are said to be looking at Ricky Rubio of Spain, Davidson’s Stephen Curry or National Champion Ty Lawson.

Those three players, along with a few other guards, are projected to go anywhere from 2 to out of the lottery. So the Knicks do not need the first overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Blake Griffin is too good to pass up. But if New York does select him, they will more than likely lose an integral part of their team.


--Max Caster