Death, taxes, and the Knicks sucking (Vol. 4)

I was looking forward to celebrating the Knicks’ 10th loss in a row by taking a look at the blue-chippers we’ll have a shot at in June’s NBA draft, but as is usually the case, they went ahead and screwed that up too, finding a way to break their 8-game losing streak last weekend before getting crapped on in Boston on Wednesday. Oh well what the heck, let’s give it a go anyway seeing as– 10-game losing streak or not– the season went down the shitter months ago, and barring any catastrophic win streak, we’re well on our way to a top-five pick. And while that sounds like good news, the bad news is that the last time that happened (’86), we drafted Kenny “My nickname was ‘Sky’ but the only time I got that high was when I got hooked on coke after two seasons” Walker (and if Zeke’s still the GM by then, I’m giving 2:1 odds that history repeats itself). Anyways, here’s who’s tearing up the amateur ranks, and my take on whether or not they should be rocking the orange and blue next season (school, year, and stats in parenthesis).

O.J. Mayo (USC Fr.; 20.2 ppg, 3.0 apg, 4.4 rpg): the most hyped prep star since Lebron James, Mayo spurned glitzier programs for the bright lights of L.A. Coach Tim Floyd better enjoy his ridiculous stat line this year because there’s no way this guy isn’t one-and-done. He’s most comparable to Dwayne Wade, but bigger and with a better jump shot. In other words, get the ticker-tape ready (as crazy as that sounds). Still, you have to be a little leery of anyone coming out of USC with the name O.J.

Derrick Rose (Memphis Fr.; 13.9 ppg, 4.3 apg, 4.3 rpg): this frosh is running the show for the fun-and-gun Tigers (24-0), who are threatening to become the first NCAA team to run the table since the 1976 Indiana Hoosiers. Rose isn’t a polished scorer and his jumper needs some work, but he’s explosive around the rim and is the closest thing to a pass-first point guard you’ll find these days. I like Rose a lot, but he’s playing for a stacked team in a mediocre conference which skews his numbers a bit, not to mention the fact that he’s running a pedal-to-the-metal offense, one that’s more suited to the NBA’s Western Conference. Last time I checked, Madison Square Garden is situated somewhere east of the Mississippi.

Michael Beasley (Kansas State Fr.; 25.1 ppg, 12.4 rpg, 1.4 apg): alright, so the guy doesn’t pass a lot. Who cares? He’s a walking double-double and he’s been a man among boys in the Big 12. The only concern for Beasley is that he’s slightly undersized for a power forward at 6′9″, and while people have compared him to Charles Barkley, he’s not quick enough to play small forward. That said, he’s still got a few years of growing left in him. If he tops out at around 7′, he’ll make Amare Stoudemire look like a scrub. At the moment he wouldn’t be my pick only because the Knicks have a glut of beefcakes in the middle. But if either (or preferably both) Curry or Randolph are sent packing, he better be shaking hands with David Stern on draft night with a Knicks cap on his head.

Eric Gordon (Indiana Fr.; 21.4 ppg, 2.5 apg, 3.1 rpg): there’s not much to knock about this guy’s game, and even if you can find a reason to, you’re probably just a nit-picker. Well, I’ve been accused of being one myself more-often-than-not, so why stop now? There’s no question this guy can score, but his assist numbers are anemic for a point guard, and he looked a little shell-shocked during the Illinois game last week (the Chicago native backtracked on his verbal commitment to the school and instead went to the rival Hoosiers) when fans did a pretty decent impersonation of the Cameron Crazies. For a guy who would be called upon to lift a sunken ship in NYC, that’s not a good sign.

The Pick: Mayo. All jokes about his name aside (just keep him away from blondes and it’ll be all good), this guy is just what the Knicks need in today’s NBA: an unstoppable wingman. Take a look at the NBA’s elite, and you’ll find one common denominator– a high-scoring mid-sizer you can isolate and let take over a game in the clutch (Kobe with the Lakers, Lebron with the Cavs, Manu Ginobili with the Spurs, and Paul Pierce with the Celtics; Wade’s in this group too considering the Heat won a title just two seasons ago)– which, if you haven’t noticed, is something the Knicks haven’t had since Earl “The Pearl” was running the fastbreak alongside “Clyde” Frazier. Not coincidentally, that’s the last time the Knicks were NBA champs. Plus I like his makeup– he could’ve gone to Middle-of-nowhere University and played in the protective bubble that schools like Kansas, UConn, and Duke offer; instead he went to a decidedly pro town while shouldering the burden that comes with being his team’s best player.

There’s no question all of these guys should have good to great careers and maybe one or more of them will win a championship (namely Beasley). But there’s no way the Knicks are even sniffing the playoffs with Jamal Crawford chucking up off-balance jumpers from freaking half-court for the next five years. So, Mr. Future GM of the Knicks, let’s not get cute with this. Draft Mayo, plop Jamal on our bench or somebody else’s, and let’s be on with this.