Sean Williams seems a natural fit
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- June
- 4
Let’s be honest, the Knicks’ greatest need is a player to slide in alongside Eddy Curry that doesn’t mind playing defense and grabbing rebounds.
Somebody like Sean Williams.
There’s a long list of issues to deal with, though. He was twice suspended at Boston College, and was dismissed Jan. 17 for unspecified rules violations. There’s also an arrest for marijuana possession.
“I think people will find he’s a 20-year-old kid,” his agent, Charles Grantham, said this afternoon. “He’s certainly matured a lot since that unfortunate situation. He’s definitely learned there are consequences for the decisions you make in life.”
Knicks president Isiah Thomas won’t be scared off. He actually likes mentoring players who need a little direction. And there are enough veterans around like Malik Rose, Quentin Richardson and Stephon Marbury to keep somebody who might be tempted in line.
Perhaps the biggest hurdle to landing Williams is the fact that he might not be on the board when the Knicks pick at No. 23. Most teams in this league could use a player who swatted 75 shots in 15 games before getting booted.
A number of scouts believe he’ll be a late first-round pick.
Williams could also slip, but there must be a reason why he skipped the pre-draft camp in Orlando. Did somebody offer a guarantee? He also cancelled a workout with the Knicks.
According to Grantham, so many teams expressed interest in getting Williams in for a workout they decided to set up two controlled sessions in Houston rather than barnstorm from team to team. John Lucas, who’s getting Williams ready for the draft, will run those showcases on June 11 and 18, and Grantham believes somebody from the Knicks will be in the audience.
“I think they are coming,” he said.
Williams also plans to get better acquainted with league executives at those workouts.
“Sean will make himself available to the teams for interviews,” Grantham said. “And there may be a couple of workouts for individual teams after that.”
Williams clearly likes playing defense and blocking shots. Sometimes, though, he takes it a little too personally and gambles in situations where its more prudent to sit back and wait. That leads to silly fouls and open layups. Williams also needs to develop a face-up game offensively before he’s perfectly suited to line up in the frontcourt with somebody like Curry.
Here’s the list of players Knicks officials will be watching tomorrow at the Nets’ practice facility: Stephane Lasme (F, 6-8, 215 UMass), DaShaun Wood (G, 5-11, 180 Wright State), Jamar Wilson (G, 6-1, 185 Albany) and Brandon Wallace (F, 6-9, 203 South Carolina).
Read yesterday’s post if you don’t understand why they are heading across the river.
This entry was posted
on Monday, June 4th, 2007 at 4:09 pm by Mike Dougherty.
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Hi Mike- The Knicks should be looking for a shooter since they only have 1 pick. Morris should be able to give a defensive presence at the forward and don’t forget R. Balkman can also ‘D’. What’s missing is someone who can make the opposing defense stop cheating down and double/triplr teaming on Eddie Curry. Are there any that may be around at #23?
Being a recent graduate from Boston College, I got to see first hand what Sean Williams is capable of (both on and off the court). I’m hoping he will be available at the 23rd spot cause he would be perfect for the knicks.
But the chances of him still being on the board are slim to none. His stock is rising even before he has been through one work out. I don’t see him having a bad work out (how can you, when you’re only known for shot blocking and defense?).
The knicks are, and should be including this pick in a trade for rashard lewis. Other than having a big man play alongside Curry (thanks for nothing jared, channing, jerome, kato), they are in dire need of a swingman to knock down outside shots; make teams pay for trying to double Curry.
Q is supposed to be that person, but his inconsistent health is not worth banking on.
(I need to start my own blog, i can write about the knicks alll day).
I’ve been salivating over this guy for weeks. It seems that his stock will rise after workouts and I doubt he’ll be available to us at 23. I would even package Frye and our pick to move up and grab him.
Also, it seems Isiah is working out a bunch of 2nd rounders. Strange. Is this some kind of diversion? Is he possibly looking to get a 2nd round pick? I thought we would work out the late 1st rounders the first couple of days. It’s been a little confusing.
What do you think, Mike?
Tommy G,
Not a diversion, they call it due diligence. If you make a trade on draft night, you need some first-hand knowledge of the second-round guys.
So Mike, do you think he’s going to make a trade come draft night?
Out of all the free agents or players that are available, who is the one we will more than likely land?
I’m thinking it’s going to be Rashard Lewis.
I know Isiah has something planned and I’m pretty sure it involves Lenny from Seattle. I’m just hoping that we only get rid of Frye, Nate, Jeffries or all of them.
For some reason I actually want to keep Jeffries because I think he plays good D and he brings some energy also.
He’s real limited on the offensive end.
Lewis is consistent with the jump shot so the double on Curry will be hard to do.
I can only imagine the match up troubles with Marbury, Q, Lewis, Lee and Curry on the floor. Crawford, Balkman and Collins…oh man!!
Come on Zeke…pull this one off baby!!
Prediction: If Williams is available at #23 and we don’t pick him… HUGE BOOS FROM THE GARDEN KNICK FANS
AUg I hear you I hope this doesn’t turn out to be like the Ron Artest fiasco.
Have faith. Isiah has yet to draft a bust.
Knicks have a great young core in lee, balkman, collins, curry and I’d like to see another big guy that they can develop here.
I’ve lost faith in Frye’s ability to contribute within our system. Defensively he’s lacking and on offense, he and Curry cant coexist. Curry needs a guy to protect him down low and Williams seems like a better fit.
I’m tired of Nate too. That said, I don’t want to dump our young guys for a long term contract that will keep us from competing in the ‘09 free agency class. Better to keep developing our youth and get a real superstar to anchor the team when the right time comes. Injuries were the only reason why we didn’t make the playoffs this year, and if we keep the team together we have a shot next year and the year after, and then in ‘09 have a real team whose played together for a while, which will be ready to seriously compete with the addition of a major free agent signing.
Don’t forget we have Randolph Morris. Nobody knows anything about this kid, but remember: at one point we were all saying Ronaldo who? David Lee? Mardy Collins? They all exceeded our expectations.
Let’s give Morris a chance. He was a projected first rounder in this year’s draft for a reason.
Living in Canada I didn’t get enough chances to actually watch the knicks play so forgive me if this question seems silly but what’s the prob with D. Lee on defense? I know he’s not a shot blocker but what kind of players was he able to contain and what kind were too much. I ask because from what I was reading, he seemed like he could be the answer at PF, lots of rebounds a developing mid range J and good energy. I know he got injured but why don’t people think, with another off season to develop his game, that he could be the answer?
Sean Williams is my first choice from what i have heard.
lefty i honestly would be more than happy starting David Lee at the PF. That leaves us however with no HELP defense. Both him and Curry are OK on their own man… But when it comes to helping and rotating that is where they really struggle. I think its something David can and will develop… Eddy im not so sure. Basically if we have a front line that wont rotate we get beat for layups all day. Its a problem….............
I agree with Stan, a shot blocker and a 6’9” three with an outside shot is all the Knicks need.
If Isiah can get rid of these guys he deserve a 10 year contract extension.
1)Francis, 2)Jerome, 3)Rose and 4)injury prone – Q
Here are the actual trade bates players.
1)Frye, 2)Nate, 3)Jefferies and 4)This year #1.
Elite, fair enough. If I remember correctly, when D Lee was drafted he was rated as one of the most athletic prospects in the draft. Seems he could learn how to give decent help. Do you think a help defender is more important than an outside shooter who can defend on the perimeter? Perhaps, with better perimeter defense the help defender is less important and an outside gunner would sure open it up for Curry.
All the elite teams have both great perimiter D and an interior shot blocker. But in terms of basketball, an interior shot blocker can cover up more mistakes… because even elite defenders will get beat off the dribble.
Issue then is, if perimeter D is weak, the interior shot blocker can pick up a lot of fouls if he’s not careful since he’ll be helping a lot.
To me we clearly need shotblocking more than a sharpshooter. We lost games due to poor defense, not because we couldn’t put up points (for the most part). Nate is pretty decent at the long bomb, and hell so is Q and marbury.
I think we might be surprised by Randolph Morris’ defensive ability. I watched him pretty closely the little time he got when he joined the Knicks late past season and he seemed to have the right instincts for it. He looked like he felt it was his responsibility to take care of whatever came in the paint, and he had nice hands and quick feet. Check his College stats – interestingly, his senior year he records twice as many blocked shots as his first two years – that’s a trend in the right direction: http://bigbluehistory.net/bb/Statistics/Players/Morris_Randolph.html
If we can get Sean Williams, I trust Zeke to be able to handle the guy, and I’d love to have that mean streak. Even so, Lee has to start at the 4 in my mind, too smart, too good a rebounder, too full of intangibles that make everybody better to be on the bench. Reggie Evans is available, and would come cheap if we don’t look to the draft for 4’s. Not a shot blocker, but it’ll be pay to play in the paint whenever he’s in. I think the Knicks have to use the zone a whole lot more and trap the sidelines hard – we have the players to do it and worked it well at times last year. I think the emergence of Collins and Balkman is going to change our D in a big way.
I would love to see if Morris develops into anything.
As for Da-Lee Double, I just don’t see him as a STARTING NBA power forward. I do think he is a perfect spark off the bench. Why mess with something that is working well?
I was totally surprised at how far along Mardy came in the last weeks of the season. I mean, he nearly had a triple double a few games. Is this our future point guard? I would have no problem with that, hopefully his shooting will get better.
Henry, I would include Lee in the trade bait pool only becuase of Balkman’s emergence. They are the same exact player, just Dave has one more year on Balkman.
can Jared Jeffries please do something next year.
Stan,
I hear what your saying about Lee, but if Isiah got rid of Lee, the Knick garden fans would kill Isiah.
The only way Isiah could let go of Lee and get away with it, is if he bring back a Super Super Star, that produces right away.
Lee ain’t going anywhere, and I don’t think he should. He works hard and is a good guy.