Apr 22, 2012; Atlanta, GA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Randy Foye (4) shoots over Atlanta Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich (6) during the first half at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Paul Abell-US PRESSWIRE

The sign-and-trade – which would likely involve a combination Dan Gadzuric, and perhaps Josh Harrellson, Jerome Jordan, or Toney Douglas – would be huge for the Knicks. Not only would it not cost them much in terms of valuable, pivotal players, but the ability to keep the mini-MLE would be a huge advantage in trying to attract another free agent. But who?

It’s been said the Knicks will undoubtedly match the Houston Rockets’ offer to Jeremy Lin, and they plan to re-sign Steve Novak and J.R. Smith (though it’s been quiet on those fronts), but there are several positional holes left on the roster.

On one hand, if the sign-and-trade for Kidd goes through, the Knicks may be bare upfront. Harrellson and Jordan are supposed to be on the Knicks’ Summer League roster, and could play minutes off the bench if they appear ready. However, without them, the Knicks’ really would only have Tyson Chandler and Amar’e Stoudemire as rotation bigs. Jared Jeffries could be re-signed (and has expressed interest), but there hasn’t been any evidence that the Knicks are working towards that.

Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports claims the Knicks and Miami Heat are currently front-runners to land Marcus Camby. The Heat could offer Camby a role as starting center, but they currently have their eyes mainly set on Ray Allen. While Camby wouldn’t start for the Knicks, he and Tyson Chandler would tighten the Knicks’ center rotation and form a formidable defensive duo that would keep the Knicks from falling into any defensive lapses while one of them sits.

Shooting guard is also a weakness of the Knicks’. Iman Shumpert would surely be the starting two-guard, but may not return until December or January while he recovers from a torn ACL. As mentioned, J.R. Smith is still a free agent. Landry Fields is likely Toronto-bound, and while the Knicks recently acquired James White, a wing player from the Euroleague, they may look for a guard in free agency who’s more ready to contribute.

The Knicks have been linked to Randy Foye as a possible addition. Foye can play both guard positions, and would be a good fit next to either Lin or Kidd, off the bench or starting. For his career Foye boasts a career average of 36% from beyond the arc, and the Knicks are well aware of his scoring prowess after he knocked down four three-pointers en route to a 28-point performance when the Los Angeles Clippers visited MSG in April. Likewise, though Foye has never averaged over three assists per game in a season, he’s capable of running an offense when thrust into the position. In the 2010-11 season, he averaged four assists per game as the Clippers’ starting point guard, and his per-36 numbers for his career all hover around five assists per game.

However, this is all assuming the Knicks keep their mini-MLE by trading for Kidd. If they are forced to sign him, the Knicks could try a similar sign-and-trade for Camby with Houston (a team looking to cut costs) or the Clippers for Foye. If they look to add pieces through the veteran’s minimum, perhaps former-Knick Ronny Turiaf could be an option upfront. A number of cheap options could be had at the shooting guard position.

The details of Jason Kidd’s deal and Ray Allen’s decision will both be pivotal factors in the Knicks’ free agency crusade.

According to multiple sources, the Knicks and Suns have continued their discussions about a possible sign-and-trade between the two teams that would land Nash in the Big Apple, while sending guard Iman Shumpert, among others, to Phoenix. As part of the deal, Nash would likely sign a three-year, $25 million contract.

Yesterday on Knicks Radio, we talked about how the team might be feeling the heat both from the fans, media and opposing teams to make a splashy move for the sake of making one. The Hawks, Nets and Celtics have all made significant additions to their teams, while the Knicks have mostly stood silent.

This would be a huge move for the team, but its worth talking about in the terms of why they shouldn’t do it. You cannot find a Knicks fan that doesn’t love Iman Shumpert and his potential. He blossomed last year as a strong two-guard who has the ability to play the point. His defense was critical to the team’s late season success after Mike D’Antoni vacated the building. It is also important to note that he will miss the beginning portion of the season, recovering from knee surgery.

There really isn’t any possible way for the Knicks to swing a deal without including Shumpert, who is their youngest and most promising player. But, bringing in Nash, even for just three years, coupled with re-signing (hopefully) Jeremy Lin could be something that puts this team over the top and brings them back on the same level with the other powerhouse teams in the East.

It will also make the Knicks incredibly thin. Along with Shumpert, the team will have to trade able bodies like Toney Douglas, Josh Harrelson and Jerome Jordan. Do any of those players signal a significant loss? No. But, they do take away from the depth this team has, or lacks. The Knicks will be forced to fill out the majority of their bench with veteran minimum contracts, which could be a dangerous proposition.

Long story short, if it costs the team trading Shumpert in order to get a star and former MVP like Steve Nash, I don’t think a lot of Knicks fans will cry foul. But, they will grimace.

Its going to be like ripping off a band-aid. Just do it quickly. We’ll all feel better immediately after.

This previous offseason, with very little money to spend and presumably no big tricks up their sleeves, the Knicks managed to surprise everyone by using the amnesty clause on Chauncey Billups and pulling off a sign-and-trade for Tyson Chandler, a well-known, respected center. The franchise reveled in causing one of the biggest free agency splashes in the league.

This summer, the Knicks once again shook up the headlines when they were awarded the Early Bird Rights for Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak. It was assumed the Knicks would re-sign both players, while bringing back fellow free agents J.R. Smith and Landry Fields. To top it all off, the Knicks would have $3 million to spend on an additional player, perhaps a veteran point guard to bring off the bench.

But once again, the Knicks have set their sights high: this time on Steve Nash.

Nash, one of the all-time great point guards the NBA has ever seen, is one of the prize free agents of this year’s class. He would do wonders helping to mentor Jeremy Lin, running the offense, finding a balance between the Knicks’ Big Three of Stoudemire, Anthony, and Chandler. Nash would bring potency from behind the arc. He would become a guiding voice in the Knicks’ locker room; a player that everyone respects. Yet signing Steve Nash outright will be nearly impossible for the Knicks.

Thus, sign-and-trade rumors between the Phoenix Suns and Knicks have emerged.

Steve Nash is being courted by a number of suitors, but it’s been suggested that the Toronto Raptors and Knicks are the two front-runners. The Raptors have reportedly offered a whopping 3-year/$36-million deal to Nash, which would make the opportunity to play in his home country difficult to turn down. However, some sources say that Nash prefers New York. The sign-and-trade with Phoenix would allow Nash to receive more money, and still land in his preferred location without sacrificing over $20 million by taking New York’s mini mid-level exception over Toronto’s gargantuan offer.

Where the problem lies, however, is what the Knicks would have to give up in order to get Nash. The Suns aren’t in a position to bargain since in almost all other scenarios, Nash would leave for nothing. However, Phoenix would likely want something in return. In the most preferable, but least likely situation, the Knicks would send Toney Douglas, Josh Harrellson, and the non-guaranteed contracts of Jerome Jordan and Dan Gadzuric, in which case Phoenix could waive the last two players, and retain two young, cheap players of the Knicks’.

But common sense says that Phoenix would like something a little meatier. Iman Shumpert’s name has been thrown into the mix, but Alan Hahn insists that he’s been given no indication that anyone in the Knicks’ front office would be willing to part with Shumpert. Landry Fields could be signed and then packaged with some of the players mentioned above.

Steve Nash is an all-time great, but in any of the above scenarios, the Knicks are sending away almost all of their developing youth. Though they’re all fairly modest players now, Shumpert, Fields, Harrellson, Jordan, and Toney Douglas (if he ever regains his confidence) are all nice, young players that could be stepping stools when the Big Three’s contracts expire in three years.

The Knicks’ pursuit of Nash also could be rubbing some of their current free agents the wrong way. Jeremy Lin believes he’s ready to be the floor general for a contending team now, and he’s currently waiting in limbo for the Nash issues to be sorted out. The Knicks can match any offers towards Lin, but the longer the Knicks wait, the antsier Lin could get. He could demand more money from the Knicks, or match an offer sheet to a “poison pill” contract, forcing the Knicks to match. Lin did just drop out of the U.S. Select Team yesterday due to contractual issues.

Other free agents like Fields, Novak (the Knicks can match offers on both), and J.R. Smith are waiting around too, and could be more likely to bolt, ask for more money, or sign offer sheets from other teams the longer they’re forced to wait.

Likewise, Steve Nash has a chronic spine issue that he’s dealt with over the past few years. His achy back often causes him to leave games early, or be attended to on the sidelines. Without the Phoenix training staff – a group has commendably extended the careers of Nash, Stoudemire, Grant Hill, and Michael Redd, to name a few – how well would Nash hold up? Especially considering he’d be in New York where the weather is harsher on bones and muscles than the dry heat of Phoenix.

This isn’t to say going after Nash is a bad move – if it’s a step towards a championship, and perhaps to the Knicks’ front office, the step to a championship. Yet things aren’t always as simple as they seem, and signing and trading for Steve Nash could come with some consequences.

Feb. 19, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak (16) and New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin (17) react during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

The decision was a surprising and unexpected one; many felt that the NBPA had little shot of winning the case. However, the Knicks aren’t in the clear yet, as the NBA has announced it will appeal the decision. Details are still emerging as to what the next plan of action will be, but in the meantime, the decision is still in favor of the Players Union.

If the decision doesn’t get reversed (it so will, because it’s the Knicks and it’s David Stern and that’s just what happens), then this is great news for the Knicks. By earning Early Bird Rights to Lin and Novak, the Knicks can re-sign both of them without having to dip into their mid-level or biannual exceptions. Lin and Novak have both expressed great interest in returning to the Knicks, but were hesitant to hint at a definite return since money was a concern.

Likewise, if the decision holds (we’ll operate under the assumption that it will, for now), this could directly impact J.R. Smith’s decision to opt in or out of the final year of his contract. The MLE gives the Knicks about five million dollars to sign another player, so Smith may choose to opt out in hopes that the Knicks would give him a larger portion of the MLE. Likewise, the biannual exception could be used to lure a veteran who’s unwilling to settle for the vet.’s minimum.

This year’s free agent class is full of point guards, and if the Knicks are indeed able to keep their MLE while re-signing Jeremy Lin, then they could have plenty of options. Steve Nash may still out-price the Knicks, but other options could be Raymond Felton, Kirk Hinrich, Jason Kidd, or Ramon Sessions.

The Knicks’ frontcourt could use help too, but with Josh Harrellson and Jared Jeffries likely in the fold, the Knicks might not want to commit money to a backup big, because Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Tyson Chandler all command so much playing time. Whatever position the Knicks draft could be an indicator as to what types of players they’ll target in free agency.

However, another obstacle remains regardless of how the NBA’s appeal goes. CBA expert Larry Coon noted on Twitter that giving a contract of over three million dollars to a free agent will put the Knicks in the hard cap for the season. One of the CBA revisions during the lockout has made the tax punishments extra severe for teams who exceed the salary cap. Then again, we are also talking about James Dolan’s money, and he tends to not care very much about what he spends on the Knicks.

Perhaps if the Knicks wanted to sign a player to the full MLE and avoid paying the hard cap, they could try to move Toney Douglas or Jerome Jordan for another pick. However, if they were to move into the first round, that pick would also count against their cap for a similar amount of money, so it may not make much of a difference.

There are questions and opportunities abound on this decision and what remains in the Knicks’ future, but as Howard Beck noted: this isn’t over yet.

The Knicks don’t have a first round pick this year as a result of the Tracy McGrady-Jordan Hill-Jared Jeffries trade done in 2010, which they are still paying for. Donnie Walsh, then-GM of the Knicks, was unloading contracts to have as much cap space as possible heading into the famed summer of 2010.

Walsh was forced by the Houston Rockets to throw in the Knicks’ 2012 first round pick. The pick was top-five protected – meaning if it was a top five pick in the draft, the Knicks would keep it – but alas, the Knicks were not a lottery team, and the Rockets got it instead.

The Knicks do have a second rounder – the 48th pick – and they’ve had success drafting in the second round in recent years, selecting Landry Fields and Josh Harrellson. However, as evidenced by their selection of Andy Rautins two years ago, second rounders can be unpredictable. Rautins isn’t even in the NBA anymore.

So, the Knicks may look to move up in the draft – especially considering many people feel this is an especially deep and talented draft. Tommy Dee of the Knicks Blog claims that the Knicks are shopping Landry Fields, and the Golden State Warriors may be possible suitors, willing to give up their 30th pick. Fields would be a good fit in an uptempo offense with shooters (Dorrell Wright, Klay Thompson), a good passing PG (Steph Curry), and a big who can space the floor and pass (David Lee). This was evidenced by Fields’s excellent play in the first half of his rookie season, with Raymond Felton, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Amar’e Stoudemire. The Warriors also have four draft picks, so they may be willing to give one up for a solid wing player.

However, for the Knicks to shop Fields seems a bit suspect. The Knicks only have a half-filled roster and may possibly lose J.R. Smith and Steve Novak this summer. Likewise, Iman Shumpert may be out until December as he recovers from a torn ACL. Fields is a restricted free agent and the Knicks can spend as much as they like to re-sign him. To trade away an asset that won’t sacrifice cap space, and is a proven player, who – despite struggles – can still be very effective in many assets of the game.

If the Knicks want to find another draft pick, they could also try to do a deal with a team like the Portland Trailblazers, who have four picks – two lottery and two second round picks. The Blazers are without a PG for next season, and they’re also weak upfront, so they might be interested in players like Toney Douglas or Jerome Jordan.

The Cleveland Cavaliers also have four picks: a lottery pick, the 24th, and two second rounders. Perhaps they would give up their 24th pick or one of the second round picks for one of the above-mentioned players.

The Knicks also own the draft rights of Georgios Printezis, a Greek player who is doing quite well in the Euroleague. Though he likely isn’t coming to the NBA this season, the Knicks could give up his draft rights in a package of Douglas or Jordan in order to move into the first round.

I wouldn’t expect the Knicks to give up their second round pick to move up because of the uncertainty surrounding their free agents.

However it shakes out, the next month will be an interesting one for the Knicks as they try to shape their future through the draft and free agency.

Time to hand out some grades for the '11-12 Knicks

We’ve had some time to settle down from the Miami series and look back on the season that was. For better or for worse, 2011-12 was an entertaining season for the New York Knicks. The number of identities this team took on feel like something out of Nyjer Morgan’s imagination.

What we’re going to try and do is grade what each player brought to the team this season in regards to the expectations surrounding that player entering the year. For example, since the expectations for a Mike Bibby are completely different for a Carmelo Anthony, if Bibby gets a higher grade than ‘Melo, I’m not saying Bibby was/is a better player. All I would be saying is that Mike Bibby was expected to be a spare part, while Carmelo was the face of the team that under-performed at some points.

OK. Let’s get into this.

Head of the Class - 

Tyson Chandler – A+

- There is no question that from the start of the season to the end, Chandler was the most consistent and balanced Knick on the court. He brought defense to a team that has been dearth of effort on that end of the court since Mike D’Antoni took over, as evident by his Defensive Player of the Year trophy. Plus, the combination of Chandler and Mike Woodson did the impossible: they made Carmelo Anthony hustle. Not to mention, Chandler had an insane field goal possession.

“A” Students - 

Iman Shumpert  - A

Very few Knicks fans actually liked the selection of Shumpert in last year’s first round, and I include myself in that field. However, he certainly out-performed any expectations that were placed on him, and he’s shown that he has the potential to become an elite talent in this league. He broke the starting line-up in his rookie season, and will be, at the worst, a Tony Allen-type player in his career. That’s not a bad floor to have.

Jeremy Lin – A-

The only reason Lin is graded a step lower than Shumpert is simply because he played less games. We know what we all saw from Lin-sanity, but we’re still a little cautious as to just how real that all was. With that being said, unless the Knicks decide to go in a different direction, Jeremy Lin should be their starting point guard next season, and he’ll be a good one, too.

“B” Street -

Steve Novak – B+

What else is there to say about Steve Novak at this point? He led the NBA in 3-pt % and was an absolute force from beyond the arc. The Knicks picked him off the waiver wire scrap heep, so the fact that he made such an impact on the team is why he gets this high of a grade.

Jared Jeffries – B-

I mean, what were we really expecting from Jeffries this year? Energy off the bench, taking a ton of charges and playing strong defense. Check, check and check. At this point, we know what Jared Jeffries is capable of doing and what’s unrealistic to expect. He’s a nice piece to have on the bench, and he proved that yet again this season.

Average “C”s

Carmelo Anthony – C+

OK, time to explain why ‘Melo falls this low. We really went through three different levels of Anthony this season. Out of the gates, he was a flat-out F, playing terrible basketball, looking stagnant on offense and not seeming to give a crap either way. Then, after D’Antoni’s ouster, he played like an MVP, tearing up offensively and playing defense with more vigor. Once we got to the playoffs, it looked like he was trying too hard and his game suffered because of it. Carmelo Anthony was a big reason why the Knicks got to the #7 seed, positively and negatively. He’s also a big reason why they only won one playoff game. This year, he gets a grade a little above average because of the expectations, which only grow after this season.

Baron Davis – C

Remember the time we all thought once Baron Davis got healthy from his initial back problem, he was going to save our season? Oops. Baron Davis didn’t have an impactful year, but he also held his own when he was in the line-up. Unfortunately for Boom Dizzle, it looks like his career is over after that brutal knee injury in Game 4.

J.R. Smith – C

Smith is an interesting case. He absolutely became the Knicks Irrational Confidence Guy off the bench, and there were games he absolutely dominated in that role. However, there were just as many games where Smith was jacking up way too many 3s without getting teammates involved. He was like Al Harrington on steroids when it came to getting the ball on the wing and putting up a shot. I’d like to see Smith return next year because he can be a real valuable sixth man, but it has to be at the right price.

Josh Harrellson – C

This isn’t a knock on Jorts. Instead, he look real good when he did play. But, he didn’t play nearly enough to surpass all expectations this year. He has a solid future moving forward in New York.

“D” List Celebrities 

Landry Fields – D+

Fields was not a complete disappointment, but he definitely regressed in his second season. He showed flashes of Rookie Fields, but Sophomore Fields just didn’t seem to play the game the same way. He didn’t rebound as well, nor score with as much consistency. Maybe it was just a sophomore slump, maybe it was something more. We won’t know until next season which is the real Landry.

Amar’e Stoudemire – D

The amount of times I merely shook my head at a Stoudemire stat line was too many. He was not remotely close to the same player the Knicks gave a max contract to in the off-season of 2010. This all could have been a result of trying to play so many games in a short period of time, or this could be a sign that ‘Melo and STAT will never work. Trust me, this is one of the biggest questions circling around the Knicks front office this off-season.

Mike Bibby – D

He played a couple of games. He didn’t play them really well. That’s Mike Bibby.

Fail

Toney Douglas – F

And a capital F. Toney went from potential starting point guard and strong sixth man to 13th man on the bench. How? We may never know. When he did play this season, he didn’t play well at all. So, its not like the demotion was unjust. I guess we all should be thanking Douglas a little, though. Without him playing so poorly, Mike D’Antoni would’ve never thought to insert Jeremy Lin into the line-up. So, there’s that.

In-com-plete

Jerome Jordan

Was I supposed to be able to judge what this guy can do in the long-term based off his very limited exposure this season?

Dan Gadzuric

Wait…he was on the team????

According to Seth Rosenthal over at Posting and Toasting, Josh Harrellson will be out an extended period of time after suffering a fractured wrist in last night’s loss to the Denver Nuggets.

This is obviously crushing news for the Knicks who can ill afford to lose another big body inside. Jorts is a guy who has brought pretty much everything the team needs so far, and without him someone else is going to have to step up and give the Knicks solid minutes off the bench.

In the meantime it looks like you will probably see more minutes from Novak, Jefferies, Balkman and possibly even Jordan in order to try and replace the minutes provided previously by Harrelson.

At this moment it is not known how long Harrelson will be out for.

This is the first time in franchise history that the team has ever sent anyone to the D-League–a minor historic moment, but a historic moment nonetheless.

The move itself is simply just to get those guys some run and keep them in game shape, which is just not happening with the Knicks roster the way it is thus far this season. Both players have been used sparingly despite some early injury trouble that the Knicks have had at point guard and power forward.

Jeremy Lin and Jerome Jordan have played  in a combined 45 minutes in 11 games this season.

[Jordan's Agent Todd] Ramasar said Jordan chose Slovenia over teams in Italy and Israel because of the out’ clause. ”That out clause – not just for Jordan – is very difficult to get,’’ Ramasar said.

I suppose this can’t hurt (unless Jordan hurts himself), and the upside of having the seven footer stay in shape and continue to improve is much more important than watching him sit around and get fat. So, thumbs up! As for the lockout, that continues to be an emphatic thumbs down.

Donnie Walsh (right) may be smiling about signing Amar'e, but should we be smiling or frowning about Walsh? (source: Yardbarker.com)

The Knicks have spent the last two years (losing and) preparing for this summer, so any evaluation of Donnie Walsh before then was pointless.  It’s still impossible to give a definitive evaluation as he’s wisely set us up with cap space available next year as well as young talent (Danilo Gallinari and Anthony Randolph) that are still developing.  Sure, you can argue that any team can always improve, does that mean you can never give out a final evaluation until the person’s tenure is finished?  No, but for instance, teams like Milwaukee, Atlanta, Dallas, the Lakers and many other teams are over the cap and thus don’t have that much room to significantly change (although actually with Milwaukee since they have the still developing cornerstones of Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut it would be too premature to judge them at this point).

A few things about how I evaluate GM/President-types like Donnie Walsh:

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Will Kelenna Azubuike be healthy enough to fight for the starting 2-spot at training camp? Magic 8 Ball says: Highly Unlikely. (Source: Yardbarker.com)

Some quick updates on the Knicks three second-round draft picks.  For those who don’t know, on August 12th, the team officially signed Andy Rautins.  According to the New York Times, Landry Fields had his contract finalized yesterday.  Meanwhile, the raw seven-footer, Jerome Jordan, who was underwhelming at summer league while looking overwhelmed, will be playing in Europe for the upcoming season while we retain his rights.

As far as the injured Kelenna Azubuike, a potential starter at the shooting guard position, the Times verifies what has been a concern for a while now: he might not be healthy enough to play by the start of training camp.  Like most athletes with that competitive desire, he of course thinks he’ll be good to go.  However, with him not yet cleared by the medical staff to even run or jump, that seems unlikely.

They now have 14 guaranteed contracts, and the max is 15.  Supposedly Patrick Ewing Jr. has been invited to training camp, but with the team presumably wanting some roster flexibility, it would appear his chances of snagging a guaranteed contract is a long-shot.

Toney Douglas may not have been great for the Knicks last season, but he shone in summer league last night. Could this be a good sign of things to come? (Source: Yardbarker.com)

Toney Douglas lead the Knicks’ losing effort last night in Las Vegas Summer League with an impressive 27 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals. Bill Walker, who showed a lot of promise after coming over from the Celtics in the second half of the season, scored 14, but on an unimpressive 6-14 shooting (only 1-6 from long range) with a whopping 7 turnovers and a… wait for it… 9 personal fouls (in Summer League you can get up to 10 fouls. Sorta makes me think of how in Spinal Tap their speakers went up to 11 so they’d be louder). Andy Rautins in 30 minutes got just 11 points on 4 of 11 shooting, but the good thing is he shot a respectable 3-8 from long distance. Under Coach Mike D’Antoni’s system, an ability to hit the three is critical.

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Summer League 2010

The Knicks summer league roster has been released.

New York Knicks Summer League Roster:

PG – JayCee Carroll

SG – Andy Rautins

SF – Landry Fields

PF – Charles Garcia, Michael Washington, Leo Lyons

C – Jerome Jordan

Schedule:

New York Knicks Summer League Schedule -

7/11 vs Denver
7/12 vs Lakers
7/14 vs Toronto
7/16 vs Detroit
7/17 vs Washington

Tune In!

Now remember, since these guys are all second rounders, none of ‘em are guaranteed to be around once the season starts.  In fact, one could justifiably argue that at this point they’re equally important for the extra $1.5 million in cap space they provide us right now.  And of course we won’t know if/how much we need ‘em until we see who, if anyone, we can get in free agency.  Obviously, if we still somehow manage to luck out and get a LeBron-and-Bosh combo, we’ll be in more of a win-right-away mode and will try to fill out the roster with vets who’ll take the minimum.  If instead we say re-sign David Lee and maybe snag the 23-year-old Rudy Gay, we’d be far more likely to give these draft picks a chance to mature and prove themselves.

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