30. New York Knicks

We have come to the last pick in the 1993 Usenet draft.  That pick
belongs to the New Youk Knicks.  They are the 3rd team without a first
round pick.  They traded it for Charles Smith.  The Knicks pick 30th
in the Usenet draft, in the NBA draft, they will not have a pick at
all.  The Knicks were to be represented by:

   Leo James ,

However Leo was blessed with the birth of new daughter and was not
available to do the pick.  I myself would like to publicly thank
Leo for taking the time out of what must have been a very busy time
to e-mail me and let me know with enough time to find someone to
replace him.  Thanks Leo!  So because of this, the Knicks will be
represented by:

   Dylan Wilbanks .

Dylan stood backup in last years draft but did not get a chance to pick.
He also missed taking over the Lakers GM this year (he was away from
e-mail).  So with the 30th and last pick in the Usenet draft, the
Knicks select:

   Sam Crawford, PG, 5-8, New Mexico St.

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TEAM SUMMARY:
What the Knicks have done in two year under Riley is merely turn from
being one of the most internally explosive teams in the league (and a 
sure bet to choke in the playoffs) to something resembling the great 
1980s Lakers teams, New York style: agressive defense combined with 
heads-up offensive play. It took someone with the savvy of Riley to 
make Da Knicks channel their aggressions into the East's second best 
record. The question at this point (Thursday) is: will they choke again?
And if they do, what is the missing piece now?

CENTER: 
Patrick Ewing plays so much that you wonder who his backup is. Ewing
is probably within a season or two of virtually locking up a bust in
Springfield, and with his presence on the court, the Knicks always look
to stop the ball on the outside, because the inside is secure with him
in the lane. Ewing has 3-5 more years of above average play left, so 
it is approching the time for the front office to start looking at 
centers. Herb Williams, obviously, is not the man, but he has played 
well, at least in those two minutes when Ewing gets a rest.

FORWARDS:
The law firm of Mason, Smith, Blackmon and Oakley has played well in
the front, but there are definite reasons to revamp the set. Anthony 
Mason was picked up out of the now-defunct Tulsa Zone, and he hasn't 
looked back. He has played less as a forward and more as a "monster"
up front, playing brutal defense with some good shooting. Smith was 
picked up in the Clippers-Magic mega-trade that gave Orlando their
#1 pick this year. He's played mainly a backup role, as has Rolando
Blackmon, who used to be one of the two saving graces of those pitiful
Mavs. It's upseting to see them play less than half-time when they
were both great offensive contributors to their former teams. Charles
Oakley has been through a lot with the Knicks, and though he stepped
up his defense, at times it seems he's playing for the 1990 out-of-control
Knicks and not the sleek, new 1993 Knicks.

GUARDS:
Five years ago, John Starks was bagging groceries at a Tulsa Safeway
and was playing for Oklahoma Junior College. Five years later, Safeway
is now called Homeland, OJC doesn't play basketball, and John Starks is
shutting down Mr. Basketball in the Eastern Conference Finals. He's 
tough on D and can hit the long distance jumper, and with the coverage
in the media he could be the Knicks SG for a while to come. Doc Rivers 
provides leadership in the backcourt, although his legs are starting to 
slow and his shooting waning from long range. Greg Anthony is young and 
has a ways to go, although he has raised his level of play somewhat during
the playoffs.


"With the 7,000,000th pick of the 1993 draft, DA New Yawk Knicks select:"

Sam Crawford, PG, New Mexico State

WHO ELSE I THOUGHT ABOUT:
I figure that the Knicks need another guard for the rotation, so I 
considered Adonis Jordan, Chuck Evans, Dale Brown, Parrish Casebier, 
Antoine Stoudmire, and probably even my kid brother. (He's 6', physical,
no-nosense, but with out an outside shot.) I also thought about forwards, 
including Josh Grant (if not the bum knee, I would have taken him). I 
think it's almost time to pick centers, but I couldn't find one who'd 
really fit the Knicks' specs.

WHO DA KNICKS WILL TAKE:
Well, it's a very late pick, and I figure they'll take who's left and 
do what they can. Adonis Jordan is a definite possibility, and if Dale 
Brown is here at #53 they'd be boneheads not to take them. 

However, I think that a lot of this depends on the outcome of the playoffs.
If the Knicks get bounced by Chicago, look for a trade that will get them
a mid-level pick. I can't see them trading for #1, but there is an outside
chance, especially if the Magic are willing to kick in a guard (eg. 
Anthony Bowie). 

============================================================================
Draft Summary:
1.  Orlando
    GM:   Tom@Orlando 
    Pick: Chris Webber, PF, 6-10.  University of Michigan
2.  Philadelphia
    GM:   Dave Meeks 
    Pick: Shawn Bradley, C, 7-7. BYU
3.  Golden State
    GM's: Mike Moore 
          Terry Wong 
    Pick: Jamal Mashburn, SF, 6-8. Kentucky
4.  Dallas
    GM:   Curtis Hill  
    Pick: Anfernee Hardaway, SG, 6-7, Memphis State
5.  Minnesota
    GM's: Kevin Hansen 
          Toni Morgan 
    Pick: Calbert Cheaney, SF, 6-7. Indiana
6.  Washington
    GM's: The Crossjammer 
          Jim Nagle   
    Pick: J.R. Rider, SG, 6-5, UNLV
7.  Sacramento
    GM:   TODD FURESZ 
    Pick: Rodney Rogers, PF, 6-7, Wake Forest
8.  Milwaukee       
    GM's: Brian Saunders 
          Morgan Edwards 
    Pick: Malcolm Mackey, PF, 6-11, Georgia Tech
9.  Denver
    GM's: John Exby 
          Rick Grubin 
    Pick: Ervin Johnson, PF, 6-11, New Orleans
10. Detroit (from Miami in John Sally trade)
    GM:   Rob Skrobola 
    Pick: Alan Houston, SG, 6-6, Tennessee
11. Detroit
    GM:   Rob Skrobola 
    Pick: Acie Earl, C, 6-10, Iowa
12. L.A. Lakers
    GM:   Cliff Slaughterbeck 
    Pick: Bobby Hurley, PG, 6-0, Duke
13. L.A. Clippers
    GM:   Cliff Slaughterbeck 
    Pick: Vin Baker, SF, 6-10, Hartford
14. Indiana
    GM:   Doug Mraz 
    Pick: Scott Burrell, SG, 6-7, UCONN
15. Atlanta
    GM:   Kevin Metz 
    Pick: Terry Dehere, SG, 6-4, Seton Hall
16. New Jersey
    GM:   A. Borges Sugiyama 
    Pick: Douglas Edwards, PF, 6-9, Florida State
17. Charlotte
    GM:   Bren Bailey 
    Pick: Chris Mills, SF, 6-6, Arizona
18. Utah
    GM:   Michael Wendt  
    Pick: George Lynch, SF, 6-7, North Carolina
19. Boston
    GM:   Orin Day 
    Pick: Greg Graham, SG, 6-4, Indiana
20. Charlotte (from San Antonio for J.R. Reid)
    GM:   Bren Bailey 
    Pick: Lindsey Hunter, PG, 6-2, Jackson State
21. Portland
    GM:   Mike Northam 
    Pick: Luther Wright, C, 7-2, Seton Hall 
22. Cleveland
    GM's: W. Scott Klingensmith 
          Brian Young 
    Pick: Joe Harvell, SF, 6-7, Mississippi
23. Seattle
    GM:   Christopher Beck 
    Pick: Rodney Dobard, PF, 6-9, Florida State
24. Houston
    GM:   Brian West  
    Pick: Thomas Hill, SG, 6-5, Duke
25. Chicago
    GM:   Christopher Gattuso  
    Pick: Rex Walters, SG, 6-3, Kansas
26. Orlando (from NY in Mark Jackson, Stanley Roberts trade)
    GM    Tom@Orlando 
    Pick: Sam Cassel, SG, 6-3, Florida State
27. Phoenix
    GM:   Jason M Shachat 
    Pick: James Robinson, SG, 6-2, Alabama
28. Miami
    GM:   Rob Clough  
    Pick: Gheorge Muresan, C, 7-7, Romania
29. San Antonio
    GM:   Shane L. Bell 
    Pick: Nick Van Exel, PG, 6-1, Cincinnati
30. New York
    GM:   Dylan Wilbanks 
    Pick: Sam Crawford, PG, 5-8, New Mexico St.