The 2009 NBA draft was not Donnie Walsh’s finest hour. In a draft chockfull of point guards, the Knicks president whiffed. He selected power forward Jordan Hill at No. 8 and later traded him for more cap space.
Walsh has another shot at landing a good young point guard next month. The Knicks won’t find their big, defensive center in the June 23 draft. That will have to wait for free agency. Kings 7-footer unrestricted free agent Samuel Dalembert could be their best chance.
But there are enough capable point guards that could fall to No. 17 to whet Walsh’s appetite for a playmaker of the future, if not the undersized power forward, rebounding-machine Kenneth Faried of Morehead State.
Though Duke and former St. Patrick (N.J.) star Kyrie Irving, the potential No. 1 pick, UConn’s Kemba Walker and Kentucky’s Brandon Knight top the point guard list and will not be available at 17, BYU’s Jimmer Fredette, the nation’s leading scorer out of BYU, still could fall to the Knicks.
Boston College’s Reggie Jackson, Kansas’ Josh Shelby, Hofstra’s Charles Jenkins and Georgia Tech’s Iman Shumpert should be available at 17.
Walsh, whom owner James Dolan is bringing back despite his draft strikeout in 2009, arrived in Chicago yesterday with coach Mike D’Antoni and his army of scouts for the annual pre-draft camp. They will interview a couple of dozen first-round prospects and watch their workouts.
“[The draft] is deep,” Walsh wrote in an e-mail. “There should be good players available, but we’re not sure who.”
Though he is not a center and is an undersized power forward at 6-foot-7, Newark’s Faried has intrigued the rebounding-poor Knicks, and he might be the best rebounder in the draft. Walsh desperately wants size but Faried brings such rebounding force, the Knicks may not pass him up.
“Donnie loves him,” one source said.
Though the Knicks could use another outside shooter at the two-spot after Landry Fields’ late-season flop, point guard still is a major priority.
Chauncey Billups will be 35 and his durability is now a major issue after his injury-wracked stint after the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster. Toney Douglas was exposed in the playoffs as not capable of running a team as a starting point guard. Plus, his progress likely will be stunted by his right shoulder surgery that will have him out until September.
For Knicks fans, it’s disillusioning to think of all the solid point guards whom Walsh passed up on in 2009. Brandon Jennings was selected 10th by Milwaukee, Jrue Holiday was taken 17th (Sixers), Ty Lawson 18th (Nuggets), Jeff Teague 19th (Hawks), Eric Maynor 20th (Thunder) and Darren Collison 21st (now with the Pacers).
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Kings owner Gavin Maloof told The Post at the lottery he will attempt to re-sign Samuel Dalembert, whom the Knicks could snatch if they offer a long-term mid-level deal.
Maloof said the Kings have the most cap space in the league. Nevertheless, Sacramento is stocked with young big men.
“We want to look at trying to sign Samuel,” Maloof said. “We obviously like his skill. We have cap space. We’re going to spend some money this year. We have DeMarcus Cousins and Jason Thompson, but Sam was a big part of our resurgence at the end of the year. Hopefully we can look at re-signing him. We have money. We’ll spend it.”
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The NBA is weighing whether to fine Timberwolves president David Kahn for remarks he made after Tuesday night’s lottery in which some believe he hinted the process is fixed, according to league sources.
The Cavaliers won the lottery with Dan Gilbert‘s ailing 14-year-old son, Nick, sitting on the Secaucus dais.
“As soon as the 14-year-old came up, it was lights out,” Kahn was quoted in Wednesday’s Post. “This league has a habit — and I’m just going to say habit — of producing pretty incredible story lines. Last year Abe Pollin‘s widow from [Washington]. This year it’s a 14-year-old boy. I knew we were toast.”
Kahn’s remark drew laughter and he said in a statement he doesn’t believe in “jinxes, curses or hocus pocus” and that he doesn’t think the Timberwolves were wronged.
“It was completely meant in a light-hearted fashion,” Kahn said at the Chicago pre-draft camp. “And it was received as such.”