Jordan Hill is a quiet guy, but the amount of noise he makes on the court this season is of utmost importance to the Knicks’ future.
The first-round draft pick must prove he was worthy of such a high selection (No. 8 overall) to keep fans from losing faith in the drafting prowess of team president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D’Antoni. And he must show he is a building block of a championship-caliber team in order to lure LeBron James to New York.
The Knicks gambled on drafting Hill, a 6-foot-10 power forward, despite the presence of David Lee at the position and the team’s obvious need for a point guard. In fact, Hill was drafted ahead of talented point guard Brandon Jennings, who greatly impressed scouts and executives with his Summer League performance.
The Knicks selected Hill because they believe he has Amare Stoudemire-like ability. That’s the kind of player who would be a great complement for James, should the Knicks sign the superstar free-agent-to-be next summer.
If Hill fails, The LeBron Plan could fail with him because Lee and Nate Robinson are on one-year contracts and Danilo Gallinari, 2008’s lottery pick, so far has been a bust.
The Knicks need to show James that they have some pieces in place and they aren’t the toxic club they were made out to be when several free agents spurned them this past summer.
D’Antoni acknowledged at the beginning of camp his team would have to overachieve to make the playoffs. That means 2009-10 is more about developing the young talent than winning.
As if beginning another season with such low expectations isn’t painful enough for Knicks fans, consider that Hill, around whom the future of the franchise at least partially rests, has not been impressive so far. In Sunday’s preseason opener against the Nets, he shot 1-for-8 in 17 minutes.
“He’s been OK,” D’Antoni said after practice yesterday in Greenburgh. “He doesn’t pick up his intensity all the time. He shows flashes of a very good athlete, but he’ll have to learn how to use that all the time.”
The learning process includes working with assistant coach Herb Williams on his shooting in the post, pump fakes and moves to the basket, as he did yesterday.
“Being a rookie is a whole lot different from college,” Hill said. “Trying to pick it up slowly, take it all in like a sponge, listen, ask questions, and work hard.”
It’s no secret the Knicks are tying their future to next summer’s class of free agents. But the future also is tied to Hill.
*
Eddy Curry (torn right plantaris muscle) did not practice but did conditioning work before and after practice with the training staff. There is no timetable for his return to practice.