NBA Draft 2011: What positions should the New York Knicks, Oklahoma City (OKC) Thunder and Orlando Magic look for?
Team: New York Knicks
Draft Pick: 17th pick
Recommended Position: Shooting Guard or Centre
The New York Knicks were very smart in their roster dealings during the last year. They acquired Amar’e Stoudemire in the pre-season and he has gone on to have an explosive year with them. The move that brought Carmelo Anthony
to the East coast was another inspired piece of business. The Knicks now have two of the best players in the league at small forward and power forward. They also have the experienced Chauncey Billups at point guard alongside a plethora of guards. One of them
is the impressive Toney Douglas while the other, Landry Fields, has also shown potential.
A good shooting guard will be more than welcome in Madison Square Garden as the options they have at the moment, are more ‘not bad’ than ‘good’. The main problem though, is at centre and that is an issue which requires immediate
attention. Playing Stoudemire there is tantamount to wasting one of the best, if not the best, power forwards in the league. Among the other options, there is a visible lack of quality. Knicks seriously lack size; their tallest player is 6ft-11in and he doesn’t
play centre. They will be hoping that the 17th pick can land them a decent centre, one who can add some steel in their ranks.
Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Draft Pick: 24th pick
Recommended Position: Best available player in any position
Oklahoma City (OKC) have, barring league MVP Derrick Rose, the two best young players around. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are both huge stars already and will dominate the league for years to come. When
you have the league’s two-time scoring champion in your side, along with one of the most complete point guards around, there isn’t too much more you can get.
However, OKC are more than just these two. Oklahoma traded in Kendrick Perkins at centre, to give them strength in the one department they lacked. Put him along side Serge “i-block-a” Ibaka and you have one of the best defensive
big men combinations in the league. There are some sceptics who have pointed to the shooting guard position as a weak spot for Thunder, but Thabo Sefolosha does a pretty good job at defending, which is what he is asked to do.
In any case, they have James Harden and Eric Maynor on the bench to come and provide the scoring boost when needed. OKC are a very well rounded, young basketball team that are going to get even better. The 24th pick
will give them the chance to take the best available bet and put him on the bench.
Team: Orlando Magic
Draft Pick: No first round pick
Recommended Position: All except Centre
It’s all gone wrong for the Orlando Magic this season. The team looked good enough on paper but, barring Dwight Howard, they simply did not perform on the court. The repercussions of the loss to Atlanta Hawks can be dangerous for
the Magic. Their star player, Howard, the man who has carried the franchise on his impressively broad shoulders for years now, will probably leave.
If he is to be convinced otherwise, then most of the players around him will have to change. The Magic need an overhaul of the roster, again. The tried and failed should be cleared out, to be replaced with fresh and hungry players.
However, without a pick in the first round, that can’t be done at the NBA Draft 2011.
The best strategy for them on 23rd June will be to go and beg Dwight Howard to stay for another year.
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