NBA / May 18, 2009 / 11:09 am

How the Knicks Can Blow A Golden Opportunity

By

Ricky Rubio

Ricky Rubio

In the event that the basketball gods smile upon the Knicks when the NBA Draft Lottery rolls around on Tuesday and they land the No. 1 overall pick, they plan on blowing that golden opportunity. Right now, they reportedly prefer Spanish PG Ricky Rubio at No. 1 over OU’s terminator Blake Griffin. No matter what people say about the mediocre track record of big men taken at the top of the draft board, make no mistake about Griffin – he’s going to be an all-star multiple times over.

Blake Griffin, the bullish Oklahoma forward, is the consensus No. 1 pick, but the Knicks prefer the Spanish playmaker.

Realistically, the Knicks won’t have to worry about making the choice between these two guys. But the notion that they’d pass up a guy who has proven to be a blend between Amar’e Stoudemire and Karl Malone for someone who is rumored to be another Pistol Pete is downright stupid.

Though it might not be the best business decision, all signs point to the Knicks prepping for their future with LeBron as the centerpiece. As we’ve seen, he can lead a team to a really successful season without having a true point guard running the ship because he spends so much time with the ball in his hands. It’s important to have other guys who can score – shooters who knock down open three’s, and maybe someone else who can create his own shot. Pairing LeBron and Griffin together could be the most athletic duo in the history of the game. That’s an opportunity that the Knicks couldn’t afford to screw up.

Source: NY Post

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  • kevin k

    In argument of Griffin and Rubio matched with Lebron, you gotta go with Griffin. Rubio is a prototypical PG. He would be perfect with guys like Carmelo or Amare.

    Knicks will not get Lebron so quit dreaming. Knicks have bunch of me-shoot-1st type of players. Rubio would be perfect in that system especially with Mike D’Antoni as the coach. It might take Rubio couple years to reach his potential but think about how long it took Nash to be at the all star/MVP level.

    The Knicks are going to get AMARE and pair him up with RUBIO!!

  • Big T

    Rubio is going to be a flop in the NBA.

  • Korver

    Yooo
    you’re wrong Rubio has ended 1st for assists and steals in Spain, by the way your stupid stats are useless since he had to come back from a swollen ankle. All your bullshit seems very comparable to all that every random US guy can say about players and leagues he doesn’t know. I’m sure people were saying the same when Dirk Petrovic or Parker came

  • que

    This article sucks, its all like: Griffin better, D’ Antoni only likes Euros (not true, he just apreciates their game). Look if the Knicks get the #1 pick we’ll all be dancing in the streets. It’s a nice problem to have. They have a nice young core in Gallo and Chandler, they just need a star.

  • Korver

    by the way badalona just won in Playoffs against Real Madrid who happens to be one of the best teams in Europe. Ricky posted 16 pts ( 5/9 , 1/3 )7 rebonds, 6 assists and 4 steals in 29 minutes ( efficiency 24 ). i think that deserves consideration

  • doc

    Whoever called Beasly a bust needs to get off the site.12 and 7 and didnt even play like that.He gonna be a 20-10 man multiple times.

  • Yoooo

    I dont care what #’s Rubio put up against the NBA’s scraps. Id rather take Sun Yue, at least he’s 6’9. Im not talking about Dirk, Drazen or Parker. Im talking about this bum Rubio. Dirk was a 7foot shooter, Drazen was a shooter with size and tough as nails, parker was faster than the roadrunner. Rubio throws bounce passes between slew footed dumb faced giants who have NO game. I cant even see him going to the rack and scoring over Eddy Curry much less the ELITE big men in the NBA. Them 1970 moves and passes aint gonna work around here bruh, I dont care what you say. Money is shooting set shots??? Come on I’ve seen the lad play. I’d take Stephen Curry over him. They’re about the same size, Steph is WAY more crafty and a WAY better shooter. Rubio might have quicker hands and more passion to play D, but thats it. He aint shat.

    And word up, anybody who calls Beasley a bust is a dumbass. Go watch golf

  • Yoooo

    How can a dude putting up below average #’s against average competition be so great??? If he’s on the #1 team in that country, then he SHOULD be able to rack up assists! If its the #1 team then they likely have the BEST players and with the GREAT offenses they run overseas that allows for inflated #’s. Match those sets with great shooters and Obama would be #1 in the country in assists…

    And stop bringing this guy Nash up. NEVER should have been an MVP. He stole one from Shaq, and one from Kobe. He’s a system player, albeit a good one. But take him out of that system and he’s jailbait. Put ANY other PG on Phoenix those years and not only do they have the same #’s they probably win a chip! JKidd, Parker, Billups, B.Davis, Devin Harris anybody who’s slightly above average would have done the EXACT same things, but probably BETTER. This guy has played with more All-Stars than Hugh has bunny’s, AND NEVER ONE NATHAN!!! If it wasnt for those 2 years with those inflated ass #’s he wouldnt even be in ANYBODYS hall of fame discussion. He’s like the QB’s and WR’s from Texas Tech, ITS JUST THE SYSTEM. When he played with Dirk and a younger Finley he couldnt cut it. And he didnt make the playoffs with the squad he had this year! WHY DIDNT HE MAKE IT??? Cuz the system changed!!! The nigga is GROSSLY overrated

  • Eazy Yi

    Either pick is good. Both players fit the system, both would put up big numbers. If they are trying to land LeBeon then Griffin is the perfect choice, because Lebron was able to make Ben Wallace look like a vaulable contributor, imagine what he’d do for Blake. Rubio needs finishers around him, imagine ricky in Toronto? They’re a team that gave up on run and gun but when they did it they made the playoffs…

  • Aaron

    As the league migrates to a more point guard centric mentality, how valuable is a potentially great point guard in this day and age? Most people on here that are scoffing at Ricky either have not watched him play or do not understand exactly how good the league is that he is coming from. If Rubio were playing at say North Carolina, most of you would change your tune. But wait, he was playing against better competition on a nightly basis and still won defensive player of the year as well as best point guard in the league last year at 17. 17!!

  • jamesinva

    At #1, derrick coleman WAS the shit. yea he didnt take his team to so many playoff runs but #s wise, dude was ballin. Go look up his stats. All star teams, even dream team 2. dude put up great numbers, just went down due to injuries and such. coleman and kenny anderson were great and if the nets had kept them and petrovic hadnt had passed away, nets woulda been a much much scarier team

  • Tha Boddy (SouthPaw)

    The Basketball God’s are going to reward the #1 pick to the Washington Wizards and they will become a very dangerous team in less than 2years as Griffin develops

  • rick773

    I think you take the more clear cut choice in Griffin. I think he’ll be solid maybe good but I don’t think he’ll be a STAT or a Karl Malone he’ll show some flashes but I don’t he’ll be great. And @ 36 that per 48 minute stat is garbage theres a reason he only played 24 minutes a game and that reason was he wasn’t good enough to start.

  • vince

    Can I laugh at this: “and i’m putting my money on amare playing in NY in 2010, so if anything they will be set at PF and need an elite PG.”

    if ‘anything’ they’re ‘set’ because you like to gamble on stupid bets?

    Good one mate.

    Also: Rubio = Shaun Livingstons sans length: great vision, good pass, slow footwork, not really physical, weak shot, no range.

  • Todd X

    Ricky is not overrated. The guy is money he showed his game in the olympics, taking on the pros and playing very well. However, you take a big. They clog lanes on defense, they open them up on offense. Blake Griffin appears to be a special player. He looks to be one of those naturals, LBJ, Howard, Rose, all of them were naturals.

    Ricky could be hall of fame and so could Blake. The big always gets the push.

    They make everyones jobs easier. Front court players help to win championships, back court players help to win scoring titles. Just take a look at the NBA champions, everyone that comes to mind had serviceable bigs.

    So take Griffin if you have a shot.

  • DUBZ

    i think they should stick with Curry cuz what if next year they get lebron and chris bosh then they might be good. if the cavs win it this year i think LeBron he’ll stay in Cleveland if they lose i think he’ll leave next year

  • Seven Duece

    Sorry, but Vince & T-Mac have that “most athletic duo” title locked. And aren’t the Knicks still waiting for Galinari to be something, anything really? Pretty sure David Lee wants some rebounding help before his back gives out.

  • mumadone

    There are no basketball gods! There is only one God.

  • http://dime sure

    Brandon Jennings is the answer. He’s the next coming of future stars in the league. He could lead the league in assist. He’s a better PG than rose. Time will tell. Has the NY flair. a la Clyde Frazier. Kenny Anderson with a 3 ball. Brandon and Corey Maggette in the backcourt. With R.Artest/D.Lee and a 5.

  • jwm

    Griffin will be the Tom Tolbert of his era, a good, strong player that will need lead any team to a championship. Rubio? A nice player, but not a franchise player. I hope these aren’t the only players the front office is considering. If James wins this year, he stays in Cleveland ala Jordan because he wants to have his own legacy on his own team. If he loses, he might leave, but the Knicks better have some talent or he won’t be coming here.

  • hooper5013

    Griffin will be better than Amare Staudemire period. You take him. Rubio will be decent…time to pass the torch…Chuck and Malone…gave it to TD and KG, and they wiil pass the reigns to Griffin and which ever power forward of this era rises to the occasion.

  • http://www.google.com crossovr15

    honestly, rubio can go wherever he wants. all he has to do is contact his lawyer and its a done deal.
    even though the knicks have sucked as of late, everyone wants to come to the ny because of its history and what it brings. patrick ewing..ny knicks…michael jordan..chicago. i can go on forever but the bottom line is everyone wants to play in the most famous cities. lebron wants it, danilo wanted it and had it and rubio wants it

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