# Lampe's Fall: The Biggest Draft Blunder of All-Time.



## Greg Ostertag! (May 1, 2003)

I have to say that between 10 and 14 NBA general managers dropped the ball at the 2003 Draft.

Maciej Lampe. He did not tumble due to being any less of a prospect than some 25 players in the draft. By all reports his workouts weren't horrible as a slide into the secound round would normally indicate. No, ladies and gentlemen, the vast majority of NBA teams have let possibly one of the biggest draft coups ever.

First let me say, contract schmontract. If Yao Ming and Darko Milicic can be on the roster of their teams the season directly after being selected (Darko will, beliedat) so will Maciej Lampe. Touted as the second best European prospect behind Darko Milicic, given that Darko was regarded as the greatest European prospect ever, that is a fairly high billing. And yet, many GMs have let a contract buy-out issue have an incredibly adverse effect on their draft strategy.

San Antonio. They didn't even feel it necessary to take their first round pick, trading it off to Phoenix. Somehow I think any realization of Lampe's potential would outweigh the benefit of the first-rounder they shall receive from Phoenix in the near-future (given that the Suns are rising, and rising fast).

:whatever: 

Dallas. It's blatantly obvious they need big bodies in the paint. Bradley is near retirement... if they key was actually WET paint, I think Raef LaFrentz's kicks would be left unfazed. And yet, Josh Howard (a reasonable prospect, given) is selected over the second best European prospect in the draft. The same Josh Howard who will sit on the pine (predominately in street clothes) behind Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel, Eduaro Najera and possibly Raja Bell. But apparently a contract difficulty outweighed the potential long-term benefits of selecting Lampe.

:whatever: 

Minnesota. For a team that rarely gets first-round picks AT ALL, they sure haven't spent their time with their hands-tied at previous drafts to any advantage. Ndubi Ebi? OK. So you have a choice between Darius Miles and Pau Gasol... I don't think I even have to complete the question. Remember folks, this is the Wild West, where big bodies are necessary, and given that Rasho Nesterovic is likely high-tailing it out town, we again look forward to another season where Kevin Garnett has no interior help. One praying mantis in enough for this ball club, they needed to make the most of a sensational opportunity.

:whatever:

Boston. 'Nuff said.

:whatever:

I could go on, but I think you get the picture. New York is easily coming out of... er, New York... with the biggest grin on their faces. If you thought the vow of revenge that Paul Pierce, Caron Butler and Rashard Lewis made after similar draft blunders was big... wait until Maciej Lampe is tearing up the East. I'll be cheering him on. Props to Layden. Props to New York.


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## GhostofMarbs (Jun 19, 2003)

"given that the Suns are rising, and rising fast."

you'd better believe it ! two years away from the NBA Finals and counting !


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## INTELLECT (Nov 22, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Greg Ostertag!</b>!
> I
> Dallas. It's blatantly obvious they need big bodies in the paint. Bradley is near retirement... if they key was actually WET paint, I think Raef LaFrentz's kicks would be left unfazed. And yet, Josh Howard (a reasonable prospect, given) is selected over the second best European prospect in the draft. The same Josh Howard who will sit on the pine (predominately in street clothes) behind Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel, Eduaro Najera and possibly Raja Bell. But apparently a contract difficulty outweighed the potential long-term benefits of selecting Lampe.


nve will prolly be gone before next year. Josh Howard has a 7 2 wingspan. He can play SF cause he's tall enough and quick enough and he plays DEFENSE. the mavs need a defensive stopper. Drafting lampe would have been nice but I KNOW YOU HONESTLY SERIOUSLY DON'T THINK LAMPE is gonna be anywhere NEAR dirk and dirk cant guard ANY OF THE TOP PFS IN THE WEST. they can't guard him either but still. The mavs have enough foreigners on their team. They've scouted overseas BEFORE MOST OTHER TEAMS DID AND THAT'S HOW THEY KNEW ABOUT DIRK. If they would have thought lampe was gonna be that good they woulda traded to draft him or drafted him.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

*Re: Re: Lampe's Fall: The Biggest Draft Blunder of All-Time.*

Theres might be something we don't know about Lampe all the teams know.

Who knows he might be a dick who no one wants on their team? Who knows?

But, theres usually a reason for THAT many teams to pass on him, not just ignorance.


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## Greg Ostertag! (May 1, 2003)

Yes, and apparently that problem was a contract problem. Teams weren't willing to "waste" their pick on him due to that. I mean, it's not as if Minnesota or San Antonio's picks were "money well spent".

It's not as if a contract dispute like this has never happened before!


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## RocketFan85 (Jun 8, 2003)

I have to agree, Maciej Lampe will be the biggest steal of the draft. I like the way the Knicks went this year.


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## INTELLECT (Nov 22, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Greg Ostertag!</b>!
> Yes, and apparently that problem was a contract problem. Teams weren't willing to "waste" their pick on him due to that. I mean, it's not as if Minnesota or San Antonio's picks were "money well spent".
> 
> It's not as if a contract dispute like this has never happened before!



the mavs have drafted players like wang not knowing if they could get him out of the contract. Same thing with MLADEN SEKULARAC last year. He's STILL OVER SEAS. so it's not like they aren't willing to wait. I think something else went down.


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## The Cat (Jul 14, 2002)

San Antonio had to trade that pick.

It's nothing personal against Lampe, but the name of the game for the Spurs is cap room. They always intended to try and trade the pick so they didn't have the first round contract counting against their salary cap. If the Spurs sign Kidd, they need to scratch out the most money possible to sign a big man to go with him.

Lampe would be a nice luxury, but the Spurs plan has always been for 2003 free agency, and they kept to it. If you remember, they also traded last year's first round pick for Speedy Claxton, who has an expiring contract.


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## open mike (Jan 3, 2003)

yea this draft was wierd....

schortsianitis dropped way too low also...


and troy bell went up a lot ( but i think that was a good move by new york picking him...)

and who would thought tj ford would slip to 8..sheesh


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## LetsGoLampe (Jun 13, 2003)

Lampe is going to tear it up! People will regret not picking him earlier!


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## faygo34 (Mar 22, 2003)

<b>and who would thought tj ford would slip to 8..sheesh</b>

nbadraft.net did...


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## Bball_Doctor (Dec 29, 2002)

I questioned teams taking Lampe in the top 10 but to drop to 2nd round was something totally unexpected. However, with that said there could be things behind closed doors we do not know about. The buyout situation was obviously a factor and it is more than $350,000...it is near 2 million according to some sources. Also remember that Lampe has had what a lot of people consider bad attitude but it would be funny if that was a factor since it was never mentioned during one of his workouts. That leads to believe that there is more than what people know. I cannot say how good Lampe is because I have never seen him play...and you cannot judge a player from a 30 sec workout clip that is ridiculous but it seems many scouts could be wrong about him. Hey Omar Cook once looked like he was going in the middle of the first and than he dropped to 2nd. This has happened before and Cook has yet to make a successful transition to the NBA. I am not saying Lampe will not also but probably that is why teams let him drop to the 2nd because he could be too much of a gamble for a guarantee contract...buyout and all.


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## columbo (Jun 11, 2003)

People get a grip, he was cut by his own team and what was the last great polish basketball player? Yeah I don't know either . Just because he is 7 foot means nothing if he is soft and has no experience.


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## mavsman (Jun 11, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Greg Ostertag!</b>!
> 
> Dallas. It's blatantly obvious they need big bodies in the paint. Bradley is near retirement... if they key was actually WET paint, I think Raef LaFrentz's kicks would be left unfazed. And yet, Josh Howard (a reasonable prospect, given) is selected over the second best European prospect in the draft. The same Josh Howard who will sit on the pine (predominately in street clothes) behind Michael Finley, Nick Van Exel, Eduaro Najera and possibly Raja Bell. But apparently a contract difficulty outweighed the potential long-term benefits of selecting Lampe.


Yes it is obvious and Lampe was not going to be the answer to that need. The problem with Lampe is he is soft and the Mavs do not need another soft inside player. If they were going to take a Euro to help solve thier soft inside problem then they could have gone for Sofoklis. Josh Howard will help them next year and Lampe won't help anyone much for 2-3 years if then. The Mavericks are the last team to be worried about a contract problem. Josh Howard will not sit in street clothes behind the bench next year. He will contribute right away which is why they took him. On the other hand Lampe would probably been left in Europe for another year at least before contributing. If Lampe was such a good player he would have been chosen.


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## Don'tjackthethreeup (May 18, 2003)

Lampoe steal what have all you seen him play? Who know how good he will be, might be a good player or might not be.


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## Big John (Sep 11, 2002)

I don't know how good Lampe is. I've never seen him play. But I do know one thing: if the Knicks expect Lampe to play for them during the next three years, he will be the most highly paid second round pick in the history of the NBA. Otherwise, how can he possibly afford the buyout? One way or another the Knicks are going to pay.

Even worse, once they go over the luxury tax threshhold, each salary dollar they spend will cost $3.80. So even if Lampe is the second coming of Nowitski, he is a VERY expensive proposition.


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## columbo (Jun 11, 2003)

ok explain to me his buyout and especially the fact that he doesn't play for Real Madrid and he signed a contract when he was a minor. Is contract with a minor enforceable or can you cut it when you are an adult? The other thing is if his contract is big , I don't see why he wouldn't stay in spain and get paid even more than if he was in new york.
Personnaly i very much doubt the contract story since he should have known all about it way before the draft , but I suspect the teams that worked him out weren't impressed and passed on him.


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## knickstorm (Jun 22, 2003)

*big john???!?!?*

his buyout is 1.8 mill, so lets say he gets 3 mill over 2 years. How is that spending a lot to get him over? he'll be gettting 1.2 mill or 600k a year after he pays teh buyout, and the rookie minimum for 1st rounders is 800k, so that sounds good


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

*Re: big john???!?!?*



> Originally posted by <b>knickstorm</b>!
> his buyout is 1.8 mill, so lets say he gets 3 mill over 2 years. How is that spending a lot to get him over? he'll be gettting 1.2 mill or 600k a year after he pays teh buyout, and the rookie minimum for 1st rounders is 800k, so that sounds good


Exactly. This kid looked pissed and he will be motivated to kick some serious butt now. I love it, The Knicks are back baby (in my george costanza voice)


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## Big John (Sep 11, 2002)

*Re: big john???!?!?*



> Originally posted by <b>knickstorm</b>!
> his buyout is 1.8 mill, so lets say he gets 3 mill over 2 years. How is that spending a lot to get him over? he'll be gettting 1.2 mill or 600k a year after he pays teh buyout, and the rookie minimum for 1st rounders is 800k, so that sounds good


No I don't think it is that simple. My understanding is that in addition to the first 3 yrs, Real Madrid has an option for two more after that. At what price, I don't know.

So you may be committing to paying lotto pick money for 5 years instead of 3 for an 18 yr old kid. And don't forget the luxury tax implications. Three million is actually close to 12 million in terms of real financial impact.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

*Re: Re: big john???!?!?*



> Originally posted by <b>Big John</b>!
> 
> 
> No I don't think it is that simple. My understanding is that in addition to the first 3 yrs, Real Madrid has an option for two more after that. At what price, I don't know.
> ...


3 million would actually be 9 million. Because it is Double what you pay on top of what you pay. But the Knicks can afford it. 

3 million doubled is 6 million on top = 9.


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## arenas809 (Feb 13, 2003)

The buyout is 1.8 million, that's nothing, easily this kid is the steal of the draft, Layden should resign if he doesn't have him in a Knick uniform next season.

This kid was so mad, he looked like he wanted to dunk on someone last night, he was ready to play...

Keep in mind, he IS a lotto player, he only worked out for lotto teams, some of the mid-late 1st round teams didn't pick him because they knew nothing about him, plus a lot of those teams had made promises to other players....


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## IV (Jul 16, 2002)

Lampe couldn't of felt worst than Deangelo Collin last year. He didn't even get drafted!


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## TMOD (Oct 12, 2002)

How about San Antonio trading Barbosa for a future first from Phoenix? A Phoenix first in the next while will be in the twenties, and isn't Barbosa a good compliment to Parker, if Claxton leaves. Parker is small, bad defense, Barbosa is big, good defense...the Suns had nice draft day. This draft was very weird...I personally thought guys like Kirk Penney, Josh Powell, Chris Marcus, Ronald Dupree, Doug Wrenn, Marquis Estill, and Carl English should have been drafted.


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## Linde (Jun 1, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>arenas809</b>!
> The buyout is 1.8 million, that's nothing,....


ny could only contribute 350000 to a buyout
that leaves 1.45 million for lampe

as a second rounder he would get something like 350000 a year
i don't see how he could afford a buyout
i would think that there are some rules so that no third party could give him the money

so good luck with that and don't forget that you're talking about real madrid not a team from a third world country who could pay the whole team for 5 years with 350000

besides fiba said that there is no buyout option

that's why no one took him in the first round


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## chain linked nets (Jun 26, 2003)

there is more than the buyout at stake.

Lampe was not cleared for the NBA by FIBA.
Real Madrid can actually dissallow buyouts, or overprice them

Lampe's contract with Real Madrid lasts until 2009, and we may not see him on the Knicks until 2006...
...that is what seems likely, according to some international basketball gurus.

he was a big risk.


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## columbo (Jun 11, 2003)

ok , I still don't understand how are underage contracts enforced. doesn't it seem wrong to keep an adult tied to a contract he signed as a minor. I don't see how it could stand in the court. 

I am afraid we may not get an answer , but we may have to wait Lampe in the nba.


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## Jmonty580 (Jun 20, 2003)

Whenever Lampe comes to the knicks it doesnt matter cause the knicks dont play rookies, he will have to sit on the bench behind Spoon and Othella. I hate that thats the way it goes in New York but its fact.


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## Nevus (Jun 3, 2003)

The Spurs were never interested in Barbosa, they drafted him knowing they would trade him to Phoenix. There were only a few players the Spurs were interested in the draft. Kendrick Perkins, Zoran Planinic, Ndudi Ebi, and maybe a couple others.


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## Kmasonbx (Apr 7, 2003)

At #30 Lampe is one of the biggest steals ever there was talk of him going #5, but then the contract issues came up and he began to slip. This is the exact reason why promising a pick is a bad move in my opinion, so many teams didn't expect Lampe to fall that far, so they told players like Travis Outlaw that they would take him, and once you promise you don't break it. The reason you don't break it is because one day the agent of the the client you broke a promise with could represent a player you really want, but that agent will keep his client away from that team. You also want to build good relationships with agents because they can end up getting 2 or 3 players on your team, that might have gone somehwere else.


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## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Big John</b>!
> I don't know how good Lampe is. I've never seen him play. But I do know one thing: if the Knicks expect Lampe to play for them during the next three years, he will be the most highly paid second round pick in the history of the NBA. Otherwise, how can he possibly afford the buyout? One way or another the Knicks are going to pay.
> 
> Even worse, once they go over the luxury tax threshhold, each salary dollar they spend will cost $3.80. So even if Lampe is the second coming of Nowitski, he is a VERY expensive proposition.



He will be the most expensive 2nd rd pick until Milos Vujanic gets here, who as we speak just got paid $4 million to stay overseas...


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## Tapseer (Jun 13, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Jmonty580</b>!
> Whenever Lampe comes to the knicks it doesnt matter cause the knicks dont play rookies, he will have to sit on the bench behind Spoon and Othella. I hate that thats the way it goes in New York but its fact.


I think that not playing the rookie routine is going to change. You have a new coaching staff over there, well behind Chaney at least (all of JVG guys are gone), and I think the Knicks seen the contributions rookies made to a lot of playoff teams this past spring, emphasis on playoffs. Amare Stoudamare, Tayshaun Prince, Omet Okhur, Drew Gooden, Giricek (that spelled correctly?) Manu Ginobli, Bremer, alot of rookies got run on playoff teams, played big minutes, and got the crowd behind them. After seeing this, I don't think Chaney and company are going to be shy. Also, knowing you have the steal f the draft (hopefully), us Knick fans are going to be calling for Lampe to get into games. I can't wait to see him in summer leauge!


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## Dirtybirds81 (Sep 1, 2002)

I was reading the Newark Star Ledger this morning. The new rumor in it was that Sweetney may be traded if Lampe can play this season. A deal that sends Sweetney and Frank Williams to Utah in exchange for Andrei Kirelinko. I like Sweetney and feel that he and Lampe will be able to play in the same lineup when both of their games develop.

I never read anything about him defending in the post. How is his post defense? If he can, why not let him play center. When on offense Lampe will be effective on the high post while Sweetney can hit the low block. Their games compliment each other very well.


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## HKF (Dec 10, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Dirtybirds81</b>!
> I was reading the Newark Star Ledger this morning. The new rumor in it was that Sweetney may be traded if Lampe can play this season. A deal that sends Sweetney and Frank Williams to Utah in exchange for Andrei Kirelinko. I like Sweetney and feel that he and Lampe will be able to play in the same lineup when both of their games develop.
> 
> I never read anything about him defending in the post. How is his post defense? If he can, why not let him play center. When on offense Lampe will be effective on the high post while Sweetney can hit the low block. Their games compliment each other very well.


That's what I'm saying. keep em' both. 

Ged rid of Weatherspoon and Harrington. Trade them to the Sonics or Hawks.


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## SteveHartfiel (Jun 8, 2003)

See I desagree.... I dont think Lampe will be that good..... perhaps Im wrong... and I hope I am cause I hope the kid makes it.... but I just dont know


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## TMOD (Oct 12, 2002)

Lampe has touch and some forward skills, and he is 6'11.5 without shoes, and weighs 270. That alone will make him a decent player in the NBA.


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## RD (Jun 10, 2002)

I agree that a player with his shooting at his size will definitely find a role in the NBA. 

But I do disagree on one small thing - There is no way Lampe is 270. The kid is in the 230-240 range. Ive seen him listed a couple places at 265, but that isnt even close. You can look at the kid and tell he does not weight 270lbs. If he were that big, nobody would have ever called him a wing, because he would never be able to play it at that weight.


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## Genjuro (Jul 17, 2002)

I don't like those so high expectations about Lampe. He is good, really good, but he is 18 years old. He shouldn't touch the floor next year in the NBA. And I'm afraid the Knicks fans get tired of him too soon.

The best thing for him would be to remain in Real Madrid for a couple of years. But now it does't seem so good. Spanish fans are really upset with Lampe's behaviour, and he wouldn't be welcome in Madrid.

I just hope he can play minutes somewhere and develope his promising game. He could become a star in the league.


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## Hitman (Jul 16, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>Dirtybirds81</b>!
> I was reading the Newark Star Ledger this morning. The new rumor in it was that Sweetney may be traded if Lampe can play this season. A deal that sends Sweetney and Frank Williams to Utah in exchange for Andrei Kirelinko. I like Sweetney and feel that he and Lampe will be able to play in the same lineup when both of their games develop.
> 
> I never read anything about him defending in the post. How is his post defense? If he can, why not let him play center. When on offense Lampe will be effective on the high post while Sweetney can hit the low block. Their games compliment each other very well.


I read that in the Star Ledger, but it seems very unlikely to me that Utah would go for that deal. AK is probably their best player right now and a young and popular one at that. They are under the cap and can sign Andre Miller at the point. Williams and Sweetney are two completely unproven guys -- why would Utah trade AK for two guys who may never pan out?

They wouldn't. They have plenty of room under the cap to keep AK and look for power forward and point guard help via free agency.


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