# The Official Summer League Thread



## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

*Roster:*

No Player Pos Ht Wt Born College 2006-07 Team Yrs 
32 Renaldo Balkman F 6.8 208 Jul. 14, 1984 South Carolina New York (NBA) 1 
38 Ali Berdiel G 6.6 200 Dec. 27, 1983 Valparaiso Hainaut (Belgium) R 
45 Alex Bougaieff C 6.11 235 Apr. 15, 1977 Rice SPO Rouen (France) R 
25 Mardy Collins G 6.6 220 Aug. 4, 1984 Temple New York (NBA) 1 
21 Wilson Chandler F 6.8 230 10-May-87 DePaul DePaul (NCAA) R 
9 Brian Greene G/F 6.7 225 Aug. 30, 1981 Colorado State Villeurbanne (France) R 
30 Olu Famutimi G 6.4 207 Feb. 21, 1984 Arkansas Arkansas (NBADL) R 
5 Randolph Morris C/F 6.11 260 Jan. 2, 1986 Kentucky New York (NBA) 1 
35 Demetris Nichols G/F 6.8 216 Sep. 4, 1984 Syracuse DePaul (NCAA) R 
44 Dylan Page F 6.9 240 Mar. 28, 1982 Wisconsin-Milwaukee Drac Inca (Spain) R 
4 Nate Robinson G 5.9 180 31-May-84 Washington New York (NBA) 2 
17 Tre Simmons G 6.5 200 Jul. 24, 1982 Washington Gran Canaria (ULEB) R 
6 Kelvin Torbert G 6.4 210 5-May-83 Michigan State Euphony (Belgium) R 
8 Roderick Wilmont G 6.4 203 Jul. 28, 1983 Indiana Indiana (NCAA) R

*I wanted Mark Aquire to Coach this Knick Summer League Team.* 

Randolph Morris will spend the majority of his playingtime as the Center.

Renaldo Balkman will spend the majority of his playingtime at the PF-position. 

Why the above, because Isiah got two 6.8 players out of the draft that is best at the SF-position *(ONLY)*. 

When in reality on the Basic Talents of Randolph Morris growth in the NBA, he should be working out hard *(ONLY)* at the PF-position for the next 4 years in the NBA. 
And Renaldo Balkman for the better of his growth in the NBA should be working out *(creating)* at *(ONLY)* the SF position for the next 3 years in the NBA. 

*The most important thing to look for in this Knicks Summer League team *is a Big-Guard (6.4 to 6.6) that fits in well with Mardy Collins talents in the backcourt on both sides of the court. *That is the MAJOR concern for this Knick Team!* 

*President Isiah Thomas draft night was "SAVING-FACE"* to help out all the missing talents of his Star Center Eddy Curry, and his poor MLE Jared Jefferies (walk over Frontcourt line). When both Marbury & Crawford decision-Making and Leadership in the Backcourt for the last three seasons should be questioned Big Time on this Knick Team by getting Nate Robinson and Mardy Collins another young Guard that they could work and create with (as a threesome rotation). Francis was not the only so-call Star Guard that needed to be sent packing...


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

*Re: Summer League Roster*

Third Season Nate Robinson is on the Summer League Roster for what reason other than to showcase him. There are alot of Guards (5) trying out on this roster. 

*Lets say it right, Isiah Thomas does not have it all there!* 

Nate Robinson, Lee, Frye, Balkman, and Crawford, are all young players that like to create and learn off their running transition talent which is their best strength in the game. 
But that could not happen on this Knick-Team last season with one dimension Half-court-offensive players Curry (35 MPG), Jefferies (30 MPG), and Marbury (35 MPG), whom dont have a clue or play a lick on a Half-Court-Defense. 

Nate Robinson could have a Bad game in everyone of these Summer League games and still be the best Guard on the court. His Strength and Talents lies in his running transition game inwhich Coach Isiah Thomas would not let him play throughout the entire 82 games for the "SAVE-FACE" purpose of creating the offense to play on the strength and talents of Marbury, Curry, and Jefferies who dont have any running game skillz in their talent. That is a Check that can be cashed in any Bank around the world... 

*P.S.* The new addition of Zack Randolph whom 85% of his talents is best in a halfcourt offense is another reason to ridicule this Knick team this upcomming season when the young Knick players will be forced to slow down their game for the sake of the Knick Star players who dont play a lick of Halfcourt defense and get beat on the Knicks oposition running game (inside and outside).


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## Samael (Sep 1, 2005)

*Re: Summer League Roster*

So far Chandler and Nichols are looking quite impressive. Chandler has good defense and doesn't force the issue on offense yet manages to get his shots and has range. Nichols can really shoot and displayed good athleticism.

Balkman doing the usual just denying Durant of everything, also played point in the first half.


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## da1nonly (May 8, 2006)

*Re: Summer League Roster*

What a game. Knicks rule. I'm expecting playoffs


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## Krstic All-Star (Mar 9, 2005)

*Re: Summer League Roster*

The guy who looked best to me was Morris. He outplayed the Sonics' big men. 

I wasn't impressed by Robinson though. It's not his shooting that's lacking, but his (thus far undisplayed) ability to actually play the point. He over-dribbled, threw the ball away a few times, and got bailed out at least once by Morris on the baseline. Balkman was far better at the point.


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## Samael (Sep 1, 2005)

*Re: Summer League Roster*

I don't have that much problem of Balkman playing the point he has good handles and he doesn't seem to look for his shot anyway because he can't shoot, he's a good penetrator so might as well set his teamates up. 

The only thing I don't like about Balkman playing the point is that he will be left the perimeter on the offensive end and it would take away one of his strengths which is offensive rebounding.

Nate was indeed a bonehead again at times in this game he really is better off at the 2 spot. The sad thing about this game though is that the Knicks Summer league starting 5 looked more like a team than the regular season starting 5, they where moving the ball very well penetrating and passing no one ball hogged at all except for Nate.


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## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*You must kidding*

Balkman is not going to be playing point for the Knicks except in extreme circumstances, so forget about that right now. My observations:

Nate is still a bonehead trying to be flashy rather than solid

Morris was impressive. Pursued the rebounds well and was active on defense. JJ should be gone.

Chandler and Nichols complement each other well. Wilson is stronger on the inside and Nichols is a solid defender and shoots very well from long range. Good to see Dnic get some time at the two. In style, he reminds me of Reggie Miller...lots of cuts, curls and screens with a quick release and long range. He forces very little. Wilson is a great athlete who maybe forces shots a little too much. Maybe he's a better shooter than he showed.

Balkman's offense is still horrible but he is turning into a very good defender. Those who compare him to Lee are way off. They are completely different except both bring maniacal effort. Balkman is a poor finisher in traffic. 

The rest of the guys are irrelevant. Qrich sounds like he will be fine and I liked what Jones had to say. Maybe he should stick as a defensive guard. Next couple of games should tell a lot.


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

*Re: Summer League Roster*



Samael said:


> I don't have that much problem of Balkman playing the point he has good handles and he doesn't seem to look for his shot anyway because he can't shoot, he's a good penetrator so might as well set his teamates up.
> 
> The only thing I don't like about Balkman playing the point is that he will be left the perimeter on the offensive end and it would take away one of his strengths which is offensive rebounding.
> 
> Nate was indeed a bonehead again at times in this game he really is better off at the 2 spot. The sad thing about this game though is that the Knicks Summer league starting 5 looked more like a team than the regular season starting 5, they where moving the ball very well penetrating and passing no one ball hogged at all except for Nate.


*Knicks Summer League Game 1* 

*The Tazman Performance *was so impresive on both sides of the court vs 2nd pick Durant, and his Court Awareness for his new teammates were outstanding. Who was it that said Renaldo Balkman was a 2nd Round Pick in last season draft? 

*I am impressed with the Knicks young Players in their first Summer League game.* 

*Nate Robinson & Renaldo Balkman set the tone like a real Captain and Leader does for their new teammates.* We were able to see individual performances playing TEAM-BALL. That is something BIG and different from the last two regular season performances from this Knick Team. 

*C-Randolph Morris *showed up offensively & defensively in the paint (I still would put him in the PF position vs NBA teams with Lee at the Center and Balkman at the SF. 

*SF-Chandler *could not wait to show his raw Ron Artest performance on bothsides of the court, his peremeter shooting caught everyone eyes in the first game, lets see if he could keep it up throughout the rest of the Summer League games. 

*SF-Nichols *played great as Nate's right hand man in the backcourt and took advantage of every easy basket that was given to him to look like the invisible man on both sides of the court. You have to LUV his peremeter-defense. 

*SG-Greene *was having fun and laughing alot at how Nate Robinson was so affective throughout the game when he wanted to be. Greene could be the Knicks peremeter man on both sides of the court. 

*Nate & Balkman get the MVP for this game *in showing all of their teammates talents, not just on offense but defense too. They actually showed there teammates what is expected in the NBA. This was showed in the 2nd half of the game when Chandler & Nichols bumbed heads with Durant on offense and defense showing they are NBA ready too. 
*Only if Marbury, Crawford, Jefferies, Zack, and Curry could be as good a "TEAM-PLAYER" as Nate & Balkman. But they cant!!!* 

*P.S.* I still say that when Isiah Thomas seen Chandler performance in the Knicks workouts, and Chandler refused to go to any more team workouts after that, especially Philly workout who had 3 first round picks and is in need of a 6.8 SF like him. 
Once Isiah Thomas made the 23rd selection in the draft for 6.8 Chandler, his thoughts on Ron Artest being a Knick was over. 

*Next Game vs China,* this will be where we see which Knick Player in the Summer League Games has the best Peremeter Defense (Chandler, Nichols, Greene)? 

*Knick-Fans you still want Nate Robinson traded dont you?* reminds me of the Knick-Fans for Charlie Ward. Nate minor mistakes in a game never cost the team a lost, but Marbury & Crawford decision making cause a team to fall apart...


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## The True Essence (May 26, 2003)

*Re: Summer League Roster*

I didn't like Nate's game at all last night. He was still out of control, jacking up too many shots. He even went for a 360 layup. Yeah, he got 5 assists, but most of his shots were forced and annoying to watch.

its time to trade him while he still has value. Mardy Collins got his spot


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## The True Essence (May 26, 2003)

*Re: Summer League Roster*

Nichols, Chandler, and Morris showed way more poise out there than Nate


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## knicksfan (Jan 4, 2003)

*Re: Summer League Roster*

Says Famutimi is a Sonic on the gamecard. I think you may have gotten some names wrong. Where did this Greene come from? Is he even close to a shot of making the team?


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## da1nonly (May 8, 2006)

I think nate did rather good.


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## ChosenFEW (Jun 23, 2005)

nate robinson - 7 turnovers



:azdaja:


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## knickstorm (Jun 22, 2003)

wtf today's game isn't on MSG....anyone have any nbatv steam links??? teh webcast links are alright, but there's no commentary, replays, score, etc


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## ChosenFEW (Jun 23, 2005)

^what webcast links?


post them up on here


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## da1nonly (May 8, 2006)

they said 4 of 5 games are on msg. looks like this is the only one thats not so dont get too worried.


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## Samael (Sep 1, 2005)

I'm dissapointed in Nate on this game he didn't get the rookies that involved; most points again cam from fastbreaks. Chandler didn't force his offensive game but managed to create for others and played good D. 

Balkman was the same high energy guy lots of steals and blocks. Also loved how he ran the ball down the floor on every rebound he got the coaching staff must have instructed him that on every rebound he gets just run it down the floor and don't bother looking for Nate to bring it up and it worked the CNT had no answer for it but to foul him to stop igniting a fastbreak unfortunately he didn't make much of the freethrows.

Morris guarded Yi most of the night and he did a great job, Balkman's help defense also contributed a lot.

Nichols is a revelation he can create his own shot even though Nate wasn't creating much for anyone. Nichols was still getting his shots 1 on 1 mostly on fade aways that where surprisingly going in.

This game was a blowout right from the start of the 2nd quarter and the starters hardly played in the 4th


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## Da Grinch (Aug 17, 2002)

http://broadband.nba.com/cc/playa.p...ummer07_nykchn_23.asx&video=blank&nbasite=nba

for those who missed the china/knicks game

balkman and morris to me are the only ones who seriously have a shot at minutes next year on the knicks squad unless there are injuries.

and they have been impressive, i especially like balkman's performances he is really looking like a star in the making ....a possible all star if can translate these performances to real nba games.

morris looks like he can handle 10-15 mintes a game as eddy's backup which is all anyone is really asking of him.

i haven't been impressed with nate so far , i know he can play ...he needs a position and that position needs to be pg , and he hasn't done that yet....balkman has been a better pg.

nichols and chandler have been great and that green kid has been good


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## USSKittyHawk (Jul 22, 2005)

Da Grinch said:


> http://broadband.nba.com/cc/playa.p...ummer07_nykchn_23.asx&video=blank&nbasite=nba
> i haven't been impressed with nate so far , i know he can play ...he needs a position and that position needs to be pg , and he hasn't done that yet....balkman has been a better pg.


I know what he needs Grinch, to be placed on the trading block. :biggrin:


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## different_13 (Aug 30, 2005)

Yeah man. Most teams could do with a Boykins-esque scoring guard off the bench.
And with Collins, Marbury and Crawford, you don't need him.

Marbury to start at pg, Collins as backup. Crawford can play there (badly) so it's not like you don't have insurance.

The question is, what the hell do you trade him for?
Package him and Q for a Shane Battier type swingman? - he can hit open shots, including threes, plays defence, rebounds and hustles.
Of course, Houston might not let him go (especially with Terry Brooks, aka Boykins part deux on their team).

But y'know what i'm going for here..

Watched the China game, Nichols seems to score like a *****!
Morris looked good too. Didn't notice anything much about Chandler, but Isiah seems to know what he's doing draft wise imo, so i'm sure he'll pan out ok.


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## alphaorange (Jul 2, 2006)

*We don't need players*

We have too many already. If we could trade him for a couple of second rounders or even a first rounder, that would be fine with me. Better yet would be for a young Euro we could stash overseas for a year or two.


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

In the second game vs China, I watch the coach make Nate Robinson slow down the ball most of the game so not to embarrased the China team. 
Brian Greene seen different and picked up the speed by grabbing a defensive-rebound and racing up the court for the easy basket. Greene second time doing it made Nate & Balkman looked the other way from the coach bench and took off running with Greene play after play untill the Knicks were up by 20 points embarrasing the China Team (It felt good to say, "Knicks are up by 17" during a time-out. 

Greene only showed a little bit of his talent in the first game, So he wanted Camera's on him last night in the second game, and his performance earned them (Brian Greene is auditioning for the NBA). 
The Knicks have some running defensive players on this summer league roster, and you can start with Morris, Nichols, Chandler, Tolbert, and Greene (they all would be great under a defensive-system coach like Eddie Jordan). 

P.S. I was suprise when China Team highest scorer 6.8 Wang had a one on one fastbreak on 5.9 Nate Robinson and got scared and slowed the ball down.


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## different_13 (Aug 30, 2005)

Zhi Zhi Wang? He's 7 feet tall (which only makes it worse, but still!)

The plan to have Nichols play overseas for a year sounds good to me - should help him with his court sense and passing, gets him some experience, then just bring him over next year.


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## knicksfan (Jan 4, 2003)

MSG is supposed to be showing the game now, and promised to be showing the game, yet they're showing something on Clyde Frasier? What is going on?


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## bruindre (Jul 18, 2004)

Knicks/Warriors tonight.

For those who want to banter w/ some GS fans, come over to our site. 

Knicks/Warriors - Vegas Summer League


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## knickstorm (Jun 22, 2003)

different_13 said:


> Zhi Zhi Wang? He's 7 feet tall (which only makes it worse, but still!)
> 
> The plan to have Nichols play overseas for a year sounds good to me - should help him with his court sense and passing, gets him some experience, then just bring him over next year.


That was SUn, the same dude that crossed over that knick towrds the end of the game and made that guy fall back on his ***, that was hilarious


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## knicksfan89 (Jan 6, 2005)

91-87 we win so we are 4-0 with only the nuggets to come tonight


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## Kiyaman (Aug 14, 2006)

*Knicks are 4-0 in the Summer League game*

You have to LUV the Knicks 3 Top Rookies performance (Morris, Chandler, and Nichols) this offseason in the Summer League Games. They have the court awarensess, B-Ball-instincts, NBA body, and the RAW ability to compete just as well at the same level as their teammates and oponents. 

*Knicks 91 Golden State 87 *

Golden State started this game off shooting from the peremeter at a high 54% as if they were going to score a 100 points in this game. When they had the Knicks down by 10 points in the middle of the second quarter with the Knicks struggling to match basket for basket, I knew the Knicks had to come up with a new plan which PG-Nate Robinson did by bringing the Golden State defense toward him. Nate gets the MVP of this game. Golden State Bailey & Powell did a great job defensively on Randolph Morris however, in the 2nd half of the game Morris defense was outstanding on both Bailey & Powell.


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## knicksfan89 (Jan 6, 2005)

and we DO go 5-0 as the knicks hold off a furious nuggets charge and 42 points from von wafer OFF THE NUGGETS BENCH to win. Nate is the summer league mvp


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