Butler may become Knicks' odd man in <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Imagine this scenario nine days from now when the Knicks open the regular season in Boston. After investing $30 million in July to sign free-agent center Jerome James, then enduring all the medical machinations it took to sign (for almost $60 million)-and-trade for Eddy Curry earlier this month, coach Larry Brown's starting center is ... Jackie Butler. Twenty-year-old, undrafted-out-of-high school Jackie Butler. Won't happen, of course, not with nearly $90 million, plus all the public relations, the Knicks have invested in Curry and James. Yet, after Butler produced 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots in Saturday's 96-90 preseason victory in San Antonio, Brown said of his higher-profile centers, "Eddy and Jerome are not in the kind of shape they need to be in to play in the NBA right now." If that was meant as a message, Brown enhanced it by practically gushing over the 6-foot-10 Butler, signed as a project late last season, but now at least all but assured of a spot on the final 15-man roster (12 active, plus three inactive for each game). "Jackie can play," Brown said. "He's got the best feel for the game [of] anybody I've been around that young with that size. He can catch, he has great hands, he knows how to pass. He can make an open shot. He's [20] years old, but he's getting better."</div> Bergen Record
Fantastic. He's quite possibly the best all-around center on the team, he plays defense, scores pretty nicely, plays head-up offense, is alert on defense, he rebounds. I've always been very high on Butler, he's impressed me from day one. I can see him losing the starting role after a little while, but I still think he'll get some quality minutes and will prove to be a sensational back-up center. I love this kid and I'm pumped he's being given the oppurtunity to show what he's capable of. Look for Butler to get some minutes at PF. What do you have there? Mo, the streaky scorer who never passes or defends, Malik the midget, Lee (the rookie). He'll fit in nicely there, expect to see Butler, Lee and a little bit of Frye playing PF on ocassion. If Frye can play like he did recently, he'll see some time at the four and five. And of course you'll see a little bit of Malik, a little bit of Mo. But I plan on seeing Lee, Butler, or Frye playing PF for most of the game.
it's true... Butler is a steal. And he's only 20. He's got a wide body and with a bit of coaching can become a consistant low post scorer. He sorta reminds me of Sweetney except taller. People can say what they want about Isiah but he knows how to spot talent.
Newsday <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Knicks just spent $60 million and took a risk on center Eddy Curry's heart condition after previously signing Jerome James for $30 million primarily because it's hard to find 7-1, 285-pound guys to take up space in the middle of the floor. So which center is Knicks coach Larry Brown raving about? The one with a minimum-salary, non-guaranteed contract, naturally. That would be 20-year-old Jackie Butler, who went undrafted out of high school a year ago and played in the CBA before Knicks president Isiah Thomas picked him up in February. Earlier in training camp, Brown said he considered Butler the Knicks' fourth first-round draft pick this season, and he didn't back off that assessment after Butler had 12 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots in the Knicks' 96-90 preseason win over NBA champion San Antonio Saturday night at SBC Center. As for Curry and James, Brown hinted they should lose weight or risk seeing the hungry Butler eat into their playing time. Discussing the depth at center, Brown said, "I just think our big guys, in particular Eddy and Jerome, are not in the kind of shape they need to be in to play in the NBA right now. But we still have time, and they will get in shape and they will help us." Or else. Curry got a late start because the controversy over his heart condition delayed completion of his trade until the fourth day of camp. James strained a hamstring the second day and missed two weeks before joining the lineup Friday in Dallas. He was scoreless against the Mavericks, and after James committed three fouls in nine minutes against the Spurs, Brown had seen enough.</div> Source
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Equint77:</div><div class="quote_post"> People can say what they want about Isiah but he knows how to spot talent.</div> yeah i agree, look at jerome james pure talent for ya. Right?
So we spend almost 60 million dollars to get Curry and another 30 million to get Jerome James and then end up with Butler at the starting line up? Does anyone else think there's something wrong with that? Larry Brown will not start Butler. He's probably just saying this to light a fire under Curry and James. Curry is still a prescence in the low post and Larry Brown will have him in the starting line up no matter how out of shape he is. Anyway I think Isiah Thomas should be fired.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting eyes only:</div><div class="quote_post">yeah i agree, look at jerome james pure talent for ya. Right? </div> Mind you, Isiah didn't draft Jerome James. Up to this point, Isiah made a bad choice with JJ, but injuries are a part of the game, and James is insurance policy for the Knicks frontline. At the end of the day he's still 7'1, 272lbs, and clogs the middle, with some decent post moves. LB is the best teacher in the game, and he has 5 years to work with JJ for better or worse.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting eyes only:</div><div class="quote_post">yeah i agree, look at jerome james pure talent for ya. Right? </div> JJ would be the starting for most teams in the league and he's coming off NY's bench. That's a luxury a lot of teams don't have. Zeke signed JJ on need.. not knowing he'd end up with Curry. But that aside.. he had an eye for Butler who so far as impressed Brown. So yeah Zeke has had a good eye for young talent.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Equint77:</div><div class="quote_post">JJ would be the starting for most teams in the league...</div> Um, that is just wrong. False. Incorrect. Completely untrue. In fact here is a list of NBA centers that are better than JJ. You can also look at this list as a list of players the Knicks would be better off with than JJ. *Andris Biedrins FC Golden State Warriors Mark Blount C Boston Celtics Andrew Bogut C Milwaukee Bucks Primoz Brezec C Charlotte Bobcats Kwame Brown FC Los Angeles Lakers P.J. Brown FC New Orleans/OklaCity Hornets Marcus Camby C Denver Nuggets Kelvin Cato C Orlando Magic Jason Collins FC New Jersey Nets Eddy Curry C New York Knicks Samuel Dalembert C Philadelphia 76ers Erick Dampier C Dallas Mavericks Antonio Davis FC New York Knicks Dale Davis C Detroit Pistons *Ike Diogu FC Golden State Warriors Tim Duncan FC San Antonio Spurs Melvin Ely FC Charlotte Bobcats Jeff Foster C Indiana Pacers Dan Gadzuric C Milwaukee Bucks David Harrison C Indiana Pacers Brendan Haywood C Washington Wizards Nene Hilario FC Denver Nuggets Steven Hunter FC Philadelphia 76ers Zydrunas Ilgauskas C Cleveland Cavaliers Marc Jackson FC New Jersey Nets Chris Kaman C Los Angeles Clippers Nenad Krstic FC New Jersey Nets Raef LaFrentz FC Boston Celtics Jamaal Magloire C New Orleans/OklaCity Hornets Stanislav Medvedenko FC Los Angeles Lakers Chris Mihm FC Los Angeles Lakers Brad Miller C Sacramento Kings Yao Ming C Houston Rockets Nazr Mohammed C San Antonio Spurs Alonzo Mourning C Miami Heat Dikembe Mutombo C Houston Rockets Rasho Nesterovic C San Antonio Spurs Shaquille O'Neal C Miami Heat Emeka Okafor FC Charlotte Bobcats Mehmet Okur C Utah Jazz Zaza Pachulia FC Atlanta Hawks Vitaly Potapenko C Seattle SuperSonics Joel Przybilla C Portland Trail Blazers Theo Ratliff FC Portland Trail Blazers Clifford Robinson FC New Jersey Nets Brian Skinner FC Sacramento Kings Amare Stoudemire FC Phoenix Suns Stromile Swift FC Houston Rockets Etan Thomas FC Washington Wizards Ben Wallace FC Detroit Pistons Rasheed Wallace FC Detroit Pistons Chris Wilcox FC Los Angeles Clippers Loren Woods C Toronto Raptors Lorenzen Wright C Memphis Grizzlies (*most likely)
I am one of Butler's biggest supporters, too. I thought Brown wasn't going to give him too many minutes because of his lack of experience, but it seems as if he's ready to step in and contribute immediately. Butler gave us glimpses of productivity during the Summer League, so I wasn't surprised he'd blow up eventually, I just didn't know how soon it was going to be. Granted, this is only preseason, but 12/8 and 4 blocks in only 23 minutes of action is definitely a good sign. Our young core is looking promising. I'm very eager to see what they will do in the regular season. With all of them stepping up, how do you think Brown's rotation will be?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting odde23:</div><div class="quote_post">Um, that is just wrong. False. Incorrect. Completely untrue. In fact here is a list of NBA centers that are better than JJ. You can also look at this list as a list of players the Knicks would be better off with than JJ. *Andris Biedrins FC Golden State Warriors Mark Blount C Boston Celtics Andrew Bogut C Milwaukee Bucks Primoz Brezec C Charlotte Bobcats Kwame Brown FC Los Angeles Lakers P.J. Brown FC New Orleans/OklaCity Hornets Marcus Camby C Denver Nuggets Kelvin Cato C Orlando Magic Jason Collins FC New Jersey Nets Eddy Curry C New York Knicks Samuel Dalembert C Philadelphia 76ers Erick Dampier C Dallas Mavericks Antonio Davis FC New York Knicks Dale Davis C Detroit Pistons *Ike Diogu FC Golden State Warriors Tim Duncan FC San Antonio Spurs Melvin Ely FC Charlotte Bobcats Jeff Foster C Indiana Pacers Dan Gadzuric C Milwaukee Bucks David Harrison C Indiana Pacers Brendan Haywood C Washington Wizards Nene Hilario FC Denver Nuggets Steven Hunter FC Philadelphia 76ers Zydrunas Ilgauskas C Cleveland Cavaliers Marc Jackson FC New Jersey Nets Chris Kaman C Los Angeles Clippers Nenad Krstic FC New Jersey Nets Raef LaFrentz FC Boston Celtics Jamaal Magloire C New Orleans/OklaCity Hornets Stanislav Medvedenko FC Los Angeles Lakers Chris Mihm FC Los Angeles Lakers Brad Miller C Sacramento Kings Yao Ming C Houston Rockets Nazr Mohammed C San Antonio Spurs Alonzo Mourning C Miami Heat Dikembe Mutombo C Houston Rockets Rasho Nesterovic C San Antonio Spurs Shaquille O'Neal C Miami Heat Emeka Okafor FC Charlotte Bobcats Mehmet Okur C Utah Jazz Zaza Pachulia FC Atlanta Hawks Vitaly Potapenko C Seattle SuperSonics Joel Przybilla C Portland Trail Blazers Theo Ratliff FC Portland Trail Blazers Clifford Robinson FC New Jersey Nets Brian Skinner FC Sacramento Kings Amare Stoudemire FC Phoenix Suns Stromile Swift FC Houston Rockets Etan Thomas FC Washington Wizards Ben Wallace FC Detroit Pistons Rasheed Wallace FC Detroit Pistons Chris Wilcox FC Los Angeles Clippers Loren Woods C Toronto Raptors Lorenzen Wright C Memphis Grizzlies (*most likely)</div> Yep. You're right, odde. I'm not a big fan of Dale Davis these days, but Jerome James and his fat contract isn't much better. Good post. Equint- You were way off base.
Im pulling for Butler also. He probably wont start though. Its a wake up call for Curry and JJ. It basically means their starting position isnt promised. Butler has impressed. By the way Davis is handling his knicks job it looks like he'll get bought out or traded. That opens up for taylor, rose, lee, and Butler. I think Lee, Frye, and Butler will share minutes through out the season.
I've like Jackie Butler since he signed with the Knicks, I thought he'd get drafted but who knows he could be another Ben Wallace. Coming into the league undrafted and ending up with superstar status 4-5 years down the road. James is just out of shape and Curry doest play D or rebound well for a guy his size. Butler should end up eating some of both of there minutes but I dont think he'll start. I just hope Isiah can pull something to clear the logjam witht he big men on the squad.
