<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Chicago, June 9, 2005 -- Isiah Thomas addressed some members of the media last Thursday at NBA Pre-draft Camp in Chicago. Here are some excerpts of his comments: Q: Any update on the coaching situation? A: No. We are still going through the process and talking to people. Overall we have talked to many candidates...at least 12 seriously...from both the college and pro ranks. We now have identified many who are more than capable, and have built up a nice data base of people we can talk to in the future on various topics. It has been a long process but it has been very productive. That being said, the landscape can always change over the next few weeks and we have to be ready to react should something break that we are interested in. Q: Do you think you will have a coach by the draft? A: No I do not, but I do not think it is necessary at this point. We have quality people in place evaluating talent and I am comfortable with where we are at this point. The naming of a coach is not essential for us to have a good draft. Q: Speaking of the draft, where do you think you will select? Will you hold on to what you have? A: Yes, I do not think we will move. We are very happy with the assets we have in this draft and think we can find quality players at all three spots. Although it is still a while to go and anything can happen, if we hold the spots we have I think we can improve the team this summer. Q: What have you seen (at predraft camp in Chicago)? A: There is a great deal of depth in this draft, and I think there are players at every level that can help teams. It has been a very busy week between group workouts, individual workouts and a great deal of meetings. Q: There has been great talk about some of the lottery players, do you care to comment on who has impressed you?? A: It is still hard to say with regard to the eighth pick. There are quite a few high school players and college players who will be available at that point, and we will be very busy the next few weeks trying to identify the right player. We will take the best player available regardless of position. Q: Who are some of the players who have impressed here (in Chicago)? A: I think David Lee from Florida has impressed some people, as well as [Carl] Krauser from Pittsburgh and Will Bynum from Georgia Tech. They have helped their position for being drafted so far. Q: Do you think any high school players are lottery picks? A: Yes. The two I think will probably be will be [Gerald] Green and [Monta] Ellis. But I am not sure where they will go yet. The next few weeks will be crucial to see who has stock that rises and also which players will pull out of the draft.</div> Knicks.com Anyway I think Isiah Thomas should be fired if he does this!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting JWohl:</div><div class="quote_post">He must have gotten Monta Ellis confused with someone, this is ridiculous. </div> LMAO, this is the funniest thing I've ever heard, Monta Ellis will probably be there at the #30 pick.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting J-Rich23:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah Ellis is not going past 29. Anyway I think Isiah Thomas should be fired.</div> J-Rich, do you mean before or after, because I'm not sure. Why did they hire him in the first place, and He didn't even say Webster .
You have to take these comments by GMs in the next two weeks with a grain of salt. They will be using smoke screens and telling half truths until draft day. Monta Ellis actually ranked near the bottom of the Chicago Pre Draft workouts. He couldn't even bench press 185lbs 1 TIME. His vertical was 2 inches lower than Andrew Bogut, and he was dead last with his time of 12.13 seconds in the lateral quickness drill. He ranked 70 out of 74 in the workouts, that is pathetic for a guard.
