<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Many experts believed the Knicks reached badly by selecting Renaldo Balkman, but the Suns were reportedly set to pick the forward from South Carolina. The Suns ended up trading out of the first round altogether. "I thought, 'If we take Balkman at No. 20, somebody will drop to us [at No. 29],' " Thomas said last night. "If we didn't get Collins, we had a backup. But Balkman wouldn't have been there at No. 29." "Balkman is a unique player," Thomas said. "He reminds me of Dennis Rodman and Ron Artest. Mardy Collins is a big guard who can defend. Defensively, we feel you can put those two guys on the floor at and cover [small forward and shooting guard]." </div> Source
Wow, the Knicks stoled the show when they picked Balkman. At least the Suns weren't the laughing stock of th draft. They should of at least took 1 players, Josh Boone maybe. They needed some size and they traded away everything!
I bet alot of teams wanted Balkman. It`s not like he`s a bad player and should never be in the NBA, but hes not in anyway first round material. Another reason why NY shouldn`t of drafted him.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">When Isiah Thomas defended his decision to nab defensive South Carolina small-forward defensive specialist Renaldo Balkman at 20 instead of waiting for 29, he said his "due diligence" discovered the Suns were going to take him at either 21 or 27. Sherlock Holmes, Isiah is not. Three sources, including one inside the Suns organization, told The Post yesterday Phoenix was not taking Balkman in the first round and that's not why they traded their picks. One league source who spoke to a Suns official said if Balkman was available at 45, they would have passed. </div> Phoenix Balks At Isiah's Draft Claim So much for that rumor.
