Coach: Coaching the Grizzlies at the beginning, playing the bantam

Chapter 301 Draft!Trade picks!Added three new blood!Lineup cleaning!
After a few days of rest, Lu Yong and Donnie Walsh visited the draft in person to contribute to the team's construction of the new season.

The Knicks still only have two draft picks this year, the 30th pick in the first round and the 30th pick in the second round. Their regular season record is too good and it's a pain in the ass.

Before the draft started, the media speculated on which two players the Knicks would draft this year, and even a spinach company opened their eyes.
It can only be said that Lu Yong's judgment of people is too vicious. All players selected by him have their own filters, and the chance of becoming parallel imports is very small.

It can even be said that the newcomers selected by Lu Yong are not parallel imports!

Even McRae, who has performed the worst in recent years, was selected to the All-Rookie Second Team. As long as he doesn't commit suicide, he will be more than enough to serve as a substitute in the NBA in the future.

Some media predict that Lu Yong is likely to use his first-round pick this year to select point guard Tyus Jones from Duke University.

The reason is that Deron Williams' contract expires this summer, and the Knicks are in urgent need of a point guard with organizational skills.

According to New York media reports, Deron has more than 80% chance of not renewing his contract with the team. After winning the championship, he plans to pursue a maximum salary contract starting in 5 years to provide for his retirement.

The Knicks' primary goal in the summer is to re-sign the young and passionate Jimmy Butler. This has long been no secret in the league.

When Butler gets a maximum salary, it is naturally impossible for the Knicks to offer another maximum salary contract to Deron, so the news that Deron is about to leave the team has always been spreading.

Even though neither Deron nor the Knicks have spoken publicly about this issue, other teams in the league still think so.

泰厄斯-琼斯身高1米83、体重89公斤，出自NCAA篮球名校杜克蓝魔，大一赛季就能交出场均11.8分5.6助攻和1.5抢断，三分球命中率37.9%。

The most important thing is that due to the influence of his height, Jones was ranked relatively low on the pre-draft list, right at the end of the first round.

This is why some media believe that the Knicks have a high chance of taking Jones, and the analysis is sound.

Unfortunately, no matter how reasonable the media analysis is, the identity of this lucky guy remains a mystery until the Knicks officially select him.

No one knows which player Lu Yong will choose with his precious first-round pick. After all, Lu Yong's selection is basically irregular, and ranking predictions have never been accurate for him. He is definitely the league's number one freak.

What's even more interesting is that before the draft started, the Knicks actually reached a deal with the Timberwolves.

They sent out last year's second-round pick McRae + this year's second-round pick No. 30, and got this year's second-round No. 1 pick from the Timberwolves.

The management of each team knew at a glance that Lu Yong was clearly preparing to cause trouble. The players he wanted to sign were not low in draft, so he was willing to pay a "big price" to trade up the draft picks.

As for the Timberwolves, no team felt that the wolf cub suffered a loss this time.

The No. 1 pick in the second round is indeed valuable, but after all, McCree has the label of "Produced by the Lu family" on his head, and his training is much better than opening a blind box by himself.

Some even beat their chests and feet in anger at the bad team, complaining about why they didn't have a high-ranking second-round pick in their hands, and in the end, the Timberwolves took advantage in vain.

At this time, Lu Yong was naturally unaware of the gossip outside. He was sitting in the box waiting for the draft to start.

McCree's potential is very limited. No matter how much he is cultivated, it will be useless. Packing up the No. 30 pick in the second round for the No. 1 pick in the second round will definitely make a huge profit.

After all, other teams open blind boxes when drafting, but he gets into the box and picks, so he doesn't have to worry about picking parallel imports.

There are many strong players who fell into the second round this year, and Lu Yong has a goal in mind early on.

With the league president Adam Silver taking the stage and talking a lot of nonsense, the 15th draft officially began.

When the Timberwolves, holding the No. [-] pick, selected Karl-Anthony Towns, a talented center from the University of Kentucky, there was a burst of applause.

There is no way. Although Towns is a soft player as an inside player, his reputation is too great.

高四赛季场均能砍下20.9分13.4篮板以及恐怖的6.2个盖帽，当选14年佳得乐年度最佳球员。赛季曾两次砍下过四双，包括一次20分14篮板10助攻和12记盖帽的超级大四喜。

If it weren't for cheating like Lu Yong, no matter which team holds the No. [-] pick this year, they would definitely take Towns without hesitation.

Of course, Towns is not considered a parallel import, and he does deserve to be the No. [-] pick.

Even if he enters the NBA, he still scores double-doubles all year round and plays well.

The only shortcomings are his poor leadership ability and soft style of play. He only plays hard when he encounters Embiid.

Later, some media rearranged the 15th draft, and Suns star Devin Booker counterattacked and became the top pick.

Judging from the performance of the two in their peak years, there is indeed no problem, but Towns obviously performed better in his first two years as a rookie.

The Lakers used the second pick to select D'Angelo Russell, nicknamed "Water La", which is a very interesting nickname.

Since the 18-19 season, Russell has actually proven that he is not a parallel import and is worthy of being ranked second.

It's just that this guy's "rainbow jump shot" is too special. Once the defensive intensity increases, it will definitely stretch his hips and make him unable to fight tough battles.

Because of this, the nickname Shui La has always followed him. Until the time when Lu Yong traveled through time, Russell had not proven that he was a player who could fight tough battles.

With the No. 76 pick, insider Jahlil Okafor was selected, affectionately known as Little Duncan by fans.

Unfortunately, Okafor only played for two seasons in total. He was unable to adapt to the ever-increasing speed of the small ball era. His slow movements caused serious disadvantages in defending pick-and-rolls, and he became a marginal player early on.

The Magic selected the 7-foot-3 Porzingis with the fourth pick, and they were lucky enough to get it from the Knicks.

The Nuggets selected Mudiay with the 7th pick, the Pistons selected Stanley Johnson with the 8th pick, the Hornets selected Kaminsky with the 9th pick, and the Heat selected Winslow with the 10th pick.

Strictly speaking, these people are not considered weak, and they have all played the main role in their respective teams.

It's just that his talent has not been fully realized. As a rookie selected in the top ten, it is inevitably disappointing.

With No. 11, the Pacers selected center Myles Turner from the University of Texas, an underrated player.

Just looking at the data, Turner's career performance is indeed not outstanding enough.

However, his playing style that can shoot three-pointers offensively and lead blocks defensively is a perfect fit for the small ball era. He is a plug-and-play player who can join any team and is definitely popular when put on the shelf.

Another seriously underestimated player, Devin Booker, was selected by the Suns with the 13th pick. He is the league's No. [-] shooting guard in the post-Harden era. He is not very popular among fans, but his ability is indeed not bad.

Later, the Celtics selected Rozier with the 16th pick, the Wizards selected Grant with the 19th pick, the Bulls selected Portis with the 22nd pick, and the Trail Blazers selected "Jordan Kobe" Jefferson with the 23rd pick.

Jones, who was predicted by the media to be in New York before the draft, was picked by the Cavaliers with the 24th pick.

The media have speculated whether the Cavaliers selected people to intercept the Knicks?

There was even a grumpy New York guy who started scolding him and went to the Cavaliers official website with all his strength.

Only Lu Yong knows that Jones was originally picked by the Cavaliers at this pick, and later exchanged clubs with Osman of the Timberwolves.

Being questioned by the media this time was a mistake, and I was blamed for it for no apparent reason.The Warriors selected blue-collar center Kevin Looney with the 29th pick. He was of average ability, but with his positive attitude and smart golf IQ, he managed to find a job in the end, so he was considered a talent.

Until the 30th pick in the first round, it was finally the Knicks' turn.

Adam Silver took the stage and announced that the Knicks have selected the beast power forward Montrezl Harrell from the University of Louisville!
Many scouts were shocked by the Knicks' choice. They didn't expect that the Knicks would pick this insider who is only 2 meters tall.

After all, the report given by the scouts at the time was very clear. Harrell is a forward with strong finishing ability, with beast-like explosive power and speed, but he is too short and cannot protect the rim when playing center and cannot shoot when playing forward. , which is not in line with the development trajectory of the small ball era.

The result was that such a player was taken away by Lu Yong, the coach who is best at arranging three-point shooting tactics in the league. It's no wonder that everyone looked confused.

Harrell's height is indeed short, only 2 meters, but his wingspan reaches 01 meters, which is also a very terrifying length in the NBA.

Moreover, his golf IQ is not low, he can complete the team's tactics on the court, and he knows his position on the court. This is why Lu Yong is willing to take him with the first-round pick.

Green left in the summer, and the Knicks are in urgent need of a small center who can switch defenses infinitely. No one in the 15th draft is more suitable than Harrell.

In Lu Yong's previous life, Harrell was elected the Best Sixth Man in the 19-20 season and won the Best Fighting Award.

The small ball era did not restrict his development, but gave short insiders like him more space to play.

巅峰赛季的哈雷尔砍下过场均18.6分7.1篮板1.7助攻和1.1次封盖，投篮命中率57.9%。

As long as you pair him with a defender who is good at passing, Harrell, this beast, can definitely bring surprises.

With Deron Williams gone, the Knicks can sign someone else. With the aura of a dynasty team, they won't have to worry about finding a suitable point guard in the free market.

Lu Yong does not expect Harrell to be able to develop a jump shot. As long as he plays to his own characteristics, he is definitely enough to play center in a small lineup. He does not need too much training to complete the pie-eating job well.

Arranging a specific lineup, Harrell can be a bench gangster like Green, and picking him at the end of the first round will definitely make a profit.

The first pick in the second round was chosen by the Knicks again.

Lu Yong chose Josh Richardson, who is 1 meters tall and can play the three positions of point guard, shooting guard and small forward.

This is also a player that fans are familiar with. In his peak season, he averaged 16.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game, and his career three-point shooting percentage is 36.2%. He is an immediate offensive and defensive perimeter player.

In the new season, Lu Yong's position for Richardson is to squat in the corner to catch the ball and shoot jumpers, developing in the direction of a 3D player.

In the Knicks, he doesn't need to play ball-handling, as long as he plays his personal characteristics of shooting + defense, this second-round pick is very valuable.

In fact, the second-round pick in Lu Yong's hand also has a high-quality option. Norman Powell, nicknamed "Bobby", had 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists in his peak season, and his performance was also not bad.

However, Powell is an outside player who plays singles with the ball. He cannot show his full strength without the ball. In addition, his height of 1 meters is slightly disadvantageous and his defensive habits are not good. Therefore, the best choice for the Knicks is Richardson.

The most important thing is that Powell is not an immediate newcomer and needs to be cultivated in the early stages of his career.

Lu Yong still has two years left on his contract with the Knicks. Naturally, he has no time to train new players. The first condition for the draft is plug and play, so that the Knicks can consolidate their position as the strongest in the league.

In addition, there are several strong players in the second round, Osman, Hernangomez, and Pat Connaughton.

These players are all very good and can shoot and defend. It is no problem to be a rotation player in the NBA.

Among them, Connaughton later won the championship with the Bucks and was an important member of the team's core rotation.

With the Timberwolves selecting the unknown Brandon Dawson with the last pick, the 15th draft officially came to an end.

The Knicks acquired two immediate newcomers, one inside and one outside, adding fresh blood to the team.

At the end of the draft, Lu Yong gave Walsh a new task in the car, "Donny, help me sign an undrafted kid. That kid is good. Giving him a basic salary in the new season may help the team."

"Who?"

"Christian Wood."

As the most inspiring player in the 15th draft, Wood may not be ridiculously strong and has many bad habits, but he is definitely worthy of the Knicks signing him with a basic salary.

Wood's peak period was spent with the Rockets, averaging 21 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. He shot 51.4% from the field and 37.4% from three-point range. He is a shooter whose range can extend to the three-point line. An outside offensive lineman.

It is undeniable that Wood looks like a brush most of the time, and his real strength is far less powerful than the data seems.

But as an undrafted player, it is okay for Wood, who is strong in offense and weak in defense, to be a substitute, at least he will not embarrass Lu Yong.

In recent years, all the undrafted players who have been favored by Lu Yong have always favored him. Walsh has long been accustomed to his discerning eyes.

I didn't even bother to ask, so I simply agreed. "No problem, I will contact him later and I will definitely take care of this matter for you."

The Knicks are a new generation dynasty team, and I don’t know how many players are rushing to join them.

If Wood wants to get a contract as an undrafted player, he can only participate in the league's summer league held in early July, and there is a high chance of being eliminated by the NBA.

The Knicks offered him an olive branch at this time, and Wood would definitely not refuse. Walsh still has the confidence to do so.

"By the way, what are your plans as a free agent whose contract expires this summer?" Pushing up his glasses on the bridge of his nose, Walsh turned around and asked. "If there is anyone you want to stay, please tell me and the team will try to accommodate them."

"Except for Jimmy, who must stay, no one else needs to leave. The atmosphere in the team's locker room is too bad, so we just took this opportunity to clean it up." Lu Yong said calmly.

"Including JR Smith? He wants a four-year, 4 million contract. Although there is a premium, the team will not save the money if you need it."

Let’s not talk about Walsh’s work ability. Just based on the things he has considered during the three years of working with Lu Yong, he is worthy of being the president of the New York Operations Department.

Is it terrible that the management is stupid? What is terrible is that they are stupid and disobedient.

Walsh asked Lu Yong for his opinion on everything. It seemed humble, but in the end he won.

He has a share of the credit for the team's championship, and he does not take the blame for the poor record. He is exactly the type of partner Lu Yong likes.

"Including JR, with 4 million in these four years, the team can definitely sign stronger players. This matter is settled."

JR Smith's three-point shooting percentage dropped seriously last season. His mentality changed after winning the championship. Lu Yong has long wanted to clean up.

If he plans to cut his salary and stay with the team, Lu Yong may nod and acquiesce because of their many years of cooperation, but with just 4 million in four years, the Knicks really have no need to force him to stay.

Walsh nodded and took note in his mind, "There are too many free agents whose contracts have expired this year, leaving a lot of vacancies. If we don't renew the contract, we can only strengthen through the free market. Do you have a signing target in mind? I can help you in advance." get ready."

"I will send you the list when I get back tonight. Don't worry about the vacant spots. There are many people in the league watching." Lu Yong said with a smile.

(End of this chapter)