While Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler took to the Big Apple earlier to model the Knicks' new jerseys for the 2012-13 season, there's a young point guard who still dreams about donning orange and blue in the distant future.
At the end of August, KnicksJournal.com reported exclusively that GWU standout Tony Taylor Jr. had worked out for the Knicks. After having worked out for the Celtics just last week, Taylor Jr. will be back in Westchester yet again.
The Sleepy Hollow native will work out once more for the Knicks next week. Though the team appears stacked at point guard with Jason Kidd, Raymond Felton, and Pablo Prigioni all joining the squad for next season, there's an added benefit of nevertheless still inviting Taylor Jr. to veterans's camp.
As previously mentioned in our report, if and when an NBA team invites a prospect to camp, they then exclusively reserve the said player for their own D-League affiliate. If the Knicks were to invite Taylor Jr. to camp, the Erie Bayhawks would be the only minor league squad able to sign him.
Even if the Knicks (or any NBA team, for that matter) cuts a prospect following camp, the D-League affiliate still owns the right to sign him. With three veteran point guards already on board, the most New York could be targeting Taylor Jr. for would be something down the road. Nevertheless, to keep the guard waiting in the wings, a camp invite is absolutely necessary.
Should no NBA team invite Taylor Jr. to camp, he would then be eligible for the D-League Draft, where any minor league squad can select him. Inviting him to camp is the only the way the Knicks would be able to shield the GWU alum from the draft, thus saving him for the Bayhawks.
Looks like a nice young, talented understudy PG...Couldn't hurt. I think we need a scoring big to slide in behind STAT more (DJ White would be perfect; Marcus Cousin a real nice under-the-radar PF/C that has plenty of ability; even Donte Greene still makes sense -- looks like the Nets got scared off because of the ankle -- I say we get Greene in here now while he's hurt and let him rehab his ankle. Nice talent offensively when he's healthy. The type of move Brian Cashman makes sometimes with the Yankees, a move for the future -- Jon Lieber, David Ardsma, etc..)... But I'll take Taylor. Gotta be better than taking Chris Smith. Taylor at least looks like a true point.
ReplyDeleteI'd love for them to take a look at former BYU PG Michael Loyd Jr. myself. I know next to nothing about Taylor really outside of his highlight reel -- but I know for a fact that Loyd has BIG-TIME talent. Never really took off after he tranferred to Midwestern State the way I thought he would but it definitely has nothing to do with his overall talent/skill level which, to me anyway, is the real deal. NBA ready imo. If I had to guess, it probably had something to do with the system or the coaches at Midwestern State that held him back some and maybe after the BYU debacle, he decided to play it low-key and just roll with it. Who knows...Remember the name though -- Michael Loyd Jr. Whoever winds up taking a chance on that kid won't be sorry. Just my 2 cents..
Excellent choice .... The added benefit to this return will be the best opportunity for Taylor. Great post and thank you for sharing this interesting info
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