After missing on Curry, Knicks get defensive

OK I'm back... First things first...it sounds like Stephen Curry won't be a Warrior for long. And that's probably why he's not too upset about missing out on the Knicks. We heard tonight that he could be headed to Phoenix in the Amar'e Stoudemire deal. The Suns, who are getting ripped for their salary-dumping moves that is bringing nothing in return, are demanding that Curry be part of the deal. >> Click here for pictures of Jordan Hill Click here to view photos of Stephen Curry So that would mean he'd sort of still get to play the Mike D'Antoni system under Alvin Gentry. Maybe he'll get to learn from the master, Steve Nash. Or maybe Nash will survey the damage in this gutting of the Suns roster and decide not to accept a contract extension. Expect the Knicks to monitor this situation closely. As for the picks, Donnie Walsh came away with his type of players because both have defensive abilities. Jordan Hill can be a good weak-side shot-blocker (though I've heard his post defense is lacking). Toney Douglas was one of the best defensive players in the ACC last season. "We’re talking team defense, but the truth is, your team defense gets better when you have defensive oriented players,” Walsh said. Apparently Coach K, who saw plenty of Douglas in four years, really talked him up to D'Antoni. The Knicks had him in for the first workout on June 9, in a group with Jonny Flynn and Ty Lawson. Adding a power forward and potential third guard suggests the Knicks are preparing for the departures of David Lee and Nate Robinson. Walsh wouldn't take the bait. “I’m not going to look at it like that," he said. "I’m going to treat our own free agents on their own. We’re not allowed to get into that right now, so when 12:01, July 1 comes, we’ll start dealing with that. My hope is to try to keep the players here.” Then there's Darko, the 7-foot Serbian, who Walsh feels may finally find a comfort zone in the NBA playing for D'Antoni: "He’s a multi-skilled guy who really hasn’t fit in wherever he has been. In some cases people have asked him to play with his back to the basket." Walsh is aware of the disappointment from fans in missing out on Curry. He heard the booing from the Theatre all the way up here in Westchester County, so he knows the Hill pick was not received well. “I don’t think it ever will be in New York," he said. "And I’ve been through that in Indiana. They booed Chuck Person who was the Rookie of the Year. They booed Reggie Miller. I could keep going on. The players all have to prove themselves." He later said: “I think everybody’s thinking, ‘Oh we didn’t get Stephen Curry.’ But we got maybe the best big man in this draft and one that everybody wanted. So it was a good day for us.” There was a rumor floating around about the Knicks attempting to trade with Minnesota to get the rights to Rubio, who did not look too pleased about being selected by the T-Wolves. But multiple sources denied any validity to the rumor. David Kahn was targeting Rubio in this draft and that's why he jumped into the No. 5 spot to get him. That's how close the Knicks came...not just one spot in the lottery drawing (think about some of those wins at the end of the season), but perhaps mere days. That trade effectively ended the Knicks chances of getting Curry, and Walsh admitted as much. The Knicks dangled Wilson Chandler to the Wizards and it came very close to happening. Once the Kings lost interest in Rubio, Kahn saw his chance and jumped at it. Hill and Douglas will be back here at the MSG Training Center on Friday morning to meet the press. We'll update here after that. >> Click here for pictures of Jordan Hill Click here to view photos of Stephen Curry