Ballet Roundtable I apologize if this has already been posted. From today's NBA Insider: <i> TREVISO, Italy -- On second thought, maybe Nickoloz Tskitishvili doesn't want to declare for the NBA draft this season. Let's get this out the way right now. He can play. But after spending the day in the beautiful town of Treviso, Italy, with Tskitishvili and his coach, former Nuggets skipper Mike D'Antoni, I can tell you he has no idea what he's getting into. The prospect of being shipped to the cold and dreary world of Cleveland should be downright scary. "Do you understand you may be sent to Cleveland?" I ask him. "I do not know Cleveland," he responds. Tskitishvili has never been to the U.S. "Do you know Siberia?" He nods his head, looking a bit befuddled. No idea. There is no NBA town like Treviso, with is sleepy markets, beautiful canals, children playing in the streets and passionate "basket" fans. Tskitishvili isn't your average 19-year-old NBA draft prospect. He doesn't have any handlers yet, doesn't drive an Escalade, doesn't have an expensive shoe contract, and (here's the kicker) has no noticeable holes in his game fundamentally. None. The comparisons to Dirk Nowitzki are scary. Though he's not as polished in the low block as the Deutsch Marksman, he's quicker and more athletic. He stands 7 feet in bare feet. He can handle, shoot from anywhere on the court and jump out of the gym. I know. I stood there in Treviso and watched him sink jumper after jumper after jumper. I saw his crossover, his fadeaway, his incredible leaping ability . . . and a certain grace that you rarely see with a big man. When he isn't practicing jumpers he's pirouetting at mid court to the delight of his teammates. Pirouetting. But perhaps his greatest asset is that he carries the team luggage when he goes on road trips. He's spent most of his basketball career playing against professionals, players who are stronger and more mature. He thinks pass first, refusing to play the "me first one-on-one game" that scourges the NBA like the plague. He does not think he's the answer. Are you listening Larry Brown? Like I said, he's not your typical 19 year old in the NBA draft. Tskitishvili, until the age of 15, was a classically trained ballet dancer in Georgia (the country in Eastern Europe). Apparently, he was a pretty good one until he began to grow so rapidly that his instructor could no longer find a partner for him. That explains the pirouettes. So he started concentrating on basketball. It's a good thing. Coach D'Antoni estimates that over the past few months, representatives from all 29 NBA teams have made the pilgrimage to Treviso to watch him practice. It's really the only way anyone will see him play. Italian league rules allow for only 10-man rosters. Tskitishvili didn't join the team until midway through the season. His age, chemistry and the fact that Benetton was in the midst of a title race, meant he had lots of time to sit and watch. But let me state this again. He can play. "Fundamentally, he's all the way there," coach D'Antoni told Insider. "He's very fluid for a big man. And he's just a great kid. He's very polite and respectful. He works very, very hard. What he needs in more experience and an NBA weight training program. He just needs to get stronger so he can post up." Tskitishvili's teammate, former Suns guard Charlie Bell, practices with him every day. "No doubt about it, he has what it takes," Bell told Insider. "He's got the athleticism, the ability to jump out of the gym, and the shooting touch. The NBA drafts on potential and he's got a lot of it." There has been talk that the lithe 7-footer may be a two guard in the pros with his long-range shooting, ball handling and ability to get to the basket. But D'Antonio thinks eventually he'll play down low once he puts on the weight. "He's going to be a devastating four in a few years." How can NBA teams pass on that? D'Antoni told me that Benetton won't stop him from going to the NBA this season if that's what Tskitishvili wants. In other words, it seems like the one potential roadblock, his availability, is now gone. One league executive told Insider that after seeing him play last week in Treviso, Tskitishvili could be a top-five pick in the draft. "On potential alone, I like him better than Kwame Brown. He's already more advanced fundamentally and I think he has the athleticism to compete with the elite players in the NBA. It's always scary to make a leap like this on limited information, but he's further along than any of the high school kids that have been drafted and his upside is still huge. I think, in five years, he could be better than Nowitzki because of his athleticism. Seven-footers like this just don't come along very often. Someone will take the chance." At the very least, Tskitishvili won't slip past No. 13, where the Bucks pick. GM Ernie Grunfeld spent three days in Treviso before the Euroleague Final Four and one source told Insider that he was sold. There's a good chance, he'll be long gone by then. <b>The word is that the Nuggets and Rockets both came away impressed.</b> For Tskitishvili's sake, lets hope Cleveland isn't thinking the same thing . . . (Note: Check back on Monday for my full feature on Tskitishvili, D'Antoni and the impact of Europeans in the draft when ESPN.com launches it full NBA draft package). </i>
Interesting stuff...I read that this morning as well. It reminds me of last year because this was about the time when you started to hear the name Pau Gasol...
Thank you very much for the link. There are many good things happening here including the fact that #15 just got more valuable. So should we say, Woods, Bulter or Nikko with the #5?
you know, if we can't package up our picks, i'd go ahead and draft this guy. the fact that he thinks pass first is conducive to more of a team oriented offense. the fact that he has no noticeable fundamental flaws is conducive to not picking woods or any other athletic college/hs "phenoms" that dunk hard, yet practice not. and the nowitski comparisons? well, i think dirk is "pound for pound" the best player in the nba. so you KNOW how i feel about those comparisons... take a flyer on nikko. or tisk, tisk. or the "ITALIAN STALLION!!!"
I'm hopeful that aelliott will correct me if I'm wrong, but this is my understanding of the CBA. The Rockets can draft Tskitishvili and they will hold his draft rights as long as he continues to play under a European contract and he does not count against the cap! The only way Tskitishvili can re-enter the draft is if he goes one full year without playing organized basketball. Not likely at his age. How about we get Odom in a 5/8 swap and draft Tskitishvili with their pick. Eventual lineup? 5) EG 4) Tskits 3) Odom 2) Cat 1) SF If he can pirouette at 7'0" tall, there must be an upside to good to pass on at #8. He can season in Europe while the Rocks iron out the glut at PF! Heck, he's worth considering even if we get an unlucky bounce of the ping pong balls and fall to 7 or 8 on our own. I don't see him falling to 15 with press like this. Maybe the Clipps #12? Anyone else see it this way?
Gater, Here's the actual wording from Article VII, Section 4 of the CBA: <i> (1) Beginning with the 1998 Draft, a First Round Pick, immediately upon selection in the Draft, shall be included in the Team Salary of the Team that holds his draft rights at 100% of his applicable Rookie Scale Amount, and, subject to subsection (e)(2) below, shall continue to be included in the Team Salary of any Team that holds his draft rights (including any Team to which the player’s draft rights are assigned) until such time as the player signs with such Team or until the Team loses or assigns its exclusive draft rights to the player. (2) In the event that a First Round Pick signs with a non-NBA team, the player’s applicable Rookie Scale Amount shall be excluded from the Team Salary of the Team that holds his draft rights, beginning on the date he signs such non-NBA contract or the first day of the Regular Season, whichever is later, and shall be included again in his Team’s Team Salary at the applicable Rookie Scale Amount on the following July 1 or the date the player’s contract ends (or the player is released from his non-NBA contractual obligations), whichever is earlier, unless the Team renounces its exclusive rights to the player in accordance with Article X, Section 3(f). If, after such following July 1, or any subsequent July 1, the player signs another, or remains under, contract with a non-NBA team, the player’s applicable Rookie Scale Amount will again be excluded from Team Salary beginning on the date of the contract signing or the first day of the Regular Season commencing after such July 1, whichever is later, and will again be included in Team Salary at the applicable Rookie Scale Amount on the following July 1 or the date the player’s contract ends (or the player is released from his non-NBA contractual obligations), whichever is earlier, unless the Team renounces its exclusive rights to the player in accordance with Article X, Section 3(f). </i> Based on the my understanding, it's just slightly different than you stated. We would indeed retain his rights as long as he doesn't completely sit out a year and reenter the draft. I also agree that that wouldn't happen. What's different is that his rookie scale salary would appear to count against our cap, each season, for the period from July 1st to opening day. That period coincides with the time that we would be trying to sign free agents. So, if you figure that we're going to be over the cap anyway, then it doesn't matter. But, if you're planning to free up cap space to use on a FA, then his scale salary would minimize the money that you had available to pay a FA. Of course, the ESPN article says that his Italian League team will let him come to the NBA next year, so it might be a moot point.
aelliott Thanks. My response was a paraphrase of Q 37 on what happens if a team and player can't agree on a contract. Guess that wasn't the whole picture.
Gater, Larry Coon's FAQ is a great resource, but it's a summary, so it can't include all of the details. If you want the definitive answer, then look at the actual CBA. Here's a link: http://www.nbpa.com/downloads/CBA.pdf
aelliott - Very cool! Thanks for the link AND for the info about Tskitishvili. Hopefully the part about the Rockets coming away impressed is not a smoke screen.
The fact that no one on the Rockets has mentioned this kid speaks volumes. This is what I meant by the Rockets need a European style player. A share the ball mentality could certainly not hurt this team. DaDakota Did I ever mention that I like tall players?
just for comparison, Andrei Kirilenko was drafted in 1999, not last year. Was it worth it to wait on him to come to the NBA? aelliott, So, he still hasn't declared??? I assumed he did after nbadraft.net listed him, but I can't find a link...not that I looked hard. hey <b>juugie,</b> Remember when you asked what people would be saying about Ming if he was 3-4 inches shorter. this is it.
I'm happy with anything that makes this draft deeper. I will literally have a you know what if we move into the top three pick and then trade KT and number 15 to move up and draft this dude. A seven footer that likes to pass is exactly what this team might need. Does he play defense as well?
I have been calling for KT and #15 to move up. I wanted to target Miami and Pheonix for that. Nikko might just be the 7-footer we come out of this draft with. On the other hand Denver may take him, before us. It is looking more and more that Jefferies will be available at #15; it may then make more sense to take a 7- footer with the #5, rather than the other way. We must not lose sight of what should be one of our most urgent need being addressed, which is to get some size and low post bulk. If I was told I would get Jefferies at #15, I would go for a 7 footer with #5 (Marcus) or trade down to get him if that is too high a position for him.
Draft Marcus with the 5th or 6th pick? Man there's soooo much more talent than taking Marcus that high. I would be very upset. I say we take a chance on Tskitishvili. If he's really this good, he won't fall to low. How can one pass on that size and ability??? Sounds just like the kind of guy Rudy wants.
I don't recall hearing anyone saying that Ming was pirouetting when he was bored. Seven footers that can do perouettes have good footwork, and that makes my eyes light up to read. Remember Hakeem Olajuwon? Remember why it was that he had such great footwork coming into the league? Soccer, baby. For centers, it's a huge skill to have. I saw clips of Ming in his workout, the dude is not fast enough to have any real post moves. I hope this guy declares, because I really like the sound of him.
raven, I don't recall anyone mentioning him as a top 3 candidate, either? btw...a pirouette says a whole lot more about one's jumping ability than basketball footwork. A pirouette is just jumping and flicking your legs around each other. A tennis player likely has more transferrable footwork to basketball than ballet. Hell, a ballroom dancer does. Speaking of which, I doubt Hakeem, Jordan or Barkley can dance...but they sure had great footwork. Let's just call him surprisingly coordinated like Ming. Ballet moves can just be a circus trick like a Jordan slam dunk. Is it really going to help you score without having taken ballet. Hell, didn't Willie Gault take ballet, too. I don't recall him making great moves in the secondary,,,,just blazing fast. Given a choice, I'd rather the guy play basketball all his life like Ming did, and have parents who played like Ming did, and Kobe, and Parker, etc, than ballet and soccer. Just because you don't like the Ming hype; you are going to buy into more hype? A pirouette sounds like hype to me. I seriously doubt he has the footwork of Kenny Thomas or Hakeem. 7'5r with a smooth shot and smooth movement is not hype. Not a leaper or a gazelle, but it is not hype. that said, I'd love a 7'er with a shot, any footwork, ball-handling and passing. but, I'd take 5 more inches with just the shooting and Sabonis passing. I've seen Ming pass in 2 full halfs of two games in the championship series, recently. The guy has a knack, and he has all the fundamentals. That is not hype. this paragraph about the 7er sounds just like Ming:
I really don't think this guy will be as good as Gasol. Not even Nowitzki for that matter. Those guys are special, for one reason. They play a hard, tough game. It seems to me as if this guy, all though interesting, will be soft and prefer the perimeter, while being too passive for a 5th pick. It doesn't mention anything about his driving ability, or toughness. You don't need size to be tough. Sure, you're much tougher with size, but Gasol did a great job with his frame at PF, and I don't think this guy will bring that. I would really like to package both picks and/or KT and/or one of our big contracts (Mo T/Rice).
