The Taft draft stock freefall continues.
How far could Chris Taft drop if he isn’t selected by the Knicks at No. 8? He didn’t impress Knicks exec Isiah Thomas in his first informal workout and there’s word the Knicks may be looking at Frye at No. 8 instead.
If the Knicks pass on Taft, the Warriors might consider him at No. 9 and the Lakers could bite at No. 10. But if he gets by those three teams, he could be in a free fall. The Magic, Clippers, Bobcats and Timberwolves don’t need or want him. The Nets could use him, but sources say that the Nets don’t like him. The next team on the board that actually has a need for a guy like Taft is the Kings at No. 23.
In an early mock draft, the Kings were tabbed with Charlie Villanueva.
Well, what about the Toronto Raptors who have the #7 and #16 pick? They don’t appear to be sold.
But the one measurement that the team’s talent evaluators are unable to accurately gauge, which is perhaps the most important, is the size of an athlete’s heart, that intrinsic quality that often separates the great competitor from the merely average.
“That’s the toughest thing to measure,” Toronto general manager Rob Babcock acknowledged yesterday after overseeing another group of professional hopefuls who passed through town for a predraft workout. “Even the mind’s easier to measure than the heart. It’s difficult. It’s very difficult.”
Which brings us to Chris Taft, a 6-foot-10, 260-pound brute who was among five players the Raptors took a close look at yesterday, a potential first-round selection at the June 28 National Basketball Association draft whose only drawback appears to be his desire.
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“He has a tremendous amount of potential, there’s no doubt. But there’s a lot of guys with a great amount of potential. It’s what you can do with that and whether you can develop that, that’s the key.”
Babcock said being able to assess whether or not a player has the desire, the willingness — the heart — to develop that potential is the most difficult aspect of judging talent.
“The way you measure it is, watching him over a period of time, all the background research that you do,” he said. “And then spending time with him.
“But until you go through a season with a guy you really don’t know. You talk to coaches and sometimes you don’t really get the full picture. You have to wait until you go through the season with him yourself.”
I hope Taft proves a lot of people (including me) dead wrong.
Then there is Carl Krauser. He’s down in Houston learning more about being an NBA point guard at the John Lucas Camp.
Lucas established the camp to teach future pros about the NBA game and the perils that come with being a professional.
“I’m doing real good,” Krauser said. “I’m learning a lot of on-the-court and a lot of off-the-court things. Anything I can take from here, I’ll be better off for it. I’m looking at the game a whole lot different than when I was in college. I’m learning how to make the most of possessions, how important possessions are. I feel way different. I feel smarter out on the court.
“They also teach you how to deal with females, how to manage your money, how to use all the free time you have away from the game. It’s all about being a professional. I’ve been listening to how the pros go about their business.”
Krauser admits he will likely go right up to the June 21 deadline. He will be attending the Chicago pre-draft camp, and participating. He also hinted that he will have at least one private workout for a team after the camp.
Taft will also be at the camp, but not participate in drills or games.
There is no indication that Chevon Troutman received an invitation to the camp. His dream to make an NBA roster is dead. He made a huge mistake by not going to the Portsmouth Camp. Now he needs to look into Europe or learning more about being a tight end in the NFL.
