Double Sixes or Snake Eyes?

Scott Layden gambled big last night in the NBA draft, trading away the seventh pick, Mark Jackson, and Marcus Camby for All-Star PF Antonio McDyess and the 25th pick (PG Frank Williams.) I like it…if McDyess can play a full season, it’s a great trade, at least for the short term. (Camby was great when he was healthy, but he was just Mr. Glass too often, and Mark Jackson has had a fork in his back the past two seasons.) Plus, Dice is a legitimate low-post option, while Camby was more of a clean-up guy on the offensive boards…McDyess will draw double teams and open it up for Spree and Houston. Now, if the Knicks can sign free-agent C Keon Clark and actually trade PF Kurt Thomas and PG Charlie Ward to Dallas for PG Nick Van Exel, we’re suddenly a contender again. Not a championship contender, mind you, but good enough to represent in the East until we can get back under the salary cap. All in all, a much better night than the Frederic Weis fiasco of 1999. By the way, I thought it a nice parallel that the same summer US joins the world in competitive soccer, the NBA opens its doors to the world…six of the first round picks, including obviously the first pick (Yao Ming of China), were international players.