2012 NBA DRAFT Knicks’ Greek tragedy
Fans boo pick of Papanikolaou
THE NBA DRAFT is all Greek to the Knicks.
Glen Grunwald, in his first draft as general manager, used the 48th pick Thursday night to select Kostas Papanikolaou, a 6-8 forward who plays for Olympiacos in his native Greece. Grunwald made the pick with the understanding that Papanikolaou may not come to the NBA for another two years.
It was a low-risk choice and one that was probably celebrated in the Greek community of Astoria, Queens, but booed by Knicks fans attending the draft at the Prudential Center in Newark.
Of course, those booing are not exactly experts in European basketball, where Manu Ginobili and, most recently, former Knick Danilo Gallinari got their start. In fact, the San Antonio Spurs, who have a been light years ahead of most franchises when it comes to drafting international players, recently met with the 21-year-old Papanikolaou.
Some draft experts rated Papanikolaou, who won a Euro title with Olympiacos, as a first-round talent. The issue is when he’ll be able to get out of his contract with his Greek club. He is under contract for two more years, but could be bought out after next season.
Papanikolaou plays for the Greek national team and could end up facing Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler and the United States in the London Olympics. Greece will play a qualifying tournament in 10 days.
The Knicks, who traded their first-round pick (No. 16) to the Houston Rockets three years ago in the Tracy McGrady deal, had to wait around until after 11 p.m. before making their selection.
Of course, the Knicks could have declared themselves winners earlier in the day when a source confirmed that the NBA and its players union were close to reaching a settlement in the “Bird rights” case. An agreement would all but ensure that two Knicks free agents, Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak, will re-sign with the club.
An independent arbitrator ruled last week that Lin, Novak, the Clippers’ Chauncey Billups and Portland’s J.J. Hickson all retained their Bird rights despite being claimed off waivers last season. The league could have filed an appeal, which could have thrown Lin’s future up in the air.
Had Lin and Novak been denied their early Bird rights, it would have restricted what the Knicks could do in free agency. The club would have been forced to use its mid-level exception on Lin. Now, because Bird rights allow teams to exceed the salary cap in order to re-sign their own free agents, the Knicks can use their mid-level slot to make a run at Ray Allen, O.J. Mayo, Steve Nash or Jason Kidd after free agency begins just after midnight Saturday night.