Frederic Weis – Ghost in the Machine

Bring the Thunder | The Ewings | Donnie & Darko?

Round 2 of everybody’s favorite party game: What do Berkeley and Seattle sports fans have in common this week? Answer: They both absolutely detest the sound of “Thunder.” The Oklahoma City Thunder (nee Seattle Supersonics) officially unveil their new name and logo. (I guess the Oklahoma City Whirlwind might still have been considered in poor taste.)

On the Knicks side of the ledger: As Patrick Ewing enters the Hall of Fame — and his son, Patrick Ewing Jr., comes to Knicks training camp — is new GM Donnie Walsh really thinking of picking up former Detroit bust Darko Milicic? I know we want to unload Zach Randolph’s contract at all costs before 2010, but aren’t we a big enough joke around the league without adding the Frederic Weis of #2 picks to our roster?

Burnt Draft Cards.

On the eve of the 2005 NBA Draft, SI offers their take on the 20 biggest busts of all time. Sam Bowie was a given, but where’s Frederic Weis? Update: The Knicks get their man.

You can’t teach height.

While the NBA draft this year was slower than usual and surprisingly free of interesting trades (with the exception of Cassell to Minnesota, which happened the next day), I thought the Knicks did reasonably well this year. The Sweetney pick at No. 9 was a terrible, Laydenesque call, but picking up the free-falling seven-footer Maciej Lampe at No. 30 sounds like a steal (presuming his contract negotiations work out.) The 7’4″ Slavko Vranes sounds like a decent second-round choice too, far better than Frederic Weis at any rate. Now the question facing Knicks fans is how the trade winds will blow.