NBA Draft 2011: Jimmer Fredette and 5 Prospects New York Knicks Should Avoid

The New York Knicks finally broke through this season, making the playoffs for the first time since Stephon Marbury was running the show.

However, they were promptly swept out of the first round by the Boston Celtics.

Now the focus shifts from, "How can we acquire Carmelo Anthony?" to "How can we turn this team into a championship contender?"

While it is tough to find a player who will make an immediate impact in the middle of the first round, there are a lot of players the Knicks are considering who may be able to do so.

However, the following prospects are people I think the Knicks should NOT take, whether because their skill set doesn't fit right or because they don't play defense. 

1. Tobias Harris

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CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 18: Tobias Harris #12 of the Tennessee Volunteers lays the ball up in front of Stu Douglass #1 of the Michigan Wolverines in the first half during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Ar

Tobias Harris is a good basketball player, he's just not a good fit for the New York Knicks.

He plays primarily small forward and power forward, the same positions as the two best players on the Knicks, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire. 

He lacks the ideal size to play the four, and the ideal quickness to play the three, making him a little bit of a tweener as well. He's actually a much better fit for the team that now has many of the Knicks former players, the Denver Nuggets. 

2. Donatas Motiejunas

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Donatas Motiejunas is a 7-footer, and that alone should make him an intriguing draft prospect for the Knicks.

However, Motiejunas struggled both on the defensive end and rebounding the basketball, which makes him a bad fit for a Knicks team that sorely needs both of those things moving forward. 

Motiejunas is an athlete who has the size to fit on a front line next to the Knicks' best two players, but lacks the skills that are needed from the center position for the Knicks. 

3. Kenneth Faried

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DENVER, CO - MARCH 19: Kenneth Faried #35 of the Morehead State Eagles dunks reacts after a play against the Richmond Spiders during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Pepsi Center on March 19, 2011 in Denver, Colorado. (Pho

I just spent most of the last slide talking about how the Knicks sorely need players who can rebound and play defense, and that describes Kenneth Faried to a T. 

However, it is my feeling that the Knicks should avoid him in the draft. He is simply too short to play the center position, and would instead be coming off the bench behind Amar'e Stoudemire.

The Knicks need to draft a player who can play starters minutes either now or in the future, and Faried's lack of height would probably prevent him from doing that.

If Faried were to start, Amar'e Stoudemire would likely still have to guard centers, which is not something the Knicks' captain wants to do. 

4. Jordan Hamilton

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TULSA, OK - MARCH 20: Jordan Hamilton #3 of the Texas Longhorns reacts at the end of their 70-69 loss to the Arizona Wildcats in the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at BOK Center on March 20, 2011 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. (Photo by T

Jordan Hamilton is a very good scorer. 

The Knicks do not need very good scorers. The Knicks need a point guard of the future, a center who can rebound and play defense and possibly a starting shooting guard.

Hamilton is none of these things. So while he is a good player who probably has a bright future in the NBA, it shouldn't be in New York. 

5. Jimmer Fredette

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NEW ORLEANS, LA - MARCH 24: Jimmer Fredette #32 of the Brigham Young Cougars reacts during their 74 to 83 loss to the Florida Gators in the Southeast regional of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at New Orleans Arena on March 24, 2011 in New Orle

Jimmer Fredette was the best scorer in all of college basketball last season, and Jimmer-mania captivated the nation.

Fredette's skill set fits perfectly in Mike D'Antoni's high-octane offense, which allows and even encourages players to shoot from anywhere and everywhere on the floor. 

However, there are two sides of the court, and Jimmer really struggles on the defensive side. The Knicks simply cannot afford to have another player on the floor who is all-offense and no defense.

The Knicks' best two players, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire, are great scorers. They are not great defenders. They need to have players at the other three positions on the floor who can stop the ball, rebound and put pressure on opposing players.

So while it would be fun to watch Jimmer light it up from the outside, I do not think the Knicks should take a chance on him if he is there at pick 17.