BREAKING: Al Harrington to Knicks Reportedly In The Works

by Seth on Nov 21, 2008 9:31 AM EST in News Comment 41 comments

The Knicks appear to be close to landing athletic forward Al Harrington from the Golden State Warriors in a trade that possibly could send the team's leading scorer, Jamal Crawford, out to Oakland, Newsday has learned.

Details of the deal were only starting to slip out late last night and the only concrete piece of information so far is that the Knicks were getting Harrington, who Knicks president Donnie Walsh, while with the Indiana Pacers, drafted out of St. Patrick's High School in Elizabeth, N.J., in 1998. Harrington before the season had demanded a trade from the Warriors after a falling out with coach Don Nelson.

...

The New York Post, who posted a report on its Web site early Friday morning, suggested Malik Rose's expiring contract ($7.6 million) was the player going out to Oakland, which makes far more sense for the Knicks on the court -- Rose is a little-used, though well-respected big man, while Crawford leads the Knicks in scoring -- but not in payroll. Crawford makes $8.6 million this season, though he does have an opt-out in July. If he picks up the option, he has two more years at $9.3 million and $10 million in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

I just woke up and have to go to class, but more on this if and when it becomes official. My original comments on this deal are here. Leave your knee-jerk comments here. Oh, and this report originally comes from Peter Vescey, so, you know...

UPDATE: Is it Crawford or Rose? The implications on the rest of this season are pretty big. Could this possibly be a deluge of Crawford and Randolph in a three-team deal for Harrington, Cuttino Mobley, and TIM THOMAS!? More as it comes.

AFTERNOON UPDATE: It's Crawford for Harrington, it's done, and the Knicks may not be done today. Analysis will come once things settle down and the Knicks themselves makes it official.

MORE: The next step could be that aforementioned Randolph for expiring contracts deal. The GS deal might also include Italian guard Marco Bellinelli, who I think I wanted the Knicks to draft back in the day.

HOW ABOUT ANOTHER UPDATE?: Jamal Crawford:

"It's a whole new regime. You can't take stuff like this personally. I got to be professional and not take it personal. I'll be closer to home. It wouldn't be the end of the world. It would be disappointing. When things were bad, I was there. I wanted to be there when things got good.''

Mike D'Antoni:

"Donnie's plan is pretty clear that in a couple of years we'll be under the cap,'' D'Antoni said in Milwaukee. "Everything we do will lead us to the possibility of being under the cap in two years. Then I'll deal with making sure the team is competitive. We're not going to compromise our future because we might take a half-step.

UPDATEBURY: The Knicks Blog is reporting that the Knicks will activate Stephon Marbury for tonight's game in Milwaukee. Apparently this is because another trade will be made that is so ravaging that Steph will be needed to suit up enough guys. That promises to be awkward.

LAST UPDATE?: The second deal is done. Zach Randolph is heading to L.A. it seems, with the previously mentioned expiring friends Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley coming in return.

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Comments

i don't like it

i want crawford on the team. and harrington doesn’t sit well with me.

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 10:19 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

alan hahn is on the case

talking abotu a three way deal where we lose jamal, zach and (the one caveat) mardy collins we’ll get al harrington, tim thomas and cuttino mobley?

there better be a slew of deal to follow – otherwise i’m bored with this team.

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 10:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Tim Thomas

ugh.

DISASTER.

Ewing with the step...YES! and the foul!

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Nov 21, 2008 10:23 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

better than harrington

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 10:29 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

no way

i don’t like Harrington, but Tim Thomas is completely useless.

Ewing with the step...YES! and the foul!

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Nov 21, 2008 10:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

WHAT?

Posting and Toasting: Yes sir!

by Seth on Nov 21, 2008 11:10 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

this just in

http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/basketball/knicks/blog/2008/11/threeway_deal.html

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i'm torn on this

the ultimate goal is to get enough space cleared for LeBron and others in 2010. Harrington’s $9.7M comes off the books after this season, while Craw (with the player option) would be carried through 2011. plus dumping Rose is the ultimate addition by subtraction.

that being said, i love Craw and i think this team actually has the chance to make the playoffs with him. this 6-5 start has given me some hope, and i’m not sure how i feel about bailing on this season by bringing in Harrington.

i’ve maintained that i don’t care who stays/goes as long as they get space cleared for ‘10 and get competitive again. but, i’m leaning against parting with Crawford who is looking primed for a career year.

Ewing with the step...YES! and the foul!

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Nov 21, 2008 10:23 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

Love it

i am so glad Crawford is leaving the team.

He has been my least fav knick in a long time. His hot/cold play, no defense is not winning basketball.

Yes he is a nice guy… super…

plus money comes off the books!?!? even better.

by gbaked99 on Nov 21, 2008 10:54 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

next question

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 11:06 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

money coming off the books?

So what happens then when we don’t get Lebron and we suck for another 5 years?

This is crawful.

You all did love him once. - The New York Knicks.

by THEWILLY on Nov 21, 2008 11:14 AM EST reply actions 0 recs

its only ok if we get lebron

and amare

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 11:16 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

confidence

i think it’s likely lebron stays in cavs, especially if they make the finals or win it all this year or next. but the other free agents in the class are no slouch either. dwayne wade has been playing his ass off, and chris bosh, while not as splashy of a signing, is an unselfish (something the knicks have very little of) franchise player.

by tak4prez on Nov 21, 2008 11:48 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

its only ok if we get lebron

and amare

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 12:03 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Alright

I like the trade a hell of a lot if it is for Malik Rose. Giving up Crawford is tough; but for a talented and versatile big like Harrington, I think its ok. But – who is going to score if this happens?

And what about the bigger trade? I don’t like it, especially b/c Randolph has to be worth more than shitty Tim Thomas and washed up Cat mobley, right?

by Cody K on Nov 21, 2008 12:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

ha

check it
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/knicks/2008/11/21/2008-11-21_sources_knicks_have_deal_with_golden_sta.html

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 12:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Trade Crawford, who cares...

…The Knicks are doomed, anyway. Get LeBron in 2010, see if it makes a difference. He’ll still be a one man team, wherever he goes. he needs too much money – as if NY’s payroll isn’t through the roof, anyway.
I am all for this trade, if it gets a mediocre talent like Crawford out of the black hole that is the New York Knicks.

by dfjmed on Nov 21, 2008 12:44 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Banned.

by JayKim41 on Nov 21, 2008 1:17 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Real Talk

Can we ban this shithead?

"I'll probably go get lifted right now with Greg. Hey, and come back tomorrow and try to get another win."

-Renaldo

by solanumbrella on Nov 21, 2008 4:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

you guys got TNMT!

you’re getting a versatile player who can shoot and who does hustle. he can play anywhere from the 3-5. i’m sad to see him go, but his welcome was worn out. he was a pivotal player in the 06-07 We Believe, but that too is over.
with crawford, i’m stoked. he’s the kind of guard we need without boom dizzle and monta. love his hustle, love his 3pt %. not stoked on his assists, maybe that will change.

the stop calling him "beans" movement

by pervisNeverNervous on Nov 21, 2008 1:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

TMNT!

the stop calling him "beans" movement

by pervisNeverNervous on Nov 21, 2008 1:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

the november 21 theoretical trades spectrum

players i love:
jamal crawford

players i guess i like
al harrington

players i never thought i liked but are apparantly good at basketball:
zach randolph

players i dislike:
tim thomas
marco bellinelli

players i despise:
cuttino mobley

players who have taken literal years off my life due to playing for the knicks
malik rose, mardy collins

players i would cut off a nut to see on the knicks
lebron james

by Barnesgasm on Nov 21, 2008 1:30 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Marbury will be activated because another trade is in the works

Donnie Walsh is going insane! From The Knicks Blog:

TKB has learned that the Knicks are activating Stephon Marbury for tonight’s game in Milwaukee.
This is significant for a bevy of reasons:
Since Marbury has been banished, this decision is not because they’ve made room for him because of the Crawford deal.
Sources tell us that the team will activate Marbury because another trade is in the works so that the team can dress 8 players- an NBA rule.

Third Quarter Collapse: An Orlando Magic blog at SB Nation

by Ben Q Rock on Nov 21, 2008 1:57 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

I'm confused

help me out here gents….

Where does this leave the lineup? Is there not a glut at the 3/4 and a massive hole at the “2” now?

So let’s take stock for a second. You’ve got what looks like the following:

5: Lee/Curry/Jerome/Jeffries (I know, I know; when he comes back)
4: Randolph / Malik Rose
3: Chandler/Q Rich / Gallinari (IR)
2: [-] / Nate Rob / Roberson / Marbury
1: Duhon/Collins

Right?

So what now? Does Walsh/Coach D dust off Marbury? Do Nate Rob and Duhon form the world’s smallest backcourt? Does Roberson get 25 mins a game now?

I don’t get this – UNLESS (as postulated) another trade is in the works……but who would come over then? Which scoring 2 is even available? Aside from Cat “AARP” Mobley?

by Cody K on Nov 21, 2008 2:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

part of the reason

i wonder if bellinelli will end up being included, since the warriors got the guy they wanted.

Posting and Toasting: Yes sir!

by Seth on Nov 21, 2008 2:49 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Or....

ahhhhhhhh, now it is starting to make sense! Latest rumor:

NYK receives: Jerry Stackhouse, Marcus Camby

DAL receives: Zach Randolph

LAC receives: Josh Howard, Mardy Collins

Which corroborates what they said on the WFAN this morning, that a Randolph trade involving the Clips was in the works too. So they can dump Randolph and Crawford because NYK is effectively getting back Stack to plug in @ the 2 and Harrington to plug in @ the 4. Then your starting 5 looks like 5: camby, 4: Harrington 3: chandler 2: Stackhouse 1: duhon. F*ing awesome. TOTAL gunners.

Then, down the road, you trade Lee and Curry together. Lee makes next to no $$ and is an unrestricted FA next season. So you pawn him off on someone willing to take Curry on and then you have remade the roster.

by Cody K on Nov 21, 2008 3:06 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Donnie Nelson would never ever trade Howard for Randolph.

Ever.

Never ever.

by JayKim41 on Nov 21, 2008 3:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

You are assuming that all GM's act rationally at all times

Which isn’t the case in the NBA. At all.

by Cody K on Nov 21, 2008 3:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Don't even have to be rational here

Lemme see – Mav’s got Dirk at PF (and they don’t want to play him at Center) sooooooo besides the baggage Zach brings in both attitude and horrible contract, why on earth would this deal ever happen?

JayKim41 said it best in 3 words. :)

I'm no commie, but the Reds shall be the best again!

by RedHopeful on Nov 21, 2008 4:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

i think

we will probably see some more Q at the 2

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 3:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Chandler

Wilson could get time at the 2. He’s much more athletic and adept than either Q or I’m-not-even-close-to-6 feet Robinson. However, sounds like another deal will happen so we don’t even have to ponder this too much I bet.

I'm no commie, but the Reds shall be the best again!

by RedHopeful on Nov 21, 2008 4:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Crawford gone, Marbury dressing, Z-Bo to Dallas

this is a fucked-up day.

although i will say i’m all for Camby returning. at least that will give me some memory of the 1999 team while i watch this and the 2009-10 Knicks’ seasons go down the toilet.

Ewing with the step...YES! and the foul!

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Nov 21, 2008 3:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Mason,

What are you talking about? Where are you seeing that Zach’s coming to Dallas?

by JayKim41 on Nov 21, 2008 3:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

menage a trois

clippers dangling kaman toward dalls and camby toward new york it seems

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 3:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

if camby comes back

everything in this world is actually true and good.

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 3:57 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

West Coast take

Disclaimer. I’m a GSW fan from California.

In the Bay Area, it was known for over a month that AH wanted to be traded. Once he made it public that he wanted to be traded, Don Nelson stopped playing him and started playing the guys that would be replacing him. He then conveniently got a ‘sore back’. I’m pretty sure he is fine. The GSWs needed an excuse to not play him. AH was never really part of GSWs future because they have a bunch of young talented guys that play a similar position that will be the future of the team.

AH – an athletic big man, but probably more of a 3 than a 4. a 5-6 rebound a game because he is an decent 3pt shooter and likes perimeter game. Has the ability to be 8-9 rebounds a game, but doesnt have the mentality. Inside game isn’t that good. Pretty good defender. Not a bad team guy. On the GSWs was basically a sixth man. I think in D’antoi’s system he’s a 18 ppg/6.5 rb guy.

JC – I don’t know anything about him really except his stats. Radio and blogs here are expecting him to be a 1 (the GSWs dont really have a starting point guard on the team anyways – the guy they play should be a backup). Can he handle? Pass? as defender? Nellie tends to make people better (Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson have become studs with GSW) does he have room to grow? does he have BB IQ? Can he run a break?

Overall – seems like the NYK did this for cap room for 2010. But the knicks, pistons, bulls etc can’t all get LeBron. Big gamble in that sense. Stats wise, AH could probably replace JC’s scoring, albeit a different position. For GSW, they get a possible 1 (maybe 1.5) for a player that wasn’t going to play for them ever again. So essentially it was free. From a fans persective, most of us had forgotten AH was on the team, because he hadn’t played in so long and his replacements (Anthony Morrow, Brendan Wright, Kelenna Azibuke) have been great in his absence. We were just hoping that his trade value hadn’t gone down since he went public with trade demands. Most people are pretty surprised to get a young 19ppg player. I was dreading getting Marbury or Ricky Davis or Stromile Swift…something like that. The cap space isn’t as important for GSW because no LeBron or Amare is coming to the Bay Area. I think the GSW’s will score alot of points especially when Monte Ellis comes back and maybe lead the league in scoring. How many games they win is another story. Probably 7-8 seed in the west if they over-achieve and Portland underachieves. Maybe a first round upset. Probably not. But they will be fun to watch.

by save10 on Nov 21, 2008 3:54 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

jamal

is a great defender in the passing lanes. but there is no on ball defense in sight and the help defense is suspect and flat footed – but i feel like that’s a knick thing.

on offense however, you have someone with a filth ridden handle, i mean it’s just putrid. his handle is definitely tougher than monta’s and on par with baron davis – if not better. he cans jumpers in people fucking faces and it always hurts the defender’s morale. ask bruce bowen which way jamal is going and he will probably scream at you. at least once a game he gets fouled shooting a 3. so that should give you an idea of how much attention defenses are paying.

you got a steal. yuo’re lucky the warriors are my secodn favroite team

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 4:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

disagree

you got a streaky shooter to the max

someone who playes NO defense… and may get you 1 or 2 boards a game

He has looked poor running an offense. Not a 1.

He may drop 50 on a night, and its great to watch… but he also will drop 3. he will give you 3 point nights more then 50 point nights.

I am soooo glad craw is gone. He is my least favorite type of basketball player. A guy who is great 1-on-1, but doesnt play a solid team game. Plus, he is pencil thin… so he never goes to the hoop. Always jump shots.

by gbaked99 on Nov 21, 2008 4:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree with this

Crawford’s a fun player to watch, but can be maddeningly inconsistent, and I’m not sure he helps make a team better.

by cjmulrain on Nov 21, 2008 5:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

man listen

i see the way your team plays… jamal’s handle is filthy. punks jump up to get beat down.

by stingy d on Nov 21, 2008 6:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Feelin' it...

I’m feelin it with stingy d’s comments. W’s fan here, and I took a peek at some youtube clips of Craw and dude has filthy handles…I think this guy will be able to break down opposing d and dish if he can’t make it to the rack. Unlike with the NYK we have plenty of guys who can make that open trey off of Craws dribble drive.

As for D, that’s never been a strength for the W’s anyhow, although improving this year. Nellie knows what he’s getting on D, and will run help out for him so I’m not really tripping on that.

I like what I see….

As for Al Harrington, he’s a talented player but low post ain’t his specialty and he has no hops for a “big” guy. Will miss open layups under the hoop. Can play decent D and can shoot when he’s on – poor rebounder for his size though.

Hope this trade is a win – win for both teams. Best of luck Knick fans!

by GeeEssDub on Nov 21, 2008 7:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs