Sessions vs. Nate

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Mar 11, 2009 10:17 AM EDT Comment 10 comments

To continue the discussion from last night and today's recap, I decided to try to make the argument that going after Ramon Sessions and letting Nate walk may be more beneficial than signing Nate to a long-term deal.

If you take a look at the stats, Sessions PER numbers this season are nothing to scoff at:

16.7 ppg, 6.4 ast, 4.4 reb, 1.4 stl, 45% FG

Those numbers are pretty much a wash when compared with Nate's:

17.9 ppg, 4.0 ast, 2.7 reb, 1.5 stl, 45% FG

PROS: Sessions turns just 23 in April and only made $424K this year. He's 6'3, and can play defense. Not that Nate is the worst defender in the world, but his height is certainly a glaring flaw.

CONS: Sessions is NOT a three-point shooter. In fact, he's just 6-33 for the entire season (Nte probably shoots 33 three-pointers a week). Also, his dunks aren't as cool.

Considering that he made $427K this year, i'm assuming (emphasis on "assuming") that Sessions shouldn't demand much more than about $6M on a short deal, maybe three years or so at $2M per. That's a big drop-off from Nate, who should command anywhere from $5-7M per year. I'd like to re-sign Nate, but the organization has to keep the blueprints for 2010 intact. If you can get a player with similar production for one-third (or even one-fourth) of the cost, it makes sense.

It's at least something to consider.

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It's very close

Nate’s second half of the year has been astoundingly good, even with his defensive issues. Take a look at the pre and post All Star Game splits here

That said, Sessions is younger, and would be cheaper. Plus, with Nate’s rising star status, they might be able to get a decent sign-and-trade deal done where they either lose a bad contract (i.e. Jeffries) or pick up a young athletic shot-blocking type.

As much as I love Nate, and I do really enjoy having a guy like Nate on my team, Sessions is a perfect fit in terms of skills, age, and salary.

Listen to the Disciples of Clyde NBA Podcast. It's sleek and unique. It's rippin' and dippin'. It's weekly and, um, weekly.

by DiscipleofClyde Dan on Mar 11, 2009 12:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

his skills are NOT a perfect fit

you gotta have guys that fit the system as well as are good on paper. nate’s shooting keeps him on the floor. we have a coach that wants a rookie to shoot 8 bombs a night; and you guys are proposing that this upstart who has taken 33 so far this year and made about 4% is a good fit.

he is jared jeffries without the length and awkward inability. i hate this argument. let’s trade duhon’s expiring contract for sessions’s;ss;‘s’ new deal, throw in jeffries, give ’em 2 bills and holla at them watery suckers for a second round draft pick.

STOP DOWNPLAYING NATE

everybody!

by stingy d on Mar 11, 2009 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

The problem with Sessions is that he can't hit threes,

and therefore doesn’t work in the SSOL offense.
Also, Nate has been amazing. So I’d still take Nate here.

"You remember the first time you picked up a basketball video game and you had no idea how to run plays, so you just gave the ball to your shooter and you ran around the court aimlessly until a defender was far enough away and then you jacked up a shot? THAT IS LARRY HUGHES!"
-Anonymous fan letter, heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com

by Prevenge on Mar 11, 2009 2:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i'm not arguing that Sessions is a better player

i don’t think he is. but considering how much Nate is going to cost compared to a player like Sessions, who isn’t much of a statistical drop-off at all, it may be the more responsible move to make when looking forward to 2010.

yes, D’Antoni’s offensive system is based on guys that can shoot from the outside, which is something that Sessions doesn’t do. but, considering how horrid this team is defensively, Sessions immediately becomes the Knicks best perimeter defender. as long as Sessions is surrounded by guys that can shoot like Gallo, Duhon (40% from three this year), Hughes (who can be just as streaky as Nate), Al, and Wil it shouldn’t matter. i’ll take the upgrade defensively for the slight downgrade offensively. even though he can’t shoot from 3, Sessions still puts up similar scoring numbers to Nate on average.

Nate is a good player and a great 6th man. but he’s not a star and he shouldn’t get paid like one.

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

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Mar 11, 2009 2:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

i agree to an extent

but i have been a firm believer in offering nate a justifiable salary. he is one of the most explosive players in the game coming off the bench. and i think he should be starting. i’d take my chances signing nate and hoping we can get rid of the deadweight.

i’m not sold on duhon to be honest. but i think he has proven that he is in fact a valuable player, even with starter’s minutes. with that in mind, i say dump him instead. i think nate will prove to be worth it. i think nate is only going to get better. not to take away from sessions. but nate is the guy.

by stingy d on Mar 11, 2009 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm not anti-Nate

My only concern is on defense. Nate can be a liability on that end. Sessions isn’t particularly good on defense, but he’s more reliable than Nate.

Sessions can penetrate, though, and that can overcome his lack of great shooting. He can get into the lane, which draws the defense in, which leaves Gallo or Chandler or Hughes or whoever open for threes.

Ideally, I’d like to keep Nate (for a reasonable price) and get Sessions to replace Duhon. Duhon is an average point guard, at best. Always has been, always will be. Sessions has a chance to be way better than average.

Listen to the Disciples of Clyde NBA Podcast. It's sleek and unique. It's rippin' and dippin'. It's weekly and, um, weekly.

by DiscipleofClyde Dan on Mar 11, 2009 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

good point

i think Sessions can be a starting PG in this league, whereas Duhon is ideally a backup.

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

by Anthony Masons Haircut on Mar 11, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

This is so wrong

This is typical of the problems that result when fans look only at the stat line. Nate’s value goes way beyond that. I think Nate’s upside is much greater than Session’s.

As long as we don’t have to overpay for Nate, I can’t see any reason why we wouldn’t sign him in the offseason. Nate Robinson and David Lee are both one of the bright spots on the team, one of the reasons that I and a lot of other fans even bother to even watch a Knicks game. Funny thing is, a lot of supposedly ‘knowledgeable’ Knick fan have consistantly been putting them down and talking about getting rid of them.

If you wan’t to talk about improving the team, then look at getting rid of Curry or Q or acquiring a top player..

by babbaloo on Mar 15, 2009 9:22 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs