Knicks 2010 Plan Needs to be Realistic
by NYKBBall238 on Jul 12, 2009 10:17 PM EDT
27 comments
The year 2010 is to Knicks fans as the age 16 is to teenagers. New. Full of hope. Full of expectations. When the age 16 approaches, many teens are expecting a car and a whole new batch of freedom. How often does this actually happen? Very rarely, and when it does, the car is probably beat up and used, quite different looking from the car you pictured in your dream. And that freedom? You're 16 for crying out loud! 2010 is the same. It's just a number. And while dreams are great, realism is normally more effective.
I'm sorry to say, but we have dreams for a reason.
As amazing as that sounds, the Knicks brass has to stay realistic. The dream of having two max free agents is getting in the way of the franchise. First of all, the chances of one player (forget two) coming to New York when your number one draw (aside from the city) is a second year player coming off back surgery is slim to none. Lebron's going to be coming off two 60 win seasons, Wade will likely go to Chicago if he leaves Miami, and who knows about Bosh, Dirk, Nash, etc. The point is, it's way too risky.
So, here's my plan:
-Resign David Lee. Walsh has played this pretty much perfectly if he does intend on signing Lee. His suitors are already gone, so the Knicks should have a reasonable time signing Dave. Don't low ball him, we don't want him signing the qualifying offer. 7-8 million a year is not a bad deal for a young big man who gave you 16/11 last year. Varejao just got 50 mil, Millsap got 8 mil a year. Don't be too smart with this one.
-Resign Nate Robinson. What, Nate too? Yup. Nate will always bring it so there is no worry about his trade value going down after a big year last year. His production will be fine. His value will be key to the rest of the plan.
-Find a suitor for Jeffries: He has a two year deal. This won't be ridiculously difficult, especially with Nate around. A team will be desperate around the trade deadline to get a spark plug like Nate off the bench, which will allow the Knicks to unload Jeffries' contract along with him. Nate+Jeffries for an expiring deal.
-*Try to trade Eddy Curry*: This is a lot less likely. However, good signs have come from Eddy's summer training, and if the Knicks play him and he does well, his value may rise from nothing to a penny. Trading Eddy and Cuttino's trade exception for a big expiring contract (i.e T-Mac) is wishful thinking, but just maybe possible.
-Try to attain respectability this year: This team sucks and we don't have our pick. Sad story. We do, however, have a good coach who's teams often over achieve. 35 wins would show free agents that the Knicks are at least on their way up.
-Try to entice one marquee free agent in 2010. Anyone. While Knicks fans hearts might be set on Wade or Lebron, that's unlikely. Instead, think realistically and try to build a playoff quality roster. Piece by piece. If we end up with Amare, Joe Johnson, or Manu, be happy!
-Make a conscious effort to win. Use the MLE, trade for some good vets. David Lee, Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, Jordan Hill, Toney Douglas, 1 MAX FA, an MLE should be a team ready to compete for years to come.
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A-Rod went to the Texas Rangers
coming off a 71-win season for $250 million.
Kobe enertained signing with the Clippers a few years ago.
players routinely leave their contending teams (i.e. Albert Haynesworth) to sign with the crappy Redskins via free agency.
i’m not trying to pretend it’s all sunshine and rainbows, but people that are downplaying the Knicks chances of landing a big free agent because the team is struggling are kidding themselves.
money talks.
Ewing with the step...YES! and the foul!
by Anthony Masons Haircut on Jul 13, 2009 5:21 PM EDT reply actions
the difference is
that Kobe is really not dumb enough to go to the Clippers, and also A-Rod and Haynesworth’s offers blew away any other offer.
The big FA can earn more with their respective teams if they are offered the max deals they will earn.
If money really talks, then Id think these guys can stay where they are at. Can they really earn so much in advertising simply by going to NY? Those main 2 seem to be doing fine with those T-Mobile and Nike Commercials, so I don’t know.
The only real thing that will entice these guys is simply that its NY, and no other city respects and loves the game of basketball more. I mean people still pay out of their asses to watch those piece of shit teams Isiah trotted out there.
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 13, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions
no way
a billboard on any avenue in manhattan is bound to generate more revenue than in, shall we say, cleveland. if big time guys come to ny their markeablity skyrockets because the city itself is marketable and a market-worthy tool. you put lebron in front of the statue of liberty…. it makes money and it makes sense. you put him in front of some celvelandian statue and it makes money and sense to a very select slice of the world market.
the small town story even prevails and pushes the idea of america’s streets being paved with gold. the land of opportunity. it’s still out there.
i don’t know who a-rod is or haynseowrth is. but they don’t play basketball. and basketball really has what it takes to market individuals hevily.
anyway, there’s money to be made, not even a question.
twitter.com/aighttho
I agree Mas ...
the Knicks may not get two “Tier 1” free agents to sign, but they’ll get one, no doubt.
Whenever one rumor becomes popular (the Knicks will get LeBron), you’ll automatically see a backlash that swings the pendulum all the way to the other side (the Knicks won’t sign anyone). Everyone wants to be on one end of the extreme or the other.
In reality, we probably won’t sign LeBron (although I don’t think this is as unrealistic as most), but one of the big guns will want to showcase his talent in NY. I don’t care how bad we’ve been for how long … money talks … and other than the Lakers or perhaps the Bulls, NY is the best place for a king-sized ego. And there are plenty of those available, for sure.
by BernardKingHOF on Jul 14, 2009 9:55 PM EDT up reply actions
tell it bernard
we will absolutely get the biggest ego available. i cmpletely agree. and i can’t fucking wait
twitter.com/aighttho
well
First of all, the chances of one player (forget two) coming to New York when your number one draw (aside from the city) is a second year player coming off back surgery is slim to none.
Well… you yourself noted the true #1 draw, which is the city itself. #2 would be our offense loving coach. #3 would be the marketing potential for a star. #4 is the opportunity to turn around a storied franchise and being known for it forever. #5 might be the cock, but you dont know what will happen between now and then.
money does talk, and as freebradshaw pointed out, a player can make the most money by returning to his former team.
how many people in this discussion know anything about marketing? seriously how many of us have any kind of a clue as to how advertising works? What sponsors pay their people? How much is Jeter getting for thos ford ads? We shouldn’t be speculating on aspects of business that we’re completely ignorant of. I know LBJ got around $100000000 from nike. look at all those zeros it doesn’t even look like a real number. if he can command that in cleveland I think he’s doing alright for advertising money.
new york is the media capital of the U.S.
i wouldnt underestimate its value
"if it aint broke, dont break it"
ezackly
you can sell a lebron in front of the statue of liberty t-shirt to a chinese woman in japan. but you’d be hard pressed to sell lebron in front of the rock and roll hall of fame to the same woman. because she loves herself a nice big obelisk. maybe if you convinced her it was the louvre you could get her hooked. but, my money is on lady liberty.
twitter.com/aighttho
the point is
A Japanese woman can give a crap about what is behind Lebron in his picture.
The fact Lebron’s picture is IN Japan matters.
Lebron and his marketing are NOT centralized on NY, its the entire globe.
The only ones that make more money off Lebron in NY is the Knicks. They get money off him wearing the blue and orange.
We’d see Knicks games on prime time, people in Siberia would see Lebron on TV, and there would be little kids in Nicaragua with Lebron NY Knicks jerseys.
The only difference is the name on the jersey. Lebron is everywhere now. He doesn’t need the Knicks, the Knicks need him.
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 17, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
There's a bigger fanbase in NY
than in Cleveland and Id think all the bandwagon Lebron fans would take their useless carcasses over to the NY Knicks side of things.
Jersey sales, new jersey sales, is the biggest spot where Lebron would get money from.
lebron’s on billboards in NY anyway…he’s just in Cleveland gear.
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 17, 2009 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions
i think the koreans would like it better if he was in ny
just my opinion
"if it aint broke, dont break it"
nobody cares about the laotians
ever
Posting and Toasting: "Say yo Oak, what's the dish tonight? A couple steaks on the grill and we season it right."
I drank
breast milk from a Cambodian woman once
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 17, 2009 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions
LeBron.Loves.NY
There are a lot of reasons why LeBron should come to NY. In terms of marketing, sure hes doing just dandy in Cleveland. But he has said he wants to be a billion dollar athlete. he wants the global recognition. Cleveland is far from NY in terms of visibility and recognition. He wants the big stage. MSG is the biggest basketball stage. Whatever endorsements and visibility he gets in Cleveland, moving to NY will easily up that. No one questions that.
That being said….he doesnt want to rebuild. He wants to step in ready to win. So all NY has to do is show that we have a solid base and we are ready to be led. I personally don’t think Walsh and Dolan are doing the best job of this if they keep trimming and letting players like Lee, Nate walk. Look at Miami… they were doing a similar thing in waiting to make any moves before Wade decides what to do. Wade asked them to make moves to build the team first. Lebron wants the same thing.
He’s ready to come to NY. But if we trot out a starting lineup of college guys and NBA bench players… he won’t. But he will.
by Chris Child's Fist on Jul 17, 2009 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions
yea man
i also heard that nike would give him the most ludicrous pile of cash ever if he went to ny.
nevertheless i have been sick of talking about this lebron leaving shit ever since we traded jamal crawford and i watched the cavs absolutely fucking torch us.
twitter.com/aighttho
The view from Chicago - the ghost of Isiah haunts this team
I do feel for you guys. You are great fans. You know basket ball probably better than any other NBA fans. You are loyal. You still fill MSG. You do not deserve to be punished but it appears to me that you are still being punished by the ghost of Isiah Thomas.
2010 FAs – The Bulls are one of the teams positioning themselves for the 2010 FA class. It is going to be tough getting a top tier player. From what we are reading the player would have to give up $30 million to leave their team. It is going to be particularly difficult if the cap significantly decreases as most predict it will. Unless there is some unknown extenuating circumstance/s I do not believe a top tier free agent is likely to leave their team. The Bulls would love Bosh, Wade or J Johnson. I do not think the top tier 2010 FAs are going to leave their teams.
The 2010 draft - This is where Isiah hurt your team terribly. Giving away an unprotected first round pick for the upcoming season is unforgivable. My perception, and I am not psychic but it does seem to me you are likely to end up deep into the lottery next year. Again, it is still early and you do have an excellent GM but the players still available have questionable value to impact a team for 2009-10. Even if you sign D Lee you appear in the running to have the the #1 overall pick for the June 2010 draft. Sacramento, Minnesota, New Jersey and possibly Memphis are the only teams competing for the worst teams in the NBA at this point for the 2009-10 season. Memphis does seem a notch better than the Knicks but that is arguable. You will need to wait until the June 2011 draft to really start to build.
I have never seen a GM screw up a team as bad as Isiah did . His legend will be the extent he ruined the great Knick franchise.
You're right on the
ghost thing, but I don’t really know about the running for #1 overall. Of course if tehy are in the lottery the Knicks could win it, like the Bulls did with Rose, which would suck.
If the Knicks don’t sign Lee AND Nate, it could be a rocky season. But guys like Al harrington can go for 40 any night, Chandler might just break out this season, and we all don’t know what exactly Gallo will bring cuz he was not at all healthy last season, but looked like a NBA player.
A big thing could be Ramon Sessions. He could absolutely go off in Pringles system, if Duhon can do what he did last season, imagine what a PG who is actually a starter on many teams could do?
And the Bulls seem like a spot for any of the 2010 FA, simply because of Rose. He looks like he’ll be as good as deron Williams or maybe even a more athletic Jason Kidd (young Jason tho..), who wouldn’t want to play with him?
This draft class after this season is definitely one you WANT to be in the draft, and it really sucks that our pick is unprotected.
by FreeBradshaw on Jul 19, 2009 9:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Knicks are bad
i’m not going to argue that fact.
but they are certainly worlds better than Sacramento and Minnesota. and i still like what they have right now more than what Toronto, New Jersey, and Oklahoma City will put on the floor next season.
Ewing with the step...YES! and the foul!
by Anthony Masons Haircut on Jul 19, 2009 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions
The only one who knows what Lebron is doing is Lebron
and sometimes I don’t even think he knows, but he’s having fun watching the world speculate.
I would love LBJ to play in NY and if we land him which is a big possibility great. If not, I’m okay with that.
I don’t think it will be out of the realm of possibility to lure two stars….difficult ? Yes, but other than our rooks we only have Jefferies, Wil and Gallo’s options that we’ll pick up and maybe Curry on the books( not sure if he has an option after this year). The beauty of restricted free agency is that we can choose what pieces of the puzzle we’ll keep and can go over the cap to sign them without sacrificing Lebron or any other big names in 2010.
Even if our team record turns LBJ off and the city’s essence doesn’t entice him…with 30 to 40 million to play with at worst, we’ll land some big name that can make a difference.
Some might balk at the last few losing seasons and want to sign to contenders but there will be other players who will settle for cash and even better than that, players who want the challenge of reviving and building a contender from the ground up.
What did the 5 fingers say to the face?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7CBwX1891A
HaHaHaHa!
by Lord Smackington on Jul 24, 2009 4:08 PM EDT reply actions
the sad thing is
that the only way we can clear eddy curry n jared jeffries is through a trade. and they r probably the most unwanted players in the nba.
btw whoever thinks that marketing in cleveland is the same as marketing in nyc has to be on crack. we have the largest urban transit system in the c ountry. every bus every train car is ad space.
we have more recognizable buildings and symbols then any other city. last time i checked the ny post and daily news were circulated all over the country. do any of you guys even know the newspaper in cleveland?
oh cleveland….
your a mom and pop. im a corporation.
im a press conference. your a conversation.
bottom line— nyc>>>>cleveland
cleveland plain dealer
i didn’t look it up. but i’m pretty sure that’s their newspaper.
twitter.com/aighttho
I was thinking about trading Curry and Jeffries and about the best I could come up with was
Curry for Kenny Thomas and Beno Udrih. Thomas is a useless expiring contract and Udrih is a relatively useless long-term contract, but the combination of them actually knocks an extra $4.5M off your 2010 cap figure.
Which might enable you to do something, I guess.
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