Rumors galore involving the Knicks at all-star weekend. Let's take them on one at a time...
* - The most interesting story I've read so far is from SI.com, which quotes a rival GM who deals with the Knicks often. "Everybody thinks [Isiah]'s on his way out," the GM says to SI. "I don't get that impression at all."
Though some GMs like to have fun with the media, be very afraid, Fixers. This is exactly what I've been warning for a few weeks now. If Isiah is allowed to make a major move or two , it suggests he has a stronger hold on his job than anyone believes - or would like to believe.
Newsday reported in January that James Dolan has considered an exit strategy, especially if the team fails to make the playoffs, which, down 7.5 games with 30 to go, seems likely. I still believe that Dolan almost has to make the move in April and start fresh and you can see Dolan and Isiah coming to a mutual parting of ways.
* - The Post published a rumor that had the Knicks interested in Linas Kleiza, who is a very intriguing young player. He's tough, versatile and smart and can knock down shots (he twice lit up the Knicks earlier this season with 18 points in both games). He had 41 points in a win over Utah on Jan. 13.
But tell me again why the Nuggets would send such a promising player who is so cheap at $1.8 million next season and has a Q.O. at $2.7 million in 2009-10 to the Knicks for Zach Randolph's big salary? How exactly does Randolph fit in a Nuggets offense that already is struggling with Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony needing the ball? Imagine adding a low-post guy who shuts it down if he's not getting touches on every possession?
I say this one is bogus. Or Nuggets GM Mark Warkentien, who drafted Z-Bo in Portland, is dumber than we know.
* - Everyone, including us, has reported that the Kings are heavily shopping Ron Artest. Carmelo spoke publicly again about getting Ron-Ron and told the Rocky Mountain News that it "will make our team a lot more powerful, a lot more stronger, a lot deeper than we are right now." He's right. Add Artest with Camby and you have a formidable defensive frontcourt. Here is where I can see Kleiza involved. Geoff Petrie loves shooters. Watch this one. Everyone feels Artest is on his way to another team by Thursday. The Knicks still are an option, but, again, Petrie wants shooters. He doesn't take players who can't shoot, so that knocks out Jared Jeffries and Renaldo Balkman.
Artest is somewhat of a risk, too, because he can opt-out. He could wind up being merely a rental.
* - Jason Kidd is still a Net, so the question about what side he'd play for in the all-star game this weekend if he did get traded to Dallas doesn't need to be answered. What does need to be answered is how so many loose lips sank this deal before it got done. Devean George and his agent, Mark Bartlestein, pulled off the ultimate power play by blocking the trade (shrewd move by Bartlestein and the sign of good agent who pays attention). But while that seemed like a speed bump to completing a deal -- just find another player or satisfy George financially -- hit a major roadblock when Jerry Stackhouse ran his mouth to an AP reporter about how he may be in the trade but he wouldn't be going to New Jersey. Apparently, Rod Thorn and Donnie Walsh built into the trade an agreement that the Nets would buyout Stack and then after the 30-day moratorium, re-sign with the Mavs in time for the playoffs.
That, Fixers, is against the rules in the NBA, which, according to ESPN, would block Stackhouse from signing with Dallas, which would kibosh the deal.
Watch the fireworks here. Mark Cuban has already had it out with David Stern on a number of things in the past. Cuban didn't want to give up Stack, but once they figured out a way the Mavs could get Stackhouse back, he agreed to it.
They have a week to get this one done. I wonder if another team out there jumps in?
* - OK, now it's your turn. I've seen some of your trade ideas already. Have to say I hate the one posted about a multi-player deal between the Knicks and Cavs. Too much garbage going both ways. Cleveland is not going to gut its team right now, they're in the mix and playing very well in the second half. They have needs, but aside from David Lee and Nate Robinson, I don't see anything the Cavs would be interested in from the Knicks.
Post here your ideas, but they have to first be approved by the ESPN trade tracker. We'll come back and discuss the best ones. Here's your chance: you are the GM of the Knicks with 30 games left in the season. What do you do and why?
Enjoy!
Comments (26)
Alan,
Is Donny Walsh working for the Mavericks?
The rumored Randolph trade is the exact type of trade the Knicks need to be trying to make. Hopefully it somehow happens.
Both Randolph and Curry need to go.
Build the team around Lee, Robinson, Balkman, and Crawford. Give Chandler and Morris playing time and see what they got.
Continue to lose, get lucky in the lottery, draft best PG available.
Fire Isiah once the season ends. Bring in a defensive-minded coach.
Alan,
Thoughts on these two trades? Both were approved by the Trade Machine.
1) Knicks and Nuggets
Knicks send Zach Randolph and Wilson Chandler to the Nuggets for Linas Kleiza, Eduardo Najera, Steven Hunter, and J.R. Smith.
2) Knicks and Kings
Knicks send Eddy Curry, Nate Robinson, Renaldo Balkman, and Malik Rose to the Kings for Ron Artest and Mike Bibby.
What do you think?
Thanks,
Eric
If you’re going to rebuild this thing, you have start with clearing out any contracts that extend beyond summer ’10, when LBH, Wade, and Bosh become free agents, while keeping foundation pieces like Nate, DLee, and Balkman. With that in mind, here goes:
Steady Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries for Ricky Davis and Jason Williams.
Jamal Crawford and Malik Rose for Larry Hughes, Damon Jones, and a protected No. 1.
Fred Jones, Wilson Chandler, and Mardy Collins for Kyle Lowry and Brian Cardinal. (You eat Cardinal’s bad contract, but it expires in two years and you get a foundation piece in Lowry.)
Then, pray Isiah gets fired, Colangelo gets hired and lures Mike D’Antoni from PHX, and NYK gets Derrick Rose in the lotto.
On D’Antoni: PHX has a two-year window with Shaq and Nash, and then they’re in a world of hurt since ownership has sold off all their draft picks in recent years. That’s not going to be a fun situation to be in, especially since reports indicate that he has a different philosophy than Steve Kerr. Getting him away from PHX would require compensation, which is a problem since NYK is in no position to give up draft picks. Maybe I’m just dreaming.
Zach for Big Ben. Works in the Trade Machine.
Chicago gets: low-post scoring
NY gets: a modicum of defense and rebounding, plus more importantly, a year of salary relief (Ben's contract runs out in 2010, Zach's in 2011)
Plus, without his main competition on the low blocks, Eddy might well become an effective scorer again, and pairing him with a genuinely complementary (if aging) player will certainly help balance the team on the floor.
Alan Check out this trade. It work on ESPN trade machine:
NY
Nene
Kenny Thomas
Bibby
Najara
Artest
Sacramento
Marbury
Curry
Denver
Randolph
NY gets the quick fix. Sacramento gets a BIG MAN and Denver's GM gets his boy Randolph.
Also Buy out Jerome James
How about Z-Bo, Randolph Morris, Mardy Collins and Fred Jones for Mike Miller, Brian Cardinals, Andre Brown and Kyle Lowry. I think it would depend on how much they really hate Cardinals contract
Just trade Randolph, preferably for an expiring contract/s, because,his contract is too long running.
Even though Curry can't defend, his contract is more reasonable.
Marbury's deal as well as Malik's come off the books in 2009, so maybe we could unload them next season and get back more expiring deals.
It would be great if we could just dump salary, develop our young guys, and then surround them with a high draft pick i.e. Mayo, and then sign a superstar in 2010 with our cap space.
Alan,
Here is a 3 for 3 proposal
Knicks trade: Curry, Jones, Balkman
Grizzlies trade: Milicic, Miller, Lowry
The trade could be expanded to include Malik Rose & Brian Cardinal if Memphis is looking to reduce the years left on a bad contract.
to the Nuggets
Zach Randolph
Wilson Chander
to the Knicks
Steven Hunter
Eduardo Najera
J.R. Smith
Linas Kleiza
* builds for the future without making too many commitments,
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/features/traderesult?players=3194~1017~1002~2770~591~2444&teams=7~7~18~18~18~18&te=&cash=
“you are the GM of the Knicks with 30 games left in the season. What do you do and why?”
My first move is obvious. I fire Isiah Thomas. (My second move is to open back-channel negotiations with Steve Tisch to buy the team, but that’s a long-term strategy, ‘nuff said about it for now.)
Then I answer every phone call over the next week, but I make none. Unless I can come out of a trade with net-loss of total contract-years and/or a new draft pick . . . I do nothing until the ping-pong balls fly.
THEN . . . I commit short-term to Zbo at the 4. (He’s still a nightly double-double. When you have a team with SO little talent for a starting unit, you have to set priorities.) Needs? Obvious. Point guard. Small forward. Defense-oriented center. Depending on what’s available, I can also probably live with Crawford at shooting guard, at least until I can replace him in the starting line-up, and bring him off the bench. I also try to find out if James can give me 20-25 minutes a night for a season or two. Blocking shots and clogging up the middle? He’s less of an answer than Crawford, but I don’t think “desperate” is hyperbole when describing the situation this team is in. That reduces the MOST immediate priorities to point guard and small forward. But, of course, trades are also situational. You never know who’s going to be available, for which of your assets. So I’m also always looking for a starting shooting guard and center.
This summer I go all-out to sign Ron Artest. Not only are his talents exactly what’s been missing on this team . . . but with Artest on the floor, you can even get away with playing Eddy Curry a little. (If you can’t dump him, that is, which I try to do. Hey, we’ve got 2 lottery picks invested in the stiff.)
As GM, I make NO moves this week focusing on this year, only the future. And I commit to playing Chandler and Morris and Collins and Balkman until they drop over the last 30 games so I have a better idea over the summer what I can legitimately expect from them. (Perhaps the greatest tragedy of this year is that Isiah won’t even go into summer knowing that much, when this wasted year should be the perfect opportunity to develop the young “talent.”)
New GM of the Knicks must be like EMS arriving at a bad car wreck, with bloody, broken bodies all over the road. Where do you start cleaning up this mess?
O.K. Just bare with my proposal of two trades:
Trade one: Knicks send Indiana Zach Randolph & Malik Rose for Jermaine O’Neal (Knicks waive medical concerns if necessary).
Trade two: Knicks send Quentin Richardson, Jamal Crawford, and Jarred Jeffries for Tracy McGrady.
Pacers receive earlier partial cap relief with Malik Rose and a true low post presence in Zach.
Rockets receive depth and scoring for their bench. Q paired w/Bonzi gives the rockets a tall line up and Crawford provides scoring off the bench. Jarred Jeffries finally finds a role for his multiple position play.
Knicks receive two legit starters and more importantly Isiah loyalist and leadership (O’Neal). The Knicks rest both the rest of the season to be healthy next year.
Isiah has cleaned space on the bench for draft prospects and/or free agents. The Knicks give Randolph Morris, Wilson Chandler, and Mardy Collins increased playing time the second half of the season to develop and improve their chances at the lottery.
Next season they come back with McGrady, O’Neal, Curry, and Marbury, yes Marbury. It is his last season and they go for the playoffs with the real all-stars keeping him in check. The bench get’s to be a bench and we ride or die.
Lastly, McGrady and O’Neals contracts expire sooner than the players they traded for and right in time for the big free agency period that includes Lebron and others. Low risk for dolan if he chooses to fire Isiah.
(or just send z-bo and collins to miami for davis and williams. they get a legit low post guy, who rebounds, who'd prolly be pretty good next to haslem and marion. and we get cap space. if we can get second rounders or whatever, then fine.)
these are the moves i make:
send curry to miami for jwill, and whatever picks miami would give. done. clears cap, get picks. they could use a real low post scorer, and marion and haslem would make up for his defensive/rebounding deficiencies.
send crawford to cleveland for ira newble, shannon brown, devin brown, and cedric simmons. the first three players all have expiring deals, and simmons is a young big who was well touted from last years draft.
the denver deal for z-bo would work for me too, but we'd' have to not include chandler. send them collins instead, as the have a need for a point guard. (i know we do to, but collins isn't our answer. collins would be a solid backup for them.)
i like getting kleiza, cap relief, and hunter as a back up.
we don't need anymore big names.
hopefully we get lucky and land derek rose, and let him run with chandler, nate, balkman and lee. heck let morris get out there too.
If I'm the GM I do only two trades to cut the fat, figuratively and literally, by getting rid of Eddy and Zach.
First I do the Denver deal involving Zach. This trade alone puts us under the cap at the end of the next year, which we'll be instrumental in resigning Nate and Lee (We know Lee is going to be asking for a good bit, as well he should).
If possible then, I try to trade Eddy to Miami for Jason Williams. That gives us an extra 9 mill off the books at the end of this year.
The main thing about these trades are they don't touch the core players (Lee, Nate, Crawford, Balkman, Jeffries), they relieve us of two of our big contracts and problem players in Curry and Randolph, and they help put us in good salary cap standing for not only the year we have to resign players (Lee and Nate) but the year when big name free agents will be available (2010:Lebron, Wade, Carmelo).
Here is are a few Trades:
Eddie Curry for Jason Williams (salaries match)
Eddie Curry for Mehmet Okur (Utah)- They both have the same amount of years left (3) on the contract, but Okur likes to shoot jumper's and 3's, and is the better passer than Eddie Curry
Zach for Andrei Kirilenko (Utah)...the salaries match and the contracts are the same length (4). Its no secret that Kirilenko has been playing out of position since Boozer came to Utah...this trade allows AK47 to slide back to the PF spot where he is most effective and fills up the stat line every night.
Q-Rich for Donyell Marshall and Ira Newble....Lebron is always looking for someone who can shoot the three and Q fits the bill..the good part about this trade is that Marshall 2 years left on his contract compared to Q's 3...Ira is a FA after his season
Fantasy Trade but it works in the Trade Machine:
Marbury for T-Mac straight up! Houston would have to be on acid for this trade to go through, but you never know...
The absolute BEST is when people propose trades without realizing that the other team involved would NEVER ever do them!
Zach for Kirilenko? Are you serious?
Q-Rich, Jamal and Jeffries for T-Mac?
LOL! Get real people. Get real. Even the rumored trade of us dumping Zach on Denver for expirings and a solid young player like Klieza has NO chance of happening. The best we can hope for is to trade both Zach and Crawford at some point before 2010 for contracts that expire before 2010. Crawford should be easier to trade and hopefully if there are a few teams down the road who are asking for him, we could squeeze a pick out of it.
All I'm concerned with right now is having cap space in 2010...the ONE and ONLY chance to get LeBron on this team for when he's in his prime. Even if it's a gamble which it is....it's beyond stupid to not at least try it. In the mean time, hit the lottery for the next 2 years (Utah gets our pick in 2010 no matter what). There's some nice players coming out this year, and I'm sure there will be next year. Hold on to Lee, Balkman and Nate unless you get an offer you can't refuse. BRING SOME REAL COACHES IN HERE TO DEVELOP THESE GUYS! All of them have potential. They're all super athletic and they play hard and they play smart! We need to teach Lee and Balk how to shoot the J. Keep giving Nate time at the point so he can learn. If nothing else, he'd be an amazing spark off the bench behind Derrick Rose ;)
Do these things the way a rebuilding team should do them, and there's no reason why this thing can't be fixed in a few years time. I mean, we're right there. We're in a great position to have a top 3 pick this year. That's how you get franchise talent. Same goes for next year. This is also the mecca baby. For those who say cap space doesn't mean anything....how would we know?!?! We never have it. Of course cap space for the Knicks will go further than cap space for the Bobcats. I will shoot myself if we're not prepared for that 2010 off season. James Dolan should be crucified if we aren't. And there's not much more for me to say besides that. Some of you really aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer. It amazes me how many of you are still chasing the quick fix. Trades for Artest. Trades for T-Mac. Trades for Ben Wallace. Unless we're giving up garbage or longer contracts which is NOT going to happen, then you'd have to be an idiot to entertain the idea of it. Wake up people.
Ok, with Bibby now off the table ...
Knicks - Kings
Knicks send Eddy Curry, Nate Robinson, Renaldo Balkman, and Wilson Chandler to Kings for Ron Artest and Kenny Thomas
Knicks - Pacers
Pacers send Jermaine O'Neil to the Knicks for Zach Randolph, Fred Jones, and Mardy Collins
Thoughts?
Eric
here's my fantasy trade.....
trade curry and randolph for bush and cheney, then hold a war crimes trial in madison square garden. after conviction the murderers can spend a few months in the tombs while they await public execution in union square park.
this will get the knicks under the cap in two years, and justice will have been at least partially served for the families of the soldiers who died for the cause of war profiteering.
Here's what I do if I was Isiah(besides never show my face in public again): NOTHING!
No trades, no nothing. Every trade Isiah makes is terrible and Alan is right about him making a deal as a sign that he is still in power.
I would fire Isiah and start over in the summer, not now. There's no deal out there that would make sense for the team.
im huge knicks fan n i no most people r judgeing isiah 4 his off the court issue, i no the knicks r an embarrreshment But let isiah finish his contract-through next year. the z-bo trade 2 the nuggets 4 the cast of characters would b huge but ny lets pray the knicks xan get the lottery pic n get this kid beasley-o my comment bout isiah-many coaches have been wrong about people wokin out 4 a team but lik i said its his off the court issues that makes it worst-it dosent make it any better that we r in the finacial capital of the world, trade z-bo n curry, n yeah lets get rid of step i dont care get a draft pick, oh yeah isiah lets c morris n chandler. arent they both 1st round picks lets see them!!!!!!!!!! who knows mayb morris at center, chandler at sf, huge hope beasley at pf n lee of the bench who can paly all 3 postions, would b nice
If i'm GM, I would make 2 trades, I would trade David Lee and Jerome James to Sacremento for Ron Artest. I know everyone is high on David Lee, but he is not Ron Artest, who is still the best 2 way player. David does not have a strong offensive game. Then I would trade Zach Randolph for Ben Wallace. Chicago needs a post up player and the knicks need a defensive power forward who could block shots. He compliments Eddy Curry better than Zach. The next move in the summer is to buyout Marbury and find a true point guard.
Alan,
There is only one man who can save the Knicks and bring them their first championship in close to 40 years.
He is not ready to come here yet, but he is showing all the signs that this is where he wants to be. He is a Yankee fan, and designed his latest shoe in true NY Yankee colors.
If the Knicks were anywhere close to intelligent, they would do absolutely nothing, let contracts expire or trade for expiring contracts while cutting salaray, and sign the King..
King James.
RON ARTEST TO DENVER FOR KLEIZA...
hello everyone. Koudos to Alan for doing this one.
I would like to see the offense developed around Zbo and Crawford.
I think if we surrounded those 2 w/ defensive minded players it would sufficiently cover their deficiencies.
Malik and Nate for Artest. I don't think the Kings are going to get anything good for him because the team that gets him may be renting him. They get a good vet to put around their young players and an up and comer in Nate as a reliable back up to Johnson or Lue. They also get Maliks expiring contract. We get the 2 way SF that we desperately need.
Jones, Morris, and James for Dalembert. Jones is expiring and James is an obvious buyout candidate. The only reason I say this might work is that I heard that Philly desperately wants to put themselves in the hunt for Brand when he's available. We get the intimidator/shot blocker that we deperately need.
Now the next one is dependant on the Kidd trade. If the Mavs trade for Kidd then they will be getting rid of Diop in the trade. That leaves them without a C, Which leads me to my next move......
Curry for Jason Terry and a pick. They still have Barrea as a back up for Kidd and we get another competent outside shooter and decent set up man.
starting line up............
Terry
Crawford
Artest
Zach
Dalembert
Chandler for Kyle Lowry. I think the Grizz could use a better back up to Rudy Gay than Casey Jacobsen and we would need a back up PG if my other trades went through.
Back ups.........
Lowry/Collins
Q
Balkman
Lee
Jeffries
Fill the rest of the roster w/ developmental players or throw ins from the trades.
This summer fire Isaih from both jobs. Hire Collangelo for GM and see if Greg Anthony or Mark Jackson wants to take a crack at coaching. Bring in Ewing as a big man coach and replace the rest of the coaching staff but keep Herb Williams. Buy out Marbury and save 29 mill in cap space the following year. Draft Rose and a competent PF/C w/ the Dallas pick. Shop Q/Jeffries/Collins hard and see what one or more of them will yield in draft picks.
Unfortunately, I know I'm dreaming but you asked for it. lol.
Email me because I DONT VISIT THIS SITE...if you like my idea...tell DUMBASS DOLAN to give me the GM Job.
By the way...this is a CLEAN HOUSE (majority) for the whole Knicks Organization. If i could clean it completely I would buy the Knicks but i dont have the money.
4 TEAM TRADE
The Trade goes like this
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
INCOMING PLAYERS
ZACH RANDOLPH
OUTGOING PLAYERS
Dan Gadzuric, Charlie Villanueva, Andrew Bogut, Charlie Bell
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
INCOMING CASH
From Milwaukee, Sacramento, New York
INCOMING PLAYERS
Andrew Bogut
Charlie Villanueva
OUTGOING PLAYERS
Emeka Okafor
SACRAMENTO KINGS
INCOMING CASH
From Milwaukee, Charlotee
INCOMING PLAYERS
Quentin Richardson
Jeff McInnis
Frederic Weis
OUTGOING PLAYERS
Ron Artest
NEW YORK KNICKS
INCOMING PLAYERS
Dan Gadzuric
Emeka Okafor
Charlie Bell
Ron Artest
OUTGOING PLAYERS
Zach Randolph
Quentin Richardson
Frederic Weis
THIS IS GREAT BECAUSE OKAFOR BRINGS REBOUNDING AND DEFENSE WITH BIG PRESENCE WHILE ON THE FLOOR WITH CURRY WHO BRINGS A GREAT OFFENSIVE POST
ARTEST BRINGS THE 3 SPOT WE SO DESPERATELY NEED WITH GREAT DEFENSE, BASELINE SHOOTING, AND THE ABILITY TO DRIVE THE LANE.
CRAWFORD CAN LEAD THE POINT UNTIL MARBURY BECAUSE PASS FIRST AND NOT A SELFISH STREET BALLER.
CHARLIE BELL CAN KNOCK DOWN 3'S WHEN EMEKA AND EDDIE OPEN UP THE BASELINES.
LEE, NATE, BALKMAN AND GADZURIC BRING IN REDOUNING, BENCH DEPTH, AND ENERGY OFF THE BENCH.
ALL WE NEED NOW IS TO SEND ISIAH PACKING TO DETROIT AND GET CLYDE FRAZIER AS GM, LARRY BROWN AS HEAD COACH (DEFENSE) AND JEFF VAN GUNDY AS ASSISTANT HEAD COACH (OFFENSE).
Or Since Larry Brown doesn't want to leave NY how he did (basically he wants back in)...he even said he doesn't mind being an assistant. If I was Dolan, i would make Clyde GM, make Van Gundy head coach and LB assistant who runs the Defense.
And what i meant about Marbury is he is a ball hog, he needs to realize this, which he wont at the moment since Zeke is too scared to put DNP next to his name. Its sad that a player runs the show. Zeke your a true scrub. He is stupid too thinking that this game is "small ball". YEAHHHH OOOOOKKKKK thats why MJ has Grant and Rodman, and dont get me started on the Lakers and Celtics. Thats why even the Suns got Shaq. Today, in the NBA, you need a complete team, and that is from PG to C. From coaching to GM. Mark my words also
LEBRON JAMES WILL BE A NEW YORK KNICK if the salary cap is there for him when he becomes a Free Agent. So make a team now, and I would also send out MARDY COLLINS and get in a shooter like MO AGER.