Crawford might have opted out
A busy day is coming to an end. Hot Rod is in Milwaukee handling business there while I burned my celly to the last bar working the trade stuff. (Expect to read a lot of Hot Rod this season, he's new to the Fix Clique, but this cat's got hoop creds.)
Obviously the Knicks set themselves up financially to be a player in the 2010 free agent sweepstakes, which, of course, is expected to include LeBron James. Perhaps the Knicks can trade 18,000 Chalupas to those booing Cavs fans for LeBron and get this thing over with now.
Crawford was shocked by the trade. Blown away. His contract technically extends to 2010-11, but that would only be the case if he picked up a two-year ($19.2 million) option after this season. If he opted-out, he would have been a free agent this summer and the Knicks would have been able to let him go for nothing.
That's a big if, of course, because there was no guarantee that Crawford would have opted-out. For instance, suppose he had gotten injured this season? Then there's no way you opt-out. But if he kept his scoring pace and, perhaps even earned an all-star bid, I would think the lure of free agency would be great. He likely could have made the money back plus gotten a longer-term deal.
Golden State targeted Jamal. Donnie Walsh initially offered Eddy Curry and the Warriors declined. They countered with Crawford and Donnie hesitated a bit before finally agreeing.
Crawford should flourish with the run-and-gun Warriors, who desperately needed scoring in the backcourt while they wait for Monta Ellis to return from the ankle injury. And when he does come back, Ellis-Crawford could be a lethal backcourt tandem. I'd just hate to be anyone posting up looking for the ball. Good thing they don't have any players who do that.
We've known for a long time that Mike Dunleavy has wanted Zach Randolph. Donnie turned him down over the summer -- remember, the Clips asked for a first-round pick AND $3 million in the trade and were only sending back a second-rounder -- and Dunleavy was nervous pulling the trigger here. Expect the Clippers to move either Chris Kaman or Marcus Camby in the near future and, quite frankly, I can see a scenario where Kaman goes to the Charlotte Bobcats for Gerald Wallace. Makes sense on many levels for both teams.
* * *
So we lost two basketball bloggers in one day....damn. Though we had a cool thing going with Crawford's blog here and, in case some of you haven't heard, K-Berg is leaving us for the greener pastures (green as in LOOT) of the dot-com world.
A moment...
How do I say good-bye
To what we had
The good times that made us laugh
Are waving ba-a-a-a-a-ack
I thought we'd get to see forever
But for-EVer's gone a-a-away.
It's so haaard to say good-bye
To yesterda-a-yyyy
Bon voyage K-Berg. Fixer for life, homie.
E-mail
Facebook
Digg
Delicious
Comments (3)
I don't understand the people on the previous posts questioning this trade on the basis that there wont be any supporting players to entice LeBron to the Knicks in 2010.
Do they realize that these trades free up enough cap space to offer TWO max contracts in the summer of 2010? Lebron, Bosh, Wade, Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudamire are all free agents in 2010 and the Knicks will be able to offer max contracts to TWO of them. Not only that, we'll still have our young guys, Lee and Chandler, plus two potentially high draft picks from this season and the next. Throw in a couple of veterans and role players who will be dying to play alongside those guys and the Knicks are a championship caliber team for many many years.
This trade is the best thing to happen to NY in a very long time.
Hey Alan what is the deal with Curry? Is his conditioning getting any better and are there any trade prospects for him?....on a sidenote Curry's theme song should be "Eddy You Should Know Better" by Curtis Mayfield....Just listening to it the other day, and every year when camp opens I think about that song and say "Damn, Eddy You Should Know Better than to keep coming into camp out of shape." He's gonna be next....Or so I hope.
John I suggest you try cryogenics for a couple of years and we will bring you out once Lebron signs with NY, even if it takes 10-20 years, no problem, As long as I don't get high and forget about you, you'll be aright, you know what Im saying?.:)