Early Trade Winds…

by Andrew Smith on October 31st, 2008 at 9:15 am

In looking at past NBA seasons, there are often player moves made in the first 2-3 weeks of the season so teams get an opportunity to allow new players to get to know their teammates and learn the system as early as possible.

I’ve always played the role of TKB’s resident devil’s advocate in trade rumors by simply looking at the rumors from the other team’s perspective. So, here’s my take…there is NO WAY that Chris Mullin (unless he’s back on the sauce) will take Eddy Curry in any deal unless David Lee is involved. I’m still in the group that would make anybody expendable if it meant unloading Curry. And to be honest, I’d trade Lee and Curry for Al Harrington and Brandan Wright in a heartbeat. I don’t know if Nate Robinson would be enough to entice Mullin into offsetting Curry, but I could see him and Don Nelson being enamored with a potential Lee-Andris Biedrins frontcourt in the future.

What I do see as a potential match, and it’s a deal that Chris Alvino has been pitching for over a month now, is a 1-for-1 swap of Nate Robinson for Sean Williams. As a fellow BC’er, I’ve seen Williams play since he was a college freshman with zero offensive skills. His offense is still very limited but there’s two things he can do that will make him a great fit for our team. He can run the floor better than most other big men and he swats everything in sight. He does have a tendency of leaving his feet and getting burned by shot fakes, but his length and presence in the paint are one thing that does not exist on this Knicks roster. More importantly, Williams received a DNP in the Nets’ season opener at Washington, and from all accounts Brook Lopez looks like a keeper. We already know Lawrence Frank’s love affair with Josh Boone, so this looks more and more feasible.

I honestly think that the Nets would jump on this deal because of Robinson’s scoring abilities and it even seems one-sided in the Nets’ favor on its face, but if we’re going to lose Nate after the season anyway and can get a long shot-blocking presence in return, I’d pull the trigger on this one.
  • theghostofwillisreed

    i guess i’m the only one who really likes nate the great.

  • http://theKnicksBlog.com Tommy Dee

    Let’s be clear on this Ghost. It has little to do with liking player and more to do with getting out from under Curry.

    I like Nate but not as much as I hate Curry’s contract.

    You have to give to get rid of it, IMO.

  • Not Hawthorne Wingo

    Not until Sean proves he won’t be a head case. Besides, who knows what happens at the end of the season. It’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that Crawford has a great year and opts out. Curry opts out either because he has a bad year or turns it around and people think he’s finally become a real professional so he sees a larger payday playing for a team that doesn’t run as much. And, finally, that ZBO is traded. If all of these things happen (long shot but it’s too early to know for sure) the Knicks could keep Nate, Dlee and still go shopping in 2010.

  • illish

    nate straight up for williams shouldnt even be talked about.nate dumped into another trade with curry to get ride of him(curry)should be thought about long and hard, nate is really important to this team right now and could be in the future…

  • Bmorgan327

    I agree with the ghost, Its obvious nate has the offensive skill set to thrive in this offense. Call me crazy but I think he can be what Barbosa was for D’Antoni on the Suns. Although he’s shorter, he has the same elite level of athleticism combined with an excellent outside shot. I think of Nate as instant offense, just add water.

  • BiggieSmalls

    Sp Andrew/. From a devils advocate standpoint would G State agree to include B Wright in the deal if the KNicks include Lee.

    Your approval of the 4 player swap read like a knicks fan perspective. As a Knicks fan I would certainly take back B Wright for his potential, his defensive prowess, his shot blocking not to mention his contract buys some more time until the big payoff extension.

  • Chris Alvino

    David Lee has become a legit 35 mpg, starting power forward in this league. Brandan Wright cannot crack the Golden State rotation, despite being a former top ten pick. Let’s not fool ourselves here. David Lee has great value. That is the reason why every team wants him. I see Lee as a part of our future. There is no shot I trade Lee in a package for Harrington, even if it means dumping Curry’s contract. That would be ridiculous.

    We have all seen what Lee produces when given the minutes. He is not simply a hustle player, and his stats are not a fluke.

  • NYKat

    This is why Donnie shouldn’t have given up Balkman for nothing, he would have been much more expendable as a throw in for a contract dump than Nate and Lee, who we would be hard pressed to get rid of now.

    Williams would be a good asset to this team but not at the expense of Nate, IMO. Nate exudes HEART, you can’t teach that and it’s more valuable than talent on a NYC team.

    Nate was born to be a NYK.

  • BiggieSmalls

    I dunno Chris – I wouldn’t fall in love with anyone on a perpetual 20 win team.

    Lee has been an OK player on teams that consistently lose. That he is getting 35 minutes says a lot about the talent of the Knicks team. He is far away from being an even average defensive player, he doesn’t block ANY shots and he is yet to prove he can hit a jump shot with any consistency.

    Does he rebound and put back efficiently? Yes.

    Is he a likable personality on a team with despicable me first players? Yes

    Is he a key player to build a championship team around. No.

    Wright is a second year player that reeks of star in the making. He is all hops, blocks shots and plays big time D. I think his lack of minutes has more to do with his coaches philosophy against playing rooks than his talent level or expectations. He has a Tar Heal connection with Walsh and wont require a 5 year plus extension anytime soon.

  • theghostofwillisreed

    please…win total means nothing.

    that’s saying david lee was part of the problem which he wasn’t. it’s a new regime and they have to clean up isiah’s mess. lee is NOT part of the mess, neither is nate. like i stated in a previous post: you trade nate, who runs the point when duhon sits? marbury?

    i agree with tommy. somehow, by hook or by crook, curry’s gotta go.. that said, i’d hate to be in a position where we’re throwing out the baby with the bathwater (nate).

    sean williams? no thanks. like someone else posted above, do we need to trade a solid citizen in nate for a headcase like williams?

  • Chris Alvino

    Sean Williams would be a great fit on this Knicks team. There is no question about that. The question is whether trading Nate for him straight up would be selling low on Nate. Isn’t Nate worth more than that? Will Nate be more valuable in a bigger deal, especially if he performs this season as we all expect him to.

    But let’s not kid ourselves. Williams is long, athletic, and is a pure shot-blocker. His defensive presence would be huge for this squad.

  • BiggieSmalls

    I find it hard to make ANY ONE on this team untouchable or to believe that anyone on this roster is part of the solution.

    If an opportunity comes to shake up this roster and gain cap flexibility you HAVE TO take it.

    Lee and Nate are not going to be part of any long term solution here. Giving these two players long term extensions after the last three years is just ignoring the problem. The whole team is deeply infected and needs to change.

    We finally got a coach and management who are competent

    First move should be buy out Marbs, Snacks and Malik.

    Second move should be to package Nate and Lee with some of the dreck to both get under the cap for the Year of LeBron, try to gather some draft picks and bring in some truly athletic young players who fit the DAntoni system.

    One thing to hope for is to give Craw so much rope that he (and some team) thinks he is the second coming and opts out