Thinking Bigs

by Tommy Dee on November 23rd, 2008 at 11:11 am

Although the Knicks are anxiously waiting for Jared Jefferies to return, which should come over the next two weeks, Donnie Walsh has to be thinking about adding a shot-blocking and rebounding presence as he continues to dramatically build a once-devistated roster.

In looking around the league big men come at a premium and Walsh has to be looking for a near 7-footer who block shots, get out in transition, set high screens and finish at the rim. That player has to be comfortable playing some 15-20 minutes a night.

Walsh wanted a facilitating point guard before the season started and his selection of Chris Duhon has been brilliant. We know that Walsh also knows, based on our conversation last week, that you have to outscore and outrebound the team you are playing. I’m not sure he’s sold on Jefferies to be that rebounding force. With his moves the other day his team’s weakness is no longer salary restrictions and roster flexibility, it’s rebounding.

So look for Walsh to be active, he knows he still needs depth up front, and names like Johan Petro, Chris Mihm, and Hilton Armstrong could be had for the right deal.

But there’s one player in particular he should keep and eye on and that’s Brad Miller, whom he had in Indiana, but I don’t think the Kings are interested in adding Eddy Curry.

There are names and there could be a fit, and you’ll see over the next coming weeks this team will really need a big man.
  • Chris Alvino

    Miller would be a nice fit. He’s a winner, he is a good shooter, and he is an excellent passer. He is a very good rebounder too. Add him to this team, and all of a sudden this team will not be exploited on the blocks anymore.

    Trading with them might be a problem.

    We have Rose’s expiring contract, and the Kings are trying to get under the cap. But to even out salaries, the Kings would also have to take on either James or Jeffries, both of which have deals that extend beyond this season.

    Maybe a James/ Rose deal could work for them. They only have 14 players on their roster, so they can take a 2 for one. Jeffries’ deal runs through 2010-2011, so I doubt that they would want him. If they do, then Jeffries/ Rose for Miller is a done deal in my book.

    The only other scenario I can see, although unlikely because of Walsh’s policy of not buying out players, is to deal Marbury for Miller and Kenny Thomas. Marbury’s expiring contract would give the Kings a whopping 21 million off their books this year, allowing them to make a splash in the free agent market. They want to get rid of Thomas badly. We end up with Miller. But again, I see this as highly unlikely.

  • thecritic

    What is Millers contract situation?

  • Chris Alvino

    I think it is roughly 11 million over this season and next. Possibly a little more.

  • Chris Alvino

    $11,375,000: This year
    $12,250,000: Next Year

    Those numbers are from HoopsHype.com

  • BiggieSmalls

    Malik’s 7.5 is WAY too valuable to waste it on Brad MIller.

    A team with another nice piece of expiring money could use the extra 7+ mil to attract soemthing really significant next year.

  • Chris Alvino

    Big- Do you not agree that Miller would be a nice addition to this team? Malik’s expiring doesn’t mean anything for us except for in a trade. Do you think that there is a better talent out there for us to trade Malik for than Miller?

  • Arputter

    Malik’s expiring doesn’t have value to us…it would be more valuable to have two years of Brad Millers

    If they don’t resign Lee next year, which is obviously an increasingly likely possibility, who is going to rebound for this team next year?

  • BiggieSmalls

    Do you not agree that Miller would be a nice addition to this team?

    No, not really. I see him as more of a half court player who stays on the perimeter on the offensive side. On Defense he has never been much of a shot blocker and seems a bit plodding in the break.

    D’Antoni’s system lends itself to 5 athletic players on the floor at the same time. The 7 seconds of less offense plays well with unconventional centers who can get up and down the court.

    Do you think that there is a better talent out there for us to trade Malik for than Miller?

    Josh Howard intrigues me. Dallas may be ready to give him up and if we take Stackhouse back maybe they would accept Lee, Malik and Eddie C.. There are other scenarios but the general idea is to combine Lee with Malik and either Eddie or Jeffires to bring in a real core player.

  • Chris Alvino

    Big- I agree with you on Howard. Do I think that the Mavericks will give him up? I am not sure. Reportedly, they would not give him up for Zach Randolph.

    Of course Malik will be more valuable when pair with David Lee. If that is the way Walsh decides to go, then so be it. But if he wants to retain Lee, then forget about Howard.

    I am going to have to disagree with you on Miller. He is a role playing center with legit size. He might be one of the top 2 or 3 passing centers in the league. He can help rotate the basketball around in a half court set. He can also shoot the rock fairly well, and thus can strech the defense.

  • BiggieSmalls

    Josh H. for Zach would’ve been highway robbery.-

    Everything I read says Cuban is a little antsy with how things are going and the fans are restless.

    Howard has been out with an “ankle problem” (maybe similar to Harrington’s back?) and we know his history the last 18 months. We know they want to get rid of Stack.

    D Lee with Malik is a nice package. Just have to talk them into Eddie — and i think I remember them liking him.

    Anyway, with 4 shooters on the court in Duhon, Mobley, Harrington, Ill Will thats a lot of shots to go around. Which is why the 6’11″ Jeffreis fits nicely into the mix.

    My feelings on Lee are that he has slowed considerably in the past two years and may no longer be the same quick jumping athletic player we drafted. So i think we should trade him at the high and concentrate on getting 5 athletic players on the court at the same time with 3 or 4 similar backups.

  • Chris Alvino

    Big- You make a fair point about Lee. But he did have a big game last night. He is still capable of the double-double every night, which is all that he has done in his career.

    I have always like Howard. Again, I am not sure if the Knicks have the pieces to get him. Lee would be a definite going back to Dallas, but I am not even sure that would be enough.

  • oc410

    Oklahoma City is terrible and its owners are getting antsy because their not giving their new fans anything to talk about. Durant needs a sidekick. They also have zero low post presence. You think an Eddie Curry for Chris Wilcox and Joe Smith trade would ever be possible?

  • BiggieSmalls

    after Howard’s recent comments that he doesnt celebrate the national anthem because he is black that makes 5 embarrassing incidents in the last 8 months. That kind of comment may be fluffed off in NYC but in Dallas Texas it is a big deal.

    Message board comments are calling for his outright removal from the team. I read in a Denver Newspaper that tere was thought of Nene for him straight up..

    So his value has clearly sunk to an all time low and it may be a good timet o swoop in and buy.

    One last thing on Miller. He has never been much of a shot blocking interior presence even on some of the more plodding teams that he has been a part of. And come to think of it, I dont recall much winning on those teams . So calling him a winner is a bit of a stretch.

  • Chris Alvino

    I can see where you are coming from on the whole “winner” thing. He has been on losing teams for most of his career. I am not sure if he is necessarily the reason for that, but I will still buy your argument.

    I don’t recall ever calling him a premier shot-blocker. I do not know if I would call him a great defender either. But he is a legit center and would definitely help on the blocks.

    Recall the other night against the Celtics that the Knicks were dominated on the blocks by Perkins. By no means is Perkins an all-star, but we made him look like Shaq in his prime. Miller has good size at 7 feet and about 260 lbs.

    His numbers this year are at about 13 ppg, 8 rpg, and 5 apg.

    Big, we can argue about this guy all night, but unless he actually gets traded here, that would be pointless. I still think that he would be a nice fit for us.

    Again, I would love Josh Howard on the Knicks. Can we get him? If yes, then we should jump on it.

  • Chris Alvino

    Oc- I am not sure on Wilcox. While I would love to have him, all of the Thunder/ Sonics’ recent moves have centered on dumping salary to get under the cap (Kurt Thomas, Luke Ridnour, Ray Allen, Wally Z). I am not sure if they would give up two expiring contracts and gamble on Curry and the potential 3 remaining years on his deal.

    If they want him for Wilcox, then its a done deal on this end.

  • BluEandOrange

    If Isiah Thomas was even a fraction as good a free agent acquisitioner as he was a draft analyzer then maybe the Knicks would have been somewhere by now.

    I mean really now, Jerome James? Jared Jeffries? That is the best that he could do?

    Isiah’s problem was that he tried to use his talent evaluation skills for signing free agents. He wanted to sign “sleeper” free agents that he hoped would fare better then his estimations instead of going for the overt and solid choices. Isiah, how I detest thee.