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IF the report from today’s Daily Dime is true, it would appear certain that
David Lee’s days as a Knick may be over before the trade deadline.
“…The Nuggets, sources said, did not have enough to get Lee after withdrawing Kleiza and offering a package built around guard Chucky Atkins (who makes $3.2 million this season and $3.5 million next season) and two first-round picks.
Yet it seems safe to presume that Atkins will be offered up to the Knicks again between now and the Feb. 19 trading deadline, in one trade scenario or another, given his perpetual readiness to hoist a shot — never discouraged in Mike D’Antoni’s offense — and the Nuggets’ well-known desire to shed at least one more salary to get under the luxury-tax line…”
Remember due to NBA rules the Nuggets would not be able to offer 2009 and 2010 first rounders because they gave up their pick last year to the Bobcats.
From what we are hearing, the Lee for Kleiza talks had some steam but fell through, and one has to wonder why Donnie Walsh wouldn’t want to swing a deal for two first round picks. My thinking is that he is waiting for Eddy Curry’s return before moving Lee. Maybe he can use Lee to move Curry’s contract. As I’ve said before, to rid, Randolph, Crawford, Curry then Marbury in the same season is beyond my wildest dreams.
Either way, if Walsh can manage to bring back a pick or two, or get rid of Curry’s contract, it makes sense for him to trade Lee.
And I think Walsh knows it. But how can you trade Lee? The guy is a fan
favorite, blue-collar type much like Charles Oakley was. Is he limited? Yes. Does his lateral quickness get exposed far too often? Sure.
But he’s a double double machine.
In saying what I said about Curry, Walsh still has next year to deal him but time is running out on what to do with Lee.
I don’t envy Walsh on this one.
I agree with Tommy on this one. I think they will wait to see what Curry gives them before making a Lee deal. If Curry can show that he is healthy in the weeks leading up to the deadline. he might be somewhat attractive, especially for a team like the Nuggets who needs another big man badly. The Nuggets are in the thick of things out West. They will be looking for players that can help them now. Curry would be a nice fit in Denver, providing strong offensive prowess to th defensive minded tandem of Nene and Martin.
Lee for essentially 2 first round picks…. one of which will probably be the Bobcats…… tempting….. if they threw in Kleiza…. very very tempting. But I might hold out.
Curry might prove everyone wrong and show up as a player. I like the two #1 pick deal.
as Lee continues to fill up the stats sheet his RFA cost and trade value is rising.
Walsh has to pull the trigger as he cant afford the 8 digit nut and keep the plan in place
No disrespect Tommy – you know I hold your opinions on the knicks in high regard – I just think everyone gives Walsh a little too much credit for getting rid of (or possibly getting rid of) some of Isaiah’s guys. We hold grudges against ZBo, Curry, Crawford, Marbury, because they are the main parts of a terrible regime in our teams history. We look at them as untradeable stiffs, other teams see a 20-10 a night foward, a young dominant offensive center, a 20+ppg shooting gaurd, and a former all star.
I think this is most obvious in the fact that we all say no team would touch Marbury, but the defending champs, with a team leader who youd never think would want to play with him again, and the most heavily favored to sign him. I am a believer of the camp that says there are several teams waiting for him to be cut so they can court him.
The fact is, yes, it is nice to have cap room. Ive wanted this forever. But its not really hard to get cap room in two years. Its hard to get immediate cap room, and we wont have that. Most teams, if they wanted to do a firesale, could get under the cap in two years. The problem is waiting these two years
Neither of these Lee scenarios do anything for me, I hate Chucky Atkins, and of the two first rounders, only one will be before 2010 and it wont be near the lottery.
If we have to use our best asset to get rid of an asset that we gave away two lottery picks for, I think I’ll go crazy. Sorry, Curry can’t be that buried in the minds of other GMs if this blog was talking about Sam Dalembert at 12 million a year the other day as an option. It just doesnt make sense.
Good Points and Fair, but Dalembert blocks shots and Curry doesn’t.
Big difference.
TD
Dalembert’s shot blocking ability to us is as valuable as Curry’s dominant offensive skills are to some other teams. This guy is almost 7 foot and good for 20 point a night. Health issues and all there’s no way this guy has negative value
I am leaning more towards a scenario where Curry sticks around the rest of the season.
It makes no sense — as jcmoney says — to dump a player who we invested two high lottery pics to get in a firesale. If he can just get some of the fire back that we saw in his 19/7 season he may be a more valuable piece at next years deadline. He will have another year knocked off his contract and hopefully GMs will forget about his heart condition (physical and mental versions) and see a bigtime post player.
Lee has to be moved before the Deadline this year to gain optimal value. Id like to see us get something for Malik’s expiring at the Feb deadlne as well.
But jc — no one wanted Zbo when IT brought him over from P town and no one wanted him in the offseason. He is what he is.. A black hole stat accumulator who is drastically overpaid for not having the game to be an elite player.
Regarding Marbs .. lets not forget the minor fact of his 20.8 million dollar salary. Teams will take a flyer on him for the vets min.. but not for that max salary. Any team that is looking at Marbury in a trade is looking to dump salary and get under for 09/10 .. Thats why I think Toronto is a match for a Jermaine/Marbury swap.
the charlotte number one that Denver owns is protected as well
–sourced from cbs4denver.com — like this
Denver will get Charlotte’s first-round pick in 09 if the Bobcats make the playoffs. If they don’t, Charlotte keeps it. The pick would then be protected by a sliding scale, where Charlotte would retain it if it’s in the top 12 in 2010, top 10 in 2011, top eight in 2012 and top three in 2013. Charlotte would have no protection for the pick in 2014.
So it’s an asset but not as valuable as first thought..
Good stuff Big.
This talk of Lee for picks makes me think even more that we should look for young players in return for Lee.
Definitely a tough decision for Walsh, and a tough pill to swallow for knicks fans. Personally one of the reasons i tune into knicks games right now is to see David Lee play. He is the type of player that New York fans enjoy and appreciate. It will be sad to see him go if he indeed does.
Maybe even of more consequence right now though is this question. If this team trades Lee, do they intend to even try to win before 2010? I got to be honest and say that waiting around watching a bunch of little engines that cant for the next season and a half is really not what i as a fan want. Its bad enough that this team gave me hope with some early season wins, but if they tank it for the next season and a half, I dont know if i will even tune in.
Big-
Got sources out west who helped me break the Clippers/Randolph trade.
Will know the validity of this shortly,
TD
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