Lee To Portland Still in Discussion

by Tommy Dee on January 5th, 2009 at 12:51 pm

The Lee to Portland situation is a complicated one for a bevy of reasons. Lee’s contact is one, but I really feel that there is no match for the Knicks with the Blazers and that a third team needs to be involved. So no trade is imminent, but sources close to the Blazers have told me management is infatuated with Lee to the point that are hoping to make a deal.

“He’s on top of their list and a guy who would give their frontline, which is still developing, so much versatility moving forward,” the source told TKB. “He gives energy off the bench but he can make them big or small. He’s perfect and anyone on Knicks, with the exception of maybe Chandler, should be available.”

Frank Isola of the Daily News reported that a three-way deal including the Clippers with Marcus Camby coming to the Knicks may have been discussed but Walsh denied it. A similar trade was left in the comments section of this blog, but it was not confirmed by my sources. What I do know is that Walsh was steadfast about obtaining Camby in the Randolph deal but the Clippers wouldn’t budge, causing a stalemate. Walsh finally agreed to move Z-Bo’s contract for Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley. I’ve also heard rumors that Walsh knew of Mobley’s heart condition and agreed to trade for him so that if he retired he’d have a roster spot to try and trade Stephon Marbury in a 2 for 1, which makes sense as it always baffled me that a savvy guy like Walsh would mistakenly trade for someone with heart history. But, let’s be clear, those are just rumors.

But getting back to what we’re hearing, it makes plenty of sense for Walsh to stay patient and hold on to Lee, as hoopsworld claims. Our report simply stated that the Blazers were aggressively thinking about making a move considering they are very high on Lee and would love to have him for the playoff push. Again, nothing imminent because when you look at the Blazers’ roster, there doesn’t seem to be a fit, which is why we mentioned the third team.

Walsh will not just let Lee walk, and he will get optimum value or simply wait for a sign and trade this summer. But the key here is that, as far as Lee is concerned, with Walsh not offering him an extension, his situation is still cloudy.

And that he’s still a Knick, but the Blazers are closely monitoring the situation as are the Nuggets and Bulls.
  • DaJoka

    I really hope the Blazers deal goes through. I’m not really high on what Denver has to offer. Klieza is a good player and all but when you compare that to Bayless, S-Rod and Camby…it’s not even close.

    Bayless has the chance to be special like Wade.
    Remember, Wade was not predicted to be as good as he is now when he was coming out of college. He was a good player but he wasn’t considered to be “special” like Lebron.

  • DaJoka

    Hey Tommy Dee….I didn’t know you guys were looking for writers. If you are, let me know where I can send some of my Knicks material.

    Thx man and keep up the good work with the inside scoops.

    I love Lee but he has to go for us to be in good shape come 2010.

  • superjay779

    Can we officially say that Frank Iosola is the biggest joke in Sports writing. I’ll take Bernbury and his Marbury love any day of the week instead of this loser. Seriously how are you going to make your source some random poster in somebody else’s blog. When is this doucebag getting fired

  • DaJoka

    I wish they would get the deal done already.
    If Donnie can squeeze this one out he wouldn’t have to make another move until next year.
    I want to see Curry next to Camby.
    Curry can focus on scoring while Camby can concentrate on rebounds and blocking shots. Sounds like a good combination no?
    The Blazers will be upset that they gave up Bayless but when you have Brandon Roy…it’s really not that bad.

  • BiggieSmalls

    Ice is just a little lazy and complacent in his reporting and sources.. Berman is an out and out unapologetic cheerleader for Marbury

    Both have their problems.. Kind of poster boys for why the tabloids should switch up their beat reports every few years.

  • pete99

    Portland gives up Frye and gets David Lee.

    He must have meant Frye and Richardson to the Clippers,
    Camby to the Knicks, and
    David Lee to the Blazers.

    The Clippers were looking for outside shooters after they traded Mobley and Tim Thomas.
    They only have rookie Eric Gordon and he is playing a lot of minutes in his
    rookie year.

  • pete99

    Portland has to give up something else.

    Maybe Bayliss to the Knicks to factor in Camby’s age.
    I thought I read Portland wanted to send Bayliss to the develpmental league for a little while.

  • Chris Alvino

    Isola is a very nice guy. I snuck down to the media section during a Knicks- Boston game in Boston (with all the moving I do in there, I am really bound to be thrown out), and he gave me the time of day.

    His proposal was absurd this morning. There were a lot of trashy parts in it, and it had the Clippers getting Marbury and LaFrentz, while giving up Baron Davis and Camby.

    Why would the Knicks want Davis? We are happy with Duhon at the point (I am at least), and Baron would simply be a pricey, undersized 2 guard for us that would eat heavily into our 2010 cap space.

    If we want to kill cap space on a 2 guard, then let’s go get a real one.

  • Chris Alvino

    Forget about Lee for Camby. Camby should be an incidental piece of that deal. Lee could be a part of the future. If we deal him, it should be for future pieces.

  • bathijas

    I made this trade. So your welcome if it happens

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