Knicks have some trade assets. Unfortunately, so do the Jazz

by Tommy Dee on January 31st, 2009 at 10:14 am

Chris Sheridan had a good piece yesterday on ESPN that listed the top 12 trade assets and the Knicks were in the mix in more ways than one. Unfortunately, the number one asset is the 2010 first round pick owned by the Jazz, which they earned as part of the Stephon Marbury deal. It was given away by Sir “Like to trade picks” Alot.

ASSET No. 1: New York’s future first-round pick (unprotected in 2010)
OWNER: Utah Jazz
The summer of LeBron will begin on July 1, 2010, and the Knicks will be knocking on his door at 12:01 a.m. that morning. But seven nights before the arrival of Jimmy Dolan’s limo in Akron, Knicks fans are going to be reminded once again how ruinous the previous decade had been, because back on a cold January night in 2004, this lottery pick slid away.

FYI, Knicks and Jazz fans: ESPN.com NBA draft expert Chad Ford tells me he has Raleigh (N.C.) high school point guard John Wall — “a Derrick Rose clone” — ranked as his No. 1 prospect for the 2010 draft, unless Ricky Rubio waits until then.

ASSET No. 11: $4.46 million Disabled Player Exception
OWNER: New York Knicks (pending)
 Actually, this one is pending in a big way, because there is a question of whether the Knicks’ application will be dismissed if Cuttino Mobley‘s heart condition was pre-existing. There is a gray area in this case because of language regarding “the date the team knew or should have known that the injury would cause the player to miss the season.”The Knicks do not expect a quick ruling, but they’d like the league to decide before the trade deadline. If the exception is granted, New York can acquire a player or players making $4.46 million or less without the outgoing salary having to match. No other teams currently have any Disabled Player Exceptions.

ASSET No. 4: Stephon Marbury’s expiring contract
OWNER: New York Knicks
 There was another Steph sighting at the Staples Center when the Lakers played the Cavs, coming just a day after Marbury put his $1 million buyout offer back on the table. But Knicks president Donnie Walsh appears determined to wait until the deadline to see if the league’s largest expiring contract can be turned into something useful. As colleague Marc Stein has reported, the Boston Celtics are crossing their fingers that Walsh cannot find a trade partner and buys out Marbury before March 1.But if you were Jim Dolan, why would you do any favors for Marbury that would help a division rival? If Dolan wanted to be spiteful, he could keep Marbury on the roster past March 1, the date by which players must clear waivers to be playoff-eligible for someone else.
  • pedro

    D. Walsh said in the NYPost David Lee is going nowhere.
    I went to hoops Hype to check on the salaries and there’s only 3 teams under the cap next year (correct me if i’m wrong):
    1. Pistons – Rasheed Wallace hits FA;
    2. Memphis
    3. OKC
    I don’t think any of these teams would pay 10 million for Lee. I’m guessing the Knicks re-sign Lee for 6 million a season or he accepts the qualifying offer.

    Hedo Turkoglu has a 7 million player option next year. does he opt out, like Boozer? If they do, will there be enough money for Lee or Nate or both outside NY?

  • Chris Alvino

    Nate will not get more than the MLE elsewhere, so essentially any team can sign him.

    Lee is popular. There is not one team in the league that would not want him. Sign and trades facilitate this process when teams are over the cap. That was how we ended up with Crawford and Curry.

    By the way… I have been reading reports talking about the availability of Mike Miller in Minnesota. Would dealing Malik’s expiring contract be worth getting Miller? From a ST perspective, absolutely. But if the Knicks can get Watson and a future pick for Rose, that pick might be too much to pass.

  • Mucha

    Teams don’t need to be under the cap to sign free agents. Portland, Cleveland and Detroit will have enough money expiring this summer to make 12’000’000$ (or more) offers, and they are attractive franchises from a basketball standpoint.

    Lee will NEVER get 6’000’000$, are you kidding me, that’s DeSagana Diop and Anderson Varejao money. No disrespect but David Lee won’t be asking for less than 8’500’000$. He’s second in the league in double-doubles, that’s big.

    Marbury’s contract could allow us to make a good trade before the deadline. Toronto could let something go because they are really trying to get rid of JO’s 20’000’000$ contract. I still believe that we can trade Marbury for Jermaine O’Neal and first round draft pick.

    And Nate Robinson is a great trade asset. Like I said, Nate Robinson to Milwaukee, Joe Alexander to Golden State and Anthony Randolph to NY.

  • BiggieSmalls

    Lee’s Agent was looking for 10 mil a year BEFORE this season.. Im sure the bidding starts there in the off season..

    As for teams with cap room coming up .. the Pacers and Heat will have room .

    The Bobcats and T Wolves could have enough room if they renounce players..

    And the Nets COULD have room if they make one move before the deadline..

    Toronto may have room based on upcoming trade of JO.

  • reddog2669

    Bad article by Sheridan. He’s assuming that the Knicks pick will be a Top 5 pick. While not a championship contender, it seems pretty safe to say the Knicks pick should fall out of the Top 10. They just aren’t terrible enough to get the number 1 pick. And yes, I know the Bulls won the lottery, but the chances of that were about 1%. In his article, he made it seem that is was almost a given that the pick would turn into a Hall of Famer.