Mitch Lawrence spells it out nicely in today’s News in discussing the
possibilty of Dwayne Wade and Lebron joining forces in New York. It’s the notion of balance that we talked about weeks ago.
“…The chances of the Knicks using their cap space in 2010 on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade is extremely remote. Knicks president Donnie Walsh is targeting James and a big man, starting off with someone like Toronto’s Chris Bosh. Walsh’s plans don’t call for two elite wing players because, as he explained earlier this season, “you have to have a big guy who can do the real important things. Scoring, maybe. To me, it’s more about rebounding and blocking shots and providing the intimidation inside. You need those things to contend.” So Wade’s speculation about playing in New York with James is just that…”
It’s fun to talk about however, but at the end of the day the team needs balance on the block and perimeter. I’m still trying to envision Lee and Bosh playing together, though.
I agree with you when talking about 99.9999% of the players who have ever played in the league, but when it comes to those two, you could play them with Jerome James, Jerome Williams and Moochie Norris and they’d probably win it all.
Bosh wont be the only option. Don’t forget that Camby and Chandler will also be available. Neither will command the max. Depending on the cap magic Donnie can pull, I could see LeBron Wade and one of those 2 coming aboard.
Dan- Placing Bosh in the same sentence as the other two is inaccurate. Bosh is a superstar offensively, while the other two are premier shot-blockers.
No doubt. I agree. I was more responding to Tommy pointing out Walsh’s quote:
“you have to have a big guy who can do the real important things. Scoring, maybe. To me, it’s more about rebounding and blocking shots and providing the intimidation inside. You need those things to contend.”
how about Lebron and Amar’e stoudemire? Under D’antoni in the 2007-2008 season, Amar’e averaged 9 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. I feel like Bosh has been the only superstar big getting press about being a knick in 2k10. It’s not like I will complain if either or both decide on NY, but I am a huge fan of Stoudemire, and I feel like D’antoni brings out the best in his potential. Imagine a starting lineup of: Lebron, A’mare, Nash/duhon at the point, David Lee, and Wilson Chandler with Gallinari as the 6th!
From my standpoint the keepers are Duhon, Chandler, Gallinari, David Lee, our first round draft pick and Al Harrington as a 6th man. Adding 2 big free agents in 2010 would immediatly make us contenders, whoever they are. I predict Joe Johnson & Amare Stoudemire will be the ones.
I think LeBron James will stay in Cleveland. If not, filling the void at the 4 or 5 spot wouldn’t be hard because we could either trade Chandler or Gallinari. And I’d rather see both of them stay with the Knicks, I’m proud of them and LeBron James is a Cavalier, period.
Financially this team simply CAN NOT fit Duhon, Chandler, Gallo, Lee, 2009 1st rounder AND HArrington with two big free agents..
realistically, if Lee stays Harrington must go.. Arguably Harrington will have to take a huige paycut (to the mid level area) in order to even be considered part of the plan..
The odds of Curry going anywhere else but the NYK inactive list before his contract expires is as close to zero as you can get.. It would take a herculean effort to get his mind and body int he right place to contribute at a level where any other team would be interested in him..
So when putting these scenarios together you have keep in mind that they cap matters.. There is little way that you can pay Lee 11 plus mil and add two free agents in 2010 / 11.. That is simple math..
Harrington will be 30 years old already, I don’t think he’ll be able to get more than 5 or 6’000’000$ elsewhere. Maybe I’m wrong, keeping him is not a priority in my mind anyways but we’ll need to have a 6th man and Harrington could be the one.
I’m aware that Curry and Jeffries could compromise the whole plan. But Curry may get traded before the deadline next year. Larry Brown could be willing to make a trade for him if he gets back in shape. Plus, many teams won’t be able to be under the cap in 2010 but some of them will surely try to get some space for 2011. Curry’s contract could be attractive from that point of view. That’d be the same case for Jeffries. I think we’ll be able to move at least one of them, but Curry will have to be healthy for that.
In that case, that would leave us with :
David Lee : 9’500’000$
Wilson Chandler : 1’500’000$
Danilo Gallinari : 3’000’000$
Chris Duhon : 7’000’000$
First Round Draft Pick : 2’000’000$
That’d still allow us to sign Johnson and Stoudemire, even if Jeffries is still in the roster in the summer. Like Chuck said “I may be wrong but I doubt it”.
Bosh isn’t a great rebounder or shot blocker. And while I’ve loved his game since college, he isn’t in the same class as Bron and Wade. If Donnie plans on keeping Lee, he needs to get a physical enforcer to play along side him and block shots. On another note, with all of the fowards on this team I wouldn’t be upset if LeBron stays in Cleveland and we end up with Wade. We do need a 2-guard don’t we?
He is not as good as Wade. But Bosh absolutely the best big man free agent available. Hence he is tossed into the same breath.
maybe one of you cap experts here can figure this out…
if we go to the salery cap in 2010… lebron, wade, stod, bosh, combo of the above… whatever. I imagine that we cant go more then the cap.
but when curry and jeffries come off the books in 2011 wont we have enough new cap space to go after another high quality free agent that summer?
CHRIS BOSH AND JOE JOHNSON
here is the 2011 free agent class.. who interests you?
no one for me
realgm.com/src_freeagents/2011/
gbaked — assuming we cant get rid of Curry we can only sign one free agent in 1=2010 if we sign Lee to his expected contract,,
I dont see much in the way of attractive unrestricted free agents in 2011 that makes me wait for Curry and Jeffries to expire.
Tim Duncan?
I don’t see LeBron or Wade going to the Knicks, they would have to wait too long for the Knicks to become a contender as opposed to Cleveland, Miami, or Detroit. Bosh may be their best option