Via Jerry Zgoda:

“News just broke tonight that Ricky Rubio is poised to sign with Barcelona, but is that really it?

Might the Wolves be about to deal the Spanish point guard, perhaps to the New York Knicks, which Rubio’s parents and representatives have wanted all along?

Or at least is that what Rubio’s agent is trying to facilitate?

A league source tells me there’s plenty of talk floating that the Knicks again are pushing hard to deal for Rubio — probably with an assist from agent Dan Fegan — and there’s word of a Rubio for restricted free agent David Lee, Nate Robinson and a No. 1 pick deal.

That’d  give the Wolves three power forward types, wouldn’t it? But with David Kahn, anything could be possible.

Of course, the Wolves would have to give back some sizable salaries to make the deal work (with the Knicks signing and then trading Lee), but they do have Brian Cardinal and Mark Blount, to name two contracts that total $14 million plus.

The Rubio-to-Barcelona thing still may be just the latest threat to get Rubio to a market where endorsements presumably will pay most of that big buyout.

Stayed tuned.”

Doubt it, it’s like every Knicks beat writer has a conspiracy theory about Rubio and the Knicks.  I don’t think there is any use of overanalyzing; Rubio is going back to Spain.  Maybe Kahn looks into trading him in two years, but not know.

Via AW:

“…The Minnesota Timberwolves and the NBA will have to wait until 2011 for Ricky Rubio(notes) to leave Europe, a high-level source told Yahoo! Sports on Monday night.

Regal of Barcelona has agreed to a six-year contract with Rubio after working out a buyout package with DKV Jovenut of Spain on Monday.

After weeks of haggling, Minnesota Timberwolves GM David Kahn was unable to facilitate a buyout that would’ve brought the fifth pick in the 2009 draft to the NBA this season…”

Again, I’ve stayed away from commenting on this because I would have bet Kahn would have dealt Rubio for some young, cheap pieces or a pick instead of being left at the alter.

Should he stay in Spain for two years and should the Wolves get nothing out of his services, then drafting Rubio would have to be one of the most brainless moves by an executive not named Isiah Thomas in recent memory.

Now let me preface this as not to upset anyone who is allergic to speculation. But I have a feeling there is something in the works regarding the Knicks roster. I’ve poked around and heard from several places that there is zero trade market for Nate Robinson, and along with the sign and trades that Donnie Walsh is mulling, I still firmly believe that this isn’t the roster the team will head into camp with.

Sure, Walsh has to be careful, and we know he’s patient, I just have a feeling that something is brewing.

Why? Well, call it a hunch. Let’s forget about the having to deal a player in order to bring in Ramon Sessions, the fact that the Knicks haven’t pulled the trigger on a one-year back up point guard option like Carlos Arroyo, Jamal Tinsley, Jason Williams or even Allen Iverson (even though we’ve been through that), I just feel a move coming.

Big or small, I don’t know, but it just seems like this team is prepping to light a fire under it’s fanbase as training camp nears and it has options that are being withheld. Remember, most trades happen when the media least expects them. (more…)

ESPN.com contributors voted on where the top four free agents of 2010 (Lebron James, Dwyane Wade, Amare Stoudamire, and Chris Bosh) will land.  Just more speculation, really, but ESPN’s prognostications are obviously going to be more accurate than everybody else’s, right?Out of 52 voters, 35 said he would stay in Cleveland (how shocking?) and the Knicks came in second with 8 votes.  Miami got 3, New Jersey got 2, and Boston got 1.

“Despite the cards Cleveland holds, some still see New York as King James’ destiny. And they might have a leg to stand on, thanks to LeBron himself, as he has become the master of the mixed message. That was heard again most recently in his interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols, in which he avoided the opportunity to express loyalty to Cleveland and pointedly said his heart was in his hometown of Akron:

“My loyalty is to Akron. I’m looking forward to this upcoming season, but I’m looking forward to the summer of 2010, too, to see what may happen. No matter what happens that summer, I’m still here. I’ve got a nice big house here that I’m always coming back to. I love this city and I’ll always give back to this city no matter what my profession, if it takes me somewhere else.”

So if that leaves the door open for an exit to another team, how could Knicks president Donnie Walsh pull off his miracle play?

First, he’ll try to move Eddy Curry and Jared Jeffries to create enough cap space for LeBron and another free agent to leap directly to New York; that’s been Plan A since Walsh arrived. Short of that — and moving those two contracts will be exceedingly difficult — he’ll try to work out a sign-and-trade, perhaps involving David Lee, to bring in a second star such as Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire as a teammate for LeBron. And no matter what, he’ll tell LeBron all about the potential cap room the Knicks will have in 2011, at which time Walsh will be able to round out what could become a championship roster.

The other cards in Walsh’s deck are pretty obvious as he makes his pitch to LeBron: Come to so-called Basketball Mecca and we’ll build championship teams around you in the World’s Greatest Arena, paving the way to greater glory, riches and Global Icon status. And oh, by the way, you’ll be playing for Mike D’Antoni, the guy who won about 60 games a year in Phoenix, who helped mastermind the success of your Olympic gold medal-winning team and who will set you free in the open court to run up and down in the up-tempo offense you’ve always dreamed of.” (more…)

According to a report on ESPN, Wolves GM David Kahn has stepped up his efforts in an attempt to put an end to the Ricky Rubio saga and bring the PG stateside once and for all:

“David Kahn spent the weekend in Spain in his latest attempt to bring Ricky Rubio to the NBA.

“There was no official word on whether progress was being made in talks with Rubio’s current team, DKV Joventut, but a source briefed on the talks said Kahn’s continued presence in Spain could be taken as an indication that the odds of Rubio coming to the Wolves next season had improved.

“For Kahn, this is his third trip to Spain to negotiate for Rubio’s rights in the two months since the Wolves selected the 18-year-old with the fifth pick of the NBA draft.

“”I’m very proud that the Timberwolves came to Spain to get me,” Rubio said, according to El Mundo Deportivo, which reported that Kahn, agent Dan Fegan and Joventut president Jordi Villacampa had dinner together Saturday night.

“It doesn’t surprise me because they have been there all the time, and I always said that my priority was to go to the NBA. I know there was a meeting last night, and now there’s chances for both sides,” Rubio said, according to El Mundo Deportivo.”

If it is his priority to go to the NBA, why doesn’t he just do it?  I mean, the buyout is not the hold up here, it’s Rubio’s willingness to sign a deal and commit to living and playing in Minnesota for the foreseeable future, is it not?

I’m not blaming to kid for his reluctancy, but the ball is pretty much in his hands if he wants it to be…

Whatever, just wake me up when he’s a Knick, will ya?

Mike Fisher of DallasBasketball.com hears that the Warriors might be looking to trade away PG Monta Ellis.  With Stephen Jackson looking for a way out, Fisher believes that there might be potential for a tandem trade.

Last season, Ellis missed a lot of the season while recovering from an ankle injury.  He averaged 19 ppg and only 3.7 apg.  He is set to enter the second year of a 6 year, $66 million.

Last summer, Monta Ellis was a hot commodity on this site.  Knicks fans salivated at the idea of Monta Ellis running circles around opponents in the Mike D’Antoni high-paced system.  I was one of those fans.

However, I am no longer in that boat.  Ellis is not a great three point shooter, and he is more of an undersized SG than a PG.  At $11 million per season, Ellis is just simply not the player that the Knicks need.

Looking at the Warriors’ roster, it is not a surprise as to why they would look to trade away Ellis.  As I noted above, his contract is brutal.  Second, the team is loaded with guards.  The team just drafted Stephen Curry (haven’t written that name in a while), traded for Speedy Claxron and Acie Law, and figures to bring back CJ Watson.

Ellis has the potential to be a stud in the NBA.  I said that last summer and I will say it again now.  However, his contract is hard to ignore.  If he is available, he is not worth bringing here.  The same goes for Stephen Jackson.  He is a good player, and one that I would like to see on the Knicks.  However, he has a bad contract and he is not going to lead the Knicks to a title.  Pass.

An earlier report noted that the Blazers were sure that the Knicks would match any offer to Lee, hence why GM Kevin Pritchard decided not to attempt to sign Lee to an offer sheet, yet from what I’m hearing out in P-Town, that wasn’t the case. That said, a source confirms relative interest between both the Knicks and Blazers regarding a David Lee sign and trade.

In the beginning of the summer, the Blazers target was Andre Miller, an upgrade and veteran leader the team desperately lacked at the point guard position. That was  until it appeared that Hedo Turkoglu could be had. My source tells me that the team felt Turkoglu, coming off an impressive playoff, became attractive because of his “perimeter length,” which has become a trend in the NBA these days.

Regarding Lee, the team was and is interested in a sign and trade, but was never interested in an offer sheet because, after Turkoglu headed north to Toronto, the team knew it could get Miller at a reasonable price. In fact, as much as Donnie Walsh is lauded for his patience, the Blazers feel that waiting out Miller was equally savvy business, feel they played their cards right and significantly upgraded at the point.

Which is to say the Blazers were never in a position to offer Lee and if they did, one would really have to wonder if the Knicks would have matched knowing what we know about 2010.  (more…)

Via Hahn:

“The only holding out on David Lee‘s mind right now is mainly the hope that his contract status will be resolved fairly soon. In fact we’re hearing through a source tonight that there are “are a couple of sign-and-trades still being considered before a one-year deal is negotiated.”

We can’t tell you what these deals are because it is sensitive information that, if it were to go public would be detrimental to either happening.

In other words, we don’t really know the exact principles of either deal that has been discussed.

And why we don’t know is because our sources won’t tell us for the reasons stated above.

What we do know is that if neither deal is accepted by the Knicks — and we’re told that Donnie Walsh, despite wanting to keep Lee in the fold, is taking serious consideration into any reasonable S&T for Lee — then Lee and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, are prepared to negotiate a one-year deal to remain in New York for the 2009-10 season. He will then become an unrestricted free agent in next summer.”

Wow, Hahn, could you get any vaguer?  Hahn mentions the Blazers as a potential partner, but their interest in Lee has been well-documented.  I’m wondering if Walsh is contemplating settling for a sign and trade that doesn’t include Rudy Fernandez, when we all know that Fernandez is a player he has coveted for a while.  If Lee does return for one year, chances are he leaves for nothing in 2010, and Walsh has to figure out if Lee’s contributions this year would be more beneficial to the team than what they would receive for him in a sign and trade.

This is courtesy of ESPN, who have compiled votes on several topics including what they call “Team Turmoil.”

The Pistons, who spent plenty of money during the off season on Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, finished tied for 1st with 8 votes along with Golden State.

The Knicks finished tied for 4th along with the Clippers and Timberwolves.

“…Talk about a team in limbo. Just check on the status of fan favorites David Lee and Nate Robinson, who are still waiting for deals. A likely shrinking salary cap in 2010-11 also threatens the possibility of LeBron James walking through the door in MSG. So the team now looks torn between shedding contracts for a diminished future, and spending half-heartedly to salvage its present dignity. This could get ugly…” (more…)

Jordan Hill

Toney Douglas

Via Dime Mag:

“On this rainy and dreary day in New York City this afternoon, Stephen Jacksonand Al Harrington were at South Street Seaport for a block party put on by their sneaker company Protege. One of the MCs at the event asked Stack Jack in front of the crowd whether he thought the Warriors were going to make the playoffs. Jackson paused then smiled before responding, “Um…I don’t think I’ll be a Warrior next year. I’m looking to leave.”

Harrington, who was standing beside Jackson, was gleaming with joy at this statement. As you all know, the two were teammates with each other for the Warriors and Harrington left on bad terms with the team – particularly Don Nelson. I asked Harrington if Jackson’s statement shocked him. He laughed then responded, “No I wasn’t surprised. We talk all the time so I knew already. Honestly sometimes you need a change and I hope this change is to come out to New York – that would be nice.”

After they posed for pictures with fans, I was able to ask Jackson more about his bold statement. (more…)

I still believe that Sessions has a strong chance of landing in New York.  Donnie knew when he contacted Sessions’ agent that he would have to sign the guard to a multi-year deal.  That is not just a measure of practicality.  That is a technicality.

However, as Gery Woelfel and Alan Hahn have noted, it appears that Donnie Walsh might be looking to move a contract off the 2010 ledger before extending his hand to Sessions.  With only two non-rookie contracts on the ledger for the summer of LeBron, logic would prove that Jared Jeffries and Eddy Curry are the only two players that fit the description.  Eddy Curry likely (very, very likely) cannot be traded until he gets back onto the court.  That cannot be the contract that Walsh wants to move before bringing in Sessions.  Much like how David Lee will not hold out for a contract, Ramon Sessions will not either.  That would make no sense for either player.  Thus, Sessions will have his name on a contract before the season starts.

That leaves Jared Jeffries.  Tommy aluded to this point yesterday in his post.  There might be interest from the Wizards.  If Jeffries for James is on the table, then what is Walsh waiting for?  If Walsh is truly concerned about moving salary beyond next season, then it would appear that Walsh would have to trade Jeffries now in an effort to at the very least bring in Sessions.  Right?  However, Jeffries is still a Knick, and Sessions is still a free agent.  What gives?

I happen to like what Jeffries is capable of bringing to the table.  He does things on the court that his teammates do not.  That is what makes him valuable.  Over $6.5 million valuable?  Absolutely not.  A good asset on the books?  No.  A good asset on the court?  Yes.

I think Tommy wrote it best a couple of days ago.  Of all of the descriptions that I have heard of Sessions, this description hit home the most when talking about the Knicks.  TD wrote that Sessions “isn’t a get at all costs type of player.”  I could not have said it any better myself.  If Sessions was thought to be a key component, he would be a Knick by now.  However, that is not the case.  Given his track record and the risks associated with that record, Walsh is not prepared to cost this organization the chance to reel in the bigger fish next summer.  Remember, a player can be an asset at one price and a liability at another.

So I go back to Jeffries.  Walsh and the coaching staff like what he brings to the team, both on and off the court.  However, would Walsh and the coaching staff be prepared to trade off Jeffries and his contract for an expiring contract and the chance to sign Sessions to a multi-year deal?  Would Sessions be more valuable in 2010 than Jeffries?  If so, then why would Walsh not trade Jeffries yet?  Is there really an offer for him? 

So I have to ask, is Donnie Walsh confident that he can clear more cap space for next summer?  Is he confident that he can trade Jared Jeffries?  At this point, I would have to say no.   If there was a deal in place for him, then I would have to imagine that Walsh would bring in Sessions and not worry that Jeffries’ contract was still on the books.  Of course, there is the possibility that Walsh would simply like to move Jeffries and Curry, and not bring in a contract that runs beyond this coming season, ala Ramon Sessions.  But if that is the case, then Walsh is not waiting to move a contract before signing Sessions, but rather he is simply not interested in signing him at all.

Plenty to talk about including the Sessions situation, as well as the latest on David Lee and Nate Robinson.

Plus, more of your awesome phone calls…

All tonight on TKB Radio at 9 pm with Rice Balls and Dee.
Twitter: TommyDeeTKB
AnthonyMSG

(646) 478-5554

Listen to Knicksblog

Click here to listen to the archive and past shows.

Kevin McElroy of knickerblogger gives a year-round summary of Donnie Walsh. It’s worth checking out as grades are given for each move.

“…All told, Walsh’s tenure got off to a promising start but has suffered from several moments of seeming hesitance to take the final plunge and commit to any one comprehensive strategy.  Walsh has clearly leaned toward building for the future at the expense of the present, which is a welcome change from the Isiah era, but his unwillingness to part with anyone of value as a pot-sweetener in the unloading of bad contracts has stunted the Knicks progress toward an ideal 2010 cap situation.  As it stands, the team has a top-flight coach and more young talent and long-term financial flexibility than anyone could have realistically expected 16 months ago.  But one worries that Walsh has hedged his bets a bit too much and will fall short of a free agent jackpot next summer.

Overall Grade: B

I vehemently disagree with the Gallinari grade, and we have to be fair about the trade up to the Wizards. There was no reason to believe that Rubio, the target, was going to slip to 5, and Chandler and the 8th pick, which I believe was the reported offer, if true, was too much to give up to move up a few spots in my opinion. Although it’s close. Had they made that deal, I wouldn’t have been all that upset.But the Wizards did get two NBA ready players in Mike Miller and Randy Foye, a deal they may have liked better.

To me Donnie’s biggest error thus far is not trading Jeffries and Nate to Sacramento, if that was in fact on the table on deadline day. I understand the holdup could have been Nate and losing him would have cost the team a playoff chance, which fell by the waste side anyway, but it’s tough to have it both ways. Plus, losing Nate may have resulted in a better draft pick. Again, assuming Walsh did turn the deal down.

 Loading ...

It’s tough to really feel bad for Dwyane Wade, based on the fact that he’s been playing games with the Heat in terms of next summer. But, in his defense, the selection of Michael Beasley was a terrible one for the organization. Granted, he was clearly the second best talent in last year’s draft, but the problems that Beasley’s going through now are nothing new.

I was at the rookie symposium, which took place at Doral Arrowood in Rye Brook, NY,  last year on different business, when two players were punished for marijuana. Rumors were that Beasley was hiding in the bathroom when the other two players Darrell Arthur and Mario Chalmers were caught in the room.

And I was told from staffers that Beasley was offering to pay employees to take him off campus to search for nocturnal entertainment.

Anyway, Fanhouse wonders how the recent events will impact Wade’s tenure in Miami. (more…)