Hahn: Lee S&T Still An Option

by Myles A. Mills on August 29th, 2009 at 11:45 pm

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.

About Myles A. Mills

Myles is a sophomore at The Browning School, an all-boys private school on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He's been a Knick fan as long as he can remember, and 02-03 was the last season he could remember in entirety. He hopes to one day see the Knicks in the playoffs. Myles is also fond of the Mets, and follows them vehemently, but his the bulk of his time goes to the Knicks. Myles wants to be a radio hosts on WFAN or ESPN 1050 radio, and he hopes to write for theknicksblog.com for years to come. View all posts by Myles A. Mills →
  • bob go knicks
  • EQ1217

    Blake & Outlaw are decent players, but anything short of Bayless and/or Fernandez would be a dissapointment with any Portland trade.

  • brownhornet

    I really think the knicks are wasting their time with other players.
    Dlee is the real deal. The pundit who say he not a high end player are crazy. If you put him with a center that can work he can play of the weak side and kill them. His jump shot has inproved every year. Trust let him go it will come back to hurt us years from now!!! Ok if I had a Karl Malone or break foward I would start them but lee stays in the equation.

  • Myles A. Mills

    still has no jump shot, plays no defense, and has a hard time creating offensively. Paying 10 to 12 million, which is what he’s demanding, would be absurd.

  • gilcher82

    find me an elite 4 that D Lee can guard for 40 minutes a game …. none
    i love D Lee … but hes a 20min/per game sparkplug 6th man on a very good team.
    Myles can they at least get a first rounder back in a S&T ?

  • Magik_Trick

    We should only get rid of him if a team is willing to take on Jeffries/Curry in that same deal while only giving us back expirings…..which is unlikely

  • aarbel

    If you can turn DLee into Rudy Fernandez and/or Jerryd Bayless, you have to do that. As Myles said, no jump shot, no defense and no discernible post game to boot and you can get an athletic wing player or better point guard prospect then Sessions – no brainer.

  • Myles A. Mills

    that’s a great question. the problem is for a team that will have a high pick, will they want to give up a high first rounder in what looks like an AWESOME draft for a guy with so many holes in his game. A lot of Knick fans ignore Lee’s shortcomings, and there are a plethora. For a team with a low first rounder, no way that’s enough to get Lee, plus salaries after work. Trades are complicated.

  • Myles A. Mills

    salaries have to match up*

  • EQ1217

    Lee is better than a 20 minute player, he’s a quality starting PF.

  • Myles A. Mills

    quality doesn’t equal 10-12 per

  • BiggieLittles

    D-lee is a good player an he will only get better

    Yea I know he can’t shoot etc
    But what he brings to the table u can’t teach.

    10+mill is 2 much 7 8 is good
    If he had a block an a 3pt shot then mayb 10 mill

    But like I said Lee will only get better wasn’t that his 3rd year in the league…

    But if u can get good young talent in s sign an trade do it
    But something tells me Lee going to have monster games everytime he plays the knicks if not playing with the knicks..

  • KBT1615

    Bayless and Outlaw.

  • joetheknick

    Bayless and Outlaw have been talked about all summer and no deal has happened. The deal I believe could happen is Lee and Jeffries for Acie Law, Brandan Wright and Stephen Jackson. You get 2 rookie contracts for Lee and you move Jeffries for an even longer contract but a much more productive player. Otherwise lets us go to war with Lee on a one year contract. Any thoughts!!

  • EQ1217

    No way were taking on Jax’s hefty contract.

  • joetheknick

    Jax averages 8 million a year. Not a “hefty” number for a quality player. I agree that going forward we want to have maximum financial flexibility but my idea gives us 2 rookie contracts and we solve the JJ salary cap situation. Not a perfect solution, just an idea.

  • EQ1217

    I agree w/ replacing Jax’s contract w/ JJ for 2010.

    I’m more concern about the length of his contract, which ends in
    2013 and he’ll be about 34 or 35 years old.

  • joetheknick

    We all want to get this right. Seems like decisions need to be made and those decisions will have some long term implications. I don’t have the answers but trust DW and D’Antoni will get it right.

  • Its The Kid

    I get the feeling that Portland is the destination, hopefully Rudy or Bayless are included… But Bayless wouldnt be enough talent wise… The one thing the Knicks have in their favor is although any trade partner would be aware the Knicks 2010 financial plan, will most likely result in Lee being a free agent next year… Teams that are over the cap such as Portland could only make a play for Lee via a sign and trade… So I expect us to get solid value in a trade due to that…

  • MiamiMoe

    I think that Jax deal would be great…he is a risky move b/c he is a head case/character issue but he is a bonafide stud and for $8 mil i think its a good deal… The Rudy / Travis deal is also a good deal and i think picking up Rudy is a better move than Jarryd, who let’s face it, his stock has been on a steady spiral downward since the beginning of the summer…moving JJ i think is #1 priority for DW cuz it’s the only move that he doesn’t have in a strangle hold…If we can’t get a good deal for DLee than we sign him for a 1 year deal (no brainer), We’re gonna sign Nate for 1 year for QO (no brainer), and i think Sessions would rather sign a 1 year deal here (w/ a weak 2nd yr option) than a 1 year deal in Milwalkee… Let DLee explore anything he wants cuz we have final say in any deal and Let’s face it DLee is great but like it’s been overstated, NO DEFENSE, NO SCORING, NO GO-TO-GUY ABILITY, HUSTLE NOT WORTH $10 MIL/YR…AND MOST IMPORTANTLY HE HASN’T BEEN A BYPRODUCT OF MORE WINS!!!!!!!!!!!! Get SOMETHING for him but ultimately not worth splitting the Red Sea for.

  • MrFurious

    Amen brother. 7 per and get thee a jumpshot!

  • Rene

    I would love to keep Lee at 7 per if that cannot be done I would love to get talented young players because their contracts are low which helps our plan.Fernandez is loved in Portland and Lee is loved here so while the trade would be hard on them it will hard on us too,I think he fits our plan the best and his salary is a perfect fit.Rudy would make losing Lee less of a sting because if we do get Rubio it would be a percect match ,Rudy is very fast and runs like a deer which translate well in this system.I would love Baylees but only as an add on with maybe N8 going back,a N8 and Lee for Rudy and Bayless might be a perfect fit for all parties,I’m saying this with those two being my favorite Knicks this is hard for me.I would love to keep both but if I can’t Bayless and Rudy would be perfect because the salaries and talent fit our plan to a tee.I would throw in millions and Mobleys contract to pull that off the exchange would be cap wise a steal.

  • paulempson

    My bet is a deal of

    Lee & Duhon ( or Nate ) & Cash

    For Blake , Outlaw and Fernandez

    Not getting Bayless.

  • joetheknick

    That works. Make it happen. Can you find a place for JJ in the deal. Us fans sure can be creative!!! Assume Fernandez is the keeper and maybe Outlaw??

  • DinnerDog

    I got a three team that would work but will never happen:

    New York gets:
    Azuibuke
    Speedy Claxton
    Brenden Wright
    Marcus Camby

    Golden State gets:
    David Lee (at 9-10 million)
    Jared Jeffries

    LA Clippers get:
    Steven Jackson

    New clipper line up:
    B Davis-E Gordon-S Jackson-B Griffin-Chris Kaman

    New GS Line Up:

    Ellis-Curry-Magette/Randolph-Lee-Biendris

    New NYK line up:

    Duhon-Azuibuke-Chandler/Gallo-Harrington-Camby

    Pretty good for everyone

  • _kin_

    I would love to keep Lee at 7 per if that cannot be done I would love to get talented young players because their contracts are low which helps our plan.Fernandez is loved in Portland and Lee is loved here so while the trade would be hard on them it will hard on us too,I think he fits our plan the best and his salary is a perfect fit.Rudy would make losing Lee less of a sting because if we do get Rubio it would be a percect match ,Rudy is very fast and runs like a deer which translate well in this system.I would love Baylees but only as an add on with maybe N8 going back,a N8 and Lee for Rudy and