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2010 Free Agency and Beyond

by Ben Chayon on November 9th, 2009 at 2:02 pm

Since the season is quickly becoming a frustration and it seems as though the only thing everyone wants to talk about is next year I figured I’d touch upon the subject. Everyone I speak to talks about the Lebron’s and D-Wayde’s of the world as if they are 100% going to be on the open market following this season. However, this certainly may not be the case. Since the Knicks management has focused their entire effort on NEXT season if you were to find this out it may be quite aggravating. Lets take a look one by one at all of the top free agents that the Knicks seem to talk about in one way or another.
1) Amare- Owed $17,686,100 for the 2010/2011 Season
2) Lebron- Owed $17,149,243 for the 2010/2011 Season
3) D-Wayde- Owed $17,149,243 for the 2010/2011 Season
4) Bosh- Owed $17,149,243 for the 2010/2011 Season
5) Dirk- Owed $21,513,524 for the 2010/2011 Season
6) Kobe- Owed $24,806, 250 for the 2010/2011 Season.

Based on how the Knicks brass talk about next off-season you would think all of these guys are out of a job. This simply isn’t the case.

These top 6 free agents for next off-season would have to turn down a whopping combined income of $115,453,603!! Now you ask yourself the question… Why would they walk away from such tremendous salaries instead of playing out their deals and potentially getting larger and more lucrative salaries (if that is even possible) in the 2011- 2012 season when the salary cap will likely rise along with the rest of the economy. Obviously the one risk you always run in that strategy is injury. However, despite this I think it is highly likely that we could see agents advising their clients to hold on for a larger payout next season. Now of course Donnie Walsh would never let this enter your mind. Because if this were true than this whole season would be even more a waste. Most Knick fans can stomach a terrible team for this season if it meant signing a marquee free agent in the off-season. If that were to happen we would all be jumping for joy. I’m just as hopeful as Knick fans that we can get a big name free agent whether it be next off-season or the 2011 campaign. But to put all of our eggs into this one basket seems foolish. It is although our dreams are so large we are all setting ourselves up for disappointment on some level.

Tonight the Knicks play host to the Utah Jazz tonight. While most people are simply talking about the Scott Layden connection I am going further into it. The Utah Jazz received our 2010 first round draft pick UNPROTECTED. Now with the Knicks sitting at 1-6 and very possible headed towards a 25 win disaster season ala Larry Brown’s tenure Utah is sitting in the shade. They are going to be a playoff team and on top of that get a lottery pick. I look for Utah to compete for a championship because of this in 2010 if they get the right guy for their system. CAN YOU IMAGINE THE INFURIATION IF OUR PICK ENDED UP BEING A TOP 5 PICK OR EVEN THINK OF IT THE #1 PICK IN THE 2010 DRAFT?!? These deals seem to always come back to bite us in the behind. When will we ever truly be out of the Isiah era? He seems to haunt us anywhere .
  • traps9

    A little bit of insanity in that last paragraph there, but where is this evidence that we’re all resting our hopes on ’10? There are plenty of us here that are realists, and there are plenty of reasons why, in the least, LBJ would want to be a FA next year. If it’s only him, so what? I think we can get him. But cap flexibility is never a bad situation. I don’t get it…

  • Knicks4life

    The majority of the teams in the NBA planned to have significant cap room in 2010. If these guys wait until 2011 it is likely that they will have far less options as the majority of teams would have spent their cap space by then.

  • Knicks4life

    Can anyone give us an update on Eddie Curry. Is he back with the team yet? How long after he starts practicing with the team will he be active to play. What about Nate? Talking about 2010 is fine but I can’t see anybody coming if the team doesn’t improve significantly from within.

  • Mucha

    It will be a top 5 pick if D’Antoni doesn’t regain control over his players.

    But the Jazz will not be a contender, let’s not exaggerate. The best prospects are John Wall, Willie Warren, Ed Davis and Derrick Favors and they play the same position as Deron Williams and Paul Millsap (even though Warren could play shooting guard). And Cole Aldrich would be a nice addition (C) but Jordan Hill (whom many Knicks fans consider a bust) outplayed him last year…

    The Jazz will be happy with Xavier Henry or Cole Aldrich… but they don’t look like franchise caliber players (maybe I’m wrong).

    I think the Knicks can win this game.

  • Bob

    i wish people would stop saying “THE ISIAH ERA” as if it is just a couple of years of losing.right after Patrick was traded away,the losing began.From then until now.and of all those years ,this season is by far the worst,because it was done on purpose.Thats one thing you cant say about ZEKE,he never was lousy on purpose,he always made a move to try to better this team.Donnie Walsh promised to try to remain competetive while blowing up the team,but didnt even try.

  • jho

    I know I should give up on this season already, but I still have a little hope in this team. I knew that Indy game was a must win because they were definitely going to lose to the cavs. I didn’t know they would lose that and the bucks game that badly too.

    Just turn a 3 game winning streak, and this bad start is all forgiven!

  • jho

    C’mon Bob! Isaiah’s “not being lousy on purpose” did 100x more damage than what Walsh is doing now. Walsh has definitely made some mistakes (not trading Nate & Jeff/ not trading for #5 or drafting BJ is debateable), but you can’t call him worse than Isaiah, not yet.

    And one of the reasons Donnie has his hands tied behind his back is because how much our team sucks. And the stupid contracts that Isaiah kept giving to people like fatty James, Jeffries, and Curry.

  • Bob

    im not only talking about walsh,im talking about MGMT before isiah got there

  • daneeiLL

    The Knicks rally need to bring Duhon off the bench. I have lost all confidence and hope in Duhon. Start Douglas or even Hughes! I cannot take Duhon running the point anymore.

    And what the heck is going on with Chandler? I was more excited about Chandler than Gallo to be honest. He has just gone completely south with his production. He really needs to step it up or come off the bench.

    LEE SHOULD NOT BE PLAYING THE 5 POSITION. It really is unbelievable how long we are going to let opposing centers just dominate the Knicks in the post. I was really hoping Darko would bring some energy and defense at the 5 but it doesnt seem to be working out for us (just like all the other teams Darko was on).

    Gallos doing great but I think with the Knicks ALREADY with a horrible record, Gallo needs to step up and take more shots. The only bright spot of this season so far should have more opportunities to lead this team.

    Last but not least, the knicks need to GIVE JORDAN HILL SOME MINUTES. I mean come on! At 1-6, I would start Hill for crying out loud. Give the kid some minutes to show us at least a little that we didn’t waste that #8 pick. Give us some hope please.

    The start to this season has really sucked the hope out of this season.

  • Dave the Rave

    It’s gonna take a few years to rebuild this team. It ain’t gonna all happen next summer. IT’s contracts did wreak things and DW is going to rebuild piece by piece and it won’t be easy. I’ll give him 3 more years to make a good team. His isn’t Merlin. No GM is.

  • joetheknick

    Ben: is it reasonable to expect any of these 6 players to play out the last year of his contract which would be his last year if he blew out his knee. Why would a player not sign a long term contract instead?

  • Shea1012

    Just wanted all the Wilson Chandler is the Next Scottie Pippen people to check the youngsters start to his season. Pretty awesome, good thing all you nitwits labeled him as untradeable. I can;t believe I read this stupid site – a bunch of front running dreamers – wasn’t everyone talking 40 wins? They might not win 15, and I HOPE they get the top pick, so the team NEVER makes this mistake again.

  • MrFurious

    Hard to argue that after Grunfeld…the Tapscott( drafted F Weiss), Layden, and Thomas GM tenures have been an unmitigated disaster. Thomas does not get a pass, flopping around making bad move after bad move may be technically considered “trying” but it’s also failing miserably. Still, all of this is on Dolan, since cablevision took over in 97 we had one final good run (thanks to previous managements personnel decisions) and have been on a steady decline ever since.

    I would give Donnie a “C” to date. He has opened a path via 2010 free agency which is good but as you say…he “promised to keep us competitive in the meantime”…that has most certainly not come to fruition. We are a laughingstock.

  • MrFurious

    Such pleasantries! I don’t think anyone thought they would win 40 as a FACT but people like myself suggested that 35 to 40 was a POSSIBILITY. I would think it still is a possibility as the NBA season is pretty frackin’ long.

    But just to make a point…if they actually win 30+ games thus smashing your prediction that “they might not win 15″ does that make you the nitwit? You would have been off by far more than me. Let’s check back later this season.

  • Bob

    you also have to remember that the KNICKS stunk before we landed Patrick Ewing

  • Bob

    in a way,i gottta give points to shea.back in the early summer when was saying that Chandler is overated,at least 10 regular bloggers on this site,actually berated me to no end.so many peeps here were calling this guy a future all-star,and giving me shit for disagreeing

  • DinnerDog

    man, where’s ricky rubio when you need him?

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    our pick will end up being #1

    just relax an watch this happen

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    this team might get 4 wins before the year is over.

  • Section 40

    jho, how can game 5 of an 82 game season be a must win. We’ve only played 10% of the season, we still have 90% to go! Don’t give up yet, there are still plenty of games left to play. It’s almost like giving up on your NFL team because they started 0-2. I feel that 3 game winning streak coming…lol

  • BiggieSmalls

    twitter reports are he is starting practice with the team Tomorrow – Tuesday.

  • dino2008

    Wilson is coming off of surgery, I dont care how minor it is he still had surgery. Give Wilson more than 7 games before you judge him. Not doing so is just dumb.

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    so far the game for the knicks is ok
    atleast it isn’t a blowout is yet

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    all curry gotta do when he come back is just post up he weights 315 he will kill them in the post or kill the knicks with turnovers

  • italian stallion

    Chandler was on crutches all summer. It was close to a 100% certainty he would not improve on last year in the early part of this year. How could he? He was on crutches for months! Exactly when was he supposed to be working on his game like other players.

    All that said, he’s playing horribly so far this year and it’s not clear to me whether he’s not physically 100% yet or just having rough patch. But I think we have to give him a few more weeks before totally throwing in the towel on him as a prospect.

    The real issue with Chandler is that he’s not big enough to defend big men or productive enough on the boards to be a true PF. He also doesn’t have the shot or handle to be a SG. He’s a SF, but he’s nowhere near the prospect that Gallo is as a SF. So IMO we should probably be looking to trade him for a young PG or SG prospect.

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    if the sugery is affecting his play by jan we will know what it is

  • dino2008

    spoke to soon. we suck…. were the hell is JORDAN HILL

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    dammm
    knicks can’t even buy a bucket they lucky they aint losing by 30
    but 30 pts for the knicks in the half..

    dammm
    20 3pts shots taken..

    douglas looked good but bad passing..

  • Mucha

    The Knicks need to find a way to get easy buckets, I hate this jumpshooting mentality it’s totally counterproductive. And Gallinari has to develop his midrange game and attack the basket.

  • CircleLimit4

    I think they’re showing Eddie on MSG right now. This is the part where Whoopi comes down from the stands and coaches.

    (insert eye rolling here)

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    lmao…

  • dino2008

    yeah it looks like you spoke way to soon Bob

  • bartnyk

    ERIC MAYNOR !!!!!

  • dino2008

    damn that one hurts big time

  • DaGawD_KnowLedge

    T DOUG what more u gotta say about tonite
    he continued to show with minutes what he can do

    doug don’t need to start but he needs minutes to make an impact

  • bartnyk

    How are you not numb at this point, when we lost to the pacers it was over.

  • dino2008

    he should start though….. if he was in there maybe we wouldnt dig ourself into such a big damn whole bc our starting pgs a bum

  • jho

    It’s cuz the knicks have a history of sucking. That’s why it’s a must win, because once the knicks go under .500, they usually stay there.

  • daheata

    I don’t understand exactly how people expect Donnie Walsh to improve the talent on this team other than to do what he is doing. We are all frustrated, but it took the franchise 10 years of mismanagement to get to this point. Even the last “good” GM we had, Grunfeld was terrible at evaluating draft picks even though he made good trades. We have not drafted an All-Star in 22 years people, and that was long before Layden or Isiah!

    What Donnie Walsh is doing, more than anything, is stabilizing this franchise by hitting the reset button. He inherited a team with a terrible salary cap situation, probably the worst collection of talent in the league, and our future high draft picks traded away. Even if we don’t sign anyone in 2010 and we let our free agents walk we are in a better position than when he took over this team.