So What’s the Deal?

by Tommy Dee on December 6th, 2009 at 2:30 pm

Yes the Internet is a haven for trade fodder as much as it is a place for amateur GMs to rant,rave and second guess about draft picks. And certain outlets in the NY media are  a great place to find all your daily updates on Tiger Woods’ sex prowess. He’s as focused in the bedroom as he is on the golf course? Wow, awesome thanks.

Truth be told, however, Yahoo Sports over the past 2 years has really been the most consistent source of info on the NBA in my opinion.

But this isn’t about who’s better than who. I, myself, have checked in with people I trust and have come up empty to try and get any truth to the Al Harrington rumors. Mr. Vecsey (I have the utmost respect for HOFers) and Alan Hahn both have their fingers on the pulse of the situation and are saying that Donnie Walsh has not checked in with Chicago regarding the deal. My boy Zags spoke to Walsh pregame and the GM said he’s not shopping Al. So what we know is that the Knicks like Ty Thomas, which at the end of the day, should come as no real surprise.

My initial read was one which suggested the Knicks were planning a shake up, that the team and its coach were desperate for something to change the environment, not that Harrington has been a detriment whatsoever.

So logically, leaking a trade was a good way of doing so, and the immediate response was a win in Atlanta behind 20 something first half points by Big Al, which dug the team out of an early 11-0 hole.

But maybe that wasn’t it at all. Maybe Al gets extra juiced to play against his old mates in A-Town. Or, maybe the Knicks, impressive in two of their last 3 before today’s game against the Nets, are starting to play consistently better. And maybe the team is constantly making calls to do deals, and being patient,  instead of the previous regime which had a problem with a quick trigger.

Who knows. Do they have interest in Thomas? Sure, why wouldn’t they? But, it would have to be the right deal and we know that the Bulls have the same plan of attack as the Knicks do…2010 freedom.

Speaking of deals, word out of Washington is that Mike James is available. James is a Long Island guy and if the rumors of a possible James for Jared Jeffries deal that have been reported were true before, you’d have to think they’d be on again. The Wiz are hanging around at 7-11 and may benefit from Jeffries, who had his best professional success in the Nation’s Capital.

Ooops, that’s just a rumor though.
  • bartnyk

    Jefferies to the Wiz wont happen logic around here is that if it comes out then its not true.

  • Mucha

    Jared Jeffries and a 2nd round pick for Mike James has always been the most reasonable suggestion in my opinion.

    Maybe Jared Jeffries and Al Harrington for Mike James and Mike Miller if the Wizards need a sweetener.

  • jfried

    I’ve been wanting to see this trade happen for a minute now as I’ve brought it up on this blog before the season started. My thoughts (as an avid NBA fan) are that washington would take a JJ for James deal straight up, but if Donnie has spoken with them he probably wants that pick as Bartnyk mentioned (hat tip).

    @Mucha this may be the case that they’d like a sweetener, but my personal thoughts surrounding Al are that he wants to remain a Knick. I believe if we strike early in free agency with one (hopefully two) big name free agents that Al may resign for less money than he’d get elsewhere to remain here and lead us back into the playoffs and hopefully the promised land. He’s already made it clear that he’s willing to do whatever Mike D thinks will benefit the team the most and he’s shown that hes got the desire and focus to be a leader type presence for this team.

    All that to say if we trade Harrington I think he’ll take it personally and we won’t be able to resign him come next year…

  • blackwood

    Mucha…are you kidding me?? Al as a sweetener?? Al is a 20 & 12 guy this year what are you looking at! I say now and always will say as far as being the Knicks GM donnie has had a lack of talent evaluation skills and vision the last 2 drafts, but I dont think in anyway he would be foolish enough to trade Al for James (not even to dump JJ) Al will end up getting us back in the first rd of the draft or a much better player hands down then James or Ty!!

    Now if they get to talking to the Blazers about Rudy & Bayless or a first rd pick or combination of those elements that would be a trade that works for us. Now where donnie in my view lacks drafting skills at this point he is mythotical which can end up paning out for us. We can end up working out a few trades between Al and Chandler then Lee & Nate and then Huges & JJ and who knows maybe even EC.

    Hold pat we are playing pretty good at the moment injurys and the hunger to make a final push for the playoffs if not a need to get that extra peice to get over the top in the playoffs will play in our favor!

  • James

    Man, you and Hahn flogging the Long Island guys (he still swoons for Wally)…not exactly a significant hoops pedigree, is it?

  • Mucha

    I’ve always been an Al Harrington supporter, he’s my favorite Knick after Gallinari.

    But buisness is buisness. If you want him to sign with the Knicks next summer we’ll have to be in a position to win a championship talent-wise – and we’ll have to dump Jeffries in order to be in that position. I don’t even care about the playoffs, only the big picture matters.

    We need to get rid of Jeffries, PERIOD. I love Al Harrington but he’s just an expiring contract – and if he wants to come back next year he HAS to understand that we have to get rid of Jeffries’ anvil.

  • Bob go knicks

    JEFFRIES ,NATE,AND A 2ND ROUNDER FOR JAMES,MILLER,AND A 1ST ROUNDER

  • BobbyFromBK

    I would not trade Al for Thomas, and would not trade Jefferies for the chucker and ball hog. Mike James. There’s got to be a reason why MJ wears out his welcome wherever he goes. Plus MJ is one dimensional, and as much as I hate to say this. JJ is not. He draws charges, rebounds and defends and is playing a lot better lately.