First Rudy Gay, now JJ Barea. The undersized Mavs PG with the serious motor, told the NY Post that he’d consider coming to NY if the Mavs let him out of his team option this summer. I mentioned him last night in this system and he, himself likes it, but can’t just see the Mavs letting him walk for nothing. And who knows if the Knicks are even interested. Hey, ya never know.
“…Barea, who is from Puerto Rico, said re-signing with Dallas is his preference, but when asked about the Knicks, he lit up like the sun over San Juan.
“Hey, if I got to go somewhere, the Knicks is the place,” Barea said. “It’s New York City. A lot of Puerto Ricans over there. And I like the coach [Mike D'Antoni] they have now. I love his system and the way they play. If I got to go somewhere, I would love to be there.”
Barea is Jason Kidd‘s backup, and that’s not going to change. But the Mavericks, who had a 13-game winning streak snapped last night, are title contenders…”
The thing I like from Barea from what I’ve seen is that he pushes tempo, and he’s been playing under Kidd. When you talk about options and depth, Barea would be a good piece. This is not to take anything away from Toney Douglas, he’s doing just fine, just another affordable player the Knicks can target. He’s quick, strong and plays extremely hard. His numbers are modest, but he’s been seeing more minutes recently and getting 5 assists in 23 MPG in the month of March.
Every free agent out there will be talking up going to the team with the most money available.
Lets not misinterpret the posturing as a blanket endorsement of this coach.
A coach who took 60 some games to realize Toney Douglas was an option in the back court.
True that, and 60 games of horrible ball by Duhon. I don’t see Dallas letting him go, the kid’s grown a ton under Kidd. He pushes tempo really well, he’s got a nice handle, and has great intensity, doesn’t try to penetrate as much and has consistent outside shot, which are the big differences with S-Rod.
By any means, if there’s a cheaper way to find another PG, you’d probably find it in the 2nd round, should DW purchase another one. If he wants 2 max guys, he’s gonna need depth from somewhere.
That’s the thing I don’t get, they just love this coach, huh? Are defenseless system’s that attractive or is it just him? If they love him it’s because it gives the chance to get big stats they wouldn’t see other places, because his wonderful charismatic persnality can’t do it.
I think they say they love the coach, because that was the perception some years ago: he’s a coach everyone would love to play for.
So, when asked about the Knicks what would one say? First that they would love playing in NY and second that they love the coach/system. What else is there to say?
i think they say it because.. Why not say it?
Are you really gonna say No .. I would never play for that guy in that town? And then limit your options in free agency?
The only player to SORT OF say he wouldnt play here is Lebron saying he would never play for a coach who didnt emphasize defense.
Whoa, let’s not pretend the was is the first time Douglas got significant minutes. He got plenty of playing time in November, averaging over 16 minutes. Douglas should have got more playing time after November but he did got significant burn the first month of the season. And he’s had some nights with over 20 minutes since, but last night was the first time he’s shown signs that he can really play the PG spot.
Great point!
The kid wasn’t ready. But remember, December was when the team was playing well. It would have made sense to play him then. Maybe the coach didn’t think he was ready even by mid-Jan. Personally i would have liked to see more of him after those two losses to Minnesota and Washington. You knew the season was out of reach at that point, but i don’t watch TD in practice.
*wouldn’t have made sense
I agree he should have received more consistent minutes after November.
The coach is in a lose, lose situation.
If TD plays significant minutes earlier in the year and is bad (which is probable if you were watching all year) everyone would say, “how can you play the rookie, we are not too far out of the playoffs”
Since playing the vet (which was really the only viable option during the first half of the season) did’nt work out and TD is showing confidence, everyone will assume he could have been doing it all along?
There is no objectivity from the fans. If you hate the coach, then everything he does is interpreted as a mistake.
“If TD plays significant minutes earlier in the year and is bad (which is probable if you were watching all year) everyone would say, “how can you play the rookie, we are not too far out of the playoffs” ”
Douglas did get a lot of minutes in November and the Knicks won only 2 games. Then Duhon and Hughes got hot in December, the Knicks started winning and Douglas got a lot of time on the pine. Since then he got some significant minutes here and there but his playing time should have been more steady. D’antoni should have expanded his rotation to give Douglas some spot minutes, especially when Duhon went sour again.
Didn’t Toney d start a few games during the Nate exile and perform well only never to be seen again?
I don’t recall any significant minutes since then
I for one would not have banged the playoff drum in December
agree on the need for spot minutes..
I really think the coach didn’t want to shatter his confidence by giving him steady minutes when he wasn’t ready. he gave him a couple of shots, he looked ok, but still hesitant and unsure.
i am willing to give the coach the benefit of the doubt because he has an excellent history of developing young talent. Just look at Barbossa, Diaw and Amare,
I am also very happy with how Wilson has come along. he isn’t taking those 3′s that he used to love. i credit the coach for getting him to take it to the hole and play to his strengths.
Check out Douglas’ game log. He never struggled at any point this season. When given minutes he produced. http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4634/gamelog;_ylt=AsrBzXquBRGr47Bq0wJ6Zs6kvLYF
I don’t remember if he was a starter, but I remember being very frustrated with D’antoni because Douglas’ minutes declined during the Nate exile. That’s then he was running a really short rotation even for D’antoni, like a 6- 6.5 man rotation. Hughes was the guy taking Douglas’ minutes. But the Knicks were winning at that time so I could only get so mad. When the uplifting December ended and NAte came back, that’s when it got out of control. Both Duhon and Hughes were struggling and Nate was his typical hot/cold self. D’antoni should have turned to Douglas in January.
When i say significant I meant 25 or so, not 10-15. I wanted to see more of TD after those terrible losses to Minn. and DC. Thats when the season was over.
The season was over after the 1-9 start
easy to say now. weren’t they only a game or 2 out of the playoffs at one point?
i would have been pissed if they would have played the rookies 20 + min. at that point. learning by getting booed off the court at the garden every night would have been great for their development. right?
Was that when we were 5-15??
No, when we were 16-22 in mid-late Jan.
Tommy Dee just wanted to post that some player would like to play for this so called coach. He likes the system. Every player in the NBA would want the freedom to shoot the ball any time that you are open. I like Barea but he is young and dumb like most young players in the NBA. I’m sure he would love to be the next chucker on the team. Seven seconds and CHUCK!
lmao! So True! Tommy Dee can just go to any playground and find players that want to shoot and not play any defense.
Usually they are the ones calling “I GOT NEXT!”
I just dreamed I was the new Knicks’ coach and was running an open try-out for a new starting Sg…lol… TD was my pg, and I was telling Gallo to play hard on D since he was the team’s PF… anyway, it’s nice to wake up and find out that the Knicks ran all over Dallas and TD had a nice game.
As for the FAs, we shall see. From the beginning I was not very keen on this plan, but I’m hoping for the best (LBJ and Bosh).
im also consufsed how a Mavs team already well over the cap with an aging Jason Kidd would let their young cheap PG go when they have a cheap team option on him. (1.8 mil)
they have Kidd for two more years after this at 8 mil per. then they work in Barea and Beaubois as the PG tandem
now that how you rebuild.
Yep, no way they let Barea go.
Barea is a cracking little player – fast, tough, and loads of potential – but there’s no way they let him go for free.
They’ll pick up the option, even if they plan on moving him for another piece. I don’t have any idea what we could offer them to even consider it.
It;s anice thought – but I’m afraid he’s just another name for the 2011 list……. ha ha………
Hey Gilberto, are you Brazilian, Portuguese..?
Well GilbertoSilva is Brazilian. Used to be a great player, a bit too old now for international competition.
Nah man, I’m actually one of a very rare breed – a hoops fan from Scotland. I used to date a girl from New York, and got completely sucked in by the Knicks on my many visits to NYC.
And I can see Jay knows his football (or should I say soccer?) – my second name’s Gilbert, so I got the nickname from my friends, given I used to put the boot in like the my midfield namesake!
Got it! Lol
Well, then I’m even a more rare breed as I am a hoops fan from Brasil. Not only hoops, but (american) football as well. I just love sports in general..lol
Can’t stand baseball though..
You mean the soccer player? He’s still playing for the National Team. As a starter.
If I like the sport, I know it well. Football (soccer), bball and hockey came to me as a kid, my dad is a huge sports nut from south america.
We should call that sport for what he’s known all over, football. IMO, he’s too old to be heading int the world cup, just one of the many decisions Dunga’s made that’ll keep Brazil from having a decent show, which goes for Argentina as well, they’re gonna be a circus. This should be one of the best Cup’s ever. I was born in Chile, so my roots are there, you know where my allegiance stands in that.
In terms of Scoland, GO GLOSGOW!!!
Well, first of all I’d like to say that I’ve been to Chile (Santiago) and it’s such a beautiful place. I’m truly sorry for all the damage the earthquake did.
I don’t like Dunga’s choices for DMs. I’d rather see Denilson (Arsenal) and Hernanes (Sao Paulo) playing then Josue and such. As for Gilberto Silva, I have no problems with him, we are in a real drought as far as good DMs.
Brasil will go as far as Kaka goes. If he plays well, we have a good shot. If not… anyway, I believe he will be just fine.
Brasil usually does well in World Cups placed outside Europe (Mexico, USA, Japan/Corea and Chile). I’m confident.
Meh pass. I’m not a fan of tiny guards who can’t defend. Plus, he’s more Nate than a starting point guard.
I would rather have TD as our starting PG next year. If we get LeBron, TD
would be the perfect guy to start. LeBron plays point forward anyway, meaning he always has the ball in his hands. It makes having a great distributing PG way less important. It is more important to have someone that can score starting at PG. Thats why Mo Williams works so well for the Cavs. Some of the times he plays PG, but when LeBron is controlling the ball, his position basically changes to SG. TD is an average passer, but a very good scorer and defender.
I think it’s a bit too hasty to start giving Toney the starting job next season. He’s got great D, intensitym hustle, something that really gets the team going, but he’s got a long way to go. Let’s hope he keeps starting and he learns from his mistakes as soon as possible.
Too bad he didn’t start earlier in the season when there was more pressure, something that’s kind of lacking on this team environment if you ask me.
That goes for Walker as well. Those 3′s won’t fall always for him, so giving him the job might rash.
Agreed,
You gotta love what you see from TD, but let’s see him for the rest of the year before we call him a starting PG. From the way he’s playing, he sure as hell thinks he is a starting PG. exuding much confidence. remember when J kidd tried to post him up? very tough!
Not to be too hyperbolic, but his story arc resounds of a young Steve Nash -
Comes from an area where basketball is not the major sport (baseball is king in PR). Went to a smaller division 1 college. Wasn’t considered good enough by most to make the NBA. Then carved a nice niche as a backup to Jason Kidd.
I don’t know if he’s starter material, but if the Knicks get a SG who is a ballhandler – I.E. LBJ, Wade or Joe Johnson – Barea seems a terrific fit to platoon with TD at the PG spot.
With Dallas looking to invest long term in Beaubois, JJ should be available at an economic price, even if its through a sign and trade and we just give up cash and Giddens, or something similar.
Wow, that was unexpected. And I though we were talking about not being too hasty about players.
Yeah – I agree TD and Barea couldn’t play together but would make a nice tandem at a decent price tag.
Still, I think the Mavs would get better offers for him elsewhere though, and Cuban won’t shy away from picking up his option because he needs to save cash, that’s for sure.
Yup, as well as Kidd’s played this season, you can’t be assured if an injury might just end him, so keeping Barea and Beaubois on the cheap will end up being a better duo for the future. Besides, they’re both being tutored by one of the best PG’s the legue has seen for a while.
Dallas will probably pick up Barea’s option. They’ve given up on Terry trying to play the PG spot long ago and Kidd ain’t getting any younger. They rely a lot on Beaubois and Barea.
But the Mavs are sitting on the rights of Nick Calathes. Maybe they’d give that up just for some cash.
Great minds – I was thinking about Calathes myself as an option the other day too. I looked up his games in the Greek league this year. As far as I can see, he’s been a backup, and when has played he’s done very little. I also read a few writers already looking at him as a potential bust who was over-valued in the draft last year.
BUT – Brandon Jennings did very little in Italy, and Rubio’s hardly lighting it up this year either, so I’m always wary about Euro stats, as we all know it’s a very different game to the NBA.
Yeah well I think Calathes plays behind Diamantidis who is one of the best PGs in the Euroleague.
Calathes could be a bust. I’m not saying the Knicks should give up anything significant to grab his rights, but I think he’s an intriguing prospect. I haven’t seen any footage of him in Greece but I really liked how he played in Florida.
I totally agree with you on his time in college – he was known as a solid floor leader, an area we’re painfully lacking in.
If we could get him for chump change, then why not – low risk, high reward?
Damn, I wish we had a proper PG – I’m still confused how we didn’t land one in last year’s draft.
Terry hasn’t played much PG since Don Nelson left, but he is still going to get his minutes. About 30 a game.
J Kidd has 2 more years on his contract, and Beaubois’s minutes are only going to increase over the next couple of seasons. Carlisle also plays DeShawn Stevenson for his D, and Caron Butler slides down to the 2 sometimes. All those guys are on contract for 2010-11.
Finally, add the rights to Nick Calathes.
Barea is obviously the odd man out in that backcourt. They may not let him walk, but I don’t see Dallas keeping him.
Beaubois doesn’t seem like a pure point guard, at least not yet. A lot of his minutes have been off the ball. Terry plays the 2 obviously, Nick Calathes might be the same story if/when he comes over.
We’re not talking about the Mavs renewing his contract, just picking up his option for next season on the cheap. Other than Kidd, Barea is the only real PG you mentioned. I think they need him.
I think we need to re-evaluate how players look at coming to play in NY.
This isn’t the past where the Knicks were just used as a pawn by players and their agents to get better deals from other teams.
The NBA is hurting, and the Knicks are one of the few teams with money to spend. Players want their paydays, and if the new CBA is going to make contracts smaller, they surely want them now.
Players also know Donnie Walsh’s track record, that he put the Pacers on the map. And they all know MDA’s recent successes, in Phoenix and with team USA.
So signing on in NY is a two-fold boon for prospective free agents. Not only may it be a chance to make money, but an opportunity to win.
Yes, we’ve been lowly, but we are the Knicks. Not the Nets, not the Clippers. The Knicks. One of the great franchises in modern sports. The team who plays at the world’s greatest arena, “the Mecca”.
Alas, perchance to dream. If you win in NY… you’re immortalized. To live forever as a basketball god, that’s the sales pitch. That’s what the Donnie Walsh plan is all about.
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Yea, Barea is nice.
But this is not a realistic option if all goes as planned (LBJ and Bosh)
If we sign both of them and factor in a tiny amount of wiggle room, we’re looking at like 600,000 per player for like 7 roster spots… we’re going to have to take a top NBDL point guard and/or a 2nd rounder PG this year. We can exercise B.Walker for ~800,000 but aside from him, the only people on the team will probably be minimum contracts/2nd round picks until we can cash in on Eddy for some assets
some interesting unrestricted bigs,
Josh powell – good all-around big who’s learned some defense from being a Laker
DJ Mbenga – should be cheap and looking for minutes, so might be able to sign him. Physical, athletic, dunks the ball, and blocks some shots
K. Fesenko – definite mean streak, dunks the ball with authority. Still getting better
Johan Petro – big and pretty mobile; if he could start for Denver at times, he must be someone we could use at C.
Malik allen – another big who is able to get on the floor for denver.. must be a decent player that the size starved knicks could use
Shavlik Randolph – with our need to be cheap, here’s a guy with some size that can kind of play
Tony Battie – might be looking for minutes/wins and willing to take less $
matt bonner – to help replace al buckets lol,, no really, a mobile big who can space the floor, get out of LeBron’s lane, and learned some defense w/ the Spurs
fab oberto – im kidding. have seen him for the wiz and he is just terrible
shelden williams – cheap rebounder..
Ian Mahinmi – no idea, does anyone here have an idea??
thoughts on any in particular that u like?
God, that’s like a police identity parade rather than a line-up of potential Knicks!!
But I think you’re spot on – IF (very big if imho) we pick up two big contracts, these are the kind of players we have to look at.
Stil not sure how I feel about that though…… lol.
Lol, owned by Cablevision.
No shots
Does anyone other than MSG employees really think MSG is the “worlds most famous arena”?
I wonder if Indiana Donnie even believes NY is the meccA of basketball
I just hope that after all these years of putrid basketball that it still hasn’t lost any of that mythical victory essence left by the great players of the 90′s
“Does anyone other than MSG employees really think MSG is the “worlds most famous arena”?”
I would imagine so, especially with plenty of great players that are in their contract years and also players NOT IN THEIR CONTRACT YEAR repeatedly say it.
I’m just saying…
“Yes we’ve been lowly, but we are the Knicks, Not the Nets, not the Clippers. The Knicks. One of the great franchises in modern sports”.
Funny, in the last 37 years, our “great franchise” has the same amount of championships as the Nets or Clippers/Braves (actually less if you want to count the ABA championship won by the Nets during that time). Let’s not get too carried away-we’re not exactly the Yankees when it comes to success.
lol Mets either, at least we won one in the mid 80s. The last time our Knicks won a champisonship John McCain was a baby!
lol-at least I have a memory of our Mets being at the top of the baseball world, albeit having been so long ago.
If the Knicks are a “great franchise”, then so is every other sports entity in New York (besides possibly the Jets, who have somehow gone longer without a championship than the Knicks). Are the Rangers and Islanders great franchises? Sometimes we as fans get a little ridiculous with this stuff.
Tough for me to get too hyped about Barea (or any other free agent) until LeBron signs his next contract.
Should he ever decide what we all want, there’s still the need to surround him with an all around squad.
I think we should try to snag CJ Watson.
Na Bruh..
No shots
Persuasive argument you got there.
I hear ya Tommy Dee! The GM better not fire our coach because the good players ain’t coming huh? We’ve seen proof of this the last 2 years. lol
After Isiah it’s amazing how people are still fooled by a phoney!
Obviously, baloney sells!
“Obviously, baloney sells!”
Not as well as hope!!
Well, Let’s hope you’re part of the entourage talking to LBJ this offseason!
I like Barea a lot. He’s a like a more under control, better passing version of Nate. I don’t see why Dallas wouldn’t pick up his option though on the cheap…this is the same team that payed Erick Dampier max money and then followed it up by signing Diop for like 6 million a year. No way Cuban doesn’t pick up his option. Not a big deal really because 1st of all any potential FA is not going to bash a possible landing spot. 2nd players do like Dantoni’s system, no 2 ways around it. Even listening to the coach talk one of the first things he says is having fun out on the court. 3rd, NY is an alluring city obviously, especially for guys who have international roots. This is pretty much what DW has banked on above all else, even ignoring his future roster to a certain extent.
Any ball player will get better with minutes played. It’s call confidence building. Sitting and learning from the bench is not the same when it comes to playing. So stop drooling at other point guards who had time to play significant minutes to be at the top of their games.
TD will continue to get better with playing time and with that time he will build confidence to be a major factor in the Knicks future. I played point and shooting guard for my entire life, so I know what it takes to be at the top of your game. I had that NY street game that had to be molded according to the system that I was in. I was a shooting guard in a point guard’s body and I hated to play the point because I had to run the offense and learn where everybody had to be and get them to perform in a team concept. What’s difficult when you have play with players with small basketball IQ. When I played shooting guard, I didn’t have the responsibility for the other 4 players on the court, BUT SHOOT! Love it!
So, small shooting guards have to learn to play point first and accept getting knuckleheads to play together in a team concept. Street ball and organize ball are totally different systems. I have confident that TD will continue to get better with more playing time. So if you guys want to continue to think TD is not ready to be the starting point don’t know BALL! TD has shown flashes that he can be a great point guard, and the defense is there, so it is time to start giving him significant minutes to DEVELOP YOUR OWN POINT GUARD for the FUTURE! Homegrown your own!
if he signs here
there will have alot of ricans in the garden