Knicks · With an eye on 2012, Knicks only offering 1 year deals.... (page 3)

franco12 wrote:Its not long term deals that are cap killers- its bad signings that are cap killers.

I think its short sighted to not at least consider signing guys - especially if they can fill a need.I mean, if we could sign a Marc Gasol - unless the dollars are aweful, I think you do it, especially if he wanted to play here (not saying he does).

Its not short sighted at all. Why sign a marginal guy who is not going to put you over the top and take yourself out of the running for Howard or Paul? Besides, signing a 1 yr deal also makes it easier to move the contract if Paul, Howard or Williams become available at the trade deadline.

Uptown wrote:

franco12 wrote:Its not long term deals that are cap killers- its bad signings that are cap killers.

I think its short sighted to not at least consider signing guys - especially if they can fill a need.I mean, if we could sign a Marc Gasol - unless the dollars are aweful, I think you do it, especially if he wanted to play here (not saying he does).

Its not short sighted at all. Why sign a marginal guy who is not going to put you over the top and take yourself out of the running for Howard or Paul? Besides, signing a 1 yr deal also makes it easier to move the contract if Paul, Howard or Williams become available at the trade deadline.

I'm not talking about marginal guys - though it depends on your definition of marginal. I'm certainly not saying to go out and sign Howard Eisley- just that I would hope if we were able to add talent, not going more than a year isn't the reason that stops us.

Its more about getting guys on good contracts- not necessarily just short ones.

I definitely think Aaron Gray should be considered if the $ is right. Same can be said for Reggie Evans, but I doubt he is taking a one year deal @ 31/32 yrs old. I think Evans would create fits for Bosh, Horford, KG, Boozer, while letting Amar'e do his thing.

I honestly am not too confident in Jordan or Harrelson in their 1st yr and Turiaf will probably be injured half the yr. If possible, I'd love to see Jeff Foster (should be cheap) and Gray be brought in together. Turiaf comes off the bench, where he is the most effective imo, and Foster could back up Amar'e against bigger squads and Shawne Williams could come in @ the 4 when they play small ball. I think it'd be a nice rotation, given what's available.

Gray is a big dude and could start against Howard, Bogut, Hibbert, Lopez, etc.. and Foster could start against the althetic bigs - KG, Pachulia, Horford, Noah, Okafor, Bargnani, etc...

PG Billups, Shumpert, AC (hopefully)
SG Fields, Douglas, B. Walker
SF Melo, Shawne Williams, D. Brown
PF Stat, Foster, Harrelson
C Gray, Turiaf, Jordan, Harrelson

Tommy Dee also mentioned another guy who could provide some nice bench scoring and back up the 4, Josh McRoberts. Looking at that lineup, it seems to lack frontline scoring, though I think given our stars offensive prowess and the way they would matchup size-wise to Miami, Boston, Orlando and Chicago looks pretty good.

100% on board with the plan for exclusively one year deals. CBA isn't inked yet and we have no idea what will happen. We must maintain flexibility to complete our wedding trio super squad, regardless of how far we advance in the playoffs next season. We're almost there (i.e., 3 stud core) and I can't see any reason to abandon our plan now.

ATrain wrote:I thought the Mavs proved we didn't need 3 stars. I'm sick of "waiting for next year's free agents". We need a president. If the new cap benefits us why not take a shot at a Gasol,Jordan, Nene, Dalembert now. Why do we have to wait until 2012 to start becoming contenders? I just don't see why we can't start now. And I'm no where near convinced that Paul is going to lead us to the ECF.

Here's the problem with your plan of using up the money now, instead of waiting till 2012:

We only have the MLE.

Explain to me how the MLE is going to get us Tyson Chandler, who just won a championship ring; or Marc Gasol or DeAndre Jordan who is a restricted FA; or Nene who is worth double the MLE at minimum.

None of the above players are signing with the Knicks (or the Heat for that matter) at the only price we can offer.

The only reasonable target at the MLE here is Samuel Dalembert, so the question I ask you is...do you really want to mortgage even the chance at CP3, Dwight, or Deron, for freakin' Sammy D?

One-year contracts are the way to go, as much as we hate to starphuck -- it's our best road to a championship.

I'm a big fan of one year deals because I think there are some very servicable centers out there. Kwame brown is my top choice followed by Gray. Brown is a better fit but Gray might have greater upside. We just need someone could can be effective for 25-30 mpg and is better than turiaf.

Chris Paul wants to play with Melo and Amar'e, is an all star, and one of the best players in the league and could be a piece of a future championship.

But no, no. Lets spend all our money on Marc Gasol, who has indicated no interest in playing here, or Samuel Dalembert. Who really led the Kings to a lot of wins this year, huh.

One year deals, for a big scrub and a back up point. All about it. Wait until 2012 when players actually WORTH the money will be free agents, and not a bunch of never wases and players who have zero interest in playing for us.

SupremeCommander wrote:

martin wrote:what does everyone thing of Aaron Gray? Poor man's Marc Gasol. I may offer MLE to him.

I don't understand why hasn't been given more of a role... he is excellent in the low block

Gray has been hurt by injuries and it wasn't like he was the mobile guy to begin with. Kinda like the way Todd MacCulloch's career was cut short with the Nets years ago.

Paladin55 wrote:

Knicksfan wrote:Anthony Randolph and Kwame Brown are two different animals. The first really had no position because even at 6'11 he didn't have the strenght to be a true C and he didn't even play like a big man. Brown, for what is worth, has the size and strenght of a C and showed last season that he can rebound, block, defend and even chip in points down low.

At the minimum and for 1-year, I say give it a go to Brown and a rotation of Turiaf, Jordan and Harrellson.

Center by committee works for me, and I could live with this group. You figure that 2 of them will emerge as the players most complimentary to Amare and Anthony, 1 of them will get injured, and 1 will turn out to be useless except for the fouls they can give.

Center by committee is definitely the way to go, as long as one playing emerges as the starting center. Brown seems like a good candidate, i think he can be a starting center in this league and put up solid numbers. Let's see the other 3 go at it for the backup minutes. Hopefully either Harrellson or Jordan becomes a solid backup center right away.