Knicks · Nene opting out of contract...man... (page 1)

Let me start by saying I like Chauncey. Barring him getting hurt after the team got into a flow and then returning to interrupt a new Billups-less flow, he's a good player and not really part of the problem (although tougher D would have been nice). But I didn't like the Knicks picking up his option so quickly, if even at all. Right now the money they've guaranteed him is gone, so they really have little to no shot at Nene, a real NBA ready starting center. I don't actually want the Knicks to be Denver East, but I'd gladly take Nene and swap he and Billups in a second.

I'm still bummed they didn't keep him when they drafted him. I was at an O's game in Camden and they had the draft on half of the monitors in the concourse around the stadium. Getting McDyess did not excite me at all. Anyway, just thought I'd share.

Knicks had a 5 day turnaround to pick up Billups' contract, so it's not like they could wait.

The downside to not picking it up was much worse than picking it up.

Imagine this team:

Raymond Felton / Iman Shumpert
Landry Fields / Toney Douglas
Danilo Gallinari / Wilson Chandler
Amar'e Stoudemire / Anthony Randolph
Nene / Mozgov / Jorts

sigh.

grillco wrote:Let me start by saying I like Chauncey. Barring him getting hurt after the team got into a flow and then returning to interrupt a new Billups-less flow, he's a good player and not really part of the problem (although tougher D would have been nice). But I didn't like the Knicks picking up his option so quickly, if even at all. Right now the money they've guaranteed him is gone, so they really have little to no shot at Nene, a real NBA ready starting center. I don't actually want the Knicks to be Denver East, but I'd gladly take Nene and swap he and Billups in a second.

I'm still bummed they didn't keep him when they drafted him. I was at an O's game in Camden and they had the draft on half of the monitors in the concourse around the stadium. Getting McDyess did not excite me at all. Anyway, just thought I'd share.

I share your sentiments on Nene and the draft day trade.

I also agree that it would be nice to be able to get him as a FA - however we needed a PG and Billups was a really good option. He is overpaid but we had to make a decision and the easy choice was to pick up his option. Without him where would we be? Imagine not picking up his option and Nene doesn't opt out or he signs somewhere else? Unfortunately there was no way to know this would happen so no use in being upset about it - just plan for the next opportunity.

Nene sure would have looked nice on this squad though.

martin wrote:Knicks had a 5 day turnaround to pick up Billups' contract, so it's not like they could wait.

The downside to not picking it up was much worse than picking it up.

But I'm saying let him walk and if he's still around when the smoke clears, is interested in NY (at a pay cut) then sign him. The Knicks were not a position of absolutely HAVING to pick up his option. That's why I said "if even at all" in regards to picking up the option.

crzymdups wrote:Imagine this team:

Raymond Felton / Iman Shumpert
Landry Fields / Toney Douglas
Danilo Gallinari / Wilson Chandler
Amar'e Stoudemire / Anthony Randolph
Nene / Mozgov / Jorts

sigh.

How about you swap out Gallo and Chandler for Melo, have TD at the point and IS spelling him and Fields, and still lose Mozgov...that's just as good (if not better for me). Donnie was still tweaking the deal before dimwit took over, and Nene (instead of Billups) would have been a preferred part of it if Walsh could have kept working his magic. But we'll never know for sure.

Adding Nene would not do enough to the Knicks positively for the money you have o sign him for...The Knicks are in more urgent need of a point guard long term than a player like Nene...

Even if Billups was released, the Knicks would have had virtually no shot at signing Nene.

holfresh wrote:Adding Nene would not do enough to the Knicks positively for the money you have o sign him for...The Knicks are in more urgent need of a point guard long term than a player like Nene...

Sorry TD and others were doing quite nicely while Billups was out and his return ended that run abruptly. So I still the need for a strong defensive big as higher than that of a PG. And lets face it, Billups isn't an elite PG anymore (some have argued that he never was). I'd still take a 28 old proven and quality starting center over a 34 year-old Billups. I reserve the right to deny ever saying this if the Knicks get a ring with Billups at the point, especially if he MVPs it again.

Andrew wrote:Even if Billups was released, the Knicks would have had virtually no shot at signing Nene.

Why?

grillco wrote:

martin wrote:Knicks had a 5 day turnaround to pick up Billups' contract, so it's not like they could wait.

The downside to not picking it up was much worse than picking it up.

But I'm saying let him walk and if he's still around when the smoke clears, is interested in NY (at a pay cut) then sign him. The Knicks were not a position of absolutely HAVING to pick up his option. That's why I said "if even at all" in regards to picking up the option.

For all practical purposes, they were in a position of absolutely having to pick up his contract.

If they didn't and he left, what happens? What scrub you signing that would suffice at the PG position?

If CP3 comes up on the market, what player are you trading that would fit the bill?

If another player comes up that the team would want to swap for Billups' expiring, what do you offer?

After 3 years of not having any continuity, can the team really afford another?

If the Knicks turned down Chauncy, and the cap was relatively the same (that's the best assumption we can come up with), the cap number is some where in the $60-62M range? Knicks would come in a ~$52-53M with their signed contracts + cap holds. You have like ~$7-10 to sign a center and a starting PG. And you just lost use of the MLE. And you may lose Chauncy for nothing.

And let's not think you can sign Marc Gasol, Tyson Chandler or Nene, cause they already have starting salaries that can be matched or are greater than what you can offer.

And if you did sign someone, you lose out on CP3, Howard, Deron.

So what's the use?

Also, consider the downside of the cap being < $60M.

The downside is much scarier than any potential pickup that you may have been able to grab.

grillco wrote:

holfresh wrote:Adding Nene would not do enough to the Knicks positively for the money you have o sign him for...The Knicks are in more urgent need of a point guard long term than a player like Nene...

Sorry TD and others were doing quite nicely while Billups was out and his return ended that run abruptly. So I still the need for a strong defensive big as higher than that of a PG. And lets face it, Billups isn't an elite PG anymore (some have argued that he never was). I'd still take a 28 old proven and quality starting center over a 34 year-old Billups. I reserve the right to deny ever saying this if the Knicks get a ring with Billups at the point, especially if he MVPs it again.

Billups signing was not a look at the future..It's just an interim until 2012..We needed a point guard...You might have missed TD's performance in last years playoffs...A good point is important because he make Amare that much more potent going to the hole...Can't argue that point enough..

grillco wrote:

Andrew wrote:Even if Billups was released, the Knicks would have had virtually no shot at signing Nene.

Why?

Because after letting Billups and his 14 million contract go, the Knicks were going to be only around 7 million under the salary cap. Not enough money to sign a premier starting center like Nene or Gasol, plus they would have to look for a starting point guard also.

crzymdups wrote:Imagine this team:

Raymond Felton / Iman Shumpert
Landry Fields / Toney Douglas
Danilo Gallinari / Wilson Chandler
Amar'e Stoudemire / Anthony Randolph
Nene / Mozgov / Jorts

sigh.

Lets not forget the 1st round pick, 2 2nd round GS picks, a possible swap of 1st round picks.

But he's coming home, coming home, tell the world now, hes coming home....

RonRon wrote:

crzymdups wrote:Imagine this team:

Raymond Felton / Iman Shumpert
Landry Fields / Toney Douglas
Danilo Gallinari / Wilson Chandler
Amar'e Stoudemire / Anthony Randolph
Nene / Mozgov / Jorts

sigh.

Lets not forget the 1st round pick, 2 2nd round GS picks, a possible swap of 1st round picks.

But he's coming home, coming home, tell the world now, hes coming home....

ROFL..

I hear ya....

crzymdups wrote:Imagine this team:

Raymond Felton / Iman Shumpert
Landry Fields / Toney Douglas
Danilo Gallinari / Wilson Chandler
Amar'e Stoudemire / Anthony Randolph
Nene / Mozgov / Jorts

sigh.

That team's not as good as what we have now.

grillco wrote:Let me start by saying I like Chauncey. Barring him getting hurt after the team got into a flow and then returning to interrupt a new Billups-less flow, he's a good player and not really part of the problem (although tougher D would have been nice). But I didn't like the Knicks picking up his option so quickly, if even at all. Right now the money they've guaranteed him is gone, so they really have little to no shot at Nene, a real NBA ready starting center. I don't actually want the Knicks to be Denver East, but I'd gladly take Nene and swap he and Billups in a second.

I'm still bummed they didn't keep him when they drafted him. I was at an O's game in Camden and they had the draft on half of the monitors in the concourse around the stadium. Getting McDyess did not excite me at all. Anyway, just thought I'd share.

I was so ecstatic when we drafted Nene. And then when they traded him AND Camby for a Dice fresh off surgery who HADN'T PLAYED 1 GAME YET...I could not understand it. do you know what our frontline wouldve looked like with NeNe & Camby?!?!?!?

crzymdups wrote:Imagine this team:

Raymond Felton / Iman Shumpert
Landry Fields / Toney Douglas
Danilo Gallinari / Wilson Chandler
Amar'e Stoudemire / Anthony Randolph
Nene / Mozgov / Jorts

sigh.

Thats a deep team, and ours currently isnt, but were better than that team.

holfresh wrote:Adding Nene would not do enough to the Knicks positively for the money you have o sign him for...The Knicks are in more urgent need of a point guard long term than a player like Nene...

A pg is the #1 priority...hands down

Since MDA started coaching the Knicks,we are winning 90% of our games when our PG plays well, doesn't matter who it is.. Then you can't help but think about NASH's 2 MVPs under Mike, felton playing at a all star level, even duhon was playing above his avgerage under mike.

Nene would be a nice fit, but i would not let him get in the way of finding that near perfect PG for this system, and this roster as it's currently constructed.

y2zipper wrote:

crzymdups wrote:Imagine this team:

Raymond Felton / Iman Shumpert
Landry Fields / Toney Douglas
Danilo Gallinari / Wilson Chandler
Amar'e Stoudemire / Anthony Randolph
Nene / Mozgov / Jorts

sigh.

That team's not as good as what we have now.

This could be true, but it's a deep and VERY young.

Nene????? I mean the dude is a lower case Amare. His 14 points and 7 boards at center isn't really a player I think the knicks need at center.

I don't know, I think most of ya'll woul be happier with the thought of almost being good with some 20-26 year old role players then actually being good with some 26-28 year old players. And Cap space I guess, can't forget how being young andcap space worked out for the forgetabulls..........sgh*