Knicks · Grade Grunwald this off-season up the Smith signing (page 2)

Right now it's a B+ if the guys can stay healthy it becomes an A -.

Still wouldn't mind Courtney Lee or a tough guy on the roster. But a second unit of Kidd, Shumpert, Novak and Camby is pretty good. Woodson needs to really work on Getting Kidd, Smith, Novak, Melo, Chandler some minutes together and allow amare to work with Lin, Camby and the second unit to maximize his offense.

While in 2015-16, we probably going to have to do a full blown rebuild or become the mediocre style Isiah put us through for a decade.
We are in win now mode and Dolan is firing back at The Russian.
Dolan has a lot of pride, getting 2 centers to counter, Dwight and keep our BIGs rotated and fresh.
I am pretty sure, we tried to keep Jorts and 1 pick, but Houston likes to make us pay a premium price.
It is not a good message to send, in the long run, teams will expect the same treatment from us in future trades.

Seriously though, too early to tell, we have to see how Kidd/Camby play and if they are serious about mentoring and staying in shape etc.
I have seen many players *Shaq*, on many occasions, using their *name*, to get a last contract and then physically and mentally give up, some just can't bear injury, some just want to make another 10m.
I am not saying this is the case for Kidd/Camby, but we have them here to MENTOR/TEACH and stay competitive.
For once, the roster looks like it works, take the age out out it, and these guys are competitors.

This is a group of players that want to give one last hurrah, it can be infectious.
More importantly, these are players that will have the respect of Melo.
Someone has to put Melo and Amare at their place sometimes.
Hopefully we can link Amare/Melo and Lin with the right players to use, Camby is one of Melo's "big bro relatioinship while a ROOK at Denver*
Kidd, is such HOF PG, he has much to teach and pass on his knowledge, our Yoda. Most importantly, he will not allow ISO heavy games that none of us want s to see.

Woodson's new priorities
-----------------------------

1) DEFENSE - we have to continue our roster with 2 way players that are under 30, 26 or so would be ideal. Anthony Tolliver, Delonte West, Patty Mills?
Finishing our roster with young, athletic, quick/fast, players with heart, and smart defensive players, with the ability to be good shooters. We have our anchors already, so time to build around them.

2) Ball movement - We need players that can hit the 3point shot, move the ball when they are not, and can penetrate and break down defenses. Right now we only have Lin that can do it, JR Smith's ball handling is weak vs good defensive teams, we need more players, aside from the PG that can do it. Terrence Williams, I really hope we can land this guy, he can learn from JKidd, he has guard skills while G/F size.

3) Good spacing/player movement/Picks - Get your own team mates good shots, earn them a step, give them the angle, and set them GOOD picks.

Clean wrote:My Knicks grades goes as follows:

A+ = Get Nash, Camby and Foye and Resign Lin, Novak, JR and JJ
A = Get Nash, Camby and Resign Lin, Novak, JR and JJ
A- = Get Kidd, Camby and Foye and Resign Lin, Novak, JR and JJ
B+ = Get Kidd, Camby and Resign Lin, Novak, JR and JJ

If we match Fields contract you can bring down each grade a notch or two.

But then Grunwald goes out and immediately gets Kidd to sign here when Kidd was about to re-sign with Dallas. That alone gets him a A+++ in my book. Not only did that move get Kidd, but I believe it also got us Camby. By signing Kidd, it became concrete that we were all in. Also, our main weakness at the point was covered.

Kidd is also a winner, and a fighter. Kidd goes all out and he wouldn't have come here unless he knew that Mgmt and the rest of the team were also going for it. Camby is coming for this. Remember Kidd is close with Tyson Chandler - they led the Mavs to a championship. Kidd's signing was the turning point and I give credit to Grunwald for that.

JR came back for the same reason as Camby. He wants to play for this team because this team is very serious about winning. He could have gotten more elsewhere.

Grunwald's done a great job!

Because Glen brought back most of the team that will mean we'll have a lot of continuity and this is REALLY important. The Heat showed a lot of great chemistry and were clearly in sync compared to the previous season. Teams need a core with time together to excel and now the Knicks will have had a good run together and better chemistry next year.

Glen just needs a couple more small additions to round out the roster and we'll be ready to make a run.

PG Felton, Kidd, 35yr old rookie
SG JR Smith, Shump, James White
SF Melo, Copeland
PF Amar'e, Novak, Kurt Thomas
C Tyson, Camby

Did I miss anyone out? We're still 2 players short. We need a SG, and some youth backing up SF and PF/C- we're going to miss JJ- he could back up 3 positions.

I liked Felton, and Kurt but losing Lin is really deflating. I don't blame Grunnie though. Hopefully we're still a good squad, but I really didn't expect to lose Fields, JJ, Jorts and Lin.

Bonn1997 wrote:Camby is still a big upgrade at C/PF. Replacing Lin and Fields with Felton and Kidd was ridiculous though. C+

I never realised you were a big Fields fan until we were about to lose him, Bonn1997- you kept that quiet!

loweyecue wrote:Gave him an"A", contingent on signing Lin, completing Kidd signing and keeping Jeffries.

Grunwald failed to meet my contingency requirement, downgrading him to a C-. That's the lowest passin grade - He did improve our frontcourt and defense. He made our Offense a lot weaker and more predictable and he made our average age 37.5

...and that A+ won''t change if Grunwald doesn't match Lin's backloaded offer sheet, either.

HARDCOREKNICKSFAN wrote:I will give Grunwald an A+ so far. He retooled the roster as best he could, given the available players available.

...and that A+ won''t change if Grunwald doesn't match Lin's backloaded offer sheet, either.

A+? This has to be sarcastic, right? With or without Lin, signing a bunch of 40 year olds and a fat PG for any remaining assets we had left in the next 5 years isn't A+ work.

- Drafted a greek player who wouldn't paly this year
- Signed a 39 year old PG to mentor a promising young PG
- Traded what remaining young players we had for a 39 year old PF
- Then traded the said greek player and only remainig asset for an out of shaoe PG who no one wanted and a broken down 40 year old PF
- Will probably let the said promising young PG to walk for absolutely NOTHING to show for it (someone who is valued at 3yr-25M by the league won't even fetch us a draft pick)

YUP A+ sounds about right.

JamesKPolk wrote:

HARDCOREKNICKSFAN wrote:I will give Grunwald an A+ so far. He retooled the roster as best he could, given the available players available.

...and that A+ won''t change if Grunwald doesn't match Lin's backloaded offer sheet, either.

A+? This has to be sarcastic, right? With or without Lin, signing a bunch of 40 year olds and a fat PG for any remaining assets we had left in the next 5 years isn't A+ work.

Everyone who the Knicks recently picked up weren't all 40+. lol It's okay, though- some NYK fans are upset about the three older players we have as backups.

Compared to many Knicks deals of the past 10 years, I find these tweaks to the roster as great. I wasn't being sarcastic at all.

That's the wonderful thing about polls- everyone has a right to their own opinions.

loweyecue wrote:Let's see what the re-tooling consists of-

- Drafted a greek player who wouldn't paly this year
- Signed a 39 year old PG to mentor a promising young PG
- Traded what remaining young players we had for a 39 year old PF
- Then traded the said greek player and only remainig asset for an out of shaoe PG who no one wanted and a broken down 40 year old PF
- Will probably let the said promising young PG to walk for absolutely NOTHING to show for it (someone who is valued at 3yr-25M by the league won't even fetch us a draft pick)

YUP A+ sounds about right.

Mad about Lin. Yep. Got it, Loweycue.

Sounds like another "new Nets fan" in the making.

HARDCOREKNICKSFAN wrote:

loweyecue wrote:Let's see what the re-tooling consists of-

- Drafted a greek player who wouldn't paly this year
- Signed a 39 year old PG to mentor a promising young PG
- Traded what remaining young players we had for a 39 year old PF
- Then traded the said greek player and only remainig asset for an out of shaoe PG who no one wanted and a broken down 40 year old PF
- Will probably let the said promising young PG to walk for absolutely NOTHING to show for it (someone who is valued at 3yr-25M by the league won't even fetch us a draft pick)

YUP A+ sounds about right.

Mad about Lin. Yep. Got it, Loweycue.

Sounds like another "new Nets fan" in the making.

You wish. And yeah I am mad about losing Lin. Oh and one other thing - pass the Kool Aid, to someone who cares.