Knicks · We want some mo' Diawara! (page 4)

Philc1 @ 2/12/2026 10:12 AM
nycericanguy wrote:
martin wrote:
nycericanguy wrote:IDK how opposing teams don't watch MO and say lets throw 3/24m at him this summer and put the Knicks in a real tough spot.

because even at 8m per he's going to be a steal as soon as next season. He might even make OG expendable soon.

How many late second round picks that have semi popped have you seen been offered that type of deal? Even from their own team?

It's too much of a risk and then you tie up your cap space cause he is a RFA.

Even Houston would say that Lin was probably overpriced at the time and faded. That's the risk.

At that price, you are pegging his talent as ~ #6-10 pick in this past draft.

Draft picks are underpaid. Teams would offer alot more if they could to draft picks if they were FA's.

MO is the prototypical NBA player teams dream about these days. Long, versatile, defends, high IQ, can shoot the corner 3 and plays hard. If he pans out he's literally a MAX player. So $8m would be a very well calculated risk IMO.

I remember when the sixers traded Jermaine O’Neal for basically nothing. This guy was telling me “you don’t trade a 20 year old seven footer with talent away”

Knixkik @ 2/12/2026 10:30 AM
I’m somewhat prepared to pay Diawara way over the minimum this summer and probably lose Shamet as a result of it. It’s just hard to keep everyone. And we have to think more longterm. Obviously both would be ideal, but I want to prioritize Mitch, Diawara and Extending Jose and Deuce first.
nycericanguy @ 2/12/2026 10:32 AM
Knixkik wrote:I’m somewhat prepared to pay Diawara way over the minimum this summer and probably lose Shamet as a result of it. It’s just hard to keep everyone. And we have to think more longterm. Obviously both would be ideal, but I want to prioritize Mitch, Diawara and Extending Jose and Deuce first.

if Shamet stays I think it has to be for min, and I think he just might.

martin @ 2/12/2026 10:55 AM
Knixkik wrote:I’m somewhat prepared to pay Diawara way over the minimum this summer and probably lose Shamet as a result of it. It’s just hard to keep everyone. And we have to think more longterm. Obviously both would be ideal, but I want to prioritize Mitch, Diawara and Extending Jose and Deuce first.

I don't understand that statement. This is not a zero sum game.

nycericanguy @ 2/12/2026 11:01 AM
do we have any exceptions next year? i think Shamet at this point would deserve at least an exception over vet min.
newyorknewyork @ 2/12/2026 11:29 AM
After the playoffs there will be a clearer picture with the guys who are getting paid. Who to move for cost savings(or in a deal for Giannis), and who to move forward with.
Knixkik @ 2/12/2026 11:43 AM
martin wrote:
Knixkik wrote:I’m somewhat prepared to pay Diawara way over the minimum this summer and probably lose Shamet as a result of it. It’s just hard to keep everyone. And we have to think more longterm. Obviously both would be ideal, but I want to prioritize Mitch, Diawara and Extending Jose and Deuce first.

I don't understand that statement. This is not a zero sum game.

I’m looking at it as being so close to the second apron, we won’t overcommit to being too far over. Need the ability to get under at any time if we do go over. Maybe it doesn’t matter and we simply resign everyone and commit to being way over. But then we are stuck for at least a year. If we are just a little over, it’s easy to get under when needed. Knick front office always takes the approach of flexibility, so I am basing that statement on their history of how they operate.

Knixkik @ 2/12/2026 11:45 AM
nycericanguy wrote:do we have any exceptions next year? i think Shamet at this point would deserve at least an exception over vet min.

Taxpayer MLE. So the Yabusele exception. Giving him 2 years 11M with a player option on the second year would give us full bird rights if we go that route.

martin @ 2/12/2026 11:54 AM
Knixkik wrote:
martin wrote:
Knixkik wrote:I’m somewhat prepared to pay Diawara way over the minimum this summer and probably lose Shamet as a result of it. It’s just hard to keep everyone. And we have to think more longterm. Obviously both would be ideal, but I want to prioritize Mitch, Diawara and Extending Jose and Deuce first.

I don't understand that statement. This is not a zero sum game.

I’m looking at it as being so close to the second apron, we won’t overcommit to being too far over. Need the ability to get under at any time if we do go over. Maybe it doesn’t matter and we simply resign everyone and commit to being way over. But then we are stuck for at least a year. If we are just a little over, it’s easy to get under when needed. Knick front office always takes the approach of flexibility, so I am basing that statement on their history of how they operate.

Thanks

I'm guess one of 2 things will happen, give or take.

They keep same team together, and go over second apron.

They trade for Giannis, in which more than KAT is going out. This is the tricky one cause I think Knicks need to aggregate salaries and then will be hard capped.

nycericanguy @ 2/12/2026 12:13 PM
Didn't realize Shamet makes over $3m this year so not too bad. His vet min isn't shabby. I think that's fine to resign him at vet min.
Nalod @ 2/12/2026 1:39 PM
Philc1 wrote:
nycericanguy wrote:
martin wrote:
nycericanguy wrote:IDK how opposing teams don't watch MO and say lets throw 3/24m at him this summer and put the Knicks in a real tough spot.

because even at 8m per he's going to be a steal as soon as next season. He might even make OG expendable soon.

How many late second round picks that have semi popped have you seen been offered that type of deal? Even from their own team?

It's too much of a risk and then you tie up your cap space cause he is a RFA.

Even Houston would say that Lin was probably overpriced at the time and faded. That's the risk.

At that price, you are pegging his talent as ~ #6-10 pick in this past draft.

Draft picks are underpaid. Teams would offer alot more if they could to draft picks if they were FA's.

MO is the prototypical NBA player teams dream about these days. Long, versatile, defends, high IQ, can shoot the corner 3 and plays hard. If he pans out he's literally a MAX player. So $8m would be a very well calculated risk IMO.

I remember when the sixers traded Jermaine O’Neal for basically nothing. This guy was telling me “you don’t trade a 20 year old seven footer with talent away”

Jermaine O'neal never played for the Sixers.
And if you think POrtland made a mistake, you have also understand the context of the moment regarding what they were trying to do with that trade, who they had on its roster, adn who o'neal was as a Blazer. Also the money they were spending. Then consider who they got in that trade. They had a window.

BTW, who are you quoting? who is "This guy"?

martin @ 2/12/2026 2:33 PM
A few weeks from now: How do we fit Sochan and Mo under the cap next year?!?!?
Knixkik @ 2/12/2026 3:10 PM
martin wrote:A few weeks from now: How do we fit Sochan and Mo under the cap next year?!?!?

So true. Good problems to have.

Knixkik @ 2/12/2026 3:29 PM
martin wrote:
Knixkik wrote:
martin wrote:
Knixkik wrote:I’m somewhat prepared to pay Diawara way over the minimum this summer and probably lose Shamet as a result of it. It’s just hard to keep everyone. And we have to think more longterm. Obviously both would be ideal, but I want to prioritize Mitch, Diawara and Extending Jose and Deuce first.

I don't understand that statement. This is not a zero sum game.

I’m looking at it as being so close to the second apron, we won’t overcommit to being too far over. Need the ability to get under at any time if we do go over. Maybe it doesn’t matter and we simply resign everyone and commit to being way over. But then we are stuck for at least a year. If we are just a little over, it’s easy to get under when needed. Knick front office always takes the approach of flexibility, so I am basing that statement on their history of how they operate.

Thanks

I'm guess one of 2 things will happen, give or take.

They keep same team together, and go over second apron.

They trade for Giannis, in which more than KAT is going out. This is the tricky one cause I think Knicks need to aggregate salaries and then will be hard capped.

Yes those seem to be the options. I’m not convinced the Knicks go over even if they keep the same. Let’s look at each scenario
1. Knicks trade for Giannis and they need to aggregate salary, so they will be hard capped at the second apron. It’s not too complicated though. If they move KAT and either OG or Mikal for Giannis, they just can’t take back as much salary as Bridges or OGs contract. Shouldn’t be a problem. Then they have plenty of room under the second apron to resign Mitch, Shamet, Diawara and fill out the roster with low salary players.
2. No Giannis trade happens and let’s say things stay the same. So the question is do we go over or not?
If the Knicks get Alvarado to pick up his option at 4.5M and extend…Knicks have their starting 5 plus Deuce and Jose equalling approximately 201M on a second apron number around 223M. So 22M for 7 roster slots. They could resign Mitch at 12M in year 1, and have 10M for 6 roster spots. We are assuming kolek and Dadiet are moved. If they aren’t, it’s second apron for sure. If they are moved, you can use that 10M to resign Diawara at the minimum, sign the first round pick, and basically go 3 more players with no experience (let’s say both of our 2026 second round picks plus an undrafted guy, or how about Rokas Jokubaitis?) then just stay at 13 for a bit and add a 14th later. All of that seems tight, but doable. Or they just say screw it and resign Shamet and add legit vets on minimums and stay over the second apron. It should be noted that we have no idea what sort of contract Mitch will command, but I think 12M in year-1 is on the very low end. Anyways this is the sort of concept we are working with for offseason. But the best way to do it is figure 201M for the starting 5 plus Deuce and Jose, and go from there. I didn’t include kolek and Dadiet because I am not sure if the Knicks will keep players at those salaries who are out of the rotation, but feel free to figure another 5M total for them. So that brings the number to 206M for 9 players before we start signing/ resigning guys.

martin @ 2/12/2026 6:58 PM
Mo, doing most excellently, but still learning too

Swishfm3 @ 2/12/2026 11:01 PM
If Sochan works out (which I think he will), the Knicks will bring him back, as well as M. Diawara and Shamet (Brown and the coaching staff seem to love them both and trusts them).

To make things work on the cap…

The Knicks are going to end up exchanging/trading away all of this years draft picks for future picks.

Mitchell Robinson and Clarkson will not get re-signed

Rookie @ 2/12/2026 11:22 PM
Swishfm3 wrote:If Sochan works out (which I think he will), the Knicks will bring him back, as well as M. Diawara and Shamet (Brown and the coaching staff seem to love them both and trusts them).

To make things work on the cap…

The Knicks are going to end up exchanging/trading away all of this years draft picks for future picks.

Mitchell Robinson and Clarkson will not get re-signed

There’s a 99% chance that there is a 0% chance the Knicks let Mitch walk

BlueKnickers @ 2/12/2026 11:43 PM
Rookie wrote:
Swishfm3 wrote:If Sochan works out (which I think he will), the Knicks will bring him back, as well as M. Diawara and Shamet (Brown and the coaching staff seem to love them both and trusts them).

To make things work on the cap…

The Knicks are going to end up exchanging/trading away all of this years draft picks for future picks.

Mitchell Robinson and Clarkson will not get re-signed

There’s a 99% chance that there is a 0% chance the Knicks let Mitch walk

Depends on the off-season Giannis factor, but aside from that this is the first time in years Mitch looks truly healthy and he's starting to make the kinds of athletic putbacks at the rim he made as a younger player.

Even if he plays only 50 games a season for load management purposes, Mitch has been fairly dominant this season and is one of the players who makes us a factor come playoff time.

They'll keep him somehow unless he is required to make a deal for Giannis or we are able to bag another dominant defensive center to replace him.

But you really can't compete without some kind of of paint enforcement. The way the league plays now with so much outside shooting is the elite teams will pull defenses out with their shooters and then take the ball inside with cutters or a good penetrator.

Without paint protection, the best shooting teams will burn you up with that inside/outside game. We do not have anything other than Mitch to lock down the interior.

And offensive strategies these days also rely quite a bit on second chances on those missed perimeter shots. Sometimes our offense is Mitch on the offensive glass keeping our possessions alive until we can convert.

Knixkik @ 2/13/2026 8:46 AM
Swishfm3 wrote:If Sochan works out (which I think he will), the Knicks will bring him back, as well as M. Diawara and Shamet (Brown and the coaching staff seem to love them both and trusts them).

To make things work on the cap…

The Knicks are going to end up exchanging/trading away all of this years draft picks for future picks.

Mitchell Robinson and Clarkson will not get re-signed

Knicks will likely bounce around in the draft, but don’t expect them to trade out of the second round. Those 2 picks are how you fill out the roster for really cheap with the second round exceptions. We are expected to have a pick in the early 30s and mid 50s, and the Knicks traditionally utilize the second round exceptions, examples being Kolek, Hukporti, and Diawara.

Philc1 @ 2/15/2026 2:47 PM
Knixkik wrote:I’m somewhat prepared to pay Diawara way over the minimum this summer and probably lose Shamet as a result of it. It’s just hard to keep everyone. And we have to think more longterm. Obviously both would be ideal, but I want to prioritize Mitch, Diawara and Extending Jose and Deuce first.

Unfortunately I think Deuce may be a goner after next season. His extension won’t be cheap he can probably get around $75-80 million on the open market. Kolek is developing into a solid backup and there are always cheap backup pgs available. Knicks are probably going to have to trade Deuce for picks February 2027.

Alvarado if he keeps playing like this will opt out this summer to get paid.

Shamet on a cheap 2-3 year deal makes sense he’s a nice depth wing on the roster

nycericanguy @ 2/15/2026 6:06 PM
Philc1 wrote:
Knixkik wrote:I’m somewhat prepared to pay Diawara way over the minimum this summer and probably lose Shamet as a result of it. It’s just hard to keep everyone. And we have to think more longterm. Obviously both would be ideal, but I want to prioritize Mitch, Diawara and Extending Jose and Deuce first.

Unfortunately I think Deuce may be a goner after next season. His extension won’t be cheap he can probably get around $75-80 million on the open market. Kolek is developing into a solid backup and there are always cheap backup pgs available. Knicks are probably going to have to trade Deuce for picks February 2027.

Alvarado if he keeps playing like this will opt out this summer to get paid.

Shamet on a cheap 2-3 year deal makes sense he’s a nice depth wing on the roster

lol no one's giving Deuce $75m. He's an undersized SG who doesn't facilitate. He's not a starter on most teams and he low key gets injured alot.

that being said I agree he's probably gone after next season and thats fine, we got his prime years dirt cheap. The next team can give him 3/30m.

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