Ware is great, but looking for a payday and wants lots of minutes.
Julius and Mitch are probably my two favorite players just because I like my heroes with a tragic flaw, a little bit of hamartia. When people say mean things about them, I get angry.
Max Kellerman not really talking there (perhaps later on the show) about losing flexiblity that occurs when you cross the apron.
Mostly taking a position like that dumbs the show down for viewers to take a side and have soemthing to talk about. Fabricate a postition for the benefit of the show.
Context: KAT and Minny were up and coming having defeated Denver but had financial barriers. Look at the roster. To keep McDaniel and of course pay Ant something had to give and trading Rudy was not really feasible. They made conf. finals with Randle so it was not a disaster trade. Season one for both teams was about even. Knicks go to conf. finals with KAT. Hindsight looks like a "Heist" but lets be real becuase KAT stepped up big time and stopped fouling and Mike Brown eventually figured out what Thibs didn't.
DDV? Hell of pick up for MInny to insert. Minny got two starters for KAT! DDV had a career year last year and was doing rally well before he tore his heel. As for Randle's personality issues? Its why he is not a max or near max player and was perhaps let go by Lakers and NOLA. Granted they had Lebron adn Zion coming in. Randle a 3x all star and twice all NBA. You get him right in the head on a reasonable contract is a hell of a value. Knicks win a chip with KAT and Randle gets moody and DDV blows out a tire? Trade looks a bit lopsided after two years.
OG? He wanted bigger role and perhaps the money too. With Siakim and Barnes that was not going to happen, Toronto needed to make a trade and got two young starters with upside that needed to get paid. RJ at 25mil was not an awful contract and home town kid. IQ was the upside risk. That contract has not worked out mostly IQ played only 33 games his first full season with Toronto. His numbers? they are declining each year.
Not awful and perhaps its a chemistry thing as the team was constructed. Ingrahm is gone and perhaps that opens things up for him?
He has 3 years left on that bag that pays him 32mil per! Jury might still be out. IQ still young and justify that money. He is not far off.
As for OG......Teams wanted him and there was some talk we over paid? OG under thibs was magical. Leon did not mess around and wait until the trade deadline. He went in hard and early. Knicks to make the financial commitment they also had to give him some time and opportunity to develop a bit more. He has gotten better every year. The Tip? At that moment he was the series MVP. Brunson game 5 clearly defined that not being the case but OG has a knack for hitting the important shot or keeping the game within reach, the right steal, deflection, lose ball, and block!
What is not talked about enough is what he did to D'aAron Fox. Media talks about his choke? I believe OG was "DEMONIZING" him in parts of the game. If Fox was the engine to run the Spurs attack it got choked!
There was a risk to both the "Heists" but Leon looking really good and even more so with hiring Mike Brown who unlocked even more than Thibs did.
AKA: Thibs did a really good job. MIke Brown did a Great job!
Today is the day Denver should make a decision on Valanciunas
My big takeaway is I think the Knicks were prepared to lose Mitch and knew they would need to replace him, and did so. What they didn’t expect was Hukporti to get an offer above the league minimum. They were likely planning to bring him back on a 1-year deal to be the third string going into the season. Because he’s only been in the league 2 years, his cash value lines up with the minimum on the salary cap, as opposed to Drummond who gets 3.9 but it only counts as 2.45 towards the cap. So in order for Hukporti to make 3.9, Knicks would have to dip into their TPMLE, which wasn’t going to happen. I personally don’t think Hukporti was very good last year, but I understand pickings are slim right now on the center market. So this is probably the one aspect of free agency the Knicks weren’t quite prepared for, which their draft approach and summer league roster tells us. But they will figure something out.
newyorknewyork wrote:Today is the day Denver should make a decision on Valanciunas
I really want that guy. He's a viking beast.
Panos wrote:newyorknewyork wrote:Today is the day Denver should make a decision on Valanciunas
I really want that guy. He's a viking beast.
The thing is, he wanted to play overseas last year. Is he coming here to compete with Drummond for backup duties? I know Leon was his agent which helps. But I assumed he wants to leave the nba.
martin wrote:OK here we go
So he has to clear waivers first before you can sign him . Otherwise you have to pick up his 10 mil right ?
fitzfarm wrote:martin wrote:OK here we go
So he has to clear waivers first before you can sign him . Otherwise you have to pick up his 10 mil right ?
I don't think so. If I understand correctly, Denver is still liable for the portion not covered by his salary with the team that signs him, i.e. receives $2.5M from Knicks, balance of $7.5M sill due from Nuggets.
That's why trades matter. Waiving players can still carry a price tag. But if nobody wants to give up an asset for JV, then Denver is holding the bag. The market recognizes this, so any team that is interested will just wait for him to clear waivers.
Senior capologists are welcome to correct me if I am wrong.
BlueKnickers wrote:fitzfarm wrote:martin wrote:OK here we go
So he has to clear waivers first before you can sign him . Otherwise you have to pick up his 10 mil right ?
I don't think so. If I understand correctly, Denver is still liable for the portion not covered by his salary with the team that signs him, i.e. receives $2.5M from Knicks, balance of $7.5M sill due from Nuggets.
That's why trades matter. Waiving players can still carry a price tag. But if nobody wants to give up an asset for JV, then Denver is holding the bag. The market recognizes this, so any team that is interested will just wait for him to clear waivers.
Senior capologists are welcome to correct me if I am wrong.
My understanding was that only $2m was guaranteed of the $10m, so that’s how much Denver owes him and that’s it. No waivers.
martin wrote:BlueKnickers wrote:fitzfarm wrote:martin wrote:OK here we go
So he has to clear waivers first before you can sign him . Otherwise you have to pick up his 10 mil right ?
I don't think so. If I understand correctly, Denver is still liable for the portion not covered by his salary with the team that signs him, i.e. receives $2.5M from Knicks, balance of $7.5M sill due from Nuggets.
That's why trades matter. Waiving players can still carry a price tag. But if nobody wants to give up an asset for JV, then Denver is holding the bag. The market recognizes this, so any team that is interested will just wait for him to clear waivers.
Senior capologists are welcome to correct me if I am wrong.
My understanding was that only $2m was guaranteed of the $10m, so that’s how much Denver owes him and that’s it. No waivers.
Cool, thanks for clarifying. Team friendly contract, easy to let him go without getting assets.
This the "Ian blink twice if JV is coming" post?
Another option that has been discussed off the board
ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that the Jazz signed Mo Bamba to a two-year deal.
The sixth overall pick in the 2018 draft, Bamba is still looking to cement himself as a pro after an inconsistent run in Orlando to begin his NBA career. He’s appeared in 36 NBA games over the last two seasons, including four in 2025-26. Signed to a 10-day deal by the Jazz in March, Bamba played two games for Utah, corralling 20 rebounds. He made a good enough impression to earn a contract from Utah, but Bamba’s return is unlikely to affect fantasy basketball. - Raphielle Johnson
Knixkik wrote:Panos wrote:newyorknewyork wrote:Today is the day Denver should make a decision on Valanciunas
I really want that guy. He's a viking beast.
The thing is, he wanted to play overseas last year. Is he coming here to compete with Drummond for backup duties? I know Leon was his agent which helps. But I assumed he wants to leave the nba.
NY is way closer to Europe than Denver it’s just a cheap flight from JFK away.
Philc1 wrote:Knixkik wrote:Panos wrote:newyorknewyork wrote:Today is the day Denver should make a decision on Valanciunas
I really want that guy. He's a viking beast.
The thing is, he wanted to play overseas last year. Is he coming here to compete with Drummond for backup duties? I know Leon was his agent which helps. But I assumed he wants to leave the nba.
NY is way closer to Europe than Denver it’s just a cheap flight from JFK away.
Give it a moment of thought. I doubt "Cheap flight" is a priority.
He is from Lithuania. His wife of 11 years also. They have a son. Are they rooted in Lithuania and does he want to be close to home and where does he want his 13 year old son schooled. From what I read last year his family moved to Lithuania. They were frustrated by the trades. Three teams in three years! His wife is not a bimbo. Has an degree in electrical engineering.
She is substantial intelectually and very attractive. He has made about $160,000,000. He has a standing offer to play in Lithuania for a very good team.
Why would he want to be a bit player off the bench for a couple mil when he did not want to play in Denver for 10mil? They held him to his contract and would not release him to play in europe. So in one year what do you think changed?
It took all of 20 seconds to see there are not direct flights from JFK to Lithuania. If there was its a "starting point of 10-13 hours". So Phil, whats your point other than NYC is geographically closer to Europe? That he can catch a cheap flight? Or his Family can drop what they are doing to see him here and there? He is 34 years old and play at a high level in Europe.
My guess unless something has changed he'll go play in europe. But think of the airline points he is missing out?
Egle Valachunas says hello!
Knixkik wrote:Panos wrote:newyorknewyork wrote:Today is the day Denver should make a decision on Valanciunas
I really want that guy. He's a viking beast.
The thing is, he wanted to play overseas last year. Is he coming here to compete with Drummond for backup duties? I know Leon was his agent which helps. But I assumed he wants to leave the nba.
Dude was playing in limbo (Sacramento).
Is he really going to choose to play in Europe if he has a chance to play on last year's champion team, and potential champ this year in the NB F'in A?
The way Leon is collecting wings it really feels like we are preparing for a trade. Deuce and Pacome being the most tradeable assets.
Nalod wrote:Philc1 wrote:Knixkik wrote:Panos wrote:newyorknewyork wrote:Today is the day Denver should make a decision on Valanciunas
I really want that guy. He's a viking beast.
The thing is, he wanted to play overseas last year. Is he coming here to compete with Drummond for backup duties? I know Leon was his agent which helps. But I assumed he wants to leave the nba.
NY is way closer to Europe than Denver it’s just a cheap flight from JFK away.
Give it a moment of thought. I doubt "Cheap flight" is a priority.
He is from Lithuania. His wife of 11 years also. They have a son. Are they rooted in Lithuania and does he want to be close to home and where does he want his 13 year old son schooled. From what I read last year his family moved to Lithuania. They were frustrated by the trades. Three teams in three years! His wife is not a bimbo. Has an degree in electrical engineering.
She is substantial intelectually and very attractive. He has made about $160,000,000. He has a standing offer to play in Lithuania for a very good team.
Why would he want to be a bit player off the bench for a couple mil when he did not want to play in Denver for 10mil? They held him to his contract and would not release him to play in europe. So in one year what do you think changed?
It took all of 20 seconds to see there are not direct flights from JFK to Lithuania. If there was its a "starting point of 10-13 hours". So Phil, whats your point other than NYC is geographically closer to Europe? That he can catch a cheap flight? Or his Family can drop what they are doing to see him here and there? He is 34 years old and play at a high level in Europe.
My guess unless something has changed he'll go play in europe. But think of the airline points he is missing out?
Egle Valachunas says hello!
I never said there was a direct flight to Lithuania. Yes there’s a connection but it’s cheap and fast. Obviously traveling from NY to Vilnius is at lot faster and easier than from Denver. Did you forget your medications today normally your unhinged rambling tangents are about basketball not traveling.
NYKBocker wrote:The way Leon is collecting wings it really feels like we are preparing for a trade. Deuce and Pacome being the most tradeable assets.
Might be small ball with OG at Center until we somehow get another C at the deadline next February
