The Knicks Fix

Enjoy the holiday Alan . . hopefully the Knicks will make some news this weekend because they have been way too quiet.

Its time Walsh began the rebuilding project. And the way to start is by cutting Marbury.

I would try to sign Nenad but i wouldnt trade D Lee for him. If we were able to sign him and keep Lee i would love it. I think Duhon will go to Orlando, i would have liked if he signed here, but i think there are other guys out there that can help, one guy i am hoping for via trade is Heinrich, i know reports said Mike D dont like him (when he was thinking about the Bulls job), but i think it would be a very fair trade (unwanted for unwanted) if we traded Zach and Balkman for Heinrich and Tytus Thomas ( the salaries match)

I think the Bulls should do it cuase they need low post scoring and balkman would be just a throw in for salary reasons.

I think the knicks should do this because we need a PG and heinrich is a big gaurd and is proven (even though he had a bad year last year but his prior year he was very good). If we acquired Heinrich we would help us to save money on the cap becuase his contract goes down as the years past, so he wouldnt put a huge restriction on our cap come 2010. I like him cause he is a big gaurd can shoot and sees the floor well.

As for Thomas, i would love to have him in Mike D’s system, i know he seems like a bust in chicago but in a runing system i think he would thrive. He averaged 6.8pts 4.6 rebs, 1blk per game when he was getting ONLY 17.9 mins a game, can u imagine if he was getting 25-30 mins per game?

My starting 5 then would be

PG Heinrich
SG Crawford
SF Rooster
PF Lee
C Nenad
with Nate, Curry, Thomas, Chandler as the regular rotation players off the bench. What do u guys think of that line up and how many wins do u think that line up can produce? i say 42-45

Ellis and Crawford sounds a lot like Curry and Zach to me. They do the same things and have the same defensive problems. If you bring in Ellis you have to move crawford or use one of them in the Barbosa sixth man role. The Knicks need a pure point, I don't see how Ellis/Crawford is much of an upgrade over Marburry/Crawford. Plus I don't think you add Ellis and destroy the 2010 plan after passing on B. Davis, a playmaking PG we desperately needed. Ellis is probably just driving his price up.

I won't harp over how we should have drafted a PG but I will say that Arroyo is leaps and bounds over Mardy Collins. Remember how well Arroyo played against our national team just a couple of years ago. The guy has bundles of talent. Same with Telfair but I understand the reservations about him. @ George, GS can do better than Crawford and Curry if they want to add salary. Maybe we dupe them into taking Crawford but not both, and if we do trade Crawford I would hope we get a PG or a shotblocker back. I like getting under the cap but that team would be so bad I doubt anyone worthwhile would want to sign here.

@ Jay, Maybe in the D-League but not in the NBA!!!!!

@ Jay, 42-45 In the D-league, maybe!!!

@Knicks 4 Life

i would not say that crawford and ellis are the same players.
ellis style is totally different from crawford.
crawford is a chucker.his game is mostly perimeter
ellis game is attacking the basket and a mid range game that is reminiscent of richard hamilton

ellis actually tries to play defense unlike crawford

Z-bo and curry did fit not well together because they both wanted to be on the block.curry would be best coupled with a forward who does damage from the outside ala rasheed wallace.

in the tandem of ellis and crawford i see ellis breaking down the defense and kicking out to a wide open crawford.
kind of how nash use to play with joe johnson

Enjoy the weekend, Hahn.

@ NYC. Neither is a PG though. Neither will be a able to run offensive sets or has the vision of a Nash/Paul/Kidd/Davis to get their teamates open shots and make them look better. I love the potential in Ellis' game way more than Crawford, I think their stats will improve by being in the backcourt together but I don't think you make the 3-5 positions better by having them be your starting backcourt.

My point about Randolph and Curry is that they are both big men who can't block shots, play D, or pass out of a double team. On offense they could both put up numbers but they got us killed on D and made the others stand around on O. Crawford and Ellis are both not good on D and both are not pure PGs. I like certain parts of both of their games just don't think that backcourt will win many games for you. At least Starburry averaged 8.5 assists.

Possible Trade:
This is based on the likely-hood that Elton Brand bolts from the Clippers and that the Knicks fill their point gaurd vacancy with Chris Duhon. The Clippers will be in need of a power foward.

Knicks trade:
Z Randolph
N Robinson
W Chandler

Clippers trade:
C Mobley
C Maggette (signed to a $17M deal over 2 years)

Knicks attain Mobley, a very talented all around gaurd and Maggette, an athletic beast. Both players fit nicely and the Knicks get rid of Randolph, who doesnt fit. Clippers fill Brand's void by getting Randolph, a 20 10 player. He will be matched with two athletic front court mates, Al Thortan and C Kaman. This will actually work as opposed to being put with statues Curry and Richardson.

I don't think you add Ellis and destroy the 2010 plan
Posted by Knicks4Life | July 4, 2008 02:02

Dude, get the Rainbows out ...
http://nyer.sosblog.com/KNICKS-FANATICS-1-b1/2010-AND-BUTTERFLYS-UP-OUR-ASS-b1-p65535.htm

Walsh is like me when I keep saying i'm going to clean my room and I just keep saying it - but , I don't get to do it. The moves this off season are critical because coach D is on the Olympic staff and you need to have a set team in August to start to promote.

I hope I don't see Chris Duhon in a Knicks uniform and I don't like the fact he is using the Knicks as leverage to go to Orlando. If you don't want to be here then don't come. We have enough of the Bulls garbage thanks to Zeke.

@ Peace, how many times do I have to say I don't like the 2010 plan but management seems like they are stuck to it. I say get a PG and shotblocker now, Ellis is neither. If you pick him up you should trade Crawford. Makes no sense to pick up Ellis after passing on Davis (better player fills more of a need). We should have drafted a PG and/or picked up Davis via a sign and trade, we would have been much better off. Nice link though, 2010 plan is what fantasies are made of but at least it gives the team a direction.

Ok guys, since Alan isn't here.... sportingnews is reporting that Duhon has agreed to terms with the Knicks. The article also has a quote from Duhon, relating to him being excited about joining the Knicks on the big stage.

http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=431071

The above comment is from me...for some reason it didn't have my name

Let me know what you guys think

@Brandon, Good looking out with the info, I do think they seriously overpaid this guy... But hopefully they are right about him...

well if duhon is on board lets trade crawford for ellis
straight up...

tell them to throw in brandon wright too.

@knicks for life

yeah i agree the 2010 plan gives the knicks a plan
but is it more like a fantasy
i don't like plans that depend on someone else's decision
i say lets become competitive and then let the chips fall where they may.

@Brandon

damn...we gave that fool the full mid level(5.8 mill) for two years

that means we can't pick any other free agents.

Great signing for the Knicks. Duhon will be a pure point, will enable the Knicks to get rid of Marbury, and will be a bridge to 2009 and/or 2010 when higher quality point guards will become available either through the draft, free agency or a trade.

And, they still have Lee as an asset, and can also trade Randolph.

Great move!

yea so much for that i'm not goin 2 tha knicks since my role there won't be defined. i'd rather play backup to jameer since i know exactly what my role would be. i guess $$ talks huh chris...

yea so much for that i'm not goin 2 tha knicks since my role there won't be defined. i'd rather play backup to jameer since i know exactly what my role would be. i guess $$ talks huh chris...

From ESPN . . .

NEW YORK -- Chris Duhon has reached a verbal agreement with the New York Knicks on a two-year contract, Duhon's agent said.

Duhon
"The chance for Chris to be a starter was too much to pass up," Duhon's agent, Kevin Bradbury told 1050 ESPN New York's Andrew Marchand.

Duhon had also been talking with the Orlando Magic. Bradbury said the Magic never offered Duhon a contract.

Bradbury said the Knicks have made it clear that Duhon could start, which could mean that Stephon Marbury's days with the Knicks are numbered. Marbury is in the final year of his contract.

go to my blog for the details on Duhon. Just posted something short and will come back with more.

6 mil per for a guy that sometimes doesn't show up at practice seems a bit high. however if it means the end of marbaby's days in the garden, it will money well spent, the old addition by subtraction.

the next focus of this team has to be unloading zbo's contract. my sense is that this is eminently doable this off-season. the lakers, the mavs, the cavs and the pistons would all benefit from acquiring him, particularly the lakers, who are milk-toast up front (they're not that deep in the backcourt either, i don't know what all you lakers fans were so confident about).

unlike z-bo, i think there is little market out there for fat eddie. however i do believe that curry's value will increase dramatically under dantoni, assuming he doesn't drop dead on the court.

assuming zbo is gone, they will have to keep lee, someone has to go get the pill. which means that the only player who will remotely be able to shoot the rock is jamal, a career 40% shooter (ouch). admittedly his numbers have been improving, and should improve dramatically in a more wide open scheme. still this leaves us with a severely offensively challenged team, and thus a shooter with serious range needs to be acquired. while it won't help with the salary cap situation, perhaps richard jefferson, who appears to be holding out in milwaukee, can be had? something has to give with the bucks, that team is almost as poorly constructed as the knicks.

my preference would be to deal zbo to the lakers for odom, i am convinced it would help both teams, maybe even put the lakers over the top. odom isn't exactly the sharpshooter i envision for the knicks, but he will be a great fit in dantoni's system, he's a brooklyn kid, and his contract is short. how about zbo and lee to the lakers for farmar and odom?

I think it’s important to consider that trades and signings will probably revolve around D’Antoni’s game plan (I’m still getting used to the idea of a coaching philosophy applying to the Knicks). His can’t just transfer his Phoenix system because of personnel differences, but we can expect to see some kind of up-tempo spread attack, using ball movement and transition opportunities to create open shots. The Knicks will want players who can produce in this kind of offence. D’Antoni’s offence in Phoenix relied on incredibly fast and offensive explosive bigs and Nash’s abilities to shoot, pass and penetrate (one place where I think he is showing signs of age – he doesn’t penetrate the way he did when the Suns were at their peak) to quickly get the ball in scoring position. The Knicks don’t have anyone (including Duhon) who can run an offense like that, so they will have make more of a group effort to create opportunities – like the Lakers do with a number of playmakers but no dominant point.

The Knicks who do well next year will be the ones who can play this way. It explains the Gallinari pick – if he is for real, he can run, drive and shoot. If the Knicks are able to go up-tempo, Crawford’s percentages could improve considerably, since it’s a lot easier to take open shots in transition or off penetration then off one foot with a hand in the face. There are real opportunities here for Nate, Chandler, and Lee (runs the floor, crashes the boards) if they can play under control at a quick pace. S

sec11rowH - Odom is the kind of versatile player D’Antoni will be looking for. Josh Smith would be an ideal fit.

Posted by sec11rowH | July 4, 2008 17:21
the next focus of this team has to be unloading zbo's contract.

My friend,

ZACH playing..A........ D"Antoni style..........Might be extremely different from any of our imaginatioN...????
We have not seen the extreme "POLAR = ZACH.........."
Would you be surprized if Zach was "THE ONE" that D'Antonio
Dreamed of ?????????? Maybe ....but it's unlikely.....isn't it????

Duhon is a good choice, well-schooled, point guard mentality. Never averaged more than 10.game @ Duke, but shooting % was better than pros where it's been in the 30s. Doubt if he is is a 30+ minute a game player. But Nate became a good point last season. He and Lee will thrive under D'Antonio. If he cuts into Starby's time, he will pout and poison things. He is not needed.

Rnadlolph and Curry will be out of breath. Is Curry on a weightloss program this summer? Will he have a center coach who teaches him how to play? Herb W has taught him nothing.

Who is the Roooster?

Dave-theRave