Alot of yall are acting like Bargnani needs to be dealt at all costs right now. I get that alot of yall do not like him and are mad that we traded for him in the first place (As am I, btw), but there is absolutely no reason to trade Bargnani right now just for the sake of trading Bargnani. If he needs to be used as a cap filler in a potential trade that is one thing, but all of yall taking on the mentality that he just needs to get out of here ASAP at all costs need to chill a little bit.
Bargnani is on a one year contract and his trade value is as low as it could possibly be right now. It would be much wiser to keep him on board and give him some burn this coming season. If he sucks again, then we can either deal him at the deadline or just wait until his contract comes off the books this summer. No harm done in that situation, and its not like he has any trade value that we could potentially kill by keeping him and him sucking again (like a Shumpert).
The other scenario is that Bargnani plays better than he did last year in the triangle offense (possible), and either becomes a solid rotational player for one season for us, or better yet a semi-attractive expiring contract that we could potentially get something of value for.
I remember the Knicks did that when Donnie Walsh took over with Zach Randolph. Z-Bo had an awful contract and little to no trade value going into that season and was definitely not apart of our long term plans. But Walsh kept him around and he started off the season playing great, and Walsh was able to generate a **** load of cap room (our primary goal back then) by moving him a month into the season. Z-Bo is obviously a far better player than Bargnani is, but a similar scenario could still arise out of this especially because as an expiring contract Bargnani's deal is much easier traded than Z-Bo's was if Bargnani plays even decent basketball.
There is no advantage in trading the dude now just to trade the dude while his trade value is at rock bottom. I get it, we shouldnt have made the deal for him last year, but the fact is that he is here now. We cant avoid that fact, he is on this roster and he will be making a **** load of money as a New York Knick this season. Rather than deal him out of spite we might as well try and maximize anything he can bring to this team while he is here, either as a player or a trade chip. But neither of which could happen this summer.
Also, you do that deal with Minnesota in a second for Love, any of yall who would even hesitate are out of your minds. I mean its 100% not going to happen but the Knicks would become a championship contender this year with Kevin Love. However, as most of yall have said already there isnt a chance in hell Minnesota does that deal right now. Only chance Knicks have at that deal is if Minnesota keeps Love to start the season and THJR starts playing like a future star, Amare looks good in an aging-Antonio McDyess type role, and Shumpert is locking dudes down left and right and hitting his three point shots. Unlikely but that would be the only chance we have unless Minnesota lets Love hit free agency and there isnt a chance in hell that happens.
On Monroe, I like Monroe, but I would still be hesitant to give up Tim for him. Its not even because I like Hardaway more than Monroe or anything like that, and its not that I dont like Monroe for the triangle because I 100% do, and he is only 24. My only MAJOR hesitation on any potential Greg Monroe deal is that it essentially kills our pursuit of Marc Gasol in free agency next summer. And I LOVE the idea of signing Gasol next summer, and I think there is a very realistic chance he would sign here with the Melo/Phil/Calderon/NYC/$$ combo.
Gasol brings everything Monroe does and more to this team offensively as a post player, both are great passing big men, Gasol is a bigger body than Monroe, and most importantly Gasol excels at the one area Monroe struggles at. He is an elite rim defender and possibly the best post defender in the game today.
I still might be down for Monroe if we have the chance this summer. I do like Monroe alot, and if we have the chance to get him now it might be worth it because acquiring Gasol is far from a sure thing and it might turn out to be foolish to turn down a very solid center like Monroe for the possibility of Marc Gasol. But I would still be hesitant about breaking the entire bank for Greg Monroe right now, because it would pretty much end our chances at Gasol next summer.
