NYK '14 offseason thread

[GaBeGRaMz]

This dude Amare taking a pay cut too? Lol

I can't post the pic right now but he got on a USPA hat on his Instagram.

 

[sonoftony]

I hope Woodson gets fired before our first game back

 

[pr0phecy718]

Kristen Ledlow...she's not bad..not bad at all..

 

[kingfoamnyc]

This dude Amare taking a pay cut too? Lol

I can't post the pic right now but he got on a USPA hat on his Instagram.

Wut

 

[pr0phecy718]

Im gonna need a screenshot of that

 

[don ramon]

eh i think if it was gonna happen, woodson would've most likely gotten fired by now

was really hoping he would over or prior to the weekend so they could start this rebuilding process early. not that the knicks would be doing exponentially greater with a new coach midseason, but how much better do you think they can be with this current imbecile?

also was hoping there could be one or two changes in roster no matter how small because some of the underachieving lames we got on this team don't deserve to play in the garden. don't even care for who, just shake things up a little and in a way where it isn't at the expense of picks or too much $$$.

only a few more days til deadline though so who knows

getting into the playoffs for me is just like whatever at this point

 

[don ramon]

here's that stat pic. gettin lit up in the comments 

 

[Mark Antony]

It ain't Ralph though.

 

[nick.]

@ESPNSteinLine: Knicks' focus leading into Thursday trade deadline is upgrading at point guard. And word is a new name intrigues them: Atlanta's Jeff Teague

@ESPNSteinLine: There are issues if Knicks make full-on play for Teague, who has right of first refusal on any trade after Hawks matched offer sheet in July

@ESPNSteinLine: Also: Teague not only must approve any trade but also owns long-term deal that slices into Knicks' projected flexibility for summer of 2015

@ESPNSteinLine: But Knicks said to be investigating all PG options since they're convinced top target Kyle Lowry is NOT available between now and Thursday

 

[don ramon]

from espn insider. lol

Five trades I'd like to see happen
Eric Gordon to Knicks, Omer Asik to Blazers among five intriguing NBA deals
Updated: February 17, 2014, 11:26 AM ET
By Tom Haberstroh | ESPN Insider

Now the real fun begins.

The trade deadline is Thursday, which means front offices around the league weren't taking the All-Star Weekend off along with many of the players. Quite the contrary.

Though last season's deadline came and went with mostly smoke and little fire -- J.J. Redick was the biggest name dealt, and he barely played for his new team -- expect a fairly busy week considering that much of the league's marquee teams have flopped so far this season. Given the strengths and weaknesses of each team and the overall landscape of the league, what deals do I want to see?

Here are five of them.



New Orleans Pelicans receive: Tyson Chandler, Beno Udrih and Metta World Peace

New York Knicks receive: Eric Gordon and Greg Stiemsma

View this trade in the ESPN Trade Machine

Why I want to see it: The Pelicans' defense has been horrible this season, surrendering the fifth-most points per possession to opponents. Chandler can help both as Anthony Davis' tutor and as the paint protector that they sorely need.


No, he's no longer the same Chandler who won the Defensive Player of the Year back in 2010-11 or even the one who helped anchor a top-10 defense in New Orleans before that. But the 31-year-old could probably use a change of scenery after he has publicly called out coach Mike Woodson's defensive "strategy" this season. Udrih and World Peace aren't exactly thrilled with their situations, either. Consider this their life raft out of Jim Dolan's sinking ship.

It's no secret that the Knicks need to get younger. Gordon provides a long-term answer at shooting guard, and perhaps more importantly, he also gives the Knicks a reason not to give J.R. Smith 30 minutes a night. Gordon doesn't have a healthy track record, but the same goes for Chandler. The difference is that, for the same price as Chandler, Gordon is entering his prime at age 25, not leaving it.

It'll be hard for the Knicks to find much value in exchange for Chandler's contract, which runs through next season at $14.6 million, so taking a chance on Gordon may be their best bet. He's in a clogged backcourt with Tyreke Evans, and the Knicks desperately need to infuse young talent alongside Carmelo Anthony. Gordon's contract runs longer than they'd like (Gordon has a 2015-16 player option), but beggars can't be choosers.



Portland Trail Blazers receive: Omer Asik, Omri Casspi and Donatas Motiejunas

Houston Rockets receive: Wesley Matthews and Meyers Leonard

View this trade in the ESPN Trade Machine

Why I want to see it: This helps both Western Conference powerhouses address their weaknesses without sacrificing too much of their strengths.

Word is the Blazers aren't bullish on Asik and they'd hate to mess with the on-court chemistry of their starting lineup, but they're kidding themselves if they think they can challenge for the West title without an upgrade on the defensive end. They rank 23rd on defense this season and 26th since the New Year. When healthy, Asik is one of the top five rim protectors in the NBA, and he'd beef up a frontcourt that just lost Joel Freeland for at least a month with an MCL sprain. They need help.

The Blazers would hate to lose Matthews, but this is a golden buy-low, sell-high opportunity for an unbalanced squad. Though Matthews has been instrumental to their relentless offense, such a deal wouldn't remove the franchise pillars of Damian Lillard, Nic Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge. Rookie C.J. McCollum has recently looked fantastic after missing the beginning of the season due to a foot injury and would help fill the void along with Dorell Wright. Plus, no owner is better equipped to take on the $15 million that Asik is owed next season than billionaire Paul Allen.

The Rockets would net the sweet-shooting Matthews, who is also a physical perimeter defender -- an area that has been Houston's Achilles' heel this season. He's had somewhat of a down year defensively (Synergy rates him as well below average thus far), but he's typically been better on that end of the floor. As a veteran 3-point marksman with defensive chops, he'd fit in nicely for the Rockets' big push.



Philadelphia 76ers receive: Harrison Barnes, Marreese Speights and Festus Ezeli

Golden State Warriors receive: Thaddeus Young and Brandon Davies

View this trade in the ESPN Trade Machine

Why I want to see it: Barnes needs to go somewhere with lowered expectations. Young needs to go somewhere with higher expectations. Barnes has strangled the Warriors' offense this season with his ball-stopping ways both on the perimeter and in the post. The Warriors score a pathetic 99.7 points per 100 possessions with him on the floor this season, according to NBA.com. And the scary thing is that most of those lineups feature offensively inclined players Stephen Curry and David Lee. That's darn near impossible to do.

When it comes to Barnes, Golden State GM Bob Myers might have to save his coach Mark Jackson from himself. Barnes is one of eight players over the past two seasons to be awarded at least 25 minutes per game while posting a PER below 11. You don't want to see the others on the list. The bottom line is that the 21-year-old Barnes is woefully overmatched in a win-now environment like Golden State's. Philadelphia could develop him in ways that Golden State can't afford to try in a championship hunt.

The Warriors would acquire one of the game's better two-way players in Young, who can guard multiple positions (important for a team featuring Lee) and help spread the floor. Young always has been a bit underrated in Philadelphia as a versatile weapon and willing defender, a description that could've applied to his former teammate and current Warrior Andre Iguodala. Young deserves better than the tire fire in the City of Brotherly Love. Plus, sending Speights back to Philadelphia makes all the sense in the world.



Memphis Grizzlies receive: Arron Afflalo and Jason Maxiell

Orlando Magic receive: Ed Davis, Tayshaun Prince and a 2017 protected first-round pick (top eight)

View this trade in the ESPN Trade Machine

Why I want to see it: The Grizzlies need to fill a crater at the small forward position and time is running out. With Dallas and Phoenix refusing to cooperate with its cause, Memphis currently has a 40 percent chance of making the playoffs, per Hollinger Playoff Odds. Afflalo both fills a need and aligns nicely with the Grizzlies' grit-and-grind ethos.

The borderline All-Star would come at a cost, however. The Magic likely have a host of suitors for Afflalo's services, and absorbing the swollen contract of the Player Formally Known As (Tayshaun) Prince won't be high on their priority list. Throw in a young talent like Ed Davis, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, and a future first-round pick? Now you have Orlando GM Rob Hennigan's attention.

Afflalo's contract appeared to be an albatross last season when the wing forgot how to make 3-pointers, but 2012-13 proved to be more fluke than for real. Afflalo has been lights-out from downtown for most of his NBA career, and the Grizzlies rank dead last in both 3-point makes and attempts. Afflalo would help the Grizzlies acknowledge the advent of the 3-point line.

If the Magic aren't doing backflips over the Davis/first-round-pick package, the Grizzlies could put the 24-year-old Kosta Koufos on the table and go from there. However, small-market teams should be excessively possessive of a productive 7-footer on a bargain deal ($3 million next season). Overall, Memphis and Orlando have both the pieces and the motivation to get the deal done. Let's make it happen.



New York Knicks receive: Kyle Lowry and Dwight Buycks

Toronto Raptors receive: Tim Hardaway Jr., Raymond Felton, Cole Aldrich and a 2018 lottery-protected first-round pick

View this trade in the ESPN Trade Machine

Why I want to see it: Let's just get this over with, shall we? The Knicks are an absolute mess at point guard, and Lowry would garner instant cult status in New York with his gutsy flair and bulldog intensity on both ends of the floor. The Knicks won't want to part with two long-term assets, but if you're going to acquire the East's best point guard right now, you're going to have to pay up.

Yes, the Knicks will risk losing Lowry to free agency over the summer, but there are two reasons why they shouldn't be worried on that front. One, the Knicks play in New York, which is a pretty big deal. Two, they'd own his Bird rights, which is gold for a capped-out team like the Knicks.

The Knicks can't dream of bringing in a talent like Lowry on the open market unless they possess the precious Bird rights that allow teams over the cap to re-sign their own free agents. Lowry, who boasts a 20.1 PER, is both younger and better than Felton has ever been, especially on the defensive end, where Felton unfurls a red carpet to the rim. Adding Lowry could make the Knicks the third-best team in the East, even if that's a mostly cosmetic achievement.

The deal would add to Masai Ujiri's stockpile of Knicks draft picks while giving the Raptors an exciting young player in Hardaway. The Raptors already own the Knicks' 2016 first-rounder and the team's 2017 second-rounder from last summer's Andrea Bargnani trade, so it's easy to see why Jim Dolan would be reluctant to send yet another pick over the border. However, tacking lottery protection to the pick would ease some of their concerns in the event the Knicks don't turn it around soon.

 

[the 718 truth]

None of those scenarios make sense :x

 

[don ramon]

 

[don ramon]

yeah that's a troll article man. has to be

 

[pr0phecy718]

I skipped over all that gibberish

Thanks for bringing me back to reality as a knick fan

 

[Master Zik]

I wouldn't mind that Pelican trade. Doubt NOLA does it though. Gordon may be pricey but worth at 25 simply cuz he'd be a sg that'd average points in the teens at the least, limit JR's pt, and not go scoreless. I'd swap out Metta for somebody else if I could though.

**** that Raptor trade though.

 

[goldenchild9]

Watching the game yesterday made me even hungrier to see Carmelo play with a good young PG like Wall, Kyrie or Curry.

 

[kingfoamnyc]

Damn stat

 

[kingfoamnyc]

Been pushing that Eric Gordon trade for at least a year now. If it happens I'll be a NBA GM in 10 years.

 

[Hahahaha]

I don't want to make any trade because I know no matter what the trade is, we'll be the loser in the trade.

I was BEGGING for us to trade Lin during the peak of his "Linsanity" BS. We would have gotten something for him. Only W we would have had.

 

[kingfoamnyc]

If Tyson and Shump is going for Gordon no way in hell we would be losers.

 

[the 7th mile]

Jeff Teague for Shump is a good move

 

[Hahahaha]

Teague isn't much better than Felton. That's just a trade to say we tried. Teague is overpaid and if the Hawks don't want him while they're making a playoff push, that says something.

 

[the 7th mile]

Jeff Teague is wayyyyy better than Felton bruh, Teague a quality point guard.

 

[Hahahaha]

Teague only looks good against the Knicks.

I think Woodson is our biggest problem. His rotations, plays and taking out players that are hot and putting in cold players. I also think Shumpert is a different player once Woodson is gone.

 

[yeeupp]

I wouldn't want Eric Gordon, i'm tired of the injury prones.

We could have drafted Eric Gordon in 2008. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_NBA_draft


The Knicks are offering packages including Iman Shumpert, Raymond Felton and Beno Udrih, for Lowry.

They have been reluctant to include sharp-shooting rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. or a future first-round draft pick in any deal. One of those two pieces are believed to be a prerequisite for Toronto to consider giving up Lowry. "It comes down to, can they talk themselves into getting rid of a first-rounder or Hardaway Jr. for Lowry," one league source said. ESPN.c

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