Considering how much we gave up for Eddy, Isiah will make him the #1 option. But I agree it should be Zach. We don't even need Eddy as much as we need a top defensive big man now actually.

Posted by Bonn1997:

We don't even need Eddy as much as we need a top defensive big man now actually.

Great point that I made myself at the time of the trade for Randolph.

Its unconscionable that this team would dedicate over $100 million, 4 years and 70 minutes per game on a starting front court that plays no semblance of defense whatsoever.

At this point Eddy is a lot easier to move than Randolph (and I suspect that we would get more for him) as long as his production doesn’t take a dip due to Randolph hogging the ball (4th in the league last year in fga per 48 mins).

I can’t imagine a scenario right now that has us moving Eddy for a young, shot-blocking rebounding forward, but I suspect that after the Randolph trade that is one of our best options. Frankly, the Randolph trade never should have been made.

Of course, it could all work out, Eddy and Zach could tear up the league as the no team can figure out how to defend that dynamic duo. I just don’t find that scenario particularly likely.

Maybe I need Solace’s imagination.

I voted for Eddy. His shooting percentage was among the highest in the leauge (.576) to .467 for Zach. Also, while Zach is the better fouls shooter, Eddy goes to the line much more. I'd like to see Eddy get the most touches on the team with Zach a close second.

We would be in great position right now had we just waited things out and not given up lottery picks for eddy.

The guy who would be perfect right now next to zach is tyson chandler, and he could have been had for virtually nothing. Or even the Noah/Thomas would have produced more wins at the 5 spot since there is no bulk anymore in this league.

Zach has averaged over 20pts more than once in his career eddy has never hit that milestone and when your center has a career year and get 7rbs i don't know if he has earned the number one option

eton thomas.

Posted by daddynel:

eton thomas.

Camby. Dalembert. If Eddy is outstanding as people say he is, surely we should be able to get a role player shot-blocker and multiple unprotected draft picks for him just like what we gave up for him. If anything, his value should be even higher now than when we got him since he just had his "breakout" season.

Camby

Unless a player is worthy of playing major minutes, it makes no sense to have a shotblocker in place of Eddy. The way i look at it, this team was victimized more by 3 pt shots and jumpers than it was by a steady parade of layups. It's a mistake to think that adding a shotblocker is the biggest need for this team. Just getting BETTER perimeter defense is the key, not shotblocking.

Guys like Camby are needed on a team like Denver cuz if not for him you'd see just how bad their defense really is. As it is, the Nuggest gave up 103.7 ppg, 46% shooting and 35.3 on 3's. They also gave up 86.4 FGA's, the 2nd most shot attempts per game. Now we gave up 100.3 ppg on 46% and 37.6% on 3's. We gave up 18.6, 3pt attempts a game, which was one of the worst in the league. We allowed 7 made 3pt shots a game which again was one of the worst in the league. Better perimeter D is our biggest weakness. Shotblocks look impressive, but stopping people before they get to the basket is better.

In regard to the #1 option, it's gonna be Zach #1 and Curry #1A. Why do so many of us keep thinking that Curry's shot attempts are going to suffer. It's not his FGA's that will suffer, but the other players on the team will all take a shot or 2 less. That's due to the focus of the offense being our top 2 post threats. Why in the world would we not look for either of these guys more than any other option on offense. Zach will come down just a bit and likely Curry will come up just a bit over their FGA's from last year.

I agree its perimeter defense thats the knicks main problem. Its not totally on craw cuz its not about stopping layups, its about stopping teams from getting 3's in stride. Everyone is guilty out on the perimeter especially Q!

Isiah has acknowledged that he will try to correct that TEAM weakness. That's all I ask for. Curry has to tearn how to seal off lanes rather than learning the timing associated with shot blocking. Isiah also touched on that but definately pointed out that defending the 3 was a major concern.

I believe in that and to know the coach feels the same way, I'm happy.

I see a lot of talk about the Knicks problems and I just want to chime in that I think the Knicks biggest problem is not perimeter D, it's not inside D -- it's turnovers.

The turnover problem trickles into every other aspect of our game. Because we turn the ball over so much -- our opponents get more offensive possessions. Our opponents get easy baskets. And our team suffers for it mentally. I'd bet that if we kept our turnovers down -- our defense would improve dramatically. The TO's are killing us on both sides of the ball.

I haven't done a lot of research, but if you look up the teams that protect the ball the most (meaning the teams with the least turnovers) -- they tend to be pretty elite (Phoenix, San Antonio, Detroit, Cleveland, Dallas, Houston). Now imagine, with the type of offensive firepower the Knicks have -- how sick would our team be if we didn't lead the league in giving the ball away?

I can't really speak to how to solve the problem, but identifying it is the first step. I'm tempted to pin this on our guards, but I know Eddy was a TO machine last year (though his offensive fouls steadily declined throughout the season).

Anyone care to guess why our squad just doesn't take care of the ball? And how do we fix it?

Another guy I'd look at for interior defense would be Andris Biedrins from Golden State. Again, just like Dalembert, not a guy his team if actively looking to shop, but all it take is a phone call from Zeke. You figure Patrick O'Bryant is their center of the future so it's not as if they're all of a sudden not covered at center if they ever dealt him. Again, not likely, but if Zeke ever came calling and started throwing names at Mullin like Curry, Lee and Balkman - he'd have to at least listen right? With 30-35 minutes a night, Biedrins is 10+ reb. per game and over 2 blocks per game, easily. A case cane be made that he might have a higher ceiling than Lee. IMHO he'd be a better fit for us than Lee, now that we got Zach on board...

So yeah, Dalembert, Justin Williams (who would probably have to come in a bigger Artest trade) or Andris Biedrins are all guy's I'd target.