Posted by Silverfuel:

Jamal and Nate? We still don't have a SG and now we have JJ, Balkman and Rashard at SF! I'm not complaining cause Rashard is a quality player but after Rashard, can we trade JJ for get a SG?

Posted by jazz74:

Posted by Silverfuel:

Jamal and Nate? We still don't have a SG and now we have JJ, Balkman and Rashard at SF! I'm not complaining cause Rashard is a quality player but after Rashard, can we trade JJ for get a SG?

we will have to move q rich to the 2 position, which he played in phoenix and la. the question is his health. i don't know if he did back surgery yet and how efficient he will be after that. i guess in the draft we can look for a back up sg or have ray allen in the package deal?

Posted by Silverfuel:

Thats true, I forgot about Q but wtf is gonna happen with SF? JJ is going to take minutes away from Balkman. I hate that guy. He is worse than Allan Houston!

Posted by martin:

Posted by Silverfuel:

Thats true, I forgot about Q but wtf is gonna happen with SF? JJ is going to take minutes away from Balkman. I hate that guy. He is worse than Allan Houston!

I am guessing that any deal for Lewis would also include Balk.

Posted by Silverfuel:

Posted by martin:

Posted by Silverfuel:

Thats true, I forgot about Q but wtf is gonna happen with SF? JJ is going to take minutes away from Balkman. I hate that guy. He is worse than Allan Houston!

I am guessing that any deal for Lewis would also include Balk.

Balkman is one of my favorite players and also one of the only players on the Knicks that can play any defense. Losing him would really suck. The only compensation is we would get a legitimate 20 point scoring threat to go with Eddy Curry. Man, who can we get on this team that can play good D and help us in that part?

Posted by Cookdcokehop:

I could of sworn some one one this board proposed that trade idea first...the media is stealing from us

Posted by PresIke:

Posted by Silverfuel:

Thats true, I forgot about Q but wtf is gonna happen with SF? JJ is going to take minutes away from Balkman. I hate that guy. He is worse than Allan Houston!

Worse than Allan Houston? I don't think that's much of an insult. I'd kill to have someone like Allan Houston at shooting guard on the Knicks right now.

SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/basketball/317759_campbok30.html

Pre-Draft Notebook: Knicks covet Rashard Lewis

Sonics could sign star forward and then trade him

Last updated May 29, 2007 11:51 p.m. PT

By GARY WASHBURN
P-I REPORTER

ORLANDO, Fla. -- While Lenny Wilkens was speaking with reporters outside of the Milk House Gym at Walt Disney World, New York Knicks president and head coach Isiah Thomas, the man who fired Wilkens two years ago, hugged the Hall of Fame coach and before a short conversation.

Perhaps Thomas was sharing with Wilkens the Knicks' interest in acquiring Rashard Lewis. According to NBA insiders, the Knicks could make the Sonics a sign-and-trade offer for Lewis that could include Seattle natives Nate Robinson and Jamal Crawford.

Crawford is owed $35 million over the next four seasons, and the Knicks could add Robinson's contract or that of Channing Frye to come within 75 percent of a new Lewis deal, per rules of the collective bargaining agreement.

Wilkens said Tuesday that the Sonics plan to sign Lewis, who opted out of his contract Friday and will be an unrestricted free agent July 1. To execute a sign-and-trade, the Sonics would have to sign Lewis to a new contract and then trade him.

The Sonics have the advantage in re-signing Lewis because they can offer him a six-year deal, compared with five for other clubs, and give Lewis 10.5 percent increases per season, compared with 8 percent for other clubs.

" He is a young player who was having a great year, and he wants to explore the market," Wilkens said. "Yes (there are plans to re-sign him). He is an asset for us. We still want him, and we're going to try everything we can get him signed."

The Knicks, however, have made Lewis a major priority. They sorely lack a scoring small forward but would have to unload one of their unwanted contracts -- Crawford, Jerome James, Quentin Richardson, Malik Rose -- to acquire a quality player.

It's uncertain whether the Sonics would be interested in Crawford because of his contract and history of erratic shooting. He averaged 17.6 points per game this season but shot just 40 percent.

WILLIAMS ABSENT: Former Roosevelt High standout Marcus Williams will not participate in the pre-draft camp and is not on the list of players set to take physicals. Williams, who has hired agent Rob Pelinka after two years at Arizona, is projected as the 23rd pick by Draftexpress. com and is not included in ESPN. com's first-round mock draft.

Williams' absence is curious considering he is trying to rebuild his image after an unceremonious exit from Arizona. Williams has been partially blamed for the Wildcats' chemistry issues last season, which resulted in a first-round NCAA Tournament exit. Washington's Spencer Hawes and Eastern Washington's Rodney Stuckey are on the list of "physicals only" players.

WORDS OF AIR: Dressed in baggy jeans, sporting headphones around his neck and a tan shirt, Michael Jordan, Charlotte Bobcats president and resident greatest player on Earth, left the Milk House Gym, walked past Wilkens and said, "Good luck, kiddo," before walking off. ... Draft prospects, who went through drills Tuesday evening, will start playing games Wednesday. Among those assigned to rosters are former Franklin High and Oregon point guard Aaron Brooks and former Garfield and Nevada guard Marcelus Kemp.

P-I reporter Gary Washburn can be reached at 206-448-8006 or garywashburn@seattlepi.com. Follow his Sonics blog at: blog.seattlepi.com/sonics/

© 1998-2007 Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Posted by PresIke:

Nate, Jamal and Balkman would be a bit too much for someone like Lewis, who is a very good player, but we'd have to get something more than that back. Perhaps I like Balkman quite a bit, and would be hesitant to give him up in a deal for Lewis.