Was just Youtubing JR Smith and he really would've been perfect on this club for D'Antoni. Very young, great size with big-time ability. I believe we gave our mid-level to Duhon so that's out of the question, but I can't help but wonder if Donnie Walsh ever even tried to expand the Balkman deal with Denver to include other parts - Nate Robinson, Malik's expiring contract, possibly Mardy Collins, Lee, etc. for a re-signed JR Smith. Instead of getting the garbage we got back, shouldn't this have been the guy to get in that deal? Denver obviously liked Balkman. You mean to tell me nothing could've been worked out here? Maybe they tried and Smith wanted too long of a contract? I don't know. What do you guys think? I know cap space is important (although who knows what it'll get us when the time comes in a couple of years - is LeBron really coming here? I know this is nuts, but do we even want LeBron now that we have Chandler and Gallinari? Do we just hope and pray he's coming here and continue to let smaller opportunities for improvement just pass on by?) but this seems like a missed opportunity to me. Anyone else? I mean if we expanded this to include Nate or even Lee in the deal, that would've been a player or two that we wouldn't have had to think about locking up long term.


[Edited by - finestrg on 08-14-2008 12:40 PM]

I think the next move Walsh makes will be to trade away ZBo. Other players will be casualties and sent packing with ZBo. Guys with small contracts will be on the hook (Nate and Mardy).

Don't even get me started......JR probably will end up staying in Denver anyway. If he doesn't I will be so pissed.

not as long as Jamal is here

I think D'Antoni believe in Craw and aren't going to clutter the roster to get someone that may struggle to co-exist with him. Also, the guess is that JR will want a long-term contract and Walsh is probably going to save those for the truly special. I like JR, but at this moment he probably doesn't fit. We have a long process to go, and are probably going to miss out on some good players, because of the mess that Laymas(pronounced Lame-asse) got us into over the past 7 years.

Posted by Finestrg:

Alright I feel ya on locking him up for 5 yrs. I guess that's too long and irresponsible. Who knows, maybe even 2 yrs. at 15 mil. would've got it done. We don't give him the yrs. but he still gets a real nice payday, and we bring him home (he's from NJ). Duhon accepted those terms. I know Smith was probably looking for more but that would've been a nice offer. Ahh, he's a restricted FA so Denver would've matched that anyway but jeeez Donnie, make an attempt on a kid with this kind of promise first before you go after Chris Duhon. I mean Chris Duhon? Nice backup but didn't we still have plenty of depth at the PG spot? If we centered on JR and got him, maybe we keep Marbury and along with Nate, Crawford and maybe even Collins (with an expanded role) we would've had enough at that position for one more season. Marbury, after all, is in his contract year so I think he's really gonna play hard (he wants that one last contract, whether it's in the States or in Italy) and I think he'll keep all the B.S. to a minimum this year. Fact though - we don't have anything even close to JR on this roster at that age, size, with that skill set and with that type of future ahead of him. And don't tell me Q-Rich or Crawford. Q's done and Craw's a scrawny inconsistent chucker that doesn't get to the line as much as he should - a guy that'll score 50 then proceed to shoot you right out of the next 3 games. Fool's gold right there, and we all know it. Craw actually becomes a 45% shooter/better decision under D'Antoni? No way. The coach isn't gonna change anything with Crawford. Brown loved him - 40% chucker, Isiah loved him - 40% chucker. Craw is what he is man, ideally he should be coming off the bench as a 6th man scoring option, instant offense, not starting as your main option... Bottom line here is JR Smith is a building block, a guy for now and for many yrs. to come. Chris Duhon isn't, neither is a undersized fringe player like Anthony Roberson, neither is Jamal Crawford.

Again, a straight MLE signing will been difficult but how do you not expand the Balkman deal to at least get this kid? They wanted Balkman. They we're a willing trade partner. A sign and trade with JR - 2 yrs., 15 mil. - with the promise to re-up him with a second similar contract after we get that big-time FA in place. We have all the pieces to make that type of trade work (Malik's expiring, David Lee, Mardy, Nate Robinson, maybe even expand it further by including Eddy Curry, I mean they did just lose Marcus Camby for nothing, maybe then we get them to throw in Linas Klieza, who knows). A lot of possibility there with Denver. I know the 2 spot would be cluttered with a move like this for the time being, but Q's gone after next season (just in time for free agency) and I wanted Nate as part of this expanded Balkman deal. And if we lose Lee in the deal, I'm immediately on the phone with Justin Williams' agent. Or you bring in Wayne Simien as a stop gap. Trust me losing David Lee would've been the least of my worries.

Oh well. Never gonna happen. Just think this was a lost opportunity here the more I think about it, that's all....


[Edited by - finestrg on 08-15-2008 11:50 AM]

I'm not a Craw fan, but D'antoni and Walsh are. They've been singing his virtues for weeks, and they are the one's that matter. They feel Craw is a big piece that can star in D'Antoni's system. You and I disagree but they are in charge. That being said, I would be shocked to see them sign anyone that would take time from Craw. They are probably targeting other postions(shot blocker) first.

There will be guys available over the next two years while we suck. We will miss out on most because of our cap situation, but I do not think Walsh and Dantoni are satisfied with the roster and will make a play for solid players.

lastly, why is Duhon so prevalent on people's minds. He is a stopgap, nothing else.

Posted by Bippity10:

I think D'Antoni believe in Craw and aren't going to clutter the roster to get someone that may struggle to co-exist with him. Also, the guess is that JR will want a long-term contract and Walsh is probably going to save those for the truly special. I like JR, but at this moment he probably doesn't fit. We have a long process to go, and are probably going to miss out on some good players, because of the mess that Laymas(pronounced Lame-asse) got us into over the past 7 years.

I would do a sign and trade , crawford for JR Smith.

More athleticism(muscular build) and less dribbling and better shooter better defender and potential better rebounder

Posted by purple012870:

The reasons you don't to a S&T (Craw for JR) are:

-Craw likely opts out before 2010, whereas JR would be locked up for 4-5 yrs....so this violates the "don't add to salary committed beyond 2010 mandate
-JR is a low character player; the exact type of guy we need to continue to avoid....the high talent/low character combo (see Steph, Zach, Eddy) is the combo that has kept us down

where has JR gotten a rap for being low character?

He probably has thought he is better than other guys playing in front of him, and he is probably right.

Posted by purple012870:

Let's see....he failed to acheive the minimum SAT score to qualify at UNC (ended up jumping to NBA), been in a NBA fight, traded twice in 2 years, been in multiple coach's dog houses & his own team hasn't expressed interest in signing him (nor has any other team....even at the MLE).

All really means nothing as far as I'm concerned. Can the guy play, will he help us and is he a building block - that's all I care about at this point. Latrell Sprewell - most people thought he was a "low character" guy. I tell you what, dude was a model citizen when he was here except for his little flare-up with Dolan at the end there - and we all know Dolan to be an absolute boob anyway. Not to mention I've always considered PJ Carlesimo a complete jerk-off - dude used to routinely embarrass his kids (Andrew Gaze, etc.) on national TV when he was coaching at Seton Hall - not as bad as Bobby Knight, but PJ was pretty bad. Who knows what he did to set Spree off that day at practice. Bottom line was Spree came here to play ball and he did a great job - we went to the finals. Much better player than Starks, and I loved Starks. Actually one of the better Knicks acquisitions in recent memory.

As for JR himself --

(1) Been in a fight - Isiah triggered that fight by ordering Mardy to go after the next guy that went to the basket because he thought Karl was running up the score on him by leaving his starters on the court when the game was a blow out - And you know what, Fuck George Karl, you never wanna see someone get hurt, but if that was the case I don't have a problem with Isiah with that. But JR Smith hardly started anything there.

(2) Low SAT scores for UNC - who really cares. That's a tough test and not everyone in the world is a good test taker or smart enough to be a nuclear physicist. We're talking the NBA, he's not gonna be performing brain operations on anyone any time soon and neither am I for that matter. Can the guy play ball and does he have a bright future ahead of him because of his ability, that's the question. Hardly makes him a low character guy.

(3) Being in multiple coaches' dog houses - very well might be true, although I wouldn't exactly anticipate any problems for him playing for a guy like Mike D'Antoni, coming here with a clean slate. Forgetting the damn salary cap for a sec., I betcha if you asked D'Antoni for a list of 15-20 young players he'd love to have moving forward, JR Smith would be on that list. They'd be perfect for each other. Under D'Antoni, the kid would do nothing but excel.

(4) Hasn't signed yet with the Nuggets or another team - indeed a mystery. But hey another team's loss could be our gain here if we're smart. With a team in dire straits like us, you take a chance on a kid like this. At least call and express interest. Like I said, maybe he'd love to leave Denver and come home to the tri-state area and play in front of his family & friends again. Maybe 2 yrs 15 mil. gets it done in a sign and trade scenario. With all that's going on with him now (or lack thereof), I think he'd except contract terms in the neighborhood of 2 yrs. 15 million in an S&T scenario to just move on.

Only 22-23 yrs. old, 6'6", 220 lb., superb athlete, versatile - a legit big 2/tall & strong enough to play the 3, 12.3 pts. in only 19 mins a game last year on 46% shooting, 40% from 3. Imagine what he could do with 30 mins. a night? All the tools to be a star in this league for a long time.


[Edited by - finestrg on 08-15-2008 3:46 PM]

I don't know too much about JR's attitude. I've heard stories and that worries me, but I know that the guy can play. Under normal circumstances I would kill for him. But I know that with the new regime there is no chance we are going after a guy like this under these circumstances. So I don't worry about it. After all we've been through you will have to be an absolute star to play for the Knicks if you have any personal blemishes. That's just the way it is.

Here is the thing with JR- and why I think Briggs has gushed for him- when I watched him play, he just seemed to be able to get anywhere on the court on offense- effortless- like a man going against boys. And during the play offs, everyone else on his squad played small & scared- he really seemed fearless.

Maybe he doesn't have a high BB IQ- and we certainly have too many of those guys.