Despite what the overall consensus may believe, Knick President Donnie Walsh has said that he is not putting all of his eggs in the one LeBron James basket when it comes to the 2010 free agency period.

The New York Post, making reference to the 'Knicks On Demand' video feature on the club's website, says that speculation over the last few weeks has James remaining with the Cavaliers.

"You always have a backup plan," Walsh said from his Westchester office on the videotape, in which he answers submitted questions from fans. "I really didn't know what the list of free agents were.

"It wasn't like I was going after LeBron or this guy. It was just, we have to get in the free-agent market. The market in that year, I won't have to pick all the players. The fact we're under the cap will put you in much more flexible position and not strung out over a long period of time where you can't do anything. That flexibility is what I'm focused on, not the who, when and where."

Posted by Bippity10:

I like that you responded to your own post.

Posted by Bippity10:

I like that you responded to your own post.

Posted by newyorknewyork:

We would still have around 16mil free even if we extend Lee & Nate plus another 18mil the following yr.

If we don't sign any free agents we could still eat a contract or 2 for draft picks that would expire in a yr. We could do the same thing the following yr if still no free agents follow.

List of players with expiring contracts that we could eat for draft picks in 2010/2011

Murphy, Tinsley, Gadzuric, Evens, Hinrich, Radmonovic, Mohammad, Dampier, Jaric, Peja, Peterson, Kmart, Collison, AK47, Korver, Crawford, Richardson,

In 2010/2011 we could offer Curry's 11mil and take back Kmarts 15 and ask for additional compensation. We could offer Jeffries 6.8mil to Dallas for Dampiers 13mil or New Orleans for Pejas 15mil and ask for big compensation. We could eat Tinsleys contract for draft picks.

Then in 2011/2012 we would have multiple draft picks as well as a ton of expiring contracts.

Posted by nyk4ever:

http://www.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/57951/20090317/walsh_lebron_not_only_option/

"You always have a backup plan," Walsh said from his Westchester office on the videotape, in which he answers submitted questions from fans. "I really didn't know what the list of free agents were.

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by newyorknewyork:

We would still have around 16mil free even if we extend Lee & Nate plus another 18mil the following yr.

If we don't sign any free agents we could still eat a contract or 2 for draft picks that would expire in a yr. We could do the same thing the following yr if still no free agents follow.

List of players with expiring contracts that we could eat for draft picks in 2010/2011

Murphy, Tinsley, Gadzuric, Evens, Hinrich, Radmonovic, Mohammad, Dampier, Jaric, Peja, Peterson, Kmart, Collison, AK47, Korver, Crawford, Richardson,

In 2010/2011 we could offer Curry's 11mil and take back Kmarts 15 and ask for additional compensation. We could offer Jeffries 6.8mil to Dallas for Dampiers 13mil or New Orleans for Pejas 15mil and ask for big compensation. We could eat Tinsleys contract for draft picks.

Then in 2011/2012 we would have multiple draft picks as well as a ton of expiring contracts.

and then by 2017, they can make the postseason :)

if the knicks don't get lebron or wade, then none of this was necessary. any other deviation from the plan ain't a good thing.

Posted by buddapaw:

Posted by newyorknewyork:

We would still have around 16mil free even if we extend Lee & Nate plus another 18mil the following yr.

If we don't sign any free agents we could still eat a contract or 2 for draft picks that would expire in a yr. We could do the same thing the following yr if still no free agents follow.

List of players with expiring contracts that we could eat for draft picks in 2010/2011

Murphy, Tinsley, Gadzuric, Evens, Hinrich, Radmonovic, Mohammad, Dampier, Jaric, Peja, Peterson, Kmart, Collison, AK47, Korver, Crawford, Richardson,

In 2010/2011 we could offer Curry's 11mil and take back Kmarts 15 and ask for additional compensation. We could offer Jeffries 6.8mil to Dallas for Dampiers 13mil or New Orleans for Pejas 15mil and ask for big compensation. We could eat Tinsleys contract for draft picks.

Then in 2011/2012 we would have multiple draft picks as well as a ton of expiring contracts.

That's a list of players I would never like to see in a Knicks uni

Posted by Bippity10:

Posted by sebstar:

This is one of those "whats he supposed to say" sort of deals. Of course he wants Lebron --- thats the first, second, third, and fourth option. I'm sure Wade or Melo would be good enough consolation prizes, but the point of all of this maneuvering is to come up with a superstar by the summer of '10. Period.

I dont know what the hell that list that NewYorkNewYork came up with. We're doing all this so we can sign Gadzurik, Murphy, and Hinrich? Those scrubs???? Man, wash your face.

It would be irresponsible not to be in the free agent market for 2010 coming from where we've come from. But that is not our only option. Look at the roster, there are some tradeable assets on this roster. This notion that Walsh is only playing for the free agent class doesn't make sense to me. Outside of tanking and going for a number one pick, what could he have done better? Sure there were different options on some of the trades. But if you look at the big picture and compare where we are today to where we were 9 months ago in terms of flexibility........holy crap!!

[Edited by - bippity10 on 17-03-2009 5:31 PM]