SOURCE: NATE, LEE FEEL 'DISRESPECTED'

By MARC BERMAN
BAD SIGNS: A source says David Lee and Nate Robinson feel "disrespected" by the Knicks' lack of urgency to re-sign them.

Restricted free agents David Lee and Nate Robinson have spoken to each other during the July free-agency period and feel "disrespected" by the Knicks' lack of urgency in retaining their services, according to a source.

Perhaps Donnie Walsh can do something about it as he bolted the Las Vegas summer league for New York yesterday to hone in on his next moves, with the Carlos Boozer sweepstakes, Tim Thomas' free-agency, the Andre Miller situation and Lee/Robinson on his agenda.

The Knicks would love to arrange a three-team deal for Boozer, who has one year left on his pact, with Lee a pawn. Utah plans to match Portland's offer sheet for Paul Millsap, which would leave the Trail Blazers cap room to snag Lee in a three-team deal. Utah is bent on unloading Boozer's contract.

Agent Arn Tellem said yesterday he is talking to several teams about Tim Thomas, including the Knicks. The signing would make most sense if Lee is not retained.

Walsh's biggest regret last season was trading Thomas for Larry Hughes at the trading deadline and he could be had for the $1.9 million veteran's minimum. Walsh is also exploring whether to offer Miller a one-year, $5.8 million mid-level offer.

As first reported by the Post, Lee's unresolved contract situation will keep him on the sideline during next week's USA Basketball minicamp in Las Vegas. Lee will travel to Las Vegas but will not take part in competition.

Well not for nothing but they aren't the hottest FAs on the market at the moment and until the other bigger names are locked up why would they expect to be? What team would lock up a lesser FA when the bigger names are still to be had? It's just common sense.

It's not Berman...it's Lee's agent stirring things up.

And, again, when there are still better players to be acquired why would teams line up to take a lesser player? Lee and Nate just have to sit and wait that's all there is to it.

Walsh sounded frustrated by them in literally a "If they won't work with us they can go to hell." type attitude when he was interviewed during the game the other day. That's good. Walsh will NOT be pushed around. He shouldn't be. If these two were so good then other teams would have offered them a contract. Nobody has. Why? Until guys like Andre Miller, Odom, Boozer, etc are still to be had nobody is looking at Lee/Nate.

Once those other dominoes fall you will see Nate and Lee in play. They just have to wait. I'm not going out with Britney Spears as long as Megan Fox is single. Know what I mean?

If they actually feel this way than that's pathetic. These guys have NO market - NONE. Buncha friggin babies.

the days of marginally good role players get max type money is a thing of the past.

Lee's deal is a good one, and he should start from their - either try to get a little bit more or another year or a player option.

I am surprised that Nate apparently hasn't been offered more than the QO.

Posted by Marv:

Posted by nyk4ever:

If they actually feel this way than that's pathetic. These guys have NO market - NONE. Buncha friggin babies.

well this article's just trying to kick up some s**t. but honestly isn't it reasonable that they'd both feel more than a little anxious right now about what's happening with them?

Anxious is fine Marv, but disrespected? Like the Knicks owed them something when they've never won more than 32 games in a season? C'mon man..

Posted by fishmike:

Posted by franco12:

the days of marginally good role players get max type money is a thing of the past.

Lee's deal is a good one, and he should start from their - either try to get a little bit more or another year or a player option.

I am surprised that Nate apparently hasn't been offered more than the QO.

that changed with the Isiah/Layden regime.

If you only have guys on your roster with reasonable contracts you will always be in a position to make good trades.

I like this quote. It's damn near perfect and should be carved on Isiah's tombstone.

My problem is Lee has displayed-to me anyway-this sort of primadonna behavior since he commented on Larry Brown "taking his fun away" or whatever he said on the court. Next was his nixing a trade to Memphis that would have got us Mayo by using leverage I don't think he deserved to have at that point. Now this whole process has been handled classlessly by his camp throughout and now this. Dude needs to realize what he is. $12 million for him is ridiculous. Someone mentioned in another thread about better players making less money. Millsap is a comparable-and younger- player who averaged roughly the same as numbers in a slow-down efficient offense where he played off the bench. Lee's numbers were inflated a bit because of the system. Look at Marion and what happened to him after he left PHX.

As far as I am concerned Lee can go f off in Rome.

Posted by Marv:

Posted by nyk4ever:

Posted by Marv:

Posted by nyk4ever:

If they actually feel this way than that's pathetic. These guys have NO market - NONE. Buncha friggin babies.

well this article's just trying to kick up some s**t. but honestly isn't it reasonable that they'd both feel more than a little anxious right now about what's happening with them?

Anxious is fine Marv, but disrespected? Like the Knicks owed them something when they've never won more than 32 games in a season? C'mon man..

well, they've both improved each year of their careers, they both, despite certain limitations, do bust it nearly every night and did just deliver 16/12/2 and 18/4/4. and then your team lets you dangle. while it all gets played out on the most public platform possible?? now i agree 100% with how donnie's running this, but i think that "disrespected" would be a reasonable feeling. if they even said it. marbury probably told berman they feel that.

In this is why (reference my big last post on that page) I feel they are scrutinized so much.

Then just add in what I sad above about better options still available.

And I think you can come to a logical conclusion (at least in my universe) as to why they have been left dangling out there in the wind.

It's business it's not personal and Lee's agent has made it personal and Lee seems a bit too full of himself lately.

Again, if they were so great that they had to be retained at all costs, they would have been and would have had other teams fighting us for them. That hasn't happened.

The reasons are quite clear to me as to why.

Posted by fishmike:

Posted by franco12:

the days of marginally good role players get max type money is a thing of the past.

Lee's deal is a good one, and he should start from their - either try to get a little bit more or another year or a player option.

I am surprised that Nate apparently hasn't been offered more than the QO.

that changed with the Isiah/Layden regime.

If you only have guys on your roster with reasonable contracts you will always be in a position to make good trades.

This is more than just the regime change - the NBA has changed due to the economic reality facing many.

There still seem to be some deals we could argue are overpriced - Bargnani, Hedo- but it seems that many teams are playing it close to the vest.

Philly not caving in to Andre Miller is another example.

I don't understand the cap but there was an article yesterday that said if the Lee took his qualifying offer for next year,2.7 million, it would be an 8 million dollar hold on the cap. I think the Knicks are doing the right thing. There does not seem to be a market for either Lee or Nate in the NBA. I checked the Portland board on RealGm yesterday after Milsap resigned and a guy posted that all of the supposed Portland interest in Lee has been generated entirely by the NY media.