PG - Felton? Nate? Douglas?
SG - Wilson
SF - LeBron
PF - Gallo?
C - Lee

I can see us having some issues with a lineup like that because the only one that is a threat from downtown is Gallo. Wilson is just too inconsistent to be considered a legitimate three point threat, and LeBron is just an average three point shooter. We need to get a real SG this offseason, not a SF who plays out of position. Assuming we resign Lee, we are not going to have a lot of cap room so there are limited viable options. Some of the players that stand out are Ronnie Brewer (Restricted), Kelenna Azibuke (Unrestricted), Anthony Morrow (Restricted), Chris Douglas Roberts (Restricted), Shannon Brown (Restricted), Thabo Sefolosha (Restricted), and Randy Foye (Restricted). Some young players who might be available for the right price include Courtney Lee, Martell Webster, Aaron Afflalo, and the always popular Rudy Fernandez. Next year's draft doesn't look very deep at the SG position, and assuming we sign LeBron and have a good season, it might not be a bad idea to trade a pick for one of these guys.

Also, Andre Igoudala and Caron Butler have been rumored to be available, and a trade like Curry, Nate, Hill, and our #1 for Igoudala, Primoz Brezec, Rodney Carney, and Royal Ivey (maybe we can convince them to throw in Speights instead of Ivey if they really want Igoudala gone) is a good deal. Igoudala's salary matches up exactly with Hill and Curry so we do not lose any 2010 cap space. Brezec and Carney expire this year so we don't lost any cap space there either. I don't know why the 76ers are trading Igoudala because he is an exceptional player but I have to believe it has something to do with money and the belief that he is not the long term solution. They would save tons of money because Igoudala is signed for 4 more years and Curry expires next year. They also get Nate relatively cheap for a year (he attracts fans at the worst) and a young player in Hill along with the first round pick we give up. I am a huge Igoudala fan, I love everything about his game. He is one of the best defenders at SG, he rebounds, passes well, a 32% shooter from 3 for his career, and is the best dunker in the league. In my opinion, he makes us a much better team this year, and a title contender next year if he is paired with LeBron. Butler also makes us a lot better but he is older than Iggy and not the same player he used to be, which is why I prefer Igoudala.

In a perfect world we can make a trade for Igoudala or Butler this year, but we don't, so we probably will have to sign one of the free agents or make a trade for the lower tier SG's. I rank the free agents/trade players like this: Courtney Lee, Aaron Afflalo, Ronnie Brewer, CDR, Shannon Brown, and everyone else is on the same level in my opinion. To play SG next to LeBron there are 2 main requirements, hitting the open 3 and playing good defense. That's pretty much what I ranked these players by. I really like Courtney Lee and Afflalo though because I think they can hit the big shot, and LeBron has been criticized for passing the ball to open shooters for the last shot.

With all this being said, I just don't think we can be successful with Wilson as our starting SG. He just isn't a SG and it is pretty obvious. We should really try to get one of these players I mentioned and make him our starting SG. Even though these players might not be more talented than Wilson, they fit the role much better, and would make our starting lineup complete.

PG?
C. Lee/Afflalo/Iggy?
LeBron
Gallo
Lee

When we bring Wilson off the bench we can do something like this:
Douglas
C.Lee/Afflalo/Iggy
Wilson
LeBron
Jeffries

That's a pretty horrible offensive unit but that's when LeBron can just do his thing and go 1 on 1. That lineup would play some mean defense though, and ultimately, that's what has been winning us games.

On a side note, I think has changed his ways. He realized this year that playing good defense gives us a better chance to win than playing good offense. Hopefully next year he will still be preaching defense because our offense will be more efficient next year with LeBron (knock on wood). I think everyone involved in Team USA has realized that Defense is the key to winning, and that shows clearly this year and hopefully it will next year.

What do you think? Should we go after another SG or just let Wilson handle the SG duties?

nykbasketball wrote:

orangeblobman wrote:I'm hoping that Gallo can develop into our PF by next year, or maybe the year after. If Gallo can handle PF, then you got Ill Wilson at SF. Ill Wilson isn't cut out to be a shooting guard because he can't shoot, unless he practices and develops a deadly long range.

Agreed. But if we get LeBron, where do you play him? SG?

Oh yea. You play him I don't know. MDA would make some type of hybrid role for him where he handles the traditional 'PG' duties. But now that I think about Gallo at PF, that makes Lee a center, and he can't swat shots. So we're without a swatter. This is very complicated.

He can play any position but C.

In my opinion the lineup will look pretty much like this:

PG: LeBron
SG: Toney
SF: Gallo
PF: Lee
C: Jeffries

6th: Wilson
7th: Hill
8th: Landry
9th: Bender
10th: 2010 2nd round
.
.
15th: Curry

This is what Donnie has to estimate right now. And its not to bad, right? No champion either, but at least LeBroon will automatically increase the level of everyone around him.

That will be the time you look for trades. Well, you got Chandler, Hill, Toney, Landry, 2010 2nd rounder to trade for other Rookie-Contract Players that are a better fit for LeBron. And I'm not so shure trades will be needed, if so, it will be Wilson, for the Ricky Rubio rights

And after that year, you just collect the one Max Player LeBron wants to have out of the Free-Agent Pool 2011, sit back, relax and enjoy a new era in BBall.

Cant argue to much, there is definatly some hope there for the Knicks! Lets wait and see whats really happening.

Nalod wrote:Lebron is a point forward currently. The ball always goes thru him.

Duhan is a back up at less money. Felton is a nice player but we'll just have to see Who MDA really wants as his QB. I can see Wilson as trade bait if his value is high.

I see:

smallPointforward: Lebron
PF Dlee
C: Bosch
SG:Gallo
Point: Via trade for Wilson.

You basically wrote what I was thinking. Priority is a PG, with or without Lebron. MDA's system needs a strong PG to make it hum. At this point, I think Wilson will have to be part of a trade since he is one of our only assets without real restrictions. I am entertained by the idea of Gallo at SG. If he can really develop that head fake, one dribble jumper, he could be deadly at SG.

I would like the Knicks to keep Chandler but if they are going to keep him they have to find a role for him. If LeBron can play SG they can put Chandler at the 3, Gallo at the 4, and Lee at the 5. And in a perfect world, LeBron could play PG and we could put Wilson at SG (assuming he develops a consistent jumpshot), Gallo at the 3, Lee at the 4, and Jefferies at the 5. That lineup has scary length and would be tough to score on.

Which team do you think is better?
LeBron
Chandler
Gallo
Lee
Thomas/Camby/T. Chandler/Pryzbilla
Bench: Harrington (on the cheap), Jefferies, Douglas, Hill, Landry, Bender, Nate?, another mid level FA

or

Douglas
Chandler
LeBron
Gallo
Bosh
Bench: Harrington, Jeffries, Landry, Bender

Panos wrote:

TMS wrote:if we sign Lebron & they manage to fit Lee's extension under the cap somehow, you are looking at Toney Douglas as your starting PG next season... there isn't enough cap space to sign anyone else of note after those 2 moves unless u can dump Curry or Fishlips' albatrosses for expirings this year.

I don't think that's so bad. He can defend and he can score. He's adequate with handling the ball, and
LBJ will be doing much of the handling anyway. I can live with that.

i agree w/u, if we sign Lebron i would have no problem w/starting TD at PG... just saying don't expect us to sign a guy like Ray Felton unless we dump another contract.