Raymond Felton / Iman Shumpert
Landry Fields / Toney Douglas
Danilo Gallinari / Wilson Chandler
Amar'e Stoudemire / Anthony Randolph
Nene / Mozgov / Jorts

sigh.

martin wrote:Knicks had a 5 day turnaround to pick up Billups' contract, so it's not like they could wait.

The downside to not picking it up was much worse than picking it up.

But I'm saying let him walk and if he's still around when the smoke clears, is interested in NY (at a pay cut) then sign him. The Knicks were not a position of absolutely HAVING to pick up his option. That's why I said "if even at all" in regards to picking up the option.

holfresh wrote:Adding Nene would not do enough to the Knicks positively for the money you have o sign him for...The Knicks are in more urgent need of a point guard long term than a player like Nene...

Sorry TD and others were doing quite nicely while Billups was out and his return ended that run abruptly. So I still the need for a strong defensive big as higher than that of a PG. And lets face it, Billups isn't an elite PG anymore (some have argued that he never was). I'd still take a 28 old proven and quality starting center over a 34 year-old Billups. I reserve the right to deny ever saying this if the Knicks get a ring with Billups at the point, especially if he MVPs it again.

grillco wrote:

martin wrote:Knicks had a 5 day turnaround to pick up Billups' contract, so it's not like they could wait.

The downside to not picking it up was much worse than picking it up.

But I'm saying let him walk and if he's still around when the smoke clears, is interested in NY (at a pay cut) then sign him. The Knicks were not a position of absolutely HAVING to pick up his option. That's why I said "if even at all" in regards to picking up the option.

For all practical purposes, they were in a position of absolutely having to pick up his contract.

If they didn't and he left, what happens? What scrub you signing that would suffice at the PG position?

If CP3 comes up on the market, what player are you trading that would fit the bill?

If another player comes up that the team would want to swap for Billups' expiring, what do you offer?

After 3 years of not having any continuity, can the team really afford another?

If the Knicks turned down Chauncy, and the cap was relatively the same (that's the best assumption we can come up with), the cap number is some where in the $60-62M range? Knicks would come in a ~$52-53M with their signed contracts + cap holds. You have like ~$7-10 to sign a center and a starting PG. And you just lost use of the MLE. And you may lose Chauncy for nothing.

And let's not think you can sign Marc Gasol, Tyson Chandler or Nene, cause they already have starting salaries that can be matched or are greater than what you can offer.

And if you did sign someone, you lose out on CP3, Howard, Deron.

So what's the use?

Also, consider the downside of the cap being < $60M.

The downside is much scarier than any potential pickup that you may have been able to grab.

grillco wrote:

Andrew wrote:Even if Billups was released, the Knicks would have had virtually no shot at signing Nene.

Why?

Because after letting Billups and his 14 million contract go, the Knicks were going to be only around 7 million under the salary cap. Not enough money to sign a premier starting center like Nene or Gasol, plus they would have to look for a starting point guard also.

RonRon wrote:

crzymdups wrote:Imagine this team:

Raymond Felton / Iman Shumpert
Landry Fields / Toney Douglas
Danilo Gallinari / Wilson Chandler
Amar'e Stoudemire / Anthony Randolph
Nene / Mozgov / Jorts

sigh.

Lets not forget the 1st round pick, 2 2nd round GS picks, a possible swap of 1st round picks.

But he's coming home, coming home, tell the world now, hes coming home....

ROFL..

I hear ya....

grillco wrote:Let me start by saying I like Chauncey. Barring him getting hurt after the team got into a flow and then returning to interrupt a new Billups-less flow, he's a good player and not really part of the problem (although tougher D would have been nice). But I didn't like the Knicks picking up his option so quickly, if even at all. Right now the money they've guaranteed him is gone, so they really have little to no shot at Nene, a real NBA ready starting center. I don't actually want the Knicks to be Denver East, but I'd gladly take Nene and swap he and Billups in a second.

I'm still bummed they didn't keep him when they drafted him. I was at an O's game in Camden and they had the draft on half of the monitors in the concourse around the stadium. Getting McDyess did not excite me at all. Anyway, just thought I'd share.

I was so ecstatic when we drafted Nene. And then when they traded him AND Camby for a Dice fresh off surgery who HADN'T PLAYED 1 GAME YET...I could not understand it. do you know what our frontline wouldve looked like with NeNe & Camby?!?!?!?

holfresh wrote:Adding Nene would not do enough to the Knicks positively for the money you have o sign him for...The Knicks are in more urgent need of a point guard long term than a player like Nene...

A pg is the #1 priority...hands down

Since MDA started coaching the Knicks,we are winning 90% of our games when our PG plays well, doesn't matter who it is.. Then you can't help but think about NASH's 2 MVPs under Mike, felton playing at a all star level, even duhon was playing above his avgerage under mike.

Nene would be a nice fit, but i would not let him get in the way of finding that near perfect PG for this system, and this roster as it's currently constructed.