Starters
Felton
JR Smith
Shumpert
Anthony
Tyson

Bench
KMart
Amare
Copeland
Camby
Novak

Scrubs
Kidd
(Draft pick)

PG AJPrice/Calderon/NSmith/CJWatson/Bynum/Telfair
SG GNeal/Foye/DWest/Budinger
SF MWebster/Toliver/Barnes/D.Wright/Morrow/Daye/WJohnson
PF DCunningham/IvJohnson/Blair/GSmith/Beasley/Blatche/Lawai
C Dalembert/Hollins/Turiaf

My guess is you pay a dude 100mil you start him if healthy. If his minutes will be limited, then he'll/knicks adapt.
There is a process that need be exercised before Amare is a bench player.

Novak was hurt against boston and against a man to man defense He is not as effective especially coming off injury.

I can't speculate about his his future.

You can almost assume if JR is back (no guarantee) then Chris Smith will be on the roster.

callmened wrote:(shakin my head)..i almost forgot about novak. LOL

so basically were looking to fill out 3 roster spots

I think we got a long way to go before we can see the roster.

Will Kidd return? Do we really want Kmart, and is he ok with a vet min limited role?

If we want to start JR, does shump go to the bench? Is Shump Trade fodder for a pure shooting 2?

These are not my preferences, and we have so many questions none bigger than the prognosis long term of Amare.

I know we are used to not believing his comments and we tend to extropolate the present into the future so we can only assume he'll continue to have health problems, but we are not privy to much of what goes on.

callmened wrote:i agree. The lineup will change and who knows what it will actually be. But my point is there will be about 3-4 spots to fill.

I agree.

While we were all fixated on Copland one does wonder what the knicks really feel about him, his projected role with the team and what is his monetary value?

While the kid can shoot he looked stiff going to the basket at times. It was effective but awkward.

Of course if anyone remembers watching phil jax play basketball the kids looks outright "Jordan like"!

As far as Kidd goes, its pretty evident the talent is there but he broke down. Can his minutes be managed better? perhaps but when duty calls its important that roster spots be filled with players that if need to play starters minutes, can to some extent fulfil that role. No shame in being 40 and having to hang it up. He had a great run and was great much of the season. If he wants, put him in a suie and coach. Maybe its best to let him play the last 20 games and be fresh for the playoffs next year?

callmened wrote:i agree. The lineup will change and who knows what it will actually be. But my point is there will be about 3-4 spots to fill.

Yeah, we need multiple positions upgraded but if the team is kept intact, we actually don't have much roster spots, something some poster's do not realize

Especially if 1 roster spot is wasted on Chris Smith, in addition to

Kidd *no offense, he is a more of a coach using a roster spot than a player at his career*
Amare *who likely will miss games and play a limited role with his health issues
Camby *who has planter fascilates and Woodson does not trust and utilize*
Novak *cannot defend a position and Woodson does utilize him by using him as an option except with a spread out offense in which he can easily be contained without good/great penetration/ball and player movement, and screens on and off the ball*

These are 5 roster spots that are not "real" contributers

Amare
Carmelo
Tyson
Camby
Novak
Felton
Kidd
JR Smith - Player option
Shumpert
Pablo - Qualifying Offer

Total contract is worth $76,404,547. We are way over the CAP.

Even if JR opts out and we don't sign him back and Pablo is let go we still have $72,482,933. Still way over.

So what do we have if we keep this and not blow it up? Not much flexibility. You get the 24th pick and maybe an MLE type player and a bunch of vet min type guys. This is going to be bad for the next 2 years. Our peak might be this year.

callmened wrote:i agree. Thats why i UNDERSTAND why ronron and others would want to trade tyson to get back some flexibility. i just dont think it will happen since the GM likes this core group

I think the best option is to blow it up. Get something for Melo while his value is way up.

Knixkik wrote:

NYKBocker wrote:

callmened wrote:i agree. Thats why i UNDERSTAND why ronron and others would want to trade tyson to get back some flexibility. i just dont think it will happen since the GM likes this core group

I think the best option is to blow it up. Get something for Melo while his value is way up.

This has been discussed so much there is no point in bringing it up because it won't happen, and blowing it up is never the answer. Traditional rebuild just does not work today. We will improve simply by chemistry and adding some small pieces and getting a little younger. Blowing it up is a fun fantasy game that works for very few teams over a long period of time. Best case scenario puts us back in the 2nd round in 5-7 years. It sounds fun, but likelihood it works based on the success around the league is low.

So the plan is to hope we strike gold with the 24th pick. Strike gold with the MLE signing. Strike gold with the vet min signings.

How do we get younger again other than the 24th pick?

callmened wrote:we wont get younger in the near future. this team is HIGHLY invested in this core (for better or worse). The draft pick WONT matter since woody likes to play vets. I agree with Knixkik, NOTHING will be blown up...MELO, TYSON and AMARE are NOT going anywhere next yr. the only moves we can make are small free agents to add to depth next yr

if there are going to be major moves it will be the following yr (2014-15) when tyson and amare are expiring contracts. I predict melo will opt-out but resign for a longer contract with the knicks (hed lose 30mill if he didnt). The game plan looking fwd should be to hope for the best next yr (most likely 45-50wins and 2nd rd exit), trade expiring contracts for 2014-15 and then sign an ELITE player to go with Melo the following summer. I think Melo is good but needs help...im hoping for a Kyrie-type. In this NBA you need a PG that can penetrate. By then Woody will be gone (this team is poorly constructed to win a ring) and they will rebuild around an Elite player and Melo (who at age 30 can still be productive)

Sounds about right, but I think someone corrected me in another thread that Kyrie is restricted that summer. Would love to get him here and watch them build around him.

callmened wrote:we wont get younger in the near future. this team is HIGHLY invested in this core (for better or worse). The draft pick WONT matter since woody likes to play vets. I agree with Knixkik, NOTHING will be blown up...MELO, TYSON and AMARE are NOT going anywhere next yr. the only moves we can make are small free agents to add to depth next yr

if there are going to be major moves it will be the following yr (2014-15) when tyson and amare are expiring contracts. I predict melo will opt-out but resign for a longer contract with the knicks (hed lose 30mill if he didnt). The game plan looking fwd should be to hope for the best next yr (most likely 45-50wins and 2nd rd exit), trade expiring contracts for 2014-15 and then sign an ELITE player to go with Melo the following summer. I think Melo is good but needs help...im hoping for a Kyrie-type. In this NBA you need a PG that can penetrate. By then Woody will be gone (this team is poorly constructed to win a ring) and they will rebuild around an Elite player and Melo (who at age 30 can still be productive)

This is exactly right. Keep searching for short term help to improve and stay in the mix each year. In 2 years we will have a good core (Melo, Shumpert, first round pick, etc) and a ton of cap space to play with.