Posted by Queeniepop:
The injuries definitely are playing a part. I do not whole heartedly support a SUNNY outlook, but no one thought that JC or Lee would be out for 10-25 games collectively. Q, well, everyone here should factor 25 games in. That's what makes the KT for Q and Nate deal not a good one. Esp. when Isiah knew that he was taking on an inunsured back.
Q should be our 6th man next year with the purpose of his shooting off the bench and to preserve his health to a larger extent.
I think the only real keepers on this team are Jamal, Balkman, Lee and Eddy. If you build around these players (Balkman is a bench player), depending on where you play Jamal, likely at the 1, which gives us an enormous size advantage, we need a 2 and a 3. David is a tweener but he learns towards PF not SF because he lacks the offensive skill set. David needs to become way more bruising and he has to block shots. I think he can do that.
I think if Marbury is on this team, which I am sure he will be, he should be the starting 2 with JC at the 1. Marbury has been all too content camping out at the 3pt line of late. I am unsure if it has to do with Francis, but regardless, Marbury has become a spot up shooter, something he never was, rather than a penetrate and kick guy. Well, there's no one to kick to but then again, no one is driving either.
Something to think about is:
- what can we get for Malik, Frye and Nate? I think Rashard Lewis is a possibility, but he is not a defensive SF. however, he is an accurate 3pt shooter. he is not great as a go-to guy, but we do have Crawford which NO ONE can question in the later stages of games.
- are we going to take a specialist in the draft? like a 3pt shooter? are we going to try to trade up using our assets like Frye or Nate?
- are we going to go balls out and go for JO? that requires taking on Tinsley likely. it also requires giving up lee. he is one of the best defensive minded PF's in the league and an elite shotblocker.
- we are going to waive Francis. buy him out. whatever. he wont be a Knick next year. do we use the MLE on a vet PG? do we use the MLE on a defensive role player like a Brian Skinner? do we not use the MLE period. Get over Mardy people. He is not good enough, borderline D league.
I agree with the normal girl and ugly girl analogy.
Nate next to Francis...Nate's hot.
Balkman over Jeffries...Balk's hot.
Alot of people say we have depth. We ahave depth in the amount of role players. but nate or balkman are not starters in this league.
Funny though, Eddy and Marbury are supposed to be "the best players" on this team. Regretfully, I disagree. I think the guys that are missing may be the GUYS. Seemingly, Jamal, Q and Lee can play with anyone on this team...evidently, Steph and Eddy cannot. Steph and Eddy really cannot play without 2 or all 3 of these guys.
I think this is a largely fair analysis, with worrisome implications.
Working with your judgments we see JC, Q, Lee and Balk our our best players/keepers, yet only 2 of them are starters, both of which are tweeners still trying to figure out what position they fit.
Marbury and Eddy are supposed to be our best players, seeing as we gave up 4 1st round picks for them, and Marbury also is unsettled in any particular position and it's unclear if his game meshes with other guy's like Eddy and Francis.
So our franchise players aren't our best players and they don't compliment each other well. Two of our 4 "best" players are perrenial role players, and the other two were bench guys this year and are tweeners unsettled in any position. IOW, we don't have a single bonafied starter among our best players.
Another guy scheduled to be a best player, Francis, will probably be bought out. And the other guy, Marbury, in a just world, would follow suit.
Furthermore we straddle two plans simultaneously: let contracts expire for FA in 2010, or make an immediate cap killing move for Rashard or Jermaine.
How can anybody doubt Isiah's three year plan? Which, incidentially, expired 3 months ago...
3/24/2007 12:00 PM
