Posted by King1:

Nene 11 million 14 point 7 boards
Nazr Mohammed 8 million
Bobby Simmons 10 million 7 points 4 rebs
Andrei Kirlenko 12 point 6 boards and 1.4 block sure that is worth 17 million
Okur 9 million 15 points 8 rebounds
Kenny Thomas 8 million sucks
Tyson Chandler 8 points and 8 boards and 1.5 playing with Paul 13 milion

Lee deserves 8-10 million a year and someone will give it to him and the Knicks will get nothing in return.

If you look at numbers or even at skill deficiencies; these is not the things on the top of the list for this team.
The key is establish new culture - culture of winning, hard work, dedication, and mutual responsibility and trust between players, coaches, and front office. Now tell me what they MUST do with Lee to fulfill these goals.
This is not about the player - this is about balding the TEAM.

Posted by King1:

Nene 11 million 14 point 7 boards
Nazr Mohammed 8 million
Bobby Simmons 10 million 7 points 4 rebs
Andrei Kirlenko 12 point 6 boards and 1.4 block sure that is worth 17 million
Okur 9 million 15 points 8 rebounds
Kenny Thomas 8 million sucks
Tyson Chandler 8 points and 8 boards and 1.5 playing with Paul 13 milion

Lee deserves 8-10 million a year and someone will give it to him and the Knicks will get nothing in return.

I agree. 10 Million for DLee is fair market value for what he is doing. Just make sure it is not a long term contract. Sign him for 3 years with a team option 4th year.

I think he will command around 8 million. I'm torn about keeping him. He will play 5 in the system, because he can't shoot the three, and that's something D'Antoni wants his 4's to do. But this may be an advantage for him, since so many centers are lumbering and can't run with him.

He's just so hustle and seems like a great teammate. I just can't help but feel he's not in D'Anotni's long term plans for the team. I hope he is. Especially if we can move out Curry, and Jeffries opts out for 2010. Who knows.

remember Kurt Thomas ? He was very good for the Knicks and he signed a 4 year 30 million extention with the Knicks.. thats 7.5 mil per...

I think 35 million over 4 years would be very good for David Lee, and very fair to the Knicks

Posted by Elite:

simlar players:

Drew Gooden: 7 mil
Troy Murphy(very similar) he makes 10-11 mil
Haslem (could argue hes better than Lee) makes between 6 and 7 mil.

I think Lee should be making 8 mil. 10 is too high, Troy Murphy is obviously overpaid. Haslem is slightly under paid... Lee should be right there in the middle. Give him 8 per

Free agency is also all about timing. There are a couple of bigs who are free agents who will get serious attention[not including Boozer] Paul Millsap and David Lee. They are very close in terms of what they bring. Boozer is probably a sign and trade because he has opt out and he will have power to go where he wants. Big players get paid more because there are less of them. Utah probably cant afford to let both Millsap and Boozer leave--so my thinking is Millsap stays Boozer is goner via trade.. That leaves Lee as number 1 big man FA next year. Maybe he has more than 1 suitor--then he is lock for 10mm

We can say whatever we want--but the least acceptable option if letting David Lee walk for nothing. That is NOT an option. I would rather give Lee his 50-60mm than let him walk--he's a big part of the new team. And if they dont keep him they better can one heckuva compensation package.

The key is to get rid of Curry via trade this season and sign Lee to an extension in his salary slot. And maybe try to convince Lee to take a low number in 2010 and balloon payments in 2011 and beyond.

Posted by martin:

Posted by crzymdups:

The key is to get rid of Curry via trade this season and sign Lee to an extension in his salary slot. And maybe try to convince Lee to take a low number in 2010 and balloon payments in 2011 and beyond.

cant' really do balloon payments. Only certain % you can increase salary (I think).

yeah, i think you're right, they changed the CBA.

well, i know that since we have his Bird Rights, we can give Lee the highest % raise per year. I believe we can give him 20% per year, whereas as a FA he can only get 12.5% or something, not sure about the numbers, but it's something close to that. since we can give him better raises, hopefully we can get him to start at a lower number and have the salary escalate. I don't care if he gets $60M overall, but it'd be nice if he only had a $7M cap hold in 2010.

Posted by crzymdups:

Posted by martin:

Posted by crzymdups:

The key is to get rid of Curry via trade this season and sign Lee to an extension in his salary slot. And maybe try to convince Lee to take a low number in 2010 and balloon payments in 2011 and beyond.

cant' really do balloon payments. Only certain % you can increase salary (I think).

yeah, i think you're right, they changed the CBA.

well, i know that since we have his Bird Rights, we can give Lee the highest % raise per year. I believe we can give him 20% per year, whereas as a FA he can only get 12.5% or something, not sure about the numbers, but it's something close to that. since we can give him better raises, hopefully we can get him to start at a lower number and have the salary escalate. I don't care if he gets $60M overall, but it'd be nice if he only had a $7M cap hold in 2010.

Most deals are backloaded. If he signs 5/40 he we could give him 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 over the course of his deal, or with the 20 percent raise, something a shade under 7 in 2010.

lee is playing himself from a 3/4 year contract to a 5/6 year deal. $8 or $10 mil ain't that much of a difference. but # of years is...