Posted by nysportsfan11:
As of right now, not 18 months from now since really NO ONE can predict the future, not even bull**** surveys of "league execs":
No one knows what LeBron's thinking. NY is Wade's 3rd option behind Miami and Chicago and Bosh's 1a option next to Dallas.
Of the rest, Redd, Amare, Peja, Nash, Ray Allen (depending on what the C's look like by then) Jefferson, Chandler and McGrady (who likely will be traded before then anyway) are all definite possibilities.
Beyond that, Joe Johnson could potentially come here if he was the second guy but he would never come here to be the #1 option. He doesn't like the media and isn't a fan of big cities. Plus Atlanta suits his personality perfectly. He gets enough attention but it's not life or death with every game. But Atlanta is still Atlanta and opposing teams can always count on them to find a way to screw up.
Dirk wants to stay in Dallas to help lure Bosh who'd love to play for Cuban in his hometown. Yao's a possibility, but you'd need a new coach. I doubt Tim took less money to allow the Spurs to lose free agents like Manu. Pierce is staying in Boston and at worst would go to the west coast after his next deal.
Among the restricted free agents, unless you're making a serious run at Rudy Gay, the best you could do would be Farmar/Foye. Roy's not leaving the northwest unless Portland becomes terrible between now and then. He's from Seattle, loves Portland and is not a big market guy. He's also the clean cut, marketable family man the Jailblazers have been searching for for a decade. If Roy's not going anywhere, neither is Aldridge.
As for Wade - It looks like Chicago will be under the cap come 2010, unless of course, they make some deals between now and then so if anything happens with Miami, I would imagine Chicago is a likely destination. Miami looks like they will be way under the cap as well so I would assume it's pretty possible Wade can recruit someone to come play with him in Miami. Who wouldn't want to play in South Beach?
As for Bosh - Dallas does not appear to be under the cap unless they make a few moves (including declining Howards option for '10-11.) I wonder if Bosh would really want to play in Dallas since Dirk will be 33 at that time and if the team doesn't keep Josh Howard then the cupboard is pretty bare. Of course this could all be pointless since a ton can happen between now and 2010. Good to hear that NY is Bosh's 1A choice.
I think obviously everyone wants LeBron but say the Knicks do lose out on him. I think Bosh is a great compensation prize, but I also realize you can't just bring him in, you HAVE to add another player with him, whether it is through another signing (Joe Johnson would fit nicely) or through a trade.
The people that complain that we are just putting all of our eggs in the LeBron basket are just not thinking straight, sure signing him is the ojective but it's not the only possibility - the Knicks need to be under the cap for flexibility and the ability to have various ways of attaining players. Donnie Walsh knows what he is doing.
12/27/2008 4:32 PM