what you guys think of AJ Price? he's had a good run...his team is everyones(on TV) favorite.

Posted by TheSage:

Most of you like to knock Nate's point guard play and few of you ever saw Clyde in his prime. Clyde was not a flashy pg but efficient. His best pg play was during the first half of games and when nevessary (which was usually the second half) took the offensive. He could get his shot off (ala Nate but in a different way), did not have Nate's range but had a great pull up jumper (12-18 feet)and was as smooth as silk off the dribble. incredible hands and one of the best defensively even without Nate's quickness making up for lack of footspeed with smarts. In short Nate can be a premier point just doing it his way and adjusting his head more than skills.

did you just say that Nate can be as good as Clyde? I know you didn't mean it that way, or at least I hope not. Nate has a LOT of physical tools, but he has a LOOOONNNNGGG way to go with the mental aspect of the game.

Posted by NineMike2Whiskey:

Posted by sebstar:

Nate has already been scapegoated, eviscerated, chewed up, and deep fried by this board. Good luck looking for objective solid analysis on the kid. Everybody here thinks every potential lotto pick is the next Lebron so they are ready to send the whole Knick squad on the first thing smokin.

well i think Nate is what he is,not point guard material more of a combo guard sparkplug off the bench and potential 6th man year in year out. Good to have on a contending team like Bobby Jackson on the Kings when they were challenging, for us?? A luxury we could do without, not because he sucks but because we've got too much holes at 4 of our 5 position and trading Nate may be the only way to start filling them.

he's not untradeable for sure. I'm all ears if the right package comes along. But I'm not down to trade him for a mid-first round, low first round pick or anything like that. People have exaggerated his flaws around here to the point where he is now almost viewed as an albatross and not a rising young player.

Posted by TMS:

Posted by sebstar:

Nate has already been scapegoated, eviscerated, chewed up, and deep fried by this board. Good luck looking for objective solid analysis on the kid. Everybody here thinks every potential lotto pick is the next Lebron so they are ready to send the whole Knick squad on the first thing smokin.

just curious seb... what did u think of Nate before he was drafted? a few years ago what would u have projected him to be, & why is it unreasonable to think there are prospects in this draft that will be better players than him? Nate's a talented young player, just like there are other prospects in this draft that likely will prove to be as well... to shut your mind off to the logic that drafting 1 of these kids instead of wasting longterm dollars that will hamper our cap situation in a couple years when Donnie's plan is to free up cap space first & foremost is kinda unreasonable, don't u think?

Eh, I dont remember my opinion on Nate extending much further beyond his questionable height. Zeke made a good call on him.

But look at Nate...it took him about 3-4 years to develop into what he is right now, and he is still developing. To trade veterans and gamble on rookies right now is not a reasonable approach. It doesnt fit our plan for 2010 and it could create a pressure filled environment given that we dont have a #1 pick in 2010...our '08 pick is damaged goods...and we want to win so that our team looks attractive to potential free agents...Plus its NY filled with reactionary and demanding fans. Tough environment for a rookie.

I am aware of the cap ramifications that will come with Nate and Lee re-signing, but I just cant in good conscious give them away for nothing. We have to get creative and not panic. Trading them for late picks is not something I can co-sign at all, as that would be a step back IMO.

Posted by sebstar:

Posted by TMS:

Posted by sebstar:

Nate has already been scapegoated, eviscerated, chewed up, and deep fried by this board. Good luck looking for objective solid analysis on the kid. Everybody here thinks every potential lotto pick is the next Lebron so they are ready to send the whole Knick squad on the first thing smokin.

just curious seb... what did u think of Nate before he was drafted? a few years ago what would u have projected him to be, & why is it unreasonable to think there are prospects in this draft that will be better players than him? Nate's a talented young player, just like there are other prospects in this draft that likely will prove to be as well... to shut your mind off to the logic that drafting 1 of these kids instead of wasting longterm dollars that will hamper our cap situation in a couple years when Donnie's plan is to free up cap space first & foremost is kinda unreasonable, don't u think?

Eh, I dont remember my opinion on Nate extending much further beyond his questionable height. Zeke made a good call on him.

But look at Nate...it took him about 3-4 years to develop into what he is right now, and he is still developing. To trade veterans and gamble on rookies right now is not a reasonable approach. It doesnt fit our plan for 2010 and it could create a pressure filled environment given that we dont have a #1 pick in 2010...our '08 pick is damaged goods...and we want to win so that our team looks attractive to potential free agents...Plus its NY filled with reactionary and demanding fans. Tough environment for a rookie.

I am aware of the cap ramifications that will come with Nate and Lee re-signing, but I just cant in good conscious give them away for nothing. We have to get creative and not panic. Trading them for late picks is not something I can co-sign at all, as that would be a step back IMO.

the 2010 plan is to preserve as much cap flexibility as possible to target a max player... that means u have to make some tough decisions in regards to Lee & Nate... no one WANTS to trade those guys for mid or late round picks but Donnie's gonna have to weigh the choice of whether to overpay to keep those guys or to bite the bullet & get what he can for them in a trade... i don't see us signing either of those guys for below market value deals... if we end up signing them, their contracts will pretty much nix the 2010 plan.

Donnie was trying to do that at the deadline but there were no takers, remember? he said if u want D Lee then u have to take back Curry's contract too... then those rumors that there were talks w/the Kings for Kenny Thomas in exchange for Nate & them taking back Fishlips' contract, which he has denied ever took place... still, u can see how much value he's placing on that cap flexibility in 2010 when he's trying to use his best asset to dump his most cap hampering contract... i don't think it makes sense that he'll now change course & sign D Lee & Nate to longterm deals now & forego his 2010 plans altogether now... i think if they get signed it will be as part of a sign & trade... at least, that's how i hope it goes down... if those 2 are signed longterm w/the idea of keeping them longterm, then u guys mine as well be resigned to see more of the same we've been witness to around here for the foreseeable future.

Posted by TMS:

Donnie was trying to do that at the deadline but there were no takers, remember? he said if u want D Lee then u have to take back Curry's contract too... then those rumors that there were talks w/the Kings for Kenny Thomas in exchange for Nate & them taking back Fishlips' contract, which he has denied ever took place... still, u can see how much value he's placing on that cap flexibility in 2010 when he's trying to use his best asset to dump his most cap hampering contract... i don't think it makes sense that he'll now change course & sign D Lee & Nate to longterm deals now & forego his 2010 plans altogether now... i think if they get signed it will be as part of a sign & trade... at least, that's how i hope it goes down... if those 2 are signed longterm w/the idea of keeping them longterm, then u guys mine as well be resigned to see more of the same we've been witness to around here for the foreseeable future.

Just because there were no takers during the deadline doesnt mean that a deal wont emerge this summer. I'm glad he didnt make that deal with Sac. I just take umbrage with the idea that in order to accomplish our 2010 goals, we have to give away Nate and Lee. Thats too defeatist to me. I think we can accomplish both.

Who knows if we can package Nate for a Bosh/Melo type player. Then half of our goal, attracting 2 major pieces of talent, will already have been accomplished.

Posted by martin:

Posted by TheSage:

Most of you like to knock Nate's point guard play and few of you ever saw Clyde in his prime. Clyde was not a flashy pg but efficient. His best pg play was during the first half of games and when nevessary (which was usually the second half) took the offensive. He could get his shot off (ala Nate but in a different way), did not have Nate's range but had a great pull up jumper (12-18 feet)and was as smooth as silk off the dribble. incredible hands and one of the best defensively even without Nate's quickness making up for lack of footspeed with smarts. In short Nate can be a premier point just doing it his way and adjusting his head more than skills.

Martin


did you just say that Nate can be as good as Clyde? I know you didn't mean it that way, or at least I hope not. Nate has a LOT of physical tools, but he has a LOOOONNNNGGG way to go with the mental aspect of the game.

Premier point guard means as compared to other point guards playing today-would not put him in Clydes class. He has more pure athleticism than Clyde and greater range on his shot but presently lacks Clyde's consistency, defense and HEAD. Clyde has a 10 year veteran's head by his second or third year and knew when to take over a game. Agree with you about the LOOOONNNNGGG way to go mentally but how many players today are in the class of the late 60s early 70s knx when it comes to the mental aspect of the game. The whole team lacked pure athleticism and size but had a league commissioner, a college professor, a senator, a GM and two sports commentators. Probably the smartest basketball team (maybe the smartest professional sports team) ever.