Perfect timing. This is a snippet from http://njmg.typepad.com/knickknacks/2009/06/on-lebron-the-draft-trades-etc.html

Which brings us to the draft.

It's just a gut feeling from talking to folks and reading, but it seems as if Donnie Walsh would do whatever he could to move up and grab the likes of Ricky Rubio or Hasheem Thabeet _ the potential star point guard or shot-blocker that he needs.

Hence his reported pursuit of Memphis' 27th-overall pick (to potentially package with their own No. 8), for instance.

Failing at that, he could very well trade down (and unload, say, a Quentin Richardson or Jared Jeffries contract) if he knows the player he wants is there.

However, if it takes surrendering Nate Robinson (in a pre-arranged sign-and-trade move) tobroker a useful deal, thanks for coming, N8. As remarkable an athlete as he is, you can't read the "welcome" on his mat any more and his act is on life support, and while he has some value, it behooves the Knicks to use it.

We also like the theory that doing something with Memphis makes sense, because the Grizzlies may be willing to trade down (although perhaps not as far as eight) to get John Calipari-guy Tyreke Evans. Maybe that even requires bringing Darko Milicic in (the guy picked right after LBJ, you may remember, and who owns an expiring contract, and could also fit in Mike D'Antoni's European-like system).

But there's talk of Oklahoma City trading down, too, particularly if Rubio's still on the board (whom they don't need and may not want to play in a cowtown).

Our theory on all this: Donnie's going to get all his ducks in a row by draft night to do what he wants dependent on who gets picked where. Most likely he stays at eight, but if Rubio can be had via a draft-night deal, he'll do it. If a contract or N8 can be moved in such a deal, or another, he does that.

And since Memphis liked David Lee before and is clearly in need of some muscle inside, if it takes a sign-and-trade with him to bring Rubio or Thabeet to New York, that could happen.

We think.

We have some of the assets and apparently trying to get more to make something happen...
This has got to be our most exciting off-season / draft in a loooooong time...

EMS

[Edited by - earthmansurfer on 06-01-2009 4:23 PM]

Posted by martin:

Posted by JohnWallace44:

The expiring deals are all relatively useless for this club unless we're going to bring in a piece this year that is part of the long term plans.

That's why we should have used our expirings and Dave and Nate at last year's deadline... oh well.

This pick and how we deal with Lee and Nate are huge, huge stepping stones for this franchise. Will we step up, or will we fall on our faces?

It will be interesting to see.

Completely disagree. Kurt Thomas and his exiring deal were traded to Spurs for a bunch of picks I think.

If Duhon or Harrington have super solid season's, they can be dealt to a playoff contender that have similar contracts that expire for players who don't produce.

What is the kind of trade that you see us doing with the expirings? We can only bring back players that are also expiring due to the 2010 scenario unless its a building block player.

Trading expiring for expiring and getting positive assets back means that we're bailing on this year, which is again going to be hard to watch.

The time to use expirings was last year's trade deadline. We didn't do it for whatever reason. Oh well.

You're saying a "star" player that we're going to look to pay through 2010 is going to come available this year and we'll be able to get them for Harrington and change or some package like that?

I'd love to hear who you think that might be.

I am saying I may be willing to take on a contract past 2010 for the right player. If Al Horford or Al Jefferson became available, I'd take a long hard look. If Tyson Chandler got his act together and de-turfed his toe, you'd have to consider it. I am not committing to a specific trade, but crazy things happen at the trade deadline. Worst case scenario is that the contract expires and you have the opportunity (not the obligation) to do a sign and trade with a team over the cap in 2010. Best case scenario is that a contending team looks to add Harrington as their sixth man as they make a title run, and give us a draft pick and expirings for him. There are a lot of options. The only contract I would try and move quickly this summer is the Mobley contract. He takes up a roster spot, has the most value prior to the start of the season (because it is insured, people will want give back the most salary sooner). I'd like to end training camp with 15 able bodies.

Posted by EwingsGlass:

I am saying I may be willing to take on a contract past 2010 for the right player. If Al Horford or Al Jefferson became available, I'd take a long hard look. If Tyson Chandler got his act together and de-turfed his toe, you'd have to consider it. I am not committing to a specific trade, but crazy things happen at the trade deadline. Worst case scenario is that the contract expires and you have the opportunity (not the obligation) to do a sign and trade with a team over the cap in 2010. Best case scenario is that a contending team looks to add Harrington as their sixth man as they make a title run, and give us a draft pick and expirings for him. There are a lot of options. The only contract I would try and move quickly this summer is the Mobley contract. He takes up a roster spot, has the most value prior to the start of the season (because it is insured, people will want give back the most salary sooner). I'd like to end training camp with 15 able bodies.

The players out there that you would be looking at would be players like Nash, Outlaw, Stoudemire, but I'm just not getting why a team would want some package of what we have for one of those players.

Not gonna happen in my opinion.

That ship sailed at the last trade deadline.

The expiring deals are only assets in that they are going to give us the chance to sign a player or two next year.