The Knicks get Nash without giving up Felton who wants to stay in NY. Nash prolongs his career by sharing the minutes with Felton who averages 39 minutes as it is. The Knicks get a big man in Lopez and a SF in Warrick who is putting up roughly the same numbers as Chandler who has an expiring contract and could be lost to free agency.

Better off trading for a reserve PG at a fraction of Nash's salary.

Finestrg wrote:I like Chris Kaman for this team A LOT. Dude's been hurt but it's nothing too serious (it's been a slow go coming back from a sprained ankle, he probably came back too quickly and was forced to shut it down again -- he just has to be patient & let it heal now. No reason to believe he won't be 100% by next year) and he was an all-star last year..A healthy Chris Kaman is a damn good player that plays hard..This guy could be the productive C we're looking for -- I think he'd be perfect for what we need (very good fit next to Amar'e)..If we didn't have to worry about this damn cap space, I would've approached the Clippers already if I were Donnie, even with Kaman being hurt..Too bad we can't take on that type of money for next year..Or can we?? If this Melo situation gets resolved eventually where it looks like he ain't coming here (say he either stays in DEN, goes to the Nets or CHI etc.), I might look at a trade for Kaman as a reasonable plan B. Compare Kaman to a guy like Nene -- salary very similar, both on the books for similar money for next year (Kaman--$12.2M, Nene--$11.6M player option that he will pick up), both are the same age, similar height..I prefer Kaman a little bit more over Nene though. And if by chance he didn't work out, he'd come right off the books after next year and we then retool a different way.

Timing is a big factor when it comes to the Knicks upgrading the roster & it's not completely on our side when you really think about it..If Melo really doesn't want NY and we find out soon (as in before the Feb trade deadline) or DEN just refuses to deal him here, it wouldn't really be all that bad a situation for us. If he decides to stay in DEN or he agrees to sign an extension with another team, fine, then we'd have all this cap room to go get a guy like Kaman (we'd still have Curry's salary to use in a trade--that's a big thing here, I'd like to make use of that one way or another in the right deal), then add another impact player or 2 in the offseason, maybe purchase a 2nd draft pick (mid to low 1st, early 2nd rounder?), resign Wilson Chandler, etc..Worst case scenario would be to miss out on a good deadline trade using Curry's expiring as an asset only to have Melo wait until this off-season to spurn NY & go somewhere else..That would suck and we'd basically get burned two years in a row on the best player available...Thing is Melo is still the best trade target/potential FA out there though & I guess he's worth waiting for. It's just gonna be real tough for Donnie to line up his plan A, B, C, etc. when he has to wait for Melo..Some things available at the Feb deadline won't be there in the offseason..

Knixkik wrote:

Finestrg wrote:I like Chris Kaman for this team A LOT. Dude's been hurt but it's nothing too serious (it's been a slow go coming back from a sprained ankle, he probably came back too quickly and was forced to shut it down again -- he just has to be patient & let it heal now. No reason to believe he won't be 100% by next year) and he was an all-star last year..A healthy Chris Kaman is a damn good player that plays hard..This guy could be the productive C we're looking for -- I think he'd be perfect for what we need (very good fit next to Amar'e)..If we didn't have to worry about this damn cap space, I would've approached the Clippers already if I were Donnie, even with Kaman being hurt..Too bad we can't take on that type of money for next year..Or can we?? If this Melo situation gets resolved eventually where it looks like he ain't coming here (say he either stays in DEN, goes to the Nets or CHI etc.), I might look at a trade for Kaman as a reasonable plan B. Compare Kaman to a guy like Nene -- salary very similar, both on the books for similar money for next year (Kaman--$12.2M, Nene--$11.6M player option that he will pick up), both are the same age, similar height..I prefer Kaman a little bit more over Nene though. And if by chance he didn't work out, he'd come right off the books after next year and we then retool a different way.

Timing is a big factor when it comes to the Knicks upgrading the roster & it's not completely on our side when you really think about it..If Melo really doesn't want NY and we find out soon (as in before the Feb trade deadline) or DEN just refuses to deal him here, it wouldn't really be all that bad a situation for us. If he decides to stay in DEN or he agrees to sign an extension with another team, fine, then we'd have all this cap room to go get a guy like Kaman (we'd still have Curry's salary to use in a trade--that's a big thing here, I'd like to make use of that one way or another in the right deal), then add another impact player or 2 in the offseason, maybe purchase a 2nd draft pick (mid to low 1st, early 2nd rounder?), resign Wilson Chandler, etc..Worst case scenario would be to miss out on a good deadline trade using Curry's expiring as an asset only to have Melo wait until this off-season to spurn NY & go somewhere else..That would suck and we'd basically get burned two years in a row on the best player available...Thing is Melo is still the best trade target/potential FA out there though & I guess he's worth waiting for. It's just gonna be real tough for Donnie to line up his plan A, B, C, etc. when he has to wait for Melo..Some things available at the Feb deadline won't be there in the offseason..

Kaman is a great option, especially as a FA in 2012. Don't like how he is consistently injured every year though. He is a better option offensively then Dalembert, but might not be worth it because of the injuries. I would give him a chance though.

My impression is that Mike is happy with what he has and feels he can continue to mold the guys he has to perfection. Perfect examples are TD, Fields and Williams. These guys are continually performing at a high level and TD and Williams in particular have been gaining confidence more and more. You can tell he trusts those guys. Williams is a 100% PURE MDA player. 6-9 long, athletic, reasonably versatile and can shoot from anywhere!

The time on the bench seems to have made Walker appreciate his minutes more. His energy level has been a bit higher since coming back. I've getting the feeling that Mike isn't exactly pushing Donnie for Melo at this point. I know it might hurt to think that way, but I really think Mike likes this team and it's potential. More importantly, most of the guys are quiet EGOLESS players. He only has to deal with one guy that has the Star and that's Amar'e. Maybe Mike prefers it that way. Think about it.

MSG3 wrote:If they come away with Melo and a guy like Camby or Verajao I'd be extatic. I love the way Felton plays and they type of teammate he is. But if Felton for Nash was offered straight up the Knicks would have to make that move unless it would cost them a shot at Melo, Iggy or some other big move. Felton has been great and a better defender, but he is no Nash.

Papabear Says

Nash is on his way down. Trading Felton will affect the chemistry of the team. All the years that Amare was playing with Nash, Nash got all the credit MVP. It was like Nash made Amare. Amare wants to be the Diva (MVP) in New York and don't think Walsh won't ask Amare his opinion. Amare will say he is happy with Felton. Felton is young and Nash is on his way out with a high salary. We need more important things than Nash.

GustavBahler wrote:

JohnWallace44 wrote:Nash's time has passed to me. I don't know how that helps us with Felton playing at this level. Better off getting 90% of Nash's offense and 200% of his defense from Felton.

Better off trading for a reserve PG at a fraction of Nash's salary.

Nash is second in assists in only 32 minutes. He knows Amare better than anyone else, can find teammates better than anyone else. The Knicks would go further in the playoffs with Nash. Felton alternates at backup PG and SG.

Papabear Says

First of all you piss off Felton and you bring in a guy who Amare never got his own credit. Now people see Amare as an MVP and not Nash. People thought Amare would not have the same numbers without Nash Guiding him. I believe Amare does not want Nash here. Amare is the Diva without Nash. Felton is playing great ball so why screw with it bringing in Nash. We can put that money to better use.

TMS wrote:i think we're pretty much set at PG... Felton is easily the best PG we've had since Mark Jackson... i think our "need" at PG is very minimal as long as Felton remains healthy... i'd focus more on getting depth in the frontcourt if we're looking to add role players to this roster.

Since Derek Harper. Felton is Derek Harper reincarnate. A younger version than we had here.
He's nothing like Jackson.