clyderules wrote:Or we could add players for the next year or two like Pao, Noah, Batum, Lin and be very, very good immediately. We'd still be getting better long term with KP, Galloway and Grant progressing and adding Willy.

I forgot about Willy....but you have to think......Is Whiteside 20million dollars better than Lopez? It's not even feasible to have Lopez and whiteside on the roster taking up 37 - 40 million in cap space. Whiteside is only a slight upgrade over Lopez......A sign and trade with Lopez going to Miami is really the only scenario I can see Phil doing. Otherwise, there are better ways to spend 20 million next year. Phil has already proved that he's not willing to give out a max contract unless it's a proven star like Durant. We still have multiple holes to fill, especially off the bench.

Andrew wrote:

Nalod wrote:Break it down. You want give him 15-20 million? Lopez is not offensive juggernut but he is a consistent professional and has proven himself in that manner for a few yeas now. Whiteside is very athletic and a if he is not 100% healthy does he possess the fundamentals to still be effective. Ewing was a great example of a young athlete who morphed into a fundamental solid player and when the knees got creaky and his torso filled out he was a different player, but still an allstar.

I might be wrong as I don't know his practice habits nor his personality. I just know he was on national TV last nite and fans drool over whats on TV.

Agreed. Its a big risk giving him 18-22 a year (starting). I prob could live with a year 1 of 15M, but I doubt he would take it. Someone is going to offer 20+.

Problem for the Knicks is I can't find players this FA period that I can see them spending money on. Durant and Batum are the only 2 targets I can reasonably see right now.

Lopez I'm down on (for this system). I don't like that much of the offense requires him to handle the ball and make facilitating plays.

KP is the center of the future. We are good there. I don't see that Whiteside takes us over the top until our back court is settled. Im a patient fan.

mreinman wrote:what would happen if Whiteside and Rondo made a baby?

Medical history will have been made and the Republican party would be in chaos.

Nalod wrote:

Andrew wrote:

Nalod wrote:Break it down. You want give him 15-20 million? Lopez is not offensive juggernut but he is a consistent professional and has proven himself in that manner for a few yeas now. Whiteside is very athletic and a if he is not 100% healthy does he possess the fundamentals to still be effective. Ewing was a great example of a young athlete who morphed into a fundamental solid player and when the knees got creaky and his torso filled out he was a different player, but still an allstar.

I might be wrong as I don't know his practice habits nor his personality. I just know he was on national TV last nite and fans drool over whats on TV.

Agreed. Its a big risk giving him 18-22 a year (starting). I prob could live with a year 1 of 15M, but I doubt he would take it. Someone is going to offer 20+.

Problem for the Knicks is I can't find players this FA period that I can see them spending money on. Durant and Batum are the only 2 targets I can reasonably see right now.

Lopez I'm down on (for this system). I don't like that much of the offense requires him to handle the ball and make facilitating plays.

KP is the center of the future. We are good there. I don't see that Whiteside takes us over the top until our back court is settled. Im a patient fan.

Like you said.....KP is the center of the future. Right now, he's a PF. Whiteside for Lopez is an upgrade to our current team. The future for KP at center is a long time from now. But I think KP should stay the same size, just add strength....and continue to be a PF / center, depending on matchups and game flow. I see nothing wrong with that. This is how Fisher is using KP right now. Most of the second half come backs, KP is at center, surrounded by Melo, AA, Jose, Galo......Fisher used this small lineup a lot, whenever we need to push the tempo and matchup with the other teams athleticism. Grant will repace Jose as well, in the 4th quarter.....Thats a common theme for Fisher.....And thats a nice lineups of defense and shooting.

KP
Melo
AA
Galo
Grant

clyderules wrote:I do like that "small ball" lineup!

Exactly....so Phil can go about free agency in a few directions.

Beef up an already beefed up PF / Center team.

or

Add for athleticism and shooting for our small ball lineups.

I think we are set, as far as having a slow and big half court team. What we need to improve on is athlicism at the guard position, perimeter defense and outside shooting. Whiteside doesn't fill those needs. Thats why I think a swap of Lopez and Whiteside is the only logical move for Phil.

Nalod wrote:Ropez is 27. WHiteside is 26.

I know what im getting for 14mil. Whiteside I don't. Would I pay 14 for whiteside for 3 years per? I might at that price.

Would I trade KOQ (still hopeful he pulls out of his funk) and Lopez for Whiteside starting at 18mil and working up for 4 years? Im not inclined.

Wow....Lopez is that young? or rather Whiteside is that old?

You make some good points....We have more holes to fill outside of the center position.

mreinman wrote:

blkexec wrote:

Nalod wrote:Ropez is 27. WHiteside is 26.

I know what im getting for 14mil. Whiteside I don't. Would I pay 14 for whiteside for 3 years per? I might at that price.

Would I trade KOQ (still hopeful he pulls out of his funk) and Lopez for Whiteside starting at 18mil and working up for 4 years? Im not inclined.

Wow....Lopez is that young? or rather Whiteside is that old?

You make some good points....We have more holes to fill outside of the center position.

yes. our frontline is not the problem. we need much much much better guards and we also need to dumb this triangle in the trash.

In favor of what specifically? What else do you ask a man who has more rings than fingers to implement? The triangle goes back to the 1950's and last produced a chip a mere 6 years ago.

What system of offense should the knicks install and build a culture with? Granted, SAS has its own and does adapt. I suspect in all of PHil's 4 different looks to each of his two teams and near three peats each version did adapt.

[personanally the 17 win team was a symptom of the awful roster and injuries. ITs been renovated. After that we are just one game under .500 in a conference that has 11 teams playing .500 or better. We lost some close games we could have won. We also won some games we could have lost. What pray tell do you think this team should be doing at this juncture with two rookies heavy in the rotation, two veteran players coming off long layoffs, and 9 new players on the roster??????

NardDogNation wrote:Whiteside's defensive ability impressive but I'd have no interest in him for this team. He lacks enough of a resume for me to offer him the kind of contract that another, desperate team would. I'd hate to end up with the next Jerome Moiso or Keon Clark, locked into a long-term contract for us.

A much better alternative, which would require a trade, is Gorgui Dieng. He's the odd man out in with Karl Towns there but has shown the ability to be a consummate starter in this league. And just as importantly, his skillset is almost tailor-made for the triangle; I could see him legitimately running a team from the high post and being its defensive backbone ala a poor man's Joakim Noah minus the motor.

Do you think T. Thompson is worthy of his contract???? In this league, you Must take chances. Do you think Fisher is worthy of the contract he received from the Knicks?