callmened wrote:i would love rivers on this team...more than lee or gordon

Absolutely. Lee doesn't do it for me at all--and to think he might be holding out on the Knicks who supposedly have an offer on the table for him? We're desperate so you know it had to have been a proper offer--so what's the deal? I would've given this dude 24 hrs, take it or leave it. I hope we're not letting Courtney Lee hold us up right now. And do we really want a win-now 31-year-old SG on a 4-year deal anyway? Man, I don't. I mean, what's he holding out for, 5 years?? GTFOH...People would hate that contract 2 years from now, believe me, maybe even by next summer.. Why the hell couldn't we have gotten Joe Johnson on a 2-year deal if winning now is suddenly the main philosophy? See, I would've been OK with that. If it doesn't work, you turn the page QUICKLY. I don't want to turn the page 4-5 years from now and that's where it looks like this is headed...Also, if this move to suddenly assemble win-now players doesn't work next year, wouldn't we want to have some more youthful potential/potency in place to go along with KP to turn the page with, esp. in the backcourt? That's got to be part of the plan, no? We got Derrick Rose, yeah, and I'm trying to focus on the positives with him but the reality is (A) there's a chance he may not hold up physically and (B) he may not even be here past next season. I dunno -- I'd like to see a little more balance with their thinking. I'm worried that may not be there right now.

With what's left out there, Austin Rivers really interests me. 6'5", young, obviously gifted, won't be overly expensive, he can help now at both guard positions and there's obviously potential for even greater upside (as we've seen in the past, sometimes all guys need is a change of scenery to go with increased usage to really get them going--Chauncey Billups back in the day, recently Evan Fournier moving from Denver to Orlando, etc.). That's what I see here potentially with Rivers. I see the Blazers also talked to him around the time we did http://www.blazersedge.com/2016/6/30/12076858/austin-rivers-free-agency-rumors-portland-trail-blazers-- hard to imagine Rivers considers that a better opportunity than NY. Over there, he'd get lost in the shuffle with all their other quality guards (now they added Evan Turner too) and may have to settle for a backup role (hard to see him developing fully in Portland); but over here, it's wide open! He could come here and start at the 2, shift over to play some point and easily get 35+ mins. a night along with an adequate number of shot attempts. No brainer decision for him and us -- he fits here, both now and if/when we have to turn the page soon. Are we really interested? That's what I'd like to know. And if not, WHY NOT???????

smackeddog wrote:I would like us to take a chance on him- he's had his moments plus it would be nice to add a youngish player

Absolutely.

CrushAlot wrote:

smackeddog wrote:I would like us to take a chance on him- he's had his moments plus it would be nice to add a youngish player

He is two months older than the guy the Knicks gave up because they are going for a 'win now' not grow organically approach.

fair enough, but he came out way early.
Anyway, I like the guy and think some young blood is much needed.
I miss the excitement of watching the youngins (e.g. The guy we just traded away!) grow but welcome the change to some winning.

Welpee wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:

smackeddog wrote:I would like us to take a chance on him- he's had his moments plus it would be nice to add a youngish player

He is two months older than the guy the Knicks gave up because they are going for a 'win now' not grow organically approach.

No, they gave him up most likely because they had to to get the guy they wanted. You really think the Knicks didn't want to keep him? You don't think they would've preferred to have both Rose and Grant, especially still on a rookie contract?

TLover wrote:YouTube his last game with the clippers & the interview after. With his age, skill, & mindset it would be a solid move.

I remember watching that game. He was really something else. Showed A LOT making it back and to still contribute with one eye basically. WOW.

Seems level headed and articulate too for someone so young. Here's a video of him talking to SAS and Skip Bayless sometime after the Knicks lost to the Pacers in the playoffs a couple of years ago. I listened to the whole thing just to make sure he didn't have anything bad to say about the Knicks/Melo and he didn't -- he had Melo's back. You can tell he has a good deal of respect for Melo:

This is our guy right now, man. He'd be a great addition. You get this guy and then you go out of your way to develop him into a star. That's what I'd do. The Garden would love this kid's game. I like Grant and wish him well but to me, this kid has much more upside.

TLover wrote:YouTube his last game with the clippers & the interview after. With his age, skill, & mindset it would be a solid move.

As his shooting percentages improved as the season went on, his assist % actually went down, and he's already one of the bottom ranking PG in terms of assist % in the league.

Court vision is not a skill you develop to any significant degree as the years go by. It can improve, sure, and as your skills get better you can more successfully convert pass attempts, but history teaches us court vision shows up right away in some form.

He's never displayed any form of it.