franco12 wrote:nyknickzingis wrote:Having thought about this, I think if we keep Melo because the trade return is just not worth it (which is a pretty good chance), I think I'd be happier with Ntilikina over Monk/DSJ. Playing off Melo/KP/Willy, I think we saw with Rose, how useless a point guard or high usage ballhandler on the outside is. Melo is high usage. KP will only get more high usage in his development. Willy has great touch. We need defensive minded guards who make plays that help the front court guys get easier looks and also make the front court guys play less help defense (their weakness).I'm ready to go with a Ntilikina/Baker backcourt next year, around KP/Melo/Willy. I don't think we should put any playoff expectation, just that we will be competitive (33-35 wins) and much better defensively with more young player development.
If we could trade Lee for a second first round pick, get the guy that the Knicks seem to like in JJ, then the Knicks have some nice young developing players around Melo and a competitive team.
9 man regular rotation:
Willy/KP
KP/Kuz
Melo/Jackson
Baker/Holiday
Ntilikina/Randle
- Lots of players here who can improve and are 1-2 years or less into the league with Willy, KP, Kuz, Jackson, Baker. Nti, Randle (7).
Vet help/Depth
Noah
O'Quinn
Thomas
Vujacic (Played well for the vet min last year imo)
Would make sense to sign a veteran backup point guard.
That's a team that in the best case scenario sneaks into the playoffs, and likely is at 35 wins, only unlike last year, we develop more young players than just KP/Willy/Baker. We'd develop those 3 and new players with good NBA ceilings like Nti and may be JJ.
Please no big contracts to veteran point guards, wings or whatever. Preserve capspace for when Melo opts out in a year and leaves.
30-35 wins is the worst thing that could happen.
Where is our talent coming from? So, add another mid round pick? We'll be good enough to be an 8th seed for the KPs prime years, and waste his talent like we did with Ewing.
I don't know what you rate as "talent" but to me KP, Willy, Ntilikina and Baker is talent and 4 possible top 7 guys on a good team in the future. We'd be a few more pieces away.
Even if you draft second, or third, it doesn't automatically mean you draft the star that will change the franchise's path. I think the key for this team moving forward is to find active, defensively skilled players that can play within a system. We have a base with KP/Willy. Both those guys can get you 15-20 points a night, they have shown it. KP even more if he works hard and develops. We need a guard that can do the same (give us 15-20) and put pressure from outside. Is that Nti? Is it Monk? Is it DSJ? I don't know, I'm not the draft expert. We need to get that guy, though. In the meantime, if Melo can shift his game to be a guard that gives the team that like he did in 2015-16, that would be great.
Primarily we should be looking to trade Melo and go all out rebuild, and finishing with 20/25 wins. Get a top 4 pick. I'm fine with that. But that's if we can get a solid Melo deal. One that gives us capspace (no bad longterm contracts), a draft pick OR a young core player. We don't get that, I don't want to do the deal. I rather keep Melo a year, on a contract year, and shift him to a lesser (minutes wise) load where he's getting back to backs off and a max 30 minutes a night. His role should be of a point forward. He can do it, but it needs to be identified clearly.
Porzingis and Melo on the same team is not exactly a bad thing. We just didn't have good chemistry last year. If KP backs up his talk/action, he should be an all-star next season. In which case you have two all-stars on the same team. One of our major issues the first two years of KP's career is that he has mid-season slumps. He plays great in November and Dec, then slumps in Jan/Feb. Picks up his game again in March and April. When he plays like he does in Nov/Dec we are a playoff team with him and Melo. He needs to have a season where he plays consistently well from Nov-April. We'll be a playoff team if he can do that, assuming Melo is still on the team.
Again, I'd trade Melo, it would be my first option, but I'm not going to approach it with a close minded view. I do not want to take back bad longterm contracts and I want atleast one mid or higher -first round pick and/or a young core player that can start. I won't do the deal less than for Jae Crowder. Or to get a top 15 pick in this draft.
