Posted by Redcru:

Posted by TMS:

Posted by King1:

If Lee get 9 or ten million you will still have room for a max free agent next year you just wont have room for two. If you get one in 2010 and then one in 2011 the Knicks will be fine

New York Knicks Salaries 2010/11

Eddy Curry $11,276,863 (Player Option)
Jared Jeffries $6,883,400 (Player Option)
Danilo Gallinari $3,304,560 (Team Option)
Wilson Chandler $2,130,481 (Team Option)
Jordan Hill $2,069,400
Joe Crawford $1,029,389 (Q.O. RFA)
Chris Hunter $1,029,389 (Q.O. RFA)
Toney Douglas $830,200

TOTALS: $28,553,682

assuming we refuse the options on Crawford & Hunter, we can minus $2,058,778 off that total, which brings the actual total of guaranteed money in 2010/11 to $26,494,904.

now add in a max FA at ~$17 mil to that total, you now have about $43 million in guaranteed money tied up in 2010... throw in D Lee at ~$10 mil to that & you now have ~$53 million in guaranteed money tied up in 2010... now you have 4-7 more spots on the roster that still need (& you still don't even have a single PG on that team for that matter) to be filled with the remaining ~$3-5 mil or so leftover.

you mind telling me how a team of one max FA, D Lee, Hill, Chandler, Gallo, Curry, Fishlips & Douglas are gonna compete in a newly stacked Eastern Conference & still have the means to bring in a suitable starting PG to run the show when we don't even have a 1st round pick next year to draft ourselves one & still fill all the remaining roster slots that need to be filled on the roster using only $3-5 mil in leftover cap space money??? i'll give u all the time in the world to answer that one.

[Edited by - TMS on 07-04-2009 6:21 PM]

Good points...but it does seem that really what you are doing is showing the great need to get rid of the Curry contract. That move alone could put the Knicks in serious contention in the East in 2010.

getting rid of Curry & Jefferies contracts are a given... we won't be able to do that unless we showcase them next season for other teams to become interested, unless Walsh already has something up his sleeve this offseason to dump Jefferies for an expiring, which would be a pleasant surprise & might clear the way to hold onto D Lee afterall.

Posted by TMS:

Posted by djsunyc:

2010 is to sign 1 or 2 free agents. but even after 2010, it will take 2-3 years to get back over the cap and acquire talent. 2010 is the starting point. not the end game.

no it's not the end point but u still need a PG to run your squad... would u rather have a viable starting PG or keep D Lee on the roster when u already have Hill on the roster along w/2 other frontcourt players we will have to try & showcase to dump them off our payroll? is holding onto D Lee gonna define our success over the next decade or will trading him for useful future assets set our franchise up for better success down the road? my stance is the latter direction will benefit us more in the longhaul, as much as i like D Lee as a player.

Posted by djsunyc:

Posted by TMS:

Posted by djsunyc:

2010 is to sign 1 or 2 free agents. but even after 2010, it will take 2-3 years to get back over the cap and acquire talent. 2010 is the starting point. not the end game.

no it's not the end point but u still need a PG to run your squad... would u rather have a viable starting PG or keep D Lee on the roster when u already have Hill on the roster along w/2 other frontcourt players we will have to try & showcase to dump them off our payroll? is holding onto D Lee gonna define our success over the next decade or will trading him for useful future assets set our franchise up for better success down the road? my stance is the latter direction will benefit us more in the longhaul, as much as i like D Lee as a player.

again, i ask how you can sign players for 2010 and beyond if you don't know who the guys you are getting in 2010? after you sign your free agents in 2010, suck it up a year and then fill out your team in the summer of 2011.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Portland already has a starting PF in Aldridge. I think with the change of the economy--the lack of teams with money to spend--the base year compensation problem--the likelihood that David Lee goes somewhere else is low. If he cant work out something longer term with the Knicks--my bet is he takes the QO where more teams will have space and he has no restrictions. I think if I was his agent--I would try to see if the Knicks would negotiate to increase the years as in 6 years 48mm with an opt out after 3. I think the writing is on the wall with Lee and that he should not be greedy here. Locking 48mm is not a bad choice at all.

Posted by BasketballJones:

Posted by nyk4ever:

Posted by BRIGGS:

Portland already has a starting PF in Aldridge. I think with the change of the economy--the lack of teams with money to spend--the base year compensation problem--the likelihood that David Lee goes somewhere else is low. If he cant work out something longer term with the Knicks--my bet is he takes the QO where more teams will have space and he has no restrictions. I think if I was his agent--I would try to see if the Knicks would negotiate to increase the years as in 6 years 48mm with an opt out after 3. I think the writing is on the wall with Lee and that he should not be greedy here. Locking 48mm is not a bad choice at all.

I wouldn't come close to offering 8 mill a year, he has no market right now. I'd go 5 for 30.

If David doesn't want it, I'll take it.

Posted by Bonn1997:

Posted by nyk4ever:

Posted by BRIGGS:

Portland already has a starting PF in Aldridge. I think with the change of the economy--the lack of teams with money to spend--the base year compensation problem--the likelihood that David Lee goes somewhere else is low. If he cant work out something longer term with the Knicks--my bet is he takes the QO where more teams will have space and he has no restrictions. I think if I was his agent--I would try to see if the Knicks would negotiate to increase the years as in 6 years 48mm with an opt out after 3. I think the writing is on the wall with Lee and that he should not be greedy here. Locking 48mm is not a bad choice at all.

I wouldn't come close to offering 8 mill a year, he has no market right now. I'd go 5 for 30.

Agreed. We're in the driver's seat here. He's running out of options. If he wants to play for the qualifying offer, fine. That gives us a full season to try to trade him. And in 2010, he'll be like the 15th best FA available. Good luck then, David. You're a nice role player. Just take a long-term deal at around $5 or 6 mil per. It'll be enough to take care of your family for the rest of your life and the rest of your kids' lives.