Knixkik wrote:We should just deal Curry and Jeffries for expirings so we are far enough under the cap to get lebron, bosh/amare, and lee. Problem solved.

Yes.

TMS wrote:

fishmike wrote:please explain to me how blowing $17mm on one guy (Bosh) ... is "focusing on the team."

If I have to lose Lee to sign Lebron hey.. thems the breaks, no problem.

you just explained it to yourself... that's the whole point of this discussion... w/o offering Lebron another stud FA to play next to, he's not likely gonna come here... D Lee is not gonna be the drawing card that gets Lebron to NY... Bosh can be that drawing card... this is what i've been saying this entire discussion.

Ira wrote:He gets better every year. If we signed him for $7-8 million per year last summer that would have been a fair contract based on what he'd done previously. Now, he's more like a $10 m per year player. He's playing better d and his outside shot is more reliable. He's an 18/10 guy who's shooting 57%.

Knixkik wrote:

fishmike wrote:

Ira wrote:He gets better every year. If we signed him for $7-8 million per year last summer that would have been a fair contract based on what he'd done previously. Now, he's more like a $10 m per year player. He's playing better d and his outside shot is more reliable. He's an 18/10 guy who's shooting 57%.

so $10mm then.. you said it yourself. Thats still $7mm less than what you have to give Bosh. Look at the recent MLE players. Knicks would have more than that left over. Ariza, Artest, Sessions, Charlie V, Mike Bibby, etc etc

Fitting into that $7M and less category could be Camby, Mike Miller, Randy Foye, Raja Bell, Blake, Tyrus Thomas, resigned Harrington, Farmar, and possibly even Tmac or maybe ray allen (tho unlikely.) There will be many solid options available.

Panos wrote:

Rookie wrote:wasn't Lee looking for 12M this summer?

So was I. I didn't find it either.

TheGame wrote:but Lebron is not coming here unless he is convinced there is some championship level talent on the team.

The Knicks have every bit the resources to build a championship team around Lebron as any other team in the NBA. Now they have the establish coach and GM as well as the financial resorces.

I dont know why people insist he wont come unless we have Bosh or Amare, etc. Thats just throwing **** on the wall. What stars were in LA when Shaq went there? He had just left a finals team the best guard in the league in Penny. If Lebron comes it will be because he can promote his brand and makes 4X what he would make in Cle

Knixkik wrote:

fishmike wrote:

TheGame wrote:but Lebron is not coming here unless he is convinced there is some championship level talent on the team.

why? How do you know that? Lebron has people crunching the $$$ numbers for him and can estimate what he could earn as a Knick vs. as a Cav

The Knicks have every bit the resources to build a championship team around Lebron as any other team in the NBA. Now they have the establish coach and GM as well as the financial resorces.

I dont know why people insist he wont come unless we have Bosh or Amare, etc. Thats just throwing **** on the wall. What stars were in LA when Shaq went there? He had just left a finals team the best guard in the league in Penny. If Lebron comes it will be because he can promote his brand and makes 4X what he would make in Cle

Money and increased stardom will make him come, plus from a basketball standpoint, he has to realize that the Knicks have many more resources than the Cavs to help him win a championship. We don't have to get another star now, but we will do everything possible to build a championship better than cleveland's attempt. Players who want to play with lebron but don't want to go to cleveland will definitely come to new york. He haven't been an elite team the last few years because of management and lacking a star to attract other good players. All it will take is one.

Yeah, I have no idea if he will come here, but it's not as bleak as some make it out to be.
1.) He can't get endorsments anywhere, but nothing beats winning in NY
2.) He's also looking at the long-term prospects not just who can win now. If Gallo continues to develop and we can show him any type of roster in NY he's going to factor that in with the loads of cap space available in 2011. He knows players will want to come where he is.

TheGame wrote:I think you guys are drinking the Koop aid. I not saying it is not possible, but lebron can make money anywhere and he is from Ohio. You guys look at what he will gain but consider the huge risks he takes. If he comes here and does not win next year, he is going have egg on his face for abandoning his home state. Lebron is trying to win now, not 3 years from now. again, I am not saying it is impossible but it is less probable than I think you guys are saying.

Nah bro nah, he won't be under pressure to win inf irst year, but in second here. Also, he have egg on his face the minute he leaves, no matter what happen. But I think you know, if you come to NYK, and you win 'chips, you go down as GREATER than Jordan, and that's a huge draw.

IMO he would need 10 8 'chips in Ohio to equal Jordan, whereas in NYK he would need 4.

TheGame wrote:I think you guys are drinking the Koop aid. I not saying it is not possible, but lebron can make money anywhere and he is from Ohio. You guys look at what he will gain but consider the huge risks he takes. If he comes here and does not win next year, he is going have egg on his face for abandoning his home state. Lebron is trying to win now, not 3 years from now. again, I am not saying it is impossible but it is less probable than I think you guys are saying.

If lebron is trying to win now he better not stay in cleveland. Their signings they made this summer put them back at least 2 or 3 years, and were out of desperation. They have no flexibility, no prospects, and no true all-stars. Mo Williams is very overrated and i would rather have Lee and Gallo. They could have stood pat for a year and this summer would have some flexibility, but now they're strapped. They have not moved this thing forward and have managed the team poorly. They never established a core of good players to put around lebron, the closest thing to his core over the last few years was illguaskus. We have some decent core players in place.