iSergio wrote:I would not in a million years take on Emeka Okafor's contract without getting Chris Paul.

Even with Chris Paul - I would need at least one first round pick to come our way - its a really wretched contract.

For goodness sake - we gave up how many draft picks to move JJ and he had just another year on his deal?

SupremeCommander wrote:Emeka Okafor has an epically horrid contract... that thing is atrocious. I for one don't want any part of it regardless of who's coming back. I understand that Chris Paul is a better player than Marbury but what if his knee is bad in a degenerative sort of way? I'd prefer to avoid Marbury/Hardaway pt II

Part of me would love for Dolan to screw himself and this franchise along these lines - because I believe something has to happen to change Dolan and his mindset.

franco12 wrote:

SupremeCommander wrote:Emeka Okafor has an epically horrid contract... that thing is atrocious. I for one don't want any part of it regardless of who's coming back. I understand that Chris Paul is a better player than Marbury but what if his knee is bad in a degenerative sort of way? I'd prefer to avoid Marbury/Hardaway pt II

Part of me would love for Dolan to screw himself and this franchise along these lines - because I believe something has to happen to change Dolan and his mindset.

He was just thrown the keys to the kingdom... there's nothing that will get his head on straight. If Ewing/McDyess/Marbury/etc hasn't achieved that, then I doubt anything will

SupremeCommander wrote:I would consider--If NY strikes out in UFA--Lee for Julian Wright, Darren Collison, Peja and a 2011 pick/whoever New Orleans drafts. New Orleans improves, saves money, and we get young assets.

as much as I want Paul - Collison might actually be the better option for this team and d'antoni. i think lee would be interesting in signing there and playing with paul and as you said, i think we get some solid young assets out of it.

if we did that deal and signed someone like rudy gay - the grizz say he is a priority, but i don't believe they match a max offer (13mm) - i think it would be a pretty productive offseason. we would still have money to burn as well and add in the fact that curry will come off the cap the following year, peja's contract be an asset at the next deadline and possibly the idea of trading someone like chandler for a big.

pg - collison
sg - peja
sf - gallo
pf - gay
C - barron? (could be a big attained from a chandler trade)

BigDaddyG wrote:I'm not sure how Omeka would fit as a center in this offense, but I'm willing to take the chance if Paul is included in the deal. But this is coming from Berman, so I shouldn't get my hopes up.

Man I like Okafors defense, the guy really defends the paint imo. He'd be a good replacement for Lee

CP3
Bosh
Gallo
Okafor

that's not a bad base. We'd be much stronger inside.

Thats what those guys get paid. I dont know why you guys think these are MLE type players. OK4 is being paid market value, and the Knicks would be pretty damn good with Lee and OK4 up front. OK4 is Lee on defense. He's a poor offensive player. Doesnt have good instincts, not the best hands, his post moves are robotic, he is a good finisher.

OK4 is 6'10 with a 7'4 wingspan. He's bigger than Horford.

The Knicks have a good scoring balance with Lee, Chandler, Gallo and Douglas. They need a playmaker and they need someone who can guard the post. OK4 adds 15 wins to this team right now. Earl Barron is a garbage 7 footer. OK4 is a legit defensive center. He's the guy we have been talking about putting Lee next to for a couple years.

Obviously I want Lebron, Wade and Amare first, but using cap space to add OK4 and putting a resigned Lee next to him is a solid move.

If trade Chandler and a 2nd rounder for Ok4
OK4 makes $11.5mm next year
Give Lee 6 years $70mm (starts at $9mm)

You would still have about $16-$17mm left in cap space depending on what the final # is. That leaves you about as close to max money as you can get. If you cant sign Lebron or Wade you can at least get Joe Johnson. OR go for a mix of players like $7mm (Mike Miller) $3mm Shaun Livingston, $2mm Earl Baron, $4mm Kyle Korver. Tons of options still

Our willingness to take on Okafor gives us an edge.

DurzoBlint wrote:

fishmike wrote:OK4's contract is market. He didnt have a great season last year, but he's a 27 year old defensive center. Shoots >50%, 10+ rebs every night and blocks a lot of shots.

Thats what those guys get paid. I dont know why you guys think these are MLE type players. OK4 is being paid market value, and the Knicks would be pretty damn good with Lee and OK4 up front. OK4 is Lee on defense. He's a poor offensive player. Doesnt have good instincts, not the best hands, his post moves are robotic, he is a good finisher.

OK4 is 6'10 with a 7'4 wingspan. He's bigger than Horford.

The Knicks have a good scoring balance with Lee, Chandler, Gallo and Douglas. They need a playmaker and they need someone who can guard the post. OK4 adds 15 wins to this team right now. Earl Barron is a garbage 7 footer. OK4 is a legit defensive center. He's the guy we have been talking about putting Lee next to for a couple years.

Obviously I want Lebron, Wade and Amare first, but using cap space to add OK4 and putting a resigned Lee next to him is a solid move.

If trade Chandler and a 2nd rounder for Ok4
OK4 makes $11.5mm next year
Give Lee 6 years $70mm (starts at $9mm)

You would still have about $16-$17mm left in cap space depending on what the final # is. That leaves you about as close to max money as you can get. If you cant sign Lebron or Wade you can at least get Joe Johnson. OR go for a mix of players like $7mm (Mike Miller) $3mm Shaun Livingston, $2mm Earl Baron, $4mm Kyle Korver. Tons of options still

I have been sitting back trying to understand the bashing myself. His contract is not as awful as people make it seem. Next to Paul he would flourish but, Paul was injured and the other guard didn't play very well with him. He's not a guy to get his own shot but he's a hell of a defender (something we really need out of our bigs) and he's a double double guy. Think Lee with less offense but significantly better defense.

When you look at a guy like that its got to go beyond his stats and his contract. Does he make the Knicks better? Does he make other players better? To me adding OK4 goes way beyond his 12/10/1.5 or whatever he averaged last year. He fill our greatest need, which is size and defense in the post. He would push Lee to PF.

Does he make us a title contender? Probably not, but you cant decide on a message forum what formulas will work and which ones wont. Guys have been saying for the last 2 years Lee needs an athletic shot blocker. Well what the hell is OK4???? I mean your sticking a 6'10 physical shot blocker with a 7'4 wingspan at center next to an all star forward coming off a 20/12/55% season. Then you have a 6'10 forward at the 3 who will either drill 3's all day or shoot FTs if you try to put a small on him.

To me thats a good start to building a frontcourt that can succeed in the playoffs. It also leaves you with like $14mm in cap space to improve at PG or get play makers (I will keep harping on Mike Miller and Shaun Livingston)

If NO is willing to do a salary dump thats a no brainer to me.

How about using the remaining $14mm on a front loaded contract for Rudy Gay?

PG Douglas
SG Gay
SF Gallo
PF Lee
C Okafor

Big strong skilled starting line up. Very good defensive team also

fishmike wrote:

DurzoBlint wrote:

fishmike wrote:OK4's contract is market. He didnt have a great season last year, but he's a 27 year old defensive center. Shoots >50%, 10+ rebs every night and blocks a lot of shots.

Thats what those guys get paid. I dont know why you guys think these are MLE type players. OK4 is being paid market value, and the Knicks would be pretty damn good with Lee and OK4 up front. OK4 is Lee on defense. He's a poor offensive player. Doesnt have good instincts, not the best hands, his post moves are robotic, he is a good finisher.

OK4 is 6'10 with a 7'4 wingspan. He's bigger than Horford.

The Knicks have a good scoring balance with Lee, Chandler, Gallo and Douglas. They need a playmaker and they need someone who can guard the post. OK4 adds 15 wins to this team right now. Earl Barron is a garbage 7 footer. OK4 is a legit defensive center. He's the guy we have been talking about putting Lee next to for a couple years.

Obviously I want Lebron, Wade and Amare first, but using cap space to add OK4 and putting a resigned Lee next to him is a solid move.

If trade Chandler and a 2nd rounder for Ok4
OK4 makes $11.5mm next year
Give Lee 6 years $70mm (starts at $9mm)

You would still have about $16-$17mm left in cap space depending on what the final # is. That leaves you about as close to max money as you can get. If you cant sign Lebron or Wade you can at least get Joe Johnson. OR go for a mix of players like $7mm (Mike Miller) $3mm Shaun Livingston, $2mm Earl Baron, $4mm Kyle Korver. Tons of options still

I have been sitting back trying to understand the bashing myself. His contract is not as awful as people make it seem. Next to Paul he would flourish but, Paul was injured and the other guard didn't play very well with him. He's not a guy to get his own shot but he's a hell of a defender (something we really need out of our bigs) and he's a double double guy. Think Lee with less offense but significantly better defense.

Supreme, how is OK4 not an impact player? That team wasnt very good last year but he's an impact player on defense for sure.

When you look at a guy like that its got to go beyond his stats and his contract. Does he make the Knicks better? Does he make other players better? To me adding OK4 goes way beyond his 12/10/1.5 or whatever he averaged last year. He fill our greatest need, which is size and defense in the post. He would push Lee to PF.

Does he make us a title contender? Probably not, but you cant decide on a message forum what formulas will work and which ones wont. Guys have been saying for the last 2 years Lee needs an athletic shot blocker. Well what the hell is OK4???? I mean your sticking a 6'10 physical shot blocker with a 7'4 wingspan at center next to an all star forward coming off a 20/12/55% season. Then you have a 6'10 forward at the 3 who will either drill 3's all day or shoot FTs if you try to put a small on him.

To me thats a good start to building a frontcourt that can succeed in the playoffs. It also leaves you with like $14mm in cap space to improve at PG or get play makers (I will keep harping on Mike Miller and Shaun Livingston)

If NO is willing to do a salary dump thats a no brainer to me.

How about using the remaining $14mm on a front loaded contract for Rudy Gay?

PG Douglas
SG Gay
SF Gallo
PF Lee
C Okafor

Big strong skilled starting line up. Very good defensive team also

I know Hedo Turkoglu was the 2009-10 LVP (Least Valuable Player).

...

Emeka Okafor (No. 2) deserves his own paragraph. His career arc looks like something you'd see from a guy in his mid-30s. His contract ($10.6 million this year, $38 million over the next three) is a salary cap tsunami for a small-market team. He's a horrible match for a Hornets team that once loved having its big guys set picks for its point guards, then roll to the hoop for alley-oops. (Okafor can't do it. Not in his skill set.) Since he can't post up or shoot free throws, he's useless for the Hornets offensively. (According to hoopdata.com, he was a 38 percent shooter inside 10 feet.) Defensively, his shot-blocking and rebounding numbers dipped, and his athleticism made you think, "Wait, is that Theo Ratliff?" Maybe Okafor hasn't been a bust on the Pervis/Darko/Bowie/LaRue/Kwame/Oden (sorry, he has to be thrown in at least for now) level, but at the very least, he's been profoundly disappointing. I'm just glad I never wrote that Orlando should have taken him over Dwight Howard.

(What?)

(I did?!?!?!?!?)

(Expunge that from my archives, ESPN.com editors! DO IT RIGHT NOW! I MEAN IT!)

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/part1/100416&sportCat=nba

I could care less about his 10 and 9 with a block and a half. He's deteriorating and inefficient. As for why he isn't an impact player, how about the whole not going to the playoffs thing?