This old team that gritted out 50+ wins may prove to be a great crucible for Young Shump. He was the youngest guy on the oldest team and he brought that determination and passion in the game and that humility and passion in defeat.

Shump is the key if he can truly become a leader on this team. I like how he leads by example.

Knixkik wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

fishmike wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

fishmike wrote:

Jmpasq wrote:

fishmike wrote:Shump is getting traded. Dont get too attached

I wouldnt trade him unless it brings in a legit Stretch 4 that can flip match ups defensively with Melo. Those players are hard to find

Wonder if the Knicks could deal Amare to the Raptors they have some awful contracts that could equal Amares

YOU woulndt. The GM of the Knicks WOULD. Tried to trade him for Jared Dudley and Steve Nash? Know why? He's the only guy on the roster with value.

I think you have it mixed up. He turned down a deal for Dudley because he didn't want to trade shumpert.

sure he did. And he never offered Shump in a sign and trade for Nash also right?

good post for JRod.. at least nobody's health is being threatened.

Its another typcial offseason for the Knicks where all hopes are based around:
1) a good rotation player developing into a star despite nobody in the league thinking he's got that high a ceiling (Shump)
2) a player returning from injury who on all observations wont ever be the same player again (Amare)
3) drafting some high impact sleeper guy with our low first rounder
4) hoping some FA is going to come here for nothing

Pretty much the same every summer, only the names change

Yes he was offered for Nash, but not for Dudley. Believe it or not, not every offer is initiated by us. Phx wanted shumpert, offered Dudley, and we turned it down. End of story.

Isn't that basically what Fish said earlier (see bold)?

Fish said we tried to trade shumpert for Dudley when it was the other way around.

Maybe I missed that but I don't see it. All I see is Fish saying that we tried to trade Shumpert for Dudley AND Nash. It looks like the only thing you disagree on is whether we valued Shumpert enough to demand that Dudley be included (with Fish saying yes and you possibly saying no in that regard).

No he was saying we tried to trade shumpert to phx on 2 separate occasions, once for Nash and then again for Dudley. I agree we offered him for Nash, a star PG at the time, but the Dudley deal was initiated by phx. Fish is just trying to overstate that we are willing to trade shumpert for any player that might slightly improve our team now, when in fact that is not the case.

OK, now I understand what you're saying but I'm not sure that's what Fish was saying.

SupremeCommander wrote:

blkexec wrote:We need to stop playing 3 guard lineups....and stay with 2 guards...shump will be one of the guards.....melo at pf.

Felton?
Shump
Cope?
Melo
Chandler?

Where's the rebounding? I like the idea but Indy beats the Knicks again if that's the lineup. Whoever is the starter at SF needs to be able to hit the glass. No one on the team is going to be a rebounding monster but the entire starting lineup needs to improve in that area dramatically

I don't understand why playing Melo out of position at PF isn't challenged more.

We had success sliding him over to take advantage of the match-ups, but Melo never had issues scoring against 3's in Denver. He's an above average rebounder at SF and we lose that advantage by moving him.

Now he's forced to guard taller/bigger players; foul trouble isn't a concern, but the taxing on his body is going to catch up with him eventually. All it takes is guys like Garnett/West yanking on his arm, as he's constantly battling for position and bam... Now we got a problem. We ask Melo to come into camp in shape trimmed down and we play him against bigger guys? Long term, this is going to be a problem imo.

If Chandler and Amare can't turn it around, I have a hard time seeing that lineup beating a healthy Chicago or Indy in a series. We have to assume those teams will get back Rose and Granger and most likely improve.