DJMUSIC wrote:

fitzfarm wrote:I think the Knicks upgraded with Fournier while still keeping the core intact that allowed us to finish 4th in the east. After watching Fournier in the Olympics and last year highlights he can really score and put the ball on the floor as well as make the right pass when needed . Plus we upgraded just by drafting grimes and McBride .

Mitch,Noel,Simms
Randle,Obi,knox
RJ,grimes,knox
Fournier,burks,IQ
Rose,IQ,McBride

That’s a really balanced roster the way Obi played at the end of the year and playoffs I think a lot of fans are sleeping on how good he’s going to be in year two. Quick is Lou Williams 2.0 on year two, burks was one of the best 4th quarter players in the league. Randle is a borderline superstar, rj is a stud that could become a All Star in year 3. everyone except Mitch in the starting line up can put the ball on the floor .

Simply put the Knicks improved from a team that finished 4 th in the east.

The bulls added ball who I think is grossly overrated. He’s a low motor player, who still takes plays off. He might get them the 8th seed of there firing on all cylinders.

This whole lowery makes the heat contenders is silly he is on the downward swing in his career and really looked over the hill last year. On a underwhelming raptors squad that was supposed to make the playoffs last season. They also locked in Robinson who I like but not for 90 mil. They are locked into untradable contracts . Lowery was out for a money grab, while his market value hasn’t hit rock bottom, it will this year.

The way I see it we are still the fourth best team in the east. Put into the fact that now a non basketball move is a offensive foul that young lives off of we might see a big drop off from players like young and harden .

Bucks
Nets
76ers
Knicks
Hawks
Heat
Celtics
Bulls
Pacers
Hornets

All the other teams are bottom feeders two teams that might be a downward surprise are the Celtics and 76ers

76ers were exposed vs the hawks.

Surprise teams I see could be the hornets if healthy and pacers if healthy. But by all means the Knicks are 4th or 5th pending on how the hawks play with the new rules

See it as:
Bucks
Nets
NYK
Hawks
Heat
76ers
Knicks Or Celtics (Toss up)
Bulls
Pacers
Hornets

Going to be interesting to see if Thibs can mess the roster for improvements.
But as Knickerbockers got better so did alot of NBA Eastern conference teams.

Due to addition of KW...now fixed.

fishmike wrote:Hard to say we did well. Its underwhelming to have a FO clearly capable of wheeling and dealing during the draft but cant leverage a league high $50mm plus in cap space for anything more than Fournier and Luca and keeping our own guys.

Now this drama about doing nothing and probably not even a playoff team is total **** however so hopefully folks get over that poop fast.

Knicks were 27-15 after the Rose trade. That's a .643 winning% and translates to a 53 win season. They are bringing the exact same team back except McBride or Luca replaces ELF, Grimes replaces Frank and Fournier replaces Reggie. While it doesnt include a marquee player that does constitute a talent upgrade.

Knicks remain VERY young with several key rotation guys looking to level up:
RJ
Obi
IQ
Mitch

Rose really showed he could be positive in a mentoring role last year as well. Folks were worried Thibs would show favoritism and it was the opposite... Rose was a conduit for the coach and Obi and IQ both talked glowingly about how Rose helped them when he got here. I wanted a veteran floor general. Looks like Rose is the guy. I think he's a 50-60 game a year player so I guess we will get some good long looks at IQ/Luca/McBride at PG

Fournier, Burks and Noel are productive guys on cap friendly deals.

I think we are deep and good so we should win a bunch of games. I mean what if we are basically the same team except next time in the playoffs Jules balls, RJ gets buckets and McBride is the Marcus Smart we all hoped Frank would be.

While this offseason isnt very exciting it does represent patience with a group that had a .643 winning% and they plugged some holes as well. Boring doesnt always mean bad job.

Now we bring back all they guys who 27-15 to end the season and we replace:
ELF -> Kemba
Reggie -> Fournier

Out goes Frank, Pinson etc,
In comes Luca, Grimes, McBride