Posted by 4949:

Posted by TMS:

interesting idea... i wonder if the NBA would allow a team to do that (buy out a player before his option year at full value so his option year comes off the cap)... i doubt it tho, the contract would probably stay on the books.

Then we have to get a little desperate here in getting rid of both in trades. We'll have virtually no options to get rid of others, because Jeffries is also player option and Collins measley little 2.7 million isn't going to do it either. And this is considering Zach is already a goner. We'd have to dump Craw and keep Curry for his lasts year. This also increases payroll for 2010-11 season and with those empty spots still needing to be filled, it will be a little harder to fill them with quality players, with less money and may play a factor in the Bron sweepstakes.

Gallinari also has to be coming into his own by then (no guarantee).

So getting rid of Zach and Curry is the major, major key to bringing Lebron to New York. Plain and simple. Any other ideas? I can't see anything else to do.

like i been telling u all along the only way we're under the cap in 2010 to go after bigname FA's is if we dump at least 2 of the contracts that extend past 2009, meaning Zach, Curry, Jamal or Fishlips... 2 of those guys have to be dumped for shorter term contracts AND we can't extend both D Lee & Nate to longterm extensions either... this is why i'm advocating a trade of D Lee right now for a pick if we can, or including him in a trade w/1 or 2 of the other bad contracts we got as a sweetener... we will be able to replace his production w/the pick we already have or the pick we can hopefully get via trade... the point is if we wait til after the 2009 season to try to make moves to get under the cap the next season, it will probably be too late... u see teams like DET & NJ already making pre-emptive moves right now to be under the cap in 2010 because they're being proactive & not waiting for some miracle trades to come along that will free up cap in a year's time... that's what i would like the Knicks to do right now... if there was no use in considering Lebron or any of the other bignames changing teams via free agency then why are brilliant GM's like Rod Thorn & Joe Dumars making the moves they are? everyone around here who bashes 2010 like it's some pipedream just completely fail to consider any of this because they're all looking at this situation w/such a limited scope IMO.

[Edited by - TMS on 11-18-2008 12:58 AM]

Posted by 4949:

Could I be over exaggerating how much it would cost to make this work? Should we just go over the cap again, this time making it worth every penny without having to end up in cap hell again?

No, we have to finally learn from our past mistakes

Trade Zdump while his value is high. He is on night club fight away from being untradable.

True, he is doing well, a good teammate, and puttuing up numbers.

its called "Selling high".

If you want to rebuild, don't keep guys that don't fit in the system WELL.

I watched a bit of the Clips-SPurs and Kaman looked great. Active, runs teh court well and has a great 15foot shot. Camby looked lost.

Im thinking Kaman is a better fit than DLee who could be used as a value booster to a Curry dump.

I recall many thinking Zdump should have been dumped with us giving a pick and cash then keep him.

ZDump is a fine player, but one that is owed 48 mil. That is why he is tough to move.

Im sure he will succeed in CLipLand, but so what.

If we have a plan, then things must be done.

Perhaps the team might still do well without him. Stats are one thing, winning and chemistry is another.

Posted by MS:

I would do David Lee and Eddy Curry for Kaman. That is a deal that makes sense for both team you can start lee/camby together and bring eddy off the bench. Or I would do Eddy and Lee for Camby whatever deal they would take is fine with me.

Jamal is going to opt out and getting rid of Eddy is the biggest priority. I don't agree that Zach is someone that can be easily moved. If you are making 17 and 18 million in the last year of your deal and your team can't win 40 games GMs will look at things in dollars not stats.

I would do that trade today. Kaman is awesome. Aside from his frightening appearance he's a heck of a player and would be great. It also anchors your frontcourt for the next several years, and takes the pressure off making a perfect deal for Zach.

Posted by tkf:

kaman is a good player who happens to be a seven footer, who can play both ends. Did anyone wonder why the clipps want to move a Young center?

Because they thought it would be funny to a mummy/zombie running in MDA's offense?

I think Baron Davis was more about selling tickets than anything else. Plus he wanted to be in LA for the scoial scene.

I would love to get value for Zach right now. Eddy I think we be easy to move once he starts to play a bit and if I can get a pick back yes I would include Lee.

eny i agree. keep zach and get a camby or at least a center to block shots. not a fat ass curry thats gonna pout when he dont get his shots.I wish would could get dalembert, hed be perfect!!

Zach's value wouldn't have changed significantly after fewer than 10 games of the season. Other GM's won't have forgotten all of the reasons they didn't want him over the summer.

Because Gerald Wallace fits better in DAntoni's system and makes $8-$10mm a year, not $17-$19mm a year.

New York Knicks

Incoming Players
Cuttino Mobley
Salary: $8,925,000 Years Remaining: 2
PTS: 12.8 REB: 2.7 AST: 1.2 PER: 9.53

Chris Kaman
Salary: $9,500,000 Years Remaining: 4
PTS: 13.2 REB: 10.5 AST: 1.4 PER: 16.28


Outgoing Players: Zach Randolph, Mardy CollinsLos Angeles Clippers

Incoming Players
Zach Randolph
Salary: $14,666,667 Years Remaining: 3
PTS: 20.8 REB: 12.9 AST: 1.4 PER: 21.13

Mardy Collins
Salary: $1,034,760 Years Remaining: 2
PTS: 2.0 REB: 0.9 AST: 1.0 PER: 4.05


Outgoing Players: Cuttino Mobley, Chris Kaman

We have to shed all or most of Randolph's contract. 5 million is peanuts with our payroll.