Marbury, Crawford, and Houston oh my

Posted by Bonn1997:

Posted by Andrew:

It looks funny to see them in Bulls uniforms in front of the Knicks uniforms

it does, but it's a sweet pic.

The Stephon trade rumor is nonsense. If you follow Isiah and the Knicks closely, you won't even think about the notion of Steph being traded for anyone other than Garnett or Duncan

Posted by Bonn1997:

The Stephon trade rumor is nonsense. If you follow Isiah and the Knicks closely, you won't even think about the notion of Steph being traded for anyone other than Garnett or Duncan

So true, there is no way Steph would be traded for Vince. Almost everyone in the league knows that Isiah will not trade Stephon even with Crawford in the fold now. As Bonn pointed out, the only way we trade Stephon is for a guy like Garnett or Duncan.

Finally!

Waiting on this trade was like being a kid on a long car trip...

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

I cant remember the last time we had had a backcourt this good..

Great going Isiah!!!!

Posted by Kwazimodal:

Finally!

Waiting on this trade was like being a kid on a long car trip...

"Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"

I cant remember the last time we had had a backcourt this good..

Great going Isiah!!!!

LOL! Good comparison.

Countdown until Lenny is fired and Zeke takes over or promotes Aguirre???

http://cbs.sportsline.com/nba/story/7553051

Bulls send Crawford to Knicks in long-awaited deal
Aug. 5, 2004
SportsLine.com wire reports

DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Jamal Crawford is on his way to the New York Knicks.


After signing a seven-year deal worth about $56 million with the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, the point guard was traded to New York in a six-player deal that was weeks in the making. In exchange for Crawford and veteran forward Jerome Williams, New York gave the Bulls got former Illinois standout Frank Williams, center Dikembe Mutombo, forward Othella Harrington and center Cezary Trybanski.

"Obviously Jamal is the best player in this deal, and it's not easy giving up a young talent like that," Bulls general manager John Paxson said. "The way that we looked at it is there were certain things we needed to get. We had to get substantial financial (relief) and this gives us some flexibility."

The deal will save the Bulls about $18 million in cap space. The contracts of all of the New York players expire after this year, and Jerome Williams still has $25 million and four years left on his current deal.

"It ends up being one we all can live with," Paxson said. "We're just not in a position to give Jamal the type of deal he was looking for, and Isiah was really good at working to get the player he wanted."


Jamal Crawford fits nicely into the up-tempo offense Isiah Thomas wants to run.(Getty Images)
Crawford led the Bulls with 17.3 points a game last year and is one of the league's top young guards. After averaging 11.2 points and almost four assists in his first four seasons in the NBA, the restricted free agent would have commanded a hefty, long-term contract. But the Bulls have made prep-to-pro big men Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry the cornerstones of their rebuilding effort, and as restricted free agents next summer, they'll be eligible for their own big deals.

Enter the Knicks.

New York general manager Isiah Thomas has been interested in Crawford for months, saying he was at the top of the Knicks' wish list this summer.

"He reminds me of myself in the way he handles the basketball and his ability to create and score," Thomas said of Crawford, who will wear Thomas' old No. 11. "The ability to score and pass the ball are two things that he possesses. He's a tremendous talent and I'm honored that he would choose No. 11 to wear."

Crawford wore No. 1 with the Bulls, but Penny Hardaway already has that number.

Crawford also gives the Knicks insurance for Allan Houston, who missed much of last season and the playoffs with knee and leg injuries. The Knicks lost to the New Jersey Nets in the first round of the playoffs.

"Last year when Allan (Houston) went down, we were saying that if he was healthy we'd be able to go further," Thomas said. "Before we started this whole chase and pursued it, we talked about if Allan was healthy and we talked about his coming off the bench. He had no problem coming off the bench."

Thomas also was excited about Jerome Williams, whose tenacious defensive play has earned him the nickname "Junkyard Dog." He's averaged 6.8 rebounds and 6.9 points in his eight NBA seasons, and was acquired by the Bulls last year in the trade that sent Jalen Rose to Toronto.

"Jerome Williams is a rebounding machine," Thomas said. "We forget the most important parts of the game is rebounding and scoring."

While the Bulls helped themselves economically, they're left with a young team again. Curry and Chandler have played only three seasons, and Chandler missed much of last year with back problems. Kirk Hinrich had a strong rookie season, but he's one year removed from Kansas. Ben Gordon and Luol Deng were picked in this summer's draft.

Frank Williams, who led Illinois to back-to-back Big Ten titles in 2001 and 2002, will give the back court some experience. But he's played in just 77 games in two years with New York, averaging 3.2 points and two assists.

"It's difficult to win with a young basketball team," Paxson said. "The concern right now is we are a young back court. I keep telling everybody, we talk so much about Jamal, but our hopes hinge on Tyson Chandler's health and Eddy Curry's development."

That's where Mutombo could help. An eight-time All-Star and four-time defensive player of the year, Mutombo has averaged 12.2 points, 12.1 rebounds and 3.33 blocked shots in 13 years with New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Denver. He is fourth in NBA history with 2,996 blocks.

He played in 65 games with the Knicks last season, averaging 6.7 rebounds and 5.6 points.

"I just know Dikembe through other people. The one thing I know about him is he's a true professional," Paxson said. "He's been around league and seen a lot of things, and he has a great, positive attitude about this business. It's going to be a wonderful thing for our young guys to learn from him."

time to go to a chicago bulls forum and rub it in their face.

JAMAL WANTS TITLE

By DAN MARTIN
------------------------------------------------------------------------

 Email  Archives
 Print  ReprintAugust 7, 2004 -- Jamal Crawford hasn't won all that many basketball games. He played two years in high school, part of one season at Michigan, and with a lousy Bulls team for his first four years in the NBA.

Despite that inexperience, the newest Knick said the team has a chance to win a championship soon.

"Last year, everyone said the Lakers were going to win and they didn't," Crawford said yesterday at the Knicks' training facility in Greenburgh, where he was introduced with fellow former Bull Jerome Williams. "We have enough talent on this team to compete with anyone, and once the playoffs start, anything can happen."

Even a Knicks title?

"I don't want to put a timetable on it," said Crawford, who came to the Knicks through a sign-and-trade deal with Chicago that sent Dikembe Mutombo, Frank Williams, Othella Harrington and Cezary Trybanski to the Bulls.

"But nobody expected the Pistons to do what they did, and I hope we can do something like that, too."

Crawford is expected to be a very highly-paid bench player (seven years, $56 million). He's coming off of his most productive season, during which he scored 17.3 ppg.




"I'm very excited to be here," said Crawford, 24, "whether that's coming off the bench or starting. I just wanted this because of everything Isiah [Thomas] is doing."

He said he wouldn't have a problem playing behind Stephon Marbury and Allan Houston.

"Those are two Hall of Famers," Crawford, a 6-5 guard, said. "And it's not like I wouldn't be on the court. I'll be getting better every day in practice."

The Knicks hope to continue getting better every day this summer.

Even as Thomas introduced his two newest players, the team president was talking about more potential signings: Vin Baker, which is nearly a done deal according to both Thomas and agent Aaron Goodwin, and Erick Dampier.

"I hope we can get things done with both of them," said Thomas, adding he had conversations with Golden State again yesterday regarding Dampier, who averaged 12 points and 12 rebounds per game last year with the Warriors. "It's a longshot. I don't know how close we are, but our goal is to get both of those guys."

In the meantime, Thomas was reveling in the success of getting Crawford in yet another move to reshape the once-stagnant Knicks. Thomas said he wasn't concerned about playing time becoming a problem.

"He definitely has All-Star potential," Thomas said of Crawford. "If he, Steph and Allan all are healthy, I can see us using a three-guard offense, too."

Lenny Wilkens said he would consider that option.

"I've never had a problem with that," Wilkens said.

He also said he was confident that Crawford would adapt well to whatever role he was given.

"Jamal is just finding out now what he has to do to become successful in this league," Wilkens said. "That's a great time to get a player."

Wilkens coached Williams, a 6-9 forward who averaged 6.2 points and 7.0 rebounds last season, in Toronto.

"He's very versatile and he doesn't worry about scoring," Wilkens said.

Instead, Williams, 31, said he was interested in making the Knicks a contender.

"Right now, we're a top-5 team in the East," Williams said. "If we add players, like a Dampier, that will send us over the top."

Crawford agreed.

"Without a doubt, we can make a run in the playoffs," Crawford said. "We have so many great guys on this team."

---------------

http://www.nypost.com/sports/knicks/28537.htm

There's also a good shot of them with their jerseys. Jamal looks like he's about 15, especially next to JYD. The more I think about it, the more I like JYD. Even idiot Chris Russo remembered him busting us up in the playoffs in '01.

Only bad part...it doesn't sound like Zeke is too confident on a sign and trade for Dampier.