ccinflushing wrote:This Ron Baker situation is a lot more complicated than it appears on the surface. As a non bird Gilbert Arenas restricted free agent, the Knicks could match an offer sheet using cap space or one of their available exceptions (in this case, the room exception). They could only match using the room exception if the contract was 2 years or less at the room level. Otherwise, they would have to dip into existing cap space - which introduces a fair bit of uncertainty as to what their cap space might be. Retaining Baker was clearly a priority and in the end they opted for certainty as to available cap space by coming to an agreement first thing on a 2 year room exception deal.

This, at the least, indicate some cap management savvy even if you don't agree with the Hardaway signing.

Awesome, thanks

Baker had to not only overcome being a UDFA ROOKIE but then making the team and adjusting to a new position. PG being the toughest for a young player to adapt to in the NBA and Baker was able to do it BETTER than any of our other PG's. His shooting and offensive confidence was starting to come back by the end of the year. HE's been working out at the Knicks Facility this entire time and i'm sure they've been monitoring his progress.

nixluva wrote:The strategy by the Knicks appears to be that of Good will to Players and Agents. The Agents will be much more amenable to steering their young players towards the Knicks if they know that the Knicks won't look to LOW BALL them. It may seem like a mistake but actually could be a good thing down the line.

Baker had to not only overcome being a UDFA ROOKIE but then making the team and adjusting to a new position. PG being the toughest for a young player to adapt to in the NBA and Baker was able to do it BETTER than any of our other PG's. His shooting and offensive confidence was starting to come back by the end of the year. HE's been working out at the Knicks Facility this entire time and i'm sure they've been monitoring his progress.

The goal should be to get players that can outperform their contract not just hope they can maybe possibly if everything goes right kinda get close to performing up to the level of their contract.

newyorknewyork wrote:We renounced his rights yesterday or 2 days ago. So this 2 year deal doesn't give us his bird rights. Prefer it to have been 9 mil over 3 years.

Not accurate.

If he plays for the same team 3 consecutive years, you get his Bird Rights.

yellowboy90 wrote:

martin wrote:

yellowboy90 wrote:

martin wrote:

Cartman718 wrote:WTF...Who would you rather have Justin Holiday or Ron Baker....I'd rather have Holiday.

with Lee, THJr, Dotson on team.... I think that's an easy Baker answer.

Dotson is a 2nd rd pick that never played in the nba. Baker looked okay in Orlando and played like crap offensively.

Dotson will be the 3rd SG on the team, why would you want Holiday over Baker (who plays PG).

Now Baker shot poorly this year but was also learning the PG spot. He played decent D. I think he will improve his shooting numbers.

And not for nothing but Holiday, at age 28, shot 43% and 36% from 3pt land. Not killer numbers.

I think he will improve to be he has a long way to even become an average player. Is there anything he did on the court to show that he is worth that much money.

nykshaknbake wrote:Like him, but to be honest he is a fringe rotation player on a bad team.

How do you know that?

It prevents us from getting any veteran PG help for now.

How do you know that?

Knickoftime wrote:

nykshaknbake wrote:Like him, but to be honest he is a fringe rotation player on a bad team.

How do you know that?

It prevents us from getting any veteran PG help for now.

How do you know that?

Watched him play. He wouldn't see anything but garbage minutes on most NBA teams. Veteran PG help requires money. Something which we no longer have.