Posted by fishmike:

Posted by Knight:

In the wise words of HARDCOREKNICKSFAN: "The season can't start soon enough." I can't believe people don't think James has a chance of helping our team next year, unbelievable.

then you havent read a single post in this 10 page mess. Nobody said that James wouldnt or couldnt help this team. Everyone agrees that at least in the short term he fill an immediate need and should help us. What people (myself) are pissed about is that once again we have added a bad contract attached to a player with a bad history. That has proved time and time again to hurt us far more than helping us.

Again, we could have put ourselves in position to really build a title caliber team by stocking up on more of the young talent we have and giving ourselves the option of max cap space in 2 years. Instead Isiah would rather add 2-3 wins now regardless of how it might hurt you down the road. Thats bad management.

Having a presence in the middle even for half of the game will mean alot more than 2-3 wins. Thats ridiculous. His presence could mean alot especially if he gets his fouling together. The sky is the limit and his 5 mil per contract really isn't the difference between a max FA or not.

If James has a big impact on our games next season, Imma gonna compile a list of the Jerome James nay-sayers. I can't believe you guys are getting so worked up about 30 million over 5 years.

Posted by fishmike:

no, because I'm assuming the other 11 are players we actually want to be a part of the team's core moving forward. Lee, Ariza, Sweetney, Frye, Q, Crawford... they arent arbitrary, they are core parts of the team I'm trying to build. 32 year old fat JJ with declining skills and 3 more years at > $6mm per IS NOT.

You really cant get with the point that every contract can actually matter can you?

Jerome James' age has just been sped foward about 3 years guys. But thats very logical considering his salary was inflated to 52 million or something crazy.

Posted by Killa4luv:

Posted by fishmike:

no, because I'm assuming the other 11 are players we actually want to be a part of the team's core moving forward. Lee, Ariza, Sweetney, Frye, Q, Crawford... they arent arbitrary, they are core parts of the team I'm trying to build. 32 year old fat JJ with declining skills and 3 more years at > $6mm per IS NOT.

You really cant get with the point that every contract can actually matter can you?

Jerome James' age has just been sped foward about 3 years guys. But thats very logical considering his salary was inflated to 52 million or something crazy.

He will be 32 in 2 years... thats what I was talking about

awesome... totally awesome. I'm thrilled to have someone with his credentials on our squad.

I'm with Knight...Fish has gone crazy.

Posted by Knight:

Fish, you're on the record saying JJ is a bust and bad move and that we are a 38 win team next year. I'm saying JJ will be a valuable player for us now and in the future and will help us win at least 45 games next year. Let's wait and see how it plays out.

never said JJ was a bust. I have said every single time he would help us and fill a need. My point all along from the get go was we overpaid and that by doing so scrapped any plan to get the cap to where its an advantage and a tool, rather than a constant problem.

Had we signed JJ for 2 years I would be singing the praise and I would be calling JJ a great stop gap fix at center until we find out if Frye can play there or not.

I would rather have JJ at Mo Taylor's money for 2 years than have him at the MLE for 5. I dont see why this is hard for people to get, that I'm looking a whopping 2 years in the future where we could have set ourselves up for a monster franchise changing offseason.

I never said we wouldnt be good, or that JJ would suck or be a bust.

And the only reason I said 38 wins was because I thought the young players would take a little longer than other seem to think, but 45 wins the following year is what I would expect.

Fish, you are back peddling, you said you agreed "!00%" with the article... But I see you are coming to your senses.

Posted by rvhoss:

The lakers are on a 2 year contract only plan.

Who have they signed?

Who in their right mind signs for two years?

and thats why you dont get it. They added 2 frontcourt players with the potential to be monsters in Kwame and Bynum. Hell, if one of those guys pans out they have a young nasty frontcourt player, Kobe, whoever they draft and $25mm to add FAs and play under Phil in the most desirable place in the NBA.

Why not just sign Cliff Robinson for 2 years? Or Dale Davis? or Freakin Mutumbo (except he hates us)? There's plenty of options.

how am I back peddling?

Jerome James, New York Knicks (five years, $28 million, 11.8 pts, 7.2 reb, 9.83 PER)
Of all the bad deals over the summer, this one takes the cake. It's one thing to overpay for a player who can play a little, like Johnson or Mobley. But what if you commit your full midlevel exception to a guy who can't play at all? That's what the Knicks did with James, rewarding him for the five good games he played in the Sacramento series and pretending the previous 82 games never happened. Between the inconsistent effort and the constant swooning over his alleged potential, James has become the new Michael Olowokandi, except that he's a worse player and even more egregiously overpaid.

I agree 100%
FYI: Min signed Kandi to 2 years and he was better than JAmes. He got banged up some. Thats a fair comparison.

Because Knicks fans would stay at home and turn off the tv.

Again. So lets forget about building a winning for years to come. Its more important to make the playoffs, sell some seats and put $$$ in the Dolan's pockets. I see now YOUR coming you YOUR senses, and starting to realize that just like with previous management thats the bottom line. Cant change it but I'm allowed to bitch and moan.

Posted by fishmike:

Knight... your tuning in to watch Jerome James? He's a big draw huh.

Yes, it will be nice to see the other teams not be able to put together a layup line around KT.

Posted by fishmike:

I can't believe you guys are getting so worked up about 30 million over 5 years.

ask me again in 2 years when star FAs are visiting teams and other teams with cap space are making deals while we sit back talk about who we can overpay for $5mm a year

If we're not near the cap in 3 years, its not going to be because of Jerome James. And even if we are below the cap, what if we still don't have a legit center?

I won't mind having LeBron with JJ as my starting center.

Now, if and when TT & Penny are converted into long term deals for garbage players (Wally, LaFrentz, etc.), then, I'll agree with you. But as a singular move, JJ is not as aweful a signing as everyone is making out. JJ is not Eisley, Shanderson & Fatspoon- three, unmoveable, unskilled players.

He is a 7 Foot stiff playing in a league that has a tremendous lack of 7 foot talented players which leads 7 foot stiffs getting time and a contract.