earthmansurfer wrote:Do you guys thing Jennings is going to want to play in the triangle? Would he still welcome a move to NY? How long before he picks it up? Damn the triangle!!! lol

I really wonder how many guys, after all the triangle talk regarding NY, would want to play in it? Sure there are some who's game it could fit but...

Man don't believe all this BS about the Triangle. There are no actual Point Guards in the Triangle, ONLY GUARDS. You usually have one of the guards push the ball and normally the other guard lags behind a bit as a pressure release valve. On the Triangle side you can't really run much for a PG anyway since there is an Overload of that side of the floor with 3 of our players and 3 defenders. There's no room on that side by design. However on the other side of the floor you usually want your best ball handling guard so he can work the 2 man game in the Pinch Post. The floor is wide open on the weak side.

This is why Shved was so effective because he took full advantage of the Pinch Post as well as looking for Early offense before they set up the Triangle. There is literally NOTHING stopping Jennings from excelling in the same way that Shved did. It's not as tough as people think. Not for a guard that is used to attacking and making quick decisions. There are many actions that aren't based on feeding the post like the Blind Pig which features dribble hand offs and a lot of driving options.

callmened wrote:the real question is why would detroit trade jennings when they have no back up PG or SG? lol

if you want him so bad, you can bet the knicks will offer him 15 millin the offseason

Exactly, plus Detroit are looking to get a large chunk of cap space this offseason- it's much wiser for them to keep Jennings than trade for Calderon.

NardDogNation wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:I struggle to see how Jennings would fit the triangle but would not be averse to giving it a try if Calderon (and minor pieces) was (were) being dumped in the process. Worse comes to worse, we end up with an additional $9 million of cap space this offseason and an opportunity to build on what we already have.

But if we're actually trying to swing for the fences on a worthwhile opportunity, I'd do so on Lance Stephenson. Yes, he's a cancer but Zen has redeemed/wrangled similar players (Dennis Rodman) before. Needless to say, he's a knucklehead but it doesn't mean that they can't contribute positively to a winning team (see Rasheed Wallace and more recently, Hassan Whiteside). And given Stephenson's success with running elements of the triangle and the triangle outright with Brian Shaw in Indy, I'd be tempted to roll the dice on him. Like with Jennings, he is an expirer so the worse that can happen is that he doesn't work out and is cut before the end of the season. Best case scenario? We get the guy that was the best player in that Heat-Pacers conference finals that is a nightly triple double threat and elite defender within the confines of our system.

That being said, I really think that all it'd take to get Lance here is Calderon, Early and Seraphin. The Clippers improve their bench, while we get to consolidate our own and free up cap space in the process. I'd bring Stephenson off the bench and allow him to backup the SF and SG as the primary ballhandler, which will allow him to get the 30 minutes he needs to be effective.

I worry about Lance as a personality, but as a talent I think he'd be a great fit. That big, physical pressence at the 2 or 3 that can score, defend, rebound, make plays. I think it'd be a great fit. Not sure he fits with the team. After Indiana, I'd have been willing to take a flier. After Charlotte... sure. But now with the Clippers... that's three teams that have soured on him in like 18 months. I'd be worried.

Though, again, talent-wise, I think he'd be a perfect fit.

As far as personalities, I think Nic Batum brings a lot of the same capabilities on the floor, perhaps better overall... and he's more of a team approach guy. I think he'd fit better, personality-wise.

I like Batum but I just don't see him as a 2-guard especially as he ages. He'll start losing his lateral quickness and my concern is that with his length, he'd begin to compensate for said loss by using his hands to play D. That's a recipe for disaster and an open invitation to continually send guys to the line. If we had no KP, I'd be more than willing to have Batum be my hybrid forward next to Melo....the two fit each other perfectly. But KP and Batum are starters in this, so I can't see this scenario of adding Batum, panning out.

As for Stephenson, 3rd team since Indiana might be the charm. Stephenson only works if you run the triangle, allow him to be a primary ballhandler AND have strong mentors in the organization. I think we meet those conditions for him to succeed, which make his personality issues a secondary concern like it did for Rasheed in Detriot, Hassan Whiteside in Miami, Latrell Sprewell in NYK/MIN, etc.

I think acquiring Batum would be to eventually play Melo at the 4 and KP at the 5 full time.I think Phil is going to go after Derozan with a max deal. We really need to upgrade both guards positions this offseason. It just really sux we don't have a draft pick because one of them would of been filled through the draft. Trading away that pick set us back a year in our rebuild if not longer. Lottery pick starters making that money and having control are a huge valuable commodity. We will have to spend 10 million in cap space to get a player of that caliber.

nyknickzingis wrote:He would fit as a backup in the role we were trying to give to Grant.
But as a starter I don't think he fits very well. He's a ball dominant guard who doesn't like to play off the ball. Poor fit.

I'd trade for him to boost our bench - but no way Jennings re-signs as a backup.

I don't see why he couldn't play aggressively and get plenty of scoring opportunities by pushing the ball and scoring off the Drag Screens and Dribble Hand Offs in this offense. Just cuz Jose never uses the openings he's given doesn't mean Jennings won't. It's simply not true that you have to be Ball Dominant in order to have an impact on the floor. The ball is reversed in this offense a lot and when the ball is in the hands of the guard he will have many scoring opportunities and chances to make a play. The only difference is that he's not holding the ball for lengthy periods of time just dribbling. I Keep going back to Shved but he's a good example of being aggressive within the system.

Jmpasq wrote:

nixluva wrote:I'm really curious about what it would take to get Jennings from the Pistons. What do they want and what are other teams willing to give up for Jennings? Will there be heavy interest for Jennings or will the Knicks face little competition for him? IMO Detroit can't expect a 1st rd pick for Jennings coming off an Achilles. But what would they consider good compensation?

We have nothing to offer they would want outside of draft picks or maybe Grant

callmened wrote:

newyorker4ever wrote:

callmened wrote:the real question is why would detroit trade jennings when they have no back up PG or SG? lol

if you want him so bad, you can bet the knicks will offer him 15 millin the offseason

They have S.Blake to back up the PG spot and he's been playing well so far this year and they K.C.Pope and S.Johnson at SG and i'm sure they'll get a guard back in whatever trade they would make for Jennings.

s. blake has had a terrible yr and jennings is an immediate upgrade for their depth.

the thought is that he will not like coming off the bench since SVG committed to Reggie and will leave as a FA this summer, so maybe they'd try to get something for him now, rather than lose him for nothing after the season.

short term, he's a definite upgrade for Detroit - though you have to wonder if he'll be happy coming off the bench even the rest of the season.

wargames wrote:

crzymdups wrote:

callmened wrote:

newyorker4ever wrote:

callmened wrote:the real question is why would detroit trade jennings when they have no back up PG or SG? lol

if you want him so bad, you can bet the knicks will offer him 15 millin the offseason

They have S.Blake to back up the PG spot and he's been playing well so far this year and they K.C.Pope and S.Johnson at SG and i'm sure they'll get a guard back in whatever trade they would make for Jennings.

s. blake has had a terrible yr and jennings is an immediate upgrade for their depth.

the thought is that he will not like coming off the bench since SVG committed to Reggie and will leave as a FA this summer, so maybe they'd try to get something for him now, rather than lose him for nothing after the season.

short term, he's a definite upgrade for Detroit - though you have to wonder if he'll be happy coming off the bench even the rest of the season.

Even in that situation I don't see SVG moving on him now since if he plays better they could potentially get more for him. Also SVG showed with Monroe he is willing to let somebody just walk if he doesn't like any trade offers.

I think the smart move is what Phil is doing. Play it off as a lack of interest (in case of future negotiations) and see what else is available. Jennings is in a expiring contract year, a bit of a nutcase, coming off an ACL injury, and he's a gunner. While he's an upgrade for what the knicks have he shouldn't be their only choice. Especially at point since PG's is arguably the easiest spot to find talent since Height isn't as much of a requirement.

I think Monroe was in a different contract situation since he accepted his qualifying offer - I think it basically gave him a no trade clause or the right to veto any trade.

From Larry Coon's Salary Cap FAQ:

There are two additional circumstances in which a trade requires the player's consent:

When the player is playing under a one-year contract (excluding any option year) and will have Larry Bird or Early Bird rights at the end of the season. This includes first round draft picks following their fourth (option) season, who accept their team's qualifying offer for their fifth season. When the player consents to such a trade, his Larry Bird/Early Bird rights are not traded with him, and instead becomes a Non-Bird free agent3.

Jennings is in a different contract situation.

Point guard is the most coveted position in the NBA right now. The Phoenix Suns traded the Lakers lottery pick this year to get Brandon Knight last year. Miami traded two firsts to get Goran Dragic.

If there's a chance to take a look at Jennings for the rest of this season and see how he fits and if the cost isn't too high, I'd do it. Depends on the cost though.