can anyone please post up the insider column today? it talks about the knicks making deals. thanks.

Q: What are the chances the Knicks will blow up the team this year? As a fan, I don't care if Allan Houston, Latrell Sprewell and Kurt Thomas get traded for a hot dog and a soda -- as long as the cap situation is somewhat improved and younger players are injected into the lineup. In the offseason, it was rumored that the Knicks might go after Jason Terry. What are the possibilities of a Terry and Theo Ratliff for Sprewell type of trade? Terry would complement Houston well, and if the Hawks can get a point guard, they can make a playoff push. Having said that, if the Hawks don't think Terry is a PG, who are they looking for?

FORD: Steve isn't the only one wondering why all is quiet on the Knicks' front at the moment. While the Knicks certainly are still looking to make a deal, Scott Layden's hands are pretty tied. Owner James Dolan is ushering in a new age of fiscal responsibility in New York, so the Knicks aren't just going to blow money for the hell of it (Layden's management strategy up to this point). If they could land a legitimate big prospect, they'd pull the trigger, but that doesn't seem likely. Furthermore, it isn't like the Knicks are better off making a push for the playoffs. They need to lose as many games possible. This team doesn't need another first-round exit. What they need is young talent.

As for the Terry and Damon Stoudamire rumors, I don't think it's happening. The emergence of second-round pick Milos Vujanic, a 6-foot-3 point guard from Yugoslavia, should give the team its point guard of the future when he joins the Knicks next season. Vujanic is not only the best point guard in Europe right now, he's Europe's best player period. He reminds me of a more athletic version of Steve Nash. Since the Knicks will be able to sign him at a relative bargain, don't expect them to create more problems by adding another point guard to the mix.

Posted by Knicksfan1971:

"Vujanic is not only the best point guard in Europe right now, he's Europe's best player period"

I cant believe we are actually getting someone like this on the Knicks,I get Euro-envywhen I see teams with players like dirk,peja
paul etc..its great that we are finally going to get a young quality
player from europe of our own that is unless he decides not to come here which would really piss me off.Imagine a backcourt of lebron
and milos,wow!Ok its a dream right now but you never know.....

I can't believe they are saying something like that about a Knicks prospect. Its been a long time since praise has come the KNicks way for a draft pick. I really like the other point made about the Knicks they need to stop think about the playoffs and position for the draft it would really put this team back on the map if they could land a top three pick this year.

then the knicks should stop winning games haha they are huting the chances of getting a good pick.

And Artest.

Amare 16 points and 21 boards last night.. He is unreal.

Posted by Caseloads:

yeah, i mean, amare is just flat out the best prep (HS) to pro in the longest!

Better than KG?

Another thing that kept Amare from being drafted higher was his off
the court problems,I was living in the orlando area where he is from
and read article after article about his bouncing around from one
high school to the next,getting in trouble etc... People down there
knew he had the skills but questioned whether or not he was mature
enough to handle the NBA,I guess he showed us.

Posted by Caseloads:

Posted by martin:

Posted by Caseloads:

yeah, i mean, amare is just flat out the best prep (HS) to pro in the longest!

Better than KG?

Are you KID'ding me? Better than KG, better than Kobe, by far. Like stephon said "it's like comparing michael jordan and mario elie"

i mean, this guy amare is racking up double doubles like a 8 year vet (garnett). Amare has had multiple games where he's just completely dominated. Not many players in the NBA, rookies especially, completely dominate! Easily, Amare should have been the #2 pick... if Amare were 3 inches taller and a center, whoa.

I'll give you that Amare is going to be great player, but a lot of what he has shown so far is also due to the people he has around him: Marbury, Penny, Marion, and a couple of servicable centers. The 3 small positions can all shoot from downtown and drive the hole - it makes spacing a lot easier for post players and rebounders. KG has starting with him Szczerbiak, Hudson, Nesterovic, K Gill, and G Trent/Joe Smith. Those guys don't really bring out the fear in opponents.

On an aside, I wonder how Nene would have done on the Suns instead of the Nuggs and what Amare's stats would be on a Denver team.

martin, the thing is - Amare would be doing great on the Nuggets. The kid is sick. Plus - KG has vets and a top 5 NBA coach working with him.

Marbury, Penny, Matrix, and a couple of serviceable centers never brought out the fear in anyone last year, or this year. That's why everyone laughed about the Jason Kidd trade. Marbury has and always be a cancer, Penny is always injured and a pampered whiner, and Matrix plays hard, but isn't someone that is feared, just an amazing athlete.

The one who brings out the FEAR in other teams is the ROOKIE, Amare, and he's the one who rips players "a fresh one" on the opposing squads. Amare has the ferocity that most other ballers just don't seem to have, on his team, or any other. The kid plays like a veteran.

And the Nene comparison... the two have different games. Nene is more of an Olajuwan-esque baller. Amare is, as many have compared him to, a pre-Cleveland (pre-drugs and dunkin-donut binging) Reign Man (Shawn Kemp) - who was also amazing. I remember in '95 or '96, Kemp dunked from nearly the 3 pt line, in a game! it was one of the sickest ever.

The reason why scouts didn't pick him highly is because of a few things. 1) he shifted schools around alot 2) the failure of last year's prep-to-pro's 3) questionable (basketball) intelligence 4) questionable fundamentals 5) questionable 15 ft deep shooting

all the other ballers picked before him had less question marks regarding them if you take a look