So I would give CP3 a 80% chance of leaving, Dwight a 40% chance of leaving, and Melo a 25% chance of leaving.

In a perfect world we sign Lebron this year, and grab one of these guys next year. But if Lebron doesn't come, we might be better off resigning Lee and then signing CP3 and Howard assuming they are FA's.

This rotation would arguably be better than a team with Lebron (with no other superstar) because the pieces fit better (we would have 3 SF with lebron).
PG - Chris Paul
SG - Wilson Chandler
SF - Danilo Gallinari
PF - David Lee
C - Dwight Howard
6 - Toney Douglas
7 - Jordan Hill
8 - Draft Pick/Veteran at minimum (Al?)
9 - Maybe Jeffries or Nate?

Don't get me wrong, if Lebron is available and he wants to come to the Knicks, he is clearly the first priority for a number of reasons. But if that doesn't work out I am going to pray that this happens. Dantoni would be having wet dreams of CP3 running the point and dishing off to Dwight for the slam.

I think Howard leaving to be the main man in a state is a bit far fetched.
The only bad long term contract on that team is Rashard and maybe he can turn it around soon enough.

Melo is making big big money and has a good situation in Denver.

The knicks are about the future

a) completely whiff on the big boys
b) whiff on Bron, Wade, Bosh and overpay whoever's left

I think MDA may have to be committed if DW tells him to gut out another crappy season.

Although I think the best plan is what a lot of people on this board have been saying.

Stick to no bad contracts period. At least if we suck next season we have a draft pick to look forward to. Pray the prize is more a Derrick Rose/John Wall type than an Emeka Okafor/Marvin Williams type..

Nightmare scenario:

Chicago trades Hinrich and clears cap space to land Lebron and Bosh in a package deal. No matter what the Knicks do it's the 90s all over again and we keep losing to a Chicago squad that looks like:

Rose
Deng
Lebron
Bosh
Noah

There are tons and tons of options the Knicks have at this point. Even if we can't move Jefferies and Curry they wer super valuable as expiring contracts next season and we could either let them come off the books and have a blank slate to work with or trade them for legit guys.

When GMs panic or are dumb and make mistakes we can end up paying for those mistakes for years and years. This franchise is a perfect example. Just one of Isiah's moves (Jefferies contract) is the difference between us pitching Lebron with a "hey we're gonna sign you and bosh to play with the Gallo/Chandler/Hill/Douglas core" and pitching

"hey we'll sign you and then you have to waste a season in your prime for Jefferies and Curry to come off the books."

Hope we avoid that at all costs, including just one more season of mediocrity.

Panos wrote:Tony Parker would be sweet under D'A.

Other then him and Melo, I only would be interested in RJ or Butler.
Hardly see KMart as a big name. Redd is not worth it. And I think Zach is water under the bridge.

KMart isn't a big name, but he's having a very nice bounceback year... he's put up 5 20/10 games in the past month & has only had 2 games where he didn't put up a double double... to me he'll be worth at least an $8-9 mil per type deal to whoever signs him.

Panos wrote:

TMS wrote:

Panos wrote:Tony Parker would be sweet under D'A.

Other then him and Melo, I only would be interested in RJ or Butler.
Hardly see KMart as a big name. Redd is not worth it. And I think Zach is water under the bridge.

KMart isn't a big name, but he's having a very nice bounceback year... he's put up 5 20/10 games in the past month & has only had 2 games where he didn't put up a double double... to me he'll be worth at least an $8-9 mil per type deal to whoever signs him.

Contract year numbers. Next year, he'll blow out another knee. I wouldn't touch him.

he's remained healthy for the past 3 years after his last surgery tho... this season he's getting more minutes, which can explain the increase in his rebound totals... he's taking less shots in comparison to minutes played that he did the previous 2 seasons... i don't think he's trying to pump his stats because it's a contract year, he's just being used more out there cuz he brings the energy & rebounding the team desperately needs.