Lee sees time as Knick drawing to close

Originally published: April 13, 2010 7:43 PM
Updated: April 13, 2010 9:10 PM
By ALAN HAHN alan.hahn@newsday.com

David Lee's career as a Knick is loaded with statistical accomplishments, from shooting a team-record 60 percent from the field in 2006-07, to recording an NBA-best 65 double-doubles in 2008-09 to that rare 30-20-10 triple-double two weeks ago against Golden State.

There is one left to be accomplished in what could be his final game as a Knick, Wednesday night in Toronto against the Raptors: Lee needs only five points to secure a 20-10 average (he is currently at 20.3 points, 11.7 rebounds) for the season.

In doing so, he'd be one of three NBA players to average 20 and 10 this season - Toronto's Chris Bosh and Memphis' Zach Randolph are the others - and the first Knick since Patrick Ewing in 1996-97.

"I'd gladly trade in any double-double I had this year for a couple of more victories at the end," Lee said.

The hope was that tonight's finale would at least have playoff implications. Well, it does, but only for the Raptors (39-42), who could lock up the last berth in the East with a win. The Chicago Bulls, who played last night, are also in the hunt, so there will be scoreboard watching going on at the Air Canada Centre.

For the Knicks, the only reason to watch the scoreboard is to see how much time is left in the season.

Lee said his "top priority" is to re-sign with the Knicks, but understands the franchise has bigger business to attend to with their $30 million-plus in salary-cap space before deciding what to do with their homegrown All-Star, who certainly has put up impressive numbers but also carries an average of 53 losses per season in his five years in New York. "There is a business side to this," Lee said, "and that's going to take effect once the horn sounds in Toronto."

Lee added that he knows he will have to be "a reactionary guy" in free agency and wait to see what happens with the star players such as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, among others. The Knicks are also expected to seriously consider Bosh, though it is believed that Amar'e Stoudemire has moved ahead of Bosh on the Knicks' wish list. After two seasons without any legitimate presence in the paint, the Knicks envision a front line of Stoudemire and free agent Marcus Camby as a much-needed size upgrade.

Of course that scenario would leave Lee as the odd man out.

"If the Knicks aren't able to get any of the good free agents," Lee said, "I might be able to stick around."

BRIGGS wrote:Of all the players why the H do the Knicks want Camby? Camby played for the Knicks 10 years ago.
What kind of contract do you want to give a 37 year old C?

It's one thing giving a 24 year old kid money 37 years old--one wrong click and he's done.

I'd take Bosh over Amare though. I don't like Bosh's attitude and mindset one bit.

Allanfan20 wrote:Whoops. Meant to say Amare. Amare makes excuses for not playing hard on defense and for a star to talk like that, it bothers me.

ya... bosh i just cant see being second fiddle. dont think he is a guy to carry a team just yet either.

C Camby
PF Amare
SF Gallo/Chandler
SG Gay
PG Douglas

or

C Camby
PF Gallo
SF Gay/Chandler
SG Johnson
PG Douglas

Either lineup would be very acceptable.

alau53 wrote:this is how you do it if they want camby and amare..which they could have had 7 years ago if layden didnt make that mcdyss deal..sign amare close to max..and sign camby instead of 2 yrs 12m, give him one yr @ 12m..this way camby gets more next year and knicks should be under cap to sign another top fa in 2011..this amare signing also means mda is not running show amymore as amare and coach dont get along

$12 million for Camby? He makes $7.5 million now. He's not getting a rasie at 37 years old.

Childs2Dudley wrote:

alau53 wrote:this is how you do it if they want camby and amare..which they could have had 7 years ago if layden didnt make that mcdyss deal..sign amare close to max..and sign camby instead of 2 yrs 12m, give him one yr @ 12m..this way camby gets more next year and knicks should be under cap to sign another top fa in 2011..this amare signing also means mda is not running show amymore as amare and coach dont get along

$12 million for Camby? He makes $7.5 million now. He's not getting a rasie at 37 years old.

i know..i only threw it out to so instead of 2yrs as 7.5 per which would strangle us in 2011, we give camby a large contract for one year so we have the "flexibility" to sign another big f/a in 2011 like carmello

CrushAlot wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:Of all the players why the H do the Knicks want Camby? Camby played for the Knicks 10 years ago.
What kind of contract do you want to give a 37 year old C?

It's one thing giving a 24 year old kid money 37 years old--one wrong click and he's done.

Camby was injury prone as a young player. The Knicks should just keep Barron.

because at the time he played (way) above the rim. Remember the Dunk on Mt Mubumbo??? The guy often went for lobs and many injuries came form post dunk falls (the hip injury for One).

As and "elder statesman" of sorts, Marcus has learned to play below the rim -so to speak- and as a result, while still failing to play all 82 games in most seasons, I don't think the injury prone tag should still really apply.

There is a reason "good" teams have sort his services; Denver being one of the teams that lost him, regretted it and hoped to get him back. Portland loves him, sans the Camby chants that haven't been heard since he left NY