OK here is the thing: Everyone here knows I love the new management and I hated the Layen-Chaney era. I love all the new things Isiah has done and I truly believe with this team and this coach we can get to the 2nd round of the playoffs. A low post presence will put us in the same stride as the best in the east and possible title contenders.

BUT, I dont think Zeke can pull off a Low Post star (Rasheed, Shareef, Antwan) before the trade deadline. I think he is done dealing for now and I will not be upset that when the same team steps on the court after Feb 19th. I just hope everyone that wants a LowPost guy right now doesn't get heartbroken and annoyed at Isiah. That brings me to my question.

If Isiah Thomas cannot deliver a Low Post guy by the deadline:
1) Are we still in good shape to compete in the playoffs?
2) Is anyone going to say he has not done his job (upto this point) well?

BTW, we all know Isiah is capable of pulling a trade out of thing air so even though my head tells me he wont do it, my heart tells me he will. Even if he doesnt he wil be back in the off season.

1.Knicks right now is a playoff team and will make it.
2.Zeke will transform this team to a championship contender in time.So if nothing is done at dead line,i believe something will happen in the offseason.Zeke is the man regardless.

Posted by CTKnicksfan:

Rumor last weekend was that the POR/ATL/NY trade talks died b/c Portland insisted on getting KT along with KVH for Sheed and wanted the Knicks to take back Patterson contract also. If that deal is still on the table at the deadline, Zeke should take it.

so essentially it was KT and KVH for Rahim and Patterson? Any other throw-ins?

LayDown & Chaney sucked. Most of us are glad they're gone, and prefer to remember the last 2+ years as a bad, BAD dream.
The Knicks were going nowhere with those guys here or with the roster we had.

Now there's light at the end of the tunnel- daylight. With LayDown & Chaney, the only light at the end of the tunnel was from the train that was about to run us over for the third year straight.

No one in their right mind had faith in LayDown's roster transactions. He was the biggest joke of a GM in the NBA. Now, we have Isiah, who is respected by both players and managers alike across the NBA. He's already made deals that have made the team better. It feels damn good to have faith in Knicks management again for the first time in what felt like forever.

LayDown & Chaney deserve every bit of hate Knicks fans harbor towards them. Those who were pro-LayDown & Chaney can only nitpick and make petty criticisms of the new regime. That's only because they have to eat crowburgers and are now permanently labeled as naysayers. Not only do real fans not hear them, but couldn't vare less about their bickering now that the dark ages are behind us.

The Knicks will only get better, and anyone who calls themselves Knicks fans can and should only be proud of that.

[Edited by - HARDCOREKNICKSFAN on 01/28/2004 14:26:11]

Posted by bernard:

Knicks are a playoff team as constituted, but unlikely 2nd round. Don't think they beat Indiana or NJ in 3 of 5 w/ 3 on the road. Don't think they get by Detroit either.

isnt the 1st round now 7 games also?

it's time to overpay fellas. i'd much rather trade more talent for players that are a better fit. i look at a team like milwaukee and utah - two teams picked to finish dead last. two teams with SUBPAR talent. yet a two teams that play HUNGRY every night and play well as a TEAM. that's the type of attitude and chemistry we need.

so it's time to overpay talent for chemistry.

stromile swift should be a top priority. he's a restricted free agent. we can offer him the full MLE, he may take it, he may not. i think we should make a move for him now. i say trade kurt AND deke, or kurt AND frank or anything else for him right now.

PLUS, that give us a chance to offer the MLE for someone like rodney white (who is AWESOME).


[Edited by - djsunyc on 01/29/2004 11:18:55]

Stro Swift that has started just 6 games this season and averages 10 points and 5 rebounds? Big updside and athleticism but you may be overpaying if you give him more than the mid-level.

In two years he would be making ~6 million. Thats not right.

thats only cause hubie plays an average of 25min to all his players, does that mean pau gasol is not close to a franchise player because he averages under 30min for the year...

he's worth more than the MLE to everyone but memphis - that's why he may opt to sign it. they have ALOT of depth and i think since hubie likes to play 10 players and since jerry west likes depth, we're actually giving them depth at 2 positions where they have no defense, the PF and C with kurt and deke. or PF and PG with kurt and frank. watson is gone after this season.

and as long as kurt is here, we can't upgrade the PF position b/c he would start crying (like he did with mcdyess). whether or not dice earned it is another question. plus, he's going to want $8+ mil/year, something he's not worth. let's MOVE him now and i can't think of another player better than swift. now, if isiah has TRUE VISION, then maybe he should trade him to denver for rodney white and we could move kvh to the 4. like i said, it's not about getting equal value in talent at this point, it's about getting someone who fits in better with us.

i think we'll be better off with either of the following 2 rosters:

marbury
h20
shandon/penny
kvh
swift

or

marbury
h20
white
kvh
deke/doleac

we could then use the MLE for either swift or white (whomever's not here) in the offseason and possible even re-sign doleac or bring in an athletic guy like chris anderson. heck, if we get stro in now, we could possibly get fizer with the mle as well.

[Edited by - djsunyc on 01/29/2004 15:23:42]

Posted by djsunyc:

he's worth more than the MLE to everyone but memphis - that's why he may opt to sign it. they have ALOT of depth and i think since hubie likes to play 10 players and since jerry west likes depth, we're actually giving them depth at 2 positions where they have no defense, the PF and C with kurt and deke. or PF and PG with kurt and frank. watson is gone after this season.

and as long as kurt is here, we can't upgrade the PF position b/c he would start crying (like he did with mcdyess). whether or not dice earned it is another question. plus, he's going to want $8+ mil/year, something he's not worth. let's MOVE him now and i can't think of another player better than swift. now, if isiah has TRUE VISION, then maybe he should trade him to denver for rodney white and we could move kvh to the 4. like i said, it's not about getting equal value in talent at this point, it's about getting someone who fits in better with us.

i think we'll be better off with either of the following 2 rosters:

marbury
h20
shandon/penny
kvh
swift

or

marbury
h20
white
kvh
deke/doleac

we could then use the MLE for either swift or white (whomever's not here) in the offseason and possible even re-sign doleac or bring in an athletic guy like chris anderson. heck, if we get stro in now, we could possibly get fizer with the mle as well.

[Edited by - djsunyc on 01/29/2004 15:23:42]

I would love having Swift, but KVH at the PF position would kill us defensively, he would get man-handled down low.

"Swift for the M.L.E is just right.He still has more to prove for a better offer or max contract.I'll take him over Thomas but Swift at the 5 nahh.KVH in the PF spot can be an option but its going to hurt on defence,although its been said about him all season and it hasn't been a big thing at the SF.Now if we get Artest then he could switch."








Artest is untouchable for now (we blew our shot at him when we drafted Frederic Weis), but if we could get Swift for the MLE that would be great.