Anthony Parker - a great shooter, can do a little of everything, and attempts to play defense, but wouldn't call him a lockdown defender. , I loved him in Toronto. He is more of a SG but I think he can play the SF and even some PG.
Grant Hill - looks like he still has plenty of game in him. How can you not like Grant Hill, he has 10x the heart Eddy Curry missed. He can hit the 3 and has a great mid range game. more of SF but can also play the SG and help bring up the ball. Don't think he can actually run the point anymore, as a point forward like he did in Detroit.
These guys ^^ above, are both veterans. I think a combination of veterans are needed as recipes of being championships contenders. Aside from Billups and Turiaf, only Amare and Melo are the only true veterans. However, only Amare and Melo are most likely coming back. Veterans are needed for locker room presence and have the leadership and respect from the younger players. When things aren't going well, they can show their leadership and remind the younger talents how to deal with it, talk to team mates, and work things out. Even when things go great, they remind the younger ones, not to get too comfortable and let their guard down. Their leadership and professionalism is infectious, they can even advise players like Amare and Melo, how to adapt to their games as they get older. We need someone to remind Melo/Amare when they take a bad shot, or when they do something wrong. It has to be from veterans that don't fear the "all stars" and also have the respect from the players/league. Veterans can teach younglings about work ethic, how to work out in the gym and improve every year. Whether in practice or during the off season, what better way to teach them than by leading with example. These guys can be starters or great players off the bench as well, they know and understand their roles. Great veterans show what keeps them in the league unlike a player like Antoine Walker....
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Shannon Brown - is a talented player that is short but is wide and strong with athletic ability. Has a scorer mentality of the bench in LA. Was suited as a player of the bench but finished off games at times, in a strong LA team. Plays the SG/SF, I am not sure if he can play the 1 at times or not...
are some legit players that would probably cost more than the minimum to sign. However, they are very cost efficient players, and all understand their roles. Aside from Shannon Brown, both are veterans that should be good locker room and great team mates as well. As for Shannon Brown, I am not saying he isn't one but I cant really consider his a veterans either.
That is why I am so upset about the comment DW said that they will not look to sign anyone for more than 1 year. I can understand if the new CBA comes out and then it would jeopardize signing a max player in 2012. In fact I don't think we should even care if we go under 1m away from a max contract in 2012, because if they are good contracts, they will have value on our team and should be able to trade. These guys are all serviceable players.
Depth is something we have to restore on our teams, judging from Dallas's Championship run.
Aside from these players, I can't believe we aren't in the hunt for Samuel Dalembert. Half the league will be chasing his services. We should be looking to stock up on depth and fill our holes. I agree we should watch our cap situation and shouldn't over pay for talent. However, if we can sign a deal that would improve our team, fill our holes, receive a talented player, we have to look in to it. Good players that are under payed in the market are good contracts and have value.
Greg Foster -
Kurt Thomas -
both are rugged players that play with heart and do the dirty work. I like Greg Foster slightly more but Thomas a litte more veteran leadership. Greg Foster can play the backup PF/C and I think is a better defender/shot blocker.
Both box out, however, Kurt Thomas has no shot blocking defense. I think he did great last year in the Bulls but he had a team that was willing to play defense and had some shot blocking help with the speed/length/heart with Gibson and Noah. Kurt Thomas has a slightly better shot than Foster. I wouldn't be upset at either signing.
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Wilson Chandler
Peitrus
Brandon Wright
these are all great players, with Peitrus probably being the cheapest player to target. I think the rest of the would at least command the MLE to obtain. Peitrus can play the lockdown defender SF, can play the SG/PF like Wilson Chandler at times too. I think Wilson Chandler has a better mid range game, better handle, and a little more all around skill than Pietrus. Pietrus probably has a little more size and more consistent 3 point than Chandler.
They are both unique players, both can probably play the SG to PF at times, in Dantoni's system depending on the matchup. Wilson Chandler will probably command at least the MLE for Denver not to match and definitely not a 1 year deal. Pietrus is a unrestricted FA. I think these are the type of players that we need a couple of, they can play multiple positions, have good defense, and are capable of spreading the floor. They can be used to guard Lebron and has the size to guard wade but probably not the speed. That is why a strong center is very much needed, anchoring our defense. How many people can actually guard both anyway.
Brandon Wright is a player on the Nets with sick wingspan, he hasn't played much in recent years and on the Nets. He hasn't shown he can hit the 3 pointer at all but its possible he can be a lockdown defender. If the Nets don't give him the almost 5m qualifying offer, its possible to sign him at a minimum deal.
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Tyson Chandler
Matt Gasol
DeAndre Jordan
Samuel Dalembert
Kris Humphries
Reggie Evans
Tyson Chandler has always been one of my favorite centers in the league, he took a couple years to develop in Chicago. I had big hopes for him when he went to NO and i thought he would have a great effect on the team with Cp3. I never really understood why NO gave up on him, they lost a lot of size and defense that he provided. I noticed Cp3 also stopped feeding him and stopped throwing alley oops to him. He always made top 2 or 3 defensive team as a center, throughout his career. He also always got some votes at defensive player of the year, not sure if he actually ever made it though. He is one of the most under rated players in the league, he does so many things that stats don't account him for.
Deandre Jordan is a player that is young but is on the rising for his defensive abilities and Matt Gasol is a rugged big man with a pretty good all round game. However, it is impossible for the Knick's because they will surely command more than the MLE.
Dalembert will be highly courted by half the league to add defense. He is the the tall, lanky, athletic, and can run back n forth for his size. While he is not a great defender that I always thought Tyson Chandler is, he can produce a similar reaction to what Chandler did for the Mavs for another team.
Kris Humphries had a great year. He is closer to a top defensive, rebouding, PF but can play center as well. Don't think the Nets will let him go, at least not unless they grab another good center. However, I think they want to keep their cap flexability, and resign him, leaving enough to possibly sign Dwight Howard to go with Deron and Lopez.
Both Dalembert and Humphries will most likely at least get the full MLE, I think both would fill our biggest hole at center, providing defense and shot blocking.
Reggie Evans is closer to a PF and is known for his rugged play and rebounding. He isn't a shot blocking presence. He earned a MLE like money on his last contract but I think he will be earning less now.
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Sean Williams
Delonte West
Both players have a trouble history but have game in them and are still young. They wouldn't cost too much, from the veteran minimum to possibly a little more. Sean Williams is a poor mans Dalembert, his troubled past is what keeps him out of the league and in the D league.
Delone West is a combo guard that can play both ends. He has a great shot
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Kapono
Peja
both are known as deadly shooters and have won the 3 point contest before. Peja probably has the better defense with his size. With Amare + Melo grabbing so much attention, these guys can be great with limited minutes to help spread the court. Both shouldn't cost too much at their state of careers but can both be serviceable but aren't known as good defenders. Biggest question would be if they would hurt our defense even more as much as they can help offensively.
They would probably cost from the veteran minimum to slightly more.
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Knicks Situation
Billlups
Fields
Melo
Amare
Turiaf
TD
Shumpert
Brown
Balkman
Rautins
Bill Walker?
Jerome Jordan
Jorts
Shawne Williams
Juylan Stone
There are 9 or 10 guys on contract right now. With 2 2nd round picks that aren't signed yet and Shumpert which would most likely be signed anyway.
Shawne Williams is a player that the Knicks have said wanted to be signed if, specially if its at a near minimum deal.
Bill Walker is another player that the Knicks have, I am not sure if he is under contract or not either.
There are rumors about Juylan Stone as well.
If all these players are signed/resigned that would be 15 roster spots already. Anyone know if we send players to the D League would it still count on our 15 man roster?
There are a lot of players above that can be serviceable players that could help the team as well. If we can get some of these players at great contracts, I think we should go for them however, we have a very limited roster space. Of all these players on contracts, none of them fills our biggest need at a starting caliber center. I think we could use some more veteran leadership as well.
2 other players that weren't signed in the that I think should be considered are
Greg Smith
Ben Hansborough
2012
TD
Shumpert
Melo
Amare
Jerome Jordan
Jorts
that is only 6/15 roster spots, something they have to think about. Should they let go players like Balkman/Rautins and give up on them so another space can be opened up and gain some experience and gel with players for next year? I would like to bring back 10 players for the next year and keep 5 roster spots open...
We will have a lot of roster space next year, I would like to have some players learning and practicing so they can develop with us and perform next year.
With limited roster options, I don't know if the Knicks want to cut some players to free up roster space.
This is something Knick's management has to figure out but there are a lot of serviceable players out there.
