I always liked Tyson Chandler, since Chicago days.
I knew he was instantly going to make Cp3 and New Orleans, a playoff contender, especially with an aging Peja, and David West.
While watching him in Chicago, he never had a good PG, Hinrich is not a bad player but he isn't a good PG either.
Listen, we had to pick our poison, while Tyson is clearly the best defender and leader out of the FA's last year.
Over the years, coming out of high school, it was shocking to see New Orleans trade him, because he really anchored their defense and complimented David West.
He did have an injury the year before, with injury problem early in his Chicago days too, but adding an trading TC for an undersized center/PF in Ok4 was a bad move.
While TC, has good athleticism, length, and speed for his size/position. He actually has great basketball IQ, plays on team concept, and doesn't take
any chances that are out of high % shots. He leaves those shots to other players, like Rodman, he focuses on areas that would compliment his team with his skills and size. He became a good free throw shooter over the years through hard work, while finding his role, and leaderships.
He is a player that everyone really wants to play with, because he is a great team mate, leader on defense, and never complains.
He supports his team mates, is a great locker room presence, communicates with his team, and he always has his their back's on the court, or off.
Dwight Howard is a beast from the start, with size, strength, athleticism, and pure muscle. With that said, he is physically much better than TC and is
a rare breed probably 1 in decades. They are both similar in some ways. They both are team players, do not mind doing the grunt work, and are supportive with his team mates. They are both very humble, while DH has the physical skills to dominate with his physical skills, they both lack moves to go with it. Even though he is a rare gem, unlike Shaq, he does not demand the ball, have a big ego, and put on big tantrums. They both work hard in the gym, lead by example, and unlike 99% of centers with all the banging at the position, his physical skills with size, strength, and work ethic allows him not to be injury prone. While he does not have many post moves, he does get post position, force double/triple teams, and is very willing to earn good looks for his team.
Comparing Dwight Howard to TC, is like comparing Cp3 (TC) to Russel Westbrook (DH). Like (Cp3) TC, has much better IQ and uses his basketball smarts better than, (Westbrook) Dwight Howard. DH is slightly younger and is the much greater athlete. TC is a great free throw shooter vs DH, but both are not go to guys in the end of the game. TC is by far the smarter player, while DH is the better athlete. I think DH is the bigger threat on the offensive side, with his ability to get post position and demand double triple teams. DH is more capable of getting the bigger numbers, while TC, focuses on area's that stats to not reflect his play. Dirk Nowitski compared TC to KG, with his leadership on defense, locker room presence, communication, and work ethic. I actually think TC is the better defender while DH is capable of putting up greater numbers. For the Knicks, not having a post player in Amare and TC, at the 4/5, really hurts and is part of the reason why we are not able to get easy shots.
DH would be able to be the post player that would almost enable any team to instantly become playoff contenders. Add DH to a playoff team, and they are a championship threat. DH can be the post player, to run the triangle, like Shaq, while I don't think TC is capable of being.
So basically if you had to choose between the 2, the biggest difference would be the post presence, physical skills, vs BB IQ and free throw shooting. They are both great players while I love TC for his intangibles, smarts, leadership, communication on DEF, and his ability to hit the free throw. But Dwight Howard is just rare gem, with the combination of size, athleticism, strength, lack on injuries, and his post presence. Because DH is capable of putting up greater numbers, his rare physical combinations, and the post presence, almost any team would pick DH over TC. TC has always been under rated and will continue to be so. The only reason we even mention this trade is because Amare and Melo both make max salaries, while we have been struggling, and we are missing talent, but unable to acquire talent outside of our MLE and exemptions. Iman could be our player of the future, we cannot predict how he will develop, but it sure looks bright. His skills are ahead of Westbrook's first year and they both will continue to improve, especially with their work ethic and confidence. I think there has to be a line somewhere and I think Iman is the line.
My heart tells me to keep Chandler and my eyes tells me to go for Dwight Howard.
Amare has been struggling till yesterday, where he showed like he was close to his former MVP self. I think we are missing depth, a post player outside of Melo, 2 way players shooters, a starting PG, a backup PG, and a better all forward to back up Melo/Amare. Amare's defense whether man to man, help defense, effort, fighting for position, and giving up position easily really hurts. These are things that should be fixable, as many are basketball 101. Unless players are really willing to come to New York for a discount in the summer, its possible we will have to pick between Melo or Amare to add talent. Of course, if we get things going it will be much more attractive, but if we continue to play horrible, we might have to pick between the 2 in Amare or Melo. I am happy with TC as our center, I do not feel he is the problem, but having Amare + TC + Melo seemed like they had trouble complimenting each other. Even if we trade with Orlando, we will not be able to acquire talent outside of the exemptions and the players that Orlando will trade to us. Ryan Anderson, is a shooter that is capable of playing the PF and grabbing RBs, while Orlando, will also try to unload other players like Turkeglu and more. Turkeglu is player capable of playing the point/forward, while stretching the floor, posting up, and playing the SF or PF. If Orlando is willing to do a trade for TC, Amare, for DH, Turk, and Anderson, without us losing Iman, it would be very hard to say not. It gives us a better identity, ability to run different sets/systems, adds players that compliment each other better, and gives us an extra player to be on the bench.
I think we have to consider trading Fields, as great as he has been playing for us, he is a RFA this summer, needing to use our MLE to retain his rights.
We can still do a sign and trade, in the summer with Fields for Ariza, since New Orleans would be under the cap, while retaining our MLE to add a PG.
However, we could risk losing Fields for nothing, if we go this route, especially if he continues to improve and play well till the deadline and the rest of the year.
If we do add a veteran PG, or keep Baron Davis this summer, or both, I think keeping Lin with one our exemptions to be mentored could be big.
He actually looks more of a PG in facilitating and penetrating better than Iman, TD, or Bibby. I think Nash could really help him develop as they both have high BB IQs.
He currently shows he has the combination of speed, quickness, a good handle, and ability to penetrate the paint. Next year, Jorts and Jordan, will be in the same situation, where we might have to use between one of the 2, or possibly using the MLE to retain both next year, so we can have their bird rights, and retain them
in the near future, without using any exemptions. This strategy could allow us to retain Fields, Lin, Jorts, and Jordan, to be players that can continue to develop and be part of our future if they would like to stay. We would just need 1 extra year to keeping these players, keeping their bird rights, but will eventually put us way over the cap, and lose our MLE and get the Mini MLE instead.
1/26/2012 11:32 AM
