How it can happen:

1. Lin is the real deal. 15 and 7 with the success gene to lead and be clutch.

2. Melo rounds his game out. Pass the ball back to Lin, into the corner Novak, to a slashing Lando.

3. Shump returns by season end to where he was. This is a stretch but it comes off the bench.

4. Tyson has some range. Has to get out of the way and hit a wide open 10 foot. This.......

5 opens the game up for Amare to do his thing.

6. Boston ages out. Its gonna happen one day.

7. No other team sneaks up on us. Indiana? Philly? ATL? Orlando? Etc etc. ALways a suprise right?

8. Gotta stay healthy. Need depth and luck. Really, this is so important!

9. Injury to Wade and Miami can't get stronger. Wade needs to be done for the year and Lebron loses his wing man.

10. ECF's would be a nice improvement and goal.

Two year window.

ChuckBuck wrote:

Nalod wrote:
Requires opportunity.

How it can happen:

1. Lin is the real deal. 15 and 7 with the success gene to lead and be clutch.

2. Melo rounds his game out. Pass the ball back to Lin, into the corner Novak, to a slashing Lando.

3. Shump returns by season end to where he was. This is a stretch but it comes off the bench.

4. Tyson has some range. Has to get out of the way and hit a wide open 10 foot. This.......

5 opens the game up for Amare to do his thing.

6. Boston ages out. Its gonna happen one day.

7. No other team sneaks up on us. Indiana? Philly? ATL? Orlando? Etc etc. ALways a suprise right?

8. Gotta stay healthy. Need depth and luck. Really, this is so important!

9. Injury to Wade and Miami can't get stronger. Wade needs to be done for the year and Lebron loses his wing man.

10. ECF's would be a nice improvement and goal.

Two year window.

I would gladly take ECF in a heartbeat. 2nd round would be satisfactory improvement. Championship would be bukkake madness like Bosh taking a facial:

Bosh is SUCH a weirdo...

franco12 wrote:path to success?

Do we own our pick this year?

Best approach would be to Tim Duncan our way there - injury to Melo (nothing serious, strain vagina), we finish in the lottery, and despite David Stern's effort to fix it for someone else, we win the 1st pick in the draft.

Melo, et al return healthy in time for a run in 2013-14!

Bonn1997 wrote:

franco12 wrote:path to success?

Do we own our pick this year?

Best approach would be to Tim Duncan our way there - injury to Melo (nothing serious, strain vagina), we finish in the lottery, and despite David Stern's effort to fix it for someone else, we win the 1st pick in the draft.

Melo, et al return healthy in time for a run in 2013-14!

I don't know about that. The team has gone .667 in the 12 games Melo has missed. Injury to Tyson and good health for Melo and Amare might be what we'd need.

That's true, but as I recall, didn't we have a pretty easy schedule in those 12 games?

Anyway, Melo or no Melo, team ball is the answer. If Melo can't buy into that concept on an every game basis, he should go. Team ball does not mean passing 5 possessions in a row, and then being a ball hog in ISOs for the next 5. Look for the open man every possession. Create your own shot when it's the right play. MJ could get away with hogging the ball because he shot 52 - 54% in his prime. Melo, in his prime, shoots 45%. That's atrocious for someone 6'8". It's bad shot selection.

Bonn1997 wrote:

Solace wrote:

Bonn1997 wrote:

franco12 wrote:path to success?

Do we own our pick this year?

Best approach would be to Tim Duncan our way there - injury to Melo (nothing serious, strain vagina), we finish in the lottery, and despite David Stern's effort to fix it for someone else, we win the 1st pick in the draft.

Melo, et al return healthy in time for a run in 2013-14!

I don't know about that. The team has gone .667 in the 12 games Melo has missed. Injury to Tyson and good health for Melo and Amare might be what we'd need.

That's true, but as I recall, didn't we have a pretty easy schedule in those 12 games?

Anyway, Melo or no Melo, team ball is the answer. If Melo can't buy into that concept on an every game basis, he should go. Team ball does not mean passing 5 possessions in a row, and then being a ball hog in ISOs for the next 5. Look for the open man every possession. Create your own shot when it's the right play. MJ could get away with hogging the ball because he shot 52 - 54% in his prime. Melo, in his prime, shoots 45%. That's atrocious for someone 6'8". It's bad shot selection.

I think it was slightly below .500 teams. I don't think we're better without Melo. Replace Melo with Lin and we're no worse though.

I agree with you. I want team ball. That was what D'Antoni was preaching that Melo wasn't buying into, which caused D'Antoni to quit. IMHO, Melo has two strikes against him in my mind. Strike #1 was he acted like a complete diva during the trade negotiations and caused us to overpay and pay him max money - which hurt our chances of putting together all the complementary pieces to go around him. Strike #2 was intentionally sabotaging the coach until he quit. One more strike, which would be not turning it around this upcoming season, and I'm done. If he can't pull it together after this season, I want him traded. I would rather go to war with Amar'e, Lin, Shump and Chandler than Melo playing 1 on 3 and shooting a 25 foot three when there are guys open.

Its crazy he has the talent but will anyone lock him up 5 yers 25mil? Crazy!

Should have added "Win Bird rights arbitration" as a component.

Nalod wrote:If JR can't get a long term deal anywhere for greater than 2.5 then he is ours.

Its crazy he has the talent but will anyone lock him up 5 yers 25mil? Crazy!

Nalod wrote:If JR can't get a long term deal anywhere for greater than 2.5 then he is ours.

Its crazy he has the talent but will anyone lock him up 5 yers 25mil? Crazy!

Should have added "Win Bird rights arbitration" as a component.

max is 4 years deal, 20mill for the MLE, now due to the new CBA.
With a new lawsuit against him for 1-2m with China Basketball League, due to missed practices/meetings, he has another reason to find a better contract.
I can see the Nets offering him a decent contract, more minutes/shots, and the opportunity to stay in New York.

Even if we had to resign JR Smith to a 20% raise, from his 2.5m contract, it will still be a bargain for a player of his caliber

BUT

We might not have the ability to do so, because it could put us over the 74m tax bracket in which we lose our MLE and LLE.
I don't know if Grunweld would even consider giving part of the MLE for JR, I guess we will have to see who is available and actually have interest in coming to NY.
Since we all know many players and agents will use us like always,as leverage to get better deals.

I would have tough time deciding between Novak or JR Smith, if Novak costs more than Smith's 1 year , 2.5m with a 20% raise, deal though, with our cap situation.