My guess is Isiah has one money move left...

Bos has the #15,#24 and #25 picks in this draft. Raef makes just under $10 mill and is signed for 5 more years. If Bos could dump him for expiring deals they would be $12 mill under the cap next year (maybe more with a little wiggle).

This is huge and an opportunity like that could change their franchise around. I think if we could get Raef, the #15 and the #25 pick for Deke, Othella and TSki its worth it.

This would give us a chance to draft a big and a wing player. I'm looking at any of these combos
Kosta Perovic, Rafek Araujo or Robert Swift (bigs)
JR Smith, Dorell Wright, Hakkim Warrik (wings)

This give us instant athleticism and a adds to a nice pipeline while we wait for the really bad deals to expire.

Short term payroll is insane, but following year you have Penny, TT and Nazr expiring ($35 mill) and Houston and Anderson ($28 mill) the following year. Even if they resign one or two of those guys its going to be at half what they are currently making.

I wonder if Boston would give us both picks you mentioned since it seems like they've been stockpiling them.

LaFrentz is a wuss, but he'd be nice on a pick and roll with Marbury since hes a good shooter. I'd love that move, even if they could only get 15.

so basically, we're talking about 2 draft picks for deke, othella, and ski. is that worth it, or should we use those $10 mil in expiring deals for a deadline trade? this would be a pretty big gamble b/c not only do you get lafrentz, coming off 2 injury filled seasons (for $50 mil) but you give up $10 mil in expiring deals that could be used at the deadline. those two draft picks could turn out to be solid players (or busts) or the $10 mil could turn out to be elton brand or erick dampier.

by removing deke, othella, and ski - nothing changes about our team. we'll still have the core intact to make a run at a 45-50 win season. getting brand or dampier will make us a 50+ team but i'm not sure if it makes us a championshp contender. so i would say, yes, it may be worth the risk b/c now you're talking about 4 young players to build the future with, while the allan's, shandon's, and penny's get off the books. it's almost like a delayed tear it down rebuild.

I'd obviously rather have Brand but the possibility to get into the top 20 and have a chance at one of these HS players like Smith would be the reason for it.

Kenny Smith noted yesterday on Inside the NBA that Marbury is better fit in a half court offense, working the pick and roll, and breaking guys down off the dribble. For that reason I'd target big guys.

I'd do it for just the 15. I don't think Boston would throw in two first rounders anyway. Raef's deal sucks but he'd provide the shotblocking Mutumbo gave us and the shooting Doleac did earlier in the year. I think we could convince him to not hang around and shoot threes like the next Brad Lohaus.

the only way the celtics trade any of their picks is to move up. why would they give up on lafrentz and get back nothing but cap space? they cleared a good amount with Baker and like every other team with some space there is no lock to even catch a FA.

I think the Celtics will try to package and move up. They get back a healthy lafrentz have a good MLE signing + get 1 solid draft pick-they will be back in the fold

if we want a pick, im thinking the only way to get 1 is through utah which has 3. they need help upfront and they have huge cap space--is KT for pick 14 unreasonable? utah already has to many young players.

Do the Knicks really need another SF?

I'd look to get either a SG or a big man. With Penny and Tim Thomas at SF, to draft a guy like Warrick and have him ride pine would seem useless. I know you can move Penny to backup SG and get Warrick minutes but it still doesn't make much sense to me.

I like JR Smith, he should go in the teens, or the Euro named Kosta something. He has nice size and apparently a back to the basket game.

why not try for chris mihm? he seems like the same player, but younger ans way less expensive.

the deal is nice though fish but dam he has a lllloooonnnngggg contract.

imaine having 2 picks in the first round.

Utah was in similar situation last year. They don't want to overpay free agents.

Boston can rebuild with JR smith, Warrick, etc. Why would boston want to just get undercap to get free agents?

Sometimes we think boston, utah, chicago are the knicks bhitche's to make our deals with. Comeon guys, Boston can add 2 impact rookies and a project, add Raef, and they are not a bad team.

I'd be worried about improving teams in the east bypassing us.

We were only 2 games better than last year in a conferance that was worse.

I'm inclined to agree with you, yet every year we see teams make trades that make you scratch your head. Raef/Delk for Walker, Van Ex for Jamison.

It will come down to Isiah's agenda and his ability to market his assets. We knew Layden was a total idiot with this. He would pick up the phone, offer KT for Bosh and wonder why no GM wanted to talk to him.

KT isnt making $8 mill as originally thought... he's making just over $5 per year. Nazr is around the same. Harrington is a good bench player at $3 mill. I'm loath to trade or consider trading Frank or Sweetney but you have to consider anything if the opportunity surfaces.