is to hit on the mle with a major player i.e dampier rasheed etc.. it has to have someone take LESS--then it's a different ball game. dampier in the east for the knicks would probably be the best player even beyond rasheed because of his huge target and inside capabilities against a very soft eastern interiors where jamal magliore was considered an all star. if you look at the nets--you add a dampier they might win it all. knicks become a serious contender with dampier, but the unkown of houston is still going to haunt this team because our back ups each cannot take pressure off marbury.

I dont think someone like Dampier is impossible, especially for the Knicks. Everyone knows you can make more money here than anywhere else. I dont think its a stretch to offer Dampier a 6 year MLE (as insurance incase he got hurt) with a player option for year 3. That would allow him to opt out after 2 years and earn a new deal starting at $9 mill from the Knicks.

I think a move like that would and could turn the franchise around because of the other possibilities it opens. Then you can go and trade a guy like Nazr to Utah for one of their #1's. If you have a center like Dampier in place you can do so much. This is where the Isiah x factor comes in. In the old days Ernie took Ewing with him and sold the team to guys like Houston. Isiah and Marbury should take Dampier out and convince him there will never be a better place to play.

well he's said he wants to be in a winning situation, and he's said he wants to play in the East where he would be an all star.

Ask Theo Ratliff or Rahim how Atl was the last couple years. Remember this guy has been in the league 8 years and has never seen a playoff game. He said winning is a huge priority for him and $$ was not. A team with a great PG like Marbury and a good offensive player like TT is a perfect spot for Dampier. The Hawks are a LOOONG way from being a good team. The Knicks arent. You put a good 2 way center (not great, but solid) like Dampier on the Knicks and we probably win 48-50 games.

the way is simple... get him to not opt out and arange a trade. I think this is why get Nazr in the first place.

I dont want to part with Frank but if he's the difference in getting Dampier you have to do that. $$$ isnt an issue if GS agrees to trade him. Then the Knicks just give him an extension. Nazr and Harrington (expiring deal) works $$$ wise. Plus there is always the $3 mill. Then GS gets a servicable center for a player they are losing anyway at less $$$. I would hope we could do it without losing Frank, but backup PGs are easier to find then starting centers.

i wouldnt trade dampier for that pile of dung and i bet chris mullin wont either. they dont need frank willams or Nazr and both combined still arent close to his value. remember GS has a lottery pick and there are several nice PG prospects that they will have choices with. Devin Harris Ben Gordon are much more athletic than fw with more athletiscm and better shots. FW still has proven nothing other than he has played a few games well in 2 years.

Damp has his breakout year convienent to his opt out.

I don't trust his career year can last long. His injuries and lack of work ethic preceeds him.

That makes him a perfect knick historically. Wait until they reach peak financial status then sign them.

incidentally Nazr's #s as a starter and Dampier's career numbers are about the same.

Posted by fishmike:

incidentally Nazr's #s as a starter and Dampier's career numbers are about the same.

Apples v Oranges. East v West.

every team has questions marks.. it just gets annoying how there is never any chance for us to get anything done. 10% chance? Ok.. well say there's a 10% chance for 15 players we want but only have a slim shot at. Based on those odds we could get 2.

Sure MEmphis could offer a good package, but if they pay Dampier $10 mill are they matching a our $40 mill offer for Swift for 6 years? Are they giving Battier the midlevel money he wants? Remember they are about $40 mill apart from what they want to pay Gasol and what he wants to get paid.

All these teams in better situations then ours have their own set off issues here. Why do you think Steven Jackson is playing for the Hawks for $1mill in the first place? Same reason Marquis Daniels slipped through the cracks, or Josh Howard was drafted last in the first round. Now the Mavs can peddle Walker and Finley and rape some team like the Bulls.

People are just so used to NOTHING being possible here because of our last GM, but its just not the case. Yes I would love to be in the Clippers situation. We arent, but most thought at the start of this year we were just going to be forced to wait for 3 years until Shandon, Houston, Spoon, Anderson and Eisely just went away.

Dampier has been an integral part of one of the worst francises in NBA history for the last 8 years. The days of giving anyone $10 mill because they had half a good season are long gone. Why do you think nobody made Olowakandi an offer in his RFA year? He was regarded as the 2nd best center to Shaq and was coming off a monster 2nd half. He turned down $60 mill from the Clippers because he was convinced he was going to get $90 mill. Now hes hurt playing out a 2 year MLE contract with the Wolves.

Please... the amount of love for other teams players is a little silly around here at times.

Posted by BRIGGS:

a guy like dampier is going to have to take much less to play here--hes from the south, so atlanta may be very attractive to him and they can offer him $$ well above us. at the end of the day i would be surprised but out of all the restricted FA' a guy like dampier who has been up and down as a much more plausible scenario of coming here but still the odds are against it. i think at the end of the day hes walking out with 9-10 mm per from a utah denver or atlanta

I agree....for years he's been inconsistant. He might just look for the money just for security. You never know though. Maybe Golden State takes Nazr and another player in a sign and trade for Dampier.......stranger things have happened.

I think GS would trade for Nazr and FW, why wouldn't they? I know they have a high draft pick and could take a PG, but if you can get a PG and then spend the pick elsewhere, why not?

That's beyond the point becuase I don't see why the Knicks want Dampier. He's lazy, doesn't play hard, and churned out one good year because he was a FA and it was the last opportunity to make money. Plus he's getting old. These are the players I'd try to avoid.

The ideal situation would be to trade a player or two to the Hawks for a resigned Stephen Jackson, then sign a player like Etan Thomas, who rebounds as proficiently as Dampier, is younger, more athletic, and has a much better work ethic.

ATL has almost nobody on their roster. Would they trade a re-signed Jackson full MLE to the Knicks for two expiring contracts? Mutumbo could go back to ATL and might bring back at least some fans, throw Harrington at 4 for a year while Dwight Howard develops? That might be realistic if they can't get any FAs to sign there and they just need warm bodies on their roster. The Knicks keep their young players (why is everybody dying to trade FWilliams?) and play:

PG: Marbury, Williams
SG: Jackson, Houston (6th man role, 5-7 min./quarter)
SF: TThomas, Penny
PF: EThomas, Mohammed
C: KThomas, Baker

I still think trading for Tyson Chandler is feasible, but I think this could work too. Knicks get, in my mind, a more athletic and more talented front line, though still undersized.