http://espn.go.com/blog/new-york/knicks/post/_/id/56844/interest-shown-in-toure-murry

The name of one somewhat surprising New York Knicks player keeps coming in conversations around the league as the draft and free agency draw near.

Combo guard Toure' Murry, coming off his rookie season, is said to be on the radar of a handful of teams -- Chicago and Golden State among them -- that are hoping the shift in power in New York from the Knicks' previous administration to Phil Jackson leads to Murry becoming an unrestricted free agent.

Toure' Murry

#23 SG
New York Knicks

2014 STATS

GM51
PPG2.8
RPG0.9
APG1.0
FG%.434
FT%.590

ESPNNewYork.com reported last week that the Brooklyn Nets also have interest in Murry.

The Knicks can make Murry a restricted free agent and obviously increase their chances of keeping him by extending the Wichita State product a qualifying offer before June 29. In that scenario, New York could match any offer Murry received in free agency.

But if they decline to extend Murry a qualifying offer, he'll become an unrestricted free agent.

At 6-foot-5, Murry would figure to appeal to Jackson, who has always favored big guards not only in his triangle offense but for the physicality they can bring to the position.

Murry, 24, averaged a mere 2.7 points and 1.0 assists in 7.3 minutes per game last season but showed a glimpse of what he can do in the season's final two games, scoring 12.5 points per game and handing out 3.5 assists in 25.5 minutes in those appearances.

CrushAlot wrote:I was really excited that the Knicks kept Murry coming out of camp and I believe Clyde compared Murry's game to his own. However, I think there were better guys in the dl last year that were brought up that the Knicks missed out on. If the Knicks could move Murry for a second rounder I think they should. Also, not sure that there aren't better options for his roster spot.

CrushAlot wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:

CrushAlot wrote:I was really excited that the Knicks kept Murry coming out of camp and I believe Clyde compared Murry's game to his own. However, I think there were better guys in the dl last year that were brought up that the Knicks missed out on. If the Knicks could move Murry for a second rounder I think they should. Also, not sure that there aren't better options for his roster spot.

Murry has a lot of room for improvement. But when you look at last year's draft class and D-League call ups, Murry held up quite well. Would Murry have been that much worse than Shump if he were given a consistent 15 minutes a night and was allowed to play through his mistakes? I agree we should continue to look for upgrades in talent. But I'd rather cut someone like Shannon Brown, who has been given enough opportunities to show he's a scrub, than Murry, who still has upside.

I don't know if there is a lot of upside there. However, he didn't get a lot of minutes.

franco12 wrote:

fishmike wrote:considering he couldnt get minutes behind Felton and Prigioni for a coach who figures to lose his job after a 54 win season and an owner who thought a title run was plausable its hard to get excited about TM

Let me first say that Toure Murray will most likely follow any number of predecessors out of the league - Frank Williams, Mardy Collins, etc., et al.

But, what you wrote is exactly why he didn't get minutes.

This win now mentality, we can turn it around- is why none of our younger players get time.

If we started the season realizing we weren't making the play offs and just gave guys like Tyler, Aldrich and Murray a steady diet of minutes, allowed them to play through mistakes- we might be in a position to say - yes/no these guys can be part of a winning NBA squad.

Instead, we have question marks.

We've cut and given up on a lot of players that have gone on to become successful elsewhere.

I don't know if other teams have the same track record. I mean, look at Jeremy Lin- cut twice.

But it seems like teams like San Antonio always manage to find a way to develop players that any other squad could have had.

How can him and tyler be part of a winning squad playing through their mistakes?

How Can you come off a 54 win season and go into the next season saying this is a rebuilding stage with damn near the same squad that won you 54 games?

I wasn't please with anything Woodson did this season, there was plenty of opportunity to play murry, and he showed a few bright spots, but I'm surely not going to sit here and think murry would have gotten us over the hump, not in a playoff push.

fishmike wrote:considering he couldnt get minutes behind Felton and Prigioni for a coach who figures to lose his job after a 54 win season and an owner who thought a title run was plausable its hard to get excited about TM

And I like people asking if he can shoot the three when he can't shoot free throws. You need lotsa minutes to hit better than 60% from the line?

Next.

With Phil Jackson, his philosophy would allow players and a team to play TOGETHER, making each and EVERYONE playmakerss with ball movement and player movement

Some young PG's that are available and could be real steals are
They were basically available for the vet min last season but we chose to use part of the MLE on Pablo instead

Darren Collison *one of the quickest Guards in the league and has also learned under the best PURE PG in the league*
Kendall Marshall

There are many PG's in this draft that I am interested in that would FIT Phil's philosophy/system includes

DeAndre Kane
Spencer Dinwiddie

Deonte Burton *based on potential* isn't a Phil Jackson type PG but could be a steal if we can acquire him in the early/mid 2nd rounder either with trades or purchasing picks

I think Deonte Burton isn't exactly a Phil Jackson type PG but would be a complete steal at his "mock position" with the talent/physical abilities of a lottery 1st rounder, that could fall anywhere from a late 1st rounder to early/mid 2nd round draft
He is basically a young Raymond Felton 2.0 on steroids with his combination of strength, athleticism and explosiveness, and ability to penetrate/finish with contract
Of course, he has the element of time, to work on his weakness's and to continue to develop his game, on top of still being in the prime of his physical abilities compared to Felton being on a downhill

Moving forward, we need to just get rid of Felton/Pablo and find a way to develop these type of talents or continued development
Most importantly, getting a mentor and/or development coach/assistant coach like Ron Harper to help guide them through the transition
I would be very happy if we got a combination of 3 players above

Some gambles that have some experience and haven't shown that they have declined yet would include....

DJ Augistine/Shaun Livingston *not sure if I consider them "veterans" or in between "young talent"

Sessions - has been under rated his entire career while unable to land a contract and a true journey man that has developed his weakness's and continued his strengths
Bayless - didn't have a good year last season but has improved much since he was a "rookie and knee injuries" also played in a system/DEF team like Memphis with the ability to penetrate, score, improved 3pt shooting, and improved facilitating

As veterans
Mo Williams is an unlikely candidate given our circumstances, his age, and only our MLE to use

but

Jannero Pargo, Ridnour, and Steve Blake, at the vet min

I have no problem with splitting our MLE, possibly the full 5m+ MLE if Melo walks on 2 or even 3 players *with a 3 year deal going to a rookie so we have their full bird rights and time to develop them in players like Kane/Dinwiddie even if we draft them as mid 2nd rounders without the 3 year deal

Kane/Dinwiddie with draft

*using part of MLE *5m MLE*, or the full 3m MLE, and/or trades

Collison/DJ Augstine/, Kendall Marshall

and/or

Sessions/DJ Augistine/Bayless

I have no problem with keeping Murry but at the same time would also like to see Iman and even JR Smith be given an chance to play a SG/PG role, while having some development/continued development players, though I also would not mind trading them if we can get back at least 2 2nd rounders with at least one of the players above in this draft and a future pick *hopefully a future 1st rounder* but I think only Tim Hardaway JR could net us back the most back because of his contract/hype
While I think both Iman and JR Smith's value could both improve significantly by the trade deadline

knicks1248 wrote:

franco12 wrote:

fishmike wrote:considering he couldnt get minutes behind Felton and Prigioni for a coach who figures to lose his job after a 54 win season and an owner who thought a title run was plausable its hard to get excited about TM

Let me first say that Toure Murray will most likely follow any number of predecessors out of the league - Frank Williams, Mardy Collins, etc., et al.

But, what you wrote is exactly why he didn't get minutes.

This win now mentality, we can turn it around- is why none of our younger players get time.

If we started the season realizing we weren't making the play offs and just gave guys like Tyler, Aldrich and Murray a steady diet of minutes, allowed them to play through mistakes- we might be in a position to say - yes/no these guys can be part of a winning NBA squad.

Instead, we have question marks.

We've cut and given up on a lot of players that have gone on to become successful elsewhere.

I don't know if other teams have the same track record. I mean, look at Jeremy Lin- cut twice.

But it seems like teams like San Antonio always manage to find a way to develop players that any other squad could have had.

How can him and tyler be part of a winning squad playing through their mistakes?

How Can you come off a 54 win season and go into the next season saying this is a rebuilding stage with damn near the same squad that won you 54 games?

I wasn't please with anything Woodson did this season, there was plenty of opportunity to play murry, and he showed a few bright spots, but I'm surely not going to sit here and think murry would have gotten us over the hump, not in a playoff push.

I agree- I was shocked at how far we fell. But its not like it wasn't predicted!

There was a point in the season that the sane, rational leaders of this organization (I know, our problem is we don't have any, or didn't until Phil got here) should have said - we're not making it. Lets play the young guys and see if they can be part of the long term solution.

And as far as Tyler, Aldrich and Murray possibly getting us to the play offs this past year- I think they might have helped. They gave effort. Chandler, Bargs were hurt/ineffective all year. We would have probably been better off releasing them day one and going with Tyler/Aldrich.

And Felton was I believe the worst PG in the league. I don't know if Murray would have done worse if you anointed him the starter out of the gate, gave him 30+/- minutes every night.