Miami needs to move Andersen out and give this guy 30+ min

TripleThreat wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:This guy has really improved--he's a player. Sometimes it takes bigger guys time but we need to track him as he could be a cheaper solution as a free agent big man. We cant pay everyone 13+mm we need some 3-4 mm dollar cost conscious players to help mold it and keep things flexible. He's one helluva long athletic athlete.

IMHO, the question still persists. To really heavily mine the 2nd round of the draft and try to hit on some key UDFA's to fill out a roster and back end of a rotation, would that be more likely the result of the work of a young GM, who has spent time and blood in as an assistant and had to do scouting and deal with agents and spent years in the front office trenches, or would it be likely the result of a 70 year old first time GM who is busy trying to say savvy things to the media and bending Jeannie Buss over his office desk?

Could a player like Whiteside help the Knicks? Possibly, probably likely.

But more critically, could Phil Jackson find this kid? Could Phil Jackson navigate the ins and outs of how to deal with UDFA's and back end roster churn to identify the best of the rest? Does Zen Master know how to leverage these guys with their contracts?

CrushAlot wrote:

TripleThreat wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:This guy has really improved--he's a player. Sometimes it takes bigger guys time but we need to track him as he could be a cheaper solution as a free agent big man. We cant pay everyone 13+mm we need some 3-4 mm dollar cost conscious players to help mold it and keep things flexible. He's one helluva long athletic athlete.

IMHO, the question still persists. To really heavily mine the 2nd round of the draft and try to hit on some key UDFA's to fill out a roster and back end of a rotation, would that be more likely the result of the work of a young GM, who has spent time and blood in as an assistant and had to do scouting and deal with agents and spent years in the front office trenches, or would it be likely the result of a 70 year old first time GM who is busy trying to say savvy things to the media and bending Jeannie Buss over his office desk?

Could a player like Whiteside help the Knicks? Possibly, probably likely.

But more critically, could Phil Jackson find this kid? Could Phil Jackson navigate the ins and outs of how to deal with UDFA's and back end roster churn to identify the best of the rest? Does Zen Master know how to leverage these guys with their contracts?

The Knicks have already found two undrafted rookie free agents in Wear and Galloway that look like they are going to minimally be rotation players for a long time on Jackson's watch and we are only 1/2 way through his first season. They also have a second rounder in Early who looked really good last night. The team is using the d-league the right way. 39 games in and the Knicks have three rookies on their roster that look like players. Is Jackson and his scouting staff good or his he just lucky?

Respectfully, I just don't see it with any of our young guys. Early I can see a little something in I suppose (as in willing to carry over to next year and keep developing--he can definitely go if the right deal presented itself though) but Galloway and Wear are not NBA players imo. And I haven't liked THJ since day 1. I was even wrong about Quincy Acy--I thought with more touches, Acy was ready to step up in this league and become a legit threat on both ends but sadly, that's not the case...Galloway's trying out there and he can shoot the ball but he looks severely limited to me otherwise. They won't do it but up to me, I'd wipe the slate clean, even regarding our own young players. There are better options out there -- for instance, you can't convince me that Travis Wear's a better player than JayMychal Green. Or that Langston Galloway's better than Bryce Cotton. It's just not so. Not the case at all. The latter players are head & shoulders better than our own young guys.

I think we might feel some sense of obligation going with our own Westchester guys ahead of some of the other premier DL talent that's out there for the taking and I think that's a mistake. I respect the loyalty that we're showing in a way I guess--it's good to reward our own Westchester guys and show them that there's something to shoot for--but I think it might be going on to a fault. Maybe H2O should've concentrated on loading up the Westchester Knicks a little better in the beginning if that's how they felt. Phil needs to learn how to admit he was wrong--that's what it might come down to. He seemed to admit he was wrong about Shumpert, unloading him for nothing a few days ago after admitting to everyone that he was one of his favorite Knicks when he first came aboard. OK, now how about admitting you were wrong about the Chandler deal (in a weird sense he may have been right though, even if the talent he got back isn't as good as we thought and even with Calderon's bad contract---with Chandler, we definitely would've won more games up to this point, even a handful, and probably wouldn't be thinking a top 1-3 pick was in reach--can't convince me that was Phil's intention when he made the deal but it's a nice silver lining that has developed). and then admit you were wrong about some of this young talent you brought on board. I'd like to see him adjust a little better on the fly with stuff. He seems a step slow to me or maybe it's just a matter of being overly loyal to his own young talent that he himself helped hand pick. Sometimes stuff doesn't work out after awhile--I'd like to see us adjust accordingly and a hell of a lot quicker on some stuff. Up to me -- Wear and Acy should be cut--I'd like to see those spots filled with 2 premier DL players. I'd even cut Galloway after 10 days and go in a different direction there too if better option are still out there. And I wouldn't necessarily concentrate solely on "triangle players" whatever the hell that even means. Go get the best talent you can find. Period. How a guy might look in the triangle one day would be of no concern to me at all. Furthest thing from my mind. Some on this board will argue that aspect, but it's just how I feel. Our best player isn't even a prototypical "triangle guy" and we gave him $125mm. How 'bout that?? We should be in the talent accumulation phase right now until further notice and on every level -- upcoming FA, the NBA trade front, the draft, signing players to 10-day contracts etc.. Even putting together the Vegas Summer League team and the Westchester DL roster -- every part of this rebuilding process needs to be taken super serious. I can't even say that enough. I'm sick of looking around the league and seeing things being done better.

Nalod wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:

TripleThreat wrote:

BRIGGS wrote:This guy has really improved--he's a player. Sometimes it takes bigger guys time but we need to track him as he could be a cheaper solution as a free agent big man. We cant pay everyone 13+mm we need some 3-4 mm dollar cost conscious players to help mold it and keep things flexible. He's one helluva long athletic athlete.

IMHO, the question still persists. To really heavily mine the 2nd round of the draft and try to hit on some key UDFA's to fill out a roster and back end of a rotation, would that be more likely the result of the work of a young GM, who has spent time and blood in as an assistant and had to do scouting and deal with agents and spent years in the front office trenches, or would it be likely the result of a 70 year old first time GM who is busy trying to say savvy things to the media and bending Jeannie Buss over his office desk?

Could a player like Whiteside help the Knicks? Possibly, probably likely.

But more critically, could Phil Jackson find this kid? Could Phil Jackson navigate the ins and outs of how to deal with UDFA's and back end roster churn to identify the best of the rest? Does Zen Master know how to leverage these guys with their contracts?

He won't have to look far, he's on the Miami Heat. I was talking about looking at him as a cheap free agent possibility since we have no bigs--we need a cadre and we cant pay each one 15mm.

The kid has always had the athletic part. Its my take that PHil likes bigs who can pop out and hit a midrange shot. Does he have any offensive ability skill that might be contributory to the Triangle concept?

His ceiling was high, big men take time to develop, and it looks like he has been working hard on and off the court
While signing big named free agents are needed, finding steals in FA/D League/International players, having a strong development system, and taking some risks are needed
Having role players motivated and taking philosophies off ALL great teams are needed
Teams like Atlanta, Golden State, Chicago, and Spurs, ALL play great team defense every night, have multiple players that sacrifice for the better of the team, have talent/depth/versatility in all positions, and always hit it to the open man

When watching Golden State this year, Kerr has truly took a page of ALL his experiences/philosophies in his entire career as a player, GM, scout/analyst, and was able to transfer his knowledge and improve the roster even more

He took the philosophies of

Dantoni
Spurs
Phil Jackson

and knows how to motivate ALL his players/bench, while building the confidence/development of all his role players

If you watch them, he runs many different schemes that fit to the strengths of his team, including always hitting the open man and taking high % shots, outside of Curry who has the green light but doesn't always take bad shots, looking to get others involved as well

To initiate their offense, they use many picks/double picks/ to go with their ability to stretch the floor
When they throw the ball to the post, the other 4 players move together, and see how the defense will react, looking for the open man/mismatch

Kerr was prepared to be a coach and is highly intelligent, although never having actual coaching experience

We simply are very far from assemblying a roster and then need to continue to build chemistry
It is a process that takes time, however, it is essential

If we do not get the #1 overall pick and draft OK4, I think we will have a very hard time building a team that will be able to contend unless we sign multiple players like Whiteside that are cheap but have the ability to improve while locked in at cheap contracts

It looks like Galloway is a steal and a very solid PG/SG with good shooting ability and understanding of the triangle
The young guys look much better in executing the system, despite the lack of talent to win games

If we are unable to land the pick to draft OK4 and Towns, I certainly would look to see if I can trade down to the highest bidder with many teams having many picks in this draft and future picks, as well as young players
We need to constantly improve and just to limited with all the picks we have already traded
Now if we can get back multiple 1st and 2nd rounders in this draft and future drafts, if a team overpays for this pick, i would be all for it
In addition, look to trade CA if we are unable to build a roster and attract the FA's needed this summer

We overpayed by trading for CA, Denver saved over 60m in tax/salaries that year
Dumping many junk contracts to us

- 1 first rounder/ 2 swap
- 1 first rounder for Felton and swap of Andre Miller
- 2 first rounders for MosGoV

- 2 2nd rounders we got from Golden State for David Lee
- Wilson Chandler, who can easily get a 1st rounder if they wanted
- Gallo, has been injured for the most part, but if they wanted they could have easily traded him for at least 1 first round pick

Just because a player makes more does not make them better players, we need to find many player in many positions that FIT TOGETHER and the philosophy/system that would work together
I think Whiteside would love the opportunity to be a POST player with the sucess of players we have had in the past
Making it more realistic than praying a Paul Millsap, Marc Gasol, LA, would come this summer, possibly even taking less

Players that know how to play on the ball and off the ball and play good defense, we need multiple players that could do this...

https://twitter.com/flasportsbuzz

Would've been nice but we can forget this guy for next year. Nice heads up move by the Heat. Really paying dividends for them.