EnySpree wrote:I just don't like the spin...we should keep the team flexible enough to capitalize on potential moves but I don't want to be on the corners selling my ass to get the big name free agent every other year or so.

We just need to keep building our team not put the team on hold in order to keep trying to set up the cap to fit more and more stars.

I love where we are now. We just have to keep working to get guys that fit.

+1 but I am not encouraged with where we are and remain concerned if Phil can get us where we need to go. After all, he did trade Tyson Chandler for cents on the dollar.

CrushAlot wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:....lies straight from the pits of hell! Repent!

The last thing you want to do is cut New York off the list of free agency destinations, even it is unlikely. It just creates a little added leverage for Durant just in case he wants to force a trade somewhere else. I'm sure there's probably similar article running in the Philadelphia Inquirer about how much Durant would love to join a young team like the Sixers.

True but the issue I have is that reporters make it seem as though the alleged interest is serious, when in reality, it is simply a marketing ploy. Durant may leave OKC but I fail to understand why it would be to a team like us.

I don't think he is coming to NY but the reasons that have been given are that he likes playing with Melo, likes Fisher and likes the coach that came over with Fish from okc.

I never considered those factors, which are pretty compelling. I suppose that being a Knick fan for so long has dampened my optimism. Can Durant work with Melo though?

EnySpree wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

EnySpree wrote:I just don't like the spin...we should keep the team flexible enough to capitalize on potential moves but I don't want to be on the corners selling my ass to get the big name free agent every other year or so.

We just need to keep building our team not put the team on hold in order to keep trying to set up the cap to fit more and more stars.

I love where we are now. We just have to keep working to get guys that fit.

+1 but I am not encouraged with where we are and remain concerned if Phil can get us where we need to go. After all, he did trade Tyson Chandler for cents on the dollar.

Tyson, Felton, shump, jr all needed to go. They were all apart of the winning and losing here. The talent level suggested that they would be better. They were not. Too many players with issues that need a certain type of playing style to be successful. It doesn't matter what we got for them. We're getting the culture change we wanted. We're in a good spot now. We just have to believe that our gm/president cab get it done. That's what it's all about

You speak of culture change but that is the same mentality that allowed us to gut our team for 2010 with nothing to show for it. Now, we get the privilege of seeing Zach Randolph and David Lee becoming all-stars and Jamal Crawford turning into a perennial 6th man candidate at a time when we are starved for talent and trade assets. Like I said, I'm concerned with Phil because we're in a worse place than when he started. Aside for Melo, we got no real assets aside for expiring contracts, which can yield more problems than they solve.

CrushAlot wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

EnySpree wrote:

NardDogNation wrote:

EnySpree wrote:I just don't like the spin...we should keep the team flexible enough to capitalize on potential moves but I don't want to be on the corners selling my ass to get the big name free agent every other year or so.

We just need to keep building our team not put the team on hold in order to keep trying to set up the cap to fit more and more stars.

I love where we are now. We just have to keep working to get guys that fit.

+1 but I am not encouraged with where we are and remain concerned if Phil can get us where we need to go. After all, he did trade Tyson Chandler for cents on the dollar.

Tyson, Felton, shump, jr all needed to go. They were all apart of the winning and losing here. The talent level suggested that they would be better. They were not. Too many players with issues that need a certain type of playing style to be successful. It doesn't matter what we got for them. We're getting the culture change we wanted. We're in a good spot now. We just have to believe that our gm/president cab get it done. That's what it's all about

You speak of culture change but that is the same mentality that allowed us to gut our team for 2010 with nothing to show for it. Now, we get the privilege of seeing Zach Randolph and David Lee becoming all-stars and Jamal Crawford turning into a perennial 6th man candidate at a time when we are starved for talent and trade assets. Like I said, I'm concerned with Phil because we're in a worse place than when he started. Aside for Melo, we got no real assets aside for expiring contracts, which can yield more problems than they solve.

I am not a fan of the Walsh era and the moves he made. I know there are some parallels to Phil cleaning house but Tyson, Shump, JR, and Felton were not going to be good players in NY and they were a part of a past culture that was really bad. The Knicks were in desperate need of high character guys. I think that is why Thomas and Amundson are such good fits. I do find it interesting that some guys left over after the trade, waiving of Sam, and call up are not getting minutes anymore. I am not sure if Fisher wants them to buy in more and work harder in practice or if they just aren't as good. When your youth is undrafted rookies and second round picks it could just be the level of talent for some of these guys.

Felton could've been waived via the stretch provision and only cost us $1.7 million in cap space for the next 5 years. Clearly no biggie.

The Clippers and Thunder were rumored to be offering a 1st round pick for Shumpert at the deadline, yet the best we did with him was a contract dump. And when you think of the fact that the Nuggets got Aaron Afflalo for Evan Fournier, I'd have to think that we could've trumped the offer with Shumpert and non-guranteed contracts like Shannon Brown and Lamar Odom.

Tyson Chandler had hit a rough patch with us but what do you call Omer Asik's time with the Rockets? He had no discernible resume and refused to play for much of the season because he wasn't getting the minutes he wanted. Somehow Asik, a renowned malcontent that everyone knew the Rockets had to move, could get them a 1st round pick but we couldn't get one for a recent DPOY and all-star that was pivtol to a championship run in 2011? And somehow we had to take on one of the worst value contracts in the league? Calderon is making $7 million; Jarrett Jack is making $6 million. Somehow to move Jarrett Jack, the Cavs had to surrender a future 1st and a damn good prospect in Tyler Zeller. But somehow we're dumb enough to be the team surrendering an asset for a bad contract, then think we got ourselves a steal.

These things are too much for me to ignore with Phil. He's consistently made the wrong move and I'm not jumping on the bandwagon until he breaks that trend.