Knicks' best shot will be at Crawford
Wednesday, June 30, 2004

BY DAVE D'ALESSANDRO
Star-Ledger Staff

http://www.nj.com/knicks/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1088580601198680.xml

The first two calls Isiah Thomas is likely to make tonight -- perhaps one minute after midnight -- will be placed to representatives for Rasheed Wallace and Kobe Bryant, and they will promptly tell the Knicks president that they'll check back with him in a week or so.

The second call Thomas will make -- at roughly 12:03 a.m. -- will be to Aaron Goodwin, and he will tell the agent what he already knows: Jamal Crawford can have New York at his feet if he wants it, and he can have the Knicks' entire midlevel exception.


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After all the years of mediocrity, after all those years of stockpiling one poison pill contract on top of another, and after all those years of being constrained by an intractable payroll that has climbed to a record $94 million, the Knicks can still say one good thing about the free-agent market, which opens at midnight: The midlevel exception is a terrific hole card.

Very few teams are willing to spend this extra fund -- valued at roughly $5.1 million, depending on the salary cap -- which can be used annually by teams over the cap to spend on free agents. And when it is stretched out to six years, a free agent can get a contract that approaches $40 million.

But the Knicks have looked at the free-agent pool and deemed that only a handful of nonstars are truly worthy of such a contract. Stromile Swift is one, but he'll probably get a bigger offer elsewhere from a team that has cap space.

Crawford, a 6-5 swing guard who has never been fully embraced by the Chicago Bulls, is another. So he will be the Knicks' primary target.

Thomas won't be available to discuss his team's free-agent goals until next week, but he tried to sound pessimistic last Wednesday, the night the Bulls selected another shooting guard (Ben Gordon) with the third pick in the draft.

"Everything they said about Crawford is that they like him and intend to keep him," Thomas said. "They drafted Gordon, and they still can play with those three guards (Kirk Hinrich, Crawford and Gordon). They could be a good three-guard rotation. Chicago said they're happy with him. We'll see."

Actually, the opposite is true. Despite his extraordinary talent and 17-point scoring average, the Bulls often criticize the four-year veteran for being headstrong and careless, though that could be a byproduct of growing up with a hopelessly young Chicago team in the post-dynasty era.

Chicago is not likely to match an offer sheet to Crawford that approaches $40 million, but the Knicks may have some competition from the Denver Nuggets, who have ample cap space to give Crawford more money.

Though Thomas has conceded that his team has a small chance of getting Wallace, the Knicks remain hopeful that the Pistons blunder and make an offer far enough below market to their mercurial power forward that he'd still consider coming to New York for the midlevel.

The Knicks will also target a number of other free agents with their million-dollar exception -- which is actually valued at $1.6 million -- and can obtain a serviceable big man (Michael Doleac, Vin Baker, et. al) with it.

They are more likely to make roster improvements this summer with trades. According to a Dallas Mavericks official, talks involving Antoine Walker have slowed of late. The Mavs had been trying to get the Knicks to take on additional bodies they have no use for (Danny Fortson and the like), but that the Knicks are perfectly willing to make Kurt Thomas available in such a swap.

"We'll be actively trying to improve our team, whether it be through trades or free agency," Thomas said. "This is the time we'll probably be the most active. I don't think it will necessarily be the bigger names in the market, but there will be pieces floating around that we think if we can acquire them they'll make our team better."

Crawford's age, skills, athleticism and versatility make him such a good fit next to Marbury for the next 6 years. If we could get an athletic center (like every other team that needs one) we would have a very nice core moving forward of Marbury, Crawford, TT and Sweetney.

Posted by jazz74:

best case scenerio (the realistic kind without involving rasheed or kobe) is to get both walker AND crawford. i was oppose about walker if he was our ONLY upgrade but if we get both walker and crawford just by giving up thomas and no one else from our core, then we are set. we can realistically talk about division titles.

that would indeed be an excellent offseason. doable if the shaq to dallas deal fail.

btw, as i said in another topic about the MLE and especially crawford :

"what is good (or bad if your name is dolan) and we tend to forget, is that you get a MLE if you're over the cap, meaning that thanks to the luxury tax, it costs the team the double they'll pay the targeted free agent."

even a team like chicago is reluctant to do that. If they match, crawford will cost them a lot. they'll be forced to tarde him and other teams will know that. so, stock will fall.

Either way, now their front court is set. If they match and have to tarde him, they have to showcase him. That would kill ben gordon's developpement for this yr.

we have a realistic chance to get him.

IMO, the one thing that would really throw a monkey wrench into our getting Crawford is if he takes the qualifying offer and decides to be an unrestricted free agent next year, where he might be able to get more money.

I would not want to add Crawford AND Walker for a couple reasons. First, that would add 2 more people who'd want to dominate the ball. With Marbury around, you want him with the ball in his hands a huge percentage of the time (though you want at least one fall back option for when he gets doubled). Adding Crawford and Walker would be adding too many guys who want/need to dominate the ball, and in addition to that, two guys with bad shooting percentages and bad shot selection. It sounds nice to have all that talent, but it might spell some ugly times on the court. Walker's ending contract IS appealing however.

[Edited by - Vdesai on 06/30/2004 10:49:04]

Everything I have read coming from the mouths of john Paxson and Ernie G has said they will retain there players. If someone wants to over pay--like throwing a 60+mm$ contract over 6 years or higher THAN I would concede these players are gonzo. These teams are just waiting for one of these players to sign an MLE--thats what they WANt them to do. It's a contract that is still easily moveable and very manageable + cap friendly. These agents arent stupid, they will use the MLE as a last resort--even going back to the Bulls or Wizards first. thats what the MLE is to these players--a last resort that will be matched.

antoine walker--please no more throw up about this player. if i could put a player on a piece of paper denoting this as someone who the Knicks should stay far away from it is him. He wants another big money contract, he takes away time from players who will undoubtably be more effecient than him and play D---i.e Mike Sweetney--if there is even an iota of chance--which I doubt--id rather have stromile swift than walker because he stays inside blocks shots and plays good defense. We already have a player who controls the ball from the pertimeter. We really do not need players who are mostly offensive, but rather have a two -way style of playing. Swift would still be up there because of the small cost involved and the fact he can play C OR PF. If we kept KT and started Swift at C we would be better with Nazr and Sweetney as back ups. I still think Eric Dampier is our bets bet, because there is no barrier to entry like these other players. Some may like him, some may not, but Erick Dampier would give us the best fit of any FA out there for the next few years.

toine is a really good player but only if it costs us kurt and fillers. i'm even willing to part with frank. cuban plays hardball and i don't think we have the pieces to acquire him. would kurt AND nazr (along with fillers) be enough and would we be giving up way too much?

as for crawford - he's the PERFECT free agent acquisition for this team. h20 should only be getting 20-25 mins/night and we all saw how effective marbury was at the SG in the playoffs. having 2 backcourt players that can handle the ball and shoot the rock would be great.

swift is another great fit also BUT the better player is crawford and i'd rather have the better player at this point.

Posted by BRIGGS:

Everything I have read coming from the mouths of john Paxson and Ernie G has said they will retain there players. If someone wants to over pay--like throwing a 60+mm$ contract over 6 years or higher THAN I would concede these players are gonzo. These teams are just waiting for one of these players to sign an MLE--thats what they WANt them to do. It's a contract that is still easily moveable and very manageable + cap friendly. These agents arent stupid, they will use the MLE as a last resort--even going back to the Bulls or Wizards first. thats what the MLE is to these players--a last resort that will be matched.

antoine walker--please no more throw up about this player. if i could put a player on a piece of paper denoting this as someone who the Knicks should stay far away from it is him. He wants another big money contract, he takes away time from players who will undoubtably be more effecient than him and play D---i.e Mike Sweetney--if there is even an iota of chance--which I doubt--id rather have stromile swift than walker because he stays inside blocks shots and plays good defense. We already have a player who controls the ball from the pertimeter. We really do not need players who are mostly offensive, but rather have a two -way style of playing. Swift would still be up there because of the small cost involved and the fact he can play C OR PF. If we kept KT and started Swift at C we would be better with Nazr and Sweetney as back ups. I still think Eric Dampier is our bets bet, because there is no barrier to entry like these other players. Some may like him, some may not, but Erick Dampier would give us the best fit of any FA out there for the next few years.

Briggs, I think a lot of us would love to have Dampier but realistically, we have almost no chance. A lot of teams are now interested in Dampier like Indiana, Dallas, and the Lakers. A couple of months ago it was only between us and Memphis, and I remember hearing Dampier say that he would love to play here. However, I doubt that he still would like to play here when he can sign with almost any contender in the NBA. I still would like for Isiah to make a strong effort to get him but I just don't think we have any chance at this point. If I had to choose between Crawford, Swift, and Dampier I'd want Dampier because he is a pure Center whose defense we really need. But, I have accepted the fact that we almost have no shot at him anymore so I'll still be estatic if we can land Crawford, Swift, or even Antoine Walker. I hate hearing people say that Antoine Walker is a cancer because he makes other players better and he showed that in Dallas this year. I don't how many of you actually saw Antoine play with Dallas this year but I did, and I have to admit that I was very much impressed with his all-around game. How many PF's are skilled enough to put up triple doubles? I'm just gonna trust Isiah and see what he can do for us this offseason, he hasn't let me down yet.

i thought his knee condition was a degenerative one, as in arthritic in nature, no? or is it just something that can be fixed w/time off? i hope it's the latter.

Dampier's looking for $10 mil per according to his agent...not saying he'll get it, but i have a hard time imagining him taking a MLE.

does anyone think the Warriors might take Walker for Dampier in a sign & trade? it would give them a huge expiring contract, & some value for Dampier...it also gives the Mavs a bigman, physical rebounder that they need.