According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the Knicks and Bulls are "close" to a deal involving...

SHANDON ANDERSON! Shandon Anderson and Mutumbo for Crawford and Eddie Robinson.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/bulls/cst-spt-bull081.html

Doing the math, it'd probably be Anderson, Mutumbo, and Othella Harrington (total salaries of $15 million) for Eddie Robinson and a re-signed Crawford with a starting salary around $6.5 million for a total deal probably around 5 years, $42-46 million (a little less than what Quentin Richardson signed for.)

When I read this my jaw dropped. I'll beleive it when I see it, but this is absolutely insane. Anderson, Mutumbo, and Harrington all stink, and it would not only get rid of their bad contract in Anderson and open up a roster spot.

If this deal goes down, the Knicks could buy out Cezary Trybanski (only 1 year left and less than $2 million) and have only 11 guys under contract.

Start Marbury and Houston in the backcourt, bring Crawford off the bench as 6th man for 35 minutes per game and Frank Williams should get time as well.

Tim Thomas and Penny rotate at 3.

Frontcout is a tad thin, but they could start Sweetney at 4, KT at 5, and have Mohammed backing them up. I would use the MLE on Doleac or Brian Cardinal or Chris Mihm at this point (not the whole thing, but a multi-year deal, with this market, probably 3 years, $17 million for one of those guys) to bolster that frontcourt.

Man the Knicks are looking good in the East, especially if Boozer goes to Utah and KMart goes to Denver.

Absolutely unreal, if Isiah pulls this off he should win GM of the Year.

Shandon's contract is worse than Eddie's. It doesn't make any sense for the Bulls. I thiink the deal would also have to have Jerome Williams coming to the Knicks somehow and a first rounder going to the Bulls.

If Paxson is true to his word that he's going to acquire players that work hard in practice, will set an example for the younger players, and be leaders, it's really not that farfetched.

Obviously the Bulls are based around their young core: Hinrich, Gordon, Chandler, Curry, Deng; and they aren't in the win-now mode. They get 2 expiring deals and 3 players who are known as players who meet the Paxson/Skiles type players they want, team-oriented, hardworking, defensive minded players. If they are there to teach the Terri-Bulls, it really makes sense. Eddie Robinson's attitude was a joke last year, and Crawford getting criticized by the team in the press was a daily occurence last year.

If this is the best the Bulls can get, they probably will do it. Even though it doesn't match talent-wise, it fits what the Bulls were looking for: expiring contracts and hardworking players.

I'm very interested in what goes down, but if the Knicks get Crawford for this package, it'll just be yet another absolutely crazy thing that's happened this offseason.

Once again, you don't look at the big picture. Talent-wise, it's far-fetched. Contract-wise, the Bulls don't improve or worsen. If Paxson and Skiles want players like the ones they're getting, it's not far-fetched.

And they don't want to let him walk becuase at least they get something for him. The Pacers could've let Brad Miller walk, instead they got something for him in Scot Pollard. Was that a fair deal? Of course not. Did it fulfill both team's needs? Yea.

Essentially, instead of just letting Crawford go, the Bulls are keeping their cap situation exactly how it is and now will have the veterans they've wanted on the team (they're trying to get Brian Cardinal for the MLE, another player who's known for hard work and being a good teammate). The Bulls, in my mind, are done rebuilding. They have a player at every position (Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Curry, Chandler should be their starting 5 for the next 5-10 years) and now they're bringing in vets to help this group mature. It's better than overpaying for Crawford and having him stay and losing him for nothing. They get rid of Eddie Robinson, who called out the coach and management last year and had worn out his welcome and take back the NBA's former Iron Man Shandon Anderson, pretty much the same contract minus a year, but Anderson's a guy who will teach Deng and Gordon how to practice and how to play. They get Mutumbo, one of the best defensive big men of all time to teach Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry the art of shotblocking. They'll get Harrington, another good guy, good teammate.

It's not ridiculous, and it's been done before. Last year Cleveland overpayed for Kevin Ollie and Ira Newble, just so LeBron would have two players known for hard work and being good guys to have on the team.

[Edited by - bigsm00th on 07/08/2004 19:00:55]

Posted by BRIGGS:


we have more garbage than ever but get the young G and keep KT.

are you considering JYD garbage? I think he's a great role player

I'd gladly take JYD and Robinson to get rid of Shandon. ERob is a better player than Shandon, makes a little less and expries the same year as Penny and Tim....thats like 30 mil in expring deals and probably more. JYD is a great reserve...a hustle player, a rebounder and a guy the fans can get behind.

Here are the salaries:

Eddie Robinson	    $6,767,540	
Jerome Williams	    $5,600,000	
Jamal Crawford	    $6,500,000

Shandon Anderson    $7,300,000	
Dikembe Mutombo	    $4,496,000	
Othella Harrington  $3,150,000
Cezary Trybanski    $1,760,000   

ERobb and Crawford would go nicely for Anderson and Deke, but I don't see how a ERob, JYD and Crawford deal for the Knicks, salaries just don't match up.

This trade would work if its JCraw, Erobb, and JYD for S Anderson, D Mutombo, O Harrington, F Williams, and CTry. Throw in the 1.7 Mil to Chicago so they can cut C Try from day one. Sure they get S Anderson for an extra year, but Mutombo and Harrington take off 7.6 already next year and Chicago move 13.3 (plus 1.7 = 15 for Tryb) off their 05/06 roster in exchange for 7.9. If they move A Davis and his expiring contract in 05 theyre sitting strong as far as salary cap goes. If J Crawford is telling them "I want to go NYC get this done", they might have too, especially if they have their eyes on another Archie Goodwin client.

And worse comes to worse we buy out E Robinson. Alot easier than Shandons contract. And we get to keep Thomas, who although gets alot of crap here, I think should remain a Knick.

"Absolutely unreal, if Isiah pulls this off he should win GM of the Year."

Nah, Kevin O'Connor getting Okur and Boozer is more deserving.

I feel like the Knicks already have Crawford....

It's as if we are in danger of losing him.

Frank Willaims is supposedly not gonna be available for the summer league because of a turned ankle. They are saying that could be a sign that Frank will be part of the Crawford trade.

I say duh.....Chicago probably wants Frank cuz of the street legend thing he has in Illinios, his age and toughness on defense.
Cezary probably will be in the trade. Othella's camp is pissed(rightfully so) so he's gone, Mutombo is ready to retire, KT could be in on it. Shandon is a Scott Skiles type player.

So long Frank.....have a great career in Chicago.
Crawford is Frank Williams on speed.

Let's Go!!!