Rank the following four players (all in rumors to NY) regarding who you want most to least on our team this year: Crawford, Carter, Dampier, Walker. State why you ranked them as you did too.

My rankings
1. Crawford. I'm pessimistic about Houston ever returning to be an impact player again. So, starting SG is a big need and I love the idea of Crawford and Marbury being our backcourt for the next several years.
2. Dampier. Center is probably a bigger need than SG for the Knicks. However, Crawford is so young and talented that I'd rather not miss on the chance to get him. We could still get a solid role player at C like Chris Mihm. Adding Mihm and Crawford (plus an improved Sweetney) would make this year's team better than the one that won at about a 45 win pace last season after the GM Change. Rebuilding takes YEARS. We don't have to solve every problem on the team this summer. Mihm is a nice role player to have for many years and during the next two summers, the Knicks will have huge expiring contracts to use to upgrade at other positions (including C).
3. Carter. He's by far the most talented player on this list. If I could be guaranteed that he would hold up well the for the rest of his career, he would without doubt be my first choice on this list. But realistically, if the Knicks get him, I'll be worried that he'll get injured.
4. Walker. He's a very good player who helps teams win. (Just ask Paul Pierce if he misses going to the eastern conference finals with Walker on his team.) And I love his expiring contract. However, I do not like the idea of him taking minutes away from Sweetney. I think Sweetney has worked so hard and will continue to and is so strong with a wide body that he can already be a very good starting PF this year and will only continue to improve.

BOTTOM LINE: I'd be very happy if any one of the top 3 players above became Knicks this year. Considering how small the Knicks expiring contracts are, I wasn't expecting the Knicks to be able to get any of those players, but it looks like in the worst case scenario Isiah can replace Norris with Dikembe and get Jamal (and then pick up a role player C to replace Dikembe).
I'd have mixed feelings if the Knicks got Walker, but I still think the pros outweight the cons because he is a very good player with a great expiring contract and Sweetney can still get a good # of minutes off the bench. Unless Walker had an unbelievably awesome year (or if Sweetney shocks us and looks awful, which I don't expect), I'd want Isiah to trade Walker and his expirng contract by the trade deadline.

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Note: I posted this at the zone forums too. http://www.thezoneforums.com

[Edited by - Bonn1997 on 07/25/2004 10:45:49]

1. Damps- IMO, we are starting a back up center. Whenever Nazr got in over his head, it seemed like he would just foul the guy and be reduced to the bench. With Damp we get a legit starting center, who the latest rumors have considering the MLE. I'm against giving him the 90 mil contract, but either way, he should be our first priority.

2. JCraw- I'm inlove with the idea of Isiah's 3 guard rotation. Jamal is streaky, but with Marbs, TT, and Allan, who can all pick up the slack, that shouldn't be too much of a problem. I'd love getting him especially with the possibility of getting rid of shandon and/or moochie.

3. VC- I don't see him actually in a knick uniform any time soon, but when a player like Vince says he wants to play for your team...you do anything you can to get him. How great would it be to watch a Marbs to VC ally oop at the Garden?

4.Walker - This guy should be our last priority. We have Sweets who needs some playing time...hell maybe by mid-season he'll be ready to start. In all likelyhood of the JCraw deal going down, we'd also have JYD who can bring a spark into the game. However, if this guy can tone down on his 3s and work on more of a post game, he would be a nice pickup.

Dampier is number one in my book over all of them. Center is the Knicks' biggest need now than SG. If I am gonna start Sweetney at PF then I want me a big center along him. Dampier is as good as it gets. Vin Baker is ok to fall back on but he is really a pf.

Crawford would be nice to have but it is not really that big a need and why over spend for the backcourt? It wouldn't make sense long term but maybe short term because of Houston's health. I am just sick of getting tied up with "layden" type deals unless it was a superstar.

Walker would make us once again shorter and incomptent in post D. Blah but his contract would be useful by the trade deadline. Who knows if he makes a good fit, probably make us a good offensive team. That won't say much for the defense. I agree with Briggs about not getting Walker locked up in a long term deal. I rather see Sweetney develop into our own stud PF. Walker will get old fast and past his prime. I see this and the last thing we need is being stuck with yet another bad contract. Yuck.

Carter I would trade in a heartbeat for anyone on the team not named Marbury. It is a pipe dream, no team has been that nice to the Knicks in the offseason since trading for Debuschere and the Pearl. Apparently Miami deserves Shaq.

1. Carter by far. The only superstar on the list and a guy who really is an exceptional all around player. Add him to Marbury and Houston and we're talking about easily the best perimiter team in the league. 3 legit former 20 ppg scorers.

2. Dampier- Though not for a contract more than 5 years. We need a center and someone to deter people from going into the middle in the worst way and Dampier can be that guy. Doesn't everyone remember that we played our best games when Mutombo was doing well last year? Our defense worked great with someone who could scare away penetrators and back cutters. Nazr put up nicer stats, but our defense went down with him in floor in ahuge way.

3. Crawford- Almost makes it above Dampier. This is a chance to get a young budding star. Unless we draft one, we just don't have shots to get these guys anymore. And we're talking about shedding garbage like Shandon and Moochie in the process. I'd much rather add up their two salaries and give that money to Crawford...a younger, better player. Maybe we overpay him, but at least he's young and tradeable. JYD would be a nice addition with him, and I think ERob might benefit from a change of scenery as well (and his deal is only 2 years more anyway, expring the same time as Penny and TT).

4. Walker- I simply don't like this player for reasons we could go over a million times. I would take him on since his deal is expiring and because he will be motivated, but I wouldn't give up too many assets for him, and wouldn't give him an extension.

1) Carter - A star who can carry a team.
2) Crawford - I like his upside and his attitude
3) Dampier - Can be a very good center when motivated
4) Walker - He's about stats. He wears out his welcome quickly. Stay away from Walker.

Posted by Ira:

1) Carter - A star who can carry a team.
2) Crawford - I like his upside and his attitude
3) Dampier - Can be a very good center when motivated
4) Walker - He's about stats. He wears out his welcome quickly. Stay away from Walker.

I agree with this list, unless Dampier signs for the MLE (which I doubt), in which case he would move to 2).

Posted by Ira:

1) Carter - A star who can carry a team.
2) Crawford - I like his upside and his attitude
3) Dampier - Can be a very good center when motivated
4) Walker - He's about stats. He wears out his welcome quickly. Stay away from Walker.

Ask Paul Pierce if Antoine is about stats or Ws. I bet he tells you that he wishes he still had Antoine helping him make the conference finals. (He still is 4th on my list of these four players, but if you've followed the celtics, it's clear he is the kind of player that brings Ws.)

[Edited by - Bonn1997 on 07/25/2004 15:04:53]

1. Vince Carter

2. Dampier

3. Crawford

4. Walker

--While VC's has had questionable knees and attitude, he is by far and wide the best talent of the 4 who has never been paired with another great player or two.
Dampier--hes no Shaq hes no Ewing but the bottom line is he can be a steady consistent force in the middle on both sides. Vince Carter is a special athlete that comes with what would be tolerable high risk. Dampier is clearly the safe bet and would no doubt--imho make this team the way it s constructed much better.

Crawford--Crawford to me is a full level down from these players for the Knicks because his high value is best as a PG. At SG I would consider him smallish with very questionable fundamental skills.


Walker--i would say 90%+ of knick fans would put walker last and justifiably so. He plays a position we not only have our best young player at, but we also have considerable veteran help. On top of that you will find a good number of fans from Dallas and Boston who will come out and say Walker is the most over-rated POS in this league and I am on their bandwagon. Walker is highly likely to be booed at MSG and if I was Isiah the last thing I would do is put high stake into this player because he will get smoked.

I don't think you can go wrong with the three players above--even accepting to over pay for Crawford. But making bad judgement with Walker will not be tolerated by NY fans right off the bat.

My list:

1)Crawford- Why? First of all, the deal is a possible one. It has been rumored for a long time, it has died and been revived again and again but what's stoping the deal is something that can be worked out, and with Crawford's agent pushing a trade to NY, things could get done soon. But of course it isn't because the deal might get done, its also because this helps us both now and for the future. He definitely has potential, and in some way is both rebuilding and winning now. Because of Houston't contract he would come off the bench as both a PG and a SG, and that backup SG is very important with Houston's shaky health. Once Houston is on his final year, Crawford, more seasoned and experienced, would get the green light to start at SG. I think he can play effectively SG no matter if most people see him as a PG. He has the size and shoots well.

2) Dampier- Why? Is the second most possible deal that could get done. Phoenix could get in the race for him, though, and they would have money if the Clips match QRich's offer. Who knows if a sign-n-trade can still get done- again an agent could play an important role- but if not, and Dampier doesn't want Atlanta, he could sign for the MLE. He is a center, something we have lacked a lot since the Ewing days. He is no Ewing, but he is a center that, given more time and motivation, would help a lot defensively and rebounding-wise. It would definitely upgrade the team if a motivated Dampier arrives in NY.

3) Walker- Why? Am I crazy to put him before Carter? No, because Walker isn't here because of talent. He is here because he is an expiring contract, something that is gold and that could get us a better player to get closer to Isiah's vision. He is talented, but personally I don't think he is someone the Knicks really need. I want Sweetney to get more responsabilities and I want to see how he responds to the challenge. Walker hasn't been mentioned in rumors as much as Damp or Craw, but a deal as been proposed and discussed, so its a trade that can happen.

4) Carter- Why? He is the first one in terms of talent; an established star. But the truth is that the only things that link him to NY is that he said he would like to be traded to the Knicks and that NY is discussing a deal with Dallas and Toronto that involves him. That trade wouldn't bring him here. The fact that he would like to come here is just that, because the Raps don't really have to trade him, and if they did, they would want star value for him, something we can't give. Who knows if someone else can, but the fact is that even if Isiah would love to trade for him, that's very, very unlikely.

I really hope we can get both Craw and Damp, one through a sign-and trade and the other with the MLE. That is, if Phoenix doesn't get in the game for Damp and if he has to sign for a MLE. If that doesn't happen, well, at least get Craw and with the MLE and the LLE get some backup centers. Baker would be signed, and what about Gadz? We still have options, and its probable that at least one of the rumored deals will get done, hopefully.