Posted by fishmike:

If Baker's given about $3 mil, how would you spend the remaining $1.9 mil of the MLE?

I dont use it at all... why do we HAVE to use it?

Save it and then you have a little extra to offer some guy that guys dumped in midseason.

Can you use the MLE during the season?

sure... you can sign FAs through out the year. You MLE and LLE are usable until you cant sign FAs anymore.

I still don't think you're gonna find a player who gets waived during the season who could help this team more than a healthy Keon Clark can, but we (Fish and I) have a different view of Clark

I think fish was saying to go after Swift only if we can't get Dampier. I don't think anyone actually wants Swift instead of Dampier given our team's needs

Swift is a fantastic talent and there's no way we can get him. Why would Memphis give him up for anything other than Dampier? I wouldn't be surprised if Jerry coughs up Stro for Damps. We'll see on that one.

As for Keon, agreed he is an underachiever, but he did achieve best under Lenny. If Lenny meets with him and is cool with him, I'd say take him for a year at the LLE.

And as for Vin Baker, I'm CONVINCED that Isiah will NOT give Baker the MLE until Damps is off the market. Think about that Post article this morning...where did it come from? We know Zeke isn't talking to the NY Media, so hmmmm I wonder who is? Could it be Aaron Goodwin? Yes! That guy has been working the media ALL summer, to his credit, it got Jamal to New York, and now he's working on Baker (among others). I don't think Goodwin has as much power as he thinks he does. Baker won't be a Knick until Damps has a home court for 04-05.

I think Damps is still a realistic option and more important for this team than Stromile anyway. Would we play Stromile next to Sweets? That would be a midget front court if ever I saw one. I'd like to field a team where Tim Thomas isn't the tallest guy on the court...