Knixkik wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:

Knixkik wrote:

Jmpasq wrote:

BigDaddyG wrote:

Jmpasq wrote:Trading Lee has to be a priority. However when you look at this team after signing a max FA you can see that there is no chance in hell we are competing with Boston or Philly

Yeah, this process is going to take longer than a couple of years. Even if were able to sign a Max guy, we'd still have to fill out the rest of the roster. The THJ deal will continue to haunt us unless we can unload Lee for expirings.

Yep the Hardaway deal was stupid. I think Phil was right this season, should of bought out Carmelo and tanked the season. We probably would be picking top 5.

Hardaway deal is fine. He's a younger player who can score. In the NBA we need that. This isn't a Noah contract. Hardaway is a useful starter on a market value contract. His numbers will look much better playing next to a healthy KP, as we saw earlier this year with the small sample size of them both playing together.

It's not so much the value of the contract as it is the timing. THJ is a fourth or fifth option and we still need a #2, a small forward etc. We still suck with or without him? We probability should have held off on that signing until our cap is in a healthier condition.

In a perfect world sure, that would have been ideal. But adding a player who averaged 15 ppg on a playoff team and only 25 years old doesn't really come up very often, so i think you have to grab a good young player when the opportunity presents itself. It won't prevent us from clearing max cap space next year, if we choose to.

Disagree. You have to build you foundation first. THJ would probably be sixth or 7th man on most of these contending teams. We should have used the space on a short-term deal that gave us flexibility down the line. There's no use bemoaning the fact that he's here, but it will be a sore point everytime 2019 comes up.

Hardaway has the ability to be a starting player on a contending team. The Knicks gambled on some upside there, with the downside being a good 6th man. I don't really see the harm there, but we can both agree the timing wasn't perfect, but the player for that money is fine. I don't see it has a major hindrance to building this long-term.

The harm is that we're paying him $18M/years so that we win 29 games instead of 27 in the hopes that at some point we'll be good enough that we don't rely on him anymore and he can transition to a role player.

ccinflushing wrote:I've asked in an earlier OP whether having 2019 cap space is of the utmost importance - I think it's clear that we aren't going to be players for the top tier free agents then - the team just isn't going to be good enough and the options for getting rid of Noah's contracts without wasting valuable assets (either draft picks or future cap space) just aren't palatable. .

If we target the 2020 free agency period instead, there is an easy pathway to creating cap space for 2 max contracts with KP, Timmy (player option), Frank N, Luke Kornet, Damyean Dotson, our #9 pick this year and possibly top 5 picks in 19 and 20 on the books - just need to hit on the draft picks, sign short term reasonable contracts and try trading for player that fit the system and culture with expiring contracts in 2020 so we have their full Bird rights .. just need to be patient

In 2020, assuming the above and a $120Mn cap, we would have $46Mn in cap space. If Timmy opts out we will have $64Mn in cap space .. workable enough for 2 max contracts

Or get 1 max in 2020 and another in 2021 .. you get the picture ..

wargames wrote:

ccinflushing wrote:

ccinflushing wrote:I've asked in an earlier OP whether having 2019 cap space is of the utmost importance - I think it's clear that we aren't going to be players for the top tier free agents then - the team just isn't going to be good enough and the options for getting rid of Noah's contracts without wasting valuable assets (either draft picks or future cap space) just aren't palatable. .

If we target the 2020 free agency period instead, there is an easy pathway to creating cap space for 2 max contracts with KP, Timmy (player option), Frank N, Luke Kornet, Damyean Dotson, our #9 pick this year and possibly top 5 picks in 19 and 20 on the books - just need to hit on the draft picks, sign short term reasonable contracts and try trading for player that fit the system and culture with expiring contracts in 2020 so we have their full Bird rights .. just need to be patient

In 2020, assuming the above and a $120Mn cap, we would have $46Mn in cap space. If Timmy opts out we will have $64Mn in cap space .. workable enough for 2 max contracts

Or get 1 max in 2020 and another in 2021 .. you get the picture ..

Does this account for us give KP his own Max contract?

Yes I have him in at $29.2Mn, Dotson has a $2Mn cap hold