I hope everyone is doing well and having a sensational 2019.

Long time since I've posted here. I've been a Knick fan since the early 90's and a message board reader since the MSG forum days. It's nice to see some old time loyal posters sharing their thoughts. It's also nice to finally see that we are starting a true rebuild and have picks and assets to work with.

How would you feel if the Knicks signed Kemba Walker and Tobias Harris to max deals this offseason?

OffDaMeterzzzz wrote:Hi all:

I hope everyone is doing well and having a sensational 2019.

Long time since I've posted here. I've been a Knick fan since the early 90's and a message board reader since the MSG forum days. It's nice to see some old time loyal posters sharing their thoughts. It's also nice to finally see that we are starting a true rebuild and have picks and assets to work with.

How would you feel if the Knicks signed Kemba Walker and Tobias Harris to max deals this offseason?

kemba has done nothing special for the hornets during his tenure other than post good numbers for himself.

Tobias is also a good player, but not even an all star. If you give those 2 max contract, we will average 39-42 wins for the next 4 seasons

knicks1248 wrote:

OffDaMeterzzzz wrote:Hi all:

I hope everyone is doing well and having a sensational 2019.

Long time since I've posted here. I've been a Knick fan since the early 90's and a message board reader since the MSG forum days. It's nice to see some old time loyal posters sharing their thoughts. It's also nice to finally see that we are starting a true rebuild and have picks and assets to work with.

How would you feel if the Knicks signed Kemba Walker and Tobias Harris to max deals this offseason?

kemba has done nothing special for the hornets during his tenure other than post good numbers for himself.

Tobias is also a good player, but not even an all star. If you give those 2 max contract, we will average 39-42 wins for the next 4 seasons

I'm concerned we strike out on KL, KD, KI, JB, impatiently panic, and decide to sign Walker and Harris (or similar third tier players) to long term max deals. This will likely keep us etched in mediocrity and unable to draft future high lottery picks. I'd love to bring in Leonard and Thompson, or Butler. Leonard and Thompson are winners, great defenders, selfless, hard working, high character, high IQ players in their late 20's. I also realize that it's wishful thinking.

Although super talented and entertaining to watch I'm not a fan of either Durant or Irving. I also don't think they are coming here. I think it's just media fluff, but I could also be wrong. I once believed that we had a real shot at Lebron in 2010 because of the mystique and glorious history of NY and MSG. All in all, I would prefer we built our team organically from the draft instead of signing free agents from other teams. For me, it would feel pure and authentic to have success with a team built from the ground up rather than chasing other team's superstars. On the flip side, I wouldn't say no to bringing in Durant either.

I hope we decide to do one year (short term) manageable, movable contracts if we we get turned down by KL, KD, KI, KT, JB. We can then continue to stockpile assets, draft picks, cap space, and try again when the time is right. Otherwise we could be setting ourselves up for more of the same rinse, cycle, repeat. There's no rule stating the need to rush the rebuild.

I am completely against this though. I’d rather sign nobody.

I’ll take Walker if you get KD or Kawhi. That’s about all.

TripleThreat wrote:

Allanfan20 wrote:ODM, I remember you. I enjoyed your posts....

I am completely against this though. I’d rather sign nobody.

I’ll take Walker if you get KD or Kawhi. That’s about all.

Team needs to get to the cap floor. While there is a provision for teams under that floor to payout the players on it's existing rosters the spare money, the league will basically punish the Knicks if they stay under the floor. This is fallout from the Hinkie/76ers situation.

I'm not saying to kneejerk sign someone just to get to the cap floor, but it's an issue. Having the most cap space available means they have to find a way to get to the cap floor in a practical way. Raw open cap space is NOT the boon everyone thinks it can be.

Ones out there are Durant, Leonard, and Jimmy Butler to a lesser extent. You don't bother picking up Irving, Walker or Harris if a one doesn't sign.

FRANCHISE PLAYERS
-Kevin Durant: i'm not convinced Durant can handle the pressure of NY and i'm not convinced his timeline fits the team but he's a top 5 player in the league and isn't that far past his prime
-Kawhi Leonard: a great two-way player, proven winner, and a guy i think can handle NY. plus he's a little younger than a lot of the other free agents so his timeline fits nicely

If either of these two players want to come here, you don't think twice and you give them the max. If both come, then the Knicks are guaranteed to be a Top 3 team in the league.

GREAT PLAYERS BUT NOT FRANCHISE PLAYERS
-Klay Thompson: a great signing as long as he isn't the franchise player
-Kemba Walker: NY-tough, proven clutch, and a great signing as long as he isn't the franchise player

If you are able to pair Durant or Leonard with Thompson or Walker then you do it and you are a Top 6 team in the league

STAY AWAY - DO NOT SIGN
-Kyrie Irving: too injury prone, not a great leader, doesn't make teammates better, isn't a good defender. Kyrie can be an electric scorer at times (when healthy) and can put on fancy moves that look like they are from an AND-1 mix tape, but he's not worth a max contract. I see him as being a very good 3rd best player on a team if the two best players are great two-way players. Stay away. Let him go to Brooklyn, put on entertaining performances (when healthy) at the Barclay's Center for a Nets team that struggles to get a 7th seed in the playoffs and loses first round every year.
-Jimmy Butler: on the one hand, i like Butler's toughness and defense and desire to win, but on the other hand, i think his career is on the way down and he seems to be trouble everywhere he goes. Stay away.
-DeMarcus Cousins: good player, but hasn't proven to stay healthy recently and is not worth the headache that the coaches will have to endure

Let these players be some other team's problem. STAY AWAY!

GOOD PLAYERS BUT NOT WORTH A MAX DEAL
Tobias Harris
Khris Middleton
D'Angelo Russell

These players are solid players and players i like. I just don't think they are worth a max contract nor do i think you can win if they are your 1st or 2nd best player. I would take any of them if the price was reasonable but it won't be. Let some other overpay and regret it.

As far as Anthony Davis goes, he's a great player but not worth trading for. I definitely wouldn't give up the 3rd pick in the draft (our lowest draft pick since Patrick Ewing), any of the future Dallas draft picks, or Mitchell Robinson for him. If the Knicks do any of that they are just dumb and repeating history. I'd love for Davis to come here, as a free agent next year where we don't have to give up anything. If he doesn't want to wait, then it's his loss. The Lakers are a mess and have nothing worth anything to offer the Pelicans and he doesn't want to go anywhere else. Don't give in and overpay.

In summary, if the Knicks can get Kawhi or Durant and pair either of them with Klay or Kemba that would great. If they can pair Kawhi and Durant together that would be amazing. However, Klay isn't coming to NY so that is not going to happen, so basically it's Durant/Kawhi and Kemba. If not, then don't waste the money on anyone else, save cap space for future years or consider trading for Anthony Davis if you don't have to give up Mitchell Robinson or the #3 pick. Commit to a rebuild the right way. We're only year 2 in the rebuild mode (which started when we traded Carmelo). There's no need to get impatient and overpay non-franchise players like Kyrie, Butler, Cousins, Harris, Middleton, or Russell. And no need to give up everything for Davis.

Saying Kwahi is going to sign a sbort term deal with Toronto. Wish we could offer short term deals to some of the players I hear the Knicks are targeting.