First, a shortened season means contending teams will be sprinting to the season's finish rather than slogging through 80+ games. Sooo... that means these teams will have little opportunity or patience to develop new talent. That will affect this draft in terms of even desiring a pick and it affects next year's draft in that the ordering of final seeding will be determined by far fewer games.

In terms of Free Agent signings, why would Free agents want to sign a long term deal based on cap space affected by Covid? Likely Free agents will be looking for one year deals hoping the next cycle is more lucrative. For rebuilding teams, this is a cunundrum.

Again, if a team wants to contend *in a sprint* in the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle, THAT roster construction means fewer underdeveloped players and a much deeper veteran bench because Covid.

In subsequent posts I'll explore how this could play out with the Knicks.

So there's nothing to lose by thinking outside the box.

The draft is considered "weak". Let's take advantage of that by trading up from 39 and stick at 8 and 27.

Why not trade 39 to a team that wants out of a pick in the teens. So now we're at 8, mid-teens, and twenty seven. After all we just hired a very expensive development staff, picks are already undervalued, and nobody can embarass us more than we already are (and we will be called fools for investing).

What's that look like? Maybe Vassell, Terry, and Jalen Smith. Plug in your own guesses.

And teams planning on sprinting might actually elevate the value of some of our moveable assests so there's some trade wiggle room.

And furthermore, assume we keep and resign a core of at least Smokes, Peyton, Bullock, Dotson, RJ, Morris, MR, Gibson.

Can Thibs fill out a roster that can sprint?

OR do we simply spend a year hardening the roster, Thibs 101?

fwk00 wrote:I think the ramifications of the upcoming shortened and constrained NBA season is worth thinking about strategically in terms of the draft, Free Agent signings, roster construction, and season expectations.

First, a shortened season means contending teams will be sprinting to the season's finish rather than slogging through 80+ games. Sooo... that means these teams will have little opportunity or patience to develop new talent. That will affect this draft in terms of even desiring a pick and it affects next year's draft in that the ordering of final seeding will be determined by far fewer games.

In terms of Free Agent signings, why would Free agents want to sign a long term deal based on cap space affected by Covid? Likely Free agents will be looking for one year deals hoping the next cycle is more lucrative. For rebuilding teams, this is a cunundrum.

Again, if a team wants to contend *in a sprint* in the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle, THAT roster construction means fewer underdeveloped players and a much deeper veteran bench because Covid.

In subsequent posts I'll explore how this could play out with the Knicks.

Signing a short term 1 year deal would be a bad move for a player as next seasons financial hit will be much worse than this years (at least most of this years season was played in arenas), meaning the cap will likely be even smaller going into the 2021-22 season AND there's the threat of the CBA being ripped up and replaced with something much less favorable for players. If I was a free agent I'd go for the highest long term deal I could this offseason.

The ideal contract for a free agent would be 3 years (2years with a player option for the 3rd)- that should tide them over COVID-19 disruption and give them flexibility to hit free agency earlier if things are looking good.

smackeddog wrote:

fwk00 wrote:I think the ramifications of the upcoming shortened and constrained NBA season is worth thinking about strategically in terms of the draft, Free Agent signings, roster construction, and season expectations.

First, a shortened season means contending teams will be sprinting to the season's finish rather than slogging through 80+ games. Sooo... that means these teams will have little opportunity or patience to develop new talent. That will affect this draft in terms of even desiring a pick and it affects next year's draft in that the ordering of final seeding will be determined by far fewer games.

In terms of Free Agent signings, why would Free agents want to sign a long term deal based on cap space affected by Covid? Likely Free agents will be looking for one year deals hoping the next cycle is more lucrative. For rebuilding teams, this is a cunundrum.

Again, if a team wants to contend *in a sprint* in the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle, THAT roster construction means fewer underdeveloped players and a much deeper veteran bench because Covid.

In subsequent posts I'll explore how this could play out with the Knicks.

Signing a short term 1 year deal would be a bad move for a player as next seasons financial hit will be much worse than this years (at least most of this years season was played in arenas), meaning the cap will likely be even smaller going into the 2021-22 season AND there's the threat of the CBA being ripped up and replaced with something much less favorable for players. If I was a free agent I'd go for the highest long term deal I could this offseason.

The ideal contract for a free agent would be 3 years (2years with a player option for the 3rd)- that should tide them over COVID-19 disruption and give them flexibility to hit free agency earlier if things are looking good.

Interesting speculation. It's a bit hard to tell but let's say you need to assemble a team for a different kind of season, shorter, sharper, unpredictable. We have the coach and staff. Assuming Thibs sees a light at the end of this tunnel and says, "You know, we might be able to just shock the world." Could he cobble together enough complementary pieces to win early and consistently with the intent to make the playoffs and be competitive in a rocky world.

TripleThreat wrote:

fwk00 wrote:The draft is considered "weak". Let's take advantage of that by trading up from 39 and stick at 8 and 27.

The most valuable picks in a draft like this will be the first 10 picks in the 2nd round. This is where the Knicks should focus on making a move. A three team deal with Philly and Detroit involving Frank N to the Pistons and both of Phillys 2nds to the Knicks would be the most ideal.

Being predictive, the league will try to limit service time towards an NBA pension ( the upfront money is less critical than the implied medical cost) so with rosters forced to expand with the pandemic, the league will PREFER veteran players who are already vested. Someone like Jonathon Simmons.

So modifications to veterans minimum exception to make them more desirable, particularly to tax paying teams, would mean the Knicks have to shift to seek value in the players left in the gap created by a change.

As a cash rich team, the Knicks can create a G league housing dormitory that's state of the art. And highlight amenities and the best training/medical/recovery/support staff possible. The Knicks can't give the players a car but can provide a full time car service. Expanded child care for those players with kids and isolated suites for players with wives. Cutting edge training tech and individual level coaching for every player and you'll simply attract the best UDFAs possible. You'd only have to hit on one Robert Covington or one Jeremi Grant over a 6-8 year period a la Hinkie/76ers to justify the cost.

Well, I think roster expansion or modification will be necessary. You will never know who's available.

And your G-League idea is interesting. Players will need to get their game chops back after absences. G may be less development and more rehabilitation.

Hate the Smokes trade. Trade up our two and three picks, IMO. We have the development space and the coaching to make it work.

knicks1248 wrote:Leon has very little holding him back from building a playoff contender next season, regardless to what kind of season it ends up.

If he chooses to sit on his hands and gamble with picking kids out of a draft, or make lateral trades that sacrifices very little, signing one yr deals in hopes of a some star requesting a trade, then we never fired mills, we just replace his body.

I seriously doubt this regime will come here with some conservative, risk free, wait and see approach.

Since your all about hindsight with little imagination then your reasoning is an ISiah like remake/remodel Starphuch it kinda fan circle jerk thinking “all yoot Development if knicks involved, won’t be good”.

smackeddog wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:Leon has very little holding him back from building a playoff contender next season, regardless to what kind of season it ends up.

If he chooses to sit on his hands and gamble with picking kids out of a draft, or make lateral trades that sacrifices very little, signing one yr deals in hopes of a some star requesting a trade, then we never fired mills, we just replace his body.

I seriously doubt this regime will come here with some conservative, risk free, wait and see approach.

errr, how about complete lack of talent on the roster?!

So you want to throw everything and all future picks for who exactly? What moves would you make that are easy and make us a playoff contender?

I disagree about the lack of talent assertion.

The Knicks drafted very young players who would inevitably need a long runway to NBA maturity. We are about to begin to realize the fruit of that seasoning and a cohort of fans wants to tarde it away for another group of players who will need 3 - 5 years to be where smokes, RJ, MR, Dotson, Peyton are today. Makes me crazy.

BTW, another unintended consequence of a potentially abbreviated season is that Porky will play fewer games and will likely make the Dallas trade look terrible for us for at least another season.

smackeddog wrote:

fwk00 wrote:

smackeddog wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:Leon has very little holding him back from building a playoff contender next season, regardless to what kind of season it ends up.

If he chooses to sit on his hands and gamble with picking kids out of a draft, or make lateral trades that sacrifices very little, signing one yr deals in hopes of a some star requesting a trade, then we never fired mills, we just replace his body.

I seriously doubt this regime will come here with some conservative, risk free, wait and see approach.

errr, how about complete lack of talent on the roster?!

So you want to throw everything and all future picks for who exactly? What moves would you make that are easy and make us a playoff contender?

I disagree about the lack of talent assertion.

The Knicks drafted very young players who would inevitably need a long runway to NBA maturity. We are about to begin to realize the fruit of that seasoning and a cohort of fans wants to tarde it away for another group of players who will need 3 - 5 years to be where smokes, RJ, MR, Dotson, Peyton are today. Makes me crazy.

BTW, another unintended consequence of a potentially abbreviated season is that Porky will play fewer games and will likely make the Dallas trade look terrible for us for at least another season.

I think we do have a lack of talent- watching the playoffs, it's almost embarrassing how far away we are. We have Frank (I like him but he's likely a back up or role player), RJ (not sold and can't shoot anything- FT's, 3s, nothing, isn't especially athletic, isn't a great defender, great attitude and work ethic but he's not a foundation piece. I fear in 2 years he'll be the SG version of Randle). Mitch I like, but he can't/won't shoot either. Honestly what else do we have?! We essentially have no shooters, no PG, very little athleticism outside of Mitch. It's awful!

Thinking Leon has nothing holding him back from building a playoff contender in one offseason (with the weakest draft and FA in a while) is ridiculous!

When its bad its bad. Glass is half empty for you. Not much to feel good about after the long drought, the dark winter, or our years wandering aimlessly in the desert.

My imagination is the RJ is Tracy McGrady type and young, Mitch im not on the hype parade with but at worst is Capella type with better defense, not nearly as down on Randle as some but unerstand he is on a short deal, Knox is not a lost cause, and Frankie Smokes is closer than advertised to starter material. Im very real on DSjr thus anything more than nothing is a plus, Iggy could be nice off the bench. The draft picks will take care of itself as will expectations.

smackeddog wrote:

fwk00 wrote:

smackeddog wrote:

knicks1248 wrote:Leon has very little holding him back from building a playoff contender next season, regardless to what kind of season it ends up.

If he chooses to sit on his hands and gamble with picking kids out of a draft, or make lateral trades that sacrifices very little, signing one yr deals in hopes of a some star requesting a trade, then we never fired mills, we just replace his body.

I seriously doubt this regime will come here with some conservative, risk free, wait and see approach.

errr, how about complete lack of talent on the roster?!

So you want to throw everything and all future picks for who exactly? What moves would you make that are easy and make us a playoff contender?

I disagree about the lack of talent assertion.

The Knicks drafted very young players who would inevitably need a long runway to NBA maturity. We are about to begin to realize the fruit of that seasoning and a cohort of fans wants to tarde it away for another group of players who will need 3 - 5 years to be where smokes, RJ, MR, Dotson, Peyton are today. Makes me crazy.

BTW, another unintended consequence of a potentially abbreviated season is that Porky will play fewer games and will likely make the Dallas trade look terrible for us for at least another season.

I think we do have a lack of talent- watching the playoffs, it's almost embarrassing how far away we are. We have Frank (I like him but he's likely a back up or role player), RJ (not sold and can't shoot anything- FT's, 3s, nothing, isn't especially athletic, isn't a great defender, great attitude and work ethic but he's not a foundation piece. I fear in 2 years he'll be the SG version of Randle). Mitch I like, but he can't/won't shoot either. Honestly what else do we have?! We essentially have no shooters, no PG, very little athleticism outside of Mitch. It's awful!

Thinking Leon has nothing holding him back from building a playoff contender in one offseason (with the weakest draft and FA in a while) is ridiculous!

I don't know. I actually think we can have some continuity and a decent critical mass. Under Miller this team played decently, closing in on a near playoff spot. This year should be nothing but up.

Sign the right talent and we're in the playoffs.

Also, winning as early and consistently as possible is critical. Season may shorten on the tail end. You want a good record where it ends.