Ska its been going on long enough...time to lock....

[tupac003]

Draft: After Beasley and Rose, the best options for Miami's needs might be Arizona point guard Jerryd Bayless, UCLA center-power forward Kevin Love and Stanford center Brook Lopez. Other players Miami might consider are Louisiana State power forward Anthony Randolph, Italian small forward Danilo Gallinari, Texas point guard D.J. Augustin and Kansas forward Darrell Arthur. "Bayless could help them," said an Eastern Conference scout who requested anonymity. "Love could help them. Lopez could help them. "Is there somebody (at No. 3 or 4) that makes an immediate impact? I don't know." Palm Beach Post

The scout favors Miami taking Kevin Love, the 6-foot-10 freshman, if it has the No. 3 or 4 pick. Love, a wide-body who was a first-team All-American after averaging 17.5 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, can score in the low post, shoot from mid-range, rebound, block shots and throw the outlet pass. Palm Beach Post

A second NBA scout, who also requested anonymity, thinks the Heat should select Lopez with the No. 3 or 4 pick. Lopez, a 7-foot sophomore who averaged 19.3 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, can block shots, run the floor and hit mid-range shots. Lopez also is a good free-throw shooter (78.9 percent this season). Palm Beach Post

Stephon Marbury ($20,840,625) and Malik Rose ($7,647,500) become free agents in 2009. David Lee and Nate Robinson are both headed toward restricted free agency in 2009. The most the Knicks have to do is give qualifying offers to both -- Lee would get $2,682,049 and Robinson would get $2,911,077 -- and then negotiate with them in 2010. But that opens the door for other teams to submit offer sheets for either (Lee might get a lot of attention, perhaps at the mid-level exception) and Walsh will have to decide if it is worth keeping either for long-term committments or letting them go to stick with the 2010 plan. NY Newsday

Another one that is coming in 2009 is Jamal Crawford, who has a player opt-out after next season and may very well take it if he believes he could get more on the open market than the $19,440,000 he would get over the next two seasons if he picked up his option. Keep this in mind, Crawford should flourish in D'Antoni's system, so his offensive numbers aren't likely to drop. So if Crawford opts-out, his $10,080,000 owed in 2010-11 comes off the books. NY Newsday

Everyone agrees it's pretty much a given Eddy Curry will pick up his option in 2009 that kicks in $10,500,423 in 09-10 and $11,276,863 in 10-11. You're stuck with that unless you can find a trade parter. Zach Randolph's contract is the killer. He is owed $17,333,333 in 2010-11, which is the final year of his deal. Perhaps you can trade him by then as an expiring, but there is reason to believe that Walsh will do all he can to move Randolph this summer. NY Newsday

 

[airjordan jb23]

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see the sense in that at all.
Nah, it doesn't.

Basically, we would trade Boki & Nenad for Melo? I can't see that. The fact Kiki is here as GM might add some rumors, but at the end of the day, if atrade involves only Boki & Nenad, I ain't gonna pay much mind to it

.

 

[roc boy jada]

[h1]Baron Davis May Opt Out[/h1]
05.11.2008 - Updated on 05.11.2008

After weeks of informal conversations, Davis' agent, Todd Ramasar, met with Warriors officials Thursday to discuss a potential contract extension for his client. But the talks failed to provide any satisfaction for Davis, a two-time All-Star who just turned 29.

In fact, the sides were so far apart in what they perceive as Davis' worth that Ramasar brought up the specter of Davis using his opt-out clause to void the final year on his current deal and become an unrestricted free agent as of July 1.

"After sitting down with the Warriors organization (Thursday) regarding Baron's future, I don't know what direction the Warriors are going," Ramasar told the Times. "Baron is adamant about remaining a Warrior but based on my conversations with the team (Thursday), we have to consider all of his options." [San Mateo County Times]

 

[nyk orange and blue]

that knicks article is all speculation so lol i'm not going to get happy now.....I've been so used to getting hyped for Kobe, C-Webb(in his prime)coming to NY, its not funny anymore SMH

 

[tupac003]

Meanwhile, following back surgery and while suffering injuries (in some cases more than one) to three of his four limbs, Quentin Richardson produced 8.1 points on 35.9 percent shooting, 32.2 on threes. With two more years and more than $18 million left on his uninsured contract (because of his back), if he doesn't opt out in a year, trading him won't be easy. So perhaps the Knicks can get more bang for their bucks out of him under D'Antoni, whom Richardson said he's already called with congratulations. "I usually get excited every off-season," he said. "This time, I'm even more excited." Bergen Record

Once Mike D'Antoni is formally named to succeed Isiah Thomas, he is expected to try to make a push for two of his favorite Suns - forward Boris Diaw and guard Leandro Barbosa, who reportedly have fallen out of favor with Suns management. According to a person close to D'Antoni, one of his first moves would be to get the Knicks to offer Marbury and his expiring $22 million contract as a central part of the deal. NY Daily News

"He loves Boris and Barbosa and he didn't like Marbury when he had him," said the source (about D'Antoni). "So this is the type of move that can jump-start D'Antoni's program right off the bat. He went to New York with the notion that he will have input and help alter the roster to get his kind of players." NY Daily News

Suns owner Robert Sarver reportedly is looking to get out from under Diaw's contract that averages $9 million over the next four seasons. Barbosa, the 2007 Sixth Man Award winner, makes an average of $7 million over the next four seasons. NY Daily News

Why would Marbury be attractive, coming off ankle surgery and an awful season? Sarver and the Suns could take his money off the books in July 2009, leading to future cap flexibility. And with D'Antoni gone, they're also going to want to revamp their roster to fit Kerr's vision. NY Daily News

At present, the Knicks will have $48 million on the books when LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Paul lead the NBA's best free-agent class in years. NY Daily News

D'Antoni and the team president Donnie Walsh will then start carving the roster into two lists: players who fit, and players who do not. Crawford should be near the top of the first list, according to coaches and others familiar with D'Antoni's system. Nate Robinson, Quentin Richardson and David Lee also figure to make the keeper list. Zach Randolph and Jerome James - the two least athletic players - should top the list of outcasts. Somewhere in the middle lies one intriguing figure. Center Eddy Curry, at 6 feet 11 inches and 285 pounds, looks like the antithesis of a run-and-gun player, but he might flourish under D'Antoni. NY Times

Curry thrives on lob passes and quick shots around the rim, before defenses have a chance to crowd the paint. The point of D'Antoni's shoot-in-seven-seconds offense is to keep defenses off balance. Eddy Curry is no gazelle, and his conditioning is an issue. But he is athletic and surprisingly light on his feet. He could be dangerous as a post sprinter - if he sheds enough pounds to sprint. NY Times

It remains to be seen what D'Antoni can do with the Knicks' clunky lineup, or how much the roster will have to be reshaped to fit his style. Iavaroni predicted that D'Antoni and Walsh would "work very well together, and they're going to come up with something that maybe isn't as pure as Phoenix, and may one day end up being better." NY Times

Herb Williams, the ultimate survivor, probably will survive another coaching change. A source told The Post Mike D'Antoni likely will keep Williams on his assistant staff. NY Post

D'Antoni is desperate to bring along top assistant Alvin Gentry, and his brother, Dan, is expected to make the move. Phil Weber may be kept by Kerr and D'Antoni is not planning on taking Jay Humphries. NY Post

But in one week, at the NBA Draft Lottery, the new Knicks coach will find out if he has someone whom he privately believes also can run his breakneck attack to perfection - University of Memphis point guard Derrick Rose. D'Antoni, who will be introduced at a Garden press conference today at 1 p.m., will have his fingers crossed till the lottery as the Knicks hold the fifth seed, with an 18.4 percent chance of shooting up to the top two spots. Rose will be picked either 1 or 2. NY Post

While D'Antoni pines for Rose, he also can try to get Nash to New York if he really wants. Nash can opt out of his contract after next season and force Phoenix into a sign-and-trade with the Knicks. Nash presumably would want that, as he has lived in the offseason in Greenwich Village with his wife and twin daughters for the past four years. Nash actually makes regular appearances at the Knicks' summer basketball camps for kids. NY Post

Nash, however, will be 35 next summer and obtaining him would likely ruin Walsh's bid to get under the salary cap in 2010 for the younger superstars. If Nash doesn't opt out, he'll be a free agent during that 2010 class, and D'Antoni could get him then, too. NY Post

 

[jpzx]

Nashy in NY

I can't picture it

smh at D'Antoni getting hired by the Knicks but trying to bring the pieces from his old team with him

 

[kookcle]

he wants to bring in the guys that help him win NOTHING!

 

[CP1708]

Marbury back in Phoenix, Diaw and Barbosa out of Phoenix? Please let this deal happen somehow.

Barkley [Zo rollin over in his grave right now.] Barkley

 

[noblekane]

at that article giving knicks fans false hope... thats all just wishful thinking on the ny writers behalf...

 

[willinc]

why the hell would Miami trade the # 1 pick for Baron Davis, he aint getting any younger


and I would take Lopez over Love if we fall out of the top 2

 

[dontsteponmyshoes]

wow i feel sorry for knicks fans if any of that is remotely true

 

[nychiphophippo]

^how is that giving knicks fans any false hope...?

$20 mil of cap relief is ALOT of money. i'd rather just keep marbury and let that contract expire. I really don't care if we keep sucking. We just needto be headed in the right direction to make that HUGE signing of d-wade, Lebron, or cp3 in 2010. After that is when the winning must begin.

 

[acidicality]

Originally Posted by WILLINC

why the hell would Miami trade the # 1 pick for Baron Davis, he aint getting any younger


and I would take Lopez over Love if we fall out of the top 2

if that happened i would be

, but i don't think it'shappening if they can take Rose. Either way tho Rose or Baron+Wade+Marion(?)+Haslem isn't bad at all...Baron is probably too shoot-first for Miami thoughand would take some shots away from Wade. Marion wouldn't wanna be the 3rd option again either.
And Baron is not opting out....again, if some team is stupid enough to give him a 20 mil/yr multiyear contract then I can see it, but there are only a fewteams dumb enough to do that..

and if that Suns trade happened ZoDogg is gonna go crazy if he hasn't already

 

[outacontrol music]

Originally Posted by NobleKane

at that article giving knicks fans false hope... thats all just wishful thinking on the ny writers behalf...

Happens far too often with NY writers

They bout as desperateas the fans

 

[allen3xis]

Funny how everyone wants NY to keep the players they've trashed

I'm not for the trade though really, just let contracts run out..

As I've been saying..

Curry thrives on lob passes and quick shots around the rim, before defenses have a chance to crowd the paint. The point of D'Antoni's shoot-in-seven-seconds offense is to keep defenses off balance. Eddy Curry is no gazelle, and his conditioning is an issue. But he is athletic and surprisingly light on his feet. He could be dangerous as a post sprinter - if he sheds enough pounds to sprint. NY Times
..

And everything else doesn't matter.

We are getting Derrick Rose.

 

[carlos tevez]

NY media is such a joke.

 

[sohi 23]

Originally Posted by Roc Boy Jada

[h1]Baron Davis May Opt Out[/h1]
05.11.2008 - Updated on 05.11.2008

After weeks of informal conversations, Davis' agent, Todd Ramasar, met with Warriors officials Thursday to discuss a potential contract extension for his client. But the talks failed to provide any satisfaction for Davis, a two-time All-Star who just turned 29.

In fact, the sides were so far apart in what they perceive as Davis' worth that Ramasar brought up the specter of Davis using his opt-out clause to void the final year on his current deal and become an unrestricted free agent as of July 1.

"After sitting down with the Warriors organization (Thursday) regarding Baron's future, I don't know what direction the Warriors are going," Ramasar told the Times. "Baron is adamant about remaining a Warrior but based on my conversations with the team (Thursday), we have to consider all of his options." [San Mateo County Times]

There is no way in hell Baron leaves $17 mil+ on the table with the Warriors.

 

[johnnyredstorm]

Walsh pretty much shut down the idea of trading Marbury's contract for 2 players making money past 2010 on the Mike & Maddog show.

 

[tommykairaa]

lol.

just keep the team as is, let marburys contract expire.

work on the young players.

Francis

 

[dman14]

baron has $17M reasons to stay in oakland

 

[willinc]

And everything else doesn't matter.

We are getting Derrick Rose.

Did you get the call from Stern ?

 

[love viii first sight]

Originally Posted by WILLINC

And everything else doesn't matter.

We are getting Derrick Rose.

Did you get the call from Stern ?

Just like Boston was suppose to get Greg Oden

 

[nycknicks105]

yeah but Boston was expecting to get a #1 pick.

 

[the gr8]

Knicks will get rose and until after May 20th i wont listen to anything otherwise

 

[acbboyz84]

Lol NY fans and media are really desperate