Am I the only one that thinks the Knicks aren't crazy ?

The Knicks feel as if they are owed something by over-committing money and power to Melo in his contract. They are faced with two equally bad decisions, buyout or a trade in which the asset you get back is almost as bad as Melo is to them. I think the Knicks want an up and comer to balance out what they are losing in Melo. NYK is looking at it like what Melo is worth to Houston is what we should be getting back. Melo isn't worth the same to Houston as he is to NYK. This isn't a player who is motivated and happy, this is a player that doesn't like you and doesn't want you.

Let me put it another way. Let's say you know how to fix cars. Your neighbor has a car that just needs a new gas tank. Your neighbor doesn't have the money to put in a new one nor the skill to fix it. You on the other hand have both. If you're willing to buy the car and fix it, how much do you pay for it? Your neighbor has no right to ask for the value of the car once all the repairs are put in. This is precisely what NYK wants. Heck, even if the Knicks are asking for 65 cents on the dollar it's still too much. Melo isn't worth that much to them as is.

I think the issue here is, Morey made a miscalculation on EGo. I gotta believe the way he structured those deals is that he thought EGo and Ryno would be packaged together in future deals for superstars. EGo was underpaid, Ryno was overpaid, but together they make a decently balanced pu pu platter for a superstar (maybe sprinkle in some picks for flavor). Now, EGo looks like a piece you don't trade. So who do you send? Corey Brewer's ghost? The salaries don't match up right. On top of that, Ryno at that salary with no counterweight is a hard pitch. I think Morey saw EGo having a decent season, but not 6th man material and definitely not the caliber player he was early on last season. Sure Lou screwed with that a little, nagging small injuries too, but damn, EGo looks like another smart pick.

Maybe I'm way off base here...

 

or once again look like idiots for giving up a great prospect for a team that isn't winning anytime soon

 

...you should work for the Knicks.

 

The Knicks are the only team that won't let Morey rip them off. The Knicks got T-Mac from us and they will continue to not let Morey rip them off by not taking back trash for Melo.

 

Not really, because...

1. Knicks really don't want to lose Porzingis.
2. Which role player will want to go to NYC if they piss off two great players unless we are talking about offering a Tucker caliber player $12M+ a year as opposed to like half that.

Point is, NYC actually going through with a power move is just the delusional fantasy of bitter Knicks fans. Even Dolan would be smart enough to understand the simple concept that you don't hold superstars hostage.

 

OK - just a little confused. What exactly was the deal that you thought the Knicks should have settled on in order to make CA happy?

 

The best deal they can get that ships him out before his value depreciates further. Anything that doesn't involve unnecessarily delaying it, though I do understand the new GM wanting to do his due diligence first. Personally, I actually don't mind them seeing if they can convince Melo to stay. That's not a dumb move. Asking him to expand his NTC waive list or holding him hostage for a season however, is ****ing dumb as all hell.

 

the more chins he has the smarter he gets!!!

 

Those aren't chins, those are containers for the extra brains he grows.

 

Can't fire owners, the most you can do is get a sidechick to bait them into saying something racist on tape and force him to sell.

 

Ok - understood. But isn't asking him about expanding his NTC waive list part of the new GM doing his due diligence? Isn't trying to gain some semblance of leverage the new GM doing his due diligence? And you say the best deal that ships him out before HIS value depreciates further. Wouldn't it be worse to take on bad contracts back, which would depreciate the TEAM's value even further?

 

Don't discount the effect of retaining Melo on Porzingis. He's their future. If he isn't happy with Melo, Knicks would be smart to get rid of him ASAP.
Also, the cap issue, if you buy a player out, aren't you still hit with a percentage of that player's salary towards your cap?

 

If you buy a player out, the amount that you pay him is amortized over 5 years and that is the portion that counts vs the cap. And KP wants Melo to stay

 

1. It is utter stupidity asking him to expand his NTC because that's basically asking Melo to willingly give up his own leverage when he already firmly expressed he is only willing to do so for two teams. You have to understand that he is willing to waive his NTC for Houston and Cleveland, because he wants to WIN. I guess he could waive it for GSW, but I doubt they want/need him and certainly aren't willing to cough up anything better for him.

2. Not necessarily. Melo is already a bad contract. When you have zero leverage, you look to take back a "less bad" asset that will at least be manageable. For example, Leonard is young and productive and can definitely help Hardaway and Porzingis going forward. It's not ideal, but it's not nearly as terrible as keeping a disgruntled Melo for another season.

 

You ALWAYS want role players when you are developing young players. It's called veteran leadership. Otherwise you end up like Minny or Philly; all the young talent in the world but no one to guide the ship.

 

So it would still cost them about $10m/yr in cap ($54 m left on contract).

Does KP want Melo to stay? Didn't the get into it after KP praised the triangle system after his first season? Melo is holding KP back. Catering to Melo's whims is a bad idea. He needs a better adviser than his brother. Melo's play and attitude will at best negatively impact KP's growth and work ethic. At worst, it will drive him from the franchise.