http://www.suntimes.com/output/bulls/cst-spt-bull05.html Crawford signs off on Knicks deal August 5, 2004 BY LACY J. BANKS Staff Reporter After verbally agreeing to a seven-year contract Wednesday that will pay him at least $56 million -- plus a potential $4 million more in bonuses -- Jamal Crawford has paved the way for the Bulls and New York Knicks to finally complete the six-player trade they agreed to in principle Monday night. Crawford's initial refusal of the contract proposal came close to breaking up what the Bulls thought was a fair offer. ''I say that 'fair' is a relative term,'' said Crawford's agent, Aaron Goodwin. ''Jamal was always looking forward to becoming a New York Knick. But all he did was take time to think about the deal and sleep on it, just as [Bulls operations chief] John Paxson and [Knicks general manager] Isiah Thomas slept on it. Remember, it took six weeks to do this deal. ''But Jamal has accepted the contract offer, and from our perspective, we have a deal. All that we have to do now is sign documents, and I hope to have all that done no later than Friday because I'm going on a vacation next week.'' After Crawford signs, the Bulls will trade him and reserve forward Jerome Williams to the Knicks for forward Othella Harrington, former Illinois guard Frank Williams and centers Dikembe Mutombo and Cezary Trybanski. All of their contracts expire after next season, the stipulation Paxson demanded in order to make the deal. The trade will excuse the Bulls from paying Crawford's salary, and it will save them $11 million over four years because of the other contracts involved. The Knicks wanted Crawford as insurance for the physically uncertain Allan Houston. It's possible Crawford will be an expensive backup to Houston at shooting guard and to Stephon Marbury at the point. There is also talk out of New York that the Knicks are considering acquiring the Toronto Raptors' Vince Carter, possibly for Marbury. That scenario would make Crawford the starting point guard. ''The fact the Knicks gave up a lot to get Jamal shows that they really wanted him badly,'' Goodwin said. ''We greatly appreciate them for making such a tremendous commitment, and they will be rewarded for it by his play.'' One person who won't be happy to see Crawford go is center Eddy Curry, Crawford's best friend on the Bulls. ''Jamal didn't want to be traded, but it's just part of the business,'' Curry said recently. ''You never know when you're going to get traded. So you just have to learn to accept that. But we'll still be good friends.'' A friend of Curry's said Curry is privately upset ''because he believes the Bulls owed it to Jamal to keep him since he led the team in scoring last season, has worked hard and has never caused the team any trouble.''
8 million per year. That's a lot of scratch for him. I guess Starbury is on his way out now. Interesting to see what team they end up with in the big apple. If they get Carter, can Crawford pass him the ball? Damp/Euro - bang/stiff Sweetney/JYD - bang/risky energy Vince Carter/T.Thomas - shooting?not shooting A.Houston/VC/Penny - knees+ankles+back Crawford/Moochie -clank+t/o It could get ugly. It's certainly going to be expensive. They're burning money with a welding torch.
8M is the average, he probably starts off around 6M. Looks like Dampier will sign with them for the MLE as well. How good are the Knicks now? Dampier/Mohammed/Baker Kurt Thomas/JYD/Baker/Sweetney Tim Thomas/Allan Houston/Shandon Anderson Houston/Crawford/Penny Marbury/Penny/Moochie I think that's as good as anyone in the East, but I don't believe in Lenny Wilkens anymore. If they replace him, I really think they can take on the Pistons. Their depth is unbelievable. Crawford, Nazr Mohammed, JYD, and Penny can be starters on a lot of teams. I think they're definitely top 3 in the East now, potentially higher if the Pacers or Pistons slip.
They still have Marbury so I wouldn't count on them being contenders even in the Least, now if they trade him for Carter then the rest of the Least should start to worry.
I like how Crawford wasn't even offered money by anyone else. Definitely overhyped. I wouldn't count Marbury as a goner just yet. From what I've seen, there's not much optimism regarding Houston's future playing career. Evan
Strike the word seed and put best team. 4th best team behind Detroit, Indy, and Miami. The seeding is going to be all messed up with the division set up.
Yes, and the Knicks have a lot of players under contract. You have to think that both teams still have a move or two to make. The Bulls are hot for lowering their payroll, seeing as how the guys they got from the Knicks all have expiring contracts. We have the TE. Some team, at some point, is going to start salivating over the damn thing (the TE) and I hope we can squeeze a good pickup with it. I'm not going to be happy if we just let it expire.
It looks like Marbury to the Raptors for Vince Carter is a big possibility now. Isaiah's trading players like a madman, which is a foolish strategy. When you have a overpaid, underachieving veteran team like that, the best thing to do is to tear it down and start all over. New York isn't Atlanta or the Clippers. Free agents actually want to play there. The Knicks should have cleared out as much cap space as possible.
So Crawford ends up getting Quentin Richardson type money...rather than the rumored 6 yr/60 mil contract. I think that it's a fair deal. Crawford could blossom on a team like the Kincks where he doesn't need to be the first option on offense. If the Knicks can get a couple of big bodies to insert into their frontline, they'll have a solid team for next season. It's also a solid deal for the Bulls. They were going to lose Crawford anyway (since he rejected their MLE offer). The deal helped them to clear some cap room for next year. How many PGs do they have now?...Hmmm, can we strike a deal with Chicago?
Now that Babcock is in charge of the Raptors, the stupid moves should end. He won't trade VC just because he is unhappy, and he certainly wouldn't send him off for Marbury (on his fourth team as it is).
"Baqui99 It looks like Marbury to the Raptors for Vince Carter is a big possibility now. Isaiah's trading players like a madman, which is a foolish strategy. When you have a overpaid, underachieving veteran team like that, the best thing to do is to tear it down and start all over. New York isn't Atlanta or the Clippers. Free agents actually want to play there. The Knicks should have cleared out as much cap space as possible. " A rebuttal, from RealGM: "And let's can that talk that Isiah should've "rebuilt" in the traditional sense of the word when he came to the Knicks. Stephon Marbury turns 28 in February, Trevor Ariza is 19, Nazr Mohammed will be 27 when the season starts, Tim Thomas will be 27 in February, Crawford is only 24, and Mike Sweetney is 22. To say that he hasn't turned the team from aging, over-the-hump players to a young, athletic team on the rise is incorrect." Isiah has said publicly that he wants to build around Starbury, so I doubt there'd be a deal for VC.
they're potentially in nba title land now? because that's where the pistons are so if they slip and the knicks are better, that's put them around nba title land. i'm thinking no. you don't take a team that got run (and i mean run) in the eastern playoffs and add two guys from some of the worst teams in the league (assuming they get dampier) and become title contenders. imo.
