[Y! Sports] Rockets, Knicks may be closing in on a deal

If LeBron and the Cavaliers have proven anything, it's that one amazing player and a bunch of scrubs can carry you to the best record in a conference. That's what I worry about: a good regular season team, a crappy post-season team (see: current Cavaliers team).

If Cleveland does sign Amare, I hope they win a Championship. LeBron would re-sign, and that just leaves Wade, Johnson, and Bosh. It's looking like Toronto will do a S&T with Bosh, which New York couldn't do due to lack of pieces. Johnson will probably stay in Atlanta, and Wade wouldn't see anything better in New York than he already has in Miami or could get elsewhere.

 

Cleveland is now more than just Lebron + scrubs. I'll admit, his supporting cast is the weakest of all contenders, but they are a bunch of solid role players.

Assume Lebron does go to NY. Lebron + David Lee (if resigned) + T-Mac + Gallinari + Chandler + minimum salary scrubs (all they'd have left). Sure, that team makes the playoffs. But not much more. Which makes you think, championship or not this season...would Lebron make that move?

I assume in all the NY could have enough cap space to sign 2 max FA's in the offseason, that's NOT including resigning David Lee, who is awesome and a near max type player, right?

Lebron, Bosh + scrubs could certainly make the playoffs in the East, but not much more.

If this trade goes down, that wouldn't be good for the Rockets, as draft picks acquired would be worse, but...

knowing the Knicks would have little ability to improve via draft, it's hard to imagine why Lebron, Bosh or Wade would want to sign there.

In the recent history of the NBA, all star players have rarely come together as FA's in the same class. The only recent example I can think of is Grant Hill and T-Mac signing the same off-season in Orlando. Otherwise, it is usually via smart drafting (the Spurs adding Parker and Ginobili), picking up a player who has underachieved in FA (Pistons getting Chauncy), or a team giving away a top tier player via trade in exchange for salary relief or young assets.

Could 2 max FA's sign in NYC if they move Jeffries? Sure. But it would seem more likely to me that, if 2 of this offseason's great FAs were to join forces, it would be by 1 resigning with current squad and another joining in a sign and trade. Atlanta could re-sign Joe Johnson, for example, and then sign and trade for Chris Bosh by offering some combination of Josh Smith and Marvin Williams.

Sorry for the tangent, just thinking about likelihood of NYC getting significantly better in the offseason.

 

If we pick up Hill, then either Scola or Landry will go!?

 

I will like to give props to Rick for showcasing Dorsey... If he hadn't played, I am sure this trade wouldn't be possible.

Told y'all to be patient and that McGrady will eventually be gone. Hopefully the paper work is signed and sent to the league.

This trade will open up some other move(s).

 

after watching jordan hill videos, i was concerned because it doesnt look like he plays above the rim. for this size i expected to see a lot more elevation. so i did some research and what i found comforts me some.

http://jronfire.blogspot.com/2009/06/analyzing-2009-nba-draft-combine.html


-Jordan Hill tied for the second highest max vertical reach in this class, maxing out at 11’11”, which ties him historically with Nene and puts him just ahead of Al Horford. His 31” no step vertical was quite impressive for a guy his size, and his no step reach of 11’7” tied him with the likes of Josh Smith. Unfortunately, his lane agility time of 12.23 seconds ranked last in this class. Though players are able to perform each test twice with laser timing, Hill’s agility test shouldn’t raise any major red flags. Hill’s 11 reps on the bench and 3.30 second ¾ court sprint were both par for the course.

 

Thinking about this more and more...the Knicks are bound to sign a big name free agent with all that money. This is such a stupid deal because if/when they do sign that free agent it will for sure put them in the playoffs in the east turning those first round picks into either a 15-20 or 20-25 pick. I just hate rebuilding because there are so many IF'S involved.

This now makes me think Yao might walk in 2011 next year because he doesnt want to be a part of the rockets re-building project. That would suck.

 

so according to this insider, it's a done deal.

i love inside info.

 

So when is it official, tonight?

 

Yeah, hopefully this deal gets moved through quickly. I feel like there could be something else coming.

 

not saying that yet.

 

again, accumulating assets. morey said in an interview earlier that most likely a sign and trade will be done this summer.

all these damn picks + landry/brooks will be ideal to land a star. it's which star that morey is thinkng about.

 

Lee is worth a contract starting at at least $11-12 million a year, and that's being conservative. The lure of playing in a big market is enticing to the majority of shallow, professional basketball athletes, and New York would be a player again in the 2011-12 offseason when Curry's contract expires ($11.2 million). I don't think LeBron ditching Cleveland is as far fetched as you make it out to be. I don't see Wade leaving Miami and Bosh is pretty much a wildcard at this point, since he's playing well enough to not want to sign somewhere as a "side kick" to LeBron.

 

You do realize that no matter how much salary cap room the Knicks have, that the LeBron/Wade/Bosh types of the league can get far more money re-signing with their current teams or through a sign-and-trade, right? If you think those guys really want to sign with a bad team (NY) at a discount, I disagree. If NY does this deal, they lose virtually all of their sign-and-trade assets.

I think the Knicks are poised to be the team that gets jilted at the alter - free agents will use them as leverage to raise offers or force a sign-and-trade, but it's hard to imagine one of the upper-tier free agents actually signing there.

 

all it needs is the league's approval according to your post. but props for any inside info you may have.

i think it's great to see this move b/c morey is planning the post-yao era also. i think that's something we haven't considered.

 

You sure?

 

Methinks it may be Chris Bosh. We are accumulating PF's, so we have enough depth to trade Landry/Scola etc.

 

If those guys still think T-Mac could play which was posted in a thread earlier they could lure a guy like Wade or LeBron to come play along side T-Mac and Lee.

So its almost like a poor mans Boston in their championship days with Allen/Pierce/KG vs. T-Mac/Wade or Lebron/Lee.

I have a gut feeling those picks are going to suck.

 

Orgasmic.

 

don't under-estimate the power of playing in NY, the biggest media market. and NY has walsh and d'antoni now, 2 credible guys at their positions to give that organization some respectability.

i don't think lebron will go anywhere regardless of what happens this year. only wade and bosh are the most likely targets. and those 2 are possible for that team.

and we all know NY will spend, spend, spend.

 

I really dont see the lure in playing for the Knicks. Yes the market is huge, but with media these days, theres not much difference in coverage if your a good team. The stadium is so old that amenities aren't that nice. I really don't see any of the top top free agents not resigning except Bosh but he wants to go to Miami or a Texas team. Either way I see them signing a mid free agent or two but not someone amazing.