Because it's a "buyout" watch. If he's not getting bought out by the Knicks, I agree... it doesn't make sense. The whole point is to get Francis back on the relative cheap if he becomes a free agent.
I'm calling his bluff here. There were 1,000 reports discussing how close the Knicks and Francis were to a buyout agreement until the moment Jamal Crawford got injured. After that injury, the very next game is whenever Francis returned from his injury and played big minutes for the rest of the season. Crawford got hurt. Isiah panicked. Now Isiah is trying to show loyalty and throw up a giant smoke screen trying to bait interested teams in trying to trade for Francis instead. Hell, it isn't like fat Mo Taylor or Jalen Rose couldn't have contributed this year either.
That's exactly my point earlier too. Obviously they won't show their hands this early in the game. Just look at their point guards, Nate Robinson, Starbury, Francis, Jamal Crawford, Mardy Collins, Quentin Richardson, I am sure they want to give increased minutes to Jamal, Nate and Mardy -- then how are they going to divide the minutes among them? Are they going to just play Steve for 10 minutes per game? Plus, they don't really have any legit small forward, they either have guards or post players. They HAVE TO do something about the back court, and buy out Steve is the path that makes most sense.
This is from Newsday: "The Knicks will be at the center of the rumor maelstrom at the predraft camp in Orlando later this month. I continue to hear that they're committed to making a serious run at trading for Kevin Garnett, Jermaine O'Neal or Pau Gasol. But the organization sees it as more due diligence than reality. In the end, they probably won't have enough to land any of the above ... In the likely event that the Knicks won't be able to trade Steve Francis, they are dead set against buying out his contract. Isiah Thomas' philosophy has been consistent on buyouts: If a player can give him anything, he keeps him. And the Knicks believe Francis still has something left."
The Knicks used the so called "Alan Houston" rule to buy out Jerome Williams and let Alan Houston take an injury retirement. They got out of paying the luxury tax for both players that way. Same thing applies in SFs case, they'll be paying $33M in luxury tax, $66M in total over two years for him to be a 3rd string PG. Franchise and his agent need to pull a Chris Webber and plead the buyout case for him. Makes absolutely no sense for the Knicks not to buyout SF, the Knicks fans will be pissed.
knicks fans will be ecstatic, everyone in NY hates franchise (i'm a knicks fan and from NYC). believe me, i'd love nothing more than dolan to waste more money and buy out francis. he just didn't fit on this team last yr and is a huge headache, always saying stupid stuff in the media, not playing D, turning the rock over, etc etc. i'd rather have mardy collins get 25 minutes a night than give time to steve franchise.
acquire Steve Francis I wonder now that JVC is gone, what the chances are of getting Steve Francis back? Steve has lots of goods and bads. On a good night, hi is the third scoring threat in that he can create and get his shot, drawing defense to him. He must not be point guard, someone needs to kick his butt for every stupid shot and above all, he must not be in the game the last two minutes. Steve is not the complete player but who is? He can creater he can shoot and if he is handled properly can contribute to the team. Above all he should be cheap.
o...m...g... could that really be... logic? ---------- lets see what coach we bring in. lets see what happens on draft night (will we trade our pick again for immediate help?). if we trade our pick and it's for a PG or SG will you still want steve (if he's cut) by the time teams can sign FA's? one step at a time. first, hire a coach before the draft.
I doubt he'll be nearly as cheap as many posters seem to think. And, why not ask in one of the existing Francis threads?
<object width="425" height="350"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UkUlsl6ZhJs"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UkUlsl6ZhJs" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></object> Bring back Stevie...yahhhhhhh!
Anyone that wonders what it would be like for Yao to play with a penetrating PG...watch that video...... More than ANYTHING that is what this team needs....... DD
Three time all-star, say that about VSpan, Rafer, JL3 or any of the scrubs we have had playing PG the last few years. Give me SF anyday for MLE or less money.
watching stevie cross John Stockton gave me a good chuckle, him and his daisy dukes, what a friggin fairy!
If we were to make a trade involving Rafer for a competent point guard, I think it would be great to have Francis on the team. He would be a great sixth man that could get to the rim and do some playmaking as well. In the past former stars have made awesome role players. Look at what Michael Finley has done for the Spurs, or what Gary Payton and Alonzo did for the Miami Heat in 2006. Dreamcasting... PG-Bibby SG-TMac SF-Artest PF-Hayes C-Yao Bench: Wells Francis VSpan Snyder Mutombo Novak This scenario would occur if Luther Head, Howard and Rafer were traded to Sacaramento for Artest & Bibby. Then we magically resigned Bonzi and Dikembe does not retire. If we got a decent power forward in the draft, then we could be set.
