Dion being dealt

[Melancer46]

Please...anyone not liking this deal for the Knicks is being very shortsighted, or is ridiculously overvaluing shump and JR.

The 7 mil NYK freed up in cap space can potentially get them a player far more valuable than the contributions of those two former Knicks combined.

Neither Shump nor JR is difficult to replace, IMO.

It's just a blah move. Yay, they get a 2nd round pick for unloading Shumpert along with JR, and now they can either acquire a player this year for around $6 million or they can let the TPE expire and go from $27 million in cap space to $33 million. Still probably won't make a difference for them in the long run. The free agents they've been linked to are all short-term guys, as is Melo at this point. The Knicks only appear to be thinking long-term in the sense that next year is a long ways away.

If they were really thinking long-term, they would have traded Melo instead of re-signing him this past offseason. By the time they can put a contending supporting cast around Melo, he probably will no longer be the star that he is today.

 

[TBCuse11]

But he signed on for JR? Scary for Dion when a team would rather have JR Smith. The Thunder's locker room should be very interesting.

yeah, Dion is clearly not liked in the NBA circles. Cant say thats wrong. He has seemingly been quite an issue and really hasnt been all that good on the court either. He is nothing more than an 8th guy on OKC. I hope he accepts this.

 

[SoBeCuse]

The Cavs do get a proven 3 pt shooter and athlete in Smith as well as a much needed defender in Shumpert. They don't miss a beat athletically and get a bit more size at the 2 as well. I think it is a great move for Cleveland.

 

[KaiserUEO]

hate it when im wrong.

i said dion wouldnt make it till halloween on the cavs.

then ammended it to...he wont make it till Christmas.

now? i didnt even get a chance to update my dion gone prediction...and he gone.

 

[br801]

This was a great move and I'm pretty sure the Knicks planned on doing something like this from the get-go. This was not supposed to be a good season for them.

Perhaps, but I find it hard to believe Phil's Plan A was to surround Carmelo with a summer league quality roster in January.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

hate it when im wrong.

i said dion wouldnt make it till halloween on the cavs.

then ammended it to...he wont make it till Christmas.

now? i didnt even get a chance to update my dion gone prediction...and he gone.

He gone is kinda like the slender man. Just barely out of the line of sight, but also looming, waiting to claim it's next.

 

[Brooky03]

Perhaps, but I find it hard to believe Phil's Plan A was to surround Carmelo with a summer league quality roster in January.

I think he sold Melo on the following seasons, not this one. The Knicks were in such bad shape that it would have taken a miracle for us to be successful this season. As long as Stat's on the team and his contract on the books, there was no way the Knicks could do anything noteworthy. With Stat gone next season and all the replaceable players either traded or having their contracts expire, the Knicks are in a position to basically get whoever they want in free agency. Add in the unexpected top 5 pick, and I think you'd be hard pressed to find a team in better shape to make something happen next year.

 

[shandeezy7]

I think he sold Melo on the following seasons, not this one. The Knicks were in such bad shape that it would have taken a miracle for us to be successful this season. As long as Stat's on the team and his contract on the books, there was no way the Knicks could do anything noteworthy. With Stat gone next season and all the replaceable players either traded or having their contracts expire, the Knicks are in a position to basically get whoever they want in free agency. Add in the unexpected top 5 pick, and I think you'd be hard pressed to find a team in better shape to make something happen next year.

My only question is who is going to be available on the free agent market worthy of all that cap space? I suppose they have so many glaring needs, that it can be used to fill in those holes with some marginal talent. However, they need another star opposite of Anthony to take some of the load off of him.

 

[Melancer46]

Brian Windhorst was just on ESPN Radio saying he doesn't think Phil wanted this job and that he'll be stunned if he's still there in three years. Basically implied that they're all in for this year's free agency class and if they strike out, he'll leave (I think it was something along those lines).

Anyways, I really doubt that this was the Knicks plan from the get go. If it was, I think Melo would have been traded, as I don't think his career timeline lines up with the Knicks current plan to rebuild.

 

[sufandu]

I just bought a Waiters T shirt...

That was a Cavs T shirt.

Whuyyyy does this always happen to me?

You know how when I guy retires the value of his memorabilia goes up? Maybe you'll have the same luck with your shirt...

 

[OttoinGrotto]

My only question is who is going to be available on the free agent market worthy of all that cap space? I suppose they have so many glaring needs, that it can be used to fill in those holes with some marginal talent. However, they need another star opposite of Anthony to take some of the load off of him.

I wonder too if in the race to clear cap if they made some mistakes, like not retaining Shane Larkin.

Are they going to find a better player than him for less than what they would have paid him next year?

 

[Full_Rebar]

Love might leave, but Lebron would stay if the Cavs were getting Okafor.

My only question is who is going to be available on the free agent market worthy of all that cap space? I suppose they have so many glaring needs, that it can be used to fill in those holes with some marginal talent. However, they need another star opposite of Anthony to take some of the load off of him.

M. Gasol, Aldridge, or Dragic are the top unrestricted. Lebron, Love, and Wade have player options. Not sure how to figure out the restricted guys, but Jimmy Butler seems to be in line for a big payday-can the Bulls match any offer?

I see Melo as being best used as a 4, so Aldridge or Love might not make a ton of sense. If they landed Okafor, they wouldn't pay for Gasol, so in that case could they add Butler/Dragic and some mid-level guys? I don't follow the cap close enough

 

[Brooky03]

My only question is who is going to be available on the free agent market worthy of all that cap space? I suppose they have so many glaring needs, that it can be used to fill in those holes with some marginal talent. However, they need another star opposite of Anthony to take some of the load off of him.

I think the Knicks need to spend the most on a SG. Wesley Matthews' contract expires next season and they should do whatever it takes to steal him away from Portland. He brings everything they need at the position. After that, they need to target a good, roughly $10M, Power Forward (either a young guy with potential or an old reliable guy coming down from his prime). Hopefully, they'll snatch up Towns or Okafor at Center.

If I'm not mistaken, New York will have about $40M to spend next season. They can go over the cap to re-sign their bench I think, so these moves are possible.

If they sign Marc Gasol, considering how overpriced he will be, they blew it.

 

[Melancer46]

Love might leave, but Lebron would stay if the Cavs were getting Okafor.


M. Gasol, Aldridge, or Dragic are the top unrestricted. Lebron, Love, and Wade have player options. Not sure how to figure out the restricted guys, but Jimmy Butler seems to be in line for a big payday-can the Bulls match any offer?

I see Melo as being best used as a 4, so Aldridge or Love might not make a ton of sense. If they landed Okafor, they wouldn't pay for Gasol, so in that case could they add Butler/Dragic and some mid-level guys? I don't follow the cap close enough

There's about a less than 0% chance that the Bulls let Butler go. If the Knicks get Okafor, then the only real legit options (using your assumption that Melo plays PF) would be Dragic, Rondo (not a good fit IMO), Reggie Jackson, Brandon Knight, etc. As you can tell, it drops off after Rondo a good amount. This year's free agent class is all about the PFs and Cs.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

This year's free agent class is all about the PFs and Cs.

The draft is all about PFs and Cs too.

Gonna be a weird offseason.

 

[Full_Rebar]

There's about a less than 0% chance that the Bulls let Butler go. If the Knicks get Okafor, then the only real legit options (using your assumption that Melo plays PF) would be Dragic, Rondo (not a good fit IMO), Reggie Jackson, Brandon Knight, etc. As you can tell, it drops off after Rondo a good amount. This year's free agent class is all about the PFs and Cs.

Like I said, I know Bulls can go over cap to retain guys, but I didn't know if NY or someone could offer a number they can't "match". I think playing Melo at the 3 going forward is a bad idea, but this class isn't strong unless a bunch of guys opt out of their deals, which seems unlikely.

 

[jordoo]

You might pay a lot for Gosal but he will help more the first 2/3 years than Okafor or Towns IMO.

 

[Melancer46]

You might pay a lot for Gosal but he will help more the first 2/3 years than Okafor or Towns IMO.

Agreed, which is why signing him makes sense if they're committing to getting better very quickly with Melo. They really should have just traded Melo and rebuilt around young players though.

 

[moqui]

why would any established player already on a contender want to sign with a rebuilding Knicks franchise that is shackled to an over 30 player with knee problems and a franchise anchor of a contract?

the Knicks are going to have to scout good 2nd tier FAs, draft smart & draft well and be patient. Or find someone willing to take on CA (and vice versa, given his no trade clause).

 

[Cusefan0307]

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/eye-on...nt-think-he-felt-wanted-the-last-couple-years

KD is pumped about the trade! I think this is a great move by OKC. They definately aren't winning with just two guys, as Golden State showed them last night.

 

[andyw715]

NYK should pick up Tyler, Christmas, and McC next year.

 

[longislandcuse]

NYK should pick up Tyler, Christmas, and McC next year.

Honestly, depending where Xmas falls, I think he would be a fantastic pick up. He's showing a mid-range jump shot. I'm really, really impressed with him this year.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Honestly, depending where Xmas falls, I think he would be a fantastic pick up. He's showing a mid-range jump shot. I'm really, really impressed with him this year.

He looks like a bench NBA big man to me now.

 

[jncuse]

I like this deal for Cleveland.

I'm not a fan of either Dion Waiters or JR Smith. But Smith is more likely and more able to be a space it out 3 point shooter when on with Lebron.

Sure JR Smith is bad and has an extra year -- but they get a good depth defensive guard in Iman Shumpert (perhaps good defensively -- let's see what going to a contender does) and a late first round pick for their troubles. Out of all the 3 Shumpert if he focuses defensively may be the best with Irving, Love, James. Waiters was a poor fit with those 3 -- his bail out of a set and settle for a long 2 act is extremely tiresome at the NBA level.

Cleveland will not have cap space next year anyway.

For Dion a fresh start on a new team where he will feel more wanted initially is good for him. Hopefully he matures as a basketball player and learns what is "efficientt"

 

[jncuse]

Knicks will give the super max to Deandre Jordan and some other player with other establish injury issues. No top Free Agent with any sense has any interest going to that organization.