21 Reasons Not to Overpay David Lee

What should we do with David Lee?


  • Total voters
    14
  • Poll closed .

JayJ44

Starter
David Lee was ranked 11th in season FIC and 'deserved' to make a salary of $18.1M in 2008-09. Generously, I think he is worth half that much, approximately $9M per season. So in honor of 42 being reduced in value two times, here are 21 reasons why the Knicks shouldn't go crazy trying to keep David Lee.
1. There is no player on the Knicks' roster worth keeping if it means compromising the odds of signing you know who.
2. The Knicks were a net 1.8 points per 100 possessions better without David Lee during the 2008-09 season, with the difference being defensively.
3. As Lee's usage rate has increased, his offensive rating has declined in each of the past two seasons after topping out at 127 in 06-07. It decreased to a still very solid 118 this season, which was 14th in the NBA.
4. His propensity to shoot jumpers increased this season and his eFG% was just 35.2%, compared to 44.5% for Amare Stoudemire, 41.6% for David West and 41.6% for LaMarcus Aldridge.
5. How will LeBron, Gallinari and Lee effectively share the floor together, particularly on defense?
6. While he is an efficient offensive player, his scoring is almost entirely predicated on assisted opportunities, with 64% of his inside shots and 75% of his jumpers (each on the very high end of the NBA).
7. A pairing of Lee and Galinari at the two forward positions will be the NBA's worst defensive pairing outside of when Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy played those positions for Golden State.
8. He is clearly a rebound stat padder; there is virtually no difference in how effectively the Knicks rebound with or without him on the floor.
9. The difference between his defensive rebound percentage and offensive percentage, further suggest he wouldn't be such a prolific rebounder if he played for another club.
10. If the Knicks are able to sign a second max player in 2010, there is a chance that the player will be either Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire.
11. He's no David Wright.
12. Lee has only blocked 94 shots in 8040 career minutes, which works out to be one for every 86 minutes of floor time. There will never be any talk about avoiding Signor Bargnani's neighborhood, but he had 97 blocks last season alone.
13. He is not an especially skilled passer.
14. The Knicks have posted 111 wins and 217 losses over the four seasons off Lee's tenure with the club. To his credit, Lee has certainly had more to do with the 111 wins than the 217 losses.
15. Josh Smith could only muster $58.5 million over five years from the Grizzlies as a restricted free agent last summer on a day in which the Dow Jones closed at 11,782.35.
16. The majority of Lee's offense comes on pick and rolls to the bucket.
17. Andrew Bogut's extension was worth $60M over five-years.
18. Lee is not a reliable offensive threat in the low-post, scoring mainly on pick and slip situations.
19. Lee's Roland Rating (82games.com statistic developed by Roland Beech) was -0.8, which was behind Nate Robinson, Jamal Crawford, Zach Randolph, Tim Thomas, Danilo Gallinari and Al Harrington. Overall, Lee was ranked 135th out of the 198 players that played a minimum of 35% of team minutes.
20. At the end of the season, Mike D'Antoni mentioned Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler as the two players he was 'enthused' about heading into the future, but made no mention of Lee. He has consistently appeared reluctant to anoint Lee as the right kind of player for his system.
21. There is no player on the Knicks' roster worth keeping if it means compromising the odds of signing you know who.
http://www.realgm.net/src_feature_p...y_knicks_shouldn/t_break_bank_with_david_lee/

I think Lee went from being one of the most underrated players in the league the last couple years, to one of the most overrated. His lack of defense and one dimensional offense prevent him from being anything more than a role player. I would still like to see him back, but for only 6-7 million a year or less.

Although, I think Lee's trade value is at an all-time high. We should take advantage of this, this offseason. We can trade Lee to move up in the draft, get rid of Curry, or get a much better player in return (Bosh? Amare?).
 

Scribbles

Rotation player
Is it ever ok to overpay a player?

Anyways, I can give 2010 reasons why not to overpay Lee!

Haha I like that. That's my new sig.

Since the Knicks succeeded in flopping and missing the Playoffs. God damn, I forgot what it was like to watch the Knicks in the playoffs.
 

Knicker23

Benchwarmer
i'm excited to see who we can get this off season for Nate and Dlee...

what do people think of Ben Gordon? he'd want way too much money, and is to sporadic right? i like him though
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
I put keep him as my poll option, but I'd like to make it very clear that it's a completely circumstancial vote.

IF we get a decent center, resign him.
IF everyone realizes that he's not even as good as Luis Scola and his contract re-sign him.
IF we pay him as the 2010 bench player he'll be., re-sign him.

I love David Lee's effort like Eddy Curry likes a dick burger, but to have another Troy Murphy (without range) isn't gonna get us anywhere.
 

dave2138

Rotation player
you guys have spent the whole off season so far saying how terrible robinson and lee are, but then the trade proposals I see are for all star type players...Ben Gordon, Ricky Rubio etc..How is that possible?

I think its not secret around the league that both players are overrated. Neither will get the 8-12 mil/year they are looking for..especially with teams looking to cut back on spending. I would not be surprised to see both players return at reasonable 6-8 mil/yr contracts.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
you guys have spent the whole off season so far saying how terrible robinson and lee are, but then the trade proposals I see are for all star type players...Ben Gordon, Ricky Rubio etc..How is that possible?

I think its not secret around the league that both players are overrated. Neither will get the 8-12 mil/year they are looking for..especially with teams looking to cut back on spending. I would not be surprised to see both players return at reasonable 6-8 mil/yr contracts.


Nine out of ten that is the price both will accept to be on a playoff team rather than our clueless Chaos Knicks.
Both know the Knicks will match any 6 to 8 offer to get something in a trade.

Dave....I would like to know your (and others) opinion on FA Trevor Ariza worth this offseason? how much should Lakers offer him to stay?
 

George M.

Benchwarmer
Nine out of ten that is the price both will accept to be on a playoff team rather than our clueless Chaos Knicks.
Both know the Knicks will match any 6 to 8 offer to get something in a trade.

Dave....I would like to know your (and others) opinion on FA Trevor Ariza worth this offseason? how much should Lakers offer him to stay?
Yeah Kiya,Rasheed Wallace can be had at 8 mill in a sign&trade for Lee.
 

Knicker23

Benchwarmer
hell i'd rather keep Lee then scrub Wallace...yea Pistons will be looking to get all these guys out, but we don't need a Rasheed on our team...we want long term players, and he isn't...itd be like AI...no way
 

JayJ44

Starter
hell i'd rather keep Lee then scrub Wallace...yea Pistons will be looking to get all these guys out, but we don't need a Rasheed on our team...we want long term players, and he isn't...itd be like AI...no way

Sheed>>>>Lee
Sheed is one of the best post defenders and shot blockers in the league. He's also one of the best shooting bigmen in the league, with range out to the 3 point line, and he has advanced post moves, making him one of the better centers in the league.

How would it be anything like AI? AI is a ball dominating, low FG% SG. Sheed is a center with the ability to defend the paint, something we've needed forever.
 

dave2138

Rotation player
Wallace and Iverson are FA anyway, so the Knicks won't be able to get them.

When the question comes to Lee and Robinson would accept 6-8 mil to play on a winning team..I kind of disagree. Lee and Robinson know there is a 2010+ plan and I think they genuinely mean it when they say they want to be here when it turns around. This doesn't mean they will take less to stay here, but I think their 1st choice would be NY. It doesn't matter anyway since the Knicks can match any offer another team makes to keep them.

Ariza will probably get a similar contract to Shane Battier I assume.. 6,7 mil per year 4,5 years. I don't think the Knicks will touch any FA this offseason. I see this being a very slow off season for them other than the situations with Lee and Robinson.

I still say resign them both and then if they don't either in the 2010 plan, trade them in the 2009/2010 off season. I don't see the difference between trading them this off season or next. You could probably get some more out of both next off season anyway with so many teams losing key players to FA and looking for replacements.
 

Knicker23

Benchwarmer
the type of people they are, just don't want anythign to do with either at this point in their respective careers ... be a bad move (sheed and Ai that is)
 

JayJ44

Starter
the type of people they are, just don't want anythign to do with either at this point in their respective careers ... be a bad move (sheed and Ai that is)

To be clear, I don't want AI on this team either. He would ruin this offense because of the way he dominates the ball.

But Sheed brings exactly what we need right now. If we could get him somehow, it would be an excellent move.
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
To be clear, I don't want AI on this team either. He would ruin this offense because of the way he dominates the ball.

But Sheed brings exactly what we need right now. If we could get him somehow, it would be an excellent move.
Isn't he considering retirement though? I heard that recently. I think he's a bit of a gamble unless he were to come in completely motivated next year and the two years after. He'd have to be signed and utilized for at least 3 years effectively.

We'd need him to be our focal front court player on offense & defense. I don't know whether he'll be up for it for any more than a single season??

Big gamble..... Could be a complete bummer or could be a winner.....
I'm not sure if we're in any position to take a risk.
 

JayJ44

Starter
I never heard anything about him retiring. If it's true, I guess he's out of the question then lol.

Couldn't we sign him for a 1 year deal for the MLE, if he'd agree to it? That would be ideal. Having him on our team next year, and his contract expires before 2010.

There aren't gonna be a lot of options for him this off season. Only 3 teams have cap space (Detroit, Memphis, and Thunder), and most teams aren't willing to pay the luxury tax for a guy like him.
 

the portable man

Benchwarmer
ive been sayin this for months, trade Lee and possibly even chandler while their value is high, esp. Lee

im thinkin maybe they could do Lee and Hughes for a solid C and backup PF for harrington, draft 6-5/6-6 SG and we're set for playoffs
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Wallace and Iverson are FA anyway, so the Knicks won't be able to get them.

This offseason....if Dumars is not going to offer Rasheed Wallace a future in the Piston organization after he hang-up his sneakers....next season one of these NBA teams (playoff contenders) will sign Rasheed to come off the bench as one of their bigmen.

The Knicks would be wise to sign AI to a one year contract if they lose Nate to the FA market.
AI & Duhon would make the right tandem with 3rd season SF-Chandler as STARTERS. Who knows....maybe AI could get Hughes to start playing defense and stop shooting the ball.
Hopefully, the Knicks will draft one of the Big-Guards (Henderson or Terrence).

When the question comes to Lee and Robinson would accept 6-8 mil to play on a winning team..I kind of disagree. Lee and Robinson know there is a 2010+ plan and I think they genuinely mean it when they say they want to be here when it turns around. This doesn't mean they will take less to stay here, but I think their 1st choice would be NY. It doesn't matter anyway since the Knicks can match any offer another team makes to keep them.

Lee & Nate want to be in playoffs NEXT-SEASON....Donnie Walsh 2010 Plan has the Knicks in the playoffs 2 or 3 seasons from now.
Lee's agent made a wise move and was serious about it before the season when he put out to resign with the Knicks will cost $10M....the Knicks playoff future did not look good at the time, and Lee's agent want some playoff experience on Lee's resume.
I'm sure Lee would be willing to sign a 2 year contract for $11M on a playoff team.

Ariza will probably get a similar contract to Shane Battier I assume.. 6,7 mil per year 4,5 years. I don't think the Knicks will touch any FA this offseason. I see this being a very slow off season for them other than the situations with Lee and Robinson.

Yeah, I figure about the same amount for Ariza.
But what about the Cavs, should they re-do Varegao contract after the strong performance he gave this season? how much?

I still say resign them both and then if they don't either in the 2010 plan, trade them in the 2009/2010 off season. I don't see the difference between trading them this off season or next. You could probably get some more out of both next off season anyway with so many teams losing key players to FA and looking for replacements.

I would luv for the Knicks to resign both Lee & Nate....but if they are not going to start building a team that can play together this offseason then let those players go (FA) to a playoff team.
 

dave2138

Rotation player
good points kiya

I'm not buying into the idea that Lee and Nate won't resign because the knicks aren't in a win-now mode for next year. Most of the teams with cap room anyway to sign Lee or Nate aren't any more guaranteed to compete than the knicks are next year. Memphis, Oklahoma, Minnesota, New Jersey, Detroit..

I'm also not in agreement that Lee is going to demand 10+ mil this offseason. Yes, thats what his agent is saying it will take, but lets see how many teams in the NBA are willing to give him that much. Again with many teams uneasy to spend money this off season, I think Lee and Robinson will be very disappointed with the offers they receive.

In response to your last part of your post:

"I would luv for the Knicks to resign both Lee & Nate....but if they are not going to start building a team that can play together this offseason then let those players go (FA) to a playoff team."

I can't see them making too many moves anyway to get players that will be apart of the future in 2010+...if you resign Lee and Robinson, you either 1)have players that can contribute 2010+ or 2) have 2 trading chips to maybe package with expiring contracts Curry or Jefferies to get players you want to be apart of the future.
 
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