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LeBron James this summer, Carmelo Anthony next summer?
The Knicks actually are in position to work the 2010-2011 superstar exacta if things fall a certain way.
Anthony, who headlines the 2011 free-agent class, visits the Garden tonight with the powerhouse Nuggets, looking to duplicate the 50 points he hung on the Knicks in Denver on Nov. 28 in a 128-125 win.
Knicks president Donnie Walsh has been on a campaign to alert the team's fans that all the cap room does not have to be filled this July, when the Knicks have space to sign two maximum free agents.
If they sign one maximum guy such as James or Joe Johnson and re-sign David Lee, they'll probably be in position to have enough room for another maximum player in 2011, with Eddy Curry's $12M coming off the books after next season.
"We got this thing [cap] down under, and now have to manage our cap to the best of our ability, taking into consideration what could be available to us as we go on [each summer]," Walsh told The Post yesterday.
Walsh admits he's not going to waste money on a free agent he's not crazy about just to fill up their 2010 cap space.
"I won't," Walsh promised. "Without in any way encouraging you to write about the names of the 2011 free-agent, class, yes. Of course. We're looking at it over a five-year period."
Anthony has had a breakthrough season, averaging 28.8 points and 6.7 rebounds, looking every bit as good as anyone not nicknamed LeBron James.
Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni coached both James and Anthony as an assistant to Mike Krzyzewski on the 2008 gold-medal-winning U.S Olympic Team. D'Antoni probably will coach them again this summer, when Team USA trains in New York.
"I don't want to say he didn't do it before, but with the Olympic experience and being around him, he's turning into a winner," D'Antoni said of Anthony.
"He knows what it takes. He and [Chauncey] Billups are an unbelievable duo and have a shot to win a title. His development as a player on and off court is key. He's one of the best in the league, without a doubt."
Walsh disputes the notion all his eggs are in the July 2010 basket. He says he never promised he'd build a championship team in one summer.
In defending his strategy of tanking the last two seasons to get under the cap starting in 2010, Walsh said, "Something had to be done. We were doing the same thing over the years and were in a snag and couldn't go any further.
"That's why I did it. I still think management of the cap will be important to every franchise as you go forward each summer. Not because of the money involved, but you can get yourself in a totally inflexible position. I'm trying to avoid that."
Tonight, Anthony will be defended by Knicks prospect Danilo Gallinari, who's deemed key in recruiting guys like Anthony. Gallinari recently asked D'Antoni following the trade of defensive specialist Jared Jeffries if he can defend the opponent's best perimeter player.
"I've always guarded the best [in Italy]," Gallinari said. "It's part of learning, trying to understand at which point I am and what I can do to get at that level.
"I like the challenge and want to play against the best."
D'Antoni wouldn't have agreed to give Gallinari the assignment if he thought he'd embarrass himself. Though Gallinari has had a slew of very disappointing offensive stretches this season, he has mostly been adequate defensively, which was a big worry. wtf does that mean?
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Good to see Donnie's not taking an arbitrary approach to spending up on free agency, but will NYK fans be up in arms without "just add water" success?
Dude i'm an advocate of not spending all the cheese this year on just fillers. If the NYK don't land LeBron this year, I simply hope they get Bosh. Then surround him with solid players in 2011 when they have even more capspace to get a Tony Parker plus Melo. I'm all for it. The NYK cant jump the gun and take themselves out of the 2011 studs. Only if LeBron signs then break the bank in 2010.
Dude i'm an advocate of not spending all the cheese this year on just fillers. If the NYK don't land LeBron this year, I simply hope they get Bosh. Then surround him with solid players in 2011 when they have even more capspace to get a Tony Parker plus Melo. I'm all for it. The NYK cant jump the gun and take themselves out of the 2011 studs. Only if LeBron signs then break the bank in 2010.
agreed 100%! but i say they should get melo and a center with the available cap space in 2011 if the whole lebron thing doesnt work out.
I think Carmelo would a perfect fit here in New York. I knew he went to syracuse but I did not know that he was a New Yorker. I just looked up his profile and to my surprise he was born in brooklyn. Since melo knows this place he should have no problem putting the Knicks on his back and contend for a championship every year.
Like some of the posters on KO, I like the idea of only signing one max this year.
IMO, the problem with signing Lebron this summer and then Carmelo the next is that we wouldn't be building a complete team!
Let's say we do make the transactions that the article talks about. Our roster would look like this in 2011:
PG- Douglas/SROD
SG-Lebron
SF- Gallo
PF- Carmelo
C- Lee
Our frontcourt would get murdered on defense night in and night out!!! What the Knicks should do is get a SG/SF playmaker this year (Lebron, Wade, Johnson) and then build the defense up in the following years. I would not suggest a second max player unless its Dwight Howard.
Like some of the posters on KO, I like the idea of only signing one max this year.
IMO, the problem with signing Lebron this summer and then Carmelo the next is that we wouldn't be building a complete team!
Let's say we do make the transactions that the article talks about. Our roster would look like this in 2011:
PG- Douglas/SROD
SG-Lebron
SF- Gallo
PF- Carmelo
C- Lee
Our frontcourt would get murdered on defense night in and night out!!! What the Knicks should do is get a SG/SF playmaker this year (Lebron, Wade, Johnson) and then build the defense up in the following years. I would not suggest a second max player unless its Dwight Howard.
Unfortunately, Melo has a player option in 2011, a year that comes with a new CBA and a potential lockout. Donnie went all in this year for a reason...most players are looking to lock up long term pay days before the new CBA. The chances of getting our franchise guy or even anyone that good are slim to none. I'm a dreamer and love the idea of melo and LeBron. Realistically though... Not happening.
correct me if im wrong, but doesnt CP3 also become available in the same offseason as Melo? New Orleans isnt doing too well. nd collison has thrived in his absence. there may be a divorce looming there. i would love to have CP3 as our PG of the future and present.
correct me if im wrong, but doesnt CP3 also become available in the same offseason as Melo? New Orleans isnt doing too well. nd collison has thrived in his absence. there may be a divorce looming there. i would love to have CP3 as our PG of the future and present.
Cp3 is not a free agent next year. He signed a 68 million dollar deal to keep him in new orleans until atleast 2013-2014
sign joe johnson this year along with resigning david lee and possibly marcus camby for cheap. draft jerome jordan and alexiy shved/greivous vasquez. then next year get melo and we have a team thats beating the cavs in 6 games in the east and challenging for the title. also see if you can something good for chandler as he'll prob be the odd man out.
agreed 100%! but i say they should get melo and a center with the available cap space in 2011 if the whole lebron thing doesnt work out.
What available cap space? You talk of all this space when in actuality, we will have no more than 24 million in cap space after signing one max player in 2010.
There's also no guarantee Melo will even be a free agent. In fact, it's more than likely he wont. Not to mention no center amongst the likes of Noah, Gasol or Oden will accept less than 8-10 million.
This will never happen. Especially considering we probably wont even have more than 11 mill cap space to spend.
sign joe johnson this year along with resigning david lee and possibly marcus camby for cheap. draft jerome jordan and alexiy shved/greivous vasquez. then next year get melo and we have a team thats beating the cavs in 6 games in the east and challenging for the title. also see if you can something good for chandler as he'll prob be the odd man out.
There's a greater chance of Sasha Vujacic making the all-star team than Melo leaving his situation in Denver for a team that probably wont even have enough cap space to sign him.
We traded away Jeffries for a reason: because we are all in for 2010!
Dude i'm an advocate of not spending all the cheese this year on just fillers. If the NYK don't land LeBron this year, I simply hope they get Bosh. Then surround him with solid players in 2011 when they have even more capspace to get a Tony Parker plus Melo. I'm all for it. The NYK cant jump the gun and take themselves out of the 2011 studs. Only if LeBron signs then break the bank in 2010.
how about how about Bosh this summer... Paul next summer?
2011-2012 team:
Paul
Blank
Gallinari
Blank
Bosh
Paul is NOT a free agent in 2011... It's been said 100 times!
2011 is just too unpredictable at the moment with all the CBA talks going on... I don't think they are going to get resolved before July either so that doesnt help much.
As much as I don't want to spend all our cap space on "mere" allstars it's going to be another big risk to wait for 2011 to get our 2nd max contract.
NY Post Latest: 2 Max - Anthony - 2011
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