The New Guys

tiger0330

Legend
PJ did a great job reshaping the roster with the little resources he had available to him. He got rid of one of the Knicks only tradeable assets in Chander who asked that the Knicks trade him, great move to get rid of him when he didn't want to play here and was coming off an injury riddled off year. Dally actually posted better stats than Chander last year per 36 in limited playing time of 20mpg.

Calderon for Felton was a no brainer, 41% career 3 point shooter is going to make him excel in the triangle along with his playmaking abilities.

Getting into the draft and getting a former first rounder in Larkin and a projected 1st who fell to the 2nd round in Early was more than I expected. Pre-draft expectations were all the Knicks would be able to do would be to buy a late 2nd like Ante.

And while I thought the Acy/Outlaw trade was a minor move, I think they'll contribute more to the team than the guys they got traded for Ellington/Tyler.

Jason Smith has skills for a big man and if he can stay injury free he can be useful.

All in all I agree with another article that I read that the Knicks may be one of the teams that surprise this season. There are a lot of new faces, new coach and new system but if the Knicks can manage to gel quickly and avoid a poor start they may indeed defy that ESPN prediction of a 10th place finish and missing the playoffs.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...of-each-ny-knicks-newcomer-this-season/page/1

The New York Knicks have done well restructuring their roster with the limited options at management's disposal.

Jose Calderon and Shane Larkin are tremendous upgrades for Raymond Felton at the 1, and Quincy Acy, Travis Outlaw and Jason Smith add toughness and defensive intensity to an otherwise lackadaisical roster.
The organization has a way to go still in terms of building a contender, but the Knicks possess a roster far more balanced than in past seasons.

Let's take a look at each newcomer and what's expected of them.


Jose Calderon, PG
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Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press



2014-15 Projection: 12 PPG, 7.5 APG, 2 RPG, 1 SPG, 1 TPG.
Jose Calderon will be NY's starting point guard this season.
Although he's very mediocre defensively, Calderon is an excellent leader and playmaker. He's not the best athlete—which is why he struggles at times with his defense—but he's intelligent and doesn't force passes into traffic.
Calderon sees the floor well and makes quick reads with the ball in his hands, which ought to bode well for head coach Derek Fisher's triangle offense.
In 2013-14, Calderon had the fourth-highest assist-to-turnover ratio (3.66) behind Chris Paul (4.57), Josh McRoberts (4.01) and Pablo Prigioni (3.80).
He's also a reliable shooter who can spread the floor and keep defenses honest. Throughout his career, Calderon has shot 47.9 percent from the field and 41.1 percent from behind the arc.
The Knicks were lost and stagnant on offense periodically last season, but with Calderon at the 1, they will have the direction and pacing they sorely lacked.


Shane Larkin, PG

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Garrett Ellwood/Getty Images



2014-15 Projection: 7 PPG, 2 APG, 1 RPG, 0.5 SPG, 1 TPG.
Shane Larkin will be the third point guard on Fisher's depth chart but should still contribute immensely in spurts as a scorer and playmaker.
Larkin is an energetic guard who sometimes plays too quickly. He pushes the ball well and has the ability to get into the paint but can be a little careless at times. That could be chalked up to inexperience.
He should learn a lot this season under the tutelage of Calderon, Prigioni and Fisher. He'll also excel in the triangle, seeing as how he's a good scorer off ball handoffs and runs the pick-and-roll efficiently.
Larkin is a tad undersized at 5'11", but his speed and athleticism make up for the couple of inches he lacks. He's an above-average defender and with experience will be able to hold his own on both ends of the court against more talented players.


Cleanthony Early, SF

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Brian Babineau/Getty Images



2014-15 Projection: 9 PPG, 4 RPG, 1 APG, 1.2 TPG.
Cleanthony Early will be a solid scorer off the bench for the Knicks.
The former Shocker has been known to rise to the occasion—he dropped 31 against Kentucky and shot 12-of-17 from the field and 4-of-7 from beyond the arc—and he's been eager to start his career.
Early was a little tentative at times during the summer league, but with experience, his confidence will grow and he'll have no problems putting the ball on the floor to score like he did at Wichita State.
He's also an excellent rebounder for his size, which ought to make Carmelo Anthony's life a little easier when the two are paired together in smaller lineups. Anthony was arguably NY's most consistent rebounder last season, and having another body out there with a nose for the ball will certainly help keep Melo fresh throughout the year.
Early's addition to the second unit has the potential to give the Knicks one of the better scoring benches in the league.
In 2013-14, NY struggled to find consistent offense (outside of Anthony), but the addition of Early should remedy those woes. The rookie is an excellent cutter, finishes well around the rim and possesses the ability to create his own shot off the dribble if necessary.

Travis Outlaw, SF

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Rocky Widner/Getty Images



2014-15 Projection: 3 PPG, 3 RPG, 1 APG, .05 SPG, 1 BPG, .05 TPG.
Travis Outlaw won't be asked to do too much outside of his comfort zone this season.
The veteran small forward's job will revolve around playing defense, crashing the boards and running the floor in transition. The only time he'll be asked to score will be off cuts to the basket and putbacks.
Outlaw was acquired to provide defensive stability at the 3 and to lessen the pressure placed on Cleanthony Early's shoulders. Early has been known as more of a scorer, so bringing in a guy like Outlaw whose top priority is defense will help remedy any potential issues that may arise.
Outlaw isn't a lockdown defender, but he's athletic, experienced and smart enough to be a consistent pest.


Quincy Acy, SF/PF

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USA TODAY Sports



2014-15 Projection: 4 PPG, 4 RPG, 1 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1 BPG, 1 TPG.
Quincy Acy is a tweener with tons of athleticism and defensive enthusiasm.
He's the kind of high-energy guy you want on your team to go out there for 20 minutes a night and cause havoc. He runs the floor well, can finish around the rim and is incredibly tough.
NY played a little too soft last season, but adding a tough defender like Acy to the mix should change the team's demeanor. He won't give you much in terms of offense, but what he provides defensively should make up for it.
Acy plays bigger than he is and isn't afraid to get physical in the paint. Winning teams always need a bruiser like Acy who's far from a pushover.


Jason Smith, C

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USA TODAY Sports



2014-15 Projection: 8.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 1 APG, 1 SPG, 1.3 TPG.
Jason Smith is a 7-footer with a soft touch and good mid-range game, as seen in his shot chart from last season, per Vorped.com.
The big man is money from elbow to elbow in the paint and should be effective in pick-and-pop situations. He plays with a ton of energy and isn't afraid of anyone.
Smith is a physical player on both ends of the floor and should help toughen up a franchise that has been soft for too long.
He's had some injury woes over the course of his career, and he was even suspended for a lack of judgement (when he trucked Blake Griffin), but in a reduced role he should be one of the many catalysts who help lead the Knicks back to the playoffs.


Samuel Dalembert, C

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USA TODAY Sports



2014-15 Projection: 6.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 1.5 BPG, 0.6 SPG, 1.1 TPG.
Samuel Dalembert may be nearing the twilight of his career but is still useful for 20 minutes or so per game.
The center is still a competent rebounder and shot-blocker and should do well enough as a stopgap for the Knicks at the 5. Although he isn't capable of anchoring a defense like Tyson Chandler, he is still productive enough to make ends meet in the meantime.
NY will need Dalembert to rebound, protect the rim and use up his six fouls—anything else will be a bonus.
The big man is still capable of finishing around the rim but won't be asked to do much else. Putbacks, alley-oops and backdoor cuts will be how he scores the majority of his points this season.
In 2013-14, opponents made 3.2 of their 6.1 field-goal attempts at the rim against Dalembert, as compared to the 3.5 field goals made from 6.9 attempts against Chandler, per NBA.com.
 

Tkf

Benchwarmer
I would not call these moves great at all. .So far Phil has been average. He completely blew it with the carmelo anthony deal.. giving him that ridiculous deal. what the knicks needed was a purge.. a sign in trade with the bull is what I would have loved to see phil get aggressive with.. getting back a young guy in mcdermott who I think will be a very good player, maybe a pick and a Taj gibson. Heck did phil even entertain a sign and trade?

The moves we made were marginal. Calderon is 33, who knows if this is the year that he suddenly gets old overnight.. Felton wasn't great, but he wasn't our biggest problem, and one thing he gave this team that we don't have now is a penetrator.. yes felton got into the lane and he often found chandler for easy ally opps.... and now chandler is gone, who do we have to play over the rim?

say what you want about chandler and felton, but they played hard all of the time.. maybe not always effective, but hard..

now we bring in guys like calderon, larkin, dalembert.. I mean really? what are we going to win with that.. I'm a bit underwhelmed here..

sorry..
 

Broadway

All Star
I like Clean and may have reason to be drawn to Acy. Overall Phil hasn't done anything uniquely defining as any other GM had we hired them.

We had trades on the table during the year for Chandler, but they were rebuffed. At he time the logic was we need Chandler to have a shot at the playoffs. Well we missed and as soon as the season was over we trade him at first crack. Total double standard there and once again he could have been traded had Mills pulled the trigger.

Calderon is worst defensively compared to Felton believe it or not. Had to be a major reason Carlisle and Donnie Jr. were willing to dump him in the trade on top of adding to our 2015 cap salary.

Larkin is at best maybe Patty Millsish. Okay maybe a nice find but nothing go overboard over. Half league has similar impact players given rotation spot.

Jason Smith is a doof, he'll have some good moments along with bad ones

Dalembert is about done, this guy played several season with A.I. for crying out loud


Outlaw 'I'm 30yrs old and yet I look like I'm lost in a mall"


Come on we're going to see Phil flip this roster several times, watch

If all these moves are wonderful we should expect to see many of these guys here in 2016
 

Tkf

Benchwarmer
I like Clean and may have reason to be drawn to Acy. Overall Phil hasn't done anything uniquely defining as any other GM had we hired them.

We had trades on the table during the year for Chandler, but they were rebuffed. At he time the logic was we need Chandler to have a shot at the playoffs. Well we missed and as soon as the season was over we trade him at first crack. Total double standard there and once again he could have been traded had Mills pulled the trigger.

Calderon is worst defensively compared to Felton believe it or not. Had to be a major reason Carlisle and Donnie Jr. were willing to dump him in the trade on top of adding to our 2015 cap salary.

Larkin is at best maybe Patty Millsish. Okay maybe a nice find but nothing go overboard over. Half league has similar impact players given rotation spot.

Jason Smith is a doof, he'll have some good moments along with bad ones

Dalembert is about done, this guy played several season with A.I. for crying out loud


Outlaw 'I'm 30yrs old and yet I look like I'm lost in a mall"


Come on we're going to see Phil flip this roster several times, watch

If all these moves are wonderful we should expect to see many of these guys here in 2016

exactly and if Phil is doing his job, this roster should be flipped several times until we can stockpile picks and better, younger talent..
 

tiger0330

Legend
Given what Phil had to work with, the taxpayer MLE, vet min contracts and no draft picks he did well.

Like you guys say, this may be the first iteration in turning over the roster but it needed to be done. If Steve Mills was still running the show I'm not sure anything would have gotten done.

We'll see what happens this season but if the Knicks fulfill Melo's prediction of making the playoffs then the season will have been a success.
 

Broadway

All Star
Given what Phil had to work with, the taxpayer MLE, vet min contracts and no draft picks he did well.

Same exact things said in defense of Grunwald last year, which is why I said Phil did nothing to distinguish himself from any other GM potentially hired. I bet if we had Masai-Presti-Morey here our roster would look absolutely different Melo on down with assets in the fold.
 
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Kiyaman

Legend
Phil's offseason has not come close to the expectation of what a large NBA fan base expected from him in N.Y..
ESPN graded Phil's summer action a 10th seeded team .. DAMN!

Phil could've went in so many different direction having a summer roster of some talented one year contract players, and the best Phil could do was Dalembert/Calderon/Outlaw?
Dont get me wrong, the trio of veterans are great back-up role-players .......

I just hope Phil let all the other Knicks players know in June that Dolan was gonna resign Melo to an unreasonable amount of cash.
 
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Broadway

All Star
Same exact things said in defense of Grunwald last year, which is why I said Phil did nothing to distinguish himself from any other GM potentially hired. I bet if we had Masai-Presti-Morey here our roster would look absolutely different Melo on down with assets in the fold.

So Presti trades Thabeet to the Sixers. Giving them cash $1.25mil to create a TPE. Mission impossible


https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/504370771485933568


Sixers almost couldn't pass this up because of roster limitations with cap requirement.
 

tiger0330

Legend
If Presti was that good he wouldn't have that bust Thabeet on the Thunder in the 1st place. What did he do that was so wonderful in trading Thabeet anyway, gave him to the 76ers and paid his last years salary of 1.25M for them while getting nothing back in return other than the TPE.
 

Broadway

All Star
If Presti was that good he wouldn't have that bust Thabeet on the Thunder in the 1st place. What did he do that was so wonderful in trading Thabeet anyway, gave him to the 76ers and paid his last years salary of 1.25M for them while getting nothing back in return other than the TPE.

The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired a trade exception and a 2015 protected second round draft pick

And a draft pick. They signed Thabeet in 2012 for cheap in hopes he still had developmental growth. Now that it appears he's about done, he dumps him to a team needing to absorb salary essentially creating small cap space(That's how a TPE performs for the most part) and picks up a pick in the process. What jeopardy did he put OKC in besides paying his small salary?
 
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tiger0330

Legend
The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired a trade exception and a 2015 protected second round draft pick
I didn't see the specifics of the pick but it's probably protected through at least 45 and the Thunder will never see anybody from the pick. It's a small exception that has to be used in a year so that's no big deal either.

I didn't say it was a bad trade for the Thunder it was just a minor salary cap move for both teams. Philly gets 1.25M closer to meeting the minimum salary requirement for an NBA team and the Thunder shed 1.25M.
 
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Kiyaman

Legend
What bothers me the most about the Knicks organization are the new guys added to the Knicks roster each offseason, which has been averaging 7 to 8 new guys added to the team each season since 2008.

When are the Knicks management, and coaching-staff going to put together a roster where 2 to 4 new guys are added each season???

In 2015-16 offseason we had it where we would've had less than $10M on the salary-cap to sign / resign FA players.
This offseason we added $31M to the salary-cap of the 2015-16 season in Melo & Calderon contracts, when we add on JR.smith $7M contract that give us a $38M salary-cap in 3 players contracts (Melo, JR, Calderon) to start the 2015-16 season.
Is this the way to rebuild a team? or a contender team?
 
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