People still don't seem to understand....that if the new CBA permits it...and there's still an MLE...and if Paul wants to be here and doesn't sign an extension for anyone else (because no team is going to trade assets for a guy with rights to walk) we'll BE ABLE TO GET THE SAME CENTERS THAT WE CAN ACQUIRE NOW WITH THE MLE, BE IT SPLITTING IT BETWEEN TWO, OR GIVING IT ALL TO ONE.
None of the centers, 2-14 are available for the same exact reason a bunch of people on this board wants them...they're good and they're valuable...but they're either under long term contract or are expensive free agents...be it restricted or unrestricted. If the CBA prevents us from getting CP3, then where would the money for one of those guys come from? Cause to pry a restricted FA center away from his team....you'd have to give him the $14-16M that you would be giving CP3. All of the unrestricted FA's, Chandler, Sammy D, and Nene are up for contract this year....not next....when we have the money to spend. No one is taking our "assets" for any of their centers unless it's Dwight forcing his way here by not signing an extension for anyone else.
God damn man...here we go again, it was the same thing with the Melo situation. I feel like a broken record. People telling me that there are better offers elsewhere and I keep saying "if dude wants to be here, he'll be here because the Knicks are the last team Denver can get a deal with and the only ones if he won't put pen to paper for someone else." I'm told how wrong I am and shit...until every other deal for Melo falls thru, and we get him...
One more time. We can't afford any center FA's this year, restricted or otherwise. All we can do this year is get a Kwame Brown, or Przybilla type guy. No one is trading Horford or Javale McGee to us, that's more of a pipedream than a dude who actually wants to be here and has the power to make it happen.
Ok...follow along....the restricted FA centers will only leave their teams next year if offered a contract that their team refuses to match. That means an outlandish amount of money, like the $34M contract Portland gave to a second year, second round pick Wesley Matthews. Utah said "the ****???? you guys can have him for that coin" now hindsight being 20/20, they probably should have kept him...but everyone was shocked by that deal. The Knicks would have to do something similar to pry Javale away from Washington....that means giving him all $14-15M that we would be looking to give to CP3, and there's still no guarantee that Washington doesn't match it and keep him. (like Orlando did with Reddick)
So what happens if we don't get Javale, or....Asik? I dunno who people are even targeting. But say we don't get one of those guys....who do we go to? Available, veteran, MLE type centers. Now....if there's still an MLE, why would you rather give that guy(s) a contract under the cap...as opposed to giving CP3 the money you have to spend, and then getting your center with the MLE? Now you have the center you were always gonna get, and you have your PG of the future.
If the cap is so restricting to the point where we can't give CP3 his money next summer, then we're not getting Javale McGee...cause it would require the same money.
This is simply a matter of: would you rather have CP3 on your roster and have a rotation of centers on your team, or have Javale McGee and a question mark at the helm of your team?
People seem to think that getting CP3 hamstrings us in some way, but then they bring up guys under contract, at a position where upper echelon talent is scarce...and they seem to think that we're trading Billups, Fields, a ham sandwich, and a reach around for a legit top ten center. And they'd rather hold onto that hope and dream, as opposed to having CP3, Joel Przybilla, Jeff Foster, and Jorts.
Knicks fans......What. The. ****?
Is it a lack of knowledge of the salary cap type stuff, or what? Cause this shit is getting ridiculous.
Only in NYC would a fan of a team with Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire say some shit like "CP3 and servicable centers? :teeth: nah....gimme that unavailable *****....that's how you win rings."
The main argument from my side is that we don't need 3 stars. We need to address our main issue; size, and
depth. Has anyone claimed that there are better offers available? No. Perhaps ones that are more realistic, but not better. But better is a loaded word in this case, because the terms in which we discern our future aren't solidified.
Considering the size of your rant, there are too many
ifs to satisfy the pallet of those you wish to impress, or those you wish to gainsay. None of us know what's going to happen with the new CBA, but any form of leniency therein seems remote at best. Are we really clinging on to Paul's resilience in signing nowhere but here? None of us can claim to know that, can we? So why hedge our bets upon it?
I've only ever said that I don't think we
NEED CP3. I am advocating a traditional 2 star, heavy front court, prototypical contending roster, in which salaries are dispersed throughout a versatile, deep and capable team. I don't agree that's any less of a likelihood than signing Chris Paul. More of a likelihood considering league interest in players of his caliber.
If, via some astrological miracle, the league installs a flex cap with no roll backs on salaries, does not subtract the MLE and, basically, does a 180 degree turn on its current terms/overall stance, I'm not foolish enough to say that it wouldn't be brilliant to have him as our PG. But there's every chance that this debate may not harbour any merit whatsoever, when we suddenly discover that the CBA pushes Paul, even the idea of a 3rd high salary player, out of any and all discussion in NY, with a hard/low cap.
I understand, at least at an appropriate level, the workings of the
former cap. The MLE is a misnomer in any finger pointing or equating at the moment. From the impressions given thus far by the league, I'm basically erring on the side of caution in my deliberation.
When it comes to the Paul situation, perhaps there's something I'm not taking in to account or am mistaken in below?
I understand that N.O will be looking to trade Paul before his free agency begins. I also understand that the Hornets are owned by the league. Will that have any adverse repercussions on the scenario? Are we a likelihood as an attractive option in that scenario? Or, again, are we so confident that he'll have a tantrum unless he's given what he wants? That, of course, being NY? Can't say I'm an expert on any of those points, but I would never claim to be, given that I
can't predict the outcome.