Walsh & Kidd on the Triangle & Free Agency

tiger0330 said:

I saw too many losing streaks with Chandler/Melo and Amare on the floor at the same time. It was pathetic when Chandler said during Linsanity that Jeremy Lin saved our season, it was true but those 3 should have hung their heads in shame to be getting paid superstar money to put that kind of putrid play on the floor.

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Melo is a Cancer!

tiger0330 said:

I saw too many losing streaks with Chandler/Melo and Amare on the floor at the same time. It was pathetic when Chandler said during Linsanity that Jeremy Lin saved our season, it was true but those 3 should have hung their heads in shame to be getting paid superstar money to put that kind of putrid play on the floor.

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Agreed

But what are we doing here..... comparing crap to crap to more crap right and crap should never make a Max contract. This is almost Tyson Chandler being a free agent all over again. If we could go back and do things differently knowing what we know now....would we want Phil to pay Tyson a 4yr $58mil deal again. NOPE no way in H.E. double hockey sticks. The same now applies to Monroe. Common sense is common sense.

Greg Monroe doesn't have near the impact as Kyle Lowry and he just received 4yrs $48mil.

Broadway said:

Agreed

But what are we doing here..... comparing crap to crap to more crap right and crap should never make a Max contract. This is almost Tyson Chandler being a free agent all over again. If we could go back and do things differently knowing what we know now....would we want Phil to pay Tyson a 4yr $58mil deal again. NOPE no way in H.E. double hockey sticks. The same now applies to Monroe. Common sense is common sense.

Greg Monroe doesn't have near the impact as Kyle Lowry and he just received 4yrs $48mil.

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Well said .. :agreed: 100%
For reasons unknown .. it doesnt sound good reading an article about a 17 win season Knicks team looking forward to giving max-money to a average talent player on a Detroit Piston team that has been a 29 win season team the past 5 seasons.

If Greg Monroe is the best FA that Phil Jackson and Melo could recruit out of a loaded 2015 FA market full of experience postseason star players .. then the decade title of LOSER-Knicks .. STAYS!

http://nypost.com/2015/04/18/rondo-aldridge-12-realistic-knicks-free-agent-targets/


^^^^^^^^ This article was embarrassing on every level imaginable

New York basketball fans love college prospects, ping-pong ball possibilities and the fact the Knicks will have a top-five pick come June 25. But Knicks president Phil Jackson was as clear as the blue sky over Los Angeles on March 12 when he emphasized free-agent additions are the key to next season’s revival.“In the present day in the NBA, 19-, 20-year-olds, coming into the league, it’s really hard to project what that player will be like in his first contract situation,’’ Jackson said. “We know what the first-round pick will mean to us, but we also know we will build the team on free agents. We have 190 players or so who will be free agents. That’s where our priority stands.’’

The Knicks will have $26 million of 2015 cap space after signing their top-five pick, and Jackson said the goal is to sign three prominent free agents — preferably two starters. The trick is spreading the wealth wisely, perhaps with enticements of one-year opt-outs. The Knicks don’t have a big man under contract for 2015-16, but could use help defensively at guard.
Figure center Marc Gasol (Memphis), Kevin Love (Cleveland) and Goran Dragic (Miami) re-sign, and restricted free agents Jimmy Butler (Chicago), Kawhi Leonard (San Antonio) and Reggie Jackson (Detroit) have offer sheets matched by their teams.

Paring our January list, here is a group of more realistic targets with various starting-salary estimates — the figure that counts more than the deal’s average wage.

C/PF LaMarcus Aldridge (Blazers): Rumblings are it’s no longer a guarantee he re-signs with the Blazers, especially if they’re one-and-done in the playoffs. He talked about fitting the triangle offense during All-Star weekend, but his max starting salary is a hefty $18.9 million. Can Jackson convince Aldridge to sign for one year at less than the max so he can reap the benefits of the 2016 cap explosion?

C Greg Monroe (Pistons): A nifty, left-handed low-post scoring fit to cement the triangle, but is no stout defender and may come overpriced if he needs the max for his years of service to sign — about $15 million. But he seems bent on exiting Detroit and said he is ready to meet with Jackson.

PF Paul Millsap (Hawks): Could be solid tag-team with Carmelo Anthony, adding more grit, scoring (16.7 ppg) and perhaps comes cheaper than Monroe at a starting wage of $13 million with opt-out after one season.

PG Rajon Rondo (Mavericks): Word is he would love to play with fellow Oak Hill Academy stud Carmelo Anthony, though not a traditional triangle fit. Hasn’t helped market value in Dallas and may not get raise over current $12.5 million wage.

SG Wesley Matthews (Blazers): Ruptured Achilles could help Knicks as market value softens, perhaps to less than starting salary of $10 million with no guarantee he is ready for camp. He is the rugged, 3-point-shooting, stout, big-guard defender Knicks crave.

C DeAndre Jordan (Clippers): Has talked of interest in New York, and is the menacing, athletic defensive, rim-protecting center Jackson said he wants. But why would Clippers let him flee?

C Robin Lopez (Blazers): Another active defensive center who comes more reasonably priced than Jordan — or even his brother, Brook. Not a bad value if starting salary is $8 million.

SF/PF Tobias Harris (Magic): Pride of Dix Hills wants to be here and is only 22. But would need to overpay a player who plays Anthony’s position. Orlando brass is threatening to match almost any offer.

SF/SG DeMarre Carroll (Hawks): Calls himself “The Junkyard Dog’’ because of his gritty, defensive mentality and has picked up his offensive firepower this season. Expressed interest in New York and playing for Derek Fisher and perhaps can start at $6 million.

SG/SF: Khris Middleton (Bucks): Could be value signing of free-agent class — a good defender who averaged 13.4 points and shot 40.7 percent from 3 with starting wage in $5 million range.

SG Danny Green (Spurs): Long Island kid who is getting All-Defensive Team votes and is a fine 3-point marksman. Perhaps takes a home discount.

PG/SG: Patrick Beverley (Rockets): Perimeter-defending point guard is good fit, depends how cheaply he comes.

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I hate when guys say Melo doesn't do anything else besides score. In his 5 seasons with Knicks, he's avg 26.1pts 7.0 reb and 3.1 ass.
He does work! 7 rebounds is not amazing but it's pretty good. 3.1 assists for a PF/SF is not bad either. IMO some stats like assists are hard to ask for from a scorer. It's like asking Tim duncan to avg 7 assists a game and tony Parker to avg 9 rebounds, to be more well rounded players...when you really need tony parker to avg 7+ assists and Tim Duncan to avg 9+ rebounds. Make sense...PG should be avg more assists. Lebron and very few others are exceptions of non PG that avg a lot of assists. Half the PG in the league don't avg as many as james.
That said, Melo is unstoppable force offensively. With the addition of an above avg PG getting assists and doing the PG's JOB, like say Billups used to, The Team will get what it needs to be Balanced. Shane larkin and Jose Calderone are not the answer. Both nice Back ups, but not starters.
Add in a defensive big man like, Tyson Chandler, or T.Mosgov(Yep, look at cavs defense since his arrival) You improve as well. Maybe Towns or Okafor. Can fill that role. or Marc Gasol, who adds some scoring also.
Then a Legitimate 3 point shooter,to make teams pay for double teams, like Kyle Korver has been for atlanta. Maybe Galloway or Hardaway can Develop to be more consistent shooters...maybe. May need a possible free agent addition.
Knicks have lot's of Needs...but a lot of options and maneuverability with new roster. It's a matter of those Choices agreeing to be here and panning out...look at Rondo in Dallas, not panning out.
Knicks biggest keys are a
PG to break defenses and get team involved. (get assists)
SG/SF A consistent Shooter to make defenses pay for double teams.
C-defensive big man to lock down paint and give "help defense" to guys who get beat.
of those 3, someone should be the second scoring option.

it gets tricky with Carmelo himself being a SF/PF type player...do you want to bring in a big bruising PF to compliment your defensive center? Like Anthony mason/Charles Oakley Type guys were to Patrick Ewing?
or Leave Melo at PF and Bring in a SG/SF who is a defensive specialist...like Bruce Bowen was, to pester opponents scoring SG/SF.
Ideally one of each would be nice. Then play the matchups.
But the idea is to balance the things Carmelo does well with the things he lacks with other players.

Who do you believe Donnie Walsh who never played the game or Chauncey Billups about the triangle. I vote Billups and if the Knicks struggle with it next year after rebuilding their roster they need to s**t can it next season.

Billups not sold on triangle: Jackson said he plans to use the triangle offense as a selling point with free agents this summer. At least one former NBA player thinks that’s a bad idea.

“I don’t know about that triangle,” ESPN analyst Chauncey Billups said on the “The Knicks Blog with Anthony Donahue” radio show. “The game is just different now. ... Look at the point-guard position right now; these guys are playmakers.

“They come down, they score, they’re playmakers. They need pick-and-rolls. You put one of those guys in the triangle offense, where it’s kind of just slow down, pass, cut -- it’s no real NBA playmaking ability. It’s no pick-and-roll stuff, it’s no pindown to the post, no counteraction. Obviously that offense won a lot of championships. But it was curtailed to the personnel that they had.”

Billups added: “You look at Shaq in the triangle -- there’s really no big man in the game like that today. It’s a guard’s game. The game is small, it’s a guard’s game. I got my reservations about the triangle, I really do.”

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tiger0330 said:

Who do you believe Donnie Walsh who never played the game or Chauncey Billups about the triangle. I vote Billups and if the Knicks struggle with it next year after rebuilding their roster they need to s**t can it next season.

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Yeah I saw this when Begley posted it on his ESPN NY page. This system could very well be a deterrent to free agents. We're gonna find out soon enough.

As a Knicks Fan I have to go with Billups .. When Phil Jackson added BIG-BODY center Bill Cartwright from the Knicks to the Bulls roster, the Bulls went from contenders to 3 consecutive Championship Trophies.
Phil already had three of the leagues top-5 best SF/SG/PG in the chemistry "MJ/Paxon/ Pippin" multi-position star-talent brang the team on the wing.

Phil adding the best defensive PF that ever played in the NBA "Rodman" to the starter lineup of 3 quick point-forwards "Pippin/MJ/Harper", plus having a 6.10 point-foward "Kukoc" coming off the bench gave Phil Jackson 3 more consecutive Championship Trophies.

None of todays NBA guards has reached the level of "MJ & Pippin" .. the two above super-star same-page chemistry in a lineup were like having 7 players vs 5 players.
The Shaq & Kobe triangle-offense championship trophy lineup .. all props go to same-page players "Harper/Fisher/Fox/and Horry"
The Kobe & Gasol triangle offense championship trophy lineup .. all props go to same-page players Fisher/Odom/Ariza/MWP/and Bynum

The Triangle-offense is a WINNER when the team has 7 offense/defense same-page creative players ..
Melo's 10 year career has showed repeatedly all Melo's teammates get tired of playing on the same-page with a ballhogger once the regular season end.
The season (Last-Shot) PG-Billups did not let Melo be a ball-hogger the team went to the WCF in the postseason games.
Billups knows whats best!!!!!

Where will NBA's biggest free agents land this summer?
By USA Today news

There are 20 free agents whose teams either were or still are in the playoffs this season.

Rest easy, Cavs fans, LeBron is a free agent this summer in theory alone. Because the league's salary cap is rising at historic levels ? from approximately $63 million this season to $68 million in 2015-16 and an astounding projection of $108 million by the time 2017-18 rolls around

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WOW! $108M salary-cap in the 2017-18 season .. if true .. will allow teams this offseason to do stupid things like James Dolan .. paying their star player $10M more than the star deserve per year.

u would think after the new CBA (greedy) Luxury Tax rule in 2011, the NBA Salary-Cap wouldve risen to at least $90M by 2015-16 season. Being the Net Work in 2015, went public with the total amount of what the Net-Work are paying the NBA per season, the NBA has been putting out rumors of the salary-cap increasing to $100M by 2017-18.

With a 35% increase in the salary-cap in two years .. the FA listed below are looking to get paid this summer.

Marc Gasol, Memphis Grizzlies, LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland Trail Blazers, and DeAndre Jordan, Los Angeles Clippers (unrestricted) Kevin Love, Cleveland Cavaliers (player option) Kawhi Leonard, San Antonio Spurs (restricted) Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs (unrestricted) Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors (restricted) Paul Millsap, Atlanta Hawks (unrestricted) Brook Lopez, Brooklyn Nets (player option) Jimmy Butler, Chicago Bulls (restricted) Rajon Rondo, Dallas Mavericks (unrestricted) Danny Green, San Antonio Spurs (unrestricted) Paul Pierce, Washington Wizards (player option) Lou Williams, Toronto Raptors (unrestricted) Amir Johnson, Toronto Raptors (unrestricted) Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers (restricted) Wesley Matthews, Portland Trail Blazers (unrestricted) Monta Ellis, Dallas Mavericks (player option) Josh Smith, Houston Rockets (unrestricted) Thaddeus Young, Brooklyn Nets (early termination option)

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