[ESPN] Knicks shopping Mindaugas Kuzminskas to make room for Joakim Noah

rady

Administrator
Staff member
The New York Knicks have to make a roster decision at some point this week.

Joakim Noah will return from his 20-game suspension for taking a banned substance on Monday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. New York has 15 players on guaranteed contracts, so the club needs to create a roster spot to make room for Noah. That can happen via trade or the release of a player.

Clearly, the organization can?t waive point guard Jarrett Jack to make room for Noah. The Knicks are 5-1 since Jack was moved into the starting lineup on Oct. 27.

Waiving a player (and eating the guaranteed money) isn?t ideal for New York. Trading two players for one or dealing one player for a draft pick is probably the Knicks? best option.

To that end, the club has contacted teams recently to gauge interest in forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas, opposing executives told ESPN. The interest level in Kuzminskas, who hasn?t been part of the Knicks? rotation this season, is unclear. It?s worth noting that Kuzminskas, 28, was productive when given minutes last season (he averaged 6.0 points, 1.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists in 15 minutes per game) and that he had a strong showing for Lithuania in the European Championships.

If New York doesn?t find a deal it likes involving Kuzminskas, Ramon Sessions would seem to be a likely candidate to be waived. Sessions, whose contract is fully guaranteed for the veteran?s minimum, hasn?t played since he was replaced by Jack in the fourth game of the season.

http://www.espn.com/blog/new-york-k...augas-kuzminskas-to-make-room-for-joakim-noah

I'd really hate to see Kuz go, he was fun to watch last season and for some reason Hornacek hasn't given him any minutes this season
 

Kiyaman

Legend
The Knicks has two options ..
1) either cut a player, or
2) trade two Knick players for one player ..
We have to ask Mafra or Broadway .... "what two players do we trade for who?"

Last season Kuz performance were on and off showing a D.League performance that feared boxing-out n physical contact down, it will be very hard to trade Kuz without adding a NBA level 1 or 2 player in the trade.

The Knicks were not bright signing THJ, when Holiday provide the same performance, nor were the Knicks bright bout holding on to Kuz n Baker after their previous season performance .. plus the Knicks off season mismanagement of confusion were in strong effect again, and keeping these two young players gave the majority of Knick fans the optimistic belief of receiving a young star-player from the 2018 draft lottery.

Sessions may not be a starter, but he is a experience role-player PG to have come off the bench in case of injuries.
Because Baker remind me of Charlie Wards first 4 seasons with the Knicks .. great young player to have around the team in locker room, practice, and traveling.
 

and1

Rotation player
personally i don't want to see kuz go, but i'm pretty sure they could at least get a 2nd round pick for him. i'm sure there's at least 1 team out there who needs a guy to come off the bench to give them some buckets.
 

and1

Rotation player
yeah, i'm getting the feeling we won't be seeing noah on the court as long as this team is playing well.
if things start to go south for whatever reason, or if we get more garbage time 4th quarters, then maybe horn throws him out there.
 

tiger0330

Legend
Noah is the next decision for the Knicks, they're playing well esp defensively so how does he get into the lineup. If Noah doesn't get any burn how do you justify 18M sitting on the bench. He's a candidate to be waived and stretched if I've ever seen one. He may get some minutes in garbage time or if the Knicks nose dive, Noah better make his minutes count when he's on the floor.
 
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