We do have Mitchell and I keep forgetting about the Kadashian thing.
We can save some money on the Ben thing and draft Sandro with one of our picks. He’s as nice as Ben at the same size with a legit jumper. Just have to hope he can develop the defense to be playable.
What’s your plan, Oh Swami Stern? I looked back, but all I could find were your random thoughts…
My plan?
Hahaha. That's rich. As if I had some special insights.
If I had my druthers, I would proceed very conservatively, very cautiously.
In terms of free agents? 2022 seems a better class to swing for the fences.
I'm fascinated by your bold proposals.
However, as gifted as a Ben Simmons is, his is a flawed game, more tellingly, a very flawed character. A WEAK character. He's had what, five years, the Sixers gave him franchise money, and what? My reading of him is that he would wilt under the bright lights of NY. And while you and I might be projecting him as a 3&D SF or a feathery five, and while he made very well make a positive impact doing so on the right team [I've seen CJ McCollum for Simmons proposals floated], the Knicks are not the one. And to tie up 35-40 million through 2025 strikes me as irresponsible infatuation with the shiny object. In the summer/fall of 2020, Rose and Aller and Perry showed that they are not going down that road.
Okay, so which of our own free agents do we keep? That will trigger many of our other decisions about free agents and draft picks.
I think Payton and Frank are goners. Jared Harper played great in G League, but Thibs gave him no daylight. Pinson is a cheerleader, and Rose loves him, so there's that. I don't think it is written in stone that Knox is out of here; Kenny Payne put a lot of work into his game. And who else do we have. Well, Bullock and Burks are SG/SF, as is RJ. Knox projects more as a SF/PF, but of course that is predicated on being able to defend at the 3 & 4, and so far, KK has not projected as a DeAndre Hunter.
Bullock and/or Burks. Noel. Would they come back on another one year pact? How much of a raise would they figure to demand? How much do we give? I think Pelle projects as capable of giving us an honest 10-15 a night, in the event, quite likely, alas, that Noel seeks out bigger bucks and guaranteed minutes. Does Thibs trust Randle and/or Toppin to be small ball fives? How ready will Mitchell Robinson be? I think we are still committed to him. Do we reach for a big with 19,21 or 32?
Taj and Rose are coin flips. I really want to see Rose back, for more than 7 million per? And not for more than 20-25 minutes a game. I think Taj gives Thibs a certain comfort level, but he is 35 and would rather see Obi get his minutes and be tossed into the deep end of the pool.
How our new PG Vildoza plays in the Olympics will trigger a lot of decisions vis a vis the draft and subsequently in summer league wherein we might discover if Quickley is ready to step up as a facilitator and if Vildoza is more than a mirage? Will Rose be back? That will also trigger draft and free agency decisions.
Ah, free agency?
I am not in favor of going Cuckoo For Cocoa Puffs.
Prudent conservative moves.
I love Kyle Lowry, but big bucks, multiple years? Kemba Walker anyone?
I wouldn't (and this from someone who is eating crow over Chris Paul, although, that was never really on the table, was it?). Trading for Ben Simmons? No thanks.
Now, if we kept Rose and Vildoza, might we pursue a Leon Rose one year not crazy contract for the likes of wily vets such as, oh, Mike Conley, Goran Dragic. Might someone like Spencer Dimwiddie be worth giving Bobby Portis numbers for one year, just to prove he has come all the way back. A big PG with a nice all around game. Not crazy good, but pretty darn good, and not lacking in confidence like the late lamented Elfrid.
If Burks looks to walk, might we give someone like Normal Powell a look see?
More ambitious than Dimwiddie? I believe the Knicks front office is split on Lonzo Ball, and if it cost more than say Fred Van Vleet money, say 4 x 85, not sure I would go there. But certainly worthy of consideration.
Otherwise, you tell me.
Do we re-up Julius say at 100 million for another 4 years? Does that get it done? I think he wants to be here, and is not inclined to want Melo numbers at the cost of building a good team around him.
If Taj AND Nerlens are not here, might we revisit one Bobby Portis, BoD's disdain notwithstanding. In roughly the same 20 some minutes a game he played for us at C-PF, BP knocked down 47% of his treys, and collected 7 boards and 11 points per.
Again, my PLANS? I think Rose is going to try and bring back most of our vets. Remains to be seen who walks. And if we trust Vildoza and Quicks to do what Payton and Rose did. Do we draft a young PG?
And for God's sake, cut down on Randle and Barrett's minutes. You know they are going to work like crazy in the offseason to address shortcomings Atlanta revealed in the playoffs, but clearly part of the problem was that they were burnt the fuck out.
Otherwise, you will notice no fantasies about Doncic, Dame, Beal, Zion.
This year was not a tanker, but it was transitional.
I see 2021-22 in roughly the same light. ROME WASN'T BUILT IN A DAY, and neither should Rose's Knicks.
I see 2021-22 as a preamble to a bigger more aggressive free agent push in 2022-2023.
Anyway, you wanted a plan. Sustain our cap space, max out our draft assets and remain patient in terms of developing our culture.
That's all I've got.
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