Smith. iffy
Number 1. 2.5 years out -- but an asset
Second #1. 4.5 years or more out -- guaranteed 11th or lower
Glimpses at Wes and the Giant. Maybe can re-sign Wes at MLE
Room for one 7 year max free agent. Cap space
Room for second 7 or 10 year free agent. Cap space
So basically got very very little. For a an-star caliber player.
Either the cap space pays off (as in at least one all-star level guy), or the whole thing is a total fiasco.
With KZ, you could see guys like Kawhi, Kyrie, Durant possiblywanting to come. Now we just nix our betas player, have a team of whozits and kiddies, and it's harder to imagine two top level guys wanting to hop on over to struggle getting NYK in shape. NY looks like a mess, a place to avoid. And it's really all-in, because why would one top player come here? So you almost have to land 2. Good luck.
Isn't it easier for KD, Kyrie, Kawhi, Butler to stay where they are -- all in winning situations -- or move to another winning team. Lakes and Clips for example look much more promising.
So, all the chatter about KD coming to NY, that many "in the knows" in the NBA have been hinting at since the before the season started, is irrelevant to the Knicks decision making?
I'm not saying it's absolutely true, but to ignore or dismiss this entirely, as well as the ongoing issues Kyrie appears to be having with the C's and the increasing ambiguity about his future - documented here in some detail today:
http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/25903463/kyrie-irving-nba-superstars-going-all-instrikes me as odd. I read this past week that Ainge may have even been shopping Kyrie around as well.
So, the pursuit of cap space is useless because you think no one will want to come here, even though there are increasing signs all season of the opposite?
I know we have a reason through history to doubt the Knicks FO, but Dolan is not in charge, nor is Phil. He had to approve the KP trade, but that came from convos with Perry and Mills. Mills I think we can gather, however, is really guided by Perry, as we all know that THJ's offer sheet came from Mills. Perry and Fiz are the most influential, I'd suggest, and they are more new.
They literally raised this yesterday when referring to part of why they traded KP. They felt that he was judging them based on what happened with Phil, said they were new and were trying their way with hopes he would buy in. It was probably the combination of factors that led to him being moved, but when you have an injured star who we don't know how he will look, on a very bad team, and is threatening to possibly bolt, and isn't really buying in, what would you do and what do you think that does to his value?
Did you listen to that podcast I posted or watch that ESPN video? I'm curious what you think about their comments given that I'm noticing you repeating yourself and not responding to some points made.