How to Fix the Knicks (Long)

[nzea]

Before any of the trades or salary moves below, the Knicks need to find a great coach. they want a championship it starts with finding the next Pop/Thibs. A great coach and Phil Jackson would be great pieces to build with.

Anyways, it starts with this trade.

http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=mt2gvw8

The Pistons unload Smith and Jennings, in exchange for Amare's soon to be huge expiring contract. They can keep their core and start over with a bunch of expiring deals (Villanueva, Stuckey) They can make a decision on Monroe and then next year when Jerebko, Billups, Bynum and Amare expire they have nothing but rookie deals, cap space and their own first rounders. Knicks might have to include some of their few assets, maybe choose between Shump and Hardaway.

The Knicks take on salary, but gain two things they really need. Defense and rebounding at the four spot from Smith, and an upgrade from Felton at the one. He may be a chucker but with Some serious playmakers around him I think he'll adjust his attitude. Again a great coach and Phil Jackson can transform a team.

Carmelo wants to stay now because they got some real talent. Let's say they keep Shump and Hardaway.

2014-15 Lineup

PG

Jennings
Felton
Prigioni

SG

Shump
Hardaway
J.R. Smith

SF

Melo
Earl Clark

PF

Josh Smith
A. Bargnani
K-Mart

C

Chandler
K-Mart
Cole Aldrich

Now you have Bargnani, Chandler, MWP coming off the books and Felton, Prigioni and Smith become expiring (assuming they pick up their player options).

You have to resign Melo for whatever it takes.
Resign the minor players (Clark, Tyler, Aldrich)
Keep Shump

Now this trade (Due to Larry Sanders new 11m contract kicking in next year I can't do trade machine but it works) Maybe include a 2017 or 2018 first rounder.

Prigioni, Felton and Smith (all expiring) to the Bucks in exchange for Sanders. Disgruntled and likely to be replaced by a rookie in the next two drafts, Sanders would replace Chandler. Maybe throw in a second rounder, I'm not sure how the Bucks relationship with Sanders will further decline or progress from here.

Also, if Sanders can't be had, sign Marc Gasol instead and put off siging FA's until 2016. But I think Sanders can be had so here it is.

They have well over 17 mil in free cap space. Sign Reggie Jackson, Brandon Bass, Thad Young and cheap vets to fill out the roster. The Knicks 2015 draft pick should fill out the rest of it.

Maybe an international find or two as well.

This gives the Knicks 2015-16 lineup

PG

Jennings
Reggie Jackson
JJ. Barea

SG

Shump
Hardaway
Cheap Vet

SF

Melo
T. Young
Clark

PF

J. Smith
Brandon Bass
J. Tyler

C

Sanders
2015 draft pick (Cauley-Stein?)
Aldrich

Melo finally gets what he wants, being the man on a contending team. You have all the elements you need.

Shooting
Melo
Bass
Smith (as a four shooting mid range, not threes obviously)
Hardaway
Jackson
Young
Clark

Perimeter D
Jackson
Shump

Interior D
Smith
Sanders
2015 draft pick (CAULEY-STEIN?)

Rebounding
Melo
Smith
Sanders
Bass
Young

Playmaking
Jennings
Jackson
Melo
Smith to an extent

A decent two year plan right?

[Fafnir]

This entire post ignores the fact that Phil Jackson is going to implement the triangle.

Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings are not players who fit the triangle in any way shape or form. Smith has the skillset but not the attitude, Jennings has neither.

[footey]

Q: How to Fix the Knicks?

A:  Why?

[pearljammer10]

The Knicks are in a real mess. Not sure what they'll end up doing but I would propose;

Sending Amare off to anyone who wants to bid for him.

Replace Amare with signing Pau Gasol. Good passing big man, Chandler will make up for Gasol's slow down on the defense, can fit the triangle offense.

Upgrade at the PG position, Felton is just not going to cut it. Keep Shumpert and Hardaway Jr around. Let Bargs expire. Unfortunately probably stuck with JR Smith.

Next year:

Upgrade at PG/Prigioni
Shumpert/Hardaway Jr
Melo/Smith
Gasol/Bargs
Chandler/

Eh, screw it, they're screwed. I think they'll net Gasol and he will be a good fit for them.


Edit: Would anyone be interested in the last year of Amare's contract?

If we traded Wallace, Bass, Joel Anthony and a future late round (protected?) 1st would either us or the Knicks be interested?  (Mainly to get Wallace off the books).

Really doesn't make us contenders next year but puts us in cap space heaven in the summer of 2015.

I don't really like it just stirring the discussion pot.

[Fafnir]

You can't just "trade" Amar'e and then sign Pau Gasol.

Just now how the salary cap works.

[nzea]

You can't just "trade" Amar'e and then sign Pau Gasol.

Just now how the salary cap works.

I said Marc Gasol in 2015 after Bargs and Chandler expire.

I say that as an alternative to Sanders.

[nzea]

This entire post ignores the fact that Phil Jackson is going to implement the triangle.

Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings are not players who fit the triangle in any way shape or form. Smith has the skillset but not the attitude, Jennings has neither.

I think getting all of these guys together and convincing them the best way to a championship would be to play together. Phil Jackson and a top coach could do that.

Smith fits great, and with great scorers around him, I think Jennings would too.

Think about it, he's played for the Bucks and Pistons. Not exactly offensive juggernauts.

[nzea]

Q: How to Fix the Knicks?

A:  Why?

Lol just a thought we can't be the only franchise with a nice future.

[Fafnir]

You can't just "trade" Amar'e and then sign Pau Gasol.

Just now how the salary cap works.

I said Marc Gasol in 2015 after Bargs and Chandler expire.

I say that as an alternative to Sanders.

I was responding to pearljammer's post not yours. He suggests signing Pau with space opened up by trading Amar'e which doesn't work via the CBA.

[nzea]

You can't just "trade" Amar'e and then sign Pau Gasol.

Just now how the salary cap works.

I said Marc Gasol in 2015 after Bargs and Chandler expire.

I say that as an alternative to Sanders.

I was responding to pearljammer's post not yours. He suggests signing Pau with space opened up by trading Amar'e which doesn't work via the CBA.

Oh haha sorry.

[nzea]

The Knicks are in a real mess. Not sure what they'll end up doing but I would propose;

Sending Amare off to anyone who wants to bid for him.

Replace Amare with signing Pau Gasol. Good passing big man, Chandler will make up for Gasol's slow down on the defense, can fit the triangle offense.

Upgrade at the PG position, Felton is just not going to cut it. Keep Shumpert and Hardaway Jr around. Let Bargs expire. Unfortunately probably stuck with JR Smith.

Next year:

Upgrade at PG/Prigioni
Shumpert/Hardaway Jr
Melo/Smith
Gasol/Bargs
Chandler/

Eh, screw it, they're screwed. I think they'll net Gasol and he will be a good fit for them.


Edit: Would anyone be interested in the last year of Amare's contract?

If we traded Wallace, Bass, Joel Anthony and a future late round (protected?) 1st would either us or the Knicks be interested?  (Mainly to get Wallace off the books).

Really doesn't make us contenders next year but puts us in cap space heaven in the summer of 2015.

I don't really like it just stirring the discussion pot.

The best thing about my scenario is that it gets the expiring of Felton, Smith and Prig to the bucks in exchange for a disgruntled Sanders. a winning culture can change a lot.

[Fafnir]

This entire post ignores the fact that Phil Jackson is going to implement the triangle.

Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings are not players who fit the triangle in any way shape or form. Smith has the skillset but not the attitude, Jennings has neither.

I think getting all of these guys together and convincing them the best way to a championship would be to play together. Phil Jackson and a top coach could do that.

Smith fits great, and with great scorers around him, I think Jennings would too.

Think about it, he's played for the Bucks and Pistons. Not exactly offensive juggernauts.

The triangle requires a lot of discipline, unselfish ball movement, and moving off the ball. Good luck getting Smith to do all of that.

PGs in the triangle don't handle the ball a ton. Brandon Jennings hates not having the ball and loves to just chuck up ugly shots quickly. His shot selection and shooting ability are both sub-par for what a triangle PG wants ideally.

Phil Jackson is a good coach, but he's now just the GM. Even as a coach he couldn't magically make poor fits work in the triangle.

[pearljammer10]

You can't just "trade" Amar'e and then sign Pau Gasol.

Just now how the salary cap works.

I said Marc Gasol in 2015 after Bargs and Chandler expire.

I say that as an alternative to Sanders.

I was responding to pearljammer's post not yours. He suggests signing Pau with space opened up by trading Amar'e which doesn't work via the CBA.

Oh haha sorry.

Yeah but I didnt suggest this.


I suggested trading Amare for what you can get and replace Amare in your starting line up with Gasol.

How you obtain Gasol (whether it be sign and trade, MLE) is up for discussion.

[ChiefDK]

Trading for Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings would be a typical Knicks "Band-Aid" move. At best that would lead to a few seasons of 33-40 wins. I would hope (for their sake, I could care less) that Phil Jackson would prevent moves like this.

This team needs to take 2-3 years and re-build from the ground up. Something tells me that's not going to happen..because it is NY.

[Fafnir]

You can't just "trade" Amar'e and then sign Pau Gasol.

Just now how the salary cap works.

I said Marc Gasol in 2015 after Bargs and Chandler expire.

I say that as an alternative to Sanders.

I was responding to pearljammer's post not yours. He suggests signing Pau with space opened up by trading Amar'e which doesn't work via the CBA.

Oh haha sorry.

Yeah but I didnt suggest this.


I suggested trading Amare for what you can get and replace Amare in your starting line up with Gasol.

How you obtain Gasol (whether it be sign and trade, MLE) is up for discussion.

You say you didn't, but then you immediately did.

The Knicks are over the luxury tax and the luxury tax "apron" thus they cannot receive Pau Gasol via a sign and trade. Even if they dump Amar'e for zero returning salary they'll be at 69 million, really close the the apron. That's not happening so even dumping him for a 25% less they can't receive a player in a sign and trade.

So a sign and trade is out. So is a full MLE as the Knicks are again tax-payers over the "apron". He'd have to come to the Knicks for the Mini-MLE, 3 years starting at 3.2 million. This isn't going to happen anymore than LeBron is signing for the full MLE.

Trading Amar'e and then acquiring Paul Gasol doesn't work in the CBA.