A New Big Three (Melo, Love, Rondo) while adding Asik

[Evantime34]

Just saying for the people saying "Why would the Knicks trade to a division rival?" I seem to recall we traded two of our best players to a division rival

We did the deal because we were getting an excessive number of draft picks. I think we would have to offer them the same premium for them to deal Melo to us. Even then I'm not sure the Knicks would do this deal unless they found someone under the cap (like Charlotte) to take on Wallace's contract in the deal.

[Geo123]

Dolan would never trade Melo to the Celtics.

Exactly and neither would Jackson allow it to happen, especially for the package that was presented above.  They get nothing of great value and yet pick up Wallace's contract also.  It's been said many times that the Celts would either have to pick up another team's worse contract or trade at least 1 #1 to get rid of Wallace.  When you factor that in the Knicks would get garbage for arguably the second best scorer in the league.  Yeah I"m sure they would do that and trade him to their rival also... 

[Evantime34]

I'm curious. If the Knicks refused to trade Melo to Boston could we potentially clear enough space to get him? Would it be cheaper to do that then trade directly with the Knicks? Could we get someone to take on Gerald Wallace and/or Green for picks?

[LooseCannon]

I'm curious. If the Knicks refused to trade Melo to Boston could we potentially clear enough space to get him? Would it be cheaper to do that then trade directly with the Knicks? Could we get someone to take on Gerald Wallace and/or Green for picks?

I think it is theoretically possible.

Step 1: Brandon Bass, Joel Anthony, Kelly Olynyk (because he makes more than Sullinger), and draft picks for Kevin Love
Step 2: renounce all free agents, the TPE, and the MLE
Step 3: cut all unguaranteed contracts

You're left with Love, Rondo, Faverani, Green, Sullinger, Wallace for $52.3m.  If you can use whatever picks you have left over to do a salary dump of Wallace and Green, you can give have enough money to give Carmelo Anthony what he wants (due to cap holds for empty roster spots, I think you might have to move both of them to give Melo near-max money), with maybe as much as $10m in cap space, the room exception, and the veteran's minimum to find a starting SG, have someone better than Faverani as your starting center, and fill out your bench.  You might have less than $10m if you are taking back smaller contracts as part of that salary dump.

Would you rather have Carmelo Anthony and whatever that cap space gets you or would you prefer Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, the ability to use the TPE and the MLE to add to your roster, the opportunity to use Bird rights to sign guys like Humphries and Bayless for your bench, all the picks you would have to use to get another team to take on the contracts of Wallace and Green, and the chance to use Wallace's contract as trade ballast a year from now?

[Smokeeye123]

Melo seems redundant id rather have a defensive allstar like gasol/cousins.

[Evantime34]

Melo seems redundant id rather have a defensive allstar like gasol/cousins.

Not sure if Cousins is that good on defense but I completely agree with the premise.

[SHAQATTACK]

I'm for trying to get Marc Gasol for starting center....unless Drummond can be stolen.

He doesnT have all the mental issues of Sanders or Hibbert or Howard,  and is not fragile like BLopez.

[manl_lui]

I'm for trying to get Marc Gasol for starting center....unless Drummond can be stolen.

He doesnT have all the mental issues of Sanders or Hibbert or Howard,  and is not fragile like BLopez.

getting Drummond - a million times yes!

[LooseCannon]

I'm for trying to get Marc Gasol for starting center....unless Drummond can be stolen.

He doesnT have all the mental issues of Sanders or Hibbert or Howard,  and is not fragile like BLopez.

Drummond's main liability is that he is nowhere near as good at FT shooting as Dwight Howard.  He's the only starter in the league who is bad enough to mathematically justify a hack-a-shaq strategy.

[nickagneta]

I'm curious. If the Knicks refused to trade Melo to Boston could we potentially clear enough space to get him? Would it be cheaper to do that then trade directly with the Knicks? Could we get someone to take on Gerald Wallace and/or Green for picks?

I think it is theoretically possible.

Step 1: Brandon Bass, Joel Anthony, Kelly Olynyk (because he makes more than Sullinger), and draft picks for Kevin Love
Step 2: renounce all free agents, the TPE, and the MLE
Step 3: cut all unguaranteed contracts

You're left with Love, Rondo, Faverani, Green, Sullinger, Wallace for $52.3m.  If you can use whatever picks you have left over to do a salary dump of Wallace and Green, you can give have enough money to give Carmelo Anthony what he wants (due to cap holds for empty roster spots, I think you might have to move both of them to give Melo near-max money), with maybe as much as $10m in cap space, the room exception, and the veteran's minimum to find a starting SG, have someone better than Faverani as your starting center, and fill out your bench.  You might have less than $10m if you are taking back smaller contracts as part of that salary dump.

Would you rather have Carmelo Anthony and whatever that cap space gets you or would you prefer Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, the ability to use the TPE and the MLE to add to your roster, the opportunity to use Bird rights to sign guys like Humphries and Bayless for your bench, all the picks you would have to use to get another team to take on the contracts of Wallace and Green, and the chance to use Wallace's contract as trade ballast a year from now?

Its theoretically possible to open an Einstein-Rosen bridge and travel to the Andromeda Galaxy as well but if we are being realistic, its not very likely.

While getting Melo, a player I am not overly fond is would be great to go with Love, I would rather a sign and trade sending out Jeff Green to NY with filler and picks than dumping all those options and trying to resign Melo to a contract below what he could get by resigning with NY or doing a sign and trade. Getting a feeling an underpaid Melo would be an unhappy Melo.

[jay]

Melo would be way better than Gay, Hayward, or Eric Gordon if we are going after a scorer with a max contract.  If Knicks won't take Green/Wallace would Kings?  Send Gay to Knicks in a 3 way?  Send picks to both places? 

Melo, Asik, Love would be great frontline.  Wouldn't necessarily have to have scoring at SG.  Would need to keep Bradley for Perimeter D and also think Defense with the MLE.  PJ Tucker?

Still think we should try to sign and trade Humphries (and 17th pick) for a SG if a good one could be had.  If you are building a contender then you don't want to lose that salary off the books and get nothing.  Afflalo, OJ Mayo?, Stuckey?, probably not Thornton.  Afflalo def the best target there.


Asik
Love
Melo
Afflalo
Rondo
-------
Olynyk
Tucker. MLE
Bradley
-------
Pressey
Iverson
Maxiell (in Afflalo trade)
Jimmer (smaller exception)

[Irish Stew]

If I am Phil Jackson and Anthony wants to leave, I just let him go and tank this coming year. At the end of the coming season, I will have only about 11 or 12 million in contracts(J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton are unlikely to get better offers in free agency and accept their 6.4 and 3.9 million contracts respectively and Hardaway Jr. will probably be kept for 1.3 million). Now, I can build the Knicks the way I want to starting with next year's deep lottery pick and a ton of money for free agents.

[LooseCannon]

I'm curious. If the Knicks refused to trade Melo to Boston could we potentially clear enough space to get him? Would it be cheaper to do that then trade directly with the Knicks? Could we get someone to take on Gerald Wallace and/or Green for picks?

I think it is theoretically possible.

Step 1: Brandon Bass, Joel Anthony, Kelly Olynyk (because he makes more than Sullinger), and draft picks for Kevin Love
Step 2: renounce all free agents, the TPE, and the MLE
Step 3: cut all unguaranteed contracts

You're left with Love, Rondo, Faverani, Green, Sullinger, Wallace for $52.3m.  If you can use whatever picks you have left over to do a salary dump of Wallace and Green, you can give have enough money to give Carmelo Anthony what he wants (due to cap holds for empty roster spots, I think you might have to move both of them to give Melo near-max money), with maybe as much as $10m in cap space, the room exception, and the veteran's minimum to find a starting SG, have someone better than Faverani as your starting center, and fill out your bench.  You might have less than $10m if you are taking back smaller contracts as part of that salary dump.

Would you rather have Carmelo Anthony and whatever that cap space gets you or would you prefer Jeff Green, Avery Bradley, the ability to use the TPE and the MLE to add to your roster, the opportunity to use Bird rights to sign guys like Humphries and Bayless for your bench, all the picks you would have to use to get another team to take on the contracts of Wallace and Green, and the chance to use Wallace's contract as trade ballast a year from now?

Its theoretically possible to open an Einstein-Rosen bridge and travel to the Andromeda Galaxy as well but if we are being realistic, its not very likely.

While getting Melo, a player I am not overly fond is would be great to go with Love, I would rather a sign and trade sending out Jeff Green to NY with filler and picks than dumping all those options and trying to resign Melo to a contract below what he could get by resigning with NY or doing a sign and trade. Getting a feeling an underpaid Melo would be an unhappy Melo.

If you want to do a sign-and-trade for Carmelo Anthony (I don't), being able to theoretically sign him outright as a free agent helps lower the price that the Knicks can demand.

[Smokeeye123]

If I am Phil Jackson and Anthony wants to leave, I just let him go and tank this coming year. At the end of the coming season, I will have only about 11 or 12 million in contracts(J.R. Smith and Raymond Felton are unlikely to get better offers in free agency and accept their 6.4 and 3.9 million contracts respectively and Hardaway Jr. will probably be kept for 1.3 million). Now, I can build the Knicks the way I want to starting with next year's deep lottery pick and a ton of money for free agents.

Yeah, trade Anthony and get a haul of assets, tank next year, and then in 2015-16 you are poised to assemble a new big 3/draft some great players

[Smokeeye123]

I'm for trying to get Marc Gasol for starting center....unless Drummond can be stolen.

He doesnT have all the mental issues of Sanders or Hibbert or Howard,  and is not fragile like BLopez.

getting Drummond - a million times yes!

Andre Drummond is untouchable and going nowhere. He is Detroit's only hope.

 Gasol/Jordan/Bogut/Hibbert could all be good anchors for us. The latter two would be buy low players who both have enormous impacts defensively. If you are building a team around Love it is MANDITORY to have a defensive anchor at the center position. If you don't you will get gutted like a fish and win nothing. 3point shooters and scorers are a dime a dozen and can be found relatively cheap. I'd rather invest my money into a center.

And if none of those centers are available I'd be totally for bringing back Perkins on the cheap.