Woj: Knicks Frontrunners for Monroe & Afflalo

[footey]

In the abstract, of course he'd prefer to be in New York. Let's see how things shake out after he's actually met with teams.

Why?

[footey]

I think Monroe and Harris are our best chance to get a lot better this year. If we lose out on Monroe to the stinking Knicks I won't be happy.

Our spaced out system is better for him, we have a brighter future, a better coach and a better run organization.

I would agree that we have the better organization. Stevens is probably a better coach, but we can't tell about Fisher right now given the roster.

You're joking, right?

[Who]

I don't think New York will pay too heavily for their terrible season last year. They have been around .500 for the last 4 years. One 50 win season. They still have a big name star in Carmelo Anthony. I think they'll be given the benefit of the doubt (by 2nd / 3rd tier FAs) that they can turn things around quickly and get back into the playoffs.

I do think that their terrible season last year kills their chances of getting any of the big name free agents like Aldridge or Gasol. Those guys don't just want the playoffs. They want a title contender and New York is too far away to convince them of that.

But those 2nd tier & 3rd tier guys have lower expectations ... and I think a haul of Greg Monroe, Arron Afflalo and David West would be a very good off-season / free agency period for New York given their circumstances.

[footey]

The Knicks and Lakers are always the front runners before free agency starts. 


Then the meeting start to happen, and suddenly, the best players on the market go somewhere else. 



So I will believe the Knicks will sign these players when they actually sign the players.

Yeah, it seems that once Mr. Tax Man makes his call, they all run to TX and FL.

[D.o.s.]

I think Monroe and Harris are our best chance to get a lot better this year. If we lose out on Monroe to the stinking Knicks I won't be happy.

Our spaced out system is better for him, we have a brighter future, a better coach and a better run organization.

I would agree that we have the better organization. Stevens is probably a better coach, but we can't tell about Fisher right now given the roster.

You're joking, right?

If you think there was anything meaningful you can draw about Fischer's coaching from New York's season I'd love to hear it.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

The Knicks could go 0-82 and the Celtics could win the title, and most free agents would still prefer to go to New York? Why?!? Who cares if it's the big freakin' apple. That's a horrible franchise.

[celticsclay]

I think Monroe and Harris are our best chance to get a lot better this year. If we lose out on Monroe to the stinking Knicks I won't be happy.

Our spaced out system is better for him, we have a brighter future, a better coach and a better run organization.

I would agree that we have the better organization. Stevens is probably a better coach, but we can't tell about Fisher right now given the roster.

You're joking, right?

If you think there was anything meaningful you can draw about Fischer's coaching from New York's season I'd love to hear it.

I think the point is more that Brad has a lot more coaching experience than Fisher and has at least demonstrated success at the college level with a promising start to his pro coaching career. The onus is kind of on Fisher to demonstrate he can actually coach at this point. Stevens has already demonstrated some skills.

[Robb]

I'm not going to be upset that the Cs might miss out on a declining shooting guard, regardless of how much I like Afflalo. He, in no way, fits into their plans. Are we upset that he Knicks are meeting with David West?

Are we also forgetting that when it's time to trade draft picks everyone brings up the Celtics in rumors because the Cs have so many picks?  Teams plant the rumor that the Cs are involved and then the other team they're negotiating with thinks they need to up the price by including more picks.  It works the same at free agency time with the Knicks and Lakers. An agent tells an interested team that they have meetings set up with the other "destination" cities that have a ton of money and it gets everyone else to pony up more. This song and dance isn't new. Like someone else posted: when the Knicks actually sign someone, I'll say that this matters.

For that matter, for all of the posturing that Dallas has made as a free agent destination, courting Howard and LeBron and whomever, Chandler Parsons is what they have to show for it.

[footey]

I think Monroe and Harris are our best chance to get a lot better this year. If we lose out on Monroe to the stinking Knicks I won't be happy.

Our spaced out system is better for him, we have a brighter future, a better coach and a better run organization.

I would agree that we have the better organization. Stevens is probably a better coach, but we can't tell about Fisher right now given the roster.

You're joking, right?

If you think there was anything meaningful you can draw about Fischer's coaching from New York's season I'd love to hear it.

Watched about 20 Knick games this year (live in NY). He seemed clueless during timeouts.  He's young, I grant you that, and the team was awful last year.  The problem is that Phil is the puppet master, and Fish is his puppet.  He has hamstrung with all that triangle BS.  We have our own BS, whom I much prefer.

[MBunge]

This is why it's so hard to be a successful GM.  I don't think you can make a single basketball argument that NY is a better situation than Boston.

Mike

[SHAQATTACK]

I think Monroe and Harris are our best chance to get a lot better this year. If we lose out on Monroe to the stinking Knicks I won't be happy.

Our spaced out system is better for him, we have a brighter future, a better coach and a better run organization.

I would agree that we have the better organization. Stevens is probably a better coach, but we can't tell about Fisher right now given the roster.

You're joking, right?

Man.....Fisher can't coach a girls city league squad ........lOl

But he can follow directions and tank like nobodies business......  He is a yes Man ......yes surrrrr.....mister Jackson surrrrr.......we can loose all dem game.

[fairweatherfan]

The Knicks and Lakers are always the front runners before free agency starts. 


Then the meeting start to happen, and suddenly, the best players on the market go somewhere else. 



So I will believe the Knicks will sign these players when they actually sign the players.

Hey now, last season the Rockets were also the frontrunners for everybody, followed by nobody going there.   

But I agree - Woj is obviously a good source for trades and such but a lot of these rumors have to do with the fact that LA and NYC are the largest media markets, so sports reporters typically have more connections there.

[D.o.s.]

I think Monroe and Harris are our best chance to get a lot better this year. If we lose out on Monroe to the stinking Knicks I won't be happy.

Our spaced out system is better for him, we have a brighter future, a better coach and a better run organization.

I would agree that we have the better organization. Stevens is probably a better coach, but we can't tell about Fisher right now given the roster.

You're joking, right?

If you think there was anything meaningful you can draw about Fischer's coaching from New York's season I'd love to hear it.

I think the point is more that Brad has a lot more coaching experience than Fisher and has at least demonstrated success at the college level with a promising start to his pro coaching career. The onus is kind of on Fisher to demonstrate he can actually coach at this point. Stevens has already demonstrated some skills.

Sure, that's why I said he's probably a better coach.

I think Monroe and Harris are our best chance to get a lot better this year. If we lose out on Monroe to the stinking Knicks I won't be happy.

Our spaced out system is better for him, we have a brighter future, a better coach and a better run organization.

I would agree that we have the better organization. Stevens is probably a better coach, but we can't tell about Fisher right now given the roster.

You're joking, right?

If you think there was anything meaningful you can draw about Fischer's coaching from New York's season I'd love to hear it.

Watched about 20 Knick games this year (live in NY). He seemed clueless during timeouts.  He's young, I grant you that, and the team was awful last year.  The problem is that Phil is the puppet master, and Fish is his puppet.  He has hamstrung with all that triangle BS.  We have our own BS, whom I much prefer.

That's the point of the qualifier "probably." 

I think the biggest issue that Fisher is going to run into, beyond the Knicks being the Knicks in general, is that the Triangle is quite likely to be an outmoded way of thinking about the game that is significantly more difficult for players to learn than some of the more effective alternatives -- like learning to write perfect cursive instead of typing.

[BudweiserCeltic]

The real question is, who are you going to believe? Woj or Bleacher Report?

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2509650-the-biggest-threat-to-sign-the-top-10-free-agents-in-2015-nba-free-agency/page/2

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2507288-nba-free-agents-2015-predictions-for-top-20-names-on-the-market/page/7

[PhoSita]

This is why it's so hard to be a successful GM.  I don't think you can make a single basketball argument that NY is a better situation than Boston.

Mike

Melo is a better player than anyone on the Celtics.  The argument starts there.

Porzingis might also be a better prospect than any the Celtics have.

On top of that, the Knicks have the major media market and cap space this summer and, like everybody else, more to come in the next two years.  That means plenty of opportunity to continue adding talent to the team.