Knicks Get Melo: Did they give up too much?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

John Hollinger
New York: D+

You can't evaluate this as you would a normal trade. This deal was made at gunpoint, and that colors the entire assessment.

Anthony became the first player in memory to issue a trade demand and then list one team that he'd accept a trade to. And then somehow, the Knicks decided to start bidding against themselves and repeatedly agreed to up the ante in the final hours.

New York could have had Anthony this summer while losing only Chandler (a restricted free agent they would have had to renounce). Their primary risk to that outcome was a "franchise tag" in the new collective bargaining agreement that would have allowed Denver to keep Anthony. But even then plenty of alternatives were available for the Knicks, as three better players -- Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Dwight Howard -- all seemed anxious to get to the Big Apple via power plays of their own, and one of the three (or another marquee star) may have wriggled free regardless of what new restrictions the next CBA imposes.

This isn't Indiana or Memphis, and this saga laid that reality bare. Even with a franchise tag rule, New York had so many advantages that it was only a matter of time before a second star showed up, especially given the salary cap space the Knicks had carved out.

To get a player like Anthony in those circumstances, it was worth paying something above just Chandler to convert a likely outcome to a certainty.

But in this case the premium New York paid was as follows, beyond Chandler:

• Gallinari
• Mozgov
• Their 2014 first-round draft pick
• Golden State's second-round picks in 2012 and 2013 (owned by the Knicks)
• $6 million in cash ($3 million each to Minnesota and Denver)
• Swallowing two dead-money years at the end of Balkman's contract
• Trading Anthony Randolph for Corey Brewer
• Trading Felton for Billups, making New York eight years older at the point guard spot with a player who makes nearly twice in salary next season. Remind me again why they needed to commit to all eight of these additional considerations for a player they were likely to get anyway?

The worst part, of course, is that this deal proves that no matter how many advantages New York gains from its magnetic appeal to potential free agents, owner James Dolan will screw them up. Leaning on the genius of Isiah Thomas -- because it worked out so well for the first time -- he fell hook, line and sinker for every bluff thrown his way by the Nuggets and Melo's people. (Yes, Melo's people participated -- Anthony needed to make sure he got a lucrative contract extension under the current salary rules before being traded.)

New York still gets its Melo-Stoudemire nucleus, but now lacks the supporting pieces to do anything important with that core. And by extending Melo now, they agree to lock him up at such an expensive price that, in concert with Stoudemire's deal, it likely precludes making a run at Chris Paul, Deron Williams or Dwight Howard in 2012.

Rubbish complete and utter trash. Billups is a terriffic player and in season and a half his contract becomes a positive not a negative, so for that matter does balkmans. There is nothing to buy next year in the free agent market and the draft looks horrendous

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Rubbish complete and utter trash. Billups is a terriffic player and in season and a half his contract becomes a positive not a negative, so for that matter does balkmans. There is nothing to buy next year in the free agent market and the draft looks horrendous

Billups is getting torched tonight by bums. He is a fading player. Balkman's contract is just wasted space. Face it they gave up way too much. The idea that Anthony was going elsewhere was a complete fabrication.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Billups is getting torched tonight by bums. He is a fading player. Balkman's contract is just wasted space. Face it they gave up way too much. The idea that Anthony was going elsewhere was a complete fabrication.

Why would you need Chandler when Anthony is on the court. Gallo is not exact Nowitski, nor will he ever be, losing Felton on the Cheap playing well sucked but they have 7 years of selling out the Gardern and in the playoff locked up with this deal. If they get over the hump is guess work. It will all come down to finding another diamond like Fields in the draft or billups leaving and them getting a point guard..how about Baron Davis he just got banished to Siberia

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Why would you need Chandler when Anthony is on the court. Gallo is not exact Nowitski, nor will he ever be, losing Felton on the Cheap playing well sucked but they have 7 years of selling out the Gardern and in the playoff locked up with this deal. If they get over the hump is guess work. It will all come down to finding another diamond like Fields in the draft or billups leaving and them getting a point guard..how about Baron Davis he just got banished to Siberia

It isn't that they needed Chandler or Galinardi is an all star. It is that they gave up valuable pieces that worked cheap when they didn't have to. I am not a big Felton guy but he is a lot more palatable at 7 million playing 38 minutes a game than Billups at 14 million playing 32. Plus he is a tradable commodity at that salary while Billups is an anchor. Denver was desperate to get rid of Billups and while you might hear some bs about his playoff experience the fact is that the Nuggets had no leverage yet still got players, picks and dumped an unwanted salary.

The Knicks don't have issues selling seats even in tough times. The idea that another Landry will be unearthed by the Knick is very unlikely. In fact they actually took Andy Rautins before they took Fields.

So you want to add Baron Davis to this mix? Why not dust off World B Free and get Doug Moe out of retirement?

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

It isn't that they needed Chandler or Galinardi is an all star. It is that they gave up valuable pieces that worked cheap when they didn't have to. I am not a big Felton guy but he is a lot more palatable at 7 million playing 38 minutes a game than Billups at 14 million playing 32. Plus he is a tradable commodity at that salary while Billups is an anchor. Denver was desperate to get rid of Billups and while you might hear some bs about his playoff experience the fact is that the Nuggets had no leverage yet still got players, picks and dumped an unwanted salary.

The Knicks don't have issues selling seats even in tough times. The idea that another Landry will be unearthed by the Knick is very unlikely. In fact they actually took Andy Rautins before they took Fields.

So you want to add Baron Davis to this mix? Why not dust off World B Free and get Doug Moe out of retirement?

Knicks had immense trouble selling tix until this year.

Valueable chips to get who they just landed Melo how much better is ever available? the point is they used the chips to get a world class player with enormous star appeal.

[Cannon Shell]

Originally Posted by freddymo

Knicks had immense trouble selling tix until this year.

Valueable chips to get who they just landed Melo how much better is ever available? the point is they used the chips to get a world class player with enormous star appeal.

The Knicks were judged to be the most valuable franchise in the NBA despite not having put a team on the floor in a decade prior to this year that wasn't a joke. Just because the seats are not filled doesn't mean they arent sold.

Melo is 6 time first round and out guy with better teams than the one he is on. He is good for 25-10 a game. But that is really all he is good for.

The point is they could have had it all and they hit the panic button.

Now they face an uncertain labor agreement that the entire melo drama has probably pushed into harsher standards for big market teams meaning they have to try to fill in the considerable holes on the roster with very little to work with.

Just look at the guys moved today. A lot of good players that fit roles and needs for a team like NY were traded for players like the ones the Knicks gave up. Who does NY have that they can move for anyone? They have 4 quality NBA players on the roster. Douglas is ok. What else is there?