There’s talk about the Knicks going after Tracy McGrady again. That would truly be fantastic since it worked so well last time. When McGrady was a Knick in 2010, he averaged 9.3 points per game. Who wouldn’t want that kind of production? Sign him for $50 million I say!

This is a pretty ridiculous story that needs to go away. look, T-Mac is a move Isiah Thomas would make. Last season with the Hawks, he averaged 5.2 points per game. The Knicks need more production than what McGrady has left.

More interesting is Kenyon Martin, who the Knicks are also pursuing. While Kenyon is also ancient in NBA years, (he averaged just 5.2 PPG and 4.3 RPG last season for the Clippers), he brings an poor man’s Oakley-like toughness to the team. (A poor, poor man’s Oakley that is, but nonetheless, more Oakley-like than McGrady, and the Knicks need some toughness.) Money has been, and is the issue with Martin though, as he does not want to sign for the minimum, which is what the Knicks can afford. (more…)

The decision means the arbitrator’s ruling to grant Bird Rights to those four players will stand, and that the players and their agents can proceed accordingly.

Obviously, this is huge news for the Knicks, as we have covered extensively already. It means the Knicks can go over the salary cap to keep both Lin and Novak next season, and maintain their full Mid Level Exception for an additional player. The flexibilty the Knicks now have moving forward is critical to how the team will be built next season.

For more information on the Bird Rights rulings, and what they mean to the Knicks off-season plans, click here.

Nobody expected to snag a future All-Star with that pick. There weren’t flashy names flying around the Knicks rumor mill. There wasn’t even much hope that the Knicks could trade up for anybody or acquire a second draft pick, much like they did last year.

The names that flew around our collective minds were the likes of Kim English, Scott Machado, Darius Johnson-Odom, William Buford, Quincy Acy.

Once the draft started, and names began flying off the board, the picture appeared to become clearer for the Knicks. The first round went without a flurry of trades, and no presence from the Knicks, besides their name appearing next to a Houston Rockets pick (from New York).

Into the second round, names began to fall that many didn’t anticipate. Even then, Acy came off the board at 39. English soon followed at 44. But, two names a lot of Knicks fans had eye-balled, Johnson-Odom and Machado, continued to fall. When both names were passed over at #47, there seemed to be some rejoicing for the New York fans. “We’re going to get one of the two we really wanted! How did this happen?!”

And then, something completely different transpired. The names we expected to hear from Adam Silver wasn’t the name that was read.

Kostas Papanikolaou, Greece.

Wait, what? Who? Why? Really? No…

That was the initial reaction. Look, I get it. The Knicks didn’t see any immediate rotational pieces with that selection. The took a player they can stash in Europe for two years before even entertaining the idea of bringing him to the states. It could turn out to be a fantastic selection by the Knicks, as Papanikolaou could develop into a lottery pick-potential type player by the time he’s NBA ready.

However, we’re also surrounded by the names of past European failures by the Knicks, names like Fred Weis and Macej Lampe. We’ve been down this road before. It is uncomfortable, bumpy and winding. You’re also asking for patience from Knicks fans, an often fleeting trait we all lack.

The good news, Machado, somehow, went undrafted. If the Knicks really saw any value in him at all, there is plenty of time to bring him into training camp and compete for a roster spot.

But, still. Its hard to feel disappointed when your favorite team only owns one draft pick, and it comes after 47 players had been picked.

Yet, if its so hard to feel disappointed in that scenario, why do I feel the way I do?

In a rather unlikely ruling, an arbitrator ruled in favor of Jeremy Lin, Steve Novak, Chauncey Billups and J.J. Hickson, giving all four players early Bird Rights to their respective teams after a hearing between the Player’s Association and the league.

For the Knicks, this decision was monumental. It allows the Knicks to sign Jeremy Lin, Steve Novak and Landry Fields to a maximum $5 million-per-year contract, all while perserving the team’s $3 million-per-year Mid Level Exception. If the league had ruled against the Bird Rights, the Knicks would not have been able to go over their salary cap to keep all three, leaving at least one player on the outside of their off-season plans looking in, and likely eliminating their Mid Level Exception all together.

Now, however, the Knicks have the ability to not only keep their young core together, they can add a veteran for above the league minimum ($1.4 million) and sure up the team’s depth.

While public perception views how the decision enables the team new flexibility with their efforts to re-sign Jeremy Lin, this ruling all but saves Steve Novak’s job in New York. If the team was put in a position where they had to choose between these three players, Novak was going to be the odd man out.

The Knicks picked Novak up off waivers before the start of the shortened 2011-12 season at a salary of $854k. He easily outperformed that contract, averaging career-highs in minutes (18.9) and points (8.8) playing exclusively off the New York bench. A career43.6% shooter from three-point land, Novak posted an NBA-best 47.2% last season, hitting several crucial baskets along the way.

The hard truth about Novak is that he is worth more than the vet minimum, but not as much as the $5 million ceiling he has. Instead, he was a player that could get near the Mid Level, a luxury the Knicks weren’t going to have before today due to the funds that would have to tie up in a Lin contract. Novak was likely going to walk as a free agent, right until the arbitrator released his surprise ruling.

Look, Steve Novak and his championship belt will not be the Knicks sixth man next season. Novak is a top eight rotational player with one elite skill (drilling 3s). He’s a very valuable piece, and a necessary piece for any team that dreams of making deep runs in the playoffs. He does give away a bit on defense, which is why it becomes hard to play him in certain crunch time situations. However, he is a player that thrived under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden and definietly morphed into a fan favorite over time. The team will still have holes they need to fill when or if they bring back Novak, but having him as a viable option again makes their off-season plans a little bit more clear.

Now, the question becomes…what do the Knicks do with the Mid Level Exception?

That decision could determine the type of success the team has next year.

In a conference call on Monday, free agent point guard Jason Kidd said that, though his preference is to re-sign with the Dallas Mavericks, he also would consider signing with three different teams: the Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets and the Knicks.

Kidd said his willingness to be a Knick is due to how “fun” it would be to play with promising young point guard Jeremy Lin, who the Knicks have made their main priority this off-season to re-sign.

While its nice to hear players wanting to play in the Big Apple, would signing Kidd be a help to the Knicks goal of returning to a constant, winning formula?

In this scenario, I don’t think there is a reason not to give a serious run at Jason Kidd on the open market. Last year in Dallas, he started every one of the 48 games he played last season and was effective, even with a reduced role due to age (he’s 39). He averaged a career-low 5.5 assists in a career-low 28.7 minutes a night.

However, his value would be tremendous in everything he would do off the court and in the training room with Jeremy Lin. He would almost be a player-coach, being able to teach Lin the finer nuances to being a productive NBA point guard. There’s a reason why Kidd has started all but 13 of the 1,315 games over his 19-year career.

There’s also the likeliness that Kidd will play the 2012-13 season for the veteran’s minimum. Its imperative the Knicks find not just cheap, but useful pieces to fill out their bench and built a productive roster. Kidd would go a long way to answering some of the Knicks key off-season questions (back-up point guard, mentor for Lin).

And though he is a shadow of what he used to be offensively, he’s still a great distributor. Kidd’s unique ability to always find the open man in the offensive set is remarkable. He can also hit an open three when he has the opportunity.

So, the only obstacle keeping the Knicks from a full-fledged pursuit of Kidd is his initial desire to re-sign in Dallas. Should the Mavericks move in a different direction and not re-up with the veteran point, the Knicks should absolutely move to the front of the Knicks off-season agenda.

Could Delfino be a Sixth Man in NY?

SF Carlos Delfino (2011-12 salary: $3.5 million)

Delfino is an interesting player on the free agent market. The Milwaukee Bucks used him last year in a sixth man role, where he did more than hold his own. Delfino averaged 9.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.3 assists a night in roughly 29 minutes of action. His first two years in Milwaukee, he actually averaged better than 11.0 points a night while shifting between the starting rotation and the bench.

Delfino would be an interesting option for the Knicks to consider, especially if J.R. Smith doesn’t re-up with his player option. He can provide an offensive spark, while not commanding a high volume of touches, and more than hold his own on defense (averaged 1.5 steals last season for Milwaukee). The one deterring factor would be price. Delfino is likely to at least equal his 2012 value on the free agent market this season.

Could Flynn return to MSG?

PG Jonny Flynn (2011-12 salary: $3.4 million)

The former Syracuse Orange star has had some huge moments already in Madison Square Garden, just none as a professional. Once the sixth overall draft pick (immediately following the selection of Ricky Rubio), the star has faded on Flynn so badly that he was rather lost on the Portland Trail Blazers bench last season, and has already played for three different organizations under his original rookie contract.

There is virtually no chance of Flynn coming remotely close to matching last year’s salary figure after a year in which he averaged just 4.5 points and 3.3 assists. However, as a buy-low option, I’m completely intrigued by his skills. A return back to New York could be just what the doctor ordered, especially considering the expectations wouls be as low as they have been in a long time. There’s also his performance in the last game of the season when he put up 18 points and 11 assists against a Utah Jazz team that was fighting for a playoff berth. If you can buy into Flynn as a back-up point option that has started in the past, why wouldn’t you roll the dice on him?

Could the Knicks look to add size?

C Aaron Gray (2011-12 salary: $2.5 million)

One thing the Knicks did not have coming down the stretch last season was a true back-up big man. They often used Jared Jeffries or Steve Novak at the four and five on their second unit, and the team found themselves undersized at pivotal moments in games.

Aaron Gray would be a nice fit on the Knicks bench that could see some minutes and give Tyson Chandler a breather. Gray will never be a scoring threat underneath, but he can guard the rim reasonably well and grab some much-needed rebounds when Chandler or Stoudemire isn’t on the floor. He averaged 5.7 rebounds a game, while only seeing 16.6 minutes of action each night. His 48-minute average would be a remarkable 16.6 boards a night, with an equally encouraging 4.9 offensive rebounds per 48 minutes. If Gray would settle for equal or less than his salary last year, he’s another name the Knicks should give a lot of consideration.

Is Stevenson's defense worth the money?

SG DeShawn Stevenson (2011-12 salaray: $2.5 million)

Deemed as “LeBron’s kryptonite” after his strong defensive performance against King James in the 2011 NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks, Stevenson’s play went pretty much unnoticed with a disappointing New Jersey Nets squad. Last year, Stevenson offered nothing offensively, averaging just 2.9 points on 28.5% shooting from the field. However, he can still bring the effort on the defensive end, and should obviously be rejuvenated by playing on a competitive team with the spotlight the Knicks will command next season.

He’s another guy like Flynn that didn’t play to his salaray last season, so he could be another buy-low option to fill the 8th or 9th rotation spot on the bench. If used correctly, Stevenson is still a useful piece, and will be cheaper than other defensive stoppers on the free agent market, like Delonte West.

What would Howard bring to NY?

SF Josh Howard (2011-12 salary: $2.15 million)

Once a budding star with the Dallas Mavericks, Howard has become a good option for teams to look at on their bench over the last few seasons. Playing around 23 minutes a night in Utah last season, Howard brought in 8.7 points, 3.7 assists and 1.2 assists. There isn’t anything Howard does to seperate himself from the field anymore, but considering his price value and the quality of play he can bring to the court each night, he’s worth a look. He shouldn’t be one of the first options the Knicks consider in the off-season, but if their other plans fall through, he’s better than most fall back options.

How much will Lucas get in free agency?

PG John Lucas III (2011-12 salaray: $900k)

Of all the players listed before him, Lucas is the only on this list that has absolutely earned himself a raise heading into next season. How much that raise will be will determine if the Knicks consider him off their bench. With Derrick Rose missing so much time to injury last season, the Bulls had to play C.J. Watson and Lucas more than they were probably prepared for, but both players proved their real value in the unexpected playing time.

Lucas flashed a strong ability to score, but never wowed anybody with his distribution skills. Should Lucas fall into the Knicks price range, he’s a good piece a a back-up point guard/potential swingman. However, how other teams evaluate Lucas and what they offer him may determine the Knicks course of action.

If the ruling from the arbitrator comes favors the Knicks, it could be a very productive offseason in the Big Apple, especially as it relates to point guard Jeremy Lin. However, if it doesn’t, the Knicks will be in big trouble.

For the time being, the Knicks must put all of their trust in the Player’s Union Executive Director Billy Hunter.

Hunter issued a statement Tuesday night (via the New York Post):

“Bird and Early Bird rights are among the most valuable rights that players have under the [collective bargaining agreement]. These rights simply cannot be extinguished in the absence of an affirmative decision by a player to select a team through free agency. We will ask the arbitrator to resolve this dispute on an expedited basis.’’

The union is trying to make a case that Novak and Lin should be treated the same as players who are traded. Traded players keep their Bird rights.

If Lin and Novak have their Bird rights restored, Knicks general manager Glen Grunwald will have won the lottery. It would allow him to re-sign both players without using their $5 million mid-level exception.

Feb. 19, 2012; New York, NY, USA; New York Knicks small forward Steve Novak (16) and New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin (17) react during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at Madison Square Garden. Knicks won 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-US PRESSWIRE

If that’s the case, Grunwald could use that MLE to try and sign a veteran point guard, possibly even Steve Nash.

However if their Bird rights aren’t restored, here’s the dilemma the Knicks will face.

With the new CBA, there is now a non-taxpayer MLE of $3 million or less or the taxpayer MLE of $5 million.

The trick is that if the Knicks spend more than $3 million of its mid-level exception, they will be faced with a hard cap for the remainder of the season. It becomes very hard to put a winner on the floor when dealing with a hard cap.

Since the Knicks are over the cap, they can’t spend more than what is now called the apron ($70-74 million). If they get into the taxpayer’s MLE and are forced to become hard-capped, the Knicks won’t be able to make any moves (trades, signings, etc.) that put them a penny over the hard-cap, which is something Grunwald must stay away from.

So it would be ideal for Lin to sign for $3 million or less, but that’s doubtful, especially since other teams will offer more simply based on what he can do for attendance.

Lin is unlike a guy such as Landry Fields, who the Knicks have his Early Bird rights. Without Lin’s Bird rights, New York will be forced to use the MLE to sign him, which presents an issue given what it could do to the team financially down the road.

That makes this arbritrator’s decision, likely in June, the single most important decision for the future of the franchise.

A favorable ruling allows the Knicks to not only re-sign Lin and Novak, but also allows them to use theMLE and bi-annual exception ($1.98 million) to add key pieces to the team.

If it’s a non-favorable ruling for the Knicks and they are forced to spend more than $3 million to retain Lin, not only will they be hard-capped for the season, but they won’t be able to re-sign Novak, won’t have either exception to use and will be forced to sign as many as four players using the veteran minimum.

That doesn’t bode well for the future of Knicks basketball.

Is it time for a reunion in New York between Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire?

It didn’t take long at all after the New York Knicks season finished in Miami last night for star forward Amar’e Stoudemire to start clamoring to bring in his former teammate in Phoenix, soon-to-be free agent point guard Steve Nash.

According to The New York Daily News, Amar’e said, “Everyone knows that Steve loves New York and that New York loves Steve. I love Steve. It would be great to have him here next year.”

Clearly, one of the Knicks biggest weaknesses against the Miami Heat in this year’s first round was their play from the point. However, they played without Jeremy Lin for the entire series, got a little bit more than a half out of Iman Shumpert before he went down with a torn ACL, saw Baron Davis’s career end with his bevvy of knee injuries and were forced to start Mike Bibby in a critical Game 5. So, yeah, the Knicks had issues.

But, just one day after the season ended, its a little premature for any of us to start talking about what the Knicks need to do, or should do for that matter, in order to improve this off-season. There are a ton of questions that need answering.

And maybe the first one that needs to be addressed: is Amar’e Stoudemire an active part of the Knicks future? Is there a team out there that would take the remaining three years on his contract, along with his uninsured knees, so the Knicks would have more financial flexibility? With that said, I fully expect STAT to stay here in New York and be ready to contribute in a more normal, non-condensed 66 game season. I think that many games in so few days really took its toll on Amar’e. He’s better than how he played this year, and we’ll see that next year.

After answering that question, remember Lin-sanity? And how Knicks fans wanted to give him a max contract after his incredible seven-game win streak once he was inserted into the starting line-up? Well, the team needs to figure out his value, and if he’s worth the money that will be necessary to lock him up as their starting point guard.

Then the team will need to figure out what to do about key reserves like J.R. Smith and Steve Novak, who are both in line for raises after their strong 2012 campaigns. In that regard, I see Novak sticking around far more likely than Smith, who signed for the mini-mid level exception after escaping China in February.

Look, the Knicks aren’t going to have a ton of money to play around with, so any free agent decision they do make needs to be the correct one. This team also lacks a first-round draft pick this year, which means they won’t be able to build bench depth with cheap rookie contracts like they were able to do last year with Iman Shumpert.

Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire will play next year with max contracts. Tyson Chandler’s contract is above the mid-level exception. Iman Shumpert will be able to play on his rookie contract, and I believe Landry Fields will be on his rookie contract option years as well. Throw in Josh Harrelson and Jerome Jordan, and right now that’s all the Knicks have locked into their 2012-13 campaign. There are a lot of questions swirling around the make-up of this team heading into next year. Oh, and they still don’t have a coach locked up either.

Would Steve Nash be a great addition? Absolutely. Is it much to early to speculate about his arrival. Definitely.

The 6’6 shooting guard has spend the entirety of his season playing professionally over in China until recently when he was granted release from his team following a disappointing end to their season which saw them miss out on a trip to the playoffs.

Smith has made a name for himself in the NBA with his erratic play, which at times makes him the best Sixth man in the NBA; and at other times has made him a ball stopper and a coaching nightmare.  It seems rather fitting that he should end up with the Knicks given their propensity to make all-or-nothing moves over the course of this past year. We are now able to add signing J.R Smith to the list. (more…)

According to ESPN.com’s Marc Stein Your New York Knicks have claimed former Golden State Warrior and Houston Rocket point guard Jeremy Linn off wavers today.

Jeremy Lin spent his rookie season with Golden State where he played 29 games averaging 2.6 points and 1.4 assists per game. (more…)

According to Adrian Wojnaowski of Yahoo!Sports The Knicks will sign former San Antonio Spur forward Steve Novak for the remainder of the season.

Novak was waived by the Spurs on Monday night after the Spurs made the final cuts to their roster for the upcoming season. The Knicks will reportedly sign Novak to a one year deal, providing that he clears wavers.

Novak is a 6-foot-11 forward that should add some depth to the Knicks bench that is in desperate need of just that. Noak is a career 41% three-point shooter, which will be welcomed as the team looks to surround Anthony and Stoudemire with shooters.

Novak had a solid four year career at Marquette before joining the NBA where he has bounced around, playing for Houston, the Clippers, Dallas and San Antonio.

The Knicks officially announced the signing of free agent guard Baron Davis. Davis has joined to the team for practice today, however he will be unable to play until at least January with a back injury. In the meantime Toney Douglas will be the starting point guard, which should give the team some shooting at the point guard spot.

Davis was amnestied by the Cleveland Cavaliers last week and has a history of coming into camp out of shape if not properly motivated. With the Knicks he will have a real opportunity to try and lead this team to contention in the East.

If Davis cannot properly motivate himself to play with the three headed monster of Melo, Chandler, and Stoudemire than i am not sure that it is every going to happen for the 31 year old point guard.

It will be interesting to see, when David eventually  does return, how he responds to being a supporting player on a contending (more…)

Who do the Knicks go after?

It is no secret that the New York Knicks have one huge issue right now, and that is the lack of depth the team has been left with after tying up the remainder of their available cap space in Tyson Chandler.

At this moment in time, the Knicks have about $2.5 million worth of exceptions with which to pursue free agents. The initial hope was that this was enough to convince a more notable free agent—like Jamaal Crawford—to take a pay cut in order to have a shot to play for a contending team in the Knicks; However, Crawford turned down the offer and chose to sign with the Blazers today, leaving the Knicks to search elsewhere for some bench help. (more…)

Billups had been warning teams with cap space not to claim him, giving him the opportunity to have his choice of possible destinations; the Clippers, it appears, did not get this memo.  It will be interesting to see how this situation shakes down for the former Knick point guard, but the Clippers are confident that he will play, and be productive for the team going forward.

The Clippers have has an active day, pursuing Chris Paul–another former Knick target– earlier this afternoon, however the trade fell apart after David Stern vetoed another possible deal for the All-Star point guard.

Well, its official: Tyson Chandler is a member of the New York Knicks. Ronny Turiaf and Any Rautins no longer are.

The Knicks acquired Tyson Chandler in a 3 team trade that sent Andy Rautins to the Mavericks as well as Ronny Turiaf and cash to Washington.  This move had been rumored for days, but was officially completed yesterday afternoon.

Landing the 7’1 Center is a big score for a team that has lacked the defensive presence necessary to compete for a championship. Chandler was the anchor of the Dallas Mavericks defense that was a key part of their championship run.Putting Chandler next to Stoudemire should shore of the interior defense, and hide some of Amar’e’s deficiencies on that end of the floor. (more…)

Since Free agency talk began about a week ago, there have been a few teams that have been talked about as having interest in Tyson Chandler, and the Knicks were not one of them. Not until today.

According to multiple outlets, the Knicks are now chasing Chandler, presumably under the premise that landing Chandler will give them a better chance at getting Chris Paul.  The Knicks could make some moves in order to free the space to land Chandler; this would probably mean either amnestying Chauncey Billups or including him in a sign and trade with the Mavs. (more…)

The news that Paul will not sign an extension with New Orleans is not entirely surprising and has been speculated about for over a season now; however the trade request comes as a surprise to many as it was widely believed Paul would at least consider offers from other teams. Should New Orleans attempt to work out a trade exclusively with the Knicks involving Paul there will not be many players to choose from on the Knicks side. With Melo and Amar’e being untouchable, the best New Orleans could do would be a deal involving Bill Walker, Chauncey Billups, Landry Fields and some draft picks, hardly an enticing offer. (more…)

It is no secret that the Knicks are looking to add some more depth to their team, while still maintaining enough cap flexibility to be a player in the Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Dwight Howard sweepstakes.  Adding either Caron Butler, or resigning Shawne Williams would effectively fill the hole at backup small forward which they would likely be able to do on a short term contract. (more…)

Courtesy of Yahoo! Sports:

Turiaf will join San Antonio Spurs guard and fellow Frenchman Tony Parker(notes), who is a part owner of Asvel and also has agreed to play for the club during the lockout.

Bon voyage, Ronny!

This from the New York Daily News:

Mike D’Antoni has already defied the odds by surviving three years as Knicks head coach, a position that previously had chewed up and spit out six coaches in eight years.

But for his first time in New York, D’Antoni’s job security has become an issue. Garden Chairman James Dolan decided against giving D’Antoni a contract extension and thus D’Antoni is working with a one-year deal.

Moreover, the club announced the hiring of Mike Woodson as an assistant coach. Woodson, a former Knicks first round pick who played for Red Holzman, is a one-time head coach with the Atlanta Hawks and provides the Knicks with a quick fix should the team elect to make an in-season coaching change.

[Jordan's Agent Todd] Ramasar said Jordan chose Slovenia over teams in Italy and Israel because of the out’ clause. ”That out clause – not just for Jordan – is very difficult to get,’’ Ramasar said.

I suppose this can’t hurt (unless Jordan hurts himself), and the upside of having the seven footer stay in shape and continue to improve is much more important than watching him sit around and get fat. So, thumbs up! As for the lockout, that continues to be an emphatic thumbs down.

As Will pointed out this morning, Amar’e Stoudemire going to China didn’t make a whole lot of sense. Usually when a decision involving millions of dollars is seen as questionable, people back out. Here’s Adam Zagoria.

“I doubt it happens,” the source said. “Much too complicated. We will see if it’s real and make sense. Hopefully, the owners and players’ association will come to an agreement sooner than later.”

Well, that rumor was fun while it lasted.

I never thought it’d be uttered, but THIS is more like it. Aaron Gray is officially up for grabs. This from his representative, Jason Zanik, “I think he really enjoyed being with New Orleans, (but) the opportunity to come free made it a good time to explore the market for him.”

Not positive yet as to what the market will be for a player like Gray, but he is a true seven footer, and he did play well in the Hornets Game 1 upset victory against the Lakers in these playoffs. He takes charges, rotates well, and is more than capable of holding his own against 98 percent of the league’s centers. In his first full season with New Orleans last year, Gray’s minutes increased to a career best 13 per game, his shooting percentage took a noticeable hike to 56 percent from his career average of 51, and he posted his best defensive rebounding rate yet, at 25.8 percent.

If the Knicks were to attain Gray, they could make him a full-time starter, but unfortunately there are health issues. He’s only played 190 games in his first four seasons. If nobody out there’s willing to take a flier on him and he falls into New York’s lap on a one year deal, Gray could become a 270 pound blessing in disguise. Once again, I can’t believe I’m writing this.

Twitter: @BucketsOverBway

It’s looking like the Knicks are planning to solve their gaping hole at the center position with a band-aid. And not even a really cool, multi-colored awesome one equipped with a totally sweet artistic image. A Kwame Brown type of band-aid. (more…)

The title of this post could’ve also been “Which Is Worse For You: Eating seven double whoppers a day for the next 10 years or 30 seconds of gasoline chugging.” But thankfully we’re discussing backup point guards instead of first or second scoring options. Things could be worse. (more…)

No, unfortunately it isn’t to give Mr. MSG cauliflower ear; Patrick wants to coach. This from ESPN.

Right now, Ewing seems to have little connecting him to the Knicks’ owners. He still spends the offseason in the area, and his children still attend New Jersey schools. Despite considering this home, he is rarely at Madison Square Garden these days and doesn’t talk with Dolan.

“I really don’t know him very well,” said Ewing, drafted by the Knicks with the first pick of the 1985 draft. “I think it’d be great if I got to know him.”

Ewing says he doesn’t want to be typecast as a big man mentor, awkwardly sitting three or four chairs down from the real decision maker, but in all honesty maybe that’s what his post playing days are meant to be. He has no philosophical game plan, we have no clue what type of basketball he’d employ on a team if he were given complete control, and with New York in win now mode the Knicks can’t take a flyer on a guy with no experience, like, say, Golden State did with Mark Jackson (for the record I believe that move will work out fine, but only if Ellis is dealt for a taller scorer). The only interesting thing about this is his connection to Dwight. That’s really all that matters. If Dwight said he’d come to New York only if they made Ewing the coach? Well, that’d be a different story.

Twitter: @BucketsOverBway

Executive director of the NBA players' association Billy Hunter

You probably know him best as that guy who fans want to see enter home games when the Knicks are up 20 something points, but Roger Mason Jr. is also the Player’s Association vice president. After making some downbeat comments regarding the upcoming lockout, Mason’s now in the news for much more than anything basketball related.  (more…)

Mike D’Antoni has one year and $6 million left on his contract to serve as head coach of the New York Knicks.  Since he took over in 2008, the team’s record is 103-143. He’s won zero playoff games, made one playoff appearance, and chronologically finished fifth, third, and second in the Atlantic Division. There’s been improvement, but with the drastic modification in player personnel it’d be tough to say the win increase is thanks to D’Antoni’s competent leadership instead of a couple physical offensive geniuses. A team with Amar’e Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, and Chauncey Billups—possibly a future coach himself—is going to win games, but while on New York for the last two months of the season their success played out as more a byproduct of their own astonishing talent than the coach’s system. If anything it stuck them in the mud as an average, predictable basketball team. (more…)

Well, that just happened. Donnie Walsh is the Knicks general manager no more, and with this shocking news comes skepticism and uncertainty for New York basketball’s future. The next GM, the next coach, the next draft pick, the next free agent signing, the next trade; Walsh’s departure will have a snowball effect on the franchise. With the news, Jim Dolan has made the unthinkable his trademark, which is to say when unthinkable decisions are made they should henceforth be referred to as “A Dolan”, or in the verb form, “Dolaned” and “Dolaning”. As in, “Wow, I can’t believe Pittsburgh’s manager just intentionally walked Cincinnati’s pitcher with the bases loaded. He totally Dolaned that one.”  (more…)

That’s Walsh’s end of the story, but there are undercurrents that Dolan wanted to reduce Walsh’s salary (Alan Hahn reports from $5M to $2M) and they disagreed over what sort of control Walsh would have over basketball decisions as GM.  Still, it’s nice to see that this is an apparently amicable parting of ways, and that Walsh will be on the scene to minimize any organizational turmoil as we hit the offseason.

Per ESPN

With the draft only 20 days away, it’s at least somewhat heartening to note that Walsh will remain with the team in a consultant’s capacity.  Still, this is pretty sobering stuff.

The press release from the Knicks reads thus:

“Following a long series of discussions regarding his future role with the New York Knicks, Donnie Walsh and I have mutually agreed that he will be leaving his position as president, basketball operations of the Knicks at the end of June. Donnie will remain with the team as a consultant for the 2011-12 season. In a relatively short time with the Knicks, Donnie made a tremendous impact, which will be felt for many years to come. We thank Donnie for his leadership, hard work and many contributions to the revitalization of the team. We will now begin an immediate search for a new president and general manager, but do not have a timetable for the decision. Glen Grunwald, the Knicks’ senior vice president, basketball operations, will serve as interim general manager beginning in July, overseeing all player transactions. With some of the NBA’s premier players, an outstanding coach and one of the league’s most passionate and loyal fanbases, we are extremely confident about the future of the Knicks franchise.”

More on Walsh’s future, who might replace him, and whether Chris Broussard will reflexively conjecture that, hey now, James Dolan is great friends with Isiah Thomas so maybe Isiah could come back (UPDATE: He totally did! And so did Jackie MacMullan, who made sure to add a quick and journalistically responsible “Obviously I don’t know that, I’m just sitting here at Shaquille O’Neal’s wedding,” to remind us that this is what real journalists do), as it all breaks…

Why the delayed announcement?

Because the give and take was not completed until last week, I’m informed. Late changes were made by Walsh and approved by Dolan. Once Camp Cablevision’s required “six signatures” (I don’t think my source was being facetious) are on the dotted line, apparently sometime this week, the deal will be done, if not publicized.

Clearly, the new arrangement will give Walsh the control to finish the Knicks’ renovation the way he sees fit. If there was any uncertainty about that it would have demonstrated Dolan did not want him back. That would have shoved Walsh into retirement.

Twitter:@BucketsOverBway

Since the New York Knicks aren’t willing to offer us any team related news or notes, here’s a stab in the dark at creating some on my own. Off to the future we go. (more…)

A recent report out of the Cleveland Plain-Dealer has declared 21-year-old Milwaukee Bucks point guard Brandon Jennings on the trading block. This from CBS’s Eye on Basketball blog:

The biggest issue for Milwaukee last season is that they simply couldn’t score the ball efficiently, ranking dead last in the NBA in offensive efficiency. Fixing that predicament generally begins with an assessment of the point guard situation, and while Jennings is incredibly crafty off the dribble his tendency to take ill-advised three-pointers when he averaged just 32.3% from deep is an efficiency killer. His assist numbers also fell — to 4.8 assists per game — and Milwaukee was ranked in the bottom five for assist rate, a fact that speaks to their lack of quality looks.

(more…)

Before the dust floated down to Manhattan’s bustling streets, and before the buzz of conversation surrounding Carmelo Anthony’s name had been reduced to a mere echo, the New Jersey Nets stole their fare share of headlines by grabbing what many thought was one of the league’s most untouchable players. Deron Williams for a New Jersey Nets platter that included a has been and several unknown—promising—entities had the basketball world spinning on Mikhail Prokhorov’s gangly index finger. (more…)

Two days ago, in the first Game 7 of the 2011 playoffs, Memphis was eliminated by Oklahoma City. The series was hard fought and surprisingly equal, but had the Thunder not made their much publicized deadline deal for Kendrick Perkins, it may not have been. A The primary reason for the Grizzlies success was their double trouble inside presence of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. Heading into this season, few big men stood out on the free agent list like the younger Gasol, and over the past couple of weeks he showed why. Despite his team being eliminated, nobody’s played more minutes or grabbed more rebounds in these playoffs than Marc. He obliterated Tim Duncan, made Tony Parker want to quit, and scared the bejesus out of all Thunder fans who felt this was their time in the sun. The soft touch on Gasol’s jumper allows him to step out for pick and pops, setting defenses off balance; a perfect compliment to any offense in the modern game. And at 26-years-old, his next contract will cover his prime years as one of the few true two way big men in this league.

After saying all of this, one might think the Grizzlies would look foolish to let him go in free agency. One would be correct. After raising his stock in a contract year to a height most thought impossible, the restricted agent can hit the open market, but Memphis is allowed to match any team’s offer placed on the table. Even with heavy investments into the likes of Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, Randolph, they’d be stupid not to.

Out of every team trying to contend right now, the Knicks are in the sorest need of a body like Gasol to clog up the middle and slow down the offense every once in a while. But with $59.6 million on the books for next year it appears the Knicks chances of grabbing him are shriveled up like a raisin.

From ESPN’s Marc Stein:

He won’t outright promise that Gasol will be back, but [Grizzlies' Owner] Heisley does echo Gay’s confidence about keeping these laughingstocks-no-more in the West elite.

On young Gasol, Heisley said: “Marc will decide whether he wants to be here. We will aggressively go after him. He’s a restricted free agent, so we can match whatever’s out there. But obviously if Marc wants to leave, I’m going to have a different attitude than if he wants to stay. I hope he wants to stay. And after what we’ve done in the playoffs, I think he will.”

“I’m quite sure he would relish being in the Big Apple,” said Monroe, who coached the New York City team vs. L.A. in yesterday’s inaugural People’s Games at Union Square. “He can handle this pressure. Obviously he’s one of the premier point guards in the league. To add that with what you already have, you got the real nucleus to having something special happen closer than in four years.”

This talk is old and, well, useless until the CBA is configured some point in the months ahead. It’s tough to comment on the possibility of the Knicks signing a player like Chris Paul or Dwight Howard in the summer of 2012 until things sort themselves out. Until then we’ll let this lie.

(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

This from Marc Berman:

Jackson, who is still best friends with Bill Bradley, interviewed with Isiah Thomas and James Dolan for the position in 2005 but passed, instead rejoining the Lakers.

Knicks president Donnie Walsh is committed to coach Mike D’Antoni through next season, when his contract expires. If a bored Jackson makes himself a free agent, the Knicks would be a strong candidate, especially since Dolan would be the likeliest owner to lavish Jackson with a massive contract.

It sounds like a political rally cry, doesn’t it? Unfortunately the hiring of a coach is anything but democratic, and so this all depends on how bored Jackson gets, how his hips and knees respond to a weight-loss program he plans on going through this summer, and whether or not the Knicks can make the proper personnel moves to transform the team into a legitimate contender (aka capable of beating Miami in a playoff series). Before being swept in Dallas, I figured this was Phil’s final run. But him going down like he did, as soon as he did, surely placed a bad taste in Jackson’s mouth. If he were to come back who knows how long the resurrection would last. The man would be in his late 60′s with a creaky body. He’s never walked into a situation without surveying the landscape and deciding the state of whichever team he’d coach could win immediately. There’s no patience to grow and the implant of a triangle offense with Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and whoever else could take time. But no Knicks fan could say no to a former one of their own on the sidelines. It’d be a storybook ending to a most storybook career, and that 12th ring would certainly be a sweet one.

In case you missed it, Alan Hahn wrote a wonderful, slightly depressing piece on Donnie Walsh, his daily routine, and all the pros and cons of returning to manage the Knicks for another two years that he’s weighing internally. New York needs Donnie; he’s as invaluable as any players on the roster (especially in the offseason) and his experience can’t be discounted.

I can say this with conviction: Walsh wants to finish the job here. This will most likely be his last stop, which is something he’s suggested before. The plan was to build this team into a championship contender and leave a legacy in New York, where it all started for him in the Bronx, at Fordham Prep.

The time in New York hasn’t been easy, no. He endured three surgeries, for starters. Yes, the Isiah thing hung over the franchise for a long time and there were suddenly a lot of cooks in the kitchen when July 2010 came around.

He has until June 30, but what is there to decide? It has been widely reported (first by our old pal, Ken Berger at CBSSports.com) that James Dolan plans to offer Walsh a two-year extension. But there has to be more than just a standard two-year deal in place here. There has to be some kind of retirement strategy, that includes a transition of power to Walsh’s successor, whom he would groom along the way. Walsh may also remain under contract after his tenure as president ends to be a well-paid advisor. Then he can live back at home with Judy in Indianapolis, which has to be an appealing result.

Courtesy of The Post’s Marc Berman:

The deadline for Knicks owner James Dolan to exercise the option on team president Donnie Walsh’s final contractual year passed yesterday without a move, meaning the Knicks president likely is in store for a spanking-new contract extension instead, likely two years. His only concern was regaining control as No. 1 decision-maker of basketball operations, believing too many voices were in Dolan’s ear, even outside the organization. The Post has learned that, beyond Isiah Thomas’ informal conversations with the owner, celebrity superfan Spike Lee also had Dolan’s ear and lobbied hard for the Knicks to keep rookie Landry Fields out of the Carmelo Anthony trade.

If true, good news, obviously. Walsh is the man who raised the sails, lifted the anchor, and pointed the Knicks ship in the right direction when he took over a few years ago. Granted his draft picks have been borderline brutal, but Walsh’s precise incisions into cap space were swift, necessary, and intelligent. Extending him for two more years is huge as the Knicks enter another league shifting free agency period next summer. Walsh is a master at manipulating the cap and has shown what his expertise can do. I, for one, am a huge fan.

What I most like about this article is the Spike Lee influence. Not saying that’s definitely fact but how ridiculous and comical is it if it were? It’s like Jack giving input on L.A.’s decision to trade Bynum or Penny Marshall telling the Clippers they’ve gotta get rid of Baron Davis because his beard’s too loud. Not sure how Spike manages to keep Landry Fields, but then again nothing Dolan does will surprise me.

The Knicks would have to get lucky, but one of their targets this summer is to bring Wilson Chandler back into the fold, The Post has learned.

Chandler’s new agent is Happy Walters, who also represents Amar’e Stoudemire and Knicks surprise reserve standout Shawne Williams, also a free agent whom the Knicks would like to bring back.

The question is how to get Chandler back. A sign-and-trade with Denver is possible, since the Nuggets once liked rookie Landry Fields, who had a terrible playoffs. Fields did not feel comfortable playing with Anthony, but he thrived with the Nuggets’ Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton and Timofey Mozgov.

Berman goes onto further explain possible Knick related roster moves involving large sums of money, but in regards to that last statement about trading Landry Fields…why don’t we all just take a deep breath. I know he was booed at a recent Yankees game and played like a lost puppy wandering into rush hour traffic in the playoffs, but Landry Fields is a cheap (for now), valuable player. And it’s not like Chandler set the world on fire in Denver’s first round loss to the Thunder, so let’s take it easy here. Love Chandler, but bringing him back doesn’t make the most sense from a financial, basketball, or common sense standpoint.

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

It looks like Chauncey Billups’ option will be exercised for next season, and the longtime underrated veteran will return for another season with the Knicks. This from the AP:

“Chauncey, Amare and Carmelo are a great nucleus, as we continue to look to improve our team going into the offseason,” team president Donnie Walsh said in a statement. “Chauncey is an extremely talented and experienced point guard – we are very happy to have him back.”

The Knicks acquired Billups along with Anthony from Denver in February. He averaged 17.5 points with the Knicks but battled a pair of injuries, missing six games with a bruised left quadriceps in March, then straining a tendon in his left knee during Game 1 of the playoffs and missing the final three games of New York’s loss to Boston. Walsh said those injuries weren’t long-term concerns.

Billups will be 35 in September and said this week he hoped to return to New York for his 15th NBA season. After playing most of his career at 215 pounds, Billups said Monday he planned to come in at 210 next season to better handle the pace of Mike D’Antoni’s system. He insists he has plenty of basketball left.

I like the move, a lot. It brings the Knicks two qualities they haven’t had these past few years: Consistency and experience. I especially like Billups’ willingness to trim his body down so he can accommodate D’Antoni’s (if he returns) faster paced offensive philosophy. The fewer question marks the Knicks have heading into next season the better.

Carmelo Anthony is the NBA's best crunch time shooter

For all the hatred spewing from these so-called sports experts across the country that complain about Carmelo Anthony not being a franchise player, not being a superstar, not being a good fit in New York, not even being as good a signing as Deron Williams, Melo is (point of fact) the NBA’s best crunch time scorer, and he’s proving to be a hell of a signing for the New Look Knicks.

(more…)

Yeah, we're gonna need that number...

UPDATE: Earl Barron just signed with the Bucks in light of Andrew Bogut’s injury.  And here I thought he was just waiting by the phone for Donnie to call…

From Alan Hahn’s Twitter:

Curveball: Knicks announce they have waived Kelenna Azubuike…Expecting [Corey Brewer's] buyout done tomorrow.

Azubuike was released just before the March 1st deadline, meaning he would be eligible for a playoff roster should a team with cap room to absorb his $3.3M contract wish to take a flyer.  Word was Mike D’Antoni was less than pleased with his progress rehabbing a brutal knee injury.  Interestingly, it appears Corey Brewer’s fate remains sealed, so the Knicks would appear to have roster spots open for not just the incoming Jared Jeffries, but also Earl Barron if desired.

Given their solid performances last night, interesting to wonder if there’s a little blood on the hands of Bully Walker and Anthony Carter in all this.  Is the front office convinced they have all the backcourt depth they need?

Not sure how he could fit in New York’s rotation, but this came down a few hours ago by way of ESPN’s Marc Stein:

Fully expect Powe back in Boston — told Celts operating under belief it’s a done deal — but heard tonight NYK and now Memphis still tryin

This hair is just coming into style in New Jersey.

Before yesterday, Mikhail Prokhorov’s three greatest NBA accomplishments were Anthony Morrow, Travis Outlaw and Johan Petro.  He had whiffed on every superstar to come down the pike, and people continued to give him the benefit of the doubt, as if there were secret cloak-and-dagger Russian backchannels to Leon Rose’s house that would somehow reel in a big fish.  My attitude during all this: wake me up when he does something.  Anything at all.  The guy still owns the Nets, after all.

Well, he finally did something, and the Knicks would appear to have some egg on their faces as they watch their would-be rivals acquire a superstar at half the price and a tenth of the commotion.  That’s not to say it’s a great deal for the Nets – Deron Williams was apparently shocked by the deal, and we’ll have to wait and see if he elects to stick around.

Still, it’s surprising the Knicks didn’t find their way into these negotiations given the price they paid for Carmelo Anthony, and their willingness to part with Raymond Felton.  The Salt Lake Tribune also reported that New Jersey was the only real contender for Williams.  But the Nets ponied up Devin Harris, Derrick Favors and two #1’s; isn’t a package of Felton, Chandler and a #1 a pretty good start to getting something done?  The Knicks ended up surrendering Gallinari, Mozgov, Curry and Randolph (and of course, received Chauncey Billups, who really held the team together last night against the Bucks).  Seems to me that three or even just two of those guys, together with the rest of the package, might have equaled the Nets’ offer.

I can’t believe Donnie Walsh was caught totally unawares by this deal.  Utah knew all along the Knicks were in the market for a superstar; to not at least let New York know of Williams’ availability would be asinine.  I think the Knicks knew something was going down, made a value judgment on Melo and D-Will, and decided something in the Williams deal was amiss.  I don’t blame them: when a coach of 23 years decides to retire mid-season, the red flag should be raised on the team’s star. Also, unlike the Melo trade, this was not an “extend and trade,” and to me it’s a little fishy that Utah would so quickly accept the rental fee for their star.  Should the Jazz, with one guaranteed year still left on Williams’ deal, really be in a rush to trade him this week, before the new CBA is announced?

I know Knicks fans are a little stunned by what’s being played up as Prokhorov’s shot across the bow, but to me this reeks of: a) the Knicks simply deciding to move in another direction, and b) the Nets’ desperation.  This isn’t Pearl Harbor, the archduke’s assassination, or a declaration of war.  This is a team that’s desperate for relevance taking a flier on a superstar at a slightly discounted price, because everyone knows he just ran his legendary coach out of town.  And since I just brought it up, I can’t wait to see how he reacts when Avery Johnson is screaming at him.

Utah’s ushering Williams out the door also changes the scope of the Anthony dealings a bit.  If you assume the Knicks knew Williams was on the outs – and I do – and if you assume they consciously chose to pursue Melo over D-Will – and I do – that makes one fewer superstar available in 2012 free agency, and that makes the Knicks that much more desperate to lock up Melo now.  You could even argue the Knicks also viewed Dwight Howard as a poor fit on a team that already has Amar’e Stoudemire, and didn’t want to forego Melo to put all their eggs in the CP3 basket.

I think the Knicks come out of this looking just fine.  They’ve gone their own way and they’re a couple of hidden gems from title contention.  The Nets may have acquired a star for less, but they still run the risk of losing him and they still aren’t making the playoffs.  If anything, the move does a little more to justify Melo’s price, and shows the difference between confidence and desperation.

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While we’re here, a quick word on this Cold War that people seem to be drumming up between the Knicks and Nets.  In addition to being a Mets and Knicks fan – so I know about bad teams – I also live in Boston, a city that despite having four excellent pro sports teams nevertheless retains its well-deserved inferiority complex about New York.  These people are still far, far too excited about any New York failure.  So my advice to Knicks fans: let the Nets actually achieve something before you give them the time of day.  Do not dignify them as rivals.  Do not make Prokhorov out to be some mad Russian genius when you wouldn’t think twice about him if he were from California.  Treat them with casual indifference, and then, if and when they achieve something, respect. I’ve been on the other side of this too many times; Nets fans, like Mets fans and Red Sox fans, just want to be noticed.  Let’s not get our knickers in a twist over a rivalry that doesn’t exist.

Superstar arms race has begun between NY & NJ

The New York Knicks, under Donnie Walsh, are 3 years into a plan to form a Big Three to rival the Boston Celtics and Miami Heats’ star trios. With the arrival of Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire they now have a pair of stars, and now have their sights set on the summer of 2012, when Chris Paul and Dwight Howard can potentially change teams and change the fortunes of franchises. The New Jersey Nets are attempting to change that 2012 forecast, launching a preemptive strike today by forcing Deron Williams to New Jersey in a trade with Utah. So now two questions stand, where previously only one stood. Will the Knicks sign Chris Paul next summer & can the Nets trade for Dwight Howard next season? (more…)

Can Knicks replace their Melo loses through the draft?

The tug of war between New York and Denver over Carmelo Anthony continues. The Nuggets want 3 starters, cap relief, plus at least 1 first round pick. The Knicks hope to maintain some of their depth while still adding a much needed superstar. While everyone keeps asking the questions “Is Denver asking for too much?”, or “Why won’t New York pull the trigger?”, I ask myself how (& how soon) can the Knicks replace the key role players they’d ship out in the deal?

(more…)

Donnie Walsh gleefully rejects Denver's trade offer as Isiah Thomas looks on thinking, "I totally would've pulled the trigger right there. Dumbass."

Two interesting bits of news on the Melo front today – first, within this report Ken Berger notes that Knicks and Nuggets executives will meet in person over All-Star Weekend to discuss the new chef at Spago, and maybe the future of Carmelo Anthony.  If they get around to it.

Also, the Melo negotiations are already heating up: the Knicks reportedly turned down an offer from Denver just yesterday.  So sayeth Frank Isola in this morning’s Daily News:

According to a team source close to the negotiations, “there is a deal to be made” but whether Anthony joins forces with Amar’e Stoudemire in New York between Tuesday and the Feb. 24 trade deadline likely comes down to the Nuggets either lowering their asking price or the Knicks turning over their roster to acquire one of the NBA’s top players.

The Nuggets, according to a source, are asking for three starters – including Danilo Gallinari and Raymond Felton – plus Eddy Curry’s expiring contract and at least one first-round pick. In that proposed deal, Anthony and veteran point guard Chauncey Billups would be coming to the Knicks.

The article goes on to describe Donnie Walsh – fresh off crushing a 36-ounce Porterhouse – putting out a Cuban on Masai Ujiri’s thigh, politely asking the wives to leave the room, and explaining to him very slowly that he doesn’t run this family the way his father did, that he knows your family did business with his father, that until tonight he respected you and your family, that he won’t be backed into any deals his father might have made, and that if you don’t pay him the protection money you owe him so that your two-bit, whisker-biscuit, mom-and-pop storefront in Denver can stay open, he is going to be very, very disappointed.

Suffice it to say, good for Donnie – the Knicks can’t afford to give up that much unless Walsh has a secondary heist in the works to shore up the rotation.  At this point, though, I would’ve thought we’d be farther along; after dragging this out for the last seven months – Ujiri was hired in August – when will the Nuggets realize this is about leverage over equal value?

I understand that the Knicks’ set of assets makes it difficult to hammer out a deal.  They have some very valuable trade assets in Felton, Chandler and Gallinari, some assets that aren’t very valuable at all in Bill Walker, Shawne Williams etc., and very few of those in-between assets that might be the tipping point in getting this deal done.  (Landry Fields, for instance, is worth so much more to the Knicks than to anyone else, because where do they find a shooting guard to replace his minutes?)  The Nuggets feel short-changed, they feel they have to ask for something, so they may as well insist on everything.  And Donnie Walsh, to his credit, has insisted that giving up those kinds of assets for one player, however great, no longer flies in this house.

My problem with all this is that Denver has been staring at the various combinations since the summer, and they still seem beholden to the idea that at some point, New York will cave to this deal.  But why would they?  We’ve heard that New York is Anthony’s desired destination for months, and obviously Melo will say nothing publicly to change that perception.  The Knicks themselves have played about to expectations, with no significant injuries or Ponzi scheme lawsuits to alter the course of the franchise.  So why, if the Knicks were unwilling to make the trade before the season, would they suddenly be more inclined to deal now?

The caveat here, as ever, is of course that we have no idea what was really on the table, and when.  I know I post pictures of fake team logos, opposing players in drag, and stills from “Deal or No Deal,” but I’m actually not a real journalist.  Still, we can agree that the deal reported this morning, plus or minus a few players, is the basic package these two teams have been discussing most of the year.  And still, Denver isn’t willing to play ball.

In a way, these negotiations are much like Carmelo’s last two years with the Nuggets: Denver knew it would come to this and waited, waited, waited in the hopes that something might change when there was no reason anything should change.   The Knicks have been of the same mindset all year and have rightly held fast to their demands, and the Nuggets had to have known it would come down to a lesser package – Chandler or Gallinari, not both, and maybe no Fields either.  Keeping Melo and going down with the ship may not be the wrong move, but whether the Nuggets accept the Knicks’ counteroffer is a decision they should have made months ago.  They stood pat, and I suspect they’re now finding a fast-rising tide; the question is whether they’re prepared for it.

I'll take the one in the back.

Anyway, since today is a day of love I thought I’d touch on a player who doesn’t seem to get a lot of love from Knicks fans as it pertains to our impending free-agent adventures.  Dwight Howard has a player option for the 2012-13 season and could opt to become a free agent in 2012.  Amid all the talk over Carmelo Anthony – and now we’re hearing Chris Paul and Deron Williams more and more – the idea of signing Howard hasn’t gained much traction in the rumor mill.

I believe Howard should be at or near the top of every fan’s wish list.  Here are the major reasons why:

The Knicks are failing Center.  Imagine you got a report card back with the chance to turn any one of your grades into an A+.  You’d change the class you failed, right?  Well, the Knicks are currently getting a B/B+ at both point guard and small forward…and a D at center.  It seems like most Knick fans are comfortable giving up substantial assets to turn small forward from an area of strength into one of domination.  Failing that, they seem most ready to make a run at Williams or Paul.  But the Knicks have a near All-Star point guard, and they’re 0.4% from the bottom of the league in rebound rate; why are we not so eager to shore up the area in which we stand to improve the most?

Mike D’Antoni is three for three with point guards.  Steve Nash became a two-time MVP.  Raymond Felton nearly became an All-Star after five uninspiring years in Charlotte.  Chris Duhon, we forget, generated All-Star buzz for a few months in late 2008 and parlayed his two years under D’Antoni into an inexplicable four-year deal from Orlando.  D’Antoni has coached three different classes of point guard and made the best of every situation.  Is that a reason not to pursue Williams and Paul?  Not necessarily, but it may be reason enough to look towards improving the team down low, knowing the coach will make do at point.

Orlando’s window is closing.  The Magic have over $56 million committed for the 2012-13 season without Howard on the books.  They have no flexibility, and outside of Ryan Anderson and possibly Earl Clark, they don’t have players who project to improve substantially.  Jason Richardson’s contract expires after this year, leaving a hole at shooting guard that, despite Richardson’s money coming off, they still won’t have the flexibility to look elsewhere to fulfill.  If he hits free agency, Howard would be 26 and presumably in his athletic prime; is he going to want to pursue a title in 2012-13 with so much of the same talent he has now, only two years older?  It’s possible, but those bad contracts make Orlando look like a sinking ship.

Dwight Howard is the perfect fit.  Any rational Knicks fan knows Carmelo’s arrival is at least a bit of a shoehorn (ESPN Insider required for the first link); asking Anthony to play stretch four and setting Amar’e in stone at the five means the Knicks will be a better version of the undersized team they’ve been the last few years.  (Note: I’m not saying they couldn’t make a playoff run that way, but there will be nights they get run over by bigger teams.)  With Dwight Howard, the Knicks have incomparable inside muscle while maintaining the athleticism to beat their defenders down the floor and play the D’Antoni style.  Amar’e can shoot as many mid-range jumpers as he pleases knowing there’s a thoroughbred tossing Brook Lopez’s aside to clean them up.  Not to mention the fouls Amar’e won’t have to take because he has Superman bringing help defense.

I will not look a gift horse in the mouth.  If we can get Carmelo in the next ten days, sacrificing future flexibility, it may well be too good of a deal to pass up.  But if nothing gets done before the deadline, and Anthony hits free agency, we’re talking about just one more playoff run before 2012 rather than two.  At that point, it may not be worth shoehorning Anthony onto this team just because he’s the best player available right now.

An Anthony in the hand is worth more than a Dwight Howard in the bush.  Understood.  And if the deal goes down, all bets for this June are off; true Knicks fans know this team is capable of winning (and losing, of course) on any given night, and Melo would give them a crunch-time edge that might just make some noise this spring.  But if 2/24 passes with no deal done, it’s time for a change in focus – not from trading to free agency, but from getting the best available player to improving the team where it needs it most.

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N.B.: I could probably link to nbaplaybook.com every day.  Here is an account of his recent abuse of Kendrick Perkins and here is a post from the beginning of the year combating the myth that he has no post game.  The secret is out