Now that I have had about a week to think about the Knicks moves, I still can't decide whether or not I like the trade. When Ric Bucher of ESPN reported that the New York Knicks have agreed to trade with the Portland Trail Blazers, I couldn't even imagine what Isiah could have done. I had visions of a Darius Miles for David Lee trade, or something of the sort, in which my only option would be to kill Isiah with my bare hands. When it was said that it was Channing Frye and Steve Francis that were going to Portland for Zach Randolph, Dan Dickau and Fred Jones, I instantly had many different thoughts racing through my head about the trade. I'll start with the negatives:
My first thought was that we no longer can be players in the summer of 2009 free agency, as I have discussed in a past blog. My whole two year plan that I have been talking about with friends for a year now was out the window. Say goodbye to the chance of acquiring LeBron, Kobe, Garnett, Wade and Bosh for the opportunity to get Zach Randolph? That's an enormous mistake in my opinion.
Second, this trade is a mirror image of every other move Isiah Thomas has made since he has been President and General Manager of the New York Knicks (sending Trevor Ariza and Penny Hardaway's expiring contract for Steve Francis). The Knicks get the best player in the deal but at the same time sacrifice a young player for the chance to receive a player the opposing team was rushing to get off their hands. In my opinion, Portland's opinion on Zach Randolph is that he is such a nutjob and a bad influence that they would take any trade offer that is on the table just so #1 overall pick, Greg Oden, doesn't have to meet the guy. Is there any other reason why Portland would do this deal ? It is not often that you can find a Power Forward in the NBA, especially in the Western Conference, that averages 24 and 10. To trade a 24 and 10 guy along with 6 million dollars in expiring contracts (Fred Jones, Dan Dickau) for Channing Frye and Steve Francis ? You cannot tell me that from a basketball standpoint, Portland felt that this was a good deal for them. Randolph must be such a poor influence on his team and low character person for them to even consider this trade.
In addition, once again Isiah has traded for a player who is an exact carbon coby of a player already on the roster (trading for Steve Francis when we already had Stephon Marbury on the roster). Can you not tell me Zach Randolph is not the exact same player as Eddy Curry ? Yes, Zach Randolph is a better rebounder but they both live down low on the block, waiting for somebody to post up. Once the ball is in their hands, it is not coming back out. How is going to work if Curry and Randolph play THE EXACT same position as one another. My thought was that they can just go on opposite blocks down low and they can just alternate who gets the ball on each position, but I just have visions of the most unimaginative one-on-one bullshit offense in the NBA. I can just see it now, Stephon Marbury dribbling up the court, throws it down low to Randolph, Randolph has it on the block and shoots a jump hook. Next time down the court...Stephon Marbury dribbling up the court, throws it down low to Curry, Curry has it on the block and shoots a jump hook. Next time down the court...Stephon Marbury dribbling up the court and passes to Jamal Crawford. Crawford then proceeds to launch a ridiculous off-balance three pointer which results in a brick just so he can get his shots in. It is a disaster waiting to happen. At least I am preparing myself mentally for it before hand. Also, we all know Stephon Marbury and Jamal Crawford aren't shooters, they are scorers. How are they going to drive the lane with two beasts down low ? Is there going to be any room for them to drive to the basket ? There is going to be so much traffic in the paint from trying to stop Curry and Randolph that it is going to force us to shoot jumpers, which is the Knicks weakness. Should be interesting...By the way, I also guarentee if the roster stays as is, we will be the WORST defensive team in the entire NBA. Between Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph down low defending, if you want to call it that, is a scary thought. It is going to be a disaster. I think I just threw up in my mouth...
On a positive note, I am shocked that Steve Francis and Channing Frye still had that kind of trade value. Granted, Portland was desperate, but I never thought in a million years we would be able to get Steve Francis off of our hands. Channing Frye's value also took a huge hit this past season when he was just a shell of his former self. Frye looked lost on the court all season because they no longer used him on the block the way Larry Brown sometimes utilized him. He was forced to become strictly a jump shooter, and you can tell it took a toll on him mentally. It looked like he was forcing shots instead of letting the game come to him. He lost all confidence in his jump shot and it showed out there on the court. Also, where did all the 'pick and pop' plays go ? How good was Frye in his rookie season with Marbury when they ran that play ! Why scrap a play that worked so beautifully ? Isiah probably scrapped it from the playbook since Larry Brown used it and we cannot do anything that Larry Brown did whether it was successful or not. On the defensive end, Channing Frye was weak and couldn't rebound if the world depended on it. Francis...I am not even going to get into. The fact that the Knicks acquired a 24/10 Power Forward in the Eastern Conference and two expiring conference for Steve Francis and Channing Frye is obviously a great trade for the Knicks from a basketball standpoint, but we'll see if it can work. For the most part, everyone on the Knicks roster except for Stephon Marbury is in their 20's and locked up for a long time. If Curry and Randolph can co-exist and Randolph can behave off the court, this trade will be a steal by the Knicks and the Knicks could be a perrenial Eastern Conference Contender for years to come. If it doesn't, look for it to cost Isiah Thomas his job.
Random Thoughts:
My first thought was that we no longer can be players in the summer of 2009 free agency, as I have discussed in a past blog. My whole two year plan that I have been talking about with friends for a year now was out the window. Say goodbye to the chance of acquiring LeBron, Kobe, Garnett, Wade and Bosh for the opportunity to get Zach Randolph? That's an enormous mistake in my opinion.
Second, this trade is a mirror image of every other move Isiah Thomas has made since he has been President and General Manager of the New York Knicks (sending Trevor Ariza and Penny Hardaway's expiring contract for Steve Francis). The Knicks get the best player in the deal but at the same time sacrifice a young player for the chance to receive a player the opposing team was rushing to get off their hands. In my opinion, Portland's opinion on Zach Randolph is that he is such a nutjob and a bad influence that they would take any trade offer that is on the table just so #1 overall pick, Greg Oden, doesn't have to meet the guy. Is there any other reason why Portland would do this deal ? It is not often that you can find a Power Forward in the NBA, especially in the Western Conference, that averages 24 and 10. To trade a 24 and 10 guy along with 6 million dollars in expiring contracts (Fred Jones, Dan Dickau) for Channing Frye and Steve Francis ? You cannot tell me that from a basketball standpoint, Portland felt that this was a good deal for them. Randolph must be such a poor influence on his team and low character person for them to even consider this trade.
In addition, once again Isiah has traded for a player who is an exact carbon coby of a player already on the roster (trading for Steve Francis when we already had Stephon Marbury on the roster). Can you not tell me Zach Randolph is not the exact same player as Eddy Curry ? Yes, Zach Randolph is a better rebounder but they both live down low on the block, waiting for somebody to post up. Once the ball is in their hands, it is not coming back out. How is going to work if Curry and Randolph play THE EXACT same position as one another. My thought was that they can just go on opposite blocks down low and they can just alternate who gets the ball on each position, but I just have visions of the most unimaginative one-on-one bullshit offense in the NBA. I can just see it now, Stephon Marbury dribbling up the court, throws it down low to Randolph, Randolph has it on the block and shoots a jump hook. Next time down the court...Stephon Marbury dribbling up the court, throws it down low to Curry, Curry has it on the block and shoots a jump hook. Next time down the court...Stephon Marbury dribbling up the court and passes to Jamal Crawford. Crawford then proceeds to launch a ridiculous off-balance three pointer which results in a brick just so he can get his shots in. It is a disaster waiting to happen. At least I am preparing myself mentally for it before hand. Also, we all know Stephon Marbury and Jamal Crawford aren't shooters, they are scorers. How are they going to drive the lane with two beasts down low ? Is there going to be any room for them to drive to the basket ? There is going to be so much traffic in the paint from trying to stop Curry and Randolph that it is going to force us to shoot jumpers, which is the Knicks weakness. Should be interesting...By the way, I also guarentee if the roster stays as is, we will be the WORST defensive team in the entire NBA. Between Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph down low defending, if you want to call it that, is a scary thought. It is going to be a disaster. I think I just threw up in my mouth...
On a positive note, I am shocked that Steve Francis and Channing Frye still had that kind of trade value. Granted, Portland was desperate, but I never thought in a million years we would be able to get Steve Francis off of our hands. Channing Frye's value also took a huge hit this past season when he was just a shell of his former self. Frye looked lost on the court all season because they no longer used him on the block the way Larry Brown sometimes utilized him. He was forced to become strictly a jump shooter, and you can tell it took a toll on him mentally. It looked like he was forcing shots instead of letting the game come to him. He lost all confidence in his jump shot and it showed out there on the court. Also, where did all the 'pick and pop' plays go ? How good was Frye in his rookie season with Marbury when they ran that play ! Why scrap a play that worked so beautifully ? Isiah probably scrapped it from the playbook since Larry Brown used it and we cannot do anything that Larry Brown did whether it was successful or not. On the defensive end, Channing Frye was weak and couldn't rebound if the world depended on it. Francis...I am not even going to get into. The fact that the Knicks acquired a 24/10 Power Forward in the Eastern Conference and two expiring conference for Steve Francis and Channing Frye is obviously a great trade for the Knicks from a basketball standpoint, but we'll see if it can work. For the most part, everyone on the Knicks roster except for Stephon Marbury is in their 20's and locked up for a long time. If Curry and Randolph can co-exist and Randolph can behave off the court, this trade will be a steal by the Knicks and the Knicks could be a perrenial Eastern Conference Contender for years to come. If it doesn't, look for it to cost Isiah Thomas his job.
Random Thoughts:
- As everyone predicted, the Knicks selected Wilson Chandler with the 23rd pick to add to the other 35 small forwards the Knicks already have on the roster. Let's see how it works out. We'll get a little preview starting Monday at 10:00pm on MSG when the Knicks face Kevin Durant and the Sonics in their first Summer League game in Las Vegas.
- I actually thought Isiah made a great move by acquiring Syracuse rookie Demetris Nichols from Portland for next year's 2nd round pick. Nichols can really shoot the ball and was probably the best player in the Orlando rookie camp before the draft. Sound familiar to Renaldo Balkman's performance in the Orlando camp last summer ? Hopefully the Knicks get similar results.
- Has anyone seen the insane Stephon Marbury video from Mic'd Up ? He has absolutely lost his mind.
- If reports are true, the Knicks are seriously considering trading David Lee and either Malik Rose or Jared Jeffries to Sacramento for Ron Artest. Once again, this would be a typical Isiah move in which the Knicks do get the most talented player in the deal, but give up a young talent for a bad seed who may ruin the chemstry of the team. The fact that this reeks of a typical Isiah move, it really would not surprise me if it happened. However, how come I am reading reports the Miami Heat are offering Udonis Haslem and the Orlando Magic are offering Hedo Turkoglu for Artest. Why do the Knicks have to give up D-Lee ? Isn't an offer of two expiring contracts that combine for approximately $6 million and young players like Nate Robinson and Ranolph Morris more enticing than Hedo Turkoglu ? Maybe I am crazy...
- You think it is a coincidence that Nate Robinson is playing for the Knicks Summer League team for the 3rd straight year ? Sacramento, can you say 'showcase' ?
- Here is my trade idea...If we in fact do trade David Lee and Jared Jeffries to Sacramento for Ron Artest, I would then trade our two expiring contracts to the NYPD for two police officers so we could have them on our bench to watch over Artest, Randolph and Nate. Marbury can yell out "they scared now" all he wants but in reality, I think what opposing teams may be scared of is that we may mug them before, during or after the game and not because of what we can do on the court. This would complete Isiah's dream of bringing back the "Bad Boys".
- Indiana Hoosier, Rod Wilmont, has made the New York Knicks Summer League roster...Holla!
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