Knicks Morning News (2018.07.01)

  • [SNY Knicks] Knicks’ Kanter discusses opting-in, takes $20m insurance policy
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 10:30:18 AM)

    Enes Kanter admits that the market wouldn’t have been good had he decided to opt-out from the Knicks.

  • [NYTimes] 2018 N.B.A. Free Agency: Kevin Durant, Paul George Make Waves While the World Waits for LeBron
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 6:08:55 AM)

    The N.B.A.’s free agency period officially began at 12:01 a.m. Where will the big names, including LeBron James, land?

  • [NYTimes] On Pro Basketball: The N.B.A. Has the Hottest Stove. LeBron James Is the Flame.
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 1:25:27 AM)

    No other sports league has a free agency quite like the N.B.A., but the action is at a standstill until LeBron James decides where he wants to go.

  • [NYPost] Why Knicks should be in no rush to extend Kristaps Porzingis
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 11:09:34 PM)

    As free agency began at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, so did the clock on whether Kristaps Porzingis has a chance of receiving a contract extension this summer with the Knicks. Porzingis can sign a $155 million extension July 6. But if there’s hope of any extension signed by October’s deadline, it won’t be so quickly. The…

  • [NYPost] Knicks eyeing veteran power forward
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 9:40:28 PM)

    With the Knicks mulling re-signing Michael Beasley, they expressed interest in Pistons power forward Anthony Tolliver early Sunday morning when free agency began. The Knicks are offering one-year deals with their $8.4 million mid-level exception as they hunt for a starting power forward as Kristaps Porzingis heals from knee surgery. The journeyman 33-year-old improved his…

  • [NYPost] Durant’s new deal gives Knicks glimmer of hope
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 7:20:42 PM)

    It looks like you can add Kevin Durant to the list of 2019 free agents the Knicks will salivate over. Multiple reports stated Durant came to a one-year agreement shortly after midnight Sunday with the Warriors that will include a surprising second-year opt-out. According to a source, the only issue entering free agency was the…

  • [NYPost] Big man hoping to get full-time deal with Knicks or elsewhere
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 5:50:55 PM)

    Luke Kornet has participated in David Fizdale’s workouts the past five weeks, the new Knicks coach hoping to add another dimension to Kornet’s game and make him not just a 3-point, big-man specialist. Fizdale wants the 7-foot free-agent Kornet to be able to take it to the rim and finish with authority if the 3-pointer…

  • [NY Newsday] Why Knicks should be in no rush to extend Kristaps Porzingis
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 11:09:34 PM)

    As free agency began at 12:01 a.m. Sunday, so did the clock on whether Kristaps Porzingis has a chance of receiving a contract extension this summer with the Knicks. Porzingis can sign a $155 million extension July 6. But if there’s hope of any extension signed by October’s deadline, it won’t be so quickly. The…

  • [NY Newsday] Knicks eyeing veteran power forward
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 9:40:28 PM)

    With the Knicks mulling re-signing Michael Beasley, they expressed interest in Pistons power forward Anthony Tolliver early Sunday morning when free agency began. The Knicks are offering one-year deals with their $8.4 million mid-level exception as they hunt for a starting power forward as Kristaps Porzingis heals from knee surgery. The journeyman 33-year-old improved his…

  • [NY Newsday] Durant’s new deal gives Knicks glimmer of hope
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 7:20:42 PM)

    It looks like you can add Kevin Durant to the list of 2019 free agents the Knicks will salivate over. Multiple reports stated Durant came to a one-year agreement shortly after midnight Sunday with the Warriors that will include a surprising second-year opt-out. According to a source, the only issue entering free agency was the…

  • [NY Newsday] Big man hoping to get full-time deal with Knicks or elsewhere
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 5:50:55 PM)

    Luke Kornet has participated in David Fizdale’s workouts the past five weeks, the new Knicks coach hoping to add another dimension to Kornet’s game and make him not just a 3-point, big-man specialist. Fizdale wants the 7-foot free-agent Kornet to be able to take it to the rim and finish with authority if the 3-pointer…

  • [NYDN] St. John’s law professor sues Apple over $70 iPad cord, sparking two-year legal battle
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 3:00:00 AM)

    For Francis Facciolo, five frustrating hours unsuccessfully trying to connect a $70 cord from his iPad to his television led to a two-year legal battle against the world’s most profitable corporation.

    The David vs. Goliath showdown in Brooklyn Small Claims Court ended last month in defeat for the…

  • [NYDN] Battle over upstate NXIVM properties heats up in sex cult case
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 3:00:00 AM)

    A court fight over NXIVM-linked real estate is getting real bitter.

    Brooklyn federal prosecutors want to seize two upstate properties that, they say, are the scenes of crimes for a salacious sex cult led by NXIVM guru Keith Raniere and his alleged lecherous lieutenant, actress Allison Mack.

    But…

  • [NYDN] Overcrowded bus plunges into gorge in India, killing 30
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 2:10:00 AM)

    LUCKNOW, India — At least 30 people were killed on Sunday when an overcrowded bus plunged off a mountain road into a gorge in northern India, officials said.

    Chief Minister of Uttarakhand state Trivendra Rawat said the bus fell into a 700-foot (213-meter) deep gorge in the Himalayan foothills….

  • [NYDN] Why I’m backing Cynthia Nixon: A dedicated & proven progressive for New York governor
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 2:00:00 AM)

    When I ran for Speaker of the City Council four years ago, very few gave me a chance. I was too aloof. I was too progressive. I worked hard and I won, but still, many said that I owed my success to someone else — or that I’d carry people’s water. These were the challenges I faced, running as a…

  • [NYDN] Honoring the Fourth, saving the nation: How Lincoln marked our foundational holiday
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 2:00:00 AM)

    One does not immediately think of Abraham Lincoln or the Civil War when pondering the meaning of the Fourth of July. The nation’s founders, whom Lincoln revered despite their flaws, deserve full credit for American independence. Men of George Washington’s era fought the battles that made America…

  • [NYDN] Rocket developed by Japan startup bursts into flames during disastrous test run
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 1:30:00 AM)

    TOKYO — A rocket developed by a Japanese startup company burst into flames seconds after a failed liftoff Saturday in northern Japan.

    The MOMO-2 rocket, developed by Interstellar Technologies, was launched in Taiki town on Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island. It was supposed to reach as…

  • [NYDN] Indian fan dies in World Cup car crash
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 1:15:00 AM)

    An Indian fan visiting Russia for the World Cup died after a car accident on Saturday, the first death of a visitor to the international tournament.

    The unidentified man was a passenger in a car on the highway near the southern host city of Sochi when the vehicle he was riding in collided with…

  • [NYDN] Up from the underground: let stressed homeowners rent out apartments, period
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 1:10:00 AM)

    Hats off to Mayor de Blasio and Councilmembers Brad Lander, Rafael Espinal and Inez Barron, who’ve teamed up to allow some basements to be used as living quarters — they are anyway — where building and fire rules currently forbid it.

    That’s a great idea, long discussed. Show these underground apartments…

  • [NYDN] Far off track at 100: Cortlandt St. subway station still scandalously shuttered
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 1:05:00 AM)

    On this date 100 years ago, July 1, 1918, a dozen new subway stations opened, stretching down 7th Ave. from Penn Station to South Ferry. One of those brand new stations was the one at Cortlandt St.

    In the 1960s, it would be enveloped when the World Trade Center was built. On 9/11, when the towers…

  • [NYDN] A match made in hell: Trump and Putin flirt their way to Finland
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 1:00:00 AM)

    Star of the world’s worst rom-com, President Trump again rejects the disapproving counsel of smarter and more mature outside voices — U.S. intelligence, NATO partners, anyone with good sense — to flaunt his forbidden passion for international man of misery Vladimir Putin.

    Their latest scheduled…

  • [NYDN] CARIBBEAT: Dollar van organization backs bill to make the industry safer — through Taxi & Limousine Commission enforcement
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 1:00:00 AM)

    Dollar vans organizations — whose members want to maintain safe conditions for their passengers, drivers and industry — are backing proposed legislation to have their vehicles fall under the jurisdiction of the city’s Taxi & Limousine Commission.

    Each year, tens of thousands of New Yorkers rely…

  • [NYDN] Trump asserts he didn’t push House GOP on immigration
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 12:40:00 AM)

    BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J. — President Donald Trump claimed Saturday that he never pushed House Republicans to vote for immigration bills that failed last week, offering his latest display of whiplash on the legislation.

    Trump tweeted from his New Jersey golf club that he didn’t press GOP lawmakers…

  • [NYDN] Refugees among 9 victims in Idaho stabbing spree
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 12:20:00 AM)

    Refugees were among 9 people wounded after a man went on a stabbing spree in Idaho, according to police.

    Officers in Boise arrested the unidentified 30-year-old Saturday night, but said that they “are still investigating why the suspect targeted these individuals.”

    “This incident is not a representation…

  • [NYDN] Florida man confesses to killing pregnant wife, dad-in-law, police say
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 12:00:00 AM)

    FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Authorities say a Florida man charged with fatally shooting his pregnant wife texted from her cellphone to make it seem like she was still alive.

    Fort Lauderdale police say 20-year-old Martine Bernard’s body was found earlier this month in an alley behind the home she shared…

  • [NYDN] Readers sound off on Access-a-ride, Al Sharpton and John Ashbery
    (Sunday, July 01, 2018 12:00:00 AM)

    E-hail a boon, Access-a-Ride a pain

    Brooklyn: I couldn’t agree more with Voicer Steve Dolman on the e-hail program versus Access-A-Ride. I lost most of my sight last year to a neurological disease. My first thought was, “How am I going to continue to work?” I rely on this service to take me from…

  • [NYDN] Evangelical leaders downplay potential Roe v. Wade reversal
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 11:40:00 PM)

    NEW YORK — For evangelical Christian leaders like Jerry Falwell Jr., this is their political holy grail.

    Like many religious conservatives in a position to know, the Liberty University president with close ties to the White House suspects that the Supreme Court vacancy President Donald Trump fills…

  • [NYDN] Tennessee church shooter was full of hate and happy to kill in 2008 attack
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 11:00:00 PM)

    Jim Adkisson got lockjaw when his sentencing judge gave the confessed rage killer a chance to address members of the Tennessee church where he had launched a shotgun attack.

    There would be no contrition from this angry man.

    “No, ma’am,” sneered the 58-year-old former truck driver. “I have nothing…

  • [NYDN] Add Red Sox’s Rafael Devers and Chris Sale to long list of Yankees killers
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 10:35:00 PM)

    Long gone are the days of David Ortiz and Pedro Martinez tormenting the Yankees, but the Red Sox seem to have some new players to give their AL East foe nightmares.

    Chris Sale and Rafael Devers are proving to be the kryptonite for the Bronx Bombers these days and demonstrated why in a 11-0 shellacking…

  • [NYDN] Armed robber running from cops dies in fall to Bronx subway tracks
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 10:30:00 PM)

    An armed robbery suspect running from cops fell onto subway tracks in the Bronx early Sunday — and was killed either by the third rail or the train that soon hit him, authorities said.

    Officers were chasing the man on foot just after midnight when he fell to the tracks at the Fordham Road/Jerome…

  • [NYDN] Man shot on Bronx street corner by ex-girlfriend’s new beau, cops say
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 10:30:00 PM)

    A 36-year-old man was fatally shot on a Bronx street by his ex-girlfriend’s new beau late Saturday, police sources said.

    The man was at the corner of University Ave. and Morton Place in Morris Heights when the aggrieved boyfriend blasted him in the head and back around 10 p.m., according to cops.

  • [NYDN] Police find 11 bodies, most of them blindfolded and hanging from roof of home in India
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 10:25:00 PM)

    NEW DELHI — Police in the Indian capital said Sunday they found 11 bodies in a village home in mysterious circumstances, 10 of them blindfolded and hanging from the roof.

    Police officer Vineet Kumar said all of them belonged to a family and most had lived in one home in Burari village in the northern…

  • [NYDN] Police report assaults in Oregon on day of nationwide protests against Trump immigration policy
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 10:00:00 PM)

    Police in Portland, Oregon, have ordered participants in a march by Patriot Prayer to disperse after officers saw assaults and projectiles being thrown.

    Police said Saturday that some arrests have been made at the downtown protest involving immigration.

    The problems occurred as two opposing protest…

  • [NYDN] Austin Romine’s MRI negative after leaving loss to Red Sox in seventh with tight hammy
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 9:25:00 PM)

    A bad night could’ve gotten a lot worse for the Yankees on Saturday, but a precautionary MRI on Austin Romine’s left hamstring came back negative. He is listed as day-to-day.

    Romine came out of the team’s 11-0 loss to the Red Sox due to left hamstring tightness, which prompted the MRI. He grounded…

  • [NYDN] Capital Gazette reporter describes horror inside newsroom
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 9:00:00 PM)

    As gunfire rang out inside his Maryland newsroom, Capital Gazette reporter Phil Davis jumped under his desk.

    He couldn’t see what happened next — fatal bullets ripping into five of his colleagues — but he could hear it.

    “I heard everyone get shot,” Davis, a crime reporter, told The Baltimore Sun….

  • [NYDN] Isola’s NBA Free Agency Primer: Predicting where LeBron and the other big names will end up
    (Saturday, June 30, 2018 9:00:00 PM)

    LeBron James’ influence over the NBA is so profound that he dominated the free agency conversation last summer while still under contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

    At 12:01 a.m. on Sunday, LeBron officially becomes an unrestricted free agent so get ready for what will be an eventful few days/weeks…

  • 172 replies on “Knicks Morning News (2018.07.01)”

    Is Hezonja more of a 2 or a 3? At 6’8″, he’d seem more of a forward, but I thought he was drafted as a shooting guard back in the day. And if there’s one thing this team doesn’t need… well, it’s more players who don’t play defense. But if it’ another thing this team doesn’t need, it’s another shooting guard.

    Which of course would make him the perfect Knick signing.

    Well, then that makes it worth lightly more sense. Still, I’d rather pass.

    Ariza is getting older but he was important to Houston last year that’s a legit loss for them.

    @4 Definitely
    They will also live to regret paying Chris Paul 40 million per for his age 33 through 37 year old seasons.

    cant figure out moreys thinking at that age for paul.

    Dallas on win now mode, interesting team, they now have their own version of the big three

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    Morey had no choice but to give Paul whatever he wanted and worry about the end of the contract later. The alternative was to allow Paul to walk and then spend a couple of years trying to get another player like him to team with Harden. Even if he found one, he would have to pay through the nose for him anyway and the clock would be ticking on Harden and his other players while the search was on. They are too close to a title to not do something reckless trying to get it.

    Ariza was a loss.

    cp3 will probably age fine barring injury… but the hamstring is a legit concern since it’s been recurring for him…

    really good players are able to play at a high level for a really long time… cp3 is not gonna age like lesser players…

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    ptmilo,

    Will Barton 4 years 54 million. That’s the market for SGs that are in that borderline starter/6th man category. Last year was probably his best year and he was 27.

    So that more or less gives us a line into how much Hardaway is overpaid unless he develops further.

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    I’m not sure if I’m surprised that George stayed in OKC or not.

    Like another team we know, if they didn’t trade for Melo they would be in a pretty good position. They would be deeper and trying to find the final piece to make them a serious contender instead probably extending him, buying him out, and finishing the team problematical. More important they brought Jerami Grant back. So he takes Melo’s slot (an improvement). Now they have to work on the bench.

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    McBuckets 3 years 22 million.

    LOL at this headline: “Are the Thunder title contenders with George back?”

    Definitely not last season, and definitely not this season.

    Okc still needs a running mate fir Russ at the 2; thjr + Lee fir melo and a first makes sense for them

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    I think it was Erik Pincus that brought up an interesting point last night. Now that sports gambling is getting the green light around the country, we may not be too far away from a large new revenue source to the NBA. When that happens, the cap will probably get a nice jump again. Depending on the timing, some contracts that don’t look so good right now may look fine later. Also, a forward thinking owner/GM might be willing to overpay slightly now to make sure he gets/keeps a certain player if he thinks that’s not too far off.

    @13: Melo would have to agree to be traded, with the understanding that he’d be released after. Would his ego allow that?

    His ego might have to take a back seat to Russ’ ruling.
    “Melo you’re out!”- signed Russel

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    Melo must be freaking out realizing that OKC prefers Jerami Grant at the PF slot and he’s more or less considered a totally washed player that should be chasing a ring off the bench for a contender. His self awareness was never too keen, but even at the end of the season he was complaining about minutes and role because he thinks he’s still a top player in the league. In most cases, I would have sympathy for someone that’s at the end of their career like that, but for some reason instead of sympathy Melo generates a different kind of response from me. I guess it’s kind of a mix of sympathy while laughing at the lack of self awareness.

    Independent of his self awareness of his status as an nba player, Melo seems like a very good guy. So I can sympathize with him to a degree, especially now that he’s not on my team. But he’s brought so much of this on himself over the years.

    Listening to the dunc’d on mock off-season and lol are those nerds wrong

    I agree that Barton’s $13m per year is a good comp for Hardaway and if the Knicks had signed him for that price I think the general reaction would have been closer to meh than WTF. Although even then a meh deal for a one dimensional sixth man type makes more sense for a probable playoff team like Denver than a team in asset gathering mode like us. Let’s see what KCP gets.

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    @21

    On the plus side Barton peaked last year at 27 (not that unusual). Hardaway had a down year shooting last year relative to Atlanta. Maybe it was the injury. Maybe it was the bigger role, pressure in NY, or the way he was used. We basically have to hope he turns that part of his game around and continues to inch forward there and elsewhere. I think we all agree the Knicks overpaid.

    It’s not just the over pay for Timmy that bothers me; it’s the timing of signing a player that we didn’t need neither his style or position was in need with Lee already there.

    Kornet is coming back- that’s a good signing. Will we have EB rights on him next year? Not sure how that works with two way guys ie whether that 2 way counts as a year of service towards bird rights.

    I think the noise about Tolliver and hezonja makes it clear we are shooting a lot more 3s this year.

    Wow this Spain-Russia game is soooo boring. What a contrast to France-Argentina yesterday.

    Surprising that no one tried to force Toronto’s hand with VanVleet. Two years for roughly what THJ makes in a year?

    The Barton and McBuckets contracts were very stupid. Don’t these GMs realize how little competition they have? No one has money! You don’t need to pay normal value to free agents, much less overpay.

    We all saw McBuckets up close. He’s a very limited role player. In this market he should be getting close to the minimum. $22m is dumb dumb dumb.

    The Ariza signing is puzzling from his perspective. Why leave a title contender for a crappy team who’s only offering one year? He’s 33 already. You’d think he’d make the opposite move — wanting more years on a better team.

    At least it eliminates Phoenix from the tank race.

    Ariza must’ve been informed that Houston couldnt re sign him and capela. He must be thinking to sign with them next offseason, that’s my theory

    I wonder if the Rockets have any interest in Courtney now that they’ve lost Ariza. He’s not a 3 and the Rockets are full at guard but they can probably play 3 guards with Tucker and Capela against a lot of lineups. Maybe I’m just hoping for one last shot at Melton.

    Edit: actually it doesn’t look like they have enough salary to dump to get that done besides Ryan Anderson

    he can take 15mm and go back on the market next year… he wasn’t gona get more than the midlevel from anyone so it’s a big win financially.. .

    Begley reporting that KOQ is much more likely to sign somewhere else. Seriously what the fuck was this front office doing during the trade deadline?

    Oquinn leaving guarantees a bottom 3 finish, so a 40% shot at RJ.

    It’s not a 40pct shot at RJ it’s a 40pct shot at a top 3 pick. It’s 14pct shot at the top pick.

    Oh, thanks for clarifying.

    Doesn’t get knicksier than winning 15 games and picking 6th or whatever.

    Yeah, I think Ariza was thinking the same thing as Chandler (on a smaller scale, of course), “Those are a lot of zeroes.”

    Also, fuck, Indy, if you thought McBuckets fit so well, why not offer something for him last season?

    Makes you wonder about Perry a tad if there was an actual market for McBuckets and the Knicks had to throw in a second rounder with him to get a shitty guard.

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    The Knicks now have Kanter, Noah, Kornet, and Robinson at C. I looks like O’Quinn is gone. That makes it look more and more like a mistake to not trade him last year. I was opposed to trading him because I thought (and still think) he was a good player on a team friendly contract that might give us a home team discount. I want(ed) him back. But if they are going to let him walk then it was clearly a mistake to not trade him. I have no idea what they could have gotten for him, but even if it was an expiring and a 2nd rounder that’s better than nothing! Granted they didn’t know they would have Robinson now and I don’t think Kornet was on the scene yet, but still. It feels like we are not using our assets well at all. Willy is gone. O’Quinn looks like he’s gone. We don’t have much to show for 2 solid players that were on team friendly contracts.

    Thanks for coming around! Many of us were screaming for the Knicks to trade oquinn last season when they had the chance.

    Makes you wonder about Perry a tad if there was an actual market for McBuckets and the Knicks had to throw in a second rounder with him to get a shitty guard.

    Sadly, based on what they paid and their comments since, it sure seems like this group thinks highly of Mudiay.

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    Thanks for coming around! Many of us were screaming for the Knicks to trade oquinn last season when they had the chance.

    lol. Better late then never.

    I thought the Knicks had every intention of bringing him back. I would have offered him a good enough 1 year contract that he’d be willing to hang around because he wants to stay in NY. Then we could decide next year about what to do with him and Kanter. You pick one and go longer term with the better value as the backup (most likely O’Quinn).

    Interesting thing about Hezonja is that although he’s tabbed as an all offense type guy he actually derived most of his value last season from his defense. 1.8 out of his 2.3 Win Shares last season came from there.

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    “Makes you wonder about Perry a tad if there was an actual market for McBuckets and the Knicks had to throw in a second rounder with him to get a shitty guard.”

    I mentioned/implied the other day that throwing McBuckets into that deal was not a non event. He’s a rotation player that can spread the floor, score on cuts, and he works hard on both ends even if he’s limited athletically. Unless we are all horribly wrong on Mudiay (and we certainly aren’t based on what he’s shown so far) we got hosed on that deal. The only saving grace is that it wasn’t a significant deal. It’s more a clue about their competency.

    I like Hezonja as a flier, he showed real improvement last year and has the talent, it’s just that in a world we’re guys like McDermott are getting contracts like this, he will probably be at least slightly overpaid.

    If it’s a 1+1 deal I’m not totally against it, specially if we do indeed trade Lee.

    I just don’t see the room on the roster for Hicks. Here’s the current Knicks roster:

    1. Porzingis
    2. Frank
    3. Knox
    4. Hardaway
    5. Lee
    6. Kanter
    7. Burke
    8. Kornet
    9. Robinson
    10. Mudiay
    11. Thomas
    12 Troy Williams
    13. Dotson
    14. Baker
    15. Noah

    Then one of the 2-way contracts is Trier. Where is the room to bring back Hicks if they’re even looking to add guys to the team still?

    I want us to take a flier on Hezonja because instantly he’d be our best forward with the highest upside. I look at our wings now and I see an average starter in THJ and a bunch of nice potential bench pieces in Williams, Dotson, Baker, Trier, and Knox. My hope is three of them develop into long-term rotation players off the bench. If I had to bet the best of that bunch will be Williams. But that’s as a PJ Tucker type bench player, not a starter. I don’t really see plus starter potential in any of them.

    If Ntilikina can develop into our PG or if Burke is the real deal we might be okay at the 1 but if KP is a 5 we need two plus players at the 3 and 4. Maybe Hezonja could be one. Probably not but he does have that kind of potential.

    Hicks could get the other two way contract. But that seems a poor use of resources.

    For roster spots, I’d bet money Noah gets stretched as soon as he can be and Lee will get traded, maybe Thomas as well. If we’re going for cap space next year that will be the moves. If we want Hicks there will be room for him.

    Stretching Noah to find room for Hicks DOES seem like a Knicksy thing to do. The Knickiest thing would be including a second to dump Lance so that they could sign Hicks.

    @44

    I think that’s one of the reasons they’re trying to dump Lee. Not just for salary but also just to have another roster spot open. Of course dumping Lee as opposed to trading matching salary likely involves giving up a pick which would be fucked.

    They’ll stretch Noah after september 1st so they could spread his last year value on three seasons.
    Robinson’s not a mandatory NBA contract, he hasn’t played organized basketball since HS, he’ll probably ticketed for Westchester (as Giannis’ brother years ago).
    These two could be the spots for Hicks and Hezonja.
    I don’t think they’ll trade Lee AND Thomas, one of them will stay, you know, veteran leadership… 🙂

    Looking at the Summer League roster, we could have a glimpse at some combinations of ”real” lineups for next season:

    Frank, Dotson, Knox, Hicks, Williams, Kornet, Robinson, Trier… this could be fun!

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    I’m not a huge fan of Hezonja because he hasn’t made much progress since his mildly encouraging rookie year, but he’s still young. Maybe the Knicks can get him moving in a positive direction and he’ll become a good player. A one year contract is not risky even if we overpay – unless we could have had someone else that is better.

    Looks like Kornet got Willy H money, so that will be a mildly interesting subplot this next season. Should they have kept Willy, or was it okay to get a couple of seconds for him with Kornet being a better keeper (can shoot threes)?

    I have no problem with the Knicks apparently moving on from OQ, as I think it is the right thing to do, but yeah, why did they not trade him for something at the deadline like most of us here thought was the right thing to do? That and McD’s signing throws some serious questions into the (admittedly minor but not inconsequential) moves made/not made at the trade deadlline.

    Were they so focused on getting a young PG, eventually settling in on Mudiay, that they missed other opportunities? We’ll probably never know, but again most of us here thought that the Mudiay deal was an overpay (fine to deal McD off, but why throw in a 2nd rounder when the Knicks were taking on another year of a contract on a player who has been pretty awful for several years?).

    They must really like Mudiay and Kornet. Let’s see what happens.

    If we get Hezonga, we’ll have 3 of the top 7 picks from the 2015 NBA draft.

    How can we not be a contender next year?

    I’m not a huge fan of Hezonja because he hasn’t made much progress since his mildly encouraging rookie year…

    Actually, this is untrue. He by far had his best season last year in terms of VORP and WS/48.

    Because two of them are ones who failed elsewhere?
    🙂

    Hezonja would be an interesting flyer. Let’s see if they get him and, if so, what kind of deal. A one plus TEAM option would be nice for a change…

    I don’t like the Willy trade from an asset management standpoint (even if my opinion on him is low) but maybe Perry and Mills were lucky on this one.

    Listening to The Ringer, ESPN and Dunc’d podcasts, 2021 or 2022 could be the first year without the “one and done” rule, so in one of them you could have all the “last of the one and done” players plus all the HS prospects that’ll go straight to draft. A second rounder in that draft could be very valuable.

    @55
    And the Knicks like guys who have shown slight signs of improvement. Timmy had played better in the latter part of his last season in Atlanta. Boom! Signed.

    Mudiay supposedly was shooting a bit better. Bye bye McD and 2nd rounder.

    Now, Hezonja…

    Seriously, though, sure, worth a shot on a modest deal. But if they don’t get him, don’t bother with a “veteran stopgap” starter at forward for one year, like Beasley. Just play the young guys, Hicks included. At worst, good for the tank. And who knows, maybe someone surprises and looks like a keeper going forward.

    The more I look at Hezonja’s career trajectory the more I like him as someone to buy low on. He’s a bit of a JR Smith type in that he takes these insane shots that will drive you crazy, but there is a lot there to like about his game – particularly on defense. He became a bit of a ball hawk there and upped his STL% quite a bit. I think he’s still developing the guy just needs to be coached into smarter decisions on the court and the consistent minutes to do it.

    You know, there were a few of us last year who thought that picking up Hezonja for the last half of last year would be interesting…
    🙂

    Should the team consider a full midlevel for him, say $8m. If so, please get a team option for another year, in case he does pan out.

    My reasoning on Hezonja is that he was drafted by Orlando. The Magic are such a terrible franchise that it’s hard to actually gauge development of young players there, as they have probably been the worst ran franchise in the entire league the past 5 years or so. Unlike a guy like Mudiay Hezonja has shown flashes and some production here and there, and he’s still 23.

    Of course, hard pass if it’s something like 3 years 25 million, but if it’s a team friendly 1+1 deal or something like that I’d much rather have him than Lee on the roster.

    So according to the Post…

    1) We want to give Robinson part of the MLE so we can stick to a one-year deal. This had BETTER include a team option for a second year, otherwise WTF? If he’s any good at all we won’t be able to keep him

    2) we could stretch Lee. Again, WTF? Seriously? And have him AND Noah on the cap for 5 more years?

    3) doing all of this would mean we could extend Kp now and still have space next summer.

    I mean, I know it’s the post so a lot of it is probably nonsense but this would be a dolan’s razor trifecta of moves…

    Why did we just give Mitchell a one and done deal with part of the mid level, is t he in a rookie contract for peanuts ?

    If we sign Robinson to a one year deal in order to preserve cap space next year I quit. The difference between a 2nd-year minimum rookie deal and the minimum cap hold is like half a million. That won’t be the difference to sign someone next year. The definition of penny-wise pound-foolish.

    We need to sign Robinson to the deal we signed Dotson to. It’s pretty simple.

    If we really need cap space next year we could always trade Hardaway or Knox. I like Robinson more than both of them.

    I’m pretty sure that Robinson would be a restricted FA no matter whether we sign him to a 1 or 2 year deal, but thinking $500K is going to be the difference between max FA X coming or not is really dumb IMHO. What we really should be doing is signing Robinson to the same type deal that Elie Okobo got — 4 years with the last 2 years team options. My god, worse comes to worst you could always stretch Robinson to save a little $.

    Who knows about Berman’s sources nowadays, but I really hope they are wrong.

    Not sure why they like Hicks so much, I saw nothing with him that would even suggest that he is an NBA player waiting to happen..

    1. Porzingis
    2. Frank
    3. Knox
    4. Hardaway
    5. Lee
    6. Kanter
    7. Burke
    8. Kornet
    9. Robinson
    10. Mudiay
    11. Thomas
    12 Troy Williams
    13. Dotson
    14. Baker
    15. Noah

    If we offer a contract to Mario Hezonja, I guess you would have to cut Troy Williams, no?

    @66 – yep, but if the goal is preserving space and there’s a chance he might be good, lock him up to the near-minimum 2nd year cost! As others have said – it’s marginal compared to a min cap hold. Bit of he blows up this year and someone else offers him a bigger deal we have to eat a load of cap space to keep him. It makes no sense.

    In other news. If LA strike out on their top targets and come away with Boogie, how 2010 Knicks would that be? Step 2, find the 2018 equivalent of joe Johnson and offer him the max. (Think that’s ‘trade for derozan’ in today’s money…)

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    Actually, this is untrue. He by far had his best season last year in terms of VORP and WS/48.

    He had a couple of good stretches last year. So he netted out better than his rookie year. But if you are going to be good you should be further along than he is 2 years after a somewhat promising rookie year at 20. Like I said, I don’t mind if they sign him for a year because he’s young and could get better, but there’s a reason the Magic are letting him walk. He’s not good (at least yet).

    Stratomatic "Porzingis, Ntilikina, and Knox are going to lead us to the promised land"says:

    If it’s true they only want to give Robinson a 1 year deal he must be a Grade A flake.

    If it’s true they only want to give Robinson a 1 year deal he must be a Grade A flake.

    So then why draft him at 36? If you’re not intrigued enough by his upside to invest in a pittance of a contract that covers his age 19 and 20 seasons, then take somebody else at 36. If he’s that much of a head case, go with a different player.

    This team, man. I hope this isn’t true.

    I think Berman just fucked up whatever he was trying to say because that sentence which made it seem that way was edited out of his article.

    Generally speaking I don’t like the idea of only signing guys to 1 year deal. Cap flexibility is good, but I think 2020 is a more realistic date for us to even be a factor for major FAs. With guys like Lee and Noah on the books until then it’d be wise to wait until then.

    If Hezonja is commanding offers close to the MLE, I’d say thanks but no thanks. He’s still a very bad NBA player. He could be out of the league in 2 years. I’d offer him 3 years, $12m.

    No point getting him on a 1 year deal where the best case scenario is he provides harmful wins and then we have to re-sign him for big bucks.

    This is a good spot for an arrogant guy like Mario. We have no good forwards so if he believes he’s awesome, he’ll know he can play 30 mpg for us easily.

    Yeah, what the hell changed between picking him 36th like 10 days ago and now? Why not go with someone like Melton or Khyri Thomas or Bonga then?

    It makes absolute zero sense to give a 2nd rounder a 1 year contract with not even team options, in any situation.

    I guess Hezonja is a true SF, so that’s part of the appeal? I dunno. He hasn’t been very good really, and some of his shortcomings don’t seem very fixable. He’s allergic to contact and doesn’t draw fouls at all, so that limits his efficiency. He’s a head-down player who doesn’t like to pass, and we seem to have a few too many of those. He doesn’t really seem like a great fit on this team, which is now starting to be composed of lots of players who are looking for their own shot and don’t do a whole lot else. This shit is starting to look kind of Isiah-ish.

    Can’t make this stuff up: Celtics say rookie first-round pick Robert Williams, who was introduced here Friday, missed his flight back to Boston and was not present for the start of summer league practice today. Williams already overslept an introductory conference call.— Chris Forsberg (@ESPNForsberg) July 1, 2018

    Over 3 seasons Hezonga is a .332 three point shooter and .418 overall. And he doesn’t do anything else particularly well, like pass or rebound.

    Not sure why we would want this guy on our team. To complement Mudiay?

    @79 Re: Robinson, do teams negotiate contract terms with second-round picks before they draft them? If not, then how were the Knicks supposed to know that he would quibble over a 1+1 deal, or that the other guys you mentioned wouldn’t? In any case, I wouldn’t stress too much about it, he’s gonna get signed. Now if his agent (is it his dad?) says either a two-year above the minimum or a one-year, no team option…then what do you do? If it’s me, I’m a little nervous signing a guy to more than one year when I haven’t even seen him play in over a year! Based on what I’ve seen, I’d probably guarantee him the second year, especially with O’Quinn gone, but I’d sure like to see him in at least a scrimmage, or better yet, a summer league game before making the offer…

    Here’s a serious question: If they offer him a one-year deal and he accepts, at what point can they extend the deal? Do they have to wait until he becomes a UFA or can they revise the deal after summer league?

    Here’s another question…can they sign him to a a two-way contract and assure him that if he plays reasonably well, they’ll sign him to a multi-year deal?

    If it’s me, I’m a little nervous signing a guy to more than one year when I haven’t even seen him play in over a year!

    Sure, but if what we’re hearing is true, this is a pittance of an amount we’re talking about, $500K. That’s an insignificant amount of money that won’t make any difference whatsoever in the composition of the 2019-2020 roster.

    Yeah, I get being cautious with Robinson, but it’s so little money it really doesn’t seem to matter much. Besides, even if they didn’t negotiate the contract beforehand you have to believe they actually contacted his agent or himself at any point in the scouting process right? I don’t know, it just doesn’t seem to be a deal that holds any value for the Knicks, if he is indeed promising, if he’s not it won’t matter anyway.

    He had a couple of good stretches last year. So he netted out better than his rookie year. But if you are going to be good you should be further along than he is 2 years after a somewhat promising rookie year at 20. Like I said, I don’t mind if they sign him for a year because he’s young and could get better, but there’s a reason the Magic are letting him walk. He’s not good (at least yet).

    Well, yeah, when you look at a season you factor in the good stretches in the bad – especially for young players. But to put things into perspective here is the list of 22 year olds who had more win shares than Hezonja last season: Karl Anthony Towns, Nikola Jokic, Jakob Poetl, Trey Lyles, Kyle Kuzma, Kelly Oubre, Bobby Portis, Josh Hart, Kristaps Porzingis, and Aaron Gordon. That’s it. People forget that development takes time and that even a young player who isn’t very good by general league standards is still rather good in comparison to his cohort. I would sign anyone of those players to a year deal, including Hezonja.

    @86

    This is why I can see at least the logic in taking a flyer on Hezonja. For a 22-year old scoring wing, his numbers aren’t terrible. Let’s compare him to our very own $72M man, Timmeh Hardaway:

    Mario Hezonja
    .544 TS%, .515 eFG%, 9.3% TRB%, 10.0 AST%, 2.4 STL%, .066 WS48, 22 years old

    Tim Hardaway Jr
    .533 TS%, .496 eFG%, 6.6 TRB%, 12.7 AST%, 1.6 STL%, .067 WS48, 25 years old

    Pretty similar, except Mario is younger, probably has more raw talent and probably won’t cost $18M a year. That said, how many Tim Hardaways are we gonna have on this team? Hezonja doesn’t seem to be a good fit with the other guys we have. A lineup with Hardaway, Hezonja and Knox in it offers a lot of mediocre scoring and not a lot of anything else.

    I’m fine with taking a flyer on Hooper Mario at the right price, but what’s the point of signing him to a one year deal? Virtually zero upside even if he does suddenly wake up as Peja.

    @88

    Yeah, it’d have to be a 3 year deal with a team option on the 3rd year or something to really make it worth it.

    @88

    Hezonja at least offers us some prospective defensive upside. Hardaway has always been a net negative player in terms of DBPM and DWS save his last season with Atlanta. Interestingly, that last season as a Hawk was also his best defensive season where he played SG almost exclusively 92% of the time. So what do the Knicks do? They fit him in a roster where he’s playing SF 71% of the time and has to guard wings. Typical.

    Hezonja, on the other hand, defensively thrived last season according to DBPM and DWS. And he was used exclusively as a swing forward (42% SF/58%PF), which makes him pretty valuable for us.

    Wow, Lebron signing with the Lakers for 4 years. Never actually thought that would happen.

    So I just looked back and Damyean Dotson signed a 3-year deal for $1.1, $1.4 and $1.5 million (last year a team option) on July 23, 2017. Is it unreasonable for us to expect that Robinson might command the same type of deal? Bottom line: we’re not talking about a $500K difference here.

    Lebron, Cousins and Lavar on the same team together? Let the circus begin!

    Yeah, that’s crazy. I think LeBron will not win a title there, but if he does, he surely must be considered the GOAT even by the doubters (starting with me.)

    I would think it’s only a matter of time before LeBron drives Lavar and Lonzo out of town.

    I would think it’s only a matter of time before LeBron drives Lavar and Lonzo out of town.

    I would so look to get in on that deal.

    Henzonja would be fine-he was a legit NBA player last season, and he’s young enough that there’s still chance he improves. He’s almost certainly never going to be the kind of guy you want when you’re drafting in the high lottery, but he could be a league average or better player. I don’t know why we’d give him or Robinson a one year deal without at least getting a team option second year.

    The Cavs are going to be really bad next year.

    We're coming up on the four year anniversary of this tear jerker: "I always believed that I’d return to Cleveland and finish my career there."— Frank Isola (@FisolaNYDN) July 2, 2018

    George just signed with OKC right? How can he leave?

    He meant took himself out of the running for the Lakers.

    I don’t like the move, since I think he’d be still a favorite to come out of the East if he just stayed in Cleveland for another year, but hey, he’s got nothing to prove, so if he wants to be in LA, more power to him.

    Lebron..always hurting the Knicks.
    The tank is over.
    Unless Love and Hill turn into Daugherty and Price 2.0 with Sexton waiting in the wings as Terrell Brandon 2.0 lol

    Maybe there’s a chance Cleveland won’t be too bad. They do still have Clarkson, Hood, and Nance. Now we find out if Lue really has legit coaching chops

    Whenever you have a chance to sign a young player with any promise at all you want to maximize the number of years. If you can slip in team options that’s great but more years at minimum money is always better. If the player works out you have a cost-controlled asset for many years, if he doesn’t the cap repercussions are almost nothing. That’s what Morey does and you only have to hit on one Patrick Beverley to make up for all the other players that don’t work out.

    If we signed Robinson to the Dotson deal, his cap hit would actually be about $800,000 more than a minimum cap hold but that is nothing if he’s a good player. Our ability to sign a star is not going to hinge on the less than a million dollars. If it does then trade Robinson, stretch him, there are lots of options.

    Maybe there’s some way to extract Lonzo from the Lakers by doing a Kanter for Deng swap? Kanter and Deng’s salaries match. Kanter at least gives you something, while Deng is a complete waste of $18M, and his contract runs for two more seasons instead of one. The Lakers really have to figure out a way to move that Deng contract.

    I’m sure there are some other more clever franchises that are having the same idea tho

    What’s up with Ariza going to the Suns? They suck and have like 4 small forwards they’re trying to develop.

    Lebron to the Lakers felt like an inevitability after that JR play.

    Lebron bought a $20 million dollar house in LA about 4-6 months ago. Kid enrolled in LA private school too. People who can read between the lines saw this coming.

    @111 I agree, but my point is that it’s too early to judge, let’s see him play in summer league before weighing in. It sounds like we don’t have to sign him until after that, at least that’s what happened with Dotson.

    How about deng and lonzo for kanter and lance !
    They would have $25m in space next year with that deal.

    We got Hezonja

    Noice! Now lets hope:

    1. Its a reasonable deal.
    2. That we use him effectively as a swing forward.

    1 year/$6.5 million is okay.

    Really would have liked a team option.

    Still, it’s an okay move. That’s a step in the right direction!

    Woj also said Hezonja chose us over other teams because he liked Fizdale. Which is vaguely promising, albeit coming from such a marginal player.

    If Hezonja is decent we can absolutely trade him at the deadline so that’s something. Everyone can use a solid wing.

    Yeah we are nothing if not adept at trading expiring assets at the deadline

    I can get behind this type of a move. But we should’ve looked for an extension.

    My Knicks’ PTSD tells me that the only reason they targeted Hezonja is because when practicing against actual NBA players Knox has been bad enough that they don’t think he’ll be playable at the three this year.

    Yeah we are nothing if not adept at trading expiring assets at the deadline

    We’re due!

    i really don’t like it…. i mean it seems like we’re trying to put together some wins for this year…. supposedly amir johnson is also on our radar…. and why does that matter? is the plan strictly for cap room in 2019?

    if you’re taking a flyer on hezonja…. go get a team option for that 2nd year at the very least…. if not there’s really no point….

    And just like that, LeBron James became irrelevant in the postseason for the remainder of his career. Nice job, Team Bron!

    We now have 3 of the top 7 picks from 2015 and Okafor’s a free agent

    Interesting thing I noticed when looking up Mario’s stats, looks like he might actually be pretty decent on defense.

    The more I think about it, the less I like it. They have no Bird Rights and his cap hold will be high, so what’s the upside here?

    The upside is we trade him to a fringe playoff team for a decent draft pick.

    So he has to be the starting three, right? There’s no way you can start TH2, Kanter and Hezonja, though, especially if Burke is starting.

    we are building a winning culture and when Hezonja scores 18 per 36 with a TS .580 and leaves to sign with the Kings for $16m a year next summer you can bet your ass Lebron will notice we won 25 not 23 games and he will be thinking about little else the day his contract ends in 2022.

    i really don’t like it…. i mean it seems like we’re trying to put together some wins for this year….

    Hard tanking isn’t going to yield a bottom spot like it used to. I am not averse to picking up young promising players under this new draft structure.

    Does Hezonja’s signing mean there is literally NO playing time for Courtney Lee? Frank and Burke need to play. Mudiay (gulp) will get to play. Timmy’s got to play. Unless Lee is now a smallball four.

    I’d be fine with the Hezonja deal if we could be reasonably certain that they’ll flip him for something nice at the trade deadline. But, they didn’t with OQ, and MH is not a cost-controlled C from Spain.

    Why not a 2nd year team option, just in case he develops nicely?

    Oh wait, that’s right…they want to sign that flat earth guy next summer!

    Well, like I said earlier, in a vacuum I’m not opposed to Hezonja, who seems to still have a bit of upside. But for this particular situation, on this particular contract, I don’t really see the point. Maybe you flip him at the deadline, that’s about the only potential long-term benefit I see here.

    The Celtics win again, their biggest obstacle to winning the East is gone.

    Hezonja should not cut into any our guards’ playing time since last season proved he was his most effective as a swing forward.

    Lee to the Lakers has to happen soon right. The lakers have to start getting some decent vets now that James is going there.

    The Hezonja signing is better than bringing back Beasley, for sure. Hey, if the guy plays well and the FO decides wisely to not pursue a big name free agent next summer, maybe he could be a long-term piece.

    All of this is no problem if he stinks.

    I hope we all understand that it’s not as easy as saying that every deal needs a team option for a second year. It’s possible that players like Hezonja are not interested in a second year with a team option. If you were a UFA who believed that you had finally turned the corner and wanted a big payday, would you want to lock yourself in to a $6.5 mill salary for a second year? It’s not like potentially valuable players are lining up to sign cheap 1+1 team-option deals.

    Seriously, why can’t we be happy that it wasn’t a 2 year deal with a player option? Or a guaranteed $6.5 mill for 2 years? It’s not the ideal deal but not the worst one possible either.

    I hope we all understand that it’s not as easy as saying that every deal needs a team option for a second year. It’s possible that players like Hezonja are not interested in a second year with a team option. If you were a UFA who believed that you had finally turned the corner and wanted a big payday, would you want to lock yourself in to a $6.5 mill salary for a second year? It’s not like potentially valuable players are lining up to sign cheap 1+1 team-option deals.

    Seriously, why can’t we be happy that it wasn’t a 2 year deal with a player option? Or a guaranteed $6.5 mill for 2 years? It’s not the ideal deal but not the worst one possible either.

    I agree, Z-Man. There’s no incentive for a guy like Hezonja to sign a deal with a team option. And yes, thank God it’s not the “Ron Baker Special,” the player option/NTC contract we’ve all come to fear so much.

    This signing is kind of a nothingburger really. It’s not really good or bad. It just sort of… exists. He’ll be entertaining to watch for a year I guess.

    I don’t like the signing of Hezonja, I love it. He’s has untapped talent Brian is right about wishing there was a team option. I don’t mind if we roll the dice on kids like this at all.

    Agreed, JK but I’ll add this. It sounds like this level of deal (and possibly slightly better) was available to MH. That he said that he wants to play for Fiz is promising. In addition, as Clash Fn points out, it could be Beasley insurance. I was at the Beasley game vs. the Celts, and there is no doubt that Beasley wins us some games on his own. And he’s definitely not part of the long term answer, while MH might be.

    Hardaway, Hezonja and Knox are all really duplicative players. It’s like the small-medium-large of guys who shoot a lot with medium efficiency, don’t draw fouls and have precious few secondary skills. Hezonja does get some steals, you gotta give him that I guess.

    Over 3 seasons Hezonga is a .332 three point shooter and .418 overall. And he doesn’t do anything else particularly well, like pass or rebound.

    Yeah, but I hear he can climb ladders like a motherfucker.

    we do have some expiring assets at the deadline now and thats promising!

    ok
    so lance stephensen, KCP both signed with lakers, now thats a superteam!

    I’m fine with it, I’m still on the Hezonja might be a player train. Like others said the ideal would be a 2 year deal with a team option but yeah, it makes little sense for him to accept something like that.

    I would like it particularly if it means Lee is gone. He can take the minutes at the 3 and maybe some small ball 4 and we won’t stop losing because we got him. If he shows something we’re in a good position to re-sign him even without bird rights. At least it’s not a crap veteran or some terrible 3 year deal with player options and trade kickers so yeah, small quality of life improvements.

    Hardaway, Hezonja and Knox are all really duplicative players. It’s like the small-medium-large of guys who shoot a lot with medium efficiency, don’t draw fouls and have precious few secondary skills. Hezonja does get some steals, you gotta give him that I guess.

    Yeah, but we have Frank, Lance and Lee to draw fouls! Oh wait,,,

    Hardaway, Hezonja and Knox are all really duplicative players. It’s like the small-medium-large of guys who shoot a lot with medium efficiency, don’t draw fouls and have precious few secondary skills. Hezonja does get some steals, you gotta give him that I guess.

    Except that Hardaway should be playing the 2 not any forward position. Also, in fairness to Hezonja, he was a plus defensive player last season with an improving FTr every year he’s been in the NBA.

    Mario Hezonja in 30 games as a twenty-two year old starter last season:

    30 mpg
    14.0 ppg
    .460/.371/.833
    1.8 3PM
    5.6 rpg
    2.2 apg
    1.4 spg
    0.6 bpg
    1.6 TO

    I will take it.

    JaVale’s mom and LaVar Ball and Lance Stephenson involved in the same team? LeBron may be wishing to be back with JR soon.

    We need to get in on a trade for Ball now. A shame Noel isn’t on our list too.

    I think this Hezonja signing means Lee is gone, or at least that the Knicks are going to try their best to trade Lee. Some playoff team could find a use for him, right? What about Ariza-less Houston? Or since LAL needs good players now, a Deng for Lee swap for a pick?

    Hezonja is a rich man’s Dougie McBuckets. I wonder if we got rid of the latter because the former was our radar?

    I would roll with this lineup and hope to see it mature/develop together in the future:

    Porzingis
    Noel
    Hezonja
    Ntilikina
    Ball

    Why would we want Deng?

    Nobody wants Deng, he’s on one of the very worst contracts in the NBA. But the Lakers will be motivated to get rid of him, because they’re in total win-now mode with LeBron, and Deng is a big ol’ black hole eating $18M of precious salary cap. They’ll have to give up an asset or two to move him. We want assets, not Deng.

    Problem is we can’t just take Deng into our cap space, so we would have to hope the Lakers would have some interest in either Kanter or Hardaway for like actual basketball reasons.

    We should load up on all the shitty contracts, Anderson, parsons, deng… which is the worst in the league?

    Oh yeah it’s melo

    Yeah, I don’t take all that money and three? guaranteed years for a late first round pick. No thanks. What could we get that would make me want that contract? Ball?

    What could we get that would make me want that contract? Ball?

    BINGO!

    BINGO

    Hmm…A torn meniscus, that shot, Lavar, Kleptomaniac little bro…

    Yikes!

    Hmm…A torn meniscus, that shot, Lavar, Kleptomaniac little bro…

    And he was still a .053 WS/48 player with all of that in his rookie season.

    Lavar Ball is a one-man market inefficiency. This might be an opportunity to buy low on Lonzo. Somebody else will probably beat us to it though.

    1 year/$6.5 million is okay.

    Really would have liked a team option.

    Still, it’s an okay move. That’s a step in the right direction!

    I agree, given that comments above indicate he can play some defense. The Knicks do need a forward, and it looks like Hezonja is replacing Beasley. If that’s the case, he’s younger and has upside that Beasley probably doesn’t.

    I swear to God, I will not watch a Kanter/Thomas frontcourt. I don’t care who else mans the other three starter slots. I’ll just switch to following the Bulls or Nets.

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