Comments on: Knicks Morning News (2023.09.26)

By: Donnie Walsh

Donnie Walsh — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 05:44:21 +0000

Butler has long been the kind of two way player I love, but I think he’s going to start declining.

That’s easy to guess because there’s never been a 34 year old that didn’t start to decline. Even LeBron posted a career-worst everything at 34. But Butler could still be looking at 4-5 more highly productive years.

By: Stratomatic

Stratomatic — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 04:29:44 +0000

Butler has long been the kind of two way player I love, but I think he’s going to start declining.

Even though they don’t play the same way, Lillard is more of a Brunson type player in that he’s primarily a scorer and playmaker, but weak defender. Lillard just happens to be an elite scorer. IMO, he can be the #1 on a championship team, but you want to team him up with good defenders. He was always a bad fit with McCollum. He would be a nice fit in Miami with Butler and Bam.

By: Owen

Owen — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 02:41:03 +0000

I love Jimmy Butler. I think bringing him into the garbage fire we were at the time would not have worked.

By: Z--man

Z--man — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 02:32:21 +0000

“Lillard is slightly bigger.”

I think you meant taller. Paul has always played bigger and taller than he is. Lillard plays like a smallish guard, especially on the defensive end.

By: Knick fan not in NJ

Knick fan not in NJ — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 02:26:27 +0000

I think a fair longevity comparison for Lillard is Chris Paul. If you compare both their 32 year old seasons, they are pretty similar in a lot of numbers except scoring （Lillard scores more points) and defense (Paul has a much higher defensive rating). Lillard is slightly bigger. Chris Paul actually had completed two more seasons at age 32 than Lillard had. Paul was a good performer for at least several seasons after 2018 and it’s likely Lillard will be too.

This doesn’t mean I want to trade for Lillard. His salary is too high and I don’t think he’s a long term piece for us.

By: Raven is a Big Black Bird

Raven is a Big Black Bird — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 02:13:21 +0000

“How would adding Butler to this team make sense”

Kanter, Baker, and Knox — oh my!
Kanter, Baker, and Knox — oh my!
Weeee’re off to see the Fizard…

By: Donnie Walsh

Donnie Walsh — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 02:05:53 +0000

I brought Butler into the discussion because, like Lillard, he came into the NBA at 22, not as a teenager, so their NBA ages are younger than their calendar ages compared to other 30 year olds. They also are both highly professional workhorses who maintain their fitness at the highest levels. (Lillard has been more durable than Butler over the courses of their careers.) I think Lillard has aged well, like Butler, and will continue to, which is probably what Masai et al are considering when deciding how much to pay.

(Also, I’m not sure what the basis of “small guards age poorly” is, but it seems based in an aggregate pool that is irrelevant, as Lillard isn’t even particularly small for a PG, and even still, there are lots of exceptions to the “rule” that I can blurt out just off the top of my head.)

By: Z--man

Z--man — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 02:05:16 +0000

Donnie Walsh was higher on Jimmy Butler than nearly everyone here, certainly including me, and deserves major props for his consistently glowing takes on JB during the entire 2018-2019 period between when he was leaving Minny and was finally acquired by Miami. His four years with the Heat have been sensational, even in light of the injuries and missed regular season games. But to be fair, even though I and many others scoffed at the idea of maxing him at that time, I doubt he have helped our miserable franchise nearly as much if we acquired and maxed him back then, and he likely would have moved on by now. Who knows, maybe he would have been just good enough to keep Steve Mills around for another five years?

By: ThisChicanery

ThisChicanery — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 01:46:26 +0000

Jimmy Butler joined Miami the summer after we went 17-65. I don’t think the argument was that he was old and washed up but that he weren’t in a position we’re adding a 30 year old max player made sense. How would adding Butler to this team make sense especially after he had just forced his way off of two other teams the previous two years.

By: Z--man

Z--man — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 00:54:51 +0000

The only question for me is what Masai would be willing (and wise) to pay for Dame, whether we are involved as a 3rd party or not. The trade proposed by ess-dog above seemed excessive to me, given his age and size. I don’t know why Jimmy Butler was brought into the convo, as neither the players nor the situations are not remotely similar. No one has suggested that the Knicks should trade for Lillard, except for some one-lettered poster who is currently in hibernation.