Are Bosh and Johnson max players?  I don’t think so.  Maybe they are 4/5th’s of a max contract, but not totally maxed out guys.  It’s taken a heck of a surrounding cast to get either Bosh or Johnson to really shine this season, and the Knicks being maxed out would make surrounding them with a solid cast next to impossible.

Will all 4 of these guys get max money?  Probably.  There are a lot of teams that cleared a lot of cap room, and after these 4 guys there aren’t too many good players to spend the money on.  This might be the last time for a team to splurge before the lockout happens.

Is it a disaster if the Knicks don’t sign one of these 4 dudes?  My initial feeling was yes, but the more I think about it, I’m inclined to say no because there is some incredible flexibility to be had with $32 mil to spend.  Next year we’ll have Gallinari, Chandler, Douglas as potential core players returning.   To be optimistic for once, lets say Spanish Chocolate fits in really well, and lets say McGrady shines.   We can pay Chocolate $3 mil, and McGrady $7 mil.   Clearly we need a center.  Looking over this list, maybe Jermaine O’Neal or Camby at $5 mil per is reasonable.  Also, while I’ve soured on Lee big time, we could bring him back at $9 mil per.  That’s $24 mil spent on 4 solid players that actually fit the roster.  Why not pick up Manu Ginobili for $6 mil, too?

Our roster could look like this next year: Gallo, Chandler, Lee, Douglas, McGrady, Sergio, JO, Gino.  Pretty solid.  But, maybe not what Walsh or Knicks fans have in mind.

Clearly, this would be a steep price to pay for McGrady, but this deal is NOT for McGrady, it’s to clear the last remaining cap space needed for the Knicks to obtain two max free agents this summer.  Yes, the price is steep because Donnie is backed into a corner (having made his 2010 free agency plans obvious — how could he have hidden them), but clearing JJ is an absolute must.  No one was taking that Jeffries contract back without a sweetener and Hill is the best non-impact sweetener we have.  Would you rather we include Gallo or Chandler?  Heck no.

The inclusion of draft picks is where a lot of us start to get squeamish and for good reason.  If Donnie comes up empty with the free agent class this summer, this franchise would appear to be toast with no picks to look forward to and no apparent fall back plan.  But, as long as Donnie has the foresight to add lottery protection to any traded picks — an absolute must — then I’m behind the deal.  That way, if we crash and burn we’ll still have those lottery protected picks to save us.  And, remember, in all likelihood we can always just buy some late first round picks in the future (as we bought the Lakers pick which resulted in Toney Douglas).

What do we expect to get out of McGrady though?  Reports have it that this would essential amount to a 30 game try out.  I think there is some truth to that.  It seems more like a risky, if all else fails this summer fall back plan.   I seriously doubt we re-sign McGrady this summer if we can sign Lebron or Joe Johnson or Dwayne Wade, unless it’s on the very cheap.  How cheap will depend on how well he plays out the season, and if there is any market for a fragile, yet talented headcase this summer.

As for McGrady’s impact this season, I’m a bit confused.  We have Gallo and Chandler.  Maybe one of them plays some more 4?  Maybe Gallo gets a little rest since he’s hit a bit of a rookie wall.  Also, with Jeffries being gone, it seems that Jonathan Bender will be back in the mix, and you have to assume that signing Bender was always about creating a backup plan for Jeffries’ eventual departure.  But JJ’s D will sorely be missed, to the point that it will offset any offense McGrady brings to the team.

And, the team’s most pressing need for almost two seasons STILL hasn’t been addressed — we need better PG play!  Can Donnie make something happen for DJ Augustin or Luke Ridnour?  Could Donnie have trumped the Outlaw/Blake for Camby trade being talked about today, with an offer of “all-star” David Lee?  Will Donnie pull the trigger on a Nate Robinson deal, maybe to the Celtics?  With Donnie’s ability to hide his trade intentions from the media, you have to think there is one last move up his sleeve?

Update: This is the best article I’ve seen explaining the cap situation this summer for the Knicks.
http://www.hoopdata.com/recent.aspx?aid=155

If Walsh and D’Antoni were holding on to any illusion about making the playoffs this season, surely it must’ve been shattered this weekend.  And, really, this could be a best case scenerio for the future of the franchise.  Whereas last year there was still some optimism and hope at the playoff deadline, and that hope probably stopped Donnie from pulling the trigger on any cap clearing Nate or Lee deal, this year we can more easily call a spade a spade.

With all hope lost, it’s time to blow this up completely.  It’s time to trade Jared Jeffries.  It’s time to see if Nate and Lee will accept being dealt.  It’s time to trade Chandler if we need to include him in a deal.  I’ll even give up Hill or Douglas.  It’s time to trade anyone but Gallo to open up another 6 mil this summer.   This season is over.

Hypotheticals I’m in favor of:

Trade idea #1:

Tracy McGrady
FOR
Jordan Hill + Cuttino Mobley + Jeffries

Everyone is talking about McGrady to the Knicks.  I do this in a heart beat, not because McGrady will save this season but because it saves the Knicks over 9 mil this summer.  Houston gets a productive prospect out of the deal in Jordan Hill, a versatile team defender in Jeffries, and potential insurance savings from Mobley.

Trade idea #2:

Mike Miller (last year of $10 mil contract)
FOR
Jordan Hill + Jeffries + Toney Douglas

Washington is going to blow their team up, and will probably find a way to shed/save money in dealing Jamison and Butler.  In this deal Washington doesn’t save money, but it does get them 2 young players for rebuilding.  For the Knicks, it saves them over $10 mil in 2010 contracts, despite having to give up a lot of youth.

And my favorite. Trade idea #3:

Josh Howard (last year at $10, having a bad year) + Beaubois (rookie contract, $1.1 mil.  athletic pg prospect)
FOR
Chandler ($1.2) + Nate ($4) + Jeffries ($6.5, 2 yrs).

The Knicks get their 2010 cap room, and an exciting PG prospect.  Dallas trades little used rookie PG to get 3 players that can help them win it all this year.  They get some needed backup scoring at the guard position.  They get a super versatile, team-oriented wingman in Chandler who can play on both ends of the court.  And they get a D specialist in Jeffries, who they can sick on anyone giving them trouble.

Other cap saving ideas???

Gilbert Arenas and Washington’s #1 pick for Jared Jeffries, Eddy Curry, and Jordan Hill?

Charlotte’s D.J. Augustin is currently struggling with Brown’s Play The Right Way edict, which could be a good thing for the Knicks. Augustin remains a player of interest for the Knicks, who, according to a team source, had extensive talks last season with the Bobcats regarding a deal for the second-year guard out of Texas.

I haven’t gotten to see DJ play lately.  On paper he’s a perfect PG for D’Antoni.  I’d love it if the Knicks could find a way to get him, though I wouldn’t want to part with Duhon finally clicking and playing in stride.

Unfortunately, I think this rumor is simply Isola looking for something to write about relating to the Knicks playing Charlotte tonight.

Last year 12 of the 30 NBA franchises posted an operating loss.  And, it’s not looking any better thus far this year as NBA ticket revenues are down over 7%.  The worst hit?  Detroit, with revenues down a whopping 42%.  The Pistons are a middle of the pack team at 10-12.  Meanwhile, the financially profitable Bulls (7-13),  are having all sorts of problems on the court stemming from the loss of Ben Gordon to free agency.  Do the Pistons and Bulls undo their mistakes from this past summer and find a way to get Gordon back to the Bulls, while alleviating what are looking like some serious financial losses for the Pistons?  Do the Pistons opt to go another route and trade Rip Hamilton, who’s making $12 mil per for another 4 years?

Other teams losing a lot of money:

The Sacramento Kings (average gate receipts down 36.2 percent), Minnesota Timberwolves (down 24.4 percent), Phoenix Suns (down 23.8 percent), Los Angeles Clippers (down 23.3 percent), Milwaukee Bucks (down 23.2 percent), and Golden State Warriors (down 22.3 percent). Clearly, the Suns’ bottom line has not benefited from the team’s 15-7 start, nor have the Bucks been able to translate excitement over rookie point guard Brandon Jennings into ticket revenue.

Would the Kings be willing to talk Nate and/or Jeffries?  Not sure what would work or if that would be in the Knicks interests.

How about this: Can the Knicks take Razor Ramon Sessions off Minny’s hands, or even pry Rubio loose?  The Knicks could do Sessions (4 years @ 3.7 mil this year) and Mark Blount ($8 mil expiring) — a total of $26 mil in outgoing contracts — for Nate ($4 mil expiring) and Jeffries ($6.5 mil, 1 year left), taking back $17 mil and realizing $9 million in savings and added cap flexibility this summer.  Not too bad. Meanwhile, the Knicks will have shed $3 mil from their 2010 commitments which doesn’t sound like much, but could be the difference between a second tier star and a max contract worthy player.  Plus, we’d add some much needed PG depth.

Additionally, I’m not sure how Monta Ellis hasn’t been traded yet with the Warriors revenues being down 22% thus far this year.  Is he someone the Knicks should go after?  Would you trade Eddy Curry for Monta Ellis ($11 mil per for 5 years)? It’s a 2010 neutral trade, but would save GS $33 mil in long term savings.  Would GS be financially desperate enough to go this route?  Would adding Wilson Chandler or Jordan Hill make the deal a little more likely?

Maybe, even more fantastic. Would GS blow it up and do…

— Beidrins ($9 mil per for 4 more years) — a perfect center for D’Antoni
— Ellis ($11 mil per 4 more years)
— $100 mil outgoing for GS
— $19 mil in committed 2010 salary

For:

— Curry ($10.5 mil and 1 more year)
— Jared Jeffries ($6.5 and for 1 more)
— Jordan Hill ($2.5 mil for 1 more year, plus team options)
— Wilson Chandler ($1.3 mil for and 1 more year, plus team options)
— $42 mil in outgoing salary for the Knicks
— $22.8 mil in committed 2010 salary

The logic for Golden State: They effectively save $58 mil in long term salaries (not incl. team options). They get rid of a disgruntled star while freeing up space for future franchise guy, Stephen Curry. To top it off, they get 2 promising young players in Hill and Chander, as well as some needed low post scoring (potentially) in Eddy. 

The logic for the Knicks: We get two excellent uptempo players at positions of need — a serious scoring threat at PG and a true shot blocker and rebounding center. AND, most beautifully of all, Donnie saves $3.8 mil in 2010 salaries.

The Knicks this year would look like this, post-GS-trade:

PG: Ellis
SG: Hughes
SF: Gallo
PF: Lee
C: Beidrins
Bench: Harrington / Duhon / Douglas / Nate / Darko

The Warriors would look something like:

PG: Steph Curry
SG: Maggette
SF: Chandler
PF: Randolph
C: Turiaf
Bench: Eddy / Jeffries / J. Hill / Morrow / Raja Bell / Radman / Azubuike (injured)

You know, that ain’t half bad either for GS.  And, the franchise would stand to save $58 million!  That is awesome!!  DO IT, Donnie!!!!!

Link: Financial profile of the Knicks franchise

On second thought…

Golden State sure saves a lot of money in the deal and they get rid of a digruntled player.  Radman can shoot 3′s for Nellie.  Bell can D up whoever Curry or Ellis are unable to guard. Maybe? Does Jennings score 55 if the Warriors have Bell.  Can Raja D up PG’s, too?

Charlotte commits to Jackson’s 4 more years – surprising they are spending the money.  Also, they get a solid player at what was their weakest spot offensively, and a good defensive player in Jackson.