Woj: Knicks Frontrunners for Monroe & Afflalo

[Snakehead]

If the Knicks are going to sign a bunch of 2nd and 3rd tier free agents I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

The only guys in that category I like are Harris and our own Crowder.  We don't need to get marginally better and sacrifice all our cap room for lesser and mostly older players.

[PhoSita]

If New York and LA are "ahead of us on the rebuild" then they are ahead of us because of reasons nobody can control: free agents will always want to go to those cities even when the franchises have been mismanaged and driven to the ground.

In that case we should just stop worrying about it. No matter what we do, they will always be "ahead of us on the rebuild" regardless of what assets we have and that's just something we can't change. There's no point in fretting about it.

Well, apart from their attractiveness to free agents, the Lakers have the #2 pick in this year's draft, and the Knicks have Melo, plus the #4 pick. 

Those are major pieces the likes of which the Celts haven't been able to procure so far in their rebuild.  They picked 6th in last year's draft, but it looks like they came away with a nice defensive role player / starter, not a stud.

[Rondo9]

If New York and LA are "ahead of us on the rebuild" then they are ahead of us because of reasons nobody can control: free agents will always want to go to those cities even when the franchises have been mismanaged and driven to the ground.

In that case we should just stop worrying about it. No matter what we do, they will always be "ahead of us on the rebuild" regardless of what assets we have and that's just something we can't change. There's no point in fretting about it.

Well, apart from their attractiveness to free agents, the Lakers have the #2 pick in this year's draft, and the Knicks have Melo, plus the #4 pick. 

Those are major pieces the likes of which the Celts haven't been able to procure so far in their rebuild.  They picked 6th in last year's draft, but it looks like they came away with a nice defensive role player / starter, not a stud.

How is getting the number 2 and number 4 picks make a team nice place to play?

[SparzWizard]

If New York and LA are "ahead of us on the rebuild" then they are ahead of us because of reasons nobody can control: free agents will always want to go to those cities even when the franchises have been mismanaged and driven to the ground.

In that case we should just stop worrying about it. No matter what we do, they will always be "ahead of us on the rebuild" regardless of what assets we have and that's just something we can't change. There's no point in fretting about it.

Well, apart from their attractiveness to free agents, the Lakers have the #2 pick in this year's draft, and the Knicks have Melo, plus the #4 pick. 

Those are major pieces the likes of which the Celts haven't been able to procure so far in their rebuild.  They picked 6th in last year's draft, but it looks like they came away with a nice defensive role player / starter, not a stud.

How is getting the number 2 and number 4 picks make a team nice place to play?

Minnesota got the number 1 pick and nobody is going to Minnesota, or even considering them in their list of meeting places lol.

[Ilikesports17]

If New York and LA are "ahead of us on the rebuild" then they are ahead of us because of reasons nobody can control: free agents will always want to go to those cities even when the franchises have been mismanaged and driven to the ground.

In that case we should just stop worrying about it. No matter what we do, they will always be "ahead of us on the rebuild" regardless of what assets we have and that's just something we can't change. There's no point in fretting about it.

Well, apart from their attractiveness to free agents, the Lakers have the #2 pick in this year's draft, and the Knicks have Melo, plus the #4 pick. 

Those are major pieces the likes of which the Celts haven't been able to procure so far in their rebuild.  They picked 6th in last year's draft, but it looks like they came away with a nice defensive role player / starter, not a stud.

How is getting the number 2 and number 4 picks make a team nice place to play?

being attractive to FA's and having the 2 and 4 draft picks are different things and both help on the road to contention.

Hes saying that while LA and NY have the inherent advantage in attracting FAs (1 piece of the puzzle) they also have some high level young talent.(another piece)

[PhoSita]

If New York and LA are "ahead of us on the rebuild" then they are ahead of us because of reasons nobody can control: free agents will always want to go to those cities even when the franchises have been mismanaged and driven to the ground.

In that case we should just stop worrying about it. No matter what we do, they will always be "ahead of us on the rebuild" regardless of what assets we have and that's just something we can't change. There's no point in fretting about it.

Well, apart from their attractiveness to free agents, the Lakers have the #2 pick in this year's draft, and the Knicks have Melo, plus the #4 pick. 

Those are major pieces the likes of which the Celts haven't been able to procure so far in their rebuild.  They picked 6th in last year's draft, but it looks like they came away with a nice defensive role player / starter, not a stud.

How is getting the number 2 and number 4 picks make a team nice place to play?

Doesn't have anything to do with it -- I was speaking to those teams being "ahead of us in the rebuild."

[oldtype]

If New York and LA are "ahead of us on the rebuild" then they are ahead of us because of reasons nobody can control: free agents will always want to go to those cities even when the franchises have been mismanaged and driven to the ground.

In that case we should just stop worrying about it. No matter what we do, they will always be "ahead of us on the rebuild" regardless of what assets we have and that's just something we can't change. There's no point in fretting about it.

Well, apart from their attractiveness to free agents, the Lakers have the #2 pick in this year's draft, and the Knicks have Melo, plus the #4 pick. 

Those are major pieces the likes of which the Celts haven't been able to procure so far in their rebuild.  They picked 6th in last year's draft, but it looks like they came away with a nice defensive role player / starter, not a stud.

How is getting the number 2 and number 4 picks make a team nice place to play?

Doesn't have anything to do with it -- I was speaking to those teams being "ahead of us in the rebuild."

Russell-Pozwhatever-Smart is all a wash at this point as fair as I'm confirmed. They're all high-lottery prospects and we have no way of knowing who will be better.

I think you'd be hard-pressed to argue that either of those teams is significantly better than us talent-wise. (I guess they have Kobe and Melo, but probably neither will be on the roster when they play in their next NBA finals.) If they are ahead, they are ahead because they are a more attractive free agent destination. And like I said, short of moving building an eco-dome around Boston or something that's not something we can change.

[86MaxwellSmart]

But, we DO at least have a meeting with Kevin Love--Right-?...That's what Scal guaranteed us on draft night.....there is a chance.

[Celtics4ever]

Well, apart from their attractiveness to free agents, the Lakers have the #2 pick in this year's draft, and the Knicks have Melo, plus the #4 pick.

Those are major pieces the likes of which the Celts haven't been able to procure so far in their rebuild.  They picked 6th in last year's draft, but it looks like they came away with a nice defensive role player / starter, not a stud.

 This would mean that tanking has potential to attract free agents to some, I see it as they are top level markets.   But I think that LA and NYC will be linked to far more people than they can ever actually pull off.   Their reporters always act as if they are the center of the universe, whereas Boston ones are somewhat more realistic.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Well, apart from their attractiveness to free agents, the Lakers have the #2 pick in this year's draft, and the Knicks have Melo, plus the #4 pick.

Those are major pieces the likes of which the Celts haven't been able to procure so far in their rebuild.  They picked 6th in last year's draft, but it looks like they came away with a nice defensive role player / starter, not a stud.

 This would mean that tanking has potential to attract free agents to some, I see it as they are top level markets.   But I think that LA and NYC will be linked to far more people than they can ever actually pull off.   Their reporters always act as if they are the center of the universe, whereas Boston ones are somewhat more realistic.

Or pessimistic is what you mean? I'll settle for realistic. But yeah, your point stands. It's always NYC/LA reporters vs. all the rest.

[MBunge]

If New York and LA are "ahead of us on the rebuild" then they are ahead of us because of reasons nobody can control: free agents will always want to go to those cities even when the franchises have been mismanaged and driven to the ground.

In that case we should just stop worrying about it. No matter what we do, they will always be "ahead of us on the rebuild" regardless of what assets we have and that's just something we can't change. There's no point in fretting about it.

Well, apart from their attractiveness to free agents, the Lakers have the #2 pick in this year's draft, and the Knicks have Melo, plus the #4 pick. 

Those are major pieces the likes of which the Celts haven't been able to procure so far in their rebuild.  They picked 6th in last year's draft, but it looks like they came away with a nice defensive role player / starter, not a stud.

Both of those picks are 19 years old.  If you think both of those guys are legitimate franchise players, you could say LA and NY have better foundations for rebuilding than Boston.  They are still FAAAAAAAAR behind the Celtics when it comes to actually playing competitive basketball.

If a major free agent chooses LA or NY over Boston, I would bet money that it won't be due to any excitement over playing with 19 year old rookies.

Mike