I love the Knicks trade

[Roy H.]

PG - Billups - average defensively
SG - Fields - very good defensively
SF - Melo - slightly above average defensively
PF - Amare - average defensively
C - Turiaf - slightly above average defensively

Looks like a solid defensive team to me. Their lack of depth will make things problematic whenever the starters aren't on the floor altogether though.

If they can acquire a top defensive center in the offseason and move Turiaf to the bench in the process ... NY will have a very good defensive squad.

I think a lot of NBA observers disagree with you on Carmelo's and Amare's defensive value.  Carmelo is a very lazy defender, even though he has physical tools.  Amare has poor fundamentals, as he prefers blocking shots to proper positioning.

I agree that if you surround those two with three good defenders they'll be okay, but I disagree that what they've shown to date puts them in the average to above-average category.

[Edgar]

The only way these "super teams" are going to win is if they can fill their bench with decent people who want low money.  With all the 'stars' on a few select teams that leaves all the other teams overpaying for everyone else.  Teams like the Celtics, Spurs, Lakers, and Mavs who are deep and have actually built a team will always be at the top.

The only way these "super teams" are going to win is if they can fill their bench with decent people who want low money.  With all the 'stars' on a few select teams that leaves all the other teams overpaying for everyone else.  Teams like the Celtics, and Spurs who are deep and have actually built a team will always be at the top.

there fix it for you.

[Who]

PG - Billups - average defensively
SG - Fields - very good defensively
SF - Melo - slightly above average defensively
PF - Amare - average defensively
C - Turiaf - slightly above average defensively

Looks like a solid defensive team to me. Their lack of depth will make things problematic whenever the starters aren't on the floor altogether though.

If they can acquire a top defensive center in the offseason and move Turiaf to the bench in the process ... NY will have a very good defensive squad.

I think a lot of NBA observers disagree with you on Carmelo's and Amare's defensive value.  Carmelo is a very lazy defender, even though he has physical tools.  Amare has poor fundamentals, as he prefers blocking shots to proper positioning.

I agree that if you surround those two with three good defenders they'll be okay, but I disagree that what they've shown to date puts them in the average to above-average category.

I disagree on Carmelo. He is a solid defensive player and has been for a couple of years now.

I agree with the Amare Stoudemire criticism when he plays the center position ... I'd certainly classify him as a poor defender at that position ... but when Amare plays the PF position, he is pretty close to average.

Especially this season with so many teams starting poor defenders at the PF position.

[Coach]

If anyone wants to throw up a little,

just think of Perk on this team.  He's exactly what they would need, and wouldn't mind spending to get him.

Don't jump on me if the salaries don't work out, just think of him on that team.  They would be instant title contenders, in my opinion.

[Roy H.]

I disagree on Carmelo. He is a solid defensive player and has been for a couple of years now.

I agree with the Amare Stoudemire criticism when he plays the center position ... I'd certainly classify him as a poor defender at that position ... but when Amare plays the PF position, he is pretty close to average.

Especially this season with so many teams starting poor defenders at the PF position.

Here's how one observer described it:

"Mike is well aware Stoudemire and Anthony are not a good fit," said a D'Antoni confidant. "At either end.''

While there's a chance Anthony and Stoudemire can work things out offensively, there's not a chance that happens defensively. If they're stationed at center and power forward and Stoudemire goes to block a shot, Anthony will be abused on the switch to the five.

"Worse yet," explained a GM, "when 'Melo plays three, he's not a willing chaser. All his man has to do is run him through picks and he immediately yells 'switch.' "

Link.

I tend to agree with that observation.  Carmelo's defensive effort is, at best, sporadic.

[Phil125]

Making it work with D'Antoni is going to be a tough one.

[Who]

PG - Billups - average defensively
SG - Fields - very good defensively
SF - Melo - slightly above average defensively
PF - Amare - average defensively
C - Turiaf - slightly above average defensively

Looks like a solid defensive team to me. Their lack of depth will make things problematic whenever the starters aren't on the floor altogether though.

If they can acquire a top defensive center in the offseason and move Turiaf to the bench in the process ... NY will have a very good defensive squad.

My concern is that Walsh and company convince Dolan that CP3, Williams, and Dwight are a pipe dream and get him to go hard after Perkins this summer.  They should have the cap room to make a fairly hefty offer to Perkins, which if nothing else would force the Celtics hand.

I don't think the Knicks have any cap space next summer with Billups ($14.2 mil) and Carmelo ($18.5 mil) on the books.

Although, Billups' contract is only partially guaranteed. They could waive him and clear $10 million off the books. That would probably give them enough to offer a starting salary somewhere in the $8 million region to a guy like Perk.

Actually, thinking about Chauncey, that partially guaranteed contract will make a very nice trade asset next summer. It does become guaranteed early in the summer though so they'd only have a short window to shop it around. The top tier talents probably won't be available at that point. So I wouldn't expect anything to come of this ... but there is slight chance.

[Roy H.]

Actually, thinking about Chauncey, that partially guaranteed contract will make a very nice trade asset next summer.

Somebody reported (I'm not sure who, but I saw it on twitter.  Spears, maybe?) that in order to get Chauncey to play nice, the Knicks agreed to guarantee the entire contract.  No idea if that's accurate or not.

EDIT:  Yep, it was Spears.  http://twitter.com/SpearsNBAYahoo/status/39903671126990848

[Who]

PG - Billups - average defensively
SG - Fields - very good defensively
SF - B.Walker - poor defensively
PF - Melo - poor defensively
C - Amare - poor defensively

or

PG - Billups - average defensively
SG - T.Douglas - poor defensively
SF - Fields - good defensively
PF - Melo - poor defensively
C - Amare - poor defensively

These lineups, or similar lineups to them, will be used just as much if not more than NY's likely starting five with Ronny Turiaf at center ... and they are clearly poor defensive units.

-------------------------------------------------------

This is precisely the reason why New York should fire Mike D'Antoni this instant.

PG - Billups - average defensively
SG - Fields - very good defensively
SF - Melo - slightly above average defensively
PF - Amare - average defensively
C - Turiaf - slightly above average defensively

This is a solid defensive team that has a great halfcourt offense with Chauncey Billups running the show + with Amare and Carmelo creating shots and drawing doubles teams on a regular basis. It is also, by far, their best rebounding lineup. In terms of overall quality, it is head and shoulders above the rest of NY's options.

New York should be concentrating their minutes here. Giving their starting five as much time together as possible and playing in a halfcourt style of play.

They should be looking to bring someone in like Jeff Van Gundy.

[Greenbean]

Making it work with D'Antoni is going to be a tough one.

I dont understand this. D'Antoni almost took a Suns team to the finals with no real defensive stoppers. Heck he took an Amare-less Suns team to the WCF. He made Borris Diaw and Raja Bell relevant names in the NBA that year.

His style can win a championship. Melo will thrive in this system. He will have room to operate that he never had before in Denver.

Maybe if his scoring can come easier (which it will) he might actually use his physical tools to apply himself on the defensive end. Just think of Paul Pierce (the closest player to Melo in the NBA IMO). As soon as he bought into Doc's imploring of him to become a more efficient player, he suddenly had the energy to apply his size and strength to the defensive end.

We are assesing Carmelo the Denver Nugget. He has some of the best physical tools in the game and he is a natural scorer. To me it is scary what D'Antoni can do with a guy like this just like it would have been scary what he could have done with LeBron.

I dont think the Knicks will make too much noise this year but I want no part of them if I am the Celtics. Give them another year to add depth and a tough physical center and they are contenders IMO. And if they get CP3, look out.

[Roy H.]

Making it work with D'Antoni is going to be a tough one.

I dont understand this. D'Antoni almost took a Suns team to the finals with no real defensive stoppers.

A quibble, but Marion was an elite defender, and Bell was very, very good.

[Who]

Making it work with D'Antoni is going to be a tough one.

I dont understand this. D'Antoni almost took a Suns team to the finals with no real defensive stoppers. Heck he took an Amare-less Suns team to the WCF. He made Borris Diaw and Raja Bell relevant names in the NBA that year.

His style can win a championship.

I think D'Antoni's style can be successful and that he could win a title ... but I think he is a poor fit with the Knicks current personnel.

For his small ball lineup to be successful, he needs a top defensive big man who can slot into his lineup without hurting their offensive schemes.

If Phoenix had of made that Amare for KG trade, I think that Suns team would have won a Championship.

But without that type of presence and being forced to keep Melo at SF and Amare at PF to give his team a chance at fielding a solid defensive unit ... and with a PG like Chauncey Billups who excels in the halfcourt ... I just don't think he is the right man for this specific job.

--------------------------------------

D'Antoni is excellent at creating high percentage shots for his team by playing small, spacing the floor and creating mismatches ... and that system is capable of winning a title so long as it's personnel, within that system, is capable of playing effective defense.

The Knicks' current personnel is not capable of doing that.

[wiley]

The only way these "super teams" are going to win is if they can fill their bench with decent people who want low money.  With all the 'stars' on a few select teams that leaves all the other teams overpaying for everyone else.  Teams like the Celtics, Spurs, Lakers, and Mavs who are deep and have actually built a team will always be at the top.

The only way these "super teams" are going to win is if they can fill their bench with decent people who want low money.  With all the 'stars' on a few select teams that leaves all the other teams overpaying for everyone else.  Teams like the Celtics, and Spurs who are deep and have actually built a team will always be at the top.

there fix it for you.

I think the lizard is traveling towards us and to the left......but you could make an argument that he or she is traveling away and to the right......
maybe you know the answer?

I think both teams got what they wanted, but the Knicks are now suddenly going to have to up their level of patience, as expecations will skyrocket but results, in the short term, not so much imo.....They desperately need a big, hulking, defensive beast of a center....I wonder if they could have got a center for Curry and Randolph instead of Corey Brewer.....

When Doc and the big 3 are gone (if Doc doesn't become a lifer coach), I'd be willing to give D'Antoni a whirl with Rondo and some fast-breaking guys who can also defend and rebound....I think the style can win if you have the right players:  good individual defenders at every position even if the team concept revolves more around offense, playing fast, etc....
Phoenix was an amazing team for a while and would have topped whatever East team they played in the finals if the Spurs, and some bad luck, hadn't stopped them.  (Let's not have that discussion now).

[Moranis]

The only way these "super teams" are going to win is if they can fill their bench with decent people who want low money.  With all the 'stars' on a few select teams that leaves all the other teams overpaying for everyone else.  Teams like the Celtics, Spurs, Lakers, and Mavs who are deep and have actually built a team will always be at the top.

The only way these "super teams" are going to win is if they can fill their bench with decent people who want low money.  With all the 'stars' on a few select teams that leaves all the other teams overpaying for everyone else.  Teams like the Celtics, and Spurs who are deep and have actually built a team will always be at the top.

there fix it for you.

This happens every single season.  Heck the C's signed Shaq for the LLE this past off season.  Big Z went to Miami for the minimum.  Every year there are plenty of veterans chasing rings that will sign for minimum or near minimum dollars.  The Knicks in NYC and with a lot of roster flexibility are going to be very active from the get go this summer in that market and are going to get some very effective role players for very little money.

[Celtics4ever]

It helps them offensively there is no doubt about that.  While D'Antoni might have had a few elite defenders his coaching style does not buy into that style.  Being a Celtic fan I hope it doesn't work out well for them.