Phil Jackson will try to lure Lebron to New York this summer

[RyNye]

That would be 26 mil commited with 30+ million to go our and sign two top notch free agents.

A lineup of Rondo,Shumpert,Parson,Love,Asik would be a stellar clean slate new start for a team like NY.

For some reason I just don't see Rondo going to New York. I mean, I think it is most likely he stays in Boston, with some not-negligible chance that he is traded or leaves in free agency. But for some reason I just don't see him in New York. I don't think he would succumb to the Zen Master's charms, and I'm fairly certain he despises Spike Lee, and Rondo definitely seems like the type of player who would leave money on the table in the name of petty grievances.

I can definitely see NY going all-in for K-Love, but making a ton of horrible decisions in the process and becoming Minnesota East.

[fairweatherfan]

I agree that the LeBron talk is just a smokescreen to coax Melo into resigning with NY or at least picking up his player option year.  They have basically no chance of making that work.  2015 is the year they can possibly make some noise.

It makes more sense for Melo to leave NY at this point, but remember he grew up in NYC.  He played college ball in CNY.  Going back to NY and playing in MSG was his dream as a pro, which is why he pushed so hard for it.  He wants to stay, as long as the team's not a hot mess like it's been this year.

The importance of Phil being there isn't so much about what he can actually do as that he lends an air of competence and success to an incompetent, unsuccessful organization.  The change in perception will be more beneficial to the team than any actual change he might create.

[staticcc]

Knicks fans are hilarious.  Went to RealGm and some of them are celebrating like they just pulled off the biggest coup ever.

Seriously... it's like they never learn.  It's hilarious.  I've seen these kind of celebrations over and over and over and over again.

Steph Marbury...

Zach Randolph (remember the "formidable" frontline... Remember Steph's rant about "WE GOT ZACH RANDOLPH!")

Amare

Larry Brown

Mike D'Antoni...

and now Phil Jackson.

It's like... come on.  When are you going to learn that these big splashy moves are merely done to placate you.  It's done to get you to continue thinking your mediocre franchise is on the verge of title town.

Knicks fans are some of the most delusional people on the planet.  Period.  It's like... #3 - People who believe in Big Foot.  #2 - People who think they were abducted by Aliens.  #1 - Knicks fans who think their team is on the verge of a championship.

PHil Jackson has never built a team.  I agree he should do a good job recruiting... when they have cap space.  I don't get the LeBron thing.  LeBron would have to demand a sign-and-trade to the Knicks.

If Phil Jackson manages to turn the Knicks into a contender, I'll be the first to admit I was wrong about the guy... but up until this point in his career he's primarily been lucky.  Lucky to be in the right place the right time when the stars aligned and Jordan/Pippen (two of the top 50 players ever) joined forces.  Those two would have won titles with or without Phil. 

Then he just hopped on the Laker bandwagon when they had Kobe/Shaq... earned some titles from them.

Then he quit... but came back once the opportunity to coach Kobe and Pau came around.    Lucky guy who takes advantage of bunny layup situations.

Fixing the KNicks is no bunny layup.  He'll actually have to do work.  He'll actually have to earn it this time...

Unless LeBron demands a trade to the Knicks.

Put a #4 on your list: People who hate on Phil Jackson too much. I agree MJ and Pip would have won titles, but they wouldn't have won SIX without Phil. Kobe wouldn't have won FIVE either without Phil. He maybe lucky, but that does not mean he did not earn any of those titles.

[thirstyboots18]

I beg to differ...New York fans are not the most delusional, I am.  Just me and a few other Celtics fans.  I have finally concluded that being an optimist and putting your hope in a GM is hard work...sometimes too hard.  Suspected insider sabotage is hard to admit.  Suspected loss of Celtics Pride from the top is hard to stomach.   

[Jon]

This is just crazy.  I mean, people can debate about whether Phil road the coattails of Jordan/Pippen and Shaq/Kobe or whether he was a genius.  But regardless of that, he made his name as a coach, not as a GM.  So there's no evidence to suggest that he's going to be good in the front office.  There's no evidence he won't be good either, but it's certainly not an automatic homerun for them. 

And until he can clear some cap space, his presence won't make any difference there. 

[vjcsmoke]

There's nobody for Lebron to play with in NY that is better than the Heat team.  This is pretty ridiculous.  Knicks fans are delusional.  They feel like they can get Rondo for nothing/garbage offers/roster.  And they feel they can attract Lebron... with what? A 50,000 year old Stoudemire?  A ball-hogging Carmelo?  Who's their center again?

[LarBrd33]

Ya'll remember when the Knicks lost their mind over Zach Randolph and Steph Marbury?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaVa6NHwUUg

http://vimeo.com/23822575

... Remember when they started calling Amare "STAT" and they had multiple threads declaring him the "best player in the NBA"... way better than LeBron.

Here we go again. 

[RebusRankin]

Does NY even have a shot at clearing cap space for 2015?

[LooseCannon]

Does NY even have a shot at clearing cap space for 2015?

Bargnani, Stoudemire, and Chandler all come off the books.  They could sign Carmelo Anthony, another max guy, another decent-sized contract (could be a max-level guy if they could salary dump JR Smith and Raymond Felton).