Woj: Knicks Frontrunners for Monroe & Afflalo

[MBunge]

This is why it's so hard to be a successful GM.  I don't think you can make a single basketball argument that NY is a better situation than Boston.

Mike

Melo is a better player than anyone on the Celtics.  The argument starts there.

Porzingis might also be a better prospect than any the Celtics have.

On top of that, the Knicks have the major media market and cap space this summer and, like everybody else, more to come in the next two years.  That means plenty of opportunity to continue adding talent to the team.

Melo is 31 years old and even the people who love Porzingis says he's two years away from being physically ready for the NBA.  The Knicks also have both a coaching staff and front office that are highly questionable.  Boston has more talent, plenty of cap space, more draft picks and the chance for Monroe to be "The Man" instead of playing permanent 2nd banana to Melo.

There's no basketball argument for NY over Boston.  Milwaukee, on the other hand...

Mike

[Birdman]

I say New York are going to do good in free agency {hope not}...

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

This is why it's so hard to be a successful GM.  I don't think you can make a single basketball argument that NY is a better situation than Boston.

Mike

Melo is a better player than anyone on the Celtics.  The argument starts there.

Porzingis might also be a better prospect than any the Celtics have.

On top of that, the Knicks have the major media market and cap space this summer and, like everybody else, more to come in the next two years.  That means plenty of opportunity to continue adding talent to the team.

In other words, even when New York is much worse off than Boston, New York's still better off than Boston.

[LarBrd33]

This is why it's so hard to be a successful GM.  I don't think you can make a single basketball argument that NY is a better situation than Boston.

Mike

Melo is a better player than anyone on the Celtics.  The argument starts there.

Porzingis might also be a better prospect than any the Celtics have.

On top of that, the Knicks have the major media market and cap space this summer and, like everybody else, more to come in the next two years.  That means plenty of opportunity to continue adding talent to the team.

In other words, even when New York is much worse off than Boston, New York's still better off than Boston.

I wrote a guest post on celticslife in March where I argued that the Knicks, Lakers and 76ers were all closer to contending than Boston:  http://www.celticslife.com/2015/03/closer-to-contending-knicks-lakers.html

A lot has changed since I made that post, but with the Lakers potentially adding Cousins... and with the Knicks potentially making big signings this summer... and with the 76ers owning three of the six most valuable big man prospects in the league, I see very little reason to change my opinion.

Those guys are ahead of us in the rebuild.

[GreenWarrior]

if Monroe even considers the knicks then he's exactly the player I thought he was. and will be glad we don't get him.

[Who]

and with the 76ers owning three of the six most valuable big man prospects in the league

Who are the 6 big men? The 3 non-Sixers big men?

[colincb]

This is why it's so hard to be a successful GM.  I don't think you can make a single basketball argument that NY is a better situation than Boston.

Mike

Melo is a better player than anyone on the Celtics.  The argument starts there.

Porzingis might also be a better prospect than any the Celtics have.

On top of that, the Knicks have the major media market and cap space this summer and, like everybody else, more to come in the next two years.  That means plenty of opportunity to continue adding talent to the team.

In other words, even when New York is much worse off than Boston, New York's still better off than Boston.

Tough to believe with one 31 yo all-star on the backside of his career with maybe the worse team in the NBA around him, a below average future draft situation with no pick next year and few seconds, arguably the worst owner in the NBA, and a newbie GM. Zinger's a worthy #4 pick off potential, but he's a two-three year project.

[hpantazo]

and with the 76ers owning three of the six most valuable big man prospects in the league

Who are the 6 big men? The 3 non-Sixers big men?

Non-Sixers big men prospects: Drummond, Anthony Davis, Jusuf Nurkic

Sixers big men prospects: Embiid, Noel, Okafor

Its amazing, the Sixers 3 big men do stack up quite well to the combined rest of the league imo.

[Ilikesports17]

and with the 76ers owning three of the six most valuable big man prospects in the league

Who are the 6 big men? The 3 non-Sixers big men?

Non-Sixers big men prospects: Drummond, Anthony Davis, Jusuf Nurkic

Sixers big men prospects: Embiid, Noel, Okafor

Its amazing, the Sixers 3 big men do stack up quite well to the combined rest of the league imo.

IDK about Nurkic but Towns, Davis, Gobert, Drummond are really good but Im not sure Id call him a prospect but Favors is just 23.

Also none of those 5 have had to miss a season with an injury.

[jambr380]

I mentioned this on the front page article, but it should also be noted that Marc Stein on ESPN said that the Knicks are going to go hard after DeAndre Jordan and that there maybe mutual interest. I realize this is probably just speculation, but would be great for Cs fans who want Monroe.

[colincb]

I mentioned this on the front page article, but it should also be noted that Marc Stein on ESPN said that the Knicks are going to go hard after DeAndre Jordan and that there maybe mutual interest. I realize this is probably just speculation, but would be great for Cs fans who want Monroe.

That's been the rumor for a while and would seemingly make Monroe much less of a target.

[BudweiserCeltic]

So, can we start laughing at the Knicks now? I mean this can't be true, can it? This is nuts.

With Monroe expecting to command a maximum contract on the market, Afflalo could earn a deal in the neighborhood of three years, $36 million-$38 million, league sources said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--knicks-to-pursue-arron-afflalo-in-free-agency-190634905.html

$36-38 million for 3 years for Afflalo? I don't buy it, but if true that is the market for him and what the Knicks may be thinking of offering, then this off-season will be very entertaining.

[MJohnnyboy]

So, can we start laughing at the Knicks now? I mean this can't be true, can it? This is nuts.

With Monroe expecting to command a maximum contract on the market, Afflalo could earn a deal in the neighborhood of three years, $36 million-$38 million, league sources said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--knicks-to-pursue-arron-afflalo-in-free-agency-190634905.html

$36-38 million for 3 years for Afflalo? I don't buy it, but if true that is the market for him and what the Knicks may be thinking of offering, then this off-season will be very entertaining.

Not mention wasn't Afflalo pretty bad this year? Atleast compared to what he usually puts up? Why would the Knicks invest that much in someone whose numbers took a small but noticeable dive?

Actually, come to think of it, go after Afflalo New York! Um, perfect shooting guard for the triangle! No questions asked!

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

So, can we start laughing at the Knicks now? I mean this can't be true, can it? This is nuts.

With Monroe expecting to command a maximum contract on the market, Afflalo could earn a deal in the neighborhood of three years, $36 million-$38 million, league sources said.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--knicks-to-pursue-arron-afflalo-in-free-agency-190634905.html

$36-38 million for 3 years for Afflalo? I don't buy it, but if true that is the market for him and what the Knicks may be thinking of offering, then this off-season will be very entertaining.

You're right, that's nuts. $12M a year for that guy?

[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.