You know you’re burned out on NBA news and rumors when you decide to write 10 haiku to summarize the NBA Summer of 2010. Off we go (in the English 5-7-5 syllable format)…
Atlanta spends big
to keep twenty-eight year-old
Here comes the remorse
Wade, Bosh, then LeBron
Super Friends in Miami
Much to Dan’s chagrin
No doubt cathartic
Dan Gilbert’s manifesto
only hurts the Cavs
Pat Riley, the pimp
But they have to play the games
There’s still work to do
Chris Paul apparently would like to get in on some of this ‘Big 3’ action and reportedly said as much in a speech at Carmelo Anthony’s recent wedding.
According to a person who spoke with wedding attendee Amar’e Stoudemire, Paul made the reference during a speech of a potential union of himself, Stoudemire and Anthony, saying, “We’ll form our own Big 3,” Paul allegedly said.
So how do the Knicks pull that off? Barring an unexpected trade, a few things would have to happen…
1. Carmelo Anthony can’t sign an extension with the Nuggets.
There is an offer on the table extending Anthony for three years and $64 million. Most people think that with a new collective bargaining agreement looming, he’d be nuts not to take the guaranteed money. But if winning is truly the most important thing, and he sees a future with the Knicks, he would let his current contract expire and become a free agent next summer.
2. ‘Melo signs a max or near-max deal with the Knicks.
Assuming Ray Felton makes about $8 million and Stoudemire makes around $19 million for the 2011-12 season, the Knicks would be on the hook — barring any new contracts — for around $44 million heading into that season. Assuming the salary cap jumps $2 million to $60 million, the Knicks would have around $16 million in cap space. That would be enough to sign Anthony, assuming he’d be willing to take a bit of a cut.
3. Chris Paul opts out of his contract and signs a max or near-max deal with the Knicks.
Depending on what the Knicks do with Danilo Gallinari, Anthony Randolph and Toney Douglas, they project to be on the hook for $32 million plus Melo’s deal ($16 million), or $48 million total. Assuming the cap jumps another $2 million, the Knicks would have about $14 million in cap space (or as much as $26 million depending on Gallinari, Randolph and Douglas).
Is it probable? No. Is it feasible? It looks like it.
One hangup might be the fact that Stoudemire’s contract is so large (five years, $100 million) that the Knicks won’t be able to afford to pay anyone else that much, so Anthony and Paul would have to agree to play for less when they are both arguably better players. Also, if the salary cap doesn’t rise at least two million a season, there won’t be enough room to sign both players without slashing salary elsewhere, and the Knicks appear to want to hold onto Gallinari, Randolph and Douglas. Lastly, a new collective bargaining agreement could radically change the salary cap and how free agency works.
Now that Knicks fans know that they aren’t going to get LeBron, Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh, they can start looking forward to the Summer of Melo and the Summer of CP3.
Imagine an Eastern Conference Finals with the Heat (Wade, LeBron, Bosh) and Knicks (Melo, CP3, Amare) battling it out. As we learned last week, anything is possible.
Lee’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPN.com that Lee has agreed to a sign-and-trade worth $80 million dollars over six years with the Golden State Warriors.
The deal will send Lee to the Warriors for Anthony Randolph, Ronny Turiaf and Kelenna Azubuike among others.
Knicks GM Donnie Walsh has coveted Randolph for years and feels he’d give the team another long, athletic forward to pair with Amare Stoudemire and Danilo Gallinari in the frontcourt.
If Turiaf is indeed included, it will cut into the Knicks’ projected cap space a bit ($4.3 million) next summer, but in Randolph, the Knicks get an up-and-coming power forward that won’t have to be paid until the summer of 2013. The Knicks liked Lee, but obviously didn’t want to cut into their cap space to re-sign him. With this sign-and-trade, Lee gets his big payday and the Knicks get a young player who can grow with the team.
Lee will be a nice fit in Golden State, as he’s already proven he’s an All-Star caliber player in an up-tempo system. Don Nelson and the Warriors were clearly frustrated with Randolph’s personality (immaturity?) and they were able to turn him into a very solid player.
Ric Bucher, who has been pounding the not-the-Heat drum, had this to say on his Twitter feed:
FWIW: disparate opinions among gms, agents, league HQ officials today about where LeBron is going, but consensus on 1 thing: it’s not Mia.
Still hear Miami, but source says it changes every half hour.” If LeBron does return to Cleveland it would be for 3-year deal.
Several GMs & prominent agents are defiant, insisting #LeBron will stay in CLE. They can’t see the rationale of leaving $ and this process.
The general consensus amongst (most) of the media is that the Heat will be the pick, but there are a few prominent reporters that aren’t convinced, apparently based on the feeling of their front office sources.
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