Miami concerns me...

[RHODEY]

They already have Wade and made the playoffs .....

The have space for another Max...

They could potentially free up additional cap space for additional talent-the Beasey/Dooling attempted trade scares me.

They have a top notch coach Pat Riley waiting in the background....

They have great weather and lower expectations ,less pressure overalll


Please my fellow Knickfans give me reasons to not be so concerned about Miami swooping in on the FA bonanza and stealing our prime targets.

[miamiballer]

be verry afraid my friend

[Loisl]

Progress and Wade
That's a draw. We have won nothing in years, so does MIA since the departure of Shaq. Only difference between us and them is Wade, who's good for a first round exit. Therefor we have space for a second Max Cat, which is basically a slot for a player of Wade's caliber.

2nd Max and cap space
We have both cap room for a 2nd Max. I think we have the edge on this one, because we can add two Max Cats who are a perfect fit for the team and each other, while Mia has to find someone who complements Wade. On top of that, we too could easily free up cap space. More than Miami if I'm not mistaken.

Cities
Citywise it's a wash. Miami is a nice place to live and play, so is NY. Personally, I would live in Miami over the summer and play in NY. xD

Pressure
I disagree on the lower expectations. Every team with cap space for a max has high expectations.


In my opinion we are of the same value. I prefer our young core, though.

[Flash3]

They already have Wade and made the playoffs .....

The have space for another Max...

They could potentially free up additional cap space for additional talent-the Beasey/Dooling attempted trade scares me.

They have a top notch coach Pat Riley waiting in the background....

They have great weather and lower expectations ,less pressure overalll


Please my fellow Knickfans give me reasons to not be so concerned about Miami swooping in on the FA bonanza and stealing our prime targets.

I agree with everything aside from the lower expectations part. With Wade, we HAVE to win or at least put a product around him that is capable of winning a title, otherwise he's as good as gone.

In terms of coaching, the only way Riley comes back to the sidelines is if LeBron tells him "I sign, only if you're coaching."

But, Wade and Riley might be the best of friends (if you want to call it that), but when it comes to coaching, Wade and Riley had their bouts of sorts when Riley was on the sidelines, given that his practices, while lessened, are still what they used to be. And, that he's got an extra close bond (right or wrong) to Spoelstra (who helped him in years 1-3) to become the player he is today, so I think there's a respect factor there, too.

But, it should be interesting. I doubt LeBron comes to Miami though.....

[Subway Token]

We = Miami in terms of position to succeed.

They have Wade + Max
we have
2 Maxes (LeBron-Bosh, LeBron-Amar'e, etc etc etc)

Both teams fail without star talent. Only different is that we weren't a 15 win team without stars.

[seren]

F Miami. No way LBJ chases Wade for a ring.

[denterprise]

If that oil pipe is not capped, not even the refugees will want to come there.

[moocow007]

As has been mentioned by many, I think both Wade and Lebron are smart and honest enough with themselves to realize that they're both alpha dogs and that no alpha works well with another alpha.

What is a threat is Miami possibly signing more than just one of the other top FA's which may have been lebrons no.1 choice in the Robin role and, in doing so, steering James away from NY. My guess is that part of the summit will be to go over who goes where with whom.

It COULD involve more elaborate plans of sign and trades to get them to teams that you may not expect, but I don't think that that's in their control. I think what will be discussed is to make sure no one is stepping on each others toes and to get a feel for what everyone thinks about the various teams.

[knicks742]

This idea of the 3 max free agents is nice for the fans to think about and play in 2k10 but it doesn't work in real life when the max free agents are all entering or in their prime. The celtics work because the top 3 guys understood their careers were coming to an end and they needed each other to win titles. When you are the age of LBJ/Bosh, you are not thinking of just winning but winning as the main man.

For the sake of team chemistry, you need each guy to know and accept their role and having too many guys who feel they are option 1 will hurt more than it will help. This is another reason why I think guys like Lee and Gallo are good pieces to have. Lee has proven he can put up all star numbers but he seems like the type of player that will gladly take a step back and sacrifice his numbers in order for the team to win. Same for Gallo.

[PrecociousNeoph]

they will definitely come away with one of the top big men available. Bosh, amare, lee, boozer, they will get one of them, imo bosh or Amare.

[Flash3]

This idea of the 3 max free agents is nice for the fans to think about and play in 2k10 but it doesn't work in real life when the max free agents are all entering or in their prime. The celtics work because the top 3 guys understood their careers were coming to an end and they needed each other to win titles. When you are the age of LBJ/Bosh, you are not thinking of just winning but winning as the main man.

For the sake of team chemistry, you need each guy to know and accept their role and having too many guys who feel they are option 1 will hurt more than it will help. This is another reason why I think guys like Lee and Gallo are good pieces to have. Lee has proven he can put up all star numbers but he seems like the type of player that will gladly take a step back and sacrifice his numbers in order for the team to win. Same for Gallo.

Right now, LeBron is going into his 8th season and hasn't gotten a ring yet, nor anywhere close to it, either. Same with Bosh, but his "legacy" is a bit different.

LBJ just needs to win rings, and in the end, if he has 5 rings, do you really think in the long run it will make a difference? We do say Kobe has 4 rings, but 3 with Shaq, but we do say he has 4 rings, no?

[Paeds]

I wouldnt worry about Lebron but Bosh and Co could go there

[knicks742]

This idea of the 3 max free agents is nice for the fans to think about and play in 2k10 but it doesn't work in real life when the max free agents are all entering or in their prime. The celtics work because the top 3 guys understood their careers were coming to an end and they needed each other to win titles. When you are the age of LBJ/Bosh, you are not thinking of just winning but winning as the main man.

For the sake of team chemistry, you need each guy to know and accept their role and having too many guys who feel they are option 1 will hurt more than it will help. This is another reason why I think guys like Lee and Gallo are good pieces to have. Lee has proven he can put up all star numbers but he seems like the type of player that will gladly take a step back and sacrifice his numbers in order for the team to win. Same for Gallo.

Right now, LeBron is going into his 8th season and hasn't gotten a ring yet, nor anywhere close to it, either. Same with Bosh, but his "legacy" is a bit different.

LBJ just needs to win rings, and in the end, if he has 5 rings, do you really think in the long run it will make a difference? We do say Kobe has 4 rings, but 3 with Shaq, but we do say he has 4 rings, no?

It's not the same thing. Kobe was much younger than Shaq and by the time he reached his prime, Shaq and him could no longer coexist and Shaq got the boot. I am not saying that you can't have Lebron and Wade play together, I think you can have 2 guys take all the shots and get "theirs", but then you add another guy who thinks he is a top guy at his prime and I think that's when you have trouble.

Now, of course, it is possible that 3 guys are willing to sacrifice and do it but I have yet to see that happen. Normally, these guys don't get desperate enough to do this until they are in their 30s. I guarantee that Lebron thinks that if he just has a legitimate Robin he will win a title. He is not thinking that he needs the help of Kobe or Wade to do so.

[method]

When the Knicks are good and they will be within the next year or two,when they go to Miami there more NY fans there then Heat fans.I know this first hand as I went down to Miami to watch the Knicks last year,and for a crappy Knick team the NY fans outnumbered the Heat fans 60/40.Do you think Bron or Bosh want to go to a team thats own home court is going to be cheering for us.I dont see it,same for NJ.

[aveboogie7]

F Miami. No way LBJ chases Wade for a ring.

That's not the point.

Miami signing Bosh or Stoudamire with their other max slot increases the likelyhood Lebron goes to Chicago as the joining the Knicks still leaves him behind Boston, Orlando and now Miami in the East.

Let's remember, the Knicks have a HUGE gap to close, and that's before you consider moves that teams already ahead of us can make to improve their squads.

As much as I can't stand the psuedo-max Chris Bosh, I think he's the lynchpin to all the movement. He's the secondary player the true max players want, so once his domino falls, the rest should be virtually elementary from there.

[BklyntoTNeck]

Why leave Cleveland if thats the case? Miami barely sells their own arena out night after night. Of course that would change if LeBron signed there, but why reward the most fair weather fans in the country? If LeBron wants to be a global figure and become a billionaire, it certainly isnt going to happen in Miami. Better off going to Chicago. Miami is the least realistic spot out of the following teams IMO....Cleveland, NY, Chicago, or even NJ.

[Thorn]

Lebron and Wade are friends, bron when younger even showed up to a heat game and put on heat swag when pressed by a reporter.

He is older and more mature now, he does not want to be second fiddle and Wade doesn't either.. in fact neither does Bosh. Selling that to either is difficult.

Riley? Yes I LOVE Coach Roley, he is in fact from my home town, went to the same school as my ex-wife, and is part owner in my company. You know what? He is a difficult man to play for and he is OLD SCHOOL. The require you to maintain a certain amount of of body fat or under, they are very demanding. That is a good thing, but players are not drawn to that. They are drawn to player coaches like our coach.

Coach Riley also has been questioned for his loyalty before, players have said he lures them to his teams, promises them the world, then when it doesn't work he blows the team up and starts over again and he uses players as bait and scatters them to the wind friendships and promises be damned. This is a bad image to have as a GM/Coach. He also has put a couple of coaches in charge through losing periods and then stepped on them to take control when things were looking more bright. This is viewed as a lack of loyalty as well. Coach Riley could in fact be a determent to the team not a plus.

That team in Miami is poorly constructed their big rookie draft pick is a pot head, with no heart, no motivation, and someone who has failed to live up to the hype. Beas is a negative, he is nothing at this point but a trade chip and a failed lottery pick.

Miami has BEEN terrible the last few years, failing to live up to expectations. Hell they HAD a lottery pick, this was with the team they have intact. If you are Lebron why leave your team to go there? Their point guards are band aid players, they have 2 power forwards and start one at the small...

Oh and they NEVER sell out, in fact they have horrible attendance, and I am not even talking about ticket sales they sell a respectable amount of tickets it is the empty seats. Who wants to play in front of a half empty arena? This has always bee nan issue in Miami there are too many other things to do there, and a lot of their seats have been sold to corporate contracts which is great for making money poor for reality. Because those people do not always show up. In fact they tend to show up much less than a fan who paid HIS or HER hard earned money for a seat. They are used as a tool to entertain out of town guests mostly and business and travel and tourism are down right now.

The Heat in fact suck.

They have nice weather... "yay".

[seren]

F Miami. No way LBJ chases Wade for a ring.

That's not the point.

Miami signing Bosh or Stoudamire with their other max slot increases the likelyhood Lebron goes to Chicago as the joining the Knicks still leaves him behind Boston, Orlando and now Miami in the East.

Let's remember, the Knicks have a HUGE gap to close, and that's before you consider moves that teams already ahead of us can make to improve their squads.

As much as I can't stand the psuedo-max Chris Bosh, I think he's the lynchpin to all the movement. He's the secondary player the true max players want, so once his domino falls, the rest should be virtually elementary from there.

F Chicago. The best they can do off-season is Kyle Korver. Maybe Al will sign with Chicago. That is a cheap azz franchise. No way LBJ goes there.

[Flash3]

Lebron and Wade are friends, bron when younger even showed up to a heat game and put on heat swag when pressed by a reporter.

He is older and more mature now, he does not want to be second fiddle and Wade doesn't either.. in fact neither does Bosh. Selling that to either is difficult.

Riley? Yes I LOVE Coach Roley, he is in fact from my home town, went to the same school as my ex-wife, and is part owner in my company. You know what? He is a difficult man to play for and he is OLD SCHOOL. The require you to maintain a certain amount of of body fat or under, they are very demanding. That is a good thing, but players are not drawn to that. They are drawn to player coaches like our coach.

Coach Riley also has been questioned for his loyalty before, players have said he lures them to his teams, promises them the world, then when it doesn't work he blows the team up and starts over again and he uses players as bait and scatters them to the wind friendships and promises be damned. This is a bad image to have as a GM/Coach. He also has put a couple of coaches in charge through losing periods and then stepped on them to take control when things were looking more bright. This is viewed as a lack of loyalty as well. Coach Riley could in fact be a determent to the team not a plus.

That team in Miami is poorly constructed their big rookie draft pick is a pot head, with no heart, no motivation, and someone who has failed to live up to the hype. Beas is a negative, he is nothing at this point but a trade chip and a failed lottery pick.

Miami has BEEN terrible the last few years, failing to live up to expectations. Hell they HAD a lottery pick, this was with the team they have intact. If you are Lebron why leave your team to go there? Their point guards are band aid players, they have 2 power forwards and start one at the small...

Oh and they NEVER sell out, in fact they have horrible attendance, and I am not even talking about ticket sales they sell a respectable amount of tickets it is the empty seats. Who wants to play in front of a half empty arena? This has always bee nan issue in Miami there are too many other things to do there, and a lot of their seats have been sold to corporate contracts which is great for making money poor for reality. Because those people do not always show up. In fact they tend to show up much less than a fan who paid HIS or HER hard earned money for a seat. They are used as a tool to entertain out of town guests mostly and business and travel and tourism are down right now.

The Heat in fact suck.

They have nice weather... "yay".

That's far from the truth. The media was calling for the Heat to break up the team after the 2nd post-season loss to you guys earlier on. But, he stuck with his guns. He broke up that team 1 year too late, because Zo had his kidney issues and Hardaway was on his last leg regardless.

If anything, he's unwilling to make changes at times. Now, he has no choice, change is inevitable, be it for the good or bad.

[rammagen]

Where you are wrong about the expectations, because of the general average fan down here there is a lower expectation because there is lower interest among the population. The sad truth is Miami is not 1/2 the sports town that NY is. Sorry Miami fans but the truth needed to be told. that leads to less interest hence lower expectations. Lets say we get Joe Johnson and keep Lee and find a center. Are we a playoff team yes we are, but how good + then Boston maybe not as good as Miami with Wade and Bosh. Let everything play out I really believe no matter whom we get we will be fine. I see LBJ+2 mid tier players if they do not land Bosh. A friend see us with Bosh and Lee. Everyone has their own option but the point is If you win a championship you'll own NY and Wade has won one in Mia and they couldn't get his name right in the party after wards. You judge who is the sports town.