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Tim Hardaway Jr. and Courtney Lee
Two different types of cases here, but both represent a means to the same end. The Knicks are short of the cap space needed to sign a free agent with 10-plus years of experience (read: Durant) this summer. Lee will make about $12.7 million next season, the last on a four-year deal. Hardaway will get $18.1 million in the third year of a four-year, $71 million deal that has a player option for 2020-21. The Knicks already waived and stretched Joakim Noah, putting dead money on their cap through 2021-22. Waiving and stretching Lee would only add to it. He’s fallen out of the rotation, getting the occasional minutes for Fizdale but clearly not a part of what the team is trying to do right now. He remains a respected veteran and has drawn compliments for his professionalism.

Hardaway Jr. has been inefficient this season while holding down a large burden on the offense. Despite his struggles, the Knicks need him to prop up their already below-average offense. Moving either Lee or Hardaway Jr. would get the Knicks the cap room they need, though trading Hardaway Jr. (who also has a 15 percent trade kicker) now could also make them uncompetitive way too often. Teams have asked the Knicks about Hardaway Jr. and Lee, according to league sources, but the Knicks have been adamant about not attaching assets to move them. Maybe a playoff team in need of scoring or wings will accede at some point and offer the Knicks a worthwhile return, or maybe the pressure of the trade deadline can make things move along.

Cookies4Life wrote:I don't know what teams consider to be "assets," but I'd gladly trade some combination of Trier/Kornet/Dotson/Hezonja/Mudiay/Vonleh and 2nd round picks in 2021/2022 to get out of Tim's contract. None of our lottery kids, Money Mitch or future 1st rounders though (and obviously KP.)

K-DOT wrote:

Cookies4Life wrote:I don't know what teams consider to be "assets," but I'd gladly trade some combination of Trier/Kornet/Dotson/Hezonja/Mudiay/Vonleh and 2nd round picks in 2021/2022 to get out of Tim's contract. None of our lottery kids, Money Mitch or future 1st rounders though (and obviously KP.)

You'd need at least a 1st to dump Tim imo, unless you're taking back like Parsons or some other worse contract, which kinda defeats the purpose

Remember that Tim has a trade kicker, which he could waive but probably won't, so he's a 20 mil contract, and is an average offensive player with terrible defense

Lee won't cost a first to dump, but something like Vonleh and a 2nd might be about right depending on what team he's being traded to

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K-DOT wrote:

Cookies4Life wrote:I don't know what teams consider to be "assets," but I'd gladly trade some combination of Trier/Kornet/Dotson/Hezonja/Mudiay/Vonleh and 2nd round picks in 2021/2022 to get out of Tim's contract. None of our lottery kids, Money Mitch or future 1st rounders though (and obviously KP.)

You'd need at least a 1st to dump Tim imo, unless you're taking back like Parsons or some other worse contract, which kinda defeats the purpose

Remember that Tim has a trade kicker, which he could waive but probably won't, so he's a 20 mil contract, and is an average offensive player with terrible defense

Lee won't cost a first to dump, but something like Vonleh and a 2nd might be about right depending on what team he's being traded to

Sent from my SM-G965U using RealGM mobile app

BowlRips wrote:

K-DOT wrote:

Cookies4Life wrote:I don't know what teams consider to be "assets," but I'd gladly trade some combination of Trier/Kornet/Dotson/Hezonja/Mudiay/Vonleh and 2nd round picks in 2021/2022 to get out of Tim's contract. None of our lottery kids, Money Mitch or future 1st rounders though (and obviously KP.)

You'd need at least a 1st to dump Tim imo, unless you're taking back like Parsons or some other worse contract, which kinda defeats the purpose

Remember that Tim has a trade kicker, which he could waive but probably won't, so he's a 20 mil contract, and is an average offensive player with terrible defense

Lee won't cost a first to dump, but something like Vonleh and a 2nd might be about right depending on what team he's being traded to

Sent from my SM-G965U using RealGM mobile app

Trade Kicker is paid by the team that makes the trade. Knicks would be paying the kicker. it only counts on the receiving teams cap

Cookies4Life wrote:The team to deal with would be Sacramento. I think they're making a push for the playoffs and they have a few expirings on that team- Shumpert and Z-Bo. I'd love to dump Tim and Kanter to them for those 2 guys, give them some of the young guys and a few second rounders.

Cookies4Life wrote:The team to deal with would be Sacramento. I think they're making a push for the playoffs and they have a few expirings on that team- Shumpert and Z-Bo. I'd love to dump Tim and Kanter to them for those 2 guys, give them some of the young expiring guys and a few second rounders.

KnicksGod wrote:

Cookies4Life wrote:The team to deal with would be Sacramento. I think they're making a push for the playoffs and they have a few expirings on that team- Shumpert and Z-Bo. I'd love to dump Tim and Kanter to them for those 2 guys, give them some of the young guys and a few second rounders.

This seems like a possible destination too. But what "young guys and a few" picks? I'd be careful there. I think if you're dealing Timmy, you should keep Dotson for sure. I also like Luke as a quality big.