LoL, Joe Johnson quote...

[tigerblood]

I would have no problem with a deadline trade of Amare for Lee + some other talent and expirings. I like Lee's game.

Amar'e's's's value is back up as far as I see it, he's playing like a beast again and his hops are back. He would be great in NY next to Gallo. NY needs a point guard though, bad.

[lilfishi22]

What are your guys concerns as far as Amare's health goes? I'd be a little concerned giving a young athletic freak a max contract over 5-6 years with the possibility of knee issues which we have already seen. If Amare loses his athleticism, he becomes much more of an ordinary player, and that could easily happen earlier in his career than later on.

I guess the debate that we have been having on the Knicks board is this. Would people prefer Amare over Lee? Absolutely. However, given that Amare's market value will most likely be a max contract and Lee's will be around $9-10 million, who becomes more valuable? Personally I would rather keep Lee at that point and be able to sign another free agent for $7-8 million a year and not be concerned about having $100 million wrapped up in a player that may have real knee issues. I'm sure many of you would prefer to keep Amare, that's why we're fans of our teams.

That's basically my beef against giving Amare the max contract he and certain fans want, to keep him in PHX.

There's a lot of talk about how Amare's knee issues aren't "real" issues since his previous MF surgeries are on non-load-bearing parts of his knees. That's all good and nice but I think anyone has to be extremely cautious about giving a player with even a mention of "knee injury," a max deal. Whether the past injuries will affect him or not, time will tell. But sinking 100mil into one player with possible knee issues is a financial risk I wouldn't take. This isn't Dejuan Blair and his no archilles issues, he's on the rookie scale so you can take a risk on him, even though he knees may or may not give way in the future. This is a 100mil max deal which, unlike Blair's contract, will have effects on the Suns future and our ability to make roster moves if Amare's contract turns into deadweight should his knees go out.

I'd still take Amare over Lee, 9 times out of 10, but if it's between giving a player who may be an injury-liability 20mil a year for 5years or two players for 10mil each, I'd have to look at the 2nd option.

[nashill]

joe is on a different situation now. cant blame him if he changes tune now because he already got the money. why blame him if this time, he wants to win a championship?

[JohnVancouver]

I guess the debate that we have been having on the Knicks board is this. Would people prefer Amare over Lee? Absolutely. However, given that Amare's market value will most likely be a max contract and Lee's will be around $9-10 million, who becomes more valuable? Personally I would rather keep Lee at that point and be able to sign another free agent for $7-8 million a year and not be concerned about having $100 million wrapped up in a player that may have real knee issues. I'm sure many of you would prefer to keep Amare, that's why we're fans of our teams.

Because of the nature of the injury - as explained elsewhere on the board in a different thread - Amar'e is not likely to have problems again as it was not a weight-bearing area, or something like that. At any rate, it's not a huge concern, or shouldn't be.

I have to say, as great as Amar'e can be, I think a guy like Lee and another very good player, a Battier or Ariza, could be better for a team than Amar'e and warm bodies. (I know people are down on Ariza but I still like the guy's game.)

Amar'e and Griff for Lee, Jeffries works except for $200k and change.

[dantian]

I would have no problem with a deadline trade of Amare for Lee + some other talent and expirings. I like Lee's game.

Amar'e's's's value is back up as far as I see it, he's playing like a beast again and his hops are back. He would be great in NY next to Gallo. NY needs a point guard though, bad.

I'd do Nash for Chandler, Hill, Duhon + 1-2 picks, as the Suns are going nowhere with Nash anyway. Or you may get Lee for Nash straight up.

[Miklo]

I don't think Lee's overall skill set is far behind when you account for his ball handling, IQ, and the fact that like I said the Knicks are able to run the offense through him almost like a guard. However Amare is obviously bigger, stronger, and more athletic, which makes him a legitimate force at the center position. Both leave a lot to be desired on the defensive end and Lee is one of the better rebounders in the entire league.

What are your guys concerns as far as Amare's health goes? I'd be a little concerned giving a young athletic freak a max contract over 5-6 years with the possibility of knee issues which we have already seen. If Amare loses his athleticism, he becomes much more of an ordinary player, and that could easily happen earlier in his career than later on.

I guess the debate that we have been having on the Knicks board is this. Would people prefer Amare over Lee? Absolutely. However, given that Amare's market value will most likely be a max contract and Lee's will be around $9-10 million, who becomes more valuable? Personally I would rather keep Lee at that point and be able to sign another free agent for $7-8 million a year and not be concerned about having $100 million wrapped up in a player that may have real knee issues. I'm sure many of you would prefer to keep Amare, that's why we're fans of our teams.

@ your posts regarding Amare vs. Lee

I am absolutely with you. I don't understand how some people can undervalue DLee so much. Now I do take issue with a couple of your comments regarding Amar'e - I think there is a time and place for a near-max contract for him, and would NOT be opposed to us shelling that out like many of my Suns fan brethren are.

BUT, let's say your numbers are correct and we are actually talking about Lee being available at around half of Amar'e's (wtf are you supposed to do with all those apostrophes??) contract - then absolutely I would rather have Lee and another very solid player than Amar'e. Depends on the team situation though - there will always be teams on the lookout for a max-ish player because they already have role players on the cheap.

[nykgeneralmanager]

Yeah, there are so many variables for this off-season it should really be interesting to see how everything goes.

Unfortunately for the Knicks, it doesn't seem like they really have a choice in the matter. Curry obviously will not be traded as the Knicks certainly won't include Chandler or Gallinari in a trade to dump him. Jeffries has really raised his value and I think he may even be able to be traded alone to a contender for an expiring even without adding a young player, which would've seemed crazy a few months ago. But assuming Jeffries isn't moved, the Knicks will only have enough space for a max contract + Lee, so Amare wouldn't even be an option for the Knicks to pair with another player, which is why I think he will remain in PHO. Then when Curry and Jeffries expire the next year, that is another $18 million to throw at a free agent.

However, LeBron's whole thing may be that he will only come if he can be paired with another stud...it is up to the Knicks to sell Gallinari/Chandler/Lee as a good enough supporting cast; which I think it is.

From most of the things I have come across, and you guys are obviously on top of it more than I am, it seems like Amare wants to remain in Phoenix. Having Nash sign that extension was huge for the Suns as it took away the uncertainty surrounding the future of the franchise, and killed the hopes of many Knicks fans.

[Sun Scorched]

I would love to see Nash work with Lee offensively. No doubt he's our 1st option at PF if Amare bolts.

They already kick it together in NYC over the summer. I've heard they get together for pick up games quite frequently.

I've always liked Lee. I've had him both years in fantasy and love his stat line. Super-effecient, and a double-double lock. To me, a low-maintenance guy like that is worth 10 million a year.

[nykgeneralmanager]

Funny that this article was written today after it was just talked about in this thread. Really good article about Lee's new-found jumper and ability to run the offense as a point center. Just thought I'd pass it along to you guys, it gives Phil Weber props for also developing Amare's and Diaw's jumpers during their time in Phoenix.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/10/sport ... hot&st=cse

Meet David Lee, ace jump shooter.

For the previous 15 games before Saturday, Lee had been as brilliant on the perimeter as he had been at the rim, his rapid evolution on full display. Since Dec. 6, Lee had converted 53 percent of his jumpers from 16 to 23 feet, and 75 percent of his shots from 10 to 15 feet, according to an analysis provided by HoopData.com.

In 35 games, Lee had converted more perimeter shots (86) than he did all of last season (82). He had hit 66 shots in the 16-to-23-foot range, compared with 51 last season and only 18 in 2007-8.

Clearly, this is not the same player who in team marketing materials was once labeled, plainly, the Rebounder.

[JohnVancouver]

I think the Knicks are on their way - these last few games they've looked like I thought they would, even though the HOU loss hurt.

Trade machine says Darko, Hughes and Curry are all expiring - 1 yr. Does that mean one more year after this - if not, wow.

[nykgeneralmanager]

Curry has a player option which he will in all likelihood accept. Darko, Hughes, and Harrington are the big expirings.

[MrVince]

Who wouldn't want JJ back as a Sun?