Renaldo Balkman has left the building...

[Prophet_C]

Good move for the Knicks, Balk was massively overrated. Jones may be more than filler, he can defend and shoot the three. He can fit in D'Antoni's system.

I've heard he's getting waived.

[Pogue Mahone]

I guess I am in the minority but Balkman reminds me a lot of Mase. Or, as a modern day player, a similar skill-set to Boris Diaw. Balkman allows a team to go small if they play him at PF or he allows them to go big if they play him on the perimeter. Sure, he doesn't have much of a stroke but he does all the little things, he rebounds very well (especially considering he is covering on the perimeter), he can pass the ball, he is athletic enough to get out on the wing and finish on the break and he has pretty good handles.

I have been accused of ignoring "intangibles" (not true, btw) but Balkman is chock full of intangibles. The Knicks were a **** the last few seasons. Balkman is a low-usage / low-turnover / high-efficiency player who takes possessions away from opponents and continues his own team's possessions via the offensive rebound. How is that worse than a high-usage / high-turnover / low-efficiency player that is poor defensively? Most of the Das Celticbloggen contingent on this board salivates over that 2nd player as some great shakes because he can score (disregarding the efficiency with which he does so.) There is more than one way to skin the possession cat.

I would love Balkman on the Celtics (Wilson Chandler and David Lee, too.) I think Knick fans should feel aggrieved. Honestly, I would rather have a Balkman than a James Posey, all things considered (money being the first consideration.) Balkman can actually play a passable PF against PFs not named Lamar. Posey really can't. Balkman can legitimately guard most every SG and all SFs, as well. Posey struggles to keep many SFs in front of him. Sure, James can hit the three and he takes charges but Balkman is Rondo-like in his disruptiveness on the defensive end of the court. Balkman is the better rebounder, at both ends of the court, and is ready to shine, imo, if given a good chunk of minutes on a team that will use him properly.

[GuyClinch]

Not like Boston fans are beyond being reactionary. Remember the utter outrage when we traded Ron Mercer?

I remember when i thought Mercer was going to be a stud.. Sad.

Pete

[GuyClinch]

I guess I am in the minority but Balkman reminds me a lot of Mase. Or, as a modern day player, a similar skill-set to Boris Diaw. Balkman allows a team to go small if they play him at PF or he allows them to go big if they play him on the perimeter. Sure, he doesn't have much of a stroke but he does all the little things, he rebounds very well (especially considering he is covering on the perimeter), he can pass the ball, he is athletic enough to get out on the wing and finish on the break and he has pretty good handles.

He would still be in NY if he was like Diaw. I usually agree with you but I think your off base here. Diaw is a low effort - highly skilled foreign player. He has the complete game - albeit with some reluctance to shoot from the outside but he can hit a jumper. He is a high BBIQ player who thrives in the Mike D offense.

Whereas Balkman is a low BBIQ low skill hustle guy with good athleticism. He is unselfish but not sure he makes the right pass as I guess he couldn't pick up Mike's new sets..

[bling_singh]

so Balkman just got traded,and half the knick board is on life support. I know alot of us here overrated the youth on this team in the past but I have never seen a more overrated player by a teams fanbase then Balkman.

gerald green?

[DelMonte West]

so Balkman just got traded,and half the knick board is on life support. I know alot of us here overrated the youth on this team in the past but I have never seen a more overrated player by a teams fanbase then Balkman.

gerald green?

Not by a long shot. The thing with Gerald was everyone (not just Boston fans) expected him to have incredible talent, or at least potential. The T-Mac comparisons -- which I've never seen posted on this forum over the last 2 years, FWIW -- started well before he put on a green jersey, and many posters made that connection with no familiarity for his actual game (just build and leaping ability). Just go through the 2005 draft threads from the various teams that passed on him (especially Toronto's). He had a ton of hype and expectations that weren't confined to this board, and most of us realized he wouldn't become much of anything outside a streak shooter until he improved his overall game. By the time he was less impressive than undrafted Brandon Wallace, the general feeling was that we should move him while the reputation for his talent was still (relatively) high.

Balkman was a player that was dumped on since there were more skilled/talented players available to fill New York's needs. In the end, he became better than they expected and became something of a cult fan favorite. It's like being duped into overpaying for a mediocre car, then realizing it isn't as bad as you thought it would be. It was almost like they convinced themselves he was the right pick all along and suddenly became a core asset.